RTHK: Russian loans in spotlight at feisty French debate French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday accused his far-right rival Marine Le Pen of being in thrall to Russian President Vladimir Putin over a years-old Russian bank loan to her party during a fiery TV debate ahead of Sunday's election. While he also charged Le Pen with harbouring an undiminished desire to pull France out of the European Union (EU), she struck back with a pledge to put money back in the pockets of millions of French made poorer during his five-year presidency. The debate their only one of the campaign was peppered with appeals of "don't interrupt me" and accusations the other was not up to the job of leading France, a veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member and Europe's second-largest economy. "Stop mixing everything up," a combative Macron told Le Pen during one heated exchange about France's debt, which like others has swollen due to pandemic support measures. "Don't lecture me," responded Le Pen, who avoided the pitfalls of a previous encounter in 2017, when her presidential bid unravelled as she mixed up her notes and lost her footing. For Le Pen, who lags Macron in voter surveys by as much as 56-44, the debate was a chance to persuade voters she has the stature to be president and that they should not fear seeing the far-right in power. Macron's strongest lines of attack were on a loan to her party for its 2017 campaign contracted through a Russian bank. "You depend on the Russian power, you depend on Mr. Putin," Macron told his opponent. "A lot of your choices can be explained by this dependence," he said in an attack on Le Pen's policy positions which he said still included a "project which dare not speak its name" to withdraw France from the 27-member EU. Le Pen, who has toned down her once staunchly anti-EU rhetoric as part of a bid to broaden her electoral appeal, dismissed both the charge of wanting to leave the EU and of being compromised politically by the Russian bank loan. "I am a completely free and independent woman," she said. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2022-04-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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 Emirates Islamic, a leading Islamic financial institution in the UAE, saw its Q1 net profit shooting up 62% y-o-y to AED342 million ($93.11 million), driven by a 14% growth in income and a 72% improvement in provisions. For the period ending March 31, 2022, the banks total income rose 14% y-o-y driven by higher funded and non- funded income. Its operating expenses increased by 10% y-o-y even as impairment allowances reduced 72% y-o-y. Operating profit improved 17% y-o-y and net profit margin was pegged at 2.90%. Operating performance The banks strong operating performance was attributed to higher income coupled with reduction in provisions. Strong capital and liquidity combined with a healthy deposit mix enabled the bank to support customers. Total assets remained robust at AED70.1 billion, which was an increase of 8% from end 2021. Customer financing was at AED45.2 billion, an increase of 6% from end 2021. Customer deposits was at AED51.4 billion, an increase of 9% from end 2021 with CASA balances at 80% of total deposits. Non-performing financing ratio improved to 7.6% with strong coverage ratio at 117.6% and Tier 1 ratio was at 17.7% and capital adequacy ratio was 18.8% reflecting the strong capital position of the bank. Headline financing to deposit ratio clocked 88% and remains within the managements target range. Customer confidence at all-time high Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Chairman, Emirates Islamic said: We are very pleased to announce a strong performance by Emirates Islamic in the first quarter of 2022. As the UAE steadily delivers higher economic growth, customer confidence is at an all-time high. This was reflected in increased appetite for retail products, growth in card spending and 9% growth in customer deposits. As a leading Islamic bank in the region, we were proud to support the landmark Dewa IPO, one of the largest and most significant listings in the region. Emirates Islamic supported those in need by contributing AED51 million in 2021 through the Emirates Islamic Charity Fund. The bank will continue to support a number of charitable institutions and deserving causes in 2022, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Prudent risk management Salah Mohammed Amin, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Islamic said: Emirates Islamics balance sheet remains strong with total assets growing by 8% during Q1 2022 to reach AED70.1 billion, demonstrating the strength of our operating capabilities and prudent risk management. Total income for the quarter was 14% higher at AED652 million, while Customer financing grew by 6% to AED45.2 billion. We kept investing as we look to expand our reach and footprint. Our strong results are a reflection of our relentless focus on providing innovative financial solutions to our customers while enhancing the overall customer service experience. In line with our vision to be the most innovative Shariah-compliant bank for our customers, people, and communities, Emirates Islamic is at the forefront of Islamic Banking development. We will continue to play a pioneering role in the Islamic banking sector, helping further increase the uptake of Islamic banking products in the UAE.-- TradeArabia News Service 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 Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the UAE and the worlds biggest premium aluminium producer, has signed an agreement to supply CelestiAL solar aluminium to Mercedes-Benz parts maker Hammerer Aluminum Industries (HAI). The agreement will see EGAs CelestiAL metal return to the UAE, as well as being distributed all over the world. EGA supplies thousands of tonnes of aluminium to HAI each year. A proportion of this supply will now switch to CelestiAL. Rob van Gils, Chief Executive Officer of Hammerer Aluminium Industries, said: This partnership with EGA enables us to contribute to a better future and shows that aluminium has a key role to play in achieving the European Unions Green Deal ambitions to decarbonise manufacturing. I am personally excited that many parts of the premium SUVs which are so popular in the UAE will be produced by HAI using EGAs UAE-made CelestiAL solar aluminium. I look forward to driving these vehicles on the UAEs sand dunes. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: The launch of EGAs CelestiAL solar aluminium was a landmark in our industrys drive to net zero. We expect to soon be able to increase production of CelestiAL, and meet more of the significant global demand for this innovative, low-carbon metal. We are proud that HAI, and their customers like Mercedes-Benz AG, will use aluminium made with the power of the UAE sun. In 2021, EGA became the first company in the world to produce aluminium commercially using solar power through a partnership with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, which operates the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the desert outside Dubai. EGA expects to vastly increase its production of CelestiAL through an initiative with Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, Dubal Holding and Emirates Water and Electricity Company to divest its electricity generation assets and source power from the grid, including an increasing proportion of clean energy. The new steady power demand from EGA would increase the predictability of the overall power system, and advance EWECs development of new solar energy projects. The scale of the expansion is expected to be greater than the current total installed solar generation capacity in the UAE and EGA would utilise this additional solar power once it is developed, said a statement. Producing aluminium is energy intensive, and generating electricity accounts for some 60 per cent of the global aluminium industrys greenhouse gas emissions. The use of solar power significantly reduces the emissions associated with aluminium smelting. Hammerer employs around 1,900 people. Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in Ranshofen, Upper Austria, and has eight other locations in Germany, Romania and Poland. - TradeArabia News Service HAMMOND A teen was arrested after sexually assaulting a classmate at Morton High School during an active shooter drill, court records alleged. Keith A. Miller, 17, of Hammond, was arrested on Wednesday morning, Hammond police said. Miller faces charges of rape, criminal confinement and sexual battery, according to Lake County Criminal Courts records. At 9:43 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2021, a Hammond officer was approached by a school administrator who told him a rape occurred during an active shooter drill at Morton High School at 6915 Grand Ave. The school administrator and officer met with the victim, a 16-year-old girl, who police described as visibly upset and crying. The victim said earlier that day, between 8:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. she was in a room in the school during an active shooter drill, in which the lights were turned off. The teacher had instructed students go inside a room with the lights off, and as the student entered she said she could not see anything but pitch darkness. She told police that Miller then bumped into her and asked, "Who is this?" She told him her name and then Miller began to touch her, court records said. The victim said she recognized Miller's voice from a class but they were not close. The victim moved away from Miller and told him "to chill," but he kept touching her, police reported. She said she tried to get Miller off of her but could not because he was stronger than her. Court reports alleged Miller then put his hand inside her pants, and as she tried to get away again, forced her hand inside of his pants. She said he penetrated her with his finger and continued to touch her against her will while the lights were off, the legal documents state. During this time, the victim said that she could not talk because students were supposed to be quiet during the drill. Once the lights turned on, she said Miller stopped and that he was the only one near her. After the incident, the victim went to her desk and cried and told her friends, her mother and went to the guidance office. The victim's parents were contacted and she was taken for a sexual assault examination at a hospital. A witness corroborated the victim's account in a text conversation, which was provided to police by the victim's mother. Police spoke with the witness, who told police she was standing near the victim and Miller when the assault occurred. Though it was too dark to see, the witness heard Miller ask, "Who is this?" and heard the victim respond. She also heard the victim say, "Stop touching me," in an upset tone, the court report said. Other witnesses told police that the victim told them of the assault after. A witness also said the victim called her crying and upset that Miller touched her without consent. Miller's bail is set at $50,000 and further court hearing dates are still to be determined. Some of the newest beers that are about to hit the tap lines of Madison breweries have familiar styles. Theres a wheat beer, American red ale, Belgian-style tripel, golden ale and a stout. Only the recipes for these brews are far from local. In March, Pravda Brewery in Lviv, Ukraine, released its beer recipes for all to see and invited brewers from around the world to make its beers to show support for its home country, invaded by Russia in February. The beers will also carry the brewerys original labels, some bearing caustic messages about the conflict. Eleven Madison-area breweries have taken up the cause and on Sunday will serve them at the Brew for Ukraine Brewing Festival at Wisconsin Brewing Co. in Verona. The event, from noon to 5 p.m., will include music and food and could raise more than $20,000 with the proceeds going to Ukraine relief efforts. Some of the beers in what is being called the Victory Series will also be available at select breweries and a few taverns. One of the beers, Syla, named after a small Ukrainian village and made at Giant Jones Brewing Co. on Madisons Near East Side, has also been bottled and is for sale in individual 500ml bottles at the brewery and by next week at Star Liquor on Williamson Street. When theres opportunities to partner with our colleagues to relieve the fallout from aggressive imperialism, its obvious, Jessica Jones, co-founder of Giant Jones, said when asked about her brewerys involvement in the collaborative project. When its all of our colleagues coming together to, like, move on one thing, its just a bigger splash. Jones brewed Syla, a Belgian-style tripel with 8.4% alcohol and black peppercorn and coriander seed, with brewers from Wisconsin Brewing Co. and Delta Beer Lab. Other breweries that are part of the collaboration are Funk Factory, Great Dane, Grumpy Troll, Karben4, Lake Louie, Starkweather, Vintage and Working Draft. And like the Madison-area breweries involved in the collaboration, Pravda Brewery is also a craft brewing company. It was founded in 2014 and its first home was a former department store on Lvivs central square. The project included Czech engineering, Belgian consulting, a German bottling line, Spanish pouring system and American brewer, according to the brewerys website. Pravda, which is Russian for truth, later relocated to expand its production threefold and now has the capacity to brew 9,500 barrels of beer a year and has a stage where its own brass band orchestra performs. But when Russia invaded, the brewery halted production to make Molotov cocktails for the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Its unclear if the company has restarted its brewing systems, but its recipes are now being made by breweries around the world, including at Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Bare Bones Brewery in Oshkosh and Sunshine Brewing Co. in Lake Mills. As peaceful craft brewers, we want to return to the normal life asap and enjoy brewing and drinking, the brewery wrote when it released its recipes. Its a decisive moment for Ukraine, Europe and democracies of the world. Soon (we) will win this war and have a good beer. The Beer of Victory. Pravda also is sending a message to the world with the names of some of its beers. Frau Ribbentrop, a wheat beer brewed locally by Vintage, is highly critical of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for not supplying Ukraine with weapons and continuing to do business with Russia. The golden ale, produced here by Great Dane, is dubbed Putin Huylo, which translates into a slur against the Russian leader. On a lighter note, Pravdas beer From San to Don was produced at Grumpy Troll Brew Pub in Mount Horeb. The name comes from two rivers, one in western Ukraine, the other in central Russia. Proceeds from the Ukrainian beer sold in the Grumpy Troll taproom will go to a charity that feeds Ukrainian refugees in Poland. This shows that local people can get together and make a difference, said Dave Joe, Grumpy Trolls director of operations. Were pretty passionate about helping everybody out. 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 lot of thought went into the look and menu at Jacknife and the outcome is a slick, stylish, fast-casual sushi spot that is a dream for fans of RED. And thats a big portion of the sushi-loving public in Dane County. Ten years after REDs debut in Downtown Madison, its owners, Jack Yip and Tanya Zhykharevich, opened Jacknife, deliberately spelling it with one k, 10 blocks east of the Capitol, in an ever-evolving section of East Washington Avenue. Jacknife, which opened March 14, is about as high-end as it gets for a counter-service restaurant. If you order carryout, the rolls, sashimi and nigiri are served in sleek paper boxes bearing the Jacknife name. The boxes are available at a self-serve counter with silverware, not plasticware, napkins, glasses and chopsticks. Theyre also stacked behind the counter for dramatic effect. There are three sizes, designed for two, three or four sushi rolls. Interior compartments inside include a little plastic tray for soy sauce. The rolls are as creative as REDs and served as long, dramatic cylinders with eight slices. When I ordered the pear pressure ($15), the woman taking my order, who turned out to be Taryn Johnson, operations manager for both Jacknife and RED, called it her favorite. It was easy to see why, with the pear adding an easygoing sweet-savory quality. The roll had salmon inside and out, an orange miso glaze and hemp hearts. Hemp hearts come from the inside of cannabis seeds, but dont contain THC or CBD. Johnson called them trendy and high in protein. Ebibody rock ($12) was another excellent choice with ebi (shrimp), mango, cream cheese and crispy shallots. Im a big fan of cream cheese in sushi rolls, and, like the pear in the pear pressure, the mangos sweetness complemented the savory shallots. Green machine ($13) was one of three enticing vegan rolls, and as good or better than any of the other rolls Ive tried at Jacknife. It had arugula, asparagus and avocado, and was topped with togarashi, a slightly spicy Japanese spice mixture. I was unsure if toasted oats and alfalfa sprouts would work on top, but they did, clinging to a miso agave dressing. Rad tuna ($10) was simple by comparison, with tuna, green onion and oshinko, a Japanese pickle. Another tuna roll, the newly added spice spice baby ($10), featured tuna that had been mixed with serrano peppers, alongside avocado and green onion. The spicy roll had black and white sesame seeds on top, while the rad tuna had both plus poppy seeds. The seeds made them stand out, but they lacked the flair of some of the more unique rolls. The tight menu offers raw tuna, salmon and hamachi, aka yellowtail tuna, served plain, as sashimi, or over a narrow mound of rice, as nigiri. The salmon ($6) was like butter, incredibly fresh and delicious. Id get it every time over the tuna ($8), which was still great. The menu describes the sashimi and nigiri as one-bite wonders, with two pieces per order. I preferred them as sashimi. They leave you wanting more, lots more. Of the three bowls, my daughter and I split the protein bowl ($11), served warm with roasted broccoli, zucchini, hemp hearts and miso dressing. It seems strange to call it a protein bowl when the proteins are extra: crispy tofu ($2.50), chicken ($3), marinated skirt steak ($4) and salmon sashimi ($5). We went with the sashimi and the five narrow strips of salmon were attractively arranged in the center like a rose. Johnson said the kitchen only does that when its not busy. Customers also choose a base: quinoa, brown rice, seasoned sushi rice or mixed greens. A mixture of the latter two was ideal. The bowl came with a container of creamy miso dressing, which tied everything together beautifully. Also worth getting is the cold sesame noodles ($10.50), pan-fried with thin wisps of cucumber, roasted peanuts, scallions and a chili garlic tahini sauce. It was glistening, rather than greasy, and had a nice kick. The Japanese slaw ($4) with carrot, daikon radish, cabbage and toasted sesame also had togarashi, which imparted mild heat. The Japanese Kewpie brand mayo includes apple cider vinegar for a hint of sweetness. Like the coleslaw, the fruit bowl ($3) was a big, reasonably priced portion. Its combination of blueberries, strawberries, pineapple and blackberries capped off a fantastic meal. I havent tried the homemade steamed dumplings, but Johnson said theyre big sellers. Jacknife has handy 15-minute parking out front and thats exactly how long it took me to order and get my food to-go just before the dinner rush on two occasions. To order online, you have to sign up on the restaurants website and agree to terms of service and a privacy policy. Ive instead opted to order in person and wait. REAL FOOD REAL FAST is stamped out in a green border framing the windows. Both are true. Yip and Zhykharevich are proving themselves once again. They have seized upon a great idea and are executing it as well as you would expect from two sushi veterans. Diner's scorecard Restaurant: Jacknife Location: 1046 E. Washington Ave. Phone: 608-255-JACK (5225) Website: getjacknife.com Hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prices: Sushi rolls $10 to $18, sashimi and nigiri $6 and $8, bowls $10.25 to $13.25, dumplings $10 and $12, salads $10.50 to $13, sides $4 to $5, kids $3 to $6. Noise level: Medium Credit cards: Accepted Accessibility: Yes Outdoor dining: Yes, on the side of the building Delivery: Yes Drinks: Beer, cider, wine and sake Gluten-free: Many items, as marked on the menu Vegetarian offerings: Many, plus vegan options Kids menu: Yes Reservations: No Parking: Street parking. Or park in the Arden building garage, which is free for the first 15 minutes. Service: Great Bottom line: There's no better, more fun place in Madison for a fast sushi fix. Read restaurant news at go.madison.com/restaurantnews 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. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israels air force and Palestinian militants traded fire across the Gaza frontier early Thursday as clashes erupted again at Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, worsening an escalation that has been eerily similar to the lead-up to last years Israel-Gaza war. The violence along the Gaza front, fueled by the unrest between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem, appears to be the heaviest-cross-border fighting since last years 11-day war and comes despite efforts to prevent a repeat. A rocket fired from Gaza this week shattered a months-long period of calm that followed the war. Palestinian militants fired two rockets toward Israel from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday and early Thursday, and Israeli aircraft hit militant targets in the seaside, Hamas-ruled enclave. One rocket landed in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, a frequent target, and another fell short and landed in Gaza, the Israeli military said. The launches set off air-raid sirens across parts of southern Israel, disrupting the quiet of the Passover holiday week. Early Thursday, Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in the central Gaza Strip, local media reported. Social media posts by activists showed smoke billowing in the air. The Israeli military said the airstrikes were aimed at a militant site and the entrance of a tunnel leading to an underground complex holding chemicals to make rockets. The military later said its planes attacked another Hamas compound after an anti-aircraft missile was fired from Gaza. It said the missile failed to hit its target and no injuries or damage were reported. The latest Israeli-Palestinian tensions boiled over after a series of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, which then sparked days-long, sometimes lethal, arrest raids by the military in a flashpoint West Bank city and spread into daily clashes in Jerusalem. This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Passover, a time of heightened religious observances and visits by large numbers of people to Jerusalem. Israeli police said dozens of masked protesters holed up in the Al-Aqsa Mosque early Thursday, sealed the doors and began throwing rocks and firecrackers. Police said they attempted to disperse the Palestinians using riot dispersal means, without elaborating, and that forces did not enter the mosque itself. A Palestinian official from the Waqf, which administers the site, said large numbers of police used stun grenades to clear out the site. He said police also fired stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets against Palestinians who had sealed themselves inside the mosque. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the incident with the media. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 20 people were injured, one critically. Similar clashes have taken place throughout the week, while fiercer ones broke out at the site earlier this month, wounding more than 150 Palestinians and three police officers. The Palestinians have accused Israeli police of using excessive force at the holy site, and Palestinian social media have been filled with videos showing Israeli forces striking what appear to be unarmed Palestinians, including women. Police say Palestinians instigate the violence and have released their own videos showing young Palestinian men throwing rocks and fireworks toward the security forces. Police say the Palestinians are desecrating their own shrine and putting others at risk. Jordan, which administers the Al-Aqsa Mosque, on Thursday held an emergency meeting of a regional committee over what it called illegal Israeli policies and measures in Jerusalem. The committee includes member countries who have recently normalized ties with Israel, including the United Arab Emirates. The country's top diplomat, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke by phone Thursday. Al Nahyan called for stability according to the United Arab Emirates state-run WAM news agency. A U.S. State Department delegation is also in the region in a bid to secure calm. The scenes of rocket fire and repeated violence in Jerusalem recall the run-up to last years war. Last year, the violence also spread to mixed Jewish-Arab cities, which hasn't happened in the current wave of unrest. On Wednesday, hundreds of flag-waving Israeli ultra-nationalists marched toward predominantly Palestinian areas around Jerusalems Old City, a demonstration of Israeli control over the disputed city seen as a provocation by Palestinians. Last years war erupted during a similar march, when Gaza militants, declaring themselves the guardians of Jerusalem, fired a barrage of rockets toward the holy city. Those events, along with other developments, led to an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that killed over 250 Palestinians and 14 people in Israel, causing extensive damage in Gaza. This year, Israeli police closed the main road leading to the Damascus Gate of the Old City and the heart of Muslim Quarter. After some pushing and shoving with police, the marchers rallied near the barricades, waving flags, singing and chanting. Israeli nationalists stage such marches to try to assert sovereignty over east Jerusalem, which Israel seized in 1967, along with the West Bank and Gaza, and annexed in a move not recognized internationally. The Palestinians seek an independent state in all three territories and consider east Jerusalem their capital. The hilltop shrine in the Old City is the emotional ground zero of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the center of previous rounds of violence. Known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, it is the third holiest site in Islam. It is also the holiest site in Judaism, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of their biblical temples. Israel says it is maintaining a decades-old status quo at the site, which prevents Jews from praying there. But during the Passover holiday this year, visits by Jews have skyrocketed and in some cases Jews have been praying at the compound. Palestinians view the visits, under police escort, as a provocation and possible prelude to Israel taking over the site or partitioning it. For Palestinians, the mosque compound, administered by Muslim clerics, is also a rare place in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem where they have a measure of control. Palestinian militant groups in Gaza the ruling Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad have positioned themselves as defenders of the Jerusalem holy site. On Wednesday, Hamas said Israel would bear full responsibility for the repercussions if it allowed the marchers to approach our holy sites. Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Hamilton, Canada, and Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The second man to have pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of two Lake Delton businesses in July 2020 was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to 11 years in prison. In fashioning a sentence for Deon L. Brown, District Judge James Peterson said he needed to determine how much worse is Browns character and conduct than co-defendant, Cortez Thurmond, who Peterson sentenced last month to 8 1/2 years in prison. Only Brown, 29, of Zion, Illinois, carried a firearm into the Alpha Red Studio and Gifts of the World store where he struck one woman on the back of the head with a handgun and another shopper in the mouth, according to court documents. The blow to the back of head required several stitches. The only violence occurring during the Alpha Red robbery consisted of Brown grabbing an employee by the hair, pointing a gun to the side of her head and shoving her into a chair. Peterson said the injuries werent extremely serious, and they healed long before the effects of the terror the victims experienced faded. The woman, who received stitches, said she still has nightmares, a rapid heartbreak and pure fear when she thinks about the robbery, Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner wrote the court. Making his conduct worse was the Brown didnt need to use the gun became the witnesses werent resisting, the judge said. Brown told Peterson that he now understands that he didnt need to use the gun to commit the robberies but he needed money for drugs and violence was how he had got what he wanted. Brown and Thurmond cased the businesses before robbing them, which Peterson called calculated for someone so desperate for drugs. Also, this was Browns second armed robbery conviction and sentence and Peterson asked him why he didnt get the message from that prior offense. Prison in Illinois is different; they lock you up with animals like me but there arent any programs ... that just make you worse off, Brown said. While being sober and detained in the Dane County Jail for the past 18 months, he said he had access to a laptop and obtained some educational certificates but not a high school equivalency degree. Peterson recommended Brown receive drug, educational and vocation counseling while in federal prison. After prison, Brown will be on supervised release for three years and be responsible with Thurmond, of North Chicago, Illinois, for restitution of $2,555 to Gifts of the World. The Alpha Red Studio didnt request restitution. William Ginsberg, Browns attorney, asked for a sentence of nine years and two months, saying that the store video showed an almost imperceptible touch of the gun to a shoppers head. While all armed robberies are considered violent offenses, the fact that the physical injuries werent terribly serious should be considered a mitigating factor, Ginsberg argued. Under the advisory sentencing guidelines, Brown faced up to 11 years in prison, which Wegner recommended. Ginsberg argued that Brown using a gun and being on probation at the time of the robberies are already factored into the guidelines, which begin at nine years and two months, and is the prison term Ginsberg recommended. Brown and Thurmond continued to rob business in southeast Wisconsin and Lake County, Illinois, before being arrested in Kenosha in September 2020. They have been indicted in federal court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin for those robberies. Peterson said didnt factor those pending charges in sentencing Brown. A Catholic school administrator from Rhode Island will join Edgewood High School as its new president starting July 1, the school announced Thursday. Kevin Rea will step into the leadership position currently held by Mike Elliott, who announced his retirement in October after nine years as president of the private Catholic high school. I feel deeply honored and thrilled that I will be joining the Edgewood High School community as president at such an exciting time in its history, Rea said. Rea served as president of Wyoming Seminary School from 2015-21 before returning to Rhode Island for family reasons, according to a statement released by Edgewood communications director Martha Doherty. Before working in Wyoming, Rea was assistant head of school at Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York, and served in various education and administration roles in the United Kingdom. He is well-positioned to help us build on the strong foundation that Mike Elliott and previous presidents as well as our Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa sponsors, faculty, staff, students and families have built throughout Edgewoods history, said Marykay Zimbrick, board chair and a member of the president search committee. President of Edgewood High School announces plan to retire in June 2022 Mike Elliott, who has been president of the private high school in Madison since 2013, told students, staff and faculty in a statement Monday that the decision came after conversations with family and friends, careful thought and many prayers. Elliott, who has been president of the high school since 2013, told students, staff and faculty in a statement in October that his decision to step down came after conversations with family and friends, much thought and many prayers. He cited a desire to spend time with his family, including his young grandchildren, which prompted his decision to retire. He plans to leave the position in June. Zimbrick said she and fellow board members were grateful for the leadership Elliott has shown as president through uncertain and often challenging times. Together, we have addressed many challenges and celebrated many milestones and Im so proud of where Edgewood is headed, Elliott said. Im confident Kevin, in partnership with the entire Edgewood community, including our generous donors and alumni, will continue the beloved Edgewood tradition and make the Edgewood experience even better. 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. Amitabha Shatdal carefully pulled a piece of weathered paper, colored sepia with age, from an envelope and spread the folded sheet of newsprint open on the table before him. The nameplate read: The High-Times, and the publication date was Oct. 3, 1930. It was the first West High School student newspaper and it was printed in the schools first year. Shatdal, a West senior, became the leader of an archeological expedition within the walls of the schools library after searching for old articles about West High School from local newspapers on the Newspapers.com database during a free period. With help from school librarian Beth Hennes, West Assistant Principal Sean Storch and Principal Karen Boran, Shatdal set off on a unique mission, to devote his free time to compiling an archive of old articles, yearbooks and other artifacts from the schools history to be digitized and accessible to the public, as the school begins to ready itself for upcoming construction projects funded by the 2020 operations referendum. After years stored away in the farthest reaches of the school and deep within teachers and alumnis homes, West High memorabilia are finally being rediscovered and appreciated for the beautiful artifacts that they are, Shatdal said. Hes putting out a call to the community to contribute to the archive with any West-related artifacts such as school newspaper articles, audiovisual records and pictures from decades past. He has set up an email for community members to reach him at westhigharchive@gmail.com. The dig begins Earlier in the school year, as the library was upended in preparation for its referendum-funded move and remodel, Shatdal brought a number of articles about West High in the 1950s to Hennes, who offered to show Shatdal yearbooks and newspapers from that era that had been collecting dust in the storage room. Theyre really fascinating to look at, and I think theyre really important for students today and in the future to go back and look at ... to get an understanding of what the school used to be, what it is now and what it can become in the future, he said. The reason we learn history in school is because it has impacts today how we view policy today, how we act today. He drew similarities between World War II, which was written about by students for the West High Times, a later iteration of the schools newspaper now available online only, and the war in Ukraine. Both conflicts caused food prices to increase across the globe. His expedition grew to include a team of his classmates as they continued to unearth a trove of 20th-century learning materials, including slides used in school lessons and a roughly 50-year-old carousel slide projector which Shatdal figured out how to get in working order. In Borans office on Wednesday, he switched on the projector and transported those in the room back to the 1970s as photos from roughly 50 years ago lit up a blank white dry-erase board. Slides used in lessons across a variety of subjects were stacked and bound in folders on a cart below the projector, and loose slides depicted everyday life of students from that era: shop class with now classic cars and lice checks on students with mop-top haircuts. The scope widens Shatdal plans to expand his expedition to other storage rooms in the school, including the art storage room, which had been a darkroom used to develop film in photography class. We just keep finding more and more stuff its just amazing, Boran said. Kind of like King Tuts tomb. The artifacts go way beyond paper and slides to include pieces such as ornamental glass and artwork hidden behind walls, Boran said. Were hoping to share some really interesting things about West and sometimes that sparks additional interest in bringing more of these archival materials in, so were hoping to get the word out to West (alumni), Storch said. All of the Madison School Districts four main high schools are undergoing multimillion-dollar refurbishments in the coming years, and students at those schools might also be able to uncover similar troves of learning materials from decades past as staff readies the buildings for construction. All of the schools are going through this and trying to determine what we have space for and what can the city of Madison afford to have us toss thats really the question, Boran 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. UW-Madison has promoted its interim chief financial officer to the permanent position, the university announced Thursday. Rob Cramer took over as the temporary vice chancellor for finance and administration last May following the departure of Laurent Heller, who left for Johns Hopkins University. Cramer was also among the finalists in the 2016 search that led to Hellers hire. Rob has all of the tools, experience and knowledge to lead these critical units and support our universitys success, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in a statement. Im appreciative of his steady presence at this important time of transition. Cramer, a UW-Madison alumnus, has a resume that includes decades of administrative experience. He spent 10 years at UW-Platteville as the vice chancellor for administrative services and about four years as vice president for administration for the University of Wisconsin System. Hes also served as secretary of the State of Wisconsin Building Commission and administrator of the Division of State Facilities in the state Department of Administration. The university is at a critical juncture and we have to be very focused on ensuring it thrives in order to support Wisconsin today and tomorrow, Cramer said in a statement. Cramers office oversees budget, facilities planning, business services, human resources, public safety and University Housing. His salary will be $420,000, university spokesperson John Lucas said. Other finalists for the job included Sheryl Van Gruensven, UW-Green Bays chief business officer, and Patrick Duhaney, the city manager for Virginia Beach, Virginia. New documents posted online by Michael Gableman underscore efforts by the former state Supreme Court justice to gather information on the partisan leanings of public election employees as part of his GOP-ordered review of the 2020 election, including details on a Milwaukee staffer he determined to be probably a Democrat because she has a nose piercing and sometimes colors her hair. The memo, titled cross pollinators and posted on the Office of Special Counsel website Thursday, lists details about a Milwaukee geographic information system analyst, including that she has a weird nose ring, has colored hair in some of her photos, loves nature and snakes, plays video games and lives with a boyfriend but is not married to him. The unsigned memo also notes that the employee has no overt signs of rampant partisanship. The documents were posted on the same day that a Dane County judge ordered Gableman to stop deleting public records related to the GOP-ordered review into the 2020 election after court filings revealed that Gablemans office regularly destroys records deemed irrelevant or useless. Among the documents recently posted on Gablemans website, the cross pollinators memo underscores the former justices fixation on the partisan leanings of elections officials in the state. Gableman was hired last year by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, to review the election at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers. Others listed in the memo include Milwaukee Election Commission director Claire Woodall-Vogg, who is referred to as Voggy in another memo; Madison and Green Bay city clerks Maribeth Witzel-Behl and Celestine Jeffreys; and Racine clerk and treasurer Tara Coolidge, among others. Witzel-Behls name is misspelled Maribeth Wetzel in the report, and Jeffreys is misspelled Jefferies. In a recent discussion with WTAQ-AM, Gableman criticized the clothing choice of the Wisconsin Elections Commissions nonpartisan administrator, Meagan Wolfe, remarking, black dress, white pearls, Ive seen the act, Ive seen the show. Gableman has a bizarre fixation with the jewelry and appearance of the women he is supposedly investigating, Wisconsin Elections Commission Democratic chair Ann Jacobs tweeted Thursday. Its sleazy and gross and has no place in any investigations by the government. Gablemans office had not responded to a request for comment Thursday. Deleted records Indiana lawyer James Bopp, who is representing Gableman in an ongoing lawsuit filed by liberal watchdog group American Oversight seeking records related to the election review, wrote in an April 8 letter to the organization that the Office of Special Counsel routinely evaluates documents, including text messages and emails, to determine whether the record is of use to the ongoing probe. Documents deemed relevant to the investigation are downloaded and kept. If the document is irrelevant or useless to the investigation, the (office) deletes that document, Bopp wrote in the letter, which was filed in court Wednesday. In light of this standard procedure, the (office) routinely deletes documents and text messages that are not of use to the investigation. An irrelevant or useless document includes documents that the (office) is not intending to further investigate, and is not intending to rely upon for its recommendations or reports. Bopp wrote that the deletion of records ensures that the office is not overrun by irrelevant and useless documents, but an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Council back in October found that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, violates state law. American Oversight this week filed a request for a temporary injunction to prevent Gablemans team from deleting records as part of an ongoing lawsuit seeking access to the documents. Judges order Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington ordered Gableman on Thursday to not delete or destroy any records that may be responsive to American Oversights original request pending further action from the court on the matter. A scheduling conference has been set in the case for Tuesday. If this investigation was above board, the Office of Special Counsel would have maintained and released records of its work required by law, American Oversight senior adviser Melanie Sloan said in a statement. Instead, it is fighting tooth and nail to hide its work from the public. This inquiry is nothing more than an attempt to prop up conspiracy theories and undermine free and fair elections. In the October memo, which was prepared for then-Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, Legislative Council deputy director Dan Schmidt wrote that the states public records law generally applies to records created or maintained by Gablemans office. In court filings, Bopp contended that the states public records retention law only applies to state agencies and not Gablemans office citing an exemption to the law provided to the state lawmakers who hired him. The (office) is not a state agency subject to the retention law, as it is clear that the (office) is not a commission, board, department or bureau of state government, Bopp wrote. Rather, it is an independent contractor contracted by the Assembly to assist in the investigation of the 2020 Election. As such, it is also not an officer for purposes of the public records retention law. State lawmakers are exempt from Wisconsins record retention law, allowing them to regularly delete records, though requested documents must be retained if they exist at the time of a formal request. Schmidt wrote in the memo that such an exemption does not apply to Gableman. Court battles The case is one of three records-related lawsuits filed by American Oversight against Vos, the Assembly and Gableman. Vos and Gableman have fought back against multiple records requests from both American Oversight and news organizations, arguing that releasing such documents could undermine the ongoing review. Despite a wide array of claims made by Gableman, the former justice has so far failed to produce evidence to support claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, which saw President Joe Biden defeat former President Donald Trump in the state by about 21,000 votes. Several judges have been unsympathetic to Republican efforts to withhold those records, with Remington last month ordering the release of hundreds of pages of documents related to Gablemans review. Remington described the records as much to-do about nothing. In a separate case, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn in March held Vos in contempt of court for failing to provide requested public documents related to the probe. Vos has extended Gablemans contract through the end of April, but later said he is considering rescinding subpoenas issued by the former justice so that a Republican attorney general if elected in November could file criminal charges against the subpoenaed individuals, though he did not provide specifics on what charges could be pursued. Gableman said he had recently been contacted by officials in Vos office notifying him of plans to dismantle his office by the end of the month. Vos said his goal is to now focus on resolving the several pending lawsuits surrounding the former justices review. 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. Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec), a subsidiary of ADQ, has announced its achievements for 2021, with the value of its direct and indirect impact on the Abu Dhabi economy in 2021 registering at AED2.4 billion ($653 million). During 2021, The Group made significant investments and expanded its mandate to the leisure tourism sector, which contributed to a strategic approach to diversifying the portfolio. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of Adnec, said: 2021 was an exemplary year for the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company as we achieved a number of major successes and milestones, cementing our positioning at the forefront of the business tourism industry. Adnec continues to support the promotion of Abu Dhabi as the regions pioneering business tourism hub through hosting leading international exhibitions and conferences. Our success is a testament to the dedicated and committed teams who constantly strive to elevate the companys standard of excellence, flexibility and adopting best practices at both local and international levels. Together, with our partners, we have overcome unprecedented challenges of recent years and look forward to a bright future ahead as we continue to evolve our business throughout the recovery phase of the global pandemic and navigate a pathway to sustained success, he added. In 2021, Adnec, in collaboration with SEHA, continued to be a key player in delivering critical support for Abu Dhabi and the UAE - mitigating the impact of Covid-19. Throughout 2021, Adnec also launched Tourism 365, to support in creating experiential travel opportunities for tourists coming to Abu Dhabi, and to enhance the emirates regional and global positioning in the wider tourism sector. Tourism 365 aims to increase leisure visitors, enhance guest experiences and extend peoples stay in the UAEs capital. The new company consists of Capital Experience, a high-quality destination management company, and Capital Travel, a premium travel operator. Adnec continued its growth with the acquisition of the Etihad Airport Services Catering and Etihad Holidays. Etihad Airport Services Catering united with Adnecs catering arm Capital Hospitality, while Etihad Holidays joined Adnecs tourism promotion business, Tourism 365 - further augmenting Adnecs long-term investment strategy. The acquisition of the companies is part of the Companys strategic efforts to boost the UAEs tourism sectors, given Adnecs extensive experience and capabilities across both the hospitality and tourism industry. Throughout the year, Adnec acquired many new assets including hotels and new business units. The Company also launched a strategic and comprehensive plan for expansion at both the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and ExCeL London in 2021, boosting its leading regional and global position as a strategic enabler of the business tourism sector. Development operations, which are scheduled to begin this year, include building a specialised exhibition hall at Adnec Marina on the waterfront of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The hall will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region and boast an overall area of 10,000 square metres. The year saw a 12% increase in overall area for indoor exhibitions at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre to 92,000 square metres and a 25% increase in area at ExCeL London to 25,000 square metres. The ExCeL London centre, which is owned by Adnec, has acquired the approval of the Newham London Borough Council for the schematics for the third stage expansion of its facilities. The expansion involves adding 25,000 sq m of luxurious space for exhibitions, establishing new halls for meetings and conferences, rest areas, and several services facilities for restaurants, which will increase the centres overall space by 25%, thereby allowing it to preserve its global competitiveness as a preferred destination for leading international events. Upon completion, the third stage of expanding ExCeL London will provide around 115 new jobs, 50% of which will be allocated to locals in affirmation of Adnecs commitment to supporting local communities. Adnec further added to its portfolio of hotels with the addition of Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Abu Dhabi Resort and Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara and DoubleTree by Hilton London ExCeL. This brought Adnecs total portfolio of hotels to six, and came in line with Adnecs long-term investment strategy of business diversification and has contributed to achieving optimal integration of its assets through various economic sectors. The decision also further supported the UAE and UK business and leisure tourism sectors, bolstering the sustainable development of the local communities around the properties. The Company also revealed that it supported the creation of job opportunities with a steady increase of staff numbers attributed to its numerous expansions in the leisure tourism, its related functions, in addition to the catering and hospitality sectors. Due to growth in its leisure tourism-related activities and new acquisitions, Adnec is now present in new locations and markets. Adnec is committed to developing national talents and attracting them with a 72% localisation ratio and 87% localisation of leadership positions, which saw an 87% employee satisfaction rate along with a 90% result in achieving the highest level of client satisfaction in the sector on the global level. In 2021, Adnec organised and hosted a wide range of events across its centres in the UAE and the UK, including 174 exhibitions, conferences and special events. These comprised 76 exhibitions, 76 conferences and 22 special events. The company also announced the launch of the first edition of the Global Media Congress, to be held in Abu Dhabi in 2022, in strategic partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM). The event will be an exceptional platform for the media sector and will include a media conference and an exhibition, which will enable various media organisations to discuss partnership and cooperation agreements aimed at developing their messages that will serve humanity and support communities through providing useful and credible content. 2021 also saw Adnec receive 9 prestigious international awards, further showcasing the Companys proven efforts in excellence and innovation and highlighting important work around sustainable development and innovative projects. These wins are another milestone that strengthens Adnecs global position. TradeArabia News Service The oldest son of former President Donald Trump has met with the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. That's according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private session. The interview with Donald Trump Jr. took place Tuesday. He's one of nearly 1,000 witnesses interviewed by members of the House committee as they work to compile a record of the worst attack on the Capitol in more than two centuries. He's the second of Trumps children known to speak to the committee. His sister Ivanka Trump sat down with lawmakers for eight hours in early April. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) (THE CONVERSATION) Human rights activists and international leaders first warned in April 2020 that countries could use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to crack down on human rights. Human rights refers to a wide range of political and social rights recognized by international law. It includes everything from peoples right to work and receive an education to peoples right to freely express their opinions and participate in politics. Human rights scholars and I show in new research that human rights violations ultimately happened in 2020. Each of the 39 countries we analyzed including Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States saw an overall decrease in human rights in 2020. There is new evidence that some countries continue to use the pandemic as a reason to restrict human rights by muzzling dissent, and specifically by limiting peoples rights to gather or demonstrate with others. Our analysis of human rights in 2020 offers a window into the start of this downward trend. No overall improvement More than two years after the World Health Organization first declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, some human rights analyses show a continued regression of human rights. Declarations of emergency, for example, gave police significant power to crack down on political protests. Cambodia passed a law in April 2021, for example, in response to COVID-19 that grants the government authority to prevent any gatherings or protests. Violators can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Hundreds of individuals were arrested for violating this law in 2021. In March 2022, Thailand again extended a state of emergency, originally established in April 2020, through May, giving authorities broad power to set public curfews and restrict meetings. Thai authorities charged at least 900 anti-government protesters under this emergency decree between May 2020 and Aug. 31, 2021. 2020 findings The Human Rights Measurement Initiative, a research group headquartered in New Zealand, and other human rights monitoring organizations are still collecting comprehensive global data for 2021 and 2022. The initiative last reported on human rights data in June 2021, informing our research. But there are other sources of evidence that the pandemics damage to human rights will not quickly lift, even as COVID-19 cases decline globally. Some positive changes during the pandemic, like addressing homelessness more seriously, were swamped by the many more negative impacts of government responses to COVID-19, according to the Human Rights Measurement Initiative. This group produces human rights data because governments themselves are often unwilling to share accurate information about human rights violations. The Human Rights Measurement Initiatives findings are widely used by scholars, nonprofits and journalists. The United States and Hong Kong serve as two examples of places where the pandemic led to a decline in respect for human rights. The United States The United States is one of many countries that scored worse on human rights in 2020 than in 2019, according to the initiatives 2021 survey. In the U.S. in 2020, public health restrictions, like limits on public gatherings, also led to human rights abuses and the use of excessive force by police, survey respondents said. The reason people were protesting appeared to have influenced whether police targeted and arrested demonstrators, survey respondents reported. People protesting social justice issues, like racial justice and gun violence, were especially likely to be arrested. People arrested for alleged infractions during lawful demonstrations during the pandemic were also put at risk of contracting COVID-19 because of cramped detention spaces where people could not socially distance. Hong Kong China passed new security laws in Hong Kong in June 2020, allowing it to crack down on opposition speech and arrest journalists and pro-democracy activists. Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong a special administrative region of China intensified in 2020. In 2021, the democracy movement in Hong Kong broke down with the arrest of more than 100 pro-democracy leaders. The Chinese government and police reportedly enforced pandemic regulations unevenly in 2020, according to the Human Rights Measurement Initiative pro-democracy and government opposition protesters were more likely to experience restrictions. Survey respondents in Hong Kong said they believe the government used the pandemic as a cover for restricting rights for other reasons. Officials in Hong Kong delayed general elections set for July 2020 by five months, citing COVID-19 concerns. In February 2022, Hong Kong again postponed elections of its next political leader allegedly because of a COVID-19 surge. Lasting trends The pandemic has prompted growing awareness of structural inequalities based on wealth, ethnicity, gender and race, giving some reasons for hope. In many places, governments are lifting COVID-19 restrictions, which could allow more individuals to return to work and school and gather or travel more freely. Human rights continue to decline in most countries, though, according to the global alliance CIVICUS. The pandemic also continues to draw public attention away from some human rights violations that are happening in ongoing wars, as in Yemen and Ethiopia. Our analysis indicates that countries that had more human rights protections in place before the pandemic saw, on average, smaller decreases in rights violations in 2020 than countries that did not have as many protections. We believe adopting policies and practices that protect human rights during calmer times appears to help countries weather the storm during crises like a global health pandemic. [More than 150,000 readers get one of The Conversations informative newsletters. Join the list today.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/human-rights-declined-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-countries-from-angola-to-the-us-to-new-zealand-179543. Licenced as Creative Commons - attribution, no derivatives. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Fourth District Judge Michael Reardon denied a request to postpone the trial date for former state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, who is charged with felony rape and forcible penetration of a foreign object, and the trial will still go forward on April 26. Von Ehlinger, 39, is accused of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern in March 2021, when the former intern said the two went to dinner and then his apartment. Von Ehlinger has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has said the sexual activity was consensual. Von Ehlingers attorney in the case, Jon Cox, told the court Monday he expected the trial would be delayed based on his understanding of the priority the courts assigned to jury trials when COVID-19 case numbers were high. In past cases, the court was giving first priority to criminal trials involving a defendant who was in jail. Von Ehlinger has not been in state custody since he was arrested and released in October. Now that COVID case numbers are low, Idaho Supreme Court spokesperson Nate Poppino said judges have more discretion over setting priority for jury trials. Idaho justices have talked publicly about a severe backlog of cases because of the pandemic and a lack of judges across Idaho. In February, Ada County Administrative District Judge Steven Hippler said conservative estimates of the backlog on criminal jury trials in his county was 350 to 500 cases. Reardon said pushing back von Ehlingers trial date would only create a larger backlog. It is not well-informed practice to rely on an ad-hoc priority list when theres an order in the case thats been outstanding that sets the case for trial on a specific date, and a date the parties agreed to at the time it was set, Reardon said. Cox said he had other court activity and engagements scheduled that would conflict with von Ehlingers scheduled trial date but said he would be prepared for the trial next week if he had to be. It was a mistake on my part to rely on the priority list that had come out, Cox said. Von Ehlinger served in the Idaho Legislature for less than one year, representing the Lewiston area, after he was appointed to fill the seat held by the late Rep. Thyra Stevenson. Following ethics hearings about his alleged conduct, von Ehlinger resigned his seat at the end of April 2021. The trial is scheduled to last five days and will begin at 8 a.m. April 26. If convicted, von Ehlinger would face between one year and life in prison and have to register with the Idaho sex offender registry, according to Idaho Code. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Leaders of Reclaim Idaho say the organization has collected signatures from voters in 18 of Idahos legislative districts as they work to get their K-12 education funding ballot initiative qualified to appear on November 2022 ballots. Reclaim Idaho volunteers and leaders are hoping to place an initiative called the Quality Education Act on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election to allow Idahoans to vote on whether to increase education funding by more than $300 million per year. The initiative would increase income tax rates for corporations and create a new, higher income tax bracket for individuals making more than $250,000 and married couples making more than $500,000 per year. Reclaim Idaho organizers have until the end of the month to turn in their signatures for verification. Collecting signatures from 6% of registered voters in 18 of Idahos 35 legislative districts is one of the two goals Reclaim Idaho needs to meet. The other is collecting signatures from 6% of total registered voters statewide. Its very important for people to understand that we are not done yet, Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville told the Idaho Capital Sun. In order to get an initiative on the ballot in Idaho, you dont just need the signatures from the 18 districts, you also need a very large total number of signatures. To meet the overall total signature threshold, Reclaim Idaho says it needs 65,000 signatures from registered voters, which will then need to be validated by county clerks and the Idaho Secretary of States Office. As of late Tuesday morning, Reclaim Idaho has collected 86,276 signatures, Mayville said. But organizers say they must actually collect 90,000 signatures by the end of the month because they believe 25% to 30% of the signatures could be ruled invalid by a county clerk or the Secretary of States Office. There are numerous reasons why a signature could be ruled invalid, Mayville said, including if the person who signs writes down the incorrect address, is not actually registered to vote or signs their name in a way that is not legible. So we cant afford to simply collect the required number signatures and be done with it, Mayville said. We need to collect between 25,000 and 30,000 additional, on top of the required total. What does the education ballot initiative do? If the ballot initiative makes it on the ballot and is approved by voters, the money could go to a number of different areas benefiting public education, including reducing class sizes, expanding career-technical programs like welding or automotive tech, hiring more teachers, increasing funding for arts, drama, music or English Language Learner programs, expanding kindergarten and early learning programs and more. It is very clear that the Idaho Legislature has failed to fund our schools, Mayville said. While the Idaho Legislature did pass one of the largest funding increases for schools in state history during the 2022 session, Mayville said schools are still underfunded historically and especially over the last 10 to 15 years. He also said Idahos average teacher salary lags average salaries in neighboring states including Wyoming, Oregon and Washington and said there is not enough funding for trade and technical courses that give students the skills to earn a living immediately out of high school. To pay for all that, corporate income tax rates would increase from 6% to 8%, and a new income tax bracket at 10.925% would be created for individuals making more than $250,000 and couples making more than $500,000. Some Republicans in the Legislature have pushed back against the initiative. House Education Committee Chairman Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, called it a huge tax increase. Senate Education Committee Chairman Steven Thayn, R-Emmett, told the Sun in August he also opposes the initiative. First of all, I think it is based on a false assumption that money will improve education, and that is not necessarily the case, Thayn said. Thayn said he believes more parental participation, more school choice options and an overhaul of the states school funding formula are the more important needs in education. How Reclaim Idaho got to this point Reclaim Idaho is the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that was also behind the successful 2018 Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative, which voters approved with 60.6% of the vote that year. Reclaim Idaho began a 22-day push to gather signatures for this education ballot initiative in the days after the Idaho Supreme Courts Aug. 23 decision throwing out a more restrictive ballot initiative law, Senate Bill 1110, that the Idaho Legislature passed in 2021. Under the Idaho Constitution, a ballot initiative is the process for the people to propose and vote on laws, independent of the Idaho Legislature. Its a form of direct democracy. And the Idaho Supreme Court in its 2021 ruling called the initiative and referendum process fundamental rights, reserved to the people of Idaho. Across the state, 600 to 700 people have volunteered to gather signatures for the education ballot initiative, Mayville said. Although volunteers do gather signatures at some large public events, one of the main tactics for Reclaim Idaho has been knocking on doors and speaking to Idahoans one at a time. Volunteers often don green shirts and caps with Reclaim Idahos logo, and navigate local neighborhoods with clipboards and an app. The app gives volunteers a list of registered voters, organized by neighborhood, and lists the names and ages of registered voters at a given address. Volunteers can also update the app and Reclaim Idahos entire database to show whether a voter has signed or declined to sign the initiative. All of that helps Reclaim Idaho volunteers know who to ask for and work quickly, since signatures of nonvoters dont count, and they say they dont want to waste time talking to the same voters over and over again. Even with the help of a sophisticated app, Mayville said Reclaim Idaho volunteers faced an uphill battle due to the signature gathering requirements, Idahos remoteness and large geographic size. That meant volunteers had to gather signatures across two time zones, stretching from the Canadian border down all the way down to the Nevada desert, with a large part of the push coming over winter. What our organizers and volunteers around the state have done is extraordinary when you consider that we started this signature drive in the middle of a pandemic, at a time when the Idaho Legislature was actively attempting to kill the initiative process, Mayville said. In spite of that, organizers and volunteers around the state were determined to get this initiative off the ground. And the work they have done has vindicated a belief we have in an old fashioned idea of organizing the idea organizers shouldnt just advocate for people they should enable people to advocate for themselves and take on leadership in their own communities. What happens next with the education ballot initiative? Reclaim Idaho organizers and volunteers scheduled two more signature gathering events in Boise this week to try to reach their 90,000 goal. By the end of the month, organizers in the Treasure Valley and across the state will turn their signatures into their local county clerks. County clerks are required to verify the signatures within 90 days. Then in early July, Reclaim Idaho organizers will collect the verified signatures from the county clerks and submit them to the Idaho Secretary of States Office for another count and verification. If the signatures all add up and meet all the requirements for legislative districts and statewide totals, the initiative will appear on the ballot as a proposition and be given a number, such as Proposition One, Mayville said. If the education ballot initiative makes it onto the ballot, it would require a simple majority of votes to pass and be enacted. If the initiative makes it on the ballot, the work still isnt finished for Reclaim Idaho volunteers. The next phase is to build a persuasion campaign aiming at the November election and making sure that over 50% of the electorate votes yes for the Quality Education Act, Mayville said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 June 2, 1938April 15, 2022 Phillip Leonard Munsee was born June 2, 1938, in Duchesne, Utah, to Leonard and Wanda LaVon Munsee. Phil passed away on April 15, 2022, peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Phil was the fourth child of eight siblings: Geri Christ Bell, Gary (Marianne), Elaine (Jim Smith), Venice (John Benvenito), Terry, Danny, and Debbie (Dean Rhettmiller). The family moved to Pocatello, and as a young boy, Phil needed to pull his weight so he went to work. A local butcher hired him to pack water to scald hogs after they had been butchered. He also worked at a potato chip factory. He liked that job because if a batch didnt turn out right, he could take some home. When he got older he worked in Soda Springs at the fertilizer mine. He was never afraid of hard work. Phil also loved the sport of rodeo. He rode bulls, saddle broncs, and bareback horses. He excelled at riding bareback and was always able to make money doing it. He had incredible strength in his hands from all the years spent cutting meat allowing him to grip a bareback rigging. Phil met his wife, Patricia Tyler, while competing at the Jerome rodeo. They were married on August 11, 1961. Phil made his career in the cattle industry, whether meatpacking or brokering. He worked for Reed Bryant (Bryants Packing) starting when he and Pat were married. He managed the kill floor and oversaw the processing of beef, swine, and lambs. After lunch, Reed would send Phil to the auction to buy calves to fatten in his feedlot and run through the packing house to sell to local businesses. His experience working in the packing house gave Phil the knowledge of cattle inside and out. While at the sales, Phil became friends with Ray Chugg. Ray had many orders for local feedlots. Ray took Phil under his wing and he began helping Ray with his cattle buying duties. Phil took over for Ray after his death and became an order buyer. Phil worked for many feedlots and packing houses over the years, but his kids were his priority. Phil helped them pursue their dreams of rodeo too. Phil loved to fish, especially fly fishing. Some of his favorite spots were the Boise River, and rivers near Pinedale, Wyoming. One thing he looked forward to was opening day below American Falls, it was a wonderful tradition. Phil was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Geri and Elaine, brothers Gary and Danny, a son, Howard Shawn from his first marriage, and a daughter, Susan. Phil is survived by his wife, Patricia, sisters Venice and Debbie, brother Terry, his children Anna Lee Lish, Kelly (Wendy), Michael (Sheril), and Sandra. He had six grandchildren whom he loved very much, Tyler, Cooper, Carter, Lydia, Sophie, and Drew. Dad is in heaven because he knew Christ as his Lord and Savior. We can rejoice in that! A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, April 22, at the Twin Falls Reformed Church in Twin Falls, Idaho. Family and friends can share their thoughts and memories at whitereynoldschapel.com In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Phil Munsee Memorial Scholarship c/o Key Bank 1665 Blue Lakes Blvd. N. Twin Falls, ID 83301 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Drugmaker Endo Pharmaceuticals has agreed to pay the city of San Francisco $10 million over its role in selling prescription opioids in the city. City Attorney David Chiu announced the settlement Wednesday, five days before a trial is to begin of the city's claims against the drug industry over the toll of opioids. Chiu said Endo, the maker of the prescription painkiller Percocet, is to pay $5 million this year and another $5 million over the next decade, with the money being used to fight the opioid epidemic. The Malvern, Pennsylvania-based company has agreed to nearly $300 million worth of settlements of opioid claims with U.S. government entities since 2019, according to an Associated Press tally. One of them, for $25 million, came just this week with Alabama; that was announced along with about $250 million in agreements between the state and other companies. An Endo spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The San Francisco trial is scheduled to open in U.S. District Court on Monday with claims involving the drugmakers Allergan and Teva, distribution company Anda and pharmacy chain Walgreens. It's among the first wave of federal cases chosen for trial. Opioid trials are currently being held in state courts in Florida and West Virginia. Closing arguments in a Washington state case scheduled for this month were recently moved to July. And parties are awaiting a judge's ruling in another West Virginia trial held last year. Overdoses from prescription and illicit opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. in the last two decades. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Volodymyr Zelensky is not guilty of hyperbole when he stated that WWIII had started. The geopolitics behind it and the first two world wars are different, but the worlds nations are deciding on which side they will align. Switzerland, Sweden and Finland have already begun to abandon their strict neutrality. Countries outside the G-20 are weighing their options in a complex global economic system with two competing governing theories vying for supremacy. Biden warned about this war and its theoretical underpinnings at the end of his build back better speech in Connecticut on October 15, 2021. He said that Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping do not believe that Democracies can move quickly enough in the fast-paced Modern world. There is an article and a video in Real Clear Politics archives. Reporting on his first Presidential conversation with Putin, he made a side reference to Putins beliefs that seemed to be ignored by reporters. I have been following this thread of thought since then. Of course, any theory aims to convince combatants that the sacrifice is somehow worth it. The control of economic advantage is the goal. Pope Francis noted that we had begun to believe that the cost of destruction to developed nations would end all war. That is rational thinking. Autocratic governments irrationally believe in the invincibility and superiority of the decisions of the autocrats. Putin miscalculated. Did he believe that Ukrainians had such love for the cultural bond with Russians that they would gladly become part of the neo-Soviet Union Putin dreams of? We cant be sure. We only see a display of temper from a thin-skinned autocrat who resents his earned disrespect. Lifted sanctions would not restore his governments ability to rebuild and restore any hope of raising Russian and Ukrainian citizens out of poverty. If Putin were to have unopposed political control of the area he now occupies, he would have ashes and a resentful population. He doesnt seem to care. Noting Chinas takeover of Hong Kong and desire for unification with Taiwan, we cannot say that an expanded war is not brewing. Given that Xi and Putin share the same governance theory, there is every reason to believe that China has long-term plans to gain overwhelming power throughout Asia. Africa and South America are rumbling with similar, if lesser-known, conflicts. There is an allure to the thought of a government able to make decisions and solve a problem instantly. Storytelling media suggests that the resolution of any situation takes only as long as the tale. When hubris and greed add to the mix, the perils of autocracy are easy for proponents to ignore. Citizens who have no hope of holding power convince themselves that they will prosper as adherents to the government. I urge you not to discount current global disruptions. Nations around the world are riven with personal grievance. Our pandemic and the unavoidable changes in the worlds climate have us fighting invisible enemies. Both of our previous World Wars started regionally. We have abandoned the cold war fought by proxies to secure world power. Alliances will form over grievances and promised aligned dominance. The previous World Wars derived momentum from a clash in the world views of well-resourced allied powers. Interestingly, the new dispute evolved from the prior. Since the Renaissance, government theory has moved steadily away from the Divine Right of Kings. But Autocrats have added the pseudo-logic of the industrial-age reverence for efficiency and expediency as necessary for effective government. North Korea has perfected the art of nuclear threat. The West has accepted the possibility that Putin is unhinged enough to go further. Repeating the strategic use of two atomic bombs to stun Japan into submission cannot be replicated. After the first strike, the world has justified nuclear retaliation. The techniques of brainwashing and the Russian skill at dis-information added to cyber-warfare leave less physical destruction but blowing things up and killing human resistors is an outlet for zeal and rage. How far are the adversaries likely to go? What kind of future will emerge? We can conjecture, but we are responsible for working toward humanitys welfare. Linda Brugger, retired from the Air Force Reserve and a leaning Democrat and community activist, can be reached at IdahoAuthor@outlook.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 While fishing on the Smith River, you might get a bite from a brown trout that was raised by students from local schools. On Wednesday morning, Alyson Martins Magna Vista High School class released trout that they raised in the classroom, part of the Trout in the Classroom (TIC) program by the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA). Before the students got to release their fish, Brian Williams, Virginia program manager at DRBA and Krista Hodges, education outreach manager at DRBA, taught them about and showed them live examples of macroinvertebrates which means specimens with no backbone which are big enough for the eye to see. These macroinvertebrates were found in the river and are what the trout will eat now that they have grown big enough. The macroinvertebrates that the students were able to see that day were crayfish, crane fly larvae, hellgrammites and caddisfly larvae. Some kids stayed back, but a few were brave enough with a little encouragement to reach out to touch and hold the macroinvertebrates . Next, Williams waded into the river with a net and caught some macroinvertebrates to show the students and he ended up catching a female crayfish that had eggs. The students gathered around him in a circle to see all the organisms that he was able to catch as he explained what they were and answered their questions. After that, Hodges and Williams handed out clear plastic cups holding finger-length trout to the students. Each student released two trout, and then two students released the trout Williams brought as backup and the remaining trout from their classroom tank. As a surprise at the end, Williams and Hodges showed them a few snakes. There were two corn snakes, which the students held, and one black rat snake that was close to six feet long. Williams put the black rat snake at the base of a tree and showed the group how the snake was able to climb the tree. Trout in the Classroom The TIC program has scaled down significantly since its beginning 15 years ago. Williams said that doing one class at a time has been really good. DRBA used to do releases with groups from 300 to 400 students. The program was established by Dr. David Jones, a Martinsville orthodontist who is a fisherman and conservationist, and is open to groups of all ages. When Williams first got involved in the TIC program, he was visiting the tanks at all the schools to help take care of the fish. Then Hodges joined and suggested that the teachers take on that responsibility. Weve had teachers in the program for 13 years, Williams said. All the teachers have to do is show interest, and then DRBA will help them set things up for their classrooms. Williams also keeps tanks of rainbow trout in his basement just in case there arent enough survivors from the students batches. This way everyone will get to release trout even if they are less successful in the classroom. The whole program is not to restock the river with fish, its just to teach kids about cold-water hatcheries and fisheries, said Williams. This program allows students to learn about the natural environment and while adding to the rivers trout population. Less than 10% of trout hatch by themselves in the wild, so sometimes this program increases survival chances, Williams added. When I was young I used to go looking for crayfish in the river, said Hodges. But now I get to share it with a bunch of students, which is awesome. The MVHS students raised the trout they released for six months from the time the hatched from eggs. Since the tanks are placed in the classrooms for the TIC program, the kids were able to help feed the trout, clean the water and test the water quality to make sure it was suitable for the fish. The trout start eating a fine fish food from the hatchery the eggs are from and then as they grow the food also increases in size. The Smith River has three types of trout: browns, which the MVHS students released, as well as rainbow and brook. 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. UAEs Ministry of Economy has launched a new webpage providing an e-platform for UAE firms and investors on the benefits offered by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) between UAE and India. Cepa was signed by the two countries' leadership in February 2022 and will come into effect as of May 1, 2022. The page provides access to all information related to the historic agreement, which has ushered in a new era of economic and trade cooperation between the two friendly countries. Trade and investment opportunities Juma Al Kait, Assistant Undersecretary of International Trade Affairs said. The webpage provides all the necessary resources and relevant information to private sector stakeholders and companies in the UAE who are interested in enhancing their businesses and investment in India. It also gives them an overview of the trade and investment opportunities and features of this historic agreement. This comprehensive knowledge base enhances the access of exporters, suppliers, investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, and talents to new opportunities under the scope of this Agreement, thereby strengthening their ability to develop specific expansion strategies focused on the Indian market, he added. The portal provides detailed information on all 18 chapters of the Cepa and lists simple steps that companies in the UAE can adopt to forge or expand their business relationship with the Indian market. In addition, it provides comprehensive and clear details for each sector including tariff structures, rules of origin, differential treatment, customs procedures, digital trade, and SMEs, which will help entrepreneurs identify the rules and tariffs applicable to their businesses and product as well as the certificates that must be obtained to enter the Indian market under the new regulations. Operationalising UAE-India Cepa The Ministry of Economys launch of this webpage is part of its plan to operationalise the UAE-India Cepa, with the aim of providing the private sector with the tools, knowledge, and information it needs to deepen trade relations with India, which is the world's fifth largest economy. These efforts will help increase the volume of UAE-India non-oil trade to $100 billion a year within next five years. A team of experts have also been appointed to respond to private sectors and investor inquiries about Cepa and clarify its clauses, as well as to inform companies of several trade remedies contained in the Agreement. These include a number of experts from the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Chambers and The Department of Economy and Tourism. Shortly, the UAE Ministry of Economy will meet with state-owned enterprises, family business conglomerates and large multinational companies to help them understand the details of the tariff reduction and removal which covers 80% of products. Workshops will also be conducted to ensure every startup and corporation knows what to do to unlock the enormous opportunities presented by the Cepa.-- TradeArabia News Service The head of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, told Russia on Tuesday that international law must be respected in the war in Ukraine and called for dialogue to end the conflict. Faki, who heads the AUs executive arm, said on Twitter that he received a phone call from Russian diplomatic chief Sergei Lavrov. I stressed the need to respect international law and called for dialogue for a peaceful solution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he said in a brief message. His statements come as Lavrov acknowledged that a new phase of the Russian attack had begun, as Moscow launched dozens of air strikes in eastern Ukraine overnight. The AU was quick to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, with Faki and the current AU chair, Senegalese President Macky Sall, saying the situation risked escalating into a global conflict. However, many African countries have shown support for Russia, or at least diplomatic ambivalence. On March 2, members of the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. But of the 35 countries that abstained, nearly half 16 were in Africa. Eritrea voted against the resolution, while eight other African countries did not vote. Two soldiers flying a training plane were killed Tuesday when their aircraft crashed in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, an air force spokesman said Wednesday. Chief of the Air Staff Marshal Oladayo Amao visited Kaduna earlier today to express his solidarity with the families, friends and colleagues of the two pilots who lost their lives in this tragic accident, spokesman Edward Gabkwet said in a statement. The Nigerian Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of the crash of the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, he continued, quoting Marshal Amao. Several military aircraft have crashed in recent years in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and plagued by numerous troubles. The northwest and central parts of Nigeria are the scene of criminal gangs that attack, loot and kidnap villagers, steal their livestock and burn their homes. In July 2021, the army announced that one of its fighter jets had crashed after coming under fire from bandits in the northwestern state of Zamfara. The pilot managed to eject before being rescued. Two months earlier, in May, 11 officers, including the then army chief, General Ibrahim Attahiru, were killed when their plane crashed in bad weather in Kaduna State. President Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general who has been in power since 2015, is facing increasing criticism for his inability to provide security for the countrys estimated 215 million people. Nigerias underfunded military, accused of mismanagement, has also been fighting a jihadist insurgency in the countrys northeast since 2009, a conflict that has left more than 40,000 dead and two million displaced. Nigers Minister of Communication, Mahamadou Zada, was jailed on Tuesday for his alleged involvement in a case of embezzlement of three billion CFA francs when he was running a public company between 2013 and 2021, a judicial source said on Wednesday. Mahamadou Zada, appointed minister in April 2021 by President Mohamed Bazoum, was interviewed by a judge of the economic and financial division of Niamey who ordered his incarceration in Kollo, a city located about fifty kilometers south of the capital, according to this source. The embezzlement of public funds would have been committed when Mr. Zada was at the head of the Societe de patrimoine des mines du Niger (Sopamin) between 2013 and 2021, it added. This company manages the Nigerien states holdings in mining companies operating in the country, including uranium. The scandal erupted when the management of Taanadi, a local micro-finance institution, wrote to Sopamin a year ago to say it had not found any trace in its books of a three billion CFA franc deposit announced by Sopamin, according to the Nigerien press. The state-owned company had already been implicated in a scandal related to international uranium trading organized by the French group Areva (now Orano) involving the sale in the fall of 2011 of a large quantity of uranium for $320 million. President Bazoum, who has made the fight against corruption one of his top priorities, recently said that some 30 senior state officials guilty of embezzlement or misappropriation are currently in prison and will remain there for a long time. In 2020, a case of over-invoicing of purchases and non-deliveries of military equipment, amounting to 39.4 billion CFA francs (59.4 million euros), had already caused a great stir in Niger. A Russian national operating with Malian soldiers was killed by an explosion in central Mali, a region plagued by jihadist groups, sources said Wednesday. This is the first confirmed death of a Russian in the framework of military operations in Mali since the junta in power in Bamako has called massively on what it presents as instructors from Russia while the West (France and the United States in particular) denounce the presence in the country of mercenaries of the private Russian militia Wagner, which the Malian colonels firmly deny. According to a security source, a detachment made up of Malian soldiers and Russian instructors was attacked with an improvised explosive device near the town of Hombori on Tuesday morning. The explosion left one dead, a Russian instructor, who died after being airlifted to Sevare, some 260 km to the southeast, the same source added. We confirm that a Russian soldier died on Tuesday of injuries sustained in Sevare. He was in his thirties. The vehicle that was carrying him and Malian soldiers jumped on a mine, said a hospital source in the town. We have learned of the death of a Wagner agent who was fighting alongside the Malian army yesterday in the region of Mopti, the capital of the area, said an elected Malian official from the center of the country, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons: The car that was carrying them jumped on a mine. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Almost three-quarters of antibiotics prescriptions to patients aged 65 years or older, and two thirds to Black patients, are inappropriate, according to a study analyzing over 7 billion visits to doctor's offices, hospital clinics and emergency departments by US adults and children over 7 years. The study by Dr. Eric Young from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA, and colleagues is being presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Lisbon, Portugal (23-26 April). Of these visits 11% (almost 8 million) resulted in antibiotic prescriptions. The most common reasons for inappropriate prescriptions were for illnesses that are not caused by a bacterial infection such as non-bacterial skin conditions, viral respiratory tract infections, and bronchitis. Researchers say the findings raise questions about the effectiveness of efforts to curb inappropriate prescribing and highlight the need to address inappropriate prescribing in primary care. Antibiotics are one of the great advances in modern medicine, but their over prescription has led to resistant bacteria that are becoming more difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. Antibiotic prescribing remains far higher in the USA than in many other countries, despite efforts to reduce inappropriate prescribing. An estimated 80-90% of antibiotic use occurs in the outpatient setting, and in 2020, almost 202 million courses of antibiotics were dispensed to outpatients in the USA. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at least 30% of outpatient antibiotics are unnecessary (no antibiotic was needed), and up to 50% of antibiotics are inappropriately prescribed (unnecessary use and inappropriate selection, dosing and duration). While efforts have been made to improve antibiotic use in the overall patient population, few studies have explored how antibiotic prescribing is influenced by patient demographics, such as race/ethnicity, age, and gender. To provide more evidence on prescribing patterns, researchers examined disparities in rates of overall and inappropriate antibiotic prescribing by patient demographics in outpatient physician offices across the USA. Their findings are based on prescribing data from the US CDC National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) covering more than 5.7 billion adult (aged 18 and older) and 1.3 billion children visits to outpatient practices between 2009 and 2016, across all 50 US states and Washington DC. Antibiotic use was defined as at least one oral antibiotic prescription ordered during a physician visit. Antibiotic prescribing was defined as visits that included an antibiotic per 1,000 total patient visits, and researchers used official diagnostic codes to identify whether each antibiotic prescription was appropriate, possibly appropriate, or inappropriate. Using this information, researchers evaluated overall and inappropriate use by race/ethnicity (White, Black, more than one race, Hispanic/LatinX, and other), age group (younger than 18 years, 18 to 64 years, and older than 64 years), and gender (male and female). Researchers found that overall, antibiotic prescribing rates were highest in Black and Hispanic/LatinX patients (122 and 139 prescriptions per 1,000 visits, respectively), and in patients younger than 18 years and females (114 and 170 prescriptions per 1,000 visits, respectively). When they looked at the data in more detail, they found that almost two-thirds (64%) of antibiotic prescriptions written to Black patients were inappropriate, and over half (58%) to Hispanic/LatinX patients. Similarly, three-quarters (74%) of prescriptions dispensed to patients aged 65 years and older, and over half (58%) to males, were deemed inappropriate. "Our results suggest that Black and Hispanic/LatinX patients may be not be properly treated and are receiving antibiotic prescriptions even when not indicated", .says Dr. Young. "We know that physicians typically send patients home with antibiotics if they suspect their symptoms may lead to an infection. This practice becomes more common when patients are unlikely to return for a follow-up visit (i.e., no established care within a clinic or hospital system), which more frequently happens in minority populations." He continues, "In older adults, inappropriate prescribing in primary care is associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes, including emergency hospital attendances and admissions, adverse drug events, and poorer quality of life. Our results underscore that strategies to reduce inappropriate prescribing must be tailored for outpatient settings." This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and it only looked at outpatient visits. In addition, specific pertinent information, like patient allergies, antibiotic-indicated diagnoses, and physician characteristics, were not available, and the researchers cannot rule out the possibility that other unmeasured factors may have affected the results. Explore further Pediatric antibiotic prescribing dropped during pandemic Provided by European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Scheme indicating the role of the ZEB1-ER complex during early/hybrid EMT stages of breast cancer. Non-invasive primary epithelial breast tumors (EpCAMhigh) that express high levels of ER and are negative for ZEB1 expression are formed by the abnormal proliferation of luminal mammary epithelial cells. FOXA1 acts as the main pioneer factor for the recruitment of ER for transcription of genes involved in cell proliferation. In early/hybrid states of EMT, AP2 becomes a determining pioneer factor promoting the formation of a ZEB1-ER complex at ER binding sites, which enhances ER target gene expression. Without AP2 recruitment, FOXA1 and/or other factors may partially sustain ER recruitment to ERBSs and ER-stimulated transcription. This complex reprograms the ER cistrome and transcriptome towards the activation of genes involved in partial EMT and metastatic dissemination. Expression of specific factors such as CD151 marks the partial EMT state. CD151 could potentially be targeted to prevent cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The illustration was created with BioRender.com. Credit: Nature Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29723-5 When cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and migrate to other organs, this is called "metastatic cancer." The organs affected by these metastases, however, depend in part on their tissue of origin. In the case of breast cancer, they usually form in the bones. In an attempt to identify what determines the organs affected by metastasis, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with researchers from ETH Zurich, has identified a protein involved in this phenomenon. This discovery could lead to the development of therapeutic approaches to suppress metastasis. This work can be read in the journal Nature Communications. From the primary site of a tumor, cancer cells can invade their microenvironment and then circulate via blood and lymphatic vessels to distant healthy tissue to form metastases. In the case of metastatic breast cancer, the cancer cells primarily colonize the bones, but can also be found in other organs such as the liver, lungs or brain. Plasticity of tumor cells Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for the different stages of the metastatic process are not yet fully understood, studies show that cellular plasticity plays an important role. This term refers to the ability of cells to change function and/or form. Thus, tumor cells that become metastatic change their shape and become mobile. The laboratory of Professor Didier Picard of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Faculty of Science is interested in the mechanisms that govern the metastatic processes related to breast cancer. His group collaborated with Professor Nicolas Aceto's group at ETHZ to study these processes in mice. The biologists investigated the potential role of the protein ZEB1, known to increase cell plasticity, in breast cancer cell migration. "Unlike in women, mice transplanted with human breast cancer cells develop metastasis to the lungs, not the bones," says Nastaran Mohammadi Ghahhari, researcher in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and first author of the study. "We therefore sought to identify factors capable of inducing metastasis in bone tissue and in particular tested the effect of the factor ZEB1." 3D image showing the invasion of breast cancer cells (green) expressing ZEB1 into mouse bone tissue (red). Credit: Didier Picard Directing metastasis to bone In in vitro migration and invasion experiments, the scientists found that cancer cells expressing ZEB1 moved to bone tissue, unlike cancer cells that did not express it. These results were later confirmed when human breast cancer cells were transplanted into the mammary glands of mice. If the cancer cells did not express ZEB1, metastasis occured primarily in the lungs. In contrast, when ZEB1 was present, metastases also developed in the bones, as is the case in women. "We can therefore assume that this factor is expressed during tumor formation and that it directs cells that have acquired metastatic characteristics to the bones," explains Didier Picard, the study's last author. This study confirms the importance of the plasticity of tumor cells during the metastatic process and could allow, in the long term, to consider new therapeutic approaches to prevent the appearance of metastases. Explore further New study identifies molecular features tied to breast cancer tumor spread More information: Nastaran Mohammadi Ghahhari et al, Cooperative interaction between ER and the EMT-inducer ZEB1 reprograms breast cancer cells for bone metastasis, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Nastaran Mohammadi Ghahhari et al, Cooperative interaction between ER and the EMT-inducer ZEB1 reprograms breast cancer cells for bone metastasis,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29723-5 A blood clot forming in the carotid artery. Credit: copyright American Heart Association A new study has prompted scientists to reconsider a once-popular yet controversial idea in stroke research. Neuroscientists had believed that in the aftermath of a stroke, calming overexcited neurons might prevent them from releasing a toxic molecule that can kill neurons already damaged by lack of oxygen. This idea was supported by studies in cells and animals, but it lost favor in the early 2000s after numerous clinical trials failed to improve outcomes for stroke patients. But a fresh approach has yielded evidence that the idea may have been discarded too hastily. The new findings are available online in the journal Brain. By scanning the whole genomes of nearly 6,000 people who had experienced strokes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified two genes associated with recovery within the pivotal first 24 hours after stroke. Eventsgood or badthat occur in the first day set stroke patients on their courses toward long-term recovery. Both genes turned out to be involved in regulating neuronal excitability, providing evidence that overstimulated neurons influence stroke outcomes. "There's been this lingering question about whether excitotoxicity really matters for stroke recovery in people," said co-senior author Jin-Moo Lee, MD, Ph.D., the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of the Department of Neurology. "We can cure stroke in a mouse using blockers of excitotoxicity. But in humans we performed numerous clinical trials, and we couldn't move the needle. Every last one of them was negative. In this study, out of 20,000 genes, the top two genetic hits point to mechanisms involving neuronal excitation. That's pretty remarkable. This is the first genetic evidence that shows excitotoxicity matters in people and not just in mice." Every year nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have ischemic strokes, the most common kind of stroke. Ischemic strokes occur when a clot blocks a blood vessel and cuts off oxygen to part of the brain, triggering sudden numbness, weakness, confusion, difficulty speaking or other symptoms. Over the next 24 hours, some people's symptoms continue to worsen while others' stabilize or improve. In the 1990s, Dennis Choi, MD, Ph.D., then head of the Department of Neurology at Washington University, performed groundbreaking research on excitotoxicity in stroke. He and others showed that stroke can cause neurons to release large amounts of glutamate, a molecule that transmits excitatory messages between neurons. Glutamate is constantly being released by neurons as part of the normal functioning of the nervous system, but too much all at once can be toxic. Efforts to translate this basic research into therapies for people did not pan out, and eventually pharmaceutical companies let their anti-excitotoxic drug development programs lapse. But Lee, who formerly worked on excitotoxicity with Choi, did not give up. He teamed up with genetics researcher and co-senior author Carlos Cruchaga, Ph.D., the Barbara Burton and Reuben M. Morriss III Professor of Neurology and a professor of psychiatry; first author Laura Ibanez, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry; and co-author Laura Heitsch, MD, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and of neurology, to tackle the question of what drives post-stroke brain injury. The team identified people who had experienced strokes, and they looked for genetic differences between those who naturally recovered substantial function in the first day and those who did not. As members of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium, the research team was able to study 5,876 ischemic stroke patients from seven countries: Spain, Finland, Poland, the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico and South Korea. They measured each person's recovery or deterioration over the first day using the difference between their scores on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale at six and 24 hours after symptoms first appeared. The scale gauges a person's degree of neurological impairment based on measures such as the ability to answer basic questions such as "How old are you?"; to perform movements such as holding up the arm or leg; and to feel sensation when touched. The researchers performed a genome-wide association study by scanning the participants' DNA for genetic variations related to the change in their NIH stroke scale scores. The top two hits were genes that coded for the proteins ADAM23 and GluR1. Both are related to sending excitatory messages between neurons. ADAM23 forms bridges between two neurons so that signaling molecules such as glutamate can be passed from one to the other. GluR1 is a receptor for glutamate. "We started with no hypotheses about the mechanism of neuronal injury," Cruchaga said. "We started with the assumption that some genetic variants are associated with stroke recovery, but which ones they are, we did not guess. We tested every single gene and genetic region. So the fact that an unbiased analysis yielded two genes involved in excitotoxicity tells us that it must be important." In the years since anti-excitotoxic drug development was abandoned, clot-busting drugs have become the standard of care for ischemic stroke. Such drugs aim to restore blood flow so that oxygenand anything else in the bloodstream, including medicationcan reach affected brain tissue. Consequently, experimental neuroprotective therapies that failed in the past might be more effective now that they have a better chance of reaching the affected area. "We know that that first 24-hour period has the greatest impact on outcomes," Lee said. "Beyond 24 hours, there's diminishing returns in terms of influence on long-term recovery. Right now, we don't have any neuroprotective agents for that first 24 hours. Many of the original studies with anti-excitotoxic agents were performed at a time when we weren't sure about the best trial design. We've learned a lot about stroke in the last few decades. I think it's time for a re-examination." Explore further Novel technology provides new path to prevent neuronal death due to stroke More information: Laura Ibanez et al, Multi-ancestry GWAS reveals excitotoxicity associated with outcome after ischaemic stroke, Brain (2022). Journal information: Brain Laura Ibanez et al, Multi-ancestry GWAS reveals excitotoxicity associated with outcome after ischaemic stroke,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac080 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The shoulder pain and dizziness started before the pandemic, but Shane Hardin, 46, didn't think much of it. Aches and pains come with the territory of getting older, and Hardin's job in residential construction can be draining. The spread of COVID-19 across North Texas dissuaded him further from seeing his general practitioner for a check-up. For more than two years, patients like Hardin pushed off routine health care visits as offices closed to non-emergency cases and the threat of coronavirus loomed. It could take years before the health care system sees the full effectsboth physical and financialof delayed care, North Texas doctors say. When Hardin sat in a new doctor's office in September after more than a year since his last physical, he was shocked at the stern warning: He needed to see a cardiologist, and fast. The doctor "was a little incredulous that I had not been referred to a cardiologist earlier," Hardin said. His family's history of heart disease was worrying enough to warrant an immediate trip to a specialist. Six weeks later, Hardin was in an operating room for quintuple bypass surgery. Hardin will never know if his heart condition would have been caught at a check-up he missed in 2020 or early 2021. But his story fits an alarming trend of medical problems caught in later, more severe stages because of interrupted preventive care. "We're now starting to see patients coming through, with a higher proportion of patients who have a more advanced stage of cancer diagnosis," said Dr. John Sweetenham, associate director for clinical affairs at UT Southwestern's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Routine procedures done to catch cancer and other serious illnesses early in their progression were not front of mind for patients navigating the pandemic. For example, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center saw a nearly 20% decline in the number of people coming to the center for mammograms, Sweetenham said. One study of more than 358,000 patients in Ontario, Canada, published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, found an immediate decline in the average cancer rate at the start of the pandemicbut that's not necessarily a good thing. The researchers estimated the presence of 12,601 cancer cases that went undetected from March 15 to Sept. 26, 2020, in the Ontario area. Time is critical in the treatment of serious illnesses. Ignoring symptoms or routine preventive visits can limit the treatment options as a disease progresses. "The best opportunity to cure any cancer is when it's at a very early stage," Sweetenham said. "Each time that the stage increases, you, to some extent, lose that opportunity for care." The financial burden Though most doctors' offices reopened to non-emergency visits after the first few months of the coronavirus, some are just starting to catch up to pre-pandemic schedules. Texas Health Resources obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Sheila Chhutani said her practice first rescheduled pap smear appointments by six to eight weeks in 2020, which snowballed into interruptions for months afterward. Pandemic-related financial difficulties also got patients off their regular health care schedule. Some of Chhutani's patients lost their jobs or were furloughed, leading to financial discomfort and, sometimes, the loss of insurance. With more advanced disease comes higher costs for both patients and health care systems. A 2016 study of breast cancer patients published in American Health & Drug Benefits found that, on average, insurance companies allowed costs per patient of around $82,000 in the first year of treatment for patients with stage I/II tumors, compared to nearly $135,000 for patients with stage IV tumors. In Texas, which has the highest rate of people without insurance of any U.S. state, higher costs leave patients vulnerable to life-altering bills. Even for patients with insurance, Sweetenham said, co-pays can cause serious financial burden. A January study by The Commonwealth Fund, which supports independent health care issue research, found that Texans in 2020 spent more than 14% of the state's median incomearound $9,300on premium contributions and deductibles. Mental and physical barriers In addition to putting off preventive screenings, doctors like Sweetenham noticed patients at the beginning of the pandemic were less likely to come in for common illnesses. Mental and physical roadblocks kept some at home. Nicholas Saunders, 24, said before the pandemic, he'd go to the doctor around three to four times a year for check-ups and sick visits. Fear of COVID-19 exposure made him hesitant to see his primary care provider. During the months of lockdown, "I had regular illnesses, like the flu and stomach bug," the Collin College student said. "I might have gone in for treatment had it not been during a pandemic, but I chose not to and tried to self-treat at home." Down in Austin, Robin Orlowski, 43, didn't have the choice of whether to visit her neurologist. Her epilepsy is controlled by medication that requires regular dosing adjustments depending on her weight, which can't be measured during a telehealth visit. While she was nervous about being exposed to the coronavirus at her doctor's office, her biggest hurdle was finding a way there. Orlowski's local bus route reduced its frequency, leaving her with limited options. "I have people who can drive me, and normally, outside of a pandemic, you can depend on them," she said. "But they live in other houses and since in a pandemic you have to be isolated from others, they couldn't come and get me when the bus wasn't reliably running." Most Texas cities and towns have returned to pre-pandemic operations, making it easier for people like Orlowski to make it to their appointments. The implementation of vaccines and currently low COVID-19 case counts eased the minds of people like Saunders, who made a mad dash in the last few weeks to catch up on appointments he missed. For those who haven't yet seen their physicians and dentists, it isn't too late to get back on a regular health care schedule, Sweetenham said. The sooner patients get back into their routine check-ups, the better. "If you have delayed a screening, or if you have put off having a symptom or a sign checked out, now is a good time to return and get that screening test done," he said. Explore further Pandemic upends breast cancer diagnoses 2022 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) and the World Utilities Congress have signed a strategic agreement, in which Enec will play a central role in supporting the Nuclear Energy Leadership Forum. Taking place on May 9 and 10, the Forum will focus on the role of nuclear energy in tackling the parallel challenges of energy security and sustainability, the deployment of safe and reliable nuclear energy for clean electricity generation, technological advancements in nuclear energy, the latest updates in research and development of nuclear science and more. The Forum will highlight how nuclear energy is a powerhouse for the sustainable development of the UAE and around the world, providing 24/7 baseload clean electricity today, and offering a bridge to new clean technologies such as SMR development, synthetic fuels and clean hydrogen. Cristopher Hudson, President of dmg events, organisers of the World Utilities Congress, said: "We are delighted to collaborate with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, the organisation that is leading the development of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, a major engine of growth for the UAEs sustainable development. This partnership embodies the UAEs commitment to driving decarbonization and sustainable growth through nuclear energy. The Forum will commence with a keynote address from H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO of Enec. The Forum will include panel discussions about delivering net zero with clean baseload technologies, formulating and implementing robust licensing and regulatory frameworks, and the successful delivery of the nuclear megaproject, the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. On May 10, the Forum will kick off with a keynote address from Nasser Al Nasseri, Chief Executive Officer of Barakah One Company, Enecs subsidiary managing the commercial interests of the Barakah Plant. The panel discussions will tackle topics including securing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments for a net zero economy, the latest innovations and advances within the nuclear sector and an overview of the industrys future, with nuclear being a vital resource to bolster energy security. The Forum will also discuss the importance of attracting talent for the clean energy transition, and new avenues in nuclear supply chain management. The World Utilities Congress provides an unrivalled platform to explore the latest products, innovations and technological advancements across the global utilities landscape. It will bring together water and power leaders to provide insights on building resilient low carbon business models with agile automated digital operations. TradeArabia News Service Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain If you smoke, you're probably aware of a stark reality: Cigarettes are the lead cause of preventable disease, disability and death, killing more than 480,000 people every year. At the same time, an estimated one-third of attempts to quit end in failureafter less than one week. Ditching tobacco may be one of the hardest things you ever undertake. But it also offers some of the biggest health rewards. What should I expect and how can I prepare to quit smoking? When you first quit smoking, expect setbacks, unforeseen problems and occasional lapses. Be prepared to start over, but commit to keep trying. A smoker's brain gets used to nicotine; without it, people go through withdrawal. The severity of those withdrawal symptoms varies widely across people, so it's smart to line up support in advance. Remember to avoid substances that can increase the temptation to smoke, such as alcohol, caffeine and cannabis. The first week of quitting smoking can be hard for some people because it's often when cravings and withdrawal symptoms are the most frequent and intense. For others, the second or third week can present the most obstacles. Smoking reminders, also known as cues, are abundant in society. Those cues include spotting someone smoking or seeing ashtrays, lighters and cigarette advertisements. These psychological factors, coupled with the biological side effects that come with nicotine withdrawal, make it particularly challenging for many to resist the urge and to stay smoke-free. What medications, aids or treatments can help me quit smoking? Most smokers can increase their odds of success by using evidence-based methods and seeking professional help. Ask your doctor about specific tools, such as nicotine-replacement therapy, classes designed to help you stop smoking, counseling and medication. We have seven approved, first-line medications to help a person quit smoking: Five of these medications involve nicotine replacement. They include the nicotine patch, gum and lozenge, available over-the-counter or by doctor's prescription. The nicotine inhaler or nasal spray are by prescription only. Two other medications, bupropion and varenicline, have been shown to improve smokers' quit rates. Evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy in group or individual settings (which is emphasized in our Courage to Quit program) also increases the odds of success and can be combined with medications. The Illinois Tobacco Quitline and SmokeFreeTXT provide free, supportive treatment. Alternative treatments have not been approved for smoking cessation, however, and these include hypnosis, acupuncture, herbals or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). What are the benefits of quitting smoking? Within days, carbon monoxide levels in your blood go down and your abilities to smell and taste improve. Your chance of a heart attack declines within a month. Your odds of lung and oral cancers will steadily decrease over the next 10 years to near-normal levels. If you've had cancer and quit smoking, your risk for cancer recurrence or secondary cancers decreases significantly. In addition to these important health benefits, most smokers save a lot of money. Given cigarettes cost $12 to $14 a pack in Chicago, you can save up to $5,000 a year. Should I switch to vaping e-cigarettes to quit smoking? We do not recommend e-cigarettes as a method to quit smoking. They're not an approved treatment for quitting smoking, there are no dosage guidelines and they haven't been shown to be safe. We focus on approved, safe medications as well as counseling as our first-line treatments at University of Chicago Medicine. What can I do to resist the urge to smoke? When you feel the urge to smoke, try: Replacing tobacco with healthier oral stimulation like drinking water, chewing gum or eating carrot sticks or another favorite snack Keeping your hands busy, for example, with puzzles, knitting, sewing or working Brushing your teeth instead Exercising to provide a huge boost and to prevent the weight gain that can occur when smokers eat instead of lighting up. Go for long walks. Try to work in running, biking or swimming as your pre-smoking stamina gradually comes back. Exercising with friends is even better. How can I reward myself for not smoking? Praise yourself for the progress you make along the way. Tobacco is expensive, so consider using part of your new savings on something fun. What if I can't quit smoking? Don't get discouraged if you try but fail to quit. Most people try several times before they're successful at quitting. I don't tend to focus on a number because some people are successful in quitting at their first attempt, while others may need many attempts before they're successful. Learn what does and doesn't work with each quit attempt and surround yourself with people who support you. Our Courage to Quit program provides a supportive framework for people from all walks of life and at every stage of the journeyfrom those just starting to think about reducing or quitting smoking to those actively quitting, and even those who have quit for a few months or years and return to bolster their positive change and help other smokers succeed. Explore further Resolved to quit smoking this year? Experts offer tips More information: Click on the link for details on the Click on the link for details on the Courage to Quit program Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A ban on the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on track to implement may have unintended consequences, according to a study by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center published April 21 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The ban is intended to address a health disparity since a significantly larger percentage of African Americans than whites smoke menthol cigarettes and African American men have higher lung cancer incidence and death rates from the disease. The FDA plans to issue proposed rules this spring that would prohibit menthol cigarettes, according to a Jan. 27 news release from the agency. Mitch Zeller, the FDA's director of the Center for Tobacco Products, noted in the release that nearly 85% of all non-Hispanic Black smokers smoke menthol cigarettes, compared to 30% of non-Hispanic white smokers. He also stated that menthol-flavored cigarettes can be more addictive than non-menthol cigarettes and harder to quit. However, the study by the Vanderbilt researchers revealed similar quit rates among menthol and non-menthol smokers overall and no statistically significant difference between white and African American participants. The data came from surveys of participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study, with two-thirds of participants being African American. The study has tracked 16,425 smokers who entered the study between 2002 and 2009 and completed a follow-up survey between 2008-2012, 2012-2015 and 2015-2017. The average annual quit rate from those surveys was 4.3% for menthol smokers and 4.5% for non-menthol smokers. Prior research by this Vanderbilt research group has shown that non-menthol smokers are at higher risk for lung cancer. They also noted a study conducted in Canada, which has banned menthol-flavored cigarettes, that revealed that most menthol smokers tend to switch to non-menthol brands rather than quit. "If the existing epidemiologic data showing lower risk of lung cancer among menthol than non-menthol smokers hold generally, then in the long-term if high percentages of menthol smokers switch to non-menthols, the ban could have the unintended consequence of a net increase rather than decrease in risk, at least for lung cancer," the researchers stated in the study. More than 9,000 African American menthol smokers were included in the analyses by the Vanderbilt researchers. "In this large-scale follow-up study, we could not confirm the FDA's report that menthols are harder to quit, at least in the population we followed. This finding, when combined with the possibility that menthols may be associated with lower lung cancer risk and with the potential social consequences of banning a product preferentially used by Blacks, suggests caution in the implementation of a ban," said the study's corresponding author, William Blot, Ph.D., emeritus research professor of Medicine with the Division of Epidemiology at VUMC. Explore further Canada-wide ban on menthol cigarettes leads to significant increases in quitting among smokers More information: Heather M Munro et al, Smoking Quit Rates Among Menthol vs Non-Menthol Smokers: Implications Regarding a US Ban on the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes, JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2022). Journal information: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Heather M Munro et al, Smoking Quit Rates Among Menthol vs Non-Menthol Smokers: Implications Regarding a US Ban on the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac070 "Misleading online information can have serious implications for informed patient decision making, says A/Prof Sam Adie. Credit: Shutterstock The internet can be a double-edged sword for patients seeking health information, particularly in terms of direct-to-consumer advertising. In a paper recently published in The Medical Journal of Australia, researchers at UNSW Sydney revealed a considerable proportion of orthopedic surgeons who are members of the Australian Orthopedic Association (AOA) did not comply with AOA and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) advertising guidelines. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. This includes problems relating to bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. The surgeries they perform range from elective procedures such as joint replacement surgery to emergency surgery on patients with musculoskeletal injuries. A breach of online advertising standards The study included 81 randomly selected Australian Orthopedic Association surgeons, and a list of 59 surgeons who appeared in the top Google search result list. From these two sample groups, the researchers found 64 percent of randomly selected orthopedic surgeons, and 81 percent of surgeons who appeared in the top Google search results did not comply with medical board and association online advertising guidelines. In the AOA random sample, most of the non-compliance was due to misleading or deceptive advertising, arousing unreasonable expectations of benefit, using testimonials, and making claims of superior performance. Reasons for non-compliance among the AOA Google sample were similar, with a high proportion also non-compliant due to referencing specific brand names on their websites and failing to declare if a commercial relationship exists with these brands. The lead author of the paper, A/Prof Sam Adie says the exploratory analysis found non-compliance to the AHPRA guidelines was higher in the AOA Google sample compared to the AOA random sample. The researchers found the level of compliance to be influenced by the state they operated in, but not by geographic locationfor example rural versus metropolitanor sub-specialty. "Patients are increasingly relying on online health information to inform their medical care, so it's important to recognize that misleading online information can have serious implications for informed patient decision making," explains A/Prof Adie. A/Prof Sam Adie, who is a conjoint senior lecturer at St George and Sutherland Clinical School at UNSW Medicine & Health says the high degree of advertising non-compliance found in the study demonstrates a need for greater care to be taken by surgeons regarding the information they publish online. "Stricter enforcement of advertising guidelines by AHPRA and AOA may also be needed to protect patients from misleading advertising." Not just happening in Australia The researchers note previous studies conducted overseas demonstrated poor quality advertising material on orthopedic surgeon websites, with websites containing exaggerated and subjective information with no scientific references. "Our study is consistent with overseas studies, suggesting that poor quality online material may be typical in orthopedic surgery. Our study is the first to examine the nature of online information published by Australian orthopedic surgeons," says A/Prof Adie. "It was surprising to find the high prevalence of advertising that blatantly violates advertising guidelines. The guidelines are clear, and there are many online resources available for advertisers to determine if their advertising is compliantparticularly with the AHPRA guidelines. This suggests to us that surgeons or those responsible for their online material don't fully understand or are not aware of the guidelines or are intentionally violating guidelines to gain commercial advantage." The impact on patient care A/Prof Adie says the potential impact on patient care is of concern. "A recent systematic review found that the internet and physicians are the most frequently utilized sources of health information by patients. This is important, since misleading or deceptive advertising may interfere with informed patient decision making, as well as increase patient demand for specific treatments. It may also lead to inappropriate use of health care resources and adoption of novel technologies with uncertain efficacy." The methods used in the study were designed to gain a representative sample of advertising material patients may encounter when accessing information about orthopedic surgeons. The AOA random sample was taken from 500 AOA members who elected to make their details publicly available. The sample size calculation estimated that a sample of 81 surgeons would be required to gain a 95% confidence level of +10 percentage points. "Previous research has found that patients are most likely to visit webpages linked in top search results. So, we obtained our AOA Google sample by searching for "orthopedic surgeon" and the name of the major city in each of the eight Australian states and territories. We then took the top eight search results. Therefore, our results can be seen as a good reflection of advertising material published by AOA members overall and is reflective of advertising material that is likely to be encountered by patients," explains A/Prof Adie. The study provides evidence for the level of non-compliant advertising among Australian orthopedic surgeons. "However, what remains unanswered are the actual implications of these online advertisements in an Australian context, including the effect on patient perceptions of required treatments, brands of implants, and treatment expectations. Additionally, we only looked at compliance among orthopedic surgeons, and there are very few Australian studies examining online advertising among other medical and surgical specialties." Explore further As consultants in complex cases, plastic surgeons add hidden value for hospitals More information: Hannah Y Ryan et al, Adherence by orthopaedic surgeons to AHPRA and Australian Orthopaedic Association advertising guidelines, Medical Journal of Australia (2022). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Hannah Y Ryan et al, Adherence by orthopaedic surgeons to AHPRA and Australian Orthopaedic Association advertising guidelines,(2022). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51490 A new study shows promising clinical outcomes for patients with degenerative cervical spine disease. Credit: Florida Atlantic University Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common type of neck surgery that involves removing a damaged disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve root and thereby alleviate associated pain, numbness, weakness or tingling. The damaged disc is removed from between two vertebral bones along with simultaneous fusion surgery. The fusion involves placing a bone graft or "cage" and/or implants where the disc was originally located to stabilize and strengthen the area. The use of cages for ACDF are important postoperatively to the alignment of the cervical spine and to maintain the intervertebral disc height. Few studies, however, have examined the impact of the underlying cancellous or "spongy" bone contact with regards to handling large loads from the cage. Moreover, it is still not clear whether a cage with or without screws will be the best choice for long-term fusion as the micromotion or sliding distance and subsidence or penetration of the cage still take place repeatedly. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science, in collaboration with Frank Vrionis, M.D., senior author of the study and director of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health; and professor of surgery, FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine, are the first to evaluate the effect of the range of motion, cage migration and subsidence using variable angle screws. Marcus Neuroscience Institute has its hub on Boca Raton Regional Hospital's campus and satellite locations at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach and Deerfield Beach. For the study, researchers developed five finite element models from a cervical spine model. The first model was an intact spine model, and the second model was an altered model with cage insertion and a 2-level static plate. The other three models were altered models with the same cage insertion and a 2-level dynamic plate. They compared ACDF cages with and without screws on the biomechanical characteristics of the human spine, implanted cage, and associated hardware by comparing the micro motion and subsidence. Results of the study, published in The Spine Journal, the journal World Neurosurgery and Asian Spine Journal showed that the cage-screw and anterior plating combination model has promising potential to reduce the risk of micro motion and subsidence of implanted cages in two or more level ACDFs. This method could increase the stiffness of the construct and reduce the incidence of clinical and fusion failure following ACDF, which in turn, could decrease the need for revision surgeries or supplemental posterior realignment. "Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is widely used to treat patients with spinal disorders, where the cage is a critical component to achieve satisfactory fusion results. The risk factors for cage migration are multifactorial and include patient factors, radiological characteristics, surgical techniques and postoperative factors," said Vrionis. "Our results showed that the plate used in our study provided directional stability and obtained excellent fusion, indicating promising clinical outcomes for patients with degenerative cervical spine disease." Vrionis further explains that because of the biomechanical stability of the current construct, there has been no need for a rigid cervical collar, which is typically used by other surgeons. A study is the first to evaluate the effect of the range of motion, cage migration and penetration using variable angle screws and cervical spine models. Credit: Florida Atlantic University "In addition, with more than 100 clinical cases, there has been no evidence of pseudarthrosis or lack of fusion, which is a treated complication of anterior cervical disc surgery," said Vrionis. A lower screw rotational angle resulted in superior biomechanical performance and lower incidence of migration and subsidence compared with a higher rotational angle in multilevel applications, regardless of loading. The researchers believe the underlying mechanism may be due to the cage-screw bonded to the bone and the constrained bottom of C5 vertebra making it more rigid. "Our research aims to develop a platform for next generation patient-specific spine surgery by combining intelligent image process, AI technology/machine learning, finite element simulation and 3D printing to help surgeons design a surgery plan for each patient, " Chi-Tay Tsai, Ph.D., study co-author and a professor, FAU Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, and director, FAU Spine Biomechanical Laboratory. Researchers demonstrated that the cage-screw was able to prevent subsidence in all loading scenarios better than the cage without screws. "Our clinical and biomechanical data have shown that the outcomes with the rigid static plate are very good. The main reason may be due to greater contact area between the cortical and cancellous bone in the cage-screw than that in unanchored cage constructs," said Tsai. ACDF is one of the most commonly performed spinal operations in the United States with an average of 137,000 procedures performed each year. "The novel methodology developed by our researchers in collaboration with Drs. Vrionis and O'Connor of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute holds great promise to enhance anterior cervical discectomy and fusion and ultimately help to alleviate the pain and discomfort patients experience from various disorders of the spine and neck," said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean, FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science. Explore further 3D robotic spine 'twin' and sensor offer new way to preview surgical interventions More information: Maohua Lin et al, Cage-screw and anterior plating combination reduces the risk of micromotion and subsidence in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusiona finite element study, The Spine Journal (2021). Maohua Lin et al, Cage-screw and anterior plating combination reduces the risk of micromotion and subsidence in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusiona finite element study,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2021.01.015 Maohua Lin et al, Finite Element Analysis of the Effect of Dynamic Plating on Two-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy Fusion Biomechanics, World Neurosurgery (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.02.032 Maohua Lin et al, Biomechanical Study of Cervical Endplate Removal on Subsidence and Migration in Multilevel Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion, Asian Spine Journal (2022). DOI: 10.31616/asj.2021.0424 Director Robert Eggers brings the Viking epic back to the big screen in a big, bold and bloody way with "The Northman," starring Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard in a new retelling of the myth of Amleth, the Scandinavian legend that inspired Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Eggers, who made a splash with his first two films, "The Witch," an intimate family drama about the horrors of pilgrims and patriarchy, and "The Lighthouse," a black-and-white absurdist tale about two lighthouse keepers driving each other mad, is known for his historical research and attention to detail, and his meticulous approach to filmmaking has not changed despite the much larger scale, scope and budget of "The Northman." Eggers assembled a team of Viking researchers, translators and archaeologists to help him craft what might be the most historically accurate Viking epic yet. And is it ever epic, not only in terms of budget and bloodshed, but in the way that Eggers treats the material. In tackling the ancient saga of Amleth, Eggers collaborated with Icelandic poet Sjon on the screenplay to craft a tale of fate and fury from the oral tradition of Viking lore. "The Northman" is heavy-duty myth straight from the muck and the mud, told in song and ancient pagan ritual and hallucinatory cosmic visions. It is a story of the body, both strong and fragile, bodies as weapons, currency and symbols, and the importance of the bloodline, in death and in regenerating life, offering threads of connection between people and generations. Young Amleth (Oscar Novak) witnesses the assassination of his father, King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) at the hands of his brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang), who kidnaps his mother (Nicole Kidman) for his bride. Amleth makes a desperate escape to the sea, repeating a mantra that seals his fate: "avenge father, save mother, kill Fjolnir." In the Kingdom of Rus, Amleth grows into a wild berserker warrior (Skarsgard), pillaging villages and slashing throats clad in bear skins and little else. An opportunity presents itself, and he steals away to Fjolnir's farm in Iceland disguised as an enslaved man in order to enact his revenge. On the boat, he meets a young Slavic maiden, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), a witch who will assist in his journey to meet his fate. Eggers and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke create striking images informed by Eggers' deep research. Scenes of pagan worship are fascinating and disturbing; long, unbroken takes of brutal violence are mesmerizing for their complex choreography. Dim, gray, almost black-and-white cinematography is offset with color used in shocking and delightful ways. Whether it's a red cape adorning a small prince's shoulders, a bright green river, or the glowing embers of fire, color is as thoughtfully utilized as anything else on screen. The use of sprawling, wide landscape shots set against soaring hills and crimson sunrises lend cinematic and thematic weight to the film. These shots are a signifier that "The Northman" is a throwback to the adventure epics of classical Hollywood, but they also offer texture to the setting of the film, which is situated in a real place with natural elements at play (the film was shot in Ireland and Iceland). There is a real heft to this craft, which Eggers wields like a carefully swung blade. But while the images are striking, it's the sound of "The Northman" that will rattle you to your bones and makes this a full sensory cinematic experience, enveloping the audience in the rumblings of ancient incantations that seem to come from deep within the earth, the feral war screams of Skarsgard, the spells Olga incants, and the remarkable score, by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough. The performances are largely physical, the characters speaking in a kind of ancient poetry wrought in animal metaphor and proclamation. It's a story of fate, and wrestling with one's own preordained destiny, but the way that the characters embrace fate as they embrace life and death is exceptionally moving. These people live closer to everything in this world, closer to the earth, animals, each other, to life and death and destiny. Death is not defeat but divinity. "The Northman" embraces it all too. It is melodrama, and murder and mayhem and witchcraft; it's everything Robert Eggers does best on the biggest scale, and it's his best film yet. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BOSTON (AP) Boston health officials are recommending that people wear masks indoors again because of a steep increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. The Boston Public Health Commission said Thursday that people should take precautions, citing a 65% increase in cases and a slow rise in hospitalizations. The number of COVID-19 deaths statewide has been on the decline since January and is far from the peaks earlier in the pandemic. The commission said it was renewing its recommendation that masks be worn in indoor public settings including public transit and transportation hubs, government buildings, and crowded indoor venues to protect people and prevent more cases. On Monday, a federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit. Airlines and airports swiftly began repealing their requirements that passengers wear face coverings. The Boston health commission's recommendation comes just weeks after the city order that required people to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces was lifted. In early April, Boston followed New York, Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities in relaxing pandemic restrictions as officials pushed for more normalcy after two grueling years of the pandemic. City public health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said when the order was lifted that "all of our key metrics are moving in the right direction. On Thursday, Ojikutu urged Boston residents to get tested if they're feeling unwell, get vaccinated and stay up to date with boosters, and wear masks indoors, particularly in crowds. The commission also said that COVID levels in local wastewater samples increased 109% over the past two weeks, which suggests cases could continue to rise. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A massive redevelopment project in downtown Missoula keeps dying and then coming back to life, but it appears that theres a serious new effort at resuscitating those plans. A team of real estate developers announced Thursday that theyre looking at starting construction sometime in the summer or fall of 2023 at the Riverfront Triangle, a long-vacant prime piece of land just west of Orange Street overlooking the Clark Fork River. Dean Bosacki and Sadek Darwiche of Capital V Partners told the Missoula Redevelopment Agency's board on Thursday that theyre planning on transforming Missoulas downtown core by creating a vibrant, community-minded hub of activity that enhances Missoulas economic opportunities, cultural experiences and provides much-needed housing options, parking and exciting retail concepts for the community at large. They said their objective is not to disrupt past plans for the site, meaning theyre planning to build a hotel, an events center, parking structures, commercial buildings and retail spots. This will be an economic flywheel, providing tons of opportunities and tax revenue to the city as well as a culturally-minded experience that also provides much, much-needed housing opportunities to families of all income levels, Bosacki said. The two men didnt provide any conceptual renderings or specific details on what exactly the project will entail, but they did say theyve got an established base of investors on board and have been talking to regional banks that are excited to work with them. Bosacki and Darwiche, who were speaking on a conference call from Wyoming, said theyve completed over $2 billion worth of projects and developments. They said they specialize in mountain towns and rural development. Tough projects in tough environments is something weve built a reputation on, Bosacki said. Its no surprise to anybody here that the Riverfront Triangle has been a challenging property for a variety of reasons. You know, a pandemic is not the easiest thing to develop around, but for other reasons as well. Its been a challenging property and I think this project is a perfect marriage of our ability to take on the tough projects and get this project done. Before the pandemic, local restaurant and music venue owner Nick Checota and his wife had announced plans to build a $100-million civic events complex on the site, including luxury condos, restaurants and a public plaza, but had to cancel once COVID hit. Before that, a local team called Hotel Fox Partners had planned a similar development, but they also backed off. There has been a lot of work and a lot of time and a lot of energy that has already gone into this project, Darwiche said. Its not our intention to just wipe the slate clean and sort of disregard all the energy that has gone in there, but we believe that the best path forward is to make minimal changes to this project. However, they said theyre looking at making some minor changes to the form and function of the site, including separating bike and pedestrian traffic from car traffic. Overall, the project is going to have the same programming of hotel, event center, parking, residential and office and retail, Bosacki said. Were just going to see how we can enhance upon those ideas that have already existed. Darwiche said hes been following the Riverfront Triangle plans for many years. And when the opportunity arose to have a look at this, I was very excited, he said. Weve spent the past several months really, really digging into the due diligence, meeting with the various partners, trying to understand the main components. And at the end of the day, weve gained a real comfort with what are sort of the hurdles and what are the areas we need to work on. He noted that the construction would take several years. This is not a 12-month sort of project, he said. The duo noted theyve been having many meetings with city staff and other businesses and organizations in town and are excited to announce their retail partners in the near future. We can move this forward on an expedited timeline, Bosacki said. There certainly are headwinds in this industry. Theres certainly headwinds in getting contractors to talk about timelines. Bu the nice thing about this project is its been on everybodys radar for so long that when you do talk to them about it, theyre pretty willing to shift other things aside and make it a priority as well. So we feel pretty good about trying to be in construction in quarter two or quarter three of next year. The duo did not provide any specifics on projects theyve completed in the past but said they would send a portfolio to the board. A search for a website for Capital V Partners did not turn up any results. Darwiche is a hotel owner in Jackson, Wyoming, and has been involved in at least one workforce housing project there. Both said that their approach to doing business includes a commitment to social responsibility, authenticity and innovation. They said they plan to incorporate many environmentally sustainable technologies in their construction design. They also said they want to be sensitive to local community needs, cultures and nuances. They aim to improve lifestyle in a safe, affordable and conscientious manner. Melanie Brock, a Missoula Redevelopment Agency board member, wanted to know more about the housing component. Its our intent and our hope that therell be a variety of housing types and styles, Darwiche said. And so when you talk about various types of housing we hope to see, the word that we use is workforce housing as well as sort of free-market housing and other types of housing. He said, at the end of the day, theyre looking to have a vibrant community. Its not our intent to just have, you know, people own units in a development where the lights are out nine months out of the year, he said. You want to have activity and you want to have a variety of cultural attributes and you want to have people experiencing this from all different types and walks of life. He said its too early to say how many units of housing theyll build. He did say that theyll be the operators of the site, rather than turning it over to a third-party management firm. They believe they have the right team internally to manage the hotel, but theyll also need to hire a facilities management team, he added. Board president Karl Englund said the city has been trying to redevelop the site for 30 years. The site lies within an Urban Renewal District, so developers are eligible for Tax Increment Financing. This project enhances the riverfront trail system, into which we have put so many resources for so many years, Englund said. It provides opportunity for new retail businesses. It provides parking. Housing is an issue and we see here the opportunity to develop a significant number of new residential unitsacross a variety of incomes. And also those in those units will be located in close proximity to the downtown, which is how you maintain the viability of downtown into which we have put so many resources. Also, he said, Missoula getting a new performance space and convention center will help local businesses. Earlier this year, local fast-growing tech company OnX said it has a verbal, nonbinding agreement to occupy an office at the site. Englund noted that any TIF funds will be used to make sorely needed public infrastructure upgrades to the area and the entire project will eventually mean a drastic increase in tax revenue for the city and public schools. Bosacki said there will be plenty of times to answer more questions and dive deeper with community members who want more information. He said so far, hes been impressed with how excited people have been. Its great to get this kind of reaction from people that this project clearly means so much to the city, he said. It has been such a thorn in the side for so long. Man, it would be such a personally gratifying experience to see this done and bring this to live in such a deserving city. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 1 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. Blair Libby spotted homophobic graffiti along the Milwaukee Trail in Missoula and reported it to city officials in January. As of this week, some of the vandalism was still present, Libby said. He wasnt certain whether the current graffiti had been added since he brought the original offense to the citys attention, but he said hes seen new pieces of similar vandalism crop up in various places along the trail every few months for the past three years. The recurring vandalism prompted a conversation Tuesday at the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center about the process for reporting anti-LGBTQIA+ graffiti in the city. Theres been this ongoing hate speech graffiti homophobic, transphobic thats been just constantly being put up on the Milwaukee Trail, said Andy Nelson, executive director of the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center. Obviously we dont want to see this type of behavior in our town. Nelson and Peace Center Executive Director Jacqueline Flewellen led a forum Tuesday evening on the state of the LGBTQIA+ community in Missoula and western Montana more broadly. Elected officials, city staff, allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community turned out to discuss ways to make the region more welcoming to people of all genders and sexual orientations. They reviewed the current process for reporting hate speech and came up with potential solutions to the issue for the future. City officials told forum attendees to report discriminatory graffiti to the Missoula Police Department. MPD coordinates with Missoula Parks and Recreation if the incident is located on park property like the Milwaukee Trail, or the police reach out to private property owners. When possible, officials added, it helps to provide the police with photos of the specific pieces of vandalism. Hate messages like that are simply not tolerated and the city does whatever it can to remove it or cover it, said Mirtha Becerra, Missoula City Council member for Ward 2. However, Becerra explained there are a few factors that influence the citys ability to respond to graffiti. One of them is the weather, if they can get out there and they can take care of it right away, she said. The other one is the surface, what kind of materials they need to use. Sometimes it requires scrubbing it, sometimes it requires special equipment to get to that place and remove the message, the graffiti. The idea is to remove it as quickly as possible, she added, but said there is no set timeline for removal because each incident is unique. Participants at the forum proposed ideas to streamline the reporting and removal process. One suggestion raised the possibility of forming a volunteer vandalism removal team, although Becerra said there might be legal questions triggered by volunteers performing city duties. The group also identified developing digital resources and in-person signage as a top priority going forward. Various participants in the forum said they wanted clear instructions online and on the trail giving guidance about reporting vandalism. Some proposed the signage should also announce a penalty for individuals caught defacing city property with hate speech. Attendees Tuesday agreed there needs to be further conversation to determine the exact language used in these resources. Forum attendees also floated the idea of creating a flyer with similar messaging for distribution during Missoula Pride. The approach of the June event gave a sense of urgency to the conversation, although a specific timeline for developing solutions to the graffiti issue remains to be determined. This is something that is urgent and needs to get done, said Flewellen. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 8 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 5 The Metaverse Continuum, a spectrum of digitally enhanced worlds, realities and business models, is redefining how the world works, operates and interacts, according to a new report. The Accenture Technology Vision 2022 Meet Me in the Metaverse: The Continuum of Technology and Experience Reshaping Business, report says businesses are racing toward a future that is very different from the one they were designed to operate in as technologies, such as extended reality, blockchain, digital twins and edge computing, are converging to reshape human experiences. To help organisations take advantage of this opportunity, Accenture is launching the Accenture Metaverse Continuum business group. The new group will be led by Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive Technology and Chief Technology Officer at Accenture and David Droga, CEO and Creative Chairman of Accenture Interactive. The next generation of the internet is unfolding and will drive a new wave of digital transformation far greater than what weve seen to date, transforming the way we all live and work, said Daugherty. Our vision of the metaverse as a continuum challenges prevailing, narrower views and highlights why organizations must act today, or find themselves operating in worlds designed by, and for, someone else. As part of the report, Accenture surveyed more than 4,600 business and technology leaders across 23 industries in 35 countries including the UAE. At this early stage, 71% of executives believe the metaverse will have a positive impact on their organisation and 42% believe it will be breakthrough or transformational. According to the same report, 70% of surveyed consumers agree that they are spending substantially more time online. In the UAE, this number is even higher at 84%, in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, in the UAE 97% of sampled executives (98% globally) agree that emerging technologies are enabling their organization to have a broader and more ambitious vision. We are recognised as an early leader in metaverse-related capabilities, with 600 patent filings and more than a decade of experience, added Droga. Our new business group combines these capabilities with the creative strengths of Accenture Interactive, with teams of innovators and creators introducing new applications in the decentralized environment of the metaverse. Accenture also operates its own metaverse, the Nth floor, where the companys people participate in new hire orientation and immersive learning or meet and socialise as teams. This fiscal year, the company expects 150,000 or more new hires will work in the metaverse on their first day. Daugherty added: As the line between peoples physical and digital lives further blurs, organizations have the opportunity and obligation now to build a responsible metaverse addressing issues like trust, sustainability, personal safety, privacy, responsible access and use, diversity and more. The actions and choices they make today will set the stage for the future. The Technology Vision 2022 report identifies four key trends that companies will need to address: WebMe: Putting the Me in Metaverse Enterprise strategies are built for the internet of today, a digital world where platforms often lack interoperability and data portability. Metaverse and Web3 are poised to reshape the internet; rather than it being a disparate collection of sites and apps, looking ahead, the metaverse will lead to a persistent 3D environment in which moving from one place to another will be as simple as walking from one room to another. 97% of UAE executives, compared to 95% globally believe that future digital platforms need to offer unified experiences, enabling interoperability of customers data across different platforms and spaces. Programmable World: Our Planet, Personalized As emerging technologies such as 5G, ambient computing, augmented reality and smart materials advance, digital environments will be increasingly woven into the fabric of our physical world. These environments will reshape not just how people engage with worlds, but also redefine everything built in it, how people sense and interact and the control they have over it. Tellingly, 92% of executives 100% of UAE executives, agree that leading organisations will push the boundaries of the virtual world to make it more real, increasing the need for persistence and seamless navigation between the digital and physical worlds. The Unreal: Making Synthetic, Authentic Businesses and environments are increasingly supported by AI-generated data that convincingly reflects the physical world. More than ever before, AI is top-of-mind for businesses, as companies and consumers alike shift away from considering what is real versus fake, to what is authenticnot just in terms of a companys content and algorithms but its entire brand. With the unreal world about to become reality, now is the time for leaders to ready their businesses. Already, 96% of executives globally, 98% in the UAE, report that their organizations are committed to authenticating the origin of their data and genuine use of AI. Computing the Impossible: New Machines, New Possibilities The emergence of a new class of machines is empowering organisations across industries to stretch the boundaries of what computers can solve. Tools like quantum computing and biology-inspired computing are allowing businesses to solve problems that may be too expensive, inefficient, or flat out impossible for traditional computing. As grand challenges become trivial operations, how enterprises compete, provide value and partner will radically change; nearly all (94%) executives vs. 90% in the UAE agree that their organizations long-term success will depend on the next generation computing they leverage to solve the seemingly intractable problems not addressable by classical computing. Forward-looking companies are simultaneously navigating the uncertainty of todays markets while beginning to compete in the Metaverse Continuum. For example, working with Microsoft and Accenture, Mars is embracing digital twins, which is one of the foundational elements of the metaverse, to reduce waste, increase speed and capacity, and empower its associates to make real-time decisions across its supply chain. Mars is now extending this concept to product development with digital simulations factoring in variability, such as climate and disruptions, and maintaining greater visibility from the point of origin to place of consumption, the report said. - TradeArabia News Service COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) An international human rights group urged Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a prompt and impartial probe into a police shooting that left one person dead and 13 others injured during protests over the country's worst economic crisis in decades. New York-based Human Rights Watch asked the government to probe the apparent use of excessive force by police in the incident and take appropriate steps against any wrongdoing. Patricia Grossman, the groups associate Asia director, said the use of live ammunition by police against demonstrators appears to be a flagrant misuse of lethal force. People protesting government policies that affect their lives and livelihoods shouldnt have to fear for their lives, she said in a statement late Wednesday. International law prohibits the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers unless there is an imminent threat to life. The group said Sri Lanka has a long history of failing to provide justice and redress to victims of human rights violations. The statement came hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pledged an impartial and transparent inquiry into the shooting, which was the first by security forces during weeks of protests and reignited widespread demonstrations across the Indian Ocean island nation. The shooting occurred in Rambukkana, 90 kilometers (55 miles) northeast of the capital, Colombo. Police said the demonstrators were blocking railway tracks and roads and ignored police warnings to disperse. Police also said protesters threw rocks at them. The calls for an investigation came as Parliament on Thursday observed a minute of silence in memory of more than 260 people killed in 2019 in Islamic State group-inspired suicide bomb attacks on churches and tourist hotels. Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, at a multi-religious memorial service in Colombo, reiterated his criticism of what he called the government's lack of interest in uncovering those whose alleged inaction contributed to the attacks. Ranjith has urged authorities to investigate possible links between the attackers and some members of the state intelligence service after reports that they knew at least one of the attackers and had met with him. Protesters who have camped outside the office of Sri Lankas president for 13 days demanding his resignation also offered alms to Buddhist and Christian clergy in memory of the dead. Much of the anger expressed in weeks of growing protests has been directed at Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who head an influential clan that has been in power for most of the past two decades. Five other family members are lawmakers, three of whom resigned as Cabinet ministers two weeks ago. Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy, with nearly $7 billion of its total $25 billion in foreign debt due for repayment this year. A severe shortage of foreign exchange means the country lacks money to buy imported goods. Sri Lankans have endured months of shortages of essentials such as food, cooking gas, fuel and medicine, lining up for hours to buy the limited stocks available. Fuel prices have risen several times in recent months, resulting in sharp increases in transport costs and prices of other goods. There was another round of increases earlier this week. The government has announced it is suspending repayment of foreign loans pending talks with the International Monetary Fund on a rescue plan. China has pledged about $31 million in emergency aid, including 5,000 tons of rice, medicine and raw materials, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said Thursday. The ministry announced the aid after Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris met with Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong. Qi earlier said China is mulling a request for $2.5 billion in economic assistance including a credit line to buy essentials and a loan. The debt crisis is partly blamed on projects built with Chinese loans that have not made money. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The United Nations' highest court ruled Thursday that Colombia breached Nicaragua's rights in waters of the Caribbean Sea, including by hindering Nicaraguan fishing vessels and granting fishing permits for Colombian and other boats. The majority ruling of the International Court of Justice gave Nicaragua a victory in a lengthy legal battle, although it may not fully end the dispute between the two Latin American nations. Nicaragua filed the case in 2013, claiming that Colombia violated its sovereignty in the western Caribbean, a region of the sea long claimed by both countries that is home to a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve inhabited by dozens of endangered species. In a 9-6 vote, the world court ruled that Colombia must immediately cease the conduct, ICJ President Jean E. Donoghue said during a public reading of the decision. The judges voted 10-5 to establish that Colombia infringed Nicaragua's rights by interfering with fishing and marine scientific research activities of Nicaraguan or Nicaraguan-licensed vessels and with naval activities and by purporting to enforce conservation measures in Nicaragua's waters. Colombia said the ruling had positives for Bogota, despite imposing limits on its naval activities. They limited some of its functions in the sense that they cannot undertake environmental control activities, which is a shame because we do have the ability to do that," Colombia's representative to the court, Carlos Gustavo Arrieta Padilla, told reporters. "But nevertheless, the court maintained the possibility of the Colombian navy being there and doing operations in the fight against organized crime in the area. A 2012 ruling by the world court gave Nicaragua fishing rights over much of the western Caribbean, but Colombias navy has continued to patrol the waters, which are also used by traffickers to smuggle drugs into Central America. At hearings last year, Nicaragua argued that Colombian naval ships were infringing on its fishing rights by patrolling the area that the court had awarded to Nicaragua as an exclusive economic zone. The country also alleged that Colombias navy has dissuaded vessels with Nicaraguan fishing permits from operating in the area while providing protection to vessels with Colombian permits. Colombia denied the accusations and said its navy patrolled the area to fight drug trafficking and to protect the Seaflower Marine Reserve, an area created by Colombia that is on UNESCOs global list of biosphere reserves and overlaps the economic zone awarded to Nicaragua in the 2012 ruling. In a win for Colombia, the court majority said in Thursday's ruling that points used by Nicaragua to delineate its territorial waters after the 2012 judgment were not in conformity with customary international law. Rulings by the court are final and legally binding. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 **** I'm sure I could write chapters about the Old City. But I'm going to try to be as concise as possible We had really planned to learn a lot more about the Old City on our third full day in Jerusalem. So, like the previous two days, I figured a private tour might work for the best. And we had really enjoyed the tours we took the previous two days. I had gotten the Missus and I a private tour, that was supposed to be secular....I should have known better. Our guide wasn't very friendly, nor did he take much time to explain things; he basically drove or walked us to places, would tell us what the place was, and set us out on our own and go for a smoke. Oh well. We started the morning by grabbing our caffeine fix from the nearby Nadi Cafe, which seemed to be full of students. Our "guide" then met us at back at our apartment and drove us up to the Mount of Olives. We kinda knew what we were in for after he basically left us and went back to the car to wait for us. Still, it was a lovely view. We then drove down to the city and parked and then walked along the old city walls. And eventually crossed a trench that led us to some alleyways. Soon enough we saw a spire rising in front of us. This is the Church of the Dormition. We were led into a room and were told this was the "Room of the Last Supper"; the Cenacle. To imagine that this was where it was believed that the Last Supper was held! This was also supposedly the place where Christ washed the feet of his Disciples. We were led down some stairs to a hallway, which had been converted to a synagogue. From here, the Missus had to go one way, I another. And I entered this room. This is David's Tomb. While not considered to be the actual resting place of King David (the tomb is empty), this is a quote from Professor Doron Barr on the Wikipedia Page: "Although the sources for the tradition of David's Tomb on Mount Zion are not clear, it appears that it only began to take root during the subsequent, early Muslim period. Apparently, the Christians inherited this belief from the Muslims, and only at a relatively late juncture in the citys history were the Jews finally convinced as well" We were then taken into the Church of the Dormition. Dormition means to "fall asleep" and it is claimed that this is where the Virgin Mary fell into "eternal sleep". The crypt is quite an amazing place; it features a life sized "Sleeping Mary". And the walls are adorned with mosaics and images of famous women from the Bible. It's quite stunning. We also visited the Church as well. This is the view from Mount Zion. From here we were led thru the Zion Gate. To an area lined with colonnades. We walked down the stairs to the excavated street known as the Cardo, which dates back to Byzantine times and was once the main street of Jerusalem. It's now a pretty swanky shopping arcade. Regardless, it's quite impressive. From here we were led past Hurva Square. And taken to a shop named Everest Cafeteria Ramzi where we had lunch; while our guide left and did whatever stuffs he needed to. After lunch we were guided down the street......to an area I'm sure most people have heard of. The Western Wall. Because of the walls proximity to the restricted access Temple Mount, this wall built by Herod the Great is considered the Holiest site in Jerusalem and is a place of pilgrimage and prayer for many Jews. There are separate sections for men and women. The Missus had made sure to dress appropriately for this visit and after going thru security I wore a temporary Kippah (aka yarmulke). I saw many folks placing "prayers"; slips of papers into the wall. I know some folks to whom a visit to the Western Wall has been one of the most important and cherished events in their life. I had been told that I should never turn my back to the wall as it is considered disrespectful, so I made sure to back away. One of our requests when we booked the tour was to see all the stations of the Via Dolorosa, the "Way of the Cross"; basically the path Jesus took to his crucifixion. Our guide decided to start at Station III of the Via Dolorosa; where Jesus fell for the first time. You can see the relief of Jesus falling under the weight of the cross above the door of the Armenian Chapel. Right next to it is the Fourth Station of the Cross, where Jesus met his mother, Mary. This is right in front of the Armenian Church. We were then walked past the Fifth and to the Sixth Station of the Cross. This is where Veronica, who would become Saint Veronica, wiped the sweat and blood off of Jesus's face. That cloth, called the Veil of Veronica is said to have the image of Jesus' face on it. Down the street is the Seventh Station. The Seventh Station is where Jesus fell for the second time. The Ninth Station is where Jesus fell of the third time. From here, we were taken into the main plaza of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Volumes could be written on this, but I'll keep it brief. Built on what is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, locations in the church complex are run by various Christian religions using what is known as the Status Quo. It was quite intense watching folks praying over, weeping, and in one case a woman cried out and threw herself over the Stone of Unction (Stone of Anointing) which lays upon the site where Christs body was laid after being removed from the crucifix and prepared to be buried. Man.... And of course there's the Tomb of Christ, where Jesus laid buried for three days before rising from the dead. All these sacred sites in one place is kind of overwhelming even for an Agnostic like me. If we'd had more time, I would have gotten a private guide just for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our guide just pointed to the entrance and told us where to meet him. He seemed uncomfortable in this area. After leaving the church, we decided to cut our guide loose. Instead of taking us back to his car and driving us back to the apartment, we decided to walk back. The Jaffa Gate was close by and we strolled thru the Mamilla Mall and did some window shopping. And listened to some music..... We took a nice break at the apartment before heading out to dinner. After a pretty full day, I decided that we should go to the area around Machaneh Yehudah Market to grab something to eat. And while strolling around the market something clicked. This was the place we felt most comfortable in Jerusalem. So we'd return here for sure; especially since we had reservations at Machneyuda the following night. We just wanted something casual for dinner and I had a place in mind right outside the market called Hachapuria whose specialty is a Georgian specialty called Hachapuri (Khachapuri). Service was efficient and the prices were quite reasonable. We started with a "salad", which was so very good, especially the wonderful smoky, earthy eggplant. Man, the vegetables in Israel just seemed to good! Here's the Acharuli Hachapuri. We loved this. The boat shaped dough was so tasty; a perfect balance of yeastiness-salt-sugar, the texture perfectly crisp; the Sulguni cheese had a mild salty-sour-acidity, was stringy, and not overwhelming....and who doesn't love that egg???? And yes, that's a blob of butter on top of the egg! We forgot about even using the provided sauces! A wonderful dinner! Hachapuria 5 Ha-Shikma Jerusalem 9432305 Israel After dinner we strolled back to the apartment. Tomorrow was our "free day" and we were looking forward to just wandering around and Machaneh Yehudah Market was definitely on that list. Thanks for stopping by! Registered nurses at the small Barrett Hospital & HealthCare in Dillon cited prolonged staffing shortages at the critical access hospital and elsewhere in Montana as one consideration when they voted Friday to unionize. The Montana Nurses Association announced Wednesday that 18 nurses voted for the union and 8 voted against. The Barrett Hospital & HealthCare nurses who voted for the union also described wanting to have a voice to improve nurse retention and recruitment strategies. Robin Haux, labor program director for the Montana Nurses Association, said the union anticipates final certification from the National Labor Relations Board within the week. She said the union will begin conversations with Barrett Hospital & HealthCare shortly after to discuss bargaining dates. Haux said RNs at Barrett have begun to lay the groundwork for negotiations. The goal of all nurse organizing is to reach the bargaining table and secure a collective bargaining agreement, she said. We are looking forward to collaborative negotiations. Haux said the Montana Nurses Association has professional nurse unions at other similarly sized hospitals in Montana, including the Community Hospital of Anaconda, the Clark Fork Valley Hospital, the Glendive Medical Center and several others. Scott Manis, interim chief executive officer for Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But the hospital released a statement. The result is not yet final, but if certified, we will respect this decision and continue to work together with our registered nurses towards our common goal of providing high-quality patient care for our community, the statement said. Throughout this process, we have not wavered in our commitment to our patients and to the community we serve. Residents and community members will continue to receive the high-quality care they have come to expect from Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, the statement said. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Is anyone else getting tired of whiney Republicans? The most recent example is an editorial sent across the state by 57 Republican Legislators (Montana Standard, April 15). Their complaint is, once again, a screed against the judiciary. Didnt any of them take eighth grade civics classes? What part of checks and balances dont they understand? This time around they are griping that a judge found several laws passed by the last legislature unconstitutional. The laws in question make it more difficult for people to vote. Why make voting in Montana more difficult? As usual, they trot out false arguments about voter fraud which have been proven repeatedly to be fake news. This is part of an effort by the Republican Party to undermine our faith in elections because Donald Trump lost the last one...never mind that Montana Republicans won all the state-wide offices and picked up many legislative seats in the last election. Its ironic that so many Republican legislators think their own victory was rigged by Democrats. Republicans in the last legislature repeatedly demanded confidential documents from the Montana Supreme court, which the court refused to provide. So, the legislature enlisted Republican Attorney General, Austen Knudsen, to complain on their behalf, taking their case all the way to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. It was a complete waste of resources to assert the legislatures inflated view of their own power. It's bad enough that they waste time and money on these efforts to protect and preserve their power, but every time they lose, they revert to slinging insults like school yard bullies. In this last editorial they say the judge they disagree with is an activist judge who doesnt like common sense. They go on to accuse the judge of being part of an imagined conspiracy, stating, Judge Moses unilaterally blocked all these commonsense laws at the request of the Montana Democratic machine. Quite an accusation considering the Republicans are in complete control of state government. As a part of their continuing war with the judiciary, the Republican legislature eliminated the Judicial Nominating Commission so that Republican Governor Greg Gianforte could appoint whoever he pleases to judicial vacancies. Once again, the Republicans complained about being treated unfairly by activist judges. And, as a result, handed complete power to appoint judges to their Republican pal in the Governors office. Many people think this is all just political posturing. Thats true. But the Republicans are preoccupied with creating smoke where there is no fire. While they are pointing fingers at the liberal judiciary, they whine about the border wall, wolves stalking our mountains, gays, trans, antifa, and socialists behind every tree, they are ignoring real problems that affect the day to day lives of Montanans. Where is their concern about the fact that the Warm Springs State Hospital is failing the patients it is meant to take care of? What are they doing for farmers and ranchers who face manipulated and unfair prices for their products? What are they doing about the thousands of people who cant find affordable housing? What about replacing and maintaining our aging infrastructure? These are serious issues, but Republicans dont talk much about them. Instead, Republicans are taking books out of local libraries, telling school boards what to teach in history class, arguing about masks, and promoting myths about election fraud. At the end of the day, these things have little to do with the quality of life here in Montana. The serious problems we face will not be addressed by the whining of overblown, self-important Republican legislators. Ken Toole is a former state senator and former vice Chair of the Montana Public Service Commission. He is now retired and lives on an off-grid farm south of Great Falls. Love 6 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 ARCHIVED - Spain blanketed in heaviest April snowfall in 20 years Several roads in mountainous areas of Spain became impassable on April 20 The weather in Spain has been exceptionally unsettled so far this spring: March was pretty much a wash-out and April roared in with continuing storms and strong winds , punctuated in places with sunny skies and soaring temperatures during Easter week. But the arrival of a new front over the peninsula this week has brought an unexpected cold spell, and much of the country awakened to a thick blanket of snow on Wednesday April 20. We are facing one of the most intense episodes of snowfall in the last 20 years in the environment of the central system for these dates, explained Aemet spokesperson Ruben del Campo, who added that although snow isnt unheard of at this time of year, it is very unusual for it to fall with such intensity. It is even possible to see snow in May, he pointed out. Faced with the heaviest flurry in two decades, the DGT acted in the early hours of Wednesday morning and closed off several mountainous roads that had already become impassable. In Puerto de Navacerrada, between Madrid and Segovia, from Tuesday afternoon to noon the following day, 36cm of snow had accumulated, which constitutes the greatest depth of snow of the entire season. In the capital itself, sections of the AP-6 highway were closed to traffic. Elsewhere, the meteorologist highlighted the unusually heavy snowfalls for the date that occurred in the Aragonese Pyrenees and northern Spain, as well as in mountainous areas of the province of Granada . Thankfully, things are looking up for Thursday April 21, with temperatures on the rise throughout most of Spain, and the rain that much of the country experienced earlier in the week will subside as the day goes on. Now read: Safety tips for driving in windy and snowy weather in Spain Image 1: 112 Comunidad de Madrid Image 2: Aemet ARCHIVED - Spain installs traffic light system to protect endangered Iberian lynx Road traffic accidents are the biggest threat to the big cat species in Spain Spain is employing a novel high-tech system to protect the Iberian lynx , one of the worlds most endangered big cat species: traffic lights to help the animal cross busy roads safely. The main cause of mortality of Spains emblematic lynx is road traffic accidents , which kill around 40 of the animals each year. The new initiative involves installing infrared sensors and thermic cameras at spots where the cat is known to cross, which message a warning back to the control centre when a lynx approaches the road. The system will then alert approaching drivers to slow down and can actually tell if cars have exceeded the speed limit. There are now around 1,100 of these big cats in Spain and Portugal. Experts working with the Life LynxConnect programme track the felines through their GPS collars and the new traffic light system also incorporates road signs around known lynx habitats, warning motorists to slow down. Today, the greatest threats to the lynx are getting run over and also because of persecution by hunters. It is, of course, difficult to stop these animals from getting knocked down, Guillermo Lopez, a veterinarian who works with Life LynxConnect, explained. This virtual programme has been started to try to provide safe crossings for lynx which tries to warn drivers if there is fauna nearby. The Life Safe Crossing programme has the backing of the EU and has already been successfully used in Italy, Romania and Greece to protect their dwindling brown bear populations. Image: Wikimedia Commons article_detail MUSCATINE The Chinese ambassador visited Muscatine Wednesday as a way of 'paying tribute' to a friendship formed 37 years ago. Qin Gang, the 11th Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, met with American friends of President Xi Jinping at the Merrill Hotel and Conference Center. In 1985, Xi stayed at the home of Sarah and Roger Lande for two weeks during a cultural exchange when he was a junior party official. As vice president of China he returned to visit the couple in 2012. Xi also wrote a book about his visit to Muscatine entitled Old Friends. During a press conference following the private meeting, Qin referred to Muscatine as a holy place of friendship between China and the United States. At his side, Sarah Lande -- Roger died earlier this year -- Luca Barone, and Joan Axel beamed, knowing the legacy of friendship between China and Muscatine begun in 1985 would continue. It was started by President Xi and his old friends 37 years ago when he was a young county official, Qin said of Chinas relationship with Muscatine. He started that friendship. We are happy to see the friendship he sewed has taken root and blossomed thanks to the joint efforts. This is a trip of paying tribute to that friendship. The trip comes at a time when ties remain tense between the world's two largest economies. Top U.S. officials have urged China to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine. And the White House launched a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games over human rights abuses, including forced labor, against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, which has drawn global condemnation. Frictions over Chinese subsidies into targeted industries, state-owned enterprises and forced technology transfers which Washington argues creates an unlevel playing field for U.S. firms operating at home and abroad have led to trade restrictions and warnings of economic and financial consequences for China and other countries that have maintained ties with Russia. China is one of the largest export markets for U.S. goods and services. 'People-to-people' Qin visited the Sino-U.S. Friendship Center created from the residence Xi stayed at when he visited the United States. The torch of friendship was passed on to a new generation later in the meeting. Wan Xiang Corporation announced a $500,000 donation over two years to continue exchange programs between the United States and China. Muscatine High School and Muscatine Community College will be recipients of some of the money. Wan Xiang chairman Pin Ni said the exchange program started in 2011 and the company learned of it when the Chinese president visited its headquarters in Chicago, Ill., and asked if it could support the program. The business began supporting exchange programs in Chicago. During the Chinese New Year in 2017 Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was appointed ambassador to China, and the business decided to fund a program in Muscatine. The city is embracing the program so that gave us a lot of encouragement, he said. If the program is welcome by the community we should try to help. Qin said citizen diplomacy is important to the relationships between the two nations. Diplomacy, fundamentally, is about people to people, he told the Muscatine Journal. We are here as Chinese diplomats to promote mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples. I know that we are at a difficult time in our relations, but the more difficult it is, the more necessary it is to increase exchanges. Angelica Ibanez and Jennifer Zamora watched with excitement as the next stage of Muscatines friendship with China began. The two were roommates in 2018 when they visited China for four weeks as Muscatine Community College students. They joked if the exchange program needed chaperones, they would volunteer. Being Latino made learning about the Chinese history and culture easier to love, Ibanez said. She spoke of learning about the regular Chinese lifestyle. Zamora agreed, saying she was happy more students would get to experience the things they saw in China and hopes they enjoy it as much. Lande said in a previous interview she would continue to do all she could to further relations between the United States and China. On Wednesday she expressed strong hope for the future. There is such as strong foundation and when the people have been together we totally like each other, Lande said. We are the two biggest countries in the world, but we are like a family of friends, so I think the foundation plus getting together with the ambassador, I think everyone is saying lets go for it now. Hopefully our governments will follow along, or not interfere, or we will just show them what wonderful things people-to-people can do. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 The Middle Easts leading design trade show Index returns to Dubai from May 24 to 26 bringing some of the industrys biggest names to the world-renowned trade event. It will also showcase the regions home-grown talent and welcome thousands of visitors for its 31st edition. Taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the trade show will offer a range of expert talks, interactive activations and conferences with key industry players, making it the ultimate meeting place for regional professionals from across the design and fit-out industry. The Middle East remains unlike any other interiors market in the world, it is estimated that the interior fit-out market in the UAE alone will grow by $973 million by 2022, according to Ventures Onsite. Comprehensive access Index offers direct and comprehensive access to serious buyers in this extraordinary market; buyers who rely on Index to procure everything from contract furniture to accessories, decor and limited-edition pieces. The three-day experience serves the industry by showcasing innovative products, content, features and inspiration, while acting as the definitive link for those to access the lucrative MEA market. Key speakers include Isabel Pintado, the Senior Vice President of Design and Innovation of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Paul Bishop, Owner & Founder of Bishop Design, Thomas Lundgren, the Founder and CEO, of THE One Total Home Experience LLC, Gilbert Boustany, General Manager of Projects Delivery at Chalhoub Group and Chris Barnes, Owner and Founder of Broadway Interiors. New for 2022, will be the Retail Leadership Forum, a dedicated conference for senior retail buyers and leaders providing retailers insight and intelligence into the latest trends and topics. The forum will welcome Big-Box senior buyers & decision makers, as well as luxury, high-end, online retailers and of course a variety of analysts, experts and trend forecasters. Key topics will include the future of the industry post-pandemic, what key buying trends there are for 2023 and how to adapt a retail brand identity. Critical time Its time to feed the demand for knowledge at a critical time for commerce, said Elaine O'Connell, Vice President Design and Hospitality Division at dmg events. Retail leaders and buyers will find out the latest in consumer trends, the latest in logistics strategy and detailed procurement techniques. An essential part of Index is the Design Talks, in association with GEBERIT, bringing together many of the region's experts and thought leaders, this is a unique opportunity to interact with a wide range of industry stakeholders and ensures that it captures a wide range of discussion about the technical, aesthetic market and strategic issues on which the industry revolves. The Work Design Summit offers a fascinating insight into the future of office interiors, a cutting-edge event now a hub for regional and international architects, interior designers, purchasing and buying managers, as well as CEOs, GMs and MDs. Among the highlights of this year's Work Design Summit are insights into post-pandemic workplace trends, adapting to current trends, and employees' new expectations. Experts will discuss the future of workplace and office design, hybrid working, identifying trends, technology, and transformation, as well as art in commercial spaces. Workspace Workspace, a core component of the event for the last 20 years, will also return for 2022, this area is dedicated to connecting businesses with the latest and most innovative commercial design solutions. For over 20 years, Workspace has served as the Middle Easts annual commercial interior design event that connects buyers to workplace product manufacturers, smart-office technology solutions, fit-out and design concepts, and corporate wellness solutions. A range of big industry names will be on hand for free-to-attend conferences and live engagements sharing knowledge keeping the industry up-to-date with the latest trends and developments from the heart of the industry. Connecting designers, buyers and architects to interior design brands, products and services from across the region and the globe, Index is a key date in the design calendar with a history of over three decades. At a crucial time for the working environment, The Work Design Summit fuels conversation and debate around commercial interiors and attracts facilities managers, commercial interior designers and office fit-out professionals, said O'Connell.-- TradeArabia News Service Madison East High School teacher Cesar Martinez told his students in a college prep program geared toward low-income students two years ago that if they all got into college, he would take them on a field trip to Washington, D.C., for their senior year trip. In December, acceptances began to roll in from UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, Morehouse University, the University of North Carolina and the University of Maryland, among others, and as of this month, all 16 of Martinezs seniors in the AVID program have been accepted into higher education institutions. But the pandemic threw a wrench into Martinezs plan to fundraise, and as of Tuesday the cohort was $19,500 short of its $20,000 goal to cover lodging and transportation for the trip. Martinez set up a GoFundMe page for community members to donate at go.madison.com/east-avid. Students have also begun to sell snacks to classmates to raise money and plan to hold a car wash once the weather warms. Its been a blessing, he said. Now, senior year, seeing things come full circle and seeing students decide where they want to go to college, thats the good stress that you want in your life as a teacher. But the fundraising dilemma has created a different kind of stress. The deadline to purchase plane tickets for the class is mid-May, Martinez said, and if the class doesnt meet its fundraising goal by then hell need to figure out another way to transport his students to the nations capital. Usually, senior AVID trips head somewhere local, like the Wisconsin Dells, but to motivate his students, who were sophomores at the time, to begin thinking about college, Martinez opted to let the class decide where they would travel to and when as a group. The best place they can all think of is D.C. to celebrate Juneteenth, he said. Students plan to take part in Juneteenth celebrations scheduled in the city and to immerse themselves in history by visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of African Art, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Mary McLeod Bethune House and the Lincoln Memorial. Juneteenth represents the end of our nations most horrific act and the turning over of a new (leaf), Favor Olubi, a member of Martinezs AVID senior class, wrote on the GoFundMe page. Taking a trip to the nations Capitol to celebrate freedom in its purest form would be an incredibly profound experience, but taking that trip with the very small group of people that weve had the opportunity to grow with for four years is even more. AVID, which stands for Advancement via Individual Determination, is an in-school academic support program for students in grades 9-12 to prepare them for post-secondary education. Students in the AVID program remain together as a cohort throughout high school, and the programs goal is to level the playing field for minority, low-income and other students without a college tradition in their families. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When it comes to Android smartphones in South Africa, two brands stand out from the rest Samsung and Huawei. According to data from GlobalStats Statcounter, these two manufacturers have the most popular smartphone brands in the country, by some margin. As of March 2022, Samsung had captured almost half of the entire smartphone market in the country around 48.12%. Huawei claimed second place, at 23.88%, putting it well ahead of Apples share of 15.96%. The popularity of these two smartphone makers is easy to understand both offer numerous device options across the budget, mid-range, and flagship categories. But a trend in the data shows that Huaweis slice of the pie has dropped radically from around June 2021. The company peaked at just under 30% market share in 2019 the same year the US ban on American companies doing business with Huawei was first announced. The once-dominant Chinese manufacturer dropped out of the global top five smartphone makers in 2021 and has also fallen out of the top five for sales in China. The decline is primarily due to Huaweis latest smartphones not offering official support for Google Mobile Services (GMS), which means you wont get apps like YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, or Google Drive. In stark contrast, Samsungs devices boast close integration with Google services and apps. Samsung has been working closely with Google on smartphone and smartwatch software. Most recently, the Galaxy S22 was the first to get exclusive new features, such as YouTube previews in Googles Messages app, which also became the default messaging service on the latest Samsung flagships. Google has also integrated certain voice access features on the S22 and Tab S8. Samsung is also regularly the first manufacturer to get the latest Android updates after Googles own Pixel devices. The restrictions on Huawei go beyond software. The company can also not source any new chips that employ patented US technologies. That has resulted in some of Huaweis latest flagship smartphones shipping with older, slower processors missing 5G connectivity. This is particularly ironic considering the manufacturers 5G networking technology dominance, including base station equipment and routers. Huawei has two major selling points in its favour on the hardware side excellent cameras and long-lasting batteries. Huaweis cameras are generally better than Samsungs, particularly at the high end, thanks primarily due to its long-standing partnership with German camera company Leica and its own photographic AI. According to DxOMarks smartphone camera rankings, Huawei had three of the best cameras on a smartphone in the top 10, while Samsungs top option only came in 14th place. Huaweis smartphone software is also well-known for tapping a lot of power out of the battery without over-straining it, typically resulting in better uptime-per-mAh. It also supports up to 66W wired fast charging on its flagship P50 range compared to the 45W you get with the S22 Pro and Ultra. That means that charging up Huaweis top-end phones will be significantly faster than doing the same with Samsungs flagships. Pricing When it comes to prices, it is a relatively tit-for-tat affair depending on the smartphone category. In the budget segment, Huaweis Y5p retails for R200 cheaper than the Galaxy A3 Core. But at the opposite end, Huaweis latest flagship P50 Pro starts at R19,999, compared to R17,999 for the Galaxy S22. Samsung has one more card up its sleeve in this area a solid trade-in programme that offers owners significant discounts. Most recently, Samsung launched a guaranteed R10,000 trade-in discount when upgrading to the Galaxy S22 and swopping in one of several Apple, Huawei, or Samsung flagships smartphones. Our comparison of smartphone trade-in programmes showed that the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra generally got much higher trade-in values than the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro. Cellucity CEO Sean Joffe recently told MyBroadband that Huawei and its Chinese counterparts would have to formulate a new trade-in regime to compete in South Africas higher-end smartphone market. Pros and cons The table below summarises the pros and cons of Samsung and Huawei smartphones. Pacific Gas and Electric has completed the installation and testing of new sensor technology to power lines in Calistoga, that holds promise to reduce the chance of a spark igniting a fire. Called Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter (REFCL), sensors can detect a downed line, or interference with a line, and almost immediately reduce the level of energy to below a threshold where it would begin sparking. 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. PG&E has been installing the technology on the towns transmission lines over the past couple years and testing ended April 15. No further testing is planned until the company can review the test data collected, and the technology will not be put in service until after the reviews. It was successful in that its been proven to be feasible for wildfire risk reduction. Also, no unplanned service outages occurred, showing that the updates weve made to existing electrical equipment over the past several months are working with the new technology, said spokesperson Deanna Contreras. While the town welcomes the new safety measures, the sensitive lines have also caused more frequent power outages. PG&E began testing the new equipment early in 2021, and the morning of Jan. 6, approximately 3,700 customers were affected between 7-9 a.m., PG&E said. This year, the company conducted multiple tests in March and April, which they announced to customers would happen during nighttime and early morning hours. During PG&Es presentation before the city council on Tuesday, Councilmember Gary Kraus questioned why, on April 12, the power tripped on and off throughout the town for about 25 minutes. Mark van Gorder, the companys government relations spokesperson, told the council he would look into the matter. Calistoga is the first city in North America to test the technology, which has been successfully used in Australia, according to PG&E. Calistoga was chosen for the pilot project because of its susceptibility to high temperatures and winds. Areas east and west of town Van Gorder also told the council that come this summer, and hotter weather, residents on the east side of town, that have previously been powered by PG&Es temporary generator during Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), may not be energized. Because of the way the citys grid is laid out, and because of the high fire risk, the side of the town west of the Napa River, has previously gone without power during PSPS events. This year, when temperatures rise to 95 degrees or more, during a PSPS event, the temporary generators may not be able to power up areas just east of town. This is due to the limited capacity of the generators and increased energy demand, typically from air conditioners, van Gorder said. Some of the largest loads for the generators comes from this area of town that includes the Four Seasons Resort that opened last year. The Four Seasons has always been in the footprint of the temporary generators, and we have provided them backup power in the past, as well as Solage Resort during a PSPS, said Contreras. However, there could be a time, when its really hot, for the generators to power everyone at peak demand during a PSPS. In that case, both of those (resort) customers are aware the generators may not be able to support them. Meanwhile, PG&E is working to install sectionalizers to the high fire risk west side, that will enable greater control over turning power on and off to very specific areas, which should allow for more areas to receive power during that time. Contreras also pointed out, Its important to note that PG&E is upgrading the safety and reliability of the countys electric grid by rebuilding the transmission line that runs from St. Helena to the Calistoga substation. That will reduce the number of PSPS events in the area. That project is scheduled to be completed early in 2023. The city is also working with PG&E to install permanent backup generators that could take on more of a load for energy demand. Also, the citys installation of a generator at Rancho de Calistoga mobile home park on the west side of town should happen this summer, said Planning Director Derek Rayner, provided there are no more hiccups in supply chain. Nimbus Arts Nimbash reliably produces some of the most eye-catching and stylish photos youll see in the Star. If youve ever wanted to attend the fabled arty party, read on *** Tickets to Nimbash went on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 20. If you act quickly, you might be able to snag some. The fundraiser is from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 28, Charles Krug Winery. Tickets are $175 at nimbusarts.org. *** The Cameo Cinema is offering a special screening of the documentary A Perfect Vintage at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 15. There will be a Q&A with guests including director/producer Troy Christian, producer Tom Graves, producer/winemaker Tim Milos, and local vintners Angelina Mondavi, Christopher Sawyer, Ron Haber and Christy Harper. Youll also be treated to wine from some of the wineries featured in the film: Immortal Estate Wines, Haber Family Vineyards, Aloft Wine and Rubissow. Tickets are $50 at cameocinema.com. *** The Berkshire Hathaway Annual meeting, hosted by RBO & Co., will be livestreamed at The Cameo Cinema on Saturday, April 30. Doors open at 6:45 a.m. and the Q&A session with Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger begins promptly at 7:15 a.m. Door prizes! Food and beverages provided. Please feel free to come and go. *** The Napa Valley Transportation Authority is offering free VINE bus fares on Sunday, April 24, in honor of Earth Day. Who said theres no such thing as a free ride? Check out routes and schedules at vinetransit.com. *** As Paul Franson reports in the Napa Valley Register, St. Helenas Legit Provisions is temporarily closed as the business prepares to move to Napa, but its unclear exactly where its going. Legit Provisions opened in 2020 at 1304 Main St. I dont know whats replacing it, but if I hear anything, you will be the first to know. *** There was no Jay Greene historical lecture at the library this month because Jay is traveling in Arizona. He assures fans that his monthly talks will resume on May 17 with a lecture on the Korean War. Happy travels, Jay! *** Dont forget about Paulin Center for the Arts first annual open house from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 24. The nonprofit community music program based at Pacific Union College in Angwin offers private music lessons, classes and performance opportunities to musicians of all ages and experience levels. Attend the open house to learn more. *** Join me in celebrating a milestone for Star cartoonist Joan Martens, whose witty and just plain adorable cartoons have been gracing the Stars opinion page for an astonishing 35 years! Joan is a world-class talent whose work has been honored numerous times by the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Shes also a former third-grade teacher who, as you can imagine, ran an art-friendly classroom. On students birthdays, she used to let them draw whatever they wanted on the chalkboard. I cant help but wonder if she inspired some of them to become artists. At age 85, she continues to make the Star a better paper every week. Thank you, Joan, and I hope to keep seeing your contributions for many years to come. Amid a surge in customer visits during the pandemic, the location-insecure Napa Farmers Market will be sticking around in the city of Napas West Street parking lot for the near future. The Napa City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a license agreement for use of the parking lot by the Farmers Market during its current times on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Napa Farmers Market is the largest California Certified Farmers Market in Napa County, according to recreation manager Katrina Gregory. There are also certified markets in St. Helena, Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena, and Calistoga, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The Napa market provides farm-fresh produce, Gregory said, and helps address local food insecurity by providing a variety of food assistance programs, including CalFresh, Market Match and WIC. Additionally, the market donates fresh produce to Napas local food bank, the South Napa Shelter and other organizations that provide food assistance, according to Gregory. 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. Gregory said that since the market moved to the West Street parking lot in May 2020, its operated under a more temporary, special event permit. The special event permit process is really intended for a one-time or a series of events, Gregory said. So we use that as a temporary stop gap measure to help provide that parking lot space not knowing it would be extended. This pandemic definitely continued longer than most people predicted. Gregory added the city started working to develop a license agreement with the Farmers Market last year, which she said is a more formal agreement thats typical when organizations regularly use a public space for an extended period of time. The Farmers Market will pay $1,000 to the city for use of the space each year, Gregory said, with annual consumer price index increases. That's an 80% subsidy on the total cost for the markets use of the area to the city, she said. Cara Mae Wooledge, director of the Farmers Market, said the West Street location has seen the quantity of customers reach new highs. The market saw 143,000 visitors in 2021, she said, a 118% increase from 2019 levels. Upon opening its first Tuesday market of the year on April 9, Wooledge said, the market welcomed 809 customers. That compares to 575 customers last year with pandemic limits on how many people could be shopping there one time, and 126 customers in 2020, before the market came to West Street. The Farmers Market has shifted around to different venues in the past few years, including the Oxbow Public Market and Culinary Institute of America at Copia parking lot, the South Napa Century Center and the Napa Valley Expo Fair Grounds. We need a stable home to truly achieve and expand on our mission, and since we received notice in summer of 2019 that we needed to relocate, the Napa Farmers Market has been experiencing our own version of a housing crisis, Wooledge said at the meeting. The location isnt permanent, however, because the city doesnt own the parking lot. Instead, the city operates the parking lot through a separate license agreement with SyWest Development, the San Rafael Company that owned the Cinedome movie theater that once stood there. As a result, the agreement would need to be terminated if the developer decided to develop the property, according to Gregory. Both Gregory and Tony Valadez, the citys parking programs manager, said they werent aware of any action from the developer to submit plans for the area. There is a termination clause in the agreement because we have a license agreement with the property owner, Gregory said at the meeting. If the property owner happens to terminate that license agreement obviously then we would need to terminate the agreement with the Napa Farmers Market. Several other Farmers Market employees, board members and community members spoke highly of the market at the meeting. Marc Mergan, chief jam maker at JamAlula, said he and his wife spent a lot of time at the Napa Farmers Market early in the pandemic to buy fruit and make jam out of it. This place is really important, Mergan said. We are at different markets all over the San Fransisco Bay Area, and I have to say the Napa Farmers Market is the best run farmers market in the Bay Area bar none. So let those people stay at that place because they support a lot of the community. Naomi Chamblin, owner of Napa Bookmine located near the Farmers Market on Pearl Street said the presence of the market has a significant positive effect on book sales. We are so grateful for the added foot traffic and the energy on our block, Chamblin said. Our regular customers have never complained about parking, and they actually make a morning of it by going to the market and then going to the bookstore. Wendy Moore, volunteer coordinator for Abode Services the homeless services provide for Napa County said Abode is one beneficiary the fruits and vegetables that are donated to the communitys most needy and food insecure people. David Busby, chairperson of Feeding it Forward, said hed just come from taking the excess produce from the Tuesday market to one of Napas Affordable housing complexes. The impact it has on our community is immense if you look at it from an environmental standpoint of growing the food locally, having fresh local food, what it does especially for the food insecure, Busby said. Thats the reason I do this. It is so rewarding to actually provide something fresh and healthy to people that are having struggles or income limitations. All the councilmembers expressed their support for the agreement and spoke positively of the Farmers Market. Councilmember Mary Luros said the market is an important part of the Napa community that provides an essential service. Theres also a big advantage for having the market downtown, she said, given that its within walking distance to so much else in Napa. My only concern is that, of course, the property owner could decide to do something with the property at any time, Luros said. Then the Farmers Market could once again be looking for a new home. I wish we were able to find a truly permanent home for the market, but until that day, Im very happy to support this action. 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. The Napa Valley Transportation Authority on Thursday lifted its requirement to wear masks aboard Vine buses, after a federal judge overturned the federal mask mandate for public transit that had been in effect during the two-year coronavirus pandemic. Effective Friday, passengers will not need a face covering to board buses in the Vine system or to enter the Soscol Gateway Transit Center in Napa, the NVTA announced in a news release Thursday. The transit authority did encourage bus riders to continue wearing masks, which became mandatory shortly after COVID-19 emergency rules took effect in early 2020. 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 lifting of Vines mask mandate follows a Monday ruling in U.S. District Court in Florida that struck down a federal requirement to wear face coverings on passenger trains, airplanes and transit hubs. Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Tampa ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not have the authority to enforce the mandate. The CDC had previously announced an extension of the mandate through May 3 to allow more time to study the virus Omicron subvariant BA.2, which now comprises more than 85 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. State of mask rule on Napa County buses unclear amid battle over federal mandate The future of the requirement for Vine buses was up in the air as the Justice Department appealed a court ruling voiding a nationwide mandate for public transit. NVTA originally planned an announcement on its mask policy Wednesday, but delayed it after the U.S. Justice Department said it would appeal to reverse the order that overturned the federal mandate. On Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health announced it would no longer require masks on public transit, saying the state would align its guidance with that of federal health officials. However, Dr. Tomas Aragon, the states public health officer, continued to recommend mask use during travel, citing the crowding and lack of ventilation at airports, train stations and other venues. Justice Dept. to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judges order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week. A notice of appeal was filed Wednesday in federal court in Tampa. The CDC says it is its continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. Reaction to the lifting of mask requirements has varied among the Bay Areas public transit systems. As of Wednesday, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District had ended their mandates. However, other agencies including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Caltrain and Solano County Transit said they would either continue requiring masks, or await further federal and state guidance. BART announced Wednesday it would make masks optional on its trains in and around San Francisco, but the authoritys board of directors said it will discuss a new, temporary mask mandate at its next meeting April 28, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com 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. Editor's Note: The Napa Valley Transportation Authority on Thursday lifted its requirement to wear masks aboard Vine buses, after a federal judge overturned the federal mask mandate for public transit that had been in effect during the two-year coronavirus pandemic. On the day California lifted its requirement to wear masks on public transportation, the future of a similar mandate for Napa County buses remained up in the air particularly after the federal government appealed the court ruling that struck down a nationwide mandate earlier this week. On Wednesday, California announced it will no longer require masks on public transit and at transit hubs like bus stops and airports. Dr. Tomas Aragon, the states public health officer, said in a statement that California is modifying its masking guidance in force for more than two years during the coronavirus pandemic to align with that of federal health officials. 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. Going forward, California will strongly recommend masks on all public transportation and in transit hubs, including bus and train stations, ferry terminals and airports, Aragon said. These crowded settings should be considered high risk and may often not have adequate ventilation, an additional layer of protection against the virus. Later Wednesday, however, the U.S. Justice Department announced it will file an appeal to reverse the order that blocked the federal mask mandate on planes, trains and transit stations. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the ruling handed down Monday by a U.S. District Court judge in Florida. The Napa Valley Transportation Authority had planned to make an announcement about its face-covering requirement for passengers and drivers on its Vine bus system following Californias announcement, but delayed its statement when news of the Justice Departments appeal broke shortly before 3:30 p.m. PDT, according to Rebecca Schenck, the authoritys transit manager. No further comment from NVTA was available as of 5:15 p.m. Transit agencies across California and the nation have scrambled this week to determine their immediate masking policies since Monday, when U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Tampa ruled that the CDC is not authorized to enforce its travel and transit mask mandate. The agency had previously announced an extension of the mandate through May 3 to allow more time to study the virus Omicron subvariant BA.2, which now comprises more than 85 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority dropped its mask mandate Wednesday for riders and employees, as did the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. VTA officials said masks will still be strongly recommended on buses, light rail and paratransit vehicles, but that they will not be required by the agency. BART had yet to determine the future of their mask requirement, but said in a statement Wednesday morning that the agency was waiting in part on an announcement from the state on its transit mask requirement. BART hasn't made an official or final determination if a mask mandate will continue on BART, the transit agency said. Once we make an official determination, we will communicate it. Other regional transit agencies, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Caltrain and Solano County Transit have also said they will either keep their own mask mandates for the time being or wait for more guidance from state and federal health officials. Aragon noted in his statement that high-quality masks continue to be an effective method of preventing the spread and contraction of COVID. We continue to monitor federal action on this issue and will announce any additional changes to state policies as needed, he said. Mondays court ruling did away with the last major vestige of federal pandemic rules and led to a mishmash of new locally created rules that reflected the nations ongoing divisions over how to battle the virus. Major airlines and airports in places like Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City quickly switched to a mask-optional policy. Los Angeles County dropped its mandate for mass transit and a train conductor in New Jersey told commuters of their masks Tuesday: Feel free to burn them at will." New York City, Chicago and Connecticut, however, continued to require masks for travelers, and a mandate also remained in place for New Yorks subway system. The ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber announced on their websites Tuesday that masks will now be optional while riding or driving. After a winter surge fueled by the Omicron variant that prompted record hospitalizations, the U.S. has seen a significant drop in virus spread in recent months that led most states and cities to drop mask mandates. But several Northeast cities have seen a rise in hospitalizations in recent weeks, leading Philadelphia to bring back its mask mandate. With reports from The Associated Press and Bay City News Service. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com Arnulfo Solorio has been named the 2022 Napa Valley Grower of the Year. Solorio (Nufo) is a partner and vice president of operations at Silverado Farming Company, where he has served in leadership roles since 2002. Solorio served three three-year terms on the Napa Valley Grapegrowers board of directors, the first Hispanic person to serve in that capacity. His legacy may, however, be the creation of the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation in 2010. Solorio was passionate about starting the foundation as a way to provide professional development and educational opportunities to farmworkers and their families. The Farmworker Foundation now serves thousands of people each year through its programs in literacy, leadership, vocational training, mentorship and community participation. Solorio is a director on its board and is currently chairman of the Farmworker Education Committee. He was born in Patzimaro, Michoacan, Mexico. From a young age, he dreamed of going to school, but his family were ranchers in Mexico, and he was told: Books do not feed you; animals and land do. Following his dreams, he travelled to Napa at the age of 14, but quickly realized in order to get an education, he needed money. He began working at Charles Krug as a field worker and mechanics assistant while following crops through Arizona, California, and Washington. He eventually worked his way through school and was able to enroll in Napa Valley College in 1984. Since then, he has completed enough courses to receive three associate's degrees, while working full-time and raising a family. That he had energy left to volunteer through the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and make such a difference in our community is a testament to his work ethic and a strong sense of self. Solorio was the first person in his family to become documented, become a citizen, and go to school. He has worked as a vineyard manager for Napa properties, including Franciscan, Domaine Chandon, Mondavi, Charles Krug and Tonella Family. He strongly believes education is the key to success and that learning never stops. Beyond managing operations and personnel at Silverado Farming Company, he is part of the team that develops training, education, personal growth and reward programs for employees. He believes that empathy and compassion are the key to successful leadership. NVG President Michael Silacci said, It is no wonder that someone as thoughtful, humble and passionate as Arnulfo hatched the idea of the Farmworker Foundation. We are grateful for his tireless efforts in the community and his leadership within the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Nominations for the Grower of the Year come from the NVG membership. The recipient is chosen by a selection committee made up of past presidents, current directors, and active committee members. The award criteria include a strong commitment to sustainable practices; recognized leadership in agricultural preservation; dedicated community focus, contributions to the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and someone who actively promotes Napas reputation for the highest quality vineyards. For press inquiries regarding the 2022 Napa Valley Grower of the Year, please email Caroline Keller, at ckeller@napagrowers.org. Vintage Champagne is commonly recognized as coming from a single year even though it may be a blend of different vineyards within the appellation. But what is a non-vintage (NV) Champagne? How can a wine come from a non-vintage, as grapes are picked each year? What does this really mean? Historically, Champagne producers have used the art of blending reserve stocks from older vintages to produce what was considered a house style where specific vintages are not designated and do not matter. Blending a house style from several vintages served to consistently differentiate the wines of one producer from another but was also designed to overcome variables caused by the drastic vintage related climatic conditions so common in the area. Champagne producers have long felt that the consistency of their wines was important so the Vueve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label she purchases today would exhibit the same flavors and nuances as the bottle she enjoyed for her last birthday. And nowhere in the world of wine (except perhaps the Ports of Portugals Douro Valley) has the art of blending reached such exceptional and artistic heights than in Champagne. Consistency is the message producers want to present with NV bottlings, while Vintage Champagne represents the producers interpretation of the distinct character of a specific vintage. Although numbers may vary from year to year, roughly 75 to 80 percent of all Champagne produced falls into the NV category. This is what most consumers look to (whether by design or accident) when making their purchase. Ive never liked or understood the concept of the non-vintage moniker as it says nothing about the wine and is quite confusing when describing whats in the bottle. Its an empty phrase with no real meaning. Ive always preferred using the term multi-vintage rather than non-vintage when referring to wines made from the blending of various vintages for its more understandable definition. The term non-vintage seems hollow whereas multi-vintage carries a simple and direct message. For the last decade or so, many of the venerable Champagne producers have adopted the concept and phrase of multi-vintage to identify a unique category of wines in their portfolio. Overall, an MV Champagne remains a blend of various reserve vintages but emphasizes diversity over consistency by reliance on a single reserve vintage as the foundation of the blend. Although the Champagne world remains highly dependent and solidly behind the NV category, some are staunchly favoring change. In the December 2021 issue of Decanter Magazine, Simon Field MW wrote a compelling article titled, Champagne rips up the rule book. In his article, Field quoted Champagne Louis Roederer chef de cave Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon as saying, This is the end of the era for brut sans annee [the commonly used term in Champagne for non-vintage]this is the new era of the multi-vintage. Although Lecaillon may be a bit premature with his proclamation for Champagne houses in general, he made this statement during the launch of Roederers release of their Collection 242 that will replace their well-known Brut Premier. Collection 242 is a blend based on select vintages from their perpetual reserve with 56 percent from 2017. Future Collection releases will continue with their reserve wines but use a different vintage as the foundation. The numerical Collection name may also change along the lines of other producers to reflect the different multi-vintage blend. A few examples of this labeling change are Krugs Edition series, Henri Giraud MVs, Jacquesson Cuvee and Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle that attaches a specific number (e.g. No.24, No.25 etc.) to each new release. Neither non-vintage or multi-vintage is a recognized designation of the Champagne appellation or the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualite (INAO) that serves as the overall agricultural agency of France regulating the use of noteworthy names. Therefore, the terms are now more of a marketing tool with non-vintage based on a historical perspective and multi-vintage as a newer term devised to better describe the blend and gravitate away from the former. Field also quoted Jean-Harve Chiquet of Jacquesson in his Decanter article as saying, Our idea was and remains to get rid of the NV concept of consistency, but also to privilege the character of the base year. With a California perspective, Schramsberg President Hugh Davies adds, More sparkling producers are using multi-vintage to clearly indicate several vintages were blended in crafting the final assemblage. At this time, we have no way of knowing if NV will continue going forward alongside MV or whether one will supersede the other in the market. But the MV nomenclature is gaining traction by the major houses and may in fact become the more popular. Only time and the evolving Champenoise direction will provide that answer. Share your experiences with other readers by commenting on this article with an e-mail to me at allenbalik@savorlifethroughwine.com. Allen Balik, a Napa resident, has been a wine collector, consultant, author, fundraiser and enthusiast for more than 40 years. Recent agreements between Russia and Armenia important from a geopolitical point of view, since Russian-Armenian fraternal relations are being strengthened. This is very important from the point of view of ensuring peace and stability in the region. The stronger the Armenian-Russian fraternal relations, the more reliable the future of both Armenia and Artsakh will be, the stronger Russia's positions will be, Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. He added that the statement confirmed the importance of following the peace agenda, resolving issues peacefully, and emphasized the concept of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. All processes must be considered from this point of view. As for the issue of the status of Artsakh, the FM recalled that Russia touched this problem more than other countries, said that the Karabakh problem had not been resolved. Russia also reacted to Azerbaijan's statements that the Lachin corridor allegedly belongs to them, and they will do whatever they want there. Back then, Moscow clearly stated that the Lachin corridor was in the zone of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers. And which of the other countries represented in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship raised the issue of status? We do not see Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, everyone in Artsakh, without exception, adheres to this opinion. It doesnt matter who says what, this is unacceptable for us, even if the whole world tries to convince us of this, Babayan said. He stressed that relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are connected with the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh problem, however, these are separate processes. Regulation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot take place at the expense of Artsakh. Recognition of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan will lead to a catastrophe not only for Artsakh, but for the entire Armenian statehood. And let no one think that Armenia has a future without Artsakh. There will be no such thing. With such a development of events, only one future awaits Armenia - destruction. In addition, such developments will fundamentally change the geopolitical landscape in the region. It can't just happen by someone's will. It will be a terrible, bloody process. Those countries for which such a situation will create a mortal threat will not sit idly by and simply watch as Turkey and Azerbaijan absorb the entire region. In the event of the destruction of Artsakh, a completely different situation will be created in the region, everything will change in Armenia too, it will become an object and will be absorbed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. If Baku and Ankara achieve their goals in the South Caucasus, then the foundation will be laid for the reconstruction of a new Ottoman Empire. This is clear to everyone. It is clear who is interested in this and who is not. Therefore, it is not so easy anymore, there are red lines everywhere. Our fate, the fate of the Armenian people, is being decided, so our answer will be clear, unambiguous and bold. Artsakh is one of the exceptional countries that has no borders, but a line of contact. These are all red lines. Therefore, the status of Artsakh is very important for us, the diplomat said. Babayan believes that Russia bears an exclusive historical responsibility for the region. We must do everything to save Artsakh. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to maintain fraternal relations with Russia. This is not a field for experimentation. One of the important guarantees for the salvation of our homeland is the Armenian-Russian fraternal relations, he added. According to him, the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship as a single body in which Russia and the West have been cooperating for many years, against the backdrop of the Ukrainian events, is frozen, not liquidated, not dissolved, but frozen. The dissolution involves a more complex legal and political process, the Artsakh Foreign Minister concluded. The Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) has recently announced that its borders will be reopened to fully-vaccinated tourists from all countries from April 1, 2022. Commenting on the development, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat affirmed the department is optimistic about more inbound arrivals following simplification of entry rules. The optimism can be attributed to a new resolution approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). Under the new resolution, effective 1 April 2022, foreign nationals can enter Philippines without the need for an Entry Exemption Document (EED). This is provided they comply with applicable visa and immigration laws and regulations, said Romulo-Puyat. Going by records, the EED is the first requirement for foreigners from visa-required countries to enter the Philippines. By presenting this document, the foreigners could acquire a short-term visa to enter the country. In Puyats view, the new resolution will encourage foreign nationals to visit the country and, in turn, help increase tourism revenue and boost the economy. However, the tourists visiting the country will still be required to be fully vaccinated, and undergo pre-departure RT-PCR or antigen tests before entry into Philippines. Those who are not vaccinated and not compliant with visa and immigration laws and regulations of Philippines shall be subject to exclusion proceedings. Buzz Marketing, a leading destination marketing and tourism representation company, will be charting out plans to update the travel industry on the latest initiatives. Plans for the coming months will include destination profiling, media interactions, and training to better sell the destination as travel is slowing but surely returning to normalcy. With the travellers from the Middle East always looking for new experiences, the new resolution would encourage them to enter the Philippines which has an abundance of varied tourist attractions. We are optimistic that tourist footsteps to Philippines will increase in the coming months, said Seema Datt, Director, Buzz Travel Marketing, Middle East. Puyat added: The National government shall endeavour to relax requirements relating to global travel and provide quarantine exemptions for vaccinated individuals coming into the country to boost tourism, increase foreign investments, and restore jobs in the tourism sector. TradeArabia News Service EU considers additional funds for eastern countries for a deal to ban Russian oil Germany's finance minister warns that wage increases could further fuel inflation Ursula von der Leyen travels to Hungary to persuade Orban to support sanctions on Russia NEWS.am digest: Armenia marks May 9, Shushi liberation; Azerbaijan opens fire on Sotk gold mine Ursula von der Leyen says unanimous vote on key areas of EU policy no longer makes sense Resistance movement marches through central streets of Yerevan US First Lady meets with Slovak President North Korea urges citizens to strictly adhere to antiviral measures in connection with COVID-19 Armenian TV host dies after falling into river Javelin manufacturer to double production of anti-tank missile systems Sri Lankan Prime Minister submits his resignation to the President Marukyan: There should have been half million people on streets now if people really wanted change of power in Armenia Russia envoy to Armenia: Everyone should avoid steps that could aggravate situation Oil prices drop in Saudi Arabia after COVID-19 outbreak in China Armenia army general staff ex-deputy chief: I will say its a lie if someone says it was possible to win 44-day war Georgia condemns presidential elections in South Ossetia ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party official says authorities plan to divide Armenian diaspora Azerbaijan continues attempts to appropriate Armenian Dadivank Monastery Bitcoin is trading at a low since the summer of 2021 Armenia ambassador-at-large: Whoever says 'they want Artsakh to be part of Azerbaijan' probably wants it Turkeys Erdogan to attend Teknofest in Azerbaijan System Of a Down members welcome opposition Resistance Movement actions in Armenia (PHOTOS) Journalist attacked in Baku 19 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia in past 5 days Novak: Russia has already started selling oil to a number of new buyers Putin: NATO countries did not want to hear Russia Two Chinese ships enter Japanese territorial waters China assures Australia of peaceful intentions in cooperation with Solomon Islands Holy Etchmiadzin clergy visit Victory Park memorial in Yerevan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Let us live for new victories Armenia ex-defense minister: Wedding at Mountains ideologically impossible after change of power NATO Secretary General urges Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine Karabakh negotiation process did not fail under Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan, says Seyran Ohanyan Armenia ex-defense minister: Resistance Movements breakthrough moment already passed Karabakh President visits Stepanakert Memorial on May 9 anniversaries Armenia Investigative Committee chief on including PM Pashinyan as defendant: We have just accepted proceedings Heavy snowfall recorded in Armenia rural community, in May! Karabakh President: Shushi is in captivity again, Artsakh must always be Armenian and impregnable Armenias Pashinyan to Russias Putin: Memory of great past obliges us to strengthen our inherited friendly ties Armenia PM arrives at Victory Park accompanied by enhanced security Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan: For stateless servile creatures, cost of peace is homage paid to enemy Azerbaijanis desecrate Armenian church in occupied Togh village of Artsakh (VIDEO) Armenia PM: Blood of our martyrs who gave their lives to Motherland should not be forgotten Armenia premier, president, others are at Victory Park Armenia marks May 9 Armenia PM visits Yerevan military pantheon Zelenskyy and German Parliament Speaker discuss heavy weapons supply to Ukraine Bloomberg: Hungary continues to block EU oil sanctions against Russia Israel to abolish mandatory PCR testing at airport as of 20 May US and G7 countries introduce new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus Syrian President visits Iran Canada PM visits city of Irpin in Ukraine Armenia's ex-president Serzh Sargsyan is on France Square Ukrainian media report on US First Lady's visit to Uzhhorod, Ukraine Marine Le Pen still hopes to defeat Macron in parliamentary elections German Parliament Speaker arrives in Kiev German media reports Russian hacker attack on German government website Resistance Movement rally in Gyumri ends: next rally will take place tomorrow in France Square Armenia Ombudsman's Office to monitor rallies also in Gyumri Media: IS militants fire seven rockets at Tajik Armed Forces Rally of Resistance Movement in Gyumri Germany registers steepest rise in diesel prices among EU countries since February Minute of silence declared in Artsakh on 9 May in memory of those killed fighting for homeland Bloomberg: G7 leaders to discuss possible new sanctions against Russia Ex-security chief John Lee named new leader of Hong Kong Xi Jinping Delivers a Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022 Resistance movement heads to Gyumri with car march Andy Warhol's portrait of Marilyn Monroe breaks all records at auction in New York Ancient Roman 2,000-year-old relic bought in US for $35 Ferrari bans Justin Bieber from buying its sports cars St. Kirakos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir reopened seven years later NATO chief warns of further escalation of Ukraine situation in coming weeks Azerbaijan intensely firing toward Armenias Sotk gold mine, 1 wounded Iran FM discusses nuclear talks in Vienna with UN Secretary General Yerevan.Today: Azerbaijani journalists are in Armenia Candidate with Turkish citizenship and served in Turkey army is nominated for US Senate Opposition Yerevan rally participant remanded in custody Armenia Investigative Committee comments on cases of blocking streets with trucks Resistance Movement holding rally in Vanadzor US accuses Russia of using chemical weapons in Syria Women kick off march in downtown Yerevan Man found dead under Yerevan bridge Armenia Judge Boris Bakhshiyan released from custody Armenia President meets with Security Council secretary Biden demands to stop leaks of US intel sharing with Ukraine At least 22 dead in explosion at 5-star hotel in Cuba Newspaper: Armenia PM had arrangement with ruling political teams parliament faction G7 leaders to discuss possible new sanctions on Russia Armenia Security Council chief: No talk of withdrawing Russian peacekeepers from Artsakh Resistance Movement heading towards Vanadzor by motorcade Newspaper: Armenia consumer market inflation was 2.3% in April compared to March Pentagon announces additional $150M in aid to Ukraine Sri Lanka's president declares state of emergency amid mass protests Austria needs several years to give up on Russian gas Biden to sign new arms package for Ukraine worth at least $100 million Armenia's third President Serzh Sargsyan in France Square Armenia parliament speakers mother spits at protesters Resistance Movement to hold rally tomorrow in Vanadzor, women's march to take place in Yerevan 2nd Chamber of Istanbul Regional Court dismisses appeals by lawyers in Hrant Dink case European Parliament: Ankara deliberately 'destroyed' its chances of joining EU At one time, the relations between Russia and Turkey were much more critical than the Armenian-Turkish relations. Nevertheless, there are still relations with Turkey. Russian State Duma MP Oleg Nilov told this to a press conference in Yerevan Thursdayand commenting on the current process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. The Russian lawmaker, however, did not voice the Kremlins unequivocal position and policy on this matter. "Moscow is a difficult thing. It is quite difficult to take responsibility for Moscow's position on any issue. Nevertheless, there are relations with Turkey, they are developing economically, and Moscow, of course, is in favor of Yerevan normalizing relations with Ankara and its neighborsmoreover, both with Russia and separately. My personal position is that Russia should be interested in that," Nilov said. According to the Russian MP, the existence of conflict situations and regions around Russia and its allies will not lead to anything good. That is why, as per Oleg Nilov, Moscow is in favor of resolving the existing disagreements solely at the negotiating table. The world-renowned hospitality event, The Hotel Show, returns to Dubai next month, celebrating the industrys greatest names, brands and talent and taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 24 to 26. Dubai has become a leading global destination for both leisure, tourism and hospitality and is one of the most attractive hospitality markets in the world, with a constant stream of investment. According to preliminary data from STR, Dubai's hotel sector experienced its highest occupancy since 2007 during the final weeks before Expo 2020, with a total of 91.7% of Dubai's rooms occupied. The hosting of The Hotel Show Dubai is testament to Dubais ability to organise world class international events while positioning Dubai as a global city that is open, safe and accessible for UAE residents and leisure and business travellers, said Hoor Al Khaja, Associate VP of International Operations at Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism. Over the past year, Dubais hotel sector has performed remarkably well, further accelerating momentum across the citys travel and tourism industry. As a platform where F&B and Hospitality professionals can come together and really connect, and knowledge share and learn from each other, The Hotel Show will reaffirm Dubais position as a must-visit global destination. With supporting partners including Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism, HAMA (Hospitality Assets Managers Association) and The Dubai Restaurant Group, the three-day experience serves the industry by showcasing innovative products, content, features and inspiration, while acting as the definitive link for hospitality suppliers across the world looking to access the lucrative MEA market. Across the event, there will be a range of conferences, seminars and features offering visitors education, in-depth analysis and inter-industry debates, helping to drive the industry forward. Dubai has become a beacon of hope for the industry in the wake of the pandemic, its recovery by far exceeding many of the worlds most renowned destinations, so to host this event here is not only inspiring but gives industry players access to the very people on the ground making this recovery possible, said Jasmeet Bakshi, Group Event Director of The Hotel Show. Furthermore, events like The Hotel Show also provides an excellent environment for networking, as professionals in the hotel industry are increasingly competing in a market that is characterized by sustainable design, smart hotels, and innovative branded experiences. Some of the many conferences available to badge holders include The Hospitality Leadership Forum, The HITEC Dubai Conference and The Hospitality Lifestyle, Wellness and SPA summit, the newest addition to the roster. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness sector at a global level is now worth more than $4,200 billion, of which $639 billion is related to wellness tourism chosen by 586 million people, meaning it is a key market for the industry moving forward. The Hospitality, Lifestyle, Wellness & Spa Summit 2022 will attract key stakeholders, decision-makers, experts and practitioners for a series of highly focused and candid live discussions to shape the future of the wellness and lifestyle industry. Expert minds will include market research analysts including, spa owners and managers, wellness directors, asset managers and expert consultants. From live culinary experiences to exciting live challenges, The Hotel Show aims to celebrate the industrys unsung heroes and driving forces behind the hospitality sector with features including the Housekeepers League of Champions and The Chefs Table. The F&B Stakeholders Summit 2022 will bring leading industry experts and practitioners together for a series of highly focused and candid live discussions revealing plans and strategies for the next year and beyond, as the industry moves into a period of dramatic innovation. The Chefs Table will be back for a fifth edition at The Hotel Show Dubai 2022 with a bigger competition and more participants. With the Waterfront Market, managed by Ithra Dubai, as the Official Partner second year in a row, nine culinary teams from some of the regions leading hotels will go head-to-head over 3 days to produce a stunning 5 course meal in the hope of winning the coveted title of Hotel Culinary Team of the Year. Organised and managed by The Emirates Culinary Guild the event is in its fifth year and will once again produce some amazing dishes for our VIP guests to enjoy. TradeArabia News Service Artur Vanetsyanthe leader of the opposition "With Honor" Faction of the National Assembly and chairman of the opposition Homeland party of Armenia, who announced the start of indefinite protests at Freedom Square in downtown Yerevan on April 17, visited Nver Kirakosyan and Artur Avagyantwo participants of the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war in the fall of 2020, who are on hunger strike at the same square. "I approach the hunger striker boys several times a day, I ask [them] to stop the hunger strike, but they say that they have not yet achieved the goal they have set before them," Vanetsyan told reporters. He noted that the people approaching him mainly propose to get rid of the incumbent Armenian authorities as soon as possible, to form new authorities that are guided by normal national and state interests, and which will serve exclusively the interests of Armenia and Artsakh. "We have not come here now with a demand, for example, for a change of power. I am not here for that purpose. My main goal is for the love of Artsakh and for the love of Armenia, for the love of a powerful Artsakh and a powerful Armenia. (). Here we are fighting for the love of, for the love of Armenia and for the love of Artsakh," said the opposition politician. According to him, the words of the current Armenian authorities cannot instill confidence because these authorities have proved many times that they change their decisions under the influence of the moment, and they do not know the value of their words. The ongoing processes on the normalization of Karabakh, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations have moved to the sphere of the most brutal confrontation between Russia and the West. Political scientist Vigen Hakobyan told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on the recent statements by Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry. According to him, despite all the disagreements and conflicts, the format of the OSCE Minsk Group has remained a format of cooperation for decades. "It was an exceptional format. Now the logic of this confrontation has moved to the sphere of normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. It should also be noted that the Minsk Group truly does not exist de facto [anymore]. De jure, of course, it exists, but de facto practically does not exist; and we see that," said Hakobyan. The political scientist added that now each country co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group is trying to pull the "blanket" on itself. The television tower of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, was lit up in the Armenian national flag colors on the occasion of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans visit to this city, Armenpress reported. Pashinyan visited Nizhny Novgorod Wednesday as part of his official trip to Russia. In Nizhny Novgorod, the Armenian PM first visited the factory of GAZ Automobile Plant, and, got acquainted with its products. Afterwards, the Armenian premier visited the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, laid a wreath at the eternal flame, paying tribute to the memory of the victims of the Great Patriotic War. Also, Nikol Pashinyan toured the Kremlin State Art Museum, the Bell Tower, the Alley of Military Glory, and the Cathedral of Archangel Michael. Also, the Armenian PM had a private conversation with governor Gleb Nikitin of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and discussed the possibilities of developing cooperation in various fields. In addition, Pashinyan visited the Armenian Holy Savior Church, and lit candles there. Nikol Pashinyan concluded his visit to Nizhny Novgorod with a meeting with the local Armenian community, during which the Prime Minister referred to the results of his official visit to Russia and answered various questions. flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, said that it will resume operations to Hail and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, which will bring the number of destinations served by the carrier in the Kingdom to 10. Flights to Hail and Tabuk will commence on May 9 with five weekly flights, an airline statement said. flydubai has built a network of more than 95 unique destinations in 50 countries served by a young fleet of 63 Boeing 737 aircraft. With the resumption of flights to Hail and Tabuk, flydubais network in Saudi Arabia has now grown to ten destinations including AlUla, Dammam, Gassim, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Taif and Yanbu. Flights to Hail Airport (HAS) and Tabuk Airport (TUU) will operate five times a week from Dubai World Central (DWC). Following the completion of the northern runway refurbishment project which is scheduled to take place in Dubai International (DXB) from May 9 to June 22, 2022, flights to Hail and Tabuk will resume from Terminal 2 from June 23. Return Business Class fares from DXB to HAS start from AED4,500 ($1,225) and Economy Class Lite fares start from AED1,375. Return Business Class fares from HAS to DXB start from SR4,500 ($1,200) and Economy Class Lite fares start from SR1,425. Return Business Class fares from DXB to TUU start from AED4,500 and Economy Class Lite fares start from AED1,500. Return Business Class fares from TUU to DXB start from SR4,500 and Economy Class Lite fares start from SR1,330. TradeArabia News Service Sweden will speed up its review of security policy, which includes a view on possible NATO membership, with the result to be published in mid-May rather than at the end of that month, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said, Reuters reported. We have agreed that we will bring forward the publication of the report to May 13. Thats roughly two weeks earlier than we have said until now, Linde told reporters after meeting leaders of Swedens other political parties. If Finland finally makes this decision (to join NATO), and everything points in that direction it will naturally have a big influence on our analysis, she added. Swedens ruling Social Democrats, who have always opposed NATO membership, are rethinking their position, and the all-party security review could confirm that a majority of parliament backs an application. Earlier this week, Finlands parliament expressed support for joining some kind of military alliance and a decision on whether to apply form membership of NATO is expected within weeks. Finland is Swedens closest military ally. If Helsinki goes ahead with an application to join NATO, that would heap pressure on Stockholm to follow suit. Finlands President Sauli Niinisto has held discussions with a number of NATO countries to ensure a smooth process should the country decide to apply for membership. Linde said that Sweden had also undertaken preparatory work, in order to make sure that all avenues are open to Sweden. She declined to give further details. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) were joined by close to 50 US House of Representatives members in introducing the Armenian Genocide Education Act, a bipartisan measure that would fund Library of Congress educational programs about the history, lessons, consequences, and ongoing costs of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). As the saying goes, if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it, said Congresswoman Maloney. That is why I am proud to introduce the Armenian Genocide Education Act to teach the horrors and lessons of the Armenian Genocide accurately and effectively. Both chambers of Congress voted with overwhelming bipartisan majorities to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, and last year President Biden made it clear that it is the official position of the United States that these systematic killings were genocide. It is imperative that we now ensure Americans have access to the resources they need to learn and teach about this atrocity. Rep. Bilirakis concurred, noting, our darkest moments as a human race have come during times when those who knew better stood silently, making excuses for passivity and allowing injustice and persecution to reign. We must acknowledge the atrocities of the past so that we might hopefully prevent them in the future. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through education and awareness, which is why I am proud to co-introduce the Armenian Genocide Education Act with Carolyn Maloney. This landmark legislation, introduced on the eve of the international commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, seeks to provide $10 million in funding over five years for the Library of Congress to educate Americans about Ottoman Turkeys systematic and deliberate state-sponsored mass murder, national dispossession, cultural erasure, and exile of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians, between 1915 and 1923. Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves will rename campus spaces and professorships honoring Robert Yerkes, a psychologist who vigorously supported eugenics, and L.Q.C. Lamar, who was a staunch defender of slavery. The Yerkes National Primate Research Center will be known as the Emory National Primate Research Center, effective June 1. Professorships in the Emory School of Law named after Lamar will become the Emory School of Law Distinguished Professors. Fenves decisions, announced April 21 in a letter to the university community, are based on recommendations from the University Committee on Naming Honors, which he convened in October 2020 to evaluate the legacies of individuals whose names are honorifically recognized and elevated in spaces across Emorys campuses. Since joining Emory in 2020, Ive engaged in many discussions about the history of our university. Our knowledge of who we are as an institution comes from questioning and learning, Fenves wrote in the letter. Each generation brings new meaning to a narrative that is continually being evaluated and written. Led by Emory law professor Fred Smith Jr., the Committee on Naming Honors included faculty, staff, alumni and students. The group engaged in extensive research, including soliciting names for consideration from the Emory community, reviewing and building on the work of past committees, hiring two PhD students as research assistants, and consulting with internal and external experts. The committee issued its recommendations in a May 2021 report to the president. Since then, Fenves has continued consulting with experts and considering the perspectives of Emory students, faculty, staff, leadership and alumni to determine the universitys next steps. In June 2021, Fenves announced several initial actions in response to the committees recommendations. At that time, the Longstreet-Means residence hall, which bore the name of Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, who served as president of Emory from 1839 to 1848, was renamed Eagle Hall; a faculty chair named for him in the Department of English was renamed the Emory College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of English. These changes were based, in part, on Longstreets strong defense of slavery, particularly while he served as Emory president. Fenves also announced then that Language Hall at Oxford College would be renamed in honor of Horace J. Johnson Jr., a widely respected judge, lawyer and alumnus who made extraordinary contributions to the greater Atlanta and Newton County communities. Johnson was the first Black Superior Court judge in the circuit he served. Johnson Hall was dedicated in October 2021. Reconsidering honorific names In the April 21 community message, Fenves discussed his reasons for renaming spaces and professorships honoring Yerkes and Lamar. He also provided updates on names related to two other people identified by the committee: Atticus Green Haygood and George Foster Pierce. Established in 1930, the Yerkes National Primate Research Center is the oldest scientific institute dedicated to nonhuman primate research and paved the way for the National Institutes of Health-funded National Primate Research Center program. Yerkes, who was an influential psychologist and early primatologist at Yale University, served as its first director. The University Committee on Naming Honors recommended that the center be renamed based on Yerkes vigorous support for eugenics through his writings and speeches. This semester, I asked the Yerkes Center leadership to convene a group of faculty and staff to provide recommendations, Fenves wrote. Consequently, I have decided to change the name of the center to the Emory National Primate Research Center. The Emory Board of Trustees has approved changes to the names of the buildings, grounds and related signage to reflect the new name. The president also agreed with the committees recommendation to rename two professorships at the Emory School of Law and an emeritus professorship honoring Lamar, an Emory graduate who served as an officer for the Confederacy and was a congressional representative, senator and Supreme Court justice. Lamar was a staunch defender of slavery and wrote Mississippis Articles of Secession from the Union. In the message, Fenves declined the committees recommendation to rename campus spaces including the main entrance gate on the Atlanta campus and a residence hall on the Oxford campus honoring Haygood, who served as Emorys president from 1875 to 1884 and is credited for significant work to elevate Emory during those years. The committee recommended that Emory remove Haygoods name based on his early support of slavery. But Fenves noted that while Haygood served as a chaplain for the Confederate Army, after the Civil War, he helped found Paine College, an HBCU in Augusta, Georgia, and he supported the development of schools and colleges for African Americans. In later years, he denounced slavery and dedicated himself to service that benefitted African American communities in the South. After much thought, review, and consultation surrounding Haygoods legacy, I have decided not to accept the committees recommendation, Fenves wrote. The Haygood name will remain in place at Emory. The committee has also recommended that Emory rename spaces on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses honoring Pierce, a Methodist bishop who served as Emorys president from 1848 to 1854. Fenves said he will continue to review the case of Pierce before announcing a final decision. He also emphasized the importance of making historical information available for all of the honorific names associated with Emory, and noted that Emory Libraries has developed a contextualization guide for names reviewed by the committee. We will continue to explore our past with fresh perspective strengthening understanding and shedding light on untold stories, Fenves wrote. It may be difficult to come up with a definition for poetry, but we know a poem when we hear one. Think of the verses read by poet laureates at presidential inaugurations. Those of Robert Frost. Listen to the 2019 commencement address delivered by Richard Blancoa poem written for the graduating class titled Teach Us, Then. The words of poets inspire many of us, make us think, lead us to reflect on our past and give us hope for the future. April is National Poetry Month, which was launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 to honor the role that poets play in our culture. To commemorate this month, several University of Miami students currently studying poetry share their craft. These student poets started writing for different reasons, but they all share a passion for self-exploration, which poetry certainly provides. Readers should note that the following poems contain graphic descriptions that could be disturbing. Serene Brielle Thompkins, a sophomore English major on the poetry track, with a minor in human and social development. Thompkins remembers writing early on in her childhood. At the age of 8, she vowed to use poetry as a primary form of expression to alleviate her social anxiety and mask her timid personality. It became easier to communicate through written words instead of vocalizing her emotions, she said. Her inspiration was her grandmother, who led a challenging life in England and became a survivor of an abusive marriage. I felt obligated to tell her story and to explore the intergenerational trauma that her legacy brought on, she said. She admires authors like Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde, and Joan Didion, and especially favors contemporary poet Ocean Vuong. I strive to have a significant voice in the literary field and provide a form of solace for other people because that is what I find when I read, she said. My work is centered around the acknowledgment of the present moment, not clinging onto the past, and relinquishing control of the future. Here is a sample of her work that was written for a class assignment. The Prayer It is late. I am unwell, wrestling with the indelible image of death. He matches the top of my trousers with their ends into dense cloth, rolling woe into tweed cocoons as if some order could bring us back. I sit in silence, waiting to hear his touch again. I let the sudden rustling of linen precede his sudden touch. I let him kiss these sick, shriveled lips, gift him with a taste of claret he wont forget. I pray, let this make me strong. Let him lovestamp, and press. Unravel the shell-pink ribbon at my breast, and lay me down to rest. Let me choke on the laxity of my lovers language. Let his palm abrade the lesions. Give it all backmy lashes, lips, and brows. Let him mold whatever is left of me, slice me open to reveal carmine inside. Nourish his heart if need be. Take my organs and convert them to scarlet cords. Leave my limbs so he can climb past our moon and sun. Let him rummage through the wings of old pictures, curling portraits, and mildewed gowns. My widower: stuck under a starless lake. My widower remains unreachable, broken, and mutt-brained. My widower visits the graveyard, prematurely carving his grief into gray stone and clay. So let me, let me be like a lost star. Let him see me still, flickering in the morning, and through his mourning, grant him enough will to piece us back together. I pray. Fabrizio Darby, a junior majoring in health sciences and biology with a minor in poetry. Darby wants to go into the medical field, but poetry is such a big part of his life that he hopes to integrate it into his practice. People look at me funny, he said. But I always see myself as a Doctor Poet. He believes that if many doctors knew how to express themselves in the way that poetry allows them, there would be less misdiagnosis and better doctors. According to Darby, the best doctors are the ones that are the most human and try to connect at a human level. He began writing poetry in the fourth grade in his homeland of Jamaica. He wrote a poem about climate change that won third place in a local contest. In Jamaica, many of his poems were derived from admiring nature and his surrounding environment. Once he moved to the United States, he started to write poems that explored his status as an immigrant and as a foreigner adapting to a new land. Here is a sample of his work, which was for a class assignment. Grand Memories (for Grandpa) I can smell the dust even closer to dusk, musky raindrops of equine sweat on dry earth, and thunderous applause of palms and hooves. The bright yellow horseshoe staring me in the face, with the name of a race, soon to be the backdrop of a triumphant hand, holding a wobbling whip for the winning jockey. My grandfather doesn't have a horse in this race, yet I see him clutching onto a tiny piece of paper, with a paradox of loss or luxury. Grandpa's trembling hands harnessed around all five square inches of that white debt, quivered like an arrhythmia. I would see those trembling hands again. I can feel the frenzied ferocity furlong by furlong, It feels like the air is pinching the hairs on my skin, caressing every single one then plucking them right out, pop! Goes the gate, as a cornucopia of clops pound the earth, and an egregious outburst of Bring him home now bwoy! from my grandfather, who would be bringing himself home a few years later, when his hands were holding a white sheet. Not a piece of paper. Those trembling hands that bare the varicose veins, are road maps directing a metastatic disease. That white sheet shook like his hands that very day. Those trembling hands. His voice ever so egregious belts nostalgic thoughts of moments where hooves were therapeutic. But now the sound of a hoof would make me whip a horse harder than any jockey could. Bring it home the heavens are saying as he approaches his final furlong. The race was over, and I never even got to see him cross the finish line. Christell Victoria Roach, in her last year of the poetry masters degree program, and recipient of the Wallace Stegner fellowship at Stanford University. A native of Miami, Roach was encouraged to write by Jen Karetnick, a renowned creative writing teacher at her high school, Miami Arts Charter School. Although she was a viola player and was pursuing a career as a musician, Roach fell in love with creative writing. Poetry is my language and prose is my world, she said. She has written plays and short stories, but poetry is her favorite way to express herself. Roach was first drawn to writing her first poems after an unfortunate incident where she was the victim of a racial slur, she said. She was so confused and hurt by the incident that she started experimenting with words to counter the hurtful words that had been hurled at her and her race. I saw poetry as a conversation. And in my poems I could talk about things that I did not really feel comfortable talking about in person, she said. So, poetry became a way of exorcising emotions. Here is a sample of her work; it was a portion of her thesis. The Women Leave You with Children A mother walks into the river, daughter pressed to her chest. They say she cried as she swam back to the shore, alone. I know this love. The mother says there was no room for her. Water clung to her body like a child. The daughter moaned as her mouth filleda coda. In music we call this a double return: Blues in the making. In 1856 Margaret Garner crossed the Ohio River, pregnant. She loved her daughter to death. What kind of love is that? The women in the Spanish South did too. They birthed children in oceans, springs, and rivers held them under, away from the men who used their sons as gator bait and daughters as whores. Red tide bleeds across the ocean; somewhere a woman uses all her strength to release a child she does not raise above water. Claire Pierangelo (Kresge College, History 82) was confirmed on March 2, 2022 by the United States Senate as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Pierangelo has served across four continents, most recently as the Principal Officer of the United States Consulate General, Lagos, Nigeria. When she arrived at UC Santa Cruz, Pierangelo planned to follow her familys legacy and become a medical professional, but she recalibrated after studying abroad in Italy her junior year. Combining her passion for history and economics with her enthusiasm for international travel, she found her niche as a European history major intent on pursuing international finance. After earning a masters degree in international studies and economics at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies she took some time off to teach scuba diving (a skill she honed while attending UCSC) in the Caribbean. When she returned, she had a job waiting for her in international banking with an opportunity for a global post within five years. However, an invitation by the U.S. Department of State promising an immediate post abroad was more appealing. When I took my first assignment, I thought I would try it, and if I didnt like it, I would go into international banking, said Pierangelo. That moment never came. I liked it a lot. Ive been sent to great places. Its been a really interesting career. For the past 30 years, as a member of the U.S. Department of State, Pierangelo has led teams that have managed Americas relationships with foreign governments, carried out multiple Presidents foreign policies, and advocated the interests of the U.S. to the world. In my role, I help ensure the U.S. and its people succeed. I am working for the people of the United States, said Pierangelo. My work adds to the U.S. educational bounty, helps take care of Americans who get into trouble and promotes economic and commercial growth. Doing something good for the U.S. and its people is our ultimate goal. Pierangelo later earned her second masters degree in national security and resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces/National Defense University in 2004. Pomp and Peril: All in a Days Work Pierangelo speaks Vietnamese, French, Italian, Indonesian, basic Spanish and Creole. She has had numerous leadership positions across multiple bureaus in 11 countries in Central Europe, England, Haiti, Italy, Malta, Indonesia and Japan. She has negotiated significant international trade agreements and facilitated logistics during global healthcare crises and humanitarian efforts. Protecting the U.S. from afar also means close encounters with dangerous situations like navigating terrorist attacks, maritime security threats, and natural disasters. Every day is different, based on what is going on in the world, she said. Ive lived in lovely countries that were extremely dangerous. We understand the risks when we go overseas, and we do it willingly. It can be gritty and heart wrenching, like searching for Americans after the second bombing in Bali, but you always keep in mind the goal of protecting American lives and the interests of the United States. While managing crises is part of her responsibilities, she also presides over ceremonies and momentous occasions, negotiates peace agreements and assists with transformational initiatives, such as the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program, a $4.35 million initiative that enabled 30 Nigerian undergraduate and graduate students to attend United States universities. According to Pierangelo, her combined seven years of work in Vietnam, when serving as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge dAffaires, as well as economic counselor, ranks top among her personal and professional accomplishments. I worked in Vietnam right after it reopened, negotiating the first bilateral trade agreement and textile agreements that opened its economy to the world and helped them in their bid to join the World Trade Organization. These were absolutely transformational. The achievements we made in opening up that country and helping them engage in a more fulsome way in the world is one of my greatest achievements. These, and many other significant professional successes, earned her the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and multiple State Department performance awards. They also elevated her nomination for the post of ambassador, the highest ranking diplomatic official. Lessons Learned in UCSC Classrooms Her work with leaders of countries, dignitaries and people in prominent political positions has been made easier, says Pierangelo, because of her ability as a student to easily interact with faculty at UC Santa Cruz. I learned how to not be afraid of authority. The educational model at UC Santa Cruz allows for so much interaction with professors. Our small classes presented opportunities to really get to know the professors. They would join us for coffee after class where wed continue the classroom dialogue and get to know them and their personal stories. She recalls one professor who, during a youth revolution, escaped Hungary by walking over the mountains to Switzerland; another invited the class to his home for an authentic Indian meal. The beauty in UC Santa Cruz is the promised difference in the approach to education. It instilled a love of learning, a love of life and a love of conversation in me. It gave me the ability to discuss freely, in a way that would not have happened if I had been sitting in a classroom of 400 students doing rote work. The Journey to the Highest-Ranking Diplomatic Post The road to the confirmation was quite lengthy; the process began nearly two years ago. Upon approval from the State Department, her application underwent an extensive vetting process at the White House. In June of 2021, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Pierangelo to replace Michael Pelletier to the ambassador post. In September she appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and it reported favorably in October. Her nomination was presented to the U.S. Senate for confirmation, which was approved on March 2, 2022. She has been serving in West Africa since 2019, assisting Nigerian companies seeking U.S. partners; however, her new post, overseeing U.S. diplomatic relations on the islands of Madagascar and Comoros, will provide different challenges and opportunities. The two countries are strategically significant for the United States as they sit at the maritime crossroads of the Indian Ocean, Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, the largest deep-water port is situated at the northern tip of Madagascar. There is much less infrastructure and political stability in these countries than there is in Nigeria, said Pierangelo. The region is threatened by climate change, which is creating serious humanitarian, economic, and environmental crises. She stated in her Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that extended drought in Southern Madagascar has created food insecurity and internal migration that threatens unique ecosystems, and COVID-19 has exacerbated health and economic challenges. Her work will focus on providing basic healthcare, primary education and emergency food aid, as well as addressing economic development and wildlife trafficking and corruption. She also plans to work with the Peace Corps to resume its historically vibrant programs in the two countries. Pierangelo, who will oversee more than 400 foreign service employees in her new role, will be sworn in as Ambassador to the Republic of Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros on May 2, 2022. Bangladesh has been keen to further increase its trade and economic activities with India's northeastern states and its Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi will visit Mizoram on Friday to supervise the infrastructure along the border, officials said on Wednesday. Munshi recently visited Tripura and discussed increasing trades with Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. He also attended the function of laying the foundation stone for Kamalpur (India)-Kurmaghat (in his country's Moulvibazar district) "Border Haat". A Bangladesh government official on Wednesday said in Agartala that the Bangladesh Minister, after visiting Mizoram, would soon visit other northeastern states including Assam and Meghalaya to discuss with the ministers and officials of these states to further boost trade. The Bangladesh trade volume with the northeastern states is much higher than India. An official in Aizawl said that the Bangladesh minister during his four day stay in Mizoram would visit Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Lunglei district's Kawrpuichhuah and proposed "Border Haat" (market) site in Silsuri in Mamit district. Munshi would be accompanied by Mizoram Commerce and Industry Minister R. Lalthangliana, who during his visit to Dhaka in March last year held a meeting with Munshi and discussed boosting of trades and economic activities. Meanwhile, Bangladesh State Minister of Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury during his visit to Assam last week said that waterways of his country could be utilised for transportation between Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan. Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud recently in Guwahati said that his government has given thrust to improve trade and business with India through waterways, railways and airways and to further strengthen people-to-people contact between the two countries. --IANS sc/vd ( 288 Words) 2022-04-20-23:02:03 (IANS) At a briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that New Delhi has taken note of her visit to a part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which is currently occupied by Pakistan illegally. "If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable," he said while briefing the media. Omar, a member of the US House of Representatives representative, is on a five-day visit to Pakistan, and met a section of Pakistani political leadership to get to know their cultural, social, political, and economic dynamics. She met President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed a range of issues pertaining to bilateral, regional and global issues. Both Alvi and Sharif also briefed her about domestic affairs and during their meeting, highlighted the issues of Jammu & Kashmir and stressed for the peaceful resolution of the dispute. She also has a meeting with former Prime Minister Imran Khan. --IANS ams/vd ( 209 Words) 2022-04-21-19:16:04 (IANS) In the wake of the previous government's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reviving its $6 billion loan, it had committed to granting autonomous status to the central bank. For this purpose, the SBP Act, 1956 was amended through the SBP (Amendment) Act, 2021, for enhanced central bank autonomy, price stability, and accountability. But Asif, during an interview with Geo News' programme 'Capital Talk', said he still believes the laws that the previous government amended to meet the IMF's conditions were still wrong and needed to be reserved. The minister said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan had "sold out" Pakistan's economic sovereignty to the United States, as Washington has the most shares in the IMF, Geo News reported. "IMF is an institution in which America has a lot of stakes as it is the largest shareholder. Imran Khan sold out our economic sovereignty to them as he handed over our central bank -- our bank of the last resort -- to the IMF," he said. The Defence Minister said the coalition government would reverse the move and reestablish Pakistan's economic sovereignty, but noted that the central bank would be given independence when it comes to the monetary policy. --IANS san/arm ( 243 Words) 2022-04-21-22:38:03 (IANS) Beijing [China], April 21 (ANI/PRNewswire): Tucked in southwestern China's complex terrains and one of the China's four major plateaus, Guizhou province is home to dozens of minority groups. One of the largest is the Miao ethnic group. With a history of over 2,000 years, the Miao ethnic group came into an early form during the Qin and Han dynasties. Today around half of its 11 million population is distributed across Guizhou province. Mainly inhabiting mainly in mountainous regions, the Miao people live on farming and animal husbandry. The ethnic group is also known for its distinctive and exquisite clothing and embroidery. Miao people are born embroidery talents. Taught by their mothers and sisters, Miao women start to be trained for Miao embroidery around seven years old. As teens, they are already skilled in handicrafts. Huawu village, located in Guizhou province's Qianxi city, is home to thousands of talented Miao embroidery handicrafts artists. Relocated from the mountain regions to the new residential areas, the Huawu villagers are making a better living out of Miao embroidery. They also made immense efforts in improving the ecological environment alongside the Wujiang River. To tap into a complete story, the British video journalist Adam travels from Shanghai to Huawu village to find out more. He visited the Miao embroidery workshop in the village and learned how this time-honored art is passed down throughout generations. Adam also witnessed the transformation from the obsolete cottages where villagers lived several years ago to their brand-new, neatly arrayed houses in their resettlement community. Contact: Zhong Lei Tel:008610-68996566 E-mail:ervinz@cnmatters.com YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/ifh43f1Cd2E This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI/PNN): The year 2022 saw the public release of the Converge App powered by Collegepond for students planning to study abroad. The App serves as an integrated platform for global education aspirants with multiple utilitarian features to facilitate the collegiate and career trajectory of students abroad. Within just a few months of the App's release, Converge has witnessed an overwhelming response from the student community, with the App crossing the 1 lakh download milestone in record time. Positioned as a one-stop solution for students planning to study abroad, the Converge App covers every aspect of the student's journey from finding the right-fit university and course to applying to universities with several value-added benefits, securing an education loan to finance your studies, and more. The App is a powerhouse of information, providing students with single-click access to resource articles and student experience vlogs. Moreover, the App's most popular features have been the Converge Groups and Mentor Connect, which allow students to directly engage and network with fellow aspirants and alumni. Talking about student engagement on the App, Suraj Bajaj, Founder and CEO of Collegepond, stressed that "Networking is a critical component of the study abroad experience, and students need to start early. The Converge App serves as a dedicated platform for students with global education ambitions to build and leverage their connections to expand their prospects abroad." The Converge App is continually expanding its functionality, with recent additions being the UniDirect and Education Loan Assistance Modules. Students can now select from and apply to over 300 universities from top study abroad destinations directly from the Converge App in a time-saving and effective manner with exclusive value-added benefits like scholarships, application fee waivers on select programs/universities, etc. The App has also made the education loan process simple, allowing students to apply to top loan vendors with personalized assistance at each step of the loan process. The continual evolution of the App, keeping with student requirements and the latest tech makes Converge the go-to platform for every study abroad aspirant looking to make their global education easy! The Converge App is available for free download on the App and Play Store! This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 21 (ANI/BusinessWire India): PW (PhysicsWallah), India's most affordable and accessible ed-tech platform, has announced the launch of its brand new website with a slew of critical features and resources to enable best-in-class learning for students. The new platform will house detailed notes for all subjects for classes 6th - 12th, covering 8,000 chapters, 800+ sample papers with detailed solutions, over ten reference books solutions and over 20 lakh video solutions for questions. Through its rich and diversified content, the website will cater to the CBSE board and multiple state boards, such as UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. To aid students in learning complex subjects and concepts, Physics Wallah will provide all NCERT solutions thoroughly explained by India's top faculties. It will also feature a formula section for each subject - chemistry, maths, physics, and science - which will allow students to expand their knowledge base. Also catering to higher education, the Physics Wallah website will offer 20 lakh questions for JEE and NEET along with 10-year previous questions for JEE, NEET, and BITSAT. Top-notch aptitude and reasoning questions will also be present on the website for students. The brand already provides easy access to books for JEE/NEET exams which are also available on Amazon. Speaking on the new website, PW CEO Alakh Pandey, said, "Since its inception, Physics Wallah has been on a mission to deliver high-quality education to students across the country's socio-economic landscape. Our new website is an extension of our belief that best-in-class education should be accessible to all. The vast repository of free resources for students, including reference books, class-wise worksheets, entrance exams, sample papers, etc., will help students prepare for competitive exams, boost their performance, and unlock exceptional learning outcomes." The platform's academic team has already uploaded over 40 JEE main previous year papers, NEET papers from 2014, and BITSAT papers from the past 15 years. To pave the road to success for its users, Physics Wallah has also introduced a revision series that aims to enhance students' careers and prepare them for long-term success. Set to introduce learning material in 9 vernacular languages, Physics Wallah aims to offer affordable learning to 250 million students by 2025. 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] April 21 (ANI/PNN): e-Ashwa Automotive, one of the leading manufacturers of environment-friendly affordable electric vehicles in the country, showcased its wide range of advanced EV products at the 3-day Ride Asia International Exhibition 2022 starting April 15, 2022. The company also had a national partners meet in the capital on April 15 and 16, 2022 to connect with all its partners coming from various parts of the country. During these 3-days of Ride Asia exhibition, e-Ashwahas showcased all its latest EV products in different categories - electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers and also interact with all its dealers coming from 27+ states and Union Territories. The company manufactures a wide range of EV products in both these categories like e-scooters, e-rickshaws, e-auto and e-loader. Speaking on their participation in the exhibition, Vikas Gupta, Founder and CEO, e-Ashwa Automotive, said, "After two years of pandemic, we are seeing the market opening up strongly. We are delighted to be part of this year's Ride Asia exhibition to showcase our products to our customers and dealers. The EV market is growing rapidly in the country and various estimates suggest that the adoption rate of electric two-wheelers will be much faster in the coming years giving significant opportunities for players like us to provide affordable EVs to masses." The company has a strong exclusive brand dealer network of 835and 600+ dedicated retail stores. Started in February 2018, eAshwa opened its first dealer store in August 2019 and 100th store in June 2021. It has seen strong growth in the last two years with increased demand for EV products due to fuel price hike for traditional vehicles and supportive government policies for EV. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani informed about the meeting in a tweet. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies," Adani tweeted. Johnson is on a two-day official India visit to India. He landed in Gujarat earlier today and was accorded a grand welcome at the airport in Ahmedabad. (ANI) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI/PNN): Tata Motors Finance, one of India's leading NBFCs, and a pioneer in the vehicle financing industry, has been conferred as winner of the MSME Banking Excellence Award, 2021 by Chamber of Indian Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (CIMSME) in the category of 'Best NBFC for implementing COVID related government schemes'. The coveted award was presented by Hon'ble Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma and Hon'ble Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Narayan Tatu Rane to Rohit Tiku, Chief Risk Officer, Tata Motors Finance at a ceremony held on 20th April 2022 in New Delhi. That's not all. In addition, the brand also bagged 'Runner Up' award in categories of 'Best NBFC for promoting social schemes' and 'Best Branding NBFC'. Considered to be one of the most coveted awards in the sector, CIMSME's MSME Banking Excellence Award recognizes the remarkable work done by Banks and NBFCs in supporting and rejuvenating the MSME sector. Winners of the award undergo a rigorous evaluation process and scrutiny on parameters like work done in aiding MSMEs, stakeholder engagement, strategy, execution, and impact, as well as support extended to MSMEs during Covid time. The methodology for evaluation includes assessment of responses to questionnaires, interactions with management team, analysis by the knowledge partner and the jury. The award jury was chaired by Hon'ble Justice (Retired) Deepak Verma, Supreme Court of India. Speaking on the recognition, Rohit Tiku, Chief Risk Officer, Tata Motors Finance shared, "It is indeed an honour that Tata Motors Finance has been bestowed with the MSME Banking Excellence Award at this prestigious forum. We recognise that availability of financial assistance, particularly during difficult times is at the core of ensuring social equity and improving quality of life. Customer centricity, therefore, is at the DNA of Tata Motors Finance's corporate philosophy. As a leading vehicle financier, we aim to create capabilities among people to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities. Staying true to our credo of 'Nation building through money lending', we have helped create over 1.5 million entrepreneurs, taking forward the dream of a self-reliant India. We are committed to playing a vital role in fuelling inclusive growth and implementing innovative practises, programmes, and projects to support MSMEs, encouraging their entrepreneurial spirit." Salient Features Tata Motors Finance's Assets under Management (AUM) consist of 60-70% funding to MSME customers with average ticket size of INR 10 lacs. Starting FY 2021-22, 85% of the brand's disbursements i.e., INR 1500 Crores per month are allocated to MSME segments, under the new MSME guidelines. Over the last five years (till Sept 2021), the brand has securitized and assigned MSME portfolio worth INR 14K Crores to several banks to help them meet their PSL obligations. The brand's current AUM of INR 45K Crores includes 31% of loans to First Time Users (FTUs) with monthly disbursements ranging from INR 300 to 350 Crores to this segment. The brand is serving to its customer in more than 17000 pin codes of India with customer first approach Established in 1957, Tata Motors Finance is a Non-Banking Financial Company and one of the pioneers in the vehicle financing industry. Headquartered in Thane (Maharashtra), the brand has a strong footprint across India and operates through its own 250+ branch networks and 700+ channel partners in addition to Tata Motors dealers' sales outlets. Currently, the brand is servicing over 17000+ pin codes across the country and touched over 2 million customers since its inception. Its portfolio includes loans for new and used vehicles, vehicle and customer lifecycle products like refinancing, working capital, fuel loans, tyre loans, fastag, insurance and many more, along with loans to vendors and suppliers of Tata Motors, all to benefit Tata Motors and its strategic partners. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI/NewsVoir): Dr Binod Chaudhary, Chairman & Founder of CG Corp Global, a multi-dimensional conglomerate has retained his name on the Forbes billionaires list 2022. He has been part of this prestigious Forbes List since 2013. He is also the sole billionaire from Nepal alongside India in all of South Asia. Dr Binod Chaudhary's determination to expand his ancestral business across the globe has catapulted him into one of Nepal's most innovative changemakers. According to another prestigious global ratings list, The Hurun Global Rich List, Binod Chaudhary ranks at 1288, recently announced this March, 2022. The wealth of Nepal's only dollar billionaire Dr Binod Chaudhary has strengthened from USD 1.4 billion last year to USD 1.5 billion this year, marking a growth of USD 100 million. His business portfolio comprises 160 companies, 123 brands present on five continents, and 27 countries with a workforce of more than 15,000 people. Dr Binod Chaudhary is also a central member of the Nepali Congress and a member of the House of Representatives and has been active in politics lately. In his own words, "It is indeed an honour for me to be part of the prestigious Forbes Billionaires list 2022. It has been my long-cherished dream to build a prosperous Nepal and building my nation into a burgeoning economy will bestow me with immense contentedness and a deep sense of fulfilment." Dr Binod Chaudhary is the Chairman & Founder of CG Corp Global, a multi-dimensional conglomerate. His other business interests include education, hospitality, and financial services, which are among the 16 business verticals he runs within CG. Dr Binod Chaudhary is a global player in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods and the brain behind Wai Wai, CG's iconic brand that earned him the epithet, "Noodle King". Dr Binod Chaudhary's drive and dedication are his inherent strengths. And contrary to popular belief, he proved an entrepreneur can do business in Nepal and still emerge a billionaire. According to the list, India is the third richest country in the world. India has 166 billionaires while neighbouring China has 539 billionaires. The United States with 735 billionaires is topping the list as the wealthiest nation across the globe. Elon Musk was the richest person in the world this year followed by Jeff Bezos and India's Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani were also on the list of the World's Top Ten Billionaires. 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], April 21 (ANI/PRNewswire): HarperCollins is delighted to announce its acquisition of the keenly anticipated new book by bestselling author, Ashwin Sanghi - India's master storyteller with more than a million copies of his books sold in print in English and other Indian languages. HarperCollins India will publish his next novel (Book no. 7), The Magicians of Mazda, in the chart-topping Bharat Series on 21st May this year, followed by the other titles in the series in June and July 2022. The Magicians of Mazda, an epic saga in the author's signature style of merging fact with fiction, promises to be a roller-coaster read for fans of the author and mythological thrillers. It is a testament to the author's unending spool of imagination deftly woven with deep insights and research into a fast-paced plot that travels through time and history, taking the reader along on a thrilling ride. About the book: A fleet of boats dock at the port of Sanjan in Gujarat in 720 CE. They carry eighteen thousand frightened souls fleeing the cruelty of Iran's Umayyad Caliphate. Chanting Sanskrit-like prayers, the high priest consecrates a sacred fire to thank their god, Ahura Mazda, leading them to a new home and hope. He uses a mysterious substance to spark the flame, but few know of its miraculous properties or provenance. Centuries later, Parsi scientist Jim Dastoor is abducted from his Seattle laboratory and whisked away to Tehran. The Ayatollah believes Jim is the key to uncovering the ancient relic known as the Athravan Star and his men will do anything to possess it, even murder. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis to the Taliban camps of Afghanistan, from the womb of an Udvada fire temple to the icy mountains of Kashmir, from the dreadful coffin cells of Tehran to the deathly calm of Diu's Tower of Silence, Jim and his historian wife, Linda, are sucked into a terrifying chase across vividly changing landscapes. Deftly navigating between time and geography, The Magicians of Mazda travels backwards, through the epochs of Islamic jihad, Macedonian revenge, Achaemenid glory, messianic birth, Aryan schism--to the Vedic fount from where it began. This is Ashwin Sanghi's most gripping and provocative novel yet. Author, Ashwin Sanghi, says, "I am delighted that my Bharat Series--including the previous six titles as well as my latest, The Magicians of Mazda--has found a new home at HarperCollins India. Ananth Padmanabhan, Udayan Mitra and Swati Daftuar are fantastic people to work with and I am grateful to them for having pulled out all the stops to get this book out to my readers in record time." Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO, HarperCollins India, says, "I am a big fan of Ashwin's writing, and we are very delighted that HarperCollins will now be the home for Ashwin's stupendous Bharat Series. Ashwin is India's foremost writer of adventure and has entertained millions of readers with his incredible storytelling and imagination, spanning time and geography. The Magicians of Mazda is a roller coaster that yet again sets the bar very high!" Swati Daftuar, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, says, "We are so very pleased to welcome Ashwin to HarperCollins India. With every book in the Bharat Series, he brings us something quite fantastic - and his latest, The Magicians of Mazda, is really his best yet. The careful research behind every book, the thrill and pace of a taut, beautifully crafted adventure - all of it proves without doubt that he truly is a master storyteller." PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR "The one thing that Ashwin is so good at is being able to compare the times and being able to tell you by way of example that human nature has remained constant down the ages.'' - Kajol Devgan, Actor "Got hooked on to Ashwin's books from Chanakya's Chant onwards... since then I have been a fan." - Sonali Bendre, Actor "Thank you, Ashwin Sanghi, for this amazing wealth of books... part of my treasure." - Anupam Kher, Actor "Somebody whose work I respect, someone whose work I follow." - Gul Panag, Actress and commentator "India's answer to Dan Brown!" - The Hindu "Ashwin Sanghi spins his yarns well and leaves you breathless at every cliffhanger. No wonder his books are bestsellers!" - Hindustan Times "Sanghi manages to blur the line between fact and fiction and give a whole new perspective to history and the Vedic Age." - DNA "Sanghi has got the sure-fire formula right." - Times of India ABOUT THE BHARAT SERIES The Bharat Series by Ashwin Sanghi comprise of six path-breaking thrillers, which have sold over a million copies, that blend the ancient with the modern, myth with history, spirituality with science, philosophy with theology and politics with anthropology: The Rozabal Line Chanakya's Chant The Krishna Key The Sialkot Saga Keepers of the Kalachakra The Vault of Vishnu PRAISE FOR THE BHARAT SERIES ''Sanghi's flair for religion, history and politics is clearly visible as he takes the reader across the world spanning different decades. A mixture of comparative religion, dangerous secrets, and a thrilling plot makes for an esoteric read.'' - The Statesman about The Rozabal Line (2008) ''The Rozabal Line by Ashwin Sanghi is a kickass thriller that forces you to re-examine our histories, our faiths.'' - Pritish Nandy ''I'm utterly enthralled. A delightfully interesting and gripping read. The historical research is deeply impressive ...'' - Shashi Tharoor about Chanakya's Chant (2010) ''A gripping, fast-paced read, the novel is a true thriller in the tradition set by Dan Brown.'' - People Magazine about Chanakya's Chant (2010) ''An alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and addicts of thrillers alike.'' - The Hindu about The Krishna Key (2012) ''Just finished The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi. Rocking story and incredible research. Loved it!'' - Amish Tripathi ''The Sialkot Saga moves at a breakneck pace hurtling through time and space uncovering ancient secrets and burying modern ones.'' - The Hindu ''The book spreads across decades and centuries, till it reaches present day India and will sure have both historic and thriller readers in for a treat.'' - The Times of India about The Sialkot Saga (2016) ''The book can't be put down till all pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are put together.'' - The Financial Express about Keepers of the Kalachakra (2018) ''Science and spirituality collide in Ashwin Sanghi's latest thriller.'' - India Today about Keepers of the Kalachakra (2018) "The Vault of Vishnu, like all of Ashwin's books, is a heady mix of history, myth, science and thrills.'' - The Hindu ''A very interesting and intriguing thriller, thanks to the author's storytelling gift and painstaking research on Hindu metaphysics.'' - The New Indian Express about The Vault of Vishnu (2020) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ashwin Sanghi is among India's highest-selling English fiction authors. He has written several bestsellers in the Bharat Series (The Rozabal Line, Chanakya's Chant, The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga, Keepers of the Kalachakra, The Vault of Vishnu) and two New York Times bestselling crime thrillers with James Patterson, Private India (sold in the US as City on Fire) and Private Delhi (sold in the US as Count to Ten). He has also co-authored several non-fiction titles in the 13 StepsSeries on Luck, Wealth, Marks, Health and Parenting. He was educated at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, and St Xavier's College, Mumbai. He holds an MBA from Yale University. Ashwin has been included by Forbes India in their Celebrity 100 and by The New Indian Express in their Culture Power List. He is also a winner of several awards including the Crossword Popular Choice Award 2012, Atta Galatta Popular Choice Award 2018, WBR Iconic Achievers Award 2018, Lit-O-Fest Literature Legend Award 2018, Kalinga Popular Choice Award 2021. Connect with Ashwin via www.sanghi.in For reviews, excerpts, interviews and more information, please contact: shabnam.srivastava@harpercollins.co.in 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. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI/PNN): Rama Steel Tubes Limited (RSTL) (BSE: 539309, NSE: RAMASTEEL) is a pioneer and leading manufacturer in the steel tube industry. The company has announced that the board of the company has consented to raise funds by issuance of fully convertible warrants, convertible in to equity shares to the specified people in the promoter and non-promoter group. The company will issue 34,35,000 convertible warrants, each carrying a right exercisable by warrant holder to subscribe to one (1) equity share against each warrant at a price to be determined later. The company will take shareholders' approval for the issuance of the fully convertible warrants. Further, as per bulk deal data available on NSE, Eriska Investment Fund Ltd. picked up 100,000 shares of Rama Steel Tubes Ltd. at an average price of Rs. 430 on 20 April 2022. Earlier in January, the company had inked exclusive arrangement for supply of specialty steel SKUs in Nigeria, West Africa, through RST Industries Ltd. (a stepdown subsidiary of RSTL). RST industries Ltd., Nigeria signed annual contract with Huihai Group Ltd, Hong Kong where RST industries Ltd will have an exclusive arrangement for supply of specialty steel SKUs of - 15,000 MT per annum in Nigeria. RSTL has been continuously striving to improve its performance by increasing sales, share of value-added products, innovating new products and aggressive cost optimization on a continual basis. RSTL products range includes MS ERW black pipes from 15mm to 200mm diameter pipes confirming to IS: 1239, IS:1161, IS:3589, IS:3601, & IS:4270 and G.I. Pipes from 15mm to I-50mm NB in light, medium and heavy sizes. RSTL has 20% exports rate, with a global presence in more than 15 Countries. RSTL has a subsidiary in UAE and a step-down subsidiary in Nigeria which has strengthened the company/s presence in global markets. RSTL has the world's latest technology, plant and machinery, which also includes sophisticated testing equipment. RSTL has 4 state-of-art manufacturing capabilities located at Sahibabad (U.P.), Khopoli (Maharashtra) and Anantpur (Andhra Pradesh) and has got strong distributor network spread across lndia. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India] April 21 (ANI/NewsVoir): Commemorating its 8th Anniversary, Medilabs, the Chennai based advanced pathology and radiology diagnostic chain, announced the opening of its brand-new corporate office at Selaiyur, Chennai. Spread across 5000 sq. ft., the new premises was inaugurated on the Tamil New Year's Day, on April 14, 2022, by Dr J Radhakrishnan, Hon. Secretary for Health, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, amidst an august gathering. The eve of the anniversary also saw the launch of two more Medilabs' collection centres, one in Anna Nagar and the other in Mangadu. Congratulating Medilabs, the Chief Guest of the inaugural ceremony, Dr J Radhakrishnan, Hon. Secretary for Health, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, shared about the significance of April 14, "As it not only marked the Tamil New Year, but also the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. He also spoke on the importance of preventive healthcare checkups and the crucial role that medical laboratories like Medilabs played in this modern era. He also mentioned about how Tamil Nadu, being the pioneer amongst other States facilitated highest number of RT PCR testing labs, both, during the Swine Flu and COVID-19 pandemics, and how the State realised the importance and need for increasing the number of testing labs, given the intensity of the disease. He appreciated and applauded the Medilabs team for its dedication towards providing uninterrupted services even during the COVID-19 crisis." Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Dr K Prakash, MD (RD) the Founder of Medilabs, said, "We are extremely thankful to our Hon. Secretary for Health, Dr J Radhakrishnan for accepting our invitation to inaugurate our new office and spending some quality and inspiring time with our Team. With a vision to extend Medilabs presence in every district of Tamil Nadu, and to achieve a goal of establishing 100 collection centres within 2023, and providing 'Affordable Quality Health for all' through our 'AyushLife' initiative, we believe that the new corporate office and new collection centres will further help us strengthen and grow our service capabilities and our partnership with various city-based hospitals, Nursing homes and clinics." Founded by Dr K Prakash, MD (RD) and Co-founded by G Dillibabu, MSc, Medilabs was established as an advanced pathology and radiology diagnostic chain, based out of Chennai in April 2014. Accredited by NABL, Medilabs today prides of 8 branches and 32 collection centres, spread across 10 districts of Tamil Nadu. Complete with the state-of-the-art advanced central laboratory, Medilabs caters to various pathology services in partnership with the State's hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. Services Offered by Medilabs: Advanced Laboratory Services, 3D Multislice CT Scan, Ultrasound Scan, Colour Doppler Studies, Digital X-Ray, Echocardiogram, AyushLife - Customized Health Check-up, COVID RT PCR, Parental Screening, Wide Spectrum Biopsies - Tissue Processed, Viral Pathogens Detection by RT PCR, Bone Marrow Studies/Cancer Gene Diagnosis. 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], April 21 (ANI/TPT): Pelorus Technologies has recently announced the opening of its "Intelligence & Digital Forensics Excellence Center". The Excellence Center will showcase the latest products and solutions in the intelligence and Digital Forensics domain, including use cases for solving crime and gathering intelligence tailored to different Law Enforcement Agencies. The Excellence Center has a gamut of solutions to address specific intelligence gathering and digital forensics challenges faced by Law Enforcement Agencies, including the latest breakthroughs in big data analytics, CDR & IPDR Analysis, mobile device forensics, computer & disk forensics, image & video forensics, damaged drive forensics, password recovery, and WhatsApp & Telegram monitoring tools among many others. Rahul Dwivedi, CEO of Pelorus Technologies, said, "The Excellence Center is committed to all our hard-working Law Enforcement Agencies and is a sincere continuation of the company's vision. Working with more than 40+ law enforcement agencies across India, we have found that some technical deficiencies and the cost of overcoming them are sometimes obstacles to justice. Therefore, there should be an opportunity for our agencies to see the best and latest technologies to solve tomorrow's problems. We have the world's best tools from partners like ADF Solutions, Atola Technology, Belkasoft, Cellebrite, MCMS, MSAB, and many others. Our motto has always been Nation First." Pelorus Technologies also runs a 'Digital Forensics Technical Support Campaign', every January and August to assist LEAs with technical support, maintenance, troubleshooting, and refresher training. A dedicated team of analysts shall work with end-users for demonstrations, use cases, and periodic updates on the latest technologies and solutions available in the market so that the end-users can stay a step ahead of the adversaries, criminals, and terrorists. About Pelorus Technologies: Pelorus Technologies is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company and provides digital forensics, intelligence, security, and surveillance-related products, solutions, and services to government and law enforcement agencies within India and across the globe. With an in-house software development team and an in-house embedded systems and microcontrollers team, the firm is allowing them to customize software and hardware solutions at the chipset level to meet their customer requirements. This story is provided by TPT. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/TPT) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI/PNN): The Vivekananda Sustainability Summit is a national summit organized to bring to a common platform the isolated efforts that are taking place in India, to achieve and implement Sustainable development in the country. The two-day summit was held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi which successfully ended on 20th April 2022. The summit provided a valuable platform for the exchange of views from eminent personalities, experts, and thought leaders in various areas of environmental impact and sustainability. The summit brought all the key stakeholders together from government, corporate sector, academia, non-governmental organizations, and civil society at large and will influence opinion makers, and increase awareness about the environmental crisis, mitigation strategies, and roles of various stakeholders. The Vivekananda Sustainability Summit was aimed to encourage the practice of sustainable development and felicitate excelling contributors through its platform. Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev received Lifetime Achievement Award whereas Dr Vandana Shiva got honored with the Women in Sustainability Award. For Clean water and sanitation improvement in communities, Mukul Madhav Foundation from Pune grabbed the award while IRS, Shri Patanjali Jha received the award for Sustainable agriculture practice with Sustained improvement in yields, farmers' income, and improved environmental profile. Arjun Aggarwal, Symphony Environmental India won the award for the Development of new materials contributing to Sustainability through scientific innovation to the improvement of the environment and Avaada Energy received the award for Clean Energy projects leading to reduced environmental degradation and greenhouse impact. Whereas, Dr (Cdr) Arnab Das, Maritime Research Center received the award for the Replenishment of and sustainable practices in harnessing marine ecosystems. In the category of Biodiversity, Grape County By Green Spaces Nashik received the award for Improving Biodiversity in inland life eco-systems including forests whereas, Food Digital Twin Solution by TCS received the award in Innovative uses of technology for environmental improvement and climate impact mitigation. For social practices and engaging communities, Shri Pradeep Sangwan, Healing Himalaya got the award for the Drive and inspiring collaborations within communities leading to sustained social change and practices whereas, Council for Startup India got recognized for Sustained improvement in community livelihoods with a positive climate impact. For highly innovative municipalities and local governments creating Environmental impact in its geography inspiring other such bodies, Indore Municipal corporation, Madhya Pradesh received the award. For Urban landscape and quality of living improvement with positive environmental change, Davanagere Smart City Limited won the award. Shailesh Haribhakti received the award for Innovative corporate Environmental champion with visible and large-scale environment improvement initiatives in its operational establishments and surrounding communities. The Summit organizer Dr Rajesh Sarwadnya spearheading his concern for the environment and sustainable development expressed his enthusiasm and said, "The continuity of human presence in this world depends on sustainable solutions that require major efforts and a high expenditure towards the integrity of the ecosystem for future generations." The 1st Vivekananda Sustainability Summit was supported by Symphony, Arc Ventures, Global Interfaith Wash Alliance and Enam Asset Management. On the other hand, Jawaharlal Nehru University was the University Partner for the Summit, also supported by Technology development board government of India. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) In a strong boost to its 'Handmade in India' programme, Reliance Retail on Thursday announced several new initiatives aimed at showcasing authentic handcrafted products and promoting the rich Indian art forms globally. The initiatives are designed to help revive various traditional Indian arts and craft forms, provide a sustainable livelihood for hundreds and thousands of artisans and craftsmen in the ecosystem and present a new platform to take the timeless Indian crafts to consumers across the world. The programme is being spearheaded by Reliance Retail's handicrafts brand Swadesh, which envisages an artisan-only dedicated store format for Handcrafted products from across the country. The first Swadesh store is expected to open in the second half of the current year and will house a wide range of products including handmade textiles, handicrafts, agriculture products and other artisanal merchandise sourced directly from artisans. Swadesh will also build a global marketplace to connect Indian artisans and sellers of authentic handmade products to consumers across the world. "The future of Indian arts and crafts is poised at an exciting stage. Our past efforts towards the development of a robust infrastructure towards reviving dying art forms and building an enabling ecosystem for local artisans, weavers and craftsmen have yielded encouraging results," Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, said in a statement. "Our standalone handicrafts destination store format, Swadesh is now on the anvil and will present India through its Art and Crafts and it will showcase everything from Apparel, Home Textiles, Home decor, Furniture, Jewellery, Wellness products and more," she said. Swadesh aims to present India to the world through the lens of its rich arts, handicrafts and handlooms. It will be a collection of carefully curated products, part of the rich legacy of India's heritage that come alive in the hands of our supremely skilled and talented craftspeople. Swadesh aims to create a unique eco-system for reviving languishing crafts, and enhancing the skills of the creative communities by providing skill enhancement /design trainings, capacity building workshops that will ensure sustainable livelihoods for artisan communities. "We see a great opportunity for the artisans of our country in co-creating and co-curating handcrafted Indian products for the world. To realise this opportunity Reliance Retail is partnering with various government organizations to help popularize various local art forms, both nationally and globally," Isha Ambani said. "Reliance Retail and Reliance Foundation have also aligned to identify core epicenters for the various indigenous crafts and will set up RiSE centres, a robust network of skill development centres to ensure reach at grassroots level and to contribute in sustaining artisan communities & art forms," she added. Swadesh is partnering with various governments undertakings and state governments and has already signed an MoU with the Ministry of Textiles which enables the sourcing of 100 per cent authentically crafted products, directly from artisan communities. Another unique partnership has been finalised and an MoU has been signed with the Department of MSME & Textiles, Government of West Bengal. The aim of this partnership is to build a healthy, dynamic ecosystem that will help both the Government of West Bengal and Swadesh realise the vision of sustainable employment and an enriched standard of living for the artisan community, Reliance Retail Limited said in a statement. The MoU was signed on Thursday at the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata. The artisan-only concept will continue to establish new partnerships to create strong ecosystem for local artisans across states and clusters. Swadesh is also aligning with Reliance Foundation to promote India's priceless heritage by establishing an enabling and sustainable ecosystem for artisans across the country by setting up RiSE (Reliance Foundation Initiative for Skill Enhancement) centres in different states. The RiSE centres will leverage the existing network and schemes of Handloom/Handicraft ministry to create synergies and provide maximum benefit to the artisan communities all over India. This unique PPP model will focus on providing sustainable livelihood for artisans, developing crafts of that state and leverage existing network to create synergies and provide maximum benefit to artisans and craftsmen across the country. Reliance Retail has been actively involved in engaging with and patronising artisans all over India to source authentic, handcrafted products thereby promoting the rich Indian heritage and sustaining livelihoods of artisans. This endeavor has only become more sharply focused with the conceptualization of new Swadesh platform under the lifestyle and fashion segment, the statement said. (ANI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Thursday it has arrested a superintendent, CGST and Central Excise, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh. A case was registered against two superintendents of CGST & Central Excise, Arera Hills, Bhopal on a complaint alleging therein about the demand of undue advantage of Rs 10,00,000/- from the complainant for settling the CGST case against his partnership firm. After negotiation, the accused agreed to accept bribe of Rs 2 lakh from the complainant on 20 April 2022, according to an official statement released by the CBI. CBI laid a trap and caught the accused while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from the complainant. Searches were conducted at the premises of both the accused at Bhopal which led to the recovery of incriminating documents/articles, it said. The arrested accused is being produced today before the Special Judge for CBI Cases at Bhopal, the statement added. (ANI) 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. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 21 (ANI/NewsVoir): Bangalore-based leading digital aggregator in Agritech space, Ergos The Grain Bank, aims to further expand the footprint to 650 locations with revenue growth of upto Rs 1,800-2,000 crores by 2023-24. Ergos The Grain Bank has scaled across 26 districts in Bihar, 10 Districts in Karnataka and 17 Districts in Maharashtra with over 1,45,000 farmers actively engaging on the technology-based platform. They are adding 400-450 new farmers every day on its tech platform. After huge success in Bihar, the company aims to strengthen its presence in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra and enter few new agriculturally rich states in the country. Ergos The Grain Bank banks on grain digitization, cutting-edge 'mobile-first' technology by in-house full stack tech team headed by CTO Umesh Gowda, said, "Grain digitalization is building a scalable, mobile-first technical platform where Ergos intervenes in the entire life cycle of the farmer using technology. We are also gearing towards monitoring the crops through satellite images, provide soil-based crop and input advisory, and produce-market connect, everything in real time, through Smart-Price-Engine." Grain Bank enables farmers to convert their grains into tradable digital assets, avail credit like overdraft facility against those assets through partner Banks and NBFCs in few minutes, and get better prices for their produce with a scope to optimize their income by 30-40 per cent in one season easily. Commenting on The Grain Bank platform, Kishor Jha, Founder and CEO, Ergos The Grain Bank, said, "Ergos has proven its business model in Bihar and recently entered the other key markets. With the response from the farming community and food processors, we aim to grow 3X growth Y-o-Y comfortably with a targeted revenue of INR 1800-2000 Crore by next year." Business Head Ashutosh Sinha said, "Grains are farmers' reservoir of wealth but access to liquid cash flow has been a challenge for small and marginal farmers in India. With technology being the key enabler, farmers can use Ergos' Grain Bank mobile app platform as a live ATM to convert their grains into money transferred to their account anytime, within seconds." The platform empowers them by giving them the power to negotiate, manage their working capital, cash flow for other household requirements and gives them a window to save money and optimize their income. Kishor further added that, "High adoption of Ergos' Grain Bank app among farmers in Bihar boosted our confidence to replicate the model in UP, Karnataka and Maharashtra within six months of the launch with 50 per cent occupancy through farmer adoption. As we speak, close to 20-30 per cent farmers are engaging through the app, creating a digital footprint for better understanding of farmer's requirements and behaviour." Focused to empower the small and marginal farmers by giving them access to liquid cash flow, the Integrated platform addressed the entire ecosystem which surrounds them. This includes lenders, including banks enabling loans as small as INR 70,000, local food processors and buyers who are using Grain Bank Buyers mobile app to procure grains directly from the farmers any time any quantity and get the physical delivery within an hour. Nearly 50 per cent of the households in the vicinity of the Ergos Grain Bank location are connected through smartphones today, indicating how out of 140 million farmers in the country, close to 70 million farmers are already using smartphones and just need a bit of handholding and assistance for the first few transactions. Aligned with the Government's vision of Digital India and Bharat Connect that brings the rural landscape on the internet connectivity map, Ergos aims to empower each farmer and enable them to use Grain Bank mobile app to manage their finance, where they can sell, borrow, and preserve their grains. Ergos is constantly building the tech capability of the Grain Bank app to execute ~10,000-12,000 transactions initiated by farmers and buyers in "ONE SECOND" which is the speed required to service 12-13 million farmers in next 3-4 years for executing secured transactions worth of INR 12,000-14,000 crore for one season crop yield on Grain Bank platform and to facilitate worth INR 4,000-5,000 Crore small tickets short term farmer loan on this platform. Ergos The Grain Bank is a leading Agritech platform, connecting farmers to end buyers at real time to execute transaction in "ONE-CLICK" for selling its produce, avail loan directly from partner bank whenever they required based on the grain digitized value in his account. Ergos is using digitization to empower and emancipate small, individual farmers aggregation which is key to long-term, sustainable growth and development of the nation and the community on the whole. 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] April 21 (ANI/PRNewswire): India is the country of honour for the Sea Tech Week and will be making waves from September 26-30, 2022 at Brest Expo, France. Registration is now open for visitors and exhibitors. Avail the Early Bird before May 31. International Stakeholders across the business, academia, and governmental institutions and especially from India will converge to shape the future of maritime. This year's event invites delegates to share ideas on smarter and greener solutions for maritime transport and to celebrate women's work in marine science and technology. On the agenda: 30 plenary sessions and 3 keynote panel discussions all touching on this year's key theme of innovation in maritime transport. *Trade fair, *B2B meetings, *Networking events, *Visits to companies & labs. India, the Featured Country for Sea Tech Week 2022 France and India are delighted that the Campus mondial de la mer has featured India as the guest of honour at Sea Tech Week in Brest. This edition will build and enhance industrial partnerships and innovations related to the blue economy, cooperation among actors of marine science & economy, and ocean governance. Given the focus of Sea Tech Week 2022 on 'greener and smarter' shipping, France and India will work closely with their shipping, port management, logistics, shipbreaking companies, as well as their shipyards, equipment manufacturers and other maritime manufacturing industries. This is an ideal forum to: *Bring impetus to the bilateral roadmap on blue economy & ocean Governance adopted by India and France committing to joint actions to make the Indo-Pacific an area of sustainable growth, respect for international law and ocean protection. *Reinforce the scientific and academic program GoAT (Goa ATlantic cooperation in Marine Science and Technology) promoting the mobility of students and researchers, signed in Brest on 20 January 2020 between the French actors and the Indian Institute of Technology in Goa supported by the French Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain, as well as the Indian Ambassador to Paris, H.E. Jawed Ashraf. *Lead new bilateral synergies with the ambitious 'Deep Ocean Mission' launched by the Government of India. *Highlight current Indian projects, like the Sagarmala project of port-led prosperity initiated by the Government of India. A deep dive into advances in marine science & technologies Plenary sessions will cover a wealth of topics including wind propulsion, maritime cybersecurity, hydrogen, naval architecture, and design, marine pollution, and new maritime routes. Already confirmed sessions include: *'Highly efficient innovative water-based seawater air conditioning solutions' presented by Euroswac *'Enabling net-zero through 5G at sea': this session will explore how increased telecommunications and data transfer at sea can contribute to smarter and low-carbon solutions, towards the ambition of 'Net-Zero'. *Cybersecurity: The University of Plymouth will present its Cyber-SHIP Lab and Marine e-charging Living Lab Key Sessions with Indian experts: *France-India workshop on Ocean Technology Towards Advanced Knowledge and Sustainable Development. Convenor: IFREMER (France) and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) (India) *Wind Propulsion for Sustainable Shipping: Blending Regional Initiatives, National Developments and International Networks for A Shared and Promising Takeoff in India. Convenor: INTERNATIONAL WIND SHIP ASSOCIATION and BRETAGNE DEVELOPPEMENT INNOVATION (BDI) (France) *Navigation and Control of Underwater Vehicles Convenor: Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Goa (India) and National Institute Of Technology Silchar (India) Among the confirmed speaker line up: *Gavin Allwright, Secretary at International Windship Association (IWSA) *Sarah Fear, Project Manager, Environmental Futures and Big Data Impact Lab & Plymouth's Marine e-charging Living Lab (MeLL) *Shreya Goyal, Climate Risk Expert, and head of Observer Delegation at COP26, will present the impact of SWAC on the environment and energy transition, and the impact of energy transition on SWAC development More sessions and speakers are to be confirmed with the full conference programme to be announced shortly. A video teaser has also been released on what to expect at the 2022 edition. To register to attend: www.seatechweek.eu For more information, please contact: Nivedita Agarwal / nivedita.agarwal@businessfrance.fr seatechweek.eu @SeaTechWeek / Sea Tech Week / #SeaTech2022 Sea Tech Week is an international event dedicated to marine and maritime science and technology. It attracts over a thousand top international experts to Brest, France, every two years, representing a wide variety of ocean-related disciplines. Held every 2 years, Sea Tech Week includes tech and science talks, a professional trade fair, B2B meetings, company and laboratory tours and a gala evening. This event provides the international community of scientists, companies, clusters, students, and other stakeholders with the opportunity to share progress in research and innovation, to forge a professional network of contacts and to improve partnerships and cooperation. Sea Tech Week is organised by Technopole Brest-Iroise through Campus mondial de la Mer, France's leading community of experts in the ocean. This event is supported by Brest Metropole, the Brittany Region and the EU (ERDF). This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) New Delhi [India] April 21 (ANI/Oswaal Books): The Central Universities Entrance Test, or CUET for short, is what it sounds like. 45 central universities in India and other schools like Jamia Milia and TISS will have computerized entrance exams for admission. National Education Policy 2020 advocates the Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET); however, this is not a new idea. In 2010, it was first used to fill 1,500 places in undergraduate, postgraduate, and integrated courses at seven key universities. Twelve Central Universities, including Assam University, the University of Karnataka, the University of Kerala, and the University of Haryana, among others, will continue to accept applications through CUET until the academic year 2021-2022. The CUET 2022 examinations are administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA). For admission to CUET, board marks will play an important role, but universities are free to set their own entrance requirements. As an example, a university's admissions criteria can require students to have at least a 60 percent grade point average in their 12th grade year. Tips to select your Subjects in CUET 2022 Exam: -Choose the Language which you have Expertise:First, the language portion of the test is given, followed by one that may focus on a certain academic field to which the students are applying, and finally, a general ability portion is offered. -Thirteen language papers are in Section 1A and 19 papers are in Section 1B of the Language section. Students who want to graduate with a degree in a particular language must take language paper form 1B. Section 1A and 1B allow students to select a maximum of three languages each. -Domain Specific:It is possible for a student to select no more than 2 subjects from the 27 offered in the portion devoted to domain-specific studies. A student may choose a subject that is very closely related to the domain list if a subject is not included in the domain-specific list. So, a student seeking admission to a biotechnology programmed would select biology as a prerequisite course. From the NCERT, we'll get the questions for the specific domains. -General Test:The General test will cover a wide range of topics, including general knowledge, current events, general mental aptitude, quantitative reasoning, and logical and analytical thinking. How to score maximum with Domain Specific Subjects: The CUET entrance exam's domain-specific test has 27 disciplines from which you must select two if you had chosen on one subject in language specific and 3 from general test series for your UG course of study. This section's questions are at a 12th-grade level of difficulty. As a result, knowing the essential ideas of the subject you've chosen will help you earn more points in this area. In addition, you should select courses that interest you and that you look forward to learning more about in the future. Attempt MCQ problems from the NCERT textbooks of various difficulty levels. To score maximum, students can also prepare with Oswaal NTACUET (UG) Sample Paper | Mock Test Paper | Entrance Exam Preparation Book for 2022. With these Sample Paper, students can take lot of benefits for their exam like: -Why to choose? As Oswaal NTA CUET (UG) Sample Papers 2022 are Strictly as per the latest Syllabus and pattern of NTA CUET (UG) - 2022 based on MCQs -Score up with Tips and Tricks Tips to crack the NTA CUET Exam 2022 in the first Attempt The NTA CUET (UG) Sample Paper 2022 includes Valuable insights - tips, tricks and short Cuts -Short Cuts to learn more Mind Maps to provoke new ideas The NTA CUET (UG) Question Banks 2022 helps to Boost Memory skills with Mnemonics so, Students can Also go with Oswaal NTACUET (UG) Question Bank | Entrance Exam Preparation Book for 2022 | Chapter-wise and Topic-wise for extensiveexam preparation. With CUET Question Bank 2022, students can also measure and track their progress for their paper. CUET (UG) Sample Paper | Mock Test Paper | Entrance Exam Preparation Book for 2022Click here,https://bit.ly/3jUBX54 CUET (UG) Question Bank | Entrance Exam Preparation Book for 2022 | Chapter-wise and Topic-wise Click here https://bit.ly/3v1jeuZ How to score maximum with Aptitude Exam: The only way to get good scores on the aptitude test is to practice. The following are some of the most effective CUET 2022aptitude test preparation suggestions. -Day wise Preparation: Set aside time each day to focus on the subjects you need to learn. -Manage Time: Each concept you are studying should have its own time allotment. -Avoid bringing up difficult topics on a regular basis. Consider combining a few of the ideas. -If you're tasked with teaching a difficult quantitative idea, go with a simpler logical issue. This will keep you motivated to learn more and prevent you from getting bored. -List of Formulas: Make a list of key terms and formulas from the subject you're studying to assist you remember them when it's time to revise. -The more familiar you are with a subject, the less time you should devote to that subject. In place of this, focus on the more difficult subjects. Wish to know more about NTA CUET 2022 EXAM? Read the article to understand everything in detail! This story is provided by Oswaal Books. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Oswaal Books) According to a birth certificate obtained by TMZ, Priyanka and Nick's daughter - who was born via surrogate - arrived just after 8 p.m. on January 15 at a hospital in San Diego, California. The birth certificate stated their daughter's name as Malti, reported the outlet. 'Malti' is of Sanskrit origin and means a small fragrant flower or moonlight. Nick and Priyanka had announced the child's birth on January 22 in a post that read, "We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via surrogate. We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family. Thank you so much." However, the pair who tied the knot in 2018 in an extravagant three-day affair in India have not yet officially revealed the child's gender and name yet. (ANI) As per Variety, the 'Back in Blood ' hitmaker was indicted in June 2021 on four counts related to October 2020 shooting at the Landon Hotel in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida. Prosecutors alleged that Williams and two individuals ended up shooting a pair of individuals whom they were meeting to purchase marijuana and sneakers. Both shooting victims survived the incident. The publication also informed that Williams was first arrested in connection to the shooting in October 2020, though he was shortly released from custody. (ANI). Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her 96th birthday today. As per the pictures obtained by People magazine, the British monarch got her own Barbie doll in her likeness, inspired by one of her most iconic looks. The picture sees the doll wearing an elegant ivory gown and blue ribbon adorned with decorations of order. Her regal ensemble is completed with a stunning tiara based on Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara, which Queen Elizabeth II wore for her wedding to Prince Philip, and matching accessories. As per the outlet, the Queen Elizabeth Barbie doll will cost USD 75 and will be available beginning Thursday on Amazon, Walmart, Target and Mattel. For the unversed, Barbie's Tribute Series launched last year, with the first doll in the collection paying tribute to iconic comedian and actor Lucille Ball. People magazine reported that Buckingham Palace has announced a weekend of celebrations and an extended bank holiday, spanning from June 2 until June 5 to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The actual date of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee was February 6, 2022, but plans had been made to celebrate the event in June. Events will include Trooping the Colour (the annual public festivities for the Queen's birthday), the lighting of Platinum Jubilee beacons, a service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, the Derby at Epsom Downs, a live concert called 'Platinum Party at the Palace,' the Big Jubilee Lunch and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant. (ANI) The 38-year-old actor shared a series of her 'all-smiles' pictures on her Instagram handle. In the photos, the 'Bharat' actor could be seen donning a cosy creamy-white pullover with a pair of blue jeans. Katrina looked radiant in the pictures even with a bare makeup look. In one of the pictures, Katrina could be seen running her hand through her beach waves hair.The happy post accumulated more than one million likes within a few hours of being shared on the photo-sharing platform. Her fans and fellow celebrities chimed into the comments section and left heartfelt messages for the 'Singh is Kinng' actor. While, Farah Khan commented, "Happy girl," with a red heart emoticon, Zoya Akhtar wrote, "Kiss Miss," with a heart emoji. Shweta Bachchan also dropped a face with heart eyes emoticon in the comments section. Meanwhile, on the work front, Katrina will be back on the silver screen with the third instalment of the 'Tiger' franchise, co-starring Salman Khan and Emraan Hashmi. She also has 'Merry Christmas' with South superstar Vijay Sethupati and 'Jee Le Zara', co-starring Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra in the pipeline. Apart from this, Katrina will also be seen in the horror-comedy 'Phone Bhoot' alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter. (ANI) According to People magazine, the majestic shot, which was taken last month on the grounds of Windsor Castle, featured the Queen standing proudly between her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. The image showed her wearing a dark green cape-style coat as she held the reins of two of her favourite ponies in front of a magnolia tree. To mark her 96th birthday, on Wednesday, the monarch travelled from Windsor Castle to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, about 110 miles north of London, Buckingham Palace confirmed. She's believed to be staying at Wood Farm, the cosy five-bedroom home where her late husband Prince Philip, who died last April at the age of 99, spent much of his retirement. As per People magazine, throughout her life, the Queen has always had a fondness for horses and was given her first horse (a Shetland pony) when she was just 4 years old. She's also been known to get animated at horse racing events, enthusiastically cheering for her horses. (ANI) Noted cardiac surgeon and Chairman of Bengaluru-based Narayana Health, Devi Prasad Shetty, said on Wednesday that the world has turned upside down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and when historians would pen the history of the world 100 years from now, there would be two distinct periods, one is B.C., i.e., Before Covid, and the second is A.C., meaning After Covid. Virtually addressing the 13th convocation of the Shillong-based Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shetty, who is the Chairman of the Covid Expert Committee in Karnataka, urged the students to be successful in life, make a difference, and make this world a better place to live. "Whatever you do in your life, remember that the power of your purpose is more important than all the other strategies combined. So, try to choose a purpose by which you can make this world a better place to live," he said. This year, a total of 268 students graduated from the institute. Degrees were conferred upon 252 PGP students and 16 PGPEx students, while two scholars were conferred with their PhD degree. Chairman of the Board of Governors, Shishir Kumar Bajoria, said that although the Covid crisis threw up several human-institutional challenges, "we as a community grew stronger". "India as a country faced the pandemic in one of the best ways in the world... Our leadership ensured that our heads were held high. Even when the pandemic was raging all over the country, we could supply medicines and come to the rescue of many countries," he said. Speaking on the occasion, D.P. Goyal, Director, IIM, said that the institute, which was set up in 2007, signed eight MoUs with well-known global institutions last year, and published 96 research papers in top-ranked international journals besides presenting several research papers in international conferences. --IANS sc/arm ( 312 Words) 2022-04-20-23:18:13 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Health Department on Wednesday directed the District Collectors to ensure that Covid-19 appropriate behaviour is followed in the state. In a circular, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary, J Radhakrishnan said the number of fresh Covid cases in the state has marginally increased from less than 25 to 30 on Tuesday. He pointed out that the rise in fresh Covid-19 cases in Delhi where it stood at 632 from 82 on April 4 is of concern. Radhakrishnan in the circular said that the Test Positivity Rate in Delhi is 5 per cent from less than 1 per cent a few days ago, and things should not be taken lightly. The state health secretary pointed out that Maharashtra has also seen a slight rise in Covid -19 fresh cases. In the circular, he said: "At a stage, where we should aim at virus suppression, it is noted that isolated cases are still getting reported and we need to keep monitoring the trajectory of cases and also test positivity rate at district and sub-district levels." The Health Secretary also directed the district collectors to refocus on mask-wearing in public places, hospitals and crowded places. The health secretary directed the district collectors and district medical officers to follow up and ensure that those who are eligible for the booster dose vaccine have taken it. Tamil Nadu Health Minister, Ma Subramanian told IANS: "There is a slight increase in Covid-19 cases and the health department has taken extra precaution. It has directed all the district collectors to ensure that people are following Covid appropriate behaviour. The government is not willing to take any chances and the district collectors and district medical officers have been directed to closely monitor the situation at the local level." --IANS aal/pgh ( 306 Words) 2022-04-20-23:25:22 (IANS) Expressing grave concerns over the allegations levelled by ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan against some journalists, without naming anyone, of receiving money from abroad and hatching a conspiracy against the country, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) asked his PTI to show evidence if it has any, media reports said on Thursday. In a joint statement, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf if it had evidence that any journalist had conspired to topple Khan's government by taking money from foreign powers, then the party should share it with the media body, the News reported. The PFUJ itself would take action against them, read the statement. But if Khan has made allegations against journalists without any evidence, then he should withdraw these and apologise to the journalist community, said the PFUJ leadership, The News reported. The journalists covering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies had to stay in touch with the diplomatic staff of different countries to fulfil their professional duties, similarly, Pakistan's ambassadors in different countries have to liaise with the journalists of those countries, read the statement. "Their meetings with the journalists of those countries do not mean that they are aimed at overthrowing their governments," said the PFUJ's leadership. It said that Khan's allegations against journalists without naming anyone was an attempt to cast doubt on the role of all journalists. --IANS san/vd ( 245 Words) 2022-04-21-22:08:20 (IANS) Telangana's Minister for Animal Husbandry, T. Srinivas Yadav, on Wednesday found fault with Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan for criticising the state government by holding press meets. He said it is unbecoming for a person holding a Constitutional post to criticise the government by holding press conferences. "Our government has been elected by the people. We are not nominated persons," said Yadav in an obvious reaction to certain remarks made by the Governor while talking to reporters in Delhi on Monday. "It's not correct to say whatever she likes. It's also not proper for the Governor to say that she does not want to work with this Chief Minister," said Yadav, who accused Tamilisai of speaking like a political leader. The minister said making remarks against a government elected by the people is not fair. He said she should know her limitations as a Governor and advised her to discharge her Constitutional duties, and not speak like a politician. Tamilisai has been drawing flak from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government ever since she alleged that the state government insulted her and violated Governor's protocol. The Governor, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah a few days ago, visited Delhi again on Monday. She is believed to have submitted a report to the Centre against All India Services officers for breach of protocol. Talking to reporters, she again trained guns on the state government. Meanwhile, Congress' national spokesperson Dasoju Sravan has slammed those trolling Tamilisai. He wondered if they were ruthlessly trolling her because she is a woman and that too from a backward class. Sravan recalled that when E.S.L. Narasimhan was the Governor, he had overruled several decisions of the former Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh. "But he was never humiliated or trolled the way the current Governor of Telangana is! Why is there so much animosity towards the state's first citizen, a woman from the OBC community," he tweeted. --IANS ms/arm ( 339 Words) 2022-04-20-20:32:03 (IANS) According to the officials, these companies - comprising six of the Rapid Action Force, six of the general duty branch and two Mahila companies - have been attached with Delhi Police to assist them in maintaining the law and order situation and the Delhi Police has deployed them, as per their need. They said that the companies are sent to the local authorities on their request for assisting them to deal with law and order situations. Apart from the CRPF, the three companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have also been attached to Delhi Police after the violent incident occurred on April 16.A Meanwhile, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch has been investigating the Jahangirpuri case and so far it has arrested 23 accused including the alleged main conspirator Ansar and apprehended two juveniles. --IANS ams/vd ( 174 Words) 2022-04-20-20:38:01 (IANS) Mohammed Ansar, the prime accused in the Jahangirpuri violence studied up to Class 4 only. After quitting studies due to financial problems he moved towards the world of crime. However, apart from the Jahangirpuri violence case, there are only two cases lodged against him on record and investigation in both the cases is still pending. This could be because the crimes committed by him as a juvenile cannot be taken on record. Ansar was also arrested repeatedly under preventive sections and booked five times under the Gambling Act and the Arms Act. Ansar had initially joined Asaduddin Owaisi's party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Later he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, but here too he was not satisfied and quit the party. Finally he joined the Aam Aadmi Party along with Ashwini Bagdi and others. The Delhi Police has mentioned his name in the FIR. He has been accused of provoking the mob and mobilizing people to attack the religious procession. The Delhi Police in its dossier accessed by IANS, has described him as a scrap dealer of the area. "The accused was born in 1980 at Jahangirpuri shanties. His family was facing huge financial crisis. Due to this he could not study. He studied till 4th class only. He left his studies and started working as a child labourer. During this time he came in contact with bad elements of the society. From here he indulged in crime. He committed a number of crimes. To earn quick money he went into the crime world. Later on he started keeping a knife with him. On 13 February 2009, he was arrested for the first time and remanded to judicial custody. It was a case of Arms Act, the investigation in the case is still pending. A second case was lodged against him in 2018. It was lodged under sections 186/353. He was arrested and later on released on bail. Investigation in this case is also pending," read the dossier accessed by IANS. Ansar also owns a luxurious mansion in Haldia, the prime industrial township in West Bengal's East Midnapore district and has an image of a philanthropist there. Ansar is originally from Assam, he married into a family which had been living in Haldia for a long time. Soon after his marriage, Ansar built a mansion in Haldia and used to visit it frequently. On April 16, clashes broke out between two groups of people, belonging to different communities, during a Shobha Yatra procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area. As many as eight police personnel and a civilian sustained injuries in the violence. The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested Ansar. He is currently in police remand. Delhi Police's crime branch is trying to know how deep rooted was the conspiracy in the Jahangirpuri violence. --IANS atk/bg ( 490 Words) 2022-04-20-21:37:24 (IANS) On April 17, a video went viral on social media, showing a man wearing a blue 'kurta' firing shots with a pistol at a mob during the communal clashes in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area on April 16. The way he was shooting at the mob depicted the brutality of the alleged rioter, who, till that time, was unknown to the police. The viral video mounted pressure on the police to nab him. But before that, the accused had to be first identified. The police, using local intelligence, identified the accused person as 28-year-old Imam alias Sonu alias Yunus, a resident of Jahangirpuri. After identification, it was a challenge for the police to catch the offender before he could escape from the city. On April 18, a team of special staff of the north-west district police went to the C Block in Jahangirpuri in search of Imam at about 1.30 p.m. However, as soon as the team reached the alleged shooter's house, his family members resorted to stone pelting. During the incident, an inspector named Satender Khari sustained injury on his right ankle after one of the stones hit him. Subsequently, the police registered a separate FIR at the Jahangirpuri police station and one of the relatives of the accused, identified as Salma, was bound down. In a case where a person is bound down, he/she is not booked under any legal provision but is released subject to the condition that he/she will appear before the police for further probe. After this, the police widened the probe and on the same day in the evening, Imam was arrested from Mangal Bazar road, hardly a kilometre away from the road where he fired shots during Saturday's clashes. Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order), Dependra Pathak, termed Imam's arrest as one of the most important developments in the case. Ever since his video of shooting went viral, he was being considered as the most dreaded of all the rioters. During interrogation, the accused confessed to his crime and one sophisticated pistol was recovered from his possession. On Tuesday, the police produced him before a local court which sent him to four-day police custody. Imam owns a chicken shop in the Jahangirpuri area. Imam's mother reportedly told mediapersons that his son only wanted to scare the rioters, and had no intention of killing anyone. The Crime Branch, which is probing the case, also got hold of a man named Ghulam Rasool, who allegedly supplied the pistol to Imam. --IANS uj/arm ( 431 Words) 2022-04-20-21:45:27 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party, claim partymen, is a party with a difference. But since it swept the 2022 Punjab polls by winning over 90 seats in the 117-seat Assembly and for the first time expanded its political footprint beyond Delhi, Opposition members allege that they are being targeted by the Punjab Police on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal always demanded that Delhi be made into a state and not a Union Territory. One of the prime reasons for this has been that the police in the national capital does not come under the CM, rather it is answerable to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Now since the party has won Punjab state with a brute majority, it is allegedly employing the age-old tactics to counter its rivals in Delhi, political pundits say. The Punjab Police which comes under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is these days, booking Kejriwal's rivals. The latest action was against Congress leader Alka Lamba, who was on Wednesday summoned by the Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team, Rupnagar, over a statement that she had made against Kejriwal before the Punjab Assembly polls, held earlier this year. In a tweet, Lamba said that the Punjab Police has pasted a notice on the wall of her house in Delhi and while the cops were leaving they allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she does not appear before the police on April 26. The notice read, "During the investigation it is revealed that there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you. Hence you are summoned before the Special Investigation Team at 10.00 a.m. on or before April 26 at Police Station Sadar Roopnagar for the purpose of investigation." Before Lamba, on the same day, a team of the Punjab Police visited former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas' residence in Ghaziabad. Taking to Twitter, Vishwas served a warning to Punjab Chief Minister Baghwant Mann, saying: "Punjab police team was at my doorsteps early morning. I am cautioning Bhagwant Mann, whom I inducted into the party myself, that the person sitting in Delhi will betray both you and Punjab one day. The country should remember my warning." Reportedly, Punjab Police have booked the former AAP leader under Sections 153, 153-A, 505, 502, 116, 143, 147, 323 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of People Act over one of his statements made in the run-up to the Assembly elections in Punjab, in which Vishwas, without naming him, had said that Arvind Kejriwal wants to be the Prime Minister of an independent nation of Khalistan, accusing the AAP convenor of having connections with separatists in Punjab. Earlier on April 9, Delhi BJP spokesperson Naveen Jindal had claimed that Punjab Police personnel conducted a raid at his Delhi residence to arrest him in a case that was registered against him for allegedly tweeting a 'doctored video' of Kejriwal. On April 6, the BJP spokesperson had tweeted a video with the caption 'Eventually their truth came out', in which Kejriwal was allegedly heard talkling about top government functionaries taking money. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against Jindal on April 7 at the SAS Nagar police station in Punjab. Jindal, while speaking to IANS, said that he was not present in the house when four Punjab Police personnel landed at his residence in Delhi. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta has defended his partyman and accused Kejriwal of misusing the Punjab Police by sending them to the houses of those who exposed him and spoke against him. He said the Punjab Police are after the BJP workers because they exposed the corruption of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, exposed the construction of Haj House in Dwarka, negligence during the Covid pandemic and exposed the Rs 20 crore swimming pool being built at Kejriwal's house. (Ujwal Jalali can be reached at ujwal.j@ians.in) --IANS uj/bg ( 677 Words) 2022-04-20-22:54:02 (IANS) A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to provide compensation to the family of Avijit Sarkar, a BJP worker who was killed Kolkata's Kankurgachi area in the post-poll violence witnessed in the state after the Assembly elections in 2021. The high court bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi to take necessary steps on this count. The bench also ordered that the compensation amount be delivered within two months from the day of the issuance of the order. Admitting that as many as 303 people had to leave their homes due to the post-poll violence, the bench also ordered the formation of a three-member committee to ensure that these people return to their homes safely. As per the division bench order, one member of the said committee will be a representative from the National Human Rights Commission, one from West Bengal Human Rights Commission and the third from the state legal service authority. According to Priyanka Tibrewal, the counsel for the petitioners, on March 14, 2022, the Calcutta HC had directed the state DGP to ensure the safe return of 303 victims to their respective homes. "However, since the state police did not take any measure or initiative on this court, the court on Wednesday ordered the creation of a three-member committee for the same purpose," Tibrewal said. Meanwhile, the CBI team probing the post-poll violence submitted another progress report, the fifth on this count, to the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday. In the report, the CBI maintained that it is conducting probe in 35 cases, out of which chargesheets have been filed in 31 cases. --IANS src/arm ( 298 Words) 2022-04-20-23:02:02 (IANS) "We have arrested a 29-year-old Nigerian national and recovered 270 grams of high-quality heroin worth Rs 2.70 crores (2,70,00,000) in the international market," said Shankar Chaudhary, DCP Dwarka. Under the operation 'Varchasva', in the last 72 hours, a number of proceedings have taken place against street crime, organised crime and against a few foreign nationals who are illegally residing in the country and also involved in drug dealings in Dwarka, informed DCP. "Based on a secret tip, a team was prepared under the leadership of ACP Vijay Singh and SI Subhas, for the arrest of this foreigner," he added. According to Chaudhary, the Delhi Police have seized drugs worth Rs 150 crore (1,50,00,00,000) in the last seven months. The deportation and prosecution of the accused persons took place under the relevant sections of the law. "Meanwhile, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) staff in PS Uttamnagar has also deported five African nationals on Tuesday," he said further. The Delhi Police has started an initiative aimed at speedy investigations in the matters of drug dealings, to expose the entire chain of drug dealers including the suppliers, dealers, and buyers. Police also conveyed that stricter actions will be taken against the landlords and property dealers who accommodate these foreign nationals, without prior verification. (ANI) "Three people were held for allegedly spreading objectionable information about a woman lecturer, in an attempt to malign her image," said N Shashikumar, CP, Mangaluru City. The arrested accused persons include a lecturer, a college correspondent, and a physical education director. Further details into the matter are awaited. (ANI) A police team from Assam took Mevani into custody at Palanpur Circuit House in Banaskantha around 11:30 pm on Wednesday night, as per Mevani's team. "Police yet to share FIR copy with us. Prima facie, we have been informed about some cases filed against him in Assam," his aides had said during the time of his arrest. Later, the Kokrajhar police in Assam confirmed the development. "Kokrajhar police arrested Congress Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani from Palanpur Circuit House last night," Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Thube Prateek Vijay Kumar told ANI today. A case was lodged against Mevani under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), section 153(A) (promoting enmity between two communities), 295(A), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and sections of the IT Act. A couple of tweets on Mevani's Twitter handle are not visible on his feed with a message from displaying that the tweets have been withheld in India based on a "legal demand". "This Tweet from @jigneshmevani80 has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand," reads the message on the Vadgam MLA's Twitter. Mevani has been taken to Ahmedabad and from there Assam Police will take him to Guwahati. Supporters of Mevani have planned a protest against his arrest in the national capital today. Meanwhile, in a tweet by the Gujarat Congress today, it read, "Assam Police along with Gujarat Police is reported to have detained Gujarat MLA Mr Jignesh Mevani at 11:30 pm and taken him to Assam by train on April 21 from Ahmedabad at 4 am. Treating a public servant as a criminal at night is CONDEMNABLE." Elected as an independent MLA, Mevani had extended his support to the Congress party in September 2019. (ANI) Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered, police said. "Baramulla Encounter Update: 01 terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT killed. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered. Operation in progress," Kashmir Zone Police tweeted. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar termed it a big success. "Top LeT terrorist Commander Yousuf Kantroo killed in Baramulla encounter. He was involved in several killings of civilians and security personnel, including the recent killing of JKP's SPO and his brother, one Soldier and one civilian in Budgam district. A big success for us," the Kashmir zone of the UT police tweeted. Three soldiers and one civilian received minor injuries in the encounter. The encounter took place in Malwa area of Pariswani in the Baramulla district. "Exact location of the encounter is Malwa. In the initial exchange of fire, three soldiers and a civilian received minor injuries. Operation in progress. Further details shall follow," Kumar said in another tweet. An encounter had broken out between security forces and terrorists in the early hours of Thursday. Budgam Police and Army are involved in the operation, police said. (ANI) Delhi High Court issued notice to the Centre after a Public interest litigation (PIL) was filed, seeking judicial review of the provisions of the recently promulgated Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022. The said Act was passed in the Lok Sabha on April 4, 2022, in the Rajya Sabha on 6 April 2022 and received the assent of the President and was subsequently published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary) on 18 April 2022. The Bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice of Delhi Vipin Sanghi along with Justice Navin Chawla while issuing notice to the Union of India through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law and Justice said, it requires consideration. The bench also noted the submission made by Advocate Amit Mahajan, appearing for Union of India, opposed the plea on maintainability grounds and stated that the vires of an act cannot be challenged in the PIL. The petitioner Harshit Goel, sought a judicial review of Sections 2(1)(a) (iii), 2(1) (b), 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 of the Act, and prayed for appropriate direction to declare the aforesaid provisions of the Act as unconstitutional and void. The new act replaces the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920. The Act earlier allowed the collection of finger and footprint impressions and photographs of a limited category of convicted and non-convicted persons. The newly introduced Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act allows Police to collect finger impressions, palm prints impressions, footprint impressions, photographs, iris and retina scans, and physical and biological samples. It also permits the authorities to collect behavioural attributes, including signatures, handwriting or any other examination referred under Section 53 or Section 53A of CrPC. The plea moved through Advocates Yashwant Singh, Harshit Anand, Aman Naqvi submitted that the Fundamental Right to Life and Personal Liberty under the Article 21 provides a shield to protect 'bodily integrity and dignity', and such protection extends to prisoners, undertrials, arrested persons, detainees in the course of investigation and persons in protection homes. Forcing an individual to part with his 'measurements' under the provisions of the Act violates the standard of 'substantive due process' which is required for restraining personal liberty. The plea submitted that Sections 3 and 5 of the Act, in flagrant violation of the law laid down by the Supreme Court, allows excessive, coercive and arbitrary intrusion into the dignity of a convict as well as of an individual who may be called in for simple questioning, or who is involved in the pettiest of offences. These provisions constitute a clear attack on 'personal liberty' and clearly fall foul of Article 21 of the Constitution and are thus liable to be struck down. The plea further submitted that Section 8 of the Act suffers from the vice of excessive delegation since the legislature has clearly abdicated its legislative function vide this Section. Section 8 allows the Central Government and the State Governments to frame rules regarding issues that are the subject matter of legislative policy without providing any guidance or framework on rule-making to the Executive. (ANI) Speaking to ANI on Wednesday evening, the Trinamool Congress leader said, "Such kind of incidents, like the one in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, should not take place. Strict action should be taken against the culprits." "All religions should be treated equally and there should be secularism. There should be brotherhood, peace and development everywhere," TMC MP said. Earlier, an altercation between two groups erupted during a religious procession in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on April 16 that left several people injured. On April 19, Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled North MCD scheduled an "encroachment removal action programme", wherein illegal construction in the Jahangirpuri area was to be removed. Later, the Supreme Court on Wednesday had asked the registry to communicate the status quo order to North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor, North DMC Commissioner and Delhi Police commissioner and halted the demolition drive. (ANI) Informing about the resignation State BJP President Madan Kaushik told ANI, "The resignation of MLA Kailash Gehtodi has also been accepted. Chief Minister will now contest from this seat." In the recently held assembly elections in February, Dhami lost the Khatima constituency seat to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri from Khatima by a margin of 6,579 votes in the state polls. However he was given a second term as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Assembly elections were held in Uttarakhand on February 14 to elect 70 members of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. The results were declared on March 10. The BJP had come back to power with majority for the second consecutive term in Uttarakhand with a two-thirds majority in the 70-member Assembly. The party won 47 seats and got a vote share of 44.33 per cent, a drop of nearly two per cent from the previous 2017 Assembly elections. (ANI) A group of Congress leaders, including general secretary Ajay Maken, on Thursday, reached Delhi's Jahangirpuri to meet the families affected by yesterday's demolition drive in the area. The delegation will submit a report to the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi, said a member of the 16-member group. "We have come to Jahangirpuri to meet the victims. Police have been cooperative. We have come here to tell the people that this should not be seen from the prism of religion," Maken told media persons. Congress leader Imran Pratapgarhi, a delegation member, said, "We will meet the affected families. Later, we will submit a report to Sonia Gandhi." Former Congress MLA Hari Shankar Gupta, who arrived at the site before the delegation, said that permission for meeting the people was sought from the police. "We do not want to disturb the peace here but only meet the affected families," he added. Condemning the demolition drive carried out by Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled North Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Gupta said, "They (the civic body) did not obey the Supreme Court's orders. They shouldn't have dared to carry on with the demolition drive in contempt of the apex court. In the coming days, this can set a dangerous precedent." The 16-member group of Congress includes Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhry and AICC in-charge of Delhi Shakti Sinh Gohil among others. Ajay Maken on Wednesday apologized for not being able to reach the area while the demolition drive was going on. "Jahangirpuri demolition without notice/procedure is entirely illegal... Tomorrow morning, along with other senior leaders, I will visit the site. Sorry for not being there today," said Maken in a tweet yesterday. The visit of the Congress delegation comes after Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member Brinda Karat visited the demolition site on Wednesday and called the BJP-ruled civic body's demolition drive unconstitutional. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi also visited Jahangirpuri on Wednesday and termed it a "targetted drive against a particular community". Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has also decided to send a fact-finding team to the national capital on Friday, as per party sources. Violence broke out between two communities in Jahanagirpuri on April 16 during a Hanuman Jayanti procession. The incident left nine people injured, including eight police personnel and a civilian. Following the incident, the BJP ruled North MCD had scheduled an "encroachment removal action drive against the illegal construction in the Jahangirpuri area". After the demolition drive started on Wednesday, Supreme Court ordered a "status-quo". The demolition drive was criticized by Opposition leaders, including Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi, Asaduddin Owaisi, Delhi Environment Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai, Brinda Karat among others. (ANI) In order to enhance trade and passenger travel between India-Bangladesh, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued a notification thereby adding 'New Jalpaiguri-Railway Check Post' in the district of Jalpaiguri of West Bengal. Presently there are three railway check posts-Chitpur, Gede, and Haridaspur at the India-Bangladesh border which is managed by the Bureau of Immigration. The notification mentions that the 'New Jalpaiguri Railway Check Post' in the district of Jalpaiguri of West Bengal is an authorized Immigration Check Post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers. It further mentions that Central Government hereby appoints Chief Immigration Officer, Bureau of Immigration, New Jalpaiguri Railway Check Post as the "Civil Authority" for the purpose of said Order for the Immigration Check Post located at New Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri District of West Bengal State with effect from April 20, 2022. On April 11, in a high-level meeting, MHA had given nod to resume the India-Bangladesh train services after a series of meetings. Thereafter, other stakeholders like the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Railways, Bureau of Immigration and security heads were asked to start preparations to resume the India-Bangladesh train service and issues related to security, health infrastructure and Railways preparations to be completed at the earliest. The transit points- Chitpur, Gede and Haridaspur, have got the requisite clearance from MHA to resume operation, but the newly added transit point New Jalpaiguri was in the process and now it has been done, said a senior MHA official to ANI on anonymity. A senior official said that there were long-pending demands for the reopening of train travel between India and Bangladesh that were suspended due to COVID-19. It will boost trade and passenger movement across the border, the official said. He added that now train operations will resume soon. In 2021, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh, a new passenger train 'Mitali Express' connecting Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri on the Indian side was inaugurated jointly by Modi and PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. This is the third passenger train after Maitree Express (Dhaka-Kolkata) and Bandhan Express (Khulna-Kolkata) running between the two neighbouring countries. The train service on all routes was suspended after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. It was to be operational when normalcy is restored. (ANI) The woman in distress was being taken to a health facility in a makeshift cot by some of her family members as roads in the region had been damaged by Naxals making it difficult for ambulances to operate. The District Reserve Guard force personnel were conducting an anti-Naxal operation near Burgum region when they saw the pregnant woman who needed immediate hospitalisation, said Dantewada Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Tiwari. They swung quickly into action and converted the cot into a stretcher and carried the woman on their shoulders for a couple of kilometres to their patrol vehicle which then took her to the Palnar Health Center. The woman later gave birth to a healthy baby boy, informed SP Tiwari. "Ambulances can't reach their village because Maoists have dug up the road at many places," he said. A video of the timely help provided to the pregnant woman has been widely shared on social media. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P said that in the last four decades, the banned and illegal Naxal organizations have been continuously making efforts to deprive the people of basic facilities like roads, bridges, electricity supply, and healthcare. He also said that continuous efforts are being made to thwart these nefarious efforts. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday lauded the role of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the occasion of the 13 Raising day program at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi and said the agency achieved international fame in investigating terrorism-related cases in a shorter span of 13 Years. "Whenever there are anti-terror operations, some human rights groups raise the issue of human rights but I always consider that terrorism is the biggest cause of human rights violations. It's imperative to eradicate terrorism from its roots to safeguard human rights," Shah said. The Central government is adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism and working to root out the menace from India, Shah said adding that NIA's actions against terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir greatly helped in curbing terrorism there. Speaking on NIA Raising Day, the Union Minister said that NIA is not only handling the important area of internal security of the country with great promptness since its formation, it has also filed 400 cases while chargesheet was filed in 349 cases along with a conviction rate of 93.25 per cent. "We have strengthened the agency through amendment of NIA act in 2019 and given it the right to probe cases of infiltration, Cybercrime and explosives also," he added. Union Minister appreciated the role of the NIA and said that all the anti-terrorism agencies of the country are becoming a source of inspiration. The period of 13 years is like a baby stage for any organization, he said, adding "I can say that NIA has successfully built its reputation in a short span of time and has also done a good job of building its image among agencies across the world". "Besides mandate to probe cases of infiltration, explosive substances and cybercrime, NIA now also has the power to designate terrorists also and till now 36 persons have been declared as terrorists," Shah said. The minister said that the NIA has tracked down many people in terror funding in the years 2021-22, who used to be ground workers in Jammu and Kashmir. It played an important role in destroying the terror sleeper cells. "As many as 105 cases related to terror funding have been registered by NIA, chargesheets have also been filed against 94 accused while 796 have also been arrested and out of which 100 have been convicted," Shah said. (ANI) The Court posted the matter to April 26. While hearing the case today, the Crime Branch submitted more evidence to the court. The probe team alleged that he had destroyed evidence and influenced the witnesses. Dileep was granted bail in 2017 by the Kerala High Court. While granting the bail, the court made it clear that the probe team can approach the court seeking cancellation of the bail if he violates the bail conditions. The actress, who worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was allegedly abducted and molested inside her car by a group of men, who had forced their way into the vehicle on the night of February 17, 2017. (ANI) According to Mumbai Police, the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch registered an extortion case against a woman and started the investigation. Earlier in March, the accused woman had lodged a rape complaint against Munde at Oshiwara police station however she withdrew the case later, the police said. After withdrawing the case, a woman used to call Munde for money. The NCP leader had given Rs 3 lakh to the accused but even after that she kept asking for more money, police added. A further investigation is underway. (ANI) After two days of talks with the top brass of Congress, poll strategist Prashant Kishor is likely to join the main Opposition party in the next few days while the party leaders are stated to be still examining about 600 slides presented by him for strengthening the organisation, sources said. Kishor will hold talks from tomorrow with the interim president of Congress Sonia Gandhi while her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi along with the national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also likely to take part in the deliberations on the issue of the joining of the poll strategist. He may join Congress in the next three to four days, sources close to the election strategist told ANI. Talks on joining Congress are only between Gandhis and Kishor, they said. "The committee formed by Congress chief has no link or say in the joining of Kishor. The party leaders have just seen a part of the presentation. A 600-slide presentation has been submitted by Kishor to Congress. No one has so far seen the complete presentation," sources said. Kishor met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence on April 18. He had met Sonia Gandhi on April 16 as well. By evaluating Kishor's proposal, Congress is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, national general secretary KC Venugopal had said that Kishor had given a detailed presentation with a road map for the 2024 general elections. Answering queries, he said the role of Kishor in the Congress party will be known within a week. Sources had previously told ANI that Kishor, in his presentation, suggested that Congress should fight alone in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, and it should form alliances in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra to which Rahul Gandhi has agreed. Kishor is learnt to have said that Congress should focus on 370 Lok Sabha constituencies for the 2024 general elections. These meetings are also taking place in the backdrop of Congress' poll preparations for Gujarat and Himachal Assembly elections this year. After the recent poll debacle in five states, Congress is seeking to restart negotiations with Kishor. The results of five Assembly polls came as a shock to Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country. (ANI) Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday launched an attack on the opposition leaders who blamed the BJP-led government after bulldozers rolled into Jahangirpuri for a demolition saying that leaders should understand that "the issue is not about bulldozer rolled for demolition but is to stop the rebellion and the rebels." After bulldozers rolled into Jahangirpuri for a demolition drive by North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on Wednesday morning, the political mercury has been increasing. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and other leaders have been constantly attacking BJP led government after bulldozers rolled into Jahangirpuri for a demolition. Earlier on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi sneered at BJP's move to start an encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri and said that the bulldozers must be used to end hatred among people. "This is demolition of India's constitutional values. This is state-sponsored targeting of the poor and minorities. BJP must bulldoze the hatred in their hearts instead," tweeted Gandhi. Responding to the opposition, Union Minister said, "Whether it's Rahul Gandhi or all political creatures, they should understand that the issue is not a bulldozer rolled for demolition, but is to stop the rebellion and the rebels." Naqvi counter-attacked on the opposition and said, "They (opposition) are trying to create confusion. Some people became used to creating confusion in the name of secularism and communism and to create an atmosphere of fear. I will advise them that 'Provoking should not be a priority but Peace should be." He further said that "They are trying to make a communal shield in this and sending a message to the whole world that the minority is unsafe here in the country. This is being done under a very well-planned conspiracy." While responding to TMC sending a fact-finding committee from West Bengal for information on the Jahangirpuri violence case, Naqvi said that it would have been better if the team goes to Birbhum where the massacre is happening instead of sending the team here. (ANI) A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant said it would hear the matter on April 26. The apex court on January 31 had granted protection to Majithia from arrest till February 23 in view of the February 20 assembly polls to contest as a SAD candidate from the Amritsar East assembly constituency. He had surrendered after the expiry of the protection period. Majithia - a former minister in the state - termed the cases as being politically motivated, contending they had already been investigated by high-ranking police officers. On March 20, in his first orders to Punjab Police after assuming charge, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reconstituted the four members Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the drug case against Majithia. The previous SIT was a three-member team. The SIT was formed to probe allegations against Majithia based on an FIR lodged under various sections of the NDPS Act on December 20, 2021. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an event on Civil Services Day, urged civil servants to self-introspect whether they are contributing to speeding up the progress of India. "Every civil service servant needs to ask a question. Are we contributing to speeding up the progress of India? Leadership is not just a political role, every civil servant needs to lead India to newer heights," PM Modi said on the occasion of Civil Services Day at an event in Delhi. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2021 on Civil Services Day. Speaking at the event, he said, "Our country was not made by any government or dynasty but through 'Jan Bhagidari (people's participation)' and 'Jan Tapasya (people's sacrifices)' by each and every generation.""This nation was built by every citizen who integrated new thoughts and ways in the system. The nation was built by all those who followed the path of innovation with the mantra of 'Nation First'," he said The Prime Minister highlighted that in just three months this year, India has created 14 unicorn startups. "This is a major achievement for the nation that comes when we recognise the startups," he said. Further speaking at the event, the Prime Minister said, "Accounting for every moment towards a mission to achieve something will bring you joy." "Life is about challenging yourself at every juncture of life. The computer operators and Sitarist, both use their fingers for a living but slowly the computer operator loses the will to experiment, but the Sitarist is still full of life and vigour even after 80 years," he said. The Prime Minister pointed out that there were so many laws that were nothing but a burden to people. "This is why I decided to not create new laws. First, I would eradicate these useless laws. This is why we removed 1500 such laws," he said. PM Modi mentioned that governance reforms should be civil servants' goal. "You should always think of ways to make the lives of the citizens easier," he said. The Prime Minister urged all to avoid using products made of plastic. "When we expect the nation to eradicate single-use plastic, aren't we also responsible to proactively try and avoid products made from them. We are tangled in bigger things that we tend to forget that it is the little things that matter. Whenever any officer comes to me with their wedding card, though the card is beautifully crafted, it is often covered with thin plastic. Can we not reduce this single-use plastic," he said. On the occasion of Civil Services Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today. (ANI) Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) welcomed the move of the authorities to carry out anti-encroachment drives in the national capital by saying that it will prevent 'Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohangiyas' from becoming a threat to the national security. VHP Joint General Secretary Surendra Kumar Jain welcomed the 'bulldozer action' against illegal construction and said, "Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohangiyas have become a big threat to national security in different parts of Delhi." Speaking to ANI today, Jain said, "We welcome the action taken by the government against illegal construction in the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi. This action should be expanded. There are hundreds of places inside Delhi where Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas have become a big challenge for the law and order situation thereby threatening national security. Authorities concerned need to take strict action against the culprits." "As soon as the action started against illegal construction, as it was feared, all the so-called secular brigades including Muslim leaders, came out on the streets in their support," Jain told ANI. VHP leader Jain further told ANI, "Action has been taken against all religions in Jahangirpuri against illegal construction, yet why are all the so-called secular brigades protesting including Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and reached the Supreme Court against the action of the bulldozer." Jain further verbally hit out at the Opposition leaders by saying that these people respect neither the judiciary nor the constitution. "I want to tell them that you all, that they will never succeed in their efforts and the entire secular brigade should understand that now, this kind of politics is not going to be successful for long." Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that the status quo shall be maintained for another two weeks on the demolition drive carried out by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area. A Bench, comprising of Justice L Nageshwar Rao and Justice BR Gavai, also issued notice to North DMC and others, asking them to file a reply on the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind's petition against the drive carried out in Jahangirpuri. Extending the interim relief for another two weeks, the top court also clarified that it will take a serious view on the demolition drive which was carried out even after the information was given to the Mayor of maintaining a status quo by the apex court on Thursday, April 20. (ANI) Amid the rumours of his joining Congress, poll strategist Prashant Kishor will hold talks with party interim president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, said sources. "Poll strategist Prashant Kishor will hold talks with Congress tomorrow, April 22 in regard to his joining. A presentation of 600 slides is prepared by Kishor. No one has seen the complete presentation," Sources close to Kishor told ANI. Kishor will hold talks with the interim president of Congress Sonia Gandhi tomorrow while Rahul Gandhi along with the national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are also likely to take part in the deliberations on the issue of the joining of the poll strategist. Talks on joining Congress are only between Gandhis and Kishor. He may join Congress in the next three to four days, sources said. Kishor met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence on April 18. He had met Sonia Gandhi on April 16 as well. By evaluating Kishor's proposal, Congress is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, national general secretary KC Venugopal had said that Kishor had given a detailed presentation with a road map for the 2024 general elections. Answering queries, he said the role of Kishor in the Congress party will be known within a week. Sources had previously told ANI that Kishor, in his presentation, suggested that Congress should fight alone in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, and it should form alliances in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra to which Rahul Gandhi has agreed. Kishor is learnt to have said that Congress should focus on 370 Lok Sabha constituencies for the 2024 general elections. These meetings are also taking place in the backdrop of Congress' poll preparations for Gujarat and Himachal Assembly elections this year. After the recent poll debacle in five states, Congress is seeking to restart negotiations with Kishor. The results of five Assembly polls came as a shock to Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country. (ANI) More than 3.5 lakh people participated in the Ayushman Bharat block-level health melas organised in 484 blocks on Wednesday, while over 71,000 Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) health IDs were created and 17,000 Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) golden cards issued, in addition to the thousands of screenings conducted for hypertension and diabetes. Yesterday was the third day of the health melas. On the second day 3.57 lakh people participated while on day one more than 3.5 lakh people took part in the melas. "On the third day of the Health Mela, more than 4 lakh people participated and around 484 blocks organized Health Melas across the country. Further, more than 71,000 ABHA Health IDs were created and 17,000 PMJAY Golden Cards issued in addition to thousands of screenings being done for Hypertension, diabetes etc," the ministry said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with states and union territories is celebrating the 4th Anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav from April 16 to April 22. From April 18 to April 22, block-level health melas at more than one lakh AB-HWCs in at least one block in each district of the State and UT are being organised across the country. According to Health Ministry, each block-level Health Mela would be for one day and each block in the State/UT will be covered. A record 3 lakh teleconsultations through the e-Sanjeevani platform were done in a day at Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) on April 16, 2022. "This has been the highest number of teleconsultations ever done at AB-HWCs on a single day, surpassing its earlier record of 1.8 lakh teleconsultations per day," it added while adding that on April 19, 2022, more than 25,000 teleconsultations were done throughout the country. Union Health Minister, Health Minister of States and UTs, MPs, MLAs, senior officials of the Union Health Ministry, Principal Health secretaries and Health Secretaries of States and UTs, senior officials of the State Health Department, representatives and local dignitaries are also visiting the AB-HWCs and creating awareness among the public reading the importance of AB-HWCs in providing affordable and accessible Health care. Translating the intent of the National Health Policy 2017 to achieve Universal Health Coverage into budgetary commitment, the Central Government announced the establishment of 1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat- Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) in February 2018. AB-HWCs are a major shift from selective to comprehensive primary health care inclusive of promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care; from disease-centred to wellness centred; and whole-of-society approach, institutionalizing intersectoral coordination in alignment with the emergent international 'Health in All' approach as a complement to 'Health for All'. (ANI) Grasim Industries Limited's first chlor-alkali manufacturing site is all set to operate in Balabhadrapuram village of Biccavolu Mandal in East Godavari district. It is the flagship company of the global conglomerate Aditya Birla Group. He lauded the Birla group's commitment for hiring the locals. "It is indeed a momentous day for Andhra Pradesh. I welcome Birla group's chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla of setting up the project with an investment of Rs. 2,700 crore in 3 phases and agreeing to employ 75 per cent locals," said Reddy. The Chief Minister also informed that the said unit would provide direct employment to 1,300 and indirect employment to 1,150 people which will contribute to the overall development of the area as well as this district. During the event, the CM addressed the grievances of the local people about the project. "Earlier the local people were agitating regarding the pollution from the project. The previous government failed to address the issues. Our government gave permissions to the project after removing the coal-based captive power plant, thereby removing the dust pollution," informed Reddy. The CM also explained the measures taken to tackle the pollution by incorporating the latest German technology. "Ultra-pure brine purification method has been incorporated to make the project environmentally safer. In addition to this, we have also insisted on zero liquid discharge so that groundwater contamination is avoided. Electrostatic precipitator with wet scrubbing and dry filtration is also implemented to reduce the pollution effect which releases exhaust gases," he concluded. (ANI) Jharkhand Bharatiya Janata Party president and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash on Thursday blamed the Hemant Soren government for the "pro-Pakistan slogans" raised when Md Shakir Hussian was enroute to filing nomination for contesting the elections for the Mukhiya from Dokodih panchayat in Giridih, and said that the appeasement politics is responsible for the incident. Notably, a video went viral in which pro-Pakistan slogans were raised during a nomination filing for the Panchayat election under the Gandey police station area on Wednesday. Mukhiya candidate Md Shakir's supporters were sloganeering in his support near the block office gate where the pro-Pakistan slogans were raised. Giridih police registered a case under relevant sections and arrested Shakir and two of his supporters. Speaking to ANI, Deepak Prakash said, "In recent times, especially in the last two years, since Hemant Soren's government has come to power, there has been a continuous gathering of anti-national forces at many places in the state. The politics of appeasement is responsible. It is getting an encouragement that's why they are openly raising anti-national and pro-Pakistan slogans in the Panchayat election of the state." The BJP state chief alleged that the Hemant Soren government failed to take action against such anti-national forces. "Even before this incident, many anti-national forces were active in Jharkhand and the state government failed to control it. It is clear that the incident has happened in the Gandey police station area of Giridih of Jharkhand," the BJP chief said. The persons who allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans were arrested after much pressure was put by the BJP on the government. "The state government should have taken quick action on the Giridih incident. The government acted under the pressure of BJP. It was due to our pressure that the FIR was registered and the people raising slogans were arrested," he said. However, the BJP leader demanded the arrest of the "mastermind" behind the incident. "The arrest and filing of the FIR into the matter is fine but I believe that the mastermind behind the incident is still far away from police and I demand that police should arrest immediately those anti-national who provoke people to raise such slogans," Prakash said. A total of 10 persons were named in the FIR in connection with the viral video. Further investigation is underway, said Giridih SDPO Anil Kumar Singh. (ANI) Earlier, the North MCD had launched an "encroachment removal action program" after violence erupted during a religious procession on April 16 in the area wherein illegal construction in the Jahangirpuri area was to be removed on Wednesday and Thursday. Later, the Supreme Court ordered to maintain a "status-quo" on the demolition drive. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that duty sense and time sense are very important for government employees. "They should get people's work done within a time frame with efficiency. The vested interests would try to upset the system, but they should be resisted with efficiency and honesty," said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said. The Chief Minister was speaking at a function to celebrate State Government Employees' Day. Karnataka government employees are acknowledged as the most efficient workers in the country. "It is our responsibility to continue the tradition. We should be clear about our responsibility. Then only we could do justice to our post and duty," Bommai said. Government employees should use their power to serve the people and it should not be used for personal gains. You should stick to rules and work for the cause of the poor, Bommai said. Exhorting the workers to work for the welfare of the poor, the Chief Minister said, "We should think about the man at the bottom of the social order. Our services should reach the last man in the line. The Administrative Reforms Commission-2 has submitted its interim report to reduce the number of layers in the decision-making process. We will take all possible measures to reform the administration," Bommai said. In the post-globalisation, liberalisation, and privatisation era, we have to change the style of our functioning according to the demands of the change. You should be able to adopt modern technology so the decision making could be faster. Technology should be used to speed up the administration from Gram Panchayat to Vidhana Soudha, Bommai said. He asked the government employees to accomplish their work within the time frame to avoid people from going around the offices, and to eliminate corruption. Government employees are drawing their salary from the sweat money of the common man paying the taxes. You should work in a manner that is worthy of the sweat of the common man. The state government has declared DA hikes two times a year within a week after the announcement by the Union government. Action would be taken to constitute the Pay Commission, Bommai said. The state government would go hard against corruption in the administration. There would be no compromise in fighting against corruption. There is a proposal to honour the efficient and honest workers at the district and taluk levels. Let us resolve to build a New India from New Karnataka, he said. (ANI) Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her attention to the "pathetic and miserable condition" of the Muslim minority in the state. "I wish to draw your kind attention to the very pathetic and miserable condition of the Muslim minority in West Bengal. Every year programmes and policies are framed for the welfare of minorities but their social and economic condition has not improved at all," Chowdhury wrote to Chief Minister Banerjee. The Congress leader said his parliamentary constituency Berhampore in Murshidabad district constitutes 70 percent of the Muslim population. He said Murshidabad is still categorized as an aspirational district. "It clearly means that development has not taken place in this district. The Government of West Bengal has completely failed in looking after the welfare of the minorities in the state otherwise district like Murshidabad would not have been an aspirational district till date." Chowdhury alleged that the Aligarh Muslim University satellite campus project at Murshidabad could not move well due to the lack of support from the State Government. As a result, the Muslim minority is deprived of huge jobs and educational opportunities in this district. He said a sizeable population of the Muslim minorities of the Murshidabad migrated to different parts of the country in search of jobs. "Today, West Bengal has become an exporter of skilled Muslim workers to the rest of the country. In spite of your government being in power in West Bengal for more than a decade, the minorities are still marginalized, backward and neglected sections of the society. They are educationally, socially and economically still very very backward. Given the sorry state of affairs of the minorities in West Bengal, I would request to give special attention to the welfare and development of minorities," urged the Congress MP. (ANI) In retaliation to former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's recent statement, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday clarified that he has "no soft corner" towards JD(S). Bommai's statement came as a reaction to the former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's recent statement. Earlier, Kumaraswamy said that his party would fight both Congress and BJP and that he does not have a soft corner for BJP. "JD(S) is a political party just like BJP. They are in politics just like us. It is not correct to say that we have a soft corner towards JD(S), "Bommai added. Reacting to the call he received from HD Deve Gowda, he said, "Deve Gowda is our senior. He called me and asked when I would be returning to Bengaluru. He wanted me to call him on my return to Bengaluru," Bommai said. (ANI) The Mauritius Prime Minister is on an eight-day visit to India to strengthen bilateral ties. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar in the presence of the Mauritius Prime Minister and Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO). PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister after the inauguration of the Global Ayush Summit and discussed the ongoing development partnership and cooperation in defence. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that PM Modi and the Mauritius Prime Minister reviewed the progress of the Metro Express Project and the proposal for an AYUSH Centre of Excellence in Mauritius. Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Secretary to the Cabinet of Mauritius NK Ballah in New Delhi and said the bilateral cooperation between the two countries was "progressing from strength to strength". Earlier in January, PM Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth had jointly inaugurated the India-assisted social housing units project in Mauritius virtually. They also launched the Civil Service College and 8 MW Solar PV Farm project in Mauritius that is being undertaken under India's development support. (ANI) The protest was staged against the SilverLine project in kazhakkottam where the officials had arrived to lay stones. The clash between the officials and the Congress workers soon aggravated when the police officials took charge and pushed back the protestors from Congress. The semi high-speed rail project, which is known as the SilverLine Project, aims to connect Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south minimizing a twelve-hour long distance to four hours. It was started by the Pinarayi Vijayan government during its second term. The current government has started laying survey stones for the project across the state and the locals had been protesting against the project including the Congress and BJP citing feasibility reasons. (ANI) As per the police sources, they were involved in the conspiracy. "These four workers, along with six others, carried out the murder of the RSS worker. The accused were said to be keeping a guard and were covering the spot by keeping an eye on people around the location of the murder" informed a police source. Reportedly, the arrested have been identified as Bilal, Rizwan, Sathar, and Riyaz khan. Six more accused in the case have been absconding, informed police sources. The identity and affiliation of Sreenivasan had been established a day after his murder. He had been murdered a day after a Popular Front of India (PFI) leader, Subair, was hacked to death in front of his father in Kerala's Palakkad district. (ANI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Senior Leader and Rajya Sabha Member Raghav Chadha was honoured as a Young Global Leader for 2022 by the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, said a press release on Thursday. The Forum of Young Global Leaders Community is aligned with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Forum encourages leaders across borders and sectors to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future, added the press release. WEF described the members of the list as "the world's most promising 109 Young Global Leaders under the age of 40, involved in activities from green energy and health equity to refugee rights and education reform". The list also features the likes of Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov. On the occasion, Chadha said, "I am honoured and humbled to have been selected as a World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader for the year 2022. This is not an award for past success, but a recognition of the potential that 'Kejriwal School of Politics' has to reshape the political landscape and bring about public service and nation-building in its truest sense." The Young Global Leaders felicitation is an acknowledgement of his immense talent. In the words of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he is an honest, dedicated, patriotic and stylish leader. After the announcement of the award, Kejriwal congratulated him on Twitter. In reply to the CM's wishes, Chadha said, "Thank you, Sir. It is because of your transformational leadership that millions of youngsters like myself started believing that honest politics is possible. I will forever be grateful to you for your constant mentorship." (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that two persons including a gunman of Congress MLA MY Patil have been arrested in connection with the irregularities in the appointment of police sub-inspectors in the state. Speaking to the media, Bommai said, "Rudra Gowda and Ayyali Desai, the gunman of Afzalpur MLA MY Patil, have been arrested in connection with the irregularities in PSI recruitment test. The probe would go to the bottom of the irregularities." "Arrangements were made on the lines of the UPSC recruitment test. Irregularities had been perpetrated despite the tight security and transparent system. We want to put an end to this," he added. The Chief Minister further informed that he has instructed the CID to speedy and transparent investigation. "Officials were instructed to conduct a thorough preliminary investigation immediately after getting the complaint about irregularities. The case was handed over to CID when differences were noticed in answer scripts. Instructions have been issued for speedy and transparent investigation without wasting the time. Heads of educational institutions in Kalaburagi have been questioned. The head of Jnanajyothi School is absconding. The search is on to nab him. Ayyali Desai, gunman of Congress MLA MY Patil and Rudra Gowda have been arrested," the Chief Minister said. The candidates who passed the exam too would be questioned and a thorough investigation would be conducted, Bommai said. Reacting to the demand from opposition parties for a Court supervised probe or CBI probe, Bommai said, "a decision on the further course would be taken after getting the interim report of the probe." (ANI) Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) on Wednesday demanded immediate cancellation of the FIR registered against Congress leader Alka Lamba and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and poet Kumar Vishwas, stating that it has only been registered to settle the personal agenda as they have been critical of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In a letter to Punjab Police DGP VK Bhawra, Senior Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said, "We on behalf of the people of Punjab in general and the Congress party in particular request you to immediately order the cancellation of FIR against senior Congress leader Alka Lamba and renowned poet of the country Dr Kumar Vishwas." "The content of the FIR, based on the complaint of someone whose identity is still not known to anyone, makes it obvious that it has only been registered to settle a personal score with these people as they have been critical of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal," the letter reads. Bajwa said that Punjab Police have no jurisdiction to register an FIR because on which the FIR is based, were allegedly made in Delhi against a person who is also based in Delhi. "Holding such a senior and responsible position you are well aware that the alleged statements, on which the FIR is based, were allegedly made in Delhi against a person who is also based in Delhi. While no criminal offence is made from the purported statements, even if these did, the Ropar/Punjab Police have no jurisdiction to register an FIR," he said. The Congress leader further said that this is not just a misuse of power and authority, but total abuse of power. "Needless to add, this FIR will not stand any legal security with the likelihood of the concerned police officers getting censured for their action aimed at pleasing their political bosses remotely based in Delhi," he added. "We are here to demand the cancellation of the FIR and action against the officers who went into overdrive to register an FIR where there could be none," the letter further reads. The Congress party believes in democratic and constitutional principles and will not let at any cost Punjab getting turned into a Police State and will not let the voice of people being gagged. "We will adopt all legal and constitutional means to get this unlawful FIR cancelled. We hope you are able to see the reason and order immediate cancellation of the FIR," he added. The Punjab Police summoned Congress leader Alka Lamba to appear before the special investigation team at Sadar Rupnagar police station on April 26 in connection with her alleged derogatory statement against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ahead of Punjab Assembly polls. Punjab Police on Wednesday filed an FIR against Kumar Vishwas in Rupnagar town for 'inflammatory statements' against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in the run-up to the February 20 state assembly elections. Vishwas, who was a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party had alleged that Kejriwal had connections with separatists in Punjab, and those having sympathy with separatists used to come to his house for meetings during the last assembly polls. (ANI) The Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India's iconic Aluminium producer, has welcomed seven transgender professionals into its workforce. The company became the first in Chhattisgarh to induct LGBTQIA+ employees, when it hired four transgender employees for operating forklifts at its Cast House in March this year. Recently, BALCO inducted three more transgender employees, this time in its security function. With a strong resolve to foster a culture of diversity and inclusivity at the workplace, BALCO has become one of the few manufacturing companies in India to open its doors to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. A milestone in BALCO's journey of diversity and inclusivity, the induction of transgender employees was preceded by gender-sensitization workshops for the entire workforce of the company, with respect to their social and psychological challenges, proper code of conduct and ways of working to build a cohesive and encouraging environment for all. Apart from this, the company has also carried out required infrastructural augmentations to ensure that the new hires feel comfortable, welcomed and have a sense of belongingness with the team. The members have been given the responsibility of working in the plant after due process of checking the eligibility criteria. Their joining has been followed by structured safety training, equal opportunity training sessions, shop floor and technical training in line with our best people practices approach. Expressing his views about the hiring of transgender employees, Abhijit Pati, CEO and Director of BALCO, said, "Vedanta prides itself on being a merit-first organization, and merit is gender-agnostic. Under the guidance of our Chairman, Anil Agarwal, BALCO is leaving no stone unturned in tapping the potential of India's human capital. We have welcomed seven transgender members into our family, in a milestone moment along our journey of making our workplace more inclusive and diverse. BALCO is committed to transforming its workplace for the good of the company, our people, and the country at large. We have bolstered our efforts towards introducing a social change by creating an environment of inclusivity, non-discrimination and equal opportunities for all." In response, some of the company's transgender hires, who are manning forklift operations, shared their personal experiences. "It has been over a month since my joining the BALCO family and I feel really great to work here. The workplace environment is extremely helpful and supportive and is playing a crucial role in the enhancement of my skillset," Bhawani Rathia, the company's transgender hires. "I am extremely thankful to BALCO management for the opportunity and for giving us a platform where we can demonstrate our potential and learn to grow further," added Aisha Vishwakarma. Roopa Kurrey believes that the company is playing a significant role in bringing people from transgender communities to the mainstream by providing them employment opportunities. Kanishka Sona has been having a wonderful learning experience. She said, "We are being given exposure to different departments in BALCO under our training module. This is not only helping us in our primary induction procedure but is also helping us to understand the larger perspective of business operations." (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday released a postage stamp and coin during celebrations of the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Red Fort and said that the country is moving forward with full devotion on the ideals of the Gurus. "In 2019, we had got the fortune to celebrate the 550th Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev ji and in 2017, 350th Parkash Purab of Guru Gobind Singh ji. I am happy that today our country is marching on the ideals of our Gurus with full devotion. On this occasion, I bow at the feet of all ten gurus. Hearty congratulations to all of you on the occasion of Prakash Parv," he said addressing the gathering. Referring to the significance of Red Fort, the Prime Minister said the dreams of the country in the 75 years since Independence have been articulated from the historical place. "This programme during the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav has special significance," he said. Red Fort is located near Gurdwara Sis Ganj, where the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in November 1675 on the order of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The Prime Minister said that the Red Fort has been witness to several key phases of history. "The Red Fort has witnessed the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and also seen the courage of the people of this country. Where we are today is because of the sacrifices of lakhs of freedom fighters," he said. "Today the country is celebrating the Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. Near the Red Fort lies the symbol of Guruji's sacrifice, Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara. The Gurudwara reminds us of the greatness of his sacrifice for the protection of our great culture," he said. (ANI) Taking to Twitter, Kang said, "Jignesh Mewani of Congress has been arrested by Assam police for tweeting against Modi. I challenge entire Congress leadership to protest in Assam against his arrest." Earlier on Wednesday night, the Assam police arrested Jignesh Mevani the MLA from Gujarat's Vadgam, reportedly over a couple of his tweets. A police team from Assam took Mevani into custody at Palanpur Circuit House in Banaskantha around 11:30 pm, as per Mevani's team. A case was lodged against Mevani under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), section 153(A) (promoting enmity between two communities), 295(A), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and sections of the IT Act. A couple of tweets on Mevani's Twitter handle are not visible on his feed with a message from displaying that the tweets have been withheld in India based on a "legal demand". "This Tweet from @jigneshmevani80 has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand," reads the message on the Vadgam MLA's Twitter. Meanwhile, in a tweet by the Gujarat Congress today, it read, "Assam Police along with Gujarat Police is reported to have detained Gujarat MLA Mr Jignesh Mevani at 11:30 pm and taken him to Assam by train on April 21 from Ahmedabad at 4 am. Treating a public servant as a criminal at night is CONDEMNABLE." Elected as an independent MLA, Mevani extended his support to the Congress party in September 2019. (ANI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday urged the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to intervene to ensure the immediate release of the 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict Davinderpal Singh Bhullar. Badal, in a letter to the AAP national convener, requested him "to apprise the Sentence Review Board (SRB) of the Delhi government about the special remission granted to Prof Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar by the union government to ensure his immediate release from prison". The SAD president said it was a matter of concern that the Delhi SRB had "rejected the proposal for Prof Bhullar's release repeatedly". "You yourself had during the recent Punjab assembly election stated that you had directed the SRB to meet and reconsider its earlier decision to block Prof Bhullar's release. The fact that the opposite occurred during the meeting of the SRB on March 3 has raised a question mark on the commitment made by you in this context," wrote Badal, according to a SAD statement here. "There is a growing demand from the community as well as Punjabis in general that Prof Bhullar, who has been incarcerated for more than 26 years, be freed on humanitarian grounds keeping in view his worsening mental and physical health. This sentiment should be respected," he said. Stating that the early release of the Sikh captive would strengthen peace and communal harmony in Punjab, Sardar Badal said that the excessive delay in this release has hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community as well as the Punjabis. Listing out the facts of the case, Sardar Badal said that the Delhi government alone stands in the way of the release of the Sikh captive. He said that the Supreme Court, was commuted the death sentence of Bhullar to life imprisonment on the ground of inordinate delay in deciding his mercy petition. Bhullar was convicted in connection with the killing of nine people and injuring 31 in the blast. He was awarded the death penalty by a designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court in August 2001, but the Supreme Court commuted his capital punishment to life sentence in 2014. (ANI) Notching up a major success, HarperCollins on Thursday announced the acquisition of "The Magicians of Mazda", the keenly anticipated new book by bestselling author, Ashwin Sanghi - Indias master storyteller with more than a million copies of his books sold in print in English and other Indian languages -- that will be published in May. The book is the seventh in the author's chart-topping "Bharat Series". "The Magicians of Mazda", an epic saga in the author's signature style of merging fact with fiction, promises to be a roller-coaster read for fans of the author and mythological thrillers. It is a testament to the author's unending spool of imagination deftly woven with deep insights and research into a fast-paced plot that travels through time and history, taking the reader along on a thrilling ride. A fleet of boats dock at the port of Sanjan in Gujarat in 720 CE. They carry eighteen thousand frightened souls fleeing the cruelty of Iran's Umayyad Caliphate. Chanting Sanskrit-like prayers, the high priest consecrates a sacred fire to thank their god, Ahura Mazda, leading them to a new home and hope. He uses a mysterious substance to spark the flame, but few know of its miraculous properties or provenance. Centuries later, Parsi scientist Jim Dastoor is abducted from his Seattle laboratory and whisked away to Tehran. The Ayatollah believes Dastoor is the key to uncovering the ancient relic known as the Athravan Star and his men will do anything to possess it, even murder. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis to the Taliban camps of Afghanistan, from the womb of an Udvada fire temple to the icy mountains of Kashmir, from the dreadful coffin cells of Tehran to the deathly calm of Diu's Tower of Silence, Dastoor and his historian wife, Linda, are sucked into a terrifying chase across vividly changing landscapes. Deftly navigating between time and geography, "The Magicians of Mazda" travels backwards, through the epochs of Islamic jihad, Macedonian revenge, Achaemenid glory, messianic birth, Aryan schism to the Vedic fount from where it began. This is Ashwin Sanghi's most gripping and provocative novel yet. "I am delighted that my 'Bharat Series' - including the previous six titles as well as my latest, 'The Magicians of Mazda' has found a new home at HarperCollins India. Ananth Padmanabhan, Udayan Mitra and Swati Daftuar are fantastic people to work with and I am grateful to them for having pulled out all the stops to get this book out to my readers in record time," Ashwin Sanghi said. Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO, HarperCollins India, said: "I am a big fan of Ashwin's writing, and we are very delighted that HarperCollins will now be the home for Ashwin's stupendous Bharat Series. Ashwin is India's foremost writer of adventure and has entertained millions of readers with his incredible storytelling and imagination, spanning time and geography. 'The Magicians of Mazda' is a roller coaster that yet again sets the bar very high." Swati Daftuar, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, said: "We are so very pleased to welcome Ashwin to HarperCollins India. With every book in the 'Bharat Series', he brings us something quite fantastic, and his latest, 'The Magicians of Mazda', is really his best yet. The careful research behind every book, the thrill and pace of a taut, beautifully crafted adventure -- all of it proves without doubt that he truly is a master storyteller." Ashwin Sanghi's six previous books in the "Bharat Series", that blend the ancient with the modern, myth with history, spirituality with science, philosophy with theology and politics with anthropology, are "The Rozabal Line", "Chanakya's Chant", "The Krishna Key", "The Sialkot Saga", "Keepers of the Kalachakra", and "The Vault of Vishnu". In addition, he has authored two New York Times bestselling crime thrillers with James Patterson, "Private India" (sold in the US as "City on Fire") and "Private Delhi" (sold in the US as "Count to Ten". He has also co-authored several non-fiction titles in the "13 Steps Series" on Luck, Wealth, Marks, Health and Parenting. He was educated at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, and St Xavier's College, Mumbai. He holds an MBA from Yale University. Sanghi has been included by Forbes India in their Celebrity 100 and by The New Indian Express in their Culture Power List. He is also a winner of several awards including the Crossword Popular Choice Award 2012, Atta Galatta Popular Choice Award 2018, WBR Iconic Achievers Award 2018, Lit-O-Fest Literature Legend Award 2018, Kalinga Popular Choice Award 2021. --IANS vm/arm ( 761 Words) 2022-04-21-20:22:11 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday promised a "corruption-free" government in Karnataka and expressed confidence that the people of the state will vote for the Aam Aadmi Party in next year's assembly polls. "Ours is an honest government, we made it in Delhi then in Punjab now we'll form government in Karnataka. Even in Karnataka, there will be a corruption-free government," Kejriwal said addressing a rally here. The Delhi Chief Minister claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given him certificate of 'imandaar CM'. "PM made the CBI raid my residence, officials entered my bedroom but they couldn't find anything, eventually, PM gave me the certificate of 'imandaar' CM," he said. Kejriwal said a corruption-free government can offer several services for free to the people. He talked about the AAP government's work in education and healthcare and concessions to people in power, water and transportation. "This is because we are an honest government," he said. "Earlier hospitals and dispensaries were in a bad state in Delhi but now we have facilities that are equal to private hospitals. Government schools across the country are in a bad shape except in Delhi. Delhi's government schools are better than private schools. The students got 99.7 per cent results. Government schools have got swimming pools and lifts, even private schools don't have such facilities. What does the 'aam aadmi' want? They just need a good education", he added. The AAP leader said four lakh students came from private schools to government schools this year and "medical treatment for 2 crore people is free in Delhi". "Earlier, there were power cuts for eight hours, now people get electricity supply for 24 hours," he said. Farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar joined AAP during the rally. Kejriwal said that the recent communal clashes across the country had "pained" him. "Recent incidents in Delhi have pained me. Riots are happening all over the country. Who is behind it? The people in the country want peace. If you want riots, vote for them. If you want schools and hospitals, vote for us." Referring to the demonstration outside CM's residence, Kejriwal said, "Some miscreants tried to barge into my house but at that time neither me nor my wife or children were there at home, only my parents were at home. However, they were welcomed to one party. All goons go to 'one' party." (ANI) Vanchit Bahujan Agadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday said that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is "working like fidayeen" after it insisted on the removal of loudspeakers from mosques in Maharashtra. Vanchit Bahujan Agadi President Prakash Ambedkar said, "MNS Party is working like fidayeen.The way, the fidayeen don't care about life and blasts, the MNS also wants to spread communal violence and riots in the state in the same way. So they have warned of reciting Hanuman Chalisa in front of Mosques across the state." Ambedkar also slammed the state government saying, "Instead of calling all parties meeting to discuss the situation of the loudspeaker, state government must take preventive measures to avoid unavoidable circumstances." Ambedkar further added, "Permission for MNS chief Raj Thackeray's rally which is scheduled on May 1 at Aurangabad must not be given. Talking about the MNS chief's Ayodhya visit, Ambedkar said, "They(MNS) are well aware that no one will support them and that's why they are planning to take workers from Mumbai to Ayodhya and planning to book special trains for them." Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief, Raj Thackeray will visit Ayodhya and pray at the upcoming Ram temple there over the next few weeks. (ANI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday morning, commencing his two-day visit to India. He started by first visiting Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram and tried his hand at spinning the 'Charkha'. The British PM was received by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Education Minister Jitu Vaghani, Protocol Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma and top officials of the Gujarat government at Ahmedabad airport. Johnson was accorded a regal welcome with dancers and musicians playing along the four-km route from the airport to a hotel in the city. Johnson started his visit to the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by visiting Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram where he spent nearly 30 minutes. He also tried his hand at spinning the 'Charkha'. He later met city based billionaire Gautam Adani. The meeting between the two took place at the headquarters of the Adani Group located in Shantigram, Ahmedabad. Johnson was accorded a traditional welcome. Many important issues including energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence technology and development in the field of human capital were discussed between Boris Johnson and Gautam Adani. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with a focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies," Adani tweeted after the visit by the British PM. Boris Johnson thereafter inaugurated a new factory set up by a leading U.K.-based group to manufacture JCB machines at the Halol plant. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel accompanied the British Prime Minister to Halol. Johnson also interacted with the workers at the plant before climbing up a 4X4 bulldozer at the newly inaugurated facility. He then visited the campus of the under-construction Gujarat Biotechnology University in Gandhinagar as the varsity is coming up in collaboration with the UK's University of Edinburgh. He was accompanied by the Gujarat chief minister and the science and technology minister. Before winding up his Gujarat visit, the British PM visited the famous Akshardham temple of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar. --IANS amc/bg ( 366 Words) 2022-04-21-21:02:05 (IANS) Researchers from the University of Queensland developed an app, to protect endangered birds that are at the stage of extinction around the world, by breaking down the language barriers between scientists. The findings of the research were published in the journal 'PLOS ONE'. The Bird Language Diversity web app will help provide a "birds-eye view", ensuring vital information is shared to improve worldwide conservation. UQ's Dr. Pablo Negret said the research team analyzed more than 10,000 bird species and found that 1587 species have 10 languages or more spoken within their distributions. "Scientific information on species can be scattered across different languages, and valuable information can go missing or get lost in translation," Dr. Negret said. "Without adequate sharing of information, this can compromise the effectiveness of conservation measures". "Take the common pochard bird for example; it is classified as vulnerable and spans 108 countries in Europe, Russia, Asia, and North Africa, where a total of 75 official languages are spoken". "The survival of the common pochard, and so many other species, depends on effective collaboration and policy agreements among people with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds." "These app reveals were threatened and migratory birds exist geographically, in relation to the language spoken in those regions," Dr. Negret said. "Simply select a language to see the number of bird species that live within that language zone, or compare the impact of that language on bird species globally. "We hope the app will incentivize researchers and conservation organizations to interact with their peers in other regions, especially if they speak different languages, and be a starting point to allow everyone to work together to protect threatened species." UQ researcher and co-author of the paper, Dr. Tatsuya Amano, said this work could extend further than bird species. "Any species, whether it's mammals, amphibians, or plants, with a range spanning multiple countries will be impacted by language barriers, as will species that migrate across different countries, such as marine species and butterflies," Dr. Amano said. "The magnitude of the impact of poor communication on such an important issue is evident, and is the reason why we're working hard to improve science communication across languages." Dr. Amano said positive steps had been taken in recent years to lower the language barrier and facilitate improved science communication, but there was still room for improvement. "The scientific community is certainly becoming better at overcoming these barriers, and many academic journals have recently changed their policies to become more language inclusive," he said. "But the issue is still largely overlooked, so we really hope our most recent work will shed more light on the importance of overcoming these barriers to better conserve life on Earth." (ANI) "I wish my dear friend Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy a speedy recovery from COVID-19," tweeted the Prime Minister. The Italian cabinet of ministers on Monday informed that Draghi had tested positive for coronavirus, following which he scrapped his trip to Africa, reported Sputnik. "Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio and Minister for Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani will be representing the government on trips to Angola and the Republic of the Congo on Wednesday and Thursday, April 20-21," said the statement, which added that Draghi is asymptomatic. Notably, Draghi's visit to Angola and the Congo was related to gas issues and Rome's desire to diversify its energy supply sources. Earlier, he had visited Algeria where major gas companies of both countries signed an agreement to increase supplies of natural gas to the Apennines, according to the media outlet. (ANI) A day after the dastardly targetting of schools in Afghanistan's Kabul reportedly killed over 20 people, condemnations poured in from all quarters with calls for proper investigation and justice for the deceased. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks in a tweet on Wednesday and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. "I condemn the deadly attacks on schools in Kabul and send my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Attacks against civilians & civilian infrastructure, including schools, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law," Guterres said. The UNICEF executive director, Catherine Russell in a statement said she was "horrified by the brutal attacks targeting school children today in western Kabul, Afghanistan, Tolo News reported. "UNICEF condemns this attack and appeals in the strongest terms to all parties to protect children at all times," the statement said. The US State Department in a statement offered condolences to the Afghan families and said the perpetrators must be brought to justice. "The United States joins the international community in expressing outrage at today's heinous attacks on the Mumtaz Education Center and the Abdul Rahim Shahid school in Kabul, Afghanistan. We offer sincere condolences to the families and other loved ones of those killed in these cowardly acts. The perpetrators must be brought to justice," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. "All Afghan children deserve to pursue their studies safely and without fear of violence," he added. EU special envoy Tomas Niklasson also condemned the attacks saying that the "heinous and cowardly attacks targeted educational facilities in the mostly Shia-populated areas of Kabul, killing and injuring many students. The EU calls on the de facto authorities to hold those responsible to account." Several other international bodies and countries condemned the attacks, while the Taliban regime in Afghanistan said that it is committed to bringing the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. Inamullah Samangani, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban regime said, "the Islamic Emirate is committed to punishing the perpetrators and preventing the repeat of such attacks in the future," Tolo News reported. On Tuesday, an explosion occurred at the Abdul Rahim Shahid High School in the capital's Dasht-e-Barchi district, with six people killed and dozens injured. The city's security department said later that three explosions occurred on school grounds, Sputnik News Agency reported citing local sources. Before that, another explosion occurred on the territory of the Mumtaz school, also in the western part of Kabul. Following the blasts, the Kabul department of security confirmed the death of six people and said that 11 others were injured. However, according to sources, the death toll from explosions in western Kabul has exceeded 20, reported the 1TV News broadcaster. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosions yet. (ANI) During the debates with his opponent, Macron said: "You were the first European politician, who recognized the annexation of Crimea in 2014 ... That is bad news for our country. You depend on the Russian authorities, you depend on Mr Putin," he said, according to Sputnik News Agency. As per the president, Europe and France should become a balancing force. Macron also accused Le Pen of taking a loan from a Russian bank in 2017. "I did that because no French bank wanted to give me a loan," Le Pen responded, as per Sputnik. According to Macron, the French role in the Ukrainian crisis is to prevent further escalation. "We should stick to our policy that envisages the prevention of this war's spread. The French role is also to provide support for Ukraine," Macron further said. On April 10, France held the first round of the presidential election. Macron gained 27.84 per cent of votes, Le Pen 23.15 per cent. The two politicians will face each other on April 24. Earlier, there were reports that Macron could win the second round of the presidential election with 53.5 per cent of the vote, according to an Elabe poll for French media, released on Thursday, as per Sputnik. Macron's rival, the leader of the right-wing National Rally party, Marine Le Pen is expected to receive 46.5 per cent. (ANI) New York [US], April 21 (AN): The UN Security Council on Wednesday (local time) strongly condemned Tuesday's terrorist attack on a school and an education centre in Afghanistan's Kabul. In a statement issued by the council president for the month of April, Barbara Woodward, the council members condemned "in the strongest terms" the horrendous terrorist attack against the Abdul Rahim-e Shahid High School and Mumtaz Education Center in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul, according to Xinhua News Agency. The attack, which took place during the month of Ramadan, resulted in several killed and dozens injured, including students. The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured. As per the news agency, they reaffirmed "the right to education for all Afghans and its contribution to the achievement of peace and security." They expressed grave concern about the significant implications of attacks against schools on the safety of students and their ability to enjoy their right to education, the statement said. "The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. They urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard," the statement said. (ANI) The recent arrest in Hong Kong of a journalism professor, on charges of conspiring to publish seditious material, has troubled academics and journalists alike and shows how the city authorities continue to punish dissenting voices. Allan Au, 54, a lecturer and consultant at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) journalism school was detained by city authorities on April 11. Allan was later released without charge, Voice of America (VOA) reported. Allan, whose writing touched on issues such as the national security law, has worked as a producer for TVB News. He was a Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 2006. Moreover, he also provided commentary for the Ming Pao newspaper and Stand News. Political and law expert Eric Yan-ho Lai said, "This arrest gives a disturbing message and signals a chilling effect to outspoken opinion writers as well as academics who commit themselves in public debate." "Dr. Au's research and teaching interests are censorship and self-censorship in the industry of journalism. His arrest is obviously, and sadly, an example of how the authorities censor and punish dissenting voices in the city," Yan-ho Lai told VOA. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Hong Kong authorities are determined to eradicate press freedom. "The detention of a third journalist from Stand News ... months after the media's forced shutdown shows the government's determination to put an end to press freedom in the territory," the group's East Asia bureau head, Cedric Alviani, said in a statement. RSF has said that Hong Kong's use of legal action, including the National Security Law, to punish what it deems "crimes against the state" has made journalism more dangerous. In a report titled The Great Leap Backwards of Journalism in China, published on December 7, 2021, RSF revealed the system of censorship and information control established by the Chinese regime and the global threat it poses to press freedom and democracy. Hong Kong, once a bastion of press freedom, has fallen from 18th place in 2002 to 80th place in the 2020 RSF World Press Freedom Index. The People's Republic of China, for its part, has stagnated at 177th out of 180. (ANI) Ever since the Taliban took control of Kabul in mid-August last year, the right to education, especially for girls, has been a major concern as the Islamic outfit has time and again flouted the basic human rights in Afghanistan. The Taliban have issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending their classes in schools. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision. The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union issuing a joint statement to condemn the Taliban's decision to deny Afghan girls the opportunity to go back to schools. The envoys and representatives of the European Union, US, and the European countries in a recent joint statement have also said that the international aid to Kabul will depend on Afghanistan's ability to ensure access to education for girls at all levels Although the first Taliban regime [1996-2001] remained a pariah state, the international law obligations of Afghanistan were not extinguished merely on account of that fact. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, during its 20 years of existence from 2001 onwards, was the legitimate vessel for the exercise of Afghanistan's sovereignty, assuming all attendant rights and obligations, Global Watch Analysis said in its report. Taliban's U-turn on girls' education is most disconcerting. The decision, sudden and unexpected even for the executing officials, suggests that it might have been the whims of hardliners that prevailed over any step that returns the country to normalcy, the report said. The order was not accompanied by any reasoning. There is no mention of any timeline by which schools shall once again be opened for girls, according to the report. The system does not provide for any judicial remedy against such a drastic and draconian move. All these factors taken together, it is evident that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not follow the rule of law, however conservative, Global Watch Analysis reported. Since the Taliban took control, Afghan girls are facing restrictions on travel, work, and education, besides their deteriorating safety situation in the country. (ANI) In view of "severe threat alerts", embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has been asked to address his party's Lahore rally, scheduled for Thursday, virtually. This recommendation was made by Lahore Additional Deputy Commissioner Atiyab Sultan on Wednesday in a notification addressed to PTI leaders which requests them to take timely action to "avoid any untoward incident". After the fall of his government, Imran Khan started a countrywide protest campaign. In two successive rallies in Peshawar and Karachi this month, a large number of people came out in support of Khan. His next rally, which he is slated to address in person, is scheduled to take place today at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore. "In light of severe threat alerts received from security agencies and as per latest intelligence assessment made at the district and provincial levels, it is recommended that ex-prime minister Imran Khan should address the public gathering virtually by video conference and LED display instead of making a physical appearance at Greater Iqbal Park, Lahore on 21-04-2022," Lahore Additional Deputy Commissioner Atiyab Sultan said in a notification. PTI Additional Secretary Information Hassan Khawar responded to the letter, saying that they would not be discouraged by such tactics of the government. "The government should not be worried by the PTI's campaign," Khawar was quoted as saying by Dawn. Khawar said that Imran Khan would participate in the Lahore rally and the party would continue its campaign to connect with the people. Meanwhile, Imran Khan has called upon the masses to come to Minar-e-Pakistan to attend the PTI's protest rally. Taking to social media, the ousted Prime Minister recorded a video message before the Minar-e-Pakistan rally saying, "I invite all Pakistanis to join this struggle. On Thursday, I'm going to hold the largest rally in the history of Pakistan at Minar-e-Pakistan." He added that Minar-e-Pakistan was the place where the Pakistan Resolution was passed in 1940, and the Muslims of India decided to live in an independent country called Pakistan. He urged the citizens to join their struggle for the real freedom of the country from Minar-e-Pakistan. (ANI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership. Johnson arrived in Gujarat on Thursday for the start of his two-day visit to India. The British High Commission (BHC), in a statement, said Johnson will use his visit to India to boost "our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home". The UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion in new investments and export deals today in areas from software engineering to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK, added the BHC in the statement. The investment agenda includes a new Switch Mobility electric bus R&D centre in the UK and the opening of their Asia Pacific Headquarters in Chennai, generating over 1000 jobs in the UK in India, besides investment from leading Indian manufacturer Bharat Forge and electric truck maker Tevva Motors to expand to a new site in the south-east and create 500 new jobs and Indian software company Mastek investing 79mn to create 1600 jobs over the next three years all over the UK, added the BHC in the statement. The deals also include business consultancy FirstSource opening new offices in South Wales, the Midlands and cities in the North-East and North-West, Hertfordshire-based firm Smith & Nephew agreeing for a major export deal to sell robotic surgical systems in India, and Northamptonshire business Scott Bader opening a new resins factory to supply top renewable energy companies in south-east Asia, stated the BHC. According to BHC, the British PM will also welcome OneWeb signing a historic contract for satellite launches with New Space India Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). "OneWeb is an innovative UK-based satellite communications company, which the Government has invested in to put the UK at the forefront of rapidly evolving space technologies. This agreement with India is a significant development for the company's operations," the release said. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "As I arrive in India today, I see vast possibilities for what our two great nations can achieve together. From next-generation 5G telecoms and AI to new partnerships in health research and renewable energy - the UK and India are leading the world." "Our powerhouse partnership is delivering jobs, growth and opportunities for our people, and it will only go from strength-to-strength in the coming years," he added. Johson will visit a new factory being opened by a top British firm in Gujarat, as well as a biotechnology university working in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. "The UK will confirm major new science and tech collaboration, including a Digital Health partnership and a joint investment fund for Indian deep-tech and AI start-ups, supported by the UK and Indian governments; new AI scholarships for Indian students jointly funded by the UK Government's Chevening programme and India's Adani Group; and a 6m investment from AI healthcare specialists Qure-ai to open a Centre of Excellence in the UK," the BHC statement said. As he moves on to New Delhi on Friday, the UK PM will also use this week's visit to drive progress in negotiations on the landmark UK-India free trade agreement, which is expected to help double trade and investment by 2030, stressed the BHC, adding that the negotiating teams will hold their third round of formal talks in India next week. The British High Commission said work is already progressing on cutting red tape for businesses following the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership launched by both Prime Ministers last year, and today our governments will announce new measures to make it easier to export UK-made medical devices to India. "This will support UK jobs and create opportunities for British med-tech companies like Redcar-based Micropore Technologies to sell their lifesaving products in India, an import market worth 2.4bn," stated the Commission. (ANI) In an apparent reference to the Pakistan army, the country's former information and law minister Fawad Chaudhry has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was ousted as its ties with the establishment were "strained". This comes as PTI led by Imran Khan had repeatedly blamed the US for backing the no-confidence motion that lead to his ouster. Khan along with his part has refused to accept the newly elected prime minister. "Had our [relationship] with the establishment been good, then we would have still been in the government," Fawad Chaudhry said during an interview with a private TV channel. He said the ties started deteriorating a few months back and despite trying to mend them, he could not do so, Geo News reported. This remark comes as the Pakistani Army is facing rising public scorn to the extent that the Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his influential public relations department are desperately trying to stem the tide of anger against the military. The social media campaign, spearheaded by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, has spread dissonance among the army leadership about General Bajwa's failure to protect the army's reputation, Islam Khabar reported. After the fall of his government, Imran Khan started a countrywide protest campaign. In two successive rallies in Peshawar and Karachi this month, a large number of people came out in support of Khan. His next rally on Thursday, which he is slated to address in person, is scheduled to take place today at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore. Imran Khan has called upon the masses to come to Minar-e-Pakistan to attend the PTI's protest rally. Taking to social media, the ousted Prime Minister recorded a video message before the Minar-e-Pakistan rally saying, "I invite all Pakistanis to join this struggle. On Thursday, I'm going to hold the largest rally in the history of Pakistan at Minar-e-Pakistan." He urged the citizens to join their struggle for the real freedom of the country from Minar-e-Pakistan. (ANI) "Pleased to note that more than USD 48 million of the newly announced U.S. humanitarian assistance is for Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan," the embassy said, according to Khaama Press. The embassy further added that the aid brought the total number of US support to the Afghan refugees in Pakistan to USD 262 million by 2022, Khaama Press reported. It comes as there are still three million Afghan refugees living in neighbouring Pakistan while millions are also settled in Iran. The situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. The Taliban have committed and continue to commit human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, a massive rollback of the rights of women and girls, censorship of and attacks against the media. Moreover, people in Afghanistan are also facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis which is being driven by decisions and positions taken by the international community, especially the US, that have blocked Afghanistan from aid funding and access to the global financial system. (ANI) Johnson, who landed in Ahmedabad on Thursday, visited Sabarmati Ashram. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupesh Patel. Writing a message in the visitor's book at the Ashram, Johnson said, "It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better." Johnson landed in Gujarat earlier today for his two-day India visit. He was accorded a grand welcome at the airport in Ahmedabad. Johnson, during his two-day visit to India, will focus on stepping up cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, giving momentum to negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries as well as enhancing defence ties. Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership. The British High Commission (BHC), in a statement, said Johnson will use his visit to India to boost "our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home". (ANI) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Wednesday said that the Solomon Islands should not let itself be treated as a pawn after its signing of a security agreement with China. China and Solomon Islands on Tuesday signed a framework agreement on security cooperation that neighbours of the South Pacific archipelago fear could open the door to a Chinese naval base in the country. The security pact has caused fears that China will use the archipelago, which lies 2,000 kilometers from Australia, as a base for its military expansion plans in the Pacific region, Taiwan News reported. It further reported that the "Framework Agreement on Security Cooperation" allows China to send public security, People's Armed Police, and military units to assist with maintaining order, while Navy vessels can dock at the Solomon Islands' harbours for supply purposes. Officials from the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand on Tuesday (local time) expressed concerns about a proposed security framework between the Solomon Islands and China and its "serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific." This statement was issued after the high-level US officials convened a meeting in Honolulu with senior officials from Australia, Japan, and New Zealand on developments in the Pacific Islands on April 18. "We will do this in ever-closer partnership with Pacific Island nations, including through a united Pacific Islands Forum, and together with like-minded countries, within and beyond the region, including in Europe," the White House statement read. "Officials from the four countries represented also shared concerns about a proposed security framework between the Solomon Islands and the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its serious risks to a free and open Indo-Pacific," it added. The meeting was part of regular and extensive US consultations with allies and partners on the Indo-Pacific and is part of the announced senior administration travel this week to Hawaii, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. (ANI) Beijing [China], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The entire world is sailing on the same ship with a common future, and it is unacceptable to try to throw any country overboard, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a video message for the Asian Economic Forum, which is being held in Boao on the Chinese island of Hainan. "All the countries of the world are sailing on one big ship with a common destiny. If they want to cross the furious waves and continue their way to a brighter future, they must act in the same direction. It is unacceptable to try to throw anyone into the sea," China Central Television quoted Xi as saying. He also voiced the need to abandon the policy of double standards. Xi pointed out that it is necessary to adhere to the peaceful resolution of disagreements and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, and support all efforts to promote peaceful settlement of crises. The Asian Economic Forum, which is informally called "Eastern Davos", opened on Wednesday. This year's forum will last until April 22. Representatives of authorities, business, academia and media from different countries are expected to discuss the post-COVID pandemic development agenda of Asia and the entire world. The forum is held in a face-to-face format using online technologies. (ANI/Sputnik) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day visit to India, met Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Thursday. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies," Adani tweeted. Johnson landed in Gujarat earlier today for his two-day India visit. He was accorded a grand welcome at the airport in Ahmedabad. During his visit, Johnson visited Sabarmati Ashram. 'Guide to London', one of the first few books written by Mahatma Gandhi which never got published will also be gifted to UK Prime Minister by Sabarmati Ashram. 'The Spirit's Pilgrimage', the autobiography of Madeleine Slade or Mirabehn who became Mahatma Gandhi's disciple will be gifted to Boris Johnson by Sabarmati Ashram. Johnson's two-day visit to India will focus on stepping up cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, giving momentum to negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries as well as enhancing defence ties. Johnson started his visit from Ahmedabad where he is scheduled to meet with leading business group leaders and discuss the UK and India's thriving commercial, trade, and people's links. This is the first time a UK Prime Minister is in Gujarat, India's fifth-largest state and the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK. Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership. The British High Commission (BHC), in a statement, said Johnson will use his visit to India to boost "our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home".The UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion in new investments and export deals today in areas from software engineering to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK, added the BHC in the statement. (ANI) "The blast took place in Qambar square of Police District 5 in Kabul city," TOLOnews tweeted, quoting the Ministry of Interior. The two children were wounded due to the improvised explosive device (IED) blast, local media said. In an explosion that took place back in March, at least four children had lost their lives in a rocket explosion in Kandahar province's Sha Walikot district. Post the re-rise of the Taliban, the war-ravaged nation has only witnessed rockets and missiles. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI) "Energy is a matter of critical importance. We must plan ahead and stay prepared, and be self-reliant in ensuring energy security," Li said in a statement published on the state council's official website after a meeting held on Wednesday. Li said that China is set to increase coal production by 300 million tonnes in 2022, as well as launch new energy projects. "We must fully unleash the production capacity of quality coal. Government departments across the country should provide full support," Li said. The senior Chinese official added that the country is planning to renovate coal-powered plants in order to reduce carbon emissions harming the environment and transform over 220 million kilowatts of coal-fired power in 2022. This latest announcement runs contrary to promises made by Chinese President Xi Jinping to reduce carbon emissions. Last fall, several Chinese provinces faced disruptions in power and heating supply, amid coal deficit and surging prices of natural gas, Sputnik News agency reported. This put a challenge to China's commitment to start reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the use of coal, and boost the green economy. Last April, the Chinese President confirmed the country's plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Xi also vowed that China would strictly control the growth of coal consumption during the 14th five-year-plan - from 2021 to 2025 - and gradually reduce it during the 15th five-year-plan until 2030. (ANI) Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently stated that the transformation of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA) into a full-fledged international organization is a priority goal of the country's presidency in the organization. Tokayev made this announcement during a meeting with the Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat Kairat Sarybay on April 14, The Astana Times reported citing Akorda Press. The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. Tokayev proposed transforming CICA into a full-fledged international organization during the meeting with the delegations participating in the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Nur-Sultan in October 2021. Meanwhile, Sarybay spoke about the preparation for the sixth CICA Summit which will be held on October 12-13 in the Kazakh capital. He noted the important results of the meeting of the Senior Officials Committee held on March 30. According to The Astana Times, the member states supported the proposals voiced during Kazakhstan's Chairmanship in CICA and discussed prospects for a gradual process of transformation at the sixth CICA Summit. Sarybai reported on the planned events, including the fifth meeting of the CICA Business Council, the Business Forum and the meeting of the CICA Youth Council and the implementation of projects to mark the 30th anniversary of the CICA. The CICA Business Council and Business Forum will be held as part of the Astana Financial Days scheduled for June. Prior to this meeting, CICA Executive Director also met with Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi, reported the organization's press service. The sides exchanged views on the priorities of Kazakhstan's Chairmanship in CICA and the progress of the implementation of confidence-building measures. They confirmed their intention "to work closely to promote the initiatives of Kazakhstan's Chairmanship across the CICA's security agenda as well as to increase the visibility of CICA in the international arena," according to the release. CICA is a multi-national forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. It has 27 member states including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt and India. The CICA's establishment was proposed by Kazakhstan's First President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 1992. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this important initiative for a consolidated platform of security dialogue in Asia. (ANI) This second consignment of COVID vaccines was jointly handed over to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Health of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul by Suchitra Durai, Indan Ambassador, Allan McKinnon, the Australian envoy, Nashida Kazuya, Japan's Ambassador and James Wayman, the Charge d'Affaires of US, according to an official statement. The Quad grouping of countries -India, US, Australia and Japan- have provided almost four and a half million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Thailand. These countries have also provided aid in terms of funds, and last-mile delivery support ensuring that vaccines are translating into vaccinations. India also extended its support to Thailand to help the country fight the war against the pandemic by supplying medicines and oxygen concentrators, read the official statement. Thailand expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the Quad countries for the vaccines, while the latter has assured to lend all the possible support to Thailand to fight against the pandemic. (ANI) Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund held a meeting with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office as the number of beggars is rising in Kabul. Akhund urged the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and ICRC to investigate the cause of the rising number of beggars in Kabul and find appropriate solutions to address the issue, reported Tolo News. According to residents in Kabul, there can hardly be seen any roads which are devoid of beggars, reported Tolo News. Breadwinners of a family are struggling to meet a day's end and are forced to resort to begging. "I have seven children. My mother-in-law and father-in-law are living with me. We have no breadwinner and my sister-in-law also lives with us. She is disabled," said Sadia, a 50-year-old woman as reported by Tolo News. "The cabinet of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in its 31st session ordered various agencies to address the problem of poverty and unemployment, especially the increase in begging in Kabul. They were asked to present a comprehensive plan and implement it as soon as possible," cited a Taliban spokesperson. The ongoing economic crisis in Kabul has caused abject poverty in the region. As per analysts, the primary reason for the rise in poverty is due to political changes. Moreover, following the Taliban regime in the country, many private businesses have stopped operating as well impacting the country even more. (ANI) Various political parties staged a protest on Wednesday in several parts of Pakistan's Balochistan province against the killing of a truck driver in Chagai as well as injuries to those who had taken to the streets against the incident, local media reported. Workers of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal), National Party (NP) and Baloch Students Organisation-Pajjar (BSO-Pajjar) staged a joint protest outside the Dalbandin Press Club, demanding justice for the recently killed truck driver, Dawn newspaper reported. The NP staged a similar protest in Nokkundi and Nushki while BNP-Mengal workers held similar rallies in Kharan and Nushki. BNP-M Nushki district president Haji Bahadur Khan Mengal and Kharan district's Nadeem Siapad called upon the authorities to lodge an FIR against those officials who opened fire on protesters in Nokkundi and Chagai towns, reported Dawn. Meanwhile, National Party (NP) member Sardar Rafiq Sher and others urged the authorities to open the borders with Iran and Afghanistan for trade as there was no other major source of income for the people in the Chagai district. Earlier, on April 18, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) boycotted the National Assembly proceedings over the killings of civilians by security forces in their province. "On April 16, a heart-wrenching incident happened at Chagai when the security forces opened fire on unarmed and oppressed Baloch people in which six persons were martyred and many others injured. As usual, the past attitude has not been abandoned. Today (Monday) again, the peaceful innocent Baloch protesters were fired upon resulting in more killings," leader of BNP-M Agha Hasan Baloch said in the House, reported Dawn. Pakistani forces allegedly had forced several drivers from the ethnic minority areas of Balochistan to abandon their vehicles and march through the desert to their homes in the Chagai district near the border with Afghanistan, local media reported. The BNP-M member regretted that the Baloch people had been the victim of extrajudicial killings since 1947 and this was happening even today. In the absence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from the house, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif responded to the protesting BNP-M lawmakers, stating that the Balochistan issue had been there since the 1960s. He admitted that excesses had been committed with the people of Balochistan and agreements with them were violated, according to Dawn. (ANI) For over USD 20 billion tender for manufacturing 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) the Indian Air Force (IAF) would prefer to take the 'Buy Global Make in India' route over the strategic partnership policy model to produce the planes within the country. 'Buy Global Make in India' is a category of procurement process provided in the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 under Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to smoothen the acquisition of foreign weapon systems and their production within the country under the 'Make in India' in the defence programme. Along with the indigenous LCA Tejas and the 5th Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project, the 114 MRFA project would also be required by the IAF to maintain an edge over both the Northern and Western adversaries. We would prefer to go in for the Buy Global Make in India route which is preferred by the vendors also who are expected to take part in the programme, government sources told ANI. Three American aircraft including the F-18, F-15 and F-21 (modified version of the F-16), Russian Mig-35 and Su-35 along with the French Rafale, Swedish Saab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft are expected to participate in the programme. The Indian Air Force had also sought the views of these companies on the acquisition procedure that they would like to opt for in the programme and most of them have shown a preference for the Buy Global Make in India route only, they said. The sources said that the force has also sought directions from the government on the project and when it can move the project for clearance from the Defence Ministry for further action. Sources said the two squadrons of the Rafale combat aircraft were fully functional with 35 aircraft which have already arrived from France and only one plane is left for delivery. Sources said the IAF would certainly require a capability that is being provided by Rafale and more planes would be required as the two squadrons had only met the emergency requirements of the force. The sources said that the two Rafale squadrons played a major role in containing the situation after the Chinese started aggression in the Northern sector in Ladakh and were operationalised within few weeks of their arrival and induction into the IAF. The sources said the 83 LCA Mark 1A would help the IAF replace the MiG-series planes as the MiG-23 and the miG-27 have already been phased out and the MiG-21s are also on the verge of being phased out. The 5th generation AMCA is expected to be rolled out soon by the Defence Research and Development Organisation but its induction and trials are expected to take at least five to seven years from now. (ANI) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday said that both the countries (India and UK) should deepen the security and defence partnership. The British PM made the remarks while visiting the new JCB factory at Halol GIDC Panchmahal where he was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupesh Patel. Referring to the security and defence partnership between the two countries, Johnson said, "There's the opportunity for us to deepen our security and defence partnership. As you know, the UK is making an Indo-Pacific tilt in our integrated review of our national defence and security strategy." "That's the right thing to do given the huge portion of the world economy and the growth of the world economy that can be found in this area. And India & UK both share anxieties about autocracies around the world, we're both democracies and we want to stick together," he added. Johnson, who landed in Ahmedabad on Thursday, visited the new JCB Tractor Factory at Halol GIDC Panchmahal. UK Prime Minister said that India is investing billions of pounds in their country with which India became the second-largest investor in the UK. He further said, "That investment is going to drive 11,000 jobs in the UK. We also hope to complete another Free trade agreement with India." Referring to the UK and India's excessive dependence upon the 'Hydrocarbon', Johnson said that they were talking about building a partnership on hydrogen, electric vehicle and other natural sources of energy so that the cost of energy can be reduced. He also raised the Ukraine issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "India strongly condemns the atrocities of Russia against Bucha." He further said that he is ready to take any step but has to wait until the investigation is completed. Johnson landed in Gujarat earlier today for his two-day India visit. He was accorded a grand welcome at the airport in Ahmedabad. He firstly visited Sabarmati Ashram and was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupesh Patel. 'Guide to London', one of the first few books written by Mahatma Gandhi which never got published will also be gifted to UK Prime Minister by Sabarmati Ashram. UK PM then net Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with a focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies," Adani tweeted. Johnson started his visit from Ahmedabad where he is scheduled to meet with leading business group leaders and discuss the UK and India's thriving commercial, trade, and people's links.This is the first time a UK Prime Minister is in Gujarat, India's fifth-largest state and the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK. Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership. (ANI) Calling the kind of politics practised by US congresswoman Ilhan Omar 'narrow-minded', the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday condemned her visit to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as violative of India's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The remarks came during an MEA briefing by spokesperson Arindam Bagchi where he was answering a question on the US representative's visit to Pakistan. "We have noted that she (Ilhan Omar) has visited a part of the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, that is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan," Bagchi said. "Let me just say that if such a politician wishes to practice a narrow-minded politics at home, that's her business, but violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes this ours and we think the visit is condemnable," the MEA spokesperson added. Ilhan Omar has been on a visit to Pakistan since early Wednesday and has met former Prime Minister Imran Khan among other engagements as well as visited a part of PoK. The 37-year-old Omar belongs to the Democrats and represents the State of Minnesota in Congress. She is one of the two Muslim women elected to the US Congress in 2018. Born in Somalia, she and her family fled the country's civil war when she was eight. The family spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the United States in the 1990s. In 1997, she moved to Minneapolis with her family. During the MEA briefing, the spokesperson also condemned the recent school attacks in Afghanistan's Kabul saying that "As regards Afghanistan, we have seen some of the terrorist attacks, we have always been forthright in our condemnation of terrorist attacks." "We haven't issued a formal statement yet. We are looking at what exactly have been the developments there, but let me emphasize that we have certainly condemned all terrorist attacks, particularly in Afghanistan and I think we reiterate that stand," the MEA spokesperson said. (ANI) "Qari Obaidullah Abedi, a spokesman for the Kunduz police command, said that in the blast in the Sardawar area of Kunduz at least four people have died and 18 were injured," TOLOnews tweeted. Three separate blasts took place on Thursday, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province, and a third in Kunduz province. The first blast occurred in the Kabul's police district 5 (PD5) and two children were slightly wounded, TOLOnews reported citing Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior. The second blast hit the mosque of Seh Dokan in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province while the third blast took place in Kunduz city of Kunduz province. According to the initial figures presented by Ghousuddin Anwari, head of the Abu Ali Sina-e-Balkhi District Hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, 5 people were killed and 65 have been injured in that blast. The number of casualties is high in Mazar-e-Sharif, according to TOLOnews citing an eyewitness. So far no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. (ANI) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday praised Switch Mobility, an electric bus and light commercial vehicle company, and its investment in the UK and India during his trade visit to India. As part of his visit to Delhi and Gujarat, Johnson took the opportunity to highlight Switch as an example of a business strengthening bilateral trade between the countries. As per an official statement, UK and Indian businesses confirmed more than 1 billion pounds in new investments, with Switch confirming its plans to invest 300 million pounds across the UK and India to develop its range of electric buses and light commercial vehicles. With the company expecting to create over 4,000 skilled jobs in the UK and India as part of the investment, Johnson's visit also coincided with the launch of the company's new 12m electric bus for India and the announcement of a new technical centre in the UK. Reacting to Johnson's remarks, Chairman of Switch Mobility Dheeraj Hinduja said, "We are delighted that the Prime Minister has commended the investment Switch is making to become a leader in electric transportation as an example of the benefits of UK-India collaboration. Since forming Switch Mobility over a year ago, we have seen the pace of change to electric vehicles for public and commercial transportation increase significantly. With a strong order bank of nearly 600 buses and ambitious investment plans already in place, we believe we are well placed to capitalise on this growth. The new 12m bus has been designed specifically taking into account the requirements of the Indian market and delivering a range of up to 300 kms." As part of the company's investment into the UK, Switch's new Technical Centre will be the focal point of its Global Research and Development team. Creating over 130 skilled jobs and led by Chief Technology Officer, Roger Blakey, the Centre will focus on the development of Switch's next-generation vehicles and is expected to open in June 2022, said the statement. (ANI) Hong Kong pro-democracy activist "Fast Beat" Tam Tak Chi has been jailed for 40 months and a fine of HK$5,000 for using seditious words and disorderly conduct in a public place. The 50-year-old activist faced 14 charges, including seven counts under the colonial-era sedition law. The charges are implied due to conspiracy to utter seditious words, holding or convening an unauthorised assembly, incitement to knowingly take part in an unauthorised assembly, and refusing to obey an order given by an authorised officer. He was accused by the prosecution of making baseless accusations against the Hong Kong police, and insulting them by describing them as "damned black cops", Hong kong Media reported. In his verdict delivered last month, Chan ruled that there was no difference between words targeting the Communist Party, the central government, or the Hong Kong government. The DJ and former vice-chair of People Power has been held in custody since he was arrested in September 2020. Tam's sentencing, initially scheduled for March 31, was delayed after the Judiciary adjourned all court proceedings between March 7 and April 11 owing to the city's fifth wave of Covid-19. "We all know the constitutional status of the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese constitution. Even after deleting the words concerning the Communist Party, I think that the defendant still has seditious intentions aiming to undermine the SAR government," Chan said. As per the reports by Hongkong Free Press, Chan said that the court had to take into consideration the "social and political reality" of Hong Kong, including the "unprecedented series of violent events" in 2019, stating it as a reason for his sentence. While the defence said in mitigation that Tam had a "genuine ideology," and cited his background in theology, Chan read out parts of the activist's speeches cited by the prosecution and said that he "could not see where it included his so-called ideology." Chan said that the activist's words sounded like "the boundless abuse of an uncouth 50-year-old." The judge also said he had to take into account the time that the offence took place, as four of the seven sedition charges happened after the implementation of the national security law." The Chinese Communist Party's heavy hand has extended beyond its borders to intimidate, threaten, and cajole those who criticise its human rights record and its repression in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong. "The defendant's multiple grandstanding saying that [he had to] beat the pro-establishment camp, and even to hit individual legislative councillors, there is only one purpose without a doubt, that is to enter the Legislative Council, enter Hong Kong's administrative structure, and 'enjoy' the income, power, and social status is given to him using government funds." When announcing the sentences for each of the 11 charges, Chan said he could not see any actual mitigating reasons. Tam is among the 47 pro-democracy figures awaiting trial under the national security law over their roles in a primary election for the 2020 Legislative Council election, which was later postponed. Tam's ex-DJ partner, former lawmaker Raymond Chan, was among those sitting in the public gallery. People stood up and waved at Tam as he stepped into the dock, and the activist waved back. Tam's total jail term came to 40 months after Chan ruled that some sentences were to be served consecutively, including the two years for incitement to take part in an unauthorised assembly, 12 of the 21 months for uttering seditious words, three out of the 18 months for holding an unauthorised assembly, and the one month for disorderly conduct in a public place. After the court session ended, Tam shouted: "Mum, take care of yourself, you will have to live longer to wait for me." Before giving his reasoning, Chan said that he would ask the prosecution to prepare cam recorders facing the public gallery in case there was any disorderly conduct. Tam became the first person to stand trial under the colonial-era sedition law after the handover. The legislation, last amended in the 1970s when Hong Kong was still under British colonial rule, is different from the Beijing-imposed national security law. The sedition law, which falls under the Crimes Ordinance, criminalises incitement to violence, disaffection and other offences against the administration, whereas the national security law, enacted in June 2020, outlaws subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, which were broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure, reported Hongkong Free Press. The enactment of the national security law gave police sweeping new powers, alarming Democrats, civil society groups and trade partners, as such laws have been used broadly to silence and punish dissidents in China. However, the authorities say it has restored stability and peace to the city. Senior China researcher for NGO Human Rights Watch's Maya Wang, post-Tam's sentencing said that the sentence showed "the dizzying speed at which Hong Kong's freedoms are being eroded." "Tam's harsh sentence exemplifies the dizzying speed at which Hong Kong's freedoms are being eroded. Once known as Asia's protest capital, Hong Kong is now sentencing people to years in prison simply for shouting slogans", she stated further. Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rules the nation with an iron fist and continues to systematically undermine the rights and freedoms of the people. (ANI) The Sikh diaspora across the world praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his scheduled address to the nation from the historic Red Fort in Delhi on Thursday to mark the 401st anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, PM Modi had said, "At 9:15 PM tomorrow, 21st April, l will have the honour of taking part in the 400th Parkash Purab celebrations of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. The programme will be held at the iconic Red Fort. A commemorative coin and postage stamp will also be released." Calling the address a historic moment, Gurdeep Singh Randhawa from Germany said, "The Sikhs from the world over must express their happiness that the anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was known as `Hind di Chadar' or protector of Hindu religion is being celebrated." Guru Tegh Bahadur stood up against forcible conversions by the Mughals and protected the Hindus. The Guru sacrificed his life to protect religion and human values, ideals and principles in world history. Talking about the central government's policy in Punjab, Gurdeep Singh said, "The government wants to see a peaceful and prosperous Punjab and a lot of work is being done in this direction." The celebrations on the occasion of Guru Teg Bahadur's anniversary are being organised by the Government of India in collaboration with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. During the two-day celebrities, which started on Wednesday, 'Ragis' and children from different parts of the country will participate in 'Shabad Kirtan'. There will also be a grand light and sound show depicting the life of Guru Tegh Bahadur. Apart from this, the traditional martial art of Sikhs, 'Gatka' will also be organized. (ANI) The massive fire that engulfed the Faiz Mohammad Daryani Chandio village in Mehar town exposed the loopholes in the fire management system of the area. Over 9 villagers, including children, lost their lives in the flames while 20 others were critically wounded. More than 120 houses were burnt down, and around 150 cattle perished in the fire. Villagers lost several of their personal belongings as well, stated Sindh Courier, an online news service. Although the fire went on spreading, no fire tenders came forward to help, all due to the poor rescue management. As per international rules, there's supposed to be a fire station installed in regions having a population of more than 20,000. But, as compared to the population of Karachi, there are hardly any fire tenders. Even the few existing ones lack the basic essential equipment and the fire vehicles are often found malfunctioned, reported Sindh Courier, an online news service. Similar fire accidents have also occurred in rural Sindh due to poor emergency fire services and lack of proper management. But the government has failed to tackle the situation as of yet. (ANI) The United States on Thursday authorized new military assistance worth USD 800 million for Ukraine. As per an official statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the assistance, valued at up to USD 800 million worth of arms and equipment from US Department of Defense inventories, builds on last week's USD 800 million package and is the eighth drawdown of arms, equipment, and supplies from Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. Condemning Russia's "premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified, and brutal war" on Ukraine, Blinken said that the US will continue to provide Ukraine with the arms to defend itself. "These efforts, combined with direct US humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine, support documenting evidence of Russia's war crimes against Ukraine's civilians, and continued efforts to ratchet up pressure on Putin's crumbling economy together will help weaken the Russian Government's position and further isolate them from the world until Russia ends its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine," he said. Blinken also reiterated the US support of Ukraine's defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. "This is a tragic and catastrophic war of choice entirely of Russia's making, and the United States, its allies, and partners will stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their just cause the defence of their country and their democracy. Together, we continue to support Ukraine's defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to strengthen Ukraine's position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table," he stated. Notably, Russia launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, which the West has termed an unprovoked war. As a result of this, the Western countries have also imposed several crippling sanctions on Moscow. (ANI) Dozens of worshippers were killed and injured in a blast that took place in a mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province of Afghanistan on Thursday, reported local media. Around 400 people were attending the prayers in the Si-Dukan Mosque when it was hit by a blast, reported ToloNews citing witnesses. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State (ISIS), also known as Daesh, according to a statement on the group's Telegram channel. According to Mohammad Asif Waziri, the head of the provincial department of security, the blast was due to explosives placed inside the mosque. "I can only say that the blast was due to explosives. Unfortunately, 25 people were martyred and wounded. Around 10 people were martyred, and 15 others were wounded," the media outlet quoted him as saying. However, according to sources, 31 people were killed while 87 were injured in the blast. "I was here when the attack happened. When they say (the number of casualties) is around 20 to 25, (they) lie. The first and second line of the prayers were severely hit and only the people in the third and fourth lines were safe," said Idris, one of the wounded. "It was a very horrific incident. The number of the victims was high," said a witness Mohamad Yasin, according to the media outlet. Another witness Sayed Ali said that Shia people had gathered to pray in the mosque and there was a high number of casualties in the blast. Notably, three separate blasts took place in Afghanistan on Thursday, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif, and a third in Kunduz province. The first blast occurred in the Kabul's police district 5 (PD5) and two children were slightly wounded, TOLOnews reported citing Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior. The second blast hit the mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province while the third blast took place in Kunduz city of Kunduz province. According to Qari Obaidullah Abedi, a spokesman for the Kunduz police command, the blast in Kunduz killed at least four people while 18 others were injured. (ANI) The delegation was headed by the US Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand. "Hosted a US Congressional Delegation led by @SenGillibrand. (Kirsten Gillibrand) Detailed exchange of views on Ukraine, Afghanistan, South Asia and our bilateral cooperation. Apprised them of various dimensions of India's development and progress," S Jaishankar tweeted. Meanwhile, on April 14, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met the US Congressional delegation, led by Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee Adam Smith, in New Delhi. The delegation also included Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan and Congressman Austin Scott. "Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla met US Congressional delegation led by Congressman @RepAdamSmith, Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee and consisting of Congresswoman @RepHoulahan and Congressman @AustinScott4GA," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet. Bagchi said the two sides had a fruitful discussion on all areas of bilateral cooperation. This visit comes a few days after the Fourth India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue. During the dialogue, the foreign and defence ministers of the two countries commended the significant and continuing progress in the India-US Major Defense Partnership. On the trade front, the ministers underlined the importance of strengthening the commercial and economic pillar of the India-U.S. partnership to advance economic growth and deliver mutual prosperity for both countries. They applauded the rebound in bilateral trade between the two countries over the last year, surpassing USD 113 billion in goods. (ANI) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day India tour, visited Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar. Johnson landed in Gujarat earlier today for his two-day India visit. He was accorded a grand welcome at the airport in Ahmedabad. The British PM was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, High Commissioner of UK to India, HE Alex Ellis. Earlier in the day, Johnson visited Sabarmati Ashram, where he expressed his amazement at the simple principles of truth and non-violence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi that changed the world for the better. He then met with Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with a focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies," Adani tweeted. He, later on, visited the new JCB factory at Halol GIDC Panchmahal where he expressed his views on the defence and security partnership with India. Johnson's two-day visit to India will focus on stepping up cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, giving momentum to negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries as well as enhancing defence ties. Johnson started his visit from Ahmedabad where he is scheduled to meet with leading business group leaders and discuss the UK and India's thriving commercial, trade, and people's links.This is the first time a UK Prime Minister is in Gujarat, India's fifth-largest state and the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK. Johnson will announce a slew of commercial agreements and hold bilateral discussions with a focus on the UK and India's trade, investment and technology partnership.The British High Commission (BHC), in a statement, said Johnson will use his visit to India to boost "our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home".The UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion in new investments and export deals today in areas from software engineering to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK, added the BHC in the statement. (ANI) Pakistan always makes new strategies to revive terrorism in India but ends up using its old 80s strategy. Pakistan came up with a plan to use the madrasas on both sides of the border to recruit, train and launch terrorists into India. Around thirty such madrasas are working in Pak-Occupied Kashmir (POK) districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelam Valley, Hattian Bala and Forward Kahuta. As these districts are closer to the Indian border, it becomes easier for Pakistan to send their newly trained terrorist into Kashmir, according to an article in Islam Khabar. According to the publication, about 27 madrasas belong to only the Barelvi sector (POK) and are spread across Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli. This is part of their new strategy since a large number of people in this region are Peeri-Mureedi (disciples of Sufis and saints), often witnessed in the Barelvi sect of Islam. Pakistan's intelligence service, ISI, funds these madrasas to raise a new group of terrorists and are also ideologically different from the earlier groups belonging to Deobandi groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) or Ahle-Hadit group like Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT). One element which makes the new strategy different from the 80s is to keep their different ideological groups pitted against each other but the fact is that they are dependent upon ISI for sustenance. Hence, at least four madrasas run by the Taliban and its allies are simultaneously funded. These are the old camps where the returnees from the Afghan battlefield were kept under house arrest before being sent to Kashmir in the early 90s, the article reads. A large number of terrorists sent to these madrasas in order to revive the terrorist training camps are actually returnees from the Afghanistan battlefield. They owe allegiance to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Tayebba (LeT) and other outfits run by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). These groups have long been patronised by the Pakistan Army. There are various reports that state that the influence of Jamaat-e-Islami is increasing in the POK region, especially in Bagh and Rawalakot where the intensive camps are launched to recruit the young Muslim men for becoming jihadis, reported Islam Khabar. After recruiting them, these men were put through intensive physical training like physical drills, swimming, arms training and mountain craft. These courses are designed by Directorate S of ISI, according to Islam Khabar. According to the publication, these groups' influence has increased to such an extent that Ganga Choti, a famous tourist spot of Bagh (POK) has become a jihadi campsite. The ISI also supports several other groups of terrorists in the POK region like Bagh and Rawalakot. The groups are tasked to become suicide bombers and also train others in the deadly craft, reported Islam Khabar These groups operate openly under the guise of NGOs and seminaries. These charity organisations are used to gather donations and camouflage for terror activities. By linking up the radical madrasas with the existing terrorist camp chain in PoK, Pakistan is hoping to revive the religiously driven militants in Kashmir, which is similar to their strategy when it launched a proxy war against India in Kashmir in the late 80s, according to Islam Khabar. (ANI) "The Secretary thanked Greece for its steadfast support to Ukraine, including Greece's strong sanctions enforcement and its extensive humanitarian and defensive assistance," Price said. "The two discussed additional ways to assist Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's unprovoked and brutal war." Blinken and Mitsotakis also discussed an upcoming meeting of the 3+1 mechanism to enhance energy and economic cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, Price added. On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is solely targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the civilian population is not in danger. (ANI/Sputnik) The Pakistan government may dissolve the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority citing its poor performance, local media reported. Pakistan Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives will ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the dissolution of the authority of CPEC, The Nation reported citing official sources. According to the sources, the performance of the Authority was worse ever since its inception and didn't contribute anything to the progress of CPEC. The authority for CPEC was established by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the main reason behind this idea was, "The Authority to accelerate the pace of CPEC activities, would be responsible for planning, facilitating, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating to ensure implementation of all activities related to CPEC," according to the movers of the idea. Instead of making investment easy in the country, the authority had driven the investors out of the project, as reported by The Nation citing sources. There are six proposed sections of the CPECA and they were proposed to hire six members to lead each section. The sections are Infrastructure and Communication, Energy, Industry, Agriculture, Social and many more which are the duplication of the Planning Commission. According to the sources, the Pakistan government will reactivate the CPEC Secretariat under the planning ministry to oversee the work on corridor projects after the dissolution of the authority of CPEC, reported The Nation. Under the support of the CPEC secretariat, the corridor project has achieved an investment of over USD 25 billion which was channelized. On other hand, no major investment was realized under CPECA, the source said. Sources citing the example of the ML-I project which has achieved no progress during the previous three and a half years stated that the CPECA has failed to kick start the ML-I project. The publication citing the sources said that the same thing was done to Special Economic Zone by the CPECA. It was expected that the CPEC economic zones would be completed by 2020 but the target was not achieved either, reported The Nation. Another source in the ministry claimed that even some key ministers of the PTI government including the then Planning Minister Asad Umar were not in favour of the establishment of CPECA. (ANI) Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Wednesday said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants the country to revoke the subsidies extended by the Imran Khan government by increasing fuel prices and power tariffs, to revive its Extended Fund Facility (EFF), reported local media. Noting that the fund had set a series of prior conditions involving steep fiscal adjustment close to Pakistani rupees 1.3 trillion, the finance minister said that the IMF wants fuel prices raised to breakeven and taxes restored, amnesty scheme discontinued for industries, circular debt reduced, power rates increased and fiscal savings ensured in order to completely reverse the February 28 relief package extended by the previous government, reported the Dawn newspaper. However, Ismail said that the government has not made any commitment to the IMF yet, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has advised him to pass on the minimum possible burden to the people. "We will not pass it on as suggested but something would have to be done because the IMF programme is inevitable," the media outlet quoted him as saying. Notably, the previous government had a commitment to have a primary balance of PKR 25 billion which was now in deficit at PKR 1.3 trillion. The minister stressed that the IMF's greater focus was on ending fuel subsidy, which is creating a fiscal hole while the power tariff could be delayed as it does not have a direct bearing on the budget. He also hinted at doing away with tax amnesty for industries at the outset. Ismail said that the petrol price required a hike of PKR 21 per litre for breakeven followed by PKR 30 per litre petroleum levy and 17 per cent GST that would take its price to PKR 234 per litre. "This is not possible," he said. The finance minister accused Imran Khan for a totally "ill-advised and illogical" package that was not based on the finance ministry's summary. He added that Khan approved PKR 67 billion fuel subsidy for April which had no prior approval while PKR 96 billion subsidy was now estimated each for next two months as per litre subsidy on diesel had increased to PKR 51.52. "Not only the government is paying these amounts out of the budget every month, but PKR 25-50 billion due in taxes was not coming. This, on an annual basis, translates into PKR 1.8 trillion - larger than the country's defence budget," the media outlet quoted him as saying. "What you have done Khan Sahib to this country," he added. Notably, the oil prices in Pakistan have become Hobson's choice for the government as no budgeting could possibly be done with an over PKR 150 billion subsidy on oil alone, however, raising the oil prices as per international market rates will invite a strong public reaction against the government. According to sources, the capping of oil prices, amounting to a subsidy of 150 billion Pakistani rupees per month, by the Imran Khan government towards the end of its tenure has become a major concern for the present government that sees it as a trap to sabotage the Shehbaz Sharif-led administration, reported The News International. (ANI) Washington [US], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The Defense Department has assured that all the provided US military equipment to Ukraine would arrive where it is supposed to and would be used accordingly, a senior Pentagon official said on Thursday. "I am assured, with every conversation I have that the equipment is getting to where it's needed, and being used accordingly," the official said. The official noted that the US government is not putting trackers on the provided Stinger and Javelin missiles. On Tuesday, the corporate US media reported citing sources briefed by US intelligence that the United States lacks the capability to reliably track the array of weapons it has sent to Ukraine. The Biden administration factored in the risk of providing weapons to Ukraine that may end up in the hands of militias and other groups that the United States does not want to arm. However, officials currently view a failure to adequately arm Ukraine as a greater risk, the report said. The United States relies on the Ukraine government for information about the situation in the country due to a lack of "US boots on the ground," the report said. US officials recognize they may be given hand-picked information to strengthen Ukrainian requests for aid, the report added. US officials are less concerned at the moment about the weapons falling into the hands of the Russian forces, according to the report. (ANI/Sputnik) Moscow [Russia], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Kingdom wants to improve trade relations with Iran, an aide to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday, adding that this will be possible once the Iranian nuclear deal is revived. On March 16, the UK paid back nearly 400 million pounds (about USD 521.2 million) owed to Iran for failing to deliver tanks as far back as the 1970s. Answering the question of whether this would lead to the UK normalizing economic ties with the country, the aide, who wished to remain anonymous, said that London is "seeking constructive relations" with Iran, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported. According to the media, the aide noted that improving economic ties with Iran would be possible when a new nuclear deal is signed, which will ease sanctions pressure on the republic. The previous nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was signed by Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States), Germany and the European Union in 2015. Then US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and imposed new sanctions on Tehran, thus impeding trade with the country. In April 2021, the remaining parties to the agreement, along with the US, began negotiations to restore the nuclear agreement, working in Vienna. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced a pause in the Vienna talks "due to external factors" in March 2022. (ANI/Sputnik) "The new sanctions - announced today (Thursday, April 21) by International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak - will include import bans on silver, wood products and high-end products from Russia including caviar," the department said in a statement. According to the statement, the British government has also decided to increase tariffs by 35 percentage points on Russian and Belarusian products, including diamond and rubber, worth in total around 130 million pounds sterling (USD 169.5 million). Earlier in April, the UK banned imports of iron and steel from Russia and Belarus, exports of quantum technologies, advanced materials and luxury goods, and stopped supporting export finance for the two countries. (ANI/Sputnik) Johnson, who arrived in Ahmedabad earlier today visited the new JCB factory at Halol GIDC Panchmahal where he was accompanied by Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. In the viral video, the UK PM can be seen quickly going up on a JCB machine and taking the driver's seat as he posed with the equipment which is popular for digging roads and construction work. Sharing memes about the incident on Twitter, netizens made subtle and not-so-subtle references to the ongoing political debate in India around the usage of bulldozers for the demolition of "illegal structures". Some British Twitterati too joined in, with their own political puns at the expense of their Prime Minister. A tweet said Boris Johnson "covered the history of India from 1947 to 2022, in a day". Another handle speculated on the dilemma the British PM might face getting into the crosshairs of opposing sides of the Indian political establishment. "Boris Johnson also wants to take the bulldozer to Britain," a tweet said. Twitter users also referred to "BulldozerBaba," a reference to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath. A tweet said that Johnson took "a driving trial of Bulldozer" in JCB factory". "JCB be like: jalwa hai humara yaha," a twitter user said. (ANI) hobo_018 / Getty Images If you're a dog owner -- or just a dog lover -- getting the opportunity to work among your four-legged friends might seem like an ideal situation. And, studies have shown that working with dogs can come with a variety of benefits, including increased collaboration and reduced stress. Read: How To Get Rich With a Normal Job Find Out: Target, Amazon and 4 More Retailers That Will Reward You for Turning In Your Old Stuff Since the pandemic began in 2020, many of us have become used to having our pets as coworkers. But, as some of us ramp up to go back to the office, we might be worried about leaving our pets alone for the first time in two years--both for them, and for us. Fortunately, many major businesses allow employees to bring their dogs to work. Some even offer extra perks like pet insurance and puppy parental leave. Here are 20 companies where you can spend more time with your pup. AP/REX Amazon If you work at Amazon's Seattle headquarters, chances are you'll run into at least one dog a day -- there are up to 7,000 pups on the campus at any given time. The tradition first started in the early days of Amazon.com, when a husband-and-wife team would regularly bring their Welsh corgi, Rufus, to work with them. Rufus became a true member of the Amazon team, and his memory is still honored today, with photos of him around campus and even a building named after him. Ben & Jerry's Ben & Jerry's Ben & Jerry's has a regular crew of "K9-5ers" that join their owners at work every day. "Members of the K9 crew start their day with a pup-friendly treat at the reception desk, and enjoy plenty of pets, cuddles and walks throughout the day," said the ice cream company on its website. AP/REX Bissell Bissell sells a whole line of pet products and supplies, so it makes sense that the company has a dog-friendly office. Dogs are allowed every day at its Grand Rapids, Michigan, headquarters -- which even has a dedicated "PetSpot" with kennels, treats, a dog bath, toys and an open area for dogs to play together. Story continues Build-A-Bear Build-A-Bear Workshop When there's a staff birthday at the Build-A-Bear World Bearquarters, pets receive an invitation too -- and they even get their own dog-friendly desserts as part of the celebration. Pets can work at the Build-A-Bear Workshop headquarters every day and at the Bearhouse distribution center several days a year. Janell Hughes / Clif Bar Clif Bar Clif Bar has allowed pets in the office since the company started, and there are more than a dozen dogs who come to work with their owners every day. mediaphotos / Getty Images/iStockphoto Etsy Etsy has had a dog-friendly office policy since it was founded in 2005. Now, Etsy has a hybrid schedule for most of its offices, so you'll never have to be without your pup while you work. Mariana Mikhailova / Getty Images/iStockphoto FabFitFun Working at subscription box company FabFitFun comes with a number of perks, including catered lunch twice a week, a kitchen stocked with snacks and drinks and dog-friendly offices. They also provide pet insurance for employees. hobo_018 / iStock.com Glassdoor Glassdoor's Mill Valley, California, headquarters is dog-friendly -- and comes with beautiful San Francisco Bay views. Glassdoor was also named the best place to work by North Bay Business Journal in 2015. Elaine Thompson/AP/REX Google Google's offices are dog-friendly, and there's even a dog park at the Mountain View complex called the Doogleplex. Raftermen / Kabbage Kabbage Kabbage, a company that provides loans to small businesses, prides itself on its company culture -- which includes dog-friendly offices. You might even see a pooch attending team meetings in the conference room. "You haven't truly brainstormed until you've done so with a golden retriever," said the company on its website. Photo by Adela Lee / Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Kimpton Hotels All Kimpton Hotels are pet-friendly for guests, and the policy extends to employees as well. "We've been pet-friendly since our founding in 1981 -- even our founder, Bill Kimpton, would bring his dog, Chianti, to work knowing that dogs have the innate ability to lift spirits," said the company on its website. "Today, some of Kimpton's most popular employees have a tendency to drool and lie down on the job." Many Kimpton Hotels even have their own "director of pet relations." "They eagerly greet guests in our lobbies, quality test our pet amenities and lord over the nightly wine hours," said Kimpton Hotels on its site. These honorary staff members get paid in treats and belly rubs. Kimpton loves dogs so much that one of the employee benefits for Kimpton workers is pet insurance. Rick Scuteri/AP/REX PetSmart Employees who work at PetSmart's Phoenix home office location can bring their dogs to work. The campus even has an on-site dog park, along with a "Top Dog" fitness center, a "Sit & Stay" cafe and a Halloween costume contests for children and dogs. Purina Purina Purina has allowed its employees to bring their dogs to work for over 20 years, as the company believes this policy is beneficial to both the pets and their owners. "Eighty-five percent of employees of companies with pets in the office say that pets-at-work policies are beneficial, according to a survey conducted in 2015 by Purina in conjunction with Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine," said the company on its website. "Some of these benefits include reduced blood pressure, a decrease in loneliness, lower cholesterol levels, higher employee morale, increased productivity and a boost in physical activity." ZelmaB / Getty Images/iStockphoto Salesforce Salesforce's San Francisco headquarters has a "Puppyforce" room where employees can reserve a desk for themselves and their dogs. The dog-friendly company also hosts pet adoption events with local shelters. Gypsy Picture Show / Getty Images/iStockphoto Sugarfina Sugarfina's corporate office in El Segundo, California, is dog-friendly, and the company offers other perks for pet owners too. New puppy parents get two days off for "pawternity leave," and employees can also sign up for pet insurance through the high-end candy business. Ticketmaster Ticketmaster Among Ticketmaster's employee benefits are its dog-friendly offices and the option to get pet insurance through the company. Tito's Handmade Vodka Tito's Handmade Vodka Tito's Handmade Vodka emphasizes the phrase "Take Your Dog to Work Every Day," which started with its founder. "When Tito Beveridge, founder of Tito's Handmade Vodka, started making our vodka in the Mockingbird Distillery, he didn't go a day without his best friend DogJo by his side," said the company on its website. "The idea of having your trusty companion with you every step of the way started with Tito and has continued with each member of Team Tito's." Photoboyko / Getty Images/iStockphoto Tradesy Tradesy, a marketplace for pre-owned luxury apparel, allows dogs at its Santa Monica, California, headquarters. Other employee perks include catered lunches and company happy hours. Workday Workday The enterprise resource planning platform Workday allows employees to bring their dogs to its offices in Pleasanton, California; Salt Lake City; and Victoria, British Columbia. There's even an annual "Bring Your Dog to Workday" party in the Pleasanton office. simonapilolla / Getty Images/iStockphoto Zynga The gaming company based in San Francisco is not only dog-friendly, but offers subsidized pet insurance and has a rooftop dog park. More From GOBankingRates Sam DiSalvo contributed to the reporting for this article. Photos are for illustrative purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the actual companies listed in this article. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Companies That Let You Bring Your Dog to Work Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Republican Rep. Liz Cheney are among the five recipients of this year's Profile in Courage Awards for protecting democracy in the United States and around the world. The Kennedy family and John F. Kennedy Library Foundation have been giving out the awards since 1989 to public servants who have made courageous decisions without regard to personal or professional consequences. The awards are named in honor of JFK's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1957 book, "Profiles in Courage." Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, unveiled the recipients exclusively on TODAY Thursday. In addition to Zelenskyy and Cheney, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, and Georgia Election Department worker Wandrea "Shaye" Moss are also being honored for their actions in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. "There is no more important issue facing our country and the world today than the fight for democracy. Todays honorees put their careers and lives on the line to protect democratic principles and the integrity of our elections. Their service and courage inspire us all, Caroline Kennedy, JFK's daughter and the honorary president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, said in a statement. Last years recipient was Sen. Mitt Romney, who was the only Republican to vote to convict former President Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2020. The awards are selected by a bipartisan committee of national, political and community leaders. Previous recipients include former Presidents Barack Obama, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford. Kennedy and Schlossberg will present this year's awards during a ceremony on May 22 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. Here is more on each recipient: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrinform / Future Publishing via Getty Images) The president of Ukraine has been hailed for showing courage and leadership as a voice of democracy since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February. He has been a target for assassination by Russian forces but has continued to speak on the world stage about the threat facing his country and the fight to preserve its democracy. Story continues Liz Cheney Capitol Hill (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Republican congresswoman from Wyoming has suffered professional consequences for voting to impeach former President Donald Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. She was stripped of her leadership position in the GOP caucus for condemning the false claim by Trump that the 2020 election was stolen. She also is one of two Republican members of the Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Jocelyn Benson Jocelyn Benson (John F Martin / John F. Kennedy Library Foundation) Michigan's secretary of state had armed protestors gather in front of her home in December 2020 demanding that the state's presidential election results be reversed. Despite threats and harassment, she fulfilled the duties of her office in accordance with state law and certified the vote, which favored President Joe Biden. Rusty Bowers Image: (Ross D. Franklin / AP) The Republican speaker of the Arizona House resisted pressure from Trump and Rudy Giuliani to replace Arizona's legal slate of electors following the 2020 election. He has endured threats and intimidation as well as an attempt to recall him from the legislature. He also stopped a Republican-sponsored bill in January that would have allowed the legislature to overturn the results of an election. Wandrea Shaye Moss Moss, an elections department employee in Fulton County, Georgia, had to go into hiding and change her appearance due to racist taunts and death threats after becoming the target of Trump allies looking to overturn the 2020 election. Moss helped process the vote count on Election Day and was falsely accused of processing fake ballots for Biden. Despite the threats, she continues to serve in the Fulton County Elections Office. Capitol Hill (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post via Getty Images) 2021 Annual Salute To Women In Sports Awards Gala (Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images for Women's Sports Foundation) Image: (Ross D. Franklin / AP) Address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrinform / Future Publishing via Getty Images) nnedy Library Foundation is the non-profit Oxygen Single mother Kelli Underwood survived brain tumors, divorce, and depression, but an ill-fated love triangle would be the death of her. Underwood was born and raised in Mesquite, Texas, just east of Dallas. She married young but it wouldnt last, nor would her second marriage. As a single mother of three, she struggled to balance work and family. When it came down to it she was always a very positive person. Anybody that met her said that her smile would light up a room. Thats just the type of Two people convicted in the brutal kidnapping and killing of a Rochester man in July 2019 each were sentenced Wednesday to 40 years to life in state prison. #LongSentences Two people convicted in the brutal kidnapping and killing of a Rochester man in July 2019 each were sentenced Wednesday to 40 years to life in state prison. Last month, two juries found David Gardner, 44, and Kimberly Jones, 30, guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree robbery, among other charges, in the slaying of 39-year-old Samuel Ortiz. His body was found decomposing in a garage behind a vacant city home nearly a week after he was reported missing by his family, and just days after his SUV was lit on fire in Brandon, Florida. Jones and Gardner were convicted of abducting, robbing and killing Ortiz before fleeing the state in his vehicle and with his belongings. Both were on parole at the time. #SweetSuccess A lemon pound cake-making business that grew out of boredom and through Instagram found a fan in a former local TV anchor, has joined the ranks of The Commissary, the commercial kitchen in the old Sibley Building. Brittany Jones, the women behind Mama Js Southern Lemon Pound Cakes, shared her story with D&C food and drink writer Tracy Schuhmacher. #WarmthOnTheWay Pretty cloudy and windy and icky out there today. But hang on. We should get into the mid-50s Friday, when skies will be mostly sunny. And by Sunday, which also should be sunny, we could see a high of 77! The forecast. See you Friday. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 40 years to life. Shares in Netflix have slumped by 35% after it revealed a sharp drop in subscribers and warned millions more are set to quit the streaming service. It wiped more than $50bn off the firm's market value as experts warned it faced a struggle to get back on track. Netflix faces intense competition from streaming rivals, but was also hit after it raised prices and left Russia. Yet some cast doubt on its plans to boost growth, which include bringing in a free ad-supported service. It also plans to crack down on password sharing, estimating that more than 100 million non-paying households watch the service this way. In a sign of the unease, one of America's best known investors, William Ackman, ditched his $1.1bn investment in Netflix on Wednesday, taking a loss of more than $400m. His hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management had bought the shares just three months ago. In a brief statement, Mr Ackman said that while Netflix's plans to change its business model made sense, investing in the company felt too risky. "While Netflix's business is fundamentally simple to understand, in light of recent events, we have lost confidence in our ability to predict the company's future prospects with a sufficient degree of certainty," he wrote. In a trading update on Tuesday, Netflix said its total number of subscribers had fallen by 200,000 in the first three months of 2022, falling well short of its target. netflix share graph It also said some two million more were likely to quit the service in the three months to July. Some analysts warned that, after period of turbo-charged expansion during the pandemic, the streaming giant has run out of easy ways to grow. Squeezed consumers are cutting back on streaming services to save money, while some feel there is too much content to choose from amid an avalanche of competition from rivals such as Disney and Amazon. Story continues "Netflix's wider problem, along with the rest of the sector is that consumers don't have unlimited funds, and that one or two subscriptions is usually enough," said Michael Hewson, an analyst at CMC Markets. "Once you move above that something has to give in a cost-of-living crisis, and while Netflix is still the market leader, it doesn't have the deeper pockets of Apple, Amazon or Disney, which makes it much more vulnerable to a margin squeeze." But Julian Aquilina, senior TV analyst at the media research firm Enders Analysis, said it was wrong to write the firm off. "The streaming market is maturing and the high expectations people had about Netflix are being reset. "But I think it will remain the market leader, it has such a commanding position. If people are going to ditch a subscription, Netflix won't be the first one they choose." He added that the firm had just put up its prices "which always leads to a drop in subscribers, but also means it's making more revenue per customer". Netflix remains the world's leading streaming service with more than 220 million subscribers. It is increasingly producing its own content and shows such as the Crown, Bridgerton and Squid Game have been global hits. The firm had enjoyed uninterrupted quarterly growth in subscribers since October 2011 but on Tuesday it admitted it was losing customers to rivals, while struggling to expand due to password sharing. It also said a decision to raise prices in key markets had cost it 600,000 subscribers in North America alone, while its exit from Russia over Ukraine lost it 700,000. Despite the challenges, revenue grew by $7.8bn (6bn) in the first three months of the year, up 9.8% compared with the same period last year. That marked a slowdown from earlier quarters, while profits fell more than 6% to roughly $1.6bn. Netflix's shares plunged 35% on Wednesday, and fell a further 3.5% on Thursday. A CEO who rose to prominence by raising employees salaries while slashing his own is facing misdemeanor assault charges in Seattle stemming from allegations that he attempted to force unwanted kisses on a woman, court records show. Dan Price, 37, CEO of credit-card processor Gravity Payments, was charged in February with fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, fourth-degree assault and reckless driving. Price has not yet been arraigned on the charges, which were filed in Seattle Municipal Court by the city attorneys office. Prices lawyer calls the allegations absolutely false. Dan Price, CEO and found of Gravity Payments, at a September 2019 visit to open the companys new Boise office. Price grew up in Idaho between Melba and Marsing in rural Canyon County. He co-founded Gravity Payments with his older brother, Lucas, while he was a student at Seattle Pacific University. In 2019, Price visited Boise to open a Gravity Payments office at at 110 N. 27th St. A 26-year-old woman called Seattle police on Jan. 24 and reported that she had met Price at a restaurant on Seattles Capitol Hill four days earlier. The two had previously communicated on Instagram about work, charging papers say. The woman described Price as a public figure and said she had reached out to him in December about meeting in person to discuss professional matters, say charging papers. Instead, Seattle prosecutors say Price cornered the woman in his Tesla sedan after a dinner meeting, attempted to kiss her and then grabbed her throat when she refused. Relying on the womans account, city attorneys contend Price then drove her to a North Seattle parking lot, where he proceeded to drive doughnuts with her in the car. Lawyer: Evidence contradicts womans story Prices defense attorney, Mark Middaugh, said in an email Wednesday, We have already obtained evidence that contradicts key details of the police report and raises serious doubts about the complainants credibility. Mr. Price respects the legal process and is confident that he will be vindicated in court, Middaugh wrote. Story continues The charges dont state the womans occupation. They say she is in a relationship and wasnt romantically interested in Price. Price shot into the national spotlight in 2015 when he announced he would raise Gravity Payments employee salaries to $70,000. At that time, his 120 employees were paid an average salary of $48,000 a year. Price pledged to raise pay over the next three years across all facets of the business, including the lowest-paid clerks, customer service representatives and salespeople. Price cut his own salary from nearly $1 million to $70,000, cementing a name for himself in the business world as a progressive CEO fighting for higher wages and better conditions for the average worker. In a Facebook live video, former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich called Price the one moral CEO in America, in a monologue that capitalism itself may be immoral. I felt guilty in the old situation, Price said in the 2020 interview. Im happier now. Maybe my ego took a hit, maybe my chances of getting on the Forbes list went from little to zero, but it was worth it because Im happier, Im healthier, and the people around are [as well]. Charges say Price tried to kiss her The woman told police that Price got drunk at the Jan. 20 dinner and later invited her to wait in his Tesla for her Uber to arrive because it was cold outside, according to charging papers. The woman agreed and said that as soon as she got in the car, Price tried to kiss her, the charges say. When she pushed him away, he grabbed her throat but didnt obstruct her airway. She said at that point, his demeanor changed and he became incredibly angry, and he drove away with the woman because it was taking too long for the Uber to arrive, according to charging documents. The woman reported being scared because Price was driving while intoxicated. She contacted her boyfriend, who said he would pick her up at a park-and-ride, say the charges. Once the woman and Price arrived at the park-and-ride, Price began doing doughnuts in the upper parking lot, then tried to kiss the woman again, according to the charges. She pushed him away and he grabbed her throat a second time, pulsing his hand on the sides of her neck, the charges say. The woman said she could still breathe but was terrified Price would do something further, say charging papers. The woman said Price then lay down in the back seat and her boyfriend picked her up, according to the charges. She told both her boyfriend and father about the incident, and told police she did not have any bruising on her neck. The next day, Price sent the woman a text message thanking her for meeting him the night before, but the woman did not reply, charging papers say. Charging documents dont indicate whether police collected the text message described by the woman, or if they spoke with other witnesses or Price. Our attorneys are reviewing all of the evidence and determining the path forward, said Anthony Derrick, a spokesman for the city attorneys office. He said his office does not comment on the details of ongoing litigation. Prices ex-wife said he abused her; he denied it Price started Gravity Payments in 2004 at age 19, using seed money from Lucas to build out the startup in his Seattle Pacific dorm room. He said he got the idea for Gravity Payments while playing in a rock band at a coffee shop. Gravity Payments markets itself as a credit card processing company for the little gal or guy who believes in the American dream and is willing to work to chase it, according to its website. Around the time of the 2015 salary bump announcement, Price ran into legal trouble. His brother sued him for allegedly overpaying himself later that year. A King County judge ruled in 2016 that Price had not violated his brothers rights as a minority shareholder. Allegations that Price abused his ex-wife Kristie Colon also surfaced that year. A Bloomberg report recounted an October 2015 TEDx talk given by Colon during which she described being beaten and waterboarded by her ex, without naming Price. Price told Bloomberg those events never happened. Price now takes to Twitter and Instagram, sometimes several times a day, to urge other CEOs to raise wages, make it easier for workers to take paid time off, offer more generous health care and, in some cases, get rid of meetings as a way to improve worker productivity and satisfaction. Price is scheduled to appear in Seattle Municipal Court on Friday, court records show. The Idaho Statesman contributed. Fox News called him socialist. Rush said hed fail. What $70K minimum-wage CEO says now He employs 50 Boise workers. They took pay cuts to avoid layoffs. The choice paid off Company led by Idaho native who set $70k minimum pay avoids layoffs as revenue halved No regrets for Dan Price: CEO who put $70k minimum wage in place is here to stay Deadline A local TV weatherman is feeling the heat after he described Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green in terms often used for primates. Joey Sulipeck, the chief meteorologist at Fox13 WHBQ-TV in Memphis, took to Twitter after the Memphis Grizzlies got drubbed by the Warriors on Saturday night 142-112, to complain about Memphis player Kyle [] Audio artists were particularly concerned about losing out to AI Actors' livelihoods are at risk from artificial intelligence (AI) unless the law changes, a union warns. Equity, the performing arts workers union, has launched a new campaign, "Stop AI Stealing the Show". AI can use samples of an actor's voice or face, to generate content including so-called "deep fakes". "From automated audiobooks to digital avatars, AI systems are now replacing skilled professional performers" the union says. It warns of "dystopian" consequences unless copyright law adapts. Equity highlights a number of different ways actors' voices and likenesses may be used. For example actors may work with AI firms to create systems that can generate artificial voice-overs or to help them create digital "avatars". And "synthetic" performances can be created using AI, in some cases even allowing deceased actors to appear in films. While AI-generated performances can be a useful creative tool, the union is concerned that actors may not always be able to control the use of their likeness, or their likeness may be used without consent or adequate remuneration. AI generated "deep fake" videos of celebrities have become increasingly popular online. Actor Talulah Riley who supports the campaign told the union "As a performer, it is vital that my voice and my image are my own, no matter how easily and cheaply those things can be digitally replicated. I believe that performers must be rewarded fairly for the content we create." Audio threat Where actors work with AI companies, most do not know their rights, and many are required to sign non-disclosure agreements the union says. In a survey of 430 of its members the union found that 93% of audio artists felt that AI posed a threat to their employment opportunities. One respondent to the survey told the union: "In the last six months, my voice has been used in huge marketing campaigns by global companies. I don't receive a penny, even though I believe my contract does not allow for third party advertising." Story continues Equity said: "AI's increasing capacity to clone human voices presents a substantial risk that the voice owner will either be under-compensated or not paid at all . Equity says it is particularly concerned about the development of digital voice technology for automated audiobook creation. The campaign is backed by Bev Standing who sued TikTok over the use of her voice. The Canadian voiceover artist recorded about 10,000 sentences of audio for the state-backed Chinese Institute of Acoustics research body to use in translations, in 2018. But her voice, Ms Standing alleged, was later used by TikTok in a feature which converted writing into speech, which could then be played over videos uploaded to the app, often for comedic effect. This included, Ms Standing claimed, videos where the synthetic voice repeated profanities. TikTok settled the lawsuit. Ms Standing told equity "I now only work with companies where I have control over where my voice gets licensed". Government action The union argues existing copyright law does not give performers sufficient protection, because AI "reproduces performances without generating a recording or a copy". Equity wants the government to take action to protect performers' rights and wants reform of copyright laws to "keep pace with technological development". However there may be concerns that changes to copyright law could have a negative impact on free speech or stifle innovation. The government told the BBC it wanted to ensure AI was regulated in a way that encouraged innovation "while protecting people and our fundamental values". "Our national AI strategy has a ten-year vision for seizing the opportunities of the technology and we will set out our approach to its governance in due course" a government statement said. A first of its kind agreement between the Cherokee Nation and the National Park Service will allow Cherokee citizens to gather plants along the Buffalo National River that runs through the Ozark Mountains. Dozens of plants that grow near the river have significant roles in Cherokee culture, and Cherokee people have harvested plants there since the earliest stages of their forced removal west. Today, the National Park Service manages the river and surrounding land. The agency will permit a group of Cherokee citizens to gather as many as 76 different types of traditional plants from four set areas along the river. Cherokee Nation citizens will soon be allowed to gather traditional plants that grow along the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. Cherokee Principal Chief Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed the agreement Wednesday and described it as important for what it symbolizes to tribal nations. Federal officials are beginning to acknowledge Indigenous people have been caring for lands since long before the National Park Service existed, he said. This is a good sign of where the United States is heading in terms of Indian policy, he said. Congress: Funding for clean water, mental health care for tribes at risk under COVID-19 spending bill The agreement grew out of conversations among Cherokee medicine keepers, a group of elders who carry knowledge of traditional medicines and who collaborate to pass on what they know. Many traditional Cherokee plants are hard to find and arent native to Oklahoma, said Chad Harsha, Cherokee secretary of natural resources. Buffalo National Park is remarkably botanically diverse and contains a number of plants that are important to Cherokee culture, he said. It was the natural place to work with the Park Service to help in our conservation efforts. More: Native American boy's classroom haircut prompts calls for change at Oklahoma school While the agreement has been in the works for years, it fell into place during a notable time for the Park Service. Chuck Sams became the first Native American to lead the Park Service in December. Sams is Cayuse and Walla Walla and is enrolled in the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. His boss, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, is also the first Native American to serve in her position. She belongs to the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico. Story continues Haaland has worked to restore protections for national monuments that are significant to Native cultures. The Park Service is building more relationships with tribal nations and signed agreements with seven tribes in November that will allow those tribes to take on historic preservation roles in certain national parks. Working with the National Park Service has been wonderful, because at least in this era we dont know that was always the case but at least in this era, theres great respect for Native traditions, Hoskin said. Mark Foust, who oversees the Buffalo National River for the Park Service, said in a statement that working with Cherokee Nation will lead to a better understanding of the land. This is an important step in the continuing efforts to embrace our tribal partners in the management of public lands at Buffalo National River, Foust said. The Park Service will issue an annual permit to the Cherokee Nation, which will in turn provide a list of citizens allowed to gather plants under the permit. Citizens will be able to request access through the tribes online system. Gaming: Two Oklahoma tribal nations on opposite sides in Arkansas debate Hoskin also signed an executive order Wednesday to set aside 1,000 acres of land owned by the tribe in Adair County to use as a medicine keepers preserve, mainly for plant gathering, education and other cultural activities. Hoskin said he hopes the conservation efforts will foster learning about the roles of traditional plants and the importance of preserving them. Were going to have a generation coming up that will take the reins of this government and will live in these communities, and whether they value those cultural resources or not will be in part dependent on the actions we take today, he said. Molly Young covers Indigenous affairs for the USA Today Network's Sunbelt Region. Reach her at mollyyoung@gannett.com or 405-347-3534. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Feds will allow Cherokee citizens to gather plants at national park (Reuters) - A lawyer for Alec Baldwin said on Thursday that an investigation by New Mexico has cleared his client of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting on the set of "Rust," pointing out that its report stated the actor believed his gun held only dummy rounds. New Mexico's Occupational Health and Safety Bureau on Wednesday released the findings of a six-month investigation of the shooting during the filming of the Western movie last October. It blasted Rust Movie Productions LLC for "willful" safety lapses leading to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and fined the company $137,000, the maximum amount possible. In response to the findings, Baldwin's attorneys said in a statement that his authority on the production was limited to approving script changes and creative casting and that he had no authority over matters that were subject to the investigation. "We appreciate that the report exonerates Mr. Baldwin by making clear that he believed the gun held only dummy rounds," the statement posted on Baldwin's Instagram account said. "We are pleased that the New Mexico officials have clarified these critical issues." The agency was not immediately available to comment on the statement. Hutchins was killed during a rehearsal when a revolver that Baldwin was holding fired a live round that passed through her and struck the movie's director Joel Souza in the shoulder, wounding him. The investigation found the production firm had been aware that firearm safety procedures were not being followed and demonstrated "plain indifference" to the hazards, the New Mexico Environment Department said in a statement. Rust Movie Productions spokesman Stefan Friedman said in a statement on Wednesday that the company disagreed with the findings and planned to appeal. The probe found that Rust management ignored concerns raised by crew members about firearm and pyrotechnics misfires on set. Story continues The report said Rust management failed to give staff responsible for firearms safety sufficient time to inspect ammunition received to ensure no live rounds were present. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Fe County District Attorney have ongoing criminal investigations into the death of the cinematographer. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Yesterday night, luxury fashion designer Alexander Wang held his highly anticipated fashion show titled Fortune City in the heart of Los Angeles Chinatown. Wangs Fall 2022 Fortune City collection paid homage to his Chinese American heritage by celebrating Asian history and culture. The runway began out of the K.G. Louie Co. store, its name shining in neon lights. The iconic antique shop is one of Chinatowns original stores and is located at the Old Chinatown Central Plaza. Models strutted down a red carpet and around a traditional Chinese guardian lion statue. The show marked Wang's comeback after a two-year hiatus since the designer faced a string of sexual misconduct allegations. In 2020, several individuals came forward stating that Wang had drugged and sexually assaulted them. Wang initially denied the claims in January 2021, calling them grotesquely false, but soon after took responsibility, promising to do better. "It was not easy for them to share their stories, and I regret acting in a way that caused them pain, he wrote in his March 2021 statement. While we disagree on some of the details of these personal interactions, I will set a better example and use my visibility and influence to encourage others to recognize harmful behaviors." After apologizing and reportedly meeting with several of his accusers, Wang remained largely absent from the public eye, while celebrities like Rihanna and Lucy Liu continued to model his clothes and support his brand. Yesterday nights event was further evidence of celebrities continued support for Wang, with big names both in the front-row seats and on the runway, including a pregnant Adriana Lima, who wore a cut-out piece that showed off her growing belly. Lima reunited with former Victorias Secret angels Candice Swanepoel and Alessandra Ambrosio. All three fiercely strutted the red carpeted stage in Wangs signature chic leather looks. Former angel Behati Pinsloo-Levine sat in the front row, along with K-pop icon CL and rapper Coi Leray. Other celebrities on the 800-name guest list included Kimora Lee Simmons, rapper Gunna, YouTuber Nikita Dragun and Euphoria actor Chloe Cherry. Story continues View this post on Instagram A post shared by Big Trend Setter (@coileray) Also gracing the runway was model Amelia Gray Hamlin, daughter of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna and current girlfriend of reality TV personality Scott Disick from Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Proud parents Rinna and Harry Hamlin also sat front row. Wangs Instagram post about his Chinatown show was flooded with warm messages, with fans expressing they wanted every piece from the collection. Others wrote, legendary with heart and fire emoticons. Judging from the warm reception of his new collection, Wang appears to be back in the good graces of the public, with many praising his new works. Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! 'Outsize, empty, mute Asians': 'Virtually Asian' video essay critiques portrayals of Asians in popular sci-fi 'You will have a better life if you wear impressive clothes': Ambush founder talks fashion with Bella Poarch 'A community I never knew existed': Asian American Writers' Workshop turns 30 First Super Nintendo World in the US set to open next year at Universal Studios Hollywood People wait in line to receive free COVID-19 testing on the grounds of the St. Johns County Wind Mitigation Building, 3111 Agricultural Center Drive, on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. The free COVID-19 testing site at the St. Johns County Wind Mitigation building will close permanently at 4 p.m. on Friday, according to a news release from St. Johns County government. The county cited "a lack of sufficient federal funding" as the reason for closing the site, which is run by NOMI Health. "On March 22, 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program and Coverage Assistance Fund stopped accepting claims due to a lack of sufficient funds," according to county spokeswoman Lorena Inclan. "Nomi Health opted to cover the funding for the following 30 days in hopes the program would obtain additional funds and continue, but that has not happened. This means Nomi Health can no longer cover the cost to test uninsured patients." 'Real disappointment': Biden, health officials at odds with Congress over U.S. role in funding worldwide battle against COVID Housing costs: St. Johns County median home prices continue to climb Beach help ahead: St. Johns County to receive up to $62M to restore beaches damaged in nor'easter But the county also said there is less demand for testing and more tests available elsewhere. "Since early March, daily testing numbers at the county site have been steadily declining, averaging less than 100 tests a day," according to the release. "This is a result of widespread testing availability in the private sector, the federal program that mails free COVID-19 tests to individuals, and a decrease in COVID-19 infections." People get COVID-19 tests in St. Johns County at: Avecina Medical in Fruit Cove: avecina.com/location/julington-creek All county locations of CareSpot Urgent Care: carespot.com/locations/florida/jacksonville All county locations of CVS: cvs.com/minuteclinic/clinic-locator/fl/st-augustine/coronavirus-testing.html MedOne Urgent Care in St. Augustine: medoneatsaintaugustine.com All county locations of Walgreens: walgreens.com/findcarecovidui/covid19/testing Story continues St. Johns County has millions of dollars allocated from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Inclan said, via email, but it's not clear yet whether the county will use the funds for a testing site in the future. "Funds for phase 1 and 2 (of American Rescue Plan Act spending) have already been earmarked for other needs," according to Inclan. "(It will) be up to the board to decide if any remaining ARPA money will go towards funding a COVID-19 testing site in the future." This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County's free COVID-19 testing site closing A$AP Rocky is out on bond after being arrested at the Los Angeles airport in connection with a shooting in November 2021. The 33-year-old rapper, who is having a baby with his girlfriend Rihanna, was arriving on a private plane from Barbados when he was arrested. According to multiple law enforcement sources, Rihanna was with Rocky when the arrest was made. A search warrant has also been executed at the rappers residence in Los Angeles. A$AP Rocky real name is Rakim Athelaston Mayers was taken to jail at 12.42pm local time and bail was set at $550,000 (421,291), according to the LA County Sheriffs Department. The rappers attorney Alan Jackson confirmed that his client had been arrested, and released three hours after posting bond. A$AP Rocky (2019 Invision) Rocky is the suspect in a shooting that occured on 6 November near Vista Del Mar and Selma Avenue in California at approximately 10.15 pm, according to the LAPD. In a statement, the police said the rapper allegedly fired a shot after an argument. The shooting victim told the police that Rocky, who was walking with two others, approached him with a handgun on the street. He also claimed that the musician shot at him three to four times and that he believed one of the bullets grazed his left hand, according to police reports. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office on 17 August. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - The Arab League called on Israel on Thursday to end Jewish prayers inside the compound of Islam's third holiest shrine in East Jerusalem, warning it was a flagrant affront to Muslim feelings that could trigger wider conflict. They said while Israel was restricting the right of worship of Muslims in Jerusalem's Old City, ultra-nationalist Jews under police protection were being allowed at the height of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan to enter the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. Sitting atop the walled Old City plateau, the site is known to Muslims as Haram al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, where they believe two ancient temples were located. "Our demands are clear that Al-Aqsa and Haram al Sharif in all its area is a sole place of worship for Muslims," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al Safadi told reporters alongside the Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit after an emergency meeting in Amman on the matter. Gheit said Israel was violating centuries-old policy according to which non-Muslims may visit the Al-Aqsa compound, Islam's third most sacred site after Mecca and Medina, but not pray there. Israeli leaders have said they are ensuring freedom of worship for all religions in Jerusalem. The Al-Aqsa Mosque area is the most sensitive site in the generations-old conflict. Tensions this year have been heightened in part by Ramadan coinciding with the Jewish celebration of Passover. "These violations are a blatant affront and provocation of Muslim feelings everywhere and they risk a cycle of violence that threatens security and stability in the region and the world," the Arab League said in a statement. Israel regards the whole of Jerusalem as its capital and the centre of the Jewish faith. It annexed East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, after a 1967 conflict, in a move that has not won international recognition. Story continues An upsurge of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in recent weeks has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict. Since March, Israeli forces have killed at least 29 Palestinians in West Bank raids, and a series of deadly Arab street attacks have killed 14 people in Israel. Safadi, who spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week, met senior U.S State Department officials touring the region on Wednesday to discuss reducing tensions. Safadi said he received assurances Israel would halt Jewish worshippers entry to Al-Aqsa in the last 10 days of Ramadan that starts on Friday, a move widely expected to help defuse tensions. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Alex Richardson) A fast-moving wildfire in rural Arizona nearly tripled in size Wednesday and has forced thousands to flee as the wind-driven blaze is expected to worsen. I cannot stress enough how rapidly this fire is moving, True Brown, a fire management officer with the Coconino National Forest, told reporters late Tuesday. I cannot stress how important it is to leave the fire area. The fire, since named the Tunnel Fire, burned across largely unpopulated hills and valleys approximately 14 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, according to a US Forest Service statement. It has grown from claiming 6,000 acres on Tuesday to 19,712 acres by Wednesday, a mass of scorched land that is larger than the island of Manhattan. Conditions for the fire are expected to worsen over the next couple days, the US Forest Service warned in their most recent statement, noting that its expected to be windier on Thursday and Friday with gusts reaching up to 50 mph in most of northern Arizona. At least 2,000 residents have been forced from their homes, Reuters reported, and the Coconino County Sheriffs Offices most recent estimate suggests that 25 structures have burned in the Tunnel Fire so far. A fast-moving wildfire in rural Arizona nearly tripled in size on Wednesday and has forced thousands to flee as the wind-driven blaze is expected to worsen with gusts reaching up to 50mph in the state on Thursday and up to 70mph in neighbouring New Mexico on Friday. The blaze, since named the Tunnel Fire, burned across largely unpopulated hills and valleys approximately 14 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, according to a US Forest Service statement. It has grown from claiming 6,000 acres on Tuesday to 19,712 acres by Thursday, a mass of scorched land that is larger than the island of Manhattan. Firefighters in the region have so far contained 0 per cent of the blaze and between Arizona and New Mexico, theyre currently battling to put out seven wildfires actively burning across the two states. I cannot stress enough how rapidly this fire is moving, True Brown, a fire management officer with the Coconino National Forest, told reporters late Tuesday. I cannot stress how important it is to leave the fire area. At least 2,000 residents have been forced from their homes, Reuters reported, and the Coconino County Sheriffs Offices most recent estimate suggests that 25 structures have burned in the Tunnel Fire so far. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths from the wind-driven blaze and according to the Associated Press, various organisations in the surrounding areas have stepped up to find temporary shelter for the evacuees from the approximately 765 homes that were forced to be emptied out. The Tunnel Fire began on Sunday at approximately 4:30pm local time, and the cause of the blaze remains unknown. Windy conditions and natural gas leaks continued to #challenge firefighters as the #TunnelFire grew. #stateofemergency #wildfire (: Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management via Spectee) Visit AP Video Hub / Reuters Connect / https://t.co/ZacBeDlYm8 for more videos. pic.twitter.com/HJxkbEtwYg Spectee Inc. (@SpecteeInc) April 21, 2022 So tough to imagine wrangling horses as a wildfire races toward you. This was the view near the #TunnelFire on Tuesday as the Segers evacuated. They lost their cabin but everyone, including horses, are safe. #azfire #azfamily pic.twitter.com/YEuQbNIgO0 Ian Schwartz (@SchwartzTV) April 21, 2022 Explosive #wildfire season as blaze in #Arizona reaches 20,000 acres -The area caught in more than two decades of largely unrelenting drought Why didnt we stop #climate change when we had the chance?https://t.co/D6yOyBm7Er#TunnelFire @GretaThunberg @ClimateChangeTF pic.twitter.com/OiVzXMgTbC netzfrauen (@netzfrauen) April 21, 2022 A team of 260 firefighters, three dozers, 24 engines, one air attack plane, one helicopter and additional air assets are all working to conrol the fire, the US Forest Service said. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said earlier last month that Arizonas drought was expected to continue into the spring months across the state, placing it at a higher risk for wildfires and putting additional stress on water resources and agriculture. File photo: Scott Morrison faced massive backlash over his disability reamrk on Wednesday (AP) Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has come under severe criticism for saying that he is blessed for not having any children with disabilities. When a parent asked him about funding cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme on Wednesday night, he said: Jenny and I have been blessed, we have two children who havent had to go through that. And so for parents, with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children, he added. And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. His remarks sparked an immediate backlash from Labour MPs and disability advocates. However, Mr Morrison claimed on Thursday that his words had been twisted. During a debate with Labor leader Anthony Albanese, the parent, who was identified as Catherine Yeoman, asked Mr Morrison about the funding for a disability support scheme. She said: Ive been told, to give my son the best future, I need to vote Labor. Can you please tell me what the future of the [National Disability Insurance Scheme] looks like under your government? Woke up this morning feeling very blessed to be disabled - I reckon my parents are pretty happy about it too. Feeling sorry for us and our families doesnt help. Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) April 20, 2022 The PM added that the scheme helped people live their best possible life, while adding it still had faults that needed to be addressed. Reacting sharply to his answer, Labor Senator Katy Gallagher, who has an autistic daughter, said certainly my daughter enriches my life and my partners life every day and that Mr Morrisons response was the kind of response they get all the time. She told Channel 7: I found it really offending and quite shocking. Story continues Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off pic.twitter.com/Ck41YcqAAq Grace Tame (@TamePunk) April 20, 2022 On Thursday, Mr Morrison said he did not think Ms Yeoman found his words offensive or hurtful. Catherine certainly didnt convey to me that she had taken it in that way, he said. Ms Yeoman, however, told Brisbane Times that every child is a blessing and that it was a poor choice of words. Scott Morrison announcing that he is blessed to have two non disabled children in response to a mum asking about NDIS funding for her autistic son is the peak of privilege, ableism and arrogance. Disabled children are not a condemnation. We are not burdens. c h l o e h a y d e n (@chloeshayden) April 20, 2022 ABC News reported that the prime minister apologised to Paralympian and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott after making the blessed remarks. Mr Alcott had also criticised the PM for his disability remark. Mr Alcott said: Woke up this morning feeling very blessed to be disabled I reckon my parents are pretty happy about it too. My incredible Fiancee @TamePunk is autistic and I am more than BLESSED to know her let alone be engaged to her. @ScottMorrisonMP shame on you. Max Heerey (@max_heerey) April 20, 2022 Feeling sorry for us and our families doesnt help. Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does, he added. On Thursday, Mr Morrison said that he never intended to mean that all children were not a blessing. He said: Ive had a chat with Dylan Alcott about those issues today. I dont want this comment to overshadow the intent of the original question. I am blessed to have a child with autism. She teaches me things every day. Our lives are enriched by her. #auspol #ausvotes #autism https://t.co/qU9rRZF06f Katy Gallagher (@SenKatyG) April 20, 2022 Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame had also earlier said that autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off. The PM had on Thursday tried to defend himself by saying that his remark was in good faith. This is @ellymaybarnes, she lives with disabilities related to cerebral palsy. @JimmyBarnes, myself, all of our families and friends are proud and blessed to have her in our lives. Whos more BLESSED, @ScottMorrisonMP? I dont think so #auspol #putz pic.twitter.com/lGmcSQ8KgJ Jane Barnes (@jane13barnes) April 21, 2022 But I was just simply trying to say... I havent walked in your shoes, Catherine. Im not going to pretend to say that I understand it as well as you do. Meanwhile, Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes, who has a son with autism, slammed Mr Morrisons opponents for politicising the issue and missing the point. A B-1B Lancer bomber at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, may be unsalvageable after it caught fire on the flightline Wednesday night. The jet was undergoing routine engine maintenance around 10 p.m. local time when flames erupted, according to a Thursday news release from the 7th Bomb Wing at the base. A video posted to the airman nco snco Facebook page the same day shows an aircraft engulfed in flames and captioned Dyess AFB B-1 engine blew up. The wing is looking into the recordings authenticity. Two people sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, and were treated at a nearby hospital and released, the wing said. Staff Sgt. Holly Cook, a wing spokesperson, declined to answer whether they were maintainers working on the bomber. Emergency response personnel arrived immediately and contained the scene, according to the release. Cleanup operations have begun. The incident is under investigation. We are so grateful that all members of Team Dyess involved have been treated and are now safely back at home, said 7th Bomb Wing commander Col. Joseph Kramer. Thank you to our first responders who arrived immediately on scene and executed a real-world emergency response with the same level of professionalism and proficiency as they do in training. Our B-1 fleet and warfighters remain ready to execute any long-range strike mission, he added. Air Force begins clearing B-1Bs to fly as safety inspections continue One year ago this week, the Air Force grounded its entire B-1B fleet to investigate problems with its fuel system. USAF has halted flight for all of its Lancers multiple times in the past few years for various safety issues. At issue in April 2021 was the bombers fuel filter, which keeps contaminants out of the fuel tank. An aircraft emergency at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in April 2021 led the Air Force to find a hole leaking fuel, which jeopardized the bombers ability to fly, The War Zone reported. Story continues The service then grounded the fleet in search of further problems. Bombers started returning to the skies within a few weeks after they were declared safe to fly, but the Air Force has declined to say how many aircraft were defective. Air Force Global Strike Command is in the process of retiring the Lancers over the next two decades, and dumped 17 airframes in 2021. Air Force finishes latest round of B-1B bomber retirements The Air Force owned 44 B-1Bs as of March 28, when the federal government released the number as part of its fiscal 2023 budget request. It originally bought 100 Lancers but the fleet had shrunk to 62 by 2021. The service received its first B-1B in 1985 and first deployed it in combat against Iraq in 1998. In addition to Dyess, B-1Bs are based at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, with a major maintenance shop at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. They no longer have a permanent presence in the Middle East, but still regularly fly to Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific. Lancers carry nonnuclear weapons. Lancers are rarely destroyed; the last reported instance of a totaled B-1 occurred in fiscal 2013, according to Air Force Safety Center data from December 2021. Still, the jets are often down for maintenance after suffering from years of overuse in U.S. Central Command, particularly on missions the bomber was not designed to handle. On average, the B-1s suffer about three Class A mishaps, the most damaging accidents, per 100,000 flight hours each year, the Safety Center said. Those mishaps cost at least $2.5 million in damages, destroy an aircraft, or cause permanent and total disability or death. The Bacardi seen at a party on October 16, 2021 in New York City. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for NYCWFF Bacardi sued American Airlines saying that $65,820 worth of cognac vanished from a flight. Bacardi said it tasked AA with sending thousands of bottles of cognac to Los Angeles in September. In a complaint filed Tuesday, Bacardi said the airline hasn't paid any part of the losses incurred. The liquor giant Bacardi says American Airlines hasn't paid a $65,820 tab for hundreds of cases of cognac that vanished from one of its flights last year, according to court filings. In a complaint filed Tuesday at the California Central District Court, Bacardi said it tasked American Airlines with sending 24 pallets, carrying 1,680 cases of cognac, from Paris, France, to Los Angeles on or around September 20, 2021. However, the complaint said that six pallets, roughly 420 cases, as well as three additional cases, worth a total of $65,820.72, were lost or stolen in the process of transit. A case of liquor usually contains either 6 or 12 bottles. Lawyers for Bacardi wrote in the complaint that American Airlines has to date paid "no part" of that sum "although duly demanded" by Bacardi. "By reason of the premises, Defendant breached and violated its common law and contractual duties and obligations as a common carrier and bailee," the complaint said. It is unclear what happened to the cargo. Bacardi is one of the world's largest liquor producers, and owns cognac brands Otard, D'usse Cognac, and Gaston De LaGrange. The brand of the missing cognac is unclear. Representatives for Bacardi and American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider Apr. 20BEMIDJI A faculty-driven and student-led diversification project at Bemidji State University will result in 17 new vinyl posters lining the walls of Sattgast Hall representing scientists from a variety of backgrounds and specializations. Home to BSU's science programs, Sattgast Hall's previous portraits represented a selection of the pioneers in the world of science, but they lacked modern representation and the field's diverse contributors, a release said. "This project brings in a diverse and much more representative group of scientists who will be showcased within the spaces of Sattgast Hall and who symbolize the diversity we hope to see among our students, faculty and staff," BSU and Northwest Technical College President Faith Hensrud said in a release. Cornelia Santos, a former BSU Indigenous Studies professor, first thought to update the portraits, and her idea quickly turned into an interdisciplinary endeavor involving the university's School of Technology, Art and Design and Niizhoo-gwayakochigewin sustainability program named for an Ojibwe phrase that means "two ways of doing the right thing in the right way." The project officially began in fall 2020 when Niizhoo-gwayakochigewin hired Katelyn Riniker, a 2021 environmental studies graduate, to research scientists of all ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities to be featured in the hallways. Once a list was established, Rinkiker started working with the lead project manager Cecilia Clusiau, a 2021 project management graduate, and lead design student Madison Reynolds, a 2021 design graduate, on the project's next steps. "I enjoyed having the opportunity to lead a project through collaboration with my classmates and faculty," Clusiau said in a release. "It was an eye-opening experience for me and I realized how important this project would be to students at BSU." Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Allen Bedford said inclusive representation is instrumental in student and academic success. Story continues "The portraits and stories about scientists, now gracing the walls in Sattgast Hall, help more of our students see themselves in these roles," Bedford said in a release. "Students seeing their backgrounds represented among the role models presented here helps students visualize possibilities for themselves that they may not have previously imagined." The first installation of new portraits began at the close of the spring 2021 semester and will extend to the end of the spring 2022 semester. The Bemidji community is welcome to visit Sattgast Hall to view the portraits during regular operating hours between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The new Sattgast Hall scientist posters include: * Gregory Cajete, author and professor, University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. * Karletta Chief, environmental scientist and professor, University of Arizona in Tucson. * Charles R. Drew, surgeon and medical researcher * Phil Duran, professor of math, physics and science, University of Texas-El Paso. * Mohan Dutta, professor and head of the Department of Communications and New Media at the National University of Singapore in Queenstown. * Walter Lincoln Hawkins, chemist and engineer, Bell Laboratories. * Alma Hayden, chemist, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. * John Herrington, astronaut, NASA. * Mary Jackson, mathematician and aerospace engineer, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. * Nancy B. Jackson, chemist, American Chemical Society. * Mae Jemison, astronaut, NASA. * Katherine Johnson, mathematician, NASA. * Henrietta Lacks, mother of the first immortalized human cell line. * Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., astronaut, NASA; United States Air Force officer. * Barack Obama, political scientist, 44th President of the United States. * Condoleezza Rice, political scientist, former United States Secretary of State and National Security Adviser * Chantelle Richmond, geographer and professor, Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. * Mary Romero, sociologist, Arizona State University. * Chandralekha Singh, physicist, Discipline Based Science Education Research Center. * Deondre Smiles, geographer and professor, University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. * Alan Turing, computer scientist and father of artificial intelligence, Royal Society of London, England. * Dorothy Vaughan, mathematician, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has not ruled out another run for the White House if President Biden decides not to run for reelection, according to a memo written by one of Sanders' top advisers. "In the event of an open 2024 Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Sanders has not ruled out another run for president, so we advise that you answer any questions about 2024 with that in mind," Faiz Shakir, who was Sanders' campaign manager in 2020, wrote in the memo sent to allies on Wednesday. The memo, first reported by The Washington Post and obtained by CBS News, is titled "Embrace the Attacks." "As campaigning heats up in states across the country, your political opponents and their corporate-aligned allies will try to make you feel defensive about Sen. Bernie Sanders' support for your candidate," the memo says. "Our advice is to embrace the attacks." CBS News reached out to Sanders' team, but has not yet received a response. Mike Casca, Sanders' spokesman, told The Washington Post, "While it's frustrating this private memo leaked to the media, the central fact remains true, which is that Senator Sanders is the most popular officeholder in the country." It cites recent polling from YouGov that found Sanders is the most popular current office holder in the country and an NBC News poll that found his endorsement would make 71% of Democratic primary voters more likely to support a candidate. It also touts Sanders' recent work in the labor movement, including an upcoming trip to Staten Island on Sunday to support organizing Amazon workers and to Richmond, Virginia, to support organizing Starbucks workers. Sanders was the last Democratic candidate to drop out of the 2020 presidential primary. In May 2020, Sanders told the Washington Post that the odds of him running for president again were "very, very slim." "I think it's very, very unlikely that I'll be running for president ever again," Sanders said. "I think next time around you're going to see another candidate carrying the progressive mantle." Story continues Some of the top names mentioned as potential future presidential candidates to run in the progressive lane are Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who recently wrote a New York Times op-ed about what Democrats should do to improve their midterm prospects, and Reps. Ro Khanna of California and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Pete D'Alessandro, who worked on Sanders' Iowa presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, suggested that Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley would be someone who progressives could rally behind. "He is one of the most decent people in public life," D'Alessandro told CBS News. "He would be a very interesting progressive candidate to run." But this may all be moot in 2024 if the 79-year-old president decides to run again. Mr. Biden told ABC News in December that he would run again if he's in "good health." In a recent interview with "CBS Sunday Morning," Valerie Biden Owens, the president's sister and longtime adviser, said she wants her brother to run again in 2024, even though he would be in his 80s. "I think he's the right person at the right time for the right job," she told "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell. While many in the Democratic Party will be clamoring for Mr. Biden to make a decision, waiting until after the midterms is not out of the ordinary. While former President Donald Trump filed to run for reelection on Inauguration Day, former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush filed their paperwork in the spring of their third year in office. Biden aides know that formally launching a reelection campaign triggers a suite of legal and logistical challenges that will require recalibration of day-to-day operations. Shakir's memo indicates that Sanders will be involved in the 2022 midterms and is seeking advice about where the senator should be traveling. It also says that Sanders will be endorsing more candidates. The memo also advises top Sanders allies on how to respond to questions about their support for Sanders. It instructs candidates who are questioned about accepting Sanders' endorsement, since he is technically an Independent and considers himself Democratic Socialist, to say that Sanders "is putting forward an extremely popular vision for the Democratic Party that will win back critical support that we have lost." The memo gives advice on how candidates and allies should respond if asked about whether they'd support a Sanders challenge to Mr. Biden in 2024. "Sen. Sanders is focused on helping Joe Biden have a successful presidency," the memo suggests as a response. "As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, no one fought harder for the president's policy agenda than Bernie. He traveled to Republican Congressional Districts last summer to promote Build Back Better. Unfortunately, that legislation was stopped by corporate Democrats." President Biden to sign executive order protecting some of the nations largest and oldest trees Tunnel Fire in Arizona burns out of control New audio shows McCarthy planned to push Trump to resign A nasal swab is collected at a coronavirus testing site in Rancho Cucamonga last year. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A company accused of handing out fake results for hundreds of coronavirus tests will pay more than $20 million in a settlement announced by Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer. Feuer and Dist. Atty. George Gascon accused Sameday Technologies and its chief executive, Felix Huettenbach, of sending fake results to hundreds of people, telling them they had tested negative for the coronavirus when laboratories had not actually run their tests. Some tests were never processed at all, according to the complaint filed in court Wednesday. More than 500 test results are "confirmed or suspected to be faked, falsified, or forged," the attorneys wrote. In their complaints, they alleged Sameday would forge a negative result at the direction of its CEO when someone who had not gotten their result in time complained or threatened to report the company. Sameday said in a statement that it was founded in September 2020 "to make fast, reliable COVID testing available to everyone." "In the early days, amidst the chaos of massive surges in demand for services, and shortages in supplies, we failed to meet the standards for excellence our customers deserve," the company said. "We have corrected the problems that arose back in 2020 and have made significant investments in compliance and systems to ensure that we meet our customers expectations." In the settlement agreement being proposed to the court, the company agreed to pay $22.5 million, including more than $9.6 million in restitution and nearly $13 million to the city and county to enforce consumer protection laws. Under the settlement, Sameday is also required to comply with a court injunction banning it from making false claims and engaging in other illegal business practices. A spokesman for Feuer said the settlement deal must be approved by the judge. Dr. Jeff Toll, a physician who was accused of teaming with the company to get reimbursed by health insurers for medically unnecessary consultations, also agreed to pay nearly $4 million to resolve allegations of insurance fraud, the city attorney's office said. Story continues D. Shawn Burkley, an attorney representing Toll, denied any wrongdoing: "We settled the matter, but we do not believe that Dr. Toll did anything that was unethical." Feuer and Gascon alleged that Sameday promised it could turn around results in 24 hours for a $195 charge, but "the promise was false Sameday could not guarantee a 24-hour turnaround time" because its contracts with outside labs "expressly stated that they could not deliver results that quickly." Unable to provide results as quickly as promised, the company soon began faking coronavirus test results by taking reports from previous consumers who had tested negative, then changing the name, dates and other identifying information to match the new person, the L.A. attorneys alleged. They also alleged that Sameday engaged in health insurance fraud, working with Toll to charge insurance companies an additional fee for "medical consultations." Sameday steered people to the doctor for "medically unnecessary" consultations that he submitted for reimbursement from health insurers, and the company got the bulk of his profits for the consultations, their complaint alleged. To rack up more insurance claims, Sameday also set up a virtual call center for physicians who were supposed to do roughly 100 consultations a day each of them three minutes long which occurred after people had already taken their coronavirus tests and, in many cases, gotten a negative result, the complaint alleged. The attorneys alleged that more than 80,000 claims were submitted to health insurers for medically unnecessary consultations and the company collected millions of dollars from California-based insurance claims. Its beyond outrageous that anyone would falsify COVID tests, as we allege happened here. If you get a negative test, you assume its safe to go to work, visit family and friends, or take a vacation. But the victims of this alleged scheme might unknowingly have spread COVID to others or failed to receive timely and appropriate care themselves, Feuer said in a statement. The $22.5-million settlement with Sameday includes more than $5 million in refunds for people who got tested through the company, including California consumers who paid out of pocket for a PCR test from the company between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. The amount of restitution will be tied to how much the consumer paid for the tests, Feuer said. The city attorney said that as far as he knows, the alleged fake results occurred between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, but that if anyone got a Sameday Health result that didn't make sense or looked strange for instance, if there was an abrupt change in font for the dates of their results they should reach out to Sameday even if the test occurred outside that period. If they don't get an adequate response from the company, "anyone who is concerned can go to our website or call our office," Feuer said. Sameday Technologies, which has been doing business as Sameday Health, is based in Los Angeles and has been offering coronavirus testing across the country, advertising itself on its website as "the most trusted COVID-19 testing solution for teams and businesses." In a television segment sponsored by the company, Huettenbach said that the downside of PCR testing is that "it usually takes a bit longer because you have to transport the samples to a laboratory to get them processed. But we've nailed the logistics of that down so in most of our locations it's less than 24 hours." Sameday Health has faced concerns about its business practices before: In December, New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James sent a warning letter to the company for "misleading advertising" on the speed of its testing results, stating that consumers were waiting longer than Sameday had promised after paying for expedited testing. Earlier this year, her office announced that Sameday was refunding more than $230,000 to thousands of customers who were charged for expedited results. The company has also been sued over its employment practices. One of those lawsuits, brought under a California law that enables aggrieved employees to seek civil penalties for themselves, other workers and the state, alleges that the company misclassified workers as independent contractors and paid them "based on an unrealistic 40-hour workweek assumption; in reality, to do the job correctly, they were required to spend 40-60 hours of work per week without payment of required wages" including overtime. That case is still pending. In another suit against Sameday alleging wage violations, the company recently said in court filings that it did not oppose a motion to tentatively approve a class-action settlement which would include a payment of $300,000 by the company and other defendants but did not accept the premise that the class members were "employees." Sameday said Wednesday that it had no additional comment on the matter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WASHINGTON U.S. President Joe Biden announced Thursday he will send $800 million more in military aid to help Ukraine, adding that as his authority to draw from U.S. military stockpiles surpasses $3 billion, he will need to ask Congress for more funding. Combined with our recent drawdowns, it will ensure a steady flow of weapons and equipment into Ukraine over the next few weeks. However, with this latest disbursement, Ive almost exhausted the drawdown authority I have, that Congress authorized for Ukraine, Biden said in an address at the White House. Next week, Im going to have to be sending to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption. More heavy artillery and tactical drones will be part of the package, which is tailored to the intensified fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, Biden said. He said the U.S. and allies are moving as fast as possible to aid Ukraine during a critical window in which Russian forces are building up for a renewed campaign in the east, noting that weapons were flowing to Ukraine at record speed since Russias invasion began Feb. 24. Biden cast Russian President Vladimir Putins failed attempt to quickly seize the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as a historic victory for Ukrainians and freedom, helped by Western aid. As the war enters a new phase, Biden said its time to accelerate the provision of more weaponry. Every American taxpayer, every member of our armed forces can be proud of the fact that our countrys generosity, and the skill and service of our military, helped arm and repel Russias aggression in Ukraine, to beat back Putins savagery that tried to seize Ukraines capital and wipe out Ukraines government, Biden said. The commander in chief called out the long-range howitzer artillery and Javelin anti-tank missiles the U.S. is sending, and highlighting Washingtons role as a facilitator Slovakias recent provision of Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, in a swap for the U.S. deploying a Patriot air defense system there. Story continues We wont always be able to advertise everything that our partners are doing to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom, but to modernize Teddy Roosevelts famous advice, sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin, because were sending a lot of those as well, Biden said. AeroVironment wins $20M contract for hand-launched drone for Ukraine Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the new package comes with enough artillery systems to equip five battalions, including: 72 155mm howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds. 72 tactical vehicles to tow 155mm howitzers. More than 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones. Field equipment and spare parts. The Phoenix Ghost was rapidly developed by the U.S. Air Force specifically for Ukrainian requirements, Kirby said, and its similar to the Switchblade drones the U.S. already sent. The new authorization marks the eighth drawdown of equipment from Defense Department inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. It comes on the heels of Biden meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Thursday morning. Shmyhal subsequently met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Capitol Hill. Standing alongside Pelosi, the prime minister told reporters that Ukraine also needs more funding for humanitarian aid and to support demining operations. More than 120,000 miles are under mines in my country, Shmyhal said. We need money, we need technologies, we need support in this sphere. More than 1,000 pieces of equipment, including M1 Abrams tanks, Paladin self-propelled howitzers and wheeled vehicles, line the port in Gdansk, Poland, in 2017 they're prepared to be moved inland. (Sgt. 1st Class Jacob A. McDonald/U.S. Army) The latest package follows an $800 million bundle Biden announced earlier this month, which for the first time included 18 155mm howitzers, 40,000 artillery rounds and 10 AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars. An unspecified number of unmanned coastal defense vessels, of which Pentagon officials have been tight-lipped, is also in that package. Congress finalized a $1.5 trillion spending bill last month that provides $13.6 billion in new aid for the Ukraine crisis. The money is largely meant to restore stocks of military equipment already transferred to Ukrainian defense units through the presidents drawdown authority. Pentagon, industry wrestle with how to boost weapons production for Ukraine Including Bidens announcement, the U.S. has pledged $3.4 billion in security assistance to Ukrainian forces, most from U.S. military stockpiles. On Thursday, Biden said Ukraine has received 10 anti-armor systems for every Russian tank, adding that the aid also includes sharing significant, timely intelligence. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters last week the Biden administration plans to ask Congress for money to pay for U.S. troop deployments in Eastern Europe on the same day Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., floated the possibility of additional Ukraine funding. We may need to do another supplemental, McConnell said during remarks in his home state of Kentucky. This is critically important that we win, that the Russians be defeated, that we do everything we can to punish them both on the economic side and military side. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said earlier this month that he intends to include additional Ukraine aid in a broader supplemental package that would also contain international aid for COVID-19 and funding to address global food insecurity. But Republicans have so far opposed the $5 billion in global health funding that Schumer intends to combine with the Ukraine supplemental. Hopefully we can get bipartisan consensus to move forward on something, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told reporters on a call while participating in a congressional delegation to the Balkans. But if that discussion is going to take a matter of weeks, we have to make a decision on Ukraine support in a matter of hours and days. And thats ultimately what we have to do when we go back to Washington next week. Before Shmyhals meeting with Biden, which focused largely on the crisis in Europe, the president applauded the exceptional work of U.S. military officials to arm Ukraine. He also hailed Ukrainian resistance to Russia as tougher and more proud than I thought and allies as amplifying the impact of our response. Im amazed what theyre doing with your help, in terms of providing advice and and weaponry were providing, along with the rest of NATO, Biden said. Earlier this week, the U.S., Britain and Canada pledged to send more artillery to Ukraine, Biden said after a call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Western leaders on Tuesday. This will become an artillery conflict, they need support with more artillery. That is what we will be giving them ... in addition to many other forms of support, Johnson told British lawmakers. By Jeff Mason and Nandita Bose PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Thursday predicted that his fellow Democrats could win two more U.S. Senate seats in November's midterms, strengthening the party's majority to pass his agenda despite sagging approval ratings. Speaking at a political fundraiser in Portland during his first trip to the Pacific Northwest since taking office, Biden said he was increasing his travel schedule to make the case around the country about his administration's accomplishments. "I'm determined to make sure we keep the House and the Senate," Biden told the donors. He offered no prediction for the party's prospects in the House. High inflation and the ongoing pandemic have contributed to low poll numbers for Biden and sparked concerns that Democrats may lose control of the House of Representatives and the Senate to Republicans after the November election. Addressing an evening fundraiser hosted in Seattle by Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft Corp, Biden weighed in on the clash between Republican state lawmakers in Florida and the Walt Disney Co. over legislation to limit the teaching of LGBTQ issues in schools. The state's Republican-controlled legislature on Thursday voted to strip Disney of its self-governing authority on lands occupied by its Orlando theme parks in retaliation for Disney's opposition to the school restrictions, derided by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential nominee who fiercely backs the ban on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for children under age 9, is expected to sign the bill into law. Biden said Republican-led efforts to impose such constraints "have nothing to do with traditional conservative doctrine." "I respect conservatives. There's nothing conservative about deciding you're going to throw Disney out of its present posture because Mickey Mouse ... should ... not be able to say, you know, gay." Story continues Earlier on Thursday, Biden touted his administration's progress on infrastructure, including new spending made possible by the passage of the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure law that includes investments in highways and broadband. The bill allocates $1.2 billion for Oregon and $8.6 billion for the state of Washington. Biden visited Portland's airport to talk about investing in a runway that can withstand earthquakes. He was scheduled to spend Thursday night and Friday in Seattle, where he will observe Earth Day and talk about his administration's plans to tame inflation. "We're here today to talk about investments we're making to modernize this airport," Biden said in his earlier address. "So through the bipartisan infrastructure law, we're investing $25 billion to upgrade and modernize American airports." White House officials have said in recent weeks that they hope to shift their outreach strategy to voters by visiting more states to talk about the administration's accomplishments rather than describing the need for legislation that remains stalled. Biden's public approval rating stands at 43%, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed on Tuesday. The two-day national poll found 51% of Americans disapprove of Biden's job performance as the country struggles with high inflation and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That compares with approval ratings hovering above 50% at the start of his term. (Reporting by Jeff Mason in Portland and Nandita Bose, Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Stephen Coates and Bradley Perrett) NFL Networks Peter Schrager has seemed to hone in on one selection for the New Orleans Saints at No. 19 overall, selecting the same player in his last two mock drafts. Schragers mock drafts are known to not be what he thinks of certain players, but instead based on what he has heard from sources around the league. So maybe theres something to this. During both his April 7 mock draft 1.0 and updated April 19 mock draft 2.0 Schrager has projected Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Jordan Davis at to the Saints at No. 19. Davis is listed as the 18th overall prospect on my 2022 big board. Davis was an interior lineman at Georgia that struggled to stay on the field, playing at 360 pounds. He averaged fewer than 24 snaps per game during his Bulldogs career. He then dropped major weight, showed up at the NFL scouting combine at a svelte 340 pounds, and then achieved one of the most athletic performances of all time. He posted a perfect 10.0 RAS score, which he know lines up with what New Orleans values. It will take a good defensive staff to get the most out of Davis and New Orleans certainly offers that. Georgia does not scheme production on the defensive line, emphasizing more on creating pressure through blitzes. As for run defense, you will be hard pressed to find someone who offers more than Davis. Hes a force. The main issue some will have with the selection is the positional value of taking a defensive tackle in the first round. Most believe that you can get a similar level of output from taking an interior defender in the sixth or seventh round. The Saints have gotten by with a number of undrafted players in the lineup behind David Onyemata, a fourth-round pick. Overall, I think it would certainly earn a volatile reaction as fans may be tired of taking unproductive or part-time players along the defensive line early. However, the potential that Davis provides is limitless, and Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen could help him accomplish a special NFL career. Story continues List Former President Bill Clinton joined Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams at the Empire State Building on Thursday to roll out a blueprint for how to make high-rises in New York carbon neutral as the threat of greenhouse-gas-fueled climate change continues to grow increasingly dire. Nearly half of New Yorks energy-related fossil fuel emissions come from buildings, and the Empire Building Challenge plan unveiled by Hochul, Adams and Clinton aims to overhaul that reality while also spurring economic growth from new jobs required for the green retrofitting projects. If you believe New York should have more jobs, if you believe that we should avoid the worst consequences of climate change, if you dont want to see the rising waters flood the south end of Manhattan, if you hate all these horrible things do this, Clinton said, standing alongside Hochul and Adams on the observation deck of the Empire State Building, which is among 131 high-rises to have initially signed up for the carbon neutral pledge. Spearheaded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the effort will pour $300 million $50 million of which is contributed by taxpayers into retrofitting buildings across the state. Partners in the challenge are eligible to receive $5 million each to implement their carbon-neutral reconstruction proposals, which will undergo vetting by the state, according to a memo from the Energy Research and Development Authority. The first 131 high-rises that have signed up comprise 130 million square feet of building space. They are expected to achieve carbon neutrality within the next 10 to 15 years under the blueprint, and Hochul said she hopes the first batch of partners will serve as inspiration for more building owners to join the mission. Yes, it sounds bold. Yes, it sounds audacious, and it sounds very New York thats what we do here. We set high goals and we will achieve them, Hochul said. Another prominent building to have already signed up for the pledge is the Bank of America Tower in Midtown. Story continues The Empire Building Challenge comes on top of Local 97, a bill signed into law by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2019 that will place strict greenhouse gas emissions caps on all buildings in the city larger than 25,000 square feet beginning in 2024. The legislation staked out a path for making the caps even stricter in 2030, and building owners who dont abide by the emissions rules are supposed to face hefty fines. But Rit Aggarwala, Mayor Adams chief climate officer, recently testified before the Council that the administration is exploring the option of giving reprieve from fines to building owners who cant comply with the caps despite doing everything possible. While most speakers at Thursdays Empire State Building event focused their remarks on the urgency of curbing fossil fuel emissions, Adams sought to expand the scope by declaring that conversations around climate must also include social issues like education, crime and job training. When we talk about changing the climate, we focus on for the most part, changing the physical environment the smog, the air, the carbon but I am saying we need to look beyond that, he said. As we improve the environment and the air we breathe we need to change the climate of those who watch buildings go up and their futures go down. Clinton, who spoke after Adams, steered the conversation back to the topic at hand and said the Empire Building Challenge will ultimately only be successful if it attracts mass participation. We dont have any excuses, the ex-president said. So every one of us has to go get more buildings, or building owners. Our grandchildren are depending on it. ______ A growing number of Democratic governors, senators and candidates facing tough races in the midterm elections are opposing the Biden administration's decision to end a public health rule that has blocked more than 1.7 million attempts to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Title 42, a measure put in place at the start of the pandemic by the Trump administration, has let the U.S. turn away asylum-seekers under a decades-old public health law designed to stop the spread of a contagious disease. The Biden administration said this month it would end the restriction starting May 23, meaning those who had been turned away at the border since March 2020 will soon have their chance to enter the U.S. At least a dozen Democrats in pivotal races have come out against the policy change since it was announced, saying that doing so would boost migration to the U.S., strain the system and pose national security risks. On Wednesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat who is up for re-election this fall, wrote a letter to the White House asking Biden to reconsider his decision to terminate the rule. Lifting Title 42 without a measured, comprehensive plan would create chaos at our border and make it more onerous for families attempting to immigrate legally. Our country cannot undergo another humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, wrote Sisolak, who would face a tight race from any of his Republican challengers, according to polling last week. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who also faces a tough battle this fall in her re-election effort, according to polls, recently told a local news station, "I think its just wrong to do it without a detailed plan. We always know right around summer theres a surge. With her remarks, Masto joined a growing list of Senate Democrats, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Jon Tester of Montana, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Mark Kelly of Arizona, who have broken with Biden over ending the immigration restriction. Of those lawmakers, Hassan, Warnock and Kelly are also up for re-election this year. Story continues Kelly called the decision to end Title 42 without a mitigation plan "wrong" and "unacceptable" in a statement this month, warning that the lack of a plan to deal with this crisis will further strain our border communities. Some Democratic challengers have also opposed the policy change. We need to have a plan in place to make sure were keeping asylum-seekers and people in the U.S. safe before we lift Title 42, Wisconsin Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running to unseat Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, told NBC News in a statement Thursday. People at the border are telling us they dont have the resources to do that right now. I want to see President Biden solve that before lifting Title 42. Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Pat Toomey, who is retiring, echoed the sentiment, saying, We should not end title 42 until we have a detailed plan in place. Fettermans comments were first reported by Politico. Beto ORourke, a former Democratic presidential candidate who will face off against Texas Republican Greg Abbott for governor this fall, also recently said he thinks the Biden administration should hold off until it has a more detailed plan in place to handle the expected increase in migrants that would be triggered by lifting Title 42. His remarks were a reversal of his previous calls to end the measure. The Biden administration and its allies have said terminating the rule would simply mean a return to pre-pandemic law, and migrants would continue to be removed unless they are able to establish a legal basis to remain in the U.S. Still, the administration has faced internal fears that ending certain Trump-era rules, such as Title 42, could spur a record surge of migrants and asylum-seekers that Congress hasnt allocated enough resources to handle. Most Americans disapprove of Bidens handling of immigration issues, according to recent polls, including one conducted by a firm affiliated with the president, commissioned by an immigrant rights group. A Morning Consult poll released last week showed that ending Title 42 is particularly unpopular, with 56 percent of registered voters and 52 percent of independent voters opposing the move. Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Patrik Laine (29) skates around Toronto Maple Leafs center David Kampf (64) during the first period of the NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on March 7, 2022. The Blue Jackets trip to Finland is officially back on. After two planned games against the Colorado Avalanche last season in Helsinki were postponed by the pandemic, it was announced Thursday that both teams will play Nov. 4-5 next season in Tamperes Nokia Arena. I havent talked to anyone (back home) about it, but Im sure everyone is going to be excited to get to see me play, said forward Patrik Laine, whos from Tampere. Its been a couple of tough years with COVID and all that, so it will be fun for everyone over there, for the fans and everyone else, to watch me play and just watch NHL hockey overall. Laine, one of two Finnish players on the Jackets roster, attached a significant qualifier to most of his comments about the trip. He's a pending restricted free agent without a contract extension for next season, so theres a chance he might not be with the Blue Jackets. The same applies to goalie Joonas Korpisalo, a pending unrestricted free agent. Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Patrik Laine (29) skates to the circle before a face-off against Philadelphia Flyers during the 1st period of their NHL game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on April 7, 2022. It was exciting to hear the news and hopefully Im still here, Laine said after taking team photos on the ice at Nationwide Arena. Thats the next step (agreeing to an extension), but it should be a lot of fun. Its different here, for North American guys. They get to play in their hometowns, usually, but for Europeans its pretty rare that we get that opportunity. So, yeah, its pretty sweet. According to Laine, the Blue Jackets will spend roughly five days in Helsinki before heading to Tampere for play back-to-back games against the Avalanche. Helsinki, which is closer to Korpisalos hometown of Pori, is where the teams were supposed to play earlier this season, before the NHL postponed all international games for the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving the games to Tampere puts them in Laines hometown at a new arena that just opened in December. It also harkens special memories for Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who was born in that city, earned a marketing degree from the University of Tampere in 2000 and played professionally for both Liiga teams based there, Tappara and Ilves. Story continues Im looking forward to showing a little bit of Finland to our team, our staff and our players, so its going to be exciting, Kekalainen said. Ive spent some of the best years of my life in that city, so its great to go back with our team and show these guys what that citys all about. Blue Jackets president John Davidson, left, and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen have three first-round draft picks to use on Friday, including the fifth overall. A new addition to Tampere is Nokia Arena, which has a capacity of 13,455 and was just completed in December. It will also be a venue used for the upcoming 2022 IIHF mens world championships, which will be held May 13-29 in Helsinki and Tampere. Laine, whos currently out with an undisclosed upper-body injury, isnt sure whether hell join the Finnish team vying for a world championship in the same year a Finnish contingent won gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Korpisalo hasnt played since Mar. 22 and is scheduled to undergo hip surgery. Other Finnish staff within the Blue Jackets organizational structure include head amateur scout Ville Siren and European player development coach Jarkko Ruutu. The Avalanche employ Finnish forwards Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen plus goaltending coach Jussi Parkkila. As for the matchup, the potential is there for two exciting games. Columbus swept the season series against Colorado this year, downing the Avalanche twice in a four-day span. Each game went down to the wire. The Blue Jackets won the first in overtime Nov. 3 at Ball Arena in Denver, when Laine strained an oblique muscle, and then won the rematch Nov. 6 at Nationwide Arena on a goal by rookie Cole Sillinger late in the third period. Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) adjusts his mask during the second period of the NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. The Blue Jackets sunk out of playoff contention afterward, playing without Laine for 20 games, while the Avalanche rose to the top of the NHLs overall standings as Stanley Cup contender. Its one of the best teams in the league, so its a great challenge, Kekalainen said. Theres four points available, just like for our games played here and in Denver, but as we can see, were out of the playoffs and theyre the number one team in the league. We had some success against them this year, so you never know. Well just look forward to two exciting games and battle for four points. Theyll also enjoy their surroundings while making a rare road trip outside of North America. It comes with challenges, but its a great opportunity to go over there and grow the game, showcase (the NHL), said Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen, who hasnt previously visited or played in Finland. Its regular-season games, so its even better. I dont look at it as a negative. Youre getting your group together to go out there and its a really neat experience. Im looking forward to it. bhedger@dispatch.com @BrianHedger Get more Columbus Blue Jackets news by listening to our podcasts This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets and Avalanche will face-off next season in Finland The Juarez bullring, looking north, circa 1915. This week I was asked about this column by Nancy Johnson, a former columnist for the Deming Headlight. This column originally ran in the El Paso Times in March 2011: It all started late one night after Christmas, 1906, with a drunken conversation in a Pierre, South Dakota, bar. Three old friends were discussing buffalo, which led to buffalo bulls, which led to a question: "Could a buffalo bull beat a longhorn bull?" which led to, "Could a buffalo bull beat a Mexican fighting bull?" Shortly afterward, the men departed for their respective homes. More: What's a little robbery between friends? Robbers swear 1922 holdup was all a joke: Trish Long A deal is cut The question persisted when each awoke the next morning. A few days later one sent a telegram to a friend who owned the Coney Island Bar in El Paso, which everyone knew was right across the border from Juarez, home of a fine bullring. The El Pasoan spoke to Robert Felix, a matador and manager of the Juarez bullring and they cut a deal. There was a raging blizzard on Jan. 27, 1907, when two buffalo bulls, an old one and a 4-year-old, were put aboard a reinforced boxcar for their trip to El Paso. The three men rode in the caboose. There were posters all over El Paso and Juarez announcing the event, scheduled for Jan. 14. A buffalo bull versus a proud Mexican bull whose breeding for many generations had but one purpose in mind: Fight with pride to the death. There were four fights between bulls to warm up the crowd. During the long wait to see the buffalo, many people became restive, certain the gringos had lost their nerve. When the door to the arena opened the old buffalo bull limped out to the center of the ring and stood there, his head bowed probably in pain. The fetlock of his left hind leg had been injured during the train ride. The crowd politely applauded. A newspaper clip discusses the bull versus buffalo event in the El Paso Times on Jan. 27, 1907. More: El Paso Police Mounted Patrol disbanded after two years: Trish Long Crack heard throughout the arena Story continues The door opened again and a Mexican fighting bull rushed out ready for battle. Seeing a strange animal in the center of the ring, he pawed the ground, snorted a few times, then charged. The buffalo never moved. His body was at a quartering angle to the bull. Cattle pivot on their hind legs. Few know a buffalo pivots on his forelegs. At the moment of contact the buffalo's hindquarters miraculously disappeared as he met the bull's charge head to head with a crack heard throughout the arena. Again the bull charged and this time the buffalo realized the pest meant business, so he put a little more force into defense, knocking the bull on his haunches. When the bull charged a third time, the exasperated buffalo met him head to head. The bull collapsed, then rose to his feet and staggered to the ringside barrier looking for escape. Robert Felix demanded another chance. There had, after all, been no real fight. A second bull was brought in. He too charged three times before running off to the barrier searching for escape. A third bull met the same fate. A newspaper clip from the El Paso Times on Jan. 28, 1907, discusses the buffalo vs. bull battle. Crowd cheers bored buffalo Now three prize Mexican bulls frightened into submission were circling the ring. The "Pride of Pierre" had lost all interest in the game. He laid down where he'd stood since walking into the arena and took a nap. The crowd went wild cheering and clapping for the bored buffalo. After a long wait a fourth bull was brought in. This time the buffalo, his nap interrupted, was really aggravated. Before the bull could even charge, the old buffalo began chasing him and the other three bulls around the arena. He couldn't catch them because of his injured fetlock but finally sympathetic workers opened the gate so the bulls could escape from the now very angry buffalo. At the end of the day the question remained. "Could a buffalo bull beat a Mexican fighting bull?" North of the border, the answer was a resounding "yes." South of the border, the answer was "quien sabe." After all, there had been no real fight. Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Bored buffalo battles Mexican bulls in Juarez bullring: Trish Long The Boston Police Superior Officers Federation and Boston Police Unions sent Mayor Wus administration a letter regarding their notice of intent to seek clarification from the City of Boston, City Council, and Boston Police Department on the validity of ordinances regulating police crowd control actions and surveillance. We had grave concerns over the Crowd Control and OC ordinance enacted by the City Council last year and continue to vehemently oppose it, said Federation President Jeanne Carroll. Our attorney and the Detective Unions attorney sent a joint letter to the City opposing the ordinance, seeking clarification regarding certain aspects of the policy, and demand to bargain. The City never responded. We hope Mayor Wu will acknowledge that the ordinance she voted on as a city councilor was empty politics. Its time the Mayor put rhetoric aside and focus on public safety. As a result of the ordinance, the Boston Police have lost outside assets, such as METROLEC, numerous Universities, and other law enforcement agencies, creating both a public and officer safety risk, according to Patrick Bryant with BPSOF. METROLEC no longer supports Boston Police in planned events Bryant said members of the union say their hands are tied with the new regulations on less-lethal equipment which now forces escalation. We are critically low on staff and for major events such as the Marathon, this puts not just our members at risk but the city as a whole, said Bryant. We are prepared to use all options available to us to fight for the safety of our members and the welfare of all people in the City of Boston. Boston 25 has reached out to Mayor Wus administration regarding this ordinance but have not heard back at this time. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Instagram and TikTok are filled with images of luxury hotels and lavish travel experiences. From massive infinity pools to glam yachts to opulent room-service spreads, theres no shortage of expensive vacation offerings on display. But while the appeal is obvious, we dont all have the budget to stay at a Four Seasons or an Aman. And even if you can technically afford this kind of lodging, thats not always where people want to spend those precious vacation dollars. But there are ways to bring a dash of luxury to your travels without breaking the bank. Below, travel experts share their tips for making an affordable vacation feel a little more luxurious. Go to a fancy hotel bar for a drink I love luxury hotel bars the design, atmosphere, and cocktails! said Jessica van Dop DeJesus, founder and editor at The Dining Traveler. I always add a hotel bar experience to my itinerary. Although some can be pricey, its worth stopping by for a martini to wind down after a busy day of sightseeing. These nice hotel bars often offer reasonably priced happy hour deals and snacks. Ben Julius, founder of the travel platform Tourist Journey, sometimes goes a step further and books a restaurant reservation as well. You can eat in the famous gardens at Mexico Citys Four Seasons or enjoy the bar with the gold-leafed ceiling at Royal Mansour in Marrakech even if youre not a guest of the hotel, he said. Besides bringing high-end vibes to your vacation, grabbing a drink or a bite at a ritzy hotel can give you an opportunity to check out the rest of the property. Many luxury hotels do not allow people past the lobby unless they are guests at the hotel, said travel blogger and TV host La Carmina. However, these hotels tend to let you go in and explore if you are getting drinks at the bar. This is how I got to wander inside Dubais Burj Al Arab. I made a reservation for drinks at the Skyview Bar. The bar has a minimum spend per person, but its far less expensive than if you booked a room at the Burj Al Arab. Story continues Luxury hotels like the Four Seasons in Philadelphia tend to have impressive bars where non-guests can stop by for a cocktail or a bite. (Photo: Four Seasons) Luxury hotels like the Four Seasons in Philadelphia tend to have impressive bars where non-guests can stop by for a cocktail or a bite. (Photo: Four Seasons) Get a day pass at a resort I always think it would be nice to stay at some of the big luxury resorts, but then my bank balance brings me back to reality, said Claire Summers, the travel blogger behind Claires Itchy Feet. Plus, I know Ill be bored after a couple of days there anyway. So the best way Ive found of adding a dash of luxury to my trips is by booking a day pass at one of the fancy resorts. Day passes essentially allow you to be a guest at an upscale hotel or resort for the day without paying for an expensive room, so you have access to amenities and features like a luxurious poolside experience. Often they can cost as little as $50 a day, making it super budget-friendly, Summers explained. These day passes arent often advertised, so you will need to either call up or visit the hotel and ask in person. La Carmina uses day passes to experience the pools and cabanas at nice hotels. Sites such as ResortPass.com also let you browse day passes from hundreds of hotels worldwide, which is an easy way to find a hotel day pass and make a booking, she noted. Keep an eye out for deals For consumer finance expert Andrea Woroch, the way to bring a little luxury to a budget vacation is to skimp on transportation while looking for good deals on hotels or activities. Id personally rather save on airfare and hotel and then splurge on nice dining, spa and other activities, since thats what you really remember, she said. Woroch recommended saving on flights by booking economy, and taking public transportation to further cut travel costs. But look for nicer accommodation deals using apps like HotelTonight which offer upscale hotels for up to 70% off, she said. You can incorporate luxury travel activities like spa services and nice dining by looking for deals in advance using Groupon or LivingSocial, since you can look for daily deals based on the destination youre traveling to. Alex Francis, general manager of the Radisson Blu Mall of America also recommended looking for discounts for attractions youd like to experience. Research local happy hour or early dining offers at high end restaurants you would like to try but your budget might not allow, he recommended. And ask your hotel staff or concierge desks for tips and tricks in experiencing local luxury. This is free. Make a spa appointment Another option for adding a little bit of luxury to your vacation is to visit a spa in the area and book a massage, said Katie McIntosh, a travel blogger and creator of The Katie Show. Youll get to relax and feel luxurious without ruining your budget completely. You might even be able to snag an appointment at a relatively reasonable price at a nice hotel spa. Book a spa treatment at a luxury hotel between Monday and Thursday since the rates are usually more affordable, van Dop DeJesus suggested. Hotels like Mandarin Oriental D.C. allow spa customers to use the other amenities like the gym, pool, and sauna when you book a treatment. Some hotels also offer lunch at their spas, so you can make the experience into a full-day event. Booking a treatment or purchasing a day pass at a hotel spa can add a dash of luxury and relaxation to a vacation. (Photo: wundervisuals via Getty Images) Booking a treatment or purchasing a day pass at a hotel spa can add a dash of luxury and relaxation to a vacation. (Photo: wundervisuals via Getty Images) Stephanie Huston, the travel blogger behind Steph Explores The World, recommended booking a day pass, rather than a treatment. Take advantage of all the amenities even the bath products and hair dryers and consider packing a nice change of clothes so you can get ready for a night out there. If youre looking for the luxury hotel spa experience without the $500 massage price tag Ive found that a lot of spots offer a full- or half-day pass at a fraction of the cost for use of their facilities, often including a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, hot tub, lounge area, showers, Huston said. Then get scrappy and make a day of it. Pack snacks, a book, turn off phone notifications as if you were in a two-hour massage, perhaps indulge in purchasing a face or body mask product there (or discreetly bring your own). Bring your own bath bombs Even if you cant afford to pay for a lavish spa appointment or day pass, consider creating your own spa environment wherever you stay during your vacation. This could involve bringing your own nice bathroom products. If you have your own room with a bathtub, bring your own bath bombs so it still feels like a luxurious vacation experience, suggested Isabel Leong, travel blogger at Bel Around The World. Just make sure your bath products of choice are packed securely and adhere to TSA requirements if youre flying and not checking a bag. Book a private driver One easy way to feel luxurious without the price tag of a luxury hotel is to book a private driver to pick you up from the airport, McIntosh said. Theyre not so expensive that it will break the bank, but certainly offer a feeling of luxury while making the travel day a lot more convenient. Indeed, theres something special about the experience of getting off a plane or train and then seeing someone with a sign with your name on it, getting assistance with your bags and being chauffeured to your accommodations. Stay at a boutique hotel Upscale hotel chains charge a premium for high-quality hospitality, but you can often find similarly special experiences at a lower price by booking something more independent. I recommend looking for smaller boutique hotels rather than big chains, Julius said. These properties might not always have the extra amenities youll find at a Four Seasons or Aman, but the hospitality experience and local insight from a boutique hotel can be far more authentic and memorable than even one of the most luxurious chains. Forget overpriced minibar and room-service wines. Get a bottle from a local shop instead. (Photo: Johner Images via Getty Images) Forget overpriced minibar and room-service wines. Get a bottle from a local shop instead. (Photo: Johner Images via Getty Images) Buy wine from a shop for your room Sure, ordering a nice bottle of wine through room service can feel luxurious, but if youre on a budget, you can recreate the experience minus the upcharge by purchasing a bottle from a local shop instead. Instead of overpriced room-service wines, buy them from the local supermarket and pop the cork from the comfort of your room, Leong suggested. Book an upscale rental with a group Another way to enjoy luxury on a budget is to split the costs with others. Victoria Yore, a travel blogger at Follow Me Away, recommended booking a swanky vacation rental with a group. Even if the vacation rental booked through sites such as VRBO costs $600 a night, split with a group, the price isnt so bad, and you can stay somewhere epic without breaking the bank, she said. This could mean beachfront, with an indoor pool, in the mountains and more. Choose a less popular destination Another trick for inexpensive luxury travel is to go somewhere obscure, said travel blogger Rocky Trifari. By choosing less popular destinations, you can choose locations based on special offers from hotels, favorable currency exchange rates, and cost-of-living considerations. Trifari chose his destinations based on those factors while backpacking through Europe on a budget. Yore also suggested traveling to a country where things are cheaper with your currency. There are often fantastic luxury boutique hotels for a fraction of the cost of traveling somewhere popular and expensive, she said. Similarly, you might pick a less popular time to visit a particular place. If youre set on visiting a specific property, you can always opt for an off-season booking or see if you can plan those stays mid-week, which are going to be much more affordable than weekend stays, said Samantha Patil, co-founder and CEO of the booking platform Well Traveled. Budget a splurge for the end Often times if youre willing to save a little money upfront, you can allocate a portion of your budget to a luxury experience towards the end of your trip to give you something to look forward to and cap off your vacation on a high note, whether thats a fancy dinner or a one night stay at a splurge hotel, Patil said. On a recent trip to Greece, she made more budget conscious hotel choices for the first portion of the trip and then splurged a little on the last two nights of the vacation. It was a great way to end the trip and gave us something to look forward to as our trip was coming to a close, Patil noted. Use points and rewards programs One of the best ways to enjoy a luxury experience while traveling on a budget is by utilizing credit card points and reward programs, Trifari said. If you qualify for a new card with a large points sign-up bonus, you may be able to exchange those free points later as a form of currency to trade for various five-star experiences. He cautioned, however, that you must make sure your minimum spending qualification amount doesnt exceed the amount of money you would have spent ordinarily. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces calls to apologise for a colonial-era massacre when he visits the Indian state of Gujarat Thursday, 100 years after as many as 1,200 people were killed protesting against imperial rule. Last month saw the centenary of the Pal-Dadhvav massacre, when Indian historians say around 2,000 tribal people led by social reformer Motilal Tejawat gathered to protest against exploitation, forced labour and high taxes. According to the Gujarat state government, British Major HG Sutton ordered his troops to open fire. "Like a battlefield, the entire area was filled with corpses," it said. Two wells, it added, were "overflowing with bodies". The state's official float at this year's annual Republic Day parade depicted the killings as the "untold story of bravery and sacrifice of the tribals", it said in a statement that put the death toll at 1,200. Johnson -- who has been assailed by controversy over Downing Street parties during the coronavirus pandemic -- lands in the state's largest city, Ahmedabad, on Thursday at the start of a two-day visit to India. "It was the British rule at the time when these killings happened so, if the British PM is coming here, he must apologise," Tejawat's grandson Mahendra told AFP. "My grandfather was only running a campaign for the poor, harmless and illiterate tribals," added the 77-year-old. "He must express regret if he feels what happened to the defenceless tribals was wrong." - 'Killer government' - Portraits of Johnson lined the streets of New Delhi ahead of his visit. But relations between Britain and India have long been coloured by the legacies of colonial rule -- when London saw the world's second-most populous nation as the jewel in the crown of its empire but hundreds of millions of Indians chafed under its authority. The Hindu nationalist government of Johnson's host, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, regularly emphasises the independence struggle as a vital component of India's national identity. Story continues It has built giant statues of key independence leaders, and created a museum to one of them in Delhi's world heritage-listed Red Fort. Modi is himself a former chief minister of Gujarat, under whose tenure a memorial was built to the massacre victims. But Arun Vaghela, head of Gujarat University's history department, has little expectation the British prime minister would address the issue. He has carried out field research at the site and said even 20 years ago residents were still finding old bullets lodged in trees and skeletons in deep wells, into which people had jumped to try and escape. "The British records only show 40 to 50 deaths -- but when does any killer government, British or otherwise, ever truly reveal and acknowledge the number of people it has killed?" Media reports say some of the protesters were armed and may have fired first, and that British authorities put the number of dead at 22. According to Vaghela's figures, the toll is greater than the far better known Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919, when between 379 and 1,000 people were killed, which overshadowed a state visit by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to India in 1997. But the Gujarat incident barely figures in India's independence narrative, and the victims' tribal status may have condemned them to a historical footnote. Tribal people are outside Hinduism's caste system and many are still deeply poverty-stricken, living on the margins of society. "Tribals are at the bottom of Indian social pyramid," said Vaghela. "Had something like that happened anywhere else, it would have been highlighted by the mainstream press and politicians for a long time." And for some, the time has come to move on. Veteran journalist Vishnu Pandya, author of a Gujarati-language book on revolutionary places in the state, has collected many oral accounts of the killings from the tribal community, where he says the incident is detailed in multiple folk songs. "The British PM who is coming here wasn't even born at the time and he wouldn't know anything about the incident," he said. "What is done is done, it's history and we need to look ahead." bb/slb/dva/je Apr. 20The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and the Matamoros Economic Development Committee (CODEM) have for years worked together to cultivate economic development on both sides of the Rio Grande, but now that relationship has been formalized through a new memorandum of understanding. The MOU is meant to strengthen the partnership by providing a framework for collaboration by meeting quarterly and establishing committees, and discussing international-crossing updates and legislative agendas, according to the organizations. "For years, Brownsville and Matamoros have worked alongside to attract new businesses to the area, fostering the region's economic development," said GBIC Chairman and Brownsville City Commissioner John Cowen Jr. "Through GBIC and CODEM, Brownsville and Matamoros will continue to work together in a more unified way by recruiting and retaining businesses in both cities." He said the collaboration will help develop new business leads and create more jobs in the bi-national region. GBIC Executive Director and Brownsville Deputy City Manager Helen Ramirez called the collaboration between the two entities "key as we work towards accelerating our industrial growth corridors within the Brownsville-Matamoros region." She said the sister cities will keep working together to "tackle supply-chain pain points," strengthen the area's young workforce and in general promote economic prosperity for Texas and Mexico. CODEM Executive Director Grecia Zertuche said that with Matamoros' logistical advantages and skilled workforce added into the mix, "the sky is the limit for our region." A Washington Nationals pregame display involving U.S. Army parachutists briefly caused an evacuation at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. U.S. Capitol Police around 6:30 p.m. sent an alarming notice to Capitol Hill staff that it was "tracking an aircraft that poses a probable threat to the Capitol Complex." Less than 20 minutes later, police sent an update: "The aircraft no longer poses a threat to the Capitol," and USCP said that buildings in the complex were being prepared for re-entry. Its message did not contain further information about the aircraft police had initially deemed a "probable threat." According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Federal Aviation Administration failed to inform Capitol Police of the pre-planned flyover, a communication breakdown that she called "outrageous and inexcusable." "The unnecessary panic caused by this apparent negligence was particularly harmful for Members, staff and institutional workers still grappling with the trauma of the attack on their workplace on January 6th," Pelosi said in a statement. "Congress looks forward to reviewing the results of a thorough after-action review that determines what precisely went wrong today and who at the Federal Aviation Administration will be held accountable for this outrageous and frightening mistake." The FAA on Wednesday night said that it "takes its role in protecting the national airspace seriously and will conduct a thorough and expeditious review of the events this evening and share updates. We know our actions affect others, especially in our nation's capital region, and we must communicate early and often with our law enforcement partners." USCP tweeted that the Capitol had been evacuated "out of an abundance of caution" and promised "more details to come." A member of the U.S. Army Parachute Team The Golden Knights lands at Nationals Park before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 20, 2022 in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Getty Images While the evacuation was underway, flight tracking site FlightAware indicated that a plane flying in the restricted area belonged to the Army Golden Knights parachuting team which was dropping parachutists at the Washington Nationals game in recognition of Military Appreciation Day. Story continues United States Army Recruiting Command spokesperson Kelli LeGaspi said the Army is "aware of the issues that occurred during the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team's demonstration at the Washington Nationals baseball game." "We are reviewing all aspects of the event to ensure all procedures were followed appropriately to coordinate both the flight and the parachute demonstration," LeGaspi said. Social media users tweeted about the Golden Knights' landing. Pretty cool to have the Army Golden Knights drop in before the game pic.twitter.com/045KJXAGSp Gus's Mom (@aNatsFan) April 20, 2022 The USCP said later Wednesday that "Our federal, state and local partners are still working to get more information." Members of Congress are in their second week of recess and are not expected to return until next week. Kathryn Krupnick, Jack Turman and Rebecca Kaplan contributed to this report. Russia shifts military operations in port city of Mariupol, Ukraine Jon Bernthal, Jamie Hector on new HBO series We Own This City Sneak peek: "The Dexter Killer" By Joan Faus BARCELONA (Reuters) - Catalonia's leftist Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya party will stop backing the Spanish government in parliament unless Madrid takes measures to restore confidence after reports that it spied on pro-independence figures, the region's leader said. That could spell trouble for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as his leftist coalition government lacks a parliamentary majority and the party of Catalonia's government head, Pere Aragones, has been instrumental in passing legislation. Canada's Citizen Lab group said earlier this week that between 2017 and 2020 more than 60 people linked to the Catalan separatist movement, including Aragones and his three predecessors, had been targets of "Pegasus" spyware made by Israel's NSO Group. Aragones told Reuters on Wednesday that trust between Esquerra and Spain's ruling Socialists was now "next to zero" as he suspected Spain's spy agency was behind the alleged surveillance, a move that likely required government approval. "Until this confidence is restored there will be no possibility to continue as we were some weeks ago, supporting the Spanish government in terms of stability in parliament," he said in an interview inside the 15th-century government palace in Barcelona. He said the loss of trust would also halt a fledgling political dialogue after Catalonia's 2017 failed independence bid triggered Spain's biggest political crisis in decades. The Spanish government on Tuesday denied illegally spying on the Catalan independence leaders, but did not comment on whether it had undertaken any court-approved electronic surveillance. Aragones said the allegations were the largest known case of mass surveillance by a democratic state in recent years as he argued that software such as Pegasus should only be used in investigations targeting terrorism or organised crime. He called for a "clear, strong and transparent" response by Madrid, including an internal and external investigation. Story continues Aragones, who according to Citizen Lab was spied on as deputy regional leader before assuming office in 2021, said he had no certainty his phone was not currently being tapped. "We cannot act like nothing happened ... today it's the separatists (tapped) but tomorrow it will be other sectors that are not part of the Spanish establishment," he said. (Reporting by Joan Faus, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex Richardson) Travelers with and without masks wait for their flights at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Providence. (David Goldman / Associated Press) Your bags are packed, youre ready to go. Youre standing there, outside your door. And youre thinking, If I catch COVID-19 on this trip, I could get seriously ill or die. You got a fresh N95 respirator for the trip. And you were counting on most of your fellow travelers to cover their noses and mouths too: the driver of your ride-share, the people in the airport, and passengers packed tightly inside the plane. But this week, a federal judge in Tampa, Fla., issued an order that voided the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions mask mandate for those on public transportation. The U.S. Justice Department is appealing the decision at the CDC's behest. Until the issue is sorted out in court, most commercial airlines, airports, buslines and public transit systems have stopped requiring travelers and employees to mask up. That means you're likely to be surrounded by maskless faces. The most transmissible strain of the coronavirus yet the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron dominates the landscape now. It may be slightly less lethal than its forerunners. But older people, those with medical conditions, and the unvaccinated face a heightened risk of serious disease or death if they become infected. While full vaccination offers some protection against becoming severely ill, that protection is leakier if you havent been boosted, or if your last shot was more than four months ago. Now what do you do? Dr. John Brooks, the CDCs chief medical officer for the COVID-19 response, has some practical advice: Arm yourself. Get vaccinated, and if you're fully vaccinated, get boosted. If you've had two or three shots of Pfizer's Comirnaty or Moderna's SpikeVax vaccine and its been four months since your last shot, another dose is advised. Give yourself a week or so for another jab to refresh your immune system's supply of antibodies. If you have certain medical conditions, cant be vaccinated, or take medications that weaken your immune systems ability to fight off infections, see if you can get a dose of Evusheld, a form of passive defense that can help protect you. Story continues Patients in active treatment for cancer, or people who received a stem cell transplant for blood cancer in the past two years, may not have mounted a strong response to the vaccine. They need the extra boost of immunity that the monoclonal antibodies in Evusheld provide. Patients who take long courses of high-dose steroids or a range of other medications to treat auto-immune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis may be in the same boat. And anyone who has had a solid organ transplant needs more protection to compensate for the powerful medications they take to prevent rejection. Just over a million doses of the protective medication have been distributed, mainly to hospitals and healthcare systems across the country. That won't cover everyone who probably needs it. If you think it could help you, the rheumatologist, oncologist or transplant team that treated you is best positioned to help you get it. Do wear your mask, and make sure it's a good one. In a crowd, the more people are masking, the less virus will be suspended in the air to be breathed in, so more masking is better. But correct and consistent wearing of a mask that molds close to your face can protect you from breathing in those lingering viral particles, or limit how much you take in. That, in turn, could mean the difference between warding off infection and becoming ill. Youve heard this before, but it's worth repeating: A cloth mask wont cut it, given how readily the Omicron variant spreads. If you love your cloth mask, put a disposable surgical mask over it: theyre designed to draw in and trap virus on their surface. But your best bet is to wear an N95 respirator, which pinches around your nose and has ear loops or head straps that hold the mask tight to your face. Before you go on an airplane, practice at home to make sure you can wear it comfortably, correctly and consistently," Brooks said. "Theyre itchy and scratchy and the air is hot for some people. But millions of healthcare providers have learned how to wear them, and you can too. Mind the transitions, and take a direct flight if you can. The filtration systems of most commercial jets are fully engaged when theyre traveling above 10,000 feet, Brooks said, and they are powerfully effective at cleaning the air under those conditions. But when jet engines are idling on the ground (and passengers are boarding or deplaning), those systems are not doing that job. And the efficiency of those air filtration systems also suffers as the plane ascends or descends. So be sure to wear your mask during those transitions. And taking direct flights where possible limits the amount of time youre sitting in a crowded metal tube with a filtration system thats going to let more virus slip through than it will at cruising altitude. Reserve a window seat, board last, and sit near the front so you can deplane quickly. The principle here is to spend the least amount of time possible on a plane thats still on the ground, Brooks explained. You also want to sit where any virus emitted by passengers and staff in the aisles is least likely to reach you. Seeking special favors from airlines is either costly or difficult. But most will let you choose your seat for an extra charge, and if you can do that, look for one that gives you some distance from passers-by but also lets you make a fast get-away. Eat or drink with caution. You'll probably be hungry and thirsty if you're taking a long trip. But if other travelers are largely unmasked, your snack or swig of soda is an opportunity for their virus to enter your respiratory tract. Brooks notes that a straw can be inserted right under a mask, limiting the broken seal. He suggests eating in the airport rather than on the plane, and munching your meal in an unpopulated corner of the gate area. Wash your hands before eating. Know the community transmission level where youre going, and behave accordingly. Going to a hotspot of new cases, or passing through one on the way to your destination? Find out before you go so you know where masking and social distancing are still a good idea and where you can afford to loosen up. Visit the CDCs community website and click on the counties youll be traveling from, to and through. Stock up on rapid tests and prepare to spring into action if you have a positive result. It makes sense to test yourself before you travel, to make sure youre good to go. But bring another test and take it four days or so after youve been in a high-exposure situation like an airport, or if you develop COVID-19 symptoms. Getting the earliest possible indication of infection is all the more important because antiviral medications such as Paxlovid and molnupiravir are now available, and they can shorten the duration and/or lessen the severity of an infection. But they must be taken as soon as symptoms start, and no more than five days after symptom onset. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Armed Chadian rebel groups on Thursday accused N'Djamena of "deliberately dragging out" talks in Qatar that are designed to prepare for a national dialogue and elections later this year. The landlocked African nation was thrown into turmoil after long-time leader Idriss Deby Itno died fighting rebels last April. His son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, seized control but has promised free elections this year. The Doha "pre-cursor" talks began on March 13, after a two-week delay, and were organised ahead of a national dialogue on May 10 followed by a new constitution and elections by the end of the year. Dozens of armed groups and unarmed political activists are involved in the Qatar process but all reportedly refuse to speak directly with the government. "After having deliberately dragged out the negotiations by the repeated absence of senior representatives, the government is trying to rush ahead and stop the political and military opposition from participating in the national dialogue," the groups said in a statement. Government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah denied the allegations. "We have an interest in the Doha negotiations concluding before May 10 so that the political and military (opposition) can take part," he said. The rebel statement warned: "The current transition authorities will bear the entire responsibility for the consequences of any breakdown in the negotiations underway or from the exclusion of political-military groups from the national dialogue." On April 4 one of the groups attending the talks had announced its withdrawal. The Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic, which operates along the Libya-Chad borders, said it had "reluctantly" decided to "withdraw from the pre-dialogue", over the "hidden agenda... of the military junta", without further explanation. yas-dyg/amt/bp/jm Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) greets Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov (R) in Moscow, Russia, on September, 23, 2016. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Ramzan Kadyrov and Vladimir Putin discussed plans to kill Zelenskyy, a Ukrainian official said. Oleksiy Danilov told Radio NV the leaders met three weeks before Russia's invasion on February 24. Three groups working for Kadyrov were sent to Ukraine, but failed to carry out the plan, he said. Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov said he'd provide help with assassination attempts on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a top Ukrainian official said Thursday. The Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defence, Oleksiy Danilov, told Radio NV that Kadyrov and Putin discussed plans to send a group of Chechen assassins to kill Zelenskyy in a meeting on February 3. The meeting, which Danilov said was "tracked" by Ukrainian intelligence, was held exactly three weeks before Putin launched a full invasion of Ukraine on February 24. "At this meeting, a plan to eliminate our president was agreed upon, and Kadyrov pledged that his group would do so," Danilov told Radio NV. Danilvov said that three groups working for Kadyrov were deployed to Ukraine to carry out the plan two days after the start of the invasion. They did not go earlier because they had been waiting for a "green corridor" to safely get to the government headquarters in Kyiv, he added. But the assassins were not successful on their mission. "We followed all three groups. One of them was destroyed by our military. Two of them left our country after that," Danilov said. Insider was unable to independently verify these claims. Last month, another top Ukrainian official told the Ukrayinska Pravda newspaper that, as of March 10, there had been "more than a dozen such attempts" made on Zelenskyy's life. He did not provide any evidence for these claims. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has denied that Russia wanted to kill Zelenskyy, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency. Story continues Kadyrov is a Putin loyalist whose private militia also known as "Kadyrovites" are widely reported to have been fighting in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Translations by Oleksandr Vynogradov. Read the original article on Business Insider Charlotte Observer Barbara Ryan was forced to live on the streets of Charlotte for two weeks after losing her home to back taxes that she had actually paid. This is her story. Michelle White and Katy Hodges stand on the sidewalk where the 20th annual Clintonville Farmers' Market will be held April 30. The market will be held from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday through Nov. 19 along the west side of North High Street between Dunedin Road and Orchard Lane. White is executive director of Common Greens, which organizes markets in Clintonville, Bexley and Upper Arlington. Hodge is chairperson of Common Greens' board of directors and owner of Foraged & Sown, an organic farm that will have a booth at the Clintonville market this year. On its 20th anniversary, the Clintonville Farmers' Market is poised to return to the sidewalks where it all began. The market is scheduled to resume from 9 a.m. to noon April 30 on the west side of High Street between Orchard Lane and Dunedin Road and will have the same hours each Saturday in the same location, concluding Nov. 19. It feels momentous to be headed back to High Street, said Michelle White, executive director of Common Greens, which oversee market operations in Clintonville, Bexley and Upper Arlington. Because of the pandemic, the market was moved two years ago to the grounds of the Ohio History Connection, 800 E. 17th Ave. in north Columbus. White said High Street has room for more than 50 Ohio farmers and food producers selling fresh fruits and vegetables, artisan breads and cheeses, pasture-raised meats and eggs, milk, honey and jams. A food truck will be on site every week, as well, she said. Bison will be provided this year by Buckeye Bison of London, and New Path Farm of Sunbury will have fresh mushrooms. Also among the new vendors are Wild Prairie Flower Farm of south Columbus, a small-scale flower farm focused on sustainable and regenerative farming; McCarty's Taste of Eden near St. Louisville, offering grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, turkey, geese and eggs; and Union State of Pickerington, featuring refrigerator pickles. We try to bring a diverse range of farmers and artisans to please everybody, White said. The market also is collaborating with Columbus Dance Alliance on a project called "Enriching Our Community Through Dance," which will bring a series of dance performances to the market over the course of the summer because of financial support by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the city of Columbus and Franklin County, she said. Amanda Budreau, assistant manager of Wild Cat Gift & Party, 3515 N. High St., in the center of the market activity, said the event's return is more than welcomed. Story continues Weve missed them the past couple of years, Budreau said. Were glad to have them back in the community. She said the market is a big draw, so it benefits local businesses in the area. It really helps us out to have them here and have community members come and have an excuse to be on the block, she said. gseman@thisweeknews.com @ThisWeekGary This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Clintonville Farmers' Market returning to High Street April 30 Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said theyve arrested a 16-year-old suspect after a man was found dead near an elementary and a middle school in east Charlotte. Police said they were called to Riding Trail Road shortly before 6:30 a.m. on April 21, for a report of a suspicious person. They said that when they arrived, they found a man with apparent trauma. ALSO READ: Family searching for justice after 18-year-old killed at gas station in Mint Hill Officers confirmed the man, later identified as 20-year-old Malik Boyd, died at the scene. Officers have not said how Boyd died, but said he was not a student. We want to make sure that nobody is concerned about the safety of the school. Everything is intact and well at the school, said Maj. Jackie Bryley, with CMPD. Police said they believe Boyd and suspect knew each other. On April 29, the 16-year-old was arrested and transferred into sheriffs office custody on first degree murder charges, police said. ALSO READ: 19-year-old killed in shooting near Northlake Mall identified, CMPD says Both Albemarle Road Elementary School and Albemarle Road Middle School are near Riding Trail Road. Channel 9 reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and officials said they were looking into the incident. Why would someone do that, especially around kids, especially at a school right here in the neighborhood. So its real mind-blowing, parent Joia Robinson said. At the scene, Channel 9s Anthony Kustura could see the schools appeared to be operating as normal. Patrol cars were parked near a field behind the school as officers investigated. CMPD investigating homicide near CMS elementary, middle schools in east Charlotte I am very shocked. And its kind of scary, neighbor Denise Wilson said. All this crazy killing for no reason needs to stop, its just senseless. People need to have more morals. CMPD asks anyone with information to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a detective. Information can also be left anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or by clicking here. (WATCH BELOW: One person killed in shooting near Northlake Mall, MEDIC says) Community and civil leaders from around the region came together with local organizations to address the ongoing violence in the Pittsburgh community. The group met at Allegheny Center Alliance Church in North Side and ended in a prayer walk to the site of the mass shooting that took place on Easter Sunday. Mass Shooting Coverage: PHOTOS: Pittsburgh Mass Shooting: At least 11 shot in Easter Sunday shooting in North Side neighborhood Shocking video shows moments shots were fired during Pittsburgh mass shooting Police were called to Pittsburgh Airbnb for noise complaint 90 minutes before Sundays mass shooting Pittsburgh police chief confirms AR-15 style weapon used in Airbnb mass shooting Pittsburgh Police interviewing witnesses, including party host, in Airbnb mass shooting Pittsburgh Public Schools operating on modified lockdown Monday after Pittsburgh mass shooting It was rapid fire: Witnesses react to Pittsburgh mass shooting Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey reacts to the North Side mass shooting: 11 shot, 2 dead, 5 other injuries Hear the first responder radio transmissions as the Pittsburgh mass shooting was happening Family staying at Airbnb below Pittsburgh mass shooting left an hour before shots fired Watch the video above to hear from community leaders about the ongoing violence. In assessing whether the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed Black motorist in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was legally justified, it would be a grave mistake to look simply at whether the officer was scared when he decided to shoot Lyoya in the back of the head. We must examine the officer's decision in context. This shooting is not an isolated incident. Michigan, like other states, has an ugly history of racial profiling and unjustified police shootings of Black men. Ten years ago, eight police officers in Saginaw surrounded then gunned down Milton Hall, a Black man with a mental disability, even though Hall posed no serious threat to the officers. Likewise, the ACLU has sued the Grand Rapids police multiple times in recent years for racial profiling. Right to equal protection With that background, lets examine the latest shooting. On April 4, about 8 a.m., a white Grand Rapids police officer saw a young Black man driving. The officer decided to call in the license plate number and determined the plates belonged to another car. We dont know enough yet to determine whether the decision to run this mans plates constituted racial profiling. But if he targeted Lyoya because of his race, then he violated Lyoyas right to equal protection of law. Patrick Lyoya video: Experts analyze key moments of fatal police shooting in Grand Rapids Video of the incident shows Lyoya pulled his car over in response to the police sirens and then exited the car. The officer immediately escalated the situation by yelling at Lyoya. When Lyoya did not produce a license and walked toward the front of the car, the officer grabbed him. Lyoya then started to run. The officer chased, tackled and repeatedly struck him to get him to submit. Many police experts say the officer committed a dangerous mistake by resorting to violence at this point because: The motorist was suspected of a low-level infraction. The officer was alone and should have waited for backup. Story continues The officer had control of the car and the passenger in the car who could identify the driver. Violent confrontations under these circumstances can lead to needless injury or death. Documenting police: Patrick Lyoya's killing was caught on video. Here's how to record cops. A police officer in Grand Rapids, Mich., points at 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya to get back into the car after a traffic stop on April 4, 2022. A confrontation ensued, and the officer fatally shot Lyoya. According to the video, there is no doubt that Lyoya did not cooperate in his own arrest. But he never attempted to strike the officer or fight back. Rather, after being tackled, Lyoya stood back up and tried again to walk away. Similarly, when the officer tried to use a Taser, Lyoya pushed the Taser down, but he did not grab it and turn it back on the officer. Step back and deescalate Once Lyoya stood up after being tackled, the officer could have stepped back to deescalate and wait for backup. However, the officer appeared frustrated and determined to make Lyoya submit to his authority. I don't watch police brutality videos. This story is too real and change too far off. The officer again forced Lyoya to the ground face down and mounted his back. When the officer again tried to use his Taser, Lyoya held the Taser back to avoid being struck. The officer responded by taking out his pistol and shooting Lyoya in the back of the head at point-blank range in what looks on the video like an execution. Was the shooting justified? Absolutely not. The Supreme Court in 1985 ruled that a police officer may not shoot a fleeing felon unless there is probable cause to believe he poses an immediate threat of serious physical injury to the officer or others. In 1989, the Supreme Court held that an officer uses excessive force if the force used was "objectively unreasonable" after balancing the severity of force used against the governmental interests at stake. In making this determination, courts look at all the facts, including the severity of the crime, whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others, and whether the suspect is attempting to evade arrest by flight. Protest on April 13, 2022, in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich. In this case, Lyoya was not suspected of committing a violent crime; he was simply suspected of having the wrong license plate on his car. Although he ran from the officer when the officer tried to grab him, at the time he ran, he posed no risk of harm to the officer or others. The officer created the danger Rather than deescalate the situation and wait for backup, the officer created the danger by trying to subdue the man with physical violence and a Taser. And when that did not work, he used the ultimate force by killing Lyoya with a shot to the back of the head. Even if you ignored all the mistakes the officer committed before he fired his gun, the shooting was unjustified. Was the officer scared when he fired the gun? Perhaps. But thats not the question. Our View: Grand Rapids police shooting shows why cops should avoid minor traffic stops Michael J. Steinberg is a professor from practice and the founding director of the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School. Before joining the faculty, Steinberg served 22 years as the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. The question is whether he reasonably feared that Lyoya would either kill him or cause serious physical harm. Looking at the video evidence available, it appears that all Lyoya wanted to do was get away from the officer, not hurt the officer. While such action constitutes resisting arrest under Michigan law, it is not a crime punishable by death. Michael J. Steinberg is a professor from practice and the founding director of the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School. Before joining the faculty, Steinberg served 22 years as the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Lyoya: Fear not enough to justify Grand Rapids police shooting You have probably heard that Sept. 10 is the peak of Atlantic hurricane season. But what about tornado season in the United States? Analysis by AccuWeather's data science team shows a particular day but also additional seasonal peaks. Spring marks the beginning of warmth and changing conditions across the country, but it also means the danger starts to ramp up for severe weather and tornadoes. The National Weather Service (NWS) has kept a database of tornado reports since 1950, which gives a 70-year view of when tornadoes occur in the United States. There are three months of the year in which more than half of all U.S. tornado reports have occurred. Why? Because the ingredients for powerful storms and large twisters more frequently come together during these months. That's April, May and June. Getty Tornado A tornado in Campo, Colorado (Getty Images) Although there are significant daily spikes in April due to major tornado outbreaks that often occur during that month, the busiest month for tornado activity is May when the U.S. gets 22% of its yearly total. The month of May also features the seven-day average peak of tornado season. This peak occurs between May 19 and May 26. About 6% of all tornado reports on record have occurred during this seven-day period. May 25 is the day with the highest number of reports, featuring 649 tornadoes between 1950 and 2020. That date could change in the future when newer data is added to the Storm Prediction Center's (SPC) database. At least one tornado has been reported on May 25 every year since 2004. In addition, multiple EF5 tornadoes, the strongest on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, have occurred on this date, most recently in 2008 when an EF5 tornado tore a 43-mile-long path through Iowa, injuring 70 and killing six, according to the National Weather Service. Tornadoes by Day (AccuWeather/Network)( After June, tornado frequency begins to decrease through the beginning of August. This is a false comfort, however, because another peak is coming. Story continues This is likely due to landfalling tropical storms and hurricanes, which are most common in September. Tropical storms and hurricanes can spin up their own twisters near and after landfall. Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan dropped more than 200 tornadoes in a total of seven days in September 2004. Frances hit the east coast of Florida but caused tornadoes all the way up the coast to Maryland. Ivan hit the Florida Panhandle, spawning tornadoes all the way up to Pennsylvania. Meteorologists have long warned about this second severe weather season. The 1,499 tornadoes that have been recorded between Nov. 15 and 27 are almost as many as the entire month of December, which has produced 1,586 twisters. More specifically, Nov. 15 to 17 was a particularly bad three-day period in history, with 580 tornadoes. Major outbreaks in 1989, 2005 and 2015 contributed to these numbers. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter explained the reason for the uptick in fall tornadoes. "As the jet stream dips farther south -- and once again jet stream disturbances become stronger with increasing temperature variations across the country," he said, "the remaining late-summer warmth clashes with incoming chillier air from the north." After a tornado the day before, family members and friends help salvage and clean up what they can Thursday, March 1, 2012, in Harrisburg, Ill. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) After the fall peak, the number of tornadoes per day stays low until the middle of December, when a smaller peak of twisters rises, with the worst three-day period being Dec. 23 to Christmas Day. Major tornado outbreaks in 1982 and 2015 made these days stand out. Although last year's data has not been incorporated into the National Weather Service's database for this analysis, the Dec. 10 to 11 tornado outbreak, plus another on Dec. 15, which resulted in more than 160 tornadoes, including one of the longest in history. These numbers will likely cause the mid-December peak to start a few days earlier than this data shows. Tornadoes have happened on every date of the year. This even includes Feb. 29 -- a leap day that occurs only every four years. On Feb. 28-29, 2012, a tornado outbreak in the Midwest resulted in 35 tornadoes, including a deadly EF4 twister that killed eight people in Illinois. "No day of the year is zero - which is why AccuWeather meteorologists always stress that with the right conditions, tornadoes are possible any day of the year almost anywhere in the country," Porter added. A home sits destroyed by a tornado May 26, 2008, in Parkersburg, Iowa. Several storms throughout the Midwest produced tornadoes in Iowa and Minnesota on May 25, 2008. (Photo by Steve Pope/Getty Images) "It is critically important for people and businesses to know how they are going to react to move to safe shelter if a tornado warning is issued, regardless of the day of the year. Often times tornadoes occurring outside of what people perceive as the typical season and places can result in more injuries or fatalities because people may be less prepared and ready to react." The lowest number of tornadoes falls on Jan. 16, but that doesn't mean you'll be safe from danger that day -- or that month. Only 11 tornadoes were reported on Jan. 16 during the 70-year period. However, less than a week later there is a two-day period with more tornadoes than any week of January. This is due mainly to major tornado outbreaks that occurred in the South in 1999 and 2017. Until 2016, the strongest tornado to occur on Jan. 16 was an EF1 which carved a one-mile path through southeastern Washington in 2000. On Jan 17, 2016, two EF2 tornadoes touched down in western Florida, causing six injuries and two deaths. These are the only tornadoes to occur on this date to cause injuries or deaths. 5.5" Diameter Hail Stone (TX) A 5.5-inch-diameter hailstone was found in Salado, Texas, on the afternoon of April 12, 2022. Looking at a wider definition of severe weather exposes another thunderstorm threat with a similar timeline. Hail reports also peak between April and June. About 58% of all hail reports in the United States occur during this three-month span, peaking in May. The seven-day period with the most hail reports is May 24 to May 31, which is just five days later than the period most common for tornadoes. The peak for hail reports and tornado reports overlap three days: May 24, 25 and 26. With both tornado and hail reports peaking during this span, these three dates are historically the most dangerous days of the year for severe weather in the United States. Since 1950, those three days have produced a total of 1,822 tornado reports with 1,809 total injuries and 173 fatalities, according to the Tornado Archive. Four EF5 tornadoes have occurred during this period, the most recent causing nearly 200 injuries in the Oklahoma City area on May 24, 2011. Porter said that climate change impact is one factor driving tornadoes occurring outside of what people think of as the usual tornado season -- as evidenced by the tornadoes occurring in New York and southern New England in November 2021 and across the central and southern parts of the U.S. in December 2021 as well as Iowa in February 2022. Before the widespread use of NEXRAD radar in the early 1990s, it is possible that many weak tornadoes went unreported, so it's possible the assumptions outlined above are biased toward tornadoes from the last 30 years. The SPC defines "significant tornadoes" as those rating EF2 to EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. In the same time period, only 19% of tornadoes ranked as significant. Significant Tornadoes by Day Graphing only significant tornadoes, the same seasonal patterns are seen, but because there are fewer tornadoes overall, major tornado outbreaks stand out more, most notably April 3, due to the "Super Outbreak" in 1974, which ranks as the highest date. January 16 is the only day of the year not to have a significant tornado reported. As with all tornadoes, a significant peak still occurs from late April into early June. Because tropical systems generally produce weak tornadoes, the peak in September is decreased. "While the innovative analysis by AccuWeather's data science team shows the peak of the tornado season in the U.S. to be May 25, as expected, it consistently shows another uptick in the fall, particularly noticeable when you look at the graph of significant tornadoes," Porter said. He added that this data analysis underscores a point he often finds himself reiterating: "It is critically important for people and businesses to know how they are going to react to move to safe shelter if a tornado warning is issued -- regardless of the day of the year." Wind damage reports were not considered for this analysis because the SPC does not delineate between thunderstorm damage and non-thunderstorm damage or between wind damage and wind speed reports. Tornado reports before 1950 were not considered due to a bias for stronger tornadoes to have been reported. For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform. A Daytona Beach police officer has been arrested on multiple counts of child pornography after sharing it on social media, according to a news release from Police Chief Jakari Young. Officer Brandon Fox, 22, is facing seven counts of possession of child pornography. Police received information regarding an individual sharing child pornography via a social media app that included images and videos of sexual acts involving children under 10, according to the news release. READ: Daytona Beach commissioners considering plan to expand boundaries for participation in biker events The departments Advanced Technology and Cybercrimes unit properly investigated, and it was determined that the suspect was Fox, the news release states. Fox was taken into custody and is being held at Volusia County Branch Jail without incident. He has been with the police department for two years. He was immediately terminated from the police department. A search warrant was executed at Foxs residence and additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues, police said. READ: Lake County sheriff, leaders to meet to address increasing crime concerns The case was internally reported and investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Our response to this incident echoes our commitment to hold not only the community, but even our own officers responsible for their actions, Young said in the news release. Anyone found to be in violation of the law, including members of law enforcement who are sworn to protect and serve will be held accountable. READ: Disneys debt is about to be Central Florida taxpayers problem 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. Puerto Ricans on the island and in Congress criticized a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday that found it's constitutional to deny federal benefits to aging and disabled U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico, though they can access benefits if they relocate to the mainland. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote the decision, said that just as not every federal tax extends to residents of Puerto Rico, so too not every federal benefits program extends to residents of Puerto Rico. In an 8-1 vote, the court sided with the Justice Department, which argued in favor of reversing a lower court ruling that had deemed it invalid to deny Supplemental Security Income benefits, also known as SSI, to Puerto Ricans living on the U.S. territory. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was the lone dissenter. In my view, there is no rational basis for Congress to treat needy citizens living anywhere in the United States so differently from others, Sotomayor wrote in her dissent. To hold otherwise, as the Court does, is irrational and antithetical to the very nature of the SSI program and the equal protection of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution. Related video: A family lost federal benefits for living in Puerto Rico Congress has made SSI benefits available to U.S. citizens living in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands but not to those who live in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. Puerto Ricans are generally exempt from most federal taxes, including the income tax, excise taxes, and estate and gift taxes, according to the Justice Department. However, Puerto Ricans do pay federal payroll taxes and help fund public programs such as Medicare and Social Security, contributing more than $4 billion annually in federal taxes to the United States. Differences in taxation limit Puerto Ricans on the island in other ways, including the lack of voting representation in Congress and the inability to vote in U.S. presidential elections. And there are other restrictions when it comes to accessing federal safety net programs. Story continues Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi blasted the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement in Spanish, saying that it further emphasized that the territorial status of Puerto Rico is discriminatory for American citizens on the island because it "allows Congress to do whatever they want with us." "Clearly our people, particularly the most vulnerable, suffer the consequences of this unequal treatment," Pierluisi said. Among those affected by the decision are families like Aurelis Aponte and her daughter Isabela, 5, who was born with seven major heart conditions. "I felt like a bucket of cold water fell on me," Aponte told NBC News in Spanish Thursday after learning about the ruling. "I just felt outraged and sad. It was just a heavy piece of news." After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, the family had moved to Florida, where they were able to obtain aid, including food stamps and SSI benefits that helped pay for the girl's concurrent and expensive medical treatment. But when the family returned to Puerto Rico, so Aponte could take care of her mother, who has Alzheimers, Isabela lost the SSI benefits. Those payments had put her parents in a better position to help Isabela endure health conditions that dont just go away, Aponte previously told NBC News. Image: Aurelis Aponte (Vanessa Serra Diaz / AP file) Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., who is of Puerto Rican descent, said in a statement that the ruling "is a demoralizing setback for the people of Puerto Rico, who deserve the same access to federal benefits as those living in the mainland United States. ... This ruling ought to set a fire under Congress to finally pass legislation that enshrines the rights of Puerto Ricans and other residents of the territories to parity in receiving comprehensive federal benefits." Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico's nonvoting member of Congress, is urging lawmakers to extend SSI benefits to Puerto Rico through legislative action "to correct this outrageous discrimination that keeps more than 300,000 of our most vulnerable citizens in extreme poverty," the Republican lawmaker said in a statement. Aponte agrees. "This is not a whim. They just need to look at the numbers to see the need," Aponte said, adding that nearly 44 percent of Puerto Ricans live in poverty. She said that though she's "made peace" with the fact she needs to hold down a few jobs to help her daughter, "I think about the disabled mother who can't work and has kids to care for. Let's give her SSI benefits and let's give SSI benefits to every Puerto Rican who doesn't have the means to relocate to the U.S. mainland." Though President Joe Biden promised to ensure residents of Puerto Rico have access to [SSI] benefits during his presidential campaign, he defended the Department of Justice's efforts to deprive them of such benefits. In a statement last June, Biden said the Department of Justice has a longstanding practice of defending the constitutionality of federal statutes, regardless of policy preferences. Still, Biden said Puerto Ricans should be able to receive SSI benefits and called on Congress to amend the Social Security Act. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Dante Payne has performed in a number of shows at the Disney parks. Ming Chu Chan A current Disney parks performer told Insider about his experience auditioning as a Black man. He said when he first started auditioning, he didn't think there were many roles available to him. Disney has started a conversation about diversity and inclusion, he said, but more can be done. As a Black performer, Dante Payne told Insider that he didn't always feel like there was a place for him at Disney parks auditions. He said auditions felt like "an uphill battle" when he started doing them in 2013. "At the time, as a 5-foot-6 Black man, there weren't many shows that I could do at Disney World because they are very specific to a type, and I wasn't fitting any of those types at the time," he said. "There are no Black princes." Payne explained that even the few princes of color, like Naveen, are lighter-skinned than he is. He told Insider that at some auditions, it felt like trying to "fit the triangle in the square peg." "Going into it, I just knew that it would be quite a bit more difficult for me to find the appropriate roles," Payne said. Still, he said he's noticed Disney starting to add more roles anyone can do regardless of their race such as Finn Fiesta in the "Disney Junior Dance Party," which he played at Disney World. He currently performs in union equity shows at Hong Kong Disneyland. Payne said he's started to see some positive changes, but the conversation has only just begun Dante Payne in "Finding Nemo The Musical." Ryan Kirkpatrick Payne said he's starting to see a shift for the better in the audition process and that he's personally "never felt more comfortable" especially after auditioning with a Black casting director for the first time. "It was just very nice to walk in and see representation," he told Insider. He also said he's noticed the company adding more shows to its lineup that require less "bending and twisting" into roles that weren't quite the right fit for him. Story continues "To see more of a diverse platform of shows makes it easier to come in and just sing, just do what you love to do," he told Insider. Payne added that in 2021 Disney updated "The Five Keys" what the company calls its core values to include diversity and inclusion. The Keys are part of the Disney training program for all employees, with the other four being safety, courtesy, efficiency, and show. "You can feel it slowly starting to change," he said. "There's obviously big, big mountains to traverse to get through a lot of these conversations and to really bring some things to people's attention." Representatives for Disney did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider The Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, has long had a history of poor conditions and mistreatment and has faced a heap of lawsuits. (Photo: AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) The Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, has long had a history of poor conditions and mistreatment and has faced a heap of lawsuits. (Photo: AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) The Department of Justice has concluded that the Mississippi State Penitentiary has engaged in unconstitutional practices that violate the eighth and 14th amendments after a two-year investigation into the facility, also known as Parchman. A report the DOJs Civil Rights Division released on Wednesday said the prison failed to help people at risk of self-harm and subjected them to prolonged solitary confinement in violation of their civil rights. The 59-page report said the conditions at the penitentiary were severe, systemic and exacerbated by serious deficiencies in the facilitys staffing and supervision. The Mississippi Department of Corrections, or MDOC, will have to address the failures cited by the DOJ. If standards are not met, the U.S. attorney general could file a lawsuit against the facility and the corrections department. The Parchman facility has long had a history of poor conditions and mistreatment of inmates and has faced a heap of lawsuits. In 2020, 152 prisoners filed a federal lawsuit against the facility, saying they were denied medical care, forced to eat contaminated food, and retaliated against for speaking out about the prisons conditions. Another lawsuit by a disability rights group alleged that prisoners with disabilities faced inhumane conditions at Parchman and other state prisons. As of April 17, Parchman had 1,984 prisoners. Our investigation uncovered evidence of systemic violations that have generated a violent and unsafe environment for people incarcerated at Parchman, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke in a media release. We are committed to taking action that will ensure the safety of all people held at Parchman and other state prison facilities. We look forward to working with state officials to institute comprehensive reforms. Story continues According to the DOJs findings, MDOC failed to protect prisoners from an unreasonable risk of violence due to inadequate staffing, cursory investigative practices and deficient contraband controls. The systemic failures resulted in 10 homicides inside the prison facility since 2019 and allowed gang activity, drugs, weapons and extortion to thrive, the report said. The report also cited a December 2019 fight that turned into a prison riot and lasted several weeks. In the months leading up to the riot, there had been widespread reports about unlivable and unsanitary conditions throughout Parchman, the report said. Murders and suicides were on the rise leading up to the riot, and staffing was plummeting to dangerous levels. In October 2020, several incarcerated people stabbed another individual to death inside a shower. A staff member was not notified until about three hours after the stabbing, when an incarcerated person contacted an officer who hadnt seen what happened. The officer had been tasked with overseeing 180 people in that area of the facility from a tower. When help finally arrived, the victim was unresponsive and was pronounced dead a few minutes later, the report states. The Justice Department tallied more than 100 documented assaults at Parchman from 2018 to May 2020. Twenty-five percent of the deadly assaults were stabbings and were due to poor supervision. It is likely that there were more undocumented assaults, according to the report. Additionally, the report said Parchman had failed to identify incarcerated individuals in need of mental health support and had too few qualified mental health staffers to meet the needs of people confined at the facility. Ultimately, this led to a failure to identify prisoners who were suicidal. In the last three years, 12 people have committed suicide inside of the penitentiary, the report noted. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has ongoing investigations at three other Mississippi detention facilities: the Southern Mississippi Correctional Institution, Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Traffic on I-66 in Virginia Displaying death toll counts alongside highways like 1669 deaths this year on Texas roads may cause a significant uptick in traffic fatalities, a new study in Science has found. The study, which focused on Texas, determined that such signs result in the deaths of an additional 16 drivers and cause about 2,600 added crashes in the state each year. And signs that display higher death totals are linked to a greater number of additional annual crashes, according to the study. Crashes were lower when death tolls were lower, and were highest in January, when the Texas Department of Transportation displays annual death totals from the previous year. The researchers hypothesized that the death totals elevated drivers stress and sapped their focus in the already mentally taxing environment of a busy multilane highway. People have limited attention. When a drivers cognitive load is already maxed out, adding on an attention-grabbing, sobering reminder of highway deaths [can] become a dangerous distraction, study coauthor Joshua Madsen of University of Minnesota said in a statement. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation countered that The real issues around traffic fatalities in Texas are speed, distracted driving, impaired driving and people not wearing seat belts. In relation to this particular study, there are too many unknowns to draw any firm conclusions, Victoria Beyer told Equilibrium. Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Were Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Send us tips and feedback. Subscribe here. Today well look at a study that finds that nearly half of Americans live with unsafe air. Then well turn to the U.S. vehicle fleet one of the major drivers of such pollution and the challenges the need to be solved to get it to zero emissions. 137 million in US live with unsafe air: study More than 40 percent of the U.S. population or 137 million people are living in areas with unhealthy levels of particle pollution or ozone, according to the American Lung Associations newest State of the Air report card. Story continues Thats 2.1 million more people living in counties with unsafe air compared to last years report card and 8.9 million more people impacted by daily spikes in potentially deadly particle pollution, the authors found. A report card for dangerous pollution levels: State of the Air 2022 shows that an unacceptable number of Americans are still living in areas with poor air quality that could impact their health, Harold Wimmer, of the American Lung Association, said in a statement. The report card is an annual publication that tracks and grades exposure to particle pollution and ground-level pollution, or smog, and to short-term spikes in particle pollution, or soot. Each report card covers a three-year period: 2018-2020 in the latest version and 2017-2019 in the previous edition. Improvements offset by climate challenges: While the 2022 report shows long-term air quality improvements which the authors attributed to emissions reductions such efforts were offset by the negative impacts of hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change. Particle pollution, which can come from wildfires, wood-burning stoves, coal-fired power plants and diesel engines, can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes and also potentially cause lung cancer, the authors noted. RESULTS OF THIS YEARS REPORT CARD The State of the Air report assigned two grades for particle pollution: one for short-term exposure, or daily spikes, and a second for annual averages in a specific location. Short-term spikes in particle pollution: The report found that a total of 63.2 million people lived in the 96 counties that earned an F in this category. The top five offending regions: Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Calif. Bakersfield, Calif. Fairbanks, Alaska San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, Calif. Redding-Red Bluff, Calif. Year-round particle pollution: More than 20.3 million people live in one of the 21 counties where such conditions exceeded national limits, according to the report. The five worst regions: Bakersfield, Calif. Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Calif.; Visalia, Calif. San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, Calif. Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. Ozone pollution: More than 122.3 million people live in the 156 counties that failed on ground-level ozone, an irritant whose effects the authors compared to sunburn of the lung. The top five offending regions: Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. Bakersfield, Calif. Visalia, Calif. Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Calif. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. Disproportionate burden: Close to 19.8 million people reside in one of the 14 counties that failed in all three categories, according to the report. Of those, 14.1 million were people of color. These individuals were 61 percent more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant, and 3.6 times as likely to live in a county that failed on all three, according to the report. Wheres the best place to take a breath? The authors identified the cleanest regions of the U.S., in alphabetical order: Bangor, Maine Burlington-South Burlington-Barre, Vt. Charlottesville, Va. Elmira-Corning, N.Y. Harrisonburg-Staunton, Va. Lincoln-Beatrice, Neb. Roanoke, Va. Urban Honolulu, Hawaii Virginia Beach-Norfolk, Va.-N.C. Wilmington, N.C. Whats next? Going forward, the American Lung Association called upon the Biden administration to bolster national limits on both short-term and year-round particle pollution. Stronger standards will educate the public about air pollution levels that threaten their health and drive the cleanup of polluting sources in communities across the country, the authors added. To read the full story, please click here. US must keep eye on future of EV batteries: experts The U.S. needs to create a road map to the batteries of the future even as it solves existing supply chain issues, experts told a House panel on Thursday. In the short term: Meeting President Bidens goals of electrifying U.S. vehicle fleets means fulfilling an urgent short-term need to secure supply chains for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, experts witnesses told members of the House Science Committee at a Chicago field hearing on Thursday. But in the long term, the U.S. must proactively look ahead to the next generation of batteries and the new mines, laboratories and refineries that will help develop them. The U.S. falls behind: While lithium ion battery technology and photovoltaic panels were invented in the U.S., the country has lagged in translating these discoveries to the marketplace and fell behind its counterparts in Europe and Asia, Dr. Chibueze Amanchukwu of the University of Chicago, told lawmakers. The secret to Asias success: Asian countries helped move ahead because they had a road map of where they thought the market would be, added Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science. So we need to ask what chemistries might be the answer two years from today, what do we need? Ten years from now, what do we need? Srinivasan asked. And then start to build out the industrial base that allows us to meet it, he said. The bill in the background: Earlier this month, Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) introduced the Electric Vehicle Grid Readiness, Improvement, and Development Act. That bill would to direct the Department of Energy to make a practical plan for how to adapt the current electrical system to meet the needs of the surging numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) that President Biden hopes to encourage. Read more here. BIG QUESTIONS UNDERLIE THE FUTURE OF BATTERIES The witnesses identified a series of practical challenges that U.S. business leaders and policymakers will face if they want to create an EV-driven future. Short term: Replacing cobalt and nickel: In the long term, moving away from these critical materials is going to be important for us in the country to maintain the kinds of secure supply chains that we will need going into the future, Srinivasan said. The Federal Consortium on Advanced Batteries seeks to eliminate the need for both cobalt and nickel in lithium-ion batteries by 2030, according to a House fact sheet. Whats the next big thing in batteries? Given that most deposits of critical minerals that go into lithium-ion batteries lay outside U.S. borders and that the batteries themselves are poor fits for air travel or heavy cargo transport it probably wont be lithium ion, the experts agreed. How will they be charged? The U.S. faces two routes to meeting that demand without a huge uptick in fossil fuel-driven power generation, Srinivasan said. The country can build a more distributed model, where power is generated locally (expensive, but resilient) or generate power in specifically windy and sunny locations, and move it by high-transmission lines across the country on a national grid (cheaper, but can be blocked by landowner groups who dont want to sell their land). Storage batteries v. fuel tanks: Because long-term battery storage is currently prohibitively expensive, Srinivasan stressed the importance of looking at alternatives like things like hydrogen as a means of storing energy. Unfortunately, that requires us to store the hydrogen which means that the location matters a lot, he said. So its going to work in some parts of the country, not in others. Last words: The EV supply crunch means a potential boon to American manufacturers and importers who can meet it, according to Casten, one of the lawmakers leading the hearing. Were in this exponential increase in demand, and all of the concerns that we hear is demand is growing faster than supply, he said. I love that kind of problem. Thursday Threats Substandard housing turns deadly in South African floods, Utah Native community fears poison from uranium processing, and big asset managers arent walking the talk on coal funding. Housing crisis exacerbates impacts of South Africa floods South Africa endured one of its worst-ever natural disasters last week, when storms in Durban killed at least 448 people and ravaged thousands of structures, The New York Times reported. The countrys failure to address its housing crisis contributed to the death toll, as the storm washed away makeshift settlements, according to the Times. Tribe members concerned about potential uranium contamination in water Ute Mountain Ute Tribe members in White Mesa, Utah which borders the nations last uranium mill fear the mill may have polluted their water, soil, plants and animals, The Denver Post reported. Residents also described painful coughing when the wind blows, respiratory issues in children and concerns about cancer, according to the Post. Net-zero touting asset managers keep funding fossil fuels Despite years of talk around science-based targets and net zero, large global asset managers like Vanguard and BlackRock continue to fund new fossil fuel developments, with $82 billion in new coal projects and $468 billion in new oil and gas, according to a study by Reclaim Finance reported on by CNBC. Please visit The Hills Sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An observer reviews the latest revenue projections for the state of Kansas Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. Kansas remains in a sound fiscal position, updated projections released Wednesday show, news that will heighten calls for the Legislature to enact meaningful tax cuts when lawmakers return to Topeka next week. The state's tax collections have remained strong in recent months, dodging a range of potential pitfalls, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, record inflation and supply-chain backlogs nationwide. Officials now project the state will see revenues rise by $340 million more than initially thought for the next two fiscal years combined, with an additional $760.2 million in tax revenues coming in. The state is estimated to have a budget surplus of $3.1 billion at the end of Fiscal Year 2023, with an additional $500 million in the rainy day fund. But tax cuts and investments in the state's pension fund could put a major dent in that. More: Is a food sales tax cut still on the table for Kansans? Election year posturing raises doubts. Still, at a news conference unveiling the new estimates, Budget Director Adam Proffit said the numbers underscored one of Gov. Laura Kelly's longstanding priorities: eliminating the state's 6.5% sales tax on groceries. "I can't get out of this room without making another plug, particularly with inflation happening, that this does re-affirm the governor's position that we can clearly and immediately repeal the entirety of the state-level sales tax on groceries," Proffit said. With budget signed, tax-cut debate to occupy legislators Kelly put part of the budget process to bed earlier in the day Wednesday when she signed the budget bill for the next two fiscal years. The document includes a 5% pay raise for state employees, investment in higher education and the $500 million deposit in the rainy day fund, the largest ever. Her lone line-item vetoes were relatively non-controversial. She nixed $200,000 earmarked to grow an engineering program at Benedictine College in Atchison and a provision allowing legislators to join the state pension fund later in their career, even if they previously rejected such a move. Story continues "Kansas is stronger than it was four years ago," Kelly said in a statement. "And as a result, we can confidently make critical investments in our state while at the same time eliminating the state food tax to help Kansans have more room in their own family budgets. Indeed, the news that Kelly has signed the budget will start, rather than end, a broader debate over a few remaining spending priorities. While a deal between negotiators in the House and Senate has been reached on winding down the sales tax on food, it has yet to be voted on by members and it falls short of what Kelly and Democrats have been calling for. The current proposal gradually cuts the rate to 0% over three years, with the first installment not scheduled until after Election Day in November. Advocates at a Democrat-organized news conference say the financial picture supports cutting the tax now a position GOP leadership has opposed. Rep. Dave Baker, R-Council Grove, said that while property taxes are a top constituent complaint, especially when valuations rise, cutting the food sales tax is "the quickest way we can get money back to our Kansas citizens." More: Kansas billed over $250K to defend congressional map with battle in high court still to come\ A previous tax bill compiled from 29 separate tax bills contained a cut to residential property taxes. Kelly signed it into law, saving most homeowners $46 a year. Economists have estimated that a typical family would save $500 a year with a food sales tax elimination, lowering state revenues by roughly $500 million. "This money belongs to the people in the state of Kansas," Baker said. "It's about time we treat them like they should be treated. It's their money, we should return that to them. We've given everybody else a bite at the apple." Rep. Dave Baker, R-Council Grove, advocates for cutting the state food sales tax to 0% during a news conference after economists announced rosy financial numbers. But Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, urged caution, noting larger economic headwinds would mean that heady revenue estimates would not be the norm. He said he remained committed to his previously articulated position, advocating for using funds to pay off debt. Putting another $500 million into the state's reserves should be on the table, he added. "We just need to be careful how we move forward with the budget," Waymaster said. "We don't need to be doing a lot of reckless things." In a statement, House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, echoed that sentiment, though he did emphasize a potential focus on cutting property taxes. "State governments across the country are raking in federal handouts right now," Ryckman said. "But instead of padding the pockets of government, we have a responsibility to make sure these one-time dollars reach the pockets of Kansas taxpayers." More: Homeowner property tax relief highlights $310 million tax cut law signed by Kansas governor Inflation remains a potential worry, experts say While there are no forecasts several years down the line, historic inflation remains an omnipresent worry. Kansas saw an 8.5% rise in inflation, the highest seen since the early 1980s. J.G. Scott, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department (right), and Budget Director Adam Proffit brief members of the media on new revenue projections Wednesday at the Statehouse. J.G. Scott, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, said inflation could help revenues look appealing, as wages rise to match higher costs. Pitfalls could be in store down the road, however. "In the short-term it is really positive to receipts but is really destabilizing if that is a long-term trend," Scott said. Proffit, the budget director, said there was no specific amount of money that Kelly would like to have left as a budget surplus. A stand-alone bill depositing $1 billion into the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System alone would see the state's surplus fall to $1.7 billion and other policy ideas, including tax cuts, could see that dwindle further. "The governor is more interested in making sure that the budget itself is stable and sustainable," Profitt said. The story was updated to clarify that the $200,000 vetoed by the governor for Benedictine College's engineering program was to expand, rat Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Tax cut debate to heat up in Kansas, despite inflation concerns Apr. 21WILKES-BARRE A former home health care provider pleaded guilty for her role in using bank and credit cards of a dependant man for personal purchases. Tiffany Lynn Shotwell, 31, of Westminster Street, Wilkes-Barre, was arrested along with her husband, Shawn Michael Cook, 26, by Hanover Township police in April 2021, alleging they used bank and credit cards for a 71-year-old man at various stores racking up more than $8,200 in purchases, according to court records. Shotwell was a home health care provider assisting the man diagnosed with cerebral palsy, court records say. Police were notified of the alleged thefts when Shotwell failed to show for her shift at the man's residence in Lee Park. When Shotwell was confronted in January 2021, she pledged but failed to repay the man, court records say. After an investigation, police in court records say Shotwell and Cook used the man's bank and credit cards at fast food restaurants, pet stores, department stores, gasoline service stations and auto repair stores. Shotwell pleaded guilty to access device fraud and criminal conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property. Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough accepted the plea agreement and will sentence Shotwell June 17. She could face up to seven years in prison. Court records say Cook is scheduled for trial before Vough in May on multiple charges of access device fraud, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy. Cook told police he held onto the cards and the purchases were a mistake, court records say. General Mills said it hadn't found any evidence of illnesses linked to Lucky Charms. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Some people have reported feeling unwell after eating Lucky Charms. Manufacturer General Mills told WSJ it has found no evidence and is "thoroughly investigating" the matter." The FDA has launched an investigation after receiving 231 complaints about the cereal, the WSJ reported. The manufacturer of breakfast cereal brand Lucky Charms says it is investigating reports that have linked its product to people feeling ill and hasn't found any proof that the foodstuff is responsible, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Consumer goods giant General Mills told the Journal that it hadn't found any evidence of illness linked to the cereal, a popular choice for children which pairs crunchy oat pieces with small, brightly-colored marshmallows. It follows a surge in online reports of people linking consumption of the product to symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The paper said that the Food and Drug Administration had received 231 complaints of illnesses from consumers who had recently eaten Lucky Charms, citing the FDA's foodborne illness outbreak investigations page and a person familiar with the matter. The FDA on Wednesday added an unnamed "dry cereal" to the list of food and drink products it was investigating, and which currently shows it has logged 231 cases. The page also indicates that the FDA has initiated an on-site inspection of the firm's production facilities, which includes reviewing operational processes and collecting samples. The FDA hasn't started analyzing samples or announced a recall. "The FDA is aware of consumer complaints regarding illnesses associated with Lucky Charms cereal and is currently investigating these complaints," a spokesperson told Insider. "The FDA takes seriously any reports of possible adulteration of a food that may also cause illnesses or injury." "We are thoroughly investigating this matter and fully cooperating with the FDA," a General Mills spokesperson told The Journal, adding on Twitter that the company had investigated its manufacturing facilities. Story continues The FDA told Insider that it was investigating the "hundreds" of reports related to Lucky Charms it had received in 2022. NBC reported that the FDA had only received three complaints about the cereal in 2021. The Journal reported that General Mills had sent questionnaires to some affected customers, asking whether the cereal had had an unusual taste or odor, if the packaging had any holes, and how soon after eating Lucky Charms the symptoms appeared. General Mills did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Website iwaspoisoned.com, which allows consumers to flag symptoms they've experienced after eating food products, says more than 4,500 people have reported feeling ill after eating Lucky Charms. On the site, people have listed their main symptoms as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Dozens of people have posted tweets listing similar symptoms. General Mills has responded to some, telling them to get in touch with the company and share more information on their experience. Patrick Quad, founder and CEO of iwaspoisoned.com, told NBC earlier this month that though most of the reports relating to Lucky Charms were from April 2022, complaints about the cereal started trending on the site in late 2021. He said it was the biggest surge of reports related to a single product in the site's 13-year history. Around 16% of General Mills' 2021 revenues came from sales of its cereal products, which include Cheerios, Cookie Crisp, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Read the original article on Business Insider Supporters of Fair Districts in Ohio march around the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, after the Ohio Redistricting Commission held a meeting on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Federal judges forecasted how they will resolve Ohio's legislative redistricting snarl, effectively eliminating Republicans' incentive to draw new state House and Senate maps before May 28. On Wednesday, three federal judges ruled that they would step in to resolve the endless back-and-forth between the Ohio Redistricting Commission, a seven-member body tasked with drawing legislative maps, and the Ohio Supreme Court, which has rejected four maps so far. Each rejection from the court was a 4-3 decision. The federal judges set a deadline for Ohio's leaders to resolve their own problems: May 28, so the state could hold an Aug. 2 primary for state House and Senate races. Then, two of those judges U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit Judge Amul Thapar and Western District of Kentucky Judge Benjamin Beaton picked which maps they would order if forced to step in. They would back a plan to use maps approved by four Republicans on Feb. 24 and later rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court. Both judges were appointed by former President Donald Trump. Republicans on the commission pitched these maps as in line with Ohio's statewide voting preferences, but Democrats and later the Ohio Supreme Court's majority argued that many of the so-called Democratic House and Senate districts were more like tossups, easily won by the GOP in strong Republican years. There were no similar districts on the GOP side. Republican Auditor Keith Faber voted against these maps because he thought they favored Democrats too much and unnecessarily split municipalities. GOP proposed House districts GOP proposed maps for Ohio Senate The third judge, Southern District of Ohio Judge Algenon Marbley, called those maps "irredeemably flawed." He was appointed by former President Bill Clinton. Marbley preferred a plan crafted by mapmakers hired by the commission, saying it was closer to complying with voter-approved changes to the Ohio Constitution aimed at curbing partisan gerrymandering. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, whose National Redistricting Action Fund was among the groups that filed suit over the maps, called the court's ruling dangerous. Story continues The federal court has illogically and dangerously given its blessing to gerrymandered maps that were declared unconstitutional and invalid by the Ohio Supreme Court," Holder said in a statement. "These kinds of actions put the legitimacy of the federal judicial system into question. Why pick the third maps? Thapar and Beaton concede that picking maps rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court is far from ideal. "In more than one way, this case brings to mind Winston Churchills famous quip that 'democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.' The same can be said for Map 3," they wrote. "We are acutely aware of its flaws. Yet with deference to the state in mind, we see it as the best of our bad options." One reason they picked these maps was because election officials had already started implementing them. If the judges had picked a different set of maps, election officials would have needed notice by Wednesday. By using the third set of maps as a backstop, judges buy Ohio officials more time to find a different solution, Thapar and Beaton argue. But Marbley disagreed, saying that forecasting their eventual pick only made it easier for Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission to wait out the clock. "Indeed, the Republican Commissioners will benefit directly from a crisis they created, and which the Ohio Supreme Court has attributed squarely to them," Marbley wrote. The two other judges had more faith in the commission, writing: "we must presume that Ohios officials are public servants who still view partisan advantage as subordinate to the rule of law." Thapar and Beaton considered picking the current legislative maps used for the last decade but conceded that neither side asked for them. Both Democrats and Republicans raised concerns about how districts would have too many or too few people based on population changes, a problem called malapportionment. "If any party had requested this remedy, it may well have proven the most attractive and equitable option," they wrote. Beaton and Thapar didn't choose maps drawn by the two hired mapmakers, University of Florida's Michael McDonald and National Demographics Corp.'s Douglas Johnson, or a Stanford professor because they hadn't passed the Ohio Redistricting Commission. "Ohios voters put the pen in the commissions hands." But Marbley liked the hired mapmakers' plan, calling it the "closest embodiment of legitimate state policy." Ultimately, he was outnumbered. Why pick an Aug. 2 primary? The judges did agree on the best date for the legislative race primary: Aug. 2. The Ohio Supreme Court, in its latest redistricting decision, suggested the state could hold a later primary. But state and local officials rejected that idea, saying they needed time between the second primary and general election. Some counties were already holding elections on Aug. 2 for local issues. "The evidence before the court makes overwhelmingly clear that this is the least disruptive, costly, and confusing way for a federal court to preserve Ohioans right to vote in primary races required by state law," the federal judges wrote. Ohio lawmakers could change the primary date at any point, but they have shown little interest in doing so. What happens next? The Ohio Supreme Court's majority has ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission to send it new maps by May 6. Those who pushed for redistricting reform are practically begging them to get back to work. "For our representative democracy to work, Ohioans need districts that are fair and responsive to voters, rather than rigged for partisan political interests," said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio. But if Republicans on the commission like the maps they already passed, there is little incentive to act. Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, took to Twitter for a victory lap: "Now I know its been a tough night for all you libs. Pour yourself a glass of warm milk and you will sleep better. The game is over and you lost." Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast Federal court decision by Jessie Balmert on Scribd Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio redistricting: Federal judges could pick rejected maps on May 28 The astronauts of Nasas Crew-4 mission wait during a dress rehearsal for launch on 20 April 2022 (Nasa) The first all-private crew mission to the International Space Station will stay there a little longer, and the next mission of Nasa astronauts will remain on Earth a little longer, due to a stormy forecast near the Florida Coast. The four member crew of Axiom-1, all private citizens flying aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft chartered by commercial space station company Axiom Space, reached the ISS on 9 April and were supposed to splash down in waters off the Florida coast Tuesday. But potentially hazardous weather forced Nasa to reschedule the splashdown to Sunday afternoon. Crew-4, Nasas fourth mission of government astronauts to ride a Crew Dragon to the ISS, meanwhile, was supposed to launch as early as Saturday morning. But since the ISS only has two docking ports where a Crew Dragon and mate with the station, and both ports are currently occupied by the two spacecraft that ferried Nasas Crew-3 mission and the Axiom-1 mission to the ISS, someone has got to come home before the waiting astronauts can go up. The earliest Crew-4 could launch is now 4.15 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday 26 April, although Nasa is also eyeing launch windows on the 27 and 28 April as well. The four crew of Axiom-1 former Nasa astronaut and mission commander Michael Lopez-Alegria along with the three Axiom customers who paid $55 million each to fly on the mission, Mark Pathy, Larry Connor, and Eytan Stibbe arrived on the ISS on 9 April for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. The crew conducted various science experiments during their stay, although Axiom hopes later private mission astronauts will help the company build out the commercial modules it plans to add to the ISS, the basis of what may one day become a free flying commercial space station. Nasas Crew-4 team, mission commander Kjell Lindgren, mission pilot Bob Hines, and mission specialist Jessica Watkins, and European Space Agency astronaut, mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti, plan to stay on the ISS for about six months, returning to Earth sometime in the fall of 2022. Nasa will stream the departure activities for Axiom-1 beginning around 6.15 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday 23 April on the space agencys website. Nasa coverage of the Crew-4 launch will also stream on the Nasa website at a time to be determined after Nasa sets the launch time for the mission. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Floridas Legislature approved a congressional map Thursday pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis over the strong objections of Black and Democratic lawmakers who say it will diminish the states Black representation in the U.S. House and benefit Republicans. Democratic lawmakers chanted and shouted as the final vote tally was taken in the Florida House during a raucous end to a three-day special session. There was a brief delay in which Black lawmakers staged a sit-in on the chamber floor, prayed and sang We Shall Overcome. The measure passed 68-38 along party lines. The protest began as debate on the bill was wrapping up. Rep. Angie Nixon marched down the center aisle of the chamber, shouting, When Black votes are under attack, what do we do? Stand up and fight back. DeSantis took the unusual step of vetoing the map drawn by the Legislature earlier this year and proposing his own, calling lawmakers back into the special session to approve it. Democrats say the map strongly favors the GOP and dismantles two traditionally Black districts. What we see today is an overreach, and its something we see as unacceptable, Democratic Rep. Kamia Brown, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, told reporters after the session adjourned. Today was one thing we could not just take and stand. Were sick and tired of being sick and tired. Black Floridians currently hold five seats in the states 27-member U.S. House delegation, including one Republican from an overwhelmingly white and Republican district. DeSantis argued that the previous map which kept the districts of Black representatives largely intact represented racial "gerrymandering. He singled out one that spanned northern Florida, saying it violated standards requiring districts to be kept compact. The governors office drew up a map it described as neutral on race and party affiliation, and which it said abided by both the state and federal constitutions. But even supporters have acknowledged that it is likely to draw legal challenges. Story continues Republican Rep. Randy Fine defended the map. As for districts drawn to give Black voters an advantage in choosing a candidate, he said, When we guaranteed that a group of people gets to select the candidate of their choice, what were saying is were guaranteeing those who arent part of that group get no say. Chew on that one. He also dismissed accusations that the governor's involvement in the process was an overreach. The second thing that I find a little bit hateful, is the notion that we violate separation of powers, that were mindless automatons of the governor, Fine said. Were not mindless automatons. We dont do this because were bullied. We do this because we think its right." The Florida congressional delegation now has 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats, and the state is poised to gain one U.S. House seat based on the results of the 2020 U.S. census. Many political observers have said the DeSantis map could give Republicans a 20-8 advantage, though Floridas vast number of unaffiliated voters can swing elections. Such an advantage would help DeSantis, should he run for and win the White House in 2024. Of Floridas 14.3 million registered voters, about 36% are Republicans and 35% Democrats, while the overwhelming majority of the remainder have no party affiliation. As Thursdays debate was nearing an end, Nixon and Democratic Rep. Tray McCurdy opened up their suit jackets to display Stop The Black Attack T-shirts and McCurdy shouted the same phrase. They sat on the state seal in front of the House speakers rostrum and were soon joined by other supporters, including other Black Democrats. The protest prompted the Republican-led chamber to call a brief recess during which all GOP lawmakers left the floor and the state Florida Channel temporarily stopped broadcasting. This is good trouble! Necessary trouble! Nixon shouted, echoing a phrase used by the late civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. When Republican House Speaker Chris Sprowls resumed the session, Nixon and McCurdy continued to shout and refused to move. As is obvious, we have members who've decided to hijack our process today," Sprowls said. "It is my belief and your belief that no member of this chamber has the opportunity to shut down this process. We will be concluding our business today. It is my hope our colleagues would join us and not be disruptive. Republican Rep. Spencer Roach said the protest quashed debate on another bill that could strip Walt Disney World of its ability to self-govern. With the protest continuing, the House passed the congressional map bill then quickly passed the Disney bill with no debate. I have never heard of anything like this happening in the history of Florida, Roach said. It was a disruption and it prevented the peoples voice from being heard. Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was president of Honduras for eight years, was extradited to New York on Thursday to face charges of engineering a massive effort to flood the U.S. with cocaine. The rare extradition of a former head of state followed Hernandez's arrest in February at his home in Tegucigalpa less than a month after he stepped down from office. The Justice Department accused him of participating in a violent drug trafficking operation that shipped 500 tons of cocaine from Venezuela and Colombia to the U.S. through Honduras. We allege that Hernandez corrupted legitimate public institutions in the country including parts of the national police, military and national Congress, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday. And we allege that Hernandez worked closely with other public officials to protect cocaine shipments bound for the United States. Because of these alleged crimes, communities in the United States suffered, and the people of Honduras suffered. Video: Merrick Garland announces charges against Juan Orlando Hernandez The charges say he received millions of dollars for shielding drug traffickers from arrest and for facilitating their shipments. Hernandez, 53, took bribes from some of the worlds most notorious drug traffickers, including $1 million from Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the former head of the Sinaloa cartel, to protect his operations in Honduras, said Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, where Hernandez will be prosecuted. A grand jury indictment unsealed Thursday says Hernandez used the money to enrich himself, finance his political campaigns, and commit voter fraud, including in connection with the 2013 and 2017 Honduran presidential elections. He abused his position as the president of Honduras to operate the country as a narco-state, in order to enrich himself and corruptly gain and maintain power, the charges say. Hernandez said on social media this year that the U.S. charges were based on the claims of drug traffickers and confessed assassins who were extradited by my government. Story continues A Honduran judge ruled last month that Hernandez could be extradited to the U.S. Juan Antonio Hernandez, the former president's brother, was sentenced to life in prison last year after he was convicted of drug trafficking and weapons violations. During his trial, federal prosecutors said his brother, then the president, agreed to use his countrys military forces to provide security for drug traffickers. The extradition of Hernandez marks one of the few times a former head of state has been brought to the U.S. to face charges. In 1990, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was arrested on drug trafficking charges during a U.S. military operation. He was convicted in federal court in Miami. Noriega died in 2017 at Hospital Santo Tomas in Panama City at age 83. Frankfort police are searching for a 16-year-old girl who has been missing since Saturday, according to the department. Brooklyn Taylor was last seen in Frankfort Saturday evening. A detective on the case said its possible Taylor is in Lexington and may be looking for a ride to Ohio, but police havent fully confirmed that lead yet. Police said they could not release why the girl went missing. Shes described as 5-feet-4-inches tall, approximately 130 pounds and has brown hair and eyes. Police later said on Facebook that she may have changed her hair color to a dark brown/reddish color in an attempt to alter her appearance. Police encouraged anyone with information on Taylors whereabouts to reach out at 502-875-8523. PROVIDENCE In mid-January, Westerly police were called in to try to quell a heated contract dispute between the Rhode Island Department of Health and now Republican candidate for governor Ashley Kalus and her husband, plastic surgeon Jeffrey Weinzweig. The police were also asked to help recover missing items allegedly tied to the dispute. The confrontation took place Jan.16 at a Westerly testing site after the health department cut short by two weeks a COVID-19 testing contract with a company, Doctors Testing Center, which is run by Kalus and her husband and awarded it to another company. Days later, Kalus registered to vote in Rhode Island for the first time and subsequently announced her Republican candidacy for governor. In a response to The Journal, Kalus said: "I'm proud of the work the employees of DTC accomplished during the course of COVID to make Rhode Island the most vaccinated state in the country. "My only concern was for the safety of the hundreds of thousands of patients we treated," she said in an email to The Journal. "While our contract ended on Jan. 31st," she said, her company "obliged'' the Department of Health, by terminating its operations two weeks early "even though the new vendor did not have the proper qualifications to manage the site." Health Department spokesman Joseph Wendelken responded: "Every entity that the State has worked with to do testing has been appropriately credentialed." The announcement: 'Outsider' Ashley Kalus launches GOP campaign for RI governor On the air: GOP gubernatorial hopeful Ashley Kalus launches first TV ads Earlier this week, the Health Department declined to answer Journal questions about the Jan. 16 incident, which took place at a testing center in the community room of the Westerly police department, and why the department cut the contract for a total of 12 testing and vaccination sites short and replaced Kalus' company. Story continues The Health Department only said, "Our contract with Doctors Test Centers ended in January, 2022. When that contract ended, we made the decision to transition to other testing vendors. "All of the operational decisions we make about our COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites are guided by a commitment to ensuring that Rhode Islanders have optimal healthcare and customer service experiences at those sites." On Thursday, Wendelken said the contract was not actually cut two weeks short, but rather the new company needed time to transition. The police report details allegations of theft, heated emails and threats of prosecuting criminal trespass Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella provided The Journal with the detailed police report he wrote in his then role as a police lieutenant, before his elevation to chief. In it, he said he was advised by then Chief Shawn Lacey "that the RI DOH Covid-19 testing site at the station was going to be transitioning management and there may be an issue between the current management, Doctors Testing Company (DTC), RI Dept. of Health and the new management MedTech." "In summary RIDOH has advised DTC that they are no longer going to be using their services in the COVID testing centers statewide and they would be transitioning them out. "DTC feels that RIDOH can't do that and is not leaving the testing sites. This tense email conversation can be found in the first email from 01/13/21, in the email chain," he wrote. Gingerella attached a series of emails to and from Nicholas Toscano-McDonald, the Chief Operating Officer of Doctors Testing Centers (DTC), Kristine Campagna, the Chief Operating Officer for COVID operations at RIDOH, Weinzweig and Kalus. In one, Toscano-McDonald wrote Campagna, "DTC leadership has decided that we will maintain control of our remaining sites until the end of our contract, January 31st... and we will be continuing to take patients until the final day of the contract." Kalus and Weinzweig were cc'ed on the e-mail. Campagna advised them that the Department of Health is "going forward with transitioning DTC out of the State testing site." A response email from Kalus "begins in a professional manner...then changes course and personally attacks and threatens Campagna (RIDOH) and threatens her with litigation," Gingerella wrote. He referenced a Kalus' email to Campagna alleging "that for your son you made him [an employee] take state property in the form of test kits to give to you to use personally and privately for your family." "I have some other concerns about your behavior that was confided in me that makes me uncomfortable with you as our contract manager. Every time I have reported noncompliance or quality concerns, you have retaliated and defamed me," Kalus wrote. "This is a federal contract and what you have done to me is simply not legal. Whistle blowers do have protection when bringing up issues of waste, fraud, and abuse. "I would suggest that you not erase your phone in preparation for litigation as you should have been told months ago as we complained. Ill consult with legal to see if mediation allows limited discovery of your text messages." In her reply, Campagna "clearly tells them that if they dont leave the property that RIDOH inhabits as a contractual license holders they may have to seek other means such as possibly pursuing criminal trespassing charges." Responding directly to one of Kalus' allegations, Wendelken on Thursday told The Journal: "At no time during the response have we found that anyone at RIDOH inappropriately accessed testing resources." The police report details what happened next between January 15 and 16 It says Gingerella went into the community room and "put all of DTC labeled items in a pile right next to all of their PPE items" to separate them from the items that clearly belonged to MedTech "as they had MedTech paperwork" next to them, and photographed the scene. At 9 a.m. on Jan. 16, Gingerella said he received a phone call from the Chief asking him "where all the supplies from MedTech are." He said a MedTech staffer told him "DTC took their computers, printers and all their testing supplies." He said he called Toscano-McDonald for an explanation. "I received several excuses like he didnt know what was his and he thought they were his. "I told him that he has property that does not belong to him specifically MedTechs computers and the DOH testing supplies. I advised him that this property needs to come back now, or he could be subject to arrest. He said that he would be back in two hours." About 20 minutes later, Gingerella said he received a phone call from "Doctors Testing Centers," and spoke with two people he believed to be Kalus and Weinzweig who "tried to give me every excuse why it was not Toscano-McDonald's fault that he took stuff that wasn't his." He said he told them he had no interest in their contract dispute with RIDOH, "I just want the items back that were taken." Gingerella described the conversation this way: "DTC owners both constantly talked over me and continued to ask me for a list of what was taken and who even called the police. "I dont recall how exactly the conversation ended as I must have said numerous times just get the items back and their response would be that MedTech shouldnt have brought stuff in." "The 20-minute conversation went nowhere and ended." He said he subsequently got a call from Thomas Conley, who identified himself as a lawyer and asked if the police intended to "know if his client was being arrested if he came to the station and returned the items." Gingerella said he replied: "If the items were not returned, he could be and would be arrested." "Conley then asked me why I was even at the testing site, and I responded to him that the site is inside of the police station. He said something like he did not know that and that changes things." "The items that were taken that belonged to MedTech were returned by Toscano-McDonald," except what he described as an "adapting unit." The contract dispute was first reported by WPRI. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI governor candidate Ashley Kalus in COVID testing center dispute Students at UCLA head to class. About 45 million Americans collectively owe $1.6 trillion in student debt. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other experts believe President Biden can legally cancel it. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Elizabeth Warren may have found the right-wing Achilles heel. Sitting in the back patio of Los Angeles coffee shop Bricks and Scones, the Massachusetts senator described what she views as a main GOP vulnerability heading into Novembers midterm elections. She wore a gray North Face jacket, her intense blue eyes periodically drifting to my notebook where I scribbled points. The Republicans have no ideas, Warren told me. They have no plans for how to make this a country that works better for anyone. No economic ideas, no ways to increase opportunity. Their well has run dry. Warren, a former Harvard law professor, is known for her plans. Her 2020 presidential campaign was dominated by her promoting paradigm-shifting, once-obscure ideas such as breaking up Big Tech. Before, she was instrumental in creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As Republicans fight culture wars, she believes Democrats can win if they ignore that bait and show theyre the party of plans that work. That requires bold action. For example, President Biden should cancel federal student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans. Its something Warren has been urging him to do, via phone call, tweet and more. She made time to discuss it with reporters while visiting family in L.A. I am relentless, she said with a chuckle. It is the right thing, and I believe that well make him receptive. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced sweeping changes to existing public service loan forgiveness and other student loan programs plagued by administrative failures, saying 3.6 million borrowers would soon be closer to debt forgiveness and 40,000 people would get it immediately. Earlier this month, Biden further extended a pandemic-related pause on student loan payments to Aug. 31. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the administration will take the time to make a decision about debt cancellation. Warren and other experts believe Biden can legally cancel student debt through executive action. More than $17 billion in debt has already been canceled since he took office. Story continues About 45 million Americans collectively owe $1.6 trillion in student debt. Many cant buy homes, start businesses or save for retirement. Some forego having children or getting married. Do you know the United States government is garnishing the Social Security checks of retirees who have not paid off their student loan debts? Warren points out. Or who, God bless em, guaranteed a student loan debt for a beloved grandchild who has not been able to pay? Warren told me about a pregnant woman she encountered walking in Cambridge. The woman told her, I have $120,000 in student loan debt. I only ever borrowed 40 [thousand]. But I fell behind. I was sick and then my mother got sick. In other words, Warren said: Life happened. Warren went to the University of Houston when it was $50 a semester. Five zero, she said. Her father worked as a janitor and her mother answered telephones at Sears, but Warren could afford college as a part-time waitress. That opportunity does not exist today, Warren told me. The idea that young people today should be shackled by debt just to try to get an education so they can try to compete is fundamentally wrong. Shackled is the word. An Afro-Puerto Rican friend of mine who asked for anonymity because of debt-related stigma told me shes been trapped in a toxic job because of her student debt. Its like bondage, she said. Two-thirds of student debt is held by women; Black women are the most burdened. When running for Georgia governor in 2018, Stacey Abrams wrote an op-ed about the heavy student loans she had racked up. Not long after, Warren released a plan for canceling up to $50,000 in student loan debt per borrower. There is no single action the president can take all by himself that would have such a profound effect on racial justice in this country, Warren told me. Christopher Reeve, a 40-year-old Long Beach resident and Latino who takes care of his mother and owes more than $200,000 in student loans, is starting a food truck business, Mamey Mami, to sell savory arepas and other Miami street food. Hes been on survival mode so long that he has to take antidepressants. Although he's disillusioned with Democrats, he told me debt cancellation would make him "more inclined to vote. A new poll from Data for Progress and Rise found debt cancellation would spur higher turnout in the battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The debt isnt exclusive to white-collar professionals. It weighs down electricians, plumbers, truck drivers. Cancellation could have a positive impact on some Trump voters, Kyra Taylor, a National Consumer Law Center staff attorney, told me. Former President Trump, who initiated the loan payment pause and extended it to 2021, knew it would be catastrophic electorally to retract it before the election, says Melissa Byrne, a political organizer and activist on debt cancellation. Cancellation would benefit Americans across the political spectrum. Still, Republicans are attacking debt forgiveness as socialism, just as they characterized the American Rescue Plan, which helped broad swaths of society. Warren scoffed: Public education is not socialism. Its how we invest in the future. Its no more socialism than roads and bridges. This is the infrastructure of running a country. Americans are realizing that sometimes, as Warren put it, life happens. We need a hand. During the pandemic, people across this country started to see up close and personal why we need a functioning government, she said. We understood that we needed each other. She held my gaze, adding: Thats a huge threat to the Republicans. Maybe its because Im tired of the fire hose of bad news, but I believe Warren may be on to something that the party that recognizes the reality of human interdependence and responds with real policies instead of viral vitriol could indeed emerge victorious. @jeanguerre This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty How surprised would you be to learn that a top executive and board member of a popular womens clothing brand has been accused of sexually harassing and assaulting more than a dozen of the brands models? Given my personal experience as a woman in the workplace, I wouldnt be stunned. What is shocking about this situation, however, is that this man has remained in his leadership roles despite more than a dozen harassment accusationsand six-figure settlements with victimsstretching back decades. The individual in question, Paul Marciano, is one of the co-founders of Guess?, Inc., and currently occupies a powerful position at the company as chief creative officer. He and his brother, Maurice, also both serve on the board and are substantial shareholders. Incredibly, the heinous accusations and payouts have been openly known about for years. In fact, in 2018, Kate Upton went public with her story of being harassed by Paul Marciano while she was a model for Guess. There have been numerous media reports on other allegations from other women who have come forward, including several since 2021. (Many of these stories were reported by The Daily Beasts Diana Falzone, a former Fox News colleague with whom I co-founded Lift Our Voices, fighting to end contractual clauses preventing employees from discussing or disclosing toxic workplaces and sexual harassment or assault.) I believe this is an abhorrent example of something that should be long gone in corporate Americanamely, that such men can be protected, enabled, and shielded from any significant consequences. Case in point: Guess itself has spent nearly $1 million on settlements to make these accusations go away, and Paul Marciano has not faced his day in court presumably due to the specious arbitration clauses that have protected men like him for years. Guess Founders Sexual-Assault Scandal Puts J.Lo in the Hot Seat Ive made it my lifes passion to make workplaces safer for all womenand Ive recently focused on eliminating these arbitration clauses. Earlier this month, I was successful in getting my landmark bipartisan legislation passed in Congress and stood with the President and Vice President on March 3rd to sign the bill into law. Story continues The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Actthe biggest labor law change in the last 100 yearseliminates the ability for companies to force employees into the secret chamber of arbitration for harassment and assault claims. Instead, it offers an open jury process if the victim so chooses. It's a game changer for millions. Regarding Guess, Im encouraged by one recent development. Legion Partners, an investment fund based in Guesss hometown of Los Angeles, recently launched a campaign to shame the company into doing the right thing and ejecting Pauland his brother Mauricefrom the company. It is heartening to see this movement and I believe that all womenespecially those who purchase Guess clothesshould be up in arms about Paul Marcianos continued leadership role in light of these numerous allegations. I also call on the major institutional investors of the finance world who own Guess stock to pressure Guess to end the Marcianos long tenure by withholding their vote against Paul and Maurice Marciano at the companys upcoming annual meeting. As the co-founder of Lift Our Voices, I have heard from thousands of women who have been harassed in the workplace but have not spoken out. I have also heard from women who did make their stories known and who lost their jobs as a result. These stories are heart-wrenchingespecially because these women often have no recourse. If we don't start addressing these issues head on and take action to eliminate the bad appleswe simply continue the vicious cycle of abuse. It's only through the bravery of others in power and by speaking openly about these issues that we actually begin to solve them. The Guess example is one of many, but it is one of the most egregious. In todays corporate America, with a growing focus on environmental, social and governance issues, given the severity of the allegations, the Marcianos continued presence at Guess should not be tolerated. Gretchen Carlson is an internationally recognized advocate for womens rights whose bold actions against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes helped pave the way for the global #MeToo movement. She is the co-founder of Lift Our Voices. 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. Half of the Ohio delegates former President Donald Trump's campaign selected for the 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC) are asking Trump Wednesday to "reconsider" his endorsement of J.D. Vance for Senate. A letter from the group with the request follows Trump's Friday endorsement of Vance, in which the former candidate called the investment banker and "Hillbilly Elegy" author "the candidate most qualified and ready to win." It also comes after a similar letter signed by a bevy of state and county GOP officials asked Trump not to endorse Vance, which Fox News first published shortly before the endorsement came down. TRUMP ENDORSEMENTS OF OZ, VANCE AREN'T DETERRING CRUZ, POMPEO IN KEY GOP SENATE PRIMARIES "While we are aware of the blowback you are receiving from your supporters for your endorsement of Vance- please understand we are not your typical Republicans in Ohio," the letter says. "We are the original and proud Trumpers who served as your delegates in Ohio when everybody was against you or supporting other candidates." "You trusted us in 2016 to do what was best for Ohio," it continues. "We would respectfully request you reconsider your endorsement of JD Vance to show your supporters in Ohio and across our great states why we first believed in you back in 2016." The letter is signed by 33 of the total 66 delegates that were designated to represent Trump at the 2016 RNC if he won the Ohio primary. Some of those delegates have since died, meaning the signers of the Wednesday letter represent the majority of that group. "Conservative outsiders like Donald Trump and JD Vance will always be fought by the Republican establishment and party insiders," Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk said. "This is nothing more than a desperate attempt by four jealous and dying campaigns who are working together to organize these letters because they can't cope with the fact that President Trump rejected their establishment-approved candidates in favor of the only real America First conservative in this race." Story continues TRUMP ENDORSES JD VANCE IN OHIO GOP SENATE PRIMARY Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich won the state's GOP presidential primary in 2016, meaning those designated Trump delegates did not have the chance to represent him at the RNC. But the letter's signers still represent some of the former president's earliest supporters when much of the GOP was highly suspicious of him. And they highlight that Vance was among the people who forcefully opposed Trump then. "President Trump this movement is about America First. While JD Vance may have apologized and now says nice things about you (as candidate Vance) - the fact is JD Vance never once apologized for working against our movement and most importantly calling us - your original supporters - racist," the letter says. "Unlike the other candidates in this race, JD Vance has not developed relationships with Republican voters and grassroots leaders that are crucial to win. This endorsement of JD Vance is a betrayal to not only your Ohio supporters but Trump supporters across our great nation!" the letter continues. OHIO REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE, MANY COUNTY GOP CHAIRS URGE TRUMP NOT TO ENDORSE CANDIDATE IN SENATE RACE In his endorsement released last week, however, Trump acknowledged Vance's past comments and says he believes the candidate's had a change of heart. "Like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not so great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades," Trump said. "He is our best chance for victory in what could be a very tough race." "I've studied this race closely and I think J.D. is the most likely to take out the weak, but dangerous, Democrat opponent dangerous because they will have so much money to spend," Trump said. "However, J.D. will destroy him in the debates and will fight for the MAGA Movement in the Senate." Vance is set to face off with a crowded GOP field in Ohio's May 3 primary. Among the other major candidates are former Ohio GOP Chair Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons, former Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel and state Sen. Mike Dolan. The campaigns for Timken, Mandel and Gibbons fought particularly hard to convince Trump not to endorse a candidate in the race. The winner of the Ohio GOP primary will likely face Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, in the general election. Bill Ackman, the Pershing Square Capital Management founder who less than three months ago bought $1.1 billion in Netflix stock, disclosed on Wednesday that he has sold his entire stake in the company at a major loss. While we have a high regard for Netflixs management and the remarkable company they have built, in light of the enormous operating leverage inherent in the companys business model, changes in the companys future subscriber growth can have an outsized impact on our estimate of intrinsic value, Ackman wrote in a letter to Pershing shareholders. In our original analysis, we viewed this operating leverage favorably due to our long-term growth expectations for the company. More from The Hollywood Reporter The move is an about-face for Ackman, who made a big buy on the company in January and lauded Netflix in Pershings March 29 annual report as a company that is well positioned as a leading beneficiary of the long-term secular growth in streaming, a high-quality business overseen by a world-class management team. In the same report less than a month ago, Ackman added: We believe Netflixs current valuation represents a meaningful discount to intrinsic value for a business of its quality and exceptional growth potential. If Pershing bought 3.1 million shares of Netflix stock at its closing price of $359.70 a share on Jan. 26 for $1.1 billion, when the company closed at $226.19 on Wednesday, those shares would be worth about $700 million. The sale arrives a day after Netflix disclosed that it had lost 200,000 subscribers in its latest quarter, bringing its total number of global members to 221.64 million. More distressing to Wall Street was guidance that the streaming giant expected to lose an additional 2 million subscribers in its next quarter. I know its disappointing for investors, and it is for sure, co-CEO Reed Hastings told analysts on an earnings call yesterday, adding, Were super focused [on] getting back into our investors good graces. Story continues As part of winning back investors, Netflix executives unveiled plans to not only crack down on password sharing, but also eventually introduce a cheaper, advertising-supported tier of the service and continue its expansion into the video game space. Wall Street wasnt impressed, and Netflix stock fell a steep 35 percent on Wednesday as multiple analysts issued downgrades to the stock target price. Ackman, in his letter, applauded Netflixs efforts but said that it wasnt enough to hold the stock. While Netflixs business is fundamentally simple to understand, in light of recent events, we have lost confidence in our ability to predict the companys future prospects with a sufficient degree of certainty, the activist investor wrote on Wednesday. Based on managements track record, we would not be surprised to see Netflix continue to be a highly successful company and an excellent investment from its current market value. Click here to read the full article. Ronald McDonald House in Columbus is planning to expand in the near future. Eighty more rooms for families with sick children, a STEM center for young girls, expanded trails and coworking space for female entrepreneurs are all on Central Ohio's $28.4-million wish list for this year's state capital budget. The two-year state budget funds one-time expenses for projects across Ohio. Most of the money goes for projects already in the works, but about $187 million will get allocated for new community projects. The Columbus region, which includes 11 counties around central Ohio, has a wish list of 53 projects totaling $28.4 million. That's about half of its original $54.47 million wish list. "We're not picking winners and losers here," Columbus Partnership Vice President Jeff Polesovsky said. "Were trying to create momentum." His organization compiled all the potential projects from around the Columbus region and put together the submission package for state lawmakers. The "winning" projects all had local support, other funding sources and were well developed. For example, their proposal requested $2.5 million to add 80 rooms and additional community spaces to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. The nonprofit provides rooms and meals to families with children in long-term care at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "That partnership is incredible," Polesovsky said. "They are accommodating families from all over the world." The project list also included $1.85 million for a building dedicated to STEM learning and creating for the Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland and $700,000 to build a permanent space for Zora's House, a business incubator and coworking space for entrepreneurial women of color. There's also a $1.75 million request to expand the Heritage Trail in Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. State lawmakers originally planned to approve the two-year capital budget in March, but redistricting delays pushed the budget back. Story continues Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, who oversees the Senate Finance committee said he expects to start hearings on the budget in late May or early June. Anna Staver is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. It serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Get more political analysis by listening to the Ohio Politics Explained podcast This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Projects Columbus wants Ohio to fund with its capital budget TAMPA Forty-four people addressed Hillsborough County commissioners Wednesday night to voice their opinions on a proposed referendum for a 1 percent sales tax for transportation. By the end of the more than two-hour public hearing, 24 people said they supported the referendum and 20 objected. When it came to the commission, the margin wasnt that close. On a 5-2 party-line vote, commissioners agreed to ask voters in November to approve the sales tax for transportation. Let our voters make the final decision, said Commissioner Gwen Myers. Republican Commissioners Stacy White and Ken Hagan dissented. White said the planned spending is too Tampa-centric. Its terrible for the unincorporated communities in Hillsborough County, White said. Under the proposed spending plan, 45 percent of the proceeds would be earmarked for the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. The county and the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City would divide 54.5 percent based on their populations, and one-half percent would be set aside for the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization. If voters approve the referendum, the tax is projected to raise $342 million in its first full year. Before the vote, several speakers touted the benefits improved mass transit would have on their communities. I think people want a way around town without sitting in traffic, said 17-year-old Hillsborough County resident Vishnu Malhotra. It is time for action. Doing nothing is not an option, said Mickey Jacob, an architect speaking on behalf of the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. Our county ... cannot grow and prosper without this decisive action. Other speakers objected and based their opposition on the economy and rising inflation. Charlotte Greenbarg, of Lutz, argued that a sales tax is regressive and disproportionately affects lower-income people. It makes the rich richer and the poor poorer, she said. People are struggling just to make ends meet, argued Shirley Wood of Lithia. Story continues But Commissioner Harry Cohen later reminded speakers that inflation goes both ways. If we kick the can down the road and dont do these projects now, these will get more expensive, he said. Other speakers lamented the failed effort at a $1 billion transportation plan in 1999. It had been recommended by a citizens group but failed to garner commission support. The problem is real. Transportation is still messed up in Hillsborough County, said former Commissioner Thomas Scott. Voters approved a similar sales tax in 2018, by a margin of 57-43 percent. The Florida Supreme Court voided it last year after a legal challenge led by White. He said the tax was illegal because the spending allocations were set by a preconceived formula instead of by elected public officials. The $562 million collected from the tax remains escrowed. The transit authority and local governments previously provided lists of their needs to the commission. The city of Tampa said it could use $72 million annually for road maintenance, sidewalks, streetlights and congestion relief strategies including traffic signals and intersection changes but only has $8.9 million budgeted. Plant City reported nearly $45 million of unfunded needs over the next decade. The city of Temple Terrace said it has an $8 million shortfall on bicycle and pedestrian paths. The transit authority, funded now by an annual property tax, said adding buses and paratransit vans, refurbishing transit centers, providing premium services such as bus rapid transit and making other improvements across the system requires an additional $10.9 billion investment over the next 30 years. The county has said it faces a $1.5 billion shortfall to expand and improve its transportation system over the next decade, plus another $700 million to maintain transportation facilities. Hobbs police on Thursday announced the arrest of a middle school teacher accused of making sexual contact with students. Daniel Decker of Hobbs was arrested Wednesday by police after what the department called an extensive investigation regarding inappropriate behavior toward two female students at Highland Middle School, where Decker is an employee, according to a news release from Hobbs police. On April 11, two female student came forward to Highland Middle School staff, alleging Decker had engaged in inappropriate behavior toward. The staff contacted the School Resource Officer in reference to the allegations. A detective with the Hobbs Police Department was contacted and responded to the school. Interviews took place with the students and their parents. Decker was then contacted and agreed to a voluntary interview with Hobbs police, according to the release. Based on the interviews and investigations, arrest warrants were sought for Decker on five counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor all 3rd Degree Felonies. Decker remained held at Lea County Detention Center pending arraignment. "We would like to express our professional appreciation to the Hobbs Municipal Schools and the Staff of Highland Middle School for their full cooperation during this investigation," reads the statement from Hobbs police. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Hobbs school teacher arrested, accused of sexual contact with students Holly Willoughby and Gwyneth Paltrow have been discussing finding confidence as you age. (Getty Images) Gwyneth Paltrow and Holly Willoughby have been opening up about finding confidence as you age. The actor turned wellness entrepreneur spoke to the This Morning presenter in the latest episode of Willoughby's Wylde Moon podcast, with the duo discussing various topics including fame, motherhood, sex and success. During a chat about some of the life lessons Paltrow, 49, has learnt during her own journey, Willoughby , 41, confessed she'd been trying to work on her own self-confidence recently. "In my own personal life, I feel like the last few years Ive been on a journey," she said. "I feel like I'm learning to trust in my instincts a lot more and I'm definitely becoming more confident in using my own voice." She went on to say she's also trying to work on "truly believing that I'm good enough, not just saying it but actually really feeling it". Read more: Holly Willoughby suffered from impostor syndrome how to overcome it In response to being asked about her own confidence breakthroughs Paltrow revealed that it was in her 40s that something switched for her. After confirming Willoughby's age, Paltrow validated the hosts feelings and said: "Thats about the time when it starts happening. Gwyneth Paltrow said she found herself when she turned 40, pictured in November 2019. (Getty Images) "Hopefully the change I see in my daughter, that glimmer of hope that that generation is going to be different, but women culturally were not raised to listen to our instincts and our voice and sometimes its a real pain in the ass. "When I turned 40 I felt like I got a software upgrade and I was like, 'Oh, I kind of dont give a f**k what anyone thinks about me. This is kind of refreshing'." The Iron Man star went on to say she found she learnt that saying what she means was vital in that journey to confidence. "If I say what I mean I actually feel better all day because I'm not out of integrity with myself," she says, adding that brushing things under the carpet had the opposite effect. Story continues "When we're true to ourselves, we listen to ourselves and our instincts, it all starts to open up." Paltrow noted that shell be turning 50 in September and feels "more myself than Ive ever felt" as she approaches the milestone. Willoughby agreed it is important to try to find your true self as you age: "Its actually impossible for me not to be myself now. It absolutely terrified me at the beginning because Im a massive people-pleaser and the last thing I want, I dont want to offend or upset somebody. "Ive been waiting to get to know me." Watch: Holly Willoughby laughs as she discusses sleep benefits of self-pleasure Earlier in the discussion Paltrow revealed that while she would describe herself as a "measured person" she wasn't always like that. "I think I've done a lot of work to become that way and not be reactive, but when I was a teenager I was pretty spicy. I was full of this unbridled energy. I was a risk taker. I was definitely not the way I am now. I definitely had a punk rock streak that I've managed to taper over the years." While she says she misses aspects of her younger self, she prefers the present-day Paltrow. "There was a kind of stupidity slash fearlessness that's actually kind of amazing that I think young people have. So sometimes I miss that but I actually really prefer this incarnation of myself more." Read more: Holly Willoughby giggles over sleep benefits of self-pleasure on 'This Morning' Elsewhere in the chat, the duo discussed motherhood, both admitting to having to adapt their parenting as their children get older. "Right now I'm entering this new phase of being a mother of teenagers," Paltrow admitted, before confirming that her son Moses is soon to turn 16, while daughter Apple will be 18. "So I'm starting to enter this realm of 'wow, how am I supposed to be a parent to like an adult person? It's very different to when they're little. "I think I'm always trying to be really conscious of the emerging phases of their lives because you can get really comfortable parenting in one way and then all of a sudden its not as relevant if you have a 16-year-old boy." Holly Willoughby said she's been working on her own self-confidence journey, pictured in March 2022. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) Willoughby agreed admitting: "So you have to evolve and adapt and try and somehow keep up." The wellness entrepreneurs also chatted about sex with Willoughby praising Paltrow's recent Netflix series, Love, Sex and Goop, for opening up the conversation around sex and pleasure, particularly female pleasure. "We're all a bit taboo about it these days, I think here in Britain especially we're known as being a bit stiff upper lip and don't like these conversations. But I do feel like we are getting better," Willoughby said. Paltrow agreed things were improving and she's proud of any role Goop may have played in that: "We're getting better because we're having the conversations," she said. "Goop was credited with making it palatable and not something gross and prurient and shameful and I'm so proud of that. "Sexual wellness is a super, super important part of overall wellness and we do tend to put shame around our sexuality and it's important to have a relationship with that part of ourselves that we hold shame in to release it and to feel good." Paltrow added that there is nothing wrong with it, but we have been "socialised to think there is for a long time." Read more: Gwyneth Paltrow says her current 'drink status' is one drink per week Willoughby and Paltrow have plenty in common with both the founders of womens lifestyle brands Wylde Moon and Goop respectively. Willoughby has described Wylde Moon as an online space to empower women, explore crystal energies and offer fashion and beauty tips. Explaining her hopes for her new website, she previously said: "I want WYLDE MOON to be a place where I can share the things that I love, the lessons that I've learnt, the things I see and instantly want to share with others. "I want it to be a place where we can celebrate other people, too, where we can shine a light on them, their brands, their experiences. Its a celebration of all kinds of beauty. "WYLDE MOON is the embodiment of me reaching a stage in life where, although I have lots of experience, I still dont fully know who I am. In a selfish way, I am putting this all together to help me and if I can take anyone else along for the ride at the same time, even better. Youre all welcome. Come on in! Like Gwyneth Paltrow's hugely popular Goop lifestyle site, Willoughby's also aims to support other women with advice and affirmation. Watch: Of course Gwyneth Paltrow has a spa in her house A Hong Kong actor has publicly apologized for her portrayal of a domestic worker from the Philippines in a local television series, after it raised allegations of racism and prompted debate about responsible on-screen representation in the Chinese territory. Franchesca Wong, a Canadian-born actor of Chinese ethnicity, darkened her skin for a role in an episode of Barrack OKarma 1968, a drama series on the public broadcaster TVB. Her character, a woman named Louisa, is a mysterious foreign domestic worker newly hired by a local family. A video posted on Instagram to accompany the episodes release last week showed Wong applying tan makeup on her legs on set, saying she was suntanning and transforming into someone else in an affected Filipino accent. The footage was taken offline after a backlash from migrant rights groups and Filipina actors working in the city, who questioned TVBs decision to cast an ethnically Chinese actor in the role. The brown face act will only strengthen the stereotypes and stigma around migrant domestic workers, the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions said in a statement in response to the episode. There is plenty talented Filipino actress in Hong Kong and no one think of contacting one of them? it asked. Critics were further incensed by the characters portrayal in the supernatural series: practicing voodoo, drawing a smile on a voodoo doll in blood, and keeping a hidden fetus in a jar in her bedroom before eventually being accepted into her employers family. Local media coverage of the episode was largely positive and hailed Wongs performance as convincing. But critics said it was insensitive and reflected a broader system of discrimination against foreign domestic workers in the city. Franchesca Wong, a Canadian-born ethnically Chinese actor, darkened her skin to play a domestic worker from the Philippines. (via TVB) Wongs performance even drew criticism from the Philippines envoy to Hong Kong, Consul General Raly Tejada, who called the episode downright ignorant, insensitive and totally disgusting in a statement to The South China Morning Post. Story continues In a statement Wednesday, Wong, 32, apologized to those who had been negatively affected by the episode and her performance in it. I genuinely have no intention to disrespect or racially discriminate any ethnic group, please forgive me for getting it wrong, she said. It has been a challenging experience to be at the center of a lesson that art reflects deeply entrenched social attitudes. Although her apology was welcomed by the shows critics, some felt it was just the beginning of needed change in social attitudes toward Hong Kongs ethnic minorities. I personally felt that I was able to accept and also appreciate what she had to say, Izzy Jose, a Filipina actor in Hong Kong, told NBC News on Thursday. But thats not to say that this issue is finally done and that all of the problems that this issue has shed light on will magically disappear. Hong Kongs 340,000 foreign domestic workers, the majority of whom are from the Philippines and Indonesia, are one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in the city, and are subject to strict visa rules that rights groups have criticized as discriminatory. Under city regulations, workers must live with their employers and are not allowed to engage in any work other than the employment they are contracted for when they arrive in Hong Kong. The minimum monthly salary for six days of work a week is around $590. TVB said it had no further comment on the matter Thursday, referring to a statement last week that praised Wongs performance. Through her professional performing techniques and sophisticated handling of role-playing, the character Louisa was successfully portrayed, the earlier statement said. We wish to emphasize that it was never our intention to show disrespect or to discriminate any nationality in any of our program. We would like to express our concern to anyone who might be affected in this matter, it continued. Eric Tsang, general manager of TVB and a veteran actor, also defended Wongs casting, describing the controversy as a misunderstanding. If we were producing a show about aliens, we wouldnt be able to cast an alien, we can only cast someone to act as an alien. That wouldnt count as racism against aliens, right? he told reporters Sunday. Jose criticized TVBs response as severely lacking. They need to do better. Not only should they address the fact that many people have been negatively affected by this, but they need to do better in creating roles for Filipinos and ethnic non-Chinese locals that do not perpetuate prejudice and negative stereotypes that are damaging and harmful to people that have brown skin, she said. They should be writing stories about us that show audiences the realities of what it means to live as a person with brown skin in Hong Kong. And they need to put an end to writing roles and stories that minimize us to that of a caricature. HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong reopened gyms, beauty parlours, theme parks and cinemas on Thursday for the first time in more than four months, as authorities relaxed some of the world's toughest COVID-19 curbs, which have weighed on people and businesses. Some in the global financial hub flocked to salons and massage parlours, while others visited temples and churches which had also been shut. Many schools have also resumed in-person learning after months of online instruction. "Everyone has things to do and be able to make money," said Idy Lee, 44, the owner of a nail salon in the bustling Mong Kok district. "It's excellent and people can come out for activities again. Everyone is happy." Many restaurants were booked out for weeks ahead after the hours for dining out were extended until 10 p.m. (1400 GMT) from 6 p.m., while group sizes have been expanded to four from two. As Hong Kong eased its measures, authorities in China's commercial capital of Shanghai said they would retain tough curbs. The easing comes as the number of daily COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong have dropped below 1,000 for the past six days, from a peak of more than 70,000 on March 3. Health authorities reported 628 new cases on Thursday, however, and urged vigilance against any rebound in infections. Though the relaxation brought relief for many, scores of businesses have closed and tens of thousands of people have fled Hong Kong as authorities re-imposed in January measures first adopted in 2020. The city has grappled to impose a "dynamic zero" COVID policy similar to mainland China, which aims to quash all outbreaks, as opposed to living with the virus, a strategy that many countries have followed. Its borders have effectively been sealed since 2020, with few flights landing and fewer transit passengers permitted, denting Hong Kong's reputation as a global hub. Swimming pools and beaches remain shut, frustrating many athletes, while bars, nightclubs and saunas are still closed, with many of them battling to stay afloat, and others on borrowed time. Story continues "The reopening of gyms is a happy thing, but I hope the government will give us some subsidies because we have been closed on and off for a year-and-a-half, and lost a lot of customers," said Parker Chan, 25, a coach at Fitness Formula. While densely-packed Hong Kong held COVID-19 at bay for much of 2021, a surge of the highly contagious Omicron variant brought the former British colony to its knees in February, swamping its world-class medical system. Its tally of infections is more than 1.1 million, with 8,973 deaths. (Reporting by Joyce Zhou and Aleksander Solum; Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Clarence Fernandez) For months, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol has been probing coordination between far-right groups, and another trove of text messages released this week by federal prosecutors shows coordination between members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. But in recent weeks, the House committee has also learned through testimony from several witnesses that while members of both groups often worked together, and did so on Jan. 6, there was animosity between the groups' leaders in the run-up to the Capitol attack. House investigators have probed this line of inquiry in depositions, trying to learn more about the dynamics inside two key groups linked to Jan. 6, four people familiar with the probe told CBS News. The questions the committee has asked and related answers reveal how it is deeply looking into how far-right groups were potentially riven by intense rivalry, even as they pursued similar and allegedly seditious aims during the Jan. 6 period. It is unclear if this line of inquiry will be included in the committee's public findings, if at all, as it pushes to finish its work in the coming weeks. Several people close to the committee have said members and aides felt pressure to wrap up their work in the coming weeks even as they explore various investigative paths. But in recent weeks, Jan. 6 committee investigators have asked at least three witnesses to detail the behind-the-scenes rivalry, mistrust, and animus between Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and prominent Proud Boys member Enrique Tarrio during the run-up to the attack on the Capitol, the people said. In addition, the House panel has spent a combined 10 hours probing Rhodes and Tarrio about their roles, according to the sources, with Rhodes sitting for six hours with the committee and Tarrio for at least four hours. Responses from several witnesses have provided information about the subtleties of how far-right groups operate, the people said. The committee is preparing to explain to the public how various feuding groups were able to put aside those differences and embark on a shared mission to boost former President Donald Trump and pressure Congress. Story continues The investigation into the relationship between the two leaders has not altered the committee's private assessment that members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers were able to work closely together on Jan. 6, inspired by Trump and his false claims of a stolen election, two of the people familiar with the depositions said. Rhodes and Tarrio are two of the highest-profile Jan. 6 defendants facing federal prosecution, with Rhodes awaiting a trial for seditious conspiracy related to the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio also remains jailed pending trial on several federal charges, including conspiracy. File combination: Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes (L) and Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio (R) / Credit: Rhodes: Aaron Davis, Washington Post, via Getty Images; Tarrio: John Rudoff/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images New York-based filmmaker Nick Quested, who said he testified for seven hours before the committee in March, confirmed to CBS News that he spoke with the committee's investigators about the relationship between Rhodes and Tarrio, which he has documented. "There was an animus between Rhodes and Tarrio," Quested told CBS News, referring to a Jan. 5, 2021, meeting in a parking garage between the two men, which was filmed. "They were not on the same team. There was a trepidation to engage with each other, especially from Rhodes' point of view." Three of the other people interviewed by CBS News requested anonymity since they were not authorized to discuss committee depositions. This latest line of inquiry underscores how the Jan. 6 committee, just weeks before it plans to begin public hearings, is working to map out the relationships between far-right groups and to understand the dynamics around the Jan. 6 attack. But rather than see the two central far-right groups associated with Jan. 6 as a monolith working seamlessly to coordinate the assault on the Capitol, the committee has learned that they were riven by intense infighting, even as they pursued similar and allegedly seditious aims during that period. Recent testimony from several witnesses has provided some nuanced information about how far-right groups operate, with their shared conspiracies and ambitions at times gaining traction on social-media fronts, even though the individual leaders were feuding or suspicious of one another. An attorney who has represented Proud Boys clients in other criminal cases said the group specifically seeks men only for membership. The Jan. 6 defendants allegedly affiliated with the Proud Boys have roots in larger metropolitan areas, including Philadelphia. Many of the accused Oath Keepers charged in the attack hail from small, rural communities, including southern Ohio and western Virginia. In particular, the committee has prodded witnesses about the Jan. 5, 2021, meeting between Rhodes and Tarrio in Washington, D.C., hours before members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were accused of storming the Capitol intent on stopping the certification of the 2020 presidential election. On the eve of the Capitol attack, Tarrio and Rhodes met for the first time, fleetingly, in the parking garage of the Hall of States building in Washington, across the street from the Senate side of the Capitol, according to two people familiar with the panel testimony of Tarrio and others. Tarrio told the Jan. 6 committee that he was staying in a hotel near the parking garage and made the quick visit to see Rhodes. But he said under oath that he had done so unwillingly because he disdained Rhodes and considered him a rival, three people familiar with his testimony said. "They met reluctantly, without warning. They don't like each other," said one person close to Tarrio. At one point, during his meeting with the committee, Tarrio referred to Rhodes' group as "oath breakers," a second person said. Tarrio also told investigators that the animus between him and Rhodes can be traced back to a falling out in 2019, following an incident in Portland, Oregon. Tarrio told the investigators that he had made arrangements with Rhodes to help transport a convoy of Proud Boys through the city, but then Proud Boys were stood up and stranded by Rhodes, the people said. Tarrio said he grew angry and frustrated by Rhodes' handling of that incident, which left Proud Boys struggling to travel and pay for car services and other travel options, the sources added. Beyond Quested, another person familiar with the Jan. 5, 2021 meeting between Tarrio and Rhodes said it was brief, likely less than two minutes long. Tarrio told the House committee he was unaware Rhodes would be in the garage, where a group of associates and Trump supporters had gathered on Jan. 5. Tarrio told the committee he and Rhodes shook hands and greeted each other. Rhodes' defense attorney says Rhodes was interviewed for six hours by the House committee in February. Attorney Phillip Lindner told CBS News much of the interview was focused on the origins and beliefs of the Oath Keepers, but also included questioning about the relationship between Rhodes and Tarrio. Lindner said Rhodes had little to say about Tarrio. An attorney for Tarrio declined to comment. A spokesman for the committee declined to comment. CBS News has also confirmed that the committee is investigating whether far-right leaders felt inspired by Trump's remarks about the Proud Boys. At a presidential debate on Sept. 29, 2020, Trump and then former vice president Joe Biden had a heated exchange on the threat of white supremacy. At one point, when asked about the Proud Boys, Trump said, "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," and then said that violence is a "left-wing problem." Lawyers, federal prosecutors, and judges have singled out Trump's comments in an increasing number of civil and criminal cases stemming from the Capitol siege. They allege the phrase was an inspiration for the violence on Jan. 6, particularly among Proud Boys. The Justice Dept. accused Capitol riot defendant Daniel Goodwyn of Corinth, Texas, of posting A CBS News review of the tens of thousands of pages of criminal court filings also revealed multiple references to the phrase in affidavits or memos used to seek criminal charges or pretrial detention against individual defendants. The Justice Department accused Capitol riot defendant Daniel Goodwyn of Corinth, Texas, of posting "stand back and stand by" on his Twitter feed, using an avatar image of Donald Trump, on Nov. 7, 2020. Tarrio pleaded not guilty to multiple federal felony counts earlier this month, including conspiracy to obstruct Congress' certification of the 2020 electoral votes, stemming from his alleged participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. He was arrested in Miami in March after a grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted him and five other Proud Boys members who had already been charged with other crimes connected to Jan. 6. A Florida judge ordered Tarrio detained pending trial, and in April, he appeared virtually at an arraignment in U.S. District Court in Washington to enter his not guilty plea. The Justice Department said Tarrio was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6, but prosecutors allege he led the advance planning of a portion of the attack and remained in contact with some of the Proud Boys while they were taking part in the assault. Tarrio had been arrested two days before the attack on unrelated charges. He was released the next day and ordered to stay out of Washington. The new indictment alleged that he defied the order and remained in Washington for some time, directing the Proud Boys' actions during the Capitol rioting and bragging about it later on social media and in encrypted messages. Prosecutors said Tarrio and other Proud Boys allegedly established what they called a "Ministry of Self Defense," with Tarrio at the top of the power structure. One of Tarrio's co-defendants pleaded guilty earlier this month and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. In January, Rhodes and nine of his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges that they planned for and participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Appearing virtually in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the defendants each entered not-guilty pleas after listening to the counts levied against them, including seditious conspiracy, the most serious charge that has so far been brought in the Justice Department's investigation into the attack. In all, the Justice Department has charged 11 alleged members of the Oath Keepers with seditious conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at the judge's discretion. One of the defendants in the Oath Keepers case has pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigation. On Monday, Rhodes formally requested his trial be moved out of the Washington, D.C.-area. Prosecutors allege Rhodes and his co-conspirators intended to stop the presidential transfer of power. "They coordinated travel across the country to enter Washington, D.C., equipped themselves with a variety of weapons, donned combat and tactical gear, and were prepared to answer Rhodes's call to take up arms at Rhodes's direction," according to the indictment. "Some co-conspirators also amassed firearms on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., distributed them among 'quick reaction force' teams, and planned to use the firearms in support of their plot to stop the lawful transfer of presidential power." Rob Legare contributed to this report. Husky declares love for owner Inside Operation Lone Star, Texas' controversial border program Biden announces another $800 million security package for Ukraine VATICAN CITY (AP) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Thursday as the war in Ukraine and the millions of refugees it has created cast a shadow over two leaders who have long sought closer ties with Russia. The 45-minute meeting was the second between Francis and Orban in less than a year, but couldn't have been more different in tone. The pope made a brief stop in Budapest to close out a church congress, and the awkwardness of that September encounter was evident given his and nationalist Orban's starkly different views of mass migration to Europe. But on Thursday, a smiling and jovial Francis showed his appreciation for the welcome Hungary had provided to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. He gave Orban a medallion of St. Martin and said he chose it specifically to honor Hungary's reception of refugees. Hungary has emerged as a major transit country for the war's refugees. More than 476,000 people have entered the countrys territory from Ukraine since the conflict began eight weeks ago, according to the U.N. refugee agency. Francis and Obran laughed frequently during Thursday's encounter. When it was time for them to part, the pope told the prime minister in English: May God bless you, your family and Hungary. Orban replied Your Holiness, we are waiting for you, an apparent reference to Francis plans to return to Hungary for a pastoral visit sometime in the future. While Orbans government adopted anti-immigration policies in the past, it said it would welcome all those fleeing Ukraine and provide them with food, accommodation and the opportunity to work. That contrasts with Europes last wave of refugees. When over 1 million people, mostly from Iraq and Syria, arrived in the European Union in 2015, Orban ordered the construction of a razor-wire fence along Hungarys southern border and put up legal roadblocks to asylum-seekers. Orbans visit to the Vatican was his first foreign trip since he and his right-wing Fidesz party won Hungary's April 3 national election, and the destination represented a departure from what has become his tradition following past elections. Story continues Soon to begin his fourth consecutive term, Orban - the longest-serving leader in the EU - traveled to Poland's capital, Warsaw, to visit allies after the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Hungarian elections. Poland is Hungarys strongest EU ally, and the government's of the two countries have supported each other in their respective battles with the bloc over allegations that their populist governments have eroded judicial independence, media freedom and the rule of law. But the war in Ukraine has put the warm relations between Budapest and Warsaw to the test, revealing fault lines caused by differing approaches to Moscow. Poland, which has traditionally seen Russia as a major security threat, has been among Europes most active players in pushing for sanctions against Moscow and providing military aid to Ukraine. Orban has long pursued close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and in recent weeks refused to supply Ukraine with weapons or allow their transfer across the Hungary-Ukraine border. The Hungarian government also has lobbied heavily against expanding EU sanctions to include a ban on Russian energy imports, on which Hungary is dependent. Francis, for his part, has long sought to improve relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2016, he became the first pope in a millennium to meet with the church's leader, Russian Patriarch Kirill. Francis initially offered restrained criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, maintaining the Vatican's diplomatic tradition. But he has increasingly expressed outrage over what he called a sacrilegious war and the creation of millions of Ukrainian refugees, while still refraining from calling out Russia or Putin by name. Francis is still seeking to keep open a path of dialogue with Kirill, however. They spoke by video call last month, and there have been reports they might meet face-to-face in Jerusalem in June. ___ Spike reported from Budapest, Hungary. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Apr. 20An Illinois man accused of stalking and stealing a car in Maine has been arrested after leading Massachusetts state troopers on a chase. Kevin Oldaker, 48, of Poplar Grove, Illinois, was found about 7:24 a.m. Wednesday at the Charlton Service Plaza off the Massachusetts Turnpike sleeping in the backseat of a 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor reported stolen out of Biddeford, according to the Massachusetts State Police. When approached by a state trooper, Oldaker allegedly refused to unlock the doors and moved about the car, claiming he could not find his keys. Oldaker then allegedly started the Endeavor and fled west down the turnpike. Troopers pursued Oldaker into Chicopee and Ludlow, where he exited the turnpike and then got back onto it, according to the state police. The pursuit came to a stop in Stockbridge, 3 miles from the state line with New York, after his tires were flattened by a spike mat. But Oldaker allegedly refused to leave the car, causing a standoff, before he eventually surrendered about 9 a.m. Oldaker was wanted on a felony warrant issued by Maine last week for alleged stalking and a second felony warrant out of Illinois connected to a February 2014 home invasion and sexual assault, according to the Massachusetts State Police. Information about charges Oldaker faces from the Massachusetts chase wasn't immediately available. GAZA (Reuters) - Israel carried out air strikes in central Gaza before dawn on Thursday after a rocket launched from the Palestinian territory landed in Israel, Hamas officials and Israeli military sources said. Two training camps used by Hamas, the Islamist group that rules the blockaded enclave, were hit, and no casualties were reported, witnesses said. Israeli war planes struck a security post and part of an underground site used to produce rocket engines, the Israeli military said in a statement. Earlier, a rocket fired from Gaza struck southern Israel, causing slight damage to a house but no injuries, police said. No faction claimed responsibility for what is the second such attack in days. An upsurge of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict. Since March, Israeli forces have killed at least 29 Palestinians in West Bank raids, and a series of deadly Arab street attacks have killed 14 people in Israel. In a statement, Hamas said Israel's bombing will only encourage Palestinians to "resist the occupation and step up their support for Jerusalem and its people". Confrontations in Jerusalem's Old City - particularly at Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount - pose the risk of a relapse into a broader conflagration like last year's 11-day Israel-Gaza war, in which more than 250 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 people in Israel were killed. Tensions this year have been heightened in part by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan coinciding with the Jewish celebration of Passover, which sees a rise in the number of Jewish visitors to the compound, revered by Jews as the site of two ancient temples. Palestinians see such visits as a provocation, at the third holiest site in Islam. Palestinians want East Jerusalem, including its Muslim, Christian and Jewish holy sites, as the capital of a future state. Israel, which annexed East Jerusalem in a move not internationally recognised after capturing the area in a 1967 war, regards all of Jerusalem as its eternal capital. (This story deletes incorrect reference to Israel allowing Jewish worshippers into compound in eighth paragraph) (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Henriette Chacar; Editing by Grant McCool) A California judge today granted Activisions motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit filed by investors who asserted the company misled them about sexual harassment allegations at the company, including probes by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Californias Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). First reported by Bloomberg Law, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs failed to meet the threshold to pursue their claims under federal securities law. First filed in August 2021 by a group of individual investors that includes Jeff Ross and Gary Cheng, they allege the EEOC and DFEH probes were intentionally downplayed by Activision in SEC filings, which calling them routine. But the judge argued these investors' claims to be an example of fraud-by-hindsight , wherein companies which suffer bad outcomes are unfairly accused of having been able to predict them. Plaintiffs contend that the medias reaction to news of the regulatory investigations and Defendants statement in response to the DFEH Action 'belies any notion' that the regulatory investigations were ordinary or routine. But such allegations constitute 'fraud-by-hindsight' and absent particularized, temporal facts, are insufficient to support a claim of securities fraud, wrote Judge Percy Anderson of the US District Court of the Central District of California. AccuWeather Pakistan and neighboring India have been sweltering amid an intense heat wave that has led to weeks of dangerous air quality and rampaging wildfires. Now, the early-season heat is to blame for causing the rapid melt of the Shishper Glacier in northern Pakistan, which led to destructive flooding downstream. The Hassanabad Bridge in Pakistan's Hunza Valley was completely destroyed on Saturday as the melting glacier sent torrents of water coursing through area streams in a phenomenon known as a gla The Kansas Senate wait to take a vote on a set of Republican-authored Congressional maps in February. The state has spent over $250,000 to defend the maps in court to date. The state's tab for two months of defending a hotly-debated set of congressional maps in court has already stretched over a quarter of a million dollars even though the constitutionality of the maps is far from resolved. The Overland Park law firm Foulston Siefkin was tapped to bolster the state's defense of the maps against a trio of lawsuits claiming the new lines run afoul of the Kansas Constitution. Lawyers from both sides sparred in Wyandotte County District Court earlier this month, with the trial wrapping up on April 11. A ruling is expected in the next week but it will almost certainly be appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court. More: Attorneys lay out core arguments on Kansas redistricting as landmark trial nears its end A copy of an invoice billed to Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office, obtained via the Kansas Open Records Act, shows a charge of $257,460.07 for work on the lawsuit as of April 8. That includes over $150,000 in work by the firm's partners, which would appear to include two of the attorneys, Tony Rupp and Gary Ayers, who handled the bulk of the arguments during the trial. All-in-all, Foulston Siefkin has billed over 736 hours to the state for its work on the cases. The firm is one of several law practices frequently enlisted by the Attorney General's office to pitch in on civil litigation. Clint Blaes, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office, noted that Schmidt asked the Kansas Supreme Court to take the case up without going through the district court process something the high court declined to do. "When that court declined and instead made clear that a trial court must hear the case first it became necessary to obtain additional help to prepare for both a trial and the inevitable appeal simultaneously all while under the urgency of the candidate filing deadline," Blaes said in an email. More: Kansas governor signs new legislative, board of education maps, with legal challenge possible Story continues Blaes added the plaintiffs in the case have used nearly two dozen attorneys and said staff attorneys in the AG's office "have all along been vigorously preparing for the Supreme Court appeal while also working closely with the trial team." Solicitor General Brent Laue handled some of the pre-trial hearings and was present during the trial but did not question witnesses or make opening or closing arguments. The rates charged to the AG's office "represent a discount from Foulstons normal hourly rate structure," according to a copy of a contract between the firm and the state. It is unclear if the bill includes other, extraneous costs, such as procuring expert witnesses. One witness called by the defense, Alan Miller, a professor of law economics at Western Ontario University, said he had been paid $51,000 for two weeks of work by the defense. Taxpayer funded legal bills from high-profile lawsuits have become an issue of contention in recent years. "Passing unconstitutional laws is costly, and that cost is born by the taxpayers who have to foot the bill," said Sharon Brett, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas. "And that's unfortunate." The state failed in its attempt to defend a voting law in federal court, touted by former Secretary of State Kris Kobach, that required a person to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Because the law was struck down, the state was forced to pay the legal fees of those challenging the measure. The final bill after negotiations was $1.9 million. Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas spends $250,000 to defend congressional redistricting in court SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Koreas Supreme Court on Thursday threw out a military court ruling that convicted two gay soldiers for having sex outside their military facilities, saying it stretched the reading of the countrys widely criticized military sodomy law. The courts decision to send the case back to the High Court for Armed Forces was welcomed by human rights advocates, who had long protested the countrys 1962 Military Criminal Acts Article 92-6, which prohibits same-sex conduct among soldiers in the countrys predominantly male military. The article prescribes a maximum prison term of two years for anal intercourse and any other indecent acts between military personnel. Following the Supreme Court's full panel deliberation of its 13 justices, Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su said they concluded the provisions should not be applied to consensual sex between male service members that takes place outside military facilities during off-duty hours. The specific ideas of what constitutes as indecency has changed accordingly with the changes in time and society, Kim said in a decision that was broadcast online. The view that sexual activity between people of the same sex is a source of sexual humiliation and disgust for objective regular people and goes against decent moral sense can hardly be accepted as a universal and proper moral standard for our times. The court later said in a press release that the decision was meaningful as a declaration that consensual same-sex sexual activity (among military service members) could no longer been considered as punishable in itself. The two defendants an army lieutenant and sergeant from different units had been charged by military prosecutors in 2017 for having sex during off-duty hours at a residence outside their bases in 2016. They were among at least nine soldiers who were indicted in what critics described as the armys aggressive crackdown on gay soldiers in 2017. Story continues The defendants had appealed after the military high court upheld their convictions by a lower court based on Article 92-6 and gave them suspended prison terms. South Koreas Defense Ministry said it will carefully examine the Supreme Courts decision while proceeding with the case sent back to the military court. The Seoul-based Center for Military Human Rights welcomed the decision, saying it set a new judicial precedent that could help tackle discrimination against sexual minorities in the military and strengthen protection of their privacy. The group in a statement called for courts to acquit all service members charged with violating Article 92-6 and for the countrys Constitutional Court to rule the provision as unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court had received numerous complaints regarding Article 92-6 despite upholding the provision three different times, mostly recently in 2016. South Koreas military has long been criticized over how it treats sexual minorities among its service members. The district court in Daejeon city in October last year ruled that the army unlawfully discriminated against the countrys first known transgender soldier, Byun Hui-su, by discharging her for undergoing gender reassignment surgery, in a verdict that came seven months after she was found dead at her home. The Los Angeles Timess editorial board announced on Thursday that it was endorsing Republican Lanhee Chen in Californias controller race, saying California needs a fiscal watchdog. The newspapers editorial board said they were endorsing Chen because they believe that the controller, who looks at how taxpayer money is being spent by government divisions and can audit government agencies, should be as independent from the party in power as possible. The editorial board touted Chens previous experience working on then-Republican candidate Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign as policy director and serving on the Social Security Advisory Board as an Obama appointee. Chen demonstrates a clear understanding of the possibilities and limitations of the controllers office and vowed he will not use it as a perch to push a partisan agenda. He pledges to use the audit power to scrutinize spending and give programs a letter grade based on their effectiveness, recognizing that the office cannot decide how much money the state spends, the editorial board wrote. Nor can the controller pass new laws or change existing ones, they continued. Those responsibilities are held by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and the governor so any policy or budget proposals Chen might want to advance would have to go through them. The editorial board said that state Sen. Steve Glazer (D), California State Board of Equalization member Malia Cohen (D) and Los Angeles city controller Ron Galperin (D) were all qualified candidates, but said it was time for a fresh lens. The Timess board acknowledged that the idea of voting for a Republican candidate in California could give some voters pause but asserted that one way to restore some sanity to the GOP is to elevate Republicans, like Chen, who operate in the world of facts. The veteran health policy expert has previously declined to tell the newspaper whom he voted for in either of the last two presidential elections, telling the Times last July I do not want this candidacy to be defined by the former president. Its time for accountability and transparency in Californias state government. Honored to have the @latimes endorsement in my campaign for Controller, Chen said in a tweet on Thursday in response to the endorsement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. VILNIUS (Reuters) -Latvia and Estonia each ordered the closure of two Russian consulates and told staff to leave their countries, the foreign ministries said on Tuesday, in measures taken in response to the war in Ukraine. "The decision was taken in solidarity with Ukraine in its fight against the unprovoked and unjustified military aggression and war started by Russia," Latvian Foreign ministry said in a statement. The consulates in the Latvian towns of Daugavpils and Liepaja and Estonian towns of Tartu and Narva will have to close by the end of April. Staff will have to leave by that time, the statements of the ministries said. Several European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Denmark and Sweden, have announced expulsions of Russian diplomats, with Moscow saying it would respond in kind. Fellow Baltic nation Lithuania expelled the Russian ambassador on Monday. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, editing by Gwladys Fouche) CAIRO (AP) One of Libyas rival administrations convened for the first time on Thursday in the southern province of Sabha, vowing to end deepening political divisions. The meeting, far from the capital Tripoli, was the latest sign that Libya remains mired in divisions, months after a U.N.-supported election that was supposed to unify the country in December failed to materialize. In recent months, the oil-rich country has become once again split between two administrations, one in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and another by Fathi Bashagha, a former interior minister who was elected premier by the east-based parliament in February. In a televised session, Bashagha sat down with his ministers. The era of corruption, chaos and despotism is gone. Today marks the beginning of a new national era where all Libyans will unite to achieve reform, reconstruction and justice, said Bashagha in his opening statement. In February, the east-based House of Representatives elected Bashagha to lead a new interim government. The lawmakers there claimed the mandate of interim Prime Minister Dbeibah, who is based in Tripoli, expired after the election failed to take place as planned in December. Dbeibah, however, stood defiant against efforts to replace his government. He said he will hand over power only to an elected government. Bashaghas cabinet met in Sabha, more than 400 miles away from the capital Tripoli. In the meeting, Bashaghas cabinet outlined other objectives and policies including the protection of the countrys southern borders and oil facilities. Since his appointment, Bashagha has been unable to seat his government in the capital, which remains under the control of Dbeibah and allied armed groups. Bashagha had repeatedly said that he would not enter Tripoli by force. With the two leaders sticking to their positions, tensions have risen, and heavily armed militias mobilized in the western region, including the capital. The developments have raised fears that fighting could return to Libya after a period of relative calm since warring parties signed a U.N.-brokered cease-fire late in 2020. The North African country has been wrecked by conflict since the NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. WARSAW, Poland Lithuanias Defence Ministry has kicked off negotiations to purchase more than 120 Boxer infantry fighting vehicles, with a signed contract expected this summer. Deliveries would take place between 2023 and 2024, the ministry said in a statement. Deputy Defence Minister Vilius Semeska said the decision was made after Vilnius evaluated lessons larned from the ongoing war in Ukraine. Lithuania borders Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave, and has provided Ukraine with weapons to support the countrys struggle against Russias invasion. The planned procurement could more than double the Lithuanian militarys modern fleet of infantry fighting vehicles. The decision to keep the same platform for infantry fighting vehicles is rational, and it will allow for an efficient use of the resources allocated to national defense, Semeska said. Lithuania is a member of the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation, or OCCAR, which supervises the supply of the Boxer vehicle to several European states, including Germany, the Netherlands and the U.K. In 2016, Lithuania signed a deal for 88 infantry fighting vehicles with the German-Dutch consortium Artec, which is made up of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Rheinmetall Defence Nederland B.V. The contract was worth 385.6 million (U.S. $417.7 million). The government did not disclose the value of this latest planned deal. Lithuania ordered its Boxer vehicles in the Vilkas (Wolf) variant, which includes a Samson Mk II remote controlled weapon station, a Spike LR anti-tank missile system, a 7.62mm machine gun and a Bushmaster Mk44S 30mm chain gun, according to data from OCCAR. Delivery was initiated in 2019. A tribute to the 97 Hillsborough victims was created at Anfield ahead of the Champions League match against Benfica earlier this month (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire) Liverpool are working to ensure those who engage in chants about the Hillsborough disaster have the full force of the law brought down on them. The Reds released a statement on Thursday saying they were saddened by a rise in instances of such chanting. A minority of Manchester City fans disrupted a minutes silence in memory of the 97 victims of the 1989 disaster during last Saturdays FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Wembley. Liverpool FC is saddened by the recent rise in vile chants about the Hillsborough disaster. Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 21, 2022 Liverpool FC is saddened by the recent rise in vile chants about the Hillsborough disaster, a club statement read. We know the impact these abhorrent slurs have on the families of the 97, those who survived, and all associated with this club. We are working with the relevant authorities to do our utmost to ensure these chants are eradicated from football altogether and, where appropriate, bring the full force of the law and the games sanction process down on those who continue to sing them. City released a statement condemning the actions of some of their fans and the clubs manager Pep Guardiola said: This is not Manchester City. We are close to Liverpool for the tragedy that happened years ago. We are alongside them. (The chants) dont represent what we are. An inquest in 2016 ruled that the fans who had died at Hillsborough were unlawfully killed amid a catalogue of failings by the emergency services. Students at Mahtomedi Middle School and Mahtomedi High School will be back in school in person on Thursday following a day of distance learning on Wednesday. District officials district moved the secondary schools to an e-learning day after a threatening message was left on the districts tip line. Superintendent Barb Duffrin emailed families to alert them that the message threatened an individual at one of the secondary schools and was specific to the date of April 20, 2022. The Washington County sheriffs office was contacted and is investigating the threat, Duffrin wrote. Moving to e-Learning provided an extra level of security for our students and more time for the Washington County Sheriffs Office to look into the matter, she wrote in a second email to families. At this time, there is no validating information to indicate this was a credible threat. We want to thank our students who spoke up about the threat and encourage families to have ongoing conversations about the importance of notifying an adult when coming across something that doesnt look or feel right, Duffrin wrote. Related Articles Apr. 21A Cumberland County Superior Court justice has affirmed that the land between the high and low tide marks on Maine beaches belongs to private property owners, not the state, but he did not rule on whether the public could use that land for activities like running. The ruling dealt a blow to the nearly two dozen plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit to overturn the private ownership of the intertidal zone. Superior Court Justice John O'Neil Jr. dismissed nearly all of the claims and half of the defendants in an order this week. But O'Neil also suggested that a future order could expand the allowed uses on that public land, and the entire case still could be bound for the state's top court. "This lawsuit is the latest battle in the war over the intertidal lands off Maine's coast," O'Neil wrote. Most coastal states own the land between the low and high tide marks on their beaches. More than 30 years ago, when the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled that private owners own all the way to the low-tide line, it also said the public has limited rights to use the intertidal zone for "fishing, fowling and navigation." That language dates back to an ordinance from the 1640s, and its meaning has long been disputed. The plaintiffs have asked the court to expand that definition, and that part of the lawsuit is still alive. Many of the 23 plaintiffs have a business interest in the intertidal zone as seaweed harvesters and processors, clammers, wormers and oyster farmers. One is a marine biologist; another is a professor emeritus at the University of Maine School of Law and a longtime voice in the legal debate over beach ownership. Others own property near Moody Beach in Wells the same beach that was the focus of the 1980s rulings from the Supreme Judicial Court. They filed their complaint in Cumberland County Superior Court in April 2021. Attorney Ben Ford, who represents the plaintiffs, issued a statement Wednesday that did not address the sweeping dismissal. He also did not answer follow-up questions via email about what appeal options are available to his clients and how this ruling will impact their ultimate goal of public beach ownership. Story continues WEIGHING NEXT STEPS "Today's decision proves what every Mainer who relies on our shoreline knows to be true Maine's intertidal problem is far from settled," Ford wrote in an email. "This decision gives us several options on next steps and we are weighing those options carefully. We thank the court for its diligence in addressing these issues and are eager to continue toward reclaiming the coast of Maine for all Mainers." Attorneys who represent most of the defendants said they were pleased with the decision. Five of 10 defendants will be entirely freed from the lawsuit. In 2019, the Supreme Judicial Court found that rockweed is on private property and can no longer be harvested without permission from landowners. In this case, O'Neil found that those five people were being sued only because they either called the Maine Marine Patrol on rockweed harvesters in the intertidal zones near their property or advocated for rockweed conservation. "If the plaintiffs' decision to name the Pages, Li and Newby had nothing to do with their reports to Maine Marine Patrol, then it is curious why every single shorefront property owner who claims title to adjacent intertidal land is not named in this suit," O'Neil wrote. O'Neil dismissed the claims against that group of defendants as a violation of Maine's Anti-SLAPP statute, which is meant to deter such lawsuits. (SLAPP stands for "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.") "It's a very good outcome and the outcome they were asking for," attorney Gordon Smith, who represents those five people, said Wednesday. "They don't want to be in litigation. They were just exercising their rights as they understood them." One of those defendants was Robin Hadlock Seeley, a marine scientist and one of the founders of the Maine Rockweed Coalition, a nonprofit that promotes conservation. "It reinforced the rights of landowners, including coastal land trusts, to protect vital marine landscape and prevent indiscriminate habitat destruction," she said of the order on Wednesday. ARGUMENTS NEGATED BY PREVIOUS OPINIONS The judge also dismissed three claims that put forth different arguments about why the state is the true owner of the intertidal zone. O'Neil said the Supreme Judicial Court had negated those arguments in previous opinions, and the plaintiffs could not make their case by challenging land conveyances from the seventeenth century. "Based on the facts plead in this complaint, even viewed in the most favorable light possible, this action to quiet title to the intertidal lands on the State of Maine has been brought 120 years too late," O'Neil wrote. Attorney David Silk, who represents two LLCs that own beachfront property in Wells, said the question of ownership is "well-settled." "We are pleased to see the court agreed that the law in Maine is well-settled regarding ownership of Maine's intertidal land," Silk wrote in an email. He did not address the remaining claim against his clients about public use of the intertidal zone near their properties. The complaint says access to the intertidal zone on Moody Beach has been restricted by signage or verbal instruction to leave or stay away from that stretch of sand. O'Neil wrote that it is not clear whether activities such as walking, running or doing research are allowed in the intertidal zone, but it is possible that they are. Settling that question could be one next step in the litigation. An attorney who represented another LLC could not be reached Wednesday afternoon. Two defendants are not represented by any lawyer. Maine has 3,500 miles of tidal coastline according to state officials, the fourth longest in the United States. Most of it is rock, and sand beaches are rare. The justices who heard the Moody Beach case in the 1980s are no longer on the Supreme Judicial Court. But their successors have ruled multiple times about beach access and ownership in the decades since. Those cases have often focused on the meaning of "fishing, fowling and navigation" in a modern context. The man who pleaded guilty to the murder of Los Angeles philanthropist Jacqueline Avant was sentenced to 190 years in prison on Tuesday. Aariel Maynor, 30, was also sentenced for firing at least four shots at a security guard as he fled the Avants Beverly Hills home during the robbery on December 1. Judge Kathryn Solorzano said that Maynor planned the burglary looking up home ownership records for Avants husband, the legendary music executive, Clarence Avant, 90, the Los Angeles Times reported. He shot her in the back, indicating she was not a threat to him, Solorzano said. The judge sentenced Maynor 150 years to life for the murder and 40 years for his other crimes, which included attempted murder, firearm possession and residential burglary. He is not eligible for parole. Maynor was on parole at the time of the murder. The sentence was so long because of Californias three-strikes law for repeat offenders. Clarence Avant, dubbed The Godfather of Black Music, was also at home during the burglary and police found him cradling his wifes head after the shooting, according to the New York Times. They were married for more than 50 years. Police said Maynor was arrested about an hour after Avants murder while burglarizing another home. He called 911 for help after accidentally shooting himself in the foot, police said. Maynors telephone calls were recorded while he was in custody at the Los Angeles County Jail. Before the sentencing Deputy District Attorney Victor Avila played a telephone call he had with an unidentified friend. Maynor laughed about the murder and bragged about the media coverage, according to the Los Angeles Times. Thats not funny. That somebodys life, the woman said. Maynor said in the recording that he was all over the news and asked, You think my mamas seen that, though? He told the woman that he planned to take $50,000 from the Avants home. Maynor told another individual during a recorded conversation that he expected to receive a sentence of 20 to 25 years, according to the New York Times. Story continues The prosecutor read a letter from Avants daughter, Nicole Avant, before the sentencing, according to the Los Angeles Times. The only word to describe the state of our family is shattered, she wrote. We are asking that the defendant spend the rest of his life in prison. Nicole Avant served as an ambassador to the Bahamas during the Obama administration. She is married to Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. Today marks the end of a tragic case that rocked our community. Because of a completely senseless act, Los Angeles lost Jacqueline Avant, a community leader and philanthropist. Her murder sent shockwaves through our community, prompting fear, concern, and a tremendous sense of loss, District Attorney Gascon said in a statement. Given the sentence today, Mr. Maynor will be ineligible for early parole, and will spend the rest of his life in prison. He added: This sentence and conclusion of this case also prevents a painful and lengthy process of trial for the Avant family, a process that can be traumatizing. There was never any doubt that we were going to pursue this case rigorously, this case shocks us all. Maynor has a lengthy criminal record, which started at the age of 12. He was convicted of grand theft in 2010 and pleaded no contest to domestic violence in 2013. That same year, he was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery. Ultimately this is a failure of the foster care system and the courts, Maynors public defender, Marcus M. Huntley told Oxygen.com. When the systems failed the most vulnerable youth the most horrific things occur. That doesnt take away from the grief the Avant family is suffering. We lost the pillar of our community. He said that Maynors mother was on drugs when she had him and that he was placed in the foster care system at four days old, and he didnt find love and support with his foster care family. He eventually joined a gang. He became hooked on drugs while in prison and there was no real rehabilitation all that leads to this tragic incident. We have to reach back and save the kids who are most vulnerable until we do that, we will see these tragedies happening over and over again. Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/HBO When you think of the Met Gala, whats the first image that comes to mind? If your answer is anything other than Rihanna decked out in her regal yellow, fur-trimmed Guo Pei cape, dragging an ultra-long train behind her, youre lying. Without question, its the most spectacular anyone has ever looked at the Met Gala, the annual phantasmagoria of glitz and spectacle where the most outlandish sartorial dreams come to actual fashion life. On May 2, celebrities, designers, upstart influencers and a horde of hungry photographers will descend upon the Metropolitan Museum of Arts iconic front steps for this years go-round, undoubtedly with the goal of topping Rihannas Guo Pei triumph in mind. The dress code, Gilded Glamour, is a bit of a puzzle, or perhaps it would be if not for the timely premiere of The Gilded Age, HBOs Downton Abbey-esque ode to the moneyed major players of 1880s Manhattan. Fans have fallen in love with the rich colors, voluminous silhouettes and dramatic hairstyles showcased on the show, prompting costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone to sit for several interviews-worth of period explanation. The Met Gala Showed Fashion Survived the Pandemic, Insanity Intact Women spent a lot of time on their clothes and there was an incredible and varied amount of dressmakers, Walicka-Maimone told Tom + Lorenzo. There [were] a lot of European styles mixed in, there was a lot of money to be spent on the clothing. And women did change several times a day. What we discovered from pictures is that there were personal styles. You very rarely find two things that look alike. There were fringes and roses and bows, beads and feathers, you name it. In other words, the Gilded Age is exactly like the high fashion world today. How exactly did we arrive at this moment of synergy? When 2020s Met Gala was canceled amidst the terrifying early days of the pandemic, gloomy aesthetes wondered if the Oscars of Couture would ever return from purgatory. Return it did, in unconventional fashion: 2021s reduced-size Met Gala took place in September, rather than the traditional first Monday in May; it also celebrated part one of a two-part exhibition at the Mets Costume Institute, which has been designed to roll out over 2021 and 2022. Story continues Costume Institute Part one of the exhibition, titled In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, included around 100 different mens and womens ensembles from a range of different designers working from 1940 to the present. The exhibition was organized rather existentially, with certain sections representing themes like Affinity, Belonging and Consciousness. A spokesperson for the Met said that part two, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, should be seen as a preface to Lexicon. Anthology will focus on American clothing from the late 18th to mid-20th centuries, and nine film directors, including Martin Scorsese, Chloe Zhao, and Sofia Coppola, have been tapped to create fictional vignettes or freeze frames inspired by the clothes in the exhibition. Since its inception approximately a century ago, the Met Gala has always functioned as a means to raise funds for the Costume Institute, but it wasnt until the 1970s and the consultancy of Vogue editor in chief Diana Vreeland that the lavish party really began to carve out a mythos unto itself. Vreeland was the pioneer who first assigned themes to the Gala in tandem with exhibitions, and Vreeland was also a champion of conjuring weird vibes. Social climbers at that time were used to stodgy society dinners, so Vreeland gave them a Gala where you took an elevator downwards into a den filled with ambient music and mannequins masked with stockings. She also encouraged the attendance of prominent personalities in pop culture, a legacy very much continued by Anna Wintour, editor in chief of American Vogue since 1988 and perhaps the fashion worlds most famous figure. Curator Andrew Bolton handles the content of the Costume Institute exhibitions, while Wintour draws on the potency of her megawatt clout to make the event as illustrious as possible. Anna works out what sponsors would be appropriate for the exhibition, Bolton told Vogue France in 2020. Sometimes I have an idea, and its less of a big idea or popular idea, which is not terribly appealing to sponsors. Its estimated that Wintour has drummed up as much as $200 million for the Costume Institute over the years, and her zeal for finalizing the Galas top secret guest list is said to be just as potent as her fundraising efforts. (The Daily Beast reached out to Conde Nast and Wintour for comment.) The dress code for the 2021 Met Gala was American Independence, a highly open-ended prompt that produced a random-seeming spectrum of looks. Supermodel Joan Smalls opted for clean-cut Ralph Lauren, repping a classic American brand responsible for shaping the legacy of tidy, East Coast chic. Others went for candy-colored Valentino, a safe choice that has absolutely nothing to do with America or independence. Musician and ex-Elon Musk paramour Grimes, who can always be relied upon to disregard the assignment, went for an intergalactic, Dune-inspired look and accessorized with a sword. Overall, 2021s results were mixed and a little dull, and some Met Gala fans arent very excited about this years proceedings either. The theme is basically rich and boring, a fashion observer said of Gilded Glamour. And the host committee and expected guests are very middle of the road, no-risk-taking celebrities. The benefit is set to be co-chaired by Regina King, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, a roster of friendly faces that indeed feels chemically engineered not to offend. Plus, given speculation that Rihannas due date falls sometime in late April or early May, its unclear whether the unofficial queen of the Met Gala will make an appearance. But all is not yet lost. As weve learned from past instances of TMZ-fueled chaos, even if the outfits at the Met Gala leave something to be desired, the combination of celebrities in close quarters and alcohol has produced spectacular drama in the past. Take Solange Knowles attacking Jay-Z in an elevator at the party in 2014, or Taylor Swift dancing with Tom Hiddleston at the apex of the medias frenzied scrutiny of her dating life. Fashion historian Keren Ben-Horin, co-author of the book Shes Got Legs: A History of Hemlines and Fashion, sees direct parallels between the Gilded Glamour Met Gala and the Vanderbilt Ball, an 1883 New York costume party that permanently disrupted the intersecting worlds of high class society and outre dressing. Maybe the most famous gown from the Vanderbilt Ball was the Electric Light dress, which actually had a mechanism to produce light, Ben-Horin said. One of the other guests wore a hat with a taxidermied cat on it. It was really over the top, and during that time period in general, we can see a lot of referencing and recreation of 18th century French court dress. What did 19th century Manhattanite interpretations of 18th century styles look like? According to Ben-Horin, Gilded Age corsets were slightly longer and more bust-enhancing than their predecessors, and voluminous bustles tended to distribute more to the sides, rather than the back. Rich, elaborate fabrics and dramatic hairstyles rounded out the ladylike look. Rich guys in 19th century New York embraced the silhouettes of their courtly forebears, but eschewed the bright palettes favored by the French in favor of more neutral hues. The 2022 Galas dress code also requires gentlemen to adhere to white-tie, a designation which traditionally calls for an exquisitely formal full evening tailcoat. The corporeally restrictive, high-difficulty and unapologetically flamboyant Gilded Glamour dress code seems to fly directly in the face of the satrorial norm of the last few years: pandemic-approved, three-day-old sweats. While going all out is encouraged, perfectly literal interpretations arent necessary. Hopefully, we see Justin Bieber and Balenciaga create a baggy but flattering wealthy industrialist ensemble, said Chris Black, a fashion brand consultant and co-host of How Long Gone, a cultural commentary podcast. Lil Nas X in a structured gold body suit with a matching top hat would also strike the right notes. Westwood and McQueen are the archetypes, Black added. Dont tell Machine Gun Kelly. (Kelly, real name Colson Baker, has a sense of style that some might describe as polarizing). Personally, Im not as concerned about Megan Fox's pop punk fiance as I am about Billy Porter, an actor and stylistic statement-maker who tends to dominate the conversation on the red carpet with his over-the-top looks. Porter dressed as a sun god for the 2019 Met Gala (dress code: Camp), so theres a good chance he could show up to this year's fete in costume as Cornelius Vanderbilts steamboat. If tasked with styling a star for this years Gala, Ben-Horin would bring the underpinnings out, so the corsets and bustles and all those structures that, in the 19th century would have been under the dress to give the garment its desired shape, are on display. The Gilded Glamour dress code could also be functioning as a nod to the origins of the Met itself, since the museum was founded 152 years ago in 1870. Over the past few years, the museum has attempted to correct its past wrongs via the restitution of ill-gotten artifacts, the banishment of the Sackler family name, and promises to reckon with its participation in racial injustice. But such efforts werent always a priority. The Met was created within that time period when cultural institutions really defined what it means to be elite in New York, Ben-Horin. Within that framework, it will be interesting to see what people [at the Gala] do with the idea of exclusion. 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. Editor's note: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). A Minnesota family of five was found dead on Wednesday in a Duluth home, and the suspect wrote a Facebook post detailing how he decided to kill himself as well as several of his family members. In a Facebook post, Brandon Taylor Cole-Skogstad, 29, detailed his struggles with mental health over many years, and said that he made the choice to take his own life in addition to several family members' lives, according to Fox 21. MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS' LAWSUIT DEMANDING REVERSAL OF DEFUND POLICE POLICY EXPEDITED BY SUPREME COURT The victims were identified by police as Riana Lou Barry, 44; Sean Christopher Barry, 47; Shiway Elizabeth Barry; 12, Sadie Lucille Barry, 9. The Duluth Police Department received a call asking for a welfare check at a Hermantown home at 11:18 a.m. on Wednesday for a man going through what was believed to be a mental health crisis. Police say that Cole-Skogstad sent a message to a family member, which was eventually posted to Facebook. That family member contacted police officers after receiving the message. LOST CHILD USES LOCAL MINNESOTA MAN'S VINTAGE PAYPHONE TO CALL FOR HELP Police Chief Mike Tusken said that when officers entered the home shortly after 3 p.m., five people and a family dog were found dead. "Eventually, the Duluth Police Department was able to enter the home and locate five deceased people, and a deceased dog," Tusken said. He called the incident an "unimaginable tragedy." During a press conference on Thursday, Tusken said that Cole-Skogstad is believed to have killed himself and the family members, saying that this appears to be a murder suicide. Tusken said that the victims were found dead in their beds, and said that he has never seen anything like this in his career. "In my 30 years of policing, I have never seen anything like this. Sometimes people forget that the officers and investigators responding to the scene have families too. This is devastating for them to respond to, to see, and to process afterwards. I cannot thank the members of our team enough for their service, and for their care for this community," Tusken said. Story continues In a tweet, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said that the community is in "pain and shock," and thanked first responders. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "Things happened today that cant be undone. Tonight we are a community in pain and shock, sharing a sorrow for the loss of our people," Larson said. Police say that the investigation is ongoing. RANDOLPH Investigators have brought eight more charges against a former home health aide suspected of thefts from senior housing complexes in half a dozen communities, Police Chief Anthony Marag said. Anne Rose Fleurant, 36, of Weymouth, was issued a summons to appear for arraignment on the new charges June 1 in Quincy District Court. The charges were brought by Randolph police on behalf of the Quincy, Cohasset and Weymouth police departments because the case is an ongoing identity fraud investigation. Fleurant is charged with identity fraud and three counts of larceny from a building in Quincy, two counts of receiving stolen property in Weymouth and charges of larceny from a building and receiving stolen property in Cohasset. Numerous items, including these bracelets, were found and seized by Randolph police. Police are looking to identify the owners of the items. She was arraigned in Quincy District Court on March 30 on charges of identity fraud, receiving a stolen credit card and improper use of a credit card. Marag said the investigation is ongoing. The charges stem from thefts from numerous senior assisted and independent living communities throughout the area. Victims have also been located in Braintree and Westwood. Some of the victims have dementia, police said. More: FBI offers reward in theft of Boston police uniforms from Weymouth supply store More: (ROUND 2) Making an NFL mock draft only using South Shore high school football players Randolph police detectives launched the investigation on March 22 when a resident of a senior assisted and independent living facility reported that jewelry was missing an hour after Fleurant, who worked as a home health aide, left the victim's apartment. Police say Fleurant went into numerous apartments in senior assisted and independent living complexes and took valuables, including jewelry, designer handbags, credit cards, checks, cash and other items. The credit cards were used to buy large amounts of merchandise at local stores, police said. More: Anti-police sentiment leads to trouble in hiring officers on South Shore, statewide Story continues Police obtained search warrants for Fleurant's residence and vehicle and said they recovered checks, about 50 pieces of jewelry, designer handbags and work identification cards from about 12 health care agencies. The jewelry and other valuables are being held by the Randolph Police Department, which is trying to identify the owners of the items. Anyone with information about the items or who believes they may be a victim of a theft should contact the Randolph Police Department at 781-963-1212 and ask for Detective Marc Abramson or Detective Christopher Jones. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Police add new charges against Weymouth woman in thefts from seniors NORWOOD, MA Mothers Day on Sunday, May 8, is still a few weeks away, but if you plan to treat your mother to brunch or dinner out, reservations may fill up quickly in Norwood as the nation approaches the most normal celebration of moms since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Local restaurants in Norwood have taken a financial hit during the pandemic and could use the business. Some may be closed so their employees can support their own mothers or be pampered by their children, but here are some options: One Bistro - Located on Route 1 next to the Four Points Sheraton, One Bistro will have a three-course Mother's Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are required. Byblos Restaurant - Local favorite Byblos Restaurant in offers Lebanese cuisine. The Chateau in Norwood - Located on the Automile on Route 1, The Chateau offers a variety of dishes. Conrad's - Located in Norwood Center, Conrad's provides traditional favorites in a casual atmosphere. Vico Italian Restaurante - Located in Norwood Center, Vico Italian Restaurante Norwood offers fine Italian cuisine. If youre looking for something else, check out Open Table for restaurants in your area taking reservations for Mothers Day. Several chain restaurants and other eateries are open for Mothers Day this year, and some are offering specials. Below are a few options to get you started, featuring everything from casual to fine dining. As always, its advisable to call ahead to make sure the restaurants near you are participating and to inquire about any COVID-19 restrictions or limitations. Applebees is adding a $10 bonus card to the purchase of a $50 gift card for Mothers Day and other special occasions, including graduations and Fathers Day. There is one in Walpole. The Capital Grille is accepting reservations for Mothers Day. Located in Chestnut Hill, the restaurant included a polite notice on its reservations page stating that to better deliver on our promise of a refined atmosphere, proper dress is required. That excludes gym attire, sweatpants, tank tops, hats, clothing with offensive language or images, and exposed undergarments. Story continues Fogo de Chao Brazilian steakhouse at Copley Place is offering a ready-to-reheat Mothers Day Celebration Package that feeds six and features a choice of fire-roasted meats, sides and dessert. Meals should be ordered at least 24 hours in advance and are available all day May 7, and until 10:30 a.m. May 8. Mortons, The Steakhouse in BOston's Seaport District is accepting reservations for Mothers Day, and also will bring the meal to Mom in select locations. Ruths Chris Steakhouse in Boston is offering its prix fixe Mothers Day meal, including a starter, entree, side and dessert, from May 6-8. Seasons 52 Fresh Grill | Wine Bar in Chestnut Hill is offering Mothers Day brunch from 10 a.m. to noon and is making its dinner menu available all day. It is also offering a Mothers Day Green Box that serves six. Orders must be placed by May 2. This article originally appeared on the Norwood Patch Wichita Falls Police work the scene of a murder at O'Brien's Sports Pub Dec. 28. A Wichita Falls man pleaded guilty Tuesday to tampering with evidence related to a bar fight that left 39-year-old Evan Fidencio Aleman dead and another man injured, according to court documents. Carlos Soto, the brother of murder defendant Jorge Soto, was accused of concealing a knife police believe was used in the attack on Aleman, throwing the knife into a ditch and tampering with cell phone evidence, according to court documents. More: Witness to murder admits lying to cops More: Bail lowered for man accused of stabbing to death one man, wounding another in bar fight Carlos Soto pleaded guilty to two counts of evidence tampering in connection with incidents Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, 2021, before 78th District Judge Meredith Kennedy on Tuesday, court filings show. Kennedy placed him on four years of probation for evidence tampering in connection with the investigation into Aleman's death, court documents show. Aleman and a second man were found stabbed and beaten about 12:40 a.m. Dec. 28, 2020, in a bar parking lot in the 1300 block of North Scott Avenue, court documents show. More: Two in deadly bar fight face second charge Aleman was pronounced dead at 1:22 a.m. that day at United Regional Health Care System, according to court documents. The other man was admitted to URHCS for treatment. If Carlos Soto successfully completes his term of deferred-adjudication probation, he can avoid having the evidence tampering convictions on his record. Kennedy also ordered him to pay $750 in fines, $250 in court costs and $55 for reimbursements, court records show. Evidence tampering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Besides 39-year-old Jorge Soto, Rosendo Espino Jr., 35, and James "Hollywood" Henderson Jr., 51, are charged with murder in connection with Aleman's killing, according to court filings. Henderson, Espino and Jorge Soto are also charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with injuries suffered by the man who survived, court records show. Story continues Jorge Soto Espino later told police he argued with a man in the bar and then followed him into the parking lot, according to allegations in court documents. He told police that he and others fought with the man, but he denied stabbing anyone, according to allegations in court documents. Henderson told police that he did not know he stabbed anyone because he was drunk, according to allegations in court documents. More: Three men indicted on murder charges for stabbing death During the investigation, a witness told police Carlos Soto gave him a knife just after the fight in the parking lot, saying, hide this," according to allegations in court documents. The same witness told police he later got a ride from Carlos Soto and returned the knife, according to allegations in court documents. James Henderson Carlos Soto told police he had withheld information and that Henderson had given him a knife before going to the police station for an interview, according to allegations in court documents. Carlos Soto said he left the knife in his truck until police stopped him on the evening of Jan. 4, 2021, according to allegations in court documents. He threw the knife into a ditch in the 1600 block of River Road when he saw police lights flashing behind him, according to allegations in court documents. Carlos Soto also gave police his cell phone for a forensic examination. No mug shot of Carlos Soto was available Wednesday from the Wichita County Law Enforcement Center, according to officials. Rosendo Espino Jr. Jorge Soto, Henderson and Espino have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them. They were all free on bail Wednesday from the Law Enforcement Center, according to online jail records. Jorge Soto's total bonds were $325,000, online jail records show. Henderson's were $175,000, and Espino's were $87,500. More: Police: Blood on jacket led to murder arrest Trish Choate, enterprise watchdog reporter for the Times Record News, covers education, courts, breaking news, politics and more. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Her Twitter handle is @Trishapedia. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Murder witness Carlos Soto pleads guilty to tampering with evidence SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) A court in North Macedonia on Thursday convicted the country's fugitive former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, of using his conservative party's funds to enrich himself and sentenced him in absentia to seven years in prison. The Criminal Court in the capital, Skopje, ruled that Gruevski unlawfully acquired nearly 1.4 million euros from donations to the VMRO-DPMNE party from 2006 to 2012, part of the time when he was in office. Judges also found that Gruevski engaged in money laundering to cover his tracks and used the party donations to buy property in Skopje and elsewhere through an offshore company registered in Belize. Gruevski needed money for this plan and decided to take (it) from party donations, presiding judge Ilija Trpkov said. Gruevski, who was granted political asylum in Hungary where he fled after being convicted on separate charges in 2018, has denied wrongdoing. Defense lawyers said they would appeal Thursday's ruling. Four of Gruevski's associates were also convicted Thursday in the party funds scandal. His first cousin, the former head of the Secret Police, Saso Mijalkov, was sentenced to a year and three months in jail for aiding the money-laundering scheme. Businessman Orce Kamcev got one year in jail for money-laundering, while two others got two-year suspended jail terms after pleading guilty to money-laundering charges. The court also ordered the confiscation of various properties, including luxury apartments in Skopje. It was the former leader's third conviction after he left office. Gruevski was convicted in 2018 on charges of unlawfully influencing interior ministry officials over the purchase of a luxury armored car and sentenced to two years in jail. He fled to Hungary before the sentence could be implemented. In 2020, Gruevski was sentenced to 1 years in prison for orchestrating violence in 2013. Three other cases are pending against Gruevski, who served as prime minister from 2006-2016, on charges of corruption, election irregularities and abuse of office. All the charges against him stem from a wiretapping scandal that broke in 2015, when it emerged that the phone conversations of more than 20,000 people had been illegally recorded, including those of politicians, judges, police, journalists and foreign diplomats. The scandal triggered an early election in 2016 in which Gruevski lost to Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev. Nancy New and her son Zach New reached deals Wednesday to plead guilty in a federal case involving $4 million in public school dollars prosecutors say they bilked for their private school. New, owner of the now-defunct New Summit School, a once-popular private school that served students with special needs, pleaded guilty to one count of using proceeds of wire fraud, which comes with a possible prison sentence of up to ten years. Zach New, vice president for the private school district called New Learning Resources Inc., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a sentence of up to five years. They could each face fines up to $250,000. The sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves is set for Nov. 19, 2022. The joint federal indictment against the News, filed over a year ago, alleged they defrauded the Mississippi Department of Education out of $4 million in public education dollars by filing fake reimbursement claims. Nancy New pleaded guilty in that case, while prosecutors split off Zach's charge in a separate bill of information, a document that is filed when a defendant agrees to plead guilty without the grand jury handing down an indictment. Zachary New, 38, leaves the federal courthouse in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, March 18, 2021, following an appearance in court. A federal grand jury indicted New and his mother Nancy New, 68, on wire fraud and other charges that accuse them of improperly obtaining millions of dollars from the state of Mississippi. The plea deals come on the heels of Mississippi Today's "The Backchannel" investigation that reveals new details about former Gov. Phil Bryant's involvement in a separate scandal involving the Mississippi Department of Human Services, in which the News are currently facing separate state charges. The recent plea agreements also come less than three weeks before the News were set to stand trial in the federal case. READ MORE: Mississippi Today's "The Backchannel" investigation that examines former Gov. Phil Bryants role in the running of his welfare department In the state case regarding welfare theft, the Hinds County District Attorneys Office is accusing the News of embezzling more than $4 million in federal public assistance funds, $2.15 million of which prosecutors say they used to make personal investments in companies called Prevacus and PreSolMD. Story continues Text messages newly uncovered by Mississippi Today reveal that right before the News agreed to funnel welfare money to Prevacus, the company's owner and former NFL quarterback Brett Favre offered Bryant company stock in exchange for his help as governor which Bryant agreed by text to accept after he left office. Favre even referenced in texts to Bryant the public funding that the company was receiving from the state and Nancy New. Bryant responded positively. Nancy New, 68, leaves the federal courthouse in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, March 18, 2021 following an appearance in court. A federal grand jury indicted New and son Zachary New, 38, on wire fraud and other charges that accuse them of improperly obtaining millions of dollars from the state of Mississippi. Bryant's explanation to Mississippi Today was that he did not read his texts carefully enough to appreciate what they meant. Up to this point, officials have not scrutinized Bryant's role in the welfare scandal and the Prevacus deal. State Auditor Shad White, a Bryant appointee and former Bryant campaign manager and staffer, led the initial investigation. Federal authorities are still investigating the welfare spending, according to sources. The federal plea agreements, signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fulcher Wednesday, do not specify how the defendants may be required to cooperate with prosecutors in the event the News have information that may help officials prosecute other, more powerful figures a common occurrence in plea deals. But the agreement does reference a separate sealed plea supplement, which usually spell out these conditions. The defense attorneys Cynthia Speetjens for Nancy New and T. Gerry Bufkin and Brandon Essig for Zach New 0r the U.S. Attorneys Office either declined to comment or did not return Mississippi Today's phone calls Wednesday evening or Thursday morning to discuss the plea agreements. Because the federal charges are resolving before the state charges regarding welfare theft, the News will likely spend whatever prison sentence they may receive in federal prison, instead of Mississippi's state prisons with notoriously barbaric conditions. In the private school scam, prosecutors say the News claimed public school funds by using the names of kids who didnt attend the school, people who didnt work at the school or teachers who had a lower certification level than they claimed. The funding came from a special program called 504 teacher units, which is supposed to supply a private teacher for a child after a doctor or psychologist determines the student requires placement in a hospital or licensed psychiatric facility. A Mississippi Today analysis of public records shows New Learning Resources has received roughly $20 million in these funds since 2007. Between 2016 and 2020, New Summit School in Jackson and North New Summit School in Greenwood each reported hiring between 10.5 and 16 teachers through the "504 teacher units" program per year, according to public records. This translates to around 325 kids with severe mental disorders New Summit claimed to be serving which is roughly the size of their entire student population. Prosecutors havent outlined where all the money went, but they accused Nancy New of using at least some of the public school dollars to purchase a $250,000 home in northeast Jackson. This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Nancy and Zach New plead guilty to federal charges in private school scheme LAS VEGAS Harry Reid spent decades perfecting his brand of machine politics that powered Democratic control across Nevada. Now, four months after the death of Reid, the venerated political titan who represented Nevada in Congress for 34 years, Democrats here find themselves relying on his legacy once again. In an already volatile environment nationally for their party, in which theyre contending with issues like rising inflation, soaring gas prices and dismal White House approval, theyre tasked with locking down Catherine Cortez Mastos Senate seat, and the outcome could dictate control of the Senate. Theyre also defending Steve Sisolaks governorship, which had taken Democrats 20 years to claim from Republicans. According to a poll released last week, both incumbents are trailing their Republican competitors. And on Wednesday, The Cook Political Report identified two congressional races in the state as toss-ups after previously having assessed them as favorable to Democrats. Governor Steve Sisolak and Dr. Jill Biden at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nev., on March 9, 2022. (Ty O'Neil / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images file) Simultaneously, Democrats are aggressively lobbying for Nevada to hold the first presidential primary contest in the country in 2024. Las Vegas is among the cities of interest for the Democratic National Convention. And on top of being a 2024 presidential battleground, its a majority-minority state where testing a message to court the powerful Latino vote could resonate nationally. This is Reids vision of Nevada, said Megan Jones, a Nevada-based po litical operative who worked with Reid over 25 years. He always thought it should be the center of the universe. For the first time in more than three decades, however, Nevada Democrats have to take on such political battles without Reid, the tactician who offered a steady hand and helped bridge alliances. The organizational machine he left behind is still churning and dominating Nevada Democratic politics. Thats even after the Democratic Party here ruptured last year after a slate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America took over the party structure, vaulting Judith Whitmer, a Bernie Sanders supporter, to the state party chairmanship. That rattled national Democrats, fearing volatility and a divided party in a pivotal battleground state. Story continues But expectations that the newcomers would shake up the establishment never materialized. Instead, the shadow party the Reid machine launched Nevada Democratic Victory, or NDV has grown into the de facto party handling the top-of-the-ticket races. NDV set up shop in the swing county of Washoe, home of Reno, and money, a powerful bloc of politicians, aides and strategists followed. So many of the people who work in politics worked with or for him on his staff or as organizers, said Nicole Cannizzaro, the state Senate majority leader. There are a lot of us that are very committed to making sure that that legacy lives on. Yet a split remains. Interviews with more than a dozen party members, elected officials, activists and longtime operatives reveal a still-divided Democratic Party that has spawned a new era of functional dysfunction, one in which two entities are still figuring out how to co-exist after having overcome initial clashes over money and voter data. Thats an ominous sign for 2024, when Democrats cant afford to have divisions. While the Reid machine has helped turn statewide seats blue, it was Sanders, the candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, who decidedly won the caucuses in 2020. Residents Vote During The Nevada Democratic Presidential Caucus (Joe Buglewicz / Bloomberg via Getty Images file) Initial clashes between Whitmer and the Washoe County crew have been resolved, including battles over sharing voter data and fundraising. The Whitmer-aligned state party ended up signing on to a Democratic National Committee agreement that freed up access to the voter file. In an interview, Whitmer stressed that she is focused on defeating Republicans and is steering clear of picking fights with her own party. Under her, the party isnt challenging top ticket incumbents with further-left candidates; in fact, Whitmer ceded control of those races to NDV. She didnt have much choice, given that the major elected officials who helped build that apparatus backed a move to NDV. For now at least, Whitmer is content to zero in on down-ballot races like school board elections. Those races, she said, long went unchallenged, and they have left an opening for Republicans to dominate so-called culture war issues. Whitmer also said she is turning more attention to rural parts of the state where Republicans are powerful. The political establishment also doesnt appear to have an appetite for picking internal fights and in interviews, Reid-aligned politicians seem content to sidestep the split altogether. When Sen. Jacky Rosen, for instance, was asked in an interview whether the Democratic Socialist slate is a sign the party needs to broaden beyond the Reid legacy, she answered without ever mentioning the existence of another entity. I can tell you this: A coordinated campaign over the last how many years has turned Nevada blue, Rosen said. In the arc of Reids political tenure, Nevada turned from a red state to the battleground it is today. Both U.S. senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are Democrats (and women). Democrats control the Legislature, and President Joe Biden carried Nevada in 2020, albeit narrowly. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., in Dirksen Building on March 15, 2022. (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images file) We have a majority federal delegation. We have a majority of our constitutional offices Democratic. We have our state Legislature, Rosen said. The voters once they see us, theyve shown who they want and the kinds of governing that they want: pragmatic problem solvers. Asked about political insiders who have dismissed her as irrelevant or ineffective, Whitmer bristled. I think at first they thought they would have a bigger impact than they did. I think the shadow party is still out there, but I dont think that theyre having a huge influence or a huge impact, she said. I think the majority of Democrats are definitely involved and working with us. Referring to NDV, she said, And that very small faction thats still trying to hold onto control is losing their sphere of influence is diminishing. Party building and uniting combative forces were central to Reids enduring political playbook, which played out in a phone call between Reid and Whitmer last year. At an impasse with NDV, Whitmer said, she turned to Reid. Sen. Reid, whatever you can do to help, Whitmer recalled telling Reid last year. We cant go into this election cycle with the party divided. Reid agreed, she said, telling her, Yes, the party needs to get united. Reid committed that he would urge his allies to find ways to cooperate. Youre the party chair, Whitmer said Reid told her. We need to go into this election cycle and beyond looking at ways that we can all come together. The two would have three conversations last year, which Whitmer described as positive and encouraging. (A onetime Reid aide familiar with the conversation said Reid also told Whitmer that acting as chair wasnt as easy as it seemed and affirmed that NDVs political and fundraising apparatus was necessary). Whitmer ally Chris Roberts, a Democratic Socialist who is the chair of the Democratic Party in Clark County, the most populous in the state, argued that establishment Democrats still view the Bernie Sanders-aligned crowd as a threat. I think it goes back to the deep respect for Sen. Reid that exists here, Roberts says. The view that he worked tirelessly to build a strong Democratic Party here in Nevada. And there are some folks at the party who think that we put that at risk. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid acknowledges the audience during the Nevada Democrats' Like it or not, the party schism could become the biggest detractor from a spirited plea to hold the first-in-the-nation contest. A Democratic National Committee member from a competing early state steamed about Rosens behind-the-scenes advocacy for Nevada. The senator conveniently ignored the reality that the Nevada Democratic Party is in the midst of a brutal civil war, leaving the once-vaunted state party in shambles, a member unhappy with how Rosen advocated for the bid said in an interview. Both the state party and NDV insist that a civil war is far from whats happening on the ground. Both sides have tried to communicate better, usually through their executive directors. In the bid to become first in the nation, Artie Blanco, Nevadas DNC member, gives Whitmer regular updates. And about the possibility of a 2024 Democratic convention in Las Vegas, Democrats here all agree that the effort would take a back seat to pushing for a first-in-the-nation primary. Bringing Whitmers crew into the fold, however, isnt a sign that the still-dominant forces in the state are prepared to move away from Reids legacy. Theres always going to be a natural evolution of things, but I would not say there is a desire to move away from Reid, said Molly Forgey, a former Reid aide who now works on Sisolaks campaign. I say that as someone who could never get behind that. I dont think theres a world in which I can ever agree that thats a reality. If you didnt know any better, you might think Supee Spindler is living the American dream. Shes run her own successful small business in Vero Beach since 2009 now with two other therapists on the citys Miracle Mile. The Thai House of Therapeutic Massage seemed relaxing the other day, with aromatic candles burning and soft music playing. Its a place where patrons get facials, massages or structural energetic therapy to treat pain. An immigrant from Thailand, Spindler, 70, is proud of her business, which she said has served thousands of clients. On her waiting room walls, she displays the licenses of her staff and her business health department inspection records near a poster displaying the human trafficking hotline. Lately, Spindlers been living through an American nightmare. She hasnt talked to one of her daughters since June or seen her since Feb. 25, 2021. Thats the day Vero Beach police and U.S. Homeland Security investigators went to the spa and took Spindler's daughter, Nisarat Jittasonthi, 47. More: Sebastian woman faces jail in custody dispute over brother with Down syndrome Sister loses brother: Judge wrong to exclude public from Indian River contempt case More: No jail for Sebastian sister of man with Down syndrome; hearing leads to twist Supee Spindler (left), seen in an undated image, hopes to locate her daughter, Nisarat Jittasonthi, 47, who was taken by federal officials Feb. 25, 2021. The last time Spindler spoke with her daughter was in June 2021. Vero Beach police get complaint Why? Police received a complaint from a former spa worker, claiming Spindler trafficked Jittasonthi, verbally and physically abused her and forced her to work for free. Spindler told me she was shocked by allegations made by a Thai woman she tried to help, but had issues with at work. Spindler cooperated with authorities, allowing them to search her home and business, records show. The complaint, which police forwarded to the feds, never mentioned Jittasonthi was Spindlers daughter (according to a 2016 maternity test) or that Spindler was established as her daughters caretaker in Thailand after authorities there in 2015 said Jittasonthi suffered from five disabilities under the heading mental subnormality. Jittasonthi doesnt speak English. Story continues This documentation and more is contained in a lawsuit Spindler, through attorney Julia Graves, filed Aug. 26, 2021, attempting to see her daughter. The suit alleged the Florida Department of Children and Families and Catholic Charities, which was housing her in Palm Beach County, unlawfully detained Jittasonthi and deprived her of her freedom for invalid and illegal reasons. Illegal, the lawsuit said, because Spindler was cleared of all wrongdoing after being accused by a disgruntled employee. The Department of Children and Families conducted two investigations into the daughter's welfare, but could not substantiate findings of abuse, neglect, and self-neglect, Brian Meola, DCF attorney confirmed in case pleadings. Like a 'shell under the coconut' Andrew Metcalf, a criminal defense attorney, represented Spindler during the investigation. None of (the allegations) had any basis in truth, Metcalf said, adding Spindler was nothing but cooperative. (Investigators) thought they had something, but they had nothing. Spindler, concerned for her daughters welfare, wants her day in court to prove Jittasonthi is better served living with her mother. That hasn't happened. Indian River Circuit Judge Janet Croom tossed the case, saying she didnt have jurisdiction. DCF said it hadnt had contact with Jittasonthi since Aug. 3, when she was in a shelter for human trafficking victims and was receiving services and support from the facility. So Graves sued in Palm Beach County Dec. 2, 2021, only to learn Jittasonthi no longer was there. Its like the shell under the coconut, Graves said of authorities efforts to move Spindler's daughter. More: Little case big on how personal rights intersect with government, health care More: Amid polarization, Indian River County finds consensus on children's services More: Indian River County veteran meets president who sent him into war Supee Spindler performs a facial on a customer on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at Thai House of Therapeutic Massage in Vero Beach. Spindler is fighting to learn the whereabouts of her daughter, Nisarat Jittasonthi, who was taken from her custody in February 2021 after Spindler was accused of human trafficking. No criminal charges have been brought against Spindler and authorities are refusing to let her know where her daughter is. What's really going on? The unanswered question is why. Homeland Security spokesperson Nestor Yglesias said he could not comment because of an ongoing investigation. Into what, he would not say. Metcalf said silence is a classic ploy of the feds. They pride themselves on the fact they dont have to answer questions until there is a federal lawsuit, Metcalf said. DCF, which, after 10 days refused to release the investigation to TCPalm, citing state law, would not comment further. Neither Catholic Charities nor Nicole Avila, who represented Jittasonthi in the lawsuit, responded to calls or emails. Vero Beach immigration attorney Jimmy Benincasa also met with Spindler. The plan, court records show, was to have Jittasonthi return to Thailand for social services and spend time with her brother and sister before returning to the United States on a more permanent visa. Supee Spindler, owner of the Thai House of Therapeutic Massage in Vero Beach, looks through items in her daughter's room on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. In February 2021, Spindler's daughter, Nisarat Jittasonthi, was taken from her after she was accused of human trafficking and has not seen her daughter in over a year. No criminal charges have been brought against Spindler. Spindler, who studied education and massage in Thailand, said she met Bob Spindler, a Christian missionary there, before accepting his invitation to join him in the United States in 2006. The couple lived in California and were married in Houston before moving in 2007 to Vero Beach, where she took college classes to get licenses necessary to open her own business. Bob Spindler was his wifes receptionist before the couple divorced and he died in 2012. Two years later, Supee Spindlers sister, who had been taking care of Jittasonthi in Asia, became ill. By then, Spindler was able to bring her daughter to the United States. Because Jittasonthi spoke no English and could not take care of herself, Spindler said, her daughter, who could not be left home alone, did laundry and other menial tasks in the spa. Steven Schwartz has known the family since shortly after the business started. He helped them with marketing, then became a client. She is a sweet lady, Schwartz said of Spindler, adding shes an excellent massage therapist. Shes always there to help and share and give to people who are not feeling well. Don't want to miss another column like this? Here's our latest membership deal More: DeSantis: Deregulate business, except when it comes to vaccine? More: We're all Americans; how about we start showing each other a little courtesy? Trying to help her daughter Hes shocked by what happened to Jittasonthi. It doesnt make sense at all, he said, noting Nungning, Jittasonthi's nickname, was always nice, seemed well-loved and happy to be working with her mother. She never looked abused or taken advantage of. In November 2019, Spindler and her daughter moved into a new home west of Vero Beach. Jittasonthis room still has posters and flash cards used to try and teach her English. English classes at an adult school were derailed by COVID-19, Spindler said. Jittasonthis neat room also included stuffed animals, a Mickey Mouse puzzle, other cartoon-type toys and clothes. Supee Spindler, owner of the Thai House of Therapeutic Massage in Vero Beach, looks through items in her daughter's room on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. In February 2021, Spindler's daughter, Nisarat Jittasonthi, was taken from her after she was accused of human trafficking and has not seen her daughter in over a year. No criminal charges have been brought against Spindler. It wasnt until about two months after authorities took Jittasonthi from the spa Spindler learned of her whereabouts from a Catholic Charities case worker. Spindler said she spoke to her daughter in supervised calls about five times through June. Spindler delivered clothes, medication, money to buy Jittasonthi Thai food and more to the Samaritan Center, a Catholic Charities facility in Vero Beach. Spindler said she received several pictures via text from the case worker, including those showing Jittasonthi standing in a room next to a doll house and eating dinner on her birthday. In their last conversation, Jittasonthi told her mother shelter officials promised to get her a job making good money working with Thai people, said Spindler, who was skeptical. In July, Spindler said, the case worker said her daughter was happy where she was, wanted to stay there and Spindler would not hear from the case worker again. They will not allow me to talk to you anymore, Spindler said of the case workers message. I have to do what I was told to do. Which leads to a wrinkle DCFs lawyer raised in the lawsuit. Its one neither Graves nor Spindler have been able to question in court: Jittasonthi was assessed in a DCF investigation over six days ending Aug. 4, 2021, and found to have the capacity to make her own decisions. Should DCF claims be enough to keep a mother away from a daughter when the mother has other evidence from another country? At what point, if any, should the parent have a right to question the matter in court? I just want the truth to come out, said Spindler. Metcalf, who specializes in criminal cases, agrees. Supee doesnt have a voice, he said, noting the government has allowed her daughter to vanish into thin air. Someone needs to help her. Hopefully at some point Spindler will be told the truth and both women can live their dreams. This column reflects the opinion of Laurence Reisman. Local journalism like this needs your support. Consider subscribing to your local newspaper. See our current offers. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vero Beach woman can't find daughter, taken by feds in 2021 | Opinion Barack and Michelle Obama's podcasting deal with Spotify for their company Higher Ground is ending, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Higher Ground will not be renewing the deal and is instead looking for a different partner, the report said, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the negotiations. The production company is in negotiations with multiple distributors for its future efforts, such as Amazon's Audible and iHeartMedia, with hopes of finding a new partner in the coming weeks. Higher Ground had also been in discussions with Spotify, as well, but the streamer ultimately decided not to make an offer. A deal like this is potentially worth tens of millions of dollars. Required exclusivity could have been one issue with regard to the failed Spotify negotiations. One of the things Higher Ground is aiming for with its next deal is to no longer be bound to one platform, and instead release episodes across streaming services. But the former President also recently entered the fight against disinformation -- an area that Spotify struggled with as it's entered into hosting exclusive podcasts, like Joe Rogan's, which controversially helped promote health misinformation, forcing Spotify to adopt new rules. It's unclear to what extent this may have soured deal talks, however, given that controversial content shows up across other platforms, including even Apple's. Bloomberg noted the Obamas want to do limited series, with each agreeing to participate in an eight-episode program, which contrasts with popular podcasts which are weekly and run for at least several months. These proved to be points of tension in the past when it came to Higher Ground and Spotify's partnership, the report noted. Two of Higher Ground's podcasts, "The Michelle Obama Podcast" and "Renegades: Born in the USA" were released first on Spotify, and then months later to other platforms, after the company's signing of a 2019 deal with Spotify. Higher Ground wished to provide opportunities for other creators, but Spotify wanted more content directly involving the Obamas. Spotify and Higher Ground made five shows, with Bloomberg reporting that Higher Ground had pitched dozens. Story continues Spotify has been expanding into podcasting for a while now, through multimillion dollar deals. In 2020, the company inked an exclusive $100 million dollar deal for "The Joe Rogan Experience" with Joe Rogan, who caused controversy by spreading misinformation through his podcast. Spotify also bought podcasting studios Gimlet and Anchor in 2019 for a combined $340 million. In 2020, Spotify acquired The Ringer and earlier this year, it bought podcast discovery platform Podz for around $49.4 million. As for the Obamas, this isn't the only media production deal they have in the works: Higher Ground has six projects in development at Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Spotify hasn't responded to a request for comment on the report at this time. The Council of Chief State School Officers named Kurt Russell of Oberlin High School as the 2022 National Teacher of the Year Tuesday. Russell was eligible for this honor after having been chosen as the Ohio State Teacher of the Year by the Ohio Department of Education. MORE: Porteous: Ohio wants to erase me from my daughters mind, memory and classroom |Opinion Russell, a history teacher for 25 years, attended Oberlin High School himself, also coaches basketball, and regularly teaches courses that focus on race and gender. In the "CBS Mornings" segment in which the announcement was made, Russells students speak glowingly about his willingness to challenge and help them grow. Russell is a shining example of what teachers do every day: inspire, challenge, and encourage his students to think, do, and be better. TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Congratulations to this years honoree, Kurt Russell, a history teacher at Oberlin High School in Ohio. Russell says hes wanted to be a teacher since he was in kindergarten and now, he focuses on making sure that students see themselves in his lessons. pic.twitter.com/znTsr4OqoR CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 19, 2022 But if Ohio State Representatives Mike Loychik and Jean Schmidt get their way, Russell will have to fundamentally change his curriculum one the students in his school feel enriched by or risk losing his license. More: 'Dismissed' no more. "Illustrious" fraternity shined light on Black history| Jeffries House Bill 616 will prohibit any public and private school instruction using material it calls divisive or inherently racist, which the bill defines as (a) Critical race theory; (b) Intersectional theory; (c) The 1619 project; (d) Diversity, equity, and inclusion learning outcomes; (e) Inherited racial guilt; (f) Any other concept that the state board of education defines as divisive or inherently racist. Story continues Heather Pool associate professor of political science, Denison University These prohibitions are intended to suppress an honest account of American history in order to silence important conversations about race and justice in the present. The bills vague, open-ended definition of divisive materials endangers teachers, who risk losing their teaching licenses and jobs for discussing important, difficult topics with students. School districts that offer professional development around the topics of diversity, equity, or inclusion run the risk of losing state funding. In fact, school districts that simply support teachers doing this important, difficult work run the same risk. Republican Rep. Mike Loychik converses with House Speaker Bob Cupp on the floor of the Ohio House. The passage of this bill will yield a generation of Ohio children who will be taught only the comfortable parts of American history, leaving them ill-equipped to be active citizens in a diverse and democratic society. They will be well-equipped, however, to be passive subjects in an authoritarian and uncritical one. Maybe thats the point. More: 'No politician will shame her into silence.' Ohio Mom says trans daughter, others demonized The bill also restricts any effort to teach, use, or provide any curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity to younger children. Oberlin High School history teacher Kurt Russell was named Ohio Teacher of the Year. Books that show all kinds of families as happily, boringly normal are to be made invisible in order to shield heterosexual family structures from the mere possibility of critique. Identities considered deviant by some must be hidden from all. More: 'Woke people' should be outraged Ohio 'professor of peace' was 'chief organizer' of mass slaughter According to GLSENs 2019 National School Climate Survey, done before the current spate of dont say gay bills sweeping the country, LGBTQ children are profoundly and negatively affected by their experience in unsupportive schools: these children suffer increased levels of homelessness, significant harassment by peers, disparate discipline by teachers and administrators, and a considerable decrease in educational attainment. These efforts to control and limit discussion about fundamentally important topics in our classrooms do not signal confidence or certainty; they signal fear and insecurity. These bills suggest an unwillingness to engage in the kind of questioning that John Stuart Mill argued must be the foundation of a society that takes liberty seriously. More: With punishment ready, Florida GOP lawmakers tell Disney to rethink 'Don't Say Gay' criticism These bills suggest a callow fear that if we allow honest discussion about the racialized history of our country, white children might take up the challenge of creating a country where racial justice actually becomes a thing of the past, rather than remaining a problem in the present. These bills suggest a realization that seeing other ways of life in the pages of a book could offer freedom from the constraints of heterosexuality and gender norms. Ohio State Representative in the 65th District, Jean Schmidt poses for a portrait at The Enquirer's studio on Wednesday April 20, 2022. Taken together, these bills make clear just how much work the those who support them are doing in an effort to erase two important truths: that America must address historical racial injustice in order to take responsibility for and repair contemporary racial injustice and that gender and sexuality are and always have been more diverse than the options presented to us in school. Children crave truth. They observe many things we hope they dont see. But unlike adults, they dont yet know when something might be controversial or uncomfortable. More: Our View: While your groceries go up, DeWine, LaRose, Huffman, Cupp waste millions to keep power As a result, children freely ask questions about the world. Its our responsibility to provide them, just as freely, with access to information. That includes full information about our nations history comfortable or not and its people in all their diversity. Heather Pool is an associate professor of politics and public affairs at Denison University. She is the author of "Political Mourning: Identity and Responsibility in the Wake of Tragedy." This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Loychik, Schmidt's House Bill 616 and attack on equality and justice By David Gaffen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Thursday, buffeted by concerns about tightened supply as the European Union (EU) mulls a potential ban on Russian oil imports that would further restrict worldwide oil trade. Brent crude futures settled up $1.53 to close at $108.33 a barrel, after earlier reaching a high of $109.80. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures ended up $1.60, or 1.6%, to $103.79, after earlier reaching a high of $105.42. Buyers also reacted to ongoing interruptions in Libya, which is losing more than 550,000 barrels per day of oil output due to blockades at major fields and export terminals. Brent has gained nearly 8% in the last seven trading days, but the rally has come at a slow, grinding pace, unlike the frenzy that accompanied moves in late February when Russia invaded Ukraine and in mid-March as well. "It's not as easy a trade as it was a couple of weeks ago," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group. "You have to risk more, and that may be by design with these hedge funds and algo funds trading more." The market sold off somewhat after U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Thursday that the EU needs to be careful about a complete ban on imports of Russian energy because it would likely cause oil prices to spike. The EU is still weighing such a ban over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation" to demilitarise its neighbour. Flynn said the market is weighing the possibility that, down the road, slowed growth or additional supply could undermine the bullish case for oil. In the meantime, however, the market remains tight. U.S. stocks of distillate fuels are near 14-year lows, the U.S. Energy Department said on Wednesday. Traders also cited comments from Federal Reserve officials that suggested an aggressive path for increasing U.S. interest rates in coming months. That could drag on growth, reducing demand for energy products. Story continues U.S. crude exports rose to more than 4 million barrels a day last week, partially offsetting the losses of Russian crude hit by sanctions from the United States and European nations. [EIA/S] The oil market remains tight with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, together called OPEC+, struggling to meet their production targets and with U.S. crude stockpiles down sharply in the week ended April 15. [EIA/S] "With only two countries in the OPEC+ alliance holding significant spare capacity, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the group is sticking to a cautious approach in unwinding pandemic-related production cuts," UBS said in a note. The demand outlook in China continues to weigh on the market, as the world's biggest oil importer slowly eases strict COVID-19 curbs that have hit manufacturing activity and global supply chains. (Reporting by David Gaffen Additional reporting by Noah Browning in London, Mohi Narayan in New Delhi and Sonali Paul in MelbourneEditing by Mark Potter and Paul Simao) Apr. 20The Oklahoma Supreme Court denied relief on Tuesday for members of the Cherokee Nation who alleged certain municipalities and the state were "unjustly enriched" when they collected fines and fees levied against defendants whose state prosecutions would be impossible following the McGirt decision. The plaintiffs' lawsuit named Gov. Kevin Stitt and state district attorney's and municipalities located within the boundaries of Muscogee Nation as defendants. The lawsuit, filed within days of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, sought a refund of "all or at least a portion of the money acquired without lawful authority." Plaintiffs' counsel alleged their clients' convictions were void because the courts that levied the fines and costs lacked personal and subject matter required to render judgment as a result of the McGirt decision. The U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed in that landmark decision the historic boundaries of the Muscogee Nation for purposes of federal criminal law. The McGirt decision was extended by the Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals to apply to other reservations granted by treaty to tribes forced to relocate in Eastern Oklahoma. Those decisions require crimes alleged to have been committed by members of federally recognized tribes on those reservations or when a victim is Native be prosecuted in federal or tribal courts. Plaintiffs argued their convictions were voided automatically by the McGirt ruling, and "there's nothing left for a court to do" other than order the refunds they sought. Oklahoma Supreme Court justices disagreed, stating a "final judgment and sentence can only be vacated through a timely appeal or by seeking post-conviction relief" available pursuant to the Post-Conviction Procedure Act. "Plaintiffs are correct that a judgment and sentence entered by a court without subject matter jurisdiction is void ..., however, the soundness of their argument stops there," justices state in the near-unanimous opinion. "Contrary to Plaintiffs' notion, their convictions and sentences did not simply vanish the moment the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in McGirt." Story continues The justices state "plaintiffs can prove no set of facts which would entitle them to relief," upholding the trial court's dismissal of the case and denying plaintiffs' an opportunity to amend their petition. City Attorney Roy Tucker described the decision as a "win for the state and its municipalities," of which the city of Muskogee was named as one of several municipal defendants. Tucker said while the decision was "not entirely surprising" in light of earlier decisions, it "affirms that McGirt does not apply retroactively to criminal convictions, including those in municipal court, but also affirmed that state imposed procedural mechanisms necessary to challenge convictions must still be followed." "When the McGirt decision came down from the U.S. Supreme Court, there were, unsurprisingly, many issues that remained unsettled," Tucker said. "Slowly, as litigants challenge the application of the McGirt decision to more narrow issues, a more full understanding of the impact is emerging," and it has become "clear that McGirt did not apply retroactively to criminal convictions already final at the time McGirt was announced." Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Edwards described the decision released Tuesday as "very well reasoned." He said the court, in its Nicholson v. Stitt opinion, "correctly points out that this is just an attempt to collaterally attack criminal convictions, which there are numerous laws and procedure that are set out how that can be done." "The Court correctly points out that this is not the way to do that," Edwards said. "This case, along with the Court of Criminal Appeals case, State v. Matloff, which found that McGirt would not be retroactively applied to cases where the appeal has previously been heard and affirmed, clearly puts limits on how McGirt will be applied in the future on cases that have been previously decided." Edwards said there must be some finality in judgments, "otherwise cases would be litigated forever." He said if the Nicholson case "had been decided in any other fashion, it would have put the State and municipalities in extreme financial difficulties over past fines and costs collected." Tribal leaders, who have hailed the McGirt decision as a victory for sovereignty, have yet to comment about the Nicholson decision. An image of Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo holding a fuel pump nozzle has been circulating in social media posts claiming that the politician, whose ambition is to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari next year, was photographed dispensing fuel at a petrol station in the countrys commercial centre Lagos while campaigning. However, the claim has been shared in a misleading context: while the photo indeed captures Osinbajo working a pump at a petrol station, it was taken during the 2017 fuel crisis. One of the earliest versions of the claim was published on Twitter on April 13, 2022, two days after Osinbajo formally declared his intention to run for president in 2023. Screenshot showing one of the comments on Twitter Social media monitoring tool CrowdTangle shows the claim also emerged on Facebook and Instagram just after Osinbajo announced he would be running for president. However, the photo was taken at an event unrelated to Osinbajos recent campaigning. Old photo A reverse image search led to several online publications, mostly dating back to December 2017 when Osinbajo visited Nigerias megacity Lagos to monitor fuel supplies at petrol stations and fuel depots amid shortages at the time. AFP had reported how fuel shortages were crippling Nigerias economy, causing long queues at petrol stations with motorists sometimes waiting up to 24 hours to fill up their tanks. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo dispensing petrol to the admiration of motorists and officials at a filling station in Lagos, on Sunday, December 24, 2017, reads the caption on the photo accompanying a report by Nigerian daily newspaper Tribune about Osinbajos visit to Lagos. Screenshot taken on April 19, 2022, showing the image on Tribune Further checks also found the exact image on Osinbajos website with a caption confirming it was taken in Lagos on Christmas eve in 2017. As Nigeria prepares for its 2023 general elections, some Nigerians have accused politicians of false displays of humility and kindness. Osinbajo, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, will face a difficult battle at the primary against several prominent politicians from the party, including former Lagos state governor Bola Tinubu. Nigerian daily newspaaper The Punch reported that supporters of Osinbajo and Tinubu have already started trading barbs. India hopes eventually to launch astronauts on the GSLV OneWeb, the satellite company part-owned by the UK government, has done a deal to use Indian rockets. The arrangement will supplement the contract the London-headquartered firm has with American rival and rocket operator SpaceX of California. The new deal was announced as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnston headed to India for two days of talks. The firm was forced to look for alternatives when its deal with the Russian space agency fell apart. OneWeb said the first Indian launch of its broadband internet satellites could take place by the year's end. The spacecraft would go up from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota Island in the east of the country. The rocket to be used is likely to be India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), its largest and most capable vehicle. Some sort of deal with NewSpace India, the commercial arm of the country's national space agency, was expected. OneWeb's largest shareholder is the Indian conglomerate Bharti Global. Its chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, is also the executive chairman at OneWeb. "This is yet another historic day for collaboration in space, thanks to the shared ambition and vision of NewSpace India and OneWeb," he said in a statement. "This most recent agreement on launch plans adds considerable momentum to the development of OneWeb's network, as we work together across the space industry toward our common goal of connecting communities globally." Artwork: OneWeb has launched two-thirds of its designed network of satellites OneWeb's plans to build a global network of internet satellites in the sky was knocked off course in March by the war in Ukraine. The conflict, and the resulting western sanctions against Russia, led to the company losing access to Russian Soyuz rockets. With only two-thirds of the satellites in orbit needed to complete its network, OneWeb had little choice but to go to SpaceX to book some rides on the California outfit's Falcon rockets. SpaceX is currently building its own space-borne internet service called Starlink. Story continues OneWeb didn't say how many Indian launches it would use, or what its contract with NewSpace India was worth. The GSLV can lift about nine tonnes to low-Earth orbit - similar to the Soyuz. It was last used in 2019 to launch India's Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission. OneWeb has so far launched 428 satellites, enough to provide internet broadband connections above 50 degrees North in latitude. It needs, however, to get to 650 or so to start delivering connections across the whole Earth. The company's intention is to expand later generations of the network to encompass 7,000 satellites in orbit, meaning the GSLV could become a key component in the future of the OneWeb project. "We welcome the partnership between OneWeb and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL); it's a historic development and this will surely pave the way for a greater participation of private space players, resulting in a boost to the Indian space economy," said Lt. Gen. Anil Kumar Bhatt (Retd), the director general of the Indian Space Association. "This partnership has the potential to drive the attention of many international players towards India's capabilities, leading to a significant increase in our share in the international space economy which is just 2.6% currently; and at the same time contribute to nation building and economic growth of the country," he told BBC News. Building space-borne internet systems is the vogue of the moment. As well as OneWeb and SpaceX-Starlink, the Amazon online retailer is about to get into this market. Earlier this month it signed the largest commercial launch deal ever, purchasing up to 83 launches from three separate rocket companies to loft its Kuiper system. This would see more than 3,000 internet broadband satellites placed in low-Earth orbit over a period of five years. Smoke rises from a plant in Mariupol after a Russian attack. Greetings, OnPolitics readers! Justice Department officials announced charges Wednesday against 21 people accused in connection with $149 million in false billings and theft from federal programs related to the government's COVID-19 response. The sweep of suspects from across the country included physicians, marketers and manufacturers of fake vaccination cards along with purveyors of phony cures. Among the defendants: a 53-year-old Colorado man was charged in an alleged scheme to forge hundreds of fake vaccination cards. Some of the cards, the suspect allegedly told an undercover agent, were sold to people headed to the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games last August, including three Olympians. While the suspects were allegedly linked to schemes valued at $149 million, officials said the actual loss to the government totaled about $20 million. It's Amy and Chelsey with today's top stories out of Washington. Putin has declared victory in Mariupol. But there's 'no evidence' the fighting is over. After reducing Ukraines eastern port city of Mariupol to rubble, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called the military campaign there a success, something he desperately needs as the war grinds into its third month. It's anything but. Russia stopped short of routing hundreds of Ukrainian fighters from the strategic citys giant steel plant. Both Ukraine and President Joe Biden have rejected Putins claim of victory. What is clear is that Mariupols residents have endured some of the worst atrocities committed by the Russians even as Russia has lost an estimated quarter of its combat forces in Ukraine troops, aircraft, tanks ships and other equipment since the war began Feb. 24. Though Putin was forced to retreat from his goal of taking Kyiv, hes pushing for territorial gains in eastern Ukraine. Military victories could give him the stronger hand he needs to wrest concessions in a peace negotiation, or at least allow him to save face at home. Story continues Biden announces new aid package: Biden committed $800 million in additional military aid to Ukraine on Thursday and rolled out a process to welcome Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war, beginning next week. The latest infusion of security assistance, which matches the amount committed last week, includes 72 howitzers, 72 trucks to tow them, 121 Phoenix Ghost drones, other heavy artillery and 144,000 rounds of ammunition. Biden said the aid will "further augment Ukraine's ability" to fight Russian attacks in the eastern Donbas region. We're in a critical window now of time, where they're going to set the stage for the next phase of this war, Biden said. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter here. Real quick: stories you'll want to read Michigan lawmaker slams 'grooming' charges: State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, defended herself against Republican Sen. Lana Theis' accusations that she sought to "groom" school-age children by supporting lesson plans on issues like slavery and systemic racism. Pregnancy policy changes for Army moms: Input from pregnant women serving in the Army was used to update policies regarding work standards for new moms. Wendy Davis stands up to Texas abortion policy: Davis, a former Democratic Texas state senator, has filed a federal lawsuit against the state's near-total ban on abortions. POTUS returns to White House Correspondents' Dinner: Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be the first First Couple to attend the event since 2016. DOJ will appeal mask mandate decision The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has come out against a ruling by a federal judge in Florida who said the Biden administration could not extend the federal mask mandate on public transit until May 3. "It is CDC's continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health," the agency said in a Wednesday statement. "CDC will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether such an order remains necessary. CDC believes this is a lawful order, well within CDCs legal authority to protect public health." The decision has prompted the Justice Department to immediately file a notice of appeal in line with its promise Tuesday to appeal the judges ruling based on the CDCs decision. U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said this week that the CDC failed to justify the order and didn't follow proper rulemaking procedures. In response, the CDC said Monday it would no longer enforce its mask requirement on mass transportation systems, though masks were still recommended in indoor public settings. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said an appeal is needed not just to preserve the 15-day extension of the mandate but to preserve "CDC authority over the long-term" in case the pandemic worsens again. "Because as we've noted from here, we expect there to be ups and downs of the pandemic. And we certainly want the CDC to continue to have this authority." Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been honored with an Barbie doll in her likeness to commemorate her 96th birthday. The doll also marks 70 years on the throne for the queen. -- Amy and Chelsey This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Putin declared victory in Mariupol despite 'no evidence' fight is over One Delta passenger alleged that crew were offering champagne to celebrate no masks (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Passengers on some US airlines have slammed staffs management of the end of the countrys mask mandate, with some saying crew encouraged customers to go mask-free with champagne and inflight celebrations. Hi @Delta. Your flight attendants greeting us Would you like champagne? Lets celebrate no more masks is not what I paid for, tweeted irate customer Ify Ike. Its not only childish but also creates an uncomfortable, and potentially hostile environment for those of us still masked. Covid is also not seasonal. Hi @delta. Your flight attendants greeting us would you like champagne? Lets celebrate no more masks is not what I paid for. Its not only childish but also creates an uncomfortable, and potentially hostile environment for those of us still masked. COVID is also not seasonal. Ify Ike (@IfyWorks) April 19, 2022 She added that some passengers still have a higher risk of severe symptoms from Covid-19, and that the airline had not thought of them while celebrating the change in policy. Your political and capitalist practices aside, please recognise that all types of diverse customers ride your planes. This insensitivity is costly and Im curious to know what your affirmative practices will be for those with conditions that may be at higher risk. On Monday some air passengers in the US reported that their flight crew had announced and begun celebrating the end of the mask mandate mid-flight, with another Delta passenger saying her flights staff had announced the news and allowed passengers to remove masks. Brooke Tansley tweeted: Here we are, trapped in the sky with our eight-month-old unmasked baby (you cant actually mask a baby that young) under the supposition that everyone who can be masked would be masked, and the flight 325 crew has taken our choices away from us. Very very angry about this. Story continues I had never been shamed for wearing a mask until my @AlaskaAir Orlando-Seattle flight today. The pilot created an anti-mask party from the start, which encouraged the non-mask wearers to chide the mask-wearers. The most uncomfortable experience for me and my family. Really sucked Jonathan Evans (@jhewiz) April 20, 2022 Meanwhile, one Alaska Airlines passenger yesterday accused his flights staff of encouraging anti-mask shaming by turning the flight into an anti-mask party. I had never been shamed for wearing a mask until my @AlaskaAir Orlando-Seattle flight today, wrote Jonathan Evans. The pilot created an anti-mask party from the start, which encouraged the non-mask wearers to chide the mask-wearers. The most uncomfortable experience for me and my family. Really sucked. Mr Evans elaborated that Passengers were calling us freaks, and they awarded the most outspoken guy with free drinks. It was hard to explain it to our nine and 12-year-old. Other than that, were doing okay. He added that he was taken aback by how all the staff went with it and didnt try to help those of us wearing masks, saying that he had reported the incident to Alaska Airlines and they had said they would investigate but would not be able to tell him the results. Thrilled to announce Im going to smoke cigarettes on my next @Delta flight because Im really not worried about the health risks and @Delta puts my personal freedom first. Bess Kalb (@bessbell) April 20, 2022 Writer Bess Kalb compared the shift to maskless flying to bringing back smoking on flights against some peoples wishes. She tweeted: Thrilled to announce Im going to smoke cigarettes on my next @Delta flight because Im really not worried about the health risks and @Delta puts my personal freedom first. Yesterday president Joe Biden, when asked if air passengers should continue to wear masks, quickly agreed that it was up to them. The US-wide mask mandate had been instated by Joe Biden in January 2021 and extended several times from August to April, but was overturned by a Florida judge on Monday who argued that the CDC had outstepped their bounds by keeping it in place. The company made a $2 billion, 3-year commitment to address the digital divide AT&T is committed to helping close the digital divide in underserved communities. The worlds largest telecommunications company has contributed $500,000 to PCs for People in Baltimore to provide free access to digital tools and digital skills training for low-income students, families, and adults in Baltimore and across Maryland. The move is part of AT&Ts $2 billion, 3-year commitment to address the digital divide through investments in digital literacy tools, education resources, broadband technology, low-cost internet service, and computers, to help todays learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom, the company said in a news release. Were happy to support PCs for People to help bridge the digital divide for Marylanders by equipping them with both the digital resources, skills, and expertise they need to succeed today and tomorrow, said Denis Dunn, president, AT&T Maryland, in a statement. Adobe Stock Image The PCs for People Maryland provides under-resourced individuals and nonprofits with low-cost computers and affordable broadband internet. Per the non-profits website, we serve, we have provided 155,000 people with home computers, connected 165,000 people to low-cost internet. As part of AT&Ts $500,000 commitment, the funding launched a tech internship program for students and a digital skill-building program for young adults who earn their NAID certifications. Closing the digital divide is a top priority for Baltimore and my administration, and it will require broad and diverse support and investments to realize this goal, said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in a statement. A student needs more than a reliable broadband connection and a computer to learn at home. They need educational content that helps them get the most out of their broadband connection, said Charlene Lake, chief sustainability officer, senior vice president, AT&T corporate responsibility, ESG. Story continues The AT&T Connected Learning initiative was launched in 2021 as part of a company-wide effort to help bridge the digital divide and homework gap for students. Thats why we created a platform that connects familiar faces from WarnerMedia with engaging lessons and learning activities from leading education experts. The Achievery, created by AT&T, can excite students about learning in a home environment in a way that can drive greater educational achievement, said Lake. Mayor Scott noted in a statement that Expanding access and opportunity for Baltimore residents, especially our young people, is critical to the success of our city in the future. This new partnership between PCs for People and AT&T is helping to ensure Baltimores students and families can engage in the digital world and benefit from the promises of virtual learning, remote work, and telehealth. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post PCs for People, AT&T partner to provide laptops, tech training in Baltimore area appeared first on TheGrio. Some dating app users have no intention to form a romantic relationship, and are instead using it for work purposes. Getty Images Some people are using social platforms for purposes other than what they were intended for. This is due to the "blurred nature of the online world," said sociology professor Jennifer Lundquist. People have "electronic confidence" to do things they would not feel comfortable doing offline, she added. Josh Ong was thrilled when he matched with a girl on Tinder who claimed to share his love for board games and anime. As they began chatting on the dating app, the 27-year-old was convinced that he had found a potential romantic connection. That is, until their first date at a Starbucks outlet in Singapore, where she whipped out a folder of pamphlets and started promoting life insurance policies. "I was so disappointed. It turns out that she already has a boyfriend, and she was just using Tinder to get clients," Ong told Insider. "I don't think that's right when there are people like me who're looking for real dates." His experience is not uncommon. Scams aside, there are a number of reports online of similar instances where people have said that they used dating apps for purposes other than, well, dates. Insider spoke to four Singaporeans who said they've matched with multiple people on dating apps who used the app to find prospective clients, selling them everything from investment plans to properties. None of these matches had any intention of forming a romantic relationship, they said. "It's happened to me so often that it's putting me off of dating sites altogether," human resources manager Low Jenn Yi, 33, told Insider. "I matched with a cute guy once, and he just tried to sell me a gym membership plan. Another told me that he needed more people to participate in a survey for work." According to Tinder's community guidelines, promotion or solicitation is prohibited. "It's fine to invite your matches to something that you're doing, but if the purpose of your profile is to advertise your event or business, non-profit, political campaign, contest, or to conduct research, we may delete your account," the rules read. Story continues But it appears that there's little regulation of the rule. Dating app Hinge is also clear on demarcating boundaries. "Selling insurance policies is a violation of our terms of service," a Hinge spokesperson told Insider. Dating app Bumble did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Lookin' for love in all the LinkedIn places Having a business model aligned with user interests separates LinkedIn from other social medias as a positive application. Natee Meepian / Shutterstock.com Still, it's unsurprising that some people are using dating apps for something other than their intended purpose, given the "blurred nature of the online world," Jennifer Lundquist, a sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Insider. "It has very porous boundaries compared to our face-to-face world." Part of that is due to ease of access, explained Lundquist, who also wrote "The Dating Divide: Race and Intimacy in the Era of Online Dating." "For example, I can contact my provost directly by email with a complaint via email or a post on his Facebook page, but there are gatekeeping mechanisms for me being able to access him in real life," she said. "If I march over to his office, his secretary will stop me and ask if I made an appointment. If I try to telephone him, his receptionist will decide whether to put me through or not." Social media network boundaries are murky also because the online world is a lot more "private" than in face-to-face settings, Lundquist noted. "People more easily break the boundaries online given that they have fewer concerns about others judging them." This is also why, on the flip side, some people have boldly turned to social media platforms outside of dating sites in their quest for love. One example: LinkedIn. Despite it being designed to be a professional networking site, some have openly blogged about finding their significant other via the platform. Colorado-based Katie Ortman Doble, who works in staffing, wrote about how she met her husband on LinkedIn. "I melted," she described upon first seeing his profile picture before requesting to connect even though "it was a long shot we would actually do business together." She did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Writer Sarah Miller shared in 2017 that LinkedIn "worked better than real dating sites." "If you're into having some dirty fun with partnered professionals and are willing to play the long game, LinkedIn is your next great dating app," she wrote on The Bold Italic. Meanwhile, freelancer writer Katie Cunningham wrote about how a person reached out and said he'd decided to hit on her via LinkedIn "instead of waiting for you to not like me on Tinder." Harnessing 'electronic confidence' to meet a match Close-up of a female using a dating app on smart phone. Luis Alvarez/Getty Images Lundquist is not surprised that there are people making romantic advances on LinkedIn, even if she believes it's "inappropriate," especially "in the #MeToo era." "The social norms against asking someone out over the water cooler at work are much stronger than the social norms against doing so in private messaging on an online professional social networking site," she said. "To make a crude analogy, it's a similar effect as 'liquid confidence.' People use alcohol as a social lubricant to do and say the things they often would not feel comfortable saying and doing in social situations. In the case of online, we can call it 'electronic confidence.'" In some ways, it's also easier to vet a potential mate on LinkedIn than in a bar, or even on a dating site. "I can see how some daters might find LinkedIn appealing because it tends to be safer in that the identity of the person is verified. It's also more likely to be a more accurate profile, whereas we know that dating profiles can often be a bit exaggerated or even untrue," Lundquist said. "Professional networking sites provide pretty deep information on a person's conventional 'success' metrics, such as career mobility, status, and income, more so than dating apps and other networking sites," she continued. A rep for LinkedIn said the platform shouldn't be used for anything other than establishing work connections. "As a professional network, our members rightly expect their experience on LinkedIn to be professional in nature, and any form of harassment or unwanted romantic advances are a violation of LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies and not tolerated," a company spokesperson told Insider. But again, such policies are difficult to enforce. "We don't allow unwanted expressions of attraction, desire, requests for a romantic relationship, marriage proposals, sexual advances or innuendo, or lewd remarks. We also do not allow LinkedIn to be used to pursue romantic connections, ask for romantic dates, or provide sexual commentary on someone's appearance." For now, Ms. Low, the woman who was sold the gym membership on Tinder, is moving away from dating apps. "Maybe I'll just have to do things the traditional way and try talking to people in real life. At least intentions are clear right from the start," she said. Read the original article on Insider Apr. 21The Harford County Council unanimously approved a 150-day moratorium on building development on Perryman Peninsula at its meeting Tuesday. According to the language of the bill, the moratorium applies to the "approval of site plans and issuance of building permits for the construction of any new buildings within the boundaries of the Perryman Peninsula" and establishes a committee to evaluate the impact of new construction on the community. Perryman coalition member and resident Paul Fallace said the bill's passage is a "momentous occasion" for the community. "Having a unanimous decision from the county means that people are listening," Fallace said. "This is a good first step." But Fallace said he was disappointed that an amendment allowing for continued processing of other building application materials was part of the final bill. "It's better than not having a moratorium," he said of the amendment. "We just wish that [the bill] had a little bit more teeth." Matt Laraway, executive vice president of the Mitchell property developer Chesapeake Real Estate Group, said the bill was "illegal." "The County Council has zero legal authority to arbitrarily shutdown ongoing and well-established permitting processes on private property and nor should they," Laraway said. "If this blatant abuse of power is not reversed in the very near future, aggressive legal action will be taken." A presentation from the Maryland Association of Counties was also delivered to the council by MACo President and Talbot County Council member Laura Price and MACo's executive director, Michael Sanderson. Price praised the passage of Harford County Sen. Jason Gallion's bill that gradually increases Medicaid reimbursement for EMS providers. "We know, with our volunteers in the firefighter and emergency services, that this was something that we needed to carry the water on," Price said. "We want to thank Harford County for all of your support, and Sen. Gallion for sponsoring this legislation." Story continues Sanderson discussed state funding for county roads and bridges, which will gradually increase from the current $3.3 million for fiscal 2023 to $5 million, by fiscal 2026. However, council member Chad Shrodes noted that the county received about $15 million in fiscal 2009. The Aegis: Top stories "What we got ... is not a full restoration, but it's another several steps in the right direction," Sanderson said. "It's not the finish line, but the arrow is pointing in the right direction." According to Cind Mumby, the county's Government and Community Relations director, the county's roads budget for fiscal 2023 is about $62 million. The council also voted to approve a bill that would appropriate funds from this fiscal year's General Fund and the Highways Fund to provide money for anticipated retirements. Four new bills were introduced by the council: the first would allow council members to be removed from their positions for "specified reasons" and establish a process for doing that; the second would add a definition of "entertainment and events center" into the county code; the third would adopt the county budget for fiscal 2023; and the last one would replace the county's pay and classification plans. Two resolutions also were introduced providing for adoption of the new property tax rate for fiscal 2023 and the Capital Program through fiscal year 2028. Before the council meeting, a public hearing was held on a bill that would amend the county charter to allow council members to directly contact county executive branch employees "for the purpose of inquiry or information." The county charter presently states that correspondence from the County Council to the executive branch must be addressed to the county executive. Another section of the current county charter states that the county executive is required to provide council members with any executive branch information they may need for the exercise of their powers. By Marcelo Rochabrun and Carolina Pulice LIMA (Reuters) -Peru will declare a state of emergency near Southern Copper Corp's Cuajone mine, the country's prime minister said on Wednesday, as protests hit top mines in the Andean nation, halting 20% of national copper output. Peru is the world's No. 2 producer of the red metal. Impoverished communities in Peru's copper-rich Andes have been staging growing protests against mining companies including Cuajone, MMG Ltd's Las Bambas and Glencore's Antapaccay. They complain that the mineral wealth has not trickled down to their communities despite high international prices. Cuajone suspended operations on Feb. 28 after residents of a nearby community shut down water supply to the mine, demanding financial compensation and a share of future profits. The government of President Pedro Castillo had been reluctant to use emergency declarations, which suspend civil liberties, in order to suppress protests against Peru's mighty copper industry. But Prime Minister Anibal Torres on Wednesday said the government was running out of patience to solve the issue. Communities "are demanding something irrational, $5 billion," Torres said. "That has led us to declare a state of emergency, and the problem has to be solved now." Reuters could not reach community representatives for comment. In addition to Cuajone, production at Las Bambas stopped on Wednesday, after residents of the Fuerabamba community entered the mine and set up camp inside of it, leading the Chinese-owned mine to announce a suspension of operations. Peruvian government officials are holding a meeting with Fuerabamba representatives to try to diffuse the situation but had yet to reach a resolution as of Wednesday evening. Castillo was elected last year with massive support of communities in mining regions amid pledges to better distribute copper profits. Peru produced 2.3 million tonnes of the red metal in 2021, according to government statistics. Las Bambas produced close to 300,000 tonnes while Cuajone produced another 170,000 tonnes, totaling 20% of national copper production. Also on Wednesday, protests started against a planned expansion at Glencore-owned Antapaccay. A source close to the company said the demonstrations had not blocked a key transport road shared by Antapaccay, Las Bambas and Hudbay's Constancia copper mine. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Aurora Ellis) A photo has been shared in Indonesian blog articles that claim it shows a deadly fire at a Koranic school in the Liberian capital Monrovia. However, the claim is false: it shows a fire at a government building in Melawi, a regency in Indonesia. The photo appeared in this Indonesian-language blog post, dated March 29, 2022. Its headline translates to English as: "Verily to Allah We Belong and to Allah We Shall Return. Please accept our condolences. Fire Engulfs Koranic Boarding School, Killing 26 Students and Two Teachers." Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on April 21, 2022 The blog post reads in part: "A deadly fire took place at a Koranic boarding school near Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, on early Wednesday. "As quoted by AFP, the Liberian Presidential Office stated that at least 26 pupils and two teachers were killed in the incident, which started on late Tuesday night and went on until early Wednesday. "Liberian President George Weah, a former AC Milan football player, had visited the disaster location in Paynesville, according to presidential spokesman Solo Kelgbeh." George Weah is the current president of Liberia. The photo was also posted in other blog articles here, here and here, alongside a similar claim. The claim, however, is false. A reverse image search on Google found that the photo appeared in this report by Indonesian news outlet Tribunnews, dated November 19, 2016. The headline reads: "BREAKING NEWS: Melawi Regent's Office Destroyed by Fire." Melawi regency is located in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province. The photo's caption reads: "The blaze that destroyed Melawi regent's office, Saturday, November 19, 2016, around 5 am. The cause of the incident is still unknown." Below is a screenshot comparison between the photo in the misleading post (L) and the Tribunnews photo (R): Screenshot comparison between the photo in the misleading post (L) and the Tribunnews photo (R) Story continues The incident was also captured in this video report from Indonesian broadcaster Metro TV, published by its sister media outlet Medcom on November 19, 2016 . At the 0:14 mark, the Metro TV footage shows identical elements as seen in the Tribunnews photo. According to both Tribunnews and Metro TV reports, there were no casualties in the fire. Below is a screenshot comparison between the photo in the misleading post (L) and the Metro TV video (R), with identical features marked by AFP: Screenshot comparison between the photo in the misleading post (L) and the Metro TV video (R) The details of the incident described in the misleading blog posts appear to relate to a fire at a Liberian Koranic school in September 2019, which killed at least 26 pupils and two teachers, as reported by AFP here. AFP Fact Check previously debunked a false claim about the the Liberian Koranic school blaze, which misused another Indonesian photo. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are concerned over an increase theyve seen in guns being swiped from cars. So far in 2022, police said 239 guns have been reported stolen -- up 12% from 2021. Nearly half, or 42 of them, were taken from neighborhoods, and 66% were stolen from unlocked cars. Police said theyve also seen a jump in thefts at hotels, bars, and nightclubs. ALSO READ: Law enforcement worried about homemade ghost guns on Charlotte streets CMPD said it is concerned about the rising numbers because repeat offenders often use stolen guns in other violent crimes. Its important to secure your firearm. If you are going to take it with you, officers advise that you buy a gun safe that can be secured to your car seats. Channel 9 spoke with gun owner Corey Atkinson about the issue. Hes owned a gun for more than 20 years and said it was inexcusable for people not to secure their firearms. Be smart about it, Atkinson said. I mean, you go out and spend money on liquor. Spend money on a box that you can actually put your gun in. Portable gun safes can cost as little as $20 to $30. (WATCH BELOW: Technology ties gun to deadly 2020 west Charlotte block party shooting, sources say) Law enforcement officers on Wednesday executed a search warrant at this southwest Topeka business, which identifies itself as a "recreational cannabis dispensary." Members of the Topeka Police Department narcotics unit and Shawnee County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant Wednesday at a Topeka business that identifies itself as a "recreational cannabis dispensary." The search took place on April 20, or 4/20, which is also known in the counterculture as a marijuana holiday. Marijuana is illegal in Kansas. Authorities carried out the search in the 3100 block of S.W. 29th, Topeka police Lt. Ronnie Connell said late Wednesday in a news release. Police weren't revealing the specific address or saying if any arrests were made. "The investigation is ongoing as we continue to look into this matter," Connell said. More: With legislative session dwindling, odds of legalizing medical marijuana remain uncertain Topeka police were among law enforcement officers who executed a search warrant Wednesday at a Topeka business that identifies itself as a "recreational cannabis dispensary." Meanwhile, the website for Guardian MMJ Recreational Cannabis Dispensary, 3124 S.W. 29th, No. 10, indicated late Wednesday that it had been "temporarily closed." "Today the authorities raided this store," read a statement displayed Wednesday evening on that website. "All we can say right now is we have representation and will address this." The statement also contended that Wednesday's search and seizure was illegal. "We believe we will reopen so stay tuned!" the website read. More: Confused about cannabis in Kansas? You're not alone. Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 4/20 raid conducted at Topeka recreational cannabis dispensary The Grand Prairie Independent School District said that it turned a matter of inappropriate behavior from a substitute teacher over to the citys police department for investigation. The school district did not specify what the behavior was, but the Dallas Morning News reported that a video of a teacher, who appeared to fondle himself at a desk, has circulated social media for over a month. Because Grand Prairie ISD respects the privacy of students and employees, neither the campus nor the District has been in a position to discuss the inappropriate behavior of a substitute teacher caught on video in March, a statement written to parents at South Grand Prairie High School read Wednesday. Upon knowledge of the incident, the District turned the matter over to the Grand Prairie Police Department immediately, the statement continued. The individual has not been on campus since the date of the incident and will not return. A police spokesperson told the Dallas Morning News that no further information could be provided because the incident could involve minors. Queen Elizabeth II and her fell ponies, photographed by Henry Dallal. henrydallalphotography.com via Getty Images A new official royal portrait of the Queen has been released in honor of her birthday. The monarch, who is also celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, turned 96 on Thursday. In the newly-released image, she is seen standing alongside two white fell ponies at Windsor Castle. A new photograph taken of Queen Elizabeth II in honor of her 96th birthday on Thursday has been released. The portrait of the monarch, taken by landscape and equestrian photographer Henry Dallal, was first shared by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, according to a tweet from the official Royal Family account. It shows Her Majesty standing between two of her fell white ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. According to the tweet caption, the picture was taken on the grounds of Windsor Castle in March. Dallal also shared the image of the Queen via Instagram and said that it was his honor to capture the Queen and her ponies in front of a "blossoming magnolia tree in the spirit of the Platinum Jubilee." The Queen's 96th birthday comes just months before her Platinum Jubilee celebrations are set to take place across the UK and Commonwealth countries in June. And while the photograph was released to mark a major milestone for the Queen, she may have worn a dark-green shade of coatdress in a subtle nod to her late husband, Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99 in April 2021. She was among several other royals who paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh at his memorial service by wearing "Edinburgh Green" colored outfits, Philip's livery color, on March 29. The Royal Family also shared a sweet photograph of the Queen as a toddler on Thursday to mark her birthday. The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 21, 2022 "Today as The Queen turns 96, we're sharing this photograph of the young Princess Elizabeth aged 2," the post reads. "Then, in 1928, it was never expected she would be Queen, and this year Her Majesty is celebrating her #PlatinumJubilee - a first in British history." Henry Dallal did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider SheKnows Mothers Day was canceled for one particular family this year and its pretty impossible to dispute the reasoning. A dad took to Reddits AITA forum to share the awful exchange that led to him nixing his wifes celebration and users quickly rallied around him. I (M/37) have a 13 y.o son. I was a [] A Pueblo police officer was being lauded Thursday after rescuing a dog that was close to drowning in the Arkansas River. The dog was pulled from the river using a ladder by Officer Leah Morales. "Great job Officer Morales," the department said in posts on Facebook and Twitter. In comments on Facebook, Pueblo resident Bonnie French-Fresquez called Morales "a true hero" and Dorothy Trujillo referred to the officer as "an angel." The dog, who the police initially dubbed Jane Doe or River, was taken to the Humane Society of the Pike's Peak Region Pueblo, said police spokesman Frank Ortega. Miley, the dog pulled out of the Arkansas River on Thursday, April 21, 2022, sits in a Pueblo police vehicle after her rescue. Within hours, the pooch had been identified as an 8-year-old English bulldog called Miley, and reunited with her owner, said Chelsie Baxter, a community relations specialist for the Humane Society. Miley was doing well, Baxter said. Pueblo Police are unsure how the dog ended up in the river. A short video of the dog in the back of a patrol car after the rescue can be found on the Pueblo Police Tiktok, @pueblopoliceofficial. Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at Jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1. This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo police Officer Leah Morales saves dog from Arkansas River The Daily Beast Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via ReutersRussian President Vladimir Putin gave a short but defiant speech at a Victory Day parade in which he neither declared war on Ukraine nor claimed victory in his 74-day-old special operation. The celebration was a typical show of Russias military might, which has been put to the test in Ukraine. A flyover fighter jet accompaniment was canceled due to what the Kremlin called bad weatherbut what in reality appeared to show itself as sunny skies with light Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her 96th birthday with a new royal portrait. A few hours ahead of her milestone birthday on Thursday, the Royal Windsor Horse Show shared a photograph of the monarch. The picture, which was uploaded to the royal familys official Instagram account, shows the queen holding the reins of her two ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale, while wearing a green, caped coat. Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, the photo is the fourth in a series of photos released by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, following images that celebrated the Golden Jubilee, the Platinum Jubilee and Her Majestys 90th Birthday, the caption said. The post also included a fun fact: the queen has attended every Royal Windsor Horse Show since 1943. On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II traveled from Windsor Castle to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk "for a private break," a senior Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed to NBC News. Image: BRITAIN-ROYAL-QUEEN (HENRY DALLAL/Royal Windsor Horse Show / AFP via Getty Images) Her majesty will hold her grand celebration the queens Platinum Jubilee this summer, as June will mark 70 years since she ascended to the throne. The festivities will be held in London. Prince Harry, who spoke with Hoda Kotb on TODAY Wednesday for an exclusive interview, revealed he does not know if he will be able to travel with his family to the U.K. for the jubilee. Theres lots of things, security issues and everything else, he explained. So this is what Im trying to do trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet her. The Duke of Sussex, 37, now lives miles away from his grandmother in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, the former Meghan Markle, and their two children, 10-month-old Lilibet and Archie, who turns 3 next month. The couple relocated in 2020 after announcing they had decided to officially step back as senior royals. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently visited his grandmother on their way to the fifth Invictus Games in The Hague in the Netherlands. Story continues Being with her, it was great, he told Hoda. It was just so nice to see her Shes on great form. Despite the distance, Harry is still looking out for his grandmother. He shared that he ensures that shes, you know, protected and got the right people around her. Harry added that it was nice to catch up with his grandmother and make her laugh. Shes always got a great sense of humor with me, he said. A Michigan man was sitting in his car at his apartment complex when he was shot and killed in what police called a senseless incident, according to media reports. Dennis Kendrick, 54, was a single father raising a 15-year-old son, Click on Detroit reported. Investigators told the outlet that Hendrick was getting ready to leave for work at the time of the incident. The suspect, a 36-year-old man, said that he received a threatening text message and was looking for whoever threatened him, according to The Detroit News. He saw Kendrick sitting in his car, shot him multiple times, and called 911, saying he was threatened, the outlet reported. The incident happened around 3:30 a.m. on April 20, Fox 2 reported. Neighbors said they heard at least five gunshots, and police said they recovered six shell casings from the scene, the outlet reported. The apartment complex is near Oxford High School, where Kendricks son is a student, Click on Detroit reported. The high school was the site of a Nov. 30 shooting committed by a student that claimed the lives of four students and left seven others injured, according to the Detroit Free Press. Theyre still reeling from the terrible thing that happened at Oxford High School, so anything that reminds them of any kind of violence is still painful, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told Click on Detroit. The 36-year-old suspect said he didnt know Kendrick, The Detroit News reported. He was taken into police custody after the shooting, the outlet reported. The random and unprovoked violence we are seeing across the county is unacceptable and those who commit these violent acts must be held to account, Bouchard told The Detroit News. In addition to his son, Kendrick had 10 nieces and nephews, his sisters told Click on Detroit. A GoFundMe page established after his death says that he served in the Army before working for the Detroit-based manufacturing company American Axle for 11 years. Story continues He left for work so early in the morning so he could be off in time to watch his sons games, his sister, Lori Hamilton, told Click on Detroit. She added that Kendricks son was in the hallway at the time of the Oxford High School shooting. To turn around a couple of months later to deal with this, I cant even deal with it, she told the outlet. The Oakland County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 21. Oxford is about 42 miles north of Detroit. Four kids orphaned after one overheard dad threaten to shoot mom, Georgia cops say Sobbing 8-year-old accused of stealing chips was put in NY police car. Outrage ensued 11-year-old shot in head outside Georgia skating rink, police say. 13-year-old charged Rapper Pooh Shiesty is headed to federal prison for over five years after his conviction stemming from a shooting outside of a Bay Harbor Islands hotel. The 22-year-old hitmaker, whose real name is Lontrell Williams Jr., was sentenced Wednesday more than three months after he pleaded guilty for conspiring to use a firearm in a series of shootings in Miami-Dade County and Tennessee. He pleaded guilty in January to conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence and drug trafficking. Miami U.S. Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced him Wednesday after a two-hour-plus hearing, which was attended by executives from Atlantic Records and rapper Gucci Mane. Williams, who hails from Memphis, Tennessee, is part of rapper Gucci Manes 1017 Records label and also has a platinum single known in the streets as Back in Blood. But Williams has spent the past year behind bars after state and federal authorities said he took part in a series of shootings. In July 2020, Williams was with a person who fired a gun inside a car at a gas station in Memphis, Tennessee. Then in October 2020, Williams and two other men, Bobby Brown and Jayden Darosa, arranged to buy marijuana and high-end sneakers from two men at the Landon Hotel in Bay Harbor Islands. During the deal, Williams and Brown shot the two men one in the hip and the other in the rear end. Lontrell Williams, also known as rapper Pooh Shiesty, is charged with aggravated battery in Miami-Dade. He was eventually arrested on state charges, with the feds eventually taking over the case. A few months later, he was again in trouble with the law on Memorial Day weekend 2021. Williams shot a security guard in the leg at the King of Diamonds strip club in Northwest Miami-Dade. Under the plea agreement, the government was calling for 97 months in prison, although the judge ultimately went lower after hearing legal arguments from defense attorneys Bradford Cohen and Saam Zangeneh. The judge listened to our lengthy arguments, took notes and carefully considered everything and we appreciate that diligence, Cohen wrote on his Instagram page. He had a lot of support ... a full courtroom of family friends. Darosa had already been sentenced to 96 months behind bars. Brown was sentenced Wednesday to 56 months in prison. Rise and shine, Boulder! Let's get you all caught up to start this Thursday, April 21 off on an informed note. Here's everything happening in town today. Thursday's weather: Warm with plenty of sunshine. High: 76 Low: 47. Are you a local business owner or marketer? We can help you effortlessly run effective ads that reach customers in Boulder. Click here to learn more. Here are the top stories in Boulder today: Louisville voters spurn updated Red-Tail Ridge development plan. The vote won't stop development at the site along Highway 36, but it ices what the developer considered to be a "superior" plan. Unofficial results had the vote tallies at 3,816 votes against the ordinance, while 3,450 votes were in favor. (CPR) Climate Innovation Collaboratory to accelerate action on climate crisis. CU Boulder and Deloitte have teamed up to develop a plan to use data from cutting-edge climate research and apply it to meaningful climate solutions. (CU Today) Is a permanent daylight saving time even possible? The state senate has passed a bill that would allow permanent daylight saving time in Colorado, and the bill has been sent to Gov. Jared Polis for a signature. (FOX31) Even though it seems like it's over, Colorado doctor warns that "we're not out of the woods yet" when it comes to COVID-19. Infection rates are spiking positivity rates are on the rise again, nearing 5 percent. (CBS4) How much of East Boulder Industrial area should be redeveloped? Boulder City Council is in the process of deciding what kind, and how much should be developed in the new plan for East Boulder. (Reporting Lab) Today in Boulder: From my notebook: April is the start of flood season in Boulder. Make sure you're prepared and know how to respond in the event of a flood. (Boulder) Triceratops returns home to Smithsonian. The skull and bones of a Triceratops that were dug up in Wyoming in 1891 and been on display at CU for decades, are set to head home next month. That means there's still time to see them before they go! (CU Today) Lyrid Meteor Shower 2022: When to see fireballs and dust trails over Colorado. The star show will peak on Earth Day. (Patch) Story continues More from our sponsors thanks for supporting local news! Events: Loving the Boulder Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business showcased in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at Boulderdaily@yahoo.com You're officially in the loop for today! See you Friday for another edition of the Boulder Daily. Brad K. Evans This article originally appeared on the Boulder Patch A sign welcoming Ukrainian refugees at St Pancras station in London. (Getty) A total of 71,800 visas have been issued to Ukrainian refugees under the family scheme and the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme, the government has said. Some 32,500 visas have been granted under the family scheme, and 39,300 visas have been issued under the sponsorship scheme, according to figures from the Home Office. Overall, around 107,200 visa applications had been received as of Wednesday. The data shows that just a third of refugees who have been issued with visas have arrived in the UK. The Home Office data also revealed the local areas which have issued the most visas through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Home Office data shows where the most visas have been issued under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. (Yahoo News) Watch: Homes for Ukraine scheme could lead to 'homelessness crisis', warns Labour The scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under Homes for Ukraine. Buckinghamshire is the most generous area in the UK so far, with 502 visas issued sponsored by people who live in the area. The 10 areas which have issued the highest number of visas are: Buckinghamshire - 507 Wiltshire - 402 Cornwall - 337 Wandsworth - 311 Barnet - 307 Edinburgh - 287 Camden - 282 Richmond-upon-Thames - 282 Bromley - 272 Wealden - 262 South Cambridgeshire - 251 There has been widespread concern about the length of time it has taken for UK visas to be issued to refugees. In an email sent to those registered for the Homes for Ukraine scheme last Thursday, the government acknowledged that some Ukrainian refugees have been waiting almost three weeks for their visa applications to be progressed or for a decision, calling this unacceptable. It said: We are speeding up the processing of visas and, having prioritised family visas in the first instance, we are now working to accelerate the award of visas under Homes for Ukraine. A protester holds a 'Waive UK Visas' placard in support of refugees during the pro-Ukraine rally in Trafalgar Square earlier this month. (SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty) Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the delays as shocking, adding: This is a total disgrace. Where is the home secretary? She needs to account for these scandalous and shameful delays that are letting everyone down. Story continues Government officials believe some people applied for visas so they have the option of coming to the UK but are staying in countries bordering Ukraine so they can return home sooner. Others may have applied but then changed their minds, deciding to stay where they are or travel elsewhere. Ukrainian refugees walk towards the border crossing from Poland to Ukraine, in Medyka, Poland. (Reuters) And some will be waiting for everyone in their family to receive permission to travel letters or visas before they depart for the UK. Last week, fewer than than half (45%) of the applications had led to visas issued. When Jennifer Serfass heard her children yell, Mom, look at this worm, she expected an ordinary nightcrawler. Rather than the squiggly body of a common earthworm, this one had a bulbous mushroom head. It was really long, Serfass recalled in a phone interview with the News-Leader. It moved slowly, like a slug. A family recently discovered a hammerhead worm on their property in southeast Springfield. When she got a good look at it outside her home in southeast Springfield on June 7, Serfass thought the worm had something protruding from its mouth, which would have explained the hammerhead appearance. After some research, she discovered that look was all-natural. What is a hammerhead worm? The broadhead planarian was a hammerhead worm, or bipalium, and is considered invasive. Serfass first reaction: We have to get rid of it. If she chopped the pest into pieces, it would simply regrow its tail, Serfass learned online. The Springfield Conservation Nature Center also said she needed to dispose of it, but not by way of a knife. A family recently discovered a hammerhead worm on their property in southeast Springfield. I had read other people say to use salt because theyre similar to slugs, so thats what I did, she said. This learning experience was helpful not only to Serfass, but also her children, who range in ages from 6 months to 6 years old. She spared them the exact details of how the hammerhead worm met its end. I dont think I told the truth to my children about what I did, Serfass said. My daughter came home from school and I saved it for her in a water bottle, and she said, We should probably just let it go. Hammerhead worms aren't toxic to humans or animals, but they prey on native earthworms and other soil-dwelling species Serfass explained that, no, they couldnt just let it go and why. I left it at that and then she didnt ask again, so that was good, she added. Serfass shared the experience on social media in the Welcome to Springfield, MO Facebook group and the post exploded. With nearly 9,000 shares and more than 1,000 comments, people weighed in on the find while also expressing their astonishment. This is terrifying, one wrote in the comments. Holy macaroni, a person said, while another replied, More like spaghetti. Story continues The visceral reactions are understandable, especially considering how predatory the hammerhead worms can be, said Kelly McGowan, a field specialist in horticulture with University of Missouri Extension. Why are hammerhead worms bad and how do they get into the soil? The invasive worms aren't toxic to humans or animals, but they prey on common earthworms and other soil-dwelling species, McGowan said. Earthworms and other little critters are very important for our soil health, and whenever you have a non-native species like the hammerhead worm that comes in and starts feeding on some of our native things, it can certainly affect our soil health, McGowan said. A family recently discovered a hammerhead worm on their property in southeast Springfield. One of the first reports of a hammerhead worm in the region crossed McGowans desk in 2018. Since then, she began gathering data on sightings and determined the worms had made their way generally in southwest Missouri. Since theyre new to our area, we dont know the extent of what that will mean, McGowan said. It could end up being nothing. There may be just a few of these things around, and it may end up being absolutely no big deal. There could be detrimental consequences, but it is still unknown, McGowan said. When speaking with folks who spotted the invasive planarians, McGowan said many had recently brought in a load of soil or had purchased nursery plants. Im suspecting these were accidentally introduced here in soil, in plants that have been potted up in other states and then shipped here, and those worms hitched a ride, McGowan said. Despite not being from the Ozarks, the hammerhead worms are adapting and acclimating. Theyre surviving our winters, theyre reproducing, and their population is starting to grow, McGowan said. What happens if you cut a hammerhead worm in half? Hammerhead worms leave a mucus trail and excrement that helps it glide along, McGowan said previously in a MU Extension article. The worms produce sexually by laying eggs and asexually by fragmenting and growing new heads and tails when cut into pieces. If you find a planarian with a hammer-shaped head, McGowan supported Serfass actions: pour salt on it. A hammerhead worm is seen in a plastic container Sept. 13, 2021. Nearly three months after finding the planarian, Serfass messaged the News-Leader to report she found another hammerhead worm about 10 feet away from where the original one was spotted. Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@springfi.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: If you find a hammerhead worm, you should kill it with salt COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) An international human rights group urged Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a prompt and impartial probe into a police shooting that left one person dead and 13 others injured during protests over the country's worst economic crisis in decades. New York-based Human Rights Watch asked the government to probe the apparent use of excessive force by police in the incident and take appropriate steps against any wrongdoing. Patricia Grossman, the groups associate Asia director, said the use of live ammunition by police against demonstrators appears to be a flagrant misuse of lethal force. People protesting government policies that affect their lives and livelihoods shouldnt have to fear for their lives, she said in a statement late Wednesday. International law prohibits the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers unless there is an imminent threat to life. The group said Sri Lanka has a long history of failing to provide justice and redress to victims of human rights violations. The statement came hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pledged an impartial and transparent inquiry into the shooting, which was the first by security forces during weeks of protests and reignited widespread demonstrations across the Indian Ocean island nation. The shooting occurred in Rambukkana, 90 kilometers (55 miles) northeast of the capital, Colombo. Police said the demonstrators were blocking railway tracks and roads and ignored police warnings to disperse. Police also said protesters threw rocks at them. The calls for an investigation came as Parliament on Thursday observed a minute of silence in memory of more than 260 people killed in 2019 in Islamic State group-inspired suicide bomb attacks on churches and tourist hotels. Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, at a multi-religious memorial service in Colombo, reiterated his criticism of what he called the government's lack of interest in uncovering those whose alleged inaction contributed to the attacks. Story continues Ranjith has urged authorities to investigate possible links between the attackers and some members of the state intelligence service after reports that they knew at least one of the attackers and had met with him. Protesters who have camped outside the office of Sri Lankas president for 13 days demanding his resignation also offered alms to Buddhist and Christian clergy in memory of the dead. Much of the anger expressed in weeks of growing protests has been directed at Rajapaksa and his elder brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who head an influential clan that has been in power for most of the past two decades. Five other family members are lawmakers, three of whom resigned as Cabinet ministers two weeks ago. Sri Lanka is on the brink of bankruptcy, with nearly $7 billion of its total $25 billion in foreign debt due for repayment this year. A severe shortage of foreign exchange means the country lacks money to buy imported goods. Sri Lankans have endured months of shortages of essentials such as food, cooking gas, fuel and medicine, lining up for hours to buy the limited stocks available. Fuel prices have risen several times in recent months, resulting in sharp increases in transport costs and prices of other goods. There was another round of increases earlier this week. The government has announced it is suspending repayment of foreign loans pending talks with the International Monetary Fund on a rescue plan. China has pledged about $31 million in emergency aid, including 5,000 tons of rice, medicine and raw materials, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said Thursday. The ministry announced the aid after Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris met with Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong. Qi earlier said China is mulling a request for $2.5 billion in economic assistance including a credit line to buy essentials and a loan. The debt crisis is partly blamed on projects built with Chinese loans that have not made money. CAIRO (AP) A leading human rights advocacy group is urging Egyptian authorities to release the autopsy report and investigate the suspicious death of an economic researcher detained two months ago. Human Rights Watch said the autopsy analysis and photos of Ayman Hadhood's body should be made public and reviewed by independent forensic experts to determine whether he was tortured in custody, according to a statement released late Wednesday. It comes after Egyptian prosecutors said Monday that the autopsy report ruled out that Hadhoud was subjected to torture or ill-treatment. They said he had suffered from a chronic heart condition that caused his heart and his respiratory system to stop abruptly. Ayman Hadhouds suspicious death in custody requires a fully independent, impartial, and thorough investigation, starting with an independent review of the autopsy results, said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. Clearly the Egyptian authorities committed grave abuses against Hadhoud by subjecting him to a prolonged enforced disappearance. Hadhoud, 48, was pronounced dead earlier this month after he was brought to the government-run Abbasiya Mental Health Hospital in Cairo, according to the Interior Ministry. The ministry said he has been detained Feb. 6 for allegedly attempting to break into an apartment in the upscale Zamalek district of Cairo and exhibited irresponsible behavior. The statement was the first official account of what happened to Hadhoud, a critic of the government's economic policies, since his disappearance. Activists and academics have taken to social media to denounce Hadhouds death and many have called for an investigation. Eventually, prosecutors ordered a forensic autopsy of his body to determine the cause of death. Hadhoud's family members and friends who went to the building where the autopsy took place alleged that the physician conducting the procedure rejected requests for independent observers, the HRW said. The group also quoted a brother, who had seen the body, as saying that Hadhoud had facial bruises and a cracked skull. Torture and abuse by police are not unusual in Egypt. In 2016, Giulio Regeni, an Italian doctoral student, was found dead the side of a Cairo road. His body had been brutalized, raising suspicions of police involvement. Italy accused police officers of killing him, a charge that Egypt denied. Stephane Monnet and Jeroen Dijkstra either have good luck, good timing, or simply the good sense to know when something just feels right. When they were apartment hunting in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Stephane was seeking out distinctly European surroundingssince he was moving from Torontoand they found them in a one-bedroom property, downtown. With all of its flourishes, huge windows, and open spaces, it was a perfect fit, Stephane says. It was already snatched up, but that deal fell through at the last minute. Set inside a building from the 1880s, facing a busy street on one end and a verdant courtyard on the other, their home had been recently restored to reflect what existed way back when. Intricate crown molding sprawled across ceilings while wainscoting lined the lower half of the walls, and that artistry was painted in shades of green to contrast the white in between. Windows stretched over their contrasting outdoor views, and plenty of light streamed in. The couple also had a private balcony to share, in case they ever wanted a closer look at the birds whose pleasant song woke them in the morning. The restoration team went to great lengths to match the paint colors to what was original, Stephane notes. The colors dont happen to be our favorites, but we adapted and worked around them. Stephane is the creative director of a namesake design studio, while Jeroen is a cultural producer at The New Institute and a founder of The DIRT, a creative agency and design gallery. Both had their own ideas of how to furnish the place, of course, and much of what they had was following them from Canada (including their dog, Henry). Jeroen and I have different but complementary styles, Stephane continues. He has brought a lot of color into my life! I am quite minimalistic and he is a maximalist. So we meet somewhere in the middle. As they sifted through their belongings, they noticed how much good luck and timing had always been on their sidecoupled with their shared penchant for spotting interesting objects. Story continues We have many souvenirs from travels to Morocco, West Africa, and Rwanda that we treasure, Stephane says. Jeroen found the large drawing hanging above the living rooms fireplace in a Dutch thrift store, as an art student, and they had it framed in Canadian maple. The glass-cubes-turned-coffee-tables are from a museum nearby and match the one in their bedroom. Our bedroom is the most classic room in the house, with lots of antique furniture, Jeroen says. We do pepper in some modern elements, too, [in order] to lighten things up. In the kitchen, where they painted the cupboards a bright blue, there are even more trinkets hinting at warm memories or fortuitous deals. Though theyve curated each room and decided which pieces to proudly display, Jeroen continues to arrange it all to his liking. I love change, and Im constantly moving things around in small ways that aren't too invasive, he says. I find a lot of pleasure in the details, and tablescaping is one of my favorite things. I love having people over for elaborate dinners and breakfasts. Even in the cupboards I make what I call small scapes. Their apartment is filled with all the good in their shared life, and whether thats due to luck or timing, Stephane and Jeroen are just happy to be experiencing it. I like to think that Im safeguarding some of these items for the future, Jeroen says. I mean, life is temporary, and in the end we arent really owners of anything. When my time comes, I will have collected interesting items that will hopefully give lots of joy to other people who will then get to own them for a while, too. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest (Reuters) - Russia has ordered the closure of the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian consulates and asked their employees to leave in a retaliatory move, Moscow's foreign ministry said on Thursday. In a statement, Russia's foreign ministry said it was closing the Latvian consulates in St Petersburg and Pskov, the Estonian consulate in St Petersburg and its office in Pskov, and the Lithuanian consulate in St Petersburg. Earlier in April, Latvia and Estonia each ordered the closure of two Russian consulates over Russia's actions in Ukraine, while Lithuania told the Russian ambassador to leave. (Reporting by Reuters) Putin orders forces not to storm steel plant in besieged city of Mariupol Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the beleaguered city of Mariupol Thursday but instead to block it "so that not even a fly comes through." Defense minister Sergei Shoigu said the rest of the city beyond the Azovstal steel plant where Ukrainian forces were holed has been "liberated" as Russian officials refer to areas of Ukraine they have seized. Putin hailed that as a "success." The comments appeared to reflect a change in strategy, where the Russians previously seemed determined to take all of Mariupol. In another update, Ukraine's General Staff said Thursday morning the Russian forces continue the offensive in the eastern part of the country with the goal of establishing full control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces control 80% of the region, one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Before Russia invaded, the Kyiv government controlled 60% of the region. Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast: Biden set to announce more military aid to Ukraine, heads to Pacific Northwest President Joe Biden is set to announce plans Thursday to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, a U.S. official told the Associated Press. The source said Biden will deliver an address Thursday morning at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved to Ukraine since Russia's invasion Feb. 24. The president's official schedule states that he will provide "an update on Russia and Ukraine" Thursday morning, but does not provide additional details. Later, Biden will head to the Pacific Northwest as part of an expanded travel schedule ahead of the November elections as he tries to demonstrate that he has made progress on his agenda while also prodding Congress. He plans to visit Portland International Airport Thursday to talk about investing in a runway that can withstand earthquakes. He'll also take part in a fundraiser before heading north to Seattle. Story continues Florida expected to pass 'punishment' legislation after Disney criticized the 'Don't Say Gay' bill The Florida state House of Representatives is set to vote Thursday on legislation that would repeal a 56-year-old law that allows Disney to self-govern its 38-square-mile Central Florida entertainment empire. An additional measure would also strip Disney of special protections from social media regulations approved last year and now tied up in court. Gov. Ron DeSantis asked lawmakers to consider repealing the governing structure for Disney's Florida properties, a move viewed as punishment for Disney speaking out against the "Parental Rights in Education Act" what critics have labeled the "Dont Say Gay" law, which DeSantis signed into law this month. This marks an unprecedented standoff between two of Floridas most powerful political entities Walt Disney Co. is a prime economic engine for Florida, with an annual economic impact of $75 billion. God save the queen! Elizabeth II turns 96 Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, will celebrate her 96th birthday quietly Thursday at her Sandringham estate in England, The Guardian reported. No public events are scheduled today. A grand birthday parade is planned for June as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrating her 70 years on the throne. The Royal Windsor Horse Show shared a new portrait of the monarch ahead of her birthday. In the photo, the queen dons a forest green cape-style coat and stands proudly while holding the reins of her two fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. The queen has cut back on public duties after spending a night in the hospital in October and testing positive for COVID-19 in February. Most recently, she did not attend an Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle. But Prince Harry said in a "Today" show interview Wednesday his grandmother was "on great form" when they met earlier this month. Gera MX, Christian Nodal on their genre-bending hit, Latin AMAs performance: 'Expect pure energy' The seventh annual Latin American Music Awards ceremony will be broadcast Thursday from Las Vegas (Telemundo, 8 p.m. ET) and features a performance from Mexican music star Christian Nodal and up-and-coming Mexican rapper, Gera MX. Their collaboration on the breakup anthem "Botella Tras Botella" (Bottle After Bottle) has earned them the first regional Mexican single to debut on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in its 64-year history and three Latin American Music Award nominations for viral song of the year, H2collaboration of the year and regional Mexican favorite song. So they would not lose their rhythm, Nodal and Gera, who have known each other for about five years, kept recording and writing music during the pandemic. When they wrote "Botella Tras Botella," Gera says: "We knew we had something different something special." Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia-Ukraine war, Queen Elizabeth II birthday: 5 things to know Thursday By Dave Sherwood HAVANA (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday donated nearly 20,000 tonnes of wheat to political ally Cuba, a welcome gift to the Caribbean island nation beginning to feel the pain of soaring global prices for grains following the war in Ukraine. Russian ambassador to Cuba Andrei Guskov said at a ceremony that his countrys government had agreed last year to send the grains to Cuba. But the ship transporting the wheat, Guskov said, was stalled off the island for a month by Western sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Banking-related restrictions had complicated Russias payments to the shipper, he said, making it impossible for the boat to offload and "convert the wheat to bread for Cubans." "What happened clearly shows that the unilateral, coercive measures adopted against Russia, like those applied against Cuba, harm the lives of ordinary people," Guskov told reporters. The substantial donation of wheat - used to make the bread that is a basic, government-subsidized staple in Cuba - is the latest in a series of overtures between the communist-run government and Russia. Cuba on April 7 joined China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Vietnam in voting against a resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly that suspended Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over its reported rights abuses in Ukraine. Cuba and Russia have a long history of economic and military collaboration since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, though in recent decades those ties have faded. Days before invading Ukraine, Russia nonetheless agreed to postpone debt payments owed by Cuba until 2027. The two governments have also agreed to deepen ties and explore collaboration in transportation, energy, industry and banking. Russia, one of the world's largest wheat exporters, continues exporting grains to Cuba and other trade partners despite sanctions that have complicated logistics. Cuba, an island nation of 11 million inhabitants isolated by Cold War-era U.S. sanctions, is facing a dire economic crisis. Spiraling costs for wheat, other grains and fuel have contributed to already severe shortages that force citizens to line up for food, medicine and other basic goods. (Reporting by Dave Sherwood in Havana; editing by Grant McCool) Ukrayinska Pravda ROMAN PETRENKO - MONDAY, 9 MAY, 2022, 10:45 The flying display part of the parade in Moscow has been cancelled allegedly due to the weather. Source: Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Kremlin media Details: On the morning of 9 May, before the start of the [annual military Victory Day] parade, it became known that there will be no flying display in Moscow this year. Russias foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it would be barring a number of top Biden officials and others from entering Russia, including Vice President Harris, White House chief of staff Ron Klain and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. In response to the ever-expanding anti-Russian sanctions, under which the Biden Administration brings an increasing number of Russian citizens both officials and their families, as well as representatives of business circles, scientists and cultural figures 29 Americans are included in the stop list from among the top leaders, businessmen, experts and journalists who form the Russophobic agenda, as well as the spouse of a number of high-ranking officials, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The individuals barred from entering Russia in the countrys latest round of sanctions also include Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, State Department spokesman Ned Price, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Evan Maureen Ryan, who is the White House Cabinet secretary and wife of Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During a briefing on Thursday, Price called the move nothing less than an accolade. In addition to the Vice President, todays tranche included journalists and spokespeople for this administration, myself included, Price said, according to CNN. I have to say it is nothing less than an accolade to earn the ire of a government that lies to its own people, brutalizes its neighbors and seeks to create a world where freedom and liberty are put on the run and, if they had their way, extinguished. Russias latest announcement further exacerbates the fragile diplomatic state of affairs between the country and much of the rest of the world amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The foreign ministry last week announced that it was sanctioning 398 members of Congress in response to similar sanctions levied against more than 300 lawmakers. It has also been engaged in a diplomatic expulsion tit-for-tat with a number of European Union member states, with several of those countries and Russia announcing the expulsion of one anothers diplomats. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday announced sanctions against 61 Canadian officials, journalists and military experts for supporting what it called the "Russophobic" stance of the Canadian administration. The list includes Special Operations Forces Commander Major-General Steve Boivin, Central Bank Governor Tiff Macklem as well as John Tory and Jim Watson, the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa. The ministry said the 61 individuals were barred from entering Russia indefinitely. (Reporting by Reuters) A Sarasota man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, in an email calling her a radical Muslim and asking, Are you ready to die for Islam? The email asked if she was ready to leave the country and referenced a bullet going through her head. David Hannon, 67, sent the email hours following a July 16, 2019 press conference held by Omar; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. calling all four newly elected colored congresswomen radical rats. At the press conference, the four congresswoman condemned racist comments made earlier in the day by then-President Donald Trump. Omar quoted multiple of Trumps comments in which he used profanity speaking about social issues involving women and minorities. On Tuesday, Hannon pleaded guilty in a federal courtroom in Tampa on Tuesday to one count of threatening a federal official, according to court documents. Threatening to kill our elected officials, especially because of their race, ethnicity or religious beliefs, is offensive to our nations fundamental values, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in an issued statement. The Justice Department will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who violate federal laws that prohibit violent, hate-motivated threats. All elected officials, regardless of their background, should be able to represent their communities and serve the public free from hate-motivated threats and violence. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a July 16 press conference at the U.S. Capitol. On the night of July 16, 2019, Hannon a Trump supporter emailed Omar at her campaign email address, according to the plea agreement. Omars staff immediately contacted the FBI, who investigated the threat with the assistance of the Capitol Police. Investigators traced the email back to Hannon, who had used his iCloud email account. No one should fear violence because of who they are or what they believe, U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg said in a statement. Unlawful threats against our elected officials are an assault against our democracy, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to seek justice in these cases. WSB Cox articles While cellphones and other electronic devices have become an everyday part of most adult lives and childrens lives, in many cases, they have become a distraction for some. This week, Fulton County Schools announced some updates to their Code of Conduct and their Student Handbook for the 2022-23 school year. Among the changes are several restrictions on the use of Personal Communication Devices within their schools. By Brenda Goh and Ella Cao SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Shanghai authorities said on Thursday tough restrictions would remain in place for now even in districts which managed to cut COVID-19 transmission to zero, prolonging the agony for many residents who have been stuck at home for most of this month. That sober assessment, prompted by an unexpected rise in the number of cases outside quarantined areas, came after health officials earlier in the week had fuelled hopes of some return to normal by saying that trends in recent days showed Shanghai had "effectively curbed transmissions". At a regular press conference, an official from the Chongming district, an outlying island area, said most curbs would be kept in place, although it has reported zero cases outside quarantined areas and 90% of its 640,000-or-so residents were now in theory allowed to leave their homes. "For those in prevention areas, we have to continue to ensure that they don't become 'free to fly' areas," deputy governor Zhang Zhitong said, referring to neighbourhoods which meet the criteria for residents to be allowed to go outside. Supermarkets would remain shut to shoppers, vehicles would not be allowed on roads without approval, and only one person from each household would be allowed to leave home each day in some towns in Chongming, he said. The central district of Jingan, home to nearly 1 million people and some of the city's flashiest malls, announced on Thursday it would no longer allow any residents out of their housing compounds, citing risks of large gatherings. Frustration is mounting among people who thought earlier this week their lives may begin to gradually return to normal. "I no longer have strength to complain about the measures that change from day to night," one Jingan resident wrote on social media. "And this is not even a problem worth mentioning among the serious problems Shanghai is facing." Story continues A video of a tense interaction between a resident of Jingan and a neighbourhood committee official was circulated widely on Chinese social media on Wednesday evening. The resident asks repeatedly why she cannot go outside despite living in an area where leaving home is allowed, only to receive the same answer: "I told you we got a notice." Reuters could not verify the video's authenticity. Shanghai reported 15,861 new local asymptomatic coronavirus cases on Wednesday, down from 16,407 a day earlier. Symptomatic cases stood at 2,634, up from 2,494. Crucially, there were 441 new cases outside quarantined areas, up from 390 a day earlier. EIGHT MORE DEATHS Eight people with COVID-19 died in Shanghai on Wednesday, authorities said, bringing the death toll of the current outbreak to 25 - all recorded in the past four days. Many residents have said, however, that a family member had died after catching COVID-19 since early March, but cases had not been included in official statistics, raising doubts over their accuracy. The Shanghai government did not respond to questions regarding the death toll. State media reported on Thursday that the Shanghai government was investigating three funeral home officials for refusing to provide funeral services using COVID as an excuse. Shanghai ordered virtually all residents to stay home at the start of April after COVID-19 cases began to surge. Residents have faced income losses, difficulty getting food, family separations and poor conditions in quarantine. With public resentment rising, city officials said on Thursday they would look into complaints made by residents over the quality and expiry dates of products such as duck meat and cooking oil provided in government ration packs. Businesses are beginning to reopen, though they have to operate under "closed loop management", which entails living on site, daily testing and rigorous disinfection. U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc is among 666 companies allowed to resume operations, and its reopening was given generous airtime on state media this week. Industry bodies caution, however, that factories face logistical nightmares and are far from resuming full production. (Reporting by the Shanghai and Beijing bureaus; Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Sheriff Alex Villanueva is scheduled to testify, under oath, about gang-like groups of deputies that operate in the Sheriff's Department. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Sheriff Alex Villanueva is scheduled to testify, under oath, Friday about gang-like groups of deputies that operate in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, after the 2nd District Court of Appeal denied his latest challenge to a more than year-old watchdog subpoena. "He's been ordered to do so," Villanueva's attorney Linda Savitt said Wednesday. "He will do so." The development is a major blow to Villanueva, who has been challenging the inspector general's subpoena authority, both in court and by not showing up when he's summoned. He has called the subpoenas politically motivated and harassing. Gov. Gavin Newsom gave the right to subpoena to oversight bodies statewide when he signed Assembly Bill 1185 into law in September 2020. Max Huntsman, the inspector general appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to oversee the Sheriff's Department, issued the subpoena in February of last year. At the time, Huntsman said Villanueva made comments he found to be somewhat unclear about efforts to root out the cliques and enforce a new policy banning any deputy groups that violate peoples rights. The groups, which have monikers such as the Banditos and the Executioners, have been accused of using violent and aggressive policing tactics and celebrating deputy shootings. The sheriff voluntarily appeared in September to answer questions, but Huntsman cut the interview short when Villanueva refused to give his answers under oath. The county then took him to court, which resulted in a Superior Court judge this month ordering Villanueva to comply by testifying under oath within 21 days. Villanueva issued a statement saying he planned to appeal the ruling. "These subpoenas are political theater and, if successful, I will be the first elected official subjected to this heavy-handed abuse of power," he said. His challenge was denied. Huntsman said the examination would be done in private by Chief Deputy Inspector General Dara Williams, a former gang prosecutor with the district attorney's office. He said non-confidential portions of the transcripts would eventually be released, but he did not know when. Story continues "For now it's part of an investigative process, so it won't be immediately public," Huntsman said. He said the interview is part of a broader investigation into law enforcement gangs, which are prohibited under a new state law. The law defines police gangs as a group of peace officers who may identify themselves by a name and may be associated with an identifying symbol, like matching tattoos, and "who engage in a pattern of on-duty behavior that intentionally violates the law." Eventually, Huntsman said, he will turn his findings over to the State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, which has the authority to decertify police officers who are found to be members of a law enforcement gang. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After an unprecedented hour and eight-minute disruption by House Democrats, Florida House Republicans steamrolled Democrats protesting a redistricting bill to approve the dissolution of a special taxing district that allows the Walt Disney Co. to self-govern its theme-park area. The measure now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis for approval. Lawmakers voted 70-38 to back the measure while Rep. Travaris L. McCurdy, D-Orlando, led Democrats in chants of "Stop the Black attack," in protest of a just passed redistricting bill that election experts say will eliminate two Black-access Congressional Districts. The Senate previously approved the measure 23-16, to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement District, with Republican St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes voting with Democrats. The redistricting protest prevented floor debate on the measure. In a chaotic seven minutes, the House approved new congressional maps and repealed legislation that had enabled Disney to build the world's number one tourism attraction in Florida. "What you saw is that the Speaker was in a situation that frankly, he couldn't control," said Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa. "What you saw was an acceleration of the process that we've seen all session long, which is just to move things through. We've never had enough time to debate," said Driskell. 'I let you down': Disney CEO apologizes for 'Don't Say Gay' bill response SB 4 dissolves Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District on June 1, 2023. The district, created by state law in 1967, exempts 38 miles of land Disney owns from most state and local regulations and allows Disney to collect taxes, follow its own building codes and provide emergency services for its six theme parks and resorts. House sponsor Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard, said the special district designation provides an unfair competitive advantage over other tourist attractions. Story continues "We provide Disney things that we do not provide to their competitors. And that's fundamentally unfair," said Fine. "Universal is building a third theme park. We're not going to create the Woody Woodpecker Improvement District. They have to compete with one hand tied behind their backs," said Fine. Disney is Central Floridas chief economic engine, a 2019 study by Oxford Economics calculates the companys 38-mile-long empire of six theme parks, resorts and other enterprises produces $5.8 billion in state tax revenue from $75 billion in economic activity that supports 463,000 jobs "What is he thinking? He's going to hurt our economy. He's going to hurt tourism. The notion that he's going after all those jobs, shame on him," said Congressman Charlie Crist, a Democratic candidate for governor, Tuesday at the Capitol minutes after Fine filed the proposal. Disney has declined to comment on the proposal. Democrats dismissed the GOP's free-market argument as smoke to conceal a Republicans rush to punish an iconic Florida corporation for its political speech. It took lawmakers two days to produce, debate and adopt the proposal after Gov. Ron DeSantis said he wanted the Legislature to repeal the governing structure Disney employed to create the world's No. 1 tourism attraction on its Florida properties. Weve never spent an hour on this, said Rep. Joseph Geller, D-Aventura, adding the Republican repeal effort was disrespectful of the legislative process. They dont even have a real fiscal or economic analysis. We should not tolerate this, said Geller. How DeSantis, Disney got to this point The entertainment giant became ensnared in a culture war flareup when CEO Bob Chapek vowed to work to repeal the Parental Rights in Education Act which opponents dubbed the Dont Say Gay bill. The measure prohibits classroom instruction on sexual and gender identity through third grade and limits to age- appropriate materials in later grades with a provision to enable parents to sue for damages if a school is found in violation. DeSantis immediately slammed Disney as a woke corporation repeating left-wing propaganda. Chapek responded with an announcement that Disney would stop contributing to political campaigns because of the controversy. The company directly contributed $5 million to Florida candidates in 2020, according to state records but it is hard to see its total influence in campaigns given the number of corporate entities that are part of the Disney family, the plethora of political action committees and their reporting requirements, and the number of candidates. Six weeks after Chapeks announcement, lawmakers went into special session and approved SB 4., repealing Reedy Creek and five other special districts for not having complied with a 1997 law to seek recodification. While lawmakers debated the bill, DeSantis sent out a fundraising letter stating Disney had picked a fight with the wrong guy and called for contributions to fight against the Democratic machine and woke Disney executives. Look, you cant go on national TV, have press conferences, be on Twitter talking about woke Disney and then come into a committee room and act like this bill and all that are completely connected. I mean, lets just be real, said the AFL-CIO's Rich Templin, testifying against the measure during the proposals only committee stop. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addresses a question from the media during a press conference in Jacksonville on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. DeSantis pushed a bill this week punishing Disney in the wake of the company criticizing the so-called "Don't Say Gay" law, demonstrating his political power and willingness to punch back hard against critics. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] Templin represents 40,000 union members working at Disney and Reedy Creek. He describes them as collateral damage in a culture war, a group whose economic future is suddenly at risk. Democrats charge that DeSantis, and the GOP-led Legislature puts those jobs at risk and threaten to saddle Orange and Osceola counties with billions of dollars in Reedy Creek debt and other obligations to bolster DeSantis reelection campaign and possible presidential run. It shows the deep selfishness and the deep blind political ambition that this governor has. That hes willing to do this on the backs of working people is unconscionable, said Rep. Michelle Rayner, D-Tampa. Fine and Republicans counter that the Legislature and Disney will have a year to work on the dissolution of Reedy Creek and prevent what the Senate sponsor called the Democrats parade of horribles. Fine said that gives Disney more than enough time to consider how they behave, and seek recodification of Reedy Creek if they want to retain the special privileges Florida has given it. This is unhinged authoritarianism. This is about retribution. They are using the power of government to punish anyone who speaks out against them, said Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando. James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahassee This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis vs. Disney: Bill to strip self-governing status to governor New Smyrna Beach police said both the city's high school and middle school were on lockdown Thursday morning after shooting threats were made on social media Wednesday night. New Smyrna Beach High School and New Smyrna Beach Middle School were put on lockdown between 11:24 and 11:26 a.m. after police said a suspect was reportedly seen running near the middle school. The lockdown at the schools was lifted around 12:50 p.m., said Volusia County sheriff's spokesman Andrew Gant. New Smyrna Police were helping the Volusia County Sheriff's Office with the incident, said New Smyrna Beach Police Lt. Chris Kirk. Authorities said a student was reportedly in possession of a handgun but that the weapon was not seen. Officials continue to investigate and are trying locate the person of interest. More recent NSB school threats: NSB High School shooting threat reason for police presence More: Deputies: Edgewater boy arrested for threatening to shoot up students at NSB Middle School "Both schools are on lockdown while the incident is being investigated," Kirk, said earlier Thursday. When asked if the same person threatened both schools and if the threat was made on social media, Kirk answered, "Yes." Gant said there was a report of a possible threatening post or posts on social media but that no one has been arrested. "The student who was reportedly responsible for the post(s) apparently skipped school today," Gant said. Authorities investigating the incident said a video of the shooting threat was posted on Snapchat. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: New Smyrna middle, high schools briefly on lockdown after threats A special prosecutor and former Cincinnati police investigator have been assigned to review the cases of a veteran Cincinnati police officer accused of mishandling sexual assault investigations by shelving numerous DNA rape kits for years. The latest report, according to Enquirer media partner Fox 19, comes from information provided by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters. A look back: Officer accused of mishandling rape kits was disciplined for the same thing 5 years ago Retired Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Anne Flanagan and CPD Personal Crimes Investigator Jane Noel are combing over more than 800 cases handled by Officer Christopher Schroder, the report states. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters: 'We will review every case file' They are through about half of his cases, according to Deters, who provided a statement to Fox 19. Once their review is complete, we will update the public, he said. The cases handled by the Personal Crimes Unit are some of the most serious offenses we deal with in the criminal justice system. We will review every case file to ensure the victims related to his cases have received justice." He added that The prosecutors office is paying for their work, "an effort possible due to the support of Gov. Mike DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost." The ongoing investigation has been underway for approximately six months. Cincinnati officer accused of mishandling rape kits was disciplined for the same thing in 2016 Schroder worked in the Personal Crimes Squad, a unit within the police department that investigates sexual abuse cases. By allegedly mishandling the rape kits, officials with Cincinnati Police and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office said Schroder's alleged actions could have impacted many sexual assaults cases. Schroder, 52, was assigned to the Personal Crimes Unit in CPDs Criminal Investigation Section from July 2007 until he was transferred in July to District 1. Story continues News: Cincinnati police officer accused of mishandling sexual assault investigations suspended An Enquirer review of Schroder's personnel file found that Schroder was disciplined in 2016 for a problem involving rape kits. "Several rape kits were located at Children's Hospital which had been there for several months, four of these kits belonged to cases assigned [to] PO Christopher Schroder," the file states. According to the file, Sgt. David Simpson spoke to Schroder in December 2016 and discussed with him the importance of picking up the kits and processing them in order to complete a "thorough investigation and to stay within compliance" of state law. Schroder is 'extremely remorseful,' defense attorney says Schroders attorney is former Hamilton County prosecutor Mike Allen, who now has a private criminal defense practice. This is not the crime of the century, Allen said, in a previous interview. Allen said his client had reached a deal with prosecutors where he would plead guilty to dereliction of duty, a misdemeanor, and resign. Deters says no deal: Deters says no plea deal for officer accused of mishandling rape kits, despite lawyer's claims He stated that his client is a good cop who is extremely remorseful and had a stellar record until this happened. Officer Schroder was having some problems, family problems at the time. A family member, close family member died. And he got into a situation where he let some things go, Allen said. Im not offering that nor is he as an excuse, or justification, but as an explanation. Schroder appears in 96 entries in Hamilton County Coroners Office database Schroders name appears in 96 entries in the database at the Hamilton County Coroners Office, according to Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco. Of those 96 tests, the crime lab netted four CODIS hits, and those results were given to Schroder. The victims ages ranged from 15-31, according to the coroner. CODIS stands for Combined DNA Index System. It links unknown DNA left during a crime to offenders who are legally required to provide samples for the database, according to the FBI. A CODIS hit doesnt necessarily turn up a suspect. The crime lab might find DNA in one test that matches DNA from a previous test in an unsolved case, and that result would also be forwarded to law enforcement, according to information provided to Fox 19. A closer look at Christopher Schroder's career Schroder's personnel file shows he graduated from Lawrenceburg High School in Indiana and then attended Eastern Kentucky University to study police administration. He was an officer in West Harrison, Aurora and Greendale before joining the force in Cincinnati in 1999. He first worked in District 1, which covers the neighborhoods of Over-the-Rhine, West End, Mount Adams, Pendleton and Queensgate. In 2007, he was transferred to the personal crimes unit, which is similar to what might be called a special victims unit in other jurisdiction. The unit focuses on sex crimes, crimes against children, missing persons cases and related offenses. He was transferred back to District 1 in July. For the past three years his supervisors have said Schroder "exceeds standards" in his annual review. "Officer Schroder is very detailed when he is investigating and closing his reports. He requires little to no supervision," Sgt. Jeni Jones wrote. "He is an asset to the Personal Crimes Unit." Schroder also received a number of commendations including one from then-Chief Thomas Streicher and another from then-U.S. Army Colonel Michael Flynn in 2004 for helping with a training course. Flynn would go on to become President Donald Trump's first national security advisor. Schroeder remains on paid suspension from the department. The Enquirer will update this story when more information becomes available. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Officials reviewing rape cases Cincinnati officer allegedly mishandled TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iranian intelligence officers arrested three people belonging to a group linked to Israels Mossad agency and charged with involvement in releasing classified information, state TV reported Thursday. The report said they were arrested in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan province but didn't identify them or how they had access to classified information. Iran and Israel have long accused each other of spying and waging a shadow war for years. Israel views Iran as its greatest threat has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies it is seeking such weapons and has vowed a harsh response to any aggression. In January, Israel said it had broken up an Iranian spy ring that recruited Israeli women via social media to photograph sensitive sites, gather intelligence and encourage their sons to join Israeli military intelligence. In July, Iran said it arrested members of an armed group linked to Mossad after they sneaked into Iran across its western border. Iran occasionally announces the detention of people it says are spying for foreign countries, including the United States and Israel. In 2020, Iran executed a man convicted of leaking information to the U.S. and Israel about a prominent Islamic Revolutionary Guard general who was later killed by a U.S. drone strike in Iraq. Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli armed groups across the region, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The Supreme Court ruled that residents of Puerto Rican cannot access U.S. government benefits equally despite being American citizens. (Photo: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) The Supreme Court ruled that residents of Puerto Rican cannot access U.S. government benefits equally despite being American citizens. (Photo: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) In an 8-1 vote, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a resident of Puerto Rico who was seeking to receive the same Supplemental Security Income payments he received when living on the U.S. mainland. Puerto Ricans and the residents of the four other overseas American territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands are American citizens (or American nationals in the case of American Samoa), but do not receive the same access to U.S. government benefits accorded to other citizens if they live in their home territory. Jose Luis Vaello-Madero received SSI benefits when he lived on the U.S. mainland and then continued to receive them after moving back to his home island of Puerto Rico. He was not aware that he could not continue to receive those benefits upon moving to Puerto Rico, and the government sued him to recoup $25,000 he received from the program. He challenged the discrepancy in his ability to receive benefits based on where he lived within the U.S. as a violation of the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment. Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected Vaello-Maderos claim on the grounds that the Constitution gives Congress the power to set all rules governing U.S. territories. Congress could extend SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico if it chose to, something Kavanaugh notes the Biden administration supports, but the Constitution does not require it. The limited question before this Court is whether, under the Constitution, Congress must extend Supplemental Security Income to residents of Puerto Rico to the same extent as to residents of the States, Kavanaugh wrote. The answer is no. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the only justice of Puerto Rican descent, wrote the only dissenting opinion. Story continues The ruling in United States v. Vaello-Madero is yet another in a long line of cases related to a series of 100-year-old decisions known as the Insular Cases. Those cases limit the equal access of territorial residents to government benefits and democratic representation based on their race. The court in those decisions deemed them savage tribes or alien and uncivilized race[s] who were absolutely unfit to receive the benefits of U.S. citizenship. The Justice Department argued before the court that the claims in the case did not require the court to address the Insular Cases, as the claim made by Vaello-Madero came under the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment and not as a claim under the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. Vaello-Madero also did not directly challenge the Insular Cases. That did not stop two justices from noting their desire to address the long-standing racist cases. A century ago in the Insular Cases, this Court held that the federal government could rule Puerto Rico and other Territories largely without regard to the Constitution, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in a concurring opinion. It is past time to acknowledge the gravity of this error and admit what we know to be true: The Insular Cases have no foundation in the Constitution and rest instead on racial stereotypes. They deserve no place in our law. In his call to overturn the Insular Cases, Gorsuch said that the only reason he concurred in the majority opinion was because no party asks us to overrule the Insular Cases to resolve todays dispute. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, seen here in September 2019, wrote the only dissenting opinion in United States v. Vaello-Madero. (Photo: Paul Marotta via Getty Images) Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, seen here in September 2019, wrote the only dissenting opinion in United States v. Vaello-Madero. (Photo: Paul Marotta via Getty Images) Sotomayor, however, dissented from the majority opinion. She challenged the majoritys argument that Puerto Rican residents should continue to be denied benefits accorded to other U.S. citizens because they do not pay the same taxes as mainland U.S. citizens. In view of that core purpose, denying benefits to hundreds of thousands of eligible Puerto Rico residents because they do not pay enough in taxes is utterly irrational. Congress decision to deny to the U. S. citizens of Puerto Rico a social safety net that it provides to almost all other U.S. citizens is especially cruel given those citizens dire need for aid, she wrote. Puerto Rico has a disproportionately large population of seniors and people with disabilities. Sotomayor rejected the majority opinions claim that Congress should determine the fate of the territorial residents equal access to the benefits of citizenship by noting that they have no say in Congress because they also lack equal access to democratic representation. Equal treatment of citizens should not be left to the vagaries of the political process, Sotomayor wrote. Because residents of Puerto Rico do not have voting representation in Congress, they cannot rely on their elected representatives to remedy the punishing disparities suffered by citizen residents of Puerto Rico under Congress unequal treatment. Sotomayor also noted that she did not address the Insular Cases because the Justice Department did not use them in their arguments, but she gave her endorsement to Gorsuchs concurring opinion in opposition to the cases in a footnote. Those cases were premised on beliefs both odious and wrong, and I share the concurrences hope [that] the Court will soon recognize that the Constitutions application should never depend on the governments concession or the misguided framework of the Insular Cases, Sotomayor wrote. The court may soon have an opportunity to address these 100-year-old racist precedents in the case of Fitisemanu v. U.S., a direct challenge to the Insular Cases with a 14th Amendment claim. In a sign of his interest in that case, Gorsuch cited it three times in his concurrence. If the court takes up that challenge to the Insular Cases, civil rights groups have already asked the Biden administration to not defend the racist precedents or cite them in defense of existing U.S. policy. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) An attack by suspected Islamic extremist rebels has killed nine people in northeast Nigeria, police and witnesses said Thursday, one of several deadly attacks this week in the troubled region. At least 15 people have been killed in attacks in northeast Nigeria this week. The suspected Boko Haram members stormed Geidam, a border town in Yobe State, and opened fire on residents, according to witnesses. Those killed include two women and a retired inspector of police, said Dungus Abdulkareem with the Yobe State Police Command. The militants came on foot and began to shoot, resident Babagana Umar told The Associated Press. We all thought it was soldiers shooting until we began to hear people screaming and running," Umar said. They burned down a school before storming a local alcohol and relaxation joint (where) the terrorists shot at some persons and then tied others hands from behind and slit their throats. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the Wednesday attack. The Islamic State group, however, claimed responsibility for an explosion in neighboring Taraba state that killed six people earlier in the week. That attack targeted a gathering of Christian disbelievers inside a crowded bar in Taraba, the group said. The group also said that its fighters killed five soldiers in a separate attack on an army post in Marte town in Borno State although the Nigerian army did not confirm this. Security has been beefed up in areas hit by the attacks, police have said. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 206 million people, continues to grapple with a 10-year-old insurgency by Islamic extremists in the northeast carried out by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. The extremists are fighting to establish Shariah law and to stop Western education. More than 35,000 have died and millions have been displaced by the violence, according to the U.N. Development Program. Story continues On Wednesday, Nigerian leader President Muhammadu Buhari criticized the insurgents who have forbidden western education in parts of Nigeria's north where they operate. God is justice. You cant kill innocent people and shout Allah Akbar (God is great). Its either you dont know that God at all, or you are simply being stupid," Buhari said. To say Western education is unacceptable is very fraudulent. ___ Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Maamoun Youssef contributed to this report from Cairo, Egypt. STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden will speed up its review of security policy, which includes a view on possible NATO membership, with the result to be published in mid-May rather than at the end of that month, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Tuesday. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left Sweden and neighbouring Finland - neither of which is a member of NATO - scrambling to react to a more threatening security environment. "We have agreed that we will bring forward the publication of the report to May 13. That's roughly two weeks earlier than we have said until now," Linde told reporters after meeting leaders of Sweden's other political parties. "If Finland finally makes this decision (to join NATO), and everything points in that direction ... it will naturally have a big influence on our analysis," she added. Russia's war in Ukraine, which it calls a "special operation", has forced Sweden and Finland to examine whether their deep-rooted reliance on military neutrality is still the best means of ensuring national security. Sweden's ruling Social Democrats, who have always opposed NATO membership, are rethinking their position, and the all-party security review could confirm that a majority of parliament backs an application. Earlier this week, Finland's parliament expressed support for joining some kind of military alliance and a decision on whether to apply form membership of NATO is expected within weeks. Finland is Sweden's closest military ally. If Helsinki goes ahead with an application to join NATO, that would heap pressure on Stockholm to follow suit. Finland's President Sauli Niinisto has held discussions with a number of NATO countries to ensure a smooth process should the country decide to apply for membership. Linde said that Sweden had also undertaken "preparatory work," in order to make sure that all avenues are open to Sweden. She declined to give further details. Russia has repeatedly warned of serious consequences if Finland and Sweden join NATO, most recently saying it would respond by deploying nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles to its Kaliningrad exclave, just 500 km from the Swedish capital. (Reporting by Simon Johnson; Editing by Hugh Lawson) AFP Posts shared thousands of times on social media claim actress Amber Heard lifted lines from "The Talented Mr. Ripley" movie during her testimony in the defamation case filed against her by her ex-husband Johnny Depp. But the claims are false; Heard did not use such lines while on the stand, comparisons with the 1999 film's script show."Did Amber Heard seriously steal her statement from the movie The Talented Mr Ripley? She's been full of movie quotes during this trial, what a piece of work! #Tea TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan's government has approved a second COVID-19 booster vaccine dose for those 65 and older, and third boosters for the immunocompromised, as it looks to step up its fight against a spike in domestic infections that has yet to peak. While Taiwan is dealing with a rise in local cases, the numbers overall remain small - 15,544 since Jan. 1 - and just four people have died, with more than 99% of those infected reporting either minor or no symptoms. Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control said late Wednesday it had approved second booster shots for the elderly, as well as residents of long-term care facilities. People with compromised immune systems, including dialysis patients and those who have received organ transplants, are approved for third booster shots, it added. Those getting their second or third booster should get them at least five months after their last shot, and can choose among the Moderna Inc, Pfizer/BioNTech, Taiwan-made Medigen or Novavax brands, it said. Taiwan has yet to receive any Novavax vaccines. South Korea has approved a second booster shot for people over 60 and Singapore has said a second booster dose is planned for those 80 and older. About 80% of Taiwan's 23 million people are now double vaccinated and almost 60% have had a first booster dose, while mask-wearing mandates continue. The government has warned that a further rise in cases is expected, driven by the more infectious Omicron variant, but is pursuing a policy of living with the virus to limit the impact on the economy, rather than lockdowns. Speaking at his daily news briefing on Thursday, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung, who has predicted 10,000 daily cases by the end of the month, said the peak of the current wave had yet to be reached. Taiwan has reported 43,243 infections since the pandemic began more than two years ago, and 856 deaths. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard. Editing by Gerry Doyle) A Tampa accountant was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to ordering the death of her exs spouse and paying over $12,000 in bitcoin. DeAnna Marie Stinson, 50, will also have to pay over $11,000 in restitution to the victim and a $1,000 fine. Stinson pleaded guilty to the murder-for hire plot on Jan. 19 in federal court in Tampa. On June 24, 2021, Stinson used a dark website to order a hit man for a quick hit in southern Florida, according to court documents. Stinson included the name, address and picture of her exs spouse. Between June and July 2021, Stinson sent four additional orders and over $12,000 in bitcoin to effectuate the hit, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a news release. Stinson also sent several messages asking for the job to be done quickly and offered a bonus for the prospective hit man to finish the job by a certain date, records show. By July 31, the job had not been completed, so Stinson asked administrators to reassign the job to someone who has a history of getting jobs done. After receiving a tip, law enforcement agents tracked her virtual currency exchange account, and an agent in an undercover capacity posed as a hit man. Records show that Stinson confirmed she wanted the victim killed and sent additional bitcoin to the agent, so the agent could buy a revolver. Stinson was arrested Sept. 23 in Pinellas County. Details are still being hammered out on a proposal for a month-long food sales tax holiday. During a virtual Breakfast with the Legislators meeting last month, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, state Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, talked positively about the proposal. I dont expect it to be met with a lot of resistance," he said in regard to getting it approved by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bill Lee. He said the state had a surplus of funds, and the holiday is a good way to help Tennesseans who need food. Still, the League audience had questions. Ragan, in response to Anderson County resident Ellen Faby, gave some additional details. He said the surplus will not affect local governments. However, Ragan said he still needed to see some of the proposal's details. As of Monday, April 18, it was still under discussion by the General Assembly. Tennessee Rep. John Ragan R-Oak Ridge addresses the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge virtually from his office in Nashville. The month-long food sales tax holiday is part of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's budget proposal issued March 29, one day after Ragan spoke at the Breakfast. For consumers, if families spent $1,000 on groceries in a month, they could save as much as $67.50, depending on where they live. The state's sales tax rate for groceries stands at 4%, and local governments can add as much as 2.75%. According to The Tennessean, the state has vowed to reimburse local governments during the sales tax holiday. If implemented, the state would lose about $80 million in revenue, according to the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. As Americans see their cost-of-living skyrocket amid historic inflation, suspending the grocery tax is the most effective way to provide direct relief to every Tennessean, Lee said in a news release announcing the food sales tax holiday proposal. Other tax cuts Lee has proposed tying this temporary food tax reduction to a permanent reduction in taxes for lawyers, lobbyists and investment advisers from $400 per year to $300 per year. Story continues Lt. Gov. Randy McNally listens during a press conference as Gov. Bill Lee announces a new series of partnerships to fight human trafficking at the State Capitol Thursday, May 13, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn. Lt. Gov Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, has said he favored eliminating this tax, either all at once or over a period of time. "It is very discriminatory in who it reaches," McNally said, as reported by The Tennessean. The Lee proposal would cost the state around $20 million per year, while a permanent cut would cost $80 million per year. Also, before any of these proposals, Reps. John Ray Clemmons and Bo Mitchell, both Democrats of Nashville, sent Lee's office a letter on March 8, asking the governor to implement an executive order or push legislation on a gas and diesel tax moratorium. Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal and email him at bpounds@oakridger.com. Adam Friedman with The Tennessean in Nashville contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Tax break on food, cut for lawyers, discussed by local legislators BALTIMORE -- Arthur Wang, 17, realized the severity of COVID-19 months before most of his classmates when he got updates about the then novel virus from his uncle, who is a doctor in China. It inspired the Columbia, Maryland, resident to come up with an effort to better support teachers and other workers in Howard County, where he is a junior at River Hill High School, and beyond. We wanted to help the community, he explained. I realized how hard it was for the teachers to switch from virtual to in-person classes. Some teachers said it was like flying a plane with no direction. Wang inspired 42 other students in the county to form the nonprofit Clarksville Youth Care Group. The organization has donated more than 1,400 protective kits to teachers at 62 schools. And hes not done yet. The kits include a handmade colorful cloth mask in assorted designs that features a pocket where a filter can be inserted for additional protection; an ear saver, which reduces the strain that masks place on the ears; a thank you card and a mask lanyard. Each kit takes about three hours to make. I realized that we should account for how tough it would be for the teachers. We expect them to be such a strong figure. We needed to appreciate all the hard work they do, said Wang, who previously raised $13,000 in an effort to make 3,600 face shields that were donated to 101 hospitals, clinics, dental offices, urgent care centers and first responders in seven states. For this project, Wang raised $5,000. Wangs efforts were recently recognized when he was one of two Marylanders of 25 high school students from around the country named as Prudential Emerging Visionaries. Faaris Zuberi, 17, of Rockville, also was recognized for Financial Literacy Introduction Program, which offers financial literacy training to student members of the Youth Economic Initiative. The award recognized the students for their outstanding, innovative solutions to pressing financial and societal challenges in their communities, according to Prudential Financial. Story continues Emerging Visionaries is another way Prudential is demonstrating its commitment to our purpose: to make lives better by solving the financial challenges of our changing world, said Charles Lowrey, the firms chairman and CEO, in a statement. The students were honoring have a sense of possibility that drives them to look beyond themselves. Their vision and dedication are key to creating fully inclusive communities, and we are humbled and inspired by their work. Each of the 25 winners will receive $5,000 in funding as well as an invitation to participate in an awards summit at Prudentials Newark, N.J., headquarters starting Saturday. At the summit, Wang will have the opportunity to vie for the grand prize of an additional $10,000 in funding. Prudential employees also will vote to name an Employees Choice Award winner, who will receive an additional $5,000. Mikaela Lidgard, the principal at River Hill High School, first learned about Wangs project last year while working at another school. The project has reached other schools in Howard County and Maryland, she said. Seeing young people take the lead and move forward and being compassionate about others was really inspiring. They are our best asset. And they are going to lead us in ways that are exciting, uplifting and reinforce our faith in humanity. Amanda Wang, a 14-year-old freshman at River Hill, said she is very proud of her brothers ability to lead and inspire others in the effort. She also helps to run the group with him. Its remarkable. Its not something you see every day. It stands out from the ordinary, she explained. He helped organize the entire group. His hard work inspired me and others to work harder and make sure this project was going at a smooth pace. She added: [My parents] have been pretty supportive. They have been really proud of us. We needed their help for a few things such as material costs and design but its mostly us doing this. The group has 300 kits remaining that it wants to donate to teachers. Arthur Wang said he plans to expand the efforts to bus drivers and other community members who are in direct contact with the public. He also wants to inspire more students to join in the effort. I think we can really take our stuff to the next level and expand to more and more people, he said. ____ Sabrina Dolan, 28, lives in Chesapeake Apartments in South L.A. She says she has gotten sick because of mold that the landlord has not addressed. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Sabrina Dolan is convinced that her apartment is poisoning her. Black, mold-like spots dot the windowsill in her living room. They appear on her bedroom windows along with signs of termites. The spots also cover a corner of her bathroom, and no amount of scrubbing can make them go away. Recently, shes been coughing up chunks of thick, dark mucus. And no matter how many times she says she complains to her landlord at the South Los Angeles apartment she shares with her fiance, nothing ever gets repaired. Weve been telling them about the mold, said Dolan, 28. They dont come and fix it. The plumbing. They dont come and fix it. They dont come and fix anything at all. Weve been getting sick. Sabrina Dolan sitting in the doorway of her unit at Chesapeake Apartments. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In the last four months, tenants have filed nearly two dozen complaints with the L.A. code enforcement department about Chesapeake Apartments, a 425-unit complex that stretches multiple blocks across from Dorsey High School in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area. The apartments have been on the city's radar for years. In 2017, the city attorney's office sued its owner, Pama Properties, along with Pama President Mike Nijjar, over crime there, reaching a settlement that required safety and habitability upgrades. Slum-like conditions are rampant at buildings connected to Nijjar, who through various companies owns more than $1 billion in real estate, primarily in Southern California, according to a 2020 investigation by LAist. What appears to be mold in Tamela Richardson's kitchen closet at Chesapeake Apartments. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In February, City Atty. Mike Feuer sued another large Nijjar complex in North Hollywood, alleging similar safety concerns as at Chesapeake Apartments. Joe Delgado, director of the Los Angeles chapter of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, said the problems at Chesapeake are among the worst he has witnessed, with severe habitability issues throughout the complex. Ive not run across a building that has been in this much neglect, said Delgado, whose organization has been working with Chesapeake tenants to address safety concerns. As a whole, the picture here is pretty horrible and pretty tragic. Story continues Since late December, according to city records, tenants have filed complaints about issues including mold, broken pipes, vermin and gas and electrical problems, as well as missing and faulty carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Most of those complaints came after the code enforcement department concluded a required inspection that gave the complex a clean bill, raising questions about city oversight when problems at a property have persisted for years. Last week, L.A. County public health officials found sewage being discharged on public grounds outside the building, as well as other health and safety violations. Liam Ponce, 5, in his kitchen at Chesapeake Apartments. His mother, Martha Martinez, says the floor is cracked and peeling and the faucet leaks when she turns on the water in the bathtub. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Michelle Victorian, a property manager at Chesapeake Apartments, said the landlord relies on tenants to report problems and that repairs are made promptly. She said the age and size of the building, as well as staffing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have made it difficult to keep up even with major issues like broken pipes. These pipes are older than you and I, Victorian said. We have addressed several pipes that have broken. Victorian said it would be too expensive to overhaul water and sewage systems. Jim Yukevich, an attorney who has represented Nijjar in litigation with the city, said his client takes health and safety issues seriously at all his properties. "The management company does care about the health and welfare of the tenants and wants to make the properties so that they're in a livable condition," Yukevich said. "Even though there may be times where the results are not perfect in terms of what they do, we believe theres a system set up to try to rectify these problems." The World War II-era, barracks-style Chesapeake Apartments sit on 17 acres along Obama Boulevard and Rodeo Lane, with nearly two dozen two-story buildings constructed around courtyards and open-air parking lots. Gabriela Disla with her daughter Gabriana, 5, at Chesapeake Apartments. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Gabriela Disla's rent is $1,600 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, where she has lived with her husband and three children for two and a half years. Problems began immediately, she said. Windows didnt fit their frames, so in the summer heat, she propped them open with a stick. In July 2020, her then-3-year-old knocked the stick from a living room window, which slammed shut and broke the child's hand, Disla said. The window remains broken. Disla said her smoke alarm and heater also are broken. Water goes out intermittently. Her family takes baths instead of showering. The last time she turned on the shower, black water rose from the tile floor. She said she would move anywhere else if she could afford it. The problems here are like a time bomb, said Disla, a 24-year-old medical assistant. Heidi Perez, 30, who lives in a one-bedroom, has a doctors note saying that her three children, ages 1, 8 and 11, have allergies due to mold in the unit. Other residents complain of regular headaches, which they attribute to mold and sewage odors. Last week, a fetid stench emanated from drainage areas beneath multiple buildings. Martha Martinez pays nearly $1,400 a month for a one-bedroom she shares with her husband, 5-year-old son and brother-in-law. Tamela Richardson's granddaughter, Braelynn, visits her at Chesapeake Apartments. She says she has mold growing in the kitchen and a leaky ceiling. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) The kitchen floor is cracked and peeling. She keeps a bucket in the kitchen sink because the faucet leaks when she turns on the water in the bathtub. She cleans constantly to keep mold away. Im very worried about my health, my sons and my husbands, said Martinez, 29. Its stressful, hard and frustrating. Sandra Mendoza, a spokeswoman for the city housing department, said inspectors identified 71 violations during a required assessment in November that were all corrected by the time the complex was re-inspected in January. Yet after that January re-inspection, tenants filed numerous additional complaints with code enforcement describing the same mold, heating and plumbing issues raised earlier. Liam Ponce, 5, son of Martha Martinez, at their apartment at the Chesapeake Apartments in Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) With a property this size, it's not unusual for inspectors to miss some violations, especially if the tenant isn't available to provide access to their rental unit and point out the issues at the time of the inspection, Mendoza said in an email. The 2017 city attorney lawsuit alleged that owners had neglected Chesapeake Apartments and allowed it to become overrun with gang activity. In the two decades after Nijjars company purchased the property, nearly 3,000 arrests had occurred there, including hundreds for violent crimes, the lawsuit said. I cannot recall ever seeing a property that is this size and value, owned and operated by persons or entities who have to have a very substantial financial profile, so starkly rundown ... and seemingly rudderless in terms of a management strategy for success, Alec Bernstein, a longtime L.A. property manager hired by Feuer as part of that case to assess the complex, said in court filings. A settlement reached the following year required Pama Properties to install lighting, security cameras and gates. It also gave tenants benefits like laundry subsidies and grocery store gift cards and included a prohibition against increasing rent to make repairs. Through a spokesperson, Feuer, who is running for mayor, declined to comment. Tamela Richardson with visiting grandson Loyal, 7 months. Richardson has lived at the apartment since 2015. Her unit has mold in the kitchen, a leaky ceiling and other issues. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) The spokesperson, Rob Wilcox, said that during the litigation, city lawyers referred habitability problems to the city housing department but never received any code enforcement referrals to prosecute. "The Housing Department must investigate fully and we stand ready to take action if and when we are referred a case," Wilcox said of current problems at the complex. U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, a Democrat who represents the area and is running for mayor, called on Nijjar's companies to make improvements to Chesapeake Apartments immediately, relocate tenants until repairs are complete and give them the right to return to the refurbished property. "No one should be forced to live on our streets, or in crowded apartments with broken sewage pipes and black mold," Bass said in a statement. "It's unhealthy, it's unsafe, and it's exploitative." County public health inspectors visited the complex again Tuesday, said a spokesperson, who declined to give their name and did not provide details on what the department found on its most recent visit. Mendoza said that inspectors from the city were at the complex Friday and that the department continues to work with tenants on outstanding complaints. Inspectors are scheduled to return again Friday, she said. Liam Ponce, son of Martha Martinez, lies on the linoleum floor in need of repair in the family room. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Police in Floyd County are searching for an acrobat they say robbed a convenience store over the weekend. Surveillance video released by the police department on Wednesday shows a man shatter the glass door before running through it and grabbing lottery tickets. He then hops up on the counter to try and take the cash register, but struggles to keep everything in his hands. Once hes satisfied with his haul, the thief darts back out through the now-shattered glass door. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officers say the burglary took place at the Walker Mountain Store on Cedartown Highway in Rome around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Investigators say if you recognize this suspect, call police at 706-314-0756. TRENDING STORIES: IN OTHER NEWS: Happy Friday, Oak Park and River Forest! Thanks for staying up to date on the neighborhood headlines. First, today's weather: Rain and a t-storm; cooler. High: 58 Low: 57. Are you a local business owner or marketer? We can help you effortlessly run effective ads that reach customers in Oak Park-River Forest. Click here to learn more. Here are the top 5 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today: 1. The Oak Park Department of Health reported 175 new cases of COVID-19 this week. Cases are up more than 71 percent from last week and nearly 200 percent from 30 days ago. (VOP) 2. The River Forest Police Department is applying to be part of Georgetown Universitys ABLE Project. The training initiative aims to create a law enforcement culture that supports peer intervention in high-stress, high-stakes decision settings. River Forest would be the first agency in Illinois to get certified. (Wednesday Journal) 3. Two nearby gas stations will take part in Willie Wilsons third Cook County gas giveaway tomorrow. Free fuel will be pumped at the Shell on North Avenue in Oak Park and the Super Save in Maywood, along with more than 30 other county locations. (Patch) 4. The Hal Tyrrell Trailside Museum of Natural History will celebrate its 90th anniversary at its upcoming spring festival on May 1. This museum was the first of its kind in the Midwest and one of the first of its kind in the country, Assistant Director Irene Flebbe told Pioneer Press. (Paid source: Forest Leaves) 5. Illinois kicked off the state's new tourism campaign "Middle of Everything this week. Jane Lynch stars in and directs the campaigns TV ads. Oak Park senator Don Harmon said, "Illinois has so many gems, and that's why the General Assembly has made it a priority in our budgeting to tell that story. (Cision) From our sponsor: Todays newsletter is brought to you in part by Ring, a Patch Brand Partner. Getting some spring cleaning tasks done? Why not refresh your home's security, too. Secure windows, doors, and more with up to $80 off on select Alarm Pro Kits. Dont wait, offers end May 1 at 9 p.m. PST. Story continues Today in Oak Park-River Forest: "The Bad Guys" opens at Lake Theatre . (12:15 p.m.) Celebrate Earth Day with the One Earth Mini Film Fest . (6:30 p.m.) Chicago Westside Theatre Company presents David & Bathsheba at Madison Street Theater . (7:30 p.m.) Pleasant Home hosts a murder mystery party. (7 p.m.) From my notebook: Beyond Hunger is recognizing its helpers in honor of National Volunteer Week . ( Beyond Hunger ) Oak Park native Barbara Roeder Harris takes the stage tonight in Theater Wits production of Rasheeda Speaking. (Paid source: Oak Leaves ) Local artist Bryan Northup will conduct an Earth Day art event today at his Oak Park home. ( Wednesday Journal ) The White Sox teamed up with the Cook County Clerks office to offer free Sox tickets to the countys active-duty military and veterans. ( Patch ) Museum of Science and Industry admission is free for Illinois residents through April 25. (NBC) More from our sponsors thanks for supporting local news! Featured businesses: Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In The Village (Visit website) Add your business here Events: Housing: "6 years new" Berwyn dream home just hit the market (Details) Add your listing Loving the Oak Park-River Forest Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe Get your local business showcased in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at georgi.presecky@patch.com That's all for today, Oak Park and River Forest! Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow for another edition of the Daily. Georgi Presecky About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019. This article originally appeared on the Oak Park-River Forest Patch A transgender woman serving time in federal prison could become the first inmate to receive gender-affirming surgery under a recent ruling by a federal judge. The judge ordered the U.S. Bureau of Prisons this week to provide a detailed timeline showing how it will ensure that Cristina Nichole Iglesias receives by years end the gender-affirming surgery she has been seeking throughout several years of litigation. This is something thats long overdue, said Alexis Rangel, policy counsel for the National Center for Transgender Equality, based in Washington, D.C. We recognize that trans folks who are incarcerated have a fundamental right to appropriate care, and they shouldnt have to jump through hoops to access that care while on the inside. Gender-affirming care, particularly in regard to youth, has been increasingly under attack by lawmakers out of concern that young people might make life-altering decisions they might come to regret. Federal prisons are required to cover the costs of all necessary health care treatments for inmates under the U.S. Constitution. Joshua Blecher-Cohen, an ACLU of Illinois staff attorney who represents Iglesias, said the directive represents a real first step toward Iglesias finally getting gender-affirming surgery. Related video: Gay Missouri State Rep spars with GOP colleague over anti-trans bill This case has been full of delays and denials, as this opinion recognizes, Blecher-Cohen said. We are excited, but there is more work to be done toward actually making this happen. In her order, U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel of Illinois Southern District ordered the prisons bureau to conduct an immediate nationwide search for a qualified surgeon while providing detailed evidence of its efforts. The judge also asked the bureau to demonstrate why it should not be issued sanctions or held in contempt for previous delays and violations of court orders that have repeatedly postponed the procedure. She ordered that high-level officials and staff representing the bureau and the U.S. Department of Justice appear at a future hearing to justify the misconduct. Story continues On Monday, April 18, 2022, U.S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel of Illinois' Southern District ordered the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to provide evidence of how it will ensure that federal inmate Cristina Nichole Iglesias will receive gender-affirming surgery before her scheduled release in December 2022. Iglesias, 47, has been fighting to have the surgery for several years. For example, in December, the court ordered the Bureau of Prisons Transgender Executive Council to evaluate Iglesias readiness for gender-affirming surgery, the first time the bureau had ever been mandated to do so by judicial order. The council is a group of senior-level administrators that include two psychiatrists, a psychologist and a pharmacist, according to court records. For weeks the council said it would set up a surgical consult but ultimately referred Iglesias to a surgeon unable to perform the necessary vaginoplasty, a surgery in which a vagina is constructed. Subsequent consultations with other surgeons then fell through. The judges latest order, issued Monday, directs the bureau to file weekly reports detailing its search for a qualified physician who can conduct the procedure before Iglesias scheduled release from federal custody in December 2022. A Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said the bureau "does not comment on pending litigation or matters subject to legal proceedings, nor do we comment on the conditions of confinement for any individual or group of inmates." In a statement issued by the ACLU, Iglesias, 47, said she hoped the order meant she would finally get the care I need to live my life fully as the woman I am. (The bureau) has denied me gender-affirming surgery for years and keeps raising new excuses and putting new obstacles in my way, she said. I am grateful that the court recognized the urgency of my case. A history of resistance Gabriel Arkles, senior counsel for the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, said the federal government, along with numerous states, has long resisted providing necessary surgical care for transgender inmates. Everyone in custody has a right to the health care they need, Arkles said. It is unconstitutional and immoral to withhold healthcare because of someones gender or because the care they need is stigmatized. An estimated 1,200 transgender individuals are in the federal prison system, or about 0.7% of the overall inmate population of about 156,000. FILE - In this Jan. 30, 2018 file photo, inmates walk across the grounds of the Idaho State Correctional Institution in Kuna, Idaho. Idaho transgender inmate Adree Edmo has spent most of her prison term at this men's prison facility. A federal judge ruled Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 that the state must provide Edmo with gender confirmation surgery to make her physical characteristics match her gender identity as a woman. Iglesias, previously housed at a federal prison facility for women in Fort Worth, Texas, is now an inmate at a residential reentry facility in Miami. She pleaded guilty in 2005 to sending an envelope to British officials that she falsely claimed contained anthrax. At the time, she was in a federal prison and listed the detention center as the return address. "No threat was carried out in any way," wrote her public defender, Kathleen Williams, in asking for a more lenient sentence. She noted Iglesias' history of bipolar disorder and the crime's consistency with Iglesias' decade-long history of sending such letters. Iglesias ultimately received a 20-year sentence. She has been in the federal prison system since 1994, where until recently she was housed mostly in mens facilities, subject to physical and sexual abuse. According to court documents, she experienced gender dysphoria so extreme that she considered self-castration and was placed under suicide watch numerous times. "She is at risk for suicide, and her psychological condition will continue to deteriorate," the judge wrote in her order. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition marked by mental distress brought on by an incongruity between a persons gender identity and their sex assigned at birth, which can cause anxiety and depression if left untreated. Not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria, and for those who do, surgery isnt always necessary. Advocates note that treatment options are developed over a years-long process involving patients, parents, physicians and mental health professionals. Protocols for transgender care have been set by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and endorsed by groups such as the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and World Health Organization. Those guidelines call for individuals to live in their identified gender role for at least one continuous year before proceeding with surgery, a procedure that should be supported by their primary care provider with referrals from two mental health professionals. 'We still have a long way to go' Iglesias did not receive hormone therapy until 2015 and by the following year had informed prison health officials that she wanted gender confirmation surgery, court documents said. She requested transfer to a womens prison facility, both to fit her identity and because of harassment from male prisoners. Eventually, the ACLU took on her case and in May 2021, she became one of the few transgender inmates ever moved to a federal prison aligned with their gender identity. Blecher-Cohen said he hoped that the judges order finally compels the prisons bureau to provide Iglesias with the care she needs. The courts order makes clear that she needs gender-affirming surgery now and that BOP cannot justify its failure to provide this medically necessary care, he said. We hope this landmark decision will help secure long overdue healthcare for Cristinaand for the many other transgender people in federal custody. Rangel, of the National Center for Transgender Equality, noted that the prisons bureau recently updated guidelines governing management of transgender inmates to streamline identification, tracking and placement of those individuals. Were in a place now where the federal government is catching up, Rangel said. Theres some movement, but we still have a long way to go to make sure that trans folks receive the care that they need. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Health care in prisons must cover transgender people, judge rules Barbara Hoyer-Culverhouse, who lost her husband a year and a half ago, places her hands on her heart while recalling him during a Grief Yoga session led by Paul Denniston in a Studio City park. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) Growing up in Texas, Paul Denniston wasnt taught how to grieve. There were just two ways his father and mother a Baptist minister and a teacher in a Christian school said you dealt with the pain of loss: You held it in or you put it in Gods hands. That might seem to cover all the bases but it ignores the toll that suppressed feelings take on our bodies something Denniston addresses in his new book about the practice of what he calls Grief Yoga, "Healing Through Yoga: Transform Loss Into Empowerment." My parents felt showing sadness was a sign of weakness or a lack of faith, he explains in a recent interview, but all I saw was how bottling it up leads to explosive anger and depression and guilt. It was frightening to witness. Paul Denniston leads a Grief Yoga class, a practice meant to help people come to terms with grief through movement. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) On a recent afternoon in Studio City, the L.A. resident took a group through a series of poses, movements and sounds (he also uses exercises involving laughter and guttural roars to unlock trapped emotions). Dressed in loose exercise clothes, the lean 52-year-old was full of smiles and friendly encouragement as he guided the group through what he considers the four stages of healing: awareness, expression, connection and surrender. Paul Denniston asked Grief Yoga participants to dedicate the session to the person they were grieving. Amy Neville, front, dedicated the class to her son, Alexander, who died in 2020. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) While practicing Grief Yoga, Amy Neville placed a photo on the ground of her son, Alexander, who died in 2020. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) People grieve for many reasons, Denniston says. When a relationship or marriage ends, or we lose a job (and our sense of purpose with it), or a global pandemic robs us of our sense of connection with others, the result is a painful loss that demands expression, and once you release it, you can open yourself to a deeper, meaningful transformation. Thats what I hope my practice and this book will help people understand. While hes hardly the first to apply yoga to grief, Denniston has drawn from many types of yoga including Hatha, Vinyasa and Kundalini to create an integrated practice he teaches in workshops in Los Angeles and online. He also teaches the Grief Yoga practice with grief expert David Kessler all over the country. Try the following exercises to better understand what Grief Yoga is and isnt. Story continues Tense jaw? Here's how to release it Grief Yoga begins with awareness. Some common grief tension spots are in the jaw, back and shoulders. Society doesnt really want us to talk about our grief too much, Denniston explains. Were expected to get over it or just quietly carry it around." Our bodies reflect that expectation by making our jaws tight and our shoulders hurt. Paul Denniston demonstrates the jaw release exercise meant to bring awareness to the grief tension people carry in their jaws and shoulders. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) To release your jaw, sit with your hands clasped in front of your chest; as you slowly inhale and exhale, shake your hands back and forth like youre going to roll a pair of dice and feel your jaw move and soften. Then, as you continue the same breathing pattern, make some simple neck rotations and tense and relax the shoulders to loosen them. Say 'ha!': Use vocalization to express pain The cannon breath encourages expression and entails placing your fists on your belly, inhaling three quick breaths and exhaling forcefully while letting out a "ha" sound. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) Dennistons session in the park looked like any other outdoor exercise class until everyone suddenly erupted with a loud ha! that made heads turn. Vocalization is important, Denniston says. Trapped emotions need an exit. A movement like the cannon breath helps to get them out even if we don't clearly understand them at the time. The point, he explains, is to just get them moving. In a comfortable seated position, bring your fists to your belly. Inhale three quick breaths through your nose and fill your diaphragm with air. Then exhale forcefully through your mouth. As you do this, voice a loud "ha!" and push your palms in toward your navel to clear out any stale oxygen and open your throat. Continue this sequence for one minute. This exercise works in two ways: The quick inhales force the spine to lengthen and straighten, and the powerful exhales create a heavy sigh, releasing any stored-up emotions. Close your eyes and visualize a moment you're thankful for An early draft of Dennistons book which he started as a way of coping with the 2017 loss of his sister to cancer didnt get much traction with publishers. But that all changed in March 2020. The pandemic created a major mental health crisis, and Denniston says publishers were eager to help people cope with its devastating effects. He suddenly found his book at the center of a bidding war.. Self-distancing took away our ability to connect in person, and Denniston says exercises like the appreciation meditation remind us that there is still goodness in our lives despite everything thats happening in the world. Lupe Carranza dedicated her Grief Yoga class to her late friend. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) In a comfortable seated position, place your hands out in front of you, palms up, with your left hand gently sitting in your right, and close your eyes. Visualize a time, a moment or a relationship that you're thankful for. Be specific and take time to visualize it in detail. Next, say yes to this memory and bring your hands to your heart and hold them there, gently saying thank you. When you're ready, move your empty hands out in front of you again, palms up, and wait for another memory to surface. Continue at your own pace for three to five minutes. Lift your chest and chin up in sphinx pose Grief Yoga isnt about blowing off steam as you would in a gym workout. Its less about physical flexibility than it is about emotional liberation, Denniston says. In the fourth stage, surrender, he has students use the sphinx pose to help them acknowledge their pain while recognizing their strength and resilience. In the fourth stage of healing, which is surrender, Paul Denniston has students do the sphinx pose. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) Lie down on your abdomen with your body prone along the mat. Lift your chest and hold it up by drawing your elbows under your shoulders. Press your forearms and palms down flat and relax your shoulders; pull your shoulders back and press your sternum forward. Embody the posture of a sphinx. In this pose, breathe deeply and open your heart. Think of all the loving connections in your life and connect with hope for love and better days to come. Denniston says he never dreamed hed create a special practice; he was just looking for a way to cope with loss that had plunged him into depression and addiction. He soon realized he wanted to help others. Paul Denniston leads a Grief Yoga class in Studio City on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (Samanta Helou Hernandez / For The Times) I knew how much yoga was benefiting me, and I realized an important lesson: Were always going to be thrown into difficult situations, and we have to learn how to move through them. Pain and loss are inevitable parts of being alive, Denniston says. Nick Owchar is executive director of advancement communications at Claremont Graduate University. He blogs at www.impressiveco.com. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Two St. Joseph County veterans, Ron Kelly and Jerry Wright, will participate in the Talons Out Honor Flight to Washington, DC on Saturday, April 23. Honor Flights give veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam complimentary day trips to the nations capital to see their monuments and other important sites. The public is invited to the homecoming ceremony, planned for that evening at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for sign making, with veteran arrival around 9:30 p.m. Ron Kelly holds a photo of himself from his Navy days, as well as a scrapbook of military pictures crafted by Violet Kelly, his wife of nearly 53 years. The two open pages feature his ship, the USS Hopewell. Kelly, of Three Rivers, joined the naval reserves during his junior year of high school. Following graduation in 1965, he became active duty military and shipped out of San Diego, California for Vietnam on the destroyer USS Hopewell, DD 681. His role for the next two years was that of the boilerman controlling the fire for the boilers and performing maintenance on them. It was a dirty, hot job in a tropical zone standing between two boilers, he said. Returning to the States, he worked in a factory, then in the iron mines of Upper Michigan, and ultimately spent 30 years in the heating and cooling industry. Now, he enjoys travel and fishing. I grew up a lot with it (being in the Navy), he said. I learned a lot. It wasnt something I wanted to make a career of, but I have no regrets. Kellys father also served in the military, as a tail gunner on a B-17 during World War II. While on his 18th mission, he became a German prisoner of war and spent 445 days in a POW camp. Jerry Wright, who served in the Army, describes himself as a very patriotic guy. Wright, who spent two years on active duty from 1958-60, said being selected for the flight was a real honor. Im a very patriotic guy, the Three Rivers resident said. My military service was many years ago, but it meant a lot to me. Nearly six and a half decades ago, he was serving in the National Guard when the draft began and his number came up. I didnt want to go, he said. However, he looks back with gratitude on that time. I was glad I got drafted because it matured me, he said. I realized what the Army was all about. Story continues While in the National Guard at Camp Grayling, he rode in tanks; once he entered basic training, he was assigned to a military police unit in Fort Bliss, Texas, with a nearly extinct radar program. There, he became an operations clerk and drove a Jeep. As part of the Strategic Air Command, they were on alert to be taken to Germany because the Berlin Wall was a big deal, he said. While they only had two alerts during that time and neither resulted in an overseas journey each one meant packing up everything from the kitchen to personal gear, loading it on trucks and taking it to the airport. After Wrights active duty was over, he returned to the National Guard and became part of the Army Reserve. And he pursued his dream of an arts career, traveling to California and New York in the process. Since then, he has had numerous careers and avocations. His military appreciation came full-circle when he founded and for eight years directed the Great American Patriots Chorus in Three Rivers. The ensemble raised money for Disabled American Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and a variety of military causes. Many times I hear the Star Spangled Banner and it brings tears to my eyes, he said. For more information about Honor Flight, visit www.talonsouthonorflight.org. This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Two St. Joseph County veterans to take Honor Flight trip By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) -British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and his Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland walked out of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington to protest the invasion of Ukraine when Russia's delegate spoke on Thursday, a British finance ministry spokesperson said. Before walking out, Sunak "described (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's assault on Ukraine as an assault on the rules and norms that are the foundation of our economic way of life," the spokesperson said. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, who walked out of a G20 meeting in Washington on Wednesday for the same reason, said on Thursday there should be "no appeasement" of Russia due to the economic problems caused by the invasion of Ukraine. The G20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine, as well as China, India, Indonesia and South Africa which have not joined Western-led sanctions against Russia over the conflict. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met on the sidelines of a semi-annual conference held by the IMF and World Bank in Washington, with the Ukraine war, food security and ongoing recovery from the coronavirus pandemic the key topics. After Canada's Freeland returned to the meeting, she directly addressed Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who was attending virtually, a source familiar with what happened in the meeting room said. "It is perverse and absurd to hear you speaking today when your war is making us poorer," she said, according to the source. "Your war is causing food prices to rise and will cause people to go hungry. Your war is causing energy prices to rise. Your war is driving inflation, which hurts the most vulnerable." Canada's finance ministry declined to comment. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" that it says is not designed to occupy territory, but to destroy its southern neighbour's military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists. Story continues Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent and has made impassioned pleas on behalf of the country, went on to speak about how women were "the particular targets of this war." "Rape is being used systematically as a weapon of war by Russia," Freeland said, according to the source. Addressing Siluanov by name, she concluded by saying Ukraine would win the war and "Russia and the Russian leadership will bear full responsibility for the crimes being committed today". Earlier on Thursday, Britain ramped up trade sanctions on Russia, targeting luxury goods including caviar, silver and diamonds through import bans and higher tariffs, seeking to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. (Reporting by David MillikenEditing by William Schomberg and Diane Craft) LONDON (Reuters) - British lawmakers on Thursday triggered an investigation into allegations that Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled parliament in his initial responses to reports that he and his staff broke COVID-19 lockdown rules. Lawmakers approved a motion calling for a parliamentary committee to determine whether Johnson's denials of rule-breaking amounted to a contempt of the House of Commons in light of his subsequent police fine for breaching regulations. The motion was passed without any opposition after the government abandoned an earlier attempt to delay any decision on whether or not to hold the investigation. (Reporting by William James; Editing by Kate Holton) By Alistair Smout and William James LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a blow to his authority on Thursday when lawmakers triggered an investigation into whether he had misled parliament and an influential former ally called on him to quit. Johnson has been fighting for political survival for months after he told parliament that his Downing Street office had followed all lockdown rules during the COVID pandemic, only for an internal report to find it had held alcohol-fuelled parties at that time. Police have since fined Johnson. He denies deliberately misleading parliament, which is a resigning matter, and says he did not realise he was breaking the rules. He has apologised for his conduct. During a parliamentary debate politicians from all sides called on Johnson to go, and lawmakers backed an opposition motion that his statements "appear to amount to misleading the House" and should be investigated by its Committee of Privileges. Johnson's Conservatives did not oppose the move. The episode reignites questions about Johnson's future, with further revelations and fines over lockdown parties possible and local elections on May 5 expected to reveal that voters' trust in his leadership has been badly damaged. "I don't want this thing to endlessly go on. But I have absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide," Johnson told Sky News when asked about the investigations during a visit to India. In the parliamentary debate before lawmakers approved the motion, one once loyal lawmaker from the ruling Conservatives said the prime minister should now quit. Steve Baker accused Johnson of breaking the "letter and spirit" of the law, adding: "The prime minister now should be long gone... (He) should just know that the gig's up." Baker, a former minister, strongly supported Johnson over taking Britain out of the European Union and he retains influence among some Conservative lawmakers after successfully coordinating their resistance to efforts to water down Brexit. Story continues 'GRAVE ACCUSATION' The approach of Johnson's government to the debate appeared in disarray, as they pulled an amendment designed to delay the motion the morning after they announced it. The government said it was now satisfied that any parliamentary probe would only take place after the police investigation had finished, even without their amendment. Johnson's position had recently been strengthened by his support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion, with some of his lawmakers saying it is not the time to change leader. However some Conservatives had been uneasy at the prospect of being ordered to oppose greater scrutiny of an issue that has damaged voters' trust in the government. Johnson now could face the release of further evidence of parties at the heart of government during the stringent lockdowns he had ordered the country to observe. He may also be fined again for further gatherings, although police said they would delay further updates on their investigation until after local elections on May 5. To mount a challenge to Johnson's leadership, 54 Conservative lawmakers must write letters expressing no confidence in him. That would lead to a confidence vote and, if he lost, a contest to replace him. Opposition leader Keir Starmer led the criticism of Johnson. "The prime minister has been accused of repeatedly, deliberately and routinely misleading this House over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown," Starmer said. "This is a serious and grave accusation. It amounts to contempt of parliament." (Additional reporting by Farouq Suleiman in London and Andrew MacAskill in Ahmedabad. Writing by Kate Holton and Alistair Smout; Editing by William Schomberg, Gareth Jones, Nick Macfie, William Maclean) Schools in Oakland County, including Oxford, Cranbrook, Brandon and Lake Orion, received calls threatening violence on April 8. The suspect is a 16-year-old boy from the United Kingdom, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said in a Thursday news release. In the call to Oxford High School, the suspect pretended to be Ethan Crumbley, the former student on trial for the Nov. 30 school shooting that killed four and injured seven. The suspect used a British accent, the sheriff's office said, and claimed he was depressed and was going to shoot up the school and finish the job he started. Crumbley is currently in Oakland County Jail, without bond, awaiting trial. Ethan Crumbley is led away from the courtroom after a placement hearing at Oakland County Circuit Court on Feb. 22, 2022 in Pontiac, Michigan. The suspect was arrested at his U.K. home on April 13, and has since been released to his parents while the investigation continues, the release said. As I said at the time, we were going to be aggressive to hold perpetrators accountable, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. In conjunction with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and police officials from the United Kingdom, that has in fact occurred and a suspect has been arrested. Let this serve as a message to anyone who would threaten our schools or any other institution in Oakland County. We will come for you. More: Tentative trial date set for Oxford shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley More: Lower bond denied for parents in Oxford shooting case; trial could begin Oct. The teen is suspected of 37 other threatening calls made to businesses and schools nationwide, the release said. The investigation ultimately involved 16 different law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security and police in the U.K. Initially, law enforcement believed the phone calls were coming from Florida and New York. In the call to a school in Brandon, the suspect allegedly said there was a man in a black pickup truck in the parking lot with an AR-15 gun who was going to shoot up the school, the release said. Story continues The sheriff's office said that, In multiple of the teen's calls, "juveniles" could be heard laughing in the background. Contact Emma Stein: estein@freepress.com and follow her on Twitter @_emmastein. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: UK teen pretended to be Ethan Crumbley in prank call, police say The US Defense Department on Wednesday retracted its claim Ukraine had been supplied with more aircraft, saying only parts had been delivered to enable Kyiv to put more jets into the fight against Russia. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby retracted his statement from Tuesday that Ukraine had received fighter jets from an unnamed ally, after weeks of speculation that a neighboring country might provide Russian-made MiG-29s to add to the Ukrainian air force's capabilities against the Russian invaders. While fixed-wing aircraft have been offered by an unidentified country to bolster Kyiv's defenses, "they have not received whole aircraft from another nation," Kirby told reporters. "I was mistaken. They have not received whole aircraft from another nation," Kirby said of his Tuesday claim. "That said, Ukrainians have received through United States coordination and provision enough spare parts and additional equipment such that they have been able to put in operation more fixed-wing aircraft in their fleet than they had even two to three weeks ago," he said. Separately, a senior US defense official said the parts supply has enabled Ukraine to add 20 previously inoperable jets to its active fighter fleet. Since early in the war which began on February 24, Ukraine has asked for more aircraft, especially MiG fighters which its pilots are trained to operate. Three NATO countries -- Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia -- have those jets in their fleets. Weeks ago Poland said it was willing to give its MiG-29s to Ukraine if Washington would provide it with new F-16 jets. But the NATO alliance has been cautious, concerned it would be seen as taking a direct role in the fight against Moscow's forces and risking expanding the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders. On Wednesday US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met in the Pentagon with Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Baszczak to talk about support for Ukraine. Story continues No details were given on how their talks addressed the aircraft or other arms issues. "Secretary Austin commended Poland on the important role it continues to play to help the Ukrainian people resist Russia's invasion and seek refuge from violence, the Pentagon said in a statement. "The two leaders also discussed Poland's robust defense modernization plans, agreeing to work together to help the Polish military become one of the most capable in Europe." Meanwhile the senior defense official said 14 US howitzers that Washington said last week would be provided to Ukraine were now being delivered to the region, along with ammunition for them. Around 50 Ukrainians are being trained outside of Ukraine to operate them, the official said. "They will get trained on how to use the howitzers and then they'll be able to go back in to Ukraine and train their colleagues," the official said. pmh/mlm UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson cast doubt on the success of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson compared dealing with Putin to negotiations with a crocodile. Ukraine and Russia are unlikely to reach peace through negotiations given Putin's "lack of good faith," he said. Johnson said that Zelenskyy also has a "pretty maximalist position" on the war in the Donbas. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it's unlikely that Ukraine and Russia can make peace through negotiations, comparing talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to dealing with a "crocodile." "I really don't see how the Ukrainians can easily sit down and come to some kind of accommodation. How can you negotiate with a crocodile when it's got your leg in its jaws?" Johnson said Wednesday on a flight to India, The Guardian reported. "I think it's very hard to see how the Ukrainians can negotiate with Putin now, given his manifest lack of good faith and his strategy, which is evident, which is to try to engulf and capture as much of Ukraine as he can and then perhaps to have some kind of negotiation from a position of strength or even to launch another assault on Kyiv," the prime minister said. Johnson said that as a result, the UK and the rest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would have to continue their strategy of supplying arms to Ukraine, per The Guardian. He also said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken a "pretty maximalist position" on the war in the Donbas with ambitions to expel all Russian troops in Donetsk and Luhansk, Reuters reported. "Liberation" of the Donbas has long been one of Moscow's war goals. "But on Crimea they are not as maximalist," he said, referring to the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014. Johnson added that on the other hand, Putin has shown a clear desire to seize more land in Ukraine and could make another push toward Kyiv, which Russian forces failed to take after weeks of assaulting the capital, per Reuters. Story continues Peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow have stalled since diplomats from both sides met on March 29, in large part because Ukraine said it had discovered evidence of mass killings in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha after Russian forces left. Johnson is traveling to India to liaise with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discuss the possibility of India throwing its support behind Ukraine an unlikely scenario given India's existing ties to Russia, he said, per Reuters. "I have already talked to Narendra Modi about Ukraine. And actually, the Indians have condemned what happened in Bucha," he said. "But the UK in particular has to recognise that there is a historic relationship that India has with Russia. I think we have to be alive to that, and just point out where Putin is, I am afraid, letting Russia down badly." Read the original article on Business Insider LISBON (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday his war-ravaged country needed more heavy weapons to defend itself from Russia's invasion that threatened Ukraine's very survival, and he asked Western nations to impose further sanctions. Zelenskiy told Portugal's parliament in a video address that the Portuguese, who next week celebrate 48 years since an almost bloodless revolution ended decades of fascist dictatorship, knew all too well what it meant to fight for democracy. "In 57 days of war, more than 1,000 Ukrainian towns were occupied by invaders who continue to destroy our cities," he said. "Millions of people had to flee ... it is as if the whole of Portugal was forced to leave." He said the Russian army had committed atrocities, including in the port city of Mariupol, which has faced heavy bombardment. "We are fighting not only for our independence, but for our survival, for our people so that they do not get killed, tortured and raped," Zelenskiy said. "The Russians have already kidnapped more than 500,000 people ... who were deported to the most distant regions of Russia, in remote camps." Moscow, which describes its actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation", denies targeting civilians and rejects what Ukraine says is evidence of atrocities, saying Kyiv has staged them to undermine peace talks. The Ukrainian president asked Portugal to support a global embargo on Russian oil and to back Kyiv's desire to join the European Union. Shortly after Zelenskiy's speech, Portuguese parliament president Augusto Santos Silva said: "Your country's fight for freedom is Europe's fight for freedom." European Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday the EU would look for more ways to respond to Russia's invasion. (Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Edmund Blair) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in India Thursday touting job-creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia. Johnson arrived in Gujarat -- Modi's home state and the ancestral home to half of the United Kingdom's British Indians -- where he is meeting business leaders and taking a cultural tour of the historic Ahmedabad city. He will leave for New Delhi to meet his Indian counterpart on Friday, providing Johnson some respite from the "partygate" controversy over his criminal violation of pandemic lockdown rules. Johnson will miss a parliamentary vote on Thursday into whether he deliberately misled the House of Commons in previously denying any Downing Street rule-breaking -- normally a resigning matter. The India trip has been twice postponed because of Covid-19 flare-ups in each country, and was briefly in doubt again this week when the vote was announced, with opposition leaders insisting Johnson stand down. But UK sources said it was seen as too important to put off again. Downing Street said it would seal two-way investment deals worth more than 1 billion ($1.3 billion), creating almost 11,000 jobs in Britain. "What we're focusing on today is the incredible opportunities to deepen this partnership," Johnson told reporters while visiting a factory in Gujarat. Johnson's visit began with a trip to Sabarmati ashram, once the home of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, where he was invited to sit cross-legged and work a wooden spinning wheel. The tool was once vital to the local textile industry and championed by Gandhi as a symbol of resistance to Britain's colonial rule of India. - No lectures - Downing Street said the visit would yield new partnerships on defence, artificial intelligence and green energy, along with investment deals in areas including robotics, electric vehicles and satellite launches. Story continues But London acknowledges that it is some way off clinching a post-Brexit trade deal with Modi's government, which wants more visas for Indians to work or study in the UK. India meanwhile has refused openly to condemn the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine, reliant as it is on Russian imports of energy, agricultural goods and military hardware. "India and Russia have historically a very different relationship, perhaps than Russia and the UK have had over the last couple of decades," Johnson said. "We have to reflect that reality, but clearly I'll be talking about it to Narendra Modi." Foreign Secretary Liz Truss came away from New Delhi empty-handed last month when she pressed the Indians to do more against Russia, and Modi has also given short shrift to appeals from US President Joe Biden. Johnson will tout the benefits of India moving more quickly towards renewables -- a pertinent strategic issue as countries attempt to pivot away from Russian energy. "Both our countries are excessively reliant on foreign hydrocarbons. And we need to move away from that together," Johnson said. "One of the things that we're talking about is what we can do to build partnerships on hydrogen, on electric vehicles, on offshore wind, on all the ways that you can reduce the cost of energy for people with green technology." Downing Street has denied that, given the Ukraine war's impact on energy supplies, it is soft-pedalling its commitment to net-zero carbon emissions - after India joined with China to torpedo a stronger accord at the COP26 climate summit held in Scotland last year. The UK also has a sizeable Sikh community, and its leaders have been demanding that Johnson raise the case of Scotsman Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained without trial in India for more than four years. jit-bur/gle/dva Apr. 21Taras Nazarov has had a lot of long days in the last two months. A postdoctoral researcher in WSU's Institute of Biological Chemistry, their lack of sleep has come from working on outreach efforts in support of their native Ukraine. Nazarov, who uses they/them pronouns, moved to Pullman a decade ago. "I'm trying to put all my life now, essentially 18-20 hours a day where I don't sleep for all this time and kind of learn what the human body can take," they said, "just to build those networks of support on multiple levels, humanitarian, medical and defense." Nazarov is among faculty, students and staff members of WSU's Ukrainian community who are keeping busy by raising awareness through a series of local cultural events. The first, a Ukrainian movie night and fundraiser for the nonprofit Nova Ukraine, took place last weekend. The next is a "Techno Against War" fundraiser scheduled for April 29 at Etsi Bravo in Pullman. The goal of the cultural series is to showcase Ukrainian culture to highlight "what we are fighting for," Nazarov said. "I'll be volunteering to help collect funds and to help Ukraine for as long as the war goes on and probably even after that," said Anna Stowe, a research associate in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, "because the only way I can deal with the news every day is to make my small contribution into our effort." Stowe, 34, moved 12 years ago to Pullman from Ukraine. She said her family is in a relatively safe part in the western part of the country. Yet, Stowe said rockets "flying above them," the constant evacuations into basements due to air sirens and concerns for family and friends involved in the fight have been psychologically taxing. Andrei Smertenko, an associate professor with the Institute of Biological Chemistry, said he often calls his family, which lives in Kiev, several times a day. Story continues "It's not just our immediate family that's affected, but all of our roots now experienced this," said Smertenko, who moved to the U.S. eight years ago. "My classmates volunteered. They're fighting on the front lines on the eastern side." Smertenko, 51, said he involved himself in the awareness effort to promote the belief that the war in Ukraine is one between two different cultures. Russians, he claims, view Ukrainians as "inferior" people "that don't deserve the right to live." Group organizers cite historical events including the Ukrainian famine, known as the Holodomor, which saw millions of Ukrainians killed in around 1932 in the tragedy engineered by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. "Even before Putin, for hundreds of years, Ukrainians were attacked by Russians and Ukrainian culture was suppressed, and I think it's time for us to go out and tell about our culture and use the opportunity to show we are different," he said. "That we are not just an appendix of Russian history." Nazarov, a reserve officer in the Ukrainian army, said they were encouraged by family members, some of whom live in Kiev, to stay in the U.S. and support them from abroad, given their stateside connections. "Since the first days of war, I was, multiple times, looking at them and thinking that I will see them for the last time," Nazarov said. "I would see how sometimes on the call, my mom would just drop the phone and say, 'I need to run to the shelter.' " Additional local activities include an arts, music and tattoo event sometime around May or June, and an exhibit fundraiser at WSU's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art later around June and July, Nazarov said. "We are united with global humankind. We are humans. That's our spirit," they said. "We want to reconnect the world, and now we believe the world should be reconnected through Ukraine." President Biden on Thursday announced the U.S. will send another $800 million in military aid to Ukraine to assist its ability to fight invading Russian forces. The latest package, intended to help stave off Russian advances in the Donbas Region in Eastern Ukraine, will include heavy artillery, dozens of howitzers, 144,000 rounds of ammunition to be used with the howitzers, and more tactical drones, Biden said. The funding will also cover vehicles to tow howitzers and other field equipment, the Pentagon said. The latest package comes a week after Biden announced another $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine. A senior U.S. defense official told reporters this week that U.S. and European troops have been training Ukrainian forces on how to use howitzers, which weigh 10,000 pounds and can hit targets up to 30 kilometers, or 18 miles, away with 155 mm rounds. The Biden administration has provided billions of dollars in military assistance to Ukraine in the roughly two months since Russia launched a full invasion of the country. The funds have been used to provide anti-aircraft systems, anti-tank weapons, small arms, rounds of ammunition and other equipment to modernize Ukraines forces and allow it to fight off Russian forces. Biden on Thursday credited the fearless and skilled Ukrainian fighters who have defied expectations in thwarting Russian advances and keeping control of major cities, including the capital of Kyiv. Biden said the international response to get weapons to Ukraine, facilitated by the U.S., is a significant reason why Ukraine is able to stop Russia from taking over their country so far. Every American taxpayer, every member of our armed forces can be proud of the fact that our countrys generosity and the skill and service of our military helped arm and repel Russias aggression in Ukraine, Biden said. The president also announced a ban on Russian-affiliated ships docking in U.S. ports as part of an effort to further squeeze the Russian economy out of the international system. Story continues That means no ship, no ship that sails under the Russian flag or is owned or operated by a Russian interest will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores, Biden said. None. U.S. officials have in recent weeks warned Russia may be refocusing its efforts in Ukraine on hitting the Donbas region in a bid to overwhelm Ukrainian forces there after initial assaults on Kyiv and other major cities stalled. Officials have warned the next phase of the fight could drag on for months or longer. As part of ongoing aid efforts, the Treasury Department separately announced Thursday $500 million in funding to help Ukraine fund government salaries, pensions and other programs needed to keep operations afloat. Prior to the announcement of new aid, Biden met in-person with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to discuss the latest developments in the war and the administrations commitment to provide assistance. Updated at 11:24 a.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Its natural that Team Netflix is panicking (REUTERS) For the first time in more than 10 years, Netflix reported a loss of subscribers this week, shedding 200,000 accounts in the first three months of this year. The company has projected losses of a further 2 million subscribers throughout 2022. Its competitors Disney, Amazon, Discovery, HBO etc are snapping at its heels, offering lower prices and featuring shows in higher demand. Though Netflix enjoyed a surge in popularity during the pandemic, the lifting of restrictions has seen customers tuning out quickly from the former leader of streaming. By their own admission, Netflix have got themselves into a bit of a pickle. In its shareholder note, the company revealed that sharing passwords between households likely helped fuel [their] growth by getting more people using and enjoying Netflix. They went on to say that [they have] always tried to make sharing within a members household easy, offering features like profiles and multiple streams. Admittedly, we have been living the good life up till now; dishing out our Netflix passwords willy-nilly to our partners, our family friends and that guy in the supermarket queue who looked quite nice. Weve been capitalising on the good will of the benevolent streaming giant like the naughty citizens we are. Now, the fun must stop. Enough is enough, says the company. But acting the martyr for so long makes Netflixs decision to revoke password sharing all the more jarring; like catching Father Christmas wrenching a new pogo stick from a childs hands. Its natural that Team Netflix is panicking. And what better way to recoup some of those losses than to crackdown on subscribers sharing their passwords. Squirrelled away in Netflix HQ, experts have estimated that more than 100 million households worldwide are using a shared password to access its content. Now, after testing different ways to curb password sharing in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, Netflix is planning on rolling out its ways to clamp down. It means households across the globe could soon be charged an extra fee for password sharing. Story continues But if Netflix thinks charging people extra to share passwords outside their homes will have viewers crawling back, cap in hand, they are sorely mistaken. The truth is, Netflix content is just not what it was. Back in the mid Noughties, Netflix was revolutionising viewing: stacking up fresh film releases and TV series for subscribers in a never-before-seen format. But now? The content, by and large, feels hammy and overcooked. There seems so much of it to sift through to find the gems, if there are, indeed, any lurking behind the preference algorithms. To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment, sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here One particularly irate user on Reddit said Netflix pumps out originals faster than babies take shits. Other accused its shows lacking in quality, a mostly Adam Sandler library and bad teenager oriented whitewashed content. Lets not forget that Diana: The Musical was actually a film Netflix produced seriously in 2021; my favourite lyric: Better than a Guinness, better than a wank / snatch a few pics, its money in the bank. So, the decision to revoke password sharing at this time feels odd. Netflix are already suffering from consumers cancelling their subscriptions and restarting them when theyve found something they actually want to watch. With the content reducing in quality, and the lure of password sharing no longer an attraction, Netflix may find their once plentiful pool of subscribers draining to a puddle. Cannabis enthusiasts march in Bangkok to celebrate the April 20 "cannabis day" and advocate for even broader legalisation of the plant in Thailand. The country has recently removed weed from its narcotics list. In 2018, the kingdom became the first Southeast Asian country to legalise medical marijuana, and the government has invested in the extraction, distillation and marketing of cannabis oils for use in the health industry. Reuters Videos STORY: China's two biggest cities tightened COVID-19 curbs on Monday (May 9), raising concerns about its economy. Authorities are wrestling with the worst COVID outbreaks since the pandemic began. Residents in Beijing's hardest-hit areas were told to work from home, while more public areas were sealed off.Beijing has been hoping to avoid the weeks of lockdowns that Shanghai has endured - but the growing number of buildings under stay-at-home orders are unnerving residents.Shanghai itself is retightening restrictions - all as the toll on China's economy continues to mount.On Monday, data showed that China's export growth slowed to single digits - the weakest in almost two years. China's trade sector accounts for about a third of its GDP. The weak figures show it's losing momentum, as the lockdowns ensnare supply chains and force some companies to suspend operations. It all adds to the risk of a deeper slowdown, and repercussions for global growth amid rate hikes and surging prices. Some analysts even warn of rising recession risks.They say more stimulus must be provided to reach a growth target of about 5.5% for this year - if Beijing doesn't ease its zero-COVID policy. But, there are few signs of that happening. The Biden administration on Thursday is sending its National Drug Control Strategy to Congress, amid a record level of drug overdoses. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate there were over 106,000 deaths from drug overdoses in the United States in the 12 months ending in November 2021, a figure that has been steadily rising in recent years, particularly during the pandemic. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said on a call with reporters that many of the deaths are due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, but also pointed to meth and cocaine. This is the most dynamic drug environment we have ever seen in this nation, he said. For far too many years, the overdose crisis has been unraveling the very social fabric of our nation and destroying American lives and livelihoods, Gupta added. The White House plan is centered on increasing treatment for addiction while also fighting trafficking for drugs. It calls for greater access to naloxone, a drug to fight overdoses that first responders can carry. It also includes measures aimed at boosting treatment for people at highest risk for overdoses, which includes people experiencing homelessness [and] those who are incarcerated or re-entering society, the White House said. Gupta noted that President Bidens budget calls for a $3 billion increase for drug control efforts. We need Congress to take action on this funding as soon as possible, he said. Bidens proposed budget calls for $300 million increases for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which would aid in the strategys plans to disrupt trafficking of drugs across the border. The plan also comes as a range of legal settlements with opioid makers and drug distributors is providing new funding to states to be able to put toward fighting the epidemic. For example, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) on Wednesday announced the distribution of the first round of payments to counties as part of the $1.5 billion in state settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Connecticuts Office of Inspector General announced on Wednesday that a white state trooper was charged with manslaughter after he fatally shot a 19-year-old Black man after a car chase in 2020. After an extended pursuit on Jan. 15, 2020, the trooper, Brian North, stopped a stolen vehicle and fatally shot Mubarak Soulemane seven times through the car window. Soulemane, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 14, was holding a knife when he was killed, according to a report from Inspector General Robert Devlin. The states Division of Criminal Justice announced Norths arrest on Wednesday, saying the trooper had been charged with first-degree manslaughter. The Office of the Inspector Generals 133-page report on the shooting also explicitly stated that Norths use of force was not justified. At the time Trooper North fired his weapon, neither he nor any other person was in imminent danger of serious injury or death from a knife attack at the hands of Soulemane, Devlins report said. Further, any belief that persons were in such danger was not reasonable. I therefore find that Norths use of deadly force was not justified under Connecticut law, the report added. North was released on $50,000 bond, according to investigators. He is scheduled to appear in Milford Superior Court on May 3. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. South Bend Police have made an arrest in a Monday night shooting near Nuner Elementary School that killed a man. SOUTH BEND The girlfriend of a 28-year-old man who died in a shooting Monday night near Nuner Elementary School has been charged with murder in connection with the case. Marqisha M. Thomas, 27, is being held without bond in the St. Joseph County Jail. She is scheduled to appear Friday in Superior Court for an initial hearing. Officers were dispatched to the 2800 block of Northside Boulevard, which runs behind the school along the St. Joseph River, a few minutes after 8:30 p.m. Monday on reports of a shooting. The incident did not involve the school. Responding officers found Civon Green, 28, of Mishawaka, lying in the road behind the school after they arrived in the area. Green had a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. More coverage: Police identify woman found on side of road in South Bend, classify death a homicide According to a probable cause affidavit, Thomas on Monday had loaded her two children and a 9mm handgun into her red SUV in search of Green, her boyfriend, who reportedly had his cell phone off or was out of contact. After searching all over town, she found Green in the 1300 block of 27th Street in South Bend, charging documents say. Neighbors told police gunshots were heard in the neighborhood about 8:30 p.m., and they saw a silver car with its light off in an alley with a small red SUV circling the block before the cars sped off toward Northside Boulevard. Charging documents said neighbors there then heard another gunshot near Nuner School and they called 9-1-1. Neighbors following the cars reported seeing a woman later identified as Thomas standing near the cars in the middle of Northside Boulevard with a man, later identified as Green, lying in the street. Update: Death of missing Elkhart woman, 27, considered homicide, infant son still hospitalized A passerby in a car stopped to render first aid to Green, court documents said. Thomas, in an interview with police, claimed she and Green had a confrontation after stopping their cars on Northside Boulevard. Thomas claimed Green approached her car with the handgun on her seat and grabbed it, causing her to grab the handle and the two struggled with the gun. Story continues Charging documents say Thomas told police Green stood up, threw the gun away and a few minutes later said he was shot as he started to fall. Thomas told police she did not know the gun had gone off, claiming that it must have happened when the two were struggling. Police said Thomas' 9-1-1 call had her stating multiple times that "someone shot him." She later allegedly says in the call that "He shot himself when we struggled for the gun." Police also said Thomas could not account for the presence of three shell casings in and around the passenger seat of her vehicle. Casie Center: Revamped county Special Victims Unit agreement approved by Mishawaka Council The handgun reportedly was found by the St. Joseph River, but the magazine was removed. Charging documents say a magazine later was found in the river. The affidavit also said the two children were questioned about the incident at the Casie Center. The older child refused to talk about what happened, and the younger child reportedly was told by his mother not to talk about what happened for fear of a "whooping." According to the autopsy results, investigators said there was no indication that Green's hands were on the firearm when it was fired. Police reported Green died from a fatal shot to his abdomen. The case is being investigated by the South Bend Police Violent Crimes Unit. Email South Bend Tribune reporter Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Marqisha Thomas charged with killing boyfriend near South Bend school SheKnows Barack Obama shared a lovely message for Michelle Obama in honor of Mothers Day on Sunday, and the family photo shows how his daughters, Malia, 23, and Sasha, 20, have each developed their own flair for fashion. One of them prefers a breezy laidback style while the other is comfortable with a more glamorous look [] The Central Mass International Jewish Film Festival has been presented by the Worcester JCC with the goal of Celebrating the Jewish experience through film. Twelve films running April 24 to May 5 will keep to that intent for the 15th consecutive year with a compelling line-up of documentaries, dramas and comedy from the United States, Israel, France, Germany and Spain. With the pandemic not yet out of the picture, for the second year the films will be shown virtually with the Worcester JCC in partnership with the JCC of the North Shore in Marblehead. Officially, the event is the JCC of the North Shore International Jewish Film Festival In conjunction with the Central Mass International Jewish Film Festival. "That seems to be a good bridge until next year when, hopefully, there will be more normalcy," said Nancy Greenberg, organizer of the Central Mass International Jewish Film Festival since its inception and cultural arts director of the Worcester JCC. Up until 2020, the Central Mass International Film Festival ran its own event with films screening at different locations including The Willows in Worcester, Congregation Bnai Shalom in Westborough, St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, and the Worcester JCC Auditorium. Last year, with the pandemic ravaging, it made sense to partner with the JCC North Shore, which has a well-established film festival of its own, Greenberg said. Films were shown virtually. Planning for this year started in January when the COVID Omicron variant was surging, and so JCC North Shore and Worcester JCC went into partnership again. "I feel we're lucky we can do the virtual," Greenberg said. In addition to online screenings, the JCC of the North Shore International Film Festival will present many of the movies at live, in-person showings at Warwick Cinema in Marblehead. "It's a hybrid obviously for them, but not for us," Greenberg said. However, the Worcester JCC is hoping to screen a couple of films in-person in June at the Worcester JCC Auditorium and possibly at St. John's High School, Greenberg said. Story continues The virtual window for most of the films at this year's festival is 72 hours and it becomes available at 5 p.m. on its release date. Six films have pre-recorded or live discussions with a director or other people involved in the films production and this is included in the price of the film. Individual virtual screenings are $15 and there is a discount for subscribing to the entire series. For more information and tickets, visit www.jccns.org. The films are as follows: "The Man in the Basement" (Virtual Window April 24-27). In this tense psychological thriller from France, a sinister standoff erupts when a Parisian couple sells the basement of their apartment to a seemingly well-mannered former teacher hiding his secret life as an anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist. Based on a true story. "American Birthright" "American Birthright" (Virtual Window April 25-28). Israeli-born filmmaker Becky Tahel grapples with her own understanding of religion, love, and identity after her younger sister marries outside of the Jewish faith. Tahel's documentary leads her on a journey of self-discovery. "Valiant Hearts" (Virtual Window April 26-29). Six Jewish children in August 1942 are forced to take refuge where no one would ever think to look for them: amidst the Louvre Museum artworks hidden in the Chateau de Chambord. Based on a true story. "Algeria" (Virtual Window April 27-30). Set in Melilla, the autonomous city of Spain situated on the north coast of Africa, this heartfelt family drama centers around the matriarch, Alegria, as she returns for the Sephardic wedding of her niece and reunites with her daughter who she hasnt seen in years. "The Specials" (Virtual Window April 28-30). In this uplifting drama from France based on a true story, two friends of different faiths join forces to advocate for teens with autism. "Yerusalem: The Incredible story of Ethiopian Jewry" (Virtual Window April 29 to May 4). This feature documentary tells the tales of brave Ethiopian immigrants to Israel and their helpers, even as they continue the struggle to prove their Jewishness in order to earn a legitimate place in Israeli society. "Plan A" (Virtual Window April 30 to May 3). In this mystery/drama from Germany, Max, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, meets a radical group who believe the revenge death count of Germans to Jews should be equal: six million Germans for six million Jews slaughtered by the Nazis. "The United States of Elie Tahari" (Virtual Window May 1 to 5). Documentary chronicles the life of Israeli fashion designer and mogul Elie Tahari. "A Radiant Girl" (Virtual Window May 2 to 5). Set in Paris in the summer of 1942, 19-year-old Irene is a carefree, aspiring actress, working as a theater usher, and falling in and out of love. She is also a Jew, whose world and that of her close-knit family is about to turn upside down. "Upheaval" "Upheaval: The Journey of Menachem Begin" (Virtual Window May 3 to 6). Menachem Begin was imprisoned by the Soviets, orphaned by the Holocaust, elected Prime Minister, crowned peacemaker by the Nobel Prize Committee, haunted by the Lebanon War, and remained a controversial leader. "Greener Pastures" (Virtual Window May 4 to 7). In this high-spirited comedy from Israel, widowed Dov is forced by his family to move into a nursing home. However, when he notices that all his fellow residents smoke legal medical cannabis, he puts in motion a plan of escape involving selling it and not smoking it. "The Automat" "The Automat" (Virtual Window May 5 to 9). "The Automat" tells the 100-year story of the iconic restaurant chain Horn & Hardart, where generations of customers in New York and Philadelphia enjoyed food and coffee together at communal tables. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester JCC partners with North Shore JCC for virtual Jewish Film Fest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday accused Russia of repeatedly using banned thermobaric weapons, also known as vacuum bombs, in cities across Ukraine. "The forbidden vacuum bombs," Zelenskyy said in an interview for French TV translated by Interfax, were used "starting from Kharkiv and in other cities - there are already many such examples." MOSCOW, RUSSIA - 2021/08/25: Russian Army TOS-1A "Solntsepyok (Blazing Sun)" multiple rocket launcher and thermobaric weapon mounted on a T-72 tank chassis seen during the annual Army Games defense technology international exhibition. s) Getty PUTIN SAYS IT'S 'UNNECESSARY' TO STORM FINAL MARIUPOL HOLDOUT, ORDERS BLOCKADE The banned weaponry is deployed in a series of charges that detonates dispersed fuel and oxygen in the air. The explosion creates a blast wave of extreme pressure and heat that builds a vacuum-like phenomenon when in an enclosed space making it particularly effective in urban warfare. The bomb can be launched by rocket or dropped from aircraft. When deployed the first charge disperses a fuel mixture that can penetrate any building opening. The second charge then detonates the cloud and creates a vacuum that pulls in all surrounding oxygen resulting in a massive fireball. Russia was first accused of using the deadly weapon in February by Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova, the U.K. Ministry of Defense later confirmed the use of thermobaric warheads in a March 9 tweet. UKRAINE HAS LIBERATED NEARLY 1,000 SETTLEMENTS FROM RUSSIAN CONTROL, ZELENSKYY SAYS The U.S. has yet to confirm its use in Ukrainian cities, though in a late February press conference White House press secretary Jen Psaki said if these accusations are found to be true "it would potentially be a war crime." "There is nothing to prove, everything has already been proven there," Zelenskyy said Thursday. Ukrainian authorities announced earlier this month that it was investigating reports that Russia may have used a chemical weapon in the partially besieged city of Mariupol. "Different bombs are being used. We are checking the use of chemical weapons by the Russian Federation," the Ukrainian president said. "We act as fair people and are based on facts. Professionals, specialists should take samples, and when there is evidence, we will show what kind of chemical weapon and where they used it." Japan this week sent gas masks, hazmat suits and drones to Ukraine amid growing concerns that Russia will resort to chemical or biological warfare. President Biden has said such a violation of the Geneva Convention will trigger a response, but it remains unclear how the U.S. or NATO would react. RICHMOND Virginia recorded 968 crash fatalities on state roadways in 2021, the states highest number since 1,026 were killed in road crashes in 2007. The 968 fatalities were up 14.3% from 2020 when 847 people died in Virginia crashes. The numbers reflect a troubling national trend. An estimated 31,720 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes from January through September 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There are immediate, simple actions Virginians can take to save lives on our roadways, said Linda Ford, acting commissioner of the state Department of Motor Vehicles. This is critically important as fatalities continue to increase this year. Vehicles and roadways are safer than they ever have been, yet we continue to lose lives to senseless crashes. Do your part to help. Slow down, buckle up, focus on the task of driving and never drive impaired. It truly is that simple. The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star reported in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginians drove more miles and there were more crashes and injuries on state roads, but there were only 827 deaths fewer than in 2020 or in 2011. AAA has reported in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, less traffic resulted in more life-threatening behavior, even as people stayed home, across Washington, D.C.; Maryland; and Virginia. As traffic volume dropped, vehicle speeds increased, which has played a significant factor in the rise in the fatality rate on our nations roadways. The national figure of 2021 fatalities is up about 12% from the 28,325 projected for the first nine months of 2020. The estimate reflects the highest number of fatalities during the first nine months of any year since 2006. This is a national crisis, federal Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a February statement. We cannot and must not accept these deaths as an inevitable part of everyday life. Virginias traffic fatalities increased across multiple categories in 2021, according to DMVs Highway Safety Office. For example, speed-related fatalities increased from 406 in 2020 to 445 in 2021; teen driver fatalities rose from 27 to 42; motorcycle fatalities were up from 87 to 102; and fatalities involving drivers ages 65 and older were up from 126 to 145. Fatalities dropped in some other categories. For instance, 334 people killed in 2021 crashes did not have restraints such as seat belts down from 343 in 2020, and 247 crash fatalities were alcohol related, down from 272 in 2020. DMV said 245 people have been killed in Virginia car crashes to date in 2022. That is up 12% from the same stage in 2021. Japans largest esports park opened on Wednesday, with proponents hoping it will help transform the country behind video game classics such as Super Mario and Zelda into a champion that can take on China in competitive gaming. Japans esports market is growing but still distant compared to overseas. We hope to close the gap, said Yasuo Hara, President of Tokyo Esports Gate, which developed the Red Tokyo Tower attraction. Set across three floors at the base of the landmark Tokyo Tower, the park offers space for esports competition along with the latest motor racing, virtual reality and games simulators. Japanese gamers have been slow to jump into esports, favoring home-grown role-playing console (RPG) games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest and mobile titles such as Monster Strike. Nintendo has a loyal fanbase in Japan for its Switch device even as Sony and Microsoft battle it out in Western markets with next-generation consoles. The Kyoto-based firm has launched major multiplayer hits Splatoon and Smash Bros. but is less active in promoting competitive gaming than firms such as Riot Games, which is owned by Chinas Tencent. Eager to adapt Jon Krakauers book, Under the Banner of Heaven, producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer looked for ways to include as much detail as possible in a two-hour film. We worked very hard on it for years and yet there was a creative frustration that sort of blocked our belief that we should really go forward with it as a movie, said Howard. We couldnt tell the entire story. Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black was on a similar path, trying to figure out how to tell a story of religious extremism. The answer was to expand Krakauers story and provide details over the course of several nights. Enter: Under the Banner of Heaven on FX. I like stories, if they can be honest, that are cautionary tales about the dangers of extremism, said Grazer. This definitely is all about that. That theme is transferable to so many things that are going on in our world today in a larger scale. To connect the dots, Black created a character who investigates the 1984 murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her baby daughter in a suburb in the Salt Lake Valley. Played by Andrew Garfield, hes a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who has his own questions about religions. I grew up in this faith and at least half of my family is still very active in this faith, Black said. Particularly in very challenging times, we see people move to the extremes to the fundamentals. And, in this case, its this family who was faced with a very tough time in Utah. We tried incredibly hard to make the distinctions between modern, contemporary Mormons and fundamentalist Mormons. Like Black, Garfield was intrigued by questions of faith and doubt. Its only there that I think we start to really get into what we are doing here. To make sure church officials wouldnt question the limited series accuracy, Black talked with them and asked for suggestions. He also brought cast members to meet with Mormons so they wouldnt lean into stereotypes or fail to make distinctions between mainstream Mormonism and fundamental Mormonism. The folks in my family who are very traditional and would rather not look to the past, Im sure, arent going to be pleased, he said of the series. But if the truth shall set you free and this is a church that claims to be ever-changing, why are we afraid of the truth? Why are you afraid to look closer? And when is the church going to change? Thats the question. Garfields character reflects that concern. It is about, ultimately, the pursuit of the truth in the face of potential loss of ones family, ones social structure, ones life, he said. Black said the world is wrestling with changes that suggest were moving backwards. Theres clearly world conflicts that are deeply concerning. And in times like these, people often turn to God. Unfortunately, when they go back to the fundamental rules, which are mostly incredibly outdated, we get in trouble and you see a turn toward violence and misogyny. We are in one of those times right now, where there is the danger of people turning back to political, legal, historical and religious fundamentalism. This is a cautionary tale about how that happens. Under the Banner of Heaven also delves into the history of the Mormon faith as a way of explaining what prompted Laffertys murder and why those involved felt justified. Wyatt Russell, who plays Dan Lafferty, one of the brothers convicted of murder, said he has encountered fundamentalist Mormons during vacations. It looked like they were in the 1800s, he said. There was this dichotomy between the world that we live in and the world that they still live in. I couldnt help but wonder if they were born into a different place, what would they be like? They are trapped in this sort of scenario where the outside world is something thats unobtainable. Thanks to the research he and the other actors did, Russell felt a sense of sadness because Lafferty was born into the situation and led down this rabbit hole in a way that only fundamentalist, extremist views can kind of lead you down. Under the Banner of Heaven begins April 28 on FX. Visit Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital any day of the week, and you are sure to run in to one or more of Jennie Eds valuable volunteers. Sporting navy blue jackets and name tags, these volunteers are visible to all, ready and willing to help at a moments notice, always with a smile on their faces and a warm welcome on their lips. Equally valuable to our volunteer program are those volunteers who choose to work behind the scenes. Jack Turner is one such volunteer. Jack was born and raised in Georgia, where his family roots can be traced back to 1785. After graduating from college, Jack taught chemistry, physics, and other sciences before taking over his familys logging and pulpwood business. Upon leaving the family business, Jack took a job with Woodmen of the World, a nonprofit life insurance company established in 1890. Working first as an agent and then moving on to become a manager, Jack was transferred from Georgia to southwest Iowa. Jack and his wife have been married for about 40 years. He and his wife have a son who lives in Wisconsin. In addition to their son, Jack and his wife have three daughters. One daughter lives in Tennessee and works for a government defense contractor headquartered in Alabama. Another daughter lives in Des Moines and works for Wells Fargo, helping those in financial need with foreclosures. The third daughter has followed in her dads scientific footsteps, working to create viruses that fight cancers and other diseases. Jacks love for wood and woodworking has always been a part of who he is. Starting out as a kid who taught himself how to whittle on old sticks, Jack began to teach himself the finer arts of wood carving and wood sculpting. Crafting and blessing others with hand carved Christmas gifts and ornaments have become a part of Jacks life. Upon his retirement in 2010 from Woodmen of the World, Jack became a volunteer. In that capacity, he continues to use his talents to bless those around him. Jack donates hand carved plaques of appreciation for fellow volunteers that are then distributed through the Methodist Jennie Edmundsons volunteer program. In addition, Jack carves small, smooth, rounded birds and animals. These carvings are distributed to oncology patients as they are going through their treatments. Jacks hope is that by having something comforting to hold and touch while going through these treatments, a little bit of comfort can be provided. Having had several family members diagnosed with cancer, Jack is hoping to also volunteer in the Jennie Ed Oncology Department when the time is right. For more information as to how you, too, can become a Methodist Jennie Edmundson volunteer, please contact MJE Volunteer Services at 712-396-6040. Jennie Edmundson Hospital A Council Bluffs man was sentenced last week to more than 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to a child pornography charge. Luke Alric Forman, 31, was sentenced in federal court on April 14 to 210 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa. He will be placed on supervised release for an additional five years. The Council Bluffs Police Department began investigating Forman after receiving a Cybertipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The tip linked 10 videos of child pornography that were uploaded using a chat app called Kik Messenger to Formans Council Bluffs residence. Forman pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2021 after police executed a search warrant at his home, where they found a cell phone. A forensic examination of the phone revealed that Forman had distributed, received and possessed images and videos of child pornography. Forman also engaged in numerous conversations about child pornography using the Kik Messenger app, the office said. Council Bluffs police were assisted in the investigation by the United State Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute, which provided training and equipment. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa. 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy DES MOINES Iowa is set to receive an additional $5.3 million in federal funding to help residents lower their home energy bills this summer, the White House announced Thursday. The funding is part of $385 million being released nationally by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the White House said. The funding comes from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and is designed to help low-income families and individuals reduce their home energy costs, including summer cooling. The program is available to Iowans at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, such as a household of three with an income of no more than $43,920, or a household of five with an income of no more than $62,080. The Biden administrations pandemic relief package previously provided $4.5 billion to the energy assistance program, $78.5 million of which was sent to Iowa. Between the new funding release, the pandemic relief package, the bipartisan 2021 infrastructure bill, and regular federal programming, Iowa has received $134.6 million in federal energy assistance funding during the current federal budget year, the White House said. 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. Stephanie Williams, the U.N. Advisor on Libya, Thursday called on embattled ousted Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh to guarantee the payment of salaries to all Libyan counterparts including soldiers of the self-imposed Libya National Army (LNA) of eastern Libya strongman Khalifa Haftar, Libya Update reports. I highlighted the importance of maintaining calm on the ground, and of guaranteeing the payment of salaries to all Libyan counterparts, regardless of political or organizational affiliation, she said on Twitter after meeting Dbeibeh to brief him on the outcomes of the consultations on elections constitutional framework, that were held in Cairo a week ago with the Joint Committee consisting of members from the House of Representatives and High Council of State. Dbeibeh who leads the Government of National Unity (GNU) has refused to release the salaries of the LNA soldiers and those of Internal Security Agency (ISA) located in the south of the country. Dbeibeh withdrew his backing to the LNA as it has endorsed the appointment by the parliament of former Interior Minister Fati Bashagha to replace Dbeibeh in February. The legislature sitting in Tobruk ousted the GNU leader arguing that his term came to an end on December 24, the date set for the failed presidential elections. Dbeibeh has refused to relinquish power and denied Bashaghas access to capital Tripoli. The Security and Defense Committee of the parliament also issued a statement calling on the Attorney General to immediately take responsibility and open an investigation against the refusal to disburse the salaries of the LNA soldiers, Libya Update reports. The Committee reportedly called on the Attorney-General to also question Minister of Finance Khaled Al-Mabrouk over the suspension of payment, which the committee claims amounts to a war crime. Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, held talks, Wednesday evening in Nouakchott, with Moroccos ambassador to Mauritania, Hamid Chabar. Discussions focused on relations of cooperation between the two brotherly countries and ways to further strengthen them, as well as issues of common interest. This meeting takes place one day after the appointment of Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug to this position in the new cabinet led by Mohamed Ould Bilal Massoud. Mohamed Ould Bilal Massoud was named Prime Minister on March 31, in replacement of Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, appointed Director of the Presidential Cabinet. Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, insists on the need to refrain from anything that could aggravate the situation in the Palestinian territories and the consequences that could lead the region to more tension, said, Thursday in Amman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita. The intensification of shameful and illegal practices in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and Al-Aqsa Mosque is due to the spread of malicious hate speech by extremist individuals and groups who claim to have the right to the blessed mosque and the Bouraq Wall, although they are purely part of the Islamic heritage, according to the decision of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on October 18, 2016, pointed out Bourita who was speaking at the emergency meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee for International Action against the illegal Israeli policies and measures in occupied Al-Quds. In this regard, he noted that what is happening in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and Al-Aqsa Mosque is the inevitable result of systematic provocative practices that continue throughout the year and intensify with the advent of the month of Ramadan. This emergency meeting comes at a time when the Palestinian cause and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in particular, are experiencing difficult circumstances due to incursions and serious attacks that Al-Haram Al-Qudsi and the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque are witnessing, and which have led to terrorize the faithful by injuring and arresting hundreds of them, said Bourita. The Minister stressed that the violation of the legal status in the city of Al-Quds and Al-Haram Al-Qudsi and the attempts to legislate the temporal and spatial division of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to enshrine this situation in the daily reality are unacceptable and must be stopped for the sake of peace and stability. He recalled, in this regard, that following the recent events in the esplanade of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and on the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, the Charge dAffaires of the Israeli Liaison Office in Rabat was summoned to be informed of the condemnation of the attacks against the worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the undermining of the sanctity of the mosque. The minister stressed that the continuation of acts contrary to international law and international legitimacy in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, further widens the gap between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, undermines confidence-building measures, constitutes a clear provocation to all Arabs and Muslims, and stirs up extremist tensions that lead to escalation and more violence in the entire region. In this context, Bourita called on Arab countries to avoid sterile outbidding and to unify positions as to the importance of undertaking an intense diplomatic effort to preserve the holy city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif as a common heritage of humanity, a land of encounter and a symbol of peaceful coexistence for the followers of the three monotheistic religions, as affirmed in the Al-Quds appeal signed by King Mohammed VI and Pope Francis in Rabat on March 30, 2019. Furthermore, the minister expressed his deep concern and regret after the UN Security Council was unable to adopt a resolution to stop the provocative acts and dangerous escalation in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif as a result of the repeated incursions and attacks on Al-Haram Al-Sharif. Along with the call for an immediate halt to any form of escalation in the Holy City, Bourita stressed the imperative of supporting the city of Al Quds and the resistance of its inhabitants, reiterating the full solidarity of Morocco with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to regain their freedom and establish their independent State on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Al Quds as capital, in accordance with the internationally agreed upon two-state solution, and its belief in the virtues of dialogue and negotiation as the only way to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, away from acts of violence and unilateral actions. The role played by Al-Quds Committee, chaired by King Mohammed VI, through Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, in supporting the Holy City and Maqdissis, was hailed by the Arab Ministerial Committee for the International Action against Illegal Israeli Policies and Measures in Al-Quds. In its final statement released Thursday following its emergency meeting held in Amman with the participation of Moroccan FM Nasser Bourita, the Arab Committee paid tribute to the resilience of the Palestinian people and institutions in defending Al-Quds and its Holy Places, including Al-Aqsa Mosque. It voiced strong support to the right of the Palestinians to freedom and to establish an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Al-Quds as its capital on the basis of the two states option in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. The statement also called on Israel to stop its aggression in all the occupied Palestinian territories, to lift the siege imposed on Gaza Strip and to end all measures that undermine security & peace and jeopardize the two-state solution and the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace, which remains an Arab strategic choice and a regional and international necessity. During its emergency meeting in Amman, the committee members discussed ways of countering the dangerous Israeli escalation at Al Aqsa Mosque, a joint action plan to halt the Israeli assaults and violations against the holy sites, and stop the violence and restore peace. The Arab Ministerial Committee for the International Action against Illegal Israeli Policies and Measures in Al-Quds is composed of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, UAE and Secretary General of the Arab League. In his report to the committee, Secretary General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed the importance of the phone talk held by King Mohammed VI of Morocco and King Abdullah II of Jordan on April 18, within the framework of coordinating Arab efforts to stem the tide of violence to which Al-Aqsa Mosque is exposed. The two Sovereigns considered that this escalation is likely to stir up feelings of rancor, hatred and extremism and destroy the chances of reviving the peace process in the region. Morocco has called for conducting a census and registration of refugees and displaced persons victim of climate change in Africa, and their protection from any kind of exploitation. The call was launched by Moroccos Permanent Representative to the African Union and UNECA, Mohamed Arrouchi, Thursday during a meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on the theme Climate Change, Peace and Security in Africa. The Moroccan diplomat stressed the imperative to conduct the census and registration of refugees and displaced persons victims of climate change in Africa, calling for their protection from any kind of exploitation. He expressed concern over the increasing disproportionate impacts of climate change on Africa and the challenges posed to the socio-economic development of the continent. The Moroccan delegation to this session called for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges posed by climate change and which interfere with peace and security on our continent. It stressed in this context the need to continue to support and strengthen the three climate commissions established at the COP22 held in Marrakech in 2016, in order to facilitate the implementation of the Paris Agreement throughout Africa, focusing on the Sahel region, the Congo Basin and African island states. The delegation, which recalled that the number of refugees is likely to reach 250 million people due to climate change, called for the implementation of the relevant decisions of the conference which request the AU Commission to ensure the civilian character of the camps, the protection, census and registration of refugees and displaced persons and their protection against any form of exploitation. Grant funding to a local researcher will help her effort to create more habitat for beneficial predator insects that devour their pest counterparts. Julie Peterson, field crops entomology specialist at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, will begin two new projects through the grants one funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Were looking at grass-based habitat, Peterson said. Were actually looking at fields farmers have enrolled into (the) Conservation Reserve Program. Peterson and her students will also be working alongside researchers at Iowa State University on a program called Prairie Strip. The idea is like in a crop field, youd have kind of a long, linear strip where the grower would put like a natural prairie seed mix, Peterson said. It looks really cool. Youd have a field of corn or soybeans and then youd have these strips of wildflowers and grasses. The wildflowers and grasses are designed to attract pollinators, such as bees and other beneficial insects. Im, of course, really interested in insects that eat the bad pest insects, Peterson said. Lady beetles are a really good classical example. They eat aphids, they eat the eggs of the western bean cutworm, which is a really bad corn pest. She said some of the smaller lady beetles also eat spider mites, which are a corn pest as well. Were interested in ways that we can kind of add habitat back into a cultural landscape, Peterson said. This kind of habitat would help support those beneficial insects including the pollinators, but also would help support lady beetles and lace wings and other kind of predatory beetles. The hope, Peterson said, is beneficial insects will move from the CRP grass-based habitat into the adjacent crop fields, and suppress the pests in those fields. We think theres going to be benefits to that, but of course, she said, were open to looking at what the results tell us because we do know that sometimes CRP or grass-based habitat could support pests that then go to the cornfield as well. Almost all studies on the subject, Peterson said, have found much more benefit than risk. But, of course, were going in with an open mind and were making sure were looking at all sides of the data, she said. Peterson will have two new graduate students helping her with the grass-based habitat project, Hannah Stowe and Araceli Gomez Villegas. Hannah is from Kansas and she is focusing more on the predators, like the lady beetles and the lacewings and things that could eat the pests, Peterson said. Araceli is going to be focusing on the pollinators. What are some other benefits that this CRP habitat can provide if it has flowers in there, if it has places where the bees and the pollinators can nest, places where they can spend the winter safely? As part of the Prairie Strip program, linear strips of natural prairie seed mix is planted in a crop field. Youd have a field of corn or soybeans and then youd have these strips of wildflowers and grasses, Peterson said. Its been found to be really beneficial helping prevent soil runoff, nitrogen runoff. Plants in the prairie seed mix also have deep roots, which help in anchoring the soil. It also can provide some benefit with having some habitat for pollinators and habitat for the beneficial insects that can then be biological control in that crop thats right next to the strip, Peterson said. The strips are a buffer and can be described as a big diaper, Peterson said. With the prairie plant, the root systems are really complex and really deep so it really creates diaper is a really good word for it, she said. It can absorb the water and nitrogen and prevent that runoff and that leeching. The program has been well adopted at Iowa State, Peterson said, and the university has received grant funding to expand the program to other states. Aspects of the program were also included in the most recent federal Farm Bill, incorporated into the federal USDA National Resources Conservation Service agency. Area farmers can go to a USDA Field Service Office to see if their land could fit into the program, Peterson said. Were putting some demonstration of this at our Brule farm, between Brule and Big Springs, Peterson said. Were hoping to seed it here really soon. That will be really cool to see that established. The process to get the plot established could take several years, Peterson said. When you first plant the prairie seeds, its a lot of weeds and its going to look really bad, she said. You kind of have to not, like dont judge it in the first year. Once it is established, she said in year three and year four it will look nice. Theres a lot of benefits for the soil, the water and nitrogen run off and it has the insect benefits as well, Peterson said. Both programs ultimately aim, Peterson said, to use less instecides on the land. Youre probably not going to get to zero insecticide use ever, but if they can suppress those pests and keep them below that economic threshold, Peterson said, maybe you have to spray maybe only once every five years instead of three times every five years. Then that is a huge savings. Not only is it savings for the farmer in the checkbook, but it can also have a positive impact on human health. Its reducing the amount of chemicals the farmer and applicator have to be exposed to and reducing the chemical exposure in the environment too, Peterson said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A 23-year-old Brule man is charged with two misdemeanors after he is alleged to have removed his clothes and walked around the Nebraska Truck Center Wednesday morning as he made religious statements. The man appeared in Lincoln County Court Thursday afternoon and was charged with second-degree trespassing and disturbing the peace. A personal recognizance bail was set at $1,000 and a court hearing was scheduled for April 28. According to court documents: North Platte police officers responded to the truck center at 9:07 a.m. to a report of a male who had entered the building and initially refused to leave. A truck center employee told the officers than the man initially began preaching by the office, then had walked toward a back area that is for employees only. The man continued to preach as he removed his clothing. The man had put his clothes back on and left the building before the officers arrived. He was located and arrested near some trailers on the property. The officers asked him what was going on and he responded that he was praising Satan. Following the untimely death of an older cousin and mentor, Young Dolph, Key Glock has returned to the stage without his partner. This is his first solo headlining tour. Coming back to Indianapolis with a sold-out show last night, the tour opened with local DJ, DJ Struck followed by PRE artists Jay Fizzle and Kenny Muney. Glock performed songs from his latest album, Yellow Tape 2, and his most popular song, "Ambition for Cash". ALSTOM SA Alstom wins largest light rail contract in Australia to deliver Next Generation Trams for Melbourne, Victoria Framework agreement with Department of Transport Victoria worth approximately 700 million to provide 100 low - floor next generation trams Flexity 2 light rail vehicle adapted to meet customers specific requirements for the Melbourne Tram Network 21 April 2022 Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a framework contract with Department of Transport Victoria, Australia, for the provision of 100 Flexity low-floor Next Generation Trams (NGTs) for the largest urban tram network in the world. Valued at approximately 700 million, the contract includes supply of rolling stock and 15-year maintenance making this the biggest tram contract in Australia and in the Southern hemisphere. Delivery of the Flexity 2 light rail vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2025. Introduction of the low-floor NGT fleet will enable gradual retirement of further high-floor trams from the Melbourne network, ensuring compliance with disability standards for accessible transport (DSAPT) requirements and provide a modern, inclusive, safe and reliable transport network for all passengers. The new fleet will further support the increase in network capacity requirements to meet the projected population growth. We are very excited to be awarded this significant contract for the Melbourne Tram Network. This is a strong validation of our commitment to deliver mobility solutions that meet the specific requirements of our customers. The contract awarded by the Department of Transport in Victoria is a strong recognition of our strength and track record in delivering our innovative solutions locally. The project will provide a solution to address the balance in passenger demand growth and the need for sustainable mobility outcomes. says, Ling Fang, President of Asia-Pacific Region, Alstom. We are delighted to continue to support and be part of the Victorian Governments investment plan to provide safe, efficient and modern mobility solutions to meet the future growth of the State. Trams are a crucial transport mode in Melbourne. The local delivery of this project will provide an all-inclusive experience for commuters while securing the manufacturing future and supply chains of one of Australias longest-standing rolling stock manufacturing hubs at Dandenong for the next decade, confirming Victoria as the leading railway manufacturing State in Australia. says Mark Coxon, Managing Director of Alstom Australia and New Zealand. Story continues Demonstrating its strong commitment to localisation, the contract includes 65% local content with the NGTs being manufactured at Alstoms Dandenong facility in Victoria. Additionally the maintenance contract includes 85% local content. The contract will provide long-term stability to the local railway industry and supply chains in Victoria. The award-winning designs of Flexity trams are matched by innovative technology and environmental excellence. Flexity trams were the first in the industry to combine 100 per cent low-floor technology with conventional bogies. The modular concept paired with proven subsystems make Flexity trams a perfect fit for various customer needs, from tropical to winter climates as well as for smaller to higher capacities. With a track record of over 30 years, more than 8,000 Alstom trams have been ordered or are already in successful revenue service in 70 cities around the globe. In this contract, the Flexity vehicle has been adapted to meet the Melbourne Tram Networks specifications allowing for seamless integration into the vast network without the need for expensive infrastructure, traction power upgrades or new signalling. The trams will also integrate an onboard energy storage system (OESS). The trams combine a unique identity well suited to the operability needs and user experience, built on the extensive Flexity operational history in Melbourne. Designed with passenger safety and comfort in mind, each of the new trams has multi-purpose areas that offer ample space for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs. The fully air-conditioned vehicles with high energy efficiency and noise-optimised design keeps the interior quiet while in operation. This order adds to Alstoms already significant rolling stock fleet in Victoria which includes 141 Flexity and Citadis trams, 106 Xtrapolis suburban trains and 95 Vlocity regional trains with more to be delivered. Alstom, Citadis, Flexity and Xtrapolis are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group. About Alstom Leading societies to a low carbon future, Alstom develops and markets mobility solutions that provide the sustainable foundations for the future of transportation. Alstoms product portfolio ranges from high-speed trains, metros, monorails and trams, to integrated systems, customised services, infrastructure, signalling, and digital mobility solutions. Alstom has 150,000 vehicles in commercial service worldwide. With Bombardier Transportation joining Alstom on January 29, 2021, the enlarged Groups combined proforma revenue amounts to 14 billion for the 12-month period ended March 31, 2021. Headquartered in France, Alstom is now present in 70 countries and employs more than 70,000 people. www.alstom.com Alstom has been providing sustainable infrastructure solutions in Australia for more than 100 years and is Australias only end-to-end manufacturer of trains and trams. Alstom employs approximately 1,650 people across more than 25 sites that include engineering centres, manufacturing facilities, project delivery offices and maintenance depots & workshops. Alstom is committed to supporting the Australian and New Zealand railway markets through the application of the latest innovative and proven technologies that are designed to provide an optimal lifecycle cost for our customers while delivering a seamless and superior passenger experience. Contacts Press: Coralie COLLET Tel.: +33 (0) 7 63 63 09 62 coralie.collet@alstomgroup.com Samuel MILLER - Tel.: +33 (0) 6 65 47 40 14 samuel.miller@alstomgroup.com Australia: Sheldon YOUNG Tel.: +61 419 322 624 sheldon.young@alstomgroup.com Investor Relations: Martin VAUJOUR Tel.: +33 (6) 88 40 17 57 martin.vaujour@alstomgroup.com Claire LEPELLETIER Tel.: +33 (6) 76 64 33 06 claire.lepelletier@alstomgroup.com Attachment Accomplished Water Leader Expands Anser Advisory's IIJA and Water Capabilities in Texas AUSTIN, Texas, April 21, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Anser Advisory announced today that it has appointed Carlos Rubinstein as IIJA and Texas Special Advisor. Mr. Rubinstein has over 38 years of experience in state and municipal management and regulation. He previously served as Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, Commissioner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and City Manager of Brownsville, Texas. His expertise includes an emphasis on water management, water resources, international water treaties, water quality, environmental enforcement, compliance, and waste management. In his new role, Mr. Rubinstein will help Anser Advisory clients develop and implement solutions to Texas's water and environmental management challenges. His work will focus on innovative program delivery and supporting clients with the significant water infrastructure opportunities that will be possible through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Anser Advisory's CEO, Bryan Carruthers, noted, "Anser Advisory is honored to add Carlos to the team and offer his extensive water leadership capabilities to our Texas clients. Texas faces significant water management challenges, and Carloss experience and expertise in Texas, coupled with Anser Advisorys national water subject matter expertise will uniquely support our clients in developing innovative solutions to those challenges." In response to his appointment, Mr. Rubinstein expressed, "I look forward to working with Anser Advisorys exceptional team on advancing client missions and end-user interests in reliable and cost-effective water solutions." About Anser Advisory Anser Advisory is an ENR Top 50 Program Management firm, and Great Place To Work designated 2021 Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services. Anser Advisory specializes in consulting services that include deep subject matter expertise across acquisition and procurement management, security consulting, enterprise technology management, training solutions, program controls, and project, program, and agency construction management. Story continues Anser Advisory professionals support civil infrastructure, social infrastructure, and Federal Infrastructure clients across the country. ALASKA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | FLORIDA | ILLINOIS | MASSACHUSETTS | NEW YORK | NEW JERSEY | NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA | TEXAS | VIRGINIA For More Information About Anser Advisory: www.anseradvisory.com About Federaldollars: https://www.linkedin.com/company/federaldollars/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005157/en/ Contacts Christina Salinas, Communications Manager Press Contact: marketing@anseradvisory.com Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12. Binance, the world's largest crypto trading exchange by volume, has recruited two former regulators to enhance its surveillance capabilities and strengthen its compliance efforts. The exchange hired Seth Levy as head of market surveillance. Previously, he worked for U.S. regulator Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Binance said in a press release on Thursday. Steven McWhirter joins from the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as director of regulatory policy. Binance is seeking to improve its image after coming under pressure from regulators worldwide in recent months. In the U.K., the FCA said Binance's local affiliate was not authorized to operate within the country; Japans Financial Services Agency said Binance is not registered to do business within the country; and as recently as, February the exchange halted activities in Israel. It appointed its first chief regulatory liaison officer in October. The exchange launched a regulated subsidiary, Binance.US, in 2019. It has faced scrutiny from U.S. regulator the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) over U.S. customers potentially trading derivatives. More regulation will be coming after President Joe Biden issued an executive order in March asking all federal agencies to coordinate their efforts in regulating the crypto sector. Levy, who spent 16 years at FINRA and was most recently the senior director of trading analysis within the market regulation department, will oversee efforts to build out and implement a surveillance infrastructure and system. "Our goal is to ensure that Binance users are protected from any form of nefarious activity or bad actors," Levy said in the release. McWhirter was at the FCA for nine years, most recently as strategy and engagement manager in the data, technology and innovation division. The U.K. earlier this month said it wants to become a crypto hub, and has shifted its regulatory efforts up a few gears by announcing a crypto policy package. CORRECTION (April 22, 07:30 UTC): Corrects dek and second graph to clarify that Levy previously worked at FINRA. ReportLinker Major players in the dishwashers market are Electrolux AB, LG Electronics, Whirlpool, Robert Bosch, AGA Rangemaster, Asko Appliances Dacor, Fagor America, Haier Group Corporation, Hoover Candy Group, and Miele, Dacor Inc. New York, March 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Dishwashers Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06247492/?utm_source=GNW The global dishwashers market is expected to grow from $70.92 billion in 2021 to $76.55 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%.The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and 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 $109.28 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 9.3%. The dishwashers market consists of revenues generated by entities (organizations, sole traders, or partnerships) that carry out design, manufacturing, and sales of dishwashers.The market also consists of sales of electric dishwashers. Dishwashers are household electric appliances that are used to clean utensils. The main product types of dishwashers are freestanding and built-in.A freestanding dishwasher is designed to be a standalone unit that can be placed anywhere that the user has access to water and drainage. They come standard with sides and a top, and they connect the same way under bench dishwashers do. The dishwashers are used for commercial and residential applications that are distributed through online stores and offline stores. Asia Pacific was the largest region in the dishwashers market in 2021.Western Europe was the second-largest region in the dishwashers market. The regions covered in the dishwasher market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The increase in number of working population is expected to increase the demand for dishwasher appliance market.The working population has busy lifestyles, thus have less time to take care of household activities such as cleaning and washing. This arises the need for the convenient household appliances which save time and energy of households.Also due to COVID-19 lockdown, when domestic helps were not available, the demand for dishwashers has witnessed a sales surge in India. The increase in demand is mostly due to lack of time among working professionals during the lockdown period.For instance, according to Bosch-Siemens CEO in India, there was an over booking of 20,000 dishwasher post COVID-19 lockdown period in 2020. Therefore, increase in number of working populations coupled with COVID-19 norms for social distancing has spurred the demand for dishwashers during the period. Stainless steel is a major raw material used in dishwashers manufacturing.As the cost of steel increases simultaneously the production cost of dishwasher also increases. For instance, in late 2020s, the Indian manufacturers of steel has increased the steel prices due to rising iron ore prices and strong demand for steel.In December 2020, the steel companies were charging around $34 to $37 (?2,500 to ?2,700) a ton of both flat and long products. Therefore, the fluctuation in raw material prices is expected to restrain the dishwashers market during the forecast period. The household appliance manufacturers are integrating their products with the IoT technology to make customers lives comfortable and convenient.Internet of Things technology is the interconnectivity of physical objects and devices that are integrated with sensors and software that allow them to exchange and collect data. Major technologies enabling smart household appliances include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, micro server and micro-electromechanical systems. For instance, Bosch has created home connect, an app that enables the user to monitor their refrigerators, cookers, washing machines, dishwashers and other devices from anywhere through their smart phones. The countries covered in the dishwasher market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06247492/?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 Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Notice body Auburn University Libraries final Discover Auburn Lecture Series program of the spring semester on Thursday, April 28, at 3 p.m. will feature Paula Webb, librarian at the University of South Alabama, speaking on her book Such a Woman: The Life of Madame Octavia Walton LeVert. LeVert was the granddaughter of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the daughter of the first Secretary for Florida, and the first woman to represent the United States outside the country. Her literary salon in Mobile, Alabama, and the publication of her only book, Souvenirs of Travel, resulted in international fame until her Union sympathies during the Civil War ended it all. Webbs Discover Auburn program will be available as both an in-person program in the Caroline Marshall Draughon Auditorium on the ground floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library and as a Zoom presentation here. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Notice body April is National Parkinsons Awareness month. To help spread awareness of the ways in which Parkinsons can affect a persons speech, the Auburn University Speech and Hearing Clinic reminds the public of its evidence-based treatment programs to improve voice and speech. The LSVT LOUD speech therapy program consists of 16 consecutive sessions across four weeks, individual sessions and daily homework and exercises. The clinically proven SPEAK OUT treatment combines education with individual and group speech therapy sessions. Laura Willis, clinical professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and Speech-Language Pathology Clinic coordinator at Auburn University, is the only provider in the Auburn area trained to administer both LSVT LOUD and SPEAK OUT treatments. Approximately 89 percent of individuals diagnosed with Parkinsons disease experience speech and voice disorders, Willis said. I enjoy working with clients using treatment methods that have been proven effective by research yet tailored to each individuals unique communication needs. I have seen the LSVT LOUD program result in significant progress with voice which results in life improvements. Its a privilege to set goals with clients and celebrate when they begin to notice positive changes in their overall communication. Parkinsons is a progressive disease of the nervous system that primarily affects a persons motor skills. Most Parkinsons patients also report speech and voice problems, including uncertain articulation and changes to their voice. This can affect an individuals willingness to communicate, confidence and social engagement. Research recommends speech therapy be included in a multidisciplinary Parkinsons treatment plan to improve patient quality of life. Phillip Sides of Montgomery, Alabama, said the Auburn University Speech and Hearing Clinics treatments and family atmosphere helped his speech improve significantly within weeks. This speech therapy has been the most rewarding of everything Ive done, Sides said. It has been so rewarding when I talk with friends and associates to hear them say how much better my voice sounds. My volume, diction and articulation have all improved amazingly. If you or anyone you know can benefit from the LVST program, I highly recommend Laura Willis and her students. They are the best. The Auburn University Speech and Hearing Clinic is located on the first floor of the Haley Center on Auburns campus. State-licensed, nationally certified audiologists and speech-language pathologists staff the clinic with the assistance of Auburn students enrolled in the speech-language pathology and audiology programs. The clinic offers services in audiological assessment, auditory disorders, auditory treatments, speech and language assessment, and speech and language treatment for adults and children. Therapy is provided primarily face to face, however telepractice is available when appropriate. Caregivers are encouraged to watch from observation rooms and engage in sessions to facilitate generalization. For more information, visit the Auburn University Speech and Hearing Clinic website. New Mexico Issues $137,000 Fine, Willful Citation to Movie Production Filming Rust The agency investigated an incident from October 2021 that lead to a worker's death. A movie production company is being cited and fined after an incident in October 2021 left one worker dead and another injured. Last October, a production crew was filming the movie Rust in New Mexico when Producer and Actor Alex Baldwin discharged a prop gun. It killed Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured Director Joel Souza. According to a news release, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OSHB) investigated and cited Rust Movie Productions, LLC for a willful-serious violation and a $136,793 fine for plain indifference relating to firearm safety on set. Industry guidelines require that when on set, live ammunition cannot be used or located on-site, safety meetings be held and firearms should not be pointed at anyone without an authorized person being notified. Per the release, these guidelines were not followed on set. Our investigation found that this tragic incident never would have happened if Rust Movie Productions, LLC had followed national film industry standards for firearm safety, said Environment Cabinet Secretary James Kenney in the news release. This is a complete failure of the employer to follow recognized national protocols that keep employees safe. Russias oil production is estimated to have declined by 10 percent since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, satellite images of flaring at oilfields and leaks from traders and Russian statistics suggest, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Javier Blas writes. Russian oil and condensate production averaged around 10.2 million bpd in the first two weeks of April, according to consultancy OilX, which analyzes flaring at Russian oilfields using NASA images. The output in the first half of April is much lower than 11.1 million bpd production in February and 11 million bpd in March, Bloombergs Blas notes. A chronic decline in Russian oil production due to sanctions and buyers strike could lead to another, more sustained jump in oil prices. Russian crude output started to feel the sting of the sanctions and self-sanctioning of buyers and was 300,000 bpd below target in March, according to an OPEC+ report seen by Reuters this week. Russias crude oil production averaged 300,000 bpd below target at 10.018 million bpd, per secondary sources in the report. Russias oil industry is already showing signs of slowing down as Western buyers shun Russian oil while Moscow struggles to replace lost sales in the West with sales in emerging Asian markets. The war Putin started in Ukraine is hitting home: storage capacity is full, infrastructure and shipping logistics prevent Russian from exporting all the oil unwanted in the West to China and India, refineries are cutting run rates as product storage is overflowing, and as a result, companies are scaling back crude production. Related: OPEC+ Missed Its March Output Quota By 1.45 Million Bpd Russian oil supply is expected to fall by 1.5 million bpd in April, with shut-ins projected to accelerate to around 3 million bpd from May, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its monthly report last week. In a rare firesale, Rosneft is now reportedly offering as many as 37.4 million barrels of the flagship Urals crude for May and June loadingsa sign that Russias top oil producer is racing to award spot tenders before any possible EU embargo on Russian oil comes into force. Major international traders have already said they would either cut or phase out purchases of Russias crude in the coming weeks. The worlds top independent oil trader, Vitol, plans to wind down its activities involving Russian crude oil by the end of this year, Bloomberg reported last week, citing a spokesman for the company. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinas overseas-focused state oil explorer and producer CNOOC gained 44 percent in its first day of trading in mainland China in the latest sign of growing investor appetite for oil and gas exposure. CNOOC, Bloomberg recalls, was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange because of U.S. sanctions last year. The Trump administration added the Chinese state oil company to a black list of companies banned from access to U.S. technology without specific permission. Following its New York delisting, CNOOC said it would float its shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, seeking to raise some $5.4 billion to use for project development. Later, the total amount of money was revised down to $4.3 billion. We will take this opportunity to make full use of domestic and overseas financing channels to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the company, CNOOCs chairman Wang Dongjin said in a statement as quoted by Bloomberg. Meanwhile, CNOOC is pulling out of Europe and North America for fear it may become subject to further sanction action, Reuters reported earlier this month. Citing industry sources, the report said the Chinese oil company was preparing to exit its business in Britain, the United States, and Canada. The combined output of these assets, per Reuters calculations, stands at some 220,000 bpd. According to one industry source who spoke to Reuters, these assets were considered marginal and hard to manage by the company. In the meantime, however, CNOOC is seeking to expand in Africa and Latin America, and more specifically in Brazil, Uganda, and Guyana, the Reuters report also said. In its report on the CNOOC listing, Bloomberg noted that the companys focus on exploration and production offers investors more direct exposure to the oil price rally than its fellow state oil majors, which also have substantial downstream businesses. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As oil and gas prices continue to soar investment in renewable energy is growing, but it is energy storage that holds the key to an energy transition. An energy crunch is causing higher oil and gas prices. The war in Ukraine caused these prices to soar even higher. As a result, governments on both sides of the Atlantic are racing to build more wind and solar to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Enter energy storage. The UK government is planning to have installed 50 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. The EU is eyeing 525 GW of solar power alone by 2030 under the new REPowerEU program. And in the United States, the Biden administration is dedicating billions to new capacity and grid upgrades to accommodate this capacity. Wind and solar power have been touted as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels. While the cheaper renewables argument has come under pressure from raw material price trends recently, wind and solar are still considered lower-emission alternatives to fossil fuels and what is perhaps a greater advantage, they can be built locally in pretty much any country. No wonder then that the EU has picked wind and solar as two of its pillars of energy security, along with things like hydrogen and biomass. However, for all their advantages, wind and solar installations do not produce electricity around the clock, which makes them less than perfect. This is where energy storage comes in. Once called the Holy Grail of renewable energy, energy storage is quickly turning into the Holy Grail of the energy transition. There have been ideas of building redundant wind and solar generation capacity to make up for the intermittency problem, but these ideas tend to come from non-energy experts and as such, deserve little attention. Storage, on the other hand, is something that all, including critics of the approach to the transition, agree is vital for its success. Unfortunately, storage, on the scale that is necessary to make wind and solar viable as the dominant sources of electricity anywhere in the world, is as challenging as it is vital. In a recent article for Reuters, Angeli Mehta cited data from energy consultancy Aurora Energy Research that said the UK alone would need some 24 GW of storage if it was to have a decarbonized grid. But that wont be just any battery array. This is 24 GW in long-duration storage that is needed. Long-duration storage, as the name suggests, refers to storage that can, when necessary, supply power for a period longer than 45 minutes or an hour, which is what todays battery storage facilities can manage. And one of these facilities is the worlds largest battery storage installation to date. Related: Guyana Considers Creating Own State-Owned Oil Company Currently, Mehta went on to note, the UK uses pumped hydro installations for long-duration storage. However, there are only four such facilities in the whole country, and the last of these was built in the 1980s. In other words, if the UK is to achieve its decarbonization goals, it needs a lot of new storage, and it needs it urgently. This is where the problems begin. One way to achieve a fast buildup of energy storage is by putting up battery arrays everywhere it is possible. The challenge in that is that the cost-efficiency ratio of battery storage is changing in front of our very eyes as raw material prices skyrocket propelled by tight supply that is particularly notable in battery metals and minerals. According to some sources, such as the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, cost is not a problem. In a recent report, the NREL said that strong demand for battery-powered cars and storage - but particularly cars- will lead to further technological advancements in batteries, which will reduce the cost of the batteries themselves. In the sale report, the NREL expects an acceleration in the deployment of energy storage across the U.S., from 100 GW at the moment to 650 GW in 2050. The most common type of storage, according to the laboratory, would be the type that supplies power for between 4 and 6 hours. The tech advancement argument has been put forward repeatedly in the context of battery cost reduction. Indeed, technological advancements are essential for bringing down the cost of one product or another. However, what appears to often get overlooked is the finite horizon of innovation in most technologies. What this means is that at some point, the space for innovation and improvement ends, and prices cannot be brought down any further. More importantly, however, the raw material conundrum needs to be solved before all the energy transition pioneers in Europe, the UK, and the U.S. unleash a wave of energy storage. Even assuming that cost is not an issue, there is the very physical issue of the adequate supply of all the necessary materials for the massive batteries that would need to be built to address the intermittency problem of wind and solar. Addressing this issue will take years and add further to costs, ultimately affecting electricity bills. Energy storage is indeed the Holy Grail of the energy transition. Finding the optimal approach to building this storage in a cost-efficient way that would not compromise the economics of renewable energy might just need its own crusade. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Instead of focusing on boosting the production of gasoline in the summer driving season, this year U.S. refiners will be looking to raise diesel and jet fuel runs, as the global market of distillates is very tight following the Russian war in Ukraine and supports high refinery margins for those products. Refiners prepare to raise diesel and jet fuel production, whose output is currently more profitable than gasoline, according to analysts and traders who spoke to Reuters Laura Sanicola. Its not typical for those fuels to yield more for refiners than gasoline, especially just ahead of the summer driving season, but the diesel crunch in Europe due to the sanctions on Russia and the rebounding air travel demand have upended the oil product markets globally. Europe risks being exposed to a systemic deficit of diesel supply that could worsen and even lead to rationing of fuel, the top executives of the worlds largest independent oil traders said last month. Diesel stocks globally were already low even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the shortage has now been exacerbated by the lower global diesel supply from Russia. According to Russell Hardy, chief executive at the worlds biggest independent trader Vitol, The thing that everybodys concerned about will be diesel supplies. In aviation fuel supply, the U.S. East Coast is seeing record high jet fuel prices as the global market of distillates is exceptionally tight after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the return of air travel after the pandemic. Related: Russias Oil Production Has Dropped By 10% Since The Start Of The War In Ukraine The latest four-week average of U.S. total distillate exports show those exports jumped in the four weeks to mid-April to the highest level since the summer of 2019. Distillate fuel inventories in the United States fell by 2.7 million barrels last week and are about 20 percent below the five-year average for this time of year, the EIA said in its weekly petroleum inventory report on Wednesday. US Gulf Coast (USGC) refining margins against WTI soared in March, posting gains for the fourth consecutive month, OPEC said in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report last week. The atypical jump in refining economics was largely impacted by a rise in product exports amid concerns over tightening product availability with regards to sanctions on Russian crude and products, which incentivized some European countries to seek alternative suppliers, mainly for diesel. The bullish market sentiment has apparently widened the arbitrage window and provided a boost in US diesel exports to Europe, OPEC said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. supermajor ExxonMobil, which joined other international majors in announcing withdrawal from Russian oil and gas projects, plans to shut down all its businesses in Russia by June 24, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting two sources with knowledge of the discussions. In early March, days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Exxon said it would exit the Sakhalin-1 oil project in Russia, following the example of other majors, including BP and Shell, who quit their Russian operations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ExxonMobil operated the Sakhalin-1 project on behalf of an international consortium of Japanese, Indian, and Russian companies. The process to discontinue operations will need to be carefully managed and closely coordinated with the co-venturers in order to ensure it is executed safely, the supermajor said in early March, adding that it would not invest in new developments in Russia, either. According to Reuters sources, Exxon is now looking to shut down by June 24 its other operations in Russia, including sales of the Mobil brand of lubricants. In a filing to the SEC regarding market and planned factors that would affect its first-quarter earnings, Exxon said in early April that the exit from the Sakhalin-1 project alone could lead to an impairment charge of $4 billion. In light of the ongoing situation in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia, the Company is proceeding with efforts to discontinue operations at the Sakhalin-1 project (Sakhalin) and is developing steps to exit the venture, Exxon said. As operator of Sakhalin, the Company remains focused on the safety of people, protection of the environment and integrity of operations. Depending on the terms of its exit from Sakhalin, the Company may be required to impair its investment in the project up to the full book value of Property, Plant and Equipment of $4 billion. Shell has also flagged that its withdrawal from activities in Russia would result in impairment of non-current assets and additional charges of $4 billion-$5 billion for the first quarter of 2022. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Prices at the pump directly correlate with presidential approval ratings, the chief executive of FedEx told Fox News this week, citing a conversation he had with President Obama. Obama "one [time] told me in a small group that everybody thought his poll numbers went up on this, that and the other thing," Fred Smith said. "He said they were almost perfectly correlated with the price of gasoline." A recent poll by Quinnipiac University suggested that most Americans blame high gas prices on President Biden's energy policies more than on any other topical issue. "What is more responsible when topping off the tank hurts? A raging war launched from Moscow, or an economic policy constructed in D.C.? More Americans say blame falls on the latter," polling analyst Tim Malloy said, as quoted by local media. Meanwhile, a Gallup poll showed that the president's approval ratings were declining the fastest among younger voters, The Hill reported recently. Since the start of his presidency, the poll found, approval among millennials and Gen Z for President Biden had shed 20 percent. Meanwhile, summer gasoline prices in the U.S. are expected to be the highest since 2014, the Energy Information Administration said earlier this month. The national average for the summer driving season is seen at $3.84 per gallon, up from $3.06 per gallon last year, the EIA said. While the war in Ukraine will continue to exert upward pressure on prices, the ongoing effects of the pandemic will have a smaller effect on gasoline and diesel consumption in the United States this summer season compared with the past two summers. Overall, U.S. gasoline and diesel demand continue to remain below the respective 2019 averages, the authority also noted. The latest daily average price data from the AAA shows a national average of $4.114 per gallon, which is down from $4.255 per gallon a month ago but up from $2.872 per gallon a year ago. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Drive at lower speeds on highways, turn down the thermostat and use less air-conditioning, work from home, use public transport, and prefer trains to short-haul flights. These are some of the measures outlined on Thursday by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission which, they say, would save EU households money, reduce EU reliance on Russian fossil fuels, support Ukraine, and help the fight against climate change. Cutting energy use also supports Ukraine by reducing the need for Russian oil and gas, helping to reduce the revenue streams funding the invasion, the IEA and the EC say. The EU has started discussions on a possible embargo on imports of Russian oil, and the bloc is reportedly in talks with oil-producing countries for potential deals to get quickly non-Russian oil supply. The EU, however, continues to be split on the idea of a Russian oil embargo, with Germany leading the group opposing an immediate full ban. If EU consumers follow the recommendations outlined by the IEA and the EU today, a typical household in the European Union could reduce, on average, its energy bill by more than $490 (450 euro) a year, they say. Turning down the thermostat at home by just 1 degree Celsius would save around 7 percent of the energy used for heating. Setting the air conditioner 1 degree Celsius warmer could reduce the amount of electricity used by almost 10 percent, the IEA and the EC note. If all EU citizens were to follow the recommendations at home and in their workplace, it would save 220 million barrels of oil a year, which is enough to fill 120 supertankers, and around 17 billion cubic meters of gas, which is enough to heat almost 20 million homes, the IEA and the EC said. Citizens have the power to immediately cut their energy use and reduce their fuel bills. But it is government authorities from the national to regional, city and local levels that are ultimately best placed to incentivise energy saving actions, the energy agency and the EUs executive arm said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Ukraine is lobbying with its Western allies for the redirection of Russian gas flows from the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to the pipeline that runs through its territory, Reuters has reported, citing energy officials. According to the report, Ukrainian lobbyists have argued that the more gas Russia transports via its pipeline, the more transit fees the government in Kiyv will collect, helping it fund the war. At the same time, the shift would, according to them, prevent Russia from damaging Ukrainian pipeline infrastructure. The idea was floated during a visit of Ukrainian officials to Washington, where they sought to convince the White House to lobby for the shift to Germany and the wider EU. Current Russian gas flows via Ukraine stand at some 40 billion cubic meters annually. This compares with 55 billion cubic meters moved via the Nord Stream 1, which ends in Germany. Trying to shift flows would, according to legal experts, constitute a breach of contract. It would also do nothing to increase security of supply to Europe, according to former State Department special envoy David Goldwyn, who spoke to Reuters. The Ukrainian government has been urging Europe to stop importing oil and gas from Russia, arguing this would exsanguinate Moscow financially and help Ukraine win the war. However, while the EU has been generous with all sorts of material support, it has proved quite reluctant to do what Ukraine wants with regard to energy imports. Brussels did commit to reducing its imports of Russian natural gas by two-thirds by the end of the year, but Ukraine is insisting on import suspension right now. The EU is also discussing an oil embargo, which will also likely take effect gradually after a grace period so that importers can stock up on the commodity. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Biden Administration will release over $385 million to states to help Americans with their home energy costs through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the White House said on Thursday, as President Joe Biden is looking to tame the soaring prices of gasoline and energy amid international prices at multi-year highs. The latest funding, to be made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), adds to $4.5 billion in the American Rescue Plan for LIHEAP. In total, the U.S. Administration would be providing more than $8.3 billion in LIHEAP assistance to reduce heating and cooling costs for low-income Americans this year, which is the largest investment in a single year since the program was established in 1981, the White House said. LIHEAP assists eligible low-income households with their heating and cooling energy costs, bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance, weatherization, and energy-related home repairs. The Administration is scrambling to lower home energy costs and gasoline prices for Americans as international oil prices the largest factor in determining the price at the pump hit $100 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Gasoline prices in the U.S. hit a fresh multi-year high in March at over $4.30 per gallon. The Biden Administration announced at the end of March it would release 180 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) over six months to respond to Putins price hike at the pump. Apart from the massive strategic petroleum releasewhich analysts say will not help solve the structural deficit in the oil market with insufficient investments in recent yearsthe U.S. Administration announced earlier this month that the Environmental Protection Agency would issue an emergency waiver to allow E15 gasoline a higher-ethanol containing gasoline typically banned in the summer to be sold during this summer in order to increase fuel supply. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. West Coast is expected to import 120,000 barrels per day of gasoline and blending components for the remainder of this month, up from 95,000 bpd in the first part of April, Bloomberg reports, citing near-record gasoline import levels for this time of year based on data from Vortexa. With the summer season looming and all indications that high gasoline prices will not be suppressing driving demand in the coming months, combined with cuts due to refinery maintenance season require additional stockpiles. Inventories on the West Coast are now below the five-year average for this season, according to Bloomberg. Asia accounted for some 60% of the uptick in April gasoline imports to the U.S. West Coast. Americans have been paying politically dangerous high prices at the gas pumps since Russias invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions. Todays national average at the pump is $4.120, according to AAA, up slightly from yesterdays average of $4.114, and compared to last years average on this day of $2.878. Even though gasoline prices have dipped only slightly from their record highs, AAA anticipates strong demand. As the days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and pump prices dip from their record highs, consumers feel more confident about hitting the road, media quoted AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster as saying. And AAA is anticipating strong demand in the coming weeks as bookings for Memorial Day travel are already much higher than what they were last year. Also today, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded contracts for an initial 30 million barrels it put up for sale from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Those 30 million barrels will be delivered in May and June and the White House is hoping that they will help ease supply disruptions and pain at the gas pumps. Gasoline prices generally fluctuate along with the price of crude oil, the key input. Crude oil prices at the time of writing (3:57pm EST) were $107.9 for Brent and $103.4 for WTI. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Like other industry insiders, the team here at MetalMiner has paid very close attention to the way international sanctions on Russia are affecting metals markets. When the invasion of Ukraine started, aluminum, zinc, and even steel had been strongly supported. Since early March, those prices have fallen back (as have Russian troops). Despite this, we feel that the titanium market is long overdue for some investigation. Russian & Ukrainian Titanium is Crucial to US Industry Its true that Russian troops have withdrawn from many major cities in Ukraine. However, its likely this is just a tactical move. Once Russian forces regroup, they could escalate the fighting back east. Most experts feel the war will move to disputed provinces like Donbas and the southern corridor to Crimea. Whatever happens, this geopolitical crisis has massive ramifications for metal prices. Thats why its odd that the titanium market hasnt seen more attention. After all, the US is far more dependent on Russian and Ukrainian supplies of titanium than other metals. According to US import data, the two countries supply an annual average of 37% of US titanium bars and rods. Of this, Russia alone provided some 50% of rolled products, while both delivered more than 80% of blooms and slabs. Titanium Market Amid Russian War a Threat to Boeing Most US titanium was delivered by the Verkhnyaya Salda-based company, VSMPO-Avisma. However, as the Financial Times reported this week, Boeing recently stopped buying titanium from the corporation despite the latter being its largest supplier. As it turns out, VSMPO-Avisma is actually a sub-corp of Russian state-owned defense company Rostec. In this case, Boeing had little option. As a defense contractor with huge commercial interests, it would be near impossible for the company to continue buying from Russia. In fact, this was likely true before the surge in negative sentiment related to surfacing Russian war atrocities. Fortunately, Boeing does have options. Looking to Japan for Supply Relief Japan is already a major supplier of aerospace quality titanium sponges. Despite accounting for only about a 1/5th of the global market, the country provides more than 80% of US sponge imports. Equally important to the equation are Japans high-quality downstream producers. These include Toho Titanium and Osaka Titanium Technologies, two of the few high-grade titanium manufacturers in the world. Unfortunately, both firms are reportedly near capacity already. In fact, the Financial Times recently stated that Toho was already at capacity in the first quarter of 2022. The company even had to turn away orders from US Timet. Fortunately, Japans capacity can and probably will increase before long. However, the move to more costly Japanese suppliers will still result in higher prices throughout the Titanium market. US companies like Boeing will not be alone in their search for non-Russian titanium supplies. Despite having significant European options, aerospace competitor Airbus is also a significant consumer of VSMPO products. Airbus leaders are even waging a fight to have titanium excluded from sanctions altogether. Titanium Market Bracing for Price Increases All of this seems to indicate that titanium prices could reach pre-financial crisis levels of over $15/kg within the next two years. As of this writing, there are four major countries that are certified to produce and ship titanium for the aerospace industry. They are Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Japan. With the first two out of the picture for the immediate future, upcoming supply constraints could make the current titanium market look like a surplus by comparison. By Stuart Burns via AG Metal Miner More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: KYIV, Ukraine Satellite images released Thursday showed what appeared to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Putin tries to claim Mariupol win but wont storm holdout Chinas Xi urges dispute resolution, opposes sanctions EXPLAINER: Whats the impact if Europe cuts off Russian oil? Biden announce s new military assistance for Ukraine AP-NORC poll: Many say Biden not tough enough on Russia Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: UNITED NATIONS Russia and Ukraine squared off at the U.N. on Thursday over whether Russias war is to blame for rising food prices and hunger around the world. Between them, the two countries account for nearly a third of global wheat and barley exports and millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia depend on them for affordable bread and noodles. Ukraine also is a major corn supplier and the biggest exporter of sunflower oil. As long as Russia persists in its efforts to invade Ukraine, the threat of hunger will be looming over many countries throughout the globe, Ukrainian counsellor Natalia Mudrenko said Thursday at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss conflict and hunger. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Chumakov argued that sanctions, trade wars, the coronavirus pandemic and Western economic policies were shaking up the global food, energy and financial markets. Chumakov said Russias critics were trying to deflect focus from sanctions and the economic egoism of the developed countries during the pandemic. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the new package of $800 million in military aid, which he said was just what we were waiting for. The latest military aid, announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, includes heavy artillery, ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Zekenskyy has urged Western countries to speed up the deliveries of weapons to help Ukraine fend off the Russian offensive. The occupiers continue to do everything possible to give themselves a reason to speak about at least some kind of victory, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. They are building up their forces, bringing in new tactical battalions and trying even to begin a so-called mobilization in the regions they occupy in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also warned Ukrainians living in areas of southern Ukraine under the control of Russia troops not to provide them with their IDs, which he said could be used to falsify a so-called referendum on our land to create a Moscow-friendly government. Russias foreign ministry has announced that it has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans from entering the country. But one of the people targeted by the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, said he views the designation as an honor. I have to say it is nothing less than an accolade to earn the ire of a government that lies to its own people, brutalizes its neighbors and seeks to create a world where freedom and liberty are put on the run and, if they have their way, extinguished, Price told reporters in Washington. In a statement on its website Thursday, the ministry says the move came as a response to ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions brought on by the Biden administration. It claimed to be targeting top executives, public intellectuals and journalists shaping what it referred to as the Russophobic narrative prevailing in U.S. public debate. Alongside Harris and Zuckerberg, the ban includes top defense and justice officials; the CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank of America; high-profile foreign affairs commentators; as well as the editor of the Russia-focused Meduza news website. WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has tapped retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a former three-star Army general and former National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to coordinate billions of dollars security assistance being sent into Ukraine. Wolff recently joined the Biden White House but his appointment has not been formally announced, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Wolff as Army officer served three tours of duty in Iraq and has held senior roles at the Pentagon, Joint Staff, and State Department. He was tapped by the Obama administration in 2015 to serve as deputy special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State. Wolffs latest appointment comes as Biden on Thursday announced that he was sending a new tranche of $800 million of security assistance to Ukraine, including heavy artillery and drones. The president, who has already approved the dispersal of about $3.4 billion in military assistance, said he will soon seek approval from Congress for additional security assistance for Ukraine. Congress approved $6.5 billion for military assistance last month as part of $13.6 billion in spending for Ukraine and allies in response to the Russian invasion. KYIV, Ukraine -- The Mariupol City Council says as many as 9,000 civilians could be buried in mass graves in the village of Manhush outside Mariupol. In a post on Telegram, the city council quoted Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko calling the site the new Babi Yar. Then Hitler killed Jews, Roma and Slavs. And now Putin is destroying Ukrainians. He has already killed tens of thousands of civilians in Mariupol, he was quoted as saying. This requires a strong reaction from the entire world. We need to stop the genocide by any means possible. In a separate statement earlier Thursday, Boychenko alleged the Russians had dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol, and were hiding their war crimes by dumping bodies there. On Thursday evening, Ukrainian media published satellite photos of Manhush, showing what they said were mass graves similar to the ones discovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The accuracy of these claims and images could not be immediately verified. KYIV, Ukraine No residents could be evacuated from the encircled city of Mariupol on Thursday due to continuing Russian shelling of agreed-to humanitarian corridors, Ukrainian deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post on Thursday evening. No happy news out of Mariupol. Everything has been hard-going, she wrote. On the Russian side, everything has been very difficult, chaotic, slow, and of course, dishonest. We apologize to the residents of Mariupol who did not get to be evacuated today. Shelling began at the evacuation point, which is why the humanitarian corridor had to be closed. In the same post, Vereshchuk acknowledged that on Wednesday, a four-bus convoy was allowed to transport 79 civilians from Mariupol to Kyiv-controlled territory in Ukraines southeastern Zaporizhzhhia region - a development she said gave her hope. KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian official raised the possibility of a Ukrainian airstrike against the strategically important bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland. His statement on Thursday prompted angry denouncements from top Russian political figures. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, was asked in an interview with Ukraines Radio NV whether Kyiv would be able to hit the $4 billion Kerch bridge, which is Moscows only direct road link to the peninsula, in order to stem the flow of military resupplies channeled through it. Had we been able to do it, we would have already done it, Danilov said in response. If there is a possibility, we will definitely do it. He did not clarify whether Kyiv currently has the capability to carry out an attack. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, branded Danilovs statement nothing else than the announcement of a possible terrorist act and unacceptable. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Peskov added that all security measures were in place around the Kerch bridge and other strategic facilities. LONDON Western officials say Ukraine will need economic and military support for months to come as the war grinds into a long conflict. As Russias invasion enters a new phase focused on the eastern Donbas region, an official said Putin is still in a position to win the war, but not quickly. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, two Western officials said Russia might be able to surround and destroy the bulk of Ukraines forces and make territorial gains. An aim of taking all of the Donbas and securing a land bridge to Crimea is potentially within reach for Russias forces. However, officials said it is far from certain Russia will achieve that goal. They said Russia had learned some of the lessons of past failures in northern Ukraine, and was showing more effective command-and-control. But they said Russia was still feeding troops into its eastern offensive piecemeal and advancing in long columns of vehicles along roads, leaving its forces vulnerable to attack. Officials said they also have not yet seen a major push up from the south, which would allow Russian forces to trap Ukraines troops in a pincer movement. Partly that is due to 5,000 to 10,000 Russian troops attempting to overcome the last pocket of resistance in the port city of Mariupol. LISBON, Portugal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Portugal to support a European ban on Russian gas and oil to help his countrys war effort. Speaking via video conference to the Portuguese parliament on Thursday, Zelenskyy asked the European Union member to help speed up sanctions and the delivery of more military aid. I hope that you will also advocate a boycott of Russian oil and gas on the EU level, he said. The Russian occupiers killed people purely for entertainment, killed them inside their homes and in vehicles in which children were traveling. The Ukrainian leader drew a parallel between his countrys fight against Russian aggression and Portugals 1974 Carnation Revolution, the military coup by left-leaning officers that overthrew an authoritarian regime and ushered in democracy. The Portuguese know how to rid themselves of a dictatorship. I know that our nations understand each other, he said during his speech that earned him a standing ovation by lawmakers. The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol says Russian troops are burying Ukrainian civilians killed in the conflict in order to cover up military crimes. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko claimed that the Russians buried hundreds of civilians killed in Manhush outside Mariupol. Boychenko said that the bodies started disappearing from the streets of the city, charging that the Russians were hiding the trace of their crimes and using mass graves as one of the instruments for that. He said that the Russians dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol. They are taking the bodies of the dead residents of Mariupol in trucks and throw them into those trenches. He said during an online briefing. They are hiding their military crimes, he said. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden says he is sending another $800 million in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in the coming days, calling it the frontlines of freedom as it defends itself against a Russian invasion. This $800 million arms package raises to $3.4 billion the amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since the Russians began their invasion Feb. 24. Biden says he will ask Congress next week to approve billions more dollars in aid for Ukraine because the assistance package passed last month is now almost exhausted. He said officials were still sorting out the appropriate amount to request. Biden said the U.S. has the capacity to do this for a long time as it ships arms to Ukraine, but must work harder to maintain international pressure on Russia in retaliation for its invasion. Biden said despite Russian President Vladimir Putins claims, There is no evidence yet that Mariupol is completely fallen. Ukrainian forces and civilians are encircled in a massive steel plant in the city and Biden called on Russia to provide humanitarian corridors so that civilians may flee safely. WASHINGTON The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. A program announced Thursday will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting. But it will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have done since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost two months ago. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Officials said that, starting Monday, that route will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances. WASHINGTON A Treasury official says the United States will provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to help it sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of an announcement on Thursday, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, along with Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. The new funding comes on top of $500 million in economic aid that President Joe Biden unveiled in March. The announcement comes against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings dominated by conversations over how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. KYIV, Ukraine Denmark's prime minister has announced during a visit to Kyiv that her country will more than double the amount it has given to Ukraine to buy weapons. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that Denmark will donate 600 million kroner ($87.4 million). Standing alongside Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she called it a new, significant contribution. Frederiksen said the total Danish military contribution is now 1 billion kroner. Denmark also will assist Ukraine in the clearing mines in areas that are under Ukrainian control. - BERLIN -- The U.N. migration agency says the number of people displaced within Ukraine since Russias invasion began has risen to 7.7 million. The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration said Thursday that more than 600,000 additional people were displaced within the country in the first 17 days of April. The figures from the IOM came a day after the U.N. refugee agency said the number of people who have fled Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24 has risen to more than 5 million. The IOM said that more than half of the internally displaced people, mostly in the east of the country, reported a lack of some food products. It said their most pressing problems include cash and access to financial support, followed by medicines. Ukraine had a pre-war population of 44 million. WARSAW, Poland Polands Foreign Ministry says that Poland has frozen the bank account of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw over suspicions it was being used for purposes that were not good. Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said Thursday that the account was frozen by prosecutors. He said that Polands embassy and consulates in Russia have been exposed to various retaliatory steps with roads around the embassy in Moscow dug up for the past two weeks, complicating entry to and exit from the compound. He said that almost prevented the departure of Polish diplomats expelled by Russia in the international spat over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Jasina didnt give further details of the action by prosecutors. According to the Business Insider portal, prosecutors ordered the freezing of the embassy account and that of Russias trade mission in Poland for six months shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine began, saying the money in the accounts may be used to finance terrorism. LONDON -- Britains government has announced new sanctions against leaders in Russias army responsible for committing atrocities on the frontline. The Foreign Office said Thursday that its targeting several Russian generals and military commanders including Lt. Col. Azatbek Omurbekov. Authorities say the so-called Butcher of Bucha commanded forces that occupied the town outside Kyiv where multiple reports of war crimes and civilian killings have surfaced. Omurbekov and several others were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. British authorities also said Thursday that they are expanding their sanctions list to individuals and companies that are supporting President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. They include Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of logistics company Russian Railways, and Russian weapons suppliers and manufacturers such as Kalashnikov Concern. MILAN Italian energy company ENI has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo to increase natural gas production and supply to Italy, as part of European moves to cut dependence on Russian energy over its invasion of Ukraine. The deal signed Thursday comes on top of recent deals to increase production and delivery from Algeria and Angola. Italy currently gets some 38% of its natural gas from Russia, and has signed deals to replace about half. The new deal signed in Brazzaville calls for a new liquefied natural gas project that is expected to launch next year with a capacity of up to 4.5 billion cubic meters a year for export. ENI said it also agreed to back sustainable energy projects in the central African country. KYIV, Ukraine An adviser to the Ukrainian president says Russian President Vladimir Putins decision not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol means that the Russian military is unable to perform the task. Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Thursday that they cannot physically capture Azovstal, a giant steel plant that is Ukraines last stronghold in the strategic Sea of Azov port. Arestovichs statement followed Putins attempt to claim control of Mariupol even though Ukrainian defenders have continued to fight at Azovstal. Putin ordered his defense minister not to send troops to storm the plant and to block it instead. HELSINKI -- Latvias Parliament has approved a statement accusing Russia of carrying out genocide against the Ukrainian people. The statement approved unanimously Thursday by the Baltic countrys 100-seat Saeima legislature pointed to extensive testimony and evidence of crimes committed by the Russian military in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and elsewhere. It said that, as a member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union and NATO, Latvia cannot accept Russias actions. Neighboring Estonias Parliament agreed later Thursday on a similar statement. The Latvian statement also called on EU member countries to stop importing Russian oil and gas immediately. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Staff and supporters of the Chicago Reader rally April 21, 2022, outside the Lakeview home of Reader investor Leonard Goodman. A plan to convert the 51-year-old alternative newspaper to a nonprofit has been delayed by one of its two primary investors, Chicago defense attorney Goodman, after editors pushed back on a November column he wrote expressing concerns about vaccinating his child against COVID-19. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Embroiled in an internecine battle between two owners who rescued it from dissolution nearly four years ago, the Chicago Reader, the citys alternative newspaper for more than 50 years, is running out of money and time. The Reader has been stuck in limbo since December, when a planned transition to a nonprofit model was delayed over concerns about alleged censorship of an opinion piece written by co-owner Len Goodman, who has pushed for an investigation into the matter and more representation on the successor board. Advertisement Increasingly frustrated Reader editorial employees organized a rally Thursday in front of Goodmans Lakeview East home in a last ditch effort to get the criminal defense attorney to relinquish control and let the newspaper move forward as a nonprofit. Goodman blames Reader management for not addressing his concerns. The Reader needs to be free to pursue its path as a nonprofit, or its going to be nonviable, and were going to lose our jobs, said Philip Montoro, 50, music editor at the Reader and head of its 17-member local unit of the Chicago News Guild. We cant count on the owners to finance us in perpetuity. Advertisement Music writer Leor Galil, left, and music editor Philip Montoro attend the Chicago Reader rally on April 21, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) In 2018, Goodman and Chicago real estate developer Elzie Higginbottom bought the Reader from the Chicago Sun-Times for $1 and the assumption of debt. Since then, they have invested more than $1 million each to keep it afloat, weathering the pandemic and supporting the money-losing publication in its quest to find a more sustainable future. Tracy Baim, 59, a longtime Chicago journalist and co-founder of the Windy City Times, took the helm of the Reader under the new owners in 2018 and created the planned transition to a nonprofit organization. That plan was delayed after editors pushed back on a November opinion piece by Goodman expressing concerns about vaccinating his 6-year-old daughter against COVID-19, which created backlash on social media for some disputed scientific claims. The Reader looked to reel the piece back in, hiring an outside fact-checker for a post-publication edit. Baim, who intervened on behalf of her editors, suggested publishing a revised version or pulling it entirely. Goodman objected to either option. Editorial control is before you publish, not after you publish something and theres a public outcry to take it down, said Goodman, 60. I wrote 21 pieces for the Reader. All of them were submitted on deadline. All of them were fact checked. I accepted all of the fact checks. I never pushed back or disagreed with any fact check. This particular piece was handled just like every other one. Baim said a Goodman surrogate on the board, whom she declined to name, demanded that he get a column as part of his ownership deal. Goodman said there was no condition or agreement that I would write a column when he and Higginbottom acquired the Reader. While Baim said deadline pressures caused Goodmans controversial piece not to have the in-depth edit it should have had, she defended the post-publication fact check as necessary and a normal part of journalism. A revised version with a lot of corrections, most of which involved qualifying the cited studies, was very solid, she said. Under pressure from Goodman, Baim relented and the piece remained online and unchanged. I was in a negotiation with a writer who happened to be a co-owner, at a huge disadvantage to our team, said Baim. I tried to negotiate with him on behalf of the editorial staff. And when we came to loggerheads, we gave in. Advertisement The matter did not end there, however. On Dec. 17, the for-profit board passed a resolution urging the planned transition to the nonprofit, set to take place on Dec. 31, not proceed until the issue of censorship of Goodmans piece was further investigated and resolved. The resolution also urged that the closing of the sale be contingent on Goodman getting an equal amount of appointees on the successor nonprofit board. Staff and supporters of the Chicago Reader rally on April 21, 2022, outside the East Lakeview home of Reader investor Leonard Goodman. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) The for-profit board, reduced to three members at the time by an unrelated resignation, included two Higginbottom appointees and one Goodman representative. Chicago Crusader publisher Dorothy Leavell, who serves as board chair and was initially appointed by Higginbottom, voted for the resolution along with Sladjana Vuckovic, a Chicago attorney appointed by Goodman. I didnt agree with how they had treated the article that Mr. Goodman had written, Leavell said. Higginbottom terminated Leavell as his board representative after the resolution vote, but she was reappointed to the for-profit board by Goodman, and remains chair. She is also one of nine members on the 11-member nonprofit board. Were supposed to do this, and Len is stuck on the fact that there was some question about his article, said Higginbottom, 80. I was willing to go forward. Equal partners in the Reader, Goodman has contributed about $2 million, while Higginbottom has put in $1 million and provided free office space for the publication. Each was entitled to appoint two members to the for-profit board. It is unclear if they have the right to appoint anyone to the 11-member nonprofit board. Advertisement The nonprofit Reader Institute for Community Journalism was created by Baim in December 2019, with Eileen Rhodes, president of East Lake Management, the Chicago real estate company founded by Higginbottom, appointed board chair. Other nonprofit board members include Vuckovic, LGBTQ advocate Kim Hunt and former Chicago public radio host Alison Cuddy. Baim was elected president of the nonprofit, a role she has volunteered to relinquish if it would assuage any concerns or expedite resolution of the ownership impasse. She can be the publisher, Leavell said. We dont think she ought to be the president and publisher. Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a Chicago law firm representing the Reader Institute for Community Journalism, issued a memorandum last month that warned of substantial legal risks if the bylaws were changed to allow the for-profit entity to appoint directors to the nonprofit board. The Reader co-owners have met several times in an attempt to resolve the nonprofit board composition issue. Those meetings have produced more disagreement. Goodman wanted the right to recommend what at the time would have been the final three nonprofit board members, which would give each side five board members, with one neutral, he said. Higginbottom said he wanted to recommend one of three remaining board members. Advertisement Higginbottom subsequently recommended Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, as the ninth nonprofit board member. He also named himself and Reiter as representatives to the for-profit board, joining Goodmans directors, Leavell and Vuckovic. Reiter has already been approved for the nonprofit board, Baim said. Goodman said he submitted four candidates to the nonprofit board from which to seat two, with a proposal to mediate the third seat, now filled by Reiter, after closing. The idea that the nonprofit board members be aligned equally with the two for-profit owners was not raised as an issue when the Reader Institute for Community Journalism was formed, but only came up two years later after editors requested the post-publication fact check of Goodmans column, Baim said. Baim said beyond the four predecessor board members, the balance of the nonprofit appointees have no affiliation with either owner. Based on the legal advice the Reader received, that is the only way to maintain its nonprofit status and journalistic integrity, Baim said. Len Goodman thinks that he, as a for-profit business owner, should have control over nominating board seats to the nonprofit, Baim said. Elzie does not have that right either. This is an independent nonprofit. Advertisement The shift to a nonprofit model is a growing trend in the struggling newspaper industry, with the Salt Lake Tribune the first major daily newspaper to make the transition in November 2019. In January, the Sun-Times became a nonprofit newspaper when it merged with public radio station WBEZ-FM 91.5 under the banner of Chicago Public Media. The Reader was on a fast track to make the transition after forming the nonprofit entity in 2019, but the pandemic slowed things down, Baim said. One complication was two federal Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling nearly $557,000 received by the Reader. The forgivable loans had to be off the books before transitioning to a nonprofit, with the final $278,395 loan paid in full on Nov. 20, according to data posted online by the Small Business Administration. The nonprofit received its approval from the IRS in October 2020, and created an intercompany agreement to launch and begin raising funds to help support the continued operations of the Reader, Baim said. The intercompany agreement expired Feb. 1, cutting off a crucial nonprofit funding source. Well be out of money in 30 days, Higginbottom said. The Reader has an annual budget of about $2.8 million, Baim said, and was approaching break-even through a combination of advertising and charitable support. Neither owner has committed to additional funds for the Reader, making the transition to nonprofit even more urgent. Advertisement Launched in 1971 by a group of Carleton College graduates as a free weekly, the Reader became known for its ambitious long-form journalism, arts news and offbeat classified ads. Like many print publications, the Reader has struggled in the digital age, leading to a series of ownership changes. The original ownership group sold the Reader in 2007 to Creative Loafing, a small chain of alternative weeklies based in Atlanta. Atalaya Capital Management, a New York-based hedge fund, acquired the Reader out of bankruptcy in 2009. Wrapports, a Chicago investor group led by Michael Ferro that acquired the Sun-Times in late 2011, added the Reader to its portfolio in May 2012 for about $2.5 million. In 2017, an investor group that included Goodman and Higginbottom bought the Sun-Times, the Reader and other assets for $1. One year later, when the Sun-Times was looking to shed the unprofitable Reader, Goodman and Higginbottom put up another dollar and bought it, assuming the debt and stewardship of a Chicago journalistic institution, whose days may now be numbered. For 35 Reader employees and their supporters, Thursdays 11 a.m. Save the Reader rally across from Goodmans home at Wellington Avenue and Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive was meant to be respectful to the neighborhood, but disruptive for at least one resident. We do need to make a little noise, said Montoro, a 26-year employee at the Reader. Being polite, being nonconfrontational, hoping hed come to his senses, turns out to have been a pretty poor strategy. And now were out of time. rchannick@chicagotribune.com CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias opposition leader said he tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday in the second week of a campaign ahead of the May 21 election. Anthony Albanese, the 59-year-old leader of the center-left Labor Party, said he was feeling fine and would isolate at his Sydney home for a week. While at home, I will continue my responsibilities as alternative prime minister and will be fighting for a better future for all Australians, Albanese said in a statement. The diagnosis is a setback for his party, which is seeking its first election victory since 2010. Labor has been leading Prime Minister Scott Morrisons conservative government in opinion polls in recent months. Morrison, 53, tested positive for COVID-19 on March 1, and his symptoms were mild. Morrison and Albanese came face to face Wednesday for the first time since the election was called on April 10 when they attended the first televised leaders debate in Brisbane. They shook hands and posed together for photographs. Morrison sent Albanese his best wishes. Everyones experience with COVID is different and as Labors campaign continues, I hope he does not experience any serious symptoms, Morrison tweeted. Despite his recent contact with Albanese, Morrison continued campaigning Friday in Queensland state, which will likely be pivotal to the election result. Labor lost two Queensland seats at the 2019 election and now only holds six out of 30 in the coal-rich state due in part to Labor's more ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Hours before his positive test, Albanese wore a mask while talking to residents at Symons House retirement village in Nowra, a coastal town south of Sydney. Albanese said he found he was infected after a routine PCR test Thursday afternoon ahead of a planned flight across the country to the west coast city of Perth. Australia on Thursday reported 54,137 new coronavirus infections in the latest 24-hour period and 50 deaths in a population of 26 million. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A crash during a Nebraska State Patrol pursuit of a speeding minivan on Interstate 80 in Omaha early Thursday caused a large traffic jam during the morning commute. One person was injured and another arrested after a 32-year-old Omaha man fled from a traffic stop by a state trooper and crashed on eastbound I-80 near 96th Street. The incident occurred at 8:15 a.m. and caused traffic to back up for about three hours. One Omaha police officer described the scene as a parking lot during a radio transmission to a Douglas County 911 dispatcher. Officers were deployed around the area to block entrance ramps to I-80. The incident began when a trooper observed a Toyota Sienna traveling south on Interstate 680 at an estimated 90 mph, according to a Nebraska State Patrol spokesman. As the Toyota merged onto eastbound I-80, the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The Toyota accelerated and fled for approximately 30 seconds, the spokesman said, before the driver lost control and crashed into a concrete barrier that separates the eastbound and westbound lanes. The Toyota then struck another vehicle, a Chevrolet Impala, causing minor damage. The driver of the Toyota was extricated from the vehicle by Omaha Fire and Rescue. He was taken to Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening. The 27-year-old driver of the Impala, an Omaha resident, was not injured. However, officers learned that he had an outstanding arrest warrant and he was booked into the Douglas County Jail. The State Patrol spokesman said charges are expected to be brought against the Toyota driver. Omaha World-Herald: Afternoon Update The latest headlines sent at 4:45 p.m. daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Justice Dept. to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judges order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week. A notice of appeal was filed Wednesday in federal court in Tampa. The CDC says it is its continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. Russia's Chernobyl seizure seen as nuclear risk 'nightmare' CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) When Russian forces invaded and occupied the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, they dug trenches in one of the worlds most radioactive places. Experts fear that they were, in effect, digging their own graves. Thousands of tanks and troops rumbled into the Chernobyl exclusion zone at the start of the war, churning up soil contaminated by the world's worst nuclear disaster. As the anniversary of the April 26, 1986, accident approaches and Russias war continues, it's clear that Ukrainian authorities were never prepared for this scenario. Russias invasion marks the first time that occupying a nuclear plant was part of a nation's military strategy. 'Days or hours left': Russia tightens the noose in Mariupol KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian forces are tightening the noose around the defenders holed up in a mammoth steel plant that is the last known Ukrainian stronghold in in the besieged city of Mariupol. A fighter apparently on the inside issued a video plea for help. He said the defenders may have only a few days or hours left. With the holdouts punished by new bombing attacks, another attempt to evacuate civilians trapped in the city has failed because of continued fighting. Separately, the governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region says Russian forces now control 80 percent of it. It is one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Israel, Gaza militants trade fire as Mideast tensions mount JERUSALEM (AP) Palestinian militants have fired several rockets into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip as Israeli aircraft hit Gaza militant sites in response to a previous rocket strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the rockets and airstrikes fired late Wednesday into early Thursday. It was the second rocket attack from Gaza this week. Israeli-Palestinian tensions have soared in recent days. The Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza had issued vague threats earlier Wednesday over a planned march through Jerusalem by Israeli ultra-nationalists. But Israeli police blocked roads and prevented the marchers from reaching dense Palestinian neighborhoods, after a similar event nearly a year ago helped trigger an Israel-Gaza war. Parachute demo at Nats Park causes brief Capitol evacuation WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated Wednesday evening after police identified an aircraft that they said posed "a probable threat. But the plane was actually carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, who then parachuted into Nationals Park for a pregame demonstration. The alert from the U.S. Capitol Police sent congressional staffers fleeing from the Capitol and legislative building around 6:30 p.m. The incident suggested a stunning communications failure between the military and the Capitol Police, all the more remarkable because of Washingtons focus on improving security since the January 6, 2021, attack on the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Michigan lawmaker's forceful speech rebuts 'grooming' attack LANSING, Mich. (AP) A Michigan lawmaker, mother and LGBTQ rights supporter who was accused by a Republican colleague of wanting to groom schoolchildren says her impassioned response resonated because people are sick of such attacks. Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow's remarks went viral after Republican Sen. Lana Theis attacked her in a fundraising email. McMorrow had criticized Theis for giving an invocation in which she claimed children are under attack by forces that want to indoctrinate them with ideas not supported by their parents. The salvos are among the latest to draw attention as conservatives push to make education a political wedge issue. Scholar uses trash as treasure to study life in North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A South Korean scholar has turned to a different way of collecting information about secretive North Korea as pandemic restrictions make it harder for outsiders to find out what's life like for North Koreans. Professor Kang Dong Wan from Dong-A University has been combing the beaches of South Korean border islands for North Korean trash. He's collected about 2,000 pieces of trash, ranging from snack bags, juice pouches, sweet wrappers and drink bottles to seasoning sachets. He says his findings confirm North Korean state media reports that the country has been producing a variety of consumer goods on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un. People's tastes have grown and there's even a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demand for goods. Southwest wildfires force evacuations, tighten resources FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona wildfire more than tripled in size as relentless winds pushed the flames through neighborhoods on the outskirts of a college and tourist town, forcing out hundreds of residents and destroying more than two dozen homes and other structures. The wind-whipped fire on the outskirts of Flagstaff ballooned to more than 30 square miles by Wednesday afternoon. Forest Service officials say flames as high as 100 feet quickly scorched dry vegetation. Weather conditions improved, but the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Thursday citing strong winds. Elsewhere in Arizona, firefighters battled a wildfire in a sparsely populated area of national forest south of Prescott. Crews also were busy trying to corral fires in New Mexico and Colorado. A gun, a phone cord spur heated talk at Kardashian trial LOS ANGELES (AP) Former reality television star Blac Chyna testified that she was joking when she put a phone cord around the neck of her then-fiance Rob Kardashian, and later grabbed his unloaded gun. The incidents from 2016 were at the center of testimony Tuesday by Chyna, who is suing Kardashian's mother and sisters for $100 million, alleging they forced the cancellation of her show Rob & Chyna" and ruined her TV career. The lawsuit says that Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and three of his sisters including Kim Kardashian falsely spread word that she was physically abusive. All four women were in court watching the testimony. Wright resigns as Villanova coach, Neptune takes over PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jay Wright shocked college basketball Wednesday night with his immediate resignation at Villanova, the Big East program he led to two national championships and four Final Fours in a Hall of Fame career. The 60-year-old Wright guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018 and just led the Wildcats to the Final Four, where they lost to national champion Kansas. He went 520-197 in 21 seasons at the school and 642-282 overall, also coaching Hofstra from 19942001. Kyle Neptune, who served on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021, returned to replace Wright. Wright will remain at Villanova and stay involved in fundraising, advising, education and more. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. LAS VEGAS (AP) Most of the five leading Republican candidates for Nevada governor who gathered Wednesday for a campaign forum in Las Vegas offered dire assessments of the states tourism-dependent economy, rising crime and struggling schools and asked for votes for their visions to fix them. Several also blamed Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, the consensus GOP front-runner, for skipping the event. We want to have the best, well-run, state in the country, said Guy Nohra, a Reno venture capitalist, drawing applause from among about 100 people at a Republican women's club luncheon. But we dont. Were 50th in everything, said Nora, who called his foray into politics the culmination of an American dream after his own teenage experience fighting a war in his home country, Lebanon, and his business ventures in the U.S. The event also featured North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, Gardnerville surgeon Fred Simon, former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller and firebrand northern Nevada lawyer Joey Gilbert. The tone in the room was polite, calls to action were pointed, and fangs were out over the absence of Lombardo, the best-funded candidate among the 20 Republicans seeking the nomination in June to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in November. You need to know theres somebody in this room who should be your next governor, Lee said after placing an empty chair next to the speakers podium to conduct a self-answering John-versus-Joe monologue. But its not Lombardo and its not Sisolak. Lombardos campaign spokeswoman, in a statement, called the two-term elected head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department one of the most accessible elected officials in Nevada. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Ray noted that Lombardo participated in previous candidates forums, said he planned to attend others and pointed to his fundraising lead. Voters know that Joe has leadership and experience they can trust, and thats evident in our fundraising number," she said. Campaign filings submitted to the Nevada Secretary of State last week showed Lombardo raised more than $825,000 during the first three months of 2022 and spent about $522,000, with almost $3 million in the bank ahead of the June 14 primary. Sisolak, by comparison, raised almost $1.6 million from January to March and spent $265,000, leaving him with more than $9.5 million to spend. His lone underfunded Democratic primary challenger, former North Las Vegas City Council member and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, reported loaning his own campaign $4,200 and having about $6,900 cash-on-hand on March 31. Among the Republicans, Simon is running a mostly self-funded campaign. He calls himself a constitutional conservative and reported he contributed all but about $10,000 of the $1.3 million he took in during the January-to-March reporting period. He spent $66,000 and reported having almost $1.25 million to spend. Im not owned, Simon told the GOP womens group. Nohra reported raising $528,000 and spending almost $413,000, ending the reporting period with $700,000 cash-on-hand. Gilbert, a Reno-based attorney who was outside the U.S. Capitol the day it was stormed on Jan. 6, 2020, parked his campaign bus parked outside the forum at Lawrys The Prime Rib restaurant. He cited lawsuits he filed in Nevada against what he called COVID insanity of coronavirus pandemic mask mandates and a ban on treating COVID-19 patients with a malaria drug. He drew loud applause for a pledge to audit this sucker, the entire thing, and promised to get rid of transgender social indoctrination nonsense in schools. Youre looking at the Ron DeSantis of the West, Gilbert said, invoking the name of the Florida Republican governor who signed a law that forbidding classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay law has become a culture war flashpoint. Heller, who lost his U.S. Senate seat to Democrat Jacky Rosen in 2018, previously served as Nevada Secretary of State and in the Nevada State Assembly and the U.S. House. He said he had a wonderful flight from Reno to Las Vegas for the forum because, for the first time in two years, he didnt have to wear a face covering. He noted that as a senator he voted to approve the Trump-nominated Florida federal judge who struck down the nations federal mask mandate on public transit. Heller reported raising $155,000 and spending $179,000 during the January-to-March reporting period, leaving a little more than $241,000 to spend. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron visited a multicultural, working-class suburb north of Paris on Thursday to woo leftist voters ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff vote against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. Reflecting the vote's wide international influence, the centrist Macron received support Thursday from the center-left leaders of Germany, Spain and Portugal, who urged French voters to choose him over the nationalist Le Pen. Their appeals came only a day after imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny also spoke up about the French vote, alleging that Le Pen is too closely linked to Russian authorities to become France's next president amid Russia's war on Ukraine. Macron, who led the first round of voting on April 10 that eliminated 10 other candidates, said he was taking nothing for granted and was seeking broader support. Nothing is final until the last minute, Macron said Thursday, as recent opinion polls show a stabilized lead against his rival. He said he chose to make one of his last campaign stops in a place that is facing many difficulties in the poorest region of mainland France, the Seine-Saint-Denis, where many residents are immigrants or have immigrant roots. His visit came after the two rivals clashed bitterly in a televised debate Wednesday, with Macron saying that Le Pen's plan to ban Muslim women in France from wearing headscarves in public would trigger civil war in the country, which has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe. We must not get used to the rise of far-right ideas," Macron said Thursday in front of an ethnically diverse crowd in Saint-Denis. Le Pen, meanwhile, used her last big campaign rally to accuse Macron of unlimited arrogance in the debate and in his presidency. Ive had enough, like you, of this permanent disrespect, she told voters in the northern city of Arras, in the struggling former industrial heartland of France where she enjoys broad support among working-class voters. She framed Macron as soft on immigration and security and called his economic record hurt by the pandemic and Ukraine war catastrophic. Macron did not have an easy task in Saint-Denis, where an overwhelming majority of voters had supported far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who came in third in the first round of voting and did not make the runoff. One woman told the 44-year-old leader that the presidential runoff, to her, amounting to choosing between plague and cholera. Macron answered that he was ready change his platform to meet the needs of French voters, including of people who did not vote for me in the first round. Pierre Flament, 75-year-old leftist voter, said he will pick Macron's ballot Sunday with no pleasure. Calling Macron "the president of the rich, he said he initially planned to vote blank. But he changed his mind in face of the enormous risk that Le Pen may win. Polls show the far-right figure has significantly narrowed the gap with Macron compared to their previous faceoff five years ago. If I vote Macron, I hope that we can start demonstrating the following day. We will have to take to the streets because Macrons measures will be bad. But if Marine Le Pen wins, we might not even be allowed to demonstrate at all, he said. The Socialist mayor of Saint-Denis, along with 14 leftist mayors and the head of the Seine-Saint-Denis region, called this week for people to back Macron in the runoff. With Marine Le Pen as president of the Republic, Seine-Saint-Denis residents will be the first victims of discrimination, they wrote, calling her platform racist and a negation of democracy. Le Pen has sought to appeal to voters struggling with surging prices amid the fallout of Russias war in Ukraine. She says bringing down the cost of living would be her priority if elected. But she has faced scrutiny over a 9 million euro ($9.7 million) loan that her party received in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank and her 2017 visit to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the French presidential runoff that year. In a column published Thursday in several European newspapers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa wrote that Sundays vote is critical for France and all and every one of us in Europe. Its the election between a democratic candidate who believes that Frances strength broadens in a powerful and autonomous European Union and an extreme-right candidate who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and democracy, values based on the French ideas of Enlightenment, the joint comment said without mentioning Macron or Le Pen by name. Social Democrat Scholz and Socialists Sanchez and Costa wrote that Europe is facing a change of era due to Russias invasion of Ukraine and that populists and the extreme right are viewing Putin as an ideological and political model, replicating his chauvinist ideas. They have echoed his attacks on minorities and diversity and his goal of nationalist uniformity, they said. We must not forget that, no matter how much those politicians are now trying to distance themselves from the Russian aggressor." Follow all AP stories on France's 2022 presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022 Associated Press Journalists Alexander Turnbull and Oleg Cetinic in Saint-Denis, Thomas Adamson and Catherine Gaschka in Paris, and Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The burgeoning Chicago tech scene has a new player: the Department of Defense. The Defense Innovation Unit, a military technology accelerator, is opening an office in Chicago to tap into the regions technology ecosystem, from electric vehicles to artificial intelligence, and better wage 21st century warfare. Advertisement The office will be located at the Discovery Partners Institute on South Wacker Drive for a two-year lease beginning in June, the Defense Department announced Thursday. The commitment to developing a stronger tech pipeline in Chicago and the Midwest is long term, according to Michael Brown, director of the innovation unit. The Defense Department brought in 100 new vendors last year, mostly from other regions, Brown said. The new innovation hub should significantly boost the representation of Midwest tech companies as Defense Department contractors. Advertisement We brought in 15 from this region, and were looking to triple that over the next couple of years, Brown said during the announcement Thursday at MxD, a digital manufacturing innovation center at Goose Island. The Chicago office will be the fifth for the Defense Department, which has innovation units in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin and at the Pentagon. Founded in 2015, the Defense Innovation Unit was established to find, develop and employ new technology to speed up adoption and enhance national security. It is also being touted as a boost to Chicagos technology scene, from academic institutions and innovation centers to startup companies. We want to open DoD as a viable market for business, to startups that today dont understand they can do business with the department, said Ryan Whelan, a U.S. Army Reserve major who heads up the Midwest region for the innovation unit. The other thing that we want to do is accelerate the growth of these emerging technologies by creating new opportunity for commercial tech and accelerating its adoption in the defense space. Whelan said new technologies, from electric vehicles to agricultural technology, can strengthen national security and help the U.S. fight wars better as it competes with countries such as China, Russia and others. Those sentiments were echoed by a full roster of Illinois political leaders, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and both Illinois senators, who were on hand Thursday for the defense innovation hub announcement. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who serves on the Armed Services Committee, said the innovation unit enables the military to leverage new technologies and level the battlefield. Were putting our troops at risk of losing battles if we dont invest in the technologies that will help us to compete in the next centurys battlefield, Duckworth said. Whether thats an island in Southeast Asia or a piece of code that holds up our electrical grid, I know firsthand how important it is to have all of the resources possible when on the battlefield. Advertisement U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the Chicago office will be a boon for the state and the Midwest, and a resource for national defense. He said the development of EV technology in Illinois, specifically the launch of the Rivian truck manufacturing plant in Normal, could find applications on the battlefield. The Rivian facility, which launched production in September, is building $70,000 electric trucks and SUVs for consumer use. They can go straight from the assembly line in Normal to driving through rivers, even rock crawling up mountains, Durbin said. Just imagine how useful that vehicle could be on the battlefield. The Chicago defense innovation hub will occupy a small footprint in the Discovery Partners Institute offices, with room for five or six employees, the Defense Department said. It will likely need to find new quarters when the two-year lease is up. The Discovery Partners Institute, a University of Illinois-led initiative, is building a 500,000-square-foot innovation hub to develop Chicago tech talent at The 78, a 62-acre megadevelopment slated for long-vacant land in the South Loop. The facility is slated to open on the south end of The 78 by 2024. Whelan declined to say if the Defense Innovation Unit would follow the Discovery Partners Institute to its new digs. If it does, it may have a casino for a neighbor. Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, which owns four casinos including Rivers Casino Des Plaines, is proposing a $1.62 billion riverfront casino at The 78, one of three bids in contention to become Chicagos first gambling mecca. Advertisement rchannick@chicagotribune.com COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) In a time where debates over elections and voting end up in partisan arguments, Democrats and Republicans in the South Carolina General Assembly are trying to come together to expand early voting in this conservative state. The state Senate unanimously gave the proposal key approval Wednesday. The bill unanimously passed the House in early March. But there may be one big snag between Republicans. Gov. Henry McMaster and House leaders aren't happy that senators added a provision giving them power to confirm the governor's choices for not just the director, but also the five members of the board of the South Carolina Election Commission. After the routine final approval Thursday, the bill goes back to the House, which seems unlikely to accept the Senate's changes. That means the bill will go to a small conference committee of senators and House members to try to work out a compromise. Lawmakers are trying to get the new rules in place for the statewide primaries on June 14. The key to bipartisan support to the bill was compromise. It opens polling places for regular early voting for two weeks before elections, excluding Sundays. And it also expands state-run audits of voting machines and ballot counting after elections and increases penalties for voter fraud. Make it easier to vote and harder to cheat, said state Sen. Chip Campsen, a Republican from the Isle of Palms. The Senate debated for over five hours, discussing and eventually rejecting whether to have people register to vote by political parties if they wish, cutting the early voting period to a week or eliminating the ability of all people over age 65 to vote absentee. But senators did not waver on their insistence they get approval power over the governor's selections for the elections board even as several of them warned they were told by the governor he would veto the bill with that provision in it. McMaster on Twitter didnt go that far. But he said senators were misled by Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey and Democrats on a common sense compromise. His staff said the proposal doesn't allow the governor to even make temporary appointments for the board when the Senate isn't in session after May, when both primaries and the general election happen. If this bill doesnt become law, the voters will know who to blame and why, McMaster said. Massey said the Senate gets to approve plenty of other appointments by the governor and elections should be no different. He talked at length about how he was unhappy with how former Election Commission Director Marci Andino handled the 2020 election during the pandemic overstepping what the legislature that writes the election laws wanted her to do. Sen. Sandy Senn said the Senate shouldn't bow to threats from the House or governor either. If we give in, every time the house and governor want to team up, we lose," the Charleston Republican said. The biggest change in the bill would be to make South Carolina the 45th state to allow anyone to vote outside of Election Day without an excuse. The state would have two weeks of early voting with polls open Monday through Saturday. For many years, South Carolina has allowed people to cast absentee ballots in person, but they had to include an excuse for why they couldnt be at the polls on Election Day. Under the proposal, the state would go back to mail-in absentee ballots. The bill also would make voter fraud a felony, increasing fines and possible jail time for people who try to vote under a false name, vote more than once or poll managers who intentionally break the law. The proposal requires audits of at least 5% of all votes in a county in the days after an election. Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The United Nations' highest court ruled Thursday that Colombia breached Nicaragua's rights in waters of the Caribbean Sea, including by hindering Nicaraguan fishing vessels and granting fishing permits for Colombian and other boats. The majority ruling of the International Court of Justice gave Nicaragua a victory in a lengthy legal battle, although it may not fully end the dispute between the two Latin American nations. Nicaragua filed the case in 2013, claiming that Colombia violated its sovereignty in the western Caribbean, a region of the sea long claimed by both countries that is home to a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve inhabited by dozens of endangered species. In a 9-6 vote, the world court ruled that Colombia must immediately cease the conduct, ICJ President Jean E. Donoghue said during a public reading of the decision. The judges voted 10-5 to establish that Colombia infringed Nicaragua's rights by interfering with fishing and marine scientific research activities of Nicaraguan or Nicaraguan-licensed vessels and with naval activities and by purporting to enforce conservation measures in Nicaragua's waters. Colombia said the ruling had positives for Bogota, despite imposing limits on its naval activities. They limited some of its functions in the sense that they cannot undertake environmental control activities, which is a shame because we do have the ability to do that," Colombia's representative to the court, Carlos Gustavo Arrieta Padilla, told reporters. "But nevertheless, the court maintained the possibility of the Colombian navy being there and doing operations in the fight against organized crime in the area. A 2012 ruling by the world court gave Nicaragua fishing rights over much of the western Caribbean, but Colombias navy has continued to patrol the waters, which are also used by traffickers to smuggle drugs into Central America. At hearings last year, Nicaragua argued that Colombian naval ships were infringing on its fishing rights by patrolling the area that the court had awarded to Nicaragua as an exclusive economic zone. The country also alleged that Colombias navy has dissuaded vessels with Nicaraguan fishing permits from operating in the area while providing protection to vessels with Colombian permits. Colombia denied the accusations and said its navy patrolled the area to fight drug trafficking and to protect the Seaflower Marine Reserve, an area created by Colombia that is on UNESCOs global list of biosphere reserves and overlaps the economic zone awarded to Nicaragua in the 2012 ruling. In a win for Colombia, the court majority said in Thursday's ruling that points used by Nicaragua to delineate its territorial waters after the 2012 judgment were not in conformity with customary international law. Rulings by the court are final and legally binding. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Growing up in Nebraska and serving in the Army linked 1st Lt. Kevin Gaspers and Staff Sgt. Ken Locker Jr. in life. A brutal suicide truck bombing by Iraqi insurgents linked the two paratroopers in death. On Saturday, hundreds of veterans and Gold Star family members will gather in Omaha to commemorate the sacrifice of Gaspers, Locker, and 49 other members of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment who were killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ceremony, at 11 a.m. in Memorial Park, is open to the public. The 73rd is part of the Armys famed 82nd Airborne Division, headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Gov. Pete Ricketts is slated to speak, as is William J. Gainey, the first senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We want to make sure these 51 are remembered, said retired 1st Sgt. Dan Falcon, president of the Heartland Airborne Memorial Association, which is sponsoring the event. Its all about taking care of your brothers. An anonymous donor purchased individual memorial bricks bearing the names of each of the soldiers. They are being arrayed around the Heartland Airborne Memorial, which was moved to Memorial Park from its original home at Heartland of America Park near the Missouri River as part of Omahas waterfront redevelopment project. Patrick Chaisson, a retired lieutenant colonel who served in the 73rd and helped arrange the event, said the units veterans chose this location because the airborne memorial is here, and because Omaha is centrally located. This is going to be an emotional event for many of us, said Chaisson, of Scotia, New York. These are our brothers. Coincidentally, Saturdays ceremony will take place on the 15th anniversary of the day al Qaida-linked terrorists killed nine soldiers from the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment including Gaspers, of Hastings, and Locker, of Burwell in an attack on their compound in Iraqs Diyala province. The attackers detonated two heavy dump trucks packed with explosives near the building where they lived. In addition to the nine dead, 20 soldiers were wounded. Locker was a father of three who grew up in the Sandhills, enjoyed the outdoors, and admired Billy the Kid. His senior quote when he graduated from Burwell High School read, You live, and you die, make the best of it. On his last visit home, three months before his death, Locker told his father, Dad, do you know why Im over there? Im over there for the children, that they might have a safer world to live in. Gaspers classmates at St. Cecilia High School in Hastings described him as a patriotic good ol country boy with a great sense of humor who wanted most of all to serve his country. Gaspers graduated from high school in 2000, then enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln while studying for a degree in accounting. He was commissioned in the Army in 2005. He wasnt a yeller or screamer type of leader. He was low-key and very professional in how he handled himself, and how he led his classmates, retired Lt. Col. Bede Bolin, a military science professor at UNL, told The World-Herald in 2007. Gaspers father, John, had a premonition of his sons death and was devastated when two officers arrived at their home with the awful news. You cannot describe the pain that you feel when you see the chaplain and a soldier walk up to your door, and you hear your wife screaming, he said at the time. Its unbearable. Its a kind of pain that can only be fully understood by other Gold Star families many of whom find comfort in the company of one another, said Barb Yllescas-Vorthmann, leader of the Gold Star Families Nebraska/Western Iowa chapter. She knows exactly what that pain feels like. Her son, Capt. Rob Yllescas, died Dec. 1, 2008, after he was wounded in a targeted assassination while he was serving in Afghanistan. Yllescas-Vorthmann said family members of at least 22 of the 51 fallen 73rd Cavalry paratroopers will be attending the ceremony. Local Gold Star family members will pick them up at the airport and are hosting a supper for them. It feels good to meet other Gold Star families, Yllescas-Vorthmann said. We network, we work together. It really is a way of healing. Many Gold Star chapters do charitable work to help veterans, she said. The Nebraska/Western Iowa group organizes a food pantry and serves holiday meals for residents of the Victory Apartments in Omaha and Lincoln, home to formerly homeless vets. Its good to have that camaraderie, and know that were doing our children proud, Yllescas-Vorthmann said. You dont feel so alone in your grief. Memorials like this, she added, help to calm a fundamental fear of Gold Star families: that their loved ones sacrifice wont be remembered. It really does mean were not forgetting, she said. The bricks are there forever. Correction: This story has been corrected to state Staff Sgt. Ken Locker Jr. had three children. 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. Former Rep. Jeff Fortenberrys campaign crimes were costly: The congressman lost his job, his livelihood and his standing as a federal elected official. His defense wasnt cheap, either: The 61-year-old Republican from Nebraska spent nearly $600,000 on his defense teams unsuccessful fight against charges that he lied to the FBI and tried to cover up the source of illegal foreign campaign donations, according to a Federal Election Commission report filed last week by Fortenberry. That tally included $548,000 to the Los Angeles law firm of lead Fortenberry attorney John Littrell and $50,000 to an Arizona consultant that helped pick the jury that convicted Fortenberry after just two hours of deliberations. The Los Angeles jury convicted Fortenberry of two counts of lying to the FBI and one count of trying to conceal the source of $30,000 in campaign contributions. Two Lebanese allies of Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagoury funneled the cash, without Fortenberrys knowledge, to his campaign at a February 2016 fundraiser. Despite several warnings that the money was probably dirty, Fortenberry didnt disgorge the cash from his campaign until more than 40 months later. And he lied to FBI agents investigating the illegal foreign donations. Fortenberry faces up to five years in prison on each of his three convictions. U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. will sentence him on June 28. Two days after his conviction, Fortenberry announced he would resign his seat and would abandon his reelection campaign. Since then, according to the filing, the ex-congressman has refunded $38,750 to campaign donors. It also revealed that Fortenberrys campaign chest which held $900,000 on Jan. 1 was drained by more than $242,000 to buy campaign ads and by the nearly $600,000 in legal bills. The campaign took in $81,000 in contributions in the first quarter of 2022. Factor in refunds and other expenditures and the campaign was roughly $10,000 in debt as it approached the end of March. On March 17, Fortenberry took out a $61,000 home-equity line of credit on his Lincoln house. With the benefit of that loan, the campaign climbed back above water. It had just over $50,000 as of March 31. It is unclear whether Fortenberry faces more legal bills from the six-day trial or whether the campaign paid his attorneys in advance. Fortenberry has indicated he will appeal. The disbursements from the campaign to the lawyers prompted the question: Is it legal to use campaign donations to pay for criminal defense bills? A Stetson University law professor analyzed that issue after former President Donald Trump used campaign funds to pay for an attorney to represent his son. Trumps campaign did so as a grand jury investigated a Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian attorney. According to Ciara Torres-Spelliscys analysis, the courts have long ruled that campaign funds cannot be used for personal use, such as home purchases or a childs college tuition. Though theres no universal precedent, the Federal Election Commission has ruled that campaign dollars can be used for legal defense of acts committed in the furtherance of official duties or campaigns. In other words, the FEC has ruled that elected officials like Fortenberry may be allowed to use campaign dollars to pay for the defense of campaign acts, even if those acts were illegal. A recent judicial ruling noted that 20 years of FEC advisory opinions have concluded that legal expenditures made in response to charges of campaign or official misconduct are (allowed), Torres-Spelliscy wrote in a piece for the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law. State Sens. Mike Flood, a Republican from Norfolk, and Patty Pansing Brooks, a Democrat from Lincoln, are running in a special election to fill Fortenberrys seat on June 28 the same day Fortenberry is to be sentenced. 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. Gov. Pete Ricketts will welcome national conservative figures to Lincoln this Earth Day for a conference opposing President Joe Bidens goal of conserving 30% of the nations land and water by 2030. Guests include a former secretary of the interior under Donald Trump and Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert. A World-Herald reporter received an envelope from Texas-based nonprofit American Stewards of Liberty emblazoned with a message: Invitation from Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. Its contents included information about the April 22 conference, along with letters from Ricketts and Margaret Byfield, executive director of the Texas group, who called it one of the most important events of the year. I would like for you to join me in Lincoln, Nebraska, next month for the first national summit to Stop 30 x 30, Ricketts letter reads. We are bringing together national, state and local leaders to learn how the administration is attempting to implement the program and what we can do to prevent this. The federal initiative was initially referred to as 30x30, but the Biden administration has since rebranded it America the Beautiful. Officials have repeatedly emphasized that the effort will be voluntary and locally led, but critics such as Ricketts and American Stewards of Liberty view it as a threat to landowners and have questioned the federal governments transparency. The group Byfield leads has rallied resistance and pushed for local governments to pass resolutions in opposition to the initiative across Nebraska and in other states. In her letter, she wrote the group would launch its second phase at the Lincoln event. Advocates for Bidens plan have highlighted links between ASL and the anti-government Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1970s and 80s, during which some ranchers defied rules for grazing on federal lands. Byfield is the daughter of Wayne Hage, who was engaged in a long legal battle over water and grazing rights with the federal government. The government confiscated 100 of his cattle after claiming he was overgrazing the federal range near his Nevada ranch. In her letter, Byfield praised Ricketts active opposition to the presidents initiative, calling him a forceful leader. Ricketts last year traveled the state drumming up opposition in a series of town halls, led a coalition of governors in writing a letter and ordered state agencies to resist it. Nebraskans dont need the Biden-Harris Administration lecturing us on the environment, Ricketts wrote in his weekly column Tuesday. Our farmers, ranchers, businesses and homeowners have proven their ability to responsibly use the natural resources weve been blessed with here in Nebraska. According to a running list compiled by Ricketts office, 67 of Nebraskas 93 counties have approved resolutions opposing the initiative, and so have two cities and a natural resources district. It is because of his strong stand that we are especially honored (Ricketts) is hosting this important event, Byfield wrote. The daylong event is planned for Friday at the Graduate hotel in Lincoln. Agenda items include a panel discussion on Nebraskas Stop 30x30 executive order, featuring Nebraska GOP Executive Director Taylor Gage, Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman, state Property Tax Administrator Ruth Sorensen and Cherry County Board Chair Tanya Storer. National figures slated to speak include David Bernhardt, Boebert, U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Utah State Rep. Ken Ivory and Becky Norton Dunlop. Bernhardt was secretary of the interior under Trump and is a former oil and gas lobbyist. Boebert, a controversial Republican lawmaker known for her support of gun rights and spreading misinformation on social media, sponsored the 30 x 30 Termination Act aimed at the effort in the House. Kramer co-sponsored the Senate companion bill. Dunlop is a fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a conservative strategist who worked in the Reagan administration. Jane Kleeb, who chairs the Nebraska Democratic Party and founded the environmental group Bold Nebraska, called the guests a clown car of conspiracy theorists coming to town that are lying to Nebraskans about Bidens 30 x 30 program that will literally put money in farmers and ranchers pockets and help conserve the land and water for future generations. As she has before, Kleeb pointed to Ricketts support for efforts such as the Keystone XL Pipeline, for which a Canadian company used eminent domain, while also saying he opposes land grabs in this context. On Thursday, the Nebraska Farmers Union, the Nebraska Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy of Nebraska and the Nebraska Wildlife Federation have planned a virtual press conference to release results of a poll on Nebraskans views of the federal 30% goal and federal conservation programs. A media advisory about the press conference does not link it to the anti-30x30 conference, but to Earth Day. 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. 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. NORMAL Rivian Automotive is expanding its manufacturing plant in west Normal, town officials say. The Town of Normal issued a commercial permit last week to Walbridge River City Joint Venture, a Detroit-based contractor that will construct an addition at 100 N. Rivian Motorway valued at about $35.9 million. We're adding on to the west side of our manufacturing plant, growing our production and warehousing footprint by 650,000 square feet soon, said Maura Freeman, plant communications coordinator for Rivian. It's an exciting time in Normal, as we continue to grow and deliver vehicles all over the country. According to the permit documents, the addition will be new construction built similar to previous expansions at the plant with a single one-story building. The permit was approved for the core and shell of the new building, and a separate application will be issued for the final architectural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering review. This expansion comes as the company faces some backlash in Georgia, where Rivian plans to build a $5 billion battery and manufacturing center. Opponents of the plan criticized state officials Monday, questioning the potential environmental and other impacts of the build, during an oversight committee meeting in Monroe, a city about 45 miles east of Atlanta. The electric vehicle company has begun working toward other expansions at the Normal facility this spring as well. Last month, Rivian said a 500,000-square-foot warehouse expansion was in the works about 6 miles east of the plant, at 301 W. Kerrick Road, that the company will lease from Phoenix Investors. Additionally, on April 7 Normal issued a permit to general contractor P.J. Hoerr Inc. for $1,305,000 in remodeling throughout the Normal plant. Rivian spokeswoman Miranda Jimenez told The Pantagraph the remodel will enhance three employee rest areas at the plant, a team room and two satellite cafes. The Rivian plant has added 254 employees so far in April, with a total of 5,329 people now working at the Normal facility, Freeman said. At the end of the first quarter, the company reported it had produced 2,553 vehicles in Normal and delivered 1,227 vehicles in the first three months of 2022. In total, 3,568 vehicles have been made since production began. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. Renowned Chicago bakery Lost Larson paid more than $2,000 last month to a former employee after the National Labor Relations Board found merit to the workers claim that she was fired for banding with colleagues to address workplace concerns. Lucy Honold, 31, who worked at Lost Larson from November 2020 until her firing Aug. 2, 2021, filed a charge with the NLRB in November. A four-month investigation concluded Honold had been fired in response to her protected concerted activity of bringing workers concerns to the employers attention, NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado said. Advertisement Lucy Honold is seen at her home in Chicago March 28, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Honold was eligible for more than $1,000 in back pay and to be reinstated to her job. Instead of returning to Lost Larson, however, she opted for an additional $1,000 in front pay compensation. In interviews with the Tribune, Honold said Lost Larson owner Bobby Schaffer fired her by email while she was on unpaid vacation last summer after she and other employees raised concerns about issues that included pay and COVID-19 safety. Several Lost Larson employees quit without notice two weeks later in solidarity with Honold and over persisting concerns, four of those former employees said in interviews. Advertisement Im happy we organized, and Im happy I got what I got from the NLRB, but theres a much bigger problem than just this, Honold said. Its insane how many jobs dont pay people enough to live on. Schaffer, who opened Lost Larson in 2018 after working at Michelin three-star restaurant Grace and other fine-dining establishments, declined to discuss the settlement or Honolds NLRB case. But in an email, he said, Its our position that the company complied with the law and determined to enter into a settlement as the most expedient way to concentrate on the business. We care deeply about our employees wellbeing and continually strive for a rewarding working environment, he said. Emma Haas, who was hired at Lost Larson in April 2021 and among those who quit in August, said Honolds firing had a chilling effect on other workers. Lucy got fired for having conversations and sharing concerns we all shared, she said. It felt like we had to be really careful moving forward. Honold said she and Lost Larson colleagues began working together in May 2021 to address frustrations about pay while business seemed to be thriving with a line out the door on weekends. Honold said she was hired for a front-of-house job taking orders and tending to the coffee bar at $9 an hour plus tips, which she said mapped out to about $15 an hour. In the Chicago metropolitan area, fast food and counter workers earn an average of $12.77 per hour, including tips, according to May 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. But Honold said she and several of her colleagues believed workers at one of the best-regarded bakeries in the city, operated by a high-profile chef and where tarts and cake slices cost as much as $10, deserved significantly higher wages. After asking for more money, Honold said, she was given a promotion to shift lead with a $3 raise, which she said still didnt seem like enough to live on. As a full-time employee working about 32 hours per week, her pay, including tips, equated to around $24,000 per year after taxes, she said.. Advertisement It couldnt be any busier, and this was all they have to offer us? Honold said. When I realized I had a bunch of co-workers who felt the same, it was like, Wow, I cant believe we work so hard and get paid so little. Lost Larsons COVID-19 reopening plans became another motivating issue for organizing workers. Both locations had shifted to online preorders and walk-up window service for the first year of the pandemic. But in a May 20 email to staff provided to the Chicago Tribune, a Lost Larson manager announced plans to reopen for indoor service at the Wicker Park location beginning June 1, 2021. Advertisement [ Back-aching work. Low pay. No health care: Heres why Chicago restaurant workers arent coming back. ] At Lost Larson, the managers email said the bakery would maintain a mask mandate for now for staff and customers when not seated. The manager said in the email she was reluctant to make any changes regarding established COVID policies without a team consensus first. But multiple former Lost Larson employees told the Chicago Tribune they were concerned the plan was rushed and raised questions about safety, which led them to organize. Lost Larson in Andersonville is seen on March 31, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, organizing was in the air for food service workers at the time, Honold said. Advertisement A lot of co-workers and I were situating ourselves within the broader context of food service workers who were having a hard time and even dying for this industry, she said. [ Goose Island workers tried to unionize before the COVID-19 pandemic. The company pushed back and then laid off leaders of the effort. ] Twelve Lost Larson employees wrote an email to Schaffer in late May, asking for a meeting to discuss their concerns about reopening. Employees met with Schaffer and a Lost Larson manager a few days later, Honold said. She said Schaffer told staff he wanted to get Lost Larson back to pre-pandemic operations, including customers inside the shops. But the workers made clear they wanted to move cautiously, Honold said. Lost Larson management did delay opening its doors to customers for several weeks in Wicker Park due to employee feedback, but ultimately went ahead in July. The bakery also shifted its pay model from an hourly wage plus tips, to a flat rate between $15 and $20 per hour, but that still didnt result in meaningful raises, Honold and other former Lost Larson employees said. A week later, after her final shift before an unpaid three-week vacation, Honold said, management issued her a written warning for issues that included not constructing enough to-go boxes and running out of silverware during a shift. She said she believes the discipline was punishment for being involved in this organizing effort and very vocal about it. Advertisement A week later, on Aug. 2, 2021, while Honold was traveling, Schaffer fired her by email. While we had hoped to have a discussion with you in person, yet understand you will be out of town for the next few weeks, I need to provide you notice that we will be terminating your employment at Lost Larson effective 8/2, read the email, which Honold provided to the Tribune. Through our previous talks we have determined that your involvement with the company isnt meshing with our current team. Advertisement Ten Eyck, Haas and another worker, Hannah Roffers, said they and other former Lost Larson employees tried to continue changing working conditions at the bakery. They had one more meeting with management, where they objected to Honolds firing and pay disparities. At that meeting, they asked for $20 hourly rates for all employees. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > A few days later, another employee involved in the effort, Zack Piccozzi, quit Lost Larson, both to protest Honolds firing and because he was taken off the schedule without notice, which made him suspect he was going to be fired or disciplined for raising workplace concerns, Piccozzi said. After another week, several more employees, including Roffers, Haas and Ten Eyck, also quit. Meanwhile, Honold said, she was advised by a friend of a friend who was a law student to file a charge with the NLRB after her firing. Honold filed a charge with the NLRB on Nov. 15. She was informed she had a strong case. She filled out a form, was assigned a lawyer and signed an affidavit detailing circumstances of her firing. She reached a settlement with Lost Larson on March 8, and the bakery paid her two weeks later. She said she was thankful for the outcome, but disappointed her efforts with co-workers didnt get further at Lost Larson. Advertisement I hope the employees there now see the notice and they take it seriously if they are interested in organizing, Honold said. jbnoel@chicagotribune.com 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. BLOOMINGTON McLean County school districts will be seeing more than $179,000 in payments from the state as the Illinois State Board of Education corrects several years of underpayments to hundreds of school districts due to a coding error. The error, which ISBE attributed to a contractor, led to Chicago Public Schools receiving $87 million more than it was meant to under the Evidence-Based Funding formulas. The over- and underpayments have been happening since fiscal year 2019, ISBE said on its website. Last week, ISBE contacted the more than 700 districts owed $10 or more. Ten districts are owed $1 million or more. Some area superintendents said the notification that they had been underpaid and would be receiving correction payments was a pleasant surprise. The extra revenue comes well after districts have passed budgets and as they wrap up the school year. Districts in McLean, Woodford and Livingston Counties are expected to receive more than $400,000 in total. Illinois State University Laboratory Schools are to receive the largest payment in McLean County, at almost $65,000. We were pleasantly surprised about the underpayment, and we look forward to receiving the funds. We have a number of expenditures we were going to have to dig into our savings for (a replacement mini bus, for example), so this certainly helps, Lab Schools acting director Barb Meyer said in an email to The Pantagraph. Heyworth District 4, which is receiving around $44,500, plans to use the money for academic intervention, Superintendent Lisa Taylor said. The district will especially focus on literacy intervention for kindergarten through second grade. ISBE has scheduled meetings for school administrators this week to explain what went wrong and what the state agency plans to do to prevent mistakes in the future. I will be interested to see how this did happen, Taylor said. While he appreciates the state is making it right, Bloomington District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly is concerned that the error happened in the first place. Even if the original mistake was from a contractor, ISBE has an obligation to be checking that work, just like a district would need to, Reilly said. As a district leader, Im not comforted by that, he said. He does not have specific plans for the district's correction payment of $46,080, but said it will help offset costs the district has already incurred. Pontiac District 90s $82,500 will go toward outdoor learning space expansions and building projects, Superintendent Jon Kilgore said. That includes renovations of two large courtyards into learning spaces. The timing of the correction payments is inconvenient, though, as schools wind down academic and fiscal years, Kilgore said. I dont know if surprised is the word () its not convenient with our budgeting process, but were certainly not going to turn it away, he said. District 429 Superintendent Brian Dukes said he was pleasantly surprised by the amount the district was getting. Its $96,000 will be split among the district's four buildings, and planning for it is still in the initial stages. Some of the funds will help address modernization projects for things like classroom furnishings the district started four or five years ago, Dukes said. He agreed with Kilgore that the timing, with just five weeks left in the school year, has made planning a little strange. Dukes still appreciates the extra revenue, though. It is what it is, well take it where we can get it, he said. Area districts receiving correction payments include: Illinois State University Lab Schools: $64,809 Bloomington District 87: $46,080 Heyworth: $44,479 DeWitt Livingston McLean Alternative Learning Opportunities Program: $16,886 McLean County Unit 5: $2,578.35 Ridgeview: $1,954 LeRoy: $1,931 Olympia: $340 Tri-Valley: $236 Lexington: $110 Metamora Township High School: $10,043 Eureka-Congerville: $9,806 El Paso-Gridley: $7,747 Metamora District 1: $7,067 Riverview: $2,098 Germantown Hills: $1,688 Lowpoint-Washburn: $66 Fieldcrest: $19 Pontiac School District 429: $96,039 Pontiac High School District 80: $82,513 Flanagan-Cornell: $2,2349 Prairie Central: $12,554 Blue Ridge Community Unit 18: $1,912 Lincoln Community High School: $100,387 Lincoln Elementary: $56,602 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. If P.T. Barnum and James Bailey, founders of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, could walk into Redbird Arena this weekend, they would be impressed. Not only would they be watching the oldest college-sponsored circus in the U.S., they would be sitting under a tent that dwarfed anything they ever loaded onto a railcar as they staged their Greatest Show on Earth. Founded in 1929, Illinois State Universitys Gamma Phi Circus performs under Redbird Arena, a tent built of fiberglass panels that hovers at approximately 100 feet in height. Its a lucky thing that ISU has a tent that tall. The circus acrobats swing and sway from ropes suspended from a metal framework that stands around 40 feet tall. The next thing one notices about the show? Theres no net. This years circus returns to the public after a two-year layoff due to COVID-19, said circus director Marcus Alouan. It is only the second time in the circus 93-year history there was a break, the last occurring for World War II. More than 100 student performers will recreate the acrobatic routines developed by some of the historic circus shows that wintered in Bloomington at the turn of the century more than 100 years ago. Acrobats swinging from aerial moons, multiple trapeze, aerial hammocks and spinning German wheels seem to defy gravity. Launched by a Russian swing, pirates fly 40 feet through the air before landing safely on a silk ribbon. This years show, choreographed in part by artistic director Ivan Stoinev, is built on the theme, Follow Your Dreams. The show tells the story of a girl who dreams a fantasy inhabited by pirates, French cooks, clowns and sword-wielding maidens. The show will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. There will be a childrens carnival Saturday at noon. Tickets for the show are available online or at the door. They can also be purchased by calling 309-438-8000. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MAYWOOD The Illinois childhood home of Fred Hampton, an iconic Black Panther Party leader who was shot and killed during a 1969 police raid of his Chicago apartment, has been designated a historical landmark. In a news release, organizers of the Save The Hampton House initiative, led by Hampton's son and his mother, announced that the Maywood Village Board voted to recognize the house as a historical landmark. The Tuesday night vote in the Chicago suburb follows a yearlong campaign that was tied to the Academy Award-winning film about Hampton and his death called "Judas and the Black Messiah." The designation is part of a broader effort to see the Black Panther Party and the U.S. Black liberation struggle represented alongside landmarks to the nonviolent civil rights movement. With the designation, organizers plan to transform the site into a place where the works of the Black Panther Party can be displayed. "The fight to save and maintain the Hampton House is bigger than a building and more significant than a structure," said Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. in a statement included in the news release. "Amongst other purposes, it serves as a major aspect of preserving the extraordinary legacy of Chairman Fred Hampton, the Black Panther Party, and that of service to the people in general." Hampton was sleeping in a residence on the West Side of Chicago in the early morning hours of Dec. 4, 1969, when he and fellow Black Panther leader Mark Clark were shot and killed during what authorities said at the time was the execution of a search warrant to find weapons and explosives. A federal grand jury determined that nearly 100 shots were fired through the walls, doors and windows while just one shot appeared to have been fired by someone inside the residence. The county's top prosecutor, an assistant and several officers at the scene were indicted on charges of obstruction of justice and later acquitted. But after evidence surfaced that the FBI coaxed Chicago Police and other law enforcement agencies in the United States into armed clashes with the Black Panthers, a federal judge approved a $1.85 million settlement to Hampton and Clark's families and survivors of the raid, to be paid by the city of Chicago, Cook County and the federal government. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 It was 6 a.m. Saturday, April 9, by the time lawmakers adjourned their regular spring session which had been scheduled to conclude the day prior. When all was settled, lawmakers had passed 236 bills from April 1 to April 9, more than half of the 411 that cleared both chambers of the General Assembly this session which began in January. For everyone involved, including the press corps, it was a grueling process capped by a full-day slog that began Friday morning and ended as the Saturday morning sun rose. Its a process that left Republicans asking questions three hours before the legislatures self-imposed deadline during a 9 p.m. committee hearing about a trio of budget bills totaling nearly 5,000 pages that had either just been filed or were still being processed. I don't know what we're supposed to gain from this hearing when we don't have anything in front of us, Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said at the hearing. How do you possibly begin to ask questions about something that doesn't yet exist? Roughly eight hours later, the bills cleared both chambers of the General Assembly. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed them Tuesday. Its also a process that left advocacy groups like the ACLU of Illinois reeling as late amendments were filed to two major bills that crack down on organized retail crime and greatly extend a video surveillance program on expressways and the state highway system of 22 counties. Among other controversial, hastily-passed bills was a Medicaid omnibus that saw a late addition expanding state-subsidized health care for low-income non-citizens aged 42 and older (it had previously been 55 and older), with a price tag of just less than $70 million. While those bills and dozens of others passed as Illinoisans slept, longtime Statehouse observer and former Chicago Sun-Times Capitol bureau chief Charlie Wheeler, 80, was among those who stayed up through the night to keep an eye on lawmakers. I actually stayed up all night following it, Wheeler said. And it was sort of like deja vu. Because the fact that the legislature didn't finish until the sun was coming up, that happened, I can't tell you the specific days, but that happened not infrequently when I was an active reporter. Wheeler worked for the Sun-Times for 24 years until 1993, when he became director of the University of Illinois Springfield Public Affairs Reporting program and remained a Statehouse observer. And while this years deadline push came earlier in the calendar year than at any time since the state ratified a new constitution in 1970 so that lawmakers would have more time to campaign for the June primaries, Wheeler said the process isnt surprising. A bill has to go through, all along, the different stops, he said. There's opportunities for amendments for stuff being worked out. And people procrastinate. But they would go down to the 11th hour trying to negotiate a settlement or trying to get concessions. And then, finally, when time was just about up, they put something up there. Weve seen it before in the four budget cycles weve covered at Capitol News Illinois. The current-year budget cleared at about 2 a.m last year. Pritzker was forced to issue an amendatory veto to fix drafting errors in that plan about two weeks later, which lawmakers quickly accepted. And on Jan. 13, 2021, it was just before 5 a.m. when the Senate passed the controversial SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform. The House passed it just before noon the same day. Theyve since amended the SAFE-T Act with three follow-up measures. I just think the nature of the beast is these negotiations usually go to the last minute, and I think that that's always going to be a thing, said House Majority Leader Greg Harris, D-Chicago, who has spent 16 years in the General Assembly and will retire after this term. Sen. Jason Barickman, a Republican from Bloomington who has served in the General Assembly since 2011, said while late nights have been common during his tenure, the days have gotten longer since Democrats claimed supermajorities in each chamber and the governors office in 2019. It plays to all of the publics worst fears, he said of the late-night legislating, noting lawmakers were making major decisions with little information on little rest. Harris pointed out that the House posted a version of the budget a few days before adjournment, although it saw several changes before its final passage under a different bill number. People had a chance to read probably several thousand pages that were in there, he said. There were some changes that got made, errors got corrected before the final vote happened. So I think thats good. Democrats, including Harris and Pritzker, have tended to focus on the outcome of the legislation rather than the process behind its passage, specifically touting the budgets debt and tax relief components as well as investments in public safety and violence prevention. The amount of money that we're paying in interest every year has been reduced by hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, Harris said, speaking of the debt relief plan. So that's money that can go directly to things like education and health care and child care, as opposed to interest payments. Pritzker, in an April 9 news conference called four hours after the all-night session adjourned, noted there were months of appropriations hearings in which state agencies laid out their spending requests many of which we covered at Capitol News Illinois. There have been hearings for months on all of the various aspects of this budget, Pritzker said when asked about the late-night process. I introduced the budget back Feb. 3 when I held the State of the State budget address. That is the fundamental underpinning of the budget that passed. The basics of this budget had been known by everybody Republican, Democrats since then. While there is truth to the governors point, if it were true to the letter, lawmakers wouldnt have had to file the 3,448-page Senate Amendment 4 to House Bill 900 shortly after the committee hearing on the budget had already concluded and hours after they had filed the 3,479-page Senate Amendment 3. And they would have had the 544-page budget implementation bill referred to as the BIMP in Illinois Capitol lingo ready before that committee met. Republicans have pointed out that even though certain components of the budget might have been long discussed, the process is ripe for unexpected last-minute additions. Rep. Tom Demmer, a Dixon Republican who is running for treasurer, called out some unusual additions to the BIMP in his floor speech amid its early-morning passage. One complaint he had was with the removal of a statutory requirement that the Legislative Budget Oversight Commission meet quarterly. This has been an incredibly important commission, one that, honestly frustratingly, has met only once a quarter during the last couple of budget years, Demmer said. Demmer noted the bipartisan commission was the only avenue for lawmakers to question a measure quietly included in last years budget that allowed the governor to spend up to $3 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds without having to seek further approval from lawmakers. We need a way to come back when we're not in session and get the answers that the people of Illinois deserve, Demmer said. This budget takes a step back in transparency. Harris said the Oversight Commission language was discussed with the governors office before being included in the BIMP. And I don't think for a minute that whatever the language was about the LBOC meetings would have made a difference to Republicans. They were there to vote against it, Harris said. It's the most fiscally responsible budget we've seen in decades. They voted against it. It funded the police. They voted against that. It funded mental health. They voted against that. They're just looking for a reason to say no. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEO of Aidens Homes and Apartment, Mr Frank Agyapong has urged the Ghanaian youth to patronise the real estate dream as the business leads to financial freedom as many other careers. Launching his newly fully-furnished decorated homes over the weekend at Two Streams, Mangoase Junction in Koforidua, the businessman recounted his journey, adding that, he has never regretted toeing the line. Talking about one of his business strategies, he said apartments are not supposed to be strictly conformed to the one-year-two-year advance payments as his business entity allows booking of a fully furnished one bedroom apt & studio room for days, weeks and even months. According to him, not all clients would like to lodge for years hence it will be apt if landlords consider those who will stay for days and at least months. [ https://youtu.be/qaHPHiHBCp4 ] When you are doing business, you have to have many targets. The idea of giving out apartments and rooms on yearly basis shouldnt be the only focus if you want to make money. He further expressed the need for those interested in the real estate business to have modern facilities at their premises to entice people who lodge for business, fun among other reasons. We have air-conditioning units, free Wifi, DSTV among other things such as a private balcony with a mountain view, double size bed, fully furnished kitchen among other enviable elements to make our guest comfortable. The aim is to let them have these simple modern house technologies to keep things up in the real estate world, he said. 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 Africas inclusive finance provider, Letshego Africa (Letshego Holdings Ltd / Letshego Group), is enabling instant digital access to wellness and affordable health solutions via its LetsGo Digital Mall, a multichannel digital platform, in partnership with healthcare Group, Brandmed. BrandMed is a leading, digitally-savvy healthcare Group, that continuously reimagines health, using technology to empower a better quality of life for healthcare practitioners, patients and funders. The Letshego-Brandmed partnership enables Letshego to offer digitised, world-class wellness, health facts and advice to its footprint communities across Africa. Digital wellness services will soon include virtual medical consultations for individuals wherever they may be located, all within a few clicks via Letshegos Digital Mall. Letshegos Group Chief of Products, Chipiliro Katundu, commented, Our wellness offering in the LetsGo Digital Mall, in partnership with BrandMed, is the first in Letshegos LetsGo Lifestyle series of solutions and offerings that aligns with our brand purpose to improve lives. The LetsGo Digital Wellbeing programme provides instant digital access and affordable health solutions in various dimensions, supporting customers with better health, better fitness, better nutrition and wellbeing awareness. In line with our intent of being customer-led and moving beyond financial services the digital wellbeing offering is our response to the holistic lifestyle needs of Letshego customers. BrandMeds vision is to create a virtual, people-centric, outcome-inspired health and wellbeing ecosystem, validated by medical science and extended in access through value-sharing partnerships, like that of Letshego. Thanks to BrandMeds intensive research and innovation, LetsGo Wellness will integrate and provide a combination of solutions for all visitors to the LetsGo Mall. These digital health solutions will soon include screening, in-practice clinical decision support, health management tools, telehealth, remote patient monitoring as well as a selection of diverse virtual wellbeing and patient engagement tools. Regrettably, we live in a world where the gap between the demand and delivery of reliable and quality healthcare will continue to widen. The ongoing global pandemic has also highlighted the health inequity that exists across our communities. By partnering with Letshego Africa, we can leverage the Groups regional digitalisation strategy to promote equality in accessing wellness solutions that assist in closing the gap in broader communities being able to expert medical care. Digital access also enables those most at risk, or those who may be immobile, to seek help and support for their health and wellbeing wherever they may be located, added Dr Riaz Motara, cardiologist and founder of BrandMed Group. The LetsGo Wellness program is well-placed to support Letshegos LetsGoNation, a regional community of followers and users of the LetsGo Digital Mall who wish to leverage the power of Digital so that communities can connect more and do more to improve their lives. Arnold Parker, Letshego Ghanas CEO added, We are excited this has gone live in other subsidiaries and looking forward to introducing it in Ghana at the appropriate time. In line with our purpose to improve the lives of our customers, this new wellness platform increases access to more affordable, expert healthcare, wellness and nutritional advice as Letshego strives to provide more holistic support to members of the communities where we operate. Customers in Letshegos regional footprint can access the digital wellness solution by simply registering on the LetsGo Digital Mall via the Mobile App or Web. In providing accessing to virtual wellbeing and health care support in just a few clicks, Letshego Africa is supporting its vision to be a digital-first organisation. Letshego Holdings Ltd (Letshego Group) is a truly African multinational organisation, headquartered and listed in Botswana and focused on delivering inclusive finance solutions to underserved populations across its 11 sub Saharan Africa footprint. With a staff compliment of over 3,000 including both direct and indirect sales agents - and more than four hundred thousand customers, Letshego is synonymous with leveraging innovation and technology to improve the lives of individuals who have limited access to traditional financial services. In 2022, Letshego celebrates 23 years of supporting regional communities, making strong progress with the launch of its Transformational Strategy in September 2020, towards the Groups vision to be a world class retail financial services organisation, improving the lives of mass and middle market individuals and micro and small entrepreneurs. Letshego Ghana is a licensed financial services provider in Ghana, providing loans to individuals across both the public and private sectors, as well as supporting Micro and Small Entrepreneurs. Letshego Ghana is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Letshego Group - an inclusive finance group with more than 20 years experience in Africa, and a current footprint of 11 Sub Saharan Markets. Letshego Ghana first opened its doors in September 2010 and has since grown to a staff compliment of over 290 employees, spread across 26 outlets, enjoying an expanded customer reach through strategic partnerships, innovative technology and digital delivery channels. For more info visit www.letshego.com BrandMed (Pty) Limited, is a leading South African healthcare company. Founded in 2014, BrandMed is world first in developing a unique fully integrated end to end solution to address outcomes and value-based care for patients with chronic lifestyle and Non-Communicable-Diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. KardioGroup was awarded the prestigious Frost & Sullivan South African Product Line Strategy Leadership, Internet of Medical Things South Africa, award in 2019. www.brandgroup.com 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 An Accra Circuit Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of three persons who allegedly caused damage to the footings of a-four-storey building belonging to Yusan Ventures. Criminal summons was served on them to attend Court but Mamound Abdul Razak, Hamisu Musah and Badaru Moro failed to attend Court on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The Court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh has therefore adjourned the case to April 26, 2022. They have been charged with trespassing, unlawful protection of land and interest in land as well as causing unlawful damage. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong said Complaint Nii Annancy is a Director at Yusan Ventures residing at Nungua. Razak is a businessman residing at Paraku Estate whilst Musah and Moro, also businessmen reside in Accra. In 2009, the complainant's Company acquired 0.85 acres of and situated and lying at Tse-Addo from Ataa Tawiah Tsinaiatse and Numo Ofoli Kwashie families of La where the lease documents were duly executed for the complainant by the Head of the family Samuel Quaye Tawiah and other principal elders of the family. The complainant's physically possessed the said land with a full fence wall and gated same. The complainants further developed the land with four different storey building footings on the land. Prosecution said in August, 2021, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company passed on and the accised persons took advantage of the death of the CEO and tried to convince the complainant to team up with them to take over the land but the complainant declined. The accused persons then resorted to the use of force, violence and intimidations and in December, 2021, the accused persons used a bulldozer, unlawfully entered the land and caused damage to the storey building footings on the land valued at GH301,379.40 without any just cause. A formal complaint was lodged with the Police leading to the arrest of Razak and Musah. The accused persons denied causing damage to the complainant's footings but Razak laid claim to the land. After investigation, the accused persons were served with the Criminal Summons to appear before this honourable court. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National President of the Teacher Trainee Association of Ghana (TTAG), Mr Jonathan Dzunu, has urged authorities to, as a matter of urgency, address the food shortage in Colleges of Education. He said sending over 20,000 students to campuses of Colleges on an empty stomach was a recipe for chaos and a national security threat. His call comes at the back of the National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education's (PRINCOF) directive that teacher trainees should feed themselves from May 8. According to PRINCOF, the directive was necessitated by the Colleges' inability to make payments for food items supplied to them for months, which had forced suppliers to withdraw their services till they received the monies owed them. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in Accra, following the announcement, Mr Dzunu said immediate steps must be taken by the authorities to have the issue resolved. He noted that, just as the Colleges were yet to receive any payment from the government, students had not received their allowances to be able to feed themselves. He said it would, therefore, be impossible for the students to feed themselves because they were yet to receive their allowances. He said: We cant allow our students to go to the various campuses and be starving. We cannot allow that to happen...," he stressed. Mr Dzunu urged the teacher trainees to continue to remain calm as the Association engaged with the relevant authorities to have the issue addressed. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education at a press briefing on Wednesday, announced that Government had released an amount of GHc67, 942,652 to the Colleges across the country to cater for the payment of food supply. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the Students Representative Council (SRC) of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology (KNUST) are mobilising funds to pay the fees for 3000 out of the 6000 students deferred by the University for defaulting in fee payment. We are trying to mobilise and help the SRC pay for more students, we are targeting about 3000 of them to make sure their fees are paid and their deferment reversed, Dennis Appiah Larbi, President of NUGS, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday. He added that there were plans also for the remaining students as well, saying, the Association would ensure every students interest was met. The NUGS President said they had been able to negotiate with authorities for the deferment of the students to be annulled once they were able to pay the arrears. He added that they had begun discussions with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education on the issue. Mr Larbi assured the students that the Association would do its best to ensure their deferment was reversed so they returned to campus. I can assure every student affected in this that NUGS and the SRC will work to ensure they return to campus and continue their studies, he stressed. He described the decision by the University to defer the students as "harsh" and that it affected the rights of the students to education. Though we appreciate that the University need these funds to run, measures like this go to the root and against our hope that education shall be a right and not a privilege, he stressed. More than 6,000 students of the KNUST have been deferred due to delays in payment of their fees. This was after the students could not pay their academic user fees which had April 11, 2022, as the deadline. Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University Relations Officer, alleged that some of the affected students had invested their fees in ventures, including online taxi services, and gambling, among others, and were waiting to recoup their investments to pay. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Government has released some GH 67,942,652.00 as balance due for the feeding of students in the public colleges of education across the country. This comes after the National Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), directed teacher trainees to fund their feeding effective Sunday, May 8, 2022. According to PRINCOF, the directive followed the failure of Colleges of Education to pay for food items supplied to them over a period due to the unavailability of funds from government. However, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, has served notice that government has since disbursed funds to cater for the feeding of teacher trainees. Government through the Ministry of Education has this afternoon released an amount of Ghc67,942,652.00 to the Colleges of Education to cater for their feeding balance due, the PRO stated in a Facebook post on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. PRINCOF had noted in its statement that although prices of food items have gone up and a request from PRINCOF for an upward review of students feeding fees payable to Principals had not been approved yet, it had still managed to provide some quality Meals, three times a day, for students. It has now come to a point where suppliers have backed their threats of not supplying any food items to Colleges, with concrete action by not supplying Colleges with any food items until they have been paid money owed them. The statement further said Most Colleges now have food items that can last only one week if students are to be provided with three meals a day. To this end, and in order that the 2021/2022 academic year, which is already very tight, is not disrupted. PRINCOF has come up with the schedule below, which it feels would help keep students on campus 1. Trainee Teachers will be provided with two meals, breakfast and supper only, for one week, from April 23 to April 30, 2022. 2. Trainee Teachers, from May 1 to May 8, 2022, shalt be given lunch only. 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 NEW YORK Actor Robert Morse, who won a Tony Award as a hilariously brash corporate climber in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and a second one a generation later as the brilliant, troubled Truman Capote in Tru, has died. He was 90. Morse died at his home Wednesday after a brief illness, said David Shaul of BRS/Gage Talent Agency. Advertisement The boyishly handsome Morse first made his name on Broadway in the 1950s, and landed some roles in Hollywood comedies in the 1960s. I consider myself an actor shyly, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1964. I love acting. Its a great use of body and mind... With all humility, you hope that you are doing something worthwhile. More recently, he played the autocratic and eccentric leader of an advertising agency in Mad Men, AMCs hit drama that debuted in 2007. The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 2008 as best guest actor in a drama series. Advertisement He radiated a wicked joy; it was impossible to watch him without instantly sharing his giddy delight, wrote playwright Paul Rudnick. Morse was already well-established on Broadway, with two Tony nominations to his credit, when he became nationally famous at age 30 as the star of Abe Burrows and Frank Loessers smash 1961 Broadway satire of corporate life, How to Succeed.... The show won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for best musical and ran for more than three years. Morses bright-eyed J. Pierrepont Finch was a master of corporate backstabbing with a toothy grin as he went from Manhattan window washer to titan at the World Wide Wicket company with the help of a little how-to paperback on office politics. The musicals song titles suggest the button-down, pre-feminist business world: The Company Way, a theme song for yes-men; A Secretary Is Not a Toy, a song that winks at office dalliance; Coffee Break, a tribute to caffeine; and the hymn Finch sings to himself: I Believe in You. Finch toadies up to the aging boss, played by 1920s crooner Rudy Vallee, by joining in the old mans college fight song, Grand Old Ivy. Tony Award-winning actor Robert Morse died at his home on April 20 at the age of 90. (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Imagine a collaboration between Horatio Alger and Machiavelli and you have Finch, the intrepid hero of this sortie into the canyons of commerce, The New York Times wrote. As played with unfaltering bravura and wit by Robert Morse, he is a rumpled, dimpled angel with a streak of Lucifer. The 1967 film version of How To Succeed dropped some songs but otherwise kept close to the stage original. Morse was back, as was Vallee. But Morses film career largely failed to take off. He was back on Broadway in 1972 and picked up another Tony nomination for Sugar, producer David Merricks musical version of Some Like It Hot. Morse starred as Jerry, the part played by Jack Lemmon in the Billy Wilder comedy about two male musicians who disguise themselves as women to get away from murderous gangsters. Advertisement Tru, a one-man show based on Capotes writings, revived Morses stage career in 1989. His Capote is wickedly funny, a sly imp ready to deliver an off-color joke about the Queen Mum, zing Robert Goulet or rhapsodize about the time he tap-danced for Louis Armstrong. ..., Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote in his review. But theres a desperate side of Capote, too, and Morse rises to the pain. In 1993, the televised version of Tru (PBS) won Morse an Emmy for best actor in a miniseries or special. (Meanwhile, a 1995 Broadway revival of How to Succeed... brought another Tony for its Finch, Matthew Broderick.) Televisions Mad Men returned Morse to the How to Succeed milieu of Manhattan office politics, 1960s-style. When Morse landed in Hollywood after his How to Succeed triumph, columnist Hedda Hopper predicted in 1963: If Robert Morse comes over on screen as he does on stage, hell have teenagers screaming and mothers wanting to adopt him. He has an innate sense of comedy and a funny face to go with it. Among his films was The Loved One, a 1965 black comedy about an Englishmans encounter with Hollywood and the funeral industry, based on the satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh. Advertisement I dont think in terms of whether a picture will help or hinder my career, Morse told the Los Angeles Times when the film was in production. I think of who Im working with. Among his Loved One co-stars were Jonathan Winters, John Gielgud and Tab Hunter. Morse was born May 18, 1931, in Newton, Massachusetts, and made his Broadway debut in 1955 in The Matchmaker. He received back-to-back Tony nominations for his next two roles: in 1959 for best featured actor in a play for Say, Darling, and in 1960 for best actor in a musical for Take Me Along, which also starred Jackie Gleason. Say, Darling was a comedy about a young writers experience as his novel is turned into a Broadway show. The play was based on the creation of The Pajama Game, and Morses character, a boy producer who hated being called that, was modeled on Harold Prince, a Pajama Game co-producer. Reviewing his career, Morse told The New York Times in 1989: Things change. I never got a chance to be in a play or picture where I played a father, or had a family, or where I could feel or show something. The wild child in me never had a chance to grow up. He said he had successfully battled alcohol and drug abuse, but added, I dont think drinking got in the way of my work. I did my job. It was the other 22 hours I had a problem with. Advertisement Still, he said of his career, I didnt think it was going to end or not end. I just plowed on. One day you hear `We love you, Bobby. The next day youre doing voiceovers. He is survived by five children, a son Charlie and four daughter, Robin, Andrea, Hilary and Allyn. Veteran journalist and pollster, Ben Ephson has explained that among the reasons that John Dramani Mahama failed to win the 2020 presidential elections was lack of clarity on a key campaign message of the governing party. Ben Ephson in an interview with Accra-based 3FM stated that Mahama's failure stemmed partly from a lack of clarity on how he will deal with implementation of the New Patriotic Party's Free Senior High School, Free SHS, policy when elected. Mahama and the National Democratic Congress, NDC, in the round up to the polls said the policy was going to be reviewed to make it more functional and reduce its operational challenges. But Ephson, who is Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, said the skepticism that Mahama's position generated led to, the heavy defeat, the over 500,000 votes margin he suffered. One thing is clear which cost Mahama dearly in 2020 was his inability to articulate his views on the free SHS. Many people felt that when Mahama wins he is going to tamper with the free SHS, he may even cancel it and that cost Mahama a lot, he said. Ephson made the comments while contributing to discussions around the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) five-year forecast for Ghana, that among others stated that, the NDC will win the 2024 elections but that will only happen without Mr Mahama as their candidate. The NDC... stands a reasonable chance of winning the 2024 elections, the EIU said. It also said there was an expectation that the party will revitalize with a new candidate. The report also touched on other areas including events in Parliament and the economy. A razor-thin NPP-led working majority in parliament (with 138 out of 275 seats) implies that achieving consensus on contentious reforms, including planned tax rises, will prove tumultuous. In November 2021 the minority government rejected the proposed 2022 budget bill over the introduction of an electronic-transaction levy (e-levy); this was later reversed, and the 2022 budget bill was passed by an NPP-led majority, albeit without the e-levy clause. Similar issues with achieving consensus on major legislation will slow policymaking and test the governments strength throughout the remainder of its term (until 2024). We expect a transfer of power to the NDC in the 2024 elections, driven by anti-incumbency factors and public dissatisfaction with the current government. However, irrespective of who retains power, we expect policy continuity in the medium term, with a focus on improving food security, industrialisation and economic diversification. The new government will face similar challenges to its predecessor, but overall political stability will prevail, the report said. The NDC has rejected sections of the report on Mahama's candidature whiles the NPP has also dismissed the claim that they will lose political power in 2024, the party insists it is on course to 'Break The Eight' - i.e. retain power for a historic third consecutive term. 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 Madam Dzifa Gomashie, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South, has appealed to the Ministry of Education to get the Aflao Community Day Senior High Technical School ready for admission this academic year. Her appeal on Tuesday followed the Ghana Education Services (GES) resolve to operationalise the almost completed E-Block by posting a headmaster there, effective March 21, 2022, to oversee its operations. Mr Michael Yao Tsuiatorfe, the Municipal Director, GES, said the school was opened from April 19 and that admission of successful junior high school graduates, from 2015-2021, were ongoing to enroll the first batch of students for all seven senior high school programmes, except General Science. Madam Gomashie, however, said she expected full completion of works and the necessary logistics, including furniture, must be provided to create the right environment for effective teaching and learning. The MP, briefing the media during her tour of the school, said she doubted it could operate effectively in its current state and appealed for urgent government intervention to facilitate its readiness to operate. Ive become who I am because of education. I come from a poor background like many of these children but access to education has opened doors for me. And so, my passion is the human capital development of my constituents she said. The Education Minister assured me personally in Parliament that work would continue and the school would have enrollment this year. Its been announced and I wanted to be sure that work has continued since the last time I was here but as you can see, we still have a lot of work to do. She said her decision to visit the school was to familiarise with happenings on the ground and to be an advocate-general for the school, to go on radio and encourage parents to bring their children here. And as a voice for the people, if I must speak, I must speak to facts. We need furniture, taking care of the compound, electrical works completed, painting finished, a few tiling problems here and there, some carpentry works as well, when done, will move this facility further..We know what the E-block should be like and what were seeing here now is not what is usually the state in which schools are before children are enrolled. The visit formed part of her tour of the Constituency, which also took her to the Aflao Border, where she appealed to the President to negotiate with his colleagues to open their sides of the border. Her last stop was at Agavedzi, where she presented some clothing to victims of the recent tidal waves disaster, assuring them of her commitment to advocating for their well-being. Agbotadui Akponoguia of Agavedzi, Second-in-command to Togbui Akponoguia IV, Chief of Agavedzi, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, thanked Madam Gomashie for her show of concern, saying: We appreciate the advocacy works shes doing. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Most of the Nigerians detained at camps in Poland after fleeing the war in Ukraine have been released, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has said. A total of 13 were released following the intervention of the Nigerian embassy, it said in a statement. Five other Nigerians had "unfortunately" applied for asylum and would not be released until Poland took a decision on their request or they withdrew it, the statement added. Africans repeatedly complained of racism while trying to leave Ukraine at the start of the war. There were numerous reports of Ukrainian security officials preventing them from catching buses and trains going to the border. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Scores of residents of Avenorpeme and its surrounding areas have been rendered homeless after a heavy downpour accompanied by storm wreaked havoc across the area in the Akatsi South Municipality. The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that the heavy downpour, which lasted for hours, ripped- off roofs of over 20 houses within the Avenorpeme Zone, displacing residents without casualties or injuries. Other affected buildings and areas included, Avenorpeme Vocational Training Institute, Sesime, Adonai International Academy, Zonal Councils secretariat office, among others. Mr Peter Hovey Agbaga, the Assembly member of the area, briefing GNA, disclosed that some affected victims including the aged, were currently seeking refuge with friends and relations. He called for urgent intervention from the authorities including the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Municipal Assembly to secure assistance for the victims. I would like the Assembly to take immediate action to reduce the impact of the disaster on the people, he said. Mr Ocloo Mawuli Agos, the Akatsi South Municipal Director of NADMO, told the GNA, that his outfit would be expecting some relief items from Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, to take care of the situation before they looked at other plans. Some affected victims who interacted with the GNA, said they no longer had any shelter over their head so people must come to our aid. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Residents of Assin Edubiase have heaved a sigh of relief over the improved telecommunication network in the community and surrounding areas. This was made possible after a new telecom mast was built by the American Tower Corporation (ATC) for MTN at an estimated cost of US$800,000. The beneficiary communities included Assin Kwaata, Nsuta, Homaho, Kwafokrom, Atonsu, Canaan and Dominase. The residents say access to reliable network had been a major challenge over the years as it was difficult to receive and make calls, as well as surf the internet. That, they said, affected businesses, economic activities, research work by students, teachers, nurses and other professionals who lived there. However, they were extremely excited when Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Member of Parliament for Assin South, facilitated the installation of the mast by the ATC. The residents also expressed gratitude to the Chief of Edubiase for his continuous fight in ensuring that the community had improved accessibility to telecommunication network. MTN support for the Digital Ghana Agenda is to put the country at the forefront of Africa's digital transformation. Mrs Ama Obeng, a businesswoman, told the Ghana News Agency that she had lost customers over the years due to the bad network in the town and that the improved connectivity would boost the local economy. Mr Tony Sakyi, another resident, said he sometimes had to stand at a particular point to access better network, making it worrisome to reach out for help in times of difficulty. He was, therefore, grateful to Rev. Fordjour, also the Deputy Minister of Education, for his resolve to improving education through network accessibility to enhance research by teachers and students. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Universal Hospital Group, a leading hospital equipment distributor and medical consultancy services provider in Africa has been adjudged the Best Medical Systems Consultancy in Africa at the Global Health Pharma Awards 2022 which was held in United Kingdom recently. In a statement of the award the Chief Executive Officer of UHG, Mr Frederick Amissah explains the overall distinctiveness of the company, stating, We are uniquely Ghanaian with global footprints through our global partnerships, and we are turnkey pioneers in markets we operate. He said the company thrives on its core values, integrity, people centricity, accountability, transparency, innovation, dependability and excellence. To Us, excellence is a choice. Said Frederick Amissah adding that the companys focus is to provide its products and services to the African continent and the vast international markets beyond the sub region. Universal Health Group has ensured that the best thing it can do to achieve success is to become a people centric company and has had this principle since its establishment. With this, our vision is to be the leading and most respected Pan African provider of healthcare solutions, maintain the utmost quality and professionalism every time, states Frederick Amissah. He said together with his team, the goal of its services is to embrace the ever-changing healthcare environment. In addition, it seeks to explore and identify emerging opportunities to better the company and the healthcare sector. UHG provides high-quality patient care, and with that in mind, the company offers the utmost excellence of products. It is dedicated to strengthening its brand position leading the market as a financially viable company with its innovations and overall continuous improvements within the industry. It is essentially bettering the continent of Africa and surrounding areas through compassionate care, intellectual strength and passionately skilled workers. Our second truth is that we deliver world-class healthcare facilities and equipment services. Finally, it is a testament to our excellent technical and project management recognition we are the project people. For UHG, being awarded the Best Medical Systems Consultancy in Africa has been greatly appreciated, humbling, and inspiring to its staff members because it has created a greater recognition for what the company does as a healthcare infrastructure management and solutions outfit. Our work across Ghana and West Africa (delivering over 60 projects, from small, medium, tertiary facilities, dental, physiotherapy facilities and equipment installation) has been an immense help to the populace providing world-class health facilities of various sizes and specialties. Ours is a social enterprise delivering world-class healthcare facilities across Africa. Were proud, and were grateful to the GHP Magazine for recognising the amazing work our team does, alludes Frederick. UHG is currently constructing four hospital projects within Ghana, focusing on general care, trauma, mother and child. Established with a vision to be the leading Pan African provider of health care solutions and products, Universal Hospitals Group Limited (UHG) is on a mission to offer bespoke turnkey projects and value-based healthcare solutions across Africa. Recognized as Africas Best Medical Systems Consultancy, UHG is a unique Ghanaian and West African company that delivers turnkey healthcare infrastructure projects. However, due to its reputation efforts, UHG has been able to expand its portfolio to include additional high-quality offerings such as specialist designing, building, training of critical staff, equipment installation and maintenance. Mr Amissah expressed his appreciation to the staff, partners and clients for their loyalty support. He disclosed that the company looks forward to increasing healthcare development, championing the growth of healthcare on the African continent, and introducing innovations that would bridge the healthcare gap in Africa in the coming years. About GHP Magazine GHP is a global information sharing platform & a multi-disciplinary members community. Established to enhance communication networks & collaboration across all themes and disciplines within 3 main categories: Human, Animal & Environmental Health. Whilst the membership is organically grown and closely audited, members have tended to fall into a number of general categories; Academia, Industry, Public Bodies & Health Systems, Governments & Policy Makers, Funding Agencies & Groups, Investors, Regulatory & Professional Bodies, a more detailed breakdown can be found under circulation. 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 Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member, Finance Committee in Parliament, has called on the Auditor General (AG) to audit government's Covid-19 expenditure following some conflicting figures. The former Deputy Minister of Finance says "in the recent State of the Nations Address by his Excellency the President, he is also quoting a different number of 18 point something billion...The Minister responsible for Finance has appeared before Parliament and has said to us that they spent GH17.1 billion...So, in one breath, the Vice President is quoting 8.1, the finance minister is quoting 17.1, the President is also quoting a different figure. So, we are having three numbers being bundled around. Who is telling the people of Ghana the truth? He further stressed that, "the only way we can get to the bottom of this matter is for us to sit as a country and audit that Covid-19 expenditure. We have three different numbers, all of us dont know how much we spent and no ministry, even the country doesnt have a handle and it means ministries dont also have a handle. There is the need to audit these numbers for us as a country to come to an understanding on how much we spent on Covid 19. Reacting to this on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' programme, former Member of Parliament for Tema East constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover in as much as he supports Ato Forson's call, "he should not create an impression that the ruling government is running away from accounting to the people". "I don't see any wrong in what he's done; it is his right as a ranking member of parliament to ask for clarity as far as the figures are concerned". Don't give room for government to be insulted Titus Glover has meanwhile, asked the Attorney General to publish the COVID-19 expenditure immediately. "They shouldn't have waited for Ato Forson to request for an audit," he said. "Bring out the report for everyone to know; this is very essential information; everybody wants to know how it (COVID-19 fund) was spent. The Auditor-General and his team should hurry with this . . . don't give room for speculations and people to attack the government, it is needless. those responsible for the auditing should do it . . . " he added. Listen to Titus-Glover in the video below He has also asked government appointees to be careful with data given to President Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. "Don't give different figures to the President, Bawumia; when that happens you give room for people to speculate and I don't want that," he indicated. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Sammy Gyamfi says the Economic Intelligence Unit has no locus to advise them on who they (NDC) should select as the flagbearer of the party for the 2024 general elections. According to him, they may agree with them on the other findings in their research but certainly not on who to lead the party for their 2024 elections. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that former President John Dramani Mahama has been tried, proven and tested and that it is only proper that he leads the party to victory as they have disclosed in the research. "Though the party will allow for the former President to be contested, it will not be proper for him to be discarded entirely as the party's leader for the general elections," he said. "John Mahama is the only candidate who can take the seat from the bad and corrupt NPP government and we will do a great disservice to Ghanaians and ourselves as a party if we fail to let him lead the party for the next general elections," he added. Watch video below Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot win the 2024 general elections with former president Mahama as presidential candidate.This was revealed in the EIUs five-year forecast for Ghana released on April 13, 2022.According to the report the NDC can revitalize this prospect of victory if they present a fresh presidential candidate for the 2024 polls.The latest EIU five-year forecast for Ghana, which was released on April 13, 2022, indicated that under constitutionally mandated term limits, the incumbent President, Mr. Akufo-Addo, cannot run for a third term.The EIU said its baseline forecast is anchored on the ongoing public dissatisfaction with the slow pace of improvements in governance such as infrastructure development, job creation and easing of corruption will trigger anti-incumbency factors and push the electorate to seek a change.The report pointed out, however, that Ghanaians do not believe Mr. Mahama, who is considering to run again, represents the change they are looking for, and called on the NDC to try to revitalise its prospects with a fresh candidate.The EIUs proposal for the NDC to change its presidential candidate to guarantee wide support for the party, has beset the opposition party, whose national executives thought they had overcome their political crisis after the Supreme Court debacle over the election petition. 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 Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs says the embattled Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson should blame the headquarters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the invalidation of his parliamentary membership. The Supreme Court has ruled that Mr. Gyakye Quayson should stop holding himself as an MP until determination of a case filed against the legitimacy of his election on grounds that he holds dual citizenship. He is said to have failed to renounce his dual citizenship, yet contested the 2020 Parliamentary elections and won to represent the Assin North constituency. The Apex Court, by a majority ruling, said; "The MP is restrained from holding himself as MP for Assin North and restrained from attending Parliament to conduct business on behalf of the people of Assin North. The restriction remains until the final determination of the substantive matter. We direct that the case hearing be expedited." Touching on the topic during Peace FM's panel discussion programme ''Kokrokoo'', Allotey Jacobs confirmed revelations by some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) that Mr. Gyakye Quayson was disqualified by the NDC in 2016 when he filed to contest the party's primaries. Spilling the beans, Allotey Jacobs said Mr. Gyakye Quayson was rejected twice by the NDC, in 2012 and 2016, for same reasons that he hadn't renounced his dual citizenship. According to him, he was the Chairman of the party's Vetting Committee that rejected Mr. Quayson disclosing he had demanded that he (Gyakye Quayson) presents documents showing he was no longer a citizen of Canada but the sanctioned MP failed to do so. ''I disqualified him'', he stated, adding that Mr. Gyakye Quayson has refused to renounce his dual citizenship because of a game he is playing which is ''he didn't want to risk losing his Canadian citizenship because he was unsure of winning the Parliamentary elections. So, he was playing a safe game where if he loses the elections, he would still hold on to his dual citizenship''. Allotey Jacobs blamed the leadership of the NDC for urging Mr. Gyakye Quayson on for him to face another fiasco in his pursuit to become a Member of Parliament. ''The problem that Gyakye Quayson is facing currently, the National Chairman and General Secretary of the NDC should be blamed. When he sent a petition to them, did they accept that petition? Some of the members of the NDC in the constituency in Assin North sent the petition. Gyakye Quayson's father happens to be a comrade...and the father is highly respected in the Assin area of all the traditional areas'', he fumed. 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 Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has observed that the huge remuneration and emoluments of politicians compared to other public sector workers has made them endangered species. In an interview on Starr FM, the lawmaker said politicians earn what he called decent earnings which included ex-gratia - a preserve of Article 71 officeholders comprising largely of the political class. He however maintained that the widely held perception that politics makes one rich was inaccurate. According to him, although politics does not make one rich, it makes them better off than other public sector workers considering their entitlements. Theres this perception out there that politics makes you rich, it is not an accurate perception. However let me add that politics also.let us be sincere, honestIt doesnt also make you so broke and all of that. I believe in being sincere, being brutally frank. You are paid, you earn salaries and lets be honest, in the category of public sector workers that we find ourselves, we are the only ones [article 71 office holders] who get the condition of service we get. Ex gratia and all of that. I will be honest to admit that it comes with some decent earnings. Those [other public sector workers] who may be lucky to find themselves in some international companies, international conglomerates maybe earning better particularly those who earn in foreign currency but how many are they? If you look at the category of public sector workers, theres a wide disparity and its scientific. The emolument committee report confirmed that theres even a widening gap between Article 71 office holders and other public sector workers. We must also be conscious about that and to say that yes, it [politics] doesnt make you rich but you are still better off when you compare yourself to other public sector workers and I think that we must honestly be working to bridging that gap because it makes us [politicians] endangered species. "A lot of the hatred that politicians are being subjected to, even the name-calling is because of these wide disparities, Mr. Ablakwa said on The Starr Chat on Wednesday, April 20. The ranking member on Parliaments foreign Affairs committee added that it was only greedy politicians who had soo much money. In his view, politicians who want to make an impact do not have money. To answer the question directly, does politics make you richI will say No. It does not. As I speak to you if I told you what I had in my personal account, you will be surprised. You will dispute it. "You will think that Im making it up. You can talk to our bankers, friendsthey will tell you that these politicians they are really living hand to mouth especially if you want to be relevant, you want to be useful to your people, he emphasized. 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 Robert Morse died at 90 recently, on April 20. Decades before introducing himself to millions as the eccentric, bow-tied, frequently barefoot advertising honcho in Mad Men, he built a zigzagging, often frustrated career on a particular mad charm entirely his own. An imps imp, Morse was one of the screens handful of hallowed, indelible gap-toothed comic personalities (the British actor Terry-Thomas was another), though he was most at home on stage. Six years and an entire cultural epoch separated Morses Tony Award-winning turn as J. Pierrepont Finch, the beguilingly inhuman success story driving the 1961 musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and the Broadway shows film version. Advertisement The movie is worth seeing simply because it captures so many elements of the stage success, as well as a time when jokes about secretaries being toys (courtesy of the song A Secretary is Not a Toy) werent yet out of fashion. Even so, in the year of The Graduate and In the Heat of the Night, How to Succeed already felt like a curio from another era. On the other hand, the movie has Morse and Rudy Vallee and Michele Lee and Maureen Arthur and Bob Fosses original choreography. And this is why film history will forever be a complicated matter of loving some things about a film and wrestling with others. Advertisement Robert Morse and Michele Lee in the 1967 film version of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Bob Fosse choreographed. (United Artists) By 1967, Morse had parlayed his stage triumph into a film career in a variety of comedies (Quick, Before It Melts, the Los Angeles skewering The Loved One). But as early as 1965, Morse told one reporter The parts I could play, they give to Jack Lemmon. He was a lot on camera. A lot. On stage, too. The theaters dimensions accommodated his squirrelly energy more comfortably, though audiences grew to know him primarily through television. Morses private demons, depression, alcohol and drugs among them, made things unpredictable and difficult. Much later, he originated roles in two big stage musical projects the Wizard of Oz in Wicked, in tryouts, and Capn Andy in the Toronto launch of Harold Princes epic Show Boat revival but did not continue in the roles for long. But near the end, along came a wonderful, prolonged valediction. Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner cast Morse as Bertram Cooper, Mr. Big in Mad Men, a role consciously evoking fond memories of how hed succeeded in How to Succeed. We first encounter our stars when fate decrees it. I was age 10 or 11 when the film version of How to Succeed premiered on prime-time TV. I was sold by the 45-second mark, with the cartoon sun rising on Mad Men-era Manhattan, backed by Nelson Riddles arrangement of the Frank Loesser hit I Believe in You. The fairy tale, with its baked in adolescent-male wish fulfillment, had everything I wanted. Morse, mugging ferociously before a gobsmacked, too-close camera, was a perfect Machiavellian role model: insanely lucky in work and, though Finch doesnt care about anything other than work, love. Reviewing the Broadway original, critic Howard Taubman described Morses portrayal as that of a rumbled, dimpled angel with a streak of Lucifer. Boy-men, however, have a hell of a hard time aging into a more seasoned, mature version of themselves, especially in Hollywood. This was the marvel of Morse on Mad Men: By 2007 he taped his final episode in 2015 hed settled into a new and pleasingly mellow final-act phase, both ageless (he still had that gap-toothed smile and unpredictable timing) and eternally boyish. Mad Men gave the old pro the best kind of curtain call: After the characters death, he reappeared to Jon Hamm in a vision, singing and dancing to The Best Things in Life Are Free, a song from the 1927 Broadway musical Good News. Was Morses long-running success in How to Succeed a curse as well as a blessing? Probably. But some actors are so magically right for some roles, the casting is more than luck or fate. The role is a magnet and the performer cannot resist the pull. In the whole of his career, Morse showed the world how to play a fabulously sly manipulator in more than one key. He won his second Tony Award as Truman Capote in Tru. Unlike his Tonys, however, the hearts and laughs and, now, the tears of what we remember of the actors work cannot accurately be counted. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Advertisement 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 successful presidential bid in 2024 for former President John Dramani Mahama will depend on repackaging himself and picking a new running mate. This is the view of veteran journalist and pollster, Ben Ephson, who has joined calls for Mahama's 2020 running mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to be dropped. According to Ephson, in an interview on Joy News, the former president must consider picking any of his political contenders for the flagbearership slot as his running mate. Mahama would have to repackage himself because a Mahama with the same running mate is going to be difficult [to win 2024 general elections]. He may have to form an alliance or perhaps, pick one of the [NDC presidential contenders] as his running mate. He explained further that, ...where Mahama is, he has the advantage of being marketed already. And Mahama with all his body language looks like he is retaining his running mate for 2020 [general elections]. If he does, I think he should forget 2024. So far, persons who have been rumoured as planning to contest for the slot include, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor - former Finance Minister and Kojo Bonsu - Former Mayor of Kumasi. Mahama's office in a recent statement confirmed in principle that he will be contesting to lead the National Democratic Congress, NDC, into the next elections. The office issued the statement in the wake of an Economic Intelligence Unit, EIU, report that stated that the NDC stood a chance of returning to office in 2024 but that they should consider revitalizing the party with a new candidate. The call has roundly been rejected by party top guns who insist that he (Mahama) is the best bet for the party come 2024. 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 Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has spoken about the infamous babies with sharp teeth term introduced in Ghana's politics by the late President Jerry John Rawlings. Speaking on the Starr Chat programme, Wednesday, April 20, 2022; Ablakwa said the term did not refer to any specific politician even though a number of young politicians back in the day have been ascribed that label. "It started with a speech that ex-president Rawlings gave at one of our party events in Kumasi. He talked about these babies with sharp teeth. That was where he ended, he never mentioned names. "In all sincerity, nobody ever called me that 'go after the former president,' used unprintable language, no. It was not even my style." He continued: "Over the period, those who have studied me closely have realized that I do not go about insulting elders or even younger people. I dont believe in the politics of insults." Rawlings, who died in 2020, referred to the term a number of times but never once mentioned the people he was referring to. It was largely rumoured in political circles as reference to young NDC politicians who were tackling the former president in media interviews. Ablakwa, Stan Dogbe, Felix Kwakye Ofosu and Richard Quashigah. In 2021, after his passing, a former confidant and one-time Member of Parliament, Fiifi Kwettey told GhanaWeb about what the term really meant and why Rawlings birthed it. According to Mr. Kwettey, Rawlings's drive to change and drive the country forward influenced many of his decisions at his young age, and even reflected in the naming of his children. But of course, many didnt necessarily agree with his methods, and this somewhat caused a rift between some members of his party and himself. The phrase; babies with sharp teeth eventually became a popular one Mr. Rawlings used to described persons whom according to him, were babies in the NDC but were biting hard at him whenever he criticized some happenings in the party. 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 Ms Nana Yaa Jantuah, General Secretary of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), has proposed the formation of a committee for the monitoring of the proceeds that would accrue from the E-Levy and their disbursement. She told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, ahead of the commencement of E-levy collection May 4, 2022 that a Special account should be created for E Levy proceeds Ms Jantuah said composition of the committee should have representatives from selected Ministries, including the Ministries of Finance, Works and Housing, Education and Health. "The committee must also have financial experts as well as representatives from one or two political parties as members." Ms Jantuah called for the creation of a special E-levy account to facilitate monitoring of the proceeds. "We can look at the activities that E-Levy is supposed to support with this structure in place and if the project is outside the activities earmarked for the E-Levy, the committee would be able to kick against it", she said. She said, once the E-Levy ends up in the Consolidated Fund, there would be accountability challenges, just as there have been with some other public funds. "The E-Levy proceeds going into the Consolidated Fund, I do not think it is the right way to go", she argued. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has stated that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report is not a verdict on the candidacy of the former President. He said it only represented a political risk analysis of what they expected to happen in the 2024 elections. According to him, the report published last week (April 13, 2022) was not an opinion poll on how Ghanaians were expected to vote on the candidates at the poll but a political analysis of what the unit believed to be the political situation in Ghana. Report The London-based EIU, in its five-year forecast on Ghana released on April 13, this year, predicted that public dissatisfaction with economic challenges, the slow pace in development and the tackling of corruption are likely to inhibit the chances of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) winning the 2024 presidential election. It, therefore, predicted that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) stands a reasonable chance of winning the 2024 elections due to the quest of the electorate to seek for change in the face of the challenges. The former President, John Mahama, is reportedly considering running again, but we expect the opposition NDC to try to revitalise its prospects with a fresh candidate, the report stated. Reaction Agreeing with the EIU's five-year forecast that the opposition NDC had better prospects of winning the 2024 presidential election, Mr Kwakye Ofosu disagreed with parts of the report which suggested that that could only be achieved with a new candidate. "Their (EIU's) baseline expectation is that the New Patriotic Party government will lose the 2024 elections and this means that their minimum expectation with all things factored is that the NPP will lose and that the reason why they will lose is that Ghanaians have become disenchanted by their poor performance in government," Mr Kwakye Ofosu said in an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday. "So that is their basic assumption even though they have not carried out a scientific poll but they also, while they expect the NPP to lose, the NDC can bolster its chances by getting a new candidate". He said the part of the report about the NDC's candidate had been misinterpreted by certain media houses to mean that the opposition party could only win the elections with a new candidate. "The report only says that a new candidate would bolster our chances, this means that we will win but we may win by a wider margin or more if we have a new candidate. So, it is not a verdict on the candidacy of President John Dramani Mahama and the EIU has not said President Mahama cannot win the next election," he said. He said as a member of the NDC, he was certain if Mr Mahama decided to run at the next elections, he would win by a respectable margin. Credibility Mr Ofosu Kwakye also stressed that the EIU was a very credible institution, having successfully predicted the outcome of presidential elections in Ghana in 2012, 2016 and 2020. "The Office of the former President believes in the credibility of the EIU, we know that even though they don't do polling, they are a credible organisation and over the years their predictions have come to pass in many jurisdictions, so we are not about to dismiss them on the basis of lack of credibility," he explained. "We will study the report as far as the electoral fortunes of the NDC are concerned, the NDC is a formidable political organisation that has sufficient capacity to determine what the right strategy would be and who will fit the bill as its flag bearer in the 2024 elections," he added. 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 Interim Superintendent of the Holy Apostolic Reformed Church of Ghana (HARC), Bishop Dr Thomas Okpoti, has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to demonstrate unity in their dealings in the House on issues of national interest. He said in spite of the highly polarised political environment, politicians must learn to compromise when negotiating about policies bordering on the countrys future. The polarisation in Parliament is becoming so intense that some of us are so afraid that if we are not careful, this nation will be thrown apart but I believe some arguments are irrelevant when it comes to the future of Ghanaians and what is going on in Parliament is not helping anyone of us, he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra last Friday. Unity He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic knew no political or ethnic colour when it attacked the country hence the need for the country to be united in order to recover from the adverse effects of the pandemic. One thing we must understand is that a virus came upon us and attacked us, it came without any ethnic or partisan colour and so for us to overcome it, we do not need partisan colours, we have to be united. But if the people up there cannot give us an example of unity, then we will be divided against one another, he added. Exhortation In an exhortation on the theme: His Blood, Bishop Dr Okpoti, who premised his message on the book of John 19: 24, said Christians must learn to keep their inner self as clean and seamless as the inner garment of Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life for them. Ghanaians must become as seamless as the inner garment of Christ and lines of division should not be seen among us, he stressed. He further urged the government to formulate policies to help low income earners while calling on affluent Christians to help deprived individuals in their communities. 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 Former Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). A letter sighted by Peacefmonline.com confirm that President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the former Deputy Minister, who was also a former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku constituency, pursuant to ''Section 14(1) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2021 (Act 852)''. The letter issued and signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare read; ''I am pleased to inform you that President has appointed you to act as the Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (the ''Authority''), pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing board of the Authority, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission." The appointment takes effect Tuesday, 3rd May, 2022. 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 " " There isn't any country currently run as a pure democracy, though most are run on democratic principles. Emma Espejo/Getty Images Is the United States a democracy or a republic? The answer is both. The U.S. isn't a "pure democracy" in which every decision is put to a popular vote, but today scholars use the terms "democracy" and "republic" interchangeably to mean any government where power is invested in the people, whether it's exercised directly by the people or by their elected representatives. So it's equally fair to call the U.S. a "democratic country," a "constitutional democracy," a "democratic republic," or to get really technical, a "constitutional federal representative democracy." While the United States was the first modern democracy, the world is now full of democracies and republics of various flavors: presidential republics, parliamentary republics, constitutional monarchies and more. Each type of democracy has its advantages and disadvantages, but they all share founding principles like free and fair elections, guaranteed human rights, and the rule of law. We spoke with Del Dickson, a political science professor at the University of San Diego and author of "The People's Government: An Introduction to Democracy," to learn more about the first democracies and republics, and how the framers of the United States Constitution debated how best to keep the "spirit" of democracy while avoiding the perils of "mob rule." Advertisement It All Started with the Greeks and Romans The English word "democracy" comes from the Greek demokratia, meaning "the people" (demos) have "the power" (kratos). The ancient Greek city-state of Athens is considered the world's first and only "pure" democracy, established in 507 B.C.E. "Democracy means the people rule and the Athenians took that very literally," says Dickson. "There were no representatives and they didn't like experts. When there was an issue, everyone would gather in assembly and they'd discuss and decide." But even in Athens, there were limits to democracy. Only male Athenian citizens could participate, not female citizens, foreigners or slaves. While some issues were put to a popular vote at the 5,000-man assembly or ekklesia, the day-to-day governing was done by the boule, whose 500 members were chosen by a random lottery called a "sortition." While not elected, members of the boule functioned as representatives of their local tribes. " " The Greek ekklesia was technically open to any male Athenian citizen. But in practice, only about 5,000 out of 40,000 men participated as the rest were on military service or couldn't take time off from work. Nastasic/Getty Images Our word "republic" is derived from the Latin res publica, which literally means "public thing" but is commonly translated as "commonwealth" or "state." The earliest republic was established in ancient Rome around the same time as the Athenian republic, and Dickson says that in the classical world, democracy and republic meant the same thing, a government run by the people. In the early Roman republic, only the wealthiest citizens (the patrician class) could hold seats in the Senate, the ruling assembly, but over time there were additional governing bodies created for the plebeians (the commoners) and other classes of Roman citizens. Dickson says that the Roman republic grew more and more representative until Rome became an empire, at which point dictators like Julius Caesar seized power and the republic fell. "The Roman republic worked on a small scale, but the political system couldn't keep up when it expanded to become an empire," says Dickson. Advertisement The U.S. Founding Fathers Were Suspicious of Direct Democracy Fast forward to the 18th century, when Founding Fathers like Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson debated the ideal form of government for the fledgling United States. These men were well-schooled in the ancient histories of Athens and Rome, and inspired by Enlightenment political philosophers like Montesquieu, Rousseau and Locke. "Most of the framers of the Constitution loved the words 'democracy' and 'republic,' but they didn't like the meaning," says Dickson. "They were pretty suspicious of direct democracy, because people are passionate and selfish, and if you're not in the majority you're in big trouble." John Adams voiced some of the strongest opposition to letting ordinary people make important political decisions. Adams believed there needed to be "adults in the room," says Dickson, who were better educated and better qualified than the "great unwashed." To the framers of the Constitution, "democracy" and "republic" soon became synonymous with "representative democracy," in which the people exercised political power through elected representatives. On the federal level, though, the Constitution originally only allowed direct election of the House of Representatives. Senators were not elected, but appointed by state legislatures until 1913 with the passing of the 17th Amendment. And the president was and still is elected by the electoral college, not by a popular vote. Elements of direct democracy persist, though, in state ballot referendums and initiatives, which are passed by a majority popular vote. And even the old-school Athenian idea of the sortition survives in the modern American system of jury duty, in which citizens are called to serve at random. Advertisement Different Types of Democracies and Republics The U.S. Constitution was designed to create a balance of power across three branches of government: the legislative (Congress), the judicial (the court system) and the executive (the president, vice president and cabinet). That division of power was based, in part, on the parliamentary model that existed in the United Kingdom in the 18th century when the Constitution was drafted. The U.K. wasn't a democracy at the time, but in addition to a monarch (king or queen) it had a powerful Parliament (legislative assembly) composed of representatives at least nominally elected by the aristocracy. "The U.K. divided power into the one (the monarch), the few (the House of Lords) and the many (the House of Commons)," says Dickson. "The U.S. took that and modified it." " " British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a statement on Ukraine in the House of Commons, Westminster, in January 2022. The U.K. follows the parliamentary model of government. House of Commons/PA Images via Getty Images Instead of a monarch as the chief executive, the U.S. has a president. And instead of a House of Lords and House of Commons, America has a Senate and House of Representatives. (The U.K. didn't have a Supreme Court until 2009. Until then, judicial power was held by Parliament.) This American style of democracy is called the "presidential model," since the president is the chief executive and is elected separately from members of Congress. As the head of the executive branch, the president also exercises certain powers, like the ability to veto bills passed by Congress, to appoint members to the Supreme Court, and to serve as commander in chief of the military. There are nearly 80 democracies in the world that follow the exact same presidential model as the United States, including Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines. An additional 23 countries have both a president and a prime minister, with the president acting as the chief executive. France, Russia and South Africa are examples of these "semi-presidential" democracies. The second major type of modern democracy is the "parliamentary model," in which the people don't vote directly for the chief executive. Instead, they vote for the members of Parliament, and whichever political party wins a majority of seats in Parliament gets to choose the chief executive, who is called the prime minister. The prime minister is usually the head of the political party in power. There are 36 parliamentary republics in the world, plus an additional 36 constitutional monarchies, where there's both a prime minister and a monarch, who acts as a figurehead with no real power. Ireland, Fiji and Bangladesh are examples of countries whose government is based on the parliamentary model. The modern U.K. is a constitutional monarchy. One major difference between presidential and parliamentary democracies is that parliamentary systems have fewer checks on power, since the executive and legislative branches are controlled by the same party. That means that there's generally less gridlock in parliamentary politics, which is great for the party in power, but less so for the minority opposition. "The presidential system is set up to move slowly," says Dickson. "Nobody could just ram things through and overwhelm minority rights." Whether it's a presidential or parliamentary system, what makes a modern democracy a true democracy is faithful adherence to a set of democratic principles: the rule of law (constitutionalism), representation based on free and fair elections, and guaranteed rights including freedom of speech, press and religion. By that measure, some countries are democracies in name, but not in practice. Interestingly, citizens of both the U.S. and the U.K. are among 12 countries where the majority of people are dissatisfied with how democracy is working, according to a 2019 Pew survey. Now That's Cool Thomas Jefferson was a fan of Athenian-style democracy and wanted to organize the U.S. into "wards" of 100 people, where local matters would still be decided by popular vote. "Let the national government be entrusted with the defense of the nation and its foreign and federal relations; the state governments with the civil rights, laws, police and administration of what concerns the state generally; the counties with the local concerns; and each ward directs the interests within itself," wrote Jefferson in 1816. " " Andrii Holovine, a priest of the church of St. Andrew Pervozvannoho All Saints in Bucha, Ukraine, conducts a funeral service April 18, 2022, for three civilians ages 61, 70 and 75. All three people were killed during the Russian occupation outside Kyiv. Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images After Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the world was shocked by horrifying revelations of the systematic mass slaughter of Ukrainian civilians. After the Russians pulled back from Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, scores of residents were found shot to death in the streets, including some who had their hands tied behind their backs and showed signs of torture, according to this report from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Others were discovered buried in mass graves, including hundreds at a 45-foot-long (13-meter-long) trench the church of St. Andrew Pervozvannoho All Saints. The carnage shocked the world. Even so, U.S. President Joe Biden still stirred controversy when, for the first time, he used a specific term to describe the Russians' crimes: genocide. "I called it genocide because it's become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out even the idea of being Ukrainian," Biden told reporters before he boarded Air Force One April 12, 2022. "The evidence is mounting." Biden's choice of words was momentous, because he was accusing the Russians of committing one of the most monstrous offenses imaginable. The term genocide was first coined during World War II by Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin. It described the mass extermination committed by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, when a systematic effort succeeded in wiping out 6 million Jewish lives in Europe. Lemkin, who lost 49 members of his own family, including his parents, framed the term from the ancient Greek word genos (meaning race or tribe) and the Latin term cide (meaning killing). Lemkin defined genocide in a way that rose above the typical brutality of war and collateral damage that it invariably inflicts upon non-combatants. In genocide, Lemkin wrote in 1945, "The intent of the offenders is to destroy or degrade an entire national, religious or racial group by attacking the individual members of that group." Lemkin's idea that the systematic effort to kill an entire group of people was as much of a crime as any one murder eventually caught on. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly enacted Resolution 260, which officially designated genocide as a crime under international law. In 1998, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court also listed genocide as one of the crimes under its jurisdiction. " " French forensics investigators, who arrived to Ukraine for the investigation of war crimes amid Russia's invasion, stand next to a mass grave in Bucha, Ukraine, April 12, 2022. Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images Advertisement Defining Genocide in War There are two key elements to the definition of genocide, explains Laura A. Dickinson. She's a research professor of law at George Washington University whose work focuses on human rights and the law of armed conflict, among other topics. Her works include this recent law review article on national security law and human rights. "The first is a very specific intent: 'to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such,'" Dickinson says via email. "The second element consists of acts, such as killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, inflicting conditions on the group calculated to bring about its physical destruction, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group, or forcibly transferring children of the group to another group," Dickinson continues. Though genocide has been an international crime for a long time, it took decades for a head of state actually to be found guilty of genocide by a court. Former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda was sentenced to life imprisonment for six counts of genocide and crimes against humanity in 1998 by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. That court was established to try leaders involved in the mass murder of as many as 1 million members of the Tutsi ethnic minority in 1994. Though Kambanda pled guilty to all the counts against him, he later tried to appeal his sentence, but it was upheld in 2000. Since then, other prominent figures convicted of genocide have included two former leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, and former Bosnian Serb Army Commander Ratko Mladic. "Genocide can be committed not only by state actors but also non-state actors," Dickinson notes. "A United Nations investigative team concluded that ISIS committed genocide against the Yazidi people, for example." " " Ex-Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, dubbed the "Butcher of Bosnia" looks on before his 1995 genocide conviction over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) in The Hague, was upheld. PETER DEJONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Who Says When It's Genocide? But international tribunals and investigators aren't the only ones who can make accusations of genocide. The U.S. government makes its own determinations that genocide has occurred as well, and has concluded that China has committed genocide against the Uyghurs, and that Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingya minority. "When a government acknowledges that a genocide is occurring, it is very significant, because the genocide convention obligates all state parties to take measures to suppress, prevent and punish genocide, including by enacting legislation and punishing perpetrators," Dickinson explains. Despite President Biden's statements, whether the U.S. government officially will label Russia's actions as genocide isn't yet clear. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in an April 13 briefing that the U.S. is working with the Ukrainians and other international partners to collect, preserve and share evidence of Russian atrocities and potential war crimes, but that lawyers will need to determine "whether what we are seeing meets that legal threshold of genocide." (This report from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum explains in depth the process that the U.S. uses to determine whether or not an incident is genocide.) Some legal scholars and human rights activists see the legal concept of genocide, as described in U.N. Resolution 260, as too narrow, explains Edward B. Westermann via email. He's a professor of history at Texas A&M University San Antonio, and author of the 2021 book "Drunk on Genocide: Alcohol and Mass Murder in Nazi Germany." "The requirement for 'specific intent' on the part of the perpetrators is often criticized, as is the absence of official recognition of acts of cultural genocide or the targeting of 'political' groups," Westermann says. It's also not easy to make the case in court. "It is very difficult to prove genocide, both because of the scope and scale of the predicate acts that must be shown, but also, and probably most significantly, the intent requirement," Dickinson says. "Proving the level of intent required to establish genocide is very difficult." To make things more complicated, the connection between national leaders and the actual killers can be blurry, especially if the killers don't have official positions in the government or military. "Does the act of genocide need to include the knowledge and approval of a state entity, or can it be conducted by non-state actors with the state's tacit knowledge?" Westermann asks. " " French forensics investigators from Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale (IRCGN) examine a body after it was exhumed from a mass grave in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv. French gendarmes and forensic doctors arrived in Ukraine to help investigate the discovery of hundreds of dead in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv. SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Genocide vs. Ethnic Cleansing It also sometimes happens that brutal leaders walk right up to the legal boundary of genocide, and foment brutal atrocities that accomplish pretty much the same purpose. That sort of fuzziness has led to the rise of another term, ethnic cleansing, which first came into use during the Balkan wars in the 1990s, when Bosnian Serb forces committed massacres and sexual assaults against Bosnian Muslims in an effort to drive them out of Bosnia. Ethnic cleansing is the use of violence and terror to drive a group of people, such as a religious or ethnic group, from a geographic area. Unlike genocide, ethnic cleansing isn't officially designated as a crime, though the U.N. and international prosecutors have used it to describe a pattern of other offenses. Westermann says that ethnic cleansing sets a lower bar for a state's criminality. "Mass murder or mass displacement of target populations can serve as ethnic cleansing and the term itself has been used in some cases in an attempt to avoid the issues involved with the stricter legal definitional requirements related to genocide," he says. Once the world recognizes that genocide is being committed, there's an even more difficult question of what other countries should do immediately in response, since putting perpetrators on trial later doesn't stop the killing. Though the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution demanding an end to the invasion, Russia's veto power blocks the U.N. Security Council from intervening militarily or sending in a peacekeeping force. "U.N. Resolution 260 clearly sets a positive obligation for the signatories to 'prevent and punish' the crime of genocide," Westermann explains. "In this sense, the law is clear, but it has been the political will to take action that has been missing. This was clearly the case in Rwanda in 1994 and we have seen the same political kabuki dance in other cases including in South Sudan and Syria. In other words, we don't need a stronger law, but rather a stronger political resolve to enforce the existing resolution." Now That's Important Long before the mass killings during the Russian invasion, Ukraine was one of the crime scenes for Nazi genocide. German military forces, assisted by Russian and Ukrainian collaborators, killed an estimated 1.5 million Jews in Ukraine during World War II, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. After the war, the Soviet regime, which itself had a reputation for antisemitism, "tended to minimize the uniquely Jewish tragedy that occurred during the occupation." The observational data for HD 83443, color coded as follows: Light blue - AAT, Green - HIRES/Keck, Blue - HARPS pre-correction, Red - HARPS post correction , Orange - Minerva-Australis ThAr and Purple - Minerva-Australis iodine. The panel shows the data for the long period planet HD 83443 c. Credit: Errico et al., 2022. Astronomers report the discovery of another exoplanet around a nearby star known as HD 83443. The newfound extrasolar world is a Jupiter-mass planet orbiting its host on a highly eccentric 22-year orbit. The finding was detailed in a paper published April 12 on the arXiv pre-print server. Located some 133 light years away, HD 83443 is a solar mass K0 star, with more than twice the metallicity of the sun. The age of this star is estimated to be 2.64 billion years and its effective temperature is around 5,429 K. HD 83443 is known to host a "hot Jupiter" exoplanet (designated HD 83443 b), with a mass of some 0.41 Jupiter masses, which orbits it approximately every three days. Now, a team of astronomers led by Adriana Errico of the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, reports the detection of another giant planet orbiting HD 83443, which was suggested by previous studies. The finding is a result of analyzing radial velocity data from four instruments, namely: the University College London Echelle Spectrograph (UCLES) at the 3.9 m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT), the High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) at the Keck Telescope, the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) at the ESO La Silla 3.6m telescope, and also the MINERVA-Australis telescope array at the Mount Kent Observatory. "HD 83443 has been observed by four precise radial velocity instruments spanning a baseline of over 22 years. Here we give details about the observations from each instrument," the researchers wrote in the paper. The newly found alien world received designation HD 83443 c. The results suggest that this planet has a dynamical mass of about 1.5 Jupiter masses, and orbits its host every 22.6 years, at a distance of approximately 8 AU from it. The astronomers underlined that HD 83443 c orbits its parent star on an unusually highly eccentric orbit, measured to be 0.76. According to the authors of the study, such high eccentricity suggests that a scattering event may have sent HD 83443 b to its close orbit while leaving HD 83443 c on a wide and eccentric path. They even suppose that a third, less massive (with a mass lower than 0.4 Jupiter masses) planet may have participated in the scattering and was ejected. The researchers noted that HD 83443 is a fascinating rare example of a well-characterized system containing both a hot Jupiter and a highly eccentric giant planet. Moreover, HD 83443 c turns out to be so far the most distant and highest-eccentricity companion to a hot Jupiter. Summing up the results, the astronomers emphasize the necessity of further studies of this system in order to shed more light on the properties of the newfound planet. They suggest that HD 83443 c may be even a target if future direct imaging space missions. "Although the host star is a bit far ( 41 pc) and dim (V mag 8), the planet could potentially be imaged by future direct imaging missions when it approaches periapsis, which will happen in about 10 years, thanks to its high planet-to-star flux ratio," the authors of the paper concluded. Explore further Two new Saturn-mass exoplanets discovered More information: Adriana Errico et al, HD 83443 c: A highly eccentric giant planet on a 22-year orbit. arXiv:2204.05711v1 [astro-ph.EP], Adriana Errico et al, HD 83443 c: A highly eccentric giant planet on a 22-year orbit. arXiv:2204.05711v1 [astro-ph.EP], arxiv.org/abs/2204.05711 2022 Science X Network Analog-1 Interact rover. Credit: ESA If man's best friend is a dog, then in the future astronauts' closest companions might well be rovers. A technique allowing astronauts in orbit to control rovers exploring planetary surfaces has been developed by a research team from ESA, the German Aerospace Center DLR and European academia and industry, culminating in an Earth-based rover session commanded from the International Space Station. A paper published in the Science Robotics journal this week details their results. "This is the first time that an astronaut in space managed to control a robotic system on the ground in such an immersive, intuitive manner," comments Aaron Pereira of DLR. "Our 6 degree of freedom control interface incorporates force feedback so that the astronaut can experience just what the rover feels, even down to the weight and cohesion of the rocks it touches. What this does is help compensate for any limitations of bandwidth, poor lighting or signal delay to give a real sense of immersionmeaning the astronaut feels as though they are there at the scene." Let the robots take the strain Robotics engineer Thomas Krueger, heading ESA's Human Robot Interaction Laboratory, adds: "Robots can be given limited autonomy in known, structured environments, but for systems carrying out exploratory tasks such as sample collection in unknown, unstructured environments some kind of 'human-in-the-loop' oversight becomes essential. But direct control has not been feasible due to the inherent problem of signal delaywith transmission times constrained by the speed of light. Analog-1 sample collection tool. Credit: European Space Agency "So we have been working towards the concept of humans staying safely and comfortably in orbit around the Moon, Mars or other planetary bodies, but being close enough for direct oversight of rovers on the surfacecombining the human strengths of flexibility and improvisation with a robust, dexterous robot on the spot to carry out their commands precisely." A team from ESA's HRI Lab and DLR's Robotics and Mechatronics Center collaborated on a series of progressively more complex tests, first on Earth then extending into orbit. "In the end we needed to perform feasibility experiments from space because past research shows that weightlessness can degrade human performance during force and motion tasks," adds Thomas. "This and other unique environmental factors meant that Earth-based simulations would not be sufficient." Their efforts culminated in the first part of the Analog-1 experiment in late 2019. Astronaut Luca Parmitano aboard the ISS operated the gripper-equipped ESA Interact rover in a mock lunar environment inside a hangar in Valkenburg, the Netherlands to survey rocks and collect samples. The two-hour space-to-ground test was a success, overcoming a two-way signal delay averaging more than 0.8 seconds and a data packet loss rate of 1% plus. Signals between space and ground. Credit: European Space Agency Solving the time factor "Even though the ISS is in orbit just 400 km overhead, its signals are relayed to Earth via geostationary telecom satellites, then to Europe from Texas via a transatlantic cable," explains Aaron. "Our team at DLR had to design a control algorithm that could function on a stable basis despite this time lag. Because there is a delay in the force feedback received by the operator, they might continue to move the robot further even after it has hit a rock. This could lead to the robot going out of sync with its controller, potentially vibrating like crazy, perhaps even damaging itself. "To prevent that happening, we use a concept called 'passivity'we look at the overall amount of energy an operator puts in, and on the remote side make sure the robot never gives out any more energy than that, and vice-versa. Like when you push a child on a swing, they are never going to go any higher than the first swingand with friction and so on will swing gradually lower and lower." Analog-1 experiment hangar. Credit: European Space Agency "So for instance, when the robot arm is moving and suddenly hits a rock it would take extra energy to move which the astronaut did not command, so we reduce the command energy at once to slow down the arm. Then, after the 850 microsecond delay, when the astronaut feels the rock they can then choose to add the extra energy to push it. "This 'Time Domain Passivity Approach for High Delay' technique is very intuitive in practice and should be able to work well with higher delay times as well." Next steps on Mount Etna Thomas concludes: "The main limitation of the work done so far is that our indoor analog lunar environment lacks realism. So this summer will see the second part of Analog-1 take place on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in Italy as part of a larger international robotic test campaign called ARCHES. "Luca Parmitano will once again be controlling the Interact rover, this time in 1G from the ground." Explore further In simulated mission, astronauts obtained direct haptic feedback from robots they control on the ground More information: Michael Panzirsch et al, Exploring planet geology through force-feedback telemanipulation from orbit, Science Robotics (2022). Journal information: Science Robotics Michael Panzirsch et al, Exploring planet geology through force-feedback telemanipulation from orbit,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abl6307 One Saturday in 1980, Richard M. Daley, a product of beer-chugging Bridgeport, paid a visit to Dawn Clark Netschs Old Town salon of pinot grigio-sipping liberals. Advertisement It was the least likely gathering of opposites since Napoleon had tea with Madame de Stael, a darling of the 18th-century literati. She reported that his French was atrocious. Daley, who on Sunday turns 80, was famed for his abuse of English. Advertisement People are getting hurt in drive-by shootalongs, he once said. But elections are won by votes, not grammar, and yesteryears enemy is todays ally. In 1972, Daley and Netsch were newly elected members of the Illinois Senate. She once called him dirty little Richie, a reference to his father, Mayor Richard J. Daley, who belittled critics like Netsch with a rhetorical question, What trees do they plant? State Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch and State's Attorney Richard M. Daley appear at a news conference on March 22, 1985, to announce their support for legislation for a statewide referendum on merit selection of judges. (Ovie Carter / Chicago Tribune) In fact, Richard M. was destined to plant lots of trees on the median strips of Chicagos streets, a favorite project of his wife, Maggie. But first he had to get elected mayor, and in 1980 he was taking a preliminary step by running for Cook County states attorney. Richard J. Daley died in 1976, leaving Richard M. Daley something between an opportunity and a problem. As his brother Bill Daley told the Tribune: In a way, it was easier because when my dad was alive, everything Rich did in the senate was seen as a move by Mayor Daley. Or as Richard M. Daley said of his fathers power: He couldnt hand it down. Its not like kings and queens. In the year following Richard J. Daleys death, potential claimants to the fifth-floor mayors office were chomping at the bit. Michael Bilandic, an alderman from Bridgeport, succeeded Richard J. Daley after the Machine literally locked Wilson Frost, a Black alderman, out of the office he claimed he was entitled to as the City Councils president pro tempore. Advertisement In 1979, Jane Byrne, once a no-name City Hall official, pulled off an upset victory over Bilandic, in part due to his disastrous response to a winter blizzard. Jubilant workers for Richard M. Daley raise the hand of the "champ" on Nov. 5, 1980, in their 11th Ward headquarters after Bernard Carey phoned Daley to concede in their race for state's attorney. Editors note: there are some markings on this historic print. (Anne Cusack / Chicago Tribune) Among those waiting in the wings was Ald. Edward Vrdolyak, the Cook County Democratic chairman, who had a certain flair for putdowns. Asked about Richard M. Daley, the Tribune reported that he replied with a mischievous grin: I just dont know the man that well. Another future mayoral aspirant: Congressman Harold Washington. The incumbent states attorney in 1980 was Bernard Carey, a Republican. Mutual opposition to the Machine put Mayor Byrne in Careys corner. He also had support in the African American community because his Democratic predecessor had staged the notorious West Side raid where two Black Panther leaders were murdered. Daley recognized he couldnt win as Democrats traditionally did: with precinct workers reminding voters of the garbage cans they got and relatives put on city payrolls. He needed to run on the issues, which werent part of the Machine playbook he had grown up with. Advertisement Chicago politicians were prone to flubbing their lines when speaking to the issues. When a key City Council ally of Mayor Richard J. Daley went to prison, the Machine ran his wife for alderman. Declaring her support for bilingual programs in Chicago schools, as the citys Latino population grew, Adeline Keane said: When I went to grammar school, Latin was almost compulsory; today its almost non-existent, the Tribune reported. Richard J.s legendary malapropisms led his press secretary to admonish reporters: Dont say what he said. Print what he meant. But the guests Richard M. Daley would meet at Netschs salon could speak eloquently to issues galore. Equitable election districts, civil rights, desegregated schools, affordable housing you name the issue, the lakefront liberals had the answer. Their problem was a lack of political muscle to enact them. After their initial 1977 sandlot meetup, state Sen. Dawn Clark Netsch, shown here swinging, and state Sen. Richard M. Daley, playing catcher, joined forces again for a benefit game at a ball field at Sedgwick and Eugenie streets on June 8, 1980, in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. (Walter Kale / Chicago Tribune) Daley made the first move in reaching out to that crowd. In 1977, he showed up at a North Side softball game that was a fundraiser for Netsch. Could there be any better setting than a sandlot diamond for the first date of a Chicago political romance? She played the shy but inwardly beaming teenager. I dont think its one of the great political events of the year, Netsch told the Tribune. Their political marriage was announced by a pair of 1980 Tribune headlines: Advertisement Daley embraces lakefront liberals. Vintage Chicago Tribune Weekly The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune's archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city's past, present and future. > 10 Independents give Daley support for states attorney, above a story that announced Daley had won the backing of Netsch and others. It was enough to put Daley over the top, making him the countys top prosecutor and setting him up for higher office. Richard M. Daley watches as his name is put on the state's attorney door by painter Tom Wisniewski, right, on Dec. 1, 1980. (Carl Hugare / Chicago Tribune) Daley won, beginning an alliance with reform groups in Chicago, brokered in no small degree by Dawn Netsch, who was principled and pragmatic, not dogmatic, Ald. Michele Smith recalled upon Netschs death in 2013. That alliance wasnt enough to hold off Washington in 1983, when Daley and Byrne split the white vote and fell short in the Democratic primary. But Daley went on to become mayor in 1989. He served until 2011, holding office even longer than his father had even as the political machine Richard J. Daley had built slowly crumbled. Advertisement rgrossman@chicagotribune.com Join our Chicagoland history Facebook group for more from Chicagos past. Daniel Patterson, a sophomore at John Handley High School, walks home from school below blooming Bradford pear trees on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Winchester, Va. Their beauty and supposed sterility made Bradford pears a widely popular ornamental, but they wound up being pollinated by other ornamental varieties of Callery pears and turning highly invasive. Credit: Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star via AP Stinky but handsome and widely popular landscape trees have spawned aggressive invaders, creating thickets that overwhelm native plants and sport nasty four-inch spikes. Bradford pears and 24 other ornamental trees were developed from Callery pearsa species brought to America a century ago to save ravaged pear orchards. Now, their invasive descendants have been reported in more than 30 states. "Worse than murder hornets!" was the tongue-in-cheek title of a U.S. Department of Agriculture webinar in 2020 about Callery pears including the two dozen thornless ornamental varieties sold since the 1960s. "They're a real menace," said Jerrod Carlisle, who discovered that four trees in his yard and one at a neighbor's had spawned thousands on 50 acres (20 hectares) he was turning from cropland to woods in Otwell, a community of about 400 in southern Indiana. Indiana is among 12 midwestern and western states that have reported invasions, though most are in the South and Northeast. Until 2015, Carlisle rented his field to a farmer. Then he enrolled it in a USDA crop reduction program that paid for planting 29,000 trees as wildlife habitat. Carlisle realized the spiky flowering pears were a problem in 2019. When he cut or mowed them, new sprouts popped up. Trees sprayed with herbicide regrew leaves. Cutting off bark in a circle around the trunk kills most trees. Not these. A callery pear is seen in Johns Creek, Ga. on Sunday, March 13, 2021. A stinky but handsome and widely popular landscape tree has become an aggressive invader, creating dense thickets that overwhelm native plants and bear four-inch spikes that can flatten tractor tires. Credit: AP Photo/Alex Sanz He and his 17-year-old son have cut down an estimated 1,400 Callery pears, applying herbicide to the stumps. But he figures there are about 1,000 more to go. Without regular maintenance, fields near seed-producing trees can be covered with sprouts within a couple of years, said James "J.T." Vogt, a scientist at the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Research Station in Athens, Georgia. "If you mow it, it sprouts and you get a thicket," he said. "If you burn it, it sprouts, too." Seedlings only a few months old bear spurs that can punch through tractor tires, said David R. Coyle, an assistant professor in Clemson University's Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. The stench wafting from the tree's billows of white blossoms has been compared to perfume gone wrong, rotting fish, chlorine, and a cheese sandwich left in a car for a week. The trunks branch off in deep Vs, so after 15 to 20 years they tend to break in storms. This photo made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, Special Collections, shows USDA plant explorer Frank N. Meyer on Mount Wutai, Shanxi, China, on Feb. 25, 1908. Meyer, who died in 1918, sent an estimated 2,500 species of plants, including his namesake Meyer lemon and Callery pears, to the United States. Credit: Courtesy of USDA via AP But Frank N. Meyer, an agricultural explorer who brought 2,500 species of plants including his namesake Meyer lemon to the USDA in the early 1900s, called the Callery pear wonderful, noting that it survived drought and poor soil. At the time, a bacterial disease called fire blight was devastating U.S. pear orchards, University of Cincinnati researchers Theresa M. Culley and Nicole A. Hardiman wrote in a 2007 BioScience article about the plant's U.S. history. And, just as researchers had hoped, grafting edible pears onto Callery roots produced blight-resistant fruit trees. In 1952, USDA workers noticed a spikeless mutant growing among Callery pears started from seed. By grafting its cuttings onto roots of other Callery pears, they cloned an ornamental line they named Bradford pears. That variety was commercially available by 1962, Culley and Hardiman wrote. This photo made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, Special Collections, shows an unidentified man holding a spur of a large Callery pear tree next to a pine tree during an expedition to collect plants in China for the USDA, on March 31, 1917. The location, described as "near Nan chang yen, Hupeh, China," may have been in Nanzhang county in Hubei. "Very few trees find pine trees congenial mates, but this remarkable Calleryana pear occurs at times quite plentiful in open pine forests, on sterile mountain slopes," USDA plant explorer Frank N. Meyer wrote to his supervisor. Invasive varieties of Callery pear have been reported in at least 33 U.S. states. Credit: Courtesy of USDA via AP Other seedlings grew into 24 more ornamental varieties. All are so pretty, hardy and insect-resistant that they were planted nationwide. Bradford and other Callery ornamentals are the third most common trees of 132 species planted along New York City streetsmore than 58,000 out of 650,000 as of 2015, the most recent count, said city parks department spokesman Dan Kastanis. But the city is no longer planting them, Kastanis said. Neither is Newport News, Virginia, which got rid of its Bradford pears in 2005. South Carolina, Ohio and cities including South Bend, Indiana, have banned or are banning all commercial varieties of Callery pears. Some states, including Missouri and Alabama, are asking homeowners and landowners to stop planting them or to cut existing ones down and apply herbicide to the stumps. Several, such as North Carolina, offer free native trees to landowners who provide photos proving they have cut down Callery pears on their property. This photo made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, Special Collections, shows an unidentified man looking toward dwarf Callery pears growing in arid soil on a 2,000-foot-high mountaintop in China on March 31, 1917. The location, described as "near Nan chang yen, Hupeh, China," may have been in Nanzhang county, Hubei. Now, ornamental varieties have crossbred and become invasive in at least 33 U.S. states. Credit: Courtesy of USDA via AP For the USDA, which ordered Meyer to send Callery pear seeds from China, the nasty spurs and marble-sized, inedible fruit were irrelevant. What mattered was that the plant was resistant to fire blight. Genetically identical pears don't produce seed, so botanists figured the cloned varieties were safe for ornamental use. In 1971, the USDA even put out a brochure about their care, touting them as trees that bloom several times from spring through fall, thrive in many climates and soils, and don't attract plant pests. Now, the USDA describes Callery pears as near ubiquitous and has been studying the best way to kill them. Their adaptability is one reason they're so invasive. And their bug-resistant waxy leaves mean insect-eating birds don't come near them. "They're kind of a food desert for a bird," said Coyle, who leads Clemson's annual "Bradford pear bounty," providing native saplings to landowners who have felled their Callery ornamentals. A Callery pear tree is seen in Auburn, Ga., on Sunday, March 13, 2021. A stinky but handsome and widely popular landscape tree has become an aggressive invader, creating dense thickets that overwhelm native plants and bear four-inch spikes that can flatten tractor tires. Credit: AP Photo/Alex Sanz It turned out that, although trees of the same variety cannot produce seeds with each other, two different varieties within a pollinator's range can produce fruit that squishes on sidewalks and feeds starlings and robins, which spread the seeds widely. In addition, the root stock can send up sprouts. If those aren't regularly pruned to prevent them from blossoming, they can cross-pollinate with the grafted-on tree to produce fertile seed, noted University of Cincinnati's Culley. "A wild population can potentially originate from a single landscaping tree that someone plants in their yard," she said in an email. Carlisle, the Indiana landowner, thinks he's finally getting ahead of his invasion because native trees planted for reforestation, especially six oak species, are casting enough shade to inhibit Callery seedlings. This photo provided by David R. Coyle, shows spiky invasive Callery pear saplings in a horse pasture near Woodruff, S.C., on Jan. 20, 2020. Those only a few months old can bear spurs that endanger tractor tires, says Coyle, an assistant professor in Clemson University's Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. Credit: David R. Coyle via AP In this drone photo provided by Jerrod Carlisle, invasive Callery pear trees bloom white among 29,000 still leafless native trees on his land in Otwell, Ind., on March 26, 2020. In the area where there are only native trees, he has eliminated the invaders by cutting them one by one and applying herbicide foam around the edge of each stump top. He believes the invasive trees sprouted from seeds produced by five trees -- three ornamentals and two that were supposed to bear edible pears. Indiana is among more than 30 states where Callery pears have been reported as invasive. Credit: Jerrod Carlisle via AP This photo provided by David R. Coyle shows invasive Callery pear trees blooming along Georgia Higway 441 near Nicholson, Ga., on Feb. 21, 2019. Georgia is among more than 30 states where the trees have been reported as invasive. Credit: David R. Coyle via AP Snow covers blossoms on a Bradford Pear tree in Roanoke, Va., Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Their beauty and supposed sterility made Bradford pears a widely popular ornamental, but they wound up being pollinated by other ornamental varieties of Callery pears and turning highly invasive. Credit: Erica Yoon/The Roanoke Times via AP A Bradford pear tree, damaged by ice following an overnight winter storm, is seen in Wichita, Kan., on April 10, 2013. Their beauty and supposed sterility made Bradford pears a widely popular ornamental, but the deep Vs formed by some branches turned out to make them prone to breaking after 20 to 30 years. They also wound up pollinated by other ornamental varieties of Callery pears and turning highly invasive. Credit: Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle via AP "I truly believe I'm in eradication mode now," he said. ___ This article was originally published April 21, 2022. It has been corrected to state that fire blight is a bacterial disease, not a fungus. Explore further Nonnative pear trees are showing up in US forests 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This combination of images made available by NASA shows areas of low ozone above Antarctica on September 2000, left, and September 2018. The purple and blue colors are where there is the least ozone, and the yellows and reds are where there is more ozone. With climate change, plastic pollution and a potential sixth mass extinction, humanity has made some incredible messes in the world. But when people, political factions and nations have pulled together, they have also cleaned up some of those human-caused environmental problems. Credit: NASA via AP With climate change, plastic pollution and a potential sixth mass extinction, humanity has made some incredible messes in the world. But when people, political factions and nations have pulled together, they have also cleaned up some of those human-caused environmental problems, including healing the ozone hole, clearing perpetually smoggy air and saving many species from the brink of extinction. "We can be good at cleaning up our messes, it's whether or not we choose to be and what we prioritize," said Michigan State University environmental sustainability researcher Sheril Kirshenbaum. For Earth Day, The Associated Press asked more than 25 environmental scientists and policy experts, including two former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chiefs and the current director of the United Nations Environment Programme, to share their top stories about environmental problems that the world fixed. "There are some amazing success stories," said Stanford University environmental scientist Rob Jackson. "It's easy for us to get tunnel vision with everything going wrong, and there is a lot that needs to change quickly. But it's wonderful to remind ourselves that other people in the past have succeeded and that society has succeeded too, both nationally here in the U.S. and also internationally." Here are the four successes mentioned most often and a key aspect that so many ecological wins have in common. HEALING THE OZONE HOLE Fixing ozone depletion was by far the top choice of scientists, officials and environmental policy experts. "It was a moment where countries that usually compete with each other grasped the collective threat and decided to implement a solution," former EPA chief Carol Browner said in an email. Scientists in the 1970s had discovered that a certain class of chemicals, often used in aerosol sprays and refrigeration, was eating away the protective ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere that shields the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation linked to skin cancer. The ozone layer was thinning everywhere, creating a hole over Antarctica, which not only threatened increased skin cancer cases, but cataracts and widespread changes to ecosystems around the globe, said University of North Carolina atmospheric scientist Jason West. This combination of July 1998 and April 2020 photos shows a difference in smog levels above the Los Angeles skyline, with California Highway 110 in the foreground. With climate change, plastic pollution and a potential sixth mass extinction, humanity has made some incredible messes in the world. But when people, political factions and nations have pulled together, they have also cleaned up some of those human-caused environmental problems. Credit: AP Photo/Nick Ut, Marcio Jose Sanchez "It's the first time we created a planet-killing problem and then we turned around and solved it," Stanford's Jackson said. In 1987, the countries of the world signed the Montreal Protocol, a first of its kind treaty that banned the ozone-munching chemicals. At this point every nation in the world has adopted the treaty, 99% of the ozone-depleting chemicals have been phased out, "saving 2 million people every year from skin cancer," United Nations Environment Programme Director Inger Andersen said in an email. The ozone hole over Antarctica worsened for a couple decades, but over the last several years it has slowly started to heal in fits and spurts. The United Nations Environment Programme projects that the ozone " will heal completely by the 2030s." While activists point to the Montreal Protocol as a hope and example for the fight against climate change, it's not quite the same. In the case of the banned ozone-sapping chemicals the corporations that manufactured them also made their replacements. But with climate change "it's more of an existential threat to the oil and gas companies," Jackson said. CLEANER AIR AND WATER In the United States and much of the industrialized world, the air is much cleaner and clearer than it was 50 or 60 years ago when major cities like Los Angeles were choked with smog and even more dangerous microscopic particles in the air. And lakes and rivers were dumping grounds, especially around Ohio, Michigan and Canada. "We would go to Lake Erie when I was young... and play on the beach and there would be dead fish everywhere. We would have dead fish fights," Stanford's Jackson said. In the United States the Clean Air Act of 1970 and its follow up in 1990 with EPA regulations "effectively cleaned our air," UNC's West said. A similar law passed in the 1972 for water. "This has led to fewer health conditions such as cancer and asthma, for example, and saved millions of lives and trillions of dollars in health care costs," Syracuse University environmental sciences professor Sam Tuttle said. "That means healthier people, more productive fisheries and a healthier and more attractive environment for all of us to enjoy." Tight restrictions on tiny particles alone decreased annual U.S. air pollution deaths "from about 95,000 in 1990 to 48,000 in 2019," West said. In Los Angeles in 1955, smog levels peaked at 680 parts per billion. In the last couple years they hit 185 parts per billion but are usually much smaller. Wind turbines are seen in front of a coal fired power plant near Jackerath, Germany on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. With climate change, plastic pollution and a potential sixth mass extinction, humanity has made some incredible messes in the world. But when people, political factions and nations have pulled together, they have also cleaned up some of those human-caused environmental problems. Credit: AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File It's not just air outside. Former EPA chief William K. Reilly and University of Maryland environmental health scientist Sacoby Wilson said restricting indoor smoking had huge public health effects. On the water, Brown University environmental scientist J. Timmons Roberts also grew up on Lake Erie and stopped going to the water because of the dead fish: "Regulations and cooperation between the U.S. and Canada really made the difference and now there's genuine eco-tourism there and thousands of walleye and other fishers come out every summer." SOLAR AND WIND POWER The steep fall in price of solar and wind power, which do not produce heat-trapping gases, has surprised experts and given them hope that the world can wean itself from coal, oil and natural gas that are causing global warming. From 2010 to 2020, the price of residential solar power dropped 64% and the price of large-scale utility solar power generation dropped 82%, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab. Solar "is becoming a dominant energy technology and it's becoming cheaper," Jackson said. "It is cheaper than almost all other forms of electricity generation." Few people thought solar and wind prices would drop so quickly just ten years ago, Jackson, Kirshenbaum and others said. Experts credit renewable power subsidies to pull the world out of the 2008 Great Recession, especially in Germany and the United States. ENDANGERED SPECIES The bald eagle, American alligator, peregrine falcon, Canada geese and humpback whales are each environmental success stories. All were once on the brink of extinction, put on the endangered species list for protection. Now they are all of the protected list and in some cases they are so abundant that people consider them a nuisance or they cause problems for other species. A squadron of brown pelicans glides over the ocean waves off Sandbridge beach in Virginia Beach, Va., in 2019. With climate change, plastic pollution and a potential sixth mass extinction, humanity has made some incredible messes in the world. But when people, political factions and nations have pulled together, they have also cleaned up some of those human-caused environmental problems. Credit: L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, File "Conservation efforts are clawing some endangered species back from the brink," Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm said. "We are learning to do this thing called conservation." The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken 96 species off the endangered species list, 65 of them because they have recovered. Experts credit regulations and laws across the world with restricting the killing and trading of endangered species and preventing destruction of crucial habitat for those critters and plants. Another key change was the ban on the pesticide DDT, which reverberated through the food chain, causing thinning eggs for eagles, peregrine falcons and other birds of prey, Cornell University environmental biology professor Robert Howarth said. COOPERATION In the United States, many of these key successes were spurred by laws and actions taken by Republican administrations of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. "All these major milestones, including the creation of the EPA, were bipartisan, but unfortunately today we can't seem to get that stuff done," said Christie Todd Whitman, who was an EPA chief during a Republican presidency. "Sadly, Republicans don't seem to care about these issues anymoreeverything is so hyper partisan now that (the) GOP seem to be Neanderthals on the environment." Often when a Republican is president, the rest of the country moves left and becomes more friendly to environmental action, whereas they move right and become more environmentally complacent during Democratic administrations, said Kirshenbaum, a former congressional staffer and director of Science Debate. What's important is cooperation and buy-in to big issues from all sides, experts said. The treaty to heal the ozone hole is the example for what working together can accomplish, Syracuse's Tuttle said: "This agreement proved that the international community could come together to create an enforceable framework to tackle an environmental problem of global significance." Explore further Ozone hole over Antarctica larger than usual, scientists say 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Staphylococcus argenteus (SAR) was isolated from chicken meat and slaughterhouse samples. The sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of S. argenteus isolates from both sources suggested a bacterial contamination of chicken meat in the slaughterhouse. Credit: M. Miyake & Y.Wakabayashi People must consume enough safe and nutritious food to remain alive and healthy. Consumption of unsafe foods, contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances, is responsible for more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancer. Diarrheal diseases are the most common illnesses caused by contaminated food, affecting 550 million people and killing 230 thousand people each year, globally. Even in developed countries, some bacterial foodborne pathogens threaten people's life through ingestion of daily meals. Of concern is Staphylococcus argenteusa bacterial organism that causes food poisoning. It was first discovered as a genetically distinct lineage in the Aboriginal communities in Australia. Since then, Staphylococcus argenteus has been isolated on other continents, indicating its global prevalence. In a recent study, a team of scientists based at Osaka Prefecture University in Japan, sought to examine the prevalence of Staphylococcus argenteus in foods such as vegetables, fish, chicken, beef, and pork from retail stores. They used molecular techniques to identify bacterial genetic material by polymerase chain reaction and whole genome sequencing. Except for chicken, none of the foods they sampled had evidence of contamination with Staphylococcus argenteus. Surprisingly, Staphylococcus argenteus genetic material was found in 13.9% of the tested chicken samples. The researchers further profiled the Staphylococcus argenteus genotype, virulence factors, and level of antibiotic resistance. Using multiple-locus sequence typing (MLST), the ST2854 strain was the most predominant, accounting for 33% of all isolates. Other predominant strains were ST1223, ST5961, and ST2250 at 28.6%, 23.8%, and 14.3%, respectively. All isolates had Staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) gene repertoires. In particular, the selx gene, which codes for the SELX protein. Astonishingly, one of the 21 strains tested for antibiotic resistance was resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, and doxycycline, while another one was only resistant to penicillin. Furthermore, the researchers examined chicken-associated samples from two different slaughterhouses, one specializing in broiler chicken processing, and the other specializing in hen processing. A total of 357 samples were tested, including chicken feathers, chiller water, and facility swabs. Surprisingly, 14 strains of Staphylococcus argenteus were isolated from a single slaughterhouse. These isolates were found in the chiller water, swabs of knife handle, and cutting boards, as well as the chicken carcasses. Upon genetic analysis of the slaughterhouse isolates, 13 isolates were assigned to the ST5961 genotype and one isolate to the ST5964 genotype. Toxin profiling and antibiotic susceptibility testing were also performed. Toxin profiling revealed the selx gene, in all isolates. Furthermore, additional sey genes, sel26 and sel27, were only found in ST5964, implying that these isolates originating from a slaughterhouse, may cause staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP). Surprisingly, all 14 isolates from the slaughterhouse were susceptible to antibiotics. In further confirmatory studies, the researchers used phylogenetics to analyze sequences from all of the 35 Staphylococcus argenteus isolates to clarify the relatedness between retail chicken and slaughterhouse-derived isolates. Intriguingly, some of the retail chicken isolates were found to phylogenetically cluster with slaughterhouse isolates. Moreover, three isolates from chicken and one isolate from slaughterhouse chiller water phylogenetically clustered together. Furthermore, five isolates from retail chickens and 13 isolates from slaughterhouse clustered together and were all classified as ST5961. These findings indicated that the slaughterhouse environment is most likely a source of contamination with Staphylococcus argenteus, thereby suggesting a continual bacterial spread into processed foods. In an interview, Professor Masami Miyake, who supervised this research, said, "Basically, this investigation showed that chicken meat was highly contaminated with Staphylococcus argenteus, the bacteria that can cause human disease. Our molecular phylogenetics approach further exposed that meat processing plants may also have a role in germs being transmitted from the environment to food and vice versa." The schematic illustration of their proposed Staphylococcus argenteus food contamination dynamics is shown in Figure 1. When we caught up in an interview with Dr. Yuki Wakabayashi, who was a doctoral student when he conducted this study, he added, "This is the first study that demonstrated the presence of S. argenteus in a food processing facility, and the possibility of bacterial contamination during food processing, should be taken into account." The research was published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology. Explore further Campylobacter strains exchange genes, can become more virulent and antibiotic resistant More information: Yuki Wakabayashi et al, Isolation and characterization of Staphylococcus argenteus strains from retail foods and slaughterhouses in Japan, International Journal of Food Microbiology (2021). Journal information: International Journal of Food Microbiology Yuki Wakabayashi et al, Isolation and characterization of Staphylococcus argenteus strains from retail foods and slaughterhouses in Japan,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109503 Provided by Osaka Metropolitan University Visualization of dynamical heterogeneities in a glassy colloidal suspension, as obtained by difference of optical microscopy images with a lag-time of 25 s. The bright spots correspond to fast-moving particles. Credit: R. Pastore Glass transition is a Grand Challenge in condensed matter physics and still reveals surprises, despite decades of intense research. For instance, diffusion in glassy liquids was until now thought to be qualitatively similar to that in conventional, "hot" liquids, at least for long observation times. New research published in Physical Review Letters demonstrates that this is not the case: long-time diffusion in glassy liquids is indeed "Fickian yet non-Gaussian" (FnGD), an intriguing feature previously discovered in complex and biological fluids. At variance with those systems, however, FnGD in glassy liquids becomes dramatic when approaching the glass transition and seems to be characterized by universal scaling laws. The study, combining experiments and simulations, was performed by Francesco Rusciano (Ph.D. student), Raffaele Pastore and Francesco Greco at the group of Statistical Mechanics of Soft Materials of the University of Naples Federico II. The glass-transition issue After decades of experimental and theoretical efforts by a wide scientific community, the glass transition still remains a major open issue in the fields of condensed matter and complex systems, as shown by the Nobel Prize recently awarded to Giorgio Parisi, one of the leading figure on this topic. But what is a glass? Briefly, when a molecular liquid is rapidly cooled below its melting temperature, crystallization can be avoided. In this state, however, even modest temperature drops make the viscosity increase by orders of magnitude and eventually lead to "glass," a material that is mechanically solid yet maintaining the disordered microscopic structure typical of a liquid. Thus, glass-transition challenges a fundamental assumption in condensed matter, namely that the microscopic structure and the mechanical response of a material are closely related. Interestingly, it has emerged that the glass transition is not a prerogative of molecular liquids only, but it also occurs in other systems, such as colloidal suspensions of increasing concentration. While the development of a comprehensive theory for vitrification is as yet a matter of active debate, it is now clear that an important role is played by the presence of dynamic heterogeneity, i.e., the long-lasting coexistence of clusters of fast- and slow-moving particles. Glassy liquids are in fact considered a paradigmatic model of dynamic heterogeneity. Fickian non-Gaussian Diffusion While glass transition is a long-standing issue, FnGD is a much more recent one. Particle diffusion in conventional liquids and in many other systems is characterized by a particle Mean Square Displacement (MSD) increasing linearly in time (Fickian) and by a Gaussian displacement distribution, as predicted by Einstein's celebrated work on Brownian motion and its interpretation in terms of random walk. However, in some systems, like fiber networks or porous materials, diffusion is found to be non-Fickian and non-Gaussian, and is therefore termed "anomalous diffusion." Due to these observations, Fickian and Gaussian behaviors were thought to occur together or not to occur at all. This common expectation was cracked in 2009 by ground-breaking experiments at Granick's group (University of Urbana, Illinois), revealing the existence of a novel type of diffusion, being simultaneously Fickian but non-Gaussian. Since its discovery in biological fluids, FnGD has been found in a wide variety of soft matter systems, but its understanding still remains elusive. However, the emergence of FnGD is generically associated to some structural or dynamical heterogeneity of the environment where particles move. Fickian non-Gaussian Diffusion in glassy liquids The widespread concomitance of heterogeneity and FnGD motivated the researchers at the University of Naples Federico II to search for the possible occurrence of FnGD in glass-forming liquids, the epitome of dynamic heterogeneity, drawing on experiments on colloidal suspensions and simulations of molecular liquids. The study demonstrates that FnGD is not only present in glassy liquids, but it also becomes very marked and long-lasting when approaching the glass transition. The study also shows that universal power-laws capture the relation between the time-scales for onset of Fickianity and for restoring of Gaussianity, as well as the time dependence of the exponential tails of the displacement distributions. Overall, these findings open the way to a cross-fertilization of ideas between the two issues of FnGD and glass transition. On the one hand, FnGD is the key to understand long-time diffusion in glassy liquids and to revisit well-established concepts, like that of dynamic heterogeneity. On the other hand, the strong signature of FnGD just found in glassy liquids can likely represent a benchmark for future studies of FnGD in other systems. Explore further Challenging Einstein's picture of Brownian motion More information: Francesco Rusciano et al, Fickian Non-Gaussian Diffusion in Glass-Forming Liquids, Physical Review Letters (2022). Journal information: Physical Review Letters Francesco Rusciano et al, Fickian Non-Gaussian Diffusion in Glass-Forming Liquids,(2022). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.168001 Fusarium wilt on Tenerife. Credit: Aurelio Cianco In the 1950s, the "Gros Michel" variety of banana was wiped out by Panama disease. The banana crop in some locations was basically eliminated by the disease of fusarium wilt, caused by a pathogen that enters the plant through the roots. With no defense possible, the only solution for the banana industry was to cultivate a different banana variety called the Cavendish, which was naturally immune to Panama disease. In that way, the Cavendish variety rose to become the most traded banana crop in the world today. Unfortunately, the disease that causes fusarium wilt has mutated and now the Cavendish crop is no longer immune. It too is being decimated by fungal disease. "This fungus is a complete nightmare," said Dr. Aurelio Ciancio, from the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection at the National Research Council of Italy in Bari. "Producers are worried because it's spreading quickly around the world," he said. Ciancio is the coordinator of the MUSA research project. "Traditional control measures are limited and this fungus is clearly capable of killing plants at speed," he said. Funded by the EU and working with partners from Europe, Africa and Latin America, MUSA spent four years investigating the use of bio-controls, or natural agents in plant defense. Banana bugbear The banana's bugbear is dubbed Tropical Race 4 (TR4) also known as Panama 4. First identified in Taiwan in 1990, the mold causes fusarium wilt in the Cavendish cultivar. Entering through the roots, it chokes off the plant's energy supply, killing it from within. TR4 has been detected in banana growing areas around the world. It spreads stealthily in contaminated soil or water, remaining undetected until it invades the plant. By the time its effects are visible, as the banana plant turns yellow and wilts, it's too late. TR4 has moved on to strike its next victim, destroying banana plantations as it goes. The TR4 fungus has been identified in places as far afield as Australia, Mayotte, Mozambique, Peru and Colombia. Once again, just like with Panama disease, the 23-billion-euro global banana industry faces an existential threat. The bananas we buy have a narrow genetic base. Because they reproduce by cloning, they are all practically identical, genetically speaking. All bananas in the world are susceptible because the Cavendish is a monocultural crop with zero resistance to TR4. Microbiology MUSA research focuses on rhizosphere microbiology, which is the study of microorganisms in the soil around a plant's roots where micro-organisms thrive. Microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and nematodes (microscopic worms) may be our natural allies in the fight against banana diseases. When it comes to rhizosphere microbiology, said Ciancio, "There are the good guys, and the bad guys." "Our aim has been to identify the good guys," he said. These are the microorganisms that will help plants to feed, activate their natural defenses or even turn the tables and attack pathogens and pests that threaten the plant. The scope of the MUSA project included not just TR4 but other severe problems banana plants encounter, notably plant parasitic nematodes (tiny worms which disrupt nutrient and water uptake) and black weevil (one of the most serious insect pests facing bananas). The MUSA team collected and sequenced thousands of biocontrol agents with encouraging results. MUSA partners in Costa Rica discovered a fungus that can reduce the impact of disruptive nematodes, or tiny worms, which attack the plant. On the other hand, in Cuba, MUSA partners conducted research on a type of nematode that fights the deadly black weevil insect. Natural defenses Overall, their findings demonstrate how microorganisms in the rhizosphere may help to prime banana plants' natural defenses and sustain its roots. Meanwhile, on the tropical island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, TR4 is not yet present but the threat looms large. "The diseases we're studying are now very close to the border," explains Bernard Reynaud, Professor of Plant Biology and Ecology at Reunion University, Head of the CIRAD Laboratory and coordinator of the EU-funded INDICANTS project. Beginning earlier this year, INDICANTS plans to develop rapid tests to detect the presence of harmful bacteria or fungi in banana plants. "For bananas the issue is that there are lots of epidemics in small areas and we're trying to limit their expansions," said Reynaud. "For this, we need a rapid, specific, and sensitive diagnostic test." He and CIRAD colleague Dr. Isabelle Robene, are working on a low cost, mobile DNA-based diagnostics kit that detects multiple pathogens at once, including TR4. "TR4 cannot be controlled using fungicides and cannot be eradicated from soil using fumigants," said Dr. Robene, a specialist in plant pathology and molecular diagnostics. Robene explains that current diagnosis is often unreliable and slow, which can allow TR4 to escape. The INDICANTS solution would enable scientists to test and have results back in just 20 minutes, which could be a game-changer. "With rapid molecular diagnostics, you'd quickly apply control and containment measures," she said. "You'd fence off an area, you'd prevent transportation from that area, and you'd destroy the infected plant material," The toolkit which Robene and colleagues are working on must be validated through inter-laboratory tests and field surveys. Food security It is now being further optimized to ensure that it can detect the four common vascular diseases affecting bananas. The next phase for the MUSA team is to develop commercial biocontrol products and technical innovations that can reach farmers and banana producers. The technique of using nature's solutions to fight nature's problems has much potential for addressing other food security challenges, argues MUSA's Ciancio. "In just one or two grams of soil we have thousands of microbial species," he said. "It's a black box which we can use against these diseases." Explore further Cultivated and wild bananas in northern Viet Nam threatened by devastating fungal disease Sapphire optical fibre. Credit: Julian Fells/University of Oxford Oxford University researchers have developed a sensor made of sapphire fiber that can tolerate extreme temperatures, with the potential to enable significant improvements in efficiency and emission reduction in aerospace and power generation. The work, published in the journal Optics Express, uses a sapphire optical fibera thread of industrially grown sapphire less than half a millimeter thickwhich can withstand temperatures over 2000C. When light is injected onto one end of the sapphire fiber, some is reflected back from a point along the fiber which has been modified to be sensitive to temperature (known as a Bragg grating). The wavelength (color) of this reflected light is a measure of the temperature at that point. The research resolves a 20-year-old problem with existing sensorswhile the sapphire fiber seems very thin, in comparison to the wavelength of light it is huge. This means that the light can take many different paths along the sapphire fiber, which results in many different wavelengths being reflected at once. The researchers overcame this problem by writing a channel along the length of the fiber, such that the light is contained within a tiny cross-section, one-hundredth of a millimeter in diameter. With this approach, they were able to make a sensor that predominantly reflects a single wavelength of light. The initial demonstration was on a short length of sapphire fiber 1 cm long, but the researchers predict that lengths of up to several meters will be possible, with a number of separate sensors along this length. This would enable temperature measurements to be made throughout a jet engine, for example. Using this data to adapt engine conditions in-flight has the potential to significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and improve overall efficiency, reducing the environmental impact. The sapphire's resistance to radiation also gives applications in the space and fusion power industries. Sapphire optical fibre. Credit: Julian Fells/University of Oxford Research team member Dr. Mohan Wang, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford said: "The sensors are fabricated using a high-power laser with extremely short pulses and a significant hurdle was preventing the sapphire from cracking during this process." Mark Jefferies, Chief of University Research Liaison at Rolls-Royce plc said, "This is exciting news and yet another important scientific achievement resulting from our long-standing partnership with Oxford University. This fundamental research could in time enable more efficient and accurate multi-point temperature measurement in harsh environments, improving control, efficiency, and safety. We look forward to working with the University of Oxford to explore its potential." Sapphire optical fibre. Credit: Julian Fells/University of Oxford Rob Skilton, Head of Research at RACE, UK Atomic Energy Authority said, "These sapphire optical fibers will have many different potential applications within the extreme environments of a fusion energy powerplant. This technology has the potential to significantly increase the capabilities of future sensor and robotic maintenance systems in this sector, helping UKAEA in its mission to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon fusion power to the grid." The full paper "Single-mode sapphire fiber Bragg grating" can be read in Optics Express. More information: Mohan Wang et al, Single-mode sapphire fiber Bragg grating, Optics Express (2022). Journal information: Optics Express Mohan Wang et al, Single-mode sapphire fiber Bragg grating,(2022). DOI: 10.1364/OE.446664 Macrophages, a type of immune cell (purple), utilize the division of a tissue cell (green) to invade tissues. Credit: Maria Akhmanova/ISTA To get to the places where they are needed, immune cells not only squeeze through tiny pores. They even overcome wall-like barriers of tightly packed cells. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have now discovered that cell division is key to their success. Together with other recent studies, their findings published in Science give the full picture of a process just as important for healing as for the spread of cancer. Imagine a stone wall in the countryside. Tightly packed, one stone sits on top of the other filling the tiniest gaps. A seemingly unbreachable obstacle. On their way throughout the body to fight infections, immune cells face such barriers in the form of cell-dense tissues. To do their job as the body's rescue service, they need to find a way through. In a recent study, scientists from ISTA's Siekhaus group together with collaborators from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and three students from a local High School, took a close look at how this happens in fruit fly embryos. During the development of these tiny, transparent animals, macrophages, the dominant form of immune cells in fruit flies, infiltrate tissues. Using high-end microscopes, the scientists were able to follow their journey. "The macrophages arrive at the wall and look for the right place to enter," explains Maria Akhmanova, until recently a postdoc at Daria Siekhaus' research group and first author of the study. Breaking new ground Cues that guide the macrophages have directed them to the right spot. There, the pioneer macrophage, the first cell to move in, is waiting. Suddenly, a part of the wall starts to move. The cell right in front of the macrophage rounds up, preparing to dividea normal part of its cell cycle. "This is what the pioneer has been waiting for," says Akhmanova. Moving its cell nucleus ahead, the pioneer cell now pushes forward while all the other macrophages follow in its tracks. As the Siekhaus group also recently discovered, to break through the pioneer gets an extra boost of energy through a complex process governed by a newly discovered protein the scientists named Atossa. Furthermore, the scientists learned that to shield their sensitive nucleus from damage, the macrophages develop protective armor made from actin filaments. To get to the places they are needed, immune cells (purple) have to overcome obstacle like cell-dense tissues (green). Credit: Maria Akhmanova/ISTA Cell division crucial for success By precisely inhibiting, slowing down, and speeding up the division specifically of the flanking tissue cells, the researchers are now able to prove that the crucial component that allows immune cells to enter is in fact surrounding cell division. As it rounds up to prepare for division, the tissue cell at the entry site loses some of its connection points to its surroundings, the researchers observed through live imaging. In collaboration with the De Renzis lab at EMBL, the researchers also artificially induced rounding through a cutting edge technique using light to induce genetic changes. This wasn't sufficient to get the macrophages to enter. But genetically reducing the amount of the cell connections was. "It was very exciting to see how the macrophages were only able to enter the tissue when the tissue cell lost its connections," says Akhmanova. Powerful implications for cancer research "Cell division being the key process that controls macrophage infiltration is really a very elegant concept with powerful implications," Professor Daria Siekhaus enthuses. The same mechanism that helps macrophages enter tissues could also be essential for many other types of immune cells in vertebrates like humans. In the long run, the scientists are eager to learn if manipulating the connections or the divisions of the tissue cells could help increase immune cells' infiltration of tumors to fight them from within or help reduce immune cells' ability to attack tissues during autoimmunity. "Our findings will also affect any researcher who is working on any migrating cell in the context of the body," the cell biologist explains. For her study, the theoretical biophysicist and Lise Meitner fellow Maria Akhmanova delved deep into the world of microscopy. With the help of her mentor Daria Siekhaus, she learned everything she could about the fascinating and very helpful fruit flies. Three students from the Klosterneuburg High School were also part of the team. During a school trip to the Institute's laboratories, they discovered their enthusiasm for research. Consequently they helped Akhmanova with crossing and identifying fruit flies and even wrote an algorithm to speed up image analysis. "The success of this research project was made possible by joint forces from many scientists and enormous help from three motivated high school students!" says Akhmanova. Explore further Researchers discover a mechanism that helps immune cells to invade tissues More information: Maria Akhmanova et al, Cell division in tissues enables macrophage infiltration, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abj0425 Journal information: Science Maria Akhmanova et al, Cell division in tissues enables macrophage infiltration,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abj0425 Amit Paley is the CEO and executive director of the Trevor Project, the worlds largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people. Before diving into the world of philanthropy, Paley was an associate partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the global consulting firms LGBTQ group and spearheaded its efforts on inclusion for transgender and nonbinary people. Before his work at McKinsey, Paley was a reporter at the Washington Post, where he covered numerous beats, including as a foreign correspondent based in the papers Baghdad bureau. His coverage earned him a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize. Paley began his work with the Trevor Project as a counselor on the 24/7 TrevorLifeline in 2011, where he continues to take calls. Paley is the first volunteer in the organizations history to become CEO and has served in the position since 2017. Under his leadership, the organization has built and launched an integrated crisis services platform, expanded its chat and text services to 24/7, and more than quadrupled the number of youth served each month. Earlier this year, the Trevor Project announced plans to launch its crisis services in Mexico. PND asked Paley about his expectations for the international expansion and what it means for the organization in the long run. Philanthropy News Digest: As a former counselor, what do you think is the most important trait to look for in the first crop of volunteers in Mexico? Amit Paley: While the geography will be different, the goal will be the same: The Trevor Projects crisis services volunteers are trained to support LGBTQ young people who reach out to us when they are feeling suicidal or need a safe, non-judgmental place to talk. Outside of being passionate about our mission to end LGBTQ youth suicide, we look for volunteers who embody empathy and understanding and are committed to this life-saving work. For the last 10 years, I have been a crisis counselor for TrevorLifeline, which has kept me grounded and centered on our mission, even as Trevor continues to grow and expand. This is a pivotal moment for our organization, and the first group of counselors that we train in Mexico will play a crucial role in helping establish Trevor as a trusted resource for LGBTQ youth around the world.... Read the full Q&A with Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of the Trevor Project. Some local farmers will be growing marijuana for the new adult-use recreational market coming to New York. On April 14, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 52 licenses were approved for hemp farmers in the state to begin growing recreational marijuana on their land for the next two years. Several farms in Washington County are on the list and have been given the OK to begin farming recreational marijuana, including Kennedys Herbal Solution in Cambridge, Outcast Acre Farms in Granville, Slack Hollow Farm in Argyle, and Greenleaf Cannabis LLC, whose location could not be determined. The Terrace Corporation of New York in Saratoga County also received state licensing. The Slack Hollow Farm Facebook page states the location is a family-owned organic farm. Brothers David and Joe Kennedy, who own and operate their farm, Kennedys Herbal Solution in Cambridge, said they are grateful for this opportunity. David Kennedy spoke with The Post-Star after a security meeting to decide how to protect their crops. The brothers plan to install 24/7 video surveillance on their farm. They are also reaching out to area colleges to offer internships or programs that can be used for credits. Kennedy said this opportunity would take their business to the next level. The fact New York state put the small guys first, it has really changed everybodys lives, he said. The Kennedys have been growing hemp for two years prior to this for products in the CBD market. Its been a lot of real hard work from marketing to getting products approved by the Cannabinoid Health Department. Weve learned a lot, Kennedy said. Before getting into the hemp industry, the brothers farmed hay and various crops. He said they got into farming CBD (an active ingredient in cannabis) as a hobby, but were grateful the capital would now be available to help the business become something that could provide for their families. The 52 Adult-use Cannabis Conditional Cultivator Licenses were issued by the states Cannabis Control Board after 150 applications were reviewed by the Office of Cannabis Management. An online application portal opened on March 15 and remains open. Hochul expressed the importance of including New York farmers in this new industry moving forward. New Yorks farms have been the backbone of our states economy since before the American Revolution, and now, New Yorks farms will be at the center of the most equitable cannabis industry in the nation, Hochul said in a news release. The licenses are a key component in the governors Seeding Opportunity Initiative, which positions equity-entrepreneurs to be the first to make adult-use cannabis sales in New York with products grown by New York farmers. Under the initiative, initial retail owners must meet two requirements to qualify. First, they must have a cannabis-related conviction that occurred prior to March 31, 2021, or had a parent, guardian, child, spouse, or dependent with a cannabis-related conviction in New York. They must also have experience owning and operating a successful business in the state. Jana DeCamilla is a staff writer who covers Moreau, Queensbury, and Lake George. She can be reached at 518-742-3272 or jdecamilla@poststar.com. Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. GLENS FALLS Four projects to benefit Warren and Washington counties will receive $2 million in federal funding. The funding was secured thanks to the federal budget, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that this was the first time in history that New York got back more money from the federal government than it sent in. He greeted the crowd and said that it was a great spring day from the front steps of Glens Falls City Hall on Thursday morning. My job is to help our local communities, our local groups and organizations, Schumer said. To have the federal government be a help not a hindrance, and Im happy to say we are here to do that. Glens Falls City Hall will get $430,000 for repairs needed in the building. City Hall is the heart of the Three Squares Historic District and it was in need of renovations, Schumer said. He said that the building is important in three ways. It provides community services. It is a unique building in terms of architecture, and it brings in visitors and tourists. Schumer noted that City Hall isnt just a place for community services like the police department and city government. It also brings in tourists because it is the heart of a region filled with great architecture, he said. Due to the age of the building, City Hall was in need of repairs. A new roof is being put on the building. When the decision was made, the building was also in need of an update to its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Mayor Bill Collins said the roof project at City Hall forced the HVAC system repair to be shelved. These federal dollars will allow the city to acquire an energy-efficient heat pump system that will make Glens Falls net-zero ready. Collins said that the city had to choose between the roofing projects at City Hall and the Cool Insuring Arena, and the new HVAC system prior to this funding being announced. The new system means City Hall will no longer emit carbon, and there will be no on-site fossil fuel consumption. We couldnt afford it all. This allows us to pull it back off of the shelf, Collins said. He noted that, originally, the new system was estimated to cost roughly $900,000, which would be about $1.2 million in todays market. The city will be seeking more support from National Grid and other sources to aid their efforts. Child care, other funding The second project has to do with health care in the region. Schumer said that there are many residents who have been unable to get back into the workforce as a result of the cost and availability of quality child care. There will be $205,000 going to the Warren County Employment and Training Administration. We have a job shortage here in this area whether youre a downtown store, or at some of our factories or on the farms, Schumer said. He said that this was made more evident due to the pandemic. Workers were forced to be home, and some havent been able to make the transition back into the workforce. The funding will be used to open more child care facilities and invest in the recruitment and training of health care professionals, according to Schumer. This wont only create jobs at the facilities, but he said it will also free up the parents who can get back to work. They need a place for the kids, so this funding is going to tackle this issue at its core, he said. Liza Ochsendorf, director of the Warren County Employment and Training Administration, said it is vital to get people back into the workforce. She said that child care is one of the biggest hurdles in the way of getting that done. During the pandemic it was harder for child care businesses to stay open. Working with Southern Adirondack Childcare Network, well be recruiting training and opening more home-based providers, Ochsendorf said. The third project has to do with bringing in businesses to the region. Schumer said he has spoken to the heads of the Warren-Washington IDA who told him that businesses are looking to come to the area. Schumer said he led the charge on his end to bring $950,000 to upgrade the former General Electric dewatering facility in Fort Edward into the Canalside Energy Park. This will allow the Warren-Washington IDA to build long-needed water and sewage infrastructure at Canalside, Schumer said. It is the first step into bringing manufacturing and good-paying jobs to the area. Fort Ticonderoga will receive $500,000 for restorations to preserve the forts infrastructure. The walls of the fort have been deteriorating for some time, according to Schumer. Schumer said he has visited the fort with his kids, and he looks forward to bringing his grandkids one day as well. He said that even though Fort Ticonderoga is just over the county line in Essex County, it brings tourists and business to both Warren and Washington counties. This anchor is one of the biggest drivers of tourism for our region, Schumer said. Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at 518-742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 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. Paloma Esquivel Paloma Esquivel writes about the Inland Empire. She was on the Los Angeles Times team that won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for public service for investigating corruption in the city of Bell and the team that won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for coverage of the San Bernardino terror attack. Prior to joining The Times in 2007, she was a freelance writer, worked in Spanish-language radio and was an occasional substitute teacher. A Southern California native, she graduated from UC Berkeley and has a masters in journalism from Syracuse University. Warren County Health Services on Wednesday reported 26 new COVID cases in the county. There are currently seven people in Warren County who are hospitalized because of COVID, one more than Tuesdays report, according to Health Services. One is critically ill from COVID, according to the same report. The seven-day rolling positivity rate for the county is 6.3%. There have been 169 new COVID cases in the last five days, according to county data. Glens Falls Hospital has 12 COVID patients in-house, with one in the ICU, according to hospital spokesperson Ray Agnew. Warren County Health Services next public vaccination clinic will be held at the county Municipal Centers Human Services Building on Tuesday, April 26, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Registration is required and can be done here: warrencountyny.gov/covidhub. Health Services continues to offer COVID-19 vaccination booster shots to homebound residents and to seniors in nursing homes. For more information, call 518-761-6580. Washington County Washington Countys last COVID report came out on Friday, at which point there were 62 active cases of COVID and two hospitalized in the county. Out of a total 113 administered COVID tests in the county Wednesday, 13 tested positive, according to New York state data. The countys seven-day rolling positivity rate is 4.7%, according to state data. Saratoga County Saratoga County currently has 177 active COVID cases, according to the Saratoga County Department of Public Health Services. There are 10 who are currently hospitalized in the county. The seven-day rolling positivity rate for the county is 6.4%. Capital Region/statewide There are 101 patients who are sick with COVID throughout Capital Region hospitals as of Wednesday, according to Warren County Health Services. As of Wednesday morning, 352 tested positive for COVID out of 2,564 administered tests in the Capital Region, according to state data. Love 0 Funny 8 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 CAPE MAY During the winter, the City Council agreed to continue its partnership with New Jersey Audubons Nature Center of Cape May by extending their agreement for 25 more years. Operations will remain on Delaware Avenue between the harbor and the newly preserved Sewell Tract. Whats better than celebrating a new beginning for the Nature Center on Earth Day 2022? The original partnership between the city and New Jersey Audubon was established close to Earth Day 27 years ago when a Green Trust Project agreement, which preserved the southern shoreline of Cape May Harbor as well as several abandoned buildings, was promoted to be an ideal spot for a nature center. Local citizens and city leaders courted New Jersey Audubon to take over operations of the newly preserved property. At the time, N.J. Audubon was operating the nearby Cape May Bird Observatory as a leading international presence in bird conservation and environmental education primarily for an adult audience. The opportunity was ripe for a place for children and their families to have a facility of their own to learn about the natural world. This Friday, the leadership of New Jersey Audubon, President Eric Stiles and Vice President of Education Dale Rosselet, will join Nature Center staff, city officials and volunteers to mark the milestone of the past 27 years and celebrate the signing of the lease for the next 25-year chapter. All are welcome to attend the ceremony at 11:30 a.m. at 1612 Delaware Ave., which will include a few words by officials, a tree planting, a presentation by children attending the Spring Break Outdoors nature program and refreshments. For more information, visit capemaycity.com or call 609-884-9565. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/capemaycity and follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/capemaycity. Mays Landing April is National Safe Digging Month, and Atlantic City Electric is joining New Jersey One Call the one-call notification center for New Jersey to remind residents, businesses and contractors that safe digging must remain a priority to prevent damage to critical underground energy services and keep communities safe. Anyone planning to take on a spring Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project that involves digging must call 811 at least three business days before beginning to learn the approximate location of underground utility equipment. Beyond fines and costs for repairing damage to underground utility lines, taking the right steps before digging will help avoid accidental damage to underground lines that could disrupt services to surrounding neighbors, but more importantly prevent potential injury from striking an underground electric, natural gas or other utility line. Despite damage prevention laws that have been in place for decades, recent statistics indicate that one out of every three incidents are caused by someone who did not contact 811 before digging. A recent survey also states 37 percent of homeowners who are planning digging projects, do not plan to call 811 beforehand, putting themselves and their communities at risk. In 2021 alone, Atlantic City Electric was called to nearly 100 incidents where damage was caused to underground electric lines due to unsafe digging practices. Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground equipment can result in costly repairs when gas, electric, communications, water, and sewer lines are damaged. Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811. Landscaping, planting trees and shrubs, installing a fence or mailbox, and building a deck, pond or patio, are all examples of digging projects where a call to 811 must be one of the first steps. Atlantic City Electric has approximately 2,900 miles of underground electric lines. Aside from Atlantic City Electrics lines, there are numerous underground communications cables, water and sewer lines, and other utilities. Properly locating underground lines is essential to safely completing any digging job. Residents and businesses should take the following steps if planning a digging project this spring: Always call 811 at least three days before digging, regardless of the depth or familiarity with the property. Plan ahead. Call on Monday or Tuesday for work planned for an upcoming weekend, providing ample time for the approximate location of lines to be marked. Confirm that all lines have been marked. Consider moving the location of your project if it is near utility line markings. If a contractor has been hired, confirm that the contractor has called 811. Dont allow work to begin if the lines arent marked. Visit call811.com for more information. When calling 811 at least three business days prior to digging, customers and contractors are connected to New Jersey One Call that will take the callers information and communicate it to local utility companies. Professional locators will then visit the dig site to mark the approximate location of underground utility lines with spray paint, flags or both. Once a site has been accurately marked, it is safe to begin digging around the marked areas. Atlantic City Electric joins the Exelon family of companies, the other 1,700 Common Ground Alliance members, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and governors across the country in marking April as National Safe Digging Month to bring extra attention to the issue of underground utility line safety and reduce the risk of unnecessary infrastructure damage. Visit atlanticcityelectric.com for more information on safe digging practices, or call 800-642-3780. To learn more about Atlantic City Electric, visit The Source, Atlantic City Electrics online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting atlanticcityelectric.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AtlanticCityElectric, and on Twitter at twitter.com/AcEleCconnect. Atlantic City Electrics mobile app is available at atlanticcityelectric.com/MobileApp. OCEAN CITY Kim Styer-Gallagher, owner of Coastal Marine Piling, Inc., will receive the 2022 Salute to Working Women Award and be honored at the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on April 27 at the Ocean City Yacht Club. The award recognizes women in business for their outstanding professional and personal achievements. We are so thrilled to honor Kim at our 2022 Salute to Working Women, says Michele Gillian, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. She has a passion for serving her customers and Ocean City as a whole. Her enthusiasm is contagious and her resourcefulness is second to none. We are lucky to have her so involved in our community and she certainly is deserving of this honor. Styer-Gallagher and her husband, Harry Michael Styer, developed Coastal Marine Piling, Inc., specializing in bulkheads, piers, foundation piling and more. After her Michael's passing, Styer-Gallagher, without hesitation, continued to operate Coastal Marine Piling, Inc. Over the last few years, Coastal has evolved and expanded. The company now carries a State of New Jersey Women's Business Enterprise certification and can claim approximately 2,000 properties in Ocean City alone, as ones Coastal has been affiliated with. In 2021, Styer-Gallagher purchased the necessary equipment to re-launch Coastals water division. The company is now diversified, performing not only timber foundation piling but also helical piling, bulkheads, flood panels, boat lifts, floating docks and more. Beyond work, Styer-Gallagher is the mother of three daughters and remains ever-present in their upbringing and scholastic focus, all the while encouraging her girls to swim. Swim booster was another passion for her. Always taking kids under her wing, she helped facilitate uniforms through tireless fundraising efforts and perseverance. Styer-Gallagher now resides in Ocean City with her husband, Terence T Gallagher, a well-respected businessman himself. His knowledge and expertise surrounding the construction industry has further expanded Coastals success. Their blended family consists of eight children, Styer-Gallagher's three girls and Gallagher's two boys and three girls. The couple now operate Coastal Marine Piling, Inc. together, as it continues to build a legacy of excellence. Dorothy F. McCrosson, Esquire, will be the keynote speaker. She is the managing partner of McCrosson & Stanton, P.C. and Solicitor for the City of Ocean City. She is president of the Cape May County Bar Foundation and a member of the District I Ethics Committee. McCrosson is a graduate of Boston College and Villanova University School of Law. The luncheon will honor all working women at home or in the workforce at noon at the Ocean City Yacht Club. The luncheon is open to the public and is $30 per person. For more information, to make a reservation or to place a ad in the program book, contact the Chamber office at 609-399-1412 or email info@oceancitychamber.com. ATLANTIC CITY City Council introduced a $218.6 million budget Wednesday night that lowers the local tax rate while giving significant raises to all city workers, but there was little detail available to the public about how it accomplishes all of that. It was the first in-person regular council meeting since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. A public hearing on the budget will be held during councils meeting at 5 p.m. May 18. The municipal tax rate will fall roughly 5 cents, from $1.6480 to $1.5997 per $100 of assessed property value, Chief Financial Officer Toro Aboderin said. Is there anything at all to read (aloud)? asked 6th Ward Councilman Jesse Kurtz, looking for details. It would be good for the public to hear the good news in the budget. Anything the administration could share would be very helpful. I would defer to the CFO, but we did plan to have a more formal presentation at the next council meeting, said Business Administrator Anthony Swan. Aboderin declined to give a presentation but did give some quick facts. For the average household with a $125,000 assessment, thats a decrease of the local tax of $60.43, Aboderin said. Under state law, copies of the budget must be available to anyone requesting them for a week before the public hearing. City officials had promised on Tuesday that the budget would be put online Wednesday, but at the council meeting said it would be available online Thursday. Thursday afternoon a spokesperson said the budget would not be online that day. New payments in lieu of taxes from Stockton University will add about $1 million to city revenue, Aboderin said earlier in the week. She also said a combination of normal revenues and funds from surplus would pay for the raises. Council President George Tibbitt said Mayor Marty Small Sr. has extended the time frame for property owners to apply for a $500 COVID-hardship tax credit to June 30, after a disappointing number of people applied for it. So far only 25% of the residents have taken advantage of that, Tibbitt said. Get your paperwork in. If it is lost ... call up and get replacement papers. Atlantic City revelers celebrate 420 on eve of cannabis legal sales ATLANTIC CITY Come Thursday, people will be able to buy recreational cannabis in the state On Wednesday, Small put out a news release on the extended deadline, instructing residents to call the Solicitors Office at 609-347-5540 for help applying for the credit. Aboderin said state and federal grants are not included in the budget amount, as they are funds coming in from elsewhere and dedicated for specific items. The state Department of Community Affairs works with the city to prepare the budget each year, spokesperson Lisa Ryan said Thursday. She could not immediately provide more information on the budgets contents. The state has oversight of city finances under the 2016 Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act, which was recently extended another four years. On Tuesday, Small held a news conference to announce that all city employees will get $4,500 raises effective July 1, followed by another $3,000 raise effective Jan. 1, 2023. But Small could not say how much the raises will cost in total, or how the city was handling the increased costs of the raises while still lowering the tax rate. Tibbitt said council members who did receive paper copies of the budget will review them and set up meetings with members of the administration to address questions and concerns. Solid waste council review of Pleasantville waste-transfer station still stalled EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP The future of waste disposal in Atlantic County was up for discussion Kurtz said he will be especially concerned with making sure enough is spent on things that are important to taxpaying residents, such as enforcement of parking regulations and street cleaning. In January, Small said the city would use about $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds to give $500 refunds to property owners current with their tax payments, if they filled out a form certifying their finances were harmed by the pandemic. The refunds cannot be automatic, as federal rules do not allow ARP funds to be used for tax relief, officials have said. The forms went out in February. Small has said even those whose jobs continued during the pandemic would have other losses, such as increased child care costs due to school being virtual. Just because you didnt miss a paycheck doesnt mean you werent affected, Small has said. REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ATLANTIC CITY Come Thursday, people will be able to buy recreational cannabis in the state without a medical card, but on the eve of that landmark day, local smokers and tokers had to bide their time celebrating another important date in marijuana history April 20, or 420. For decades, the date has been an underground celebration of marijuana use. Its origins are hazy, but most point to a group of high school students in California who began using the term in the 1970s, a reference to their typical after-school meeting time of 4:20 p.m. But now, the activity is about to go mainstream, or at least turn legitimate in New Jersey. Although Atlantic City will still have to wait. With the city and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority signing off Tuesday on the citys first recreational marijuana business, to be located on Pacific Avenue between the old Delilahs Den and Papa Johns, residents are looking forward to the opportunities recreational marijuana will bring. Sonraj LLC received a variance to allow a recreational cannabis dispensary on Pacific Avenue, now the site of a vacant storefront set between two parking lots a block from the Boardwalk. CRDA approves Atlantic Citys first recreational cannabis business ATLANTIC CITY With little discussion or fanfare Tuesday, the Casino Reinvestment Developme The company will still need a permit from the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission before it can begin operations. On Wednesday afternoon at Bourre, a New Orleans-themed pub and music spot in the resorts growing Orange Loop district, organizers hosted their third annual 420 Fest, which featured food, live music and vendors selling things including Delta 8, CBD, hemp products and other cannabis-derived goods. John McGrath, of Glassboro, Gloucester County, said it was his first time at the festival, although hes attended other underground cannabis festivals in the state. McGrath, 35, said the festival was fun but was underwhelmed due to its lack of THC products, which he wanted to buy to help with his problem sleeping, saying that is the main reason he smokes weed. Hes not sure whether the approaching legalization will get him to buy cannabis from a licensed establishment, saying it would depend on the prices. Online and neighborhood research provide a clue on pricing. An eighth of an ounce of decent marijuana on the streets of Atlantic City sells for about $35. Meanwhile, an eighth of an ounce in a dispensary averages about $50, not including tax. CRDA to consider weed store for Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY As New Jersey gets ready for the first legal recreational cannabis sales thi The Bourre 420 Fest had a multitude of marijuana-adjacent products but no THC due to the legality of it being sold prior to Thursday. City fire marshals consistently checked throughout the day to make sure that stayed the case Wednesday. Mike Lombardi, 42, of Woodbridge, Middlesex County, had been to Bourres 420 Fest all three years the event took place and said the recreational legalization is a great thing for patients and normal people who dont smoke. Besides creating more jobs, Lombardi said the legalization of cannabis in the state will promote less crime, keep marijuana drug dealers off the streets, give people safer access to the drug and keep minors away from it. Mike Kozy, 46, of Eatontown, Monmouth County, has had his business Just Stuff, which sells CBD and hemp-derived products, for seven years now. He tests weed products and educates people on what to look for when buying them to make sure people are buying clean, healthy stuff. Our purpose is to educate. A lot of people dont know what to look for when looking for a marijuana product that wont make them high, said Kozy, who expects an increase in business after Thursday. The more the stigma goes down, the more the demand goes up. Lombardi also said new cannabis users have a plethora of ways to ingest the plant now, besides smoking, that suit each users needs now that its legal. Weed just makes everyone happy. Its much better than alcohol, said Lombardi, adding the newly legalized drug that was considered a Schedule I substance is more beneficial to people than other legalized drugs, like liquor or cigarettes. Michael Hoffman, founder of the Hoffman Centers, was at the 420 Fest doing expungements for people who want cannabis-related crimes removed from their record. The stigma from cannabis law has a lingering effect on people, Hoffman said. A cannabis offense affects people for employment, housing and even to get an Airbnb, because they have criminal records. He said he has difficulty saying the drug is a good thing considering its still a drug. Its out there, and it exists. Its no different than the other legal drugs we have out there, like alcohol, social media and psychedelics, said Hoffman. There are pros and cons, but if we legalize it, regulate it and educate people, we can have better consumption. Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP On a quiet side street off Delilah Road, about 100 people waited patiently in a line snaking out the door and down the sidewalk Thursday for their first chance to buy legal cannabis in New Jersey. It wasnt long before the police arrived. Two officers said they were not allowed to talk to the media but said their mission was straightforward: Traffic control. More than a year after Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation legalizing cannabis, and longer since voters strongly said yes in a statewide referendum, 13 dispensaries began selling legal cannabis under seven licenses approved by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission this month. At The Botanist on Century Drive, customers began to arrive hours before the dispensary opened at 10 a.m. We had people here at 7 oclock playing Frisbee. We had tailgaters. I did not expect that, said Brian Sickora, general manager of Acreage Holdings, the company that owns The Botanist and cannabis businesses in multiple states. The turnout was larger than he expected, he said, but not overwhelming. By the time the doors opened for sales, the parking lot was too full for Frisbee. Within an hour, cars lined the side of the road, and the closest neighboring business was putting out hand-painted No Parking signs to keep people off the literal grass. 'Amazing': Cannabis sales in New Jersey bring excited buyers New Jerseys recreational marijuana marketplace is open for business. Recreational sales of cannabis for adults 21 and older started Thursday, with the first alternative treatment centers opening early in the day. The start of the market comes a week after Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced that state regulators had cleared the way for recreational sales at seven centers that had already offered medical cannabis. New Jersey is among 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, with legalized recreational marijuana markets. New Jersey is first among its closest neighbors to begin recreational sales. A section of the Botanist lot was reserved for those with medical marijuana cards, and patients skipped the lines as well, showing their cards to a guard at the front door to be ushered inside. There, a separate line waited, leading to a separate cashier. That line was all but empty. With turnout expected to be strong for the well-publicized opening day, most medical marijuana patients already visited earlier in the week, Sickora said. The annual April 20 sales also ran all week, he added. The date, and the number 420, holds significance to cannabis consumers. While marijuana remains illegal on the federal level which means visitors from Philadelphia who buy in New Jersey will be breaking the law if they bring any home anyone over 21 with the cash and time to spare can now buy up to an ounce in a dispensary, and possess up to 6 ounces at once. But clearly, a stigma remains. Several of those on line Thursday declined to be interviewed or asked not to be photographed, out of concern for personal or professional consequences. Its legal, but that might not make that much of a difference, said one man, who said he is a teacher in Egg Harbor Township. He worried that knowledge that he indulged off hours could cause problems at school. The man said he has not used cannabis for years because of drug testing and concerns about repercussions at work. Even if its fully legal, other people might look at you funny, he said. Jim Zolna, who drove from Cape May on his day off to visit the dispensary, said what he does on his own time is no one elses business. Its no different than if someone saw me at a bar having something to drink after work, he said. Aside from the drive, he was likely to spend more than an hour waiting in line, but he said that didnt bother him. It reminded him of waiting for concert tickets for Pearl Jam, Green Day and other bands. Its the friendliest crowd you could be in, he said. Those waiting could expect to pay more than they would for the untaxed, unregulated weed that remains readily available. In some cases, prices were about double compared to what is now being called the legacy market. For 3.5 grams, roughly equivalent to an eighth of an ounce, prices at The Botanist ranged from close to $30 to more than $50. That price does not include sales tax, a social justice excise fee and local taxes for the recreational sales. Atlantic City revelers celebrate 420 on eve of cannabis legal sales ATLANTIC CITY Come Thursday, people will be able to buy recreational cannabis in the state The unnamed teacher said he wanted to pay the taxes, which he sees as doing something good in the state and community. Griffin Dublois, of Brick Township and a student at nearby Stockton University, where he is studying criminal justice, believe it or not, said he feels better about buying from a licensed dispensary, where he knows what hes getting. Also, he believes the quality will be better. He knows people working in cultivation, he said, and is eager to try what they have grown. Sickora said there was no chance of the site running out of product Thursday, or in the coming days. He said the company has about 1,000 pounds of cannabis ready to sell. Except for bragging rights to being among the first, there was no reason to arrive hours before opening, he said. The weeds not going anywhere, he said. On an average day, the company sold about 10 pounds of medical marijuana a day at all three locations, which includes the Atlantic City Boardwalk and Williamstown. He said he expected to sell about 30 pounds Thursday. The Egg Harbor Township site has almost quadrupled its capacity to grow weed recently in preparation for the market expansion, Sickora said, using more of the warehouse space inside the site. The building is about 80,000 square feet, of which about half is being used for cultivation. Inside, the line continued to snake around until reaching the sales room, where separate lines were set up for recreational and medical customers. Digital menus showed about 45 strains of available cannabis, with names like Candy Rain, Garlic Triangle Wookies and Bonkers. As supply of one strain gets low, he said, it is removed from the recreational menu and reserved for medical customers. CRDA approves Atlantic Citys first recreational cannabis business ATLANTIC CITY With little discussion or fanfare Tuesday, the Casino Reinvestment Developme The menu also indicates if the strains are Indica, sativa or a hybrid of the two. Sickora said the strains not only taste different, they also offer different experiences. Some make you want to melt into the couch, others make you want to get up and paint the living room, he said. At the front of the room was Joe Ardenti, wearing a matching jacket and tie with a bold pattern of cannabis leaves. He described himself as a bud tender and said part of his job is working with patients on the medical side, helping them find the strain that will help the most. I used to work in a liquor store. That was when I felt like a drug dealer, he said. In that case, he said, his regular customers would often seem worse and worse, while he believes cannabis is helping the people with whom he now works. State officials warn that cannabis is an intoxicant, and driving under its influence can result in prosecution, just like with alcohol. By Thursday afternoon, officials with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission were ready to call the rollout a success. According to a statement from the commission, there were only a few minor complaints around the state, and no reports of supply shortages. CRDA to consider weed store for Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY As New Jersey gets ready for the first legal recreational cannabis sales thi Lines were long in several locations, according to the commission statement. In a single transaction, customers can buy up to an ounce of dried flower or up to 5 grams of concentrates, resins or oils, or 10 packages of ingestible items, with each package limited to 100 milligrams of THC. A standard single dose is between 5 and 10 milligrams. New Jersey does not allow cannabis-infused baked goods or other edible products, but lozenges are allowed. What are sometimes called gummies in other states are referred to as soft lozenges in New Jersey. Not everyone is excited about the new market. Some residents have expressed concerns about intoxicated driving and other problems, while some addiction specialists are concerned about the impact on children. Among them is Katie Faldetta, executive director of Cape Assist in Wildwood, which specializes in drug and alcohol education and counseling services. She accepts that marijuana is now legal in New Jersey, and even had some praise for how the state has handled the process, but she also has concerns, especially when it comes to juveniles. I think thats the biggest concern, she said Wednesday. As we see availability expand in a community, we see more access to its use for young people. Studies have shown marijuana can have an impact on developing brains, which may mean juvenile use could have long-term consequences. Kiddos should not be using marijuana, up until the time that their brains are fully formed, Faldetta said. Parents who decide to use marijuana should start thinking about how to have that conversation with their kids. Sales will be only for those 21 and older, but no one whose parents had a liquor cabinet when they were in high school expects that to be foolproof. The Botanist location in Atlantic City will remain open only for those with medical marijuana cards. City Council has said it did not want adult use sales on the Boardwalk. Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill 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. EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Today is the day for which cannabis enthusiasts have long awaited since New Jersey voters said yes to legalization in 2020. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced last week that recreational marijuana sales would finally begin in New Jersey for those 21 and older on April 21. The first sales will take place at spots where medical marijuana is already offered, including at The Botanist tat 100 Century Drive in Egg Harbor Township and The Cannabis/Columbia Care at 1062 North Delsea Drive in Vineland. In all, 13 locations are set to be open for recreational weed sales today statewide, under licenses approved this month by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. The commission has also approved multiple licenses for new cannabis cultivation and manufacturing sites, and is reviewing applications for dispensary licenses. Before approving the expanded licenses for the medical marijuana dispensaries, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission required assurances that there would be enough supply to ensure that patients had no risk of shortages on the medical side, and that they will not be stuck in line behind recreational customers. At the Columbia Care location, the plan is to open for recreational customers at 5 p.m. Thursday, even though other sites will open at 10 a.m. Cannabis strains with names like Hot Rod and Birthday Cake will be available. With 13 locations for a state thats home to more than nine million people, customers should expect a wait. The dispensaries have assured us that they are ready to meet the demand without disrupting patient access, and with minimal impact on the surrounding communities, but patience will be key to a good opening day, said Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission. While many are approaching the opening of a new market as a cause for celebration, many have their doubts. Among them is Katie Faldetta, the executive director of Cape Assist in Wildwood, which specializes in drug and alcohol education and counseling services. She accepts that marijuana is now legal in New Jersey, and even had some praise for how the state has handled the process, but she also has concerns, especially when it comes to juveniles. I think thats the biggest concern, she said Wednesday. As we see availability expand in a community, we see more access to its use for young people. Studies have shown marijuana can have an impact on developing brains, which may mean that juvenile use could have long-term consequences. Kiddos should not be using marijuana, up until the time that their brains are fully formed, Faldetta said. Parents who decide to use marijuana should start thinking about how to have that conversation with their kids. Sales will be only for those 21 an older, but no one whose parents had a liquor cabinet when they were in high school expects that to be foolproof. There are also reasons to believe some will continue to buy their weed from the same guy they always did. Sources familiar with illicit sales say an eighth of an ounce will sell for $25 to $40, depending on the strain, while in the dispensaries, it can cost up to $60 for 3.5 grams, a roughly equivalent amount. Additional South Jersey sites include The Botanist at 2090 Black Horse Pike in Williamstown, The Cannabist/Columbia Care at 1692 Clements Bridge Road in Deptford, and Curaleaf locations at 640 Creek Road in Bellmawr and 4237 Route 130 South in Edgewater Park. Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill 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. At the Absecon NJ Transit train stop Wednesday morning, Jenn Keeney, of Galloway Township, said she and her two children, Kevin, 6, and Chloe, 9, would still wear masks on the westbound train to Hammonton, despite the mask mandate being lifted. The numbers have been up, so were going to wear the mask, even though were all protected, said Keeney, a fifth-grade teacher in the Absecon School District. A day earlier, Gov. Phil Murphy ended the mask mandate on all NJ Transit rides and at South Jersey Transportation Authority properties such as Atlantic City International Airport. The federal Transportation Security Administration, which oversees security at airports, including Atlantic City, also said it wouldnt enforce the mask mandate, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends the use of masks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The dominoes fell after a ruling by a federal judge put the governments transportation mask mandate on hold. Late Wednesday, the CDC asked the Department of Justice to appeal the ruling. COVID cases in New Jersey are nowhere near as high as they were in January, when the virus omicron variant was driving new cases as high as 30,000 a day, but the rate of transmission is currently 1.21, meaning each infected person likely will spread COVID to at least one other person. NJ Transit and South Jersey Transportation Authority drop mask mandate Masks will no longer be required on NJ Transit and at facilities operated by the South Jerse A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 56% of those surveyed favored requiring people on planes, trains and public transportation to wear masks, compared with 24% opposed and 20% who said they are neither in favor nor opposed. The sentiments of riders in South Jersey are divided. They cant mandate me to do something that isnt conducive to how I wanna live, said Shawn Smith, 38, of Atlantic City. Smith was waiting for a bus at the Atlantic City Bus Terminal on Wednesday morning and said he rides daily. He said he wears his mask when he gets on and off the bus, but takes it off when he sits down. Most people dont wear their mask on the bus. Some people do, but no one wants to get kicked off, Smith said. Smith said he thought the mask mandate was stupid anyway, adding that people can take responsibilities for what happens to them themselves, the government doesnt have to do that for them. Steel Pier kicks off season fashionably ATLANTIC CITY It is the start of a new year for the Steel Pier, and the park kicked things Katiuska Rivera, 20, said she didnt know the mask mandate on public transportation had ended. She rides the NJ Transit train from Absecon to get to Rutgers Universitys Camden campus almost daily. Half the people on the train never have their masks on anyways, said Rivera, of Absecon. Rivera said shes accustomed to wearing a mask in school since her school requires it, but noted most places nowadays dont require masks. It would make things easier, Rivera said of the mandate being dropped. She said getting people to follow the mask mandate on public transportation seemed to cause more issues for commuters and public transit workers. Rivera said the problems she has seen are many, from transit users not wearing masks correctly, or not at all, to arguing with transit workers. Riders being asked to leave the train, or worse, getting violent with transit workers, or people not being able to board transit because they dont have a mask on are all potential problems Rivera noted when enforcing mask mandates on transit. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Selena Vazquez: 609-272-7225 svazquez@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMFIELD Michael Barrows wore his Grateful Dead T-shirt and Jerry Garcia mask for opening day of recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey on Thursday, one of dozens of people who lined up before dawn to join the celebratory scene. Its pretty amazing, exciting and if I get pulled over on the way home and Im ever asked if I have any drugs in the car now Im allowed to say only this, Barrows said, holding up the canister of marijuana flower he had just purchased. Possession of cannabis is legal now in New Jersey, though driving under the influence is still prohibited. Barrows, 60, joined a steady stream of other novelty seekers, longtime marijuana users and medical patients at RISE in Bloomfield, Essex County. With soul music blaring, free doughnuts in the parking lot and a balloon arch at the entrance, New Jersey's cannabis kickoff for people 21 and older had the feel of a fair more than a store opening. Hagan Seeley, 23, said he had just found out a day earlier that recreational sales were starting and decided to see what the scene looked like. He was impressed with the venue, decorated with an old train station-style tote board and long wooden tables featuring products under glass globes. It feels right. It feels safe. It feels like everything youd want it to be rather than anything you could get anywhere else, Seeley said. Atlantic City revelers celebrate 420 on eve of cannabis legal sales ATLANTIC CITY Come Thursday, people will be able to buy recreational cannabis in the state The start of the recreational market comes a week after Gov. Phil Murphy announced that state regulators had cleared the way for recreational sales at seven alternative treatment centers that had already offered medical cannabis. The seven centers operate 13 facilities across the state. Murphy, who has long backed recreational marijuana legalization and signed the bill the set up the marketplace, appeared at ZenLeaf in Elizabeth for its first day of recreational sales. Charles Pfeiffer stood in line for about 2.5 hours Thursday and said he believed he was the first recreational customer to make a purchase. He cheered loudly and pumped his hands in the air when he was first let into the shop, situated in a shopping center beside a grocery store. He bought cannabis flower and candy for about $140 and joked about how quickly he'd need to return to buy more. I'll be back tomorrow, he said. I'm kidding, probably within a week. He added: Smoke up. Let's do it. CRDA approves Atlantic Citys first recreational cannabis business ATLANTIC CITY With little discussion or fanfare Tuesday, the Casino Reinvestment Developme New Jersey is among 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, with legalized recreational marijuana markets. Thirty-seven states, including New Jersey, have legalized medical marijuana. New Jersey is first among its closest neighbors to begin recreational sales. New York is moving forward with a recreational market, but sales are not expected to start until the end of the year, state officials have said. Neighboring Pennsylvania has medical cannabis but not recreational. Some cities, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, passed ordinances to decriminalize marijuana or make it a low law enforcement priority. Legislation to permit recreational marijuana in Delaware was defeated in March. Ben Kovler, chairman and CEO of Green Thumb Industries, which operates the Bloomfield dispensary, was at the opening Thursday. He said he expects demand to grow since news of the start of sales had only been known by the public for a week. CRDA to consider weed store for Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITY As New Jersey gets ready for the first legal recreational cannabis sales thi Its a moment in time in American history where prohibition 2.0 is lifted, he said in an interview before the opening. To get regulatory approval, the facilities told regulators they would not interrupt access for medical marijuana patients. Ziad Ghanem, president and chief operating officer of TerrAscend, which operates centers in Maplewood and Philipsburg, said to accommodate patients, the centers would have a narrower menu to start for recreational users. The centers also are required to meet social equity standards, such as providing technical knowledge to new marijuana businesses, especially social equity applicants those located in economically struggling parts of the state or people who have had cannabis-related offenses. New Jersey's tax revenues are expected to climb, but it's not clear by how much. Murphys fiscal year 2023 budget is pending before the Democrat-led Legislature and estimates revenues of just $19 million in a nearly $49 billion budget. In 2019, as legalization of recreational marijuana was still just pending before voters, he had estimated about $60 million in revenue. Legislation governing the recreational market calls for the 6.625% sales tax to apply, with 70% of the proceeds going to areas disproportionately affected by marijuana-related arrests. Black residents were likelier up to three times as much to face marijuana charges than white residents. Towns can also levy a tax of up to 2%. In a memo to law enforcement officers across the state, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin reminded police that unregulated marijuana continues to be an illegal substance. State regulators say dispensaries are allowed to sell up to the equivalent of 1 ounce of cannabis, which means an ounce of dried flower, or 5 grams of concentrate or 1,000 milligrams of edibles, like gummies. Perishable items like cookies and brownies are unavailable. Mark A. Kunicki, of Mr. CBD Chicago, right, smokes marijuana next to Freedom Festival event organizer Larry Goone, during the cannabis expo on April 20, 2022, in Bensenville. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) To celebrate 420, Unkle Mike gave free dab hits Wednesday to anyone who wanted one. He used a small blow torch-like lighter to heat a pipe, and held out a small glass circle containing a waxy cannabis concentrate for people to smoke. The imbiber took a hit, thanked him with a smile, and went about their business at the Freedom Festival in Bensenville, an underground expo to mark April 20, the informal holiday for weed. Advertisement For years, Mike Hoseman fought to legalize marijuana. As he spoke of trying to legitimize what he considers a beneficial plant, and recalled doing prison time for it, he wiped away tears. He had to leave Illinois for Michigan to help grow the plant as a caregiver for multiple patients, which Illinois doesnt allow. Marijuana-infused tinctures for a "dab bar" at the Freedom Festival marijuana expo on April 20, 2022, in Bensenville. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Like others at the fest, Hoseman believes the plant should be legal for anyone to buy or sell. I shouldnt have to feel like a criminal for a legal plant, he said. We shouldnt have to ask permission. Advertisement Since Illinois legalized sales of the plant in 2020, this was the first 420 with few COVID restrictions, resulting in a long list of 420 events in the Chicago area. Under state law, marijuana may not be sold at cannabis expos and 420 festivals, and people may not consume it in public. Only licensed dispensaries may sell it, and even then, they cant let people see, touch, or smell the product, lending a sometimes antiseptic air to the proceedings. But at this and other underground events, vendors cover tables with small buckets of fuzzy green and aromatic buds for people to inspect, buy, consume and share in a casual, friendly atmosphere. The striking difference in operations reflects the ongoing tension between the legal, corporate, mostly wealthy white male-owned billion-dollar industry, and the illicit, informal market, featuring a mix of white, Black, Latino and other participants. With new Illinois licenses held up in court, some said they felt cheated by a system that limits and criminalizes them while letting others make fortunes. Still, illegal sales in Illinois totaled more than $2 billion in Illinois in 2021, market analyst New Frontier Data estimated, exceeding the less than $2 billion for high-priced and highly-taxed, but lab-tested, legal sales. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > The Freedom Festival, whose location at a restaurant was revealed only to ticket buyers, featured a dozen or so vendors selling pot, bongs, mushrooms and other products. Marijuana for sale at the Freedom Festival. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Event organizer Larry Goone, of Exposure International, said he previously helped produce Chicago Sexcon, but has focused recently on cannabis as a huge subculture that he wants to help normalize even if it means breaking the rules This (expo) is meant to allow the underground and legal companies to blend and find new opportunities, he said. One of the vendors, Mark Kunicki, who owns Mr. CBD Chicago, sells legal hemp products at mainstream grocery stores, gyms and other locations. His brands include beverages, edibles and vapes containing non-psychoactive CBD for people and pets, as well as psychoactive Delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids. Advertisement Common products containing cannabis are the way to introduce a wider audience to the medical and relaxing benefits of the plants, Kunicki said. He said he doesnt drink alcohol and is trying to break stoner stereotypes by being a productive ambassador for the plant. If the underground cant find a way to expand their market to legal customers, he said, theyre going to get stomped by corporations. rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com New Jersey government was known for funding extensive social benefits not always with its own money before the pandemic. That severe health and economic challenge took some of those benefits to unprecedented levels. As the pandemic wound down, states rolled back government support for the welfare of their residents. New Jersey is among the last to do so, and in one case turning the end of support into an occasion for much greater benefit to some. Emergency measures across the nation to ease the sudden economic disruption caused by the response to COVID-19 included state bans on shutting off utilities such as natural gas and electricity when people quit paying their monthly bills. Nearly all states have ended the shutoff moratoriums, some during the first year of the pandemic. Gov. Phil Murphy in March 2020 got the states public utilities to suspend shutoffs for nonpaying customers. The next month he used his self-declared emergency powers to extend the ban on shutoffs to information services as well. After that, when the end of the moratorium on shutoffs neared, the governor repeatedly extended it. When state government finally allowed the shutoff protection to end in the middle of last month, New Jersey was almost the last state to have one. Only Wisconsin, which let its ban go until April 15, persisted longer. But almost immediately the Legislature and the governor enacted new protections for non-paying utility customers that include a path to canceling the bills they didnt pay during the pandemic. The New York Times last month said about 1 million customers in New Jersey are behind on their payments and together owe about $700 million, according to the states Board of Public Utilities. The new law, passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature, prohibits utilities from cutting off nonpayers for 60 days if they have applied for assistance with paying their electric or gas bill. Help with utility bills long has been available and used by low-income residents to keep the heat on in winter. The state has supplemented these programs funded by fees residents and businesses pay with their utility bills with $250 million in pandemic relief money it got from the federal government. That is helping people pay down or even eliminate their unpaid utility balances. The Times provided the example of Mieko Inghilleri, a public school teacher in Lawrenceville, Mercer County, who said she couldnt pay her winter electric bills. She and her fiance used three electric space heaters to supplement their oil heat, and in January alone their electric bill was almost $600. She wound up owing PSE&G about $2,800 and feared having her power cut off. There would have been no way that I can get paid up by then, Inghilleri told the Times. Im a teacher, so I make an OK salary. But Im not rich. With help from a benefits advocate, she sought state assistance and qualified for the states Fresh Start program. She wont have to pay the $2,800 she owes if she pays her monthly electric bill on time for a year. Many residents might be surprised that their incomes dont disqualify them for this form of state welfare. Couples are eligible if their annual income is no more than $69,684. Families of four can have household income of up to $105,996. The pandemic squeezed many people, and some with the ability and inclination to get as much support from their state government as possible will get this generous benefit. Whether they know it or not, people of all income levels are funding this debt forgiveness through their utility and tax payments. We leave it to them to consider the fairness of the program. Whether a Pleasant Valley man and the 15-year-old driver of his boat were "reckless, careless or negligent" in a fatal crash on the Mississippi River was the focus of closing arguments Thursday and will likely be at the center of a jury's deliberations. Assistant Scott County Attorney Amy Devine and defense attorney Leon Spies argued their cases before a five-man, seven-woman jury, who now will decide whether James Thiel Sr. is responsible for the deaths of a Moline couple. Anita Pinc, 52, and Craig Verbeke, 61, died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the boat crash just off the LeClaire levee. Thiel was not driving but is accused of aiding and abetting the 15-year-old who was behind the wheel on Aug. 16, 2020. He faces two felony and two aggravated misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter. The jury was to begin deliberations immediately after the arguments were made, which was shortly after 4 p.m. If convicted, each felony charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and each aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by up to two years in prison. As the state has the burden of proof, Devine went first during closing arguments. Here are some of the highlights: Even though a 15-year-old was driving his boat, Thiel was in control of the vessel. Thirteen eyewitnesses described Thiel's boat as racing with a jet boat owned by Ethan Mahler just before the crash. Several used the word "reckless" to describe the two boats as they sped past the public boat launch at LeClaire. One witness testified that she said, "They are going to kill someone" just moments before the crash. Another witness's 9-1-1 call was accurate, which physical evidence proved. The caller said, "They were racing another boat and went full speed over the top of them." The so-called "black box" on board the Triton showed the boat was traveling at full throttle just before impact and damage to both boats proved the Triton struck the rear of Verbeke's 19-foot Bayliner and drove over the top of it. Black box reveals Thiel boat was going nearly 57 mph seconds before fatal LeClaire crash Jurors were escorted by the court on Monday to LeClaire to visit the scene of the double-fatal boats crash, then to a storage facility in McCausland to see the two damaged vessels. The 9-1-1 call made by the minor driver of Thiel's 35-foot Triton was an admission of his recklessness. "We were going really fast. A boat pulled in front of us, and we hit them," the driver said according to a recording of the call. Eyewitnesses had nothing to gain by telling investigators the boats were racing. Thiel, his passengers and friends gave inconsistent accounts of the crash, including making retractions about the position of the Thiel and Mahler boats as side-by-side. Even though Thiel wasn't driving, he was the boat's owner and was directing the minor, including his order to "shut it down" just before impact. Spies, on behalf of Thiel, made some of the following arguments: The minor driver's call to 9-1-1 shows he did not have time to contrive the claim that he believed Verbeke's boat "pulled in front of us" just before the collision. On-scene statements made by Thiel and the teen driver were made through the "fog" of trauma, and they were mistaken when they put Thiel at the helm of the boat with the minor. The condition of the lower unit on the motor of Verbeke's Bayliner, including scratches, was evidence he was an "inexperienced driver," because it showed the 20-year-old vessel likely struck objects in the Mississippi River. A GPS/navigation device onboard Thiel's boat tracked more than 100 trips up and down the Mississippi at LeClaire without incident. Some jurors may not have liked Thiel's character, but they should "check those perceptions and biases" and not permit them to sway their verdict. A glare on the water and the setting sun may have affected Verbeke's driving as he headed north on the river. Though Thiel acknowledged drinking at least seven alcoholic beverages on Aug. 16, he was neither slurring nor stumbling during videotaped interviews with investigators at the scene. More than 30 witnesses testified for the prosecution, and the defense called seven witnesses, including Thiel. His testimony began Wednesday afternoon and concluded Thursday morning. Thiel takes witness stand in fatal LeClaire boat crash trial: Other boat 'kind of lost control' James Thiel Sr. took the witness stand in his own defense Wednesday and described the fatal boat collision at the center of his involuntary-manslaughter trial. Thiel was pressed by County Attorney Mike Walton to explain discrepancies in his testimony, compared to statements he gave investigators on the night of the crash. Specifically, he told those questioning him at the scene that he was seated to the right of the driver of his boat, a 15-year-old male, at the time of the collision with Verbeke's boat. In court, Thiel said he was at the rear of the boat and moved to the front when he saw Verbeke's boat appear, hoping to flag him down and warn him he was too close. "I think there was a lot of confusion that night," he said of his statements to investigators. Walton also called a rebuttal witness Thursday morning: Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Travis Graves, who led the crash investigation. A defense witness used one of Graves' documents, a diagram of the location of the boats near the levee in LeClaire just before the crash, to conclude that a head-on collision was not imminent. David Smith, identified by the defense as an expert witness, said the path of the boats on the diagram showed the vessels would have missed each other if Verbeke had not turned to the right. Prosecution witnesses have testified that rules on the river dictate that two vessels who are heading for a collision should both turn right to avoid each other. The minor driver turned the Thiel boat to the left. On rebuttal, Graves said his diagram was not an appropriate document to determine the precise path of the boats, because it was intended to show "the general location" of the boats, based on witness accounts, damage to the boats and the Triton's onboard navigation data. The other boats involved, including Verbeke's, did not have onboard navigation technology. Evidence on both boats showed Thiel's 35-foot boat struck the rear of Verbeke's 19-foot Bayliner, running over the top of it, according to the results of the investigation by the DNR and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. Twelve witnesses said they saw Thiel's boat racing a jet boat at a high rate of speed past the LeClaire shoreline. Several said it appeared Verbeke was trying to get out of the way, but the Triton came downstream too fast. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 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. WHAT WE KNOW: Work has been underway on a new reading curriculum for C.R. Hanna grade school. WHAT'S NEW: The school board on Wednesday approved spending up to $200,000 on a new reading program from Fountas and Pinnell Literacy after the C.R. Hanna reading committee gave a presentation on the new curriculum. The package will include a guided reading collection of 200 titles for kindergarten through third grade, interactive read aloud sets of 120 books for kindergarten through fifth grade, book clubs for third and fourth grades with 32 titles for third grade and 48 titles for fourth, and assessments for kindergarten through fifth grades. Teachers Rachel Usrey, Sydney Adams and Samantha Jankowski said the offering was superior to other publishers because they could pick and choose which components they wanted to buy and avoid having items sit on the shelves and not be used. The committee contacted eight local school districts as well as 30 districts around the state before selecting 10 finalists to examine and choose from. WHAT'S NEXT: Superintendent Joe Blessman reviewed progress on construction work in the district, explaining that demolition has begun at C.R. Hanna grade school in preparation for work including adding on an early learning center to the building. Pictures showed extensive work planned for the building from replacing bathrooms to expanding the main office area to taking out the stage. He said despite "jackhammering all day long," the staff understood that "what's coming is going to be great" and they would rather be inconvenienced a little bit now than have to come back in September rather than August. He said the middle school HVAC project was on track to have materials arrive by mid-May with completion mid-July. The same contractor that's working at the grade school now will dig footings for the new canopy for the new entrance to the high school. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 July 31, 2021 1 Navaeh Thomas, 18, of 610 W. 6 St., Davenport, was arrested for conspiracy to steal a vehicle in the 5600 block of Lewis Court, Bettendorf Nov. 11, 2021 2 Lawrence Boyd, 59, of 1806 Grand Ave., Davenport, was arrested for driving while barred in the 1300 block of Grant Street. Nov. 23, 2021 3 Brian Russell, 37, of 3230 Boies Ave., Davenport, was arrested for forgery and conspiracy to commit a felony in the 3200 block of Zimmerman Drive Jan 1 4 Alvine Jackson, 48, of 717 Blondeau, Keokuk, was arrested at the intersection of Eest River Drive and Forest Road, Davenport for failure to stop, eluding, criminal mischief, operating a vehicle without registration or a valid license, not leaving information and aid, failure to maintain control and not having financial liability proof. Jan. 21 5 Ashley Wells, 21, 901 W. Summit St., Maquoketa was arrested for failure to maintain control in the 1000 block of Utica Ridge Place Feb. 6 6 Rod Crawford, 41, 1136 54th St., Moline, was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, failure to stop in assured clear distance, not leading information and aid, failure to obey a traffic control device and eluding in the 1700 block of Isle Parkway. March 10 7 A report of fifth-degree theft of four $20 bills in the 1700 block of Isle Parkway March 16 8 A burglary of a business was reported in the 800 block of Golden Valley Drive, along with criminal mischief damage to a billiards table coin box. March 17 9 The theft of negotiable checks was reported in the 300 block of Grant Street. 10 Nancy Odvarko, 66, of 2803 Hillside Court, was arrested for the first offense of OWI in the 1700 block of Isle Parkway. 11 Timmie Winters, 28, of Chicago was arrested for the first offense of public intoxication and interference with official acts in the 800 block of State Street 12 Damien Chew Jr., 24, no address given, from Davenport was arrested on I-74 for failure to stop, eluding, reckless driving, speeding, no license, failure to obey a traffic control device, and improper rear lamps 13 A report of a theft of a handgun from an unoccupied vehicle in the 3000 block of Aspen Valley Drive. March 18 14 Burglary of a vehicle was reported in the 2700 block of Aspen Valley Drive. 15 A hit-and-run accident was reported at I-80 and Middle Road causing minor damage to three vehicles 16 Identity theft of a social security number was reported in the 1000 block of Oak Park Drive March 19 17 Alkia Ross 33, 2408 Middle Road, charged third offense of OWI, eluding, interference with official acts, criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance, no liability coverage, driving with an open container, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license, after a chase with police and a car crash at I-74 and State Street. Eldonte Kirk, 38, 605 Main St., Davenport, and Valencia Speights of Ft. Worth, Texas were cited for open container 18 Chance McGee, 19, of 1308 Gaines St., Davenport, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance in the 2100 block of Kimberly Road 19 A report of trespassing in the 3400 block of Town Pointe Drive 20 Michael Ockerman, 32, 1811 Sutton Place A, was arrested in the 1800 block of Sutton Place for trespassing and providing false identification information 21 Four female juveniles, all of 836 Middle Road, were arrested for assault of another female juvenile in the 800 block of Middle Road March 20 22 A vehicle struck two unattended vehicles in the 2800 block of Hawthorne Drive and drove off. 23 Tara Hattendorf, 825 W. 16 St., Davenport, was arrested for shoplifting in the 900 block of Middle Road 24 A vehicle, valued at $51,000, was stolen in the 1700 block of Elmwood Drive 25 Spencer Brown 22, of 4000 Archer Drive in East Moline was arrested in the 1300 block of State Street for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia 26 Joshua Morris, 18, 200 W. North St., Morrison, Ill. was arrested in the 700 block of Tanglefoot Lane for fifth-degree theft from a vehicle and criminal mischief March 21 27 A burglary was reported in the 1700 block of Elmwood Drive. Keys and a vehicle were stolen, as well as credit cards from a second vehicle 28 A hit-and-run accident was reported in the 800 block of Golden Valley Drive 29 Jerry Hockaday, 67, 17024 Illinois 5 & 92, East Moline, was arrested for assault in the 3900 block of Elm Street 30 Michelle McDanel, 38, 645 Cedar St., Davenport was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia at Central Avenue and Devils Glen Road 31 Ron Hitchcock, 43, 2729 Bellevue Ave., was arrested at I-74 and East 53rd Street for driving while barred, possession of a controlled substance, operating a vehicle without a locking device on the steering wheel, driving with a suspended license, open container, and a defective muffler March 22 32 A burglary of an unoccupied vehicle and criminal mischief was reported at the 2200 block of Middle Road. Medicine, currency, a check book, debit card, purse and drivers license were stolen. March 24 33 A crash at 18 Street and Spruce Hills Drive, caused $3,000 damage to one vehicle and $2,000 damage to a second. A third vehicle was totaled and that driver, Rahlique Clark, 18, of Davenport, was cited for failure to prove security against liability and no valid registration. March 25 34 A two-vehicle accident at Belmont Road and Devils Glen Road totaled the motorcycle of Gavin Ancelet, 16, of Bettendorf, who was cited for failure to obey a traffic control device. A second vehicle was also totaled. March 27 35 A two-vehicle accident at Utica Ridge Road and Tanglefoot Lane caused minor damage to the car driven by Gabrielle McConaghy, 17, of Bettendorf who was cited for running a traffic signal. The second vehicle suffered minor damage. March 28 36 A three-vehicle accident at Olympia Drive and Middle Road caused $1,000 damage to a car driven by Ariana Buehrle, 23, of Moline, who was cited for following too close. The other two vehicles suffered minor damages. March 29 37 A two-vehicle accident at the I-80 ramp, East to Middle Road caused minor damages to both vehicles. Keela Nichols, 19, of LeClaire was cited for running a stop sign Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Whether a Pleasant Valley man and the 15-year-old driver of his boat were "reckless, careless or negligent" in a fatal crash on the Mississippi River was the focus of closing arguments Thursday and will likely be at the center of a jury's deliberations. Assistant Scott County Attorney Amy Devine and defense attorney Leon Spies argued their cases before a five-man, seven-woman jury, who now will decide whether James Thiel Sr. is responsible for the deaths of a Moline couple. Anita Pinc, 52, and Craig Verbeke, 61, died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the boat crash just off the LeClaire levee. Thiel was not driving but is accused of aiding and abetting the 15-year-old who was behind the wheel on Aug. 16, 2020. He faces two felony and two aggravated misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter. The jury was to begin deliberations immediately after the arguments were made, which was shortly after 4 p.m. If convicted, each felony charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and each aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by up to two years in prison. As the state has the burden of proof, Devine went first during closing arguments. Here are some of the highlights: Even though a 15-year-old was driving his boat, Thiel was in control of the vessel. Thirteen eyewitnesses described Thiel's boat as racing with a jet boat owned by Ethan Mahler just before the crash. Several used the word "reckless" to describe the two boats as they sped past the public boat launch at LeClaire. One witness testified that she said, "They are going to kill someone" just moments before the crash. Another witness's 9-1-1 call was accurate, which physical evidence proved. The caller said, "They were racing another boat and went full speed over the top of them." The so-called "black box" on board the Triton showed the boat was traveling at full throttle just before impact and damage to both boats proved the Triton struck the rear of Verbeke's 19-foot Bayliner and drove over the top of it. Black box reveals Thiel boat was going nearly 57 mph seconds before fatal LeClaire crash Jurors were escorted by the court on Monday to LeClaire to visit the scene of the double-fatal boats crash, then to a storage facility in McCausland to see the two damaged vessels. The 9-1-1 call made by the minor driver of Thiel's 35-foot Triton was an admission of his recklessness. "We were going really fast. A boat pulled in front of us, and we hit them," the driver said according to a recording of the call. Eyewitnesses had nothing to gain by telling investigators the boats were racing. Thiel, his passengers and friends gave inconsistent accounts of the crash, including making retractions about the position of the Thiel and Mahler boats as side-by-side. Even though Thiel wasn't driving, he was the boat's owner and was directing the minor, including his order to "shut it down" just before impact. Spies, on behalf of Thiel, made some of the following arguments: The minor driver's call to 9-1-1 shows he did not have time to contrive the claim that he believed Verbeke's boat "pulled in front of us" just before the collision. On-scene statements made by Thiel and the teen driver were made through the "fog" of trauma, and they were mistaken when they put Thiel at the helm of the boat with the minor. The condition of the lower unit on the motor of Verbeke's Bayliner, including scratches, was evidence he was an "inexperienced driver," because it showed the 20-year-old vessel likely struck objects in the Mississippi River. A GPS/navigation device onboard Thiel's boat tracked more than 100 trips up and down the Mississippi at LeClaire without incident. Some jurors may not have liked Thiel's character, but they should "check those perceptions and biases" and not permit them to sway their verdict. A glare on the water and the setting sun may have affected Verbeke's driving as he headed north on the river. Though Thiel acknowledged drinking at least seven alcoholic beverages on Aug. 16, he was neither slurring nor stumbling during videotaped interviews with investigators at the scene. More than 30 witnesses testified for the prosecution, and the defense called seven witnesses, including Thiel. His testimony began Wednesday afternoon and concluded Thursday morning. Thiel was pressed by County Attorney Mike Walton to explain discrepancies in his testimony, compared to statements he gave investigators on the night of the crash. Specifically, he told those questioning him at the scene that he was seated to the right of the driver of his boat, a 15-year-old male, at the time of the collision with Verbeke's boat. In court, Thiel said he was at the rear of the boat and moved to the front when he saw Verbeke's boat appear, hoping to flag him down and warn him he was too close. "I think there was a lot of confusion that night," he said of his statements to investigators. Walton also called a rebuttal witness Thursday morning: Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Travis Graves, who led the crash investigation. A defense witness used one of Graves' documents, a diagram of the location of the boats near the levee in LeClaire just before the crash, to conclude that a head-on collision was not imminent. David Smith, identified by the defense as an expert witness, said the path of the boats on the diagram showed the vessels would have missed each other if Verbeke had not turned to the right. Prosecution witnesses have testified that rules on the river dictate that two vessels who are heading for a collision should both turn right to avoid each other. The minor driver turned the Thiel boat to the left. On rebuttal, Graves said his diagram was not an appropriate document to determine the precise path of the boats, because it was intended to show "the general location" of the boats, based on witness accounts, damage to the boats and the Triton's onboard navigation data. The other boats involved, including Verbeke's, did not have onboard navigation technology. Evidence on both boats showed Thiel's 35-foot boat struck the rear of Verbeke's 19-foot Bayliner, running over the top of it, according to the results of the investigation by the DNR and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. Twelve witnesses said they saw Thiel's boat racing a jet boat at a high rate of speed past the LeClaire shoreline. Several said it appeared Verbeke was trying to get out of the way, but the Triton came downstream too fast. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Sterling Police on Wednesday arrested a registered sex offender who is alleged to have been on the property of an elementary school three separate times when children were present. The attorney for Craig D. Neal, 25, of Sterling, the man accused of the crime, argued Friday that the arrest of his client was the result of "overzealous" policing. Neal is charged with three counts of unlawful presence within a school zone by a registered sex offender. The charge is a Class 4 felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of one to three years. Neal's attorney, James Mertes, released a statement Friday accusing "an overzealous" Sterling police officer of "stirring up unnecessary fear and anxiety" by sending out a news release and mugshot of Neal's arrest. The parents of this community should not lose sleep worrying about Mr. Neal, Mertes wrote. As a matter of law, Mr. Neal is not a dangerous sexual predator. Mr. Neal has never been convicted of any felony sex offense." According to a news release issued Wednesday by Sterling Police Detective Sgt. Todd Messer, Neal is alleged to have been on the property of Franklin Elementary School on three occasions when children under the age of 18 were present. Neal was booked into the Whiteside County Jail. He was released Thursday on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, meaning he did not have to pay any money, but must appear in court when required. On Sept. 2, 2016, Neal pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal sexual abuse during a hearing in Whiteside County Circuit Court. The charge is a Class A misdemeanor under Illinois law that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. Neal was 20 a the time of the offense according to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry. He pleaded guilty to having sexual relations with a 16-year-old. Age of consent in Illinois is 17. Neal was sentenced to serve two years on probation. He also is required to register as a sex offender. Mertes said in his news release that Neal was 19 at the time the sex act was committed. Thats a crime, but its a simple misdemeanor at its worst, Mertes wrote. This case is so minor that yesterday, the Court released Mr. Neal from custody without requiring him to post even a penny in bond. Responsible law enforcement should calm fears, not stoke them." He added, This is a case of an overzealous cop telling only a small part of the story in order to unnecessarily scare and enrage the community. Mertes said Neal intends to plead not guilty to the charges. Love 1 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. A Davenport woman on probation out of Hardin County until 2024 is facing a 10-year prison sentence after a Scott County jury found her guilty of beating another woman with a tire iron in August of 2020. Olympia Rachelle Cooks, 42, also known as Olympia Rachelle Beck-Cooks in district court electronic records, was taken into custody Wednesday after the jury submitted its verdict after a two-day trial in Scott County District Court. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Officer Richard Niesen, at 9:35 p.m. on Aug. 22, 2020, Cooks used a blunt object to beat another person. The victim, a woman, suffered a fracture to her left wrist, visible wounds to the head and a concussion. The incident occurred in the 1900 block of Grand Avenue. Prosecutors said Cooks used a tire iron, which was entered into evidence at trial. Cooks was charged with willful injury causing serious injury. The charge is a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years. District Judge Tamra Roberts scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 17 in district court. Cooks is on probation until Aug. 16, 2024, according to Iowa Department of Corrections electronic records. On July 22, 2019, a Hardin County jury found Cooks guilty of one count of threat of terrorism a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years and three counts of second-degree harassment, a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Eldora Police Officer Anthony Schrad, at 4:29 p.m. on May 23, 2018, Hardin County Dispatch received a call that the State Training School in Eldora had received threats from a parent of one of the juvenile inmates of the facility. Treatment Services Director Brett Lawrence told officers that the facility had received multiple threats via telephone from the mother of a student. The woman was identified as Olympia Cooks. She had been upset about the discipline that was applied to her son. Cooks made three calls to the school that day and had spoken with three people at the facility. Lawrence told officers that his biggest concern was that Cooks threatened to go to the school and blow it up. Cooks also stated that she and her crew would snatch her son out of there. Because of the threats the school was placed on lockdown. During a hearing Aug. 16, 2019, in Hardin County District Court, Cooks was sentenced to two years on probation. Cooks appealed her sentence to the Iowa Court of Appeals, which affirmed her conviction on July 22, 2020. On April 13, 2021, an application to revoke Cooks probation was filed in Hardin County District Court. According to that application, Cooks called her probation office at 10 a.m. on April 8, 2021, and asked if she had a warrant for her arrest. The warrant was out of Scott County for the willful injury causing serious injury that occurred Aug. 22, 2020, in Davenport. Cooks was told by her probation office to turn herself in no later than April 9, 2021. However, she could not do so as she was at her fathers residence in Texas. Cooks had no permission to be outside of Scott County. Cooks turned herself in on April 12, 2021, and she was later placed back on probation. Cooks is being held without bond in the Scott County Jail pending her June 17 sentencing in the Scott County case. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 11 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. James Thiel Sr. took the witness stand in his own defense Wednesday and described the fatal boat collision at the center of his involuntary-manslaughter trial. The Pleasant Valley man is charged in the deaths of Craig Verbeke and Anita Pinc, both of Moline, in the August 2020 boat crash. Thiel was not driving but is accused of aiding and abetting the 15-year-old who was behind the wheel on Aug. 16, 2020. He faces two felony and two aggravated misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter. Thiel on Wednesday began by addressing family members of the couple, many of whom have been present throughout the eight-day trial. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you," Thiel said. "I can't imagine what you guys went through." His attorney, Leon Spies, then asked about Thiel's background, including his experience with boats and various waterways. A father of three, Thiel wept while talking about his family's favorite pastime. "We just boat. That's what we do," he said, referring to his 35-foot Triton, which he purchased in Florida in early 2020. Thiel said his family and the family of one of his employees at his used-vehicle dealership went to Candlelight Inn in Clinton for lunch the day of the crash. Afterward, the group headed to the sandpits near Cordova to meet other friends. Thiel said he had seven alcoholic drinks that day. He said the 15-year-old driver was driving throughout the day but was not his "designated driver" and was an experienced and capable operator. He said the teen did not require supervision. Thiel said the boy never would drive the boat in an unsafe manner. "It was just a nice day, very little traffic," he said. Other witnesses have said many boats were out that day, especially near the boat ramp at LeClaire. As the Triton approached LeClaire, Thiel said, his friend Ethan Mahler was a considerable distance ahead. Though 12 witnesses have testified the Thiel and Mahler boats were racing as they passed the LeClaire levee, he denied they were racing or that their boats ever were side-to-side. Another vessel appeared between Mahler's boat and his Triton, Thiel said, and Verbeke's 19-foot Bayliner appeared to struggle with the waves it created. "He kind of lost control for a second then came right in front of us," he said. Thiel said he tried rushing to the bow of the boat, hoping he could alert the driver of the Bayliner that he was getting too close, but didn't get the chance. "He turned and we turned, and we collided," he said. Thiel was thrown from the boat. In the water and "stunned," he climbed aboard Verbeke's boat, expecting to see many people in the water. "I turned, and I saw Craig laying by the console," he said. "I immediately went to Craig." Theil said he started chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and yelled for help. He said did not see Pinc lying in the boat until reaching the dock because her body was partially covered by debris. His attorney asked about testimony by investigators who seized the Triton after the crash, saying Thiel was "overly" concerned they would damage his boat and even took pictures and video of them loading it onto his trailer. "The way the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) was pressuring us, I just felt like they were going to do something they shouldn't," Thiel testified. Scott County Attorney Mike Walton began his cross-examination by asking Thiel whether racing with Mahler would have been "reckless" and "careless," which are behaviors he is trying to prove as part of the involuntary manslaughter charges. But Thiel said the two boats never were racing, that the teen was properly licensed to drive without supervision and that the minor never had given Thiel reason to correct him or direct him. Walton also pointed out that Thiel told investigators that Verbeke's boat crashed into his Triton. Testimony since has demonstrated that Thiel's boat, in fact, ran into the rear of Verbeke's boat. Asked why he told law enforcement the Bayliner struck his boat, Thiel replied, "It felt like it that day." Cross-examination of Thiel is expected to continue Thursday morning, followed by re-direct by Spies. Earlier Wednesday another defense witness said the boat crash was caused by the intoxication of Craig Verbeke. I think the primary cause of this unfortunate tragedy was the intoxication of the operator of the Bayliner, David Smith told the jury. Iowa DNR conservation officer Travis Graves, the lead investigator in the case, testified Tuesday that Verbekes blood-alcohol level was .102, above the legal limit for driving. But Graves said the alcohol had nothing to do with the crash. Smith said he worked for 25 years for the U.S. Coast Guard and held a Ph.D. in education. He also has a degree in naval science and has his own consultancy business. He said the defense was to pay him $350 an hour for his research in the case and $1,500 for each day he appeared in court or for deposition. Expert witnesses routinely are paid for their time. Smith said he used investigative material collected by Graves and others to reach his conclusions. Graves testified Tuesday that Thiels 15-year-old driver caused the crash, not Verbeke. Smith said he based his differing conclusion on a diagram produced by Graves. He said it showed the boats were not on course for a head-on collision and Verbeke erred by turning right to get out of the path of Thiel's larger boat. Under cross-examination, the state pointed out that Graves testified he could not portray the exact course of Verbekes boat before the crash because only Thiels boat had onboard navigation records. Smith said Graves investigation was some of the best work Ive seen in 41 years, but said he disagreed with the ultimate finding of fault. Smith also minimized the role of speed and reports by 12 witnesses that Thiels boat was racing a jet boat near the LeClaire shoreline just before the crash. He said there were no speed limits on the Mississippi River where the crash occurred, adding that fishing boats and jet skis on an average day routinely are traveling as fast or faster than the estimated 56.9 mph of Thiels boat. So far as I know, theres no law against two boats maintaining the same speed with each other, Smith said. He agreed Thiels boat was going full throttle before or at the time of the crash but said the minor driver responded correctly by veering left before impact. Prosecutors have argued and other witnesses have testified that the rule on the river is that both boats are to veer to the right to avoid a collision. Smith said the driver should have turned right only if the two boats were heading straight for each other. Graves previously testified both boats should have turned right, or starboard, and the fact Verbekes boat was hit from behind by Thiels boat is evidence the minor driver caused the crash. In arguing it was Verbekes direction of turn that caused the crash, Smith said, the improper action was attributable to increased reaction time from the alcohol. Earlier in the day, the defenses third witness returned to the stand to finish her testimony from Tuesday. Karen Woomert, chief of the Princeton volunteer fire department, said she saw dried blood on the face of James Thiel Sr. shortly after the crash. She also said she did not smell alcohol on Thiel. Under cross-examination Wednesday, Woomert was pressed on the absence of signs of drinking by Thiel, given that other investigators and first responders reported a strong odor of alcohol on the Pleasant Valley man. I have terrible allergies, Woomert said. I cant smell today. She also said she was not right on top of Thiel, though the state produced a photo of Woomert hugging Thiel. She said she previously bought vehicles from Thiel Truck Center in Pleasant Valley, and the paperwork was done by Spencer Jewell, an employee of Thiel's and a passenger on his boat who testified in the case. Prosecutors asked why Woomert did not name Jewells wife, Brooke, in her report, given that she supplied aid to the injured woman at the scene. She also failed to indicate in her report that she saw blood on Thiels face from attempting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Verbeke. I should have documented more, yes, the chief said. However, she said she was merely responding to a mutual-aid call to the crash and was not there to investigate. She said it was appropriate for her to provide comfort to the Thiels. I know of them, she said. I dont know them well. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK CNN is shutting down its CNN+ streaming service less than a month after its launch, a spectacular flameout for a venture that had attracted stars like Chris Wallace and Alison Roman and was seen as a way to attract a new generation of news consumers. It had started March 29, shortly before CNN was taken over by new corporate parents. The new leaders of Warner Bros. Discovery quickly let it be known they considered CNN+ an ill-conceived idea. Advertisement The subscription-based service will be shut down at the end of April. Executives said some CNN+ programming and employees will be absorbed into the television network and website but there will be layoffs. The head of CNN+, Andrew Morse, is leaving the company. In a memo to employees on Thursday, incoming CNN Chief Executive Chris Licht said consumers wanted simplicity and an all-in service rather than stand-alone offerings. Discovery had previously suggested that it wanted to merge the new companys separate streaming services, which include Discovery+ and HBO Max, into a single app. Advertisement In a Thursday town hall, executives also said that the services inability to show live breaking news was a crucial failing. Because of contracts with cable and satellite companies, CNN+ could not stream the CNN television network. Its a little bit like The New York Times subscription without The New York Times, said J.B. Perrette, head of Discoverys streaming services. Perrette said Discovery had learned from trying to launch its own news service in Poland, and in seeing the experiences of other paid streaming services in the United States like Fox Nation, that CNN+ could not expect to get near one million subscribers. Unlike CNN+, which was charging customers $5.99 a month, broadcast networks like ABC, CBS and NBC offer free news-streaming services. Those are the facts, Perrette said. Weve learned from painful history, financially costly history. If the company is going to go in a different direction than CNN+, we cant let it go on one second more than it needs to, he said. Under AT&T, there were $100 million in development costs and some 500 employees assigned to building out CNN+. Perrette told the employees they would have first dibs on some 100 jobs currently open at CNN. Lichts memo said there would be at least six months of severance pay for departing staffers. In the meeting, a CNN staff member wondered why AT&T, CNNs previous corporate owner, was allowed to develop and start the service with new management coming in that clearly had its reservations about it. But executives said they were not allowed, until the takeover was formally approved weeks ago, to be involved in meetings about the service. The executives said accountability for the rapid failure lies squarely with previous management. Advertisement Would we have preferred to have this discussion six months ago, nine months ago? Perrette said. Couldnt do it. The CNN+ services flagship was arguably Wallaces daily interview show, for which he left his previous job as Fox News Sunday host. Wallace did not immediately return a message seeking comment. It also featured programming from food-media star Roman, former NPR host Audie Cornish, ex-NBC News host Kasie Hunt, Jemele Hill, Rex Chapman and current CNN personalities Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan. Some of the shows hadnt even started yet. Warner Bros. Discovery is led by Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who has his own vision for CNN and its Warner siblings. Licht said in his memo that the incredibly difficult decision to shutter CNN+ is the right one for the long-term success of CNN. It will allow leaders to refocus resources on the core products that drive our singular focus: further enhancing CNNs journalism and its reputation as a global news leader. On the television network, Licht is expected to increase CNNs emphasis on news coverage with less commentary. Advertisement He told staff members that the decision was no reflection on the service that they had built. Licht acknowledged in the staff meeting that the experience with CNN+, at least initially, will have repercussions with personnel and those who might want to come there. We have to own the erosion of trust and build it back, he said. Arbel reported from Phoenix. Members of the public will have a chance to learn more and weigh in on planning for a new Interstate 80 bridge over the Mississippi River. The Illinois and Iowa departments of transportation will host a virtual public meeting from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, to present findings from studies for the replacement of the span between LeClaire and Rapids City. Participants can register to attend the meeting by clicking this link, or on the project website at I80MississippiBridge.com. DOT officials have been evaluating traffic, existing conditions and potential improvements along a roughly 6-mile stretch of I-80 from the Interstate 88 interchange in East Moline to 35th Street Southwest in Bettendorf, according to an Illinois DOT press release. The meeting will feature a video presentation and question-and-answer session with representatives from the Illinois and Iowa DOTs and the project consultant team. Exhibits will also be available for review, according to the Illinois DOT. The I-80 Mississippi River Bridge was built in 1967 and is one of three major interstate bridges in the Quad-Cities. "The bridge has required significant repairs and rehabilitation in recent years, and traffic is increasing with associated increases in crashes," according to the DOT news release. "The aging bridge continues to face costly maintenance expenses, and the highway design does not meet current standards. In 2020, Illinois and Iowa conducted an online public meeting to introduce a Planning and Environment Linkages study of the bridge and corridor. Since then, the project team has continued to evaluate existing conditions," of safety and capacity and identify potential improvement alternatives. The study is expected to conclude in late 2023 with a report and recommendation of a preferred alternative. In the meantime, DOT officials will gather public input through May 25, according to the release. Meeting materials and the video presentation will be available after the meeting on the project website, I80MississippiBridge.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CAMBRIDGE A Henry County correctional officer has been arrested and fired following a report of sexual misconduct from a female inmate. Trayton Jones, 21, of Toulon, has been charged with two counts of custodial sexual misconduct and two counts of official misconduct, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Henry County Sheriff's Office. Jones' employment with the Henry County Sheriff's Office was also terminated, according to the release. The charges were the result of an Illinois State Police investigation that began Friday when a woman held in the Henry County Jail complained of sexual misconduct by a correctional officer, the release states. The state police arrested Jones on Monday. According to the charges, Jones is alleged to have engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a woman in the custody of the jail between Jan. 1, 2022, and April 18, 2022. He is also alleged to have engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a different woman also in the custody of the jail during that same time frame. The official misconduct charges allege that he performed an act that he knows he is forbidden by law to perform in that he was an employee of the jail. Jones made a court appearance Tuesday, according to online court records. His bail has been set at $50,000. To be released he would have to post $5,000. As a condition of bond, Jones can have no contact with the victims. His next court date was set for April 25, according to the court records. Jones remained in custody Wednesday afternoon. He was being held at the Stark County Jail, according to the Illinois State Police. The sheriff's office stated the investigation was ongoing and that no further information would be released. Correspondent Lisa Hammer contributed reporting to this article. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 With gentle compassion, hospice nurses provide dignified care and comfort for patients during the most vulnerable time of their lives. Technically defined as end-of-life care, hospice can be activated for patients who have been given life expectancies of six months or less. Hospice isnt a place; its a philosophy, says Treava Holbert, a registered nurse who works on Monument Healths inpatient Hospice House unit in Rapid City. It addresses every aspect of a dying person not just their physical symptoms, but their emotional health and spiritual needs as well. The team is made up of nurses, chaplains, social workers and grief counselors to ensure patients receive integrated services. Hospice care can be delivered in hospital and long-term care center settings, or even in the patients own home. It can be scary to talk about the end of life, says Tina Haugen, an in-home hospice nurse with Monument Health. The sooner we can intervene and start working with patients, the more we can do to ease their process and make it more peaceful for them. Many people falsely believe that hospice hastens death, providers only administer morphine to keep patients sedated, or that the hospice patient has simply lost their will to survive. In actuality, patients who receive hospice or palliative care often live longer on average than those who dont, and enjoy a higher quality of life in their final days. Both Holbert and Haugen find being able to form relationships with the patients, their families and caregivers highly fulfilling, but also the most challenging part of the work they do. We get close to our patients and learn things about them, knowing that theyre going to pass away, Haugen points out. The patients understand whats happening to them, Holbert adds. For us, its an honor to be invited into sharing this sacred journey and time with them. Although many of their duties center heavily on providing comfort measures, hospice nurses still rely on strong practical skill sets. It helps to have an in-depth medical nursing background, because you need to know the workings of diseases and what to expect as they proceed, Holbert says. Hospice nurses arent focusing on curative aspects; were more about symptom management, education and staying level-headed in a crisis situation. Hospice work isnt for everyone, Haugen agrees. Its a different kind of health care. In clinics and hospitals, were expecting patients to get better and hoping for good outcomes. Our goal in hospice is just to make them comfortable. People are dying every day, so there will always be a need for hospice nurses. People often ask Holbert how shes able to do her job knowing that her patients will pass away. I heard someone once say that hospice is like working in heavens waiting room, she says. Thats the privilege we enjoy as hospice nurses. Headquartered in Rapid City, the community-focused Monument Health system serves 12 communities across western South Dakota through five hospitals, eight specialty/surgical centers and more than 40 medical clinics. For more information, visit monument.health. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A homeless outreach organization in Rapid City diverted more than 1,800 calls to the Pennington County dispatch center between December and March that normally would have gone to police officers. Journey On is a Native American-led nonprofit organization providing street outreach, case management and resources to at-risk individuals experiencing substance abuse, mental or behavioral health crises, crime victimization, and chronic or potential homelessness. It began responding to calls typically assigned to police officers Dec. 14 through a partnership with the city. I am so incredibly appreciative of the program that Journey On has created, said Rapid City Police Chief Don Hedrick in a statement to the Journal Wednesday. Up until Journey Ons creation, there was no other organization properly equipped to provide street-level outreach for this population. Hedrick said the department has noticed an increase in low-level calls involving the houseless population that dont necessarily require police officer services or a first-response medical professional. The Rapid City Council approved the partnership in November with a $150,000 agreement. Journey On Outreach Director Rich Braunstein, along with Journey On team members, presented information about the organizations responses to the council at the April 4 meeting. Braunstein said the organization hopes to add a director of operations through Rapid City Police Department grants, add a dedicated downtown team and add operators to staff the Journey On phone line whenever the team is in service. Brendyn Medina, spokesperson for the RCPD, said the department applied for two grants to fund the director of operations position. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg American Health Initiative is for 12 months and $20,000. Medina said the grant was an invitational grant for the RCPD to apply for from Johns Hopkins for organizations working to improve public health responses by supporting local pilot programs. The second grant is the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Affairs Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Responses grant, which is for 36 months. The department will receive $22,672 in year one and $45,344 in years two and three to fully fund the position. That grant was a competitive solicitation from the Department of Justice to build frameworks for community response to substance abuse and mental illness, Medina said. He said Journey On operates independently in the vast majority of calls they respond to, and rarely do they need assistance from the department. Journey On has five teams out Monday through Friday. Two teams of two are out 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with a team of one hanging back for case management. One team of two is out 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and another from 4:30 - 10:30 p.m.. There is one team of two out between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The teams do both response work and proactive interactions with the houseless population. Braunstein said during the presentation that when theres a demand, the team tries to say yes. We are a bunch of yes men and women trying to answer the call here, he said. The groups response numbers have continued to increase from December through March. The team made 117 responses in December, 278 in January, 615 in February and 847 in March. Medina said the department has seen a 65% reduction in calls for service related to the communitys houseless population. He said this has allowed officers to get back to doing more proactive work like extra patrols, traffic enforcement, downtown walk-throughs and more. He said preliminarily, the departments stats in all of those areas are up in the first quarter of the year. I know our officers are also incredibly thankful for the support that Journey On is offering these vulnerable members of the community, Hedrick said. The Black Hills Regional Homeless Coalition launched a series of community presentations to connect business owners and community members to available resources for those in crisis Wednesday, including Journey On. Other presentations will be 5:30-7 p.m. April 26 at the Hotel Alex Johnson, 9:30-11 a.m. April 29 at the Rushmore Mall Sub-Station, 9-10:30 a.m. May 11 at Qdoba in Baken Park, 9-10:30 a.m. May 18 at the Qdoba in Rushmore Crossing, and 3-4:30 p.m. May 24 at The Foundry Church. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 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. United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that two Pine Ridge men were acquitted of second degree murder following a federal jury trial in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on April 15. Antoine Joey Makes Good, 35, and Vinnie Makes Good, 33, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 8, 2020 and arrested the following week. The charge related to the alleged murder of Henry "Hank" O'Rourke III in Kyle on Nov. 1, 2020. The indictment accused the brothers of stabbing ORourke. The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. attorney's office prosecuted the case. Family members of ORourke told the Journal before any arrests had been made that they were afraid of the case going cold and were frustrated with the lack of an arrest or witnesses coming forward for over a month after ORourkes death. A sister and cousin of ORourke told the Journal in 2020 that he was stabbed inside of a trailer that was a known partying spot. The trailer was burned down on Nov. 7, 2020, after ORourkes funeral. Bob Ecoffey, chief of the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Department of Public Safety said that all the evidence had been collected from the trailer prior to its being destroyed. There are no official documents stating why the jury acquitted the brothers, but both submitted alibis for the night of the murder. Vinnies alibi states that he was asleep at his mothers house during the time of the alleged murder and that multiple people saw him asleep during the time frame of the stabbing. Antoines alibi states that he was at a different residence that evening and lists two people as witnesses to corroborate the alibi. The U.S. attorneys office declined to comment if they plan to prosecute any other individuals for ORourkes death or if there are any other suspects at this time. Contact Shalom Baer Gee at sgee@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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 new wine, beer and tapas bar is coming to Rapid City. BIN 605 Beer Wine & Tapas will celebrate its grand opening on Friday. The menu will include 29 wines available by the glass, 42 wines available by the bottle only, 16 beers on tap, canned beer, flatbread, meat and cheese boards, and bread and olive oil. Husband-and-wife duo Canada Salter and Jeff Salter combined their forces to create BIN 605 in southwest Rapid City at 2001 Hope Court. Canada said its her passion for business and Jeffs passion for wine that combined to create the wine and tapas bar. Hes kind of taking care of the wine and food side, and Im taking care of the rest, Canada said. The couple has been married for four years. Jeffs parents were military members and hes lived in Rapid City since the 1980s. Canada moved to Rapid City 12 years ago. Her parents were raised in South Dakota, and she owned a second home in the city when she lived in Las Vegas as an owner of an insurance agency. Before that business, she worked as a district manager of 15 salons. Canada currently owns seven nail salons in South Dakota three in Rapid City, three in Sioux Falls and one in Spearfish. A Perfect 10 Nail & Beauty Bar locations are combination nail salons and bars where customers can sit at the bar and have a glass of wine while getting a manicure. Canada opened her first location after a bad experience at a nail salon. After that experience, I was like, Thats it. Im opening a nail salon, but its going to be everything that Im looking for from the customer standpoint, she said. Canada said the idea for BIN 605 came from the same place that her idea for her nails bars started a personal need. She and Jeff enjoy visiting wine bars when they travel, and they felt that Rapid City was lacking in options. I feel like if you develop a business from a personal standpoint, something you personally want or need, it gives you that customer perspective, she said. Theres nowhere to get a really good meat and cheese tray and find more boutique-y wines. We dont have just the run of the mill wines that everybody has. You come here, and its an absolute experience. Jeff previously owned a wine, beer and liquor store in Rapid City, and his connection to wine stretches back to his parents, who had lived in Reno, Nevada and Napa Valley. They had friends who shared their interest in wine. They were all big time wine people, so I got to learn a lot from them just hanging out, and its kind of just gone from there, Jeff said. When selecting wines for BIN 605, Jeff and Canadas goal was to carry wines that are less common and more boutique-y. We wanted something different where you cant go to Target and buy it off the shelf, Jeff said. There are a lot of boutique-y wines, so theyre smaller wineries that only produce a small amount of wine, not hundreds of thousands of cases of wine that they ship out all over the country, so itll be unique and different for people when they come out. BIN 605 will also offer live local music from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Contact Shalom Baer Gee at sgee@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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 Dakota Mines announced a $5 million corporate gift from Nucor Corporation Thursday morning, the largest gift in the universitys history. The gift will go toward the construction of a new mineral industries building, which is already underway. The $34 million building, named the Nucor Mineral Industries Building, will house the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, the Department of Mining Engineering and Management, and the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. The modern research spaces and classrooms will enable new discoveries, spur creation of new high-tech companies, and help attract new employers to the area while educating the next generation of graduates, said South Dakota Mines President Jim Rankin. The building will be located across the street from the O'Harra building on the south side of the quad. After completion, the old mineral industries building will be torn down to make room for future campus improvements. Nucor Corporation, a steel company based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, has a long-standing partnership with Mines dating back to 2008. Nucor previously gifted the school $1 million to name a Nucor professorship, and established an endowment to support students and faculty. Nucors longstanding partnership is essential to our combined success, Rankin said. On behalf of everyone at Mines, I want to thank them for their partnership and for this generous donation. Rankin also thanked Gov. Kristi Noem and state lawmakers for providing $19 million in state funding, which he said paved the way for this partnership with Nucor. This partnership, Rankin said, will allow Mines to play a vital role in ensuring America has what it needs to remain globally competitive in the mineral industries field, into the next century and beyond, while helping to advance the future of science, engineering and technology. This was a really easy investment for us to make based on the quality of the partnership and this university, and the relationships we have with so many people that are a part of this institution, said Nucor Vice President of Talent Dan Krug. Nucor has hired 64 Mines graduates in the last 15 years, including the vice president and general manager of one of their largest facilities. Its a really exciting time, when you look at what's happening across our country, in our economy, Krug said. If you look at the things that are being built around the country right now, and if you think about the technology and talent that's being generated from this partnership, [those] will continue to build the foundations of our economy as we move forward. Krug said the fit with South Dakota Mines was a natural and easy one. Not only because of the commonality between Mines curriculum and Nucors company, but culturally. When we talk about culture inside of Nucor, it's something that's very important for us," he said. "It's defined by a set of values, and we feel a really strong sense of shared values with this institution. Dr. Michael West, head of the Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department, sees the investment as a message to current and prospective students of a cultural fit that has the power to impact the world. He said the partnership is transformative, providing business and employment opportunities within the state for graduates. Its helped us to sustain our uniqueness in metallurgical engineering, and helped us grow," West said. "This has been a big, big deal. Rankin said there are only five universities in the nation that offer the majors in geology, mining and engineering, including South Dakota Mines. He said mining companies across the United States are starting to see their employees retire and will be looking for a new wave. "We really are the workforce of the future, he said. South Dakota Mines is still looking to raise $3.6 million to complete the project. Contact Laura Heckmann at lheckmann@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. South Dakota schools in both the public and private sectors are rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, but Secretary of Education Tiffany Sanderson said Thursday there are concerns over students' learning performance and chronic absenteeism. Sanderson was the guest speaker Thursday for the Pennington County Republican Women. She said the Department of Education is tasked to look at and examine the state's 215 K-12 school districts 149 public, 47 private and 19 tribal. "I know that there was quite a bit of conversation throughout the pandemic about what has happened to our school populations due to the pandemic," Sanderson said. "We saw a bit of a dip last year in numbers and saw that return to where we expected our enrollments to be in this current school year." The Department of Education monitored school and student performance during the pandemic. Sanderson said that for the 2020-2021 school year, approximately 90% of students attended in-person school. The other 10% of students attended classes either remotely or used a blend of in-person and remote learning. "School leaders thought that about a third of their students in those situations [fully remote or blended] were staying caught up to grade level expectations through the year," Sanderson said. "So, if we hear about remote learning, there are certainly students where that mode of instruction works. But the pandemic showed us that there are students where that's not the best fit." Sanderson said the area of most concern for her and education leaders was student engagement and chronic absenteeism in learning. She said in a typical year, 3.8% of K-12 students miss 30 days or more of school. During the pandemic last school year, the percentage nearly doubled to 6.8%. "There were over 8,600 kids throughout the state kindergarten through 12th graders who missed 30 or more days of school, and that came from several different populations of students in our general population," Sanderson said. The vast majority of students, nearly 72%, who missed school came from demographics that are considered to be economically disadvantaged, Sanderson said. Of the students who missed more than 30 days of school, 48.2% were Native American and 50% were in high school. "We had a lot of students that were working in place of school, taking care of younger siblings who are disengaged for whatever reason," Sanderson said. In Rapid City, Sanderson said the Department of Labor's local office reported seeing more foot traffic from 16- and 17-year-olds who are interested in a more flexible option to finish high school where they would be able to work and to learn at the same time. "So, I think that the pandemic has shown us that students are in a place where they need work experience and learning experience," she said. "From a policy perspective, we need to be thinking about how we can meet students where they're at, help them get the skills to succeed in the future, and keep them engaged with their education." Sanderson said the Department of Education is working with universities and technical colleges across the state to increase K-12 educational options and work training. One area the DOE is focusing on is growing the South Dakota Workforce Education Grants program, which was initially passed by the state legislature in 2013. The fund is designated to provide grants for career and technical education programs in secondary schools. The Department of Education announced Wednesday more than $1.4 million in grants awarded to nine public school districts. The Spearfish School District received $225,000 to aid in constructing a new Career and Technical Education building just north of Spearfish High School between Termes Lane and Hillsview Road. Belle Fourche School District received a $98,575 grant to purchase heavy equipment simulators to enhance architecture and construction learning, and to help fund agriculture, food and natural resources programs. In a news release, Sanderson said the purpose of the grant program is to make transformative change in career and technical education programs offered in middle and high schools. Career and technical education provides young people hands-on learning opportunities and helps them connect their classroom experience to their options for education and careers after graduation, Sanderson said in a statement. I commend these districts and their industry partners for offering cutting-edge programs in our middle and high schools. Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. 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. In 2019, Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor Matt Anderson didnt mince words when he spoke about the need for action on the forest lands along the eastern edge of the Bitterroot Mountains. This landscape just screams risk," Anderson said. The situation on the landscape hasnt improved. On Wednesday, the Bitterroot Forest officially opened its scoping process on the sweeping 144,000-acre Bitterroot Front Project that runs along the eastern edge of the Bitterroot Mountains from north of Florence to south of Darby. The public is invited to review and make comments on the proposal that looks to reduce fuels, manage vegetation and improve forest health through May 20. The landscape-scale project is by far the largest the Bitterroot Forest has undertaken in the last decade. In 2019, the forest hosted several meetings to introduce the project to the community but the pandemic and the need to complete two other large projects pushed it to the back burner. Its been in the works for a while, but just like so many other things, we got derailed by COVID, said Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown. It took us a while to get our feet under us again. The initial focus was on completing two other large landscape projects the 53,000-acre Gold-Butterfly project along the Sapphire Mountain front and the 48,000-acre Mud Creek in West Fork. Both of those projects are nearing completion. At those first introductory meetings in 2019, Brown said officials heard residents were interested in seeing fuel reduction and forest health work that would reduce the potential for wildfire along the heavily-populated Bitterroot Front. While the forest doesnt plan to treat all of the 144,000 acres included in the analysis area, Brown said officials will incorporate lessons learned in developing the other two larger projects and use an adaptive framework that will provide flexibility in getting projects accomplished on the ground. As an agency, weve learned the value of looking at things on a landscape scale, Brown said. When youre planning, you have to look at that scale to have an impact, especially when you are looking to reduce the potential for wildfire. Fires burn on a large scale. Brown said the agency also found that it doesnt work to plan projects too far in the future because the landscape is always changing. You have insects and disease and fire going on, he said. Its a dynamic ecosystem. Its difficult to plan a project that wont happen for five to 10 years. Things may have changed by the time you are ready to start. Using the adaptive framework similar to the Mud Creek Project allows for the agency to identify the preferred condition of the landscape and when the time comes for a project to occur, tailor the work toward that pre-identified condition. The Bitterroot Front Project's focus wont be just on cutting timber. It will consider a variety of different management strategies to reduce the fire risk, he said. Brown hopes the public will help the agency identify both issues of concern and those of support during the scoping phase. I would encourage people to make sure that their voices are heard, he said. This is their opportunity to have their voices heard in the project planning stage. The Ravalli County Collaborative a diverse group of volunteers appointed by the Ravalli County Commission has been debating the merits of the Bitterroot Front Project since 2020. The consensus-based group released a statement last week that said aggressive but well-designed management actions on national forest, state and private lands along the Bitterroot Front are necessary and timely. The RCC believes that a landscape-level management strategy is warranted along the Bitterroot Front to address the potential for loss of life, catastrophic wildfire and subsequent damage to private property, the groups statement read. The 2020 Montana Forest Action Plan, convened by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, documented the highest wildfire risk areas in Ravalli County. Wildfire damage potential is very high in these areas because of forest fuel loads, rapid suburban development adjacent to BNF lands, and climate changes. To learn more about the Bitterroot Front Project and to view maps, visit fs.usda.gov/bitterroot. Click on "Land and Resource Management," then "Projects." Public comments specific to this project are valuable in helping the Forest Service identify potential issues and concerns. To provide electronic comments and to subscribe for project updates, please visit the project website at: fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57341 (click on Comment/Object on right side of the page). If you wish to comment in writing, please address comments to: Bitterroot National Forest, Stevensville Ranger District Front Desk, 88 Main Steet, Stevensville, MT 59870. Fax: 406-777-7423. Comments may also be hand delivered weekdays 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Comments should include: 1) name, address, phone number, and organization represented, if any; 2) substantive comments including specific facts and supporting information for the Forest Supervisor to consider. Please include Bitterroot Front Project in the email subject line. All comments are open to public inspection and will be posted to the Forest Service website. Only individuals or entities who submit timely and specific written comments about the proposed project during the public comment period will be eligible to file an objection. For more information or questions concerning the project, please contact Brown at 406-777-5461 or Abbie Jossie, Darby-Sula District Ranger at 406-821-3913. 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. Although a federal judge struck down the Biden administration's mask mandate for public transportation Monday, some experts say you don't want to throw out your mask just yet. No matter the form of public transportation -- planes, trains, trams, subways, buses or even rideshares -- good ventilation can help reduce the spread of Covid-19, but masks work best. "You can't engineer your way out of a problem like this," said Krystal Pollitt, an assistant professor of epidemiology and assistant professor in chemical and environmental engineering at the Yale Institute for Global Health. Someone infected with Covid-19 releases aerosols that contain the coronavirus when they talk, laugh or simply exhale. If the person isn't wearing a mask to block those aerosols, they can hang in the air and be inhaled by other people nearby. Outdoors, viral particles may disperse with even a light wind. But indoors, where there is no wind, particles tend to concentrate and hang around. Good ventilation can help break up the concentration of viral particles, but it can't do everything. "Ventilation is great, but we know if we are outside, the risks are lower. Being able to re-create the same amount of airflow that you would have with just your natural wind patterns in a confined indoor space that's heavily occupied is incredibly hard to do," Pollitt said. "Outside of putting yourself into, say, a wind tunnel, which obviously wouldn't be comfortable for many reasons or energy-wise, we have to think about what's realistic." How ventilation works on public transit On public transportation of any kind, a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system sucks in air from outside, treats it and pushes it into the cabin or car. It's a closed-loop system that can pull a little bit of fresh air. A bus or subway car can have 10 to 18 air exchanges per hour on the low side, according to Jim Alosi, a former Massachusetts secretary of transportation who is now a lecturer on transportation policy planning at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning; on the high side, it might have 40 to 50. "Everything depends on the age of the equipment," Alosi said. Older systems are not as efficient as newer ones. Ventilated air that is well-mixed has good circulation and is relatively safe, said Varghese Mathai, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst who has done studies on how the coronavirus spreads in an environment. But when ventilation is not as good, the air is not so well-mixed, and there can be zones inside a room with a higher concentration of particles. "One can't really predict where these zones are not well-mixed in a room. Really, it's a multidimensional problem, and it's not easy to predict in a not-so-well-mixed room how safe it is to stay for an extended duration of time," Mathai said. And if the transportation system wants maximum efficiency to cool or heat the air in a cabin, it can shut off the air intake and use what's already inside, explained Aly Tawfik, director of the Fresno State Transportation Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Geomatics Engineering at California State University, Fresno. "Buses have filters, just like the ones inside our vehicles," Tawfik said. "But they are not designed for viruses like the coronavirus or the flu virus." In May 2020, Tawfik and his team did an experiment to see how a virus could spread through buses with a typical ventilation system. Using nontoxic colored candles and steam, they simulated how air flowed in a variety of buses. They found that HVAC systems are extremely efficient and hold cool or the warm air inside a bus a lot longer than some may expect. When the team introduced smoke, they saw that it spread in seconds and filled the whole cabin. Even when they opened the doors and introduced fresh air into the HVAC systems, the smoke lingered for minutes. The researchers think the virus behaves like the smoke did and could linger even after an infected person has left a bus. "These were unpleasant findings, because it means that opening the doors and windows doesn't help much," Tawfik said. "The systems were designed to treat air fast and keep it inside the cabin for a long period of time." With another experiment, the team tried to see if they could treat the air to make it safer. They tested the buses with three viruses that were similar to the coronavirus. Cooling the air mitigated an average of about 80% of the viruses, and heating was at about 90%. "That does not necessarily mean that it's safe, because this 10% is still millions of viruses," Tawfik said. For one thing, it's not clear how much of the virus virus it takes to infect someone. HEPA filters mitigated about 94% of the viruses. Ionizers were a little less efficient, but photocatalytic oxidation and UV lights were better. UV lights in the HVAC system removed about 99% of the viruses. Northern California's BART system and New York's Metro system are among those that have introduced some of these technologies during the pandemic. The friendlier skies People can catch Covid-19 on planes, especially when an infected person isn't wearing a mask, studies have shown, but a plane's air system is much stronger than one on a bus or train. Airplanes use HEPA filters that can capture about 99% of particles in the air. They also have better air circulation when flying. Air is typically fed in through the top of the cabin, extracted by floor vents, fed through those filters and eventually sent back into the cabin. Planes bring in air in a top-to-bottom direction about 20 to 30 times per hour, creating a 50-50 mix of outside and recirculated air and reducing the potential spread of the virus. So the risk of getting sick is low, the experts say. However, people are usually on planes a lot longer than they may be on a subway or on a bus, and more time in a crowded plane can increase someone's exposure. When a plane is parked, it does not have that superior circulation. "Airplane systems are a little similar to bus systems when they are on the ground," Tawfik said. That's why you'll notice the temperature isn't as well-regulated then, and it's also when there isn't the same amount of fresh air circulating. It's then dealing with the same challenges." A rideshare situation Uber and Lyft have dropped their mask mandates, and many taxi companies have stopped requiring masks. Infection in a car is certainly possible, studies show. You can always wear a mask, and some experts suggest opening car windows and keeping talk to a minimum. Keep in mind that shorter rides are also better than longer ones. What else can be done to make public transportation safer? Alosi said there are things that transportation systems could do to mitigate some of the risk. Trains and buses could run more often so there aren't as many people on board, for instance. He says it could help to require people to show proof of vaccination if they want to get on a train or plane. That probably wouldn't work with subways or buses, though, nor would it fly politically. Alosi thinks public transportation has been unfairly stigmatized. "If you're not up in arms about people being unmasked in the grocery store, you should chill out about public transit," he said. Even before masks were mandatory on public transportation, studies have found, mass transit systems don't seem to be major drivers of viral spread. And although it's not mandatory, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings. "When you spend significant duration indoors, you obviously inhale, and if you have co-occupants who are potentially infected, you can inhale these tiny droplets that can get you sick," Mathai said. Ventilation absolutely helps, he said, but protecting yourself can take multiple tools of mitigation. "Masks really reduce the momentum of these released aerosol droplets." A mask can even protect you when others aren't wearing them. "Just wearing a mask is a such a simple solution to increasing the level of safety," Pollitt said. "Putting one on, it's an easy thing to do." The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. KYIV, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory Thursday in the battle for Mariupol, even as he ordered his troops not to take the risk of storming the giant steel plant where the last Ukrainian defenders in the city were holed up in a maze of underground passages. Instead, Putin directed his forces to seal off the Azovstal plant so that not even a fly comes through. Advertisement After nearly two lethal months of bombardment that have largely reduced Mariupol to a smoking ruin, Russian forces appear to control the rest of the strategic southern city, including its vital but now badly damaged port. But 2,000 Ukrainian troops, by Moscows estimate, have stubbornly held out for weeks at the sprawling plant, despite a pummeling from Russian forces and repeated demands for their surrender. About 1,000 civilians were also trapped there, according to Ukrainian officials. Advertisement Instead of sending troops in to finish off the defenders in a potentially bloody frontal assault, Russia apparently intends to maintain the siege and wait for the fighters to surrender when they run out of food or ammunition. Mayor Vadym Boychenko rejected any notion that Mariupol had fallen into Russian hands. The city was, is and remains Ukrainian, he declared. Today our brave warriors, our heroes, are defending our city. Putins comments came as satellite images showed more than 200 new graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery, from Maxar Technologies, shows long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The capture of Mariupol would represent the Kremlins biggest victory yet of the war in Ukraine. It would help Moscow secure more of the coastline, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014, and free up more forces to join the larger and potentially more consequential battle now underway for Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, the Donbas. A metallurgical plant is seen on the outskirts of the city of Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. (Sergei Grits/AP) At a joint appearance with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Putin declared, The completion of combat work to liberate Mariupol is a success, and he offered congratulations to Shoigu. Shoigu predicted the steel plant could be taken in three to four days, but Putin said that would be pointless, expressing concern for the lives of Russian soldiers. Advertisement There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities, the Russian leader said. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly comes through. The plant covers 4 square miles and is threaded with some 15 miles of tunnels and bunkers. The Russian agenda now is not to capture these really difficult places where the Ukrainians can hold out in the urban centers, but to try and capture territory and also to encircle the Ukrainian forces and declare a huge victory, retired British Rear Adm. Chris Parry said. For weeks now, Russian officials have said capturing the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas is the wars main objective. Moscows forces opened the new phase of the fighting this week along a 300-mile (480-kilometer) front from the northeastern city of Kharkiv to the Azov Sea. While Russia continued heavy air and artillery attacks in those areas, it did not appear to gain any significant ground over the past few days, according to military analysts, who said Moscows forces were still ramping up the offensive. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said the Ukrainians were hindering the Russian effort to push south from Izyum. Advertisement Rockets struck a neighborhood of Kharkiv on Thursday, and at least two civilians were burned to death in their car. A school and a residential building were also hit, and firefighters tried to put out a blaze and search for anyone trapped. Western nations, meanwhile, rushed to pour heavy weapons into Ukraine to help it counter the offensive in the east. U.S. President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in military assistance, including heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones. But he also warned that the $13.6 billion approved last month by the U.S. Congress for military and humanitarian aid is almost exhausted and more will be needed. All told, more than 100,000 people were believed trapped with little or no food, water, heat or medicine in Mariupol, which had a prewar population of about 430,000. The city has seized worldwide attention as the scene of some of the worst suffering of the war, including deadly airstrikes on a maternity hospital and a theater. Advertisement Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of launching attacks to block civilian evacuations from the city. On Thursday, at least two Russian attacks hit the city of Zaporizhzhia, a way station for people fleeing Mariupol, though no one was wounded, the regional governor said. Britains Defense Ministry said that Russia probably wants to demonstrate significant successes ahead of Victory Day on May 9, the proudest day on the Russian calendar, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date, the ministry said. In the continuing war of sanctions and countersanctions between Russia and the West, Moscow announced its has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans, including foreign affairs commentators, from entering Russia. The move was a response to ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions by the Biden administration, the ministry said in a statement, and targeted people it said were shaping a Russophobic narrative. Similar restrictions were imposed on 61 Canadians. Advertisement Associated Press journalists Mstyslav Chernov and Felipe Dana in Kharkiv, Ukraine; Yesica Fisch in Kramatorsk, Ukraine; Danica Kirka in London; and Robert Burns and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report, as did other AP staff members around the world. An Idaho father and son will serve jail time, pay thousands in fines and be banned from hunting for years after pleading guilty to poaching a female grizzly bear near Yellowstone National Park last year. Jared and Rex Baum, of Ashton, shot the bear in Fremont County more than a dozen times on March 16, 2021, leaving her carcass in Little Warm River where Idaho Department of Fish and Game conservation officers found her a few weeks later. According to a Fish and Game news release, the father, 79-year-old Rex Baum, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor attempting the unlawful take of wildlife. He will serve three days in the Fremont County jail, pay more than $1,000 in fines and penalties and be banned from hunting for the next decade. His son faces a heftier punishment after pleading guilty to unlawful killing of wildlife with a reimbursable damage assessment of more than $1,000, which is a felony. Jared Baum will serve 30 days in jail, three years of probation and pay more than $12,000 in fines and penalties. He is banned from hunting for life. Both men's hunting bans bar them from hunting in Idaho and 47 other states. Fish and Game officers discovered the grizzly's remains on April 9, 2021, after receiving a mortality signal from the radio tracking collar the bear wore. X-rays of the bear revealed she had 12 bullets and one bullet fragment in her body. Conservation officers also visited the bear's den, where a male cub was found dead as a result of its mother's death. The agency sent a warrant to Google for records of any electronic devices in the area around the time the bear was killed. The results of that warrant led them to Jared Baum. In November, Baum admitted to shooting the bear with a Ruger-57 handgun but alleged he believed it was a black bear. "Jared then told officers that he had tracked the bear and thought he had shot it 40 times as it was running downstream towards the Little Warm River," the Fish and Game news release said. "After Jared saw that it was a grizzly, he said he realized he had shot her too many times and she was going to die, so he finished her." Rex Baum also shot at the bear with a Ruger-57. Jared told investigators he disposed of both firearms by throwing them in a pond. They were not recovered. Idaho grizzlies are federally protected. Last month, Idaho Gov. Brad Little joined Montana and Wyoming governors in petitioning for the bears to be removed from Endangered Species Act protections. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Masks are no longer required on GRTC buses or in GRTC facilities; theyre optional, according to a statement from the transit system. The newly revised policy is in line with a recent federal court ruling that struck down mask requirements on airplanes, trains, buses and other forms of public transit. However, Julie Timm, CEO of GRTC Transit System, said that even though its policy has changed, she still hopes passengers will wear their masks and take advantage of all the COVID-19 mitigation tools available. We believe that everyone should get vaccinated and boosted. We believe that people need to be staying home if they feel any kind of symptoms that suggest they might be symptomatic and contagious, Timm told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in an interview on Thursday. People should continue to wear their masks if they feel they have been exposed or have family at risk, and we will continue to send that message to our staff and our riders moving forward. Passengers like Craig Carr, 62, said he feels people should still wear their masks despite the new policy. Carr was waiting to board the GRTC Pulse line on Third Street on Thursday and voiced his concerns about the recent policy change in response to a reporters question. I feel like COVID is still out here, Carr said. Its too many people out here to not have a mask. You dont know who might get on the bus. Youve got all types of people who get on the bus, so Im going to wear a mask. Carr, however, was mask-less Thursday after losing his face covering earlier in the day. Even so, he said hell continue to wear a mask while traveling to look out for his fellow man, and hopes others will do the same. As the Department of Justice goes through an appeal process to reinstate mask requirements, he said he hopes it goes through. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first issued a federal order for masks to be worn while traveling into, within or out of the United States and its territories on Jan. 29, 2021. Since then, the mandate has been extended throughout the length of the pandemic and was set to expire on April 18. The CDC planned to extend the order again to May 3, the organization said on April 13, in order to study its most recent data that indicates how infectious COVID is in different regions of the U.S. As of Wednesday, the CDCs most recent data showed the U.S. seven-day average for new COVID cases was 42,604. More than 85% of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. are of the omicron variant especially the BA.2 subvariant, which experts say is more contagious than previous strains of COVID. In Virginia, the seven-day average of new COVID infections was 7,821 on Friday, according to the CDCs COVID analytics. The states infection rate was less than 10% while nearly 80% of residents were fully vaccinated. Despite the CDCs request for an extension, a federal judge in Florida released a 59-page ruling voiding the CDCs order. Airlines and mass transit systems around the U.S. followed suit with the courts decision and lifted their own mask mandates. Months before the courts ruling, Timm said she and her staff were preparing a plan to transition to a mask-optional policy as the federal governments deadline approached. Thats been the plan and were trying to be very intentional about this, she said. Some bus drivers are fearful that they could be at higher risk of catching the virus without the mask mandate, said Maurice Carter, president of Amalgamated Transit Union 1220, which represents GRTC operators and other system employees. The drivers do not like it at all, he said. You dont know who might have COVID. Carter said the union is considering working with GRTC management to address their concerns, but he and other workers are pessimistic about the situation, particularly as the administration has struggled to retain and attract drivers amid an ongoing staffing shortage that has led to service reductions since September. The transit company has offered bonuses for new and current employees, but Carter said drivers have not felt supported by management in some instances, such as when altercations between passengers and drivers have occurred. GRTC officials said in a board meeting Tuesday that they are about 40 drivers short of their target staffing levels, and that there was a small uptick in turnover with 11 drivers leaving in the past month. Ive heard from one person that said that they might resign because of the mess over the mask mandate, Carter said. But the majority of the people are resigning over the administration. While Timm said GRTC will advise passengers to continue wearing masks, some localities and transit hubs across the country, such as Los Angeles County, Philadelphia and New Yorks JFK and LaGuardia airports, are still planning to require masks on public transit, according to reporting by the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal. GRTC will maintain other permanent, safety measures such as clear operator shields and hand sanitizer dispensers, a spokesperson from the transit company said in an email. The response said the transit company has always required riders to stand behind the white line at the front of the bus and that the operators primary duty is the safe operation of the bus for our riders mobility needs. Timm said the end of the mask mandate has always been a moving target. Should the federal governments recommendation change, she said GRTC is prepared to adapt and communicate, knowing the Justice Department has already filed an appeal with federal courts to overturn the judges decisions, according to a news release. For now, Timm said shes pleased to see a majority of passengers still wearing their masks. Even though weve let people know that masks are optional, I have been encouraged to see that many people are still wearing their masks in our buildings and on our buses, she said. Our staff are still wearing them, and theyre taking this seriously. Tanu Bhargava, a passenger and a doctoral candidate at VCU studying physical therapy, agrees that the mandate should have stayed in place. Although shes fine with masks being optional for GRTC passengers, she said she believes another wave of infections is coming. I think COVID is still very real. I think were looking at another wave coming, and I wish transportation was taken more seriously, said Bhargava, 30. I wish they kept the mandate as long as possible. She said she believes that because a large number of people are still not fully vaccinated and new variants are still infecting people, she hopes the federal government and GRTC will require masks as long as possible. I think there are still a large number of COVID cases and, if the outcome is to have less of them, then people still need to wear masks. Lyndon German Follow Lyndon German 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 Judge Adrianne Bennett the former parole board chairwoman at the center of a scandal challenged the constitutional authority of a state commission to suspend her from the bench last year, according to records unsealed Thursday by the Supreme Court of Virginia. The court denied her request the next day. The records were unsealed at the request of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which made a filing with the court in July asking the court to unseal its sealing order. The courts 4-2 Thursday decision addressed the sealing order and all the records, and the court unsealed some of the records and provided them to the newspaper. But it left key records under seal. Bennett was the chair of the Virginia Parole Board during a time it was later found to have violated rules in its process used to release certain people from prison. The courts opinion said that in the interest of openness and transparency, we further unseal the remainder of the case with the exception of attachments filed by Bennett. Bennett petitioned the court on May 20, 2021, asking it to take action in a matter then pending before the states Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, a panel that investigates allegations of misconduct against judges. JIRC in April 2021 suspended Bennett from the bench in Virginia Beach, where she is a juvenile court judge, and she asked the Supreme Court to order JIRC to reinstate her. The Supreme Court denied her request a day later and, without any public notice or listed reasoning, the court ordered the record of her filing to be sealed. The unsealed records reveal Bennetts legal challenge to JIRC. The records that remain under seal appear to address the substance of JIRCs investigation of Bennett. Bennetts filing at the Supreme Court called a mandamus petition was against the members of JIRC and its general counsel, Raymond Morrogh, according to the records the court unsealed on Thursday. She challenged their constitutional authority to suspend her. The JIRC investigation has concluded. Records of such investigations, by state law, only become public if JIRC makes a filing at the Supreme Court against a judge, which did not happen in Bennetts case. She remains on the bench in Virginia Beach. The Supreme Courts opinion said the General Assembly, as the policymaking branch of government, has determined that records such as the exhibits Bennett filed should be confidential. Bennetts exhibits are records of a then pending proceeding before the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission. By law, records of proceedings before the Commission are kept confidential. Two justices D. Arthur Kelsey and Teresa M. Chafin dissented to part of the opinion and argued that there were no satisfactory legal reasons to continue sealing of the JIRC documents. They quoted a state law that says the record of any JIRC proceeding filed with the Supreme Court shall lose its confidential character. Va. Supreme Court sealed its reason for closing records filed by former parole board chair A lawyer for The Richmond Times-Dispatch on Friday urged the court to unseal its order that explained why it closed off the records to the public. From the start, Judge Bennett made clear that she did not want anyone but us to see the reason why JIRC had suspended her, the dissent said. The majority holds that Judge Bennett has a statutory right to keep that information secret and that the public has no constitutional right to break the seal of secrecy. The dissent also said: Neither experience nor logic justified the initial sealing of this proceeding. And nothing in todays order justifies our continued sealing of the JIRC documents. Attorney David Lacy represents the newspaper and its publisher, Lee BHM Corp., in the case, and oral arguments were heard in March. Todays decision from the Virginia Supreme Court struck the balance between the fundamental notion of public access to the courts and the statutory safeguards which protect judges from unwarranted complaints, said Bennetts attorney, Lee Floyd, in an email for this story. Judge Bennett continues to serve honorably on the Juvenile and Domestic Relations bench in Virginia Beach. Bennett, who was elected by the General Assembly as a juvenile court judge in Virginia Beach in March 2020 and took the seat the next month, was at the center of a scandal after the Office of the State Inspector General found the parole board violated law and policy that year, including not properly notifying victims and prosecutors about people being released from prison on parole. At least two complaints were made about Bennett to JIRC. One was made in April 2021 by a former parole board employee who alleged Bennett directed parole board staff to copy and paste a previous report about a person who was eligible for parole, to be used in a new review. The employee had never been asked to do that in the past and felt that using a previous report as her own work would result in falsification of the report. Bennetts argument to court Morrogh, JIRCs general counsel, signed an order indefinitely suspending Bennett from the bench on April 13, 2021, which was authorized by JIRCs chairwoman. Bennett had not been charged and hasnt been with any violation of the Canons of Judicial Conduct. Bennett argued that the Virginia Constitution didnt allow JIRC to remove her and that indefinite suspension was de facto removal that only could legally be done by the Supreme Court or General Assembly. She said the state law that allows JIRC to suspend a judge is unconstitutional. She also argued that while the constitution requires JIRC to have seven members, the commission had only six when she was suspended. And she challenged the suspension order because it was signed by JIRCs lawyer. Until a full Commission is appointed, the Commission lacks the authority to act in future proceedings against Judge Bennett, Bennett argued in the filing. She asked the court to suspend JIRCs investigation of her without a full seven members. The commission was investigating action that happened between Bennetts election as a judge by lawmakers and her taking the oath as a judge. In denying Bennetts request the day after she filed it, the Supreme Court responded that the constitution and state law gave JIRC jurisdiction over matters of judicial censure and removal, regardless of the number of current members, according to the records unsealed Thursday. (JIRC was down one member because one of its members became a judge.) The court said it did not have authority to review or vacate the interim suspension order, and agreed to seal Bennetts filing. Because JIRCs records remain secret unless the commission makes a filing against a judge at the Supreme Court, its unclear when Bennetts interim suspension ended. The parole board scandal became an issue in the 2021 election; Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, both Republicans, campaigned by attacking Democrats on parole. Miyares is now investigating problems that happened at the parole board. The lead investigator at the Office of the State Inspector General the agency that made findings of misconduct by the board was terminated. Jennifer Moschetti filed a lawsuit over her termination. The Virginia Mercury reported Thursday that her firing was upheld twice in a state employee grievance process because of information security breaches that happened prior to her attempt at whistleblower protection, according to records filed in her wrongful termination suit. Moschetti conceded, under oath, that she sent confidential information to her personal email address on numerous occasions, which included, among other things: mental health information of various incarcerated offenders, identifying information of crime victims, witnesses to crimes and other individuals involved in board matters, according to a filing from the state officials Moschetti is suing. The Virginia Employment Commission has agreed to pay $200,000 to three legal aid organizations to settle a federal lawsuit filed almost a year ago to force the state agency to promptly handle claims for unemployment benefits filed by Virginians who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The VEC reached an agreement on Wednesday with the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, the Virginia Poverty Law Center in Richmond and Legal Aid Works in Fredericksburg on the size of attorneys fees for the three organizations, resolving the last outstanding issue from the settlement of the case in U.S. District Court in early January. The state agency issued a statement on Thursday announcing the settlement, which it said is less than the amount the three organizations sought. Two other private law firms that were plaintiffs in the suit Consumer Litigation Associates in Newport News and Kelly Guzzo PLC in Fairfax City provided their services pro bono. The VEC is satisfied to have this matter resolved, and continues with the significant efforts required to address any remaining issues and transform the agency to be better position for any future events, the agency said in its statement. The VEC has come under fire from all directions for its handling of unemployment claims during the pandemic with some 2 million applications for benefits overwhelming an underfunded and understaffed agency that relies on a portion of payroll taxes reimbursed through the federal government. Pat Levy-Lavelle, an attorney at the Legal Aid Justice Center, said the state acknowledged it owed legal fees to the nonprofit organizations because they were the prevailing parties in the lawsuit filed last May against the agency and its commissioner, Ellen Marie Hess, who retired earlier this year. This case achieved important progress for thousands of Virginians struggling with unemployment, Levy-Lavelle said in a statement on Thursday that noted the fee settlement helps fund legal aids work on behalf of low-income Virginians. Although the case is formally closed, ongoing reporting continues, and Legal Aid Justice Center and other advocates remain committed to seeing progress in Virginias unemployment system, Levy-Lavelle added. We know that many people are still suffering, and that is a problem that requires resolution. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission concluded in early November that the VEC was unprepared for the pandemic and slow to respond to a surge of almost 2 million claims for unemployment assistance. Significant weaknesses in VECs operations particularly its deficient staffing levels, antiquated UI [unemployment insurance] IT system, performance monitoring, and oversight were revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, states the 200-page report by JLARC, the states legislative watchdog over government agencies and operations. The result was backlogs of tens of thousands of unemployed Virginians awaiting adjudication of claims deemed ineligible, primarily because employers hadnt reported why they lost their jobs, or waiting on hearings on appeals of their claims. Millions of calls went unanswered from frantic people seeking answers about their claims because they were unable to find them online in the states outdated IT system. Gov. Glenn Youngkin had used the VECs struggles under Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam as a political weapon against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, his Democratic opponent in the gubernatorial election last year. Youngkin replaced Hess with Carrie Roth, a longtime Republican appointee who had served as aide to Gov. George Allen and deputy secretary of commerce and trade under Gov. Bob McDonnell. Youngkin issued a statement in February touting progress in reducing the backlog of unprocessed reports from employers and disputed claims during his first month in office. He added then, We have a lot more work to do, but I want Virginians to know we are serious about making the VEC, along with all other state agencies, work for them. Roth said in an interview then, We are not declaring victory. The legal advocacy organization had filed the lawsuit on behalf of five Virginia women they said had been denied their lawful due process of claims for unemployment benefits after losing their jobs during the pandemic. U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson signed an order in January to dismiss the suit, including the claims of the five women because the VEC had settled them. The order dismissing the case found that the disputed issues have been substantially resolved, and said the court has been encouraged and satisfied with the changes made and actions taken during the long dispute it mediated. It praised the work of the advocacy organizations as instrumental in raising awareness about the obstacles facing Virginians seeking state and federal unemployment insurance benefits. It also credited the VEC for significant progress in processing and adjudicating unemployment claims. Last fall, the city of Alexandria sponsored a sale of native trees, and I bought a flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) online. A few Saturday mornings later, my partner, Keith, and I went to pick it up. We were early, but there already was a line to pick up trees before most of them had been unloaded from two large trucks. The woman in front of us told us she plants trees in a park near her apartment complex. Before we knew it, the trees were ready to go. She swooped into the dogwood area and corralled at least a half-dozen healthy-looking saplings. The dogwood sapling we snagged was spindly with a few no-account reddish leaves. It did not inspire confidence about its stick-to-itiveness to survive the winter. But, with help, we planted it in the front yard, watered it, and hoped and waited. A few weeks ago, two large white blossoms appeared, as if to say, Happy Spring, ye of little faith. Planting a single tree wont save the planet, of course, but it does cheer me at a time when the international news is unrelentingly awful. I like to think, someday, its white-clad branches will dance gracefully and provide dappled shade. When a Nebraska newspaper editor named J. Sterling Morton proposed Arbor Day 150 years ago, the state provided premiums and prizes, and more than a million trees were planted in one day in Nebraska. Other holidays repose upon the past; Arbor Day proposes for the future, Morton wrote. Today, wed say Arbor Day went viral. It spread nationwide, mainly in schools. In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt issued a proclamation urging Americas school children to celebrate Arbor Day thoughtfully, for within your lifetimes the Nations need of trees will become serious. We of an elder generation can get along with what we have, though with growing hardship ... But, you in the next generation, he wrote, will want what nature once so bountifully supplied and man so thoughtlessly destroyed; and because of that want you will reproach us, not for what we have used, but for what we have wasted. Almost every aspect of American life has changed since then, but Morton and T.R. still have something we need to hear. We must look to and plant for the future. The care and planting of trees has taken on new urgency in the 2020s as people realize our urban tree canopies are shrinking because of development, pollution and the longevity of trees. Many of our beautiful old neighborhood trees are reaching the end of their lifespans. Our cities are disproportionately hot and unpleasant in neighborhoods with too few trees. Efforts are underway to plant more trees in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Nearly every president or first lady plants a tree on the White House grounds around Arbor Day, now officially the last Friday in April. Nearly every city and town has tree-planting events. Earth Day, celebrating its 52th anniversary, has morphed into a month of events focusing attention on the environment. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, returning after two years of hiatus due to COVID-19, returned to the National Mall last month. It drew an estimated 1.5 million visitors to its parade and other events over nearly a month before concluding on April 17. Yet the cherry trees face their own problems. Along with foot traffic, they suffer from climate change, rising sea level and daily flooding around crumbling seawalls. The mayor of Tokyo gave 3,000 flowering cherry trees to the United States in 1912. The average flowering cherry tree has a lifespan of 40 to 50 years, and every year, about 90 trees must be replaced. But because the federal government does not provide enough funding to care for the trees, the Trust for the National Mall and the National Cherry Blossom Festival have formed a partnership to start the Adopt a Cherry Tree campaign. There now are 3,700 cherry trees on the National Mall, and the campaign seeks to raise $3.7 million. So, this Arbor Day, we can plant a native tree in our own yard or join a group that plants locally. Adopt an iconic cherry tree. Those are ways to propose for the future. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program thats available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The court held by an 8-1 vote Thursday that making Puerto Ricans ineligible for the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides benefits to older, disabled and blind Americans, did not unconstitutionally discriminate against them. Advertisement Justice Sonia Sotomayor, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico, was the lone dissenter. Writing for the court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the court was bound by a pair of earlier rulings that already upheld the federal law that created SSI and excluded Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories from it. Congress later added in the Mariana Islands. Advertisement Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since the Spanish American War in 1898, and its residents are U.S. citizens, but they have no vote for president or representation in Congress. They also do not pay federal income tax. Kavanaugh wrote that just as not every federal tax extends to residents of Puerto Rico, so too not every federal benefits program extends to residents of Puerto Rico. In dissent, Sotomayor responded, In my view, there is no rational basis for Congress to treat needy citizens living anywhere in the United States so differently from others. To hold otherwise, as the Court does, is irrational and antithetical to the very nature of the SSI program and the equal protection of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution. I respectfully dissent. Jose Luis Vaello-Madero, the Puerto Rico resident at the center of the case, began receiving SSI payments after he suffered a series of strokes while living in New York. The payments continued to his bank account in New York even after he moved back to Puerto Rico. When he notified the Social Security Administration, the payments stopped and then the government sued to recover more than $28,000 it said he was not entitled to. Lower courts sided with Vaello-Madero, ruling that the exclusion of Puerto Rico from the SSI program is unconstitutional. In a similar case in Guam, a federal judge ruled recently that residents of that Pacific island also should be able to collect SSI. The Justice Department first filed its appeal of a ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals during the Trump administration but maintained the case even after President Joe Biden took office. The Biden administration has said it supports changing the law to extend SSI payments to Puerto Rico. It included a provision in its Build Back Better proposal to make residents of U.S. territories eligible for SSI payments, but the legislation is stalled in Congress. Advertisement A separate program, Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled, covers residents of the territories, but it has more stringent eligibility requirements and pays less generous benefits than SSI. You remember Murphys Law, right? Anything that can go wrong, will. Its a humorous reference to the universes intangible perversities and theres rarely a shortage of real-life examples. The unfortunate saga of the Southwest Virginia Center for Sight might be the latest. Thats an ambulatory surgery center, in Wytheville, the fourth established in Western Virginia by Vistar Eye Center, a Roanoke-based ophthalmology practice. Adjacent to it is a Vistar clinic, a medical office where ophthalmologists see patients by appointment. The clinic obtained a certificate of occupancy Jan. 6. Its staff began seeing patients Jan. 18. The adjacent surgery center, into which Vistar partners have invested more than $2 million, has been ready to open since March 28, said Vistar CEO Herby Pierce. Vistar has hired five employees and is paying them. The salaries plus other expenses amount to roughly $9,000 per week, he said. But the surgery center hasnt yet been inspected, a necessary requirement before it can open its doors. It cant get inspected until it receives a four-sentence letter from Palmetto GBA, a Medicare-affiliated contractor in South Carolina. (Vistar got such letters when it previously opened three other surgery centers in Salem, Roanoke County and Martinsville.) The document acknowledges Palmetto has received the surgery centers Medicare enrollment application (which Vistar filed last July), and has shared it with the Virginia Department of Health and Medicare. The letter also states the next step is an inspection. Nine months after its application, Vistar is still waiting for the letter. And thats hardly the only thing thats delayed the overall project the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted it, too. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the latest hiccup, lets consider some of the earlier ones. The Wytheville building is on commercially zoned land near the intersection of Interstates 81 and 77. Previously, the location was a restaurant that had closed. A surgery center there is a huge convenience for Vistar patients, who otherwise would have to get someone else to drive them to Roanoke and back for outpatient cataract surgery. Vistars physician partners bought the property in 2019 and began planning how to turn it into a clinic and adjacent surgery center. Pierce said they hired a local architect, who drew up renovation plans, and a local contractor to execute the plans. Construction commenced in January 2021. But workers quickly discovered big problems deep within the old restaurant building such as mold, rotting wood and compromised roof trusses. At that point, Vistar decided to knock the whole place down and build from scratch. The restaurant was demolished in February 2021, Pierce said, after which construction of the new building began. But pandemic-related supply chain problems with building materials and specialized surgery center equipment further delayed construction by two to three months, Pierce said. On March 28, following the delayed equipments installation, the surgery center was ready for an inspection by the Virginia Department of Health. Thats the agency that previously performed inspections for other Vistar surgery centers. But the VDH has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, too. The agency informed Vistar it couldnt perform an inspection before May because its staff is backlogged with investigations into hospitals. Those take priority over surgery-center inspections. Moreover, if any more hospital investigations arise before May, those would also take priority over the surgery centers inspection, Pierce said VDH informed him. Rather than wait an indefinite period for a free inspection, Vistar opted for an expensive alternative. For $13,000, it could get an inspection done by a private, Medicare-approved entity, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, or AAAHC. On March 29, Vistar hired AAAHC to do an inspection, Pierce said. But on April 5, AAAHC informed Vistar that it couldnt proceed until it had the letter from Palmetto documenting acceptance of the Wytheville surgery centers Medicare enrollment application. In a conference call last week, AAAHC and Vistar notified Palmetto the inspection couldnt proceed without that letter. After the call, Palmetto analyst Tracy Tucker sent a letter. But was the wrong one, Pierce said. And AAAHC couldnt proceed without the right one. To ensure Tucker understood exactly the kind of letter he needed, Pierce on April 13 sent her a copy of the four-sentence Medicare enrollment acceptance letter Palmetto issued for Vistars Martinsville surgery center in 2019. This is literally what I need, word for word, Pierce wrote. Thank you for your assistance. But Tucker didnt respond last Thursday or Friday, he said. Monday, I called Tucker at Palmetto GBA to learn more, and left her a voicemail. Tuesday I followed up with an email: Can you help me understand why the same company cant get the same letter for a different surgery center in Wytheville that its trying to open right now? That is important information I certainly want to include in the article, I wrote in the email. The email also asked her to connect me with the right person at Palmetto GBA, if that wasnt her. I never got an answer from anyone else at Palmetto. But Vistar did on Tuesday afternoon. An apologetic Tucker called Gwen Donithan, a registered nurse and clinical director at Vistar who was also working to get the inspection underway. Tucker let me know an error had happened on [Palmettos] side of the processing, and it had to be redone, Donithan told me. What was the error? Pierce said Palmetto had processed the surgery centers Medicare enrollment application as if it was a clinic, rather than a surgery center. The latter are subject to much more rigorous inspections. The former dont need rigorous inspections, or letters permitting them. They were confused as to what the issue was, Donithan told me. Until that phone call Tuesday, Palmetto had been telling Vistar the problem was on Vistars end, she added The bottom line is, the entire application needs to be reprocessed by Palmetto, now that it realizes Vistar has built a surgery center in Wytheville rather than merely a clinic. And thatll delay the surgery centers inspection, and opening, for more weeks. At this point it appears Vistar will be lucky if its able to open the surgery center by June, said Dr. Frank Cotter, a friend and Vistar partner who first told me about the mess. Meanwhile, Vistar has more than $2 million tied up in a building it cant use, for which its paying salaries and other expenses to the tune of $9,000 per week, because a Medicare contractor misunderstood its surgery center application. And Vistar patients in Southwest Virginia will have to get 80-mile rides to Roanoke if they want their cataract operations done sooner. Can anyone think of a better example of Murphys Law? Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or dan.casey@roanoke.com . Follow him on Twitter:@dancaseysblog . 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 plane jetted directly to Nashville from Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in a first-of-its-kind flight Thursday. With that, Allegiant Air began nonstop travel between Roanoke and Nashville, the first new air service out of Roanoke in years. The maiden outbound flight lifted off from the airport at 10:48 a.m. carrying a Roanoke dog breeder and a puppy she sold to a Nashville woman, two Blacksburg-trained doctors planning a Nashville graduation celebration and a Southwest Virginia man visiting his mom for her birthday. Also on board were several Roanoke Valley women going to a bachelorette party and more than 100 others who will spend the weekend in or near the Music City. The flight was due to land at 10:49 a.m. Nashville time, where the time runs an hour earlier, meaning travelers spent about an hour in the air. Its a lot better than seven or eight hours in a car, said Mike Mancuso, area general manager for Signature Flight Support, which handles Allegiants ground operations. Tourism and aviation leaders threw a party for ticketholders with live music, cake and T-shirts. With country tunes playing at Gate 6, passengers arriving from Nashville became the first featured guests of the celebration as they came out of the jetway. There were 42 of them. Then attention turned to the 118 outbound travelers, most from the Roanoke area, who were keeping alert for the boarding announcement. Few wore masks, the mask mandate for airports having been dropped earlier in the week. Airport Executive Director Mike Stewart, who took the helm of the Roanoke facility last year, addressed the crowd using the microphone of the band, Woody Woodworth and The Piners. Stewart, the former top executive at Dulles International Airport, said he didnt have anything to do with landing the new service, though he is from middle Tennessee. It was Allegients decision, he said later. A ribbon was cut. The shirts were passed out. Passenger Autumn Clifton of Troutville said she and her friends would have driven to Nashville for the hometown honky-tonk down there. But they spotted the direct flight deal on Facebook and ended up paying about $180 to $200 per ticket with baggage fees, she said. The bachelorette party in Nashville is for her engaged sister Afton Clifton of Roanoke County. A hundred and eighty to 200 bucks to fly to Nashville, sign me up, Afton Clifton said. The crowd going to Nashville also included Brandon Barbery of Roanoke and Calvin Tran of Maryland, students at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg. This is our last weekend as medical students before graduating as doctors, Tran said. After graduation, which they will celebrate there, Barbery plans to practice medicine at the Eisenhower Army Medical center in Georgia. Tran plans to practice at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth. Elsewhere, dog breeder Ali Bradley stood cuddling an 8-week-old brown cavapoo, a fluffy dog that combines a poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. In Nashville, she planned to hand off the pet to its new owner at baggage claim and spend the weekend with her parents before returning Sunday. She paid $178 round trip, which included a $50 fee for the dog. This is great for me that its a direct flight and its cheap, she said. Great for the dog, too, which was hunkered down within one of the free shirts. Its loud for her, Bradley said. Allegiant said it planned to operate the service through mid-August. For now, one flight operates in each direction on Thursdays and Sundays. 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. Local, regional and national school safety experts convened in a virtual summit Wednesday evening to discuss potential gun violence prevention solutions in Roanoke City Public Schools. The summit began at 6:30 p.m. and aired on the school division's YouTube channel. About 130 people tuned in to the event, which lasted nearly two hours. It will air again on RVTV Cox Cable Channel 3 on Thurday and Friday at 6 p.m. Recent gun-related events involving Roanoke students including a shot fired in a a middle school bathroom, and a tire shot on a school bus with students inside preceded the summit. The summit panelists, including local law enforcement officers and school safety experts from out-of-state, agreed that Roanoke's gun violence will trickle less into city schools as school staff members forge meaningful relationships with students and parents. The summit's discussion topics were inspired by input submitted to the school division by members of the community in the weeks leading up to the virtual event. Superintendent Verletta White said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon that more than 200 people had "weighed in." Among the topics panelists discussed Wednesday evening were the pros and cons of metal detectors, the value of school resource officers and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' emotional needs. For more coverage about the summit, check roanoke.com later Thursday and in Friday's print edition. 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. Gun violence in Roanoke will trickle less into city schools as staff members forge meaningful relationships with students and parents, Roanoke City Public Schools Virtual Safety Summit panelists agreed Wednesday. Recent gun-related events involving Roanoke students including a shot fired in a middle school bathroom, and a bullet that pierced a school bus tire with students aboard preceded the summit, which was streamed live on the school divisions YouTube channel. About 130 people tuned in to the event, which lasted nearly two hours. Summit panelists included local and national school safety experts. Discussion topics were inspired by input to the school division from members of the community in the weeks leading up to the virtual event. Roanoke Schools Superintendent Verletta White said during a news conference before the event that more than 200 people had weighed in with strong arguments both for and against the implementation of metal detectors and clear backpacks as safety measures. Ken Trump, president of a Cleveland-based national school safety consulting firm that has worked with city schools for 15 years, said that metal detectors are most effective when staff and resources to facilitate them are available all day and every day. You dont want to see a school, district and community invest very limited resources in something thats going to create security theater that youre not going to be able to implement thoroughly on a 24/7 basis with such vibrant building use, only to have another incident and realize youve spent a whole lot of time doing something for the perception and security theater, but youre not dealing with the core of the problem, Trump said. The problems that were dealing with are human problems. And we cant solve every human problem with the technology quick fix. Chris Perkins, chief operations officer and a former Roanoke City Police Department chief, said the school division has made technological improvements during the last four years that promote student safety. Those include upgrades to intercom, video surveillance and emergency notification systems. I could go on and on about what the school district has done, but its the relationships and its the human factor thats most important, Perkins said. Nearly every panelist at the summit agreed that meaningful relationships between staff and students will have the greatest impact on gun violence trends. Trump said hes seen evidence of those relationships in RCPS buildings. As I was touring the schools this week, I was seeing principals who were engaged with the kids, calling the kids out by name, while we were talking in the hallway, Trump said. They know their kids. And there are many schools in the country where you dont have as tight of a connectedness between the adults and the students. And thats how you prevent things. Trump said that school staff members often find out about weapons from students who approach an adult they trust. Chief Deputy Col. James Chuck Ferguson, representing the Roanoke City Sheriffs Office, said school resource officers can be those trusted adults. Those incidents that dont happen, thats ultimately what were there for, Ferguson said. You dont get pats on the back for the incidents that dont happen, but theres quite a few. Gerard Lawson, a professor in the School of Education at Virginia Tech, said gun violence trends in Roanoke mirror those evident throughout the country, where two years of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted students learning, altered political climates and caused cases of depression and anxiety to skyrocket. What weve seen is a period of increasing pressure for a couple years, and now an outlet for that pressure, Lawson said. Now that students are back in school, that outlet of their pressure is showing up with the poor lessons that theyve learned over the past two years and are getting in the way of the lessons they should be learning in school under normal circumstances. Heather Gunn, a Blue Ridge Behavior Health counselor and a mother to RCPS students, said the city has to promote healing and the development of safe spaces for both parents and children in order to address mental health concerns among students. If were not able to have our needs met, how can we meet the needs of our kids? Gunn said. Chris Roberts, the citys Youth and Gang Violence Prevention coordinator, said opportunities to provide parents and children with access to work and play services are being sought. Were looking at the family, and were looking at it from a top-down and a bottom-up perspective, Roberts said. From the bottom-up perspective, were talking to the young person in the home, asking him or her, What exactly do you like to do? What dont you have access to? What doors do you feel like are closed to you? And once we identify that, we let them know about the resources that we have obtained. White said the school division is organizing a job fair to provide opportunities for students to remain engaged in their community outside of school. Students want to make money. They want to be involved. They want to be productive, White said. So, were organizing a job fair for our students, to keep them connected, and to keep them involved and to keep them engaged. Some things like that we can do in the immediate. Other things that require more vetting will take a little more time. To view the full broadcast and listen to comments from all panelists, visit the RCPS YouTube channel. The summit is also scheduled to air on Roanoke Valley Television Cable Channel 3 at 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. Tuesday and 7 p.m. Wednesday. 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. BRISTOL, Va. A jury tasked with determining the guilt of a Bristol, Virginia police officer charged with murder began hearing evidence Wednesday. Johnathan Brown, 32, of Piney Flats is accused of murdering Jonathen Kohler, 31, of Bristol, Tennessee in the parking lot of the Rodeway Inn on Euclid Avenue the morning of March 30, 2021. In a brief opening statement Wednesday, Roanoke Commonwealths Attorney Donald Caldwell, special prosecutor in the case, said the trial wont be a who-done-it? case, but will be relatively straightforward. In the defenses hour-long opening statement, Browns attorney Heather Howard said her client acted reasonably. He took the shot he had to take to save his own life, Howard said. Its a miracle that hes here today. Based on evidence presented in court Wednesday, three Rodeway Inn guests and a neighboring resident, called 911 to report shots fired prior to the alleged murder. The calls prompted four Bristol Virginia Police Department officers to respond to the motel in what Howard called an officers worst nightmare a potential active shooter situation. Motel surveillance footage shown in court revealed the 911 calls were sparked by Kohler firing five shots from the window of his 1994 red Ford Mustang while parked in the rear parking lot of the motel. Footage also shows that shortly after firing those shots, Kohler drove to a different parking space one closer to the motel rooms and sat there until officers arrived. Evidence shows that upon arrival, the police confronted Kohler and shouted commands at him before he eventually backed out of the spot he was in. He put his car in drive and attempted to drive away in the direction of Brown, who fired his rifle six times, striking Kohler in the head. Investigators from the Virginia State Police (VSP) were called in to process the crime scene and collect evidence, including Kohlers rifle. They also collected a loaded Glock located underneath the drivers seat of Kohlers Mustang and several 9mm cartridge casings from the vehicle. In all, investigators found five spent casings in the Mustang that a forensic scientist confirmed were fired from the handgun. On May 3, 2021, with the investigation ongoing, Brown was indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and shooting into an occupied vehicle. He turned himself in the following day and was released on $25,000 bail. Days after the shooting, officers discovered a locked container in the trunk of Kohlers car that was previously mistaken by investigators as an amplifier, special agents testified Wednesday. In January, VSP opened the locked box, which contained two loaded magazines and additional rounds compatible with Kohlers firearm, a special agent testified. According to text messages referenced in court, Kohler had threatened to put 18 bullets into his girlfriends motel room and to shoot up the whole motel. Howard claimed Kohler was extremely high on methamphetamine; although no drugs were found in the vehicle, according to Wednesdays testimonies, and no toxicology report has yet been entered as evidence. Thursday will be the trials second day of evidence. Members of a state board that reviews all jail deaths met Wednesday without giving public notice or posting the meeting on the agencys website violations of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. A Board of Local and Regional Jails committee meeting was listed for 9 a.m. Thursday on two separate state websites. But the board met Wednesday without public notice at Department of Corrections headquarters in Richmond. I apologize for the wrong date being there, said boards executive director, Ryan McCord. Im not sure why that happened. He added that it was a typo and said the board members next month will consider cases they took action on Wednesday to ensure public notice is provided. The Thursday meeting notice was posted on a state website called Commonwealth Calendar and on a second state website called Virginia Regulatory Town Hall. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act says every public body must give notice of the date, time, and location of its meetings in a variety of ways, including posting notice on its official government website. The Board of Local and Regional Jails does not post notice of upcoming meetings on its website. McCord said the boards Jail Review Committee met Wednesday in closed session. Even when a public body goes into closed session, it still convenes first in open session and publicly states and votes on the reasons for the closed session. At the end of the closed session, the public body convenes in open session and votes to certify that it only discussed what it said it would. The jail board is tasked by law with reviewing all deaths in Virginia jails and looking for violations of policy or law that may been factors or need to be addressed. Board members are appointed by the governor. Board staff for administrative purposes are employees of the Virginia Department of Corrections. The attorney generals office represents the Board of Local and Regional Jails. Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Jason Miyares, did not respond to an email Wednesday asking if he had any comment on the board holding a meeting without public notice. The board has struggled with staff turnover and heavy control by the Department of Corrections. Last year, the boards jail death investigator resigned under pressure after the Department of Corrections backed McCord for the executive directors job, and officials then obstructed the investigator. The Department of Corrections also denied repeated requests by the boards former executive secretary to be properly paid for duties that were added to her workload, and threatened to fire her. She retired Jan. 1. 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. " " The number of deep earthquakes that rumble near the San Andreas Fault (seen here from the air) increases just before Earth enters a tidal cycle. Flickr.com/faultfind_48 If you earn your living on the ocean, you'd better know how to read a tide table. Around the world, most coastal communities witness sea level rise and fall multiple times every day. The effect can be quite dramatic: On certain days, there's a 53-foot (16-meter) difference between the low and high tides in Canada's Minas Basin Inlet. Working fishermen, divers and ship captains must take fluctuations like these into account. For this reason, governments release tables that predict the heights of future tides for different corners of the oceans. Yet unbeknownst to many of us, the ground beneath our feet experiences tides of its own. The phenomenon goes by many names, including "land tides," "crustal tides," "Earth tides," and "solid Earth tides." No matter what you call the process, it's caused by the same forces that generate our better-known oceanic tides. Advertisement Our Elastic Planet Tides are complicated beasts; they're the net result of several different factors all working together. The most significant contributing forces are the gravitational pulls that the sun, the moon and the earth exert on one other. The sun actually has less influence over our tides than the moon does despite being 22 million times larger. That's because the moon is so much closer to planet Earth. As such, on the surface of Earth, the moon's gravitational force is about 2.2 times stronger than the sun's. High ocean tides at least in most parts of the world happen twice a day. We experience one when the moon is overhead and, counterintuitive as this may sound, a second high tide takes place when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth. Low ocean tides occur during the periods between those points. (The centrifugal force of our rotating planet helps account for the strange arrangement.) While this is happening, a similar cycle unfolds within the very crust of our planet. To a miniscule degree, the ground level itself rises and falls every day in accordance with the moon's whereabouts. "The motion extends through the whole of the solid earth, not just the crust, but is largest at the surface," Duncan Agnew says via email. "The earth," he adds, "is slightly elastic." Duncan is a geophysicist at the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Your naked eye is all that's required to watch the ocean tide come in and go out. However, it's straight-up impossible to observe solid Earth tides without using scientific instruments. At high tide, New York City can rise upward by 14 inches (35.5 centimeters). The Big Apple then falls by the same degree at low tide. A pedestrian standing in Times Square or the Bronx Zoo wouldn't notice any of this because all the buildings, trees, streets and people in the five boroughs rise and fall in concert. (Agnew says the "vertical motion at the surface" varies from place to place; some areas bulge and descend less dramatically than New York does. Other locales outperform the big city on that score.) Advertisement The Fortnightly Cycle So far, we've focused on how the moon affects both solid Earth and oceanic tides. But the sun should not be ignored in this discussion. Those who live in coastal areas are well aware of how solar activity can affect the strength of oceanic tides. When the sun aligns with the moon, the sea's high tides get higher and the low tides get lower. The exact opposite happens when those two celestial bodies are situated at right angles to one another, meaning the planet ends up with low "high" tides and high "low" tides.) That cycle repeats itself every two weeks and is therefore known as the "fortnightly cycle." On top of giving boaters headaches, it also affects solid Earth tides. Nicholas van der Elst of the U.S. Geological Survey was the lead author of a 2016 study that investigated the link between the fortnight cycle, land tides and seismic activity along California's San Andreas Fault. "When the earth's crust flexes in the direction of the tidal pull, this puts a stress on any tectonic faults that cut through the rock. If the combination of the tidal stress and the pre-existing tectonic stress is just right, this can set off an earthquake," van der Elst says via email. For that 2016 research effort, van der Elst's group compared 81,000 San Andreas earthquakes. They found that the rate of low-frequency 'quakes increases right before the fortnightly cycle enters its solar/lunar alignment stage. Californians shouldn't lose too much sleep over this news development. The earthquakes in question are too weak and occur too far below the planet's surface to cause any serious damage on the surface. Crustal tides are generally "far too small to matter for most faults" van der Elst notes. Nonetheless, the geologist has found that it's "possible to observe a small but measurable influence in some locations, particularly in places like mid-ocean ridges. "There are also special regions of the earth's crust where faults appear to be astoundingly weak," he adds. "These regions tend to be deep at the roots of subduction zone faults, like the faults that dive beneath Japan and the U.S. Pacific northwest." Down there, some 12 to 18 miles (20 to 30 kilometers) beneath the planet's surface, faults create small-scale seismic tremors. "The tides can have a very substantial effect on [tremors], with tremor rates oscillating by up to 30 percent in phase with the tides," van der Elst says. "However, these tiny pseudo-earthquakes are totally undetectable by people and do not pose any hazard." Still, knowledge is knowledge. Now That's Interesting The ocean isn't the only body of water that experiences its own tides. Lakes undergo them as well, but on a much smaller scale. For example, the mightiest tides on North America's Great Lakes are only 5 centimeters (nearly 2 inches) high. " " A publicity still from Charlie Chaplin's 1921 film "The Kid" with Jackie Coogan. Chaplin was later taken to court by Joan Berry in the first high-profile use of blood testing in a paternity suit. Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons According to legend, the 12th-century priest St. Anthony was once approached by a distraught woman whose jealous husband was convinced that their newborn baby wasn't his, and threatened to kill them both. When Anthony visited the family, he turned to the infant and said, "Tell me child, who is your father?" Miraculously, the baby pointed toward the jealous husband, calmly replied, "That is my father," and they lived happily ever after. You only need to watch daytime TV for five minutes to know that not all paternity tests deliver good news. The daytime talk show "Maury" is so famous for its high-drama paternity-test plotlines that it sells mugs and T-shirts emblazoned with the catchphrase "You are NOT the father!" While maternity has always been taken for granted, for most of history, paternity was an open question. Until the advent of super-accurate DNA testing in the 1980s, there was no way to be 100-percent certain that a "baby's daddy" was in fact the biological father. But that didn't stop people from trying. Advertisement The Holy Grail of Heredity Nara Milanich is a history professor at Barnard College and author of the new book "Paternity: The Elusive Quest for the Father." She says that 19th- and 20th-century scientists (and pseudo-scientists) were obsessed with unlocking the mystery of paternity and tried just about everything to discover the holy grail of heredity. Meanwhile, newspapers fueled the paternity test frenzy by closely covering sordid stories of cuckolded husbands and lecherous celebrities and their disputed progeny. In the 1920s, for example, there was a rash of anxiety in the United States over babies allegedly being swapped in hospital maternity wards. Judges were put in the Solomon-like position of having to decide who were these babies' legitimate parents and were desperate for an objective test that could solve paternity suits once and for all. Some researchers insisted that the ridges on the roof of the mouth contained patterns that were passed on from father to child. Others relied on the race-based pseudoscience of eugenics to create a list of physical traits like nose size, ear shape and hair texture that invariably passed from generation to generation. But the man who really captured the popular scientific imagination in the 1920s was Dr. Albert Abrams and his oscillophore. Abrams had developed his own "scientific" theories about the human body's electrical system, which he called the "Electronic Reactions of Abrams" or ERA. Convinced, like many others, that the key to unlocking heredity was in the blood, he invented a preposterous-looking instrument called an oscillophore that purported to measure the precise electronic vibrations in drops of blood: Irish blood vibrated at 15 ohms, Jewish blood at 7 ohms, etc. Despite the suspect and racialized science behind the oscillophore, Judge Thomas Graham of the Superior Court of San Francisco hired Abrams to determine the outcome of a high-profile paternity suit involving a man named Paul Vittori who refused to pay child support for an infant daughter he claimed was not his. Abrams' magical machine found that Vittori was indeed the father and instantly made the eccentric doctor one of the most in-demand paternity "experts" in the world. "If we can agree that an electronic blood test is crazy and that his invention is ludicrous, why did it get so much press and why did a California judge think this was useful technology?" asks Milanich. Paternity quacks like Abrams got so much traction, Milanich believes, because a frustrated legal system wanted a scientific panacea for solving the paternity problem. Also, American society in the 1920s was grappling with anxieties over rapidly changing gender roles and a new female sexual independence. These tests, as inaccurate as they actually were, offered the air of calm assurance. But what's even more remarkable is what happened next. In the 1930s, scientists discovered that human blood really did contain some definitive clues to a person's parentage. It wasn't electronic vibrations, but "blood grouping" or what we know as blood typing: A, B, AB, O, etc. Blood grouping follows some immutable rules. For example, if a baby has type AB blood and his mother has type A blood, then the father must have B or AB blood. Finally, judges could use actual science to determine if a man could realistically be a child's father. But even science, it turns out, has limitations. Advertisement The Real Definition of "Father" In the early 1940s, famed entertainer and womanizer Charlie Chaplin was taken to court in a paternity case brought by his former protege, Joan Berry. Berry was 23 and Chaplin 54, and she alleged that he was the father of her newborn baby, Carol Ann. The court case, deliriously covered in the papers, featured the first high-profile use of blood group testing in a paternity suit. And when the results came in, they conclusively showed that Chaplin could not be the father of Carol Ann. Case closed, right? Science wins the day! Not so fast. The jury, composed of 11 women and one man, found that Chaplin was indeed Carol Ann's father if not biologically, then by the merit of his close relationship with her mother (and his infamous history of marrying and quickly discarding much younger women). Despite the real progress made in paternity science, the problem of paternity had somehow managed to get more complicated. "The problem with the Chaplin suit wasn't with the test," says Milanich. "It was that people have different definitions of the father one that's biological and one that's social. We've asked science to solve something that isn't scientific." (California law was changed in 1953 to basically say that if a paternity test showed that a man was not the father of a child, then the matter would be considered resolved. Other states followed suit.) DNA paternity tests, which went mainstream in the 1990s, have taken all of the guesswork out of determining the identity of the biological father. Milanich says that they are 99.99-percent accurate if done right and can now be bought for around $14 at your local drug store or online (plus $130 lab fee for running the test) or even conducted in a mobile DNA testing van. But as Milanich argues in her book, even the perfect paternity test leaves a lot of questions answered. "Who as a society do we want fathers to be?" asks Milanich. "That's not something a geneticist can solve." Now That's Interesting In ancient Rome, a husband was legally considered the father of his wife's children, no matter their paternity. This legal principle pater est quem nuptiae demonstrant is still law in many U.S. jurisdictions. A husband may still owe child support to a child he raised, even if a paternity test says he's not the real dad. An Illinois appellate court on Wednesday sided with Chicago Public Schools in vacating a temporary restraining order that prevented the district from taking employment action against six CPS teachers for refusing to submit proof of vaccination or undergo weekly tests for COVID-19. The ruling restores the districts ability to enforce the requirement while a lawsuit challenging the practice continues in a downstate courtroom. Advertisement We stress the weekly test defendant is requiring plaintiffs to take is noninvasive, nonharmful, self-administered, free to the teachers, available on school property, and can be taken during paid working hours, Justice John W. Turner, of the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield, wrote in a unanimous decision. While it may be questionable why only unvaccinated employees are required to take these weekly tests, the tests and the manner defendant makes the tests available to its employees do not appear unreasonable, the judge wrote. Advertisement Downstate attorney Tom DeVore, a Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general who represents the six teachers, declined to comment. In a statement, CPS said it has made the safety and well-being of our students and staff a priority since the onset of the pandemic. The district continued: The appellate courts ruling confirms the districts right to act affirmatively on behalf of our school communities. As of today, more than 90% of CPS employees are vaccinated, demonstrating a shared commitment to keeping our employees, students, and their families safe. Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow granted the temporary restraining order against CPS on April 8. Grischow entered a similar temporary restraining order in February as part of a challenge to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzkers school COVID-19 policies such as universal masking, quarantining for unvaccinated close contacts of an infected person, and testing for unvaccinated staff members. Martha Arevalo of Broadway Medical Center fills a syringe with a COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination event at Chicago Teachers Union headquarters on Jan. 27, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Pritzker appealed the decision, which the appellate court dismissed as moot because school COVID-19 rules from the Illinois Department of Public Health had been allowed to expire. The Illinois Supreme Court declined to hear the case, vacating that temporary restraining order, and Pritzker dropped the statewide masking requirement the same day. CPS later dropped its mask mandate, but maintained its vaccine and testing requirements for employees. DeVore sought a new temporary restraining order last month after two of his clients were told by CPS to submit proof of vaccination, test for COVID-19 or risk being placed on a nondisciplinary administrative leave of absence without pay. The other four teachers had continued to test weekly, DeVore said. He argued the employees were not provided their right of due process of law. The district announced an employee vaccine mandate in August, with exceptions for staff members who qualified for religious or medical exemptions. CPS backed off its mandate in October, saying unvaccinated staff members could keep their jobs as long as they tested weekly for the virus. Advertisement CPS says 9% of its staff about 4,400 employees are required to test. The district paused its in-school COVID-19 testing program last week because of spring break. Thirty-four adults tested positive for the virus Monday and Tuesday through the free program. Its unclear how many of those staff members are unvaccinated because CPS doesnt provide that information. The testing program is available to vaccinated staff members as well as students. After CPS dropped its mask mandate last month under legal pressure from DeVore, the district has experienced an uptick in cases. Health and school leaders have said its nothing to be concerned about. tswartz@tribpub.com " " A Lyrid meteor shower is seen from the Mingantu Observing Station of National Astronomical Observatories April 19, 2021, in Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. Zhang Gang/VCG via Getty Images Comet Thatcher hasn't visited our part of the solar system since the American Civil War. And scientists predict that the giant hunk of ice and dust won't come back here until the year 2276. But every April, some of its debris puts on a nighttime light show enjoyed by millions of stargazers: the Lyrid Meteor Shower. The intensity of that display varies from one year to the next, with some April showers being more spectacular than others. If conditions are favorable and you know where to look you can usually expect to see about 10 to 15 meteors per hour when the Lyrid shower peaks. Yet every few decades or so, they'll arrive in far greater numbers, giving us a springtime "meteor storm" of celestial activity. Usually, the show lasts from April 15 to April 29, give or take a few days. This year is no different. Stargazers can watch the Lyrid for about 10 days, but it's expected to peak in the predawn hours of Friday, April 22. Advertisement An Infrequent Guest Meteor showers mostly unfold in the pathways of comets. Made of ice, dust, rock and frozen gases, comets are celestial bodies that revolve around our sun and other stars in the universe. So far, astronomers have discovered more than 3,700 individual comets. The Lyrid showers are a byproduct of one particular specimen known as "C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)." Admittedly, that's a mouthful, so feel free to use the object's less formal name, Comet Thatcher. Amateur astronomer A.E. Thatcher is credited with its discovery. On April 5, 1861, he was watching the heavens from his New York City home. That evening, he noticed a strange, luminous body in the constellation Draco. It didn't stay put. Just over a month later, the object came relatively close to Earth, flying just 31.1 million miles (50.1 million kilometers) overhead. Then over the next few months, it approached our sun before exiting the inner solar system, the area that encompasses every planet from Mercury to Mars plus the asteroid belt. You will never get the chance to see Thatcher's comet up close. Like our beloved planet, it orbits the sun, but we now know that it takes Comet Thatcher approximately 415.5 Earth years to complete one rotation around the life-giving ball of plasma. Because of its orbital path, Comet Thatcher spends most of its time far beyond the inner solar system. A.E. Thatcher was lucky; he got to observe his comet during one of its rare forays into the area. Astronomers think that its next visit to the inner solar system will occur in 2276 or so, ending a centuries-long hiatus. Advertisement Crossing Paths Although Comet Thatcher seldom comes our way, Earth predictably crosses its orbital path once a year. In the process, our atmosphere gets pelted by rubbish left behind by the comet on its journey. Whenever a comet approaches the sun, the heat melts some of its ice, freeing little pieces of dust and rock. So therefore, passing comets leave debris trails behind. And those tiny chunks occupy the same orbit as the comet that shed them. Eventually, the comet itself may disintegrate entirely. However, even after it vanishes, a stream of dust will linger in its place, filling up the orbital route that the icy object used to take around the sun. That's why Earth experiences annual meteor showers. On its own sun-centered journey, the planet reliably crosses paths with the debris-clogged orbits of many different comets including A.E. Thatcher's. The detritus starts to burn up once it enters Earth's atmosphere. Fear not; most chunks will never reach the ground. The ones that do hit our planet's surface are called meteorites. They're far less common than meteoroids, those chunks that completely vaporize in our atmosphere. Both meteorites and meteoroids produce flashes of light known as meteors. Every April, our planet makes its yearly passage through Comet Thatcher's orbit. Stargazers are treated to a meteor shower while Earth intersects the debris trail. " " A Lyrid meteor streaks over Earth on the night of April 22, 2012. NASA/JSC/D. Pettit Advertisement Heroes and Lyres Now if you're standing on the ground, the meteors in whatever shower you're watching will appear to emanate from the same general point in the sky. (Even though they don't; that's just an illusion.) This spot is called the shower's radiant. Most of the yearly showers are named after constellations that sit by their radiant points. For example, meteors in the Perseid Shower, which thrills us every August, seem to fly out of the constellation Perseus. By the same token, the April shower produced by Comet Thatcher is called the Lyrid Shower because its radiant is next to Lyra, a constellation representing the lyre played by the Greek hero Orpheus. Vega one of the brightest stars in the sky helps form the instrument's crossbar. Knowing where the radiant is can enhance your shower-watching experience, but veteran stargazers will tell you not to look at the constellation directly. Meteors will show up all over the sky, and the longest-looking ones are going to appear far away from the radiant. Advertisement An Illuminated History The number of meteors you can expect to witness during the Lyrid shower varies from year to year. At the peak of a Lyrid shower, it's typical to see 10 to15 per hour. Usually, the Perseid showers are a whole lot denser. But every so often, an exceptional Lyrid shower occurs. During the peak of the 1982 Lyrids, for instance, viewers in the Eastern United States reported seeing around 100 meteors per hour. Comets don't shed their dust particles at a constant rate, so one year's shower might be more or less intense than the next one. To try and predict the intensity of a coming shower, astronomers make computer models that take things like comet trajectories and atmospheric changes into account. This year, you can help scientists gather Lyrid data. Simply register with the International Meteor Organization and report your observations after you go Lyrid-gazing. The best way to view the Lyrids are in the Northern Hemisphere during the darkest hours and away from city lights. NASA suggests you lie on your back with your feet facing east. Let your eyes adjust to the darkness and you should begin to see meteors within about 30 minutes. But be patient. The shower will last until early dawn, so you have plenty of time to see the "shooting stars." NOW THAT'S COOL It turns out watching Lyrids is an ancient pastime. A Chinese document dating back to 687 B.C.E. refers to "stars fell like rain" one night. Given the timing of this report, scholars think it could be the earliest written reference to a Lyrid meteor shower or indeed, any meteor shower in recorded history. Advertisement Originally Published: Apr 16, 2020 FLORENCE, S.C. Florence County will give nearly $20,000 to The Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee to fund a dig this summer on the west bank of the Pee Dee River, the County Council decided at Thursdays regular board meeting. The County Council unanimously approved giving $19,620 from its general government contingency fund for the archeological study, which will run May 16-27 on the Great Pee Dee River. An additional three weeks will be needed for laboratory work and a final report. The lead investigator will be Mr. Chris Judge, director of the Native American Studies Institute at the University of South Carolina Lancaster, County Administrator K.G. Rusty Smith said. He will be supported by (South Carolina) senior Department of Natural Resources archaeologist Sean Taylor and his team as well as fellow archaeologists from around the state. The objective is to establish a better understanding of the Mississippian occupation and to highlight the significance of the Pamplico area. Smith said all artifacts discovered in the dig will become the property of the Florence County Museum and will be displayed there. District 2 Council member Roger Poston said the dig will be in the Mill Creek area on River Road. The Mississippian culture was a Native American civilization that flourished in what is now the midwestern, eastern and southeastern United States. It comprised urban settlements and satellite trading networks. Dig volunteers will work beside professional archaeologists during the work at the river site and in the laboratory. At the river site, the projects archaeologists and visiting scholars will present occasional evening lectures. Volunteers also will help in the laboratory at the Native American Studies Center at the University of South Carolina Lancaster during the fall. The findings of the archaeological project will be presented in a reception and lecture at the Florence County Museum in downtown Florence. The 2022 Summer Field Project of the archaeological institute will be an investigation of the site of a Mississippian occupation circa 1200 to 1500 AD on the Pee Dee River near the town of Pamplico. The site was identified in 1984 by a team of archaeologists from Gilbert Commonwealth. The team was conducting a survey for a proposed South Carolina Public Service Authority Pee Dee generating station. According to the Gilbert Commonweath teams report, shovel testing indicated a significant Mississippian component to the site. Artifacts discovered during the shovel tests included refuse pits containing shells of freshwater mussels, which could indicate the site was occupied for a long time. The shells also could help preserve plant and animal remains as well as other organic artifacts that wouldnt usually survive in the acidic soils of the coastal plain. MacTec, an engineering design company, conducted additional research on the site in 2007. There is little evidence of the classic Mississippian culture of intensive agriculture, hierarchical political organization, ritual and social groupings around town and ceremonial centers east of the Wateree River, which makes the Pee Dee unusual among the large river systems in the Southeast. In addition to the reception and lecture, a report on the 2022 Archaeology Expedition will be published in the Archaeological Institute of The Pee Dees Proceedings. Rounding up some criminal justice postings from Marijuana Law, Policy & Reform | Main | Firing squad execution stayed, while another execution date set, by South Carolina Supreme Court April 20, 2022 Great panel series to explore "The Role of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Decarceration: First Step Act and Beyond" I keep hoping and hoping that we will be getting nominations from Prez Biden to the US Sentencing Commission just about any day now. Excitingly, even while being kept waiting for long-overdue USSC nominations, I can now look forward to a weekly panel series dedicated to examining thoroughly and thoughtfully what new nominees should be doing. Specifically, the Center for Justice and Human Dignity (CJHD) is presenting a series of panels on the "Role of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Decarceration: First Step Act and Beyond," which will run Tuesdays at 12noon ET from May 3 through May 24. CJHD is a nonprofit organization whose mission is explained here in terms of seeking "to reduce prison incarceration in the United States while improving conditions for those imprisoned and working inside. We promote values of human dignity and shared safety while keeping in mind the needs of survivors, directly impacted people, and society at large. Alongside diverse partners, we collaborate with judges on alternative sentencing, correctional leaders on the conditions of confinement, and policymakers on early release strategies." This events page provides this account of this panel series: While the President considers the U.S. Sentencing Commission appointments, judges and judicial-focused organizations are examining how the agency might better address the myriad ways its guidelines impact mass incarceration. The nation has an opportunity to reimagine how the Commission might use its authority to further decarceration efforts and address other system disparities through its guidelines and policy statements. During this symposium, judges, scholars and practitioners will share their thoughts on these topics and reflect on how legislation like the First Step Act has expanded the use of compassionate release and other opportunities for decarceration. Over the course of four weeks in May, this virtual symposium will offer weekly panels addressing how the U.S. Sentencing Commission can be supportive of federal alternative to incarceration programming, sentencing review mechanisms, promising practices from state sentencing commissions, and changes to the guidelines practitioners and other leaders in the field are interested in seeing once commissioners are appointed. The Role of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Decarceration: First Step Act and Beyond. A weekly panel discussion, Tuesdays at 12pm ET, May 3-24, 2022 Click here to register online I had the pleasure of helping just a bit in planning some of the topics for these panels, as well as the great honor of moderating one part of this important discussion. The speakers involved are really great, and I am looking forward to the whole series (and I sure hope we finally have some Commissions nominees from Prez Biden before the series concludes). April 20, 2022 at 05:42 PM | Permalink Comments Will the discussion groups have any viewpoint diversity, or will it all be on the side of less accountability for persons convicted of crime? Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 20, 2022 7:11:10 PM Do you always view less prison time as less accountability, Bill? Since most of the Jan 6 lawbreakers are getting no or very short prison terms, would you say they are being held less accountable than most others convicted of crimes? Posted by: Doug B. | Apr 20, 2022 7:42:33 PM Doug -- "Do you always view less prison time as less accountability, Bill?" Pretty much, sure. It's certainly not more accountability. "Since most of the Jan 6 lawbreakers are getting no or very short prison terms, would you say they are being held less accountable than most others convicted of crimes?" "Most others convicted of crimes" is too big a bunch for me to process for a comment like this, but I'd be happier, in this instance as in most others, if the guidelines got more respect than they seem to be getting. Not that any of this is germane to my main point, which is that the program certainly seems to be ideologically monochromatic, and that's unfortunate. More gets learned when ideas are tested than when everyone's singing the same tune. Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 20, 2022 8:42:16 PM Do you have any indication from the White House when they might nominate individuals for the USSC? Posted by: Luke Brooker | Apr 20, 2022 10:26:47 PM Bill: your point about viewpoint diversity is well taken, but I only give guidelines respect when they deserve it. (My sense is the Jan 6 folks are getting mostly within-guideline sentences, BTW.) Luke: I am hoping we might see USSC nominations this week or next, but I have been saying that to myself for most of 2022. Eventually that wish will come true. Sigh. Posted by: Doug B. | Apr 21, 2022 9:44:28 AM Post a comment US President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House, announces $800 million in new military aid for Ukraine (AFP/Jim WATSON) (Jim WATSON) US President Joe Biden announced Thursday a new package of $800 million in military aid for Ukraine, saying it would help Kyiv in the fight against Russian forces in the Donbas region. The Pentagon said the newest round of US support will include 72 155mm howitzers, 72 armored vehicles to tow them, 144,000 rounds of ammunition, and more than 120 "Phoenix Ghost" tactical drones recently developed by the US Air Force specifically to address Ukraine's needs. Biden said the new package was tailored to help Ukraine's forces meet the emerging Russian offensive in the country's east, which he said would be a different kind of fight than that in the north around Kyiv, where Ukrainian forces successfully beat Russian forces back in the first six weeks of the war. "We're in a critical window now... where they're going to set the stage for the next phase of this war. And the United States and our allies and partners are moving as fast as possible to continue to provide Ukraine... the weapons their forces need to defend their nation," the president said. Biden also announced that Russia-affiliated ships would be banned from US ports, and that the US Treasury was putting up a fresh $500 million for Ukraine's government so it can pay salaries and pensions and provide services. He said unity between the US and allies in support of Ukraine is sending "an unmistakable message" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine. That will not happen," Biden said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has pushed strongly for more and heavier weaponry, said in a tweet that he was grateful for Biden's announcement. "This help is needed today more than ever! It saves the lives of our defenders of democracy and freedom and brings us closer to restoring peace" in Ukraine, he said. - Long-range artillery - At the Pentagon, Spokesman John Kirby said that Ukrainian troops were already being trained on the M777 howitzers and that the some of the new equipment would be on its way for delivery to the embattled country by this weekend. Story continues Combined with 18 howitzers announced for Ukraine last week, the new artillery would be enough to equip five battalions, Kirby said, noting that both sides are preparing for a battle driven by long-range artillery fire. In their training on the howitzers, Ukrainian forces "are very happy with the performance of the system and they're learning it quickly," said Kirby. The new drones, he indicated, will act as both surveillance and "loitering" attack drones, which can hover over a target and either drop munitions or themselves crash into a target and explode at the most opportune moment. "We are going to continue to utilize all available tools to support Ukraine's armed forces in the face of Russian aggression," he said. - $4 billion in defense assistance - The new package follows $800 million in military assistance announced by the White House last week, taking to $4 billion the amount the US has put up in arms and supplies for Ukraine's forces since the start of the Biden administration in January 2021. Numerous allies in Europe have also supplied Ukraine with weapons and military supplies. Biden pledged that US military aid for Kyiv will not dry up, and said he was preparing to ask Congress for more funds "to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption." He called on allies to continue their support. "We have the capacity to do this for a long time. The question is, are we going to maintain the support of the international community to keep the pressure on Putin" and keep enforcing tough sanctions on Russia, he said. "The most important thing is maintain unity," he said. pmh/caw G20 members condemn Russia's war in Ukraine, after Yellen and others stage walkout Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati attends the World Economic Forum on ASEAN at the Convention Center in Hanoi By Andrea Shalal, David Lawder and David Milliken WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - Top officials from Britain, the United States and Canada walked out on Russia's representatives at a Group of 20 meeting on Wednesday and many members spoke to condemn Moscow's war in Ukraine, exposing deep divisions in the bloc of major economies. Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati , who chaired the meeting of G20 finance officials in Washington, acknowledged the body faced unprecedented challenges but called for cooperation to overcome headwinds slowing global growth. "This is an extraordinary situation," Indrawati told reporters after the daylong meeting. "It's not business as usual, a very dynamic and challenging one." The G20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine, as well as China, India, Indonesia and South Africa which have not joined Western-led sanctions against Russia over the conflict. Indrawati said many countries spoke out against the war at the meeting, although she did not identify them. "In order for us to be able to recover together ... we need more and even stronger cooperation," Indrawati told a briefing. "The G20 is still ... the premier forum for all of us to be able to discuss and talk about all the issues." U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told attendees she strongly disapproved of a senior Russian official's presence at the meeting before she walked out, two sources told Reuters. She was joined by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde. Ukrainian officials, in Washington seeking billions of dollars of additional funding, also walked out of the meeting, a source familiar with the meeting said. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov represented Moscow in person, while Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Russia's central bank governor joined virtually, a second source said. Story continues Over five million Ukrainians have fled abroad since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945. The United States accuses Russia of committing war crimes in what Moscow calls a "special military operation". Russia denies the allegations. NO 'BUSINESS AS USUAL' One source added that Yellen told participants there could be "no business-as-usual" for Russia in the global economy, a view echoed by Indrawati, whose government is heading the G20 group this year. British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said in a tweet: "We are united in our condemnation of Russia's war against Ukraine and will push for stronger international coordination to punish Russia." Russia's finance ministry did not mention the walkout in a statement issued after the meeting. It cited Siluanov as calling on the G20 not to politicize dialogue between members and stressing the grouping had always focused on the economy. He also complained about the damaging effect of Western sanctions, the statement said. "Another aspect of the current crisis is the undermining of confidence in the existing international monetary and financial system," it said. "The safety of international reserves and the possibility of free trade and financial transactions are no longer guaranteed." Lagarde urged Maksimov to convey to Moscow a clear message - to end the war in Ukraine, one of the sources said. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met on the sidelines of a semi-annual conference held by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington, with the Ukraine war, food security and ongoing recovery from the coronavirus pandemic the key topics. Given the divisions, the group did not issue a communique. Instead, Indrawati read a statement summarizing the meeting and underscoring the importance of the body. Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent and has made impassioned pleas on behalf of the country, said she walked out of a G20 plenary meeting to protest against Russia's participation. "This week's meetings in Washington are about supporting the world economy and Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine is a grave threat to the global economy," she said on Twitter, adding that Russia should not be participating. FRAGMENTATION FEARS IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday acknowledged it was a "difficult moment" for the G20, a forum that has played a key role in coordinating the fight against COVID-19 and responding to the 2008-2009 financial crisis. But she said cooperation through the forum would continue. "There are clearly very, very unsettling facts we have to deal with," said Georgieva, a Bulgarian native. "But we also recognize how interdependent we are ... And it is so obvious that cooperation must and will continue." Georgieva and Yellen have warned against a fragmentation of the global economy into geopolitical blocs, with the United States and market-driven democracies on one side and China, Russia and other state-driven economies on another. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Lawder in Washington, David Milliken in London and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa; editing by Dan Burns and Paul Simao) FILE PHOTO: A man paints the logo of oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp on a wall on the outskirts of Kochi By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, is looking at boosting oil purchases from Brazil, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday after a meeting with Brazilian Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque. Currently India imports only a fraction of its oil imports from Brazil. "We have expressed to the honourable minister that we are willing to increase our crude from Brazil many times over," Puri said, adding Indian companies will also be looking at boosting investment in the South American nation. At present, Indian state-run companies Bharat Petroleum Corp and Oil and Natural Gas Corp have made investment in Brazil's oil and gas exploration sector. India wants to import oil from Brazil under "long-term special contracts,", a government statement issued after the meeting said without elaborating further. Brazil, which is ramping up its oil output by 10% to 3.3 million barrels per day, is willing to meeting Indian demand for oil, Albuquerque said. India, which meets about 84% of its oil needs through imports, is looking at ways to cut its import bill including stepping up use of bio-fuels. India's state-run fuel retailers are increasing their ethanol storage capacity by 51% as the nation targets to double the biofuel's blending with gasoline to 20% by 2025. Puri said India and Brazil are cooperating in the areas of biofuels and ethanol. Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, Unica has signed an memorandum of understanding with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers to work in the areas of ethanol and flex-fuel technology. "We believe that India and Brazil can come together to help other counties seeking to ramp up the use ethanol as auto fuel and to develop the flex-fuel technology to reduce carbon footprint," said Evandro Gussi, chief executive of Unica. India imported the bulk of its oil needs from the Middle East and shipped in about 9% from Latin America in 2021. Recently India has increased its purchases of Russian crude, available at a cheaper rates after some companies and countries shunned Russian oil following Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) 3.9%2736 21490 2.9915.2% 59 228010% 22 55 2530 2407 KYIV, Ukraine Russian forces tightened the noose around the defenders holed up Wednesday in a mammoth steel plant that represented the last known Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, as a fighter apparently on the inside warned in a video plea for help: "We may have only a few days or hours left." With the holdouts coming under punishing new bombing attacks, another attempt to evacuate civilians trapped in the pulverized port city failed because of continued fighting. Meanwhile, the number of people fleeing the country topped 5 million, the Kremlin said it submitted a draft of its demands for ending the war, and the West raced to supply Ukraine with heavier weapons to counter the Russians' new drive to seize the industrial east. With global tensions running high, Russia reported the first successful test launch of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. President Vladimir Putin boasted it can overcome any missile defense system and make those who threaten Russia "think twice," and the head of the Russian state aerospace agency called the launch out of northern Russia "a present to NATO." The Pentagon described the test as "routine" and said it wasn't considered a threat. On the battlefield, Ukraine said Moscow continued to mount assaults across the east, probing for weak points in Ukrainian defensive lines. Russia said it launched hundreds of missile and air attacks on targets that included concentrations of troops and vehicles. The Kremlin's stated goal is the capture of the Donbas, the mostly Russian-speaking eastern region that is home to coal mines, metal plants and heavy-equipment factories. Detaching it would give Putin a badly needed victory two months into the war, after the botched attempt to storm the capital, Kyiv. Analysts say the offensive in the east could devolve into a war of attrition as Russia runs up against Ukraine's most experienced, battle-hardened troops, who have been fighting pro-Moscow separatists in the Donbas for the past eight years. Russia said it presented Ukraine with a draft document outlining its demands for ending the conflict days after Putin said the talks were at a "dead end." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that "the ball is in their court, we're waiting for a response." He gave no details on the draft, and it was not clear when it was sent or if it offered anything new to the Ukrainians, who presented their own demands last month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had not seen or heard of the proposal, though one of his top advisers said the Ukrainian side was reviewing it. Moscow has long demanded Ukraine drop any bid to join NATO. Ukraine has said it would agree to that in return for security guarantees from a number of other countries. Other sources of tension include the status of both the Crimean Peninsula, seized by Moscow in 2014, and eastern Ukraine, where the separatists have declared independent republics recognized by Russia. In devastated Mariupol, Ukraine said the Russians dropped heavy bombs to flatten what was left of the sprawling Azvostal steel plant, believed to be the last pocket of resistance in the city. A few thousand Ukrainian troops, by the Russians' estimate, remained in the plant and its labyrinth of tunnels and bunkers spread out across about 4 square miles. Zelenskyy said about 1,000 civilians were also trapped there. A Ukrainian posted a video plea on Facebook urging world leaders to help evacuate people from the plant, saying, "We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children." The officer, who identified himself as Serhiy Volynskyy of the 36th Marine Brigade, said: "This may be our last appeal. We may have only a few days or hours left." The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. The Russian side issued a new ultimatum to the defenders to surrender, but the Ukrainians have ignored all previous demands. A Zelenskyy adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without any conditions to save the lives of Mariupol defenders and civilians trapped in the city. There was no immediate response from Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warned of the horrors yet to be revealed in Mariupol, given the death and destruction left behind in Bucha, near Kyiv, after the Russians retreated. "We can only anticipate that when this tide also recedes from Mariupol, we're going to see far worse, if that's possible to imagine," he said. Mariupol holds strategic and symbolic value for both sides. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point of the war. Mariupol's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. As Russia continued to funnel troops and equipment into the Donbas, Western nations rushed to boost the flow of military supplies to Kyiv for this new phase of the war, which is likely to involve trench warfare, long-range artillery attacks and tank battles across relatively open terrain. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to announce a new weapons package in the coming days that will include additional artillery, and Canada and the Netherlands also said they would send more heavy weaponry. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Biden approves an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, but he warns Congress will need to approve additional assistance. MIAMI (AP) For years after leaving Cuba, the mother of two tried to get her children and parents into the U.S. through legal channels. Finally, she decided she wouldnt wait any longer: She paid more than $40,000 dollars to someone to help them sneak in through Mexico. I said to myself, `Enough. I am going to risk everything,' said the 30-year-old woman, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from U.S. authorities. Her familys story is an example of what tens of thousands of Cuban immigrants looking to escape political and economic troubles are going through as more risk their lives and arrive illegally in the United States. It's a very different reality from years ago, when Cubans enjoyed special protections that other immigrants did not have. Her children and parents undertook a 20-day journey, starting with a plane ride from Havana to Managua, Nicaragua. From there, they took buses, vans and taxis across Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, until they arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. I saw that other people were coming through the border and they were happy, and I, who had done things legally, was still waiting for my children, the woman said. CUBA AND NICARAGUA U.S. border authorities encountered Cubans almost 32,400 times in March, according to figures released Monday. That was roughly double the number in February and five times the number in October. The increase coincided with Nicaraguas decision starting in November to stop requiring visas for Cubans to promote tourism after other countries, such as Panama and the Dominican Republic, began mandating them. After flying to Nicaragua, Cubans travel by land to remote stretches of the U.S. border with Mexico mainly in Yuma, Arizona, and Del Rio, Texas and generally turn themselves in to Border Patrol agents. The Biden administration has been leaning on other governments to do more to stop migrants from reaching the U.S., most recently during a visit this week to Panama by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. The actions of Nicaragua, a U.S. adversary, complicates that effort. Cuban and U.S. officials met Thursday in Washington to discuss migration in their highest-level diplomatic talks in four years. The State Department said the meeting covered areas of successful cooperation on migration but also identified obstacles to ensuring safe, orderly and legal migration U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped Cubans more than 79,800 times from October through March more than double all of 2021 and five times more than all of 2020. Overall, the Border Patrol stopped migrants of all nationalities more than 209,000 times in March, the highest monthly mark in 22 years. Cubans who cross the U.S. border illegally face little risk of being deported or expelled under a public health law that has been used to deny asylum to thousands of migrants of other nationalities on the grounds of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Barely 500 Cubans stopped in March, or about 2%, were subject to Title 42 authority, named after a public health law. The Biden administration plans to end Title 42 authority on May 23. Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, and other experts estimate the number of Cubans leaving could exceed other mass migrations from the island, including the Mariel boatlift of 1980, when more than 124,700 Cubans came to the U.S. There are several intertwined factors that have produced a perfect storm for the intensification of the Cuban exodus, Duany said. For one, Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the tightening of U.S. sanctions. Massive street protests on July 11, 2021, and the governments response also have played a role. Nongovernmental organizations have reported more than 1,400 arrests and 500 people sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for vandalism or sedition. Havana has not said how many Cubans have left and has accused the United States of manipulating the situation and offering perks that encourage departure. What hurts? That there are young people who find that their future plans cant develop in the country and have to emigrate, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said early this month. There are people who want to prove themselves in another world, who want to show they arent breaking with their country, that their aspiration is also to improve a little and later return. THE CUBAN FAMILY TIRED OF WAITING The 30-year-old woman who tried to bring her family to the U.S. through legal avenues had arrived in Florida in a raft in 2016. Under the wet foot, dry foot policy, Cubans could stay if they made it to U.S. land, but they were sent back if apprehended at sea. Former President Barack Obama ended that policy in 2017, and she petitioned for immigration for her children the next year. Every month, she sent her family $500 for medicine and food, along with boxes of clothes and other items, she said from her home in Tampa, Florida. Finally, she decided to pay $11,000 to smugglers for each relative -- her two children, ages 8 and 10, and her mother and father. Her parents sold everything, including their house and furniture, before embarking on the journey with both children, explained the single mother. In Managua, they met 200 other migrants -- Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans -- at a hotel. That same day they start a caravan by car, truck, or any kind of vehicle. In one night, they got into more than 10 different cars, the woman said. After 20 days, they arrived in Mexicali, Mexico, crossed the Colorado River at night and surrendered to Border Patrol agents in Yuma, Arizona. They were separated. The grandparents, 45 and 62 years-old, were released in two days; their grandchildren were detained 11 days, the woman said. THE CUBAN MAN WHO FEARED FOR HIS LIFE Other Cubans say they left because they felt persecuted. Ariel, 24, worked doing blood tests at a laboratory in a hospital in Cienfuegos, on Cuba's south coast. During the pandemic, he led a protest demanding masks, gowns and disinfectants and criticized the government on Facebook for the lack of medical supplies. He told the AP in a phone interview that he decided to leave in November after receiving threats and being beaten. He requested that only his middle name be used because his mother and 14-year-old sister in Cuba could face reprisals. His whole trip was a nightmare, Ariel recalled, but he said that he was willing to do whatever it took lo leave Cuba. He made his way to Mexicali, with help from an aunt in Florida, and paid a smuggler $300 to take him across the Colorado River. He joined about 100 migrants, 90 of them Cubans, who boarded a truck at midnight, he said. The river was calm, but deep. Water covered his waist. He helped a Cuban mom by carrying her child on his shoulders. The smuggler gave them directions to a place where Border Patrol agents would pick them up. They waited two days at a migrant camp with 1,000 other people, eating bread and canned food. Border Patrol agents picked them up in groups of 12 and took them to a center in Yuma that Ariel said seemed like a prison. After his release, he called his aunt to let her know that he was ready to fly to St. Petersburg, Florida. LIVING IN THE U.S. Many Cubans who crossed illegally say they now feel like they are in limbo. The most difficult situation is going to be here, not when crossing (the border), said Dr. Raul Gonzalez, a Cuban American who owns a clinic that helps new arrivals with paperwork to receive assistance for a few months. They are like stranded here. It can take some time for asylum-seekers to obtain a work permit. At Gonzalezs clinic, Cubans lined up to secure one of the 20 appointments available each day. It is sad what they are going through, said the doctor. Many tell me, Dont give me food stamps, I would prefer that they let me work. - AP journalists Andrea Rodriguez in Havana and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, center, arrives for a hearing on Sept. 14, 2018 at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. His attorney announced that a jury will decide his fate. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The maternal grandmother of slain teen Laquan McDonald said she still wants federal charges brought against his shooter, former police Officer Jason Van Dyke, despite U.S. Attorney John Lauschs offices statement earlier this week saying federal prosecutors will not bring a case against the one-time cop. Tracey Hunter, 55, McDonalds grandmother, appeared Thursday morning at Federal Plaza in the Loop with about a dozen other activists to urge the public to still fight for federal charges against Van Dyke. Advertisement I want justice. I want justice for my grandson, and I want justice now, Hunter said. I want federal charges. John Lausch, if youre not going to do your job, you need to step down. Activists at the gathering called for the public to call Lauschs office and other federal representatives to ask for federal charges. Advertisement Laquan McDonald's maternal grandmother, Tracey Hunter, and family members and supporters attend a news conference demanding a federal civil rights prosecution of Jason Van Dyke on April 21, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Van Dyke has been tried and convicted in Cook County court for McDonalds death, and federal law sets an extraordinarily high bar to prove criminal civil rights violations in such a case more stringent than the state charges on which Mr. Van Dyke was convicted, according to a statement from Lauschs office. Federal prosecutors would need to prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Van Dyke willfully deprived Mr. McDonald of a constitutional right, the statement read. To do that, prosecutors would have to prove not only that Mr. Van Dyke acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids, but also that his actions were not the result of mistake, fear, negligence, or bad judgment. The decision not to bring federal charges was made in consultation with McDonalds family, according to the statement Monday. When asked who was part of that consultation, Tracey Hunter said she and her daughter, McDonalds mother, were not included and believed it was Laquans great-uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, who she said should no longer be the spokesperson for the family. Rev. Hunter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tracey Hunter said she did not know about the U.S. attorneys offices decision until she received phone calls from reporters asking about it. We did not get no phone calls (from the U.S. attorneys office) about nothing, she said. When it all boils down to it, my grandson aint coming back. I got to live with this for the rest of my life. My daughter has to live with this for the rest of her life. Hunter said when she talked to her daughter after learning of the U.S. attorneys decision to not pursue federal charges, her daughter was silent. Advertisement She couldnt even talk. Thats all she could say, What? What? Hunter said. Lauschs office declined to comment on the situation Thursday. It is rare for federal authorities to announce that they have declined to charge someone. But in the wake of Van Dykes release from prison after a relatively short sentence, high-profile figures such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the head of the NAACP had called on the Department of Justice to consider bringing a case that could put him back behind bars. Tyrone Williams holds up a sign as Laquan McDonald's family and supporters urge a federal civil rights prosecution of Jason Van Dyke on April 21, 2022, across from the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated battery by a Cook County jury in 2018; he spent a little more than three years behind bars for McDonalds death before his release in February. The 2014 shooting, captured on police video, sent shock waves from neighborhood streets to the mayors office at City Hall when footage was released more than a year later. Van Dyke withdrew his appeal of the Cook County conviction in fall 2020, so authorities decision not to charge on the federal level likely marks the end of his legal journey. The investigation into Van Dykes conduct was launched as a joint probe between state and federal authorities in April 2015. Then-Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarezs office charged Van Dyke with first-degree murder in state court in November of that year, while the federal investigation remained ongoing. Advertisement Federal prosecutors could not simply charge Van Dyke with murder again, the statement from federal prosecutors noted. Rather, they would have to prove that he willfully violated McDonalds constitutional rights. Lauschs office stated Monday that if Van Dyke were convicted on federal charges, the federal judge would have to consider that Van Dyke had already served a prison sentence, and that he can no longer serve as a law enforcement officer. Given these factors, there is a significant prospect that a second prosecution would diminish the important results already achieved, the statement read. Justin Blake at a news conference where Laquan McDonald's family and supporters demanded a federal civil rights prosecution of Jason Van Dyke. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Van Dykes release from prison in February after less than four years in custody prompted calls for federal prosecutors to charge him with civil rights violations, or at least provide some closure regarding the federal probe that was launched after McDonalds shooting. The week of Van Dykes release, protesters including the Rev. Jackson as well as Tracey Hunter crowded near Federal Plaza downtown in a demonstration calling for Van Dyke to face federal charges. Several people who protested inside the courthouse were taken into custody and charged with misdemeanor civil contempt for violating the chief judges order governing demonstrations at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Advertisement pfry@chicagotribune.com Q: My wifes father is close to death and he has moved all of his investments into his bank in the form of cash. He said that was done to help my wife and her brother avoid probate on those instruments. Its not a lot of money (approximately $250,000), but since I will be doing his taxes for 2022 Im wondering whether I will have to pay taxes on that cash. Also, will my wife and brother-in-law owe a federal gift tax on amounts over $14,000? WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. rolled out new sanctions on Wednesday against more than 40 individuals and entities accused of evading the ongoing wave of penalties imposed on Russia as punishment for invading Ukraine. The sanctions include the first set of penalties against a cryptocurrency mining firm in relation to the war. The Treasury Departments sanctions arm designated the commercial bank Transkapitalbank, which has operations in China and the Middle East. Transkapitalbank is a Russian privately owned commercial bank which the U.S. says has helped sanctioned clients process dollar payments, by providing an alternative communication channel to SWIFT the dominant system for global financial transactions. Treasury also targeted people and companies led by U.S.-designated Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev the founder of a Russian Orthodox news channel, Tsargrad TV. Malofeyev was also designated for sanctions in December 2014. Treasury said he was one of the main sources of financing for Russians promoting separatism in Crimea. In a first, the U.S. government issued penalties against a cryptocurrency mining firm in relation to the war. Digital currency firm Bitriver AG and 10 of its subsidiaries were included in Wednesday's package of sanctions from Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control. The United States is committed to ensuring that no asset, no matter how complex, becomes a mechanism for the Putin regime to offset the impact of sanctions, Treasury said in a statement. Lawmakers and administration officials have voiced concerns that Russia may be using cryptocurrency to avoid pain from the avalanche of sanctions imposed on banks, oligarchs and the energy industry in recent months due to the invasion. Experts say an increased reliance on cryptocurrency would be an inevitable avenue for Russia to try to prop up its financial transactions, but Treasury officials have rejected the claim that cryptocurrency could be a major driver of sanctions evasion. Adam Zarazinski, CEO of Inca Digital, a crypto data company that does work for several federal agencies, says he predicts more penalties against cryptocurrency miners and firms could be forthcoming, as oligarchs and sanctioned individuals find ways to offload their money to avoid sanctions impacts. He added that the sanctions may not have as grave an impact on Bitriver as the U.S. hopes, because even though Bitriver was sanctioned by the U.S. government, "it doesnt actually stop Bitriver from doing business it can no longer interact with the U.S. financial system, he said. In a statement that was released shortly after the sanctions became public, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Russias invasion is an assault on fundamental international rules and norms and threatens the core of the international order. The United States stands resolutely with the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people. The statement was released in connection with the joint International Monetary and Financial Committee and Development Committee meeting related to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A fire erupted at a now-shuttered inter-Korean industrial park in North Korea on Thursday, but it wasn't immediately clear if any South Korean property was damaged, officials said. The fire was detected from a front-line South Korean observatory post at about 2 p.m. and appeared to have been extinguished about an hour later, Seouls Unification Ministry said. The ministry, which oversees relations with rival North Korea, said it will try to confirm any damage at the complex in Kaesong city. North Korean state media didn't immediately report the fire. The industrial park, established in 2004 during a period of warming ties between the divided Koreas, was once viewed as a test case for reunification because it combined South Korean technology and knowhow with cheap North Korean labor. The complexs operation was suspended in 2016 amid tensions over North Koreas weapons program, leaving South Korean equipment and other assets abandoned there. South Korean businesspeople who ran companies at the park have repeatedly expressed a desire to visit the complex because of concerns about the condition of machinery and manufacturing materials left there. A planned visit approved by the South Korean government in 2019 fell through after North Korea ignored the request. In 2020, North Korea threatened to dismantle the entire factory complex, and then blew up an empty South Korean-built liaison office there. South Korea has accused North Korea of destroying South Korean-owned facilities at another dormant jointly operated project a resort at North Korea's scenic Diamond Mountain where they ran tours together. South Korean officials said they havent detected signs that North Korea is demolishing South Korean property at the Kaesong industrial park. South Korean media reported that authorities believe the fire at Kaesong wasn't deliberately set. Earlier Thursday, Kwon Young-se, who has been nominated to be unification minister under South Korea's incoming conservative government, said the South should take a stronger stance toward North Korea over damage to South Korean property at the Kaesong park and Diamond Mountain resort. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 OMAHA -- A Decatur, Nebraska, man has been charged in federal court with having sex with an underage girl for several months and fathering her child. Juwan Grant, 23, was indicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Omaha with one count of sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country. The indictment says that Grant engaged in sexual acts with the girl, who was under age 16, in 2021 from about February through May. According to a complaint filed in the case, the girl's mother told authorities that Grant, a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, had been having an ongoing sexual relationship with her daughter and had gotten her pregnant. During an interview, the girl, who lives in Macy, denied Grant was the father. She gave birth in November, and she and the baby both tested positive for methamphetamine. Omaha Nation Child Protective Services took ward of the child and placed the girl in drug treatment. In December, authorities interviewed Grant, who said he had spent time with the girl in Macy but did not know how she got pregnant, saying the father was probably someone in Macy. Later that month, during an interview at the Child Advocacy Center in Sioux City, the girl identified Grant as the father of her child and said he also provided her with methamphetamine and marijuana on several occasions. DNA tests have determined Grant is the child's father. Grant was arrested Dec. 10 on an Omaha Nation Tribal warrant for sexual assault of a minor. He was arrested on a federal warrant last week. If convicted, Grant could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 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. Andres Runningshield, 20, must serve three years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Omaha Nation officers responded to a fight at a Macy home in March 2021. Officers contacted the victims, who said they had given Runningshield and Tariq Thomas a ride from Sioux City to Macy. When they arrived in Macy, Runningshield and Thomas assaulted them and robbed them at knifepoint, taking a cell phone and the keys to the vehicle. Witnesses identified Runningshied and Thomas as the robbers. SANTEE, Neb. -- FBI agents from the Sioux City office have taken over the investigation of a Santee woman found dead earlier this week on the Santee Sioux Indian Reservation in Northeast Nebraska. The body of Ashleigh Wabasha, 19, was found Monday on the reservation. She was reported missing on March 27. Because of the ongoing investigation, the FBI is not releasing any details about the case, including where Wabasha's body was found or the cause of death. The FBI's involvement indicates that Wabasha's death may be a homicide. The federal agency is responsible for investigating the most serious crimes on Indian reservations in which the victim and/or other people of interest are Native American. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 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 -- A Sioux City man arrested after an alleged road rage incident in February now faces a federal gun charge. Chad Hendrickson, 44, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. His trial was scheduled for June 21. According to an April 12 indictment, Hendrickson was in possession of a Cobra .380 pistol on Feb. 16. Because of his four previous felony convictions, Hendrickson is prohibited from possession firearms. Hendrickson was arrested Feb. 16 when, according to court documents, he pointed a handgun at another motorist while they were northbound on Pierce Street and said, "I will blow your head off." Police who stopped Hendrickson found him in possession of a handgun, 0.08 grams of marijuana and a pipe with marijuana residue. He has pleaded not guilty in Woodbury County District Court to charges of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance -- third offense, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Students from 17 Siouxland schools had a chance to get a crash course from Iowa's longest-serving U.S. senator and a federal judge about the judicial system. On Wednesday morning, Sen. Chuck Grassley and Chief U.S. District Judge Leonard Strand talked to around 75 students gathered in a third floor courtroom of the Northern District about the ins and outs of the nominating process, what daily work is like and how the courts have changed in their lifetimes. The "Federal Judiciary Youth Summit" was the third event since Grassley started it in 2018, and the first held in Sioux City. The ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee started off the event by telling the people gathered he had a hand in getting Strand into his judgeship and that he had to give a lot of thought to it. "Were talking about a lifetime appointment, its very important you give cost to that," Grassley said. Process, work, change According to Grassley, when Democrat Tom Harkin was still his Iowa colleague in the Senate he would defer to Harkin on recommendations for a possible appointment if the sitting president was a Democrat. If it was a Republican president, Harkin would defer to Grassley's suggestion. "We might send three names to the president of the United States and let the president pick from those three names," Grassley said. He then noted he had just recently made a recommendation to President Joe Biden regarding a judicial vacancy in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Biden nominated Judge Stephen Henley Locher of Mason City, who will have a confirmation vote in the Senate. When it comes time to interviews for federal positions, Strand said the questions get more to qualifications. "I didnt ever get the sense that they were trying to screen my political views," he said. Grassley then added: "We want a judge who is going to leave their personal views and political views out of making a decisionThats the way it should be." During his own time before the students, who came from as far away as Algona, Strand, a Sioux City West graduate, shared his early hopes about getting into the legal profession. "I knew early on that I wanted to be a lawyer and I dont know whytheres no reason to think that I would be a judge in this building," Strand, the son of a Sioux City firefighter and a former Younkers employee, said. As for what his work entails, Strand says he hears a lot of criminal cases which keep his office busy. "Its a busy job but a fantastic job and I appreciate that I have the opportunity to do it," Strand said. Over the course of his time in the profession, Strand told students he hasn't noticed many major changes in the way things are done. Grassley's opinion, which focused on the Supreme Court, veered from Strand's response. "The Supreme Court, maybe 25 years ago, said that were going to give great discretion on the interpretation of law to various executive branch agenciesI think the courts made the wrong decision there," Grassley said in reference to what's known as "Chevron deference." Q&A Once the main event had wrapped, Grassley took additional questions from local media which included one about whether or not the courts have become more partisan. "You might accuse me of being naive but I think it's overblown," Grassley said. "Whether they're a Democrat justice on the Supreme court, or a Republican, appointed by a Republican president, I think they're doing the job just the way they should do it." At the tail-end of the back-and-forth, Grassley touted the "Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act" he's worked on with Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Grassley suggested the current system makes it difficult for Midwestern cattle feeders to negotiate prices on a daily basis and said the bill he's pushing would make contract prices more known. "We want to be able to get a fair price for the farmer," he said. 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 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A former paralegal who worked in bankruptcy at a Chicago law firm is accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from accounts, officials said Thursday. Becky Louise Sutton, 66, formerly of Park Forest, is charged with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of embezzlement from the estate of a debtor, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago. Advertisement An indictment was returned Wednesday for Sutton, of Austin, Texas, who embezzled the money from 2009 to 2018 while she worked at the law firm, according to the statement. Sutton placed fraudulent transfers of bankruptcy funds from fiduciary bank accounts intended for creditors to accounts she handled including her own personal bank account, credit card account, student loan account and mortgage, the statement said. Advertisement In one instance, Sutton used a company with a name similar to a creditor to disguise her transfer of the money, according to the statement, which said the indictment seeks forfeiture from Sutton of $611,263 in alleged criminally derived proceeds. Reached by phone Thursday evening, a lawyer representing Sutton, Gal Pissetzsky, said Sutton plans on pleading not guilty and declined to immediately elaborate. She was just indicted todaywere going to wait until we get the discovery, Pissetzsky said. Suttons arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. rsobol@chicagotribune.com Satellite photos show possible mass graves near Mariupol KYIV, Ukraine (AP) New satellite images show what appear to be mass graves near Mariupol. Local officials are accusing Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. The images emerged hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday claimed victory in the battle for the Mariupol, despite the presence of an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters who were still holed up at a giant steel mill. Putin ordered his troops not to storm the stronghold but to seal it off so that "not even a fly comes through. EXPLAINER: Why Washington is boosting heavy arms for Ukraine WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administrations decision to dramatically ramp up delivery of artillery guns to Ukraine eight weeks into the war signals a deepening American military commitment at a pivotal stage of fighting for the countrys industrial heartland. Were in a critical window now, President Joe Biden said Thursday in announcing he had approved sending Ukraine a new $800 million package of military aid that includes 72 of the U.S. militarys 155mm howitzers, along with 144,000 artillery rounds. Artillery is expected to play a critical role in the unfolding battle for control of the eastern region known as the Donbas. Audio: McCarthy said he would urge Trump to resign WASHINGTON (AP) House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy told other GOP lawmakers shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection that he would urge then-President Donald Trump to resign. That's according to an audio recording posted Thursday night by The New York Times and aired on Rachel Maddows MSNBC show. The Times reports that the audio is a recording of a Jan. 10 conversation among House GOP leaders in which they discussed the Democratic effort to remove Trump from office. McCarthy is heard telling the other lawmakers that he would tell Trump, I think this will pass, and it would be my recommendation you should resign. Earlier Thursday, after the Times published its initial story describing the conversation, McCarthy released a statement calling it totally false and wrong. Philadelphia to end mask mandate, days after reinstating it Philadelphia health officials say they're ending the city's indoor mask mandate, abruptly reversing course just days after people in the city had to start wearing masks again amid a sharp increase in infections. The Board of Health voted Thursday to rescind the mandate. That's according to the Philadelphia health department, which released a statement that cited decreasing hospitalizations and a leveling of case counts. The health department did not release data to back up its reversal on masking, saying more information would be provided Friday. Philadelphia became the first major U.S. city to reinstate its indoor mask mandate, but faced fierce blowback as well as a legal effort to get the mandate thrown out. War in Ukraine spurs bid to take a closer look at UN vetoes UNITED NATIONS (AP) After decades of complaints about vetoes in the U.N. Security Council, some momentum is building behind a proposal to subject any vetoed matter to scrutiny by the world body's full membership in the General Assembly. That's what Liechtenstein is proposing, and an assembly vote could come as soon as next week. The effort has gained momentum since a Security Council measure demanding that Russia withdraw Ukraine was vetoed by Russia itself. Liechtenstein says more than 55 other countries have signed on to its proposal. Among them is the United States, one of the five countries with veto power on the 15-member council. Leaders of 2 Koreas exchange letters of hope amid tensions SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The leaders of the rival Koreas have exchanged letters expressing hope for improved bilateral relations, which have plummeted amid a freeze in nuclear negotiations and North Koreas accelerating weapons development. North Koreas state media said Friday that leader Kim Jong Un received a personal letter from outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in and replied with his own letter appreciating Moons peace efforts during his term. Moons office also confirmed letters were exchanged but didnt immediately say what was said. Moon's term ends in May and his successor could take a harder line toward Pyongyang. President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol has rejected pursuing talks for talks sake and vowed to bolster Seouls alliance with Washington. UK patient had COVID-19 for 505 days straight, study shows Scientists say a U.K. patient with a severely weakened immune system had COVID-19 for almost a year and a half. The case underscores the importance of protecting vulnerable people from the coronavirus. Theres no way to know for sure whether it was the longest-lasting COVID-19 infection because not everyone gets tested, but at 505 days, it seems to be a record. Researchers plan to present several persistent COVID-19 cases this weekend at an infectious diseases meeting in Portugal. Their study investigated which mutations arise and whether variants evolve in people with super long infections. These cases are different from long COVID. LGBTQ leader is key in blocking Kansas ban on trans athletes TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas appears unlikely to join the growing number of states banning transgender athletes female sports in schools and colleges. A key reason is LGBTQ-rights lobbyist Tom Witt. He is the longtime executive director of Equality Kansas, and he's worked for 18 years to use uncomfortable publicity to kill conservative proposals, to persuade enough lawmakers to vote no on others when it counts and to head off debates and votes. He plans to retire from lobbying and political consulting by year's end but will first work to prevent an override of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a bill on transgender athletes. So far, supporters don't appear to have the votes. Mourners to gather at funeral after Patrick Lyoya shooting GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) Mourners will gather at the funeral for Patrick Lyoya, a Black man who was fatally shot in the back of the head after a traffic stop and struggle with a white police officer in Michigan. The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy Friday. A family lawyer also will speak at a Grand Rapids church. An unarmed Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was face down on the ground when he was shot. The officer was on top of him and can be heard on video demanding that he take his hand off the officers Taser. Oldest Texas death row inmate executed for officers death HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) Texas oldest death row inmate has been executed for killing a Houston police officer during a traffic stop nearly 32 years ago. Carl Wayne Buntion was given a lethal injection Thursday at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was sentenced to death for the June 1990 fatal shooting of Houston police officer James Irby. Buntions attorneys had claimed his execution would be unconstitutional, in part because so much time had passed following his conviction. But the U.S. Supreme Court declined to delay the execution. At 78, Buntion was the oldest person Texas has put to death in modern times. He was also the first inmate executed in Texas in 2022. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Justice Dept. to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judges order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week. A notice of appeal was filed Wednesday in federal court in Tampa. The CDC says it is its continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. Russia's Chernobyl seizure seen as nuclear risk 'nightmare' CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) When Russian forces invaded and occupied the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, they dug trenches in one of the worlds most radioactive places. Experts fear that they were, in effect, digging their own graves. Thousands of tanks and troops rumbled into the Chernobyl exclusion zone at the start of the war, churning up soil contaminated by the world's worst nuclear disaster. As the anniversary of the April 26, 1986, accident approaches and Russias war continues, it's clear that Ukrainian authorities were never prepared for this scenario. Russias invasion marks the first time that occupying a nuclear plant was part of a nation's military strategy. 'Days or hours left': Russia tightens the noose in Mariupol KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian forces are tightening the noose around the defenders holed up in a mammoth steel plant that is the last known Ukrainian stronghold in in the besieged city of Mariupol. A fighter apparently on the inside issued a video plea for help. He said the defenders may have only a few days or hours left. With the holdouts punished by new bombing attacks, another attempt to evacuate civilians trapped in the city has failed because of continued fighting. Separately, the governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region says Russian forces now control 80 percent of it. It is one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Israel, Gaza militants trade fire as Mideast tensions mount JERUSALEM (AP) Palestinian militants have fired several rockets into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip as Israeli aircraft hit Gaza militant sites in response to a previous rocket strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the rockets and airstrikes fired late Wednesday into early Thursday. It was the second rocket attack from Gaza this week. Israeli-Palestinian tensions have soared in recent days. The Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza had issued vague threats earlier Wednesday over a planned march through Jerusalem by Israeli ultra-nationalists. But Israeli police blocked roads and prevented the marchers from reaching dense Palestinian neighborhoods, after a similar event nearly a year ago helped trigger an Israel-Gaza war. Parachute demo at Nats Park causes brief Capitol evacuation WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated Wednesday evening after police identified an aircraft that they said posed "a probable threat. But the plane was actually carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, who then parachuted into Nationals Park for a pregame demonstration. The alert from the U.S. Capitol Police sent congressional staffers fleeing from the Capitol and legislative building around 6:30 p.m. The incident suggested a stunning communications failure between the military and the Capitol Police, all the more remarkable because of Washingtons focus on improving security since the January 6, 2021, attack on the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Michigan lawmaker's forceful speech rebuts 'grooming' attack LANSING, Mich. (AP) A Michigan lawmaker, mother and LGBTQ rights supporter who was accused by a Republican colleague of wanting to groom schoolchildren says her impassioned response resonated because people are sick of such attacks. Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow's remarks went viral after Republican Sen. Lana Theis attacked her in a fundraising email. McMorrow had criticized Theis for giving an invocation in which she claimed children are under attack by forces that want to indoctrinate them with ideas not supported by their parents. The salvos are among the latest to draw attention as conservatives push to make education a political wedge issue. Scholar uses trash as treasure to study life in North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A South Korean scholar has turned to a different way of collecting information about secretive North Korea as pandemic restrictions make it harder for outsiders to find out what's life like for North Koreans. Professor Kang Dong Wan from Dong-A University has been combing the beaches of South Korean border islands for North Korean trash. He's collected about 2,000 pieces of trash, ranging from snack bags, juice pouches, sweet wrappers and drink bottles to seasoning sachets. He says his findings confirm North Korean state media reports that the country has been producing a variety of consumer goods on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un. People's tastes have grown and there's even a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demand for goods. Southwest wildfires force evacuations, tighten resources FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona wildfire more than tripled in size as relentless winds pushed the flames through neighborhoods on the outskirts of a college and tourist town, forcing out hundreds of residents and destroying more than two dozen homes and other structures. The wind-whipped fire on the outskirts of Flagstaff ballooned to more than 30 square miles by Wednesday afternoon. Forest Service officials say flames as high as 100 feet quickly scorched dry vegetation. Weather conditions improved, but the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Thursday citing strong winds. Elsewhere in Arizona, firefighters battled a wildfire in a sparsely populated area of national forest south of Prescott. Crews also were busy trying to corral fires in New Mexico and Colorado. A gun, a phone cord spur heated talk at Kardashian trial LOS ANGELES (AP) Former reality television star Blac Chyna testified that she was joking when she put a phone cord around the neck of her then-fiance Rob Kardashian, and later grabbed his unloaded gun. The incidents from 2016 were at the center of testimony Tuesday by Chyna, who is suing Kardashian's mother and sisters for $100 million, alleging they forced the cancellation of her show Rob & Chyna" and ruined her TV career. The lawsuit says that Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and three of his sisters including Kim Kardashian falsely spread word that she was physically abusive. All four women were in court watching the testimony. Wright resigns as Villanova coach, Neptune takes over PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jay Wright shocked college basketball Wednesday night with his immediate resignation at Villanova, the Big East program he led to two national championships and four Final Fours in a Hall of Fame career. The 60-year-old Wright guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018 and just led the Wildcats to the Final Four, where they lost to national champion Kansas. He went 520-197 in 21 seasons at the school and 642-282 overall, also coaching Hofstra from 19942001. Kyle Neptune, who served on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021, returned to replace Wright. Wright will remain at Villanova and stay involved in fundraising, advising, education and more. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A Florida dentist was arrested Thursday on charges that he hired hit men eight years ago to kill his sister's ex-husband, a prominent law professor, so she could move back to the Fort Lauderdale area from Tallahassee with her two children. Charles Adelson, 45, was being held Thursday without bond at the Broward County jail on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder after being arrested at his home by U.S. marshals. He is awaiting transfer to Tallahassee. His attorney said Thursday he is innocent. Adelson and other members of his family have long been cited by prosecutors and investigators as potential suspects in the July 18, 2014, killing of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel by two men at his Tallahassee home. Markel, 41, had been married to Wendi Adelson, who had been unable to return to South Florida because Markel had joint custody of their young children after a highly contentious divorce. Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell said in a statement that Adelson was indicted by a grand jury after technicians were able to enhance the sound on an April 2016 video recording made secretly of him talking to a former girlfriend and employee, Katherine Magbanua. She was charged six months later with organizing the killing. Adelson had been under surveillance. This recording includes statements by Charles Adelson which can be heard clearly for the first time, Campbell said. Magbanua is scheduled to be retried next month on a first-degree murder charge after a jury hung in 2019. Prosecutors say she hired Sigfredo Garcia, the father of her two children, to commit the murder and that he enlisted the help of his childhood friend, Luis Rivera. Prosecutors said the two men drove from South Florida to Tallahassee to execute the plan, stalking Markel on the morning of the shooting as he dropped off his children at day care and stopped at the gym. When Markel returned home, Garcia shot him as he sat in his car talking on his cellphone. Garcia is serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2019. Rivera is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against Garcia and Magbanua. David Markus, Adelsons attorney, said his client is innocent and tied the arrest to Magbanuas retrial. Prosecutors have no new information that led to this arrest. The timing sure does stink, doesnt it? On the eve of a long-awaited trial of (Magbanua), this move has the smell of desperation, Markus said in an emailed statement. Campbell did not specify which statements led to Adelson's arrest, but in the 41-minute recording released Thursday afternoon, Adelson sits with Magbanua at a noisy Mexican restaurant. The hidden camera recording them appears to be sitting on a bench across the aisle. Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, Adelson first told Magbanua that if the police knew anything, we would have already gone to the airport. He then told her that the police simply putting someone in a car or with someone else isn't enough for a conviction they and prosecutors need proof the person was involved in the crime. He then told her that someone had approached his mother and demanded money. He told Magbanua that the man knew details about the killing and mentioned her. But as he contemplated whether the extortionist might be an undercover police officer trying to rattle his mother, he denied any involvement in the shooting something he did repeatedly throughout the rest of the conversation. If it's a cop, I'm happy because I've got nothing to hide, Adelson told Magbanua. He then told Magbanua she needs to contact the extortionist and tell him that a one-time payment will be made, but the Adelsons will contact the police if he or anyone else demands further money. The whole time you are talking, you just say, I dont know what's going on,'" Adelson told her. If it's the police, they can't take the money. They won't even come meet you. He tells Magbanua that his mother can't meet with the extortionist because that will just lead to further demands. If my parents were guilty, they may think they have a really big fish on the line that's gonna pay them monthly. he said. He tries to calm Magbanua's worries by telling her, You giving somebody some money is not an admission of any kind of guilt. This story has been corrected to show that Adelsons restaurant conversation was with a co-defendant, not his mother. This story has been corrected to show that Adelson sat with Magbanua at a Mexican restaurant. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Floridas Legislature approved a congressional map Thursday pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis over the strong objections of Black and Democratic lawmakers who say it will diminish the states Black representation in the U.S. House and benefit Republicans. Democratic lawmakers chanted and shouted as the final vote tally was taken in the Florida House during a raucous end to a three-day special session. There was a brief delay in which Black lawmakers staged a sit-in on the chamber floor and sang We Shall Overcome. The measure passed 68-38 along party lines. DeSantis took the unusual step of vetoing the map drawn by the Legislature earlier this year and proposing his own, calling lawmakers back into the special session to approve it. Democrats say the map strongly favors the GOP and dismantles two traditionally Black districts. What we see today is an overreach, and its something we see as unacceptable, Democratic Rep. Kamia Brown, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, told reporters after the session adjourned. Today was one thing we could not just take and stand. Were sick and tired of being sick and tired. Black Floridians currently hold five seats in the states 27-member U.S. House delegation, including one Republican from an overwhelmingly white and Republican district. DeSantis argued that the previous map which kept the districts of Black representatives largely intact represented racial gerrymandering. He singled out one that spanned northern Florida, saying it violated standards requiring districts to be kept compact. The governors office drew up a map it described as neutral on race and party affiliation, and which it said abided by both the state and federal constitutions. But even supporters have acknowledged that it is likely to draw legal challenges. The Florida congressional delegation now has 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats, and the state is poised to gain one U.S. House seat based on the results of the 2020 U.S. census. Many political observers have said the DeSantis map could give Republicans a 20-8 advantage, though Floridas vast number of unaffiliated voters can swing elections. Such an advantage would help DeSantis, should he run and win the White House in 2024. Of Floridas 14.3 million registered voters, about 36% are Republicans and 35% Democrats, while the overwhelming majority of the remainder have no party affiliation. As Thursdays debate was nearing an end, state Reps. Angie Nixon and Tray McCurdy opened up their suit jackets to display Stop The Black Attack T-shirts and shouted the same phrase. They sat on the state seal in front of the House speakers rostrum and were soon joined by other supporters, including other Black Democrats. The protest prompted the Republican-led chamber to call a brief recess during which all Republican lawmakers left the floor and the state Florida Channel temporarily stopped broadcasting. This is good trouble! Necessary trouble! Nixon shouted, echoing a phrase used by the late civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. Republican Rep. Spencer Roach said the protest quashed debate on another bill that could strip Walt Disney World of its ability to self-govern. With the protest continuing, House Speaker Chris Sprowls resumed the session and lawmakers passed the congressional map bill then quickly passed the Disney bill with no debate. I have never heard of anything like this happening in the history of Florida, Roach said. It was a disruption and it prevented the peoples voice from being heard. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NEW DELHI (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday he is seeking to deepen trade and defense ties during his visit to India, and will also bring up the situation in Ukraine during talks with his Indian counterpart. Johnson landed in the western state of Gujarat on Thursday, kicking off a two-day visit that will see him meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. The two countries are expected to announce new deals in defense, green energy and jobs, and complete a new trade agreement that is to be signed later this year. Apart from discussing trade, Johnson is expected to encourage India to distance itself from Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Johnson said he was aware of the close ties that India and Russia have shared. We have to reflect that reality. But clearly, Ill be talking about it to Narendra Modi, he told reporters in Ahmedabad, where he landed. Modi has called the situation in Ukraine very worrying and has appealed to both sides for peace. While India has condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine, it has so far not criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, and abstained when the U.N. General Assembly voted this month to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council. Modi has also responded coolly to pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden and others to curb imports of Russian oil and gas in response to the invasion. India receives relatively little of its oil from Russia, but ramped up purchases recently because of discounted prices. India is also a major buyer of Russian weapons, and recently purchased advanced Russian air defense systems. In Ahmedabad, Johnson met with Indian industrialist Gautam Adani and visited Sabarmati Ashram, the former home of Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi. I dont think any time in my political lifetime has the living bridge between the U.K. and India really being so strong, he said. Johnsons trip to India was scheduled and canceled twice previously due to the pandemic. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LAS VEGAS (AP) The Nevada Supreme Court said Thursday it wants to finally settle a key question that has hung for decades over public employees who are elected to the states part-time Legislature: Should a person who makes the law also enforce the law? The seven-member state high court unanimously called for more fact-finding hearings by a lower court judge on a Nevada Policy Research Institute lawsuit that would unseat nine public employees, including the two top Democrats in the state Legislature. Few would support rules that limit their own power, which is precisely why the power to write the law must be kept separate from those tasked with enforcing the law, institute executive Robert Fellner said in a statement hailing the ruling. A 15-page decision authored by Justice James Hardesty acknowledged the extraordinary importance of deciding whether the states constitutional separation-of-powers clause applies to elected officials who hold full-time taxpayer-funded jobs. It called separation of powers probably the most important single principle of government declaring and guaranteeing the liberties of the people. The Nevada Constitution prohibits a person from serving two elected offices or in multiple branches of government at the same time. The case before the court focuses on nine Las Vegas-area lawmakers seven Democrats and two Republicans variously employed by the Clark County district attorney and public defender offices, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and the Clark County School District. The top Democrats are Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, a Clark County prosecutor, and Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, a county deputy public defender. The court overturned a finding by a now-retired Clark County District Court judge that Nevada Policy Research Institute, a conservative and libertarian think tank, lacked legal standing to bring its lawsuit because the organization did not show it was personally injured. The justices acknowledged that the institute did not demonstrate personal injury and noted the case did not challenge an expenditure or appropriation by the Legislature. To have standing to challenge an unconstitutional act, a plaintiff generally must suffer a personal injury traceable to that act, the court said. However, the ruling praised the Nevada Policy Research Institute for its sincerity in challenging legislators dual employment and its ability to vigorously litigate this important, recurring issue. It granted an exception to let the case proceed. Our refusal to grant standing under these circumstances could result in serious public injury either by the continued allegedly unlawful service of the (nine defendants), or by the refusal of qualified persons to run for office for fear of acting unconstitutionally because this unsettled issue continues to arise, the court said. The court has yet to rule on another pending separation-of-powers case involving Democratic state Sen. Melanie Scheible of Las Vegas, whose full-time job is deputy Clark County district attorney. In that case, a state court judge in Las Vegas overturned the Henderson womans 2018 drunk driving conviction on the grounds that Scheible is an elected state senator. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NEW YORK (AP) Actor Robert Morse, who won a Tony Award as a hilariously brash corporate climber in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and a second one a generation later as the brilliant, troubled Truman Capote in Tru, has died. He was 90. Morse died at his home Wednesday after a brief illness, said David Shaul of BRS/Gage Talent Agency. The boyishly handsome Morse first made his name on Broadway in the 1950s, and landed some roles in Hollywood comedies in the 1960s. I consider myself an actor shyly, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1964. I love acting. Its a great use of body and mind... With all humility, you hope that you are doing something worthwhile. More recently, he played the autocratic and eccentric leader of an advertising agency in Mad Men, AMCs hit drama that debuted in 2007. The role of Bert Cooper earned him five Emmy nominations as best guest actor in a drama series. He radiated a wicked joy; it was impossible to watch him without instantly sharing his giddy delight, wrote playwright Paul Rudnick. Jason Alexander tweeted: "His work was infused with joy and it was joyous to be with him." Morse was already well-established on Broadway, with two Tony nominations to his credit, when he became nationally famous at age 30 as the star of Abe Burrows and Frank Loessers smash 1961 Broadway satire of corporate life, How to Succeed.... The show won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for best musical and ran for more than three years. Morses bright-eyed J. Pierrepont Finch was a master of corporate backstabbing with a toothy grin as he went from Manhattan window washer to titan at the World Wide Wicket company with the help of a little how-to paperback on office politics. The musicals song titles suggest the button-down, pre-feminist business world: The Company Way, a theme song for yes-men; A Secretary Is Not a Toy, a song that winks at office dalliance; Coffee Break, a tribute to caffeine; and the hymn Finch sings to himself: I Believe in You. Finch toadies up to the aging boss, played by 1920s crooner Rudy Vallee, by joining in the old mans college fight song, Grand Old Ivy. Imagine a collaboration between Horatio Alger and Machiavelli and you have Finch, the intrepid hero of this sortie into the canyons of commerce, The New York Times wrote. As played with unfaltering bravura and wit by Robert Morse, he is a rumpled, dimpled angel with a streak of Lucifer. The 1967 film version of How To Succeed dropped some songs but otherwise kept close to the stage original. Morse was back, as was Vallee. But Morses film career largely failed to take off. He was back on Broadway in 1972 and picked up another Tony nomination for Sugar, producer David Merricks musical version of Some Like It Hot. Morse starred as Jerry, the part played by Jack Lemmon in the Billy Wilder comedy about two male musicians who disguise themselves as women to get away from murderous gangsters. Tru, a one-man show based on Capotes writings, revived Morses stage career in 1989. His Capote is wickedly funny, a sly imp ready to deliver an off-color joke about the Queen Mum, zing Robert Goulet or rhapsodize about the time he tap-danced for Louis Armstrong. ..., Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote in his review. But theres a desperate side of Capote, too, and Morse rises to the pain. In 1993, the televised version of Tru (PBS) won Morse an Emmy for best actor in a miniseries or special. (Meanwhile, a 1995 Broadway revival of How to Succeed... brought another Tony for its Finch, Matthew Broderick.) Televisions Mad Men returned Morse to the How to Succeed milieu of Manhattan office politics, 1960s-style. When Morse landed in Hollywood after his How to Succeed triumph, columnist Hedda Hopper predicted in 1963: If Robert Morse comes over on screen as he does on stage, hell have teenagers screaming and mothers wanting to adopt him. He has an innate sense of comedy and a funny face to go with it. Among his films was The Loved One, a 1965 black comedy about an Englishmans encounter with Hollywood and the funeral industry, based on the satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh. I dont think in terms of whether a picture will help or hinder my career, Morse told the Los Angeles Times when the film was in production. I think of who Im working with. Among his Loved One co-stars were Jonathan Winters, John Gielgud and Tab Hunter. Morse was born May 18, 1931, in Newton, Massachusetts, and made his Broadway debut in 1955 in The Matchmaker. He received back-to-back Tony nominations for his next two roles: in 1959 for best featured actor in a play for Say, Darling, and in 1960 for best actor in a musical for Take Me Along, which also starred Jackie Gleason. Say, Darling was a comedy about a young writers experience as his novel is turned into a Broadway show. The play was based on the creation of The Pajama Game, and Morses character, a boy producer who hated being called that, was modeled on Harold Prince, a Pajama Game co-producer. Reviewing his career, Morse told The New York Times in 1989: Things change. I never got a chance to be in a play or picture where I played a father, or had a family, or where I could feel or show something. The wild child in me never had a chance to grow up. He said he had successfully battled alcohol and drug abuse, but added, I dont think drinking got in the way of my work. I did my job. It was the other 22 hours I had a problem with. Still, he said of his career, I didnt think it was going to end or not end. I just plowed on. One day you hear `We love you, Bobby. The next day youre doing voiceovers. He is survived by five children, a son Charlie and four daughter, Robin, Andrea, Hilary and Allyn. Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) workers, which include teaching assistants and graduate assistants at the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, march around the campus as they begin a strike over wages and fees on April 18, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Students at the University of Illinois at Chicago are only two weeks away from finishing the semester, but now graduate student workers and teaching assistants are not holding office hours or helping professors after they went on strike Monday. On Wednesday, more than 50 graduate and undergraduate students organized a rally with leaders from other Chicago-area labor unions to show support and help form protest pickets around the UIC campus. Advertisement The Graduate Employees Organization has been bargaining with the university for more than a year over a contract for the 2021-22 school year. The organization is seeking a raise in wages, reduction of student fees that workers are charged, better health care, adding no-lockout language to the contracts and trying to overhaul their nondiscrimination and harassment policy. The university and the union have yet to reach an agreement. The graduate student workers have been working without a contract since August 2021. GEO members held a strike vote after a semester and a half without a contract, and earlier this month the union announced that 97% of its 1,500 members voted in favor of a strike, said Adam Pratt, 26, co-president of GEO who is a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the mathematics department. Advertisement Graduate Employees Organization workers march on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus as they begin a strike over wages and fees April 18, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) UIC posted a statement on its website saying normal operations would continue during the work stoppage. In some cases, this might mean more work for faculty and students. I know my boss is really worried about getting grades submitted and thats something that just cannot happen right now with the strike, Pratt said, referring to the professor of the class he is assisting. There are 150 students in the class, so if the strike continues, the professor will have to grade all the final exams without help. Were all just gonna have to hope that the university starts making improvements and we can move together towards a fair contract and the strike can be over. Pratt said other classes in his department, like Calculus I, have around 1,000 students and five professors. Without the T.A.s in those courses, the five professors will be left to grade all of the final exams, again without help from assistants. We started with raises equal to Loyola University (around a 30% raise), but weve come significantly down since then to a 21% raise, Pratt said. We wanted to cut all of our fees and have them reimburse because the fees are a way of basically doing wage theft to our graduate workers. These fees, paid by all students, account for around 10% of the workers $20,615 minimum salary for the nine months of the school year. We also wanted to decrease the cost of health care both for graduate workers and their dependents and the university wants to increase the cost even for the same coverage, which is not particularly good coverage, Pratt added. Lidia Aguilar, 36, was one of the students singing chants in the picket line at the UIC Science and Engineering Labs. She is a doctorate candidate in the Hispanic studies department and a T.A. for the Spanish for bilinguals undergraduate course. I dont want to be here, I want to be with my students; its our last two weeks together, said Aguilar, who is an international student from Spain. This lack of raise has affected my ability to pay my (university) fees, the ability to see my family once a year because its $1,000 to go to my hometown in the south of Spain, so I spent a whole year saving so I can spend Christmas with them and I havent been on a summer break in my country for eight years. Graduate Employees Organization workers march on the UIC campus on April 18, 2022, as they begin a strike over wages and fees. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Also something very important about international students is that we cannot work outside of campus, Aguilar said. I cannot be a barista at Starbucks, a T.A. is the only option that I have a job while I am a student in this country because of my visa status, and its not enough. My landlord raised my rent by $100 and I cannot afford to stay in my apartment, so its really hard not (to) know what the future contract brings to my paycheck. Advertisement Meg Rock, 35, a doctoral student in the College of Education and an assistant, also sees the strike as the only way to get fair treatment. Im here because I want to be a teacher, Rock said. Im not here because I like sitting outside in the cold. I want to be supporting my students, but it doesnt feel good to know how much my fellow workers are hurting. There have been many times where Ive been on bargaining sessions on Zoom and I have to turn off my camera so that I can cry because of the experiences of harassment or difficulty of fellow workers are so painful. In a statement released by UIC hours after the rally on Wednesday, officials said they wish to reach an agreement soon. With 21 of 27 issues agreed upon in our good-faith negotiations to date and sessions scheduled for today and tomorrow, April 20 and 21, we believe much can be resolved through continued dialogue at the bargaining table. U of I was able to provide the president of their system a 40% pay increase (in 2020). Enough is enough, said John Miller, president of University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100. The university has to get its priorities right. It is not a time to prioritize administration and management, it is time to prioritize the students and the people who do all the work, including all of the graduate employees. Susan Hurley, executive director of Chicago Jobs With Justice, said there is an issue with the University of Illinois system. There is no reason why the boss of a public institution being paid with tax dollars should be making over $600,000 a year, she said. The value of the education that is provided here is the fruit of your labor and I think you deserve to be compensated fairly for that. This university wouldnt function without all of you. Advertisement Graduate Employees Organization workers march on the UIC campus as they strike over wages and fees on April 18, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) In a coffee shop in the UIC area, two undergraduate seniors, Maahi Shah and Yesha Prajapati, were talking about the recent protests on campus. I think it is a little bit stressful for some students because they dont know how their next few weeks of academics might be affected, Shah, 22, said. But at the same time, I think its pretty understandable because the T.A.s have to use that pressure point to be able to get the university to make some compromises and be able to discuss something urgently. Prajapati, 21, remembered there was a similar strike by GEO during her first year, in 2019, and thinks not a lot of progress has been made. I feel like its really repetitive and I feel like UIC should be providing T.A.s with what they need instead of just repeating the cycle. tmijares@chicagotribune.com After a brief break in the weather allowed for new aerial attacks on some of the many fires burning in the Southwest, crews are preparing for ferocious winds to return through the end of the week. Resources are tight, and fire managers are scrambling to get crews on board. Hundreds of residents have been evacuated. One of the biggest blazes near Flagstaff, Arizona, has grown to more than 32 square miles. Helicopters were able to drop water on that fire for the first time Thursday. Forest Service officials in New Mexico says there is high confidence that a widespread extreme and catastrophic fire weather event will occur on Friday. It was an extraordinary scene on a Sunday afternoon in north-central Omaha. Shortly after 2 p.m. July 26, 2020, John Parks Jr. and a friend were riding mini motorized dirt bikes south on 53rd Street near Boyd Street. As the 20-year-olds zoomed down the street, a black Nissan Maxima turned a corner and bore down on them. The Maxima, with two people inside, eventually collided with Parks bike. Parks zipped away, but the Nissan kept pace until, finally, Parks ditched the bike and tried to run. Seven shots rang out from the Nissan. One hit Parks in the neck. Running for his life, Parks scaled a fence before collapsing and dying in a backyard. Two years later, the alleged driver of the Nissan is on trial for first-degree murder. Daquandre Perry, then 20, now 22, is charged under an accomplice theory that he may or may not have been the shooter but is equally culpable because he was driving the car that was hunting Parks. The passenger in the Maxima has not been charged. Youre not here to decide what (the passenger) did, prosecutor Amy Jacobsen told jurors Tuesday. Youre here to decide what Daquandre Perry did. (Parks) had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Perrys defense attorneys, Renee Mathias and Mallory Hughes, told jurors that prosecutors will not be able to prove that Perry was driving the car. In opening statements Tuesday morning, Mathias said the only thing prosecutors could prove was that Perry had driven a black Nissan Maxima eight days before. Mathias said jurors will discover at least seven shortcomings in the case that will lead them to find reasonable doubt and, in turn, find Perry not guilty. Among them, Mathias said, prosecutors have no murder weapon and no witnesses who can identify either the driver or the passenger. Youre here today because he was in a black sedan eight days prior to the shooting, Mathias told jurors. Jacobsen said theres more to it than that. Jacobsen said the first break in the case occurred when an Omaha police officer notified detectives that he had pulled over a black Nissan that Perry was driving a week before Parks killing. Homicide detectives then tracked down the suspect car at the home of a friend of Perrys. Sure enough, Jacobsen said, the Nissan had front-end damage consistent with a crash. Jacobsen said Omaha police then collected several home surveillance videos from the day in question one of which shows the Nissan hitting Parks while he was on the dirt bike. A detective inspected the damage and said the front quarter-panel damage was consistent with a collision. Various videos will show the high-speed chase. A video also will show Perry and a passenger getting out of a black Nissan at the Lindenwood Court apartments, 48th and Boyd Streets, at 2:30 p.m., Jacobsen said. They were having a great time, dancing around, 20 minutes after this murder, Jacobsen said. Mathias told jurors that four different people were known to drive the Nissan. I dont know a whole lot about cars, but I do know that four people cannot drive a car at one time, she said. Mathias also noted that the shooting occurred at 2:10 p.m. A Nissan pulled into the Lindenwood apartments at 2:30 p.m. The state wants you to believe it takes 20 minutes to (travel) three minutes, Mathias said. Thats reasonable doubt. Or, Jacobsen suggested, Perry and his passenger drove around for a while because they knew they were in a hot car i.e. a suspect vehicle before pulling into the nearby apartments. Perrys trial is expected to take a week. Law enforcement authorities think the shooting was gang-related. Jurors, however, will not hear any testimony about gangs, in keeping with prior court rulings that such testimony can poison jurors views of a case. Nor will jurors hear this: The killing of Parks prompted his father, John Parks Sr., to visit Omaha from his home state of Texas. While here, prosecutors say, he thought that a couple had footage of his sons death on their phone. Prosecutors allege the elder Parks killed Michael Harbour, 35, and Nicole Hatten, 36, in a mistaken rage over that footage which actually was a viral video of a killing in Mexico. The elder Parks is awaiting trial on two counts of first-degree murder. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS One person has been arrested in connection with an overnight robbery in a Cedar Falls parking lot. Police said the robber demanded payment through a mobile payment app. Cedar Falls police arrested 20-year-old Isaiah Malik Pratt for second-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and possession of marijuana. Officers were called to the Planet Fitness, 6301 University Ave., shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday for a report that two people had been robbed. According to court records, Pratt approached two people sitting in a vehicle in the businesss parking lot, put his hand in the drivers side window and asked for money. When they declined, he wandered off but returned a short time later and climbed into the back seat their vehicle. He held his hand in his pocket as if he was armed and threatened to stick them if they left, records state. He then told them to send him $47 through CashApp, a mobile payment system, according to court records. The robber left in a silver vehicle, according to witnesses. Officers found Pratt a short time later and detained him. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a 14-year-old girl crawls on the ground. For disabled people in poverty like her, getting around is difficult. Some use sticks as crutches or have family members carry them. Wheelchairs, after all, cost several hundred dollars. So, when Keith Larsen arrived to give 120 wheelchairs to the disabled of Abidjan, the girl could hardly contain her excitement. She beamed in a photo Larsen snapped. She could now keep up with other children. Thanks to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Rotaract Club and Lincoln Downtown Rotary No. 14, more people in her community could travel with ease. Larsen visited Ivory Coast on March 16 to hand out wheelchairs on behalf of the clubs. The trip lasted six days and included a large celebration hosted by Abidjan Lagune, the Rotary Clubs partner in Ivory Coast. At the celebration, Abidjan Lagune presented heartfelt sentiments mostly in French, Larsen said. After the party, Larsen and other club members went around Abidjan for three days, handing out wheelchairs and meeting families. One of the memorable people he met, he said, was a young girl whose wheelchair was so worn down it no longer had wheels. Seeing her, Larsen said, reminded him why this cause was so important. Its still an icon for me the idea of a wheelchair without wheels, Larsen said. That spoke to my heart more than anything else. The life-changing project was six years in the making and began with a UNL Rotaract Club member from Ivory Coast named Konan Blaise Koko. Koko contracted polio as a young boy, and without a wheelchair, his mother had to carry him to school every day. When he came to UNL on a Fulbright scholarship in 2015, he finally received his first wheelchair. It was then Koko realized what a difference that could make. In 2016, Koko called on fellow Rotaract Club members to help raise money for his new cause: giving disabled people back home the same mobility. My first priority was to get my dream realized by helping people back in my country, Koko said. The Rotaract Club began fundraising and reached out to other clubs, including Rotary No. 14, which is when Larsen, a 35-year member, got involved. Together, the clubs began reaching out to other Rotary clubs, hosting bake sales and bussing tables at restaurants to raise funds. By 2020, the clubs had finally raised enough money to send $20,000 worth of wheelchairs to Ivory Coast. Thanks to the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to providing wheelchairs to the disabled around the world, the clubs had to pay only half for each wheelchair about $150. The wheelchairs arrived last September, and six months later, Larsen handed out 30 of them to those in need. As of now, 90 wheelchairs are still awaiting recipients. Koko couldn't attend the celebration because hes currently pursuing a medical degree in Canada. However, seeing the photos of his community members receiving their wheelchairs makes him emotional. Im so thankful to them, Koko said. Theyve gone beyond my expectations. And while dozens more people in Ivory Coast are able to get around, Larsen said the work is not yet done. Now, Ivory Coasts Disability Association is asking for more help, though this time, it needs something different. Nobody's asking for more wheelchairs, Larsen said. The Disability Association wants to build low-cost wheelchairs every day." Larsen said the association hopes to one day have a facility where it can repair and build wheelchairs. The project will cost about $140,000 to complete drastically more than the $10,000 it receives from the government each year. So the Rotary clubs are raising funds again, trying to impact lives in the same way they did for Koko. "When our hearts are in a project like this, we must keep trying," Larsen said. "This is our way to give hope to the thousands of people in Ivory Coast who need wheelchairs." Reach the writer at jthompson@journalstar.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO - A Waterloo woman has pleaded to using a COVID-19 relief program to steal money from the government. Chrishandia Michael White, 32, pleaded to one count of first-degree fraud on Monday in Black Hawk County District Court. Sentencing will be at a later date. Investigators with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals allege White used a made-up name to register as a landlord account to receive funds from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act rent relief program. Eleven applications were submitted for tenants who were seeking rental relief for properties the landlord allegedly operated in Cedar Rapids. Investigators determined the properties were owned by other people, and the paycheck stubs submitted by the alleged tenants were also bogus, according to court records. White allegedly submitted $33,070 in false claims and received $20,000 in payments through the scheme, court records state. She was arrested in September. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHEROKEE, Iowa -- The Cherokee Symphony Orchestra will present its "Student Soloist" concert at 4 p.m. May 1 in the upper level of the Cherokee Community Center, 530 W. Bluff St. Ted Hallberg, an educator and cellist from Le Mars, Iowa, will conduct the symphony, which is now in its 66th season. The 50-plus orchestra will have four different student soloists for the concert. Madeline Bean, an eighth grader from St. Wenceslaus School, will play violin; Aaron Galloway, a Dordt University sophomore, will play cello; Joanne Lundahl, a graduate student from the University of South Dakota, will play the clarinet; and Steven Press, a junior at the University of Nebraska - Omaha, will play the violin. Tickets for the performance are available at the door. Students are allowed to watch for free. 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. WAYNE. Neb. -- Wayne State College is celebrating excellence in film during the fourth annual Wildcat Spirit Film Festival with a free, open to the public event. A red carpet event will open the festivities at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Majestic Theatre, 310 Main St. An encore of previously shown Hot Attic Film School movies will start at 6 p.m., with film premieres starting at 7 p.m. All of the films were written, produced and directed by Wayne State College students, said professor of communication arts Michael White. During the day, participating students will tour the college's media studios and engage in workshops. Prior to the festival, high schools and colleges from Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa are submitting short films for review. Officially selected films will screen at the Majestic Theatre, at 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. 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. For Americans who supported the airplane mask mandate struck down by a conservative federal judge on Tuesday, the Transportation Security Administrations cumbersome security checks have made for an easy point of comparison. After all, nobody died when Richard Reid tried to light a bomb in his shoe on a flight from Paris to Miami in 2001. But 20 years later, we are all taking off our shoes at the airport. We have, as a nation, removed our shoes several billion times. Advertisement As the U.S. approaches the grim milestone of a million deaths from COVID-19, however, Florida District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has quashed the Biden administrations rules for masking on mass transportation, including airplanes. The airlines did not put up a fight, and Amtrak and many transit agencies quickly followed suit in getting rid of their own mask mandates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Masks versus shoes is a good comparison, though not because it shows that the mask mandate should endure. Instead, its a reminder that while were revisiting the air travel rules that keep us safe, we should take the opportunity to let people keep their shoes on at TSA checkpoints as well. On masks, Joe Biden is in a tight spot of his own making. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice filed an appeal to the judges decision, arguing that masks in transit are still a vital public safety measure, even as they have disappeared from every other aspect of public life. Does the administration really think masks on airplanes are whats holding the line? The president seems reluctant to really defend the policy. The White House may be worried the ruling, from a Trump appointee, will prevent the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from establishing enforceable guidance in the future. In either case, the president has missed the opportunity to claim a symbolic return to normal step for his administration. Advertisement Advertisement What Biden can do is change the subject. He can protect our time, our dignity, and our socks by letting Americans board airplanes without taking their shoes off. Advertisement This would be an easy victory for the president, whose Homeland Security secretary administers the TSA. Biden can save billions of minutes for both harried TSA agents and stressed travelers, and restore his credibility with the vital pundit class that tends to treat each airport visit as a national pulse check, despite the fact that the median American does not fly even once in a calendar year. He could make congressional Republicans choose between their new civil liberties kick and their old counterterrorism fixation. For many years, security at airports has worked as a one-way ratchet, in which travel only gets more difficult and humiliating. No politician has the guts to reject the idea of another turn of the screw, let alone roll things back and be held responsible for an airplane hijacking. But by pushing travelers to drive, which is much more dangerous than flying, these procedures may cost more lives than they save. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shoes-off rule was established by the Department of Homeland Security in 2006, in response to a failed attack in 2001, in which no one was hurt or killed. Government officials have been predicting the end of the barefoot march for more than a decade, but its still with us. In 2011, for example, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said that technology would soon make shoe checks obsolete. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, TSA chief John Pistole cited a travel survey showing that travelers ranked removing their shoes the second-worst part of flying, after only ticket prices. But, he maintained, there have been no shoe bombs because we have people take their shoes off. Maybe. How many shoe bombers have since been foiled? If the TSA has caught one, it hasnt said. Whats more, the shoe rule is unique: Unlike with weapons or liquids, which must be checked in many parts of the world, as they are here, America stands virtually alone in its insistence that travelers remove their shoes. Meanwhile, no shoe bomber has brought down a plane in Israel, say, or France. Advertisement Advertisement The 3-ounce liquid limit, by the way, was revealed to be more important to airport concessions than to national security in the spring of 2020, when the TSA suspended the limit to permit 12-ounce containers of hand sanitizer. (Why anyone would need 12 ounces of hand sanitizer to board a plane, I cant imagine.) As my colleague Dan Kois wrote at the time, The TSA can declare this rule change because the limit was always arbitrary, just one of the countless rituals of security theater to which air passengers are subjected every day. Flights are no more dangerous today, with the hand sanitizer, than yesterday, and if the TSA allowed you to bring 12 ounces of shampoo on a flight tomorrow, flights would be no more dangerous then. The limit was bullshit. The ease with which the TSA can toss it aside makes that clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was all a sham! The 12-ounce sanitizer exception, by the way, is still in effect. Security theater 0, pandemic theater 1. Shoe-scanning technology, meanwhile, is now here, though not yet deployed at scale, so the most likely outcome here is that we keep our shoes on at the airport not because the cost-benefit of this procedure was reevaluated, but because we forked over a billion dollars to a defense contractor. Still, if Joe Biden is looking for a return-to-normalcy tagline as he heads toward the 2022 midterms, he could do worse than Our masks are off, and our shoes are on. He can promise carry-on toothpaste for the second term. Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication. To hear Jamie Gehring tell it, if theres one thing that really set her former neighbor Ted Kaczynski off, it was all that noise from all the engines. Her fathers sawmill, the planes in the sky, the motorbikes and snowmobiles she and her family and friends rode around the area, the diesel trucks mining companies deployedall these industrial roars, powered by fuels sucked up from the ground, that wrecked any chance of finding peace in the wilds of Lincoln, Montana. Scouring the Unabombers journals, Gehring finds a consistent factor behind the rare moments Kaczynski claimed he was happy: A very happy day saw only a few jets passing over, and another day that was quite good was one when he heard only 8 jets. These planes, perhaps ironically, rankled Kaczynski more in his Montanan safe space than they would have anywhere else: Here the noise destroys something wonderful; while in the city there is nothing for the noises to destroy, because one is living in a shit-pile anyway. Aircraft noise is an insult, a slap in the face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sound of engines, and the way Kaczynski felt taunted by them, is just one of the many details Gehring explores in her book Madman in the Woods: Life Next Door to the Unabomber. In this work, just the latest among several recent studies of the Unabomber, Gehring looks back over her childhood sharing the Montana woods with Kaczynski for 16 years, when her father, Butch, leased him the very acres on which the bomber constructed his rudimentary shack and workshop. There are the fond and unpleasant memories she holds (receiving a handmade toy as a gift from Kaczynski, hearing him creep and rummage through her parents yards), the fond and unpleasant stories from her family (Kaczynski and Butch making the land deal, then the former yelling at the latter for using herbicides on surrounding grasslands), the new perspectives on these anecdotes offered through retrospection, and the dissonance of finding that your former fine-if-kinda-strange neighbor was one of Americas most notorious killerswho had it out for you, too. It all makes for a fascinating, heartfelt, complex reflection. Advertisement Advertisement One of the many pieces of Kaczynskis post-arrest commentary that Gehring quotes in Madman calls her father out by name: A neighbor of mine, Butch Gehring, this guy is a real bastard. He runs a sawmill. My intention was to put him out of business once and for all. The Gehring family mill was evil to Kaczynski in numerous ways: It ate up the surrounding trees he enjoyed and produced endless noise. The sputtering chainsaws and lumber machines distracted Kaczynski and encroached on his space, as acres developed by the Gehrings were cleared and/or leased to mining companies that brought people to the area with large, humming trucks. Kaczynski was not above working a few hours at the mill to collect some spare change, as Jamie Gehring chronicles, but the entire enterprise had a clear effect on him, as he would journal: Used to be that I suffered from hardly any tension at all around here. But the area is so fucked upnow that my old way of life is all shot to hell those Gehring jerks are planning to log off the woods all around my cabin here. The family, inevitably, became aware of Kaczynskis rage at their business through repeated personal confrontations with the man himself, who showed his displeasure at the mining contracts and new people moving in to the woods. In fact, by the time Butch Gehring started cooperating with the FBI on its hunt, hed raised the prospect of revving his chainsaw as bait to draw Kaczynski out of his cabin. Still, it was only in recent years that Jamie Gehring would learn, through the miniseries Unabomber: In His Own Words (on which she herself appeared as a talking head), that Kaczynski was driven by this rage to pour sand into her fathers sawmill fuel tanks and to vandalize other local mines, bulldozers, and camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. 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. The most fascinating thing about Madman is how Jamie Gehring, even while recounting the ways Kaczynski antagonized her family and damaged their business and town, ventures to find the humanity in her former neighborto even, possibly, feel a trace of compassion for the misanthropic, unapologetic killer. Kaczynskis crimes, heartless as they were, had to come from something deeper within him, whether it was personal tragedy or a misguided venture to protect Mother Earth, right? As Gehring comes to realize, the Unabomber himself, in his writings and actions, negates that point. Those who havent gone down the rabbit hole may not realize that, for all his cultural associations with eco-terrorists taking up arms to preserve natural habitats, Ted Kaczynski did not actually do what he did in order to save the planet. Plenty of journal entries and audio transcriptions quoted through the book show Kaczynski repeatedly saying this himself: that his killings were driven by personal revenge, that he was more upset about human beings and man-made noises outside his home than anything else, and that he didnt even consider himself a nature worshipper, as he felt free to litter or poach animals. Even though his manifesto outlined a revolution against modern society, it stemmed from one core feeling: Kaczynski thought himself entitled to the natural spaces he made home, and it was the noise pollution that disturbed his solitude and killed his personal favorite trees that drove his ragenot any interest in saving the woods for other people and animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Gehring does find a means of possibly understanding the Unabomber. In a 1984 journal entry she cites late in the book, Kaczynski expresses grief at the construction of new roads on a plateau near Trout Creek, which runs close to Montanas border with Idaho, and the felled trees that the building of this new infrastructure left behind. Gehring writes that she was sensitive from childhood to the environmental fallout from her fathers timber business, yet much of the town [of Lincoln] was divided on wilderness versus industry while environmentalists advocated for preserving the Montana wilds. Gehring perceives just a speck of a way to relate to Kaczynskis feelings of overwhelming loss stemming from such environmental degradation, even as she can never abide his actions, or process the horror of having lived near him while he planned those crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Gehrings personal journey also connects with the broader revival of Unabomber lore. Since 2017, biopics of the man have been projected on both small and big screens, a multipart docuseries reexamining the case has been released on streaming, and there are now more than a dozen books, the bulk of them published in recent years, offering various new perspectives and uncovered details on the case. This is not so unusual at first blush; Kaczynski is far from the only serial killer to retain name recognition over decades, and the flourishing true crime industry means murders like his will continue to be reexamined and retold for years to come. But its not just that the Unabomber remains a person of fascinationhe may be a far more influential thought leader now than in any year since the initial publication of his manifesto. Advertisement Advertisement Spend time scouring various corners of the internet, both the grody and glossy, and youll find evidence of these reactions throughout our noisy world. Extremely online Instagram teens who werent alive for a single bombing unironically embrace Kaczynskis philosophy in various shitposts, memes, and videos. Right-wing TikTokkers have used the sound of a voice reading the Unabomber Manifestos opening line in more than 1,000 videos; the Middle East Media Research Institute discovered a Telegram chat earlier this month featuring an international cross-section of pro-Unabomber students, one of whom wanted to overthrow his local government. Tucker Carlson praised the Unabomber Manifesto last year in a conversation with Andrew Yang; a Wake Forest student paper op-ed from 2019 called the manifesto prophetic; a high schooler in New Jersey won an essay contest by writing about how she wanted to meet Kaczynski. New York magazine, in 2018, profiled various anarchist collectives that take to Kaczynskis writings. Meanwhile, terror groups directly inspired by Kaczynski have been carrying out targeted bombings in Europe and South America since 2011. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modern coverage of Kaczynskis story takes one of two tacks: plumbing the Unabomber, the pseudonymous serial killer who evaded the law for decades, or grappling with Ted Kaczynski, the reclusive former academic and prolific writer who rejected industrial society about as thoroughly as someone born into it could. Theres the enthusiastic killer, and then the troubled genius who may have had a point about how technology ruins the world. To Jamie Gehring, these multiple personas manifested in much more direct and personal forms: the hermit who crafted and gifted her a wooden toy as a toddler, and the nighttime creep who, she later found, sabotaged her familys sawmill, rummaged through their yards for scrap metal, and had her and her family in mind as a target, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The image her book offers is striking, when considering how many of todays Unabomber fans would likely say theyd love being Kaczynskis neighbor. Ted Kaczynski has lately found an eager following within both the post-left and the right wing; with advocates of direct action and industrial sabotage on one hand, and with the white supremacists behind mass killings in New Zealand and Texas on the other. Kaczynski tends to reject both leftists and fascists in his writings, but the scattered nature of his crimes ensures a ready audience from all sides. No matter how much he may correspond with his disciples from prison, Kaczynski would likely have never wanted these crowds of devotees, some of whom call him Uncle Ted, to be anywhere near him. It was human encroachment on his space that hed railed against ever since his Montana move. As Gehring quotes him writing in his journal, I hate people. Advertisement Meanwhile, decades later, Gehring is still grappling with the simple fact of having lived next to him, still processing the horror of knowing that she and her family could have been killed at any moment. Neither of these things will likely matter much to his current generation of followers. Madman in the Woods is being promoted as a true crime memoir, but the story behind the Unabombers murders has become resistant to truth. Kaczynski has transcended facts, and become an even bigger symbol than before. Advertisement Next month, Ted Kaczynski will turn 80. He may now live far from Jamie Gehring, with both now located far from Lincoln, but he never left Gehrings mind. He wont leave the countrys psyche anytime again soon, either. Every Thursday, Rich and Stoya answer a special question they could only tackle together, just for Slate Plus members. Join today to never miss a column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous! Dear How to Do It, I recently had an experience where I started getting spontaneous orgasms, without any stimulation at all. My concern is how this happenedand whether I should continue. I tried pot for the first time, and I started having these orgasms about an hour into the experience. They unlike what Ive felt before as I wasnt ejaculating at all (in fact I wasnt even really hard). They were deep and full-bodied (not centered on my dick). Is this a common experience? Is this what womens orgasms feel like? Will this happen every time I smoke pot? High and Horny Rich: No, this does not happen every time! But maybe from our writers experienceI dont know! Ive never felt anything close to that. Stoya: It might happen every time they smoke pot. They should smoke some more pot and find outIm presuming they live in a state where this is legal. Rich: Yeah. Stoya: The downside is you spend a couple hours having orgasms that are novel to you, or youre just stoned and nothings happening, but then you have your answer to the last question. Rich: Exactly. In terms of clinical documentation, there was a case study published in 2017 in an issue of the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy called Restless Genital Syndrome Should Be Distinguished From Spontaneous Orgasms: A Case Report of Cannabis-Induced Spontaneous Orgasm. In the abstract, a case is described of a 40-year-old woman with persistent spontaneous orgasms after use of cannabis and five-hour, hard-pounding sexual activity. They keep saying in this paper, by the way, hard-pounding sexual activity, like over and over. The paper hard-pounds you with this phrase. I think its out in the Netherlands. Stoya: My best friend is going to have to listen to hours of me convincing myself not to get hard-pounding sexual activity tattooed on my body. Rich: Its really good. So after this woman smokes weed, she has five hours of hard-pounding tantric sexalso, I didnt know that hard-pounding and tantric could all go together, but apparently they did. She goes on to smoke weed some more and has these spontaneous orgasms. Whats up with that? They distinguished it from this syndrome called restless genital syndrome and they determine that this is the first case report of cannabis-induced, dose-dependent, spontaneous orgasms. So to our readers question, is this common? It would seem absolutely not. Its incredibly uncommon. In fact, one of the authors, Marcel Waldinger, a neuropsychiatrist in private practice in the Netherlands, told IB Times UK, We need to know whether there are more incidents like this. So Im interested in patients who will contact me if theyve had the same sort of experiences. That is important to find out whether this is a very rare phenomenon or whether it occurs more often. A few columns ago, we suggested somebody get in contact with a sleep researcher for the data of it all. It is imperative, I would say, given this doctors solicitation that our writer contact this doctor and let him know about the case because it seems very, very under reported. Whether that means its uncommon or not is unclear. It seems pretty uncommon, though. Get the How to Do It Newsletter Sex advice from Rich and Stoya, plus exclusive letter follow-ups, delivered weekly. 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. Stoya: As to one of the other questions in the letter: Is this what womens orgasms feel like? Well, I have some questions as the person with the vagina in the room. I am asking you, Rich, as a penis-haver to answer some questions that I would ask the writer, but they did not give us a contact. Rich: OK. Im happy to be a proxy. Stoya: Is every orgasm the same for you? Rich: No. And it depends on the partner most of the time. It also depends on how long I go without; a huge part of it is how sexually excited I am during the lead up to it. If all day Ive been wanting sex and I finally have it and then if its a good experience, its going to be way more intense than if not. But the letter writer is implying that they dont feel it throughout their body and not just centered on the dick, and I would say that I dont feel it throughout my body, even at its most intense, its very dick-and-prostate focused. For me, it tends to be localized. Stoya: Oh, OK. All right. So even before I read Barbara Carrellas Urban Tantrawhich Ive begun to proselytize about, and I took one of Barbaras breathing classes early in the pandemicbut even before I started doing that, most of the time, if I have more than three orgasms (and most of the time I did have more than three orgasms), I feel it in my whole body. And theres energy everywhere. And my background in dance means I have spent time envisioning energy in my body. So theres a framework that was familiar for me that may be at play here, but theres a crunching and an expansion and its the whole body and its the fingers and its the toes and parts tangle and my whole pelvic bowl goes like, unk, unk, unk. And then sometimes it like takes a breath and we do it again. And Im like, Do I count this as another orgasm? But then I never have an answer for that because then its happening again. And that is what a good orgasm feels like for me. And then of course, theres the McDonalds ones where its pussy-centric. Ooh, I just compared the apparently standard penile-orgasm experience to McDonalds. Oops. Rich: Im loving it. Stoya: Yeah, but to answer High and Hornys question, what youre describing sounds like my, once the ball is rolling, multiple orgasms. Im happy youve had this experience. Some women dont orgasm at all. Some women have different experiences, just about everyones orgasms going to differ in some way or the kinds of orgasms they have, which kinds of orgasms theyre most prone to having. But if they want to further their curiosity, I have another book that I already recommended recently: Annie Sprinkles Explorers Guide to Planet Orgasm. Not only does it have stuff that can be useful for people with penises, as far as getting into their bodies, Annie describes in detail all of these different kinds of orgasms. So if our reader is curious and they want to learn more, it might be a cool book for him. And also, they might find themselves able to have these spontaneous sorts of orgasms without the pot, if thats something they want. Rich: Yeah. From my understanding of the p-spot orgasm, thats what it sounds like this persons having. Thats when people will play with their prostates in an extended situation, and then they have these full-body orgasms and their penises arent always hard. And there isnt always ejaculation, either. Thats what it sounds like somehow happened, but I have no idea what the science would be or what receptors those cannabinoids fit to make that happen. Seems like a pretty unique situation, but it also seems like a gift. So doesnt really seem like theres a problem here, nothing to solve per se, only an opportunity to explore more. Stoya: It was fun to talk about. Rich: It was. You learn something new. I didnt know this could happen, but Im glad that I do now. Something to aspire to. More From How to Do It Im a 24-year-old woman who has been masturbating and having sex since age 16 and have never had an orgasm. Despite trying different methods and vibrators, multiple sexual partners over the years, experimenting with women when I felt I might be attracted to them, and checking with a gynecologist and my doctor to make sure there was no physical cause, I have still not orgasmed. I brought this up with a therapist a couple years ago, and we talked about it for about six months before I quit because I felt it wasnt helping. I have a strong sense that the cause is biological/physical rather than mental, because Im a very sexually open person who has no past sexual trauma and wasnt raised to feel shame about sex. The internet is full of advice for women who cant orgasm with their partners, but theres very little for women who cant orgasm at all. Im terrified that this is the rest of my life and I will never be able to have a relationship in which Im truly satisfied. Ald. Daniel Solis speaks while Alexander Gourlay of Walgreens and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel listen at a news conference June 18, 2018, at the old post office in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune) A federal prosecutor on Thursday delivered an impassioned defense of the deferred prosecution deal with former Ald. Daniel Solis, telling the federal judge overseeing the high-profile case that Solis cooperation was perhaps singular even in the citys long history of political corruption. Some may view (Solis deal) as being with little precedent, but what Mr. Solis did also was with little precedent, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu said during a status hearing in Solis case. He didnt just talk. He took action. He worked with the federal government for six years to expose corruption. Advertisement Bhachu was responding to a victim impact statement from Solis replacement as 25th Ward alderman, Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who asked U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood to consider Solis rampant and unchecked corruption when deciding whether to go along with the deal, which will leave Solis with a clean slate in three years if he continues to cooperate. Sigcho-Lopez urged the judge in the two-page letter to consider scaled and appropriate penalties that reflect the seriousness of Solis conduct, which he said did long-term damage to the citizens of the ward. Advertisement If former Alderman Solis is not held accountable/charged, we feel that our hard work to reform will be undone, Sigcho-Lopez wrote. Bhachu, however, told Wood on Thursday that the letter overstated Solis misconduct and failed to take into account the consequences he has already faced for turning government mole. When Solis was confronted by investigators back in 2016, Bhachu said, he had a choice about what his path would be, including to refuse to cooperate, deny accountability, and fight any charges that came his way. That is an easy path that many in this city and state have followed, Bhachu said. Mr. Solis chose a more difficult path, judge. He cooperated with the government for approximately six years. When we asked him to meet, he did so. When he was asked to make a recording with a third party, he did it. During the course of his undercover work, Solis personally made hundreds of recordings and helped form the basis of government requests for wiretaps on others, Bhachu said, making him one of the most significant government witnesses of the last several decades. A lot of people talk about cleaning up corruption, and often all it amounts to is talk, Bhachu said. Its rare when someone actually delivers, and in this regard, Mr. Solis delivered. Bhachu also said Solis has suffered for his corruption, even if it wont include a felony conviction. He lost his seat in the City Council, he cant run for public office again, and hes been ostracized by former colleagues, according to the prosecutor. Life is never going to be the same for him again, Bhachu said. These are all real consequences. Advertisement After Bhachu finished, Solis attorney, Lisa Noller, said she had nothing to add, Because we agree with all of it. At the conclusion of the hearing, Wood agreed to exclude time in Solis deferred prosecution deal, meaning his case will be set for dismissal on April 8, 2025, as long as he continues to cooperate with the ongoing investigations. Solis, who is collecting a nearly $100,000 annual city pension, will remain free on bond during that time and can travel freely to Mexico and Puerto Rico, where he has spent time since his abrupt retirement in early 2019. Solis legal saga began in 2016 when he secretly agreed to wear a wire for federal investigators and helped build racketeering cases against Ald. Edward Burke and then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, two of the longest-serving and most powerful politicians in the state. The deferred prosecution deal was signed by Solis on the day after Christmas 2018 and kept secret for nearly 3 years before the U.S. attorneys office finally put it on the record earlier this month. As part of the deal, Solis was charged in a one-count criminal information with corruptly soliciting campaign donations from a real estate developer in exchange for zoning changes in 2015, when Solis was head of the City Council Zoning Committee. Advertisement At Solis arraignment last week, Bhachu told Wood hed learned the city may want to intervene in Solis case as a victim, though he said it was doubtful that the city would legally qualify. Hours later, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has been highly critical of Solis deal, issued a statement that called him out for violating the public trust in profound ways but stopped short of any seeming attempt to derail the deferred prosecution. Instead, Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, said she had instructed the Law Department to file a victim impact statement with the court. No one is above the law and Chicago residents expect that their elected officials will be held accountable, the mayor said. It was not the first time Lightfoot has been critical of Solis. After the Tribune reported on Solis collecting his pension after leaving office in 2019, Lightfoot said she was confident he will face a moment of reckoning. What that will be, when that will be, that is not under my control, Lightfoot said that fall. Advertisement She has since publicly and privately criticized the deal prosecutors reached with Solis, calling it unconscionable that he might not face a conviction or lose his pension. But the mayors objections were proven to be toothless in court, where Sigcho-Lopez was the only one who wound up filing anything critical of the deal. In a statement after the hearing on Thursday, Lightfoot dropped her previous rhetoric, saying the city had productive conversations with the U.S. Attorneys office over the past week regarding the Solis case and now sees no need to formally intervene. As mayor, it is my priority that all efforts are made to ensure that individuals engaged in city business are doing so with honesty and integrity, the emailed statement read. Separate and apart from this specific proceeding, we will continue to aggressively protect our residents and notably our taxpayers against individuals who commit crimes or otherwise unethically obtain city resources. In his letter, Sigcho-Lopez detailed a number of ways in which he says Solis corrupt zoning practices allegedly have harmed his ward, from displacing thousands of low-income residents in Pilsen to letting politics trump the public interest in important development projects in Chinatown. The harm caused by this corruption is generational, the letter stated. The people of the 25th Ward continue to feel the aftermath. Advertisement He also touched on the pending cases against Burke and Madigan, who have both pleaded not guilty. In particular, Sigcho-Lopez said lobbyists connected to the alleged corruption schemes will continue to be rewarded with public contracts without any accountability, if convicted parties are perceived to be let off the hook. Wood said she agreed that the victim of a federal crime has a right to be heard, and that the alderman was an appropriate person to bring the citys concerns to her attention. But since the case was not at the sentencing stage and in fact there likely will never be a trial or conviction there was no legal avenue for Sigcho-Lopezs letter to influence Solis deal. Therein lies the issue, she said. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com On Monday, Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions public transportation mask mandateand, in the process, rendered the United States even more unprepared for the next pandemic. With a pandemic still raging on, and COVID cases slowly ticking upward again in major cities, it may be hard to imagine a separate future pandemic. But another virus will undoubtedly make its way across the globe. And if the CDCs muddled handling of this current pandemic is any indication, were absolutely not ready for the next one. Advertisement To understand why, lets start with our current pandemic. With Mizelles ruling, weve lost a critical tool in preventing the spread of the highly transmissible respiratory virus that has killed nearly 1 million Americans. Mizelles decision rests on an absurdly narrow reading of a major federal statute that formed the basis of several key public health measures over the last two years. Her nonsensical interpretation reduces this vital statute to rubbish, preventing future administrations from drawing upon it to combat future viruses. Whether or not President Joe Bidens decision on Wednesday to appeal the ruling is good politics, it is sound law. Bidens Justice Department has an obligation to do everything it can to get this precedent off the books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign Up for the Surge The most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. 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. The statute in question gives the CDC sweeping authority to issue regulations that are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases across state lines. It provides several examples of actions the government might take to stop the spread of a virus, including sanitation. The government argued that air travel facilitated the spread of COVID between states, which public health experts have documented. Thus, the government asserted that requiring masks on public transit was a quintessential example of the kind of sanitation authorized by the law. Lets consider this logic. Sanitation, broadly defined, is the act of keeping something clean. Masks, the CDC argued, sanitize the air by preventing the spread of viral particles. Yet Mizelle rejected this intuitive, commonsense definition of sanitation. Instead, she ruled that sanitation refers to measures that clean something, not ones that keep something clean, drawing an artificial distinction between the act of cleaning and the act of promoting cleanliness. Wearing a mask, she reasoned, does not clean things, but rather keeps things clean in the first place. Thus, they do not qualify as sanitation under the statute. Advertisement Advertisement Mizelle claims that wearing a mask cleans nothing. At most, it traps virus droplets. She then goes on to say it neither sanitizes the person wearing the mask nor sanitizes the conveyance. This, though, is clearly false. We know by now that SARS-CoV-2 doesnt just spread by droplets; it can also spread as an aerosol, or viral particles suspended in the air. A high-filtration mask like an N95 works by using charged fibers that attract small particles before they can get into your mouth or nose, or before they get into the surrounding air. It removes those particles from the air you breathe in or out, almost like it cleans that air. Sanitizes, you might even say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its easy to dunk on Mizelles reasoning. But this ruling has serious consequences that set a terrible precedent going forward if we want to combat a future pandemic-strain respiratory disease. It could make requiring masks on transportation systems a lot harder if were faced with another fast-spreading respiratory virus. Even if the airplane itself has high-quality HEPA air filters, the airport could still be a high-transmission site with passengers eating and milling about. The implications of Mondays ruling stretch beyond masks. Mizelles decision suggests that the federal government currently has extremely limited power to combat contagious disease. It exudes hostility toward the statute that, since 1944, has formed a bedrock of federal public health programs. This same law, for instance, grants the CDC authority to require quarantine and isolation of infected individuals, particularly at ports of entry. It gives the agency power to inspect animals and other products that could transmit communicable diseases. And in the earlier days of the COVID pandemic, the statute allowed the government to collect and report information about high-risk travelers and mandate COVID testing. Advertisement Mizelles cramped view of the law might allow for none of this. If it remains as precedent, litigants will undoubtedly race to Florida (specifically, to Mizelles courthouse) at the outset of the next pandemic. There, they will file federal lawsuits that hobble the governments response from day one. Advertisement Advertisement Bidens Department of Justice therefore made the right move in announcing on Wednesday that it would appeal the ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Its certainly a gamble: The 11th Circuit is very conservative, and no matter the outcome there, the losing party will surely appeal to the Supreme Court. But the DOJ may have a trick up its sleeve. When the conflict driving a case becomes moot during appealthat is, theres no more ongoing controversythe Supreme Court may simply vacate the lower court decision. If the CDC formally ends the mandate during this appeal, the administration can ask SCOTUS to wipe Mizelles decision off the books. That tactic would prevent the justices from ruling on the merits while erasing this dangerous precedenta win-win for the government. And the DOJ can only keep this option open by commencing an appeal. Advertisement Advertisement Many airline passengers cheered the end of the mask mandate. Their relief and delight are understandable. It has been an endless two years of the pandemic, and very few people love masking. But in the midst of these midair celebrations, we must remember: Theres going to be another pandemic down the line. When that happens, the CDC will need all its virus-fighting public health measures at its disposal. Right now, the agencys hands are tied by Mizelle. Short-term, it might be nice not to wear a mask on a plane. But well all pay for it later. A version of this article first appeared in Katelyn Jetelinas newsletter, Your Local Epidemiologist. On Monday, a Florida judge voided the U.S. mask mandate for public transit, which includes planes, trains, and buses. Several airlines immediately announced they dropped masks. And, in true pandemic fashion, an intense debate about masks has ensued. There are health equity concerns. There are legal concerns, like setting the precedent that the CDC doesnt have authority during a public health emergency. And there are epidemiological concerns. Advertisement In particular, Ive noticed dangerous rhetoric around the perceived lack of transmission on planes. This misinformation stemmed from the December 2021 Senate committee hearing when Southwests CEO said 99.97 percent of airborne pathogens are captured by filters so masks serve no purpose. While the first claim may be true, the second is not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is a review of the scientific evidence. Modes of transmission Like Ive written before, filtration and ventilation are powerful layers of protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. Airplanes, in particular, have fantastic systems with an estimated 10-20 air changes per hour. (For context, a hospital has six air changes per hour.) A Department of Defense report found plane ventilation and filtration systems reduced the risk of airborne SARS-CoV-2 exposure by 99 percent. Because of this, transmission occurs less frequently than one might intuitively expect given lots of people in close quarters with shared air. A scientific group reviewed 18 peer-reviewed studies or public health reports of flights published between Jan. 24, 2020, and Sept. 21, 2020, and concluded that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can occur in aircrafts but is a relatively rare event. Advertisement Advertisement But, like any mitigation layer, ventilation/filtration isnt perfect in stopping transmission. This is because of two things: You need to get to the airplane, and many spaces, like crowded boarding areas, dont have great ventilation. Also, filtrations systems are not turned on during the boarding process. One of my favorite aerosol scientists, Jose-Luis Jimenez, documented CO2 levels on his recent international plane trip. The highest CO2 level (the higher the value, the worse the ventilation) was while boarding and taxiing to the runway. SARS-CoV-2 is spread through aerosols and droplets. Filtration is great for aerosols, which float and suspend in the air for hours. But the air actually has to get filtered first. You can inhale SARS-CoV-2 aerosols before they reach the filter. Also, filtration isnt effective for larger droplets, which can travel up to 6 feet, but then fall to the ground due to gravity. Masks help with droplets. Proximity matters. Because modes of transmission differ, scientific studies have shown that proximity to the index case (i.e., the person who came on the plane infected and contagious) on a plane impacts risk of infection during a trip. A very extensive study traced all 217 passengers and crew from a 10-hour flight from London to Vietnam in March 2020. At the time, masks were neither mandatory nor widely used. The index case was in business class and symptomatic (fever and cough). The scientists found 16 cases were acquired in-flight (i.e., secondary cases), 12 of which were in business class. This equated to a 75 percent attack rate in business class. Two cases were in economy class, and another case was a staff member. Advertisement Advertisement The importance of proximity is consistent with other viral outbreaks on planes. In a review of 14 studies, researchers found an overall influenza attack rate of 7.5 percent, but 42 percent of the cases were seated within two rows of the index case. A similar finding was documented with SARS on a flight: a 34 percent attack rate within three rows of the index case compared with 11 percent attack rate among persons seated elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Its important to note that there are many examples of secondary cases not in close proximity. In the London to Vietnam study, two cases were not in business class, but instead 15 rows behind in economy, and another was a staff member at the back of the plane. Another study found that 11 people who contracted the virus on the plane were outside the usual parameters (two rows in front and behind). Thats because people move a lot on planes. Advertisement Advertisement Before the pandemic, a scientific group traveled on 10 intercontinental flights to assess the behaviors and movements of people on planes and the impact on viral transmission. Of the 1,296 passengers observed, 38 percent left their seat once, 13 percent left twice, and 11 percent left more than twice. In total, 84 percent of passengers had a close contact with an individual seated beyond a 1-meter radius from them. People with the most contacts were seated in the aisle. Advertisement Advertisement One would hypothesize, then, that aisle seat passengers have a higher risk of infection. But a SARS-CoV-2 study found the exact opposite. The attack rate was higher for passengers in window seats (seven cases out of 28 passengers) compared to non-window seats (four out of 83). Importantly, the seven window passengers said they never left their seats, too. In another modeling study, scientists found that you definitely dont want to sit next to an infected person. Beyond that, you dont want to sit behind them. But you may not be able to decide what seat to take. Masks help. Regardless of where you sit on the plane, evidence shows that masks help reduce transmission. Because randomized control trials are not feasible, weve had to rely on descriptive and modeling studies to assess the impact of masks on planes. Advertisement Advertisement In a scientific review of studies early in the pandemic, two public health reports extensively assessed transmission rates in the presence of rigid masking. The results affirmed low transmission with masking: The first flight had 25 index cases but only two secondary cases. One of those two was seated next to a row with five index cases. On five Emirates Airlines flights with more than 1,500 passengers, no secondary cases were found, despite 58 index cases and food being served onboard (meaning masks were worn most of the time, but not when eating). A great modeling study was published in 2021 with a few very interesting findings, too: During a two-hour flight with no masks, the average probability of infection was 2 percent. But if one sat next to an index case, the probability rose to 60 percent. During a 12-hour flight with no masks, the average probability of infection is 10 percent (or 1 in 10). If one sat next to an index case, the probability rose to 99 percent. On that 12-hour flight, if everyone wore high efficiency masks the whole time, the probability was reduced by 73 percent. If everyone wore low efficiency masks, the probability was reduced by 32 percent. If face masks were worn by all passengers except during a one-hour meal service, the probability of infection was decreased by 59 percent (high efficiency masks) or 8 percent (low efficiency masks). Another modeling study found the impact of masks increased with passenger count on a Boeing 737. With small passenger counts, few passengers were near one another, so mask wearing didnt make a big impact. But as the plane filled, more passengers were forced closer together, and risk accelerated. So the impact of masks was more apparent. Community spread Transmission on a plane doesnt just impact those on the plane: Infections will spill over and drive community transmission, too. One study assessed an outbreak on an international flight that landed in Ireland in the summer of 2020. Despite low occupancy on the plane, 13 secondary cases occurred, equating to a 9.8-17.8 percent attack rate. Onward transmission resulted in spread to 59 cases in six of eight health regions in Ireland, which required national oversight. Bottom line Planes have great filtration/ventilation systems and vaccines are highly effective, but no mitigation measure is perfect. Wear your mask while traveling, especially with increasing case trends. The layered approach will help reduce your individual-level risk, but perhaps more importantly will help travelers who are high risk and the greater community. To me, wearing a mask is just not that big of an inconvenience for good health. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. MOSCOWThe list of Western companies cutting ties with Russia in response to the special military operation in Ukraine continues to expand: According to the Yale School of Management, more than 600 brands have paused their operations in Russia. According to state-sponsored pollsters VCIOM and FOM, however, half of Russians arent worried about the foreign firms exodus and dont think it will negatively affect their lives. In response to a survey by the recruiting company Superjob, 25 percent of responders stressed that they wont buy items from companies that abandoned Russia even if they come back. The media captured how Russians put stickers saying Goodbye on the windows of McDonalds and Starbucks restaurants, as well as Cartier shops. However, the departure of the Western firms is not only about the limited choice for consumers; its also about the potential job losses for hundreds of thousands of Russians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Galina Karelova, deputy speaker of the Federation Council (the upper chamber of the Russian parliament), reported on March 23 that since the special military operation began, about 40,000 companies employing 8.4 million Russians had announced job status changes for some of their staff, adding up to almost 100,000 workers listed as idlean official designation in Russia. That number has likely increased in the past month. Under Russian law, employees should be paid two-thirds of their salary for idle time caused by a companys actions. A few Western corporations have declared that they will continue to pay Russian workers after shutting down their operations, including McDonalds, which employs 62,000 Russians, and Ikea, with 15,000 workers. In response to questions from Slate this week, Ikea said that it would keep on paying employees till June. (McDonalds did not respond to a request for comment.) While many companies announced that they have halted their operations in Russia in solidarity with Ukraine and disagreement with the special military operation, others have said it has become impossible to operate due to logistics problems. It is hard to ascertain if the latter is an excuse. Advertisement Advertisement A woman who works for Renault, a French car brand that employs about 5,000 Russians, told Slate that her salary decreased after the company suspended its manufacturing plant in Moscow: At the beginning of March, my colleagues and I were forced to use paid vacation days, though I planned my vacation in June. I took one week off. Then I worked for two weeks, and then I was categorized as idle. Now I receive two-thirds of the salary. She added that the company told workers it had halted production because of supply chain problems, but management hasnt provided any information on what happens next. I dont think that the company will continue to pay two-thirds for a long time. The situation has persuaded me that living and working in a country with a more stable economy is better. I am looking for job openings abroad. Renault did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with Renault, German carmakers Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, South Korean Hyundai, Japanese Toyota, and Swedish Volvo have stopped local production. A Volvo employee told Slate that some of her colleagues had been idle and have been receiving two-thirds of their salary: It mostly affected blue-collar workers because our plant in Kaluga has been temporarily closed. Some white-collar workers are idle as well. I am ready for the same to happen to me. If this helps my company keep jobs, I will understand that, she said. She added that she sees how hard the top managers work to develop a solution. The company is in a very difficult position: It needs to satisfy Europeans and the Russian government. Many factors affect our work: sanctions, the risk that our products might be used as dual-use goods, and logistics issues, she said. (Dual-use goods are those that have both consumer and military applications.) We plan only one month ahead right now. I believe that the solution will be found, she said. Volvo didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Partners of foreign auto companies in Russia also suffered. A plant director who supplies plastic parts to Volkswagen and the RenaultNissanMitsubishi Alliance said he had to shut down production: Complete plant head count260 employeeshave started to receive two-thirds of salary since April, he told me. He sees the current situation as an opportunity. I like challenges and risk management. The future will be very challenging, but I believe the local market will grow stronger and more independent than it was. Advertisement Advertisement The exodus of Western brands has particularly affected industries that had just started to recover after the pandemic lockdowns. The manager of one of the Adidas stores in Russia said that this is the third time his shop has faced closure in the past few years: The first two, in 2020 and in 2021, were due to the coronavirus. Then the shop shuttered again March 14 and remains closed. The company management has been keeping silent for quite a long time [after the start of the special military operation], so we didnt understand what would happen to us, he said. But theres been good news: Then Adidas announced that it would continue to pay salaries in full. It is different from the coronavirus lockdown because employees were paid two-thirds of their wages back then, he said. Advertisement Advertisement According to the manager, supply chain disruption was the main reason the German sportswear brand suspended operations. Now, he says, the sportswear maker has closed some Russian shops permanently. My boss persuaded me that this happens every year and that my shop is productive, so I should not worry, he said. But for my colleagues who worked in those stores, the news came as a shock. For now, his salary hasnt changed, which he is grateful for. I was worried initially because of the uncertainty. However, I realized that I cant change anything, so I am just waiting. Adidas declined to comment. Advertisement The Spanish fashion retailer Inditex, which owns more than 500 Zara, Zara Home, Oysho, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, and Stradivarius shops in Russia, said on March 5 that it would continue to pay its 9,000 employees after it halted sales. Not all the retail workers have been so lucky, though. One Moscow resident lost her side job as a retail storage worker; she didnt work officially for Inditex. Instead, as she shared with Slate, she worked two days per week as a temp at Inditex locations, as well as at Calvin Klein, Mothercare, Uniqlo, and Victorias Secret before they all closed stores. I used to find jobs at an application called Ventra Go, which specializes in outsourcing. But starting in March, offers have disappeared, she said. Every time I update my profile, it says: There are no vacancies for you. Stores of Russian brands also dont look for temps. My income fell by 20 percent. This is very bad. I am short of money, and I dont know how else to get a side job. Advertisement Western firms have been large advertisers in Russia, so their exit has also hit the marketing industry hard. More than one-third of the top 30 advertisers announced that they have stopped ad investments; PepsiCo, Nestle, Mars Russia, McDonalds, Procter & Gamble, LOreal, Ferrero, and Coca-Cola are among them. Russian producer Ksenia Golovchenko said she was laid off from the advertising agency she worked for. Half of our clients reported that they have suspended work in Russia, so they didnt need promotion anymore, she said. The company decided to move out of the office to reduce expenses, and we switched to working remotely. Then management called me and said that I was laid off. I was told that there were no complaints about my job, but the company was running out of money, and it couldnt pay anymore. At least 20 percent of the staff was terminated. Since she was laid off, she has relocated to the country of Georgia. Ive been looking for a new job for a month and havent found anything yet. There is no work on the Russian advertising market right now, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, foreign companies started to announce mass layoffs. On April 9, the British cosmetics retailer Lush said it would close 17 of 48 locations in Russia and lay off 200 employees. On April 12, SAS Institute, a U.S. developer of analytics software, reported that it dismissed 300 workers and planned to start bankruptcy procedures. Viktor Lyashok, an expert in labor economics, says that the unemployment rate has been stable in Russia since the beginning of the year, but he expects the situation to worsen. According to the recruitment company HeadHunter, job openings in Russia reduced by 17 percent in March. And this is only the beginning, he said. However, Lyashok thinks the unemployment rate will not grow dramatically: In crises, Russian employers try to keep their workforce by cutting their pay [instead of layoffs]. So I assume that many employees will see their income decline this year. Advertisement Other experts are less optimistic and predict the unemployment rate might rise from the current 4 percent to 7.5 percentthe level observed during the 2009 financial crisisby the end of the year. The Russian government hopes to stave that off. Lets hope that not millions of people will be left jobless, but fewer, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in March. The government announced allocating around $500 million for unemployment programs. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has even started to call employees losing their jobs a liberation instead of a layoff. If the situation gets too bad, authorities can always blame the West for attempts to suffocate the Russian population with sanctions. However, it might not be easy; none of the Russians I spoke to think the West is responsible for putting their jobs at risk. One woman who lost her job said, I blame the Russian government, which let it happen. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. ARCHIVED - President of Spain promises to double arms shipment on visit to Ukraine Sanchez has promised Spain will supply 200 tonnes of weapons to the war effort The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, has reaffirmed the countrys support of Ukraine by announcing on a visit to Kyiv on Thursday April 21 that Spain will double its delivery of weapons to the war-torn nation in the largest shipment made to date. Following a meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky , Sanchez confirmed that the army vessel Ysabel is already on the way to Poland with 200 tonnes of weapons, 30 trucks and 10 other smaller vehicles. In addition, the president has agreed to offer the expertise of Spanish crime experts from the Ministry of the Interior to assist Ukraine in the International Criminal Courts action against Vladimir Putin. Being here gives me a clearer perspective of what is at risk and makes me more determined about the need to support Ukraine, the president said, adding that he will return to Spain with a testimony of hope and rejection and indignation at the atrocities committed in the war. President Sanchez also confirmed that the Spanish Embassy in Kyiv is due to reopen, though this hasnt happened during his visit to the Ukrainian capital. Especialmente emocionado al constatar la fortaleza del presidente @ZelenskyyUa y, con el, la de todo el pueblo de Ucrania. pic.twitter.com/fRbSBGSb9Y Pedro Sanchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 21, 2022 Image: Pedro Sanchez The Slovak Spectator offers the basic information a foreigner needs to know about employment relations in Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Click on a question to find out an answer: Q: I am an EU citizen. What do I need if I want to be employed in Slovakia? Q: I come from outside the EU. What do I need if I want to be employed in Slovakia? Q: What is an average monthly salary in Slovakia? Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Related article Related article Everything important about labour market (average wage in sectors of economy, labour costs, unemployment rate...) Read more Q: How much will I really earn? Q: What else am I entitled to as an employee? Q: When can I take a break during the working day? Q: How much do I get paid working overtime, at night or on holidays? Q: How many paid days off do I get? Q: What if I dont use all my holidays? Q: What should I do if I need sick leave (PN), or leave to care for a family member (OCR)? Q: Can I get unpaid leave? Q: What happens when I get fired? Q: What should I do if I want to quit my job? Q: I have a work permit and temporary residence valid for another few months. Can I change my employer and keep the temporary residence? Or do I need to go through the whole work permit process again? Q: Also, is it a requirement that my new employer also pays my tax and health insurance? Q: Can I simply not come to work? Q: What do I get from the state when unemployed? Q: What happens when I go on maternal leave? Q: Where should I look when Im looking for a job? Q: What are employment relations in Slovakia? Do you have more questions about working in Slovakia? Please let us know at spectator@spectator.sk. Q: I am an EU citizen. What do I need if I want to be employed in Slovakia? EU and EEA citizens have the same position as Slovak nationals, the only difference compared to employing a Slovak is that the employer has to report that they are employing a foreigner at the local labour office. Q: I come from outside the EU. What do I need if I want to be employed in Slovakia? In general, third-country nationals can work legally only with a temporary residence for the purpose of employment. This can be requested at the Slovak Embassy abroad or (in some situations) at the Foreign Police department after 20 working days from the day, when your employer reported a vacancy at the Labour office. You do not need to wait 20 working days, only if the profession is included in the shortage occupations list. Police will decide on the temporary residence permit within 90 days/30 days (in some exceptional situations). The application must include: a valid passport (original, the police officer will make a copy for their use) two photographs 3x3.5cm employment contract or promise of employment decision on the recognition of a document on education (only in case of regulated professions). extract from the police/criminal records - officially authenticated (apostille or superlegalization) and officially translated into Slovak. document about accommodation in Slovakia - it can be an ownership deed, if you own a property, a notarized lease contract, a notarized affidavit of the property owner to provide you with accommodation, if you are staying with family or friends or confirmation from an accommodation facility (hotel, dormitory) on the provision of accommodation. All signatures on the lease and the affidavit must be notarized. document of financial coverage of your residence in the amount of statutory life minimum for each month of your residence (EUR 218.06 /month), if the length of residence exceeds 1 year amounting to 12-times the statutory life minimum (i.e. EUR 2,616.72; Financial coverage can be documented by confirmation of an employer on agreed salary or a bank account balance confirmation in the name of the foreign national. Consent from the municipality, that the accommodation meets the hygienic standards.- administrative fee of 165.50 or 170, depending on whether the application is submitted to the alien police or at the diplomatic mission of the Slovak Republic. administrative fee EUR 4.50 (for issuing a residence document). All documents issued abroad must be officially authenticated (apostille or superlegalization) and officially translated into Slovak. The original of the document must be an apostilled document that comes from a country that signed the Hague Convention or superlegalised if the document comes from another country. This is not required for documents from the Czech Republic, Austria, and France. That original document is then officially translated. Foreigners holding a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunion are entitled to work without the obligation to acquire a work permit after a period of 12 months from being granted temporary residence. Asylum seekers do not need a work permit, if their asylum application has not been decided upon, after six months from entering the asylum procedure. Foreigners who became victims of human trafficking do not need a work permit after 180 days of granting tolerated residence, foreign students at college are entitled to work in Slovakia for a maximum of 20 hours per week; students of secondary schools or students attending professional training for university study, which is organized by the university, can work for a maximum of 10 hours a week. Research workers with a temporary residence permit for the purpose of special activity can only do pedagogical activities for a maximum of 50 days in a calendar year, exceeding their contract on visiting work. Some other categories of foreigners who want to work in Slovakia for a very limited period of time do not need a work permit either. These include, for example, participants of scientific or artistic events whose working activities in Slovakia cannot exceed 30 days in a year. The other categories are posted workers, who, based on a commercial contract, are supplying services or goods and in connection with this supply providing industrial construction or repair works, programming works or expert training, and their work does not exceed 90 days in a year. Foreigners must obtain a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment if he/she is supposed to work for more than 90 days a year. The administrative difficulties that accompany the employment of the above-mentioned foreigners are similar to those for the employment of Slovak citizens. The employer has the duty to inform (informing the Labour Office of the employment of a foreigner) he/she is obliged to keep a copy of the residence card for the whole duration of employment. Q: What is an average monthly salary in Slovakia? There are several approaches to calculate the average monthly wage. One of the most relevant is prepared by the Statistics Office (estimation of wages of self employed included). Based on this statistic the average nominal monthly wage in 2021 was 1,211 - the highest in the Bratislava region (1,482), the lowest in the Presov region (956). Q: How much will I really earn? Contributions to social insurer (9.4 percent) and health insurer (4 percent) are first deduced from your gross salary. Employees can then apply a tax deduction (381.61 in 2022) which is deducted from the sum that is then taxed. The final sum is taxed 19 percent (if you earn more than 3,212.75 per month your tax will be 25 percent). The final sum is your net salary. From this salary there might be payment for part of your food vouchers as based on the law your employer is obliged to contribute to your food at a value which is defined by law every year. Remember that your company however pays an additional 35 percent on your health and social contributions, which is the overall price of work, higher than your gross salary. Q: What else am I entitled to as an employee? Besides paid holidays, health and social insurance, your employer must contribute to your lunches, which you get for any day you work for more than four hours. Employees are able to choose between a meal voucher or money. They can change their preference once in 12 months. You are entitled to one day off unpaid when you are moving within one municipality, and two days when you move to another municipality. You can also get unpaid half-day off every week during your notice period, to go to job interviews. Q: When can I take a break during the working day? You get half an hour break if your working time is at least six hours. Q: How much do I get paid working overtime, at night or on holidays? The system of weekend benefits has changed since January 1, 2021. It is now a given sum rather than a percentage of a persons income. Saturday: at least 1.79 per hour; if employee works regularly on Saturdays, it is at least 1.61 per hour Sunday: at least 3.58 per hour; if employee works regularly on Sundays, it is at least 3.22 per hour Night (work between 22:00 and 6:00): at least 1.43 per hour of night work applies to employee conducting non-risky work or at least 1.79 per hour of night work applies to employee conducting risky work; if employee works night hours regularly, the bonus can be lowered to 1.25, but this only applies to non-risky jobs Holiday: benefit is 100 percent of average wage of employee applies to employee with permanent job contract or an employee who works on agreement. They are entitled to 100 percent of hour wage in euros, at least 3.58 per hour. If you work at the weekend, during state holiday and at night, you are entitled to all three benefits. Q: How many paid days off do I get? There are 20 days of paid leave, or 25 days if you are 33 years and older. You are also entitled to 25 days of holiday if you do not fulfil the age criterion but permanently care for your child. You are entitled to go for a doctor visit or accompany a person with whom you live in a common household during your working time (56 hours for those working full-time(8 hours per day), each time only for the time necessary to make this visit not the whole day). You also get a paid day off when you donate blood. You get a paid day off if you are getting married and your wedding takes place during a working day. You are entitled to a paid day off when a family member dies. If you are the one to handle the funeral formalities, you get two days off if it is on working days. Q: What if I dont use all my holidays? All the days that you dont use are transferred to the next year, but all the transferred days must be used by the end of the next year (e.g. holidays remaining from 2021 are only available until the end of 2022). Q: What should I do if I need sick leave (PN), or leave to care for a family member (OCR)? You need a document proving you or your family member are sick and that you need leave from work. This needs to be delivered to your employer within three calendar days. The first 10 calendar days you are paid by your employer: the first three days its 25 percent of your daily salary basis and then seven days with 55 percent. The salary basis is calculated based on your income in the past year. From the day 11 on, the social insurer (Socialna Poistovna) pays your sick leave at 55 percent. For OCR, social insurance pays from the first day, 55 percent. However there is a daily limit what maximum can be paid from social insurance. Both OCR and PN have to be delivered to the employer who together with your doctor will communicate with the social insurer. Q: Can I get unpaid leave? You need to request it in writing. The employer does not have to agree, but usually they do. During unpaid leave, your employer does not pay your health and social insurance. You are obliged to notify your health insurer about your unpaid leave, and you are obliged to pay the contributions yourself during the leave. The procedure is required even if it is only one day. You are not obliged to pay social insurance, but be advised that these days do not count toward your pension. Q: What happens when I get fired? If your employer fires you for organisational reasons, your job position must be cancelled and not replaced by someone else at least for two months. Based on time you worked for the company notice period and severance pay apply as follows: - up to one year, the notice period is one month and there is no severance pay - 1 to 2 years, notice period is two months and there is no severance pay - 2 to 5 years notice period is two months and severance pay is one months salary - 5 to 10 years, notice period is three months and severance two salaries - 10 to 20 years, notice period is three months and severance three salaries - more than 20 years, notice period is three months and severance four salaries In the contract, the company can increase severance and notice period. It is hard to fire an employee for other reasons, such as violating work discipline. In such case, employers and employees usually try to reach an agreement on resignation. The labour code states that the employer may dismiss an employee if they reach age 65 and they are entitled to a pension. The employee is entitled to severance pay. However, the Constitutional Court suspended the effectiveness of this rule in December 2021 until it evaluates its constitutionality. Q: What should I do if I want to quit my job? You submit a written notice. There is a notice period of one month if you worked for the company for up to one year, or two months if you worked for over a year. Q: I have a work permit and temporary residence valid for another few months. Can I change my employer and keep the temporary residence? Or do I need to go through the whole work permit process again? You can change your employer while your temporary residence for the purpose of employment is still valid. However, there is a procedure which must be followed: your new employer is obliged to report a vacancy at the locally competent Labour Office. Within 30 working days you must submit your new employment contract to your respective Foreigners Police department. Within a few days, if the Labour Office agrees, the police will issue a document which is called Additional Information on Employment (Dodatocne udaje o zamestnani). Afterwards, you can start working with the new employer. Q: Also, is it a requirement that my new employer also pays my tax and health insurance? Your new employer, like any other employer in Slovakia, is obliged to pay tax advance payments and health insurance payments. Q: Can I simply not come to work? In your work contract you might be obliged to pay one months salary back to the employer. If nothing like that is stated in your contract, there is not much an employer can do if an employee doesnt show up for work and it is impossible to contact them. For the employer, this is a long and complicated process. Q: What do I get from the state when unemployed? Every day when you are not employed and not registered with the labour office you must register with the health insurance and pay your insurance alone. This applies also when you have just a day or two between jobs (even if these are a Saturday or a Sunday). If you register with the labour office as unemployed, the state pays your health and social contributions. Q: What happens when I go on maternal leave? You are entitled to 34 weeks of maternal leave. Single mothers get 37 weeks of maternal leave (43 weeks for multiple births). The social insurer will investigate whether the mother lives alone or not (in which case the regular 34 weeks apply). After the maternal leave you can stay on parental leave until your child reaches three years of age. Since January 2022, the sum of the parental allowance can be either: A) 280 monthly B) 383.30 monthly if the person who is entitled to be paid a parental allowance was before entitled also to maternal allowance. Your employer must keep your position during maternal leave, and after the three years you must get an adequate job position back. From April 1, 2021, pregnant women can apply for a new type of benefit, the so-called pregnancy benefit. A woman will be entitled to this benefit after she finishes the 12th week of the pregnancy and if the woman has had sickness insurance for at least 270 days in the last two years. The benefit will be calculated at 15 percent of the gross salary of the employee or from the calculation base for a self-employed person, but it will not be lower than 10 percent of the maximal daily calculation base. The minimum sum for the pregnancy benefit for both the self-employed and employees is 223.50 over a 30-day month. The maximum amount for women who earn a gross salary of 2,184 or more, is 335.30 monthly. Non-working students at universities and students older than 18 at secondary school, who are not entitled to pregnancy benefit, can request a pregnancy scholarship after they finish the 12th week of pregnancy. This is set at 200. Q: Where should I look when Im looking for a job? Most job offers can be found on the online job portals, among them Profesia.sk that also has an English version. There are also job agencies which offer a variety of jobs. Some employers advertise jobs through labour offices. Set out on Easter hikes or watch Slovakia's best films of recent years. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Eating chocolate eggs sounds like a good plan for Easter, but you will hopefully find even better Easter ideas below. You can spend the Easter long weekend at Slovak castles, go hiking, or watch some of the best Slovak films of 2020 and 2021, including one set in Odessa, Ukraine. We also invite you to the post-Easter premiere of a dance performance. Easter can indeed be a dangerous time period; as a 2016 story about curious Easter Monday incidents suggests, so the movie option is probably safest. Celebrate Easter safely! Artist Michal Skrovina painted the "Easter Whippers" glass painting in 1991. It is on display at the Orava Art Gallery in Dolny Kubin, northern Slovakia. (Source: webumenia.sk) EVENT Easter adventures at castles The Slovak National Museum will host Easter events at some of its castles. Alice will come back from a magical world to the Cerveny Kamen castle in the Bratislava Region at the start of the Easter weekend, and she will stay until April 18, Easter Monday, to take visitors on an adventure. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Tours guided by fairy tale characters will also be held in extensive cellars of the castle, starting every hour on the hour from 11:00 to 17:00. At the Modry Kamen castle, which serves as the museum of puppets and toys and is located in the south of central Slovakia, visitors will learn more about Easter symbols and traditions during the weekend, including how to make a whip of willows and decorate an Easter egg. Games will be held in the nearby St. Anna Park as well. Spring flowers will blossom during the coming four days, the castle said, and it is promised to be fun for families to find and identify them all. If they are successful, they will find a surprise in underground cellars. Easter-related events will take place at the following castles during the long weekend: Modry Kamen, Cerveny Kamen, and Betliar. (Source: Slovak National Museum - Betliar) In Betliar, Kosice Region, children can look forward to an exhibition of animals in the park outside the manor house on April 16, as well as a fair of traditional crafts and a workshop for the little ones. Each child needs to bring two blown-out eggs for the workshop, though. On Easter Monday, several chocolate and Easter surprises will be waiting for children visiting the manor house and the park. Note: Fees apply to all three events. Learn more about Easter in Slovakia HIKING Two rocks As the weekend lasts longer, here are two Easter hiking tips, of which the former is in the west and the latter can be found in the east of Slovakia. Cierna Skala (Black Rock, 662 m) is a hill in the Small Carpathians that hikers can reach in an hour by following a yellow marked hiking trail from the town of Plavecky Mikulas. video //www.youtube.com/embed/ZmllJzd9oWg What makes it attractive to hikers is its long and narrow rocky ridge and high rock walls. From up the hill, they can then observe the forests of the Small Carpathians and the Podunajska Nizina lowland. From Cierna Skala, hikers can return to the town or walk further on to the Jahodnik recreational area, again on the yellow marked trail, and then to the town of Smolenice, which boasts a wonderful castle and a vast English park. The extended version of the hike (13 km) takes four hours to complete. In eastern Slovakia, a rock called Folkmarska Skala (915 m), a beautiful limestone cliff formation, towers over the town of Kojsov. It dominates the northeastern edge of the Volovske Vrchy mountains. Although the hill is covered with grass and trees, there are places from which people can enjoy nice views that can go as far as the High Tatras. Folkmarska Skala. (Source: Jozef Marcincin) To explore this former mining area, hikers need to follow, again, a yellow marked hiking trail, just as in the case of Cierna Skala. It takes about 90 minutes to reach the rock, though the trail is significantly steep. A trail starting in the Ruzin-Kosicke Hamre recreational area is not demanding, but longer. OTHER TRAVEL IDEAS Church: Romanesque Church of St Michael the Archangel in Drazovce. Water: The canoeing experience in the Latorica protected landscape area in eastern Slovakia. Hike: Baranec in the Liptov region. DANCE SLUK will premiere a new show The Slovak Folk Art Collective (SLUK) will present the premiere of its new music and dance show The Passion - The Story of Man and the Earth. We tried to put together the Christian theme, which relates to the Passion, and the theme of traditional folk culture and customs tied to spring, SLUKs choreographer and artistic director Stanislav Marisler told the TASR newswire. The performance, which is directed by Alena Weisel Lelkova, does not intend to transcribe traditions or confront the Easter liturgy, he added. video //www.youtube.com/embed/8HXchI1J9pA The aim of our show is to interpret the story of man and the earth, the living tradition and biblical motifs by contemporary artistic means. From the traditional culture, spectators can recognise the burning of Morena, a goddess of winter and death, and the erecting of Maypoles. As to Christianity, dancers will portray the stories of Judas betrayal, The Last Supper, and The Way of the Cross to name a few. There is no spoken word, said the artistic director, all stories and scenes are portrayed through dancing. Premiere: at 19:00 on April 24 Admission: 19 (buy a ticket) Venue: Divadlo SLUK OTHER DEVELOPMENTS FROM THIS WEEK The Zechenters House in Kremnica, once owned by a Slovak travel author, will welcome back creative souls, writers and translators. WEEKEND READ A Ukraine-based film named Slovakias best picture Coincidence or not, the national film award, Slnko V Sieti, for best picture has been given to a story set in Ukraine. The country is still being ravaged by the Russians. The Slovak film "107 Mothers" premiered worldwide last September at the Venice Film Festival. (Source: Filmtopia) The award ceremony took place the past weekend. Ivan Ostrochovskys black-and-white drama Servants was a strong candidate for winning the main prize. The film speaks openly about how representatives of the Catholic Church were forced to collaborate with the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. However, the Slovak Film and Television Academy decided that 107 Mothers would be named the best feature film. Director Peter Kerekes filmed it with Ukrainian women serving sentences in an Odessa prison, in the south of Ukraine. Thats it for this week. Enjoy your Easter weekend! - Peter Do you have any tips? You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk Slovak-Ukrainian relations were enjoying a renaissance. Then the war broke out. PM Eduard Heger with his advisor Alexander Duleba in a train on the way to Kyiv, April 8. (Source: TASR) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled It was no coincidence that Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger accompanied Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, on her journey to Kyiv on April 8. Hegers advisor Alexander Duleba says that the joint visit was the result of a concrete plan that Heger presented to European leaders at Versailles in March, one which could help Ukraine to become a member of the European Union (EU) relatively quickly. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement There are several such proposals on the European table. But the Slovak one provides a worked-out plan with specific ideas that not only helps Ukraine during and after the current war, but also describes a path to EU membership within five years. There are voices saying that it cannot be done so fast, but nobody is suggesting that Ukraine should be accepted tomorrow, Duleba said. Ukraine has to fulfil the same conditions as every other country. We only say that we were once in a similar situation and we managed to do it in three years. We have given Ukraine five years, but maybe Ukraine will manage it earlier, so we base this on our experience of how we managed. Alexander Duleba during a discussion in 2017 (Source: Archive of Sme) Duleba, a researcher at the Slovak Foreign Policy Association think tank who specialises in eastern Europe, and a professor at Presov University, is one of the authors of the plan. In an interview with The Slovak Spectator, he explained why it would be in Slovakias interests for Ukraine to join the EU. Reviving the relationship between Slovakia and Ukraine Duleba learnt about the planned trip by Heger and von der Leyen to Kyiv about two days before it took place. He said that there were no special preparations, but that security officials who accompanied them explained the risks of making a journey into a warzone, how to use helmets and vests, and how to react in the event of an unexpected situation. When it comes to the agenda, we did not have to prepare because there is already a long-term, prepared agenda of relations with Ukraine, Duleba noted. SafeSpeed red-light cameras were installed at the busy but relatively safe intersection of Illinois Route 83 at 22nd Street, a corner shared by Oakbrook Terrace and neighbor Oak Brook. (Mike Mantucca/for the Chicago Tribune) Tony Ragucci, a former cop and longtime mayor of Oakbrook Terrace, pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges stemming from a sprawling bribery investigation involving red-light cameras. Ragucci, 66, was charged in a criminal information made public earlier this week with one count each of honest services wire fraud and filing a false tax return. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, but sources have said he is cooperating with investigators and expected to plead guilty at a later date. Advertisement A longtime police officer who was elected mayor of Oakbrook Terrace in 2009, Ragucci is the latest suburban politician to be indicted on charges he accepted cash to allow red-light cameras into his town. He resigned from office more than two years ago amid revelations of the federal investigation. Among those charged so far in the same overall probe are former state Sen. Martin Sandoval; former Crestwood Mayor Louis Presta; John OSullivan, the former Worth Township supervisor and state lawmaker; and political operative Patrick Doherty. Advertisement Sources told the Tribune that new charges against others in the investigation were expected soon. Raguccis arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert was held by telephone due to ongoing COVID-19 protocols at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Ragucci spoke only briefly to acknowledge that he understood the proceedings and the conditions of his release on a recognizance bond. His not guilty plea was entered by his attorney, Michael D. Krejci. Prosecutors accused Ragucci of accepting thousand of dollars after the state in 2017 let his suburb put red-light cameras at a busy, but arguably safe corner outside a west suburban mall. According to federal prosecutors, the year before the cameras became operational, Ragucci was paid off as part of a scheme in which the red-light camera firm paid a 14% commission on revenue generated on the cameras to another firm it had hired as a sales consultant to get village business. That consulting firms officials then paid a portion of the commission to Ragucci, first $3,500 a month, then an amount based on how much cash the cameras generated, prosecutors alleged. The then-mayor also directly accepted $12,500 cash from an official of the red-light camera firm as contracts were renewed, unaware that the official was secretly working with federal investigators on a wide-ranging corruption probe, prosecutors alleged. The alleged payments were being made at a time the Tribune was investigating how Ragucci and red-light camera firm SafeSpeed were able to get cameras installed at the busy but relatively safe intersection of Illinois Route 83 at 22nd Street, a corner shared by Oakbrook Terrace and neighbor Oak Brook. [READ MORE] Following ex-Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Anthony Raguccis indictment, activists call for end of red-light camera program Advertisement Oak Brook officials fought the cameras, saying the corner didnt need them, and the Illinois Department of Transportation had the final call because the cameras would be put on a state route. IDOT had previously deemed the corner too safe for cameras, then there were even fewer crashes, yet somehow IDOT reversed course to allow the cameras. That reversal came after Sandoval, the then-powerful head of the Senate Transportation Committee, intervened on SafeSpeeds behalf, as did another state senator, Tom Cullerton. Sandoval, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020, admitted to accepting bribes from the SafeSpeed official, Omar Maani, who at the time was secretly working with federal investigators. Cullerton later admitted to taking part in an unrelated ghost payroll scheme and awaits sentencing. The charges against Ragucci came the same month that federal prosecutors pushed for a two-year sentence for Presta, the former Crestwood mayor, who admitted to taking a cash-stuffed envelope from Maani in exchange for Prestas support of lucrative SafeSpeed cameras there. SafeSpeed and its CEO, Nikki Zollar, have denied any wrongdoing, saying that any bribes offered by Maani occurred without the companys knowledge. In a statement released after Raguccis arraignment Thursday, SafeSpeed said the company remains both shocked and saddened that one of its former colleagues was engaged in criminal conduct and recruited outside individuals to help further his self-serving activities. Advertisement Their actions were clearly in their own self-interest and done without SafeSpeeds knowledge and undercut the important work SafeSpeed does, the emailed statement read. The criminal activity of a few individuals does not and should not reflect the values and integrity of SafeSpeed, its employees, and its clients. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com Monty the piping plover walks the shoreline on April 21, 2022, after returning to Montrose Harbor. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Word began to spread about their long-awaited return. He hadnt been spotted at his Texas home and the winds were right for travel. She was known to take off around the same time from her Florida island, sometimes arriving before him. Wishes of safe flights came in from across the country as Chicagoans itching to catch an early sight made plans to head to the beach. Advertisement By Thursday afternoon, Monty, the Great Lakes piping plover, was back in Chicago. Now, birders are waiting for Rose. Advertisement The endangered shorebird pair chose Montrose Beach as their summer nesting spot three years ago, going on to break records, fledge chicks and serve as symbols for a city as hopeful and hardscrabble as two birds, individually weighing less than a stick of butter, who picked an urban beach to save their species. Monty the piping plover walks the shoreline on April 21, 2022, after returning to Montrose Harbor. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Monty, sporting his breeding plumage, wasnt spotted earlier in the week at his Texas wintering grounds, where he touched down in August after a journey that took at most 53 hours. In previous years, Rose has arrived in Chicago first, en route from a Florida island off the Gulf Coast. Together theyve flown more than 2,000 miles upon the first signs of spring to make it back to Chicago. Last year they arrived in the final days of April, the year before on the cusp of May. Its like your kids coming back from college, said Tamima Itani, of the Illinois Ornithological Society and a leader in Chicagos plover effort. Birders have been preparing for the plovers with a full monitoring schedule in place, a cleaned-up habitat ready to go and the knowledge that there will likely still be some surprises ahead. On Thursday at Montrose, a female plover joined Monty but it wasnt Rose. Monty was seen engaging in courtship displays with the unbanded bird, leaving viewers wondering if a soap opera might be in store for the summer. As stormy weather settled in Friday, there was still no word of Rose. [ Monty and Rose create waves between music fans and Montrose Beach neighbors ] Monty and Rose met on a Waukegan beach when they were less than a year old and returned to the suburb in 2018 for an initial nesting attempt that was a flop. In 2019, they became the first plover pair to nest successfully in Chicago in a generation. Their story gained traction in a David and Goliath saga that pitted the little birds against potential human disturbance on the scale of a multiday beachside EDM fest. The music festival was called off and the birds prevailed, but in following years the pair faced more natural challenges. Advertisement Theyve come to represent a conservation success story for a species once down to about a dozen nesting pairs, their efforts aided by Great Lakes habitat restoration and Chicagoans whove guarded the beach night and day, scaring away predators and raising awareness about why someone should care about two shorebirds in the first place. The agony and the ecstasy of monitoring, birder Eden Essex called it last year. Monty and Rose fledged two chicks in their first summer at Montrose. The next year, during the lakefront shutdown, they fledged three. [ Imani and Siewka are among latest plovers to look for as part of the Montrose family ] Last summer at Montrose offered more beach space as lake levels lowered and the Chicago Park District created a habitat expansion. Monty and Rose fledged two chicks Imani and Siewka after a skunk incursion resulted in their first nest being devoured. Armand Cann, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said lessons were learned from the ordeal and the nest enclosure is updated for this season. The agency has also worked with the Park District to get the habitat in shape. Various stakeholders will be on the lookout for storms, predators and yet unforeseen hurdles. We cant predict everything thats going to happen but were going on the fly and making sure they hopefully have a successful nesting season, Cann said. Advertisement Last years Great Lakes plover season exceeded goals, with 74 nesting pairs and 123 wild chicks fledged the highest count since 2018. The total included three offspring of Nish, one of Monty and Roses 2020 chicks who went on to father the first Ohio nest in more than 80 years. Nish was seen with Rose on her Florida island last fall. Monty, Rose and progeny, including Nish, signal that more plovers may settle in urban areas, Cann said. In an idealistic way, I really hope one day, maybe this year, maybe another year, that were able to gain a second pair, Cann said. Whether thats going to be at Montrose, Rainbow Beach, Illinois Beach State Park or maybe even Indiana Dunes. Monty the piping plover walks the shoreline on April 21, 2022, after returning to Montrose Harbor. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Last seasons success bodes well for this summers nesting numbers. Im really optimistic about what some of the sites are going to be looking like around the Great Lakes, said Jillian Farkas, the Great Lakes piping plover recovery coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Theres no word yet on Monty and Roses chicks, but some additional plovers have appeared in Chicago in recent days. Advertisement One banded plover showed up at Rainbow Beach on the South Side. The female, hatched at Sleeping Bear Dunes, reached her Michigan grounds the next day. A cleanup at the beach, a site researchers say has promise for another plover pair, is planned for Saturday. Even if the plovers passing through dont nest in Chicago, their visits are a sign of a welcoming habitat, said Francie Cuthbert, a professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota, who has devoted decades to the plover recovery effort. There are other birds besides Monty and Rose stopping in Chicago, Cuthbert said. Its a positive thing. Even though that bird didnt stay, it saw good habitat. Plovers live five to six years on average, Cuthbert said, and some go on to live longer. But all kinds of things can happen during migration, or any time of year, Cuthbert said. So were keeping our fingers crossed. If Rose finds her way to Montrose Beach again, it may only be a matter of time before fuzz-ball chicks on toothpick legs are flitting across the sand, adding to the list of plovers to look out for and the family tree of Chicagos favorite birds. One of the most successful participants in the history of Swedish harness racing, Hall of Famer Olle Goop has passed away at the age of 78. Born August 13, 1943, in Mora, Sweden, Mr. Goop compiled 7,696 wins as a trainer and 6,744 as a driver according to Scandinavian records. He won 66 driving titles in Sweden during his career but was known as a consummate horseman. Between training and driving, he won almost all of Europes trotting classics. He was inducted into the Swedish trotting Hall of Fame in 2013, and he was the leading dash-winning driver in Sweden for many years until he was passed by his son, Bjorn Goop. Olle enjoyed success in harness racing on both sides of the Atlantic, driving the great older trotting mare Grades Singing to victories in the 1987 and 1989 Breeders Crown Mare Trot. "The best Olle in the world," said the team at Stall Goop on social media. "Thank you for everything you've taught us and all the joy you've spread. We will miss you and the farm will be empty. Rest in peace." Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Olle Goop. (with files from USTA; photo courtesy TR Bild) A vote at the 7th Congressional District Republican convention left some conservatives in Spotsylvania County fuming. The flashpoint of the conventionheld April 9 at Caroline County High Schoolwas a vote to amend the report of the nominations committee and add James Manship as a candidate to compete against Prince William County resident Ben Hazekamp for chairman. The motion needed support from two-thirds of the 178 delegates to pass. It fell short with only 48%, and Hazekamp was declared chairman. The decision angered supporters of Manship and Spotsylvania Supervisor David Ross, a candidate for the 7th District Republican primary and hopeful challenger to Democrat Abigail Spanberger for the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He used the decision as campaign material, sending an email requesting $2,900 from each of his supporters to Stop the Steal because the Establishment will do anything for power. In the email, Ross, who was a delegate at the convention, claimed he led over the half of the delegates to walk out in protest over the steal. He said his demonstration was not in support of Manshipalthough he touted him as the more conservative, America First candidatebut it was a complaint about the process. The nominations committee met the morning of the convention and considered both Manship and Hazekamp, and found reasons to be concerned about nominating Manship. In reviewing Manships paperwork, it was determined he was previously registered to vote in Fairfax County in the 8th Congressional District. He recently moved to Spotsylvania, and transferred to the 7th District on Feb. 22, which was after the deadline, according to the committee. Manship, a George Washington impersonator, said he registered to vote in Spotsylvania on Feb. 9. His filing claimed he was registered on Feb. 14. The committee ruled that statement was false. Committee members noted that an internet search of Manship turned up 25 interactions with law enforcement ranging from speeding tickets to a guilty plea for second-degree assault. It also included a conviction for trespassing. Manship doesnt dispute the findings and noted that many of them were thrown out of court. There was a petition from the office of the Attorney General in 2012 requesting that Manship be barred from practicing law in Virginia because he was accused of impersonating a lawyer on multiple occasions. The committee found no ruling on the matter. Manship said he won the case. I was helping people who couldnt afford lawyers, but I never said I was a lawyer, Manship said. The committee also presented an email from Manship that told convention chaplain Michael Hirsch, a Fredericksburg-area pastor, that he gives a bad name to Republicans and pastors. The e-mail referred to Hirsch as tar baby, which is a known derogatory term for Blacks. Hirsch is white. Like in Brer Rabbit childrens book, if one touches the Tar Baby, one gets tarred, Manship wrote to Hirsch. Michael, for now, you are the Tar Baby! Manship said he wasnt using the phrase in a racist way. If anybody is not racist, Im that person, he said. I spent over eight years pro bono getting a Black Army veteran who was innocent out of prison. Ill have my civil rights record stand up against anybodys. Ross said he had no knowledge of those remarks from Manship or his background, and insists his disdain for the result of the convention is strictly about process and not in support of Manship. I hadnt even heard of that, Ross said of Manships comments. I think there were emails sent back and forth. My issue was with the process, not with the candidates. That process brought 178 people to Caroline County to vote on a Chair. It wouldve been great to have some discussion about whatever these issues are. Ross said conservatives in Spotsylvania and Stafford County remain upset about the denial of Manship, who said he plans to contest the ruling to the 7th District and later appeal to the State Central Committee. The King George County Republican Committee took exception to Ross conclusion that the event was rigged. Bob Stevenson of KGRC Public Relations wrote that the email Ross sent out reflects poorly on the KGRC. Ross email called the 7th District Nominations Committee five RINOs or Republicans In Name Only. The nominations committee is made up of one representative each from Caroline, King George, Madison County, Prince William County and Spotsylvania. In votes called for during the convention, all of our KGRC delegates voted unanimously in opposition to Mr. Ross claims of illegitimacy. We are not RINOs, Stevenson wrote. As the convention progressed, it became suspicious that there was a preplanned organized plot to take over the convention and force a result that was minority held and counter to the majority position. Taft Coghill Jr: 540/374-5526 tcoghill@freelancestar.com Four departments responded as a fire charred a long expanse of grass Thursday, April 21, east of Scottsbluff. The Scottsbluff Fire Department, Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department, Gering Fire Department and Minatare Fire Department all dispatched firefighters along County Road 24 near Highland Road. The fire started in a ditch close to Lacy Park. Assistant Chief Carissa Schank of the Scottsbluff Rural Fire Department said her department was alerted to the fire around noon and firefighters had significant sections contained by 1 p.m. It wasnt anywhere near out ... we were notified of the fire when we were coming from another fire, she said. Firefighters fought both the blaze itself and the weather as strong winds whipped ash and debris around. Schank said the fire burned a mile and a half of grass and damaged a stop sign, a fence and a center pivot. A bridge and power poles were also damaged, according to scanner traffic. Firefighters also responded to a fire at about 11 a.m. on Seip Canal Road, which was a controlled burn that got of control. Schank said it was a fairly small fire, which firefighters stopped quickly and damaged less than an acre. Minatare and Gering firefighters were on the scene of a third grassfire Thursday afternoon. Current weather conditions call for people to take precautions Schank said, noting that the area is under a high-wind watch Thursday and a Red Flag warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for Friday. Fire can spread very fast under these conditions, which we saw today, she said. In the National Weather Service of Cheyennes alert, it advised that the Red Flag Warning would be in place in southeast Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle Friday due to low humidity and strong wind. Schank said persons planning to burn vegetation and other materials at anytime should also consult with their local fire department about burn permit requirements. Maunette Loeks, Star-Herald, contributed to this report. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two longtime Democratic state senators whose names have come up as part of the wide-ranging federal corruption probe that led to charges against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan have dropped their reelection bids. Sens. Tony Munoz of Chicago, an assistant majority leader, and Steve Landek, who doubles as mayor of Bridgeview, withdrew their names from the June 28 primary ballot, each likely clearing the way for their political allies to take over the respective seats. Neither Munoz nor Landek has been accused of any wrongdoing. Advertisement Munoz, a former Chicago police officer whos been in the Senate since 1999, could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday, but he issued a statement announcing he plans to retire when his term is up in January. I was taught at a young age that hard work and determination is the key to success, Munoz said. I have applied this to everything I have accomplished, especially as a state senator. Advertisement State Sen. Tony Munoz listens in during a Senate hearing at the Illinois Capitol building in Springfield on April 7, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) With no candidate in the June 28 Republican primary for the newly drawn 1st Senate District, Munozs withdrawal leaves son-in-law Javier Loera Cervantes as the sole candidate on the ballot. There is, however, an objection pending against Cervantes nominating petition. Landek, who was appointed to a vacant Senate seat with Madigans help in 2011, declined to comment on his decision. But with him out of the running, the only remaining candidate on the primary ballot is Democrat Mike Porfirio, a Lyons Township trustee who previously worked as Landeks chief of staff in his Senate office and also as public works director in Bridgeview. No Republicans are currently running for the seat. Neither Cervantes nor Porfirio could be reached for comment. By putting their names on the ballot and then withdrawing after the filing period is closed, Munoz and Landek likely warded off other potential candidates who might have been interested in running for an open seat but wouldnt have wanted to take on an incumbent. Landek is expected to remain in the Senate until the end of his term and he also continues to serve as Bridgeview mayor, a job he first won in 1999. He is also the head of the Democratic Organization of Lyons Township. Had Landek remained on the ballot it would have been the first time he faced voters since his name surfaced in a sweeping federal corruption probe that led to the indictment of Madigan and a guilty plea from Landeks former neighboring state senator, Martin Sandoval. A Chicago Democrat, Sandoval died in December 2020 of COVID-19 after pleading guilty to bribery and tax charges and agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors. Federal agents who raided Sandovals Springfield office in September 2019 seized a number of items, including a flash drive with Landek written on it, according to search warrant documents. Landek, who shared an office suite and a legislative assistant with Sandoval, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Advertisement Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. One month later, in October 2019, Landek told the Tribune the flash drive likely contained information about office bills, rents and phones, and possibly legislation he sponsored for the Illinois Municipal League. He said at the time that he hadnt been interviewed by federal authorities. Sen. Steve Landek, D-Bridgeview, is seen on the Senate floor at the Illinois Capitol in Springfield on Jan. 3, 2013. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) When federal agents descended on village hall in southwest suburban Lyons two days after raiding Sandovals state Capitol office, items related to the Democratic Organization of Lyons Township were among the records they sought, according to a search warrant. The list of items that were seized in the Lyons raid also included a framed photograph of Lyons Village President Christopher Getty with Munoz. Munoz, like Sandoval, came up through the now-defunct Hispanic Democratic Organization, a Chicago patronage army backed by then-Mayor Richard M. Daley. In October 2019, Munoz issued a statement saying that questions about the photo were the first time Im hearing about this. Our local government officials visit the Capitol while were in session, and I often meet with and take pictures with them, he said at the time. Advertisement Separately, a court filing earlier this year in the federal case against former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, who has pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme involving sweepstakes gambling machines, revealed that Munoz testified before a grand jury in the matter. A motion from Arroyos attorneys seeking probation rather than prison time noted Munoz testified that Arroyo only approached him to arrange a meeting. Munoz had previously sponsored a measure that would have banned the machines, which died in the House after being approved without opposition in the Senate. In February 2020, the village of Bridgeview, where Landek is mayor, received a federal grand jury subpoena for a range of documents, including communications with Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, a former state lawmaker and lobbyist who was charged alongside the former speaker last month in a 22-count federal indictment. As part of the February 2020 subpoena, authorities also sought communications with Madigans hand-picked alderman, Marty Quinn, 13th, and his brother Kevin Quinn, whod been ousted from the speakers political organization over sexual harassment allegations. Most of the documents requested in the subpoena were for information related to Raymond T. Nice, a longtime precinct captain in Madigans 13th Ward organization. Authorities sought contracts, invoices and tax records, among other documents. While Nice is not named in the Madigan indictment and has not been charged, the Tribune has reported that prosecutors alleged Nice was designated a subcontractor and had payments funneled to him through a ComEd lobbyist. Nice did little or no work, prosecutors said. As the Tribune has previously reported, Bridgeview was among the more than half-dozen suburbs that awarded insurance business to the firm that employed Madigans son, Andrew. Advertisement Bridgeview selected Mesirow Financial as its broker for risk management insurance in December 2010, about a month before Michael Madigan presided over a meeting of local Democratic Party leaders who unanimously chose Landek to replace retiring Sen. Lou Viverito. In 2012, Landek declined to say whether Andrew Madigan was involved in securing the three-year contract, but he said all insurance brokerage deals in the village went through a competitive bidding process. The federal indictment of Michael Madigan alleges that during a 2018 meeting about a potential appointment to a state board, he asked then-Ald. Danny Solis, who was wearing a wire, to steer insurance business to his son. dpetrella@chicagotribune.com The Western Community College Area Board of Governors discussed ongoing renovation projects during its Wednesday, April 20, regular board meeting. Board member Coral Richards, who represents district 4, motioned to extract the renovation bid from the consent calendar during the meeting. I would like to extract the renovation bid to allow the board to ratify the actions of the administration, Richards said, spurring additional discussion. The board reviewed B-Pod renovation and furniture quotes. The memorandum included in the board packet indicated a need for emergency approval to lock in the price for the furniture. Eakes Office Solutions in Grand Island worked with Winter Griffith Architects in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on purchasing furniture designed for education and state institutions, according to the packet information. Eakes Office Solutions informed the college there is a 10% cost increase from the furniture manufacturer scheduled for Monday, April 18. The order needs to be submitted by April 12 to lock in pricing at the current price, the memorandum read. Emergency approval is requested by the executive committee with ratification by the full board at the April 20, 2022, board meeting. In the absence of finance committee chairman Karen Anderson, Western Nebraska Community College vice president of administrative services Lynne Koski shared further information with the board. Since the submission date was prior to the board meeting, Koski said they met with the finance, facility and executive committee to inform them of the situation. We moved forward to place this order, which saved the college approximately $27,000, Koski said. Were asking the board to ratify that action today. The board motioned to ratify the action of the administration to approve the bid submitted by Eakes Office Solutions for the B-Pods renovation. The furniture costs total $278,227.10, with B-Pod classroom furniture at $128,265.78, B-Pod faculty offices at $86,056.92 and the Harms meeting rooms B120, B121 and C139 at $63,904.40. The board also accepted bids for summer grounds maintenance at the Western Nebraska Community College campus in Scottsbluff, receiving one bid from Scottsbluff Landscaping for $140,000. The college is facing a staffing shortage on the maintenance staff and with the lack of qualified applicants, the college accepted bids for grounds maintenance for the 2022 season. They do not plan to hire part-time grounds help to offset the cost of the contract. The review committee recommended the board award the bid to Scottsbluff Landscaping to allow the colleges maintenance staff to focus on summer maintenance across campus ahead of the fall semester. WNCC interim president John Marrin also shared details about state COVID-19 monies the college was awarded will help them invest in academic growth and prosperity. LB 1014 outlines the appropriations of funds allocated to the State of Nebraska from the federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund. Program No. 697 details the allocation for community colleges across the state, including WNCC. According to the bill, the college must submit a grant application to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education for funding for a capital project or for offering a course that meets the criteria established by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the commission. The college must meet all necessary federal and commission compliance and reporting requirements. We as a community college collective receive $60 million, $10 million for each college, Marrin said. That is a significant amount of money for Western Nebraska Community College. The amount was less than what Marrin originally asked for as the negotiations occurred at the state and federal levels. Marrin spoke with Koski to determine the best use of funds within the restrictions of the monies. There has to be an involvement and a reason for academic growth and prosperity after COVID, he said. So we really have to maintain those standards, which we will. Marrin said officials will approach the board with recommendations in the future and the monies will be handled through the coordinating division. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 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 long-time desire to perform the intense concert band composition of The Testament of Freedom by Randall Thompson inspired Western Nebraska Community College instrumental instructor Nathaniel Johnson to center the departments 2022 spring concert around a patriotic theme. The concert, which will take place on Sunday, April 24, is called Testament, as a nod to the central musical piece. The Testament of Freedom was a piece that Johnson performed during his college days and has since been wanting to bring it to WNCC, but hasnt had the band for it, until now. I really, really liked the piece, and I wanted to do it for a long time, he said. We finally have the musicians to be able to handle it. Its fairly involved and its long and its intense. Johnson said that the composition has four movements to it, and the entire piece is set to the writings of Thomas Jefferson. It will even feature a unique collaboration between all three performing arts departments. Were being joined by the Collegiate Chorale, which is the large choir here at the college, Johnson said. Violette (Briggs), our theater director, and her husband Rich will be reading the readings prior to each movement. The concert will also include other patriotic music, such as The Star-Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful, as well as more obscure tunes like The Pine Tree Flag and Marching Along with Washington. Johnson said he also decided that the Ukraine national anthem had a place at this concert, which will be sung in Ukrainian by vocal instructor Patrick Newell and accompanied by the Western Nebraska Winds band. Its kind of the same theme, Johnson said. This is all about standing up against the oppressors, so it seemed to be appropriate. Johnson said that overall, the concerts theme this year seems to be the right time and place for the messages it will be presenting, particularly for the main piece The Testament of Freedom. Honestly, I think that its a message that needs to be shared, he said. I had that comment from a couple of the band members that this is the right time to do this. I mean, the opening of the piece, Thomas Jefferson says, The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. The hand of force can destroy but cannot disjoin them. WNCCs instrumental spring concert is free and open to the public. It will be performed on Sunday, April 24, at 3 p.m. at the Judy Chaloupka Theater on the Scottsbluff campus of WNCC. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 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. Two local charities each received $15,093 checks Wednesday to help children in need across Scotts Bluff County and beyond. The money was raised by Leadership Scotts Bluff Class XXXII, a local leadership development group, through their annual Hoops 4 Heroes fundraising event. The two organizations chosen this year were the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Scotts Bluff County and the CAPstone Child Advocacy Center of Western Nebraska. The former helps children in foster care, and the latter aids children who have suffered abuse or neglect. Each non-pandemic year, the leadership class donates the money raised by Hoops 4 Heroes to between one and four charitable or community groups. The local chapters of CASA and CAPstone had previously been the Hoops 4 Heroes fund recipients in 2013. It (Hoops 4 Heroes) is an exceptional event. This year we had a huge turnout, Leadership Class XXXII member Kelly Betts told the Star-Herald. She said this years Hoops 4 Heroes, which took place on March 18, featured food, cornhole games, a silent auction and a raffle. If it wasnt for the people in the community and the businesses in the community, we couldnt have pulled this off. Before the event, the class listened to presentations from various representatives asking for them to donate the funds raised to their organizations. Betts said the class decided to donate to CASA and CAPstone because they were smaller charities with a similar mission in helping children. We felt that was really important ... their presentation was so impressive and really melted our hearts, so to speak, she said. The Hoops 4 Heroes event raised nearly $30,200, which was split evenly between CASA and CAPstone. CASA executive director Kelcie McBride received her groups check at the Weborg 21 Centre at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Monica Shambaugh, executive director of CAPstone, was handed her groups check at 11:45 a.m. at the same place. My gosh, what a blessing for them to have picked CAPstone and CASA for their recipients. Both of us are nonprofit organizations, were just trying to stay ahead of the curb, Shambaugh said. She said her organization would use the money to improve their building and help with fundraising events of their own. You guys have no idea how much this means. Our program has been working for so hard for years to increase the number of kiddos were able to serve, McBride said when she received her groups check. ... Its going to be huge for our organization. It will help support us and have a lasting impact. 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. Kelso High School seniors bent over with pencils or brushes held tight in their hands as they perfected what will stand as their final high school artworks. Those seniors, along with five other Kelso High School students, will leave the district with at least one achievement under their belts. They all were winners in local art shows honoring students who submitted exceptional work. They really follow their heart, thats what I would say, said TJ Frey, Kelso High School art teacher. I really couldnt be more proud. Falls Vixen and Misfortune' This isnt Kylana Hegnes first time receiving an honor for her work, but as graduation approaches, it will be her last as a high schooler. Her winning artwork depicts a fox skull. It faces forward, with empty black eye sockets and harsh shadows for its cheekbones and along the jawline. From its ears and chin grows a number of leaves and other flora. Another piece by Hegnes also drew from her fascination with nature. A falcon, one of the worlds fastest fliers, is caught in motion. A flurry of blueish feathers have come off mid-flight. Hegnes said she wanted to show the bird was moving so quickly the wind stripped its feathers to reveal black eye sockets and a harsh white skull. These pieces earned Hegnes a winning title at the Educational Service District No. 112s 2022 annual art competition, which comes with a $3,000 scholarship from the Pacific Northwest College of Art toward future enrollment. If theres something Im inspired to draw or something that Im inspired to paint, then Im willing to do that no matter what, Hegnes said. I use boundaries to make extensions to those art pieces and go beyond that. Hegnes said she aspires to work in animation one day, possibly for Disney and Pixar studios. Tattered Bowl and The Four Seasons of Franklin Another winner for the ESD art competition was Isabel Lopez, whose ceramic patterned turtle was recognized. She started pottery in her sophomore year, drawing on a childhood love of molding colored clay with her sister. I can try to tell you about my project, but its always been easier for me to just show with my hands what Im doing and what my plan is, Lopez said. The clay animals outstretched fins and head are brown with sparkling green, while the clay has a rougher texture thanks to a technique Lopez used. On its back are four squares representing summer, autumn, winter and spring there is a gleaming sun, brown and orange acorns, a torrent of blue rain and flowers painted on each. Another of Lopezs pieces won a regional award in the Annual State Superintendent of Public Instruction Art Show in Olympia. Its a clay bowl Lopez approached with some hesitance; she never molded a piece that did not draw from her past experiences or love of nature, and she was using techniques she only recently learned. The bowl, spice-cream colored with speckles of goldish yellow on the inside and marbled with bright white and electric blue on the outside, is the one that earned Lopez a $5,000 scholarship for the Pacific Northwest art college. Lopez said she will attend Western Oregon University to study elementary education, hoping to one day teach art. Take Me Back to Wonderland Remy Frey, senior and daughter of art teacher TJ Frey, had winning work that also represented her stepping outside her comfort zone. She usually sketches animals, mostly avoiding self-portraits. Then, one day in class Frey sat her phone in front of herself, snapping a shot of her masked face. It was a captured moment of Freys reality at the time after nearly two full years learning remotely, wearing a mask and socially distancing. The selfie became Freys template as she used ink pens to re-create the photo. She inked a crown of twigs and leaves to the top of her head, a callback to when she was younger and pretended she had powers of nature. A black crow was added to her sketched selfs shoulder, a cape draped around her. As she drew, Frey said she realized what the self-portrait represented to her: a period of growth, maturity and transformation. I think its part of being human that as you grow, you always want to go back to a different time, Frey said. One day Ill probably look back at today and think these were actually the good old days. Her self-portrait won an ESD award and a $2,000 scholarship from the Central Washington University art and design department. Freys abstract rendition of a fox earned an honorable mention from the ESD art judges. Frey said after high school she wants to study marine biology. Art pieces by middle and high schoolers from Longview and Kelso will be on display starting Monday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cowlitz Regional Conference Center, 1900 Seventh Ave., Longview. Viewing hours also will occur from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify that eight total Kelso High School Students won 12 awards between them. The five winners not mentioned here are Mei-Lien Tanner, Maggie Waddell, Josie Settle, Kelsie Collins and Mia Nestaval. Their work can be viewed at https://www.esd112.org/news/2022-southwest-washington-regional-high-school-art-show-winners-announced/ 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. The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing limiting the amount of pollutants allowed to be discharged in Washington state waters, just as the state has warned some locally caught fish contains an unsafe amount of toxins. Fish limits The Washington and Oregon departments of health advise people to limit eating white sturgeon caught from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Bonneville Dam due to the amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, found in fish tissue. PCBs are manmade chemicals found in products like motor oil, plastics and oil-based paint and are a potential carcinogen, the EPA says. Washington and Oregon health officials suggest pregnant or nursing mothers, as well as children, shouldnt eat more than seven white sturgeon caught in the river a month, while other people shouldnt eat more than eight white sturgeon per month. Oregon announced the limit March 10 and Washington announced the limit April 7. Toxicologist Emerson Christie with the Washington State Office of Environmental Public Health Services said the amount of PCBs found in some Lower Columbia white sturgeons tissue is only slightly higher than the states threshold for safe consumption. He said the advisory is the least restrictive limitation the state puts out. The threshold is based off the American Heart Associations recommendation to eat fish twice a week. Christie said fish advisories could last years because officials cannot lift warnings until data negating the need for the advisory is collected. He said PCBs are very persistent and hard to get out of the environment. PCBs can be found in sediment where sturgeon feed, and the pollutants can remain in the fat of the long-living fish for years, according to the Oregon Health Authority. PCBs can lead to possible potential learning and behavioral problems and pregnant women can pass pollutants to kids, the Washington State Department of Health reports. Any reduction of PCB in the environment would be a good step in reducing PCB concentration in fish, Christie said. EPA How to comment on EPA proposal Online: www.regulations.gov. Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Standards and Health Protection Division Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20460. Online public hearings: 9 to 11 a.m. May 24, register at tinyurl.com/wam3s4sa; and 4 to 6 p.m. May 25, register at tinyurl.com/bdzbxmr. The Washington advisory limiting white sturgeon consumption came about a week after the EPA proposed rolling back relaxed clean water regulations, approved in 2019 and 2020 for Washington state. Columbia Riverkeeper is an environmental group aimed at protecting the Columbia River from toxins. Legal and Program Director Lauren Goldberg said the EPAs proposed rule would return PCB levels to 2016 requirements, which are 25 times less than the amount of PCBs allowed in Washington waters today. Goldberg said the EPA approved the limits of 7 picograms of PCB emitted in Washington waters a day in 2016 under the Obama administration, and the regulations were loosed to 170 picograms a day in 2020 during the Trump administration due to pushback from businesses. The EPA says its own decisions on the 2019 and 2020 changes were not based on a sound scientific rationale. Columbia Riverkeeper, along with six other environmental organizations, filed a lawsuit to revert the EPAs rollbacks, according to Earthjustice, an environmental law group with an office in Seattle. Earthjustice says groups representing the pulp and paper industry, the Washington Farm Bureau and Boeing petitioned to lower restrictions, which the Trump administration approved. People can comment on the EPA proposal through May 31. 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 Kelso City Council is changing the zoning for the land along the Talley Way road extension at the request of Segale Properties. The council gave the first of two votes to approve the ordinance, making the zoning change during Tuesday nights council meeting. The second vote will take place at the next council meeting in May. The Portland office of Trammell Crow Company submitted the zoning change application in February on behalf of Segale Properties, who own the three parcels of land in question. The request changes the area from a commercial zone to an industrial zone on the citys future land-use map, and the zoning would similarly change from regional commercial to light industrial. In addition to the local demand in the city, the regional demand for industrial land continues to grow and will increase the need for property with good freeway access and developable areas, Trammell Crow representatives wrote as part of the application to the city. This change reverts the land back to its original classification. Developer Mario Segale requested a change from industrial zoning to commercial in 2009 to prepare for a proposed retail complex called Kelso Village. When the Longview Wye project reconfigured the interchange between Interstate 5 and Talley Way, the properties owned by Segale were viewed as a potential major business draw. Since then, however, no further development has taken place. Representatives from Trammell Crow and Anchor Point, which owns much of the land west of the properties in question, attended Tuesdays council meeting in support of the proposed change. In other business, the Kelso City Council gave final approval for an ordinance updating the policy for the Kelso Police Departments body-worn cameras and approved updates to the rules and procedures affecting how the City Council operates. Opioid settlementAs part of the councils consent agenda, the city approved an agreement to receive a payout from the opioid lawsuit settled by Purdue Pharma earlier this year. The Washington Attorney Generals Office reached a settlement agreement with Purdue and the Sackler family in March that would provide the state with an estimated $183 million. According to a statewide breakdown of the settlement shares included with the council packet, Kelso would receive 0.13% of the total share of the settlement that is set aside for Washington. Longview would get 0.62% of the settlement, and Cowlitz County is slated to get 1.72%. Shares of the settlement are calculated based on the population and on metrics that look at the impacts that Oxycontin and opioids had on the local community. Settlement money can be used for opioid addiction treatment and prevention efforts. The proposed settlement still needs to be approved by a bankruptcy court before any money is provided. 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. On April 20, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Wang Yi said, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-Azerbaijan diplomatic ties. Standing together through thick and thin over the past 30 years, China and Azerbaijan have ensured that the friendly and cooperative partnership between the two countries remains a shining example of state-to-state relations. Just as President Ilham Aliyev pointed out, Azerbaijan and China are "true strategic partners". China believes that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Azerbaijan relations will open up new bright prospects and sail into a new stage featuring greater maturity and more connotations. Wang Yi said, China will, as always, respect Azerbaijan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and support the Azerbaijani people in independently choosing their development path in line with national conditions. China believes that Azerbaijan will continue to support China's legitimate position on issues concerning China's core interests, and that Azerbaijan will always adhere to the one-China principle and oppose "Taiwan independence" in whatever forms. China is ready to work with Azerbaijan to seek greater synergy between development strategies, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, consolidate the traditional friendship between the two peoples, and cement the social foundation of China-Azerbaijan relations. China welcomes Azerbaijan's active participation in the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Bayramov congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and thanked China for its valuable support to Azerbaijan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. China's vaccine assistance, marking a timely help, has made Azerbaijan one of the first countries in the world to have COVID-19 vaccines. The two sides should grandly celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, and strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, so as to fully demonstrate the high level of bilateral relations. Azerbaijan will continue to abide by the one-China principle, which is also an integral part of upholding the basic norms governing international relations. More Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest and do business in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is also ready to strengthen cooperation with China under the framework of the GDI. Cowlitz County is seeing a slight increase in COVID-19 cases, similar to the state, but hospitalizations and deaths remain low. State health officials said Wednesday they are focusing less on case counts and more on new variants, outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths. The most important thing for us is the healthcare capacity, said Secretary of Health Umair Shah during a press briefing. We have seen a slight uptick in cases overall, but no change in severe disease related to hospitalizations and deaths. Shah attributed the recent increase in cases to the predominance of omicron subvariant BA.2, which is more transmissible, and relaxing restrictions and precautions. As of early April, the subvariant accounted for about 90% of sequenced cases in the state, he said. Statewide, the case rate increased from a low of about 40 per 100,00 in mid-March to 84.7 per 100,000 from April 5 to April 11. Cowlitz Countys case rate remains below the states, but has increased slightly over the last month to 35.3 cases per 100,000 from April 5 to April 11. The county recorded an average of five new cases per day, according to the county health department. County residents 80 and older have the highest case and hospitalization rates, which may be partly because they get tested more, according to the health department. The county recorded 2.7 new hospitalizations per 100,000 from April 5 to April 11, or three admissions over those seven days. Thats up from the end of last month when new hospitalizations hit zero, but the rate has remained relatively steady since dropping below 5 per 100,000 in early March. Statewide, hospitalizations have remained flat for the past month, with 1.9 new admissions per 100,000 from April 5 to April 11. The state health department hasnt seen any evidence that it needs to reinstate requirements, such as indoor masking, Shah said. Residents concerned about COVID-19 activity know what protection measures they can take including masking, distancing and vaccination to lower their risk of illness, said Scott Lindquist, state epidemiologist. Lindquist and Shah recommended those eligible get a booster dose to help best protect against severe illness. People should get the dose when they become eligible, rather than waiting until before a trip or event, Shah said. Everyone 12 and older is eligible for a booster dose five months after completing vaccination. Those 50 and older and people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised eligible for a second booster four months after the first. Statewide, 58.5% of eligible residents had received a booster as of Monday. About 68% of all residents had completed their primary vaccination series. About 53% of eligible Cowlitz County residents had received a booster, and 62.2% of all residents completed their primary series. 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. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is coming in the colours of Pokemon! Know what you should expect. Smartphone companies do dream up new designs and ideas to attract buyers with their distinctive looks in addition to the features that they offer. While following the same trend, Samsung has come up with a new design for the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Well, if you are a fan of Pokemon and foldable phones then this will fascinate you as the smartphone maker looks to appeal to a massive Pokemon fan base with the looks of its foldable smartphone. The Pokemon-themed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is launching in South Korea. This will be the special edition of Galaxy Z Flip 3, which will be launching in the coming days. Sadly, there is no news regarding its appearance in the international market, and for now, only South Korean customers will be able to enjoy the Pokemon edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. Pokemon-themed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Not just the smartphone, but Samsung is also paying special attention to the overall presentation of this device, including its special Pokeball-themed box and a Pokemon carry pouch, and several other additional peripherals. Well, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be in the normal black colour with a special protective case in the box. Besides these, buyers will also get a Pikachu keychain, a Pokeball pop socket, and stickers. Though, on the software front, there will rarely be any changes. Pokemon themed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 launch A countdown is going on the Korean website of Samsung about the launch of the special edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 which suggests that it will arrive on April 25 in South Korea. This is when we can expect more information about the smartphone. Talking about the price of the Pokemon-themed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is still unknown. Though, it is expected to be higher than the standard Galaxy Z Flip 3 which is a minimum of $1,000. The final price and rest of the information will be unpacked along with the launch of the device in the country. A Brazilian court has ruled that the tech giant should pay $1075 for violating consumer law over sale of iPhone without a charger. Apple has recently paid $5,000 Brazilian Real, nearly $1,075 to a customer for selling him an iPhone without a free charger included in the box. A Brazilian judge has ruled that the tech giant must pay compensation to the consumer for not providing a charger with the iPhone. According to the countrys Consumer Code (CDC), devices such as a smartphone must include a charger. Though it can be sold separately, the separate sale must not be mandatory. As per the report by local publication Tecmundo, the court ruled, According to article 39 of the Consumer Code (CDC), "tie sale" is an abusive and prohibited practice in Brazil, so it is not allowed to sell cell phones and chargers separately. For the unversed, Tie sale refers to the practice of forcing a consumer to buy two products in order to make one of them work fully. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: Hence, Apple is being instructed to pay compensation of over $1000 after selling an iPhone model and charger separately to a consumer in the city of Goiania. This is not the first time, but Apple was fined earlier as well for the same reason. Last year, Brazil fined Apple $2 million as a punishment for violating consumer law and disrespecting Brazilian customers. Before that an Australian court asked Apple to pay a $6.6 million fine for misleading customers who bought its devices between February 2015 and February 2016. In 2018, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a lawsuit in the Australian Federal Court against Apple and its subsidiary after hundreds of customers complained regarding the error 53. The technical failure had disabled some iPhones and iPads after users downloaded an iOS update. Later Apple admitted that it refused to repair the devices of at least 275 affected customers in the country as they had already been repaired by a third party. Apple took the decision to remove the charger in the box in 2020. The tech giant claimed the move is for environmental reasons as it will save 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually, around 10% of Apples annual footprint. A solar flare has just hit Earth over India, South East Asia and Asis Pacific regions. The flare was of X2.2 class. An intense solar flare has just hit Earth and this time, the skies over India is where the impact takes place! Scientists say that the Sun spit an X2.2 class solar flare towards the Earth and the area of impact included India, South East Asia, and Asia Pacific regions. The flare was of the X2.2 class, which is classified as the most intense of its kind and can cause harm to our communications infrastructure. The solar flares eruption was first reported by the Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI), and was predicted to impact satellite communications and global positioning systems. "Strong ionospheric perturbation is ongoing over India, South East Asia and the Asia-Pacific regions. Expected high frequency communication blackouts, satellite anomalies, GPS scintillations, airline communication impacts," the CESSI said on Twitter. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: Intense solar flare just hit Earth over India "The X2.2 class solar flare eruption took place at 3:57 UTC (9.27 IST) from the solar magnetic active region AR12992," Dibyendu Nandi, Associate Professor and Coordinator of CESSI at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata told PTI. Mr. Nandi said the CESSI had already predicted the eruption of an X-Class flare on April 18. He said the scientists at CESSI are currently studying the impact of the flare on us Earthlings. Solar flares often have the tendency to impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals. And it goes without saying -- they pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts. Solar flares cause geomagnetic storms that affect all electrical infrastructure. Our Earth shields us from the harmful effects of the solar storm with its strong magnetic field that creates a kind of magnetic bubble, deflecting the flares. However, it can affect our electric systems. A solar flare that is classified as an X-Class flare is used to refer to the most intense flares. The number accompanying the letter indicates its strength, while the alphabets denote the size. According to NASA, the smallest ones are A-class followed by B, C, M and X. World Creativity and Innovation Day is celebrated every year on April 21 to inform people about the role of creativity and innovation in human development. World Creativity and Innovation Day is observed every year on April 21 to emphasize the role of creativity and innovation in different aspects of human development. The main goal behind the celebration of this day is to encourage people to promote multidisciplinary thinking both at individual and group levels. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to celebrate the day on April 27, 2017 and since then it is being celebrated on April 21 every year. Heres all you need to know about World Creativity and Innovation Day. World Creativity and Innovation Day: History World Creativity and Innovation Day was founded on May 25, 2001 in Toronto, Canada. However, it came into existence after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to celebrate the day on April 27, 2017. The first World Creativity and Innovation Day was celebrated in 2018. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: World Creativity and Innovation Day was founded by a Canadian woman named Marci Segal after she came across a headline in the National Post newspaper which read Canada in Creativity Crisis. Segal was studying creativity at the International Center for Studies in Creativity in 1977. She decided to come up with Creativity and Innovation Day as she believed that generating new ideas with the help of creativity and making new decisions can help in tackling crises as well as in the development of society. World Creativity and Innovation Day: Significance The UN designated April 21 to be celebrated as the World Creativity and Innovation Day with an aim to educate people about the role of creativity and innovation in different aspects of human development. Since there is no universal understanding of creativity, the concept is open to different interpretations in various fields like problem-solving in the context of social, economic, and sustainable development, artistic expression and much more. According to the UN general assembly, creativity and culture do not only create an economic value, but also add a non-monetary value to lives. This eventually contributes to social development. The United Nations even urges its member nations to make cultural and creative industries a part of economic growth strategies. United Nationss statement reads, innovation, creativity and mass entrepreneurship can give new impetus to economic growth and job creation. Credit: Pexels/CC0 Public Domain Climate change has forced humankind to think differently in order to preserve the planet and every living being. A wide variety of technologies and services that preserve natural resources have emerged worldwide, as a result of research and innovation efforts. We now have zero-emission vehicles, smart and more efficient appliances, green packaging made from biodegradable plastic, and even lab-grown meat. How about software? Can an app be green too? Appsand anything else that is programmedcan actually be more or less efficient and require more or less power to perform their tasks. And if an inefficient app does not shock you, imagine if all the Google servers were consuming twice the power they do today, because of poor optimization. It's all about scale. A group of researchers from the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC) and the University of Minho focuses on that exact point: making sure the software on everything that surrounds us is coded as efficiently as possible. "We want to raise awareness and help programmers build more sustainable and robust solutions," stated Joao Saraiva, a researcher at INESC TEC and professor at the University of Minho. Writing more efficiently The group has released a scientific publication where they compared the efficiency of different Android keyboard applications, such as Google Keyboard (GBoard) and Microsoft SwiftKey. Because smartphones run on batteries, the whole system must be as efficient as possible to extend battery life to the max. "In fact, replacing the most energy-greedy keyboard with the greenest one has reduced energy consumption by 18%, and when advanced features of those keyboards (word prediction or animations) were turned off, the energy consumption was also reduced, in this case, up to 9.3%", wrote the researchers Rui Rua, Tiago Fraga, Marco Couto, and Joao Saraiva. What if we consider the smartphone as a whole, instead of one specific app? With that in mind, the team has also developed GreenHub, an Android application that is able to measure the power consumption of smartphones. The data collected from the application allowed the analysis of the battery consumption of 23 million samples, spread across more than 1,600 device brands, 11,800 smartphone models, and more than 50 Android versions, which resulted in this publication. The authors were able to find charge/discharge tendencies across different countries, observable battery tendencies across brands and models, and battery usage improvements between Android versions. They have also studied how some of the most popular applications such as Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook Lite (now called Meta) behave in terms of battery consumption tendencies. In addition to studies focused on analyzing energy consumption, the group is also dedicated to developing tools and methodologies to estimate software energy consumption. "The development of such artifacts is motivated by the need to provide tools for developers and researchers to detect source code critical energy hotspots," explained researcher Rui Rua. The latest artifact developed within this scope is a tool called E-MANAFA, which allows monitoring and estimating the energy consumption of software on Android devices. Programming more efficiently Programming languages are the backbones of mobile applications, websites and so much more. And there are currently hundreds of programming languages available that solve different problems programmers need to address. Python, for example, is often used in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, and JavaScript for Web development, just to name a few. The group of researchers has placed programming languages under the microscope to find the ones that require more energy to perform similar tasks. The result is a scientific publication featuring the rank of 27 languages from power-saver to energy-drainer. "Developers can use this information to decide what programming language is the most appropriate for their target scenario, which can vary according to several constraints, such as limits on battery, time, and memory," said Joao Saraiva. Google's energy consumption has increased over the last few years, reaching 15.4 terawatt hours in 2020, which would be enough to power 9.6 million European households in 2019, and it is very likely to keep on increasing, not only in Google's case, but in most industries. Considering that the world is using more and more power, it is of the highest importance to optimize energy. Although it might not be visible to the end-users, power efficiency in software should be taken into account if the world aims to address climate change, as 80% of the world's produced energy still originates from fossil fuels. Automatic debugging Coding will inevitably result in bugs, and the act of debugging is, by itself, a way to improve the energy efficiency of software. The group is also focused on Software Fault Localization (SFL), one of the most expensive and time-consuming activities in program debugging. "We have developed a technique that provides semantical information about the modifications that led to a software bug. The tool that implements this technique is publicly available and it is called Morpheus," said Francisco Ribeiro, researcher at INESC TEC. In this publication, the authors showed that automated repair techniques can benefit from this new information and fix programs more effectively. But isn't there a way to debug automatically? That is what Automated Program Repair (APR) is all about: fixing faulty programs with as little human intervention as possible. In fact, companies like Meta clearly acknowledge such benefits and actively conduct research in this area. Regarding APR, the Portuguese group of researchers obtained a repair rate of 27% in their studies with more than 6,000 faulty programs. The energy crisis has begun, and climate change is right around the corner. In an ever-growing digital society, being digitally efficient is a must. Whatever the method is, it is good to know software engineers are doing their part. Explore further Updated Carat app gives a smart boost to battery More information: Rui Rua et al, Greenspecting Android virtual keyboards, Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM 7th International Conference on Mobile Software Engineering and Systems (2020). Rui Rua et al, Greenspecting Android virtual keyboards,(2020). DOI: 10.1145/3387905.3388600 Rui Pereira et al, GreenHub: a large-scale collaborative dataset to battery consumption analysis of android devices, Empirical Software Engineering (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s10664-020-09925-5 Francisco Ribeiro et al, On Understanding Contextual Changes of Failures, 2021 IEEE 21st International Conference on Software Quality, Reliability and Security (QRS) (2022). DOI: 10.1109/QRS54544.2021.00112 Provided by INESC Brussels HUB In this photo provided by Zipline, a drone makes a package drop during a demonstration at Zipline's Northern California hub in 2021. Zipline, an American company that specializes in using autonomously flying drones to deliver medical supplies, has taken off in Japan. Credit: Zipline via AP Zipline, an American company that specializes in using autonomously flying drones to deliver medical supplies, has taken off in Japan. They're flying, starting Thursday, across the tiny Goto Islands, off the western coast of Kyushu, in southwestern Japan, delivering to pharmacies and hospitals. Other parts of Japan may follow, including urban areas, although the biggest needs tend to be in isolated rural areas. Zipline, founded six years ago, already is in service in the U.S., where it has partnered with Walmart Inc. to deliver other products at the retail chain as well as drugs. It is also delivering medical goods in Ghana and Rwanda. Its takeoff in Japan is in partnership with Toyota Tsusho, a group company of Japan's top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. "You can totally transform the way that you react to pandemics, treat patients and do things like home health care delivery," Zipline Chief Executive Keller Rinaudo told The Associated Press. Although drones have been used in Japan for photography and aerial exhibitions, such as the Tokyo Olympics last year, they're not in wide use, especially in urban areas because of regulations. It remains to be seen if Zipline's health care service will help win over skeptics. In this photo provided by Zipline, a drone flies to make a delivery at a Zipline hub in Vobsi, Ghana in 2021. Zipline, an American company that specializes in using autonomously flying drones to deliver medical supplies, has taken off in Japan. Credit: Zipline via AP Rinaudo was optimistic the technology will be accepted in a nation known for robotics prowess, which has a large elderly population but needs better health care in isolated areas. Medical services are the focus because "there was a real moral imperative to get that right first," he said. "Communities will deeply understand the value of the service. And it was also easier to get regulators comfortable with what we were doing when every flight was potentially saving a human life," Rinaudo said. In this photo provided by Zipline, a drone flies to make a delivery at a Zipline hub in Vobsi, Ghana in 2021. Zipline, an American company that specializes in using autonomously flying drones to deliver medical supplies, has taken off in Japan. Credit: Zipline via AP By delivering medicine precisely, the service helps reduce stockpiles and, potentially, waste. The zero-emission quiet flights can go as far as 300 kilometers (186 miles) and are inexpensive compared to other modes of transport, according to Zipline, based in South San Francisco, California. The coronavirus pandemic has made deliveries of vaccines more pressing than ever, Rinaudo said. Blood supplies, insulin and cancer treatment have also been delivered with Zipline drones. A subsidiary called Sora-iina will carry out the operations, managing a distribution center and flight services from Fukue Port on Goto Islands. It's the first distribution center in Asia, and 14th in the world to operate Zipline's "autonomous instant logistics" technology. Three major Japanese distributors of pharmaceuticals have agreed to be partners. Explore further Drone delivery firm Zipline raises $250 mn for expansion 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed algorithms to rid speech generated by online bots of offensive language, on social media and elsewhere. Credit: University of California San Diego Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed algorithms to rid speech generated by online bots of offensive language, on social media and elsewhere. Chatbots using toxic language is an ongoing issue. But perhaps the most famous example is Tay, a Twitter chatbot unveiled by Microsoft in March 2016. In less than 24 hours, Tay, which was learning from conversations happening on Twitter, started repeating some of the most offensive utterances tweeted at the bot, including racist and misogynist statements. The issue is that chatbots are often trained to repeat their interlocutors' statements during a conversation. In addition, the bots are trained on huge amounts of text, which often contain toxic language and tend to be biased;certain groups of people are overrepresented in the training set and the bot learns language representative of that group only. An example is a bot producing negative statements about a country, propagating bias because it's learning from a training set where people have a negative view of that country. "Industry is trying to push the limits of language models," said UC San Diego computer science Ph.D. student Canwen Xu, the paper's first author. "As researchers, we are comprehensively considering the social impact of language models and addressing concerns." Researchers and industry professionals have tried several approaches to clean up bots' speechall with little success. Creating a list of toxic words misses words that when used in isolation are not toxic, but become offensive when used in combination with others. Trying to remove toxic speech from training data is time consuming and far from foolproof. Developing a neural network that would identify toxic speech has similar issues. Instead, the UC San Diego team of computer scientists first fed toxic prompts to a pre-trained language model to get it to generate toxic content. Researchers then trained the model to predict the likelihood that content would be toxic. They call this their "evil model." They then trained a "good model," which was taught to avoid all the content highly ranked by the "evil model." They verified that their good model did as well as state-of-the-art methodsdetoxifying speech by as much as 23 percent. They presented their work at the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence held online in March 2022. Researchers were able to develop this solution because their work spans a wide range of expertise, said Julian McAuley, a professor in the UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the paper's senior author. "Our lab has expertise in algorithmic language, in natural language processing and in algorithmic de-biasing," he said. "This problem and our solution lie at the intersection of all these topics." However, this language model still has shortcomings. For example, the bot now shies away from discussions of under-represented groups, because the topic is often associated with hate speech and toxic content. Researchers plan to focus on this problem in future work. "We want to make a language model that is friendlier to different groups of people," said computer science Ph.D. student Zexue He, one of the paper's co-authors. The work has applications in areas other than chatbots, said computer science Ph.D. student and paper co-author Zhankui He. It could, for example, also be useful in diversifying and detoxifying recommendation systems. Explore further How to 'detox' potentially offensive language from an AI More information: Leashing the Inner Demons: Self-Detoxification for Language Models, arXiv:2203.03072 [cs.CL] Leashing the Inner Demons: Self-Detoxification for Language Models, arXiv:2203.03072 [cs.CL] arxiv.org/abs/2203.03072 Nicknamed 'The Replicator,' the breakthrough volumetric additive manufacturing technology co-developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley takes computed tomography (CT) "views" of 3D objects from multiple angles, and projects these images into a photosensitive resin. The resin cures at points where the accumulated, absorbed light energy exceeds the gel thresholds, and when the remaining liquid resin is drained, it produces 3D objects within seconds or minutes, much faster than traditional layer-by-layer 3D printing techniques. Credit: Jake Long/TID. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced April 15 it has awarded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and a private company with funding to develop LLNL's revolutionary volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) 3D printing technology to produce artificial cartilage tissue in space. The award, one of eight projects selected by NASA's In Space Production Applications (InSPA) program, will allow LLNL and Kentucky-based space life sciences company Space Tango to mature prototypes of the "replicator" technologya ultrafast 3D printer co-developed by LLNL and the University of California, Berkeleyfor bioprinting in microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS). The VAM printers are be expected to operate with little to no crew intervention. The breakthrough VAM technology takes computed tomography (CT) "views" of 3D objects from multiple angles, and projects these images into a photosensitive resin. The resin cures at points where the accumulated, absorbed light energy exceeds the gel thresholds, and when the remaining liquid resin is drained, it produces 3D objects within seconds or minutes, much faster than traditional layer-by-layer 3D printing techniques. "This proposal is significant because it builds on LLNL's internal investments in this area over the last few years," said LLNL principal investigator Maxim Shusteff. "Space Tango's participation highlights the promise of the VAM technology, and connects us with the commercial spaceflight industry. In addition, space-based manufacturing has been of interest for several years for the LLNL 3D printing communityand for me personallyso starting to build a program in this direction is tremendously exciting." The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly-around of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony modules space-facing port on Nov. 8, 2021. Credit: NASA. LLNL's partner in the endeavor, Space Tango, has years of experience in developing automated microgravity experiments in the pursuit of manufacturing health and technology solutions in space. Since their first commercial launch in 2017, Space Tango has conducted nearly 200 experiments on the ISS that aim to improve life on Earth. "Microgravity is a platform for innovation, and it allows us to think creatively about the limitations gravity can have on Earth-based research," said Space Tango Chief Strategy Officer Alain Berinstain. "With the opportunity to expand on existing bioprinting techniques in a very new way, Space Tango is thrilled to partner with LLNL to potentially discover human health solutions that wouldn't have been possible on Earth." The InSPA awards support NASA's plans to enable manufacturing "In Space for Earth" on the ISS, to develop new and promising technologies for advanced materials and products for use on Earth, and create a robust economy in low-Earth orbit. Total InSPA funding for the round of eight projects was about $21 million. Shusteff said VAM is expected to perform particularly well in zero or micro-gravity environments because eliminating gravity, which can cause buoyant settling or convection of the resin when printing on Earth, will create better-precision prints, and allow researchers to focus attention on solving other technical challenges. Shusteff added that tissue engineering with VAM could be one area where spaceborne production in microgravity may significantly benefit the outcome. "Cartilage tissue was chosen as a good balance of market need, impact to patients, technical feasibility and our available expertise," he said. Explore further New materials help expand volumetric 3-D printing Credit: LuYago/Shutterstock Solar cells will doubtless play a significant part in a sustainable energy future. Polymer solar cells (PSCs) specifically provide an excellent option because they are cheap to produce and can be both flexible and semitransparent. Ternary polymer solar cells are showing encouraging power conversion efficiencies, but it isn't always clear why. Now, researchers from the University of Tsukuba and Hiroshima University have taken a closer look at PSCs in operation. Their findings are published in npj Flexible Electronics. PSCs generally contain a material that is the p-type semiconductor mixed with one that is the n-type semiconductor. This blend gives the right combination of charge carriersholes and electronsfor a current to flow when sunlight shines on the cell. Blends with these two components are known as binary PSCs. However, it has recently been found that adding an extra ingredient to the mixgiving what is known as a ternary PSCcan improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of the solar cell. The trouble is that up until now nobody has thoroughly investigated why. The researchers therefore conducted electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy while the PSC was operating. This gave them the chance to observe the behavior of the electrons and holes when the cell was irradiated with sunlight and to get answers on a molecular level. "It has been reported that the accumulation of charge over time contributes to the performance of cells deteriorating," explain study author Professor Itaru Osaka and study corresponding author Professor Kazuhiro Marumoto. "We therefore used ESR to look at a system made up of the polymer PTzBT and large molecule PC61BM. It has been found that adding an acceptor molecule, known as ITIC, to this system improves the PCE and the stability of the cell, so we looked closely at cells with and without ITIC to determine why." The ESR spectroscopy experiment showed that the short-circuit current decreased as a result of the accumulation of electrons in the PC61BM and holes in PTzBT. Adding ITIC was found to reduce this accumulation by enhancing the orientation of the chainlike PTzBT polymer molecules in the active layer. "Being able to understand why something works is important for ensuring that effects are optimized to their full potential," says study corresponding author Professor Kazuhiro Marumoto. "By getting a molecular level picture of the effects of ITIC on a very promising PSC system, we believe we have taken a step closer to the commercial reality of polymer solar cells as part of a greener future." Explore further Shining a light on what's really happening in perovskite solar cells More information: Dong Xue et al, Stability improvement mechanism due to less charge accumulation in ternary polymer solar cells, npj Flexible Electronics (2022). Dong Xue et al, Stability improvement mechanism due to less charge accumulation in ternary polymer solar cells,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41528-022-00153-z Machines have started to buzz again at carmakers including Tesla and Volkswagen in China after a hiatus of weeks because of COVID-19 outbreaks in the country's two major vehicle-producing cities. Shanghai and Changchun, Jilin province, produce one out of every five vehicles sold in the country, while suppliers in the two cities provide parts to manufacturers across the country, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Since Sunday, over 8,000 employees had returned to Tesla's plant in Shanghai, the US electric carmaker said on Tuesday. "We are ramping up the output over the next three to four days to resume one-shift production," said Song Gang, a senior director of manufacturing at Tesla's Shanghai factory. Tesla is one of 231 companies in the automotive industry that local authorities in Shanghai authorized to resume operations and production in a notice released on Saturday. They accounted for roughly 35 percent of the companies which the notice authorized to restart their operations. Last year, the auto industry accounted for 17.5 percent of Shanghai's GDP. Roy Lu, an independent auto analyst in Shanghai, said the resumption of production will greatly buffer the impact of the pandemic on China's automotive market, where production fell 11 percent and sales declined by 9 percent in March from the same month last year. Lu said the authorities' decision to restart work at those plants "came earlier than expected", but added that it will still take some time for the whole industry to return to normal. China's largest carmaker SAIC Motor, which is also a partner of General Motors and Volkswagen, began stress tests at its plants in Shanghai on Monday, with the first vehicle rolling off the restarted assembly line on Tuesday. SAIC said it will draw up a work plan based on a comprehensive evaluation of the test results and the local situation regarding the virus. Volkswagen said on Wednesday that it is evaluating the feasibility of resuming production at the SAIC Volkswagen plant in Anting of Shanghai's Jiading district. Shanghai-based suppliers are also resuming work. A spokesperson for German auto supplier ZF said, "With the support of the Shanghai government and our customers, we are proceeding smoothly in terms of work resumption applications." He added that the authorities have also issued permits to facilitate its transports. Zhang Xiang, a researcher at the North China University of Technology, said there are around 1,000 companies in the auto industry in Shanghai, and smooth logistics is crucial for them to ensure production as they need to ship in raw materials and ship out products. Joint ventures Production resumed several days earlier in Changchun, where Toyota and Volkswagen have joint ventures with China's FAW Group. Production at those plants had been halted on March 14. Toyota said preparations started late last week to resume work at the Jilin plant, but it has yet to decide when it would return to full-scale operations. Volkswagen said that the FAW-Volkswagen plants in Changchun, which produce Volkswagen and Audi cars, restarted operations on Monday. The joint venture's production had been slashed by 60 percent in March due to COVID. It said the plants in Changchun account for 40 percent of its total production capacity in China. As of Monday, 37,600 employees had returned to their posts at FAW and its joint ventures, Xinhua News Agency reported. Earlier this year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers estimated vehicle sales would reach 27.5 million this year, up 5.4 percent from 2021. It has not revised the estimates so far. Brazos County Juvenile Justice Center students reflected on the lessons they have learned and about the consequences their actions can have at a Wednesday program. The Brazos County Juvenile Justice Center and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services Brazos Valley Injury Prevention Coalition (BVIPC) hosted the second Evening of Reflection as part of the Juvenile Victim Impact Panel at Callaway-Jones Funeral Center in Bryan. The program is part of a six-week Reality Education for Drivers (RED) program through BVIPC, which is offered throughout the state with funding support from the Texas Department of Transportation. It is tweaked to fit the Brazos County Juvenile Justice Center youths who are nominated by their probation officers to participate. We wanted something that would get their attention to maybe shock them into the reality that youre not bulletproof, youre not going to live forever; life is fragile, said Joel Hein, deputy director of community services at the Juvenile Justice Center. Throughout the once-a-week program, Hein said, the county and BVIPC staff act out scenarios and show they are willing to let down their guard in hopes that students will be vulnerable also. Theyre a little tougher than your average teenager because of trauma, because of abuse, because of lifestyle, because of peers, because of their family situation, and so we had to develop this program in a way that we could really hit those areas, he said. The program expanded from a four-week pilot program in October 2021 to a six-week program and included more involvement opportunities for their family members. That was at the request of students, Hein said. Cornelius Gray, volunteer/mentor coordinator for the Juvenile Justice Center, knew the program was making an impact when he heard students say they wanted a longer course that was offered to their parents as well. Mary Jo Prince, RED program manager, said that feedback was all the proof they needed. Some people try to get stats or they try to get definition and quantify successes, but sometimes you cant quantify it, she said. Youve got to be sitting there listening to it. Prince said one of the most important goals of the program is to make sure youth understand they have value and that people care about them. The importance of the program is to tell the youth involved that their mistakes do not define them, that people do love and care for them, and that they can learn from their and others mistakes. Its how we learn from those mistakes that help you move forward and change that path a little bit, she said. We give them the tools and the resources with which to maybe change attitudes, and then they change their behaviors. One of those stories that they hope students learn from is that of Dillon Davis. Pam Todaro, RED program coordinator, works with youth throughout the program, but on Wednesday participated as a speaker to share her story of how her son Dillon died after a combination of preventable factors. Her first-born son was on his way home to his family the night before they were expected to leave for a trip to Destin, Florida. He had spent time with his uncle, and they had been drinking. He ultimately had a blood alcohol content of 0.16 twice the legal limit in Texas and was speeding without wearing a seatbelt when his truck left the roadway and rolled. He was killed instantly. Todaro previously worked in the Bryan school districts alternative education program and said she never expected to be in a position to tell the story. It doesnt get any easier telling it, but its a story that needs to be shared, she said. The poor decisions her son made on Aug. 9, 2014, were 100% preventable, she said. Im still dealing with it, even its been 7 1/2 years, she said. I had a trooper knock on my door in the wee hours of the morning, and when I looked out the door and saw the patrol car in my driveway, my heart dropped. Thats a feeling that no parent would want to feel because I knew they werent coming to tell me something good. I knew that it wasnt good news on the other side of that door. And I wouldnt want any parent to ever experience that, and so hopefully by talking to these kids, maybe theyll think twice if theyre ever in a situation. Maybe something that we say or something that theyve seen and learned or heard from someone will trigger them to make the right choice. The program included presentations from the Callaway-Jones Funeral Center, College Station Fire Department Battalion Chief Jason Giles, CHI St. Josephs Regional Health Center trauma surgeon Dr. Bryan Pickett and Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Justin Ruiz. Each of the speeches noted the decisions students make affect more than just them. They affect their families, any witnesses, the first responders, the emergency room staff members and anyone else involved in the wreck and their families. Giles said a quote that stuck with him from a Detroit firefighter who said, I wish my mind could forget what my eyes have seen. I think its important for these kids to understand that the world doesnt revolve around them. A lot of them think that it does, but it doesnt, Ruiz said. Ruiz said he hopes the program reaches at least a few of the participants. If it can at least affect one person, thats one life changed, he said. I always hope to reach every person out there, but not everybodys going to listen to what you have to say. One of the participants, who cannot be identified, called it an eye-opening experience because he did not realize how real it was. You always hear somebody else talking about This person got into an accident, or you just hear the stories, but you never think how really personal it is, especially in a college town. Before he would just drive by a wreck, but now he thinks about the people being impacted by it, he said. He said he would like to see the program offered more widely, saying there are a lot of drivers at his high school. When I first started driving, I felt like I was invincible. Like if I crash, Oh, well, Ill just tense up, he said. Now, he said, he sees how much of an impact one bad decision can have, and he hopes to spread what he has learned to his friends about not driving after drinking, not driving while distracted and the importance of wearing a seatbelt. Its not just my life at stake. Its other peoples lives, peoples families. 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The U.S. government on Monday once again cautioned of potential cyber attacks from Russia in retaliation for economic sanctions imposed by the west on the country following its military assault on Ukraine last month. "It's part of Russia's playbook," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement, citing "evolving intelligence that the Russian Government is exploring options." The development comes as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned of "possible threats" to U.S. and international satellite communication (SATCOM) networks in the wake of a cyber attack targeting Viasat KA-SAT network, used extensively by the Ukrainian military, roughly around the time when Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine on February 24. "Successful intrusions into SATCOM networks could create risk in SATCOM network providers' customer environments," the agencies said. To strengthen cybersecurity defenses against malicious cyber activity, the government is recommending organizations to mandate the use of multi-factor authentication, ensure that systems are up-to-date and patched against all known vulnerabilities, encrypt data at rest, and maintain offline backups. "Build security into your products from the ground up 'bake it in, don't bolt it on' to protect both your intellectual property and your customers' privacy," the U.S. government noted, while also urging companies to scrutinize the provenance of software components, open-source or otherwise, to watch out for supply chain threats. CERT-UA Sounds the Alarm The warnings about spillover incidents follow a barrage of cyber attacks that have struck both Ukraine and Russia over the past few weeks (although they have been quite muted compared to the contrary). Russia, for its part, has urged domestic firms to turn off automatic software updates and switch to Russian DNS servers. Last week, Ukraine's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) also notified of new spear-phishing campaigns targeting state entities with the goal of deploying a backdoor called LoadEdge. The agency attributed the attacks to InvisiMole, a hacking crew with suspected ties to the Russia-based nation state group Gamaredon. Separately, the CERT-UA alerted that information systems of Ukrainian enterprises are being compromised by C#-based wiper program called DoubleZero that's engineered to overwrite all non-system files and render the machines inoperable. Spam campaigns piggybacking on the war in Ukraine have also materialized in other ways, some of which leverage charity-themed lures in an attempt to steal money and compromise victims' devices from across the world, once again indicating that cybercrooks are adept at tailoring their schemes for maximum impact. "86% of the fraudulent messages were sent from IP addresses in Lithuania, ending up in inboxes in South Korea (40%), Czech Republic (16%), Germany (7%), the US and UK (5% each), India (4%), Romania, and Italy (2% each)," cybersecurity firm Bitdefender said. What's more, the emerging trend of using "protestware" to poison widely-used open-source libraries as a way of condemning the war has led to fears that it could risk damaging critical systems and undermine confidence in the security of the software supply chain and the open-source ecosystem. As a consequence, Russian state-owned bank Sberbank has advised users to temporarily abandon software updates, in addition to calling on "developers to increase control over the use of external source code [and] conduct a manual or automated check, including viewing the text of the source code," according to state news service TASS. Conti Version 3 Leaks That's not all. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also manifested in the form of crowdsourced hacktivist efforts to participate in a variety of digital actions against Russia, primarily leaning on DDoS attacks and publishing troves of sensitive corporate information. Foremost in the list is an anonymous Ukrainian security researcher dubbed @ContiLeaks, who leaked the source code of the Russia-based Conti ransomware, including the more recent "version 3," as well as nearly 170,000 internal chat conversations between the gang members earlier this month, after the group sided with Russia. In related news, Moscow's Tverskoy district court outlawed Meta-owned social media platforms Facebook and Instagram for engaging in "extremist activities," banning the company from doing business in the country with immediate effect. The ruling follows a temporary decision on part of Meta allowing users in Eastern Europe to post content calling for violence against Russian soldiers. The Five Eyes nations have released a joint cybersecurity advisory warning of increased malicious attacks from Russian state-sponsored actors and criminal groups targeting critical infrastructure organizations amidst the ongoing military siege on Ukraine. "Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks," authorities from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. said. "Russia's invasion of Ukraine could expose organizations both within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity. This activity may occur as a response to the unprecedented economic costs imposed on Russia as well as material support provided by the United States and U.S. allies and partners." The advisory follows another alert from the U.S. government cautioning of nation-state actors deploying specialized malware to maintain access to industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) devices. Over the past two months since the invasion commenced, Ukraine has been subjected to a blitzkrieg of targeted campaigns ranging from distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to the deployment of destructive malware aimed at governmental and infrastructure entities. Wednesday's alert noted that Russian state-sponsored cyber actors have the ability to compromise IT networks, maintain long-term persistence, steal sensitive data while remaining hidden, and disrupt and sabotage industrial control systems. Also joining the mix are cybercriminal groups like Conti (aka Wizard Spider), which publicly pledged support for the Russian government. Other Russian-aligned cybercrime syndicates include The CoomingProject, Killnet, Mummy Spider (the operators of Emotet), Salty Spider, Scully Spider, Smoky Spider, and the XakNet Team. "The message should be loud and clear, Russian nexus-state actors are on the prowl, cyberspace has become a messy, hot war-zone, and everyone should be prepared for an attack from any direction," Chris Grove, director of cybersecurity strategy at Nozomi Networks, said in a statement shared with The Hacker News. The disclosure comes as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) notified of increased ransomware attacks likely targeting food and agriculture sectors companies during planting and harvest seasons. "Cyber actors may perceive cooperatives as lucrative targets with a willingness to pay due to the time-sensitive role they play in agricultural production," the agency stated. "Initial intrusion vectors included known but unpatched common vulnerabilities and exploits, as well as secondary infections from the exploitation of shared network resources or compromise of managed services." In a separate move, the U.S. Treasury Department moved to sanction Russian cryptocurrency mining company Bitriver for helping the country evade sanctions, marking the first time a virtual coin mining firm has come under an economic blocklist. Russia is the world's third-largest country for bitcoin mining. "By operating vast server farms that sell virtual currency mining capacity internationally, these companies help Russia monetize its natural resources," the Treasury said. "However, mining companies rely on imported computer equipment and fiat payments, which makes them vulnerable to sanctions." Fonner Park and the Central Nebraska Humane Society hope dog owners will bring their dogs to the racetrack on Sunday. The event, called Fonner Bark: A Cause for Paws, will include a doggie costume contest, a tricks contest and gifts for all dogs. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Central Nebraska Humane Society. Dog owners are required to keep their pets on a leash. Dogs must also be current on rabies vaccinations. Grand Island Kennel Club will showcase dog skills. Post time is at 1:30 p.m. The dog-related activities will run between 1 and 3 p.m. Prizes will be provided by Home Federal Bank. A designated area will be provided for doggie breaks, says a news release. The Humane Society will have adoptable dogs on hand. Perry Hines, who believed he was sending a sexually explicit photograph to a 14-year-old girl in 2021, was sentenced Tuesday to 15-20 years in prison for use of an electronic communication device to commit sexual assault. Hall County District Court Judge Patrick Lee also sentenced the Grand Island man to 23-24 months for enticement by an electronic communication device. Hines, 63, was found guilty of the two crimes by a district court jury on March 8. The sentences will run consecutively. Lee gave Hines 34 days credit for time already served on the longer sentence and 373 days credit for time served on the shorter sentence. Through his attorney, Hines plans to appeal the sentence to the Nebraska Court of Appeals. Hines is represented by Hall County Public Defender Gerry Piccolo. Hines was arrested March 9, 2021, after he sent a sexually explicit photograph to an undercover Grand Island police officer, whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Hines was arrested at Grace Abbott Park, where he showed up expecting to meet the girl. China is redoubling its efforts in the field of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, as a main driver to spur innovation and boost development, according to senior officials at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference. Amid a transformation unseen in a century and growing uncertainties, innovation and IPR protection have become primary driving forces for scientific and technological progress, industrial upgrading and sustainable economic growth, said BFA Secretary-General Li Baodong. China pays great heed to the importance of IPR protection, Li added, citing the country's results in formulating IPR-relevant policies, enhancing investment and strengthening law enforcement in the sector. Zhang Jianchun, vice head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, underscored China's progress in promoting copyright protection. A total of 6.26 million copyrights were authorized in 2021, representing an increase of 24.3 percent from one year earlier, according to Zhang. Looking to the future, Zhang called for efforts to make full use of the role of copyright in creating incentives for innovation and leading high-quality development and enhanced cooperation with other countries. Liu Hua, director of the World Intellectual Property Organization Office in China, spoke highly of China's work on IPR protection, believing in China's potential in the global innovation sector and the outlook of the country's IPR protection. "We are willing to work with others to strengthen cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain technologies, so as to jointly build Asia into a new highland for IPR protection," said Liu. Although Grand Island Public Schools and Northwest Public Schools District 82 school board elections will not appear on the ballot until the general election in November, the Grand Island Independent posed questions to all candidates in both districts. In this two-part series, candidates for GIPSs Board of Education responds to the questions posed. This, the first installment, will profile the candidates in GIPS Ward C who responded in time to be profiled. Across districts and wards, those who did not respond to questionnaires by deadline or chose not to are: Northwest Public Schools District 82: Dan Leiser, Zach Mader, Robin L. Schutt, Bill Buettner. Grand Island Public Schools: Dan Brosz; John D. Pedrosa, Jr.; Terry A. Brown; Carlos A. Barcenas, Jr. Grand Island Public Schools candidates for Board of Education - Ward C Katherine Mauldin (Ward C) I have three children, ages nine, six, and two. I am a Grand Island resident. I am running for a seat in Ward C to protect our rights, help make our childrens futures bright and make a change. What motivated you to run for a seat on the board? When I saw first-hand the issues that were and are currently happening in the GIPS district and what the current Board of Education members are doing, it made me realize we need a change, and that time is now. Time to put parents voices first and not board members who dont even follow the rules they enforce upon our children. They are letting our children down with their education and in many other ways. What is the greatest challenge facing students and families in the Grand Island Public Schools District? A big challenge currently in the district is lack of communication and accountability by GIPS. They are doing so many things wrong and not listening to the people who matter: children and their parents. What is something youve experienced or accomplished that would help you make an impact on the school board? I have experienced first-hand one of my children not being able to attend a school in the GIPS district due to health issues and a disability this past Fall, due to their policies that were unfair and not the same as the other school districts. Due to that, I reached out to the public and other parents in the GIPS school district to see what really is happening in this district and the issues currently, it was an eye-opening thing. As a parent of three children, I would make an impact by being a voice for parents that feel we are not being listened to and ignored by the current GIPS Board of Education members. I have been to board meetings where we have been ignored and just not listened to as parents. Who, and why, should have the greatest say in policies concerning what is taught in GIPS classrooms: administrators/teachers, parents, local school board or the Nebraska Board of Education? PARENTS, plain and simple should have the greatest say in policies. It is our children and they are the future. Parents need a voice in their childrens education. Samuel Harris (Ward C) I moved to Kearney, Nebraska, in 2004, where I attended school at University of Nebraska-Kearney, graduating in 2008 and met my wife of 13 years. I have three kids: two are in school and one on her way in a few years. I have lived in Grand Island since 2009 where I work as a COTA completing rehab for older adults. I am a hard-working, fun guy who gets things done with a great work ethic and good outlook on life. What motivated you to run for a seat on the board? There are a couple of reason that motivated me to run for the school board seat. First, I have invested interest in the success of our school district and how it is being run due to me having three kids in the district and at least 16 years of attendance left. That being said, I believe being an active participant in the improvement of Grand Island Public Schools is not only necessary but important to the community at large. Secondly, I want to make sure all parents and students voices get heard during decisions being made that affect the student body at large. What is the greatest challenge facing students and families in the Grand Island Public Schools District? The greatest challenge face our students and families in Grand Island Public schools is a variety of social and logistical challenges, such as social issues, including CRT and how it affects our families good or bad, and general equity throughout our school system. Logistical issues would be staffing shortages, days our kids are in school, quality of work environment, quality of education, format and also making sure the rules for staff and students are more clear. There seems to be a disconnect with that as of lately. What is something youve experienced or accomplished that would help you make an impact on the school board? As a parent I have experienced the sting of shorter weeks and the concern that it will affect my kids education negatively, and have experienced the challenges with going through 504 plans and similar programs. Im a two-time college graduate, which I think is a pretty good accomplishment that also proves that I can do the work and that I am not only prepared for the grind of school board work, but I look forward to it. Who, and why, should have the greatest say in policies concerning what is taught in GIPS classrooms: administrators/teachers, parents, local school board or the Nebraska Board of Education? I believe the parents and families should have the bulk of the say in what is taught in GIPS classrooms. However, I believe there is and should always be room for compromise when creating and enacting those policies. I believe learning happens in school and at home, so it makes sense that what is taught in school should complement what is taught at home, in the general sense, of course. Eric Garcia-Mendez (Ward C) Eric Garcia-Mendez is the Director of Community Connections at Heartland United Way. Originally from Grand Island, Eric moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2014 to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics. Following graduation, Eric moved back to Grand Island to serve as an AmeriCorps member and later joined the Heartland United Way. Eric currently serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Nebraska Board of Directors and the Grand Island Area Coalition on Trafficking Leadership Team. Eric is looking forward to continuing to invest back into the community that shaped him. Eric enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, reading and photography in his spare time. What motivated you to run for a seat on the board? I am running because I believe that I will bring a new voice to the school board. I attended Lincoln Elementary, Walnut Middle School and graduated from Grand Island Senior High in 2014. I am community-grown and community-driven and I want to invest back into the community that raised me. I will strive to represent the lived experience of all students in the district and ensure that the district adapts and improves continuously, so that no child gets left behind. My biggest motivation is giving back to our community and all the amazing people in it. What is the greatest challenge facing students and families in the Grand Island Public Schools District? The pandemic has brought to light many disparities that our teachers and students are currently experiencing, like mental exhaustion, lack of support and unmet needs. I will advocate for more mental health resources for our students and teachers and ensure that funding is allocated to directly supporting students and their teachers. I will follow the guidance from experts like local educators and evidence-based practices when it comes to addressing student learning and the well-being of all students and educators in the district. We must trust our educators and know that they are facing unprecedented challenges at this time, like many in our community. What is something youve experienced or accomplished that would help you make an impact on the school board? My personal experiences growing up in poverty and limited resources because of language barriers shape my work and desire to advocate for underserved students, teachers and families. This drives my passion and motto of community-grown and community-driven. I am equipped with knowledge and am ready to make a positive impact on the school board. More than half of the student body is Latino, yet very few on our school board or administration have a lived experience similar to our student body. I bring a new perspective that is needed on the board. Who, and why, should have the greatest say in policies concerning what is taught in GIPS classrooms: administrators/teachers, parents, local school board or the Nebraska Board of Education? It is important to NOT make decisions from a siloed perspective, but instead involve community stakeholders and work collaboratively. Administrators, in partnership with teachers, parents and local school boards, should make decisions at the community level where they understand the real issues and solutions. Decision making should be in tandem with eliminating certain vulnerabilities affecting our students, teachers and staff. In the end, decisions are being made at the local level and it should remain that way. Collectively we accomplish more together. Like in the classroom, we all must learn from each other and solve issues together because that is how its done in the real world. Student Data Breaches Another School District Says Student Data Breached Within an Illuminate Education Product Another school district has announced that student data stored on Illuminate Education software has been breached and said Illuminate is is mailing a letter to parents offering complimentary identity monitoring service for a year. Coventry Public Schools in Connecticut posted a notice on its website this week, stating the Illuminate software it uses, eduClimber, had experienced a data breach. The notice does not specify when the breach occurred, but states that the district was recently notified of the data breach. Coventry is the second district in the past month to acknowledge a data breach within school systems managed by Illuminate Education; three weeks ago, New York City public school administrators learned that a data breach had occurred during a January cyberattack on Illuminates systems and that personal information of about 820,000 current and former students had been compromised. A data breach affecting 820,000 students would make it the largest single-school data breach in U.S. history, cybersecurity expert Doug Levin of K12 Security Information Exchange told THE Journal last month. The number of students whose personal data was compromised during the cyberattack could actually be much larger. When Illuminates systems were hit in January, all of its school software products were knocked off-line for a week or more, according to its service status site; the companys website states that its school solutions including IO Classroom (previously named Skedula), PupilPath, EduClimber, IO Education, SchoolCity, and others serve over 5,000 schools with a total enrollment of about 17 million U.S. students. Illuminate Education told THE Journal last month via email that a data breach impacting NYC schools occurred during the January cyberattack, but the company declined to confirm how many students or districts beyond New York Citys were impacted. Illuminate did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking more information. We recently completed the investigation regarding unauthorized access of our systems and determined that some personal information was involved, Illuminate Education said in an emailed statement. We are in the process of notifying customers that may have been affected. There is no evidence of any fraudulent or illegal activity related to this incident. The security of the data we have in our care is one of our highest priorities, and we have already taken important steps to help prevent this from happening again. Please note that we do not store financial information or Social Security numbers on our systems so these types of information were not affected. Coventry Public Schools notice to parents, dated April 18, said we are writing to inform you that one of our vendors experienced a data breach of an application which houses student data for Coventry Public Schools. Illuminate Education is an education company that provides applications and technology support to school districts, including eduCLIMBER which is used in our district. We were recently notified of an incident that may affect the security of some of your child's information. According to Illuminate Education, affected databases included names along with demographic and academic related information for some current and former students. We have been told there is no evidence that any information was subject to actual or attempted misuse. Coventry Public Schools is working in partnership with Illuminate Education to help support affected families with this incident. Affected families will be receiving a mailing from Illuminate Education offering those children complimentary access to 12 months of identity monitoring services through IDX. The letters will contain information on how to enroll if you elect to do so, along with additional information regarding data privacy. Coventry is a fraction of the size of the New York City school district, with about 1,650 students enrolled, according to the district website. Yet, confirmation of another school data breach related to a cyber incident targeting Illuminate systems and from a district using a different Illuminate product than the one that was the source of NYCs breach suggests that maybe the Illuminate Education breach is bigger than New York City, Levin said. BLACKVILLE TIVA Building Products Corp., a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) decking company, on Thursday announced plans to establish operations in Barnwell County. The companys $8.3 million investment will create 122 new jobs. We are excited to establish a manufacturing facility in Blackville. We look forward to creating jobs and building long-lasting relationships with the local community. We intend to use this facility as the launchpad for our expansion and cant wait to see what the future holds. Thank you to South Carolina and Barnwell County for this warm welcome, and we cant wait to get started, CEO and founder Terry Fangrad said. Headquartered in Canada, TIVA Building Products Corp. manufactures leading PVC decking and dock boards using adaptive-security-appliances technology. The companys TIVADEK, TIVADOK and TIVACOAT product lines offer quality performance for outdoor spaces. When a globally recognized company like TIVA Building Products Corp. locates in South Carolina, its further proof that our manufacturing sector continues to thrive. TIVA Building Products Corp.s $8.3 million investment along with the 122 new jobs they are creating will make a big difference in Barnwell County, and were excited to welcome TIVA Building Products Corp. to one of our states rural communities, Gov. Henry McMaster said. We couldnt be more excited that TIVA Building Products Corp. has chosen to locate its newest manufacturing facility in Barnwell County. The 122 new jobs they are creating will make a real difference in the lives of South Carolinians, and we look forward to watching the newest member of the South Carolina family grow and thrive in Barnwell County for many years to come, SC Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said. Barnwell County welcomes TIVA Building Products Corp., and we thank them for not only investing $8.3 million into the Blackville community, but also for creating 122 jobs at their facility. Every good job they create provides a brighter future for someone in our area, and that builds stronger families and stronger communities, Barnwell County Council Chairman Harold Buckmon said. TIVA Building Products will be an asset to our regional industrial community. We are especially excited about the 122 jobs they are creating in rural Barnwell County, and we are pleased that our communities have the right business climate and workforce to support this growing sector of building product industries, SouthernCarolina Alliance Chairman Marty Sauls said. Located at 44 Bradley Drive, just off Highway 78 in Blackville, TIVA Building Products Corp.s Barnwell County operations will manufacture PVC decking and other building materials using the extrusion process. The facility will expand their existing manufacturing capabilities and will be able to accommodate future demands as the TIVA Building Products brand continues to grow in North America. Barnwell County Economic Development Commission Chairman Will Kearse said, The Barnwell Economic Development Commission welcomes TIVA Building Products Corporation, whose operation will be another building block towards a better future for the residents of Barnwell County and a shot in the arm for the Town of Blackville. According to Blackville Mayor Frenchie Smalls, The Town of Blackville would like to welcome TIVA to Blackville, as well as the hundred plus jobs that it will create for our community. We appreciate all of the folks that were involved in bringing this company to Blackville, and we are excited and look forward to a great partnership with them and will work with the TIVA Building Products team so that they will be successful. Operations are expected to be online in August 2022. Individuals interested in joining the TIVA Building Products Corp. team should contact HR Director Akaashi Khan (akaashi@tivabp.com) The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job-development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $250,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Barnwell County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building improvements. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Carolina State University offers its condolences to the family of Ethel Margaret Richburg, an SCSU alumna who died April 14, 2022, at age 109. Richburg enjoyed a 40-year career as an elementary school teacher in Clarendon and Berkeley counties. Interim President Alexander Conyers was among her first-grade pupils in Manning and visited her on her 109th birthday in September 2021. Richburg earned her bachelors degree from SC State as a nontraditional student in 1950 and received a masters degree in 1957, the same year her daughter received her undergraduate degree. In 1994, she was inducted into the Clarendon County Education Hall of Fame. Richburg also worked the polls for every election for two decades. When she turned 100 in 2012, she was presented with the key to the city in Manning. Funeral services were incomplete. Fleming & DeLaine Funeral Home and Chapel of Manning is assisting the family. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 A freight train departed Thursday morning from Dunhuang City, northwest China's Gansu Province for Thailand's Bangkok, marking the opening of Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway. Loaded with 530 tonnes of asbestos, the train is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok via Laos' Vientiane in 12 days. The trip via the China-Laos Railway can save 28 days, compared with the previous 40-day sea shipping route between the two cities, according to the local authorities. The Department of Commerce of Gansu said that the new passage is another efficient, economical, safe and convenient international logistics channel linking Gansu and Southeast Asian countries. As a core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the inland province has sped up its opening-up and operated more international freight train lines linking with Central Asian, South Asian and European countries in recent years. The China-Laos Railway, which kicked off operation on Dec. 3, 2021, stretches over 1,000 km, linking Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane. An Interstate 80 traffic stop that resulted in marijuana charges was unreasonable and violated the passengers constitutional rights, a ruling from the Wyoming Supreme Court found Wednesday. The courts ruling will send the case back down to district court in Laramie County, where it will most likely be dismissed since any evidence from the stop has been ruled inadmissible. According to court filings, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a car in August 2018, finding the driver had been following too closely behind a semi-truck as it exited I-80 onto the I-25 interchange in Cheyenne. The trooper testified he did not see any traffic violations when he first decided to follow the car. The cars passenger, Joshua Levenson, was charged with intent to deliver and possession of marijuana following a search during the stop. During his case, he moved to suppress the evidence the marijuana found in the car since he said the initial traffic stop was unreasonable. The district court denied his motion, but the Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed that the stop was unreasonable under all the circumstances and had violated Levensons rights under the Wyoming and U.S. Constitutions. The courts decision is an important step in ending arbitrary and needless traffic stops for minor traffic violations, which are so ripe for abuse, said Devon Petersen, who represented Levenson in the case. I am hopeful that one day pretextual traffic stops will no longer be allowed in Wyoming or any other part of the United States. The trooper, Shane Carraher, had been parked on a median on I-80 when the car passed him. He testified several times, according to court documents, that he did not see any traffic violations when he decided to follow the car. The car, a Nissan Rogue, had California license plates and was later found to be a rental from Santa Rosa that was one day past its original return date. Court documents state Carraher sped to catch up to the car, going as fast as 111 mph at one point and over 100 mph for around 20 seconds. When the trooper caught up to the Nissan, the Nissan moved into the right lane between two semi-trucks. The trooper then slowed down and positioned himself just behind the Nissans back bumper, making it unsafe for the car to change lanes. Arguably, Trooper Carraher violated the law by speeding to catch up to the Nissan Rogue without ever witnessing a traffic violation, the justices wrote. As the semi-truck ahead of the Nissan slowed for the exit, court documents state, Carraher timed the distance between the vehicles and found the Nissan was following 1.2 seconds behind the truck, in apparent violation of the standard 2-second rule. Carraher then pulled the Nissan over and informed the driver she was following too closely, preparing to issue her a warning. After asking questions about Levenson, the rental car and their destination, he asked to search the car and the driver said no. The trooper then called in a drug-detecting dog from the Cheyenne Police Department, which found 42 pounds of marijuana in the cars backseat. Levenson eventually pleaded guilty to possession, and was sentenced to 12 to 15 months in prison. He was released on bond pending his appeal. Justices cited a 2005 ruling in their opinion Wednesday which says Wyoming likely sees a disproportionate number of people subjected to requests to relinquish their privacy rights by detention, invasive questioning and searches because I-80 is a nationally recognized drug trafficking corridor. Carraher testified that the Nissan was not following too closely when he first saw it, and did not see any other traffic violation at that time. It took him about a minute, and around a mile and a half, to catch up to the car. Petersen also asked the court to reexamine a 2006 ruling that held an officers subjective intent to search for drugs does not invalidate an otherwise lawful traffic stop, essentially allowing pretextual stops, or stops that use an unrelated violation to perform a search for an unrelated crime. Justices upheld that ruling, finding that while the officers conduct before a stop can be analyzed, their intent cannot. In its decision, the Wyoming Supreme Court made clear that an officers conduct in the course of a traffic violation may be scrutinized, and that the officers conduct may render a traffic stop unreasonable and therefore unconstitutional, Petersen said. Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 2 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. A former Yellowstone construction contractor is set to serve nearly four years in prison for assaulting someone during an attempted kidnapping in the national park last year. Gregory Michael Samuel Toth was sentenced to 44 months behind bars on Monday for the October incident. A federal judge also mandated three years of supervised release following his prison time, as well as a $500 fine. Toth, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys office, was living in a contractor trailer at Fishing Bridge RV Park on Yellowstone Lake at the time. According to court filings, Toth assaulted a coworker and friend he accused of sleeping with his ex-girlfriend. The coworker told investigators that Toth entered his trailer early in the morning of Oct. 1, threw him down, choked him and held a knife to his throat. He was arrested on Oct. 6 in Park County. Toth initially faced six charges in the case, including marijuana possession, driving under the influence and having an open container in the park. A grand jury indicted him in November on charges of kidnapping and assault with intent to commit a felony, but the kidnapping charge was dismissed in the judges ruling Monday. Assault is a serious crime regardless of the location but when it occurs in a national park, it becomes a federal felony, U.S. Attorney Bob Murray said in a statement. This individual is now serving close to four years in federal prison due to an unnecessary assault on an innocent individual. Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has extended its suspension of its acting chief executive officer, Sherland Sheppard, to another month. Two weeks ago, Sheppard was suspended for an initial two-week period, on a matter which chairman Ravi Nanga had described as sensitive. A member of the utilitys Human Resources Committee was tasked with spearheading an investigation into the matter. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will continue to steadfastly implement the strategy of guarding against the importation of COVID-19 cases and a resurgence of domestic infections even if the epidemic is on the decline, Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said on Wednesday when meeting with mainland experts. Lam on Wednesday met with Director of the National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Kan Biao, together with the mainland expert team led by him, who visited Hong Kong to support the anti-COVID-19 epidemic work. She listened to the team's views after their days of visits covering various fronts of the HKSAR's anti-epidemic fight. During the meeting, Lam said Hong Kong's fifth wave of the epidemic has shown a gradual downtrend after reaching the peak in early March, but the HKSAR government will not let down its guard and will help the community ride out the epidemic early with risks duly managed. Lam expressed her gratitude to the mainland expert team which had, over the past two weeks since their arrival in Hong Kong on April 7, been tirelessly meeting with members of the HKSAR's anti-epidemic team. Lam extended her sincere gratitude to the central government for sending five batches of mainland experts to Hong Kong since the onset of the fifth wave of the epidemic. Having regard to Hong Kong's actual circumstances and epidemic development, the experts have offered objective and pragmatic views in such areas as epidemiology, clinical treatment and Chinese medicine to assist the HKSAR in reducing infections, severe cases and deaths, adopting more precise, stronger and more targeted measures on certain groups of people, premises and areas, and according priority to supporting the elderly, Lam said. "With the staunch support of the central government and the concerted efforts of different sectors of society, the HKSAR government has considerably enhanced its handling capacities in different parts of the anti-epidemic chain," she said. On Wednesday, Hong Kong registered 330 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 338 additional positive cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed. Within days of being appointed Minister of Public Utilities in August 2020, Marvin Gonzales declared the transformation of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to be his number one priority. In the 21 months since then, Minister Gonzales has gone through two acting CEOs, an executive director and is now on a third acting CEO at WASA. In an environment of turbulence, successive deadlines for implementing WASAs long-promised plan transformation has been missed. KYIV, Ukraine Satellite images released Thursday showed what appeared to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Putin tries to claim Mariupol win but wont storm holdout Chinas Xi urges dispute resolution, opposes sanctions EXPLAINER: Whats the impact if Europe cuts off Russian oil? Biden announce s new military assistance for Ukraine AP-NORC poll: Many say Biden not tough enough on Russia Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: UNITED NATIONS Russia and Ukraine squared off at the U.N. on Thursday over whether Russias war is to blame for rising food prices and hunger around the world. Between them, the two countries account for nearly a third of global wheat and barley exports and millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia depend on them for affordable bread and noodles. Ukraine also is a major corn supplier and the biggest exporter of sunflower oil. As long as Russia persists in its efforts to invade Ukraine, the threat of hunger will be looming over many countries throughout the globe, Ukrainian counsellor Natalia Mudrenko said Thursday at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss conflict and hunger. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Chumakov argued that sanctions, trade wars, the coronavirus pandemic and Western economic policies were shaking up the global food, energy and financial markets. Chumakov said Russias critics were trying to deflect focus from sanctions and the economic egoism of the developed countries during the pandemic. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the new package of $800 million in military aid, which he said was just what we were waiting for. The latest military aid, announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, includes heavy artillery, ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Zekenskyy has urged Western countries to speed up the deliveries of weapons to help Ukraine fend off the Russian offensive. The occupiers continue to do everything possible to give themselves a reason to speak about at least some kind of victory, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. They are building up their forces, bringing in new tactical battalions and trying even to begin a so-called mobilization in the regions they occupy in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also warned Ukrainians living in areas of southern Ukraine under the control of Russia troops not to provide them with their IDs, which he said could be used to falsify a so-called referendum on our land to create a Moscow-friendly government. Russias foreign ministry has announced that it has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans from entering the country. But one of the people targeted by the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, said he views the designation as an honor. I have to say it is nothing less than an accolade to earn the ire of a government that lies to its own people, brutalizes its neighbors and seeks to create a world where freedom and liberty are put on the run and, if they have their way, extinguished, Price told reporters in Washington. In a statement on its website Thursday, the ministry says the move came as a response to ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions brought on by the Biden administration. It claimed to be targeting top executives, public intellectuals and journalists shaping what it referred to as the Russophobic narrative prevailing in U.S. public debate. Alongside Harris and Zuckerberg, the ban includes top defense and justice officials; the CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank of America; high-profile foreign affairs commentators; as well as the editor of the Russia-focused Meduza news website. WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has tapped retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a former three-star Army general and former National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to coordinate billions of dollars security assistance being sent into Ukraine. Wolff recently joined the Biden White House but his appointment has not been formally announced, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Wolff as Army officer served three tours of duty in Iraq and has held senior roles at the Pentagon, Joint Staff, and State Department. He was tapped by the Obama administration in 2015 to serve as deputy special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State. Wolffs latest appointment comes as Biden on Thursday announced that he was sending a new tranche of $800 million of security assistance to Ukraine, including heavy artillery and drones. The president, who has already approved the dispersal of about $3.4 billion in military assistance, said he will soon seek approval from Congress for additional security assistance for Ukraine. Congress approved $6.5 billion for military assistance last month as part of $13.6 billion in spending for Ukraine and allies in response to the Russian invasion. KYIV, Ukraine -- The Mariupol City Council says as many as 9,000 civilians could be buried in mass graves in the village of Manhush outside Mariupol. In a post on Telegram, the city council quoted Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko calling the site the new Babi Yar. Then Hitler killed Jews, Roma and Slavs. And now Putin is destroying Ukrainians. He has already killed tens of thousands of civilians in Mariupol, he was quoted as saying. This requires a strong reaction from the entire world. We need to stop the genocide by any means possible. In a separate statement earlier Thursday, Boychenko alleged the Russians had dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol, and were hiding their war crimes by dumping bodies there. On Thursday evening, Ukrainian media published satellite photos of Manhush, showing what they said were mass graves similar to the ones discovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The accuracy of these claims and images could not be immediately verified. KYIV, Ukraine No residents could be evacuated from the encircled city of Mariupol on Thursday due to continuing Russian shelling of agreed-to humanitarian corridors, Ukrainian deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post on Thursday evening. No happy news out of Mariupol. Everything has been hard-going, she wrote. On the Russian side, everything has been very difficult, chaotic, slow, and of course, dishonest. We apologize to the residents of Mariupol who did not get to be evacuated today. Shelling began at the evacuation point, which is why the humanitarian corridor had to be closed. In the same post, Vereshchuk acknowledged that on Wednesday, a four-bus convoy was allowed to transport 79 civilians from Mariupol to Kyiv-controlled territory in Ukraines southeastern Zaporizhzhhia region - a development she said gave her hope. KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian official raised the possibility of a Ukrainian airstrike against the strategically important bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland. His statement on Thursday prompted angry denouncements from top Russian political figures. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, was asked in an interview with Ukraines Radio NV whether Kyiv would be able to hit the $4 billion Kerch bridge, which is Moscows only direct road link to the peninsula, in order to stem the flow of military resupplies channeled through it. Had we been able to do it, we would have already done it, Danilov said in response. If there is a possibility, we will definitely do it. He did not clarify whether Kyiv currently has the capability to carry out an attack. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, branded Danilovs statement nothing else than the announcement of a possible terrorist act and unacceptable. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Peskov added that all security measures were in place around the Kerch bridge and other strategic facilities. LONDON Western officials say Ukraine will need economic and military support for months to come as the war grinds into a long conflict. As Russias invasion enters a new phase focused on the eastern Donbas region, an official said Putin is still in a position to win the war, but not quickly. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, two Western officials said Russia might be able to surround and destroy the bulk of Ukraines forces and make territorial gains. An aim of taking all of the Donbas and securing a land bridge to Crimea is potentially within reach for Russias forces. However, officials said it is far from certain Russia will achieve that goal. They said Russia had learned some of the lessons of past failures in northern Ukraine, and was showing more effective command-and-control. But they said Russia was still feeding troops into its eastern offensive piecemeal and advancing in long columns of vehicles along roads, leaving its forces vulnerable to attack. Officials said they also have not yet seen a major push up from the south, which would allow Russian forces to trap Ukraines troops in a pincer movement. Partly that is due to 5,000 to 10,000 Russian troops attempting to overcome the last pocket of resistance in the port city of Mariupol. LISBON, Portugal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Portugal to support a European ban on Russian gas and oil to help his countrys war effort. Speaking via video conference to the Portuguese parliament on Thursday, Zelenskyy asked the European Union member to help speed up sanctions and the delivery of more military aid. I hope that you will also advocate a boycott of Russian oil and gas on the EU level, he said. The Russian occupiers killed people purely for entertainment, killed them inside their homes and in vehicles in which children were traveling. The Ukrainian leader drew a parallel between his countrys fight against Russian aggression and Portugals 1974 Carnation Revolution, the military coup by left-leaning officers that overthrew an authoritarian regime and ushered in democracy. The Portuguese know how to rid themselves of a dictatorship. I know that our nations understand each other, he said during his speech that earned him a standing ovation by lawmakers. The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol says Russian troops are burying Ukrainian civilians killed in the conflict in order to cover up military crimes. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko claimed that the Russians buried hundreds of civilians killed in Manhush outside Mariupol. Boychenko said that the bodies started disappearing from the streets of the city, charging that the Russians were hiding the trace of their crimes and using mass graves as one of the instruments for that. He said that the Russians dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol. They are taking the bodies of the dead residents of Mariupol in trucks and throw them into those trenches. He said during an online briefing. They are hiding their military crimes, he said. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden says he is sending another $800 million in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in the coming days, calling it the frontlines of freedom as it defends itself against a Russian invasion. This $800 million arms package raises to $3.4 billion the amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since the Russians began their invasion Feb. 24. Biden says he will ask Congress next week to approve billions more dollars in aid for Ukraine because the assistance package passed last month is now almost exhausted. He said officials were still sorting out the appropriate amount to request. Biden said the U.S. has the capacity to do this for a long time as it ships arms to Ukraine, but must work harder to maintain international pressure on Russia in retaliation for its invasion. Biden said despite Russian President Vladimir Putins claims, There is no evidence yet that Mariupol is completely fallen. Ukrainian forces and civilians are encircled in a massive steel plant in the city and Biden called on Russia to provide humanitarian corridors so that civilians may flee safely. WASHINGTON The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. A program announced Thursday will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting. But it will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have done since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost two months ago. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Officials said that, starting Monday, that route will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances. WASHINGTON A Treasury official says the United States will provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to help it sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of an announcement on Thursday, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, along with Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. The new funding comes on top of $500 million in economic aid that President Joe Biden unveiled in March. The announcement comes against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings dominated by conversations over how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. KYIV, Ukraine Denmark's prime minister has announced during a visit to Kyiv that her country will more than double the amount it has given to Ukraine to buy weapons. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that Denmark will donate 600 million kroner ($87.4 million). Standing alongside Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she called it a new, significant contribution. Frederiksen said the total Danish military contribution is now 1 billion kroner. Denmark also will assist Ukraine in the clearing mines in areas that are under Ukrainian control. - BERLIN -- The U.N. migration agency says the number of people displaced within Ukraine since Russias invasion began has risen to 7.7 million. The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration said Thursday that more than 600,000 additional people were displaced within the country in the first 17 days of April. The figures from the IOM came a day after the U.N. refugee agency said the number of people who have fled Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24 has risen to more than 5 million. The IOM said that more than half of the internally displaced people, mostly in the east of the country, reported a lack of some food products. It said their most pressing problems include cash and access to financial support, followed by medicines. Ukraine had a pre-war population of 44 million. WARSAW, Poland Polands Foreign Ministry says that Poland has frozen the bank account of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw over suspicions it was being used for purposes that were not good. Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said Thursday that the account was frozen by prosecutors. He said that Polands embassy and consulates in Russia have been exposed to various retaliatory steps with roads around the embassy in Moscow dug up for the past two weeks, complicating entry to and exit from the compound. He said that almost prevented the departure of Polish diplomats expelled by Russia in the international spat over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Jasina didnt give further details of the action by prosecutors. According to the Business Insider portal, prosecutors ordered the freezing of the embassy account and that of Russias trade mission in Poland for six months shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine began, saying the money in the accounts may be used to finance terrorism. LONDON -- Britains government has announced new sanctions against leaders in Russias army responsible for committing atrocities on the frontline. The Foreign Office said Thursday that its targeting several Russian generals and military commanders including Lt. Col. Azatbek Omurbekov. Authorities say the so-called Butcher of Bucha commanded forces that occupied the town outside Kyiv where multiple reports of war crimes and civilian killings have surfaced. Omurbekov and several others were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. British authorities also said Thursday that they are expanding their sanctions list to individuals and companies that are supporting President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. They include Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of logistics company Russian Railways, and Russian weapons suppliers and manufacturers such as Kalashnikov Concern. MILAN Italian energy company ENI has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo to increase natural gas production and supply to Italy, as part of European moves to cut dependence on Russian energy over its invasion of Ukraine. The deal signed Thursday comes on top of recent deals to increase production and delivery from Algeria and Angola. Italy currently gets some 38% of its natural gas from Russia, and has signed deals to replace about half. The new deal signed in Brazzaville calls for a new liquefied natural gas project that is expected to launch next year with a capacity of up to 4.5 billion cubic meters a year for export. ENI said it also agreed to back sustainable energy projects in the central African country. KYIV, Ukraine An adviser to the Ukrainian president says Russian President Vladimir Putins decision not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol means that the Russian military is unable to perform the task. Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Thursday that they cannot physically capture Azovstal, a giant steel plant that is Ukraines last stronghold in the strategic Sea of Azov port. Arestovichs statement followed Putins attempt to claim control of Mariupol even though Ukrainian defenders have continued to fight at Azovstal. Putin ordered his defense minister not to send troops to storm the plant and to block it instead. HELSINKI -- Latvias Parliament has approved a statement accusing Russia of carrying out genocide against the Ukrainian people. The statement approved unanimously Thursday by the Baltic countrys 100-seat Saeima legislature pointed to extensive testimony and evidence of crimes committed by the Russian military in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and elsewhere. It said that, as a member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union and NATO, Latvia cannot accept Russias actions. Neighboring Estonias Parliament agreed later Thursday on a similar statement. The Latvian statement also called on EU member countries to stop importing Russian oil and gas immediately. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Apr. 20After years of rejecting efforts to legalize medical and recreational marijuana, several Republican lawmakers on Wednesday promoted a medical cannabis measure but with session over, there's almost no chance legislators pass the bill this year. Rallying in support of full legalization for years, some Democrats said the legislation doesn't go far enough to legalize a drug that most Wisconsinites want to see accessible and regulated. No Democrats have formally signed on to support the bill. The Republican bill, SB 1034, is only meant for people with serious conditions, bill author Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said before the Senate Insurance, Licensing and Forestry Committee hearing. She referenced a 13-year-old girl whose serious medicinal condition could be ameliorated with medicinal marijuana. "It breaks my heart that we sit here and deny her a possible cure," she said. The measure would extend to people with conditions including Crohn's disease, glaucoma, cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It was the first time in Wisconsin that a Republican-majority Legislature granted a public hearing for a marijuana bill. It's also the first time since 2009 that a marijuana bill received a public hearing. A 2022 Marquette Law School Poll found 61% of Wisconsinites, including 51% of Republicans, want marijuana to be fully legalized. A 2019 Marquette Law School Poll found 83% of Wisconsinites said medical marijuana should be legal. But the hearing came after the legislative session ended for the year because Republican leadership said the bill was introduced too late, Felzkowski said. Felzkowski and bill author Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Schofield, said they would reintroduce the bill in January regardless of who the governor is. The measure would permit only non-smokable forms of marijuana. A patient seeking eligibility in the program would need a written recommendation from a physician, physician assistant or certified advanced practice nurse prescriber. "We cannot settle for half-baked, insufficient legislation that is nothing more than a political ploy to give folks false hope on the prospects of cannabis legalization here in Wisconsin," Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, said in a statement. "We must put our efforts behind full cannabis legalization." Felzkowski said recreational marijuana was a different issue that would require a separate measure. "This is a starting framework," she said, adding that she is open to amending the bill to include more medical conditions. Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, thanked the Republican authors for the measure but said the legislation saddens her because it doesn't propose full legalization, a tool that she said could lower incarceration rates for Black Wisconsinites. One of every 36 Black Wisconsinites is in prison, the highest rate in the nation. Under the measure, people convicted of controlled substance offenses would not be able to grow, transport or distribute cannabis. "In Wisconsin, I know that the most dangerous thing about cannabis is the fact that it remains illegal," Agard said at the hearing, adding that the bill doesn't address racial disparities. Felzkowski said racial disparities need to be addressed but that her medical marijuana bill is not the place to address them. GOP compromise The measure marks a step toward compromise for Republicans, who removed legalizing recreational and medical marijuana from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' 2021-23 budget proposal. "Everything that we move forward is a win. It's not a loss. ... Getting this going right now is a win," Felzkowski said later in the hearing. Opposed to the bill, the Wisconsin Medical Society in a statement said research into marijuana's properties was sparse and that the legislation is "unfortunately premature at this time." If passed, the bill would put Wisconsin together with 37 states that permit medical marijuana, including states with Republican legislatures and governors and neighboring states Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. In the past decade, Republican lawmakers have rejected several Democratic bills that would have legalized recreational marijuana. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said in April 2021 that he's not comfortable with Wisconsin becoming a "rogue state," legalizing marijuana before the federal government does. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who indicated his support for medical marijuana in the past, may also be on board. "I've always been supportive of medical marijuana when done the right way," he said in January. The public hearing fell on April 20, an unofficial holiday for cannabis consumption, something Felzkowski previously claimed she didn't know. The date is a reference to 4:20, the time of day a group of California students in the 1970s would meet to smoke weed, which over the years caught on as marijuana slang. "I was totally clueless on what 420's reference was," Felzkowski said before the hearing. "Maybe that shows my age. My staff said, 'Yes, we thought you knew.' I'm just a little bit older and not up on the reference." Federal laws prohibit medical and recreational marijuana, though legislation known as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment has prohibited the Justice Department from spending money to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. Under the bill, a Medical Marijuana Regulatory Commission would regulate the medical marijuana program. Under the program, medical marijuana patients would then be able to access cannabis products stocked by wholesalers who would be subject to a 10% state excise tax. It would be available to some minors. The bill would require licensed producers, processors and laboratories to operate in an enclosed, locked facility, and they could not have past drug convictions. It would also require them to sell directly to medical dispensaries not directly to patients a requirement that would likely close the door on small-time producers as well as patients producing marijuana for their own use. Under current state law, first-time marijuana possession is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, while local governments are allowed to establish their own penalties for possessing small amounts of the plant. Subsequent offenses are a felony. Madison has decriminalized possessing small amounts of marijuana in private and most public spaces, though dealing the drug is still subject to penalties. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. NEW YORK The co-founder of the We Build The Wall project aimed at raising money for a border wall pleaded guilty Thursday to charges in a case that once included former President Donald Trumps adviser Steve Bannon. Brian Kolfage, who has significant ties to Tucson, admitted to pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars while promising all donations would pay for the wall. His plea came a month before a trial in a case that began in dramatic fashion in August 2020 when Bannon was pulled from a luxury yacht off the coast of Connecticut and arrested on allegations that he and three others falsely promised donors that all donations would help build a wall on the southern border. The fundraising for the border wall was launched at an event in Sahuarita on Feb. 8, 2019, the Star has previously reported. Thats when Bannon told the Star that 100% of this money is going to build the wall and the legal fight to get the wall built. Instead, Bannon pulled $100,000 from the donations on Feb. 11 to secretly pay former Tucsonan Brian Kolfage, the head of the fundraising campaign who had pledged he wouldnt take a penny of the $25 million raised from thousands of donors, Star news archives show. In the following months, Bannon illegally pulled out more than $1 million of donated money, including $350,000 paid to Kolfage, federal prosecutors in New York said in a court filing in August 2020, the Star has reported. A guilty plea Thursday by co-defendant financier Andrew Badolato in the case during the same remotely conducted electronic hearing before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan meant that only one of the four defendants originally charged might go to trial in mid-May. Plea agreements between the government and Kolfage and Badolato specified the defendants will not challenge sentences within an agreed-to guidelines range. For Kolfage, that range was four to five years. For Badolato, it was roughly 3 1/2 years to four years. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 6. Kolfage, of Miramar Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and tax charges brought originally in Florida. Badolato, of Sarasota, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Without the plea deal, Kolfage could have faced up to 46 years in prison while Badolato faced a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. The organizers of the We Build The Wall group raised more than $25 million from thousands of donors as they repeatedly pledged that every dollar would be used for the project. Asked to describe his crimes by the judge, Kolfage said the group had originally intended for all the raised money to be used to build a wall, but it soon became apparent that the plan to donate the money to the U.S. government for the walls construction was not possible. At that point, he said, they induced donors to opt in to the new project to build a border wall on private land by falsely representing that none of the donations would be spent on salaries or compensation to the fundraisers. I knew what I was doing was wrong and a crime, he said. After he spoke, Torres asked questions, including whether he had promised the public that 100 percent of the money would go toward building the wall. That is correct, he answered. Despite your promise, you made an agreement with others to keep a large sum of money for yourself, the judge said. That is correct, Kolfage answered. Badolato said he engaged in the conspiracy from 2018 to 2020, agreeing to assure donors that all the money would go toward building the wall when he knew the statements were false. I knew this was wrong and Im terribly, terribly sorry for what I did and I humbly beg the court for mercy, he said. When the judge asked Badolato if he was aware that Kolfage was going to get money from donations, he said: Yes I did and I helped facilitate it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said evidence against the men at trial would have included testimony from donors, along with transaction records following donations into the defendants bank accounts, emails and text records, along with public statements made by the coconspirators that were false. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Is it OK for free-range chickens to not range freely? Thats a question free-range egg producers have been pondering lately as they try to be open about their product while also protecting chickens from a highly infectious bird flu that has resulted in the death of roughly 28 million poultry birds across the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that chickens be moved indoors to protect against the disease, but while some are keeping their hens inside, not everyone agrees. John Brunnquell, the CEO of Indiana-based Egg Innovations, which contracts with more than 50 farms in five states to produce free-range and pasture-raised eggs, said any of his chickens in states with bird flu cases will stay in confinement mode" until the risk passes. We will keep them confined at least until early June," Brunnquell said. If we go four weeks with no more commercial breakouts then well look to get the girls back out. Bird flu cases have been identified in commercial chicken and turkey farms or in backyard flocks in 29 states, according to the USDA. Spread of the disease is largely blamed on the droppings of infected migrating wild birds. The farms Brunnquell contracts with are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin, all of which have had at least once case of bird flu. But some, like Mike Badger, the executive director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, are taking a different approach. Badger, whose Pennsylvania-based nonprofit group has about 1,000 members across the country, believes birds kept outdoors are at less risk of infection than chickens and turkeys raised amid thousands of others in large, enclosed barns. We put them outside and they get in touch with the environment so I think they have a better immune system to be able to fight off threats as they happen, Badger said. Research has not clearly proven significant immune system differences in chickens housed outdoors versus indoors. And Badger speculates that lower density of animals, air movement and less sharing of equipment and staff in pasture-raised operations may contribute to a lack of virus infections. He said the decision whether to bring hens inside to wait out the annual migration of wild waterfowl is a farm-to-farm decision based on the comfort level with the risk acceptance. Commercial outdoor flocks make up only a small percentage of U.S. egg production. About 6 million hens, or 2% of national flock, are free-range and about 4.2 million hens, or 1.3% of U.S. egg production, are from pasture-raised chickens. Chickens are categorized as free-range or pasture-raised primarily by the amount of time they spend outdoors and space they are provided. Free-range chickens typically must have at least 21.8 square feet (2 square meters) of roaming space outdoors and remain out until temperatures drop below around 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 1 Celsius), according to the American Humane Association, which certifies egg operations. Pasture-raised chickens typically must have 108 square feet (10 square meters) outdoors each and remain outside most of the year except during inclement weather. The certifying organizations have protocols for high-risk situations and allow for temporary housing indoors a time period not specifically defined once a farm documents an outbreak near an outdoor flock. Certification agencies monitor farms to ensure they dont use bird flu as an excuse to keep birds inside too long. Brunnquell said none of his farms had infections during the last big outbreak in 2015, and he hasn't had any cases this year. Farmers in Europe have been dealing with the bird virus longer than those in the U.S., with cases reported as early as last December. The United Kingdom has ordered free-range hens to be housed inside to protect them from the avian flu, and that has forced changes to how those eggs are labeled in stores. Free-range packaging is still used but must be marked with an added label of barn eggs, according to a communications representative for the British Free Range Egg Producers Association. Each egg also is stamped with a No. 2 that denotes barn rather than No. 1 for free-range. For U.S. consumers, it means the free-range eggs they buy at a premium price could come from a chicken being temporarily kept inside. But producers say they think people who pay more for pasture-raised or free-range eggs have animal-welfare concerns and don't want the chickens to be endangered the virus. Brunnquell also noted that the certification agencies monitor farms to ensure they don't use bird flu as an excuse to keep birds inside too long. Eggs of all kinds have grown costlier recently thanks to bird flu concerns and a national spike in food costs. Last week, prices for conventional eggs increased by 40 cents per dozen to $1.47 while cage-free egg prices rose 3 cents to $2.40 per dozen, according to the USDA. Organic eggs, which are from chickens required to have access to the outdoors, were selling for a national average of $4.39 a dozen last week, up from $3.65 the week before. The price of eggs used by bakeries and other food products soared to a record high on April 8. So-called breaker eggs, which will later be broken by processors and sold in containers weighing up to 50 pounds, peaked at $2.51 per pound, said Karyn Rispoli, egg market reporter for Urner Barry, a New Jersey-based food commodity market research and analytics firm. Many of the egg layers that have died from bird flu were on farms contracted to provide breaker eggs used as food product ingredients, Rispoli said. Bird flu likely will remain a problem for at least several more weeks as migrating waterfowl will remain on the move in the Mississippi Flyway until June. In the past, warmer weather and the end of migration brought an end to bird flu cases, allowing turkey and chicken farmers to begin the monthslong process of replenishing flocks and resuming production. Associated Press writer Courtney Bonnell contributed to this report from London. This story was first published on April 21. It was updated on April 24 to make clear that bird flu has led to the deaths of about 28 million poultry birds in the U.S., but that most of those were killed to prevent the disease from spreading and didnt die of the disease. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. NEW YORK (AP) A Chinese man was sentenced to more than four years in prison Thursday after admitting that he fraudulently tried to get $20 million in federal coronavirus-relief funds meant to rescue distressed businesses. U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman announced the four-year, four-month prison term for Muge Ma at a sentencing hearing in Manhattan. The judge said the prison term was necessary because of the seriousness of the crimes and the need for others to be warned against abusing government programs meant to help people in a national emergency. Ma, 38, was arrested in May 2020 by federal authorities who said he had applied to at least five banks to try to get over $20 million in government-guaranteed loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Both programs were designed for businesses harmed by coronavirus shutdowns. Authorities said he falsely claimed to be paying hundreds of employees millions of dollars in wages through two companies he controlled. To support the claims, he submitted fraudulent bank, tax, insurance and payroll records and provided banks with links to websites that described the companies as global, prosecutors said. In fact, they said, Ma at the time was working alone out of his $1.5 million Manhattan condominium, falsely claiming that one of his companies was representing New York state and was helping then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to procure COVID-19 test kits and personal protective equipment for frontline workers. Ma, a lawful permanent resident jailed since his May 2020 arrest, repeatedly said he was sorry before the sentence was imposed. He came to the U.S. in 2011 on a student visa. I love America, Ma said. I'm very, very sorry to my country, America." Besides decrying jail conditions over the last two years as dirty, harsh, extremely cruel, he repeatedly apologized for his crimes and said: I detest myself so much." The self-criticism reached such a point that Berman interrupted Ma, telling him: Mr. Ma, I don't have any doubt about how sorry you are. I'm not seeking blood from you, the judge said before he urged Ma to stop dwelling on his crimes and focus on how he can be successful in the future. Prosecutors said Ma's fraud convinced one bank to approve and disburse over $800,000 in loan funds for one of Mas companies, although the money was frozen during the investigation. They said another $650,000 in loans had been approved and a $10,000 loan advance had been provided. In a release Thursday, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Ma carried out his crimes within days of Congress authorizing billions of dollars to help small businesses harmed by the pandemic. Muge Ma saw it as an opportunity to enrich himself by applying for millions of dollars in funds to pay wages to hundreds of employees that never existed, Williams said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (AP) Michael Barrows wore his Grateful Dead T-shirt and Jerry Garcia face mask for opening day of recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey on Thursday, one of dozens of people who lined up before dawn to join the celebratory scene. Its pretty amazing, exciting, and if I get pulled over on the way home and Im ever asked if I have any drugs in the car, now Im allowed to say Only this, Barrows said, holding up the canister of marijuana flower he had just purchased. Possession of cannabis is now legal in New Jersey, although driving under the influence is still prohibited. Barrows, 60, joined a steady stream of other novelty seekers, longtime marijuana users and medical patients at RISE in Bloomfield, near the state's biggest city, Newark, and not far from New York City. With soul music blaring, free doughnuts in the parking lot, a steel drum and a balloon arch at the entrance, New Jersey's cannabis kickoff for people 21 and older had the feel of a fair more than a store opening. Hagan Seeley, 23, said he had just found out a day earlier that recreational sales were starting and decided to see what the scene looked like. He was impressed with the venue, decorated with an old train station-style tote board and long wooden tables featuring products under glass globes. It feels right. It feels safe. It feels like everything youd want it to be rather than anything you could get anywhere else, Seeley said. The start of the recreational market comes a week after Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced that state regulators had cleared the way for recreational sales at seven alternative treatment centers that had already offered medical cannabis. The seven centers operate 13 facilities across the state. Murphy, who has long backed recreational marijuana legalization and signed the bill that set up the marketplace, appeared at ZenLeaf in Elizabeth for its first day of recreational sales. The governor said he wouldn't be trying any marijuana, saying earlier this week it's not his thing, and that he prefers Scotch. Murphy said he would be pushing for a federal fix for marijuana as well, though it was unclear whether he was referring to recreational legalization, national decriminalization or something else. Hadi Battice, 47, is a Navy veteran and medical marijuana card holder for his post-traumatic stress disorder. Hes a regular at ZenLeaf and said hes never seen the location as busy as it was Thursday. New Jerseys recreational cannabis law gives priority status to people of color for dispensary licenses, a fact that will help knock down brick walls people faced for years during the war on drugs, Battice said. Its about time that minorities, people of color, Black people, brown people actually have a chance to get into the business. Charles Pfeiffer stood in line for about 2.5 hours and said he believed he was the first recreational customer to make a purchase at the ZenLeaf location. He cheered loudly and pumped his hands in the air when he was let into the shop. He bought cannabis flower and candy for about $140 and joked about how quickly he'd need to return to buy more. I'll be back tomorrow, he said. I'm kidding, probably within a week. ZenLeaf employee Destiny Pimentel said she came to realize the benefits of responsible cannabis use after her older brother died. When I consume cannabis I am not as anxious and I can focus, she said. Shes committed to showing people its possible to use cannabis and have a successful career, she added. New Jersey is among 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, with legalized recreational marijuana markets. Thirty-seven states, including New Jersey, have legalized medical marijuana. New Jersey is first among its closest neighbors to begin recreational sales. New York is moving forward with a recreational market but sales are not expected to start until the end of the year, state officials have said. Neighboring Pennsylvania has medical cannabis but not recreational. Legislation to permit recreational marijuana in Delaware was defeated in March. Ben Kovler, of Green Thumb Industries, which operates the Bloomfield dispensary, was at the opening Thursday. He said he expects demand to grow since news of the start of sales had only been known by the public for a week. Its a moment in time in American history where prohibition 2.0 is lifted, he said before the opening. To get regulatory approval, the facilities told regulators they would not interrupt access for medical marijuana patients. Ziad Ghanem, of TerrAscend, said the centers would initially have a narrower menu for recreational users in order to accommodate patients. The centers also are required to meet social equity standards, such as providing technical knowledge to new marijuana businesses, especially social equity applicants those located in economically struggling parts of the state or people who have had cannabis-related offenses. New Jersey's tax revenues are expected to climb, but it's not clear by how much. Murphys fiscal year 2023 budget is pending before the Legislature and estimates revenues of just $19 million in a nearly $49 billion budget. Legislation governing the recreational market calls for the 6.625% sales tax to apply, with 70% of the proceeds going to areas disproportionately affected by marijuana-related arrests. Black residents were likelier up to three times as much to face marijuana charges than white residents. Towns can also levy a tax of up to 2%. In a memo to law enforcement officers across the state, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin reminded police that unregulated marijuana continues to be an illegal substance. State regulators say dispensaries are allowed to sell up to the equivalent of 1 ounce of cannabis, which means an ounce of dried flower, or 5 grams of concentrate or 1,000 milligrams of edibles, like gummies. Perishable items like cookies and brownies are not available. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. A woman arrested in connection the slaying of a homeless woman on Tucsons south side told multiple people that she had taken a life, court records show. On April 4, the Arizona Department of Public Safety received information that Glorya E. Smith-Lee, 47, and her husband, Kenneth Edward Neece, 43, had killed a woman and had the body in a barrel in their bathroom, court records say. In the days that followed, authorities conducted surveillance on the property and on April 13, detectives were made aware of a check welfare call the Pima County Sheriffs Department received. The caller had heard there was a dead body at a residence nearby, court records say. A deputy responded to the area and was denied access to the property, court records say. The deputy reported smelling a chemical odor and seeing residents on the property tending a fire. Detectives then spoke to the reporting party of the check welfare call who said she had been on the property on April 7 and April 10 to pick up some cats, court records say. The caller said there was a 55-gallon barrel outside the northwest corner of the main building that was smoldering like it had been on fire and a pillow was pushed into it. The caller also said it stunk like chemicals and as she continued north, she could smell what she thought was a dead animal. According to court records, Smith-Lee told someone that Patricia Belen Gonzales, 29, reportedly stole from her, they killed her and that the body was still at Smith-Lees home. On April 14, AZDPS detectives served a search warrant on two adjoining properties located at 5590 E. Klafter Road and 8505 S. Craycroft Road. During the search, detectives found a utility box trailer with a metal-colored box at the rear of the trailer, court records say. A large amount of white powdery substance, consistent with lye, was also seen on the floorboard of the trailer and an odor of decomposition was coming from the trailer. A canine trained and certified in the detection of human remains alerted on this trailer, possibly indicating the presence of human remains, court records say. The metal box was cut open and detectives found a layer of spray foam and multiple layers of plastic. Once the plastic was cut open, odor of decomposition filled the area and clothing was seen under the plastic and flesh was felt underneath. Over 20 people were found on the property and interviewed, court records say. Multiple witnesses had conversations with Smith-Lee who told them she hurt someone really bad or took a life. Witnesses also reported a strong odor of bleach and cleaning supplies in a trailer and the residence. An additional witness said Neece told them he put a pipe on a girls neck and stood on it, court records say. Another witness was told by Smith-Lee that she and Neece were slapping a girl around for stealing electronics. The girl then picked up a hammer, hit Neece and tried to hit Smith-Lee before being disarmed by them. Detectives arrested both Smith-Lee and Neece on charges including first-degree murder, kidnapping and tampering with physical evidence. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 88-CRIME or 520-882-7463. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. An 18-year-old man was was shot to death inside a car Tuesday night on Tucson's southwest side, police said. Officers were dispatched to a neighborhood street in Midvale Park about 11 p.m. after reports of gunfire. Officers found Michael Valenzuela inside a car in the 1600 block of West Colonial Heights, near South Midvale and West Drexel roads. Valenzuela had been shot and was declared dead at the scene. A second man was there too, but police say he was not injured. No motive has been established in the shooting and police continue to investigate. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Justice Dept. to appeal order voiding travel mask mandate WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judges order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week. A notice of appeal was filed Wednesday in federal court in Tampa. The CDC says it is its continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. Russia's Chernobyl seizure seen as nuclear risk 'nightmare' CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (AP) When Russian forces invaded and occupied the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, they dug trenches in one of the worlds most radioactive places. Experts fear that they were, in effect, digging their own graves. Thousands of tanks and troops rumbled into the Chernobyl exclusion zone at the start of the war, churning up soil contaminated by the world's worst nuclear disaster. As the anniversary of the April 26, 1986, accident approaches and Russias war continues, it's clear that Ukrainian authorities were never prepared for this scenario. Russias invasion marks the first time that occupying a nuclear plant was part of a nation's military strategy. 'Days or hours left': Russia tightens the noose in Mariupol KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian forces are tightening the noose around the defenders holed up in a mammoth steel plant that is the last known Ukrainian stronghold in in the besieged city of Mariupol. A fighter apparently on the inside issued a video plea for help. He said the defenders may have only a few days or hours left. With the holdouts punished by new bombing attacks, another attempt to evacuate civilians trapped in the city has failed because of continued fighting. Separately, the governor of Ukraine's Luhansk region says Russian forces now control 80 percent of it. It is one of two regions that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Israel, Gaza militants trade fire as Mideast tensions mount JERUSALEM (AP) Palestinian militants have fired several rockets into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip as Israeli aircraft hit Gaza militant sites in response to a previous rocket strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the rockets and airstrikes fired late Wednesday into early Thursday. It was the second rocket attack from Gaza this week. Israeli-Palestinian tensions have soared in recent days. The Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza had issued vague threats earlier Wednesday over a planned march through Jerusalem by Israeli ultra-nationalists. But Israeli police blocked roads and prevented the marchers from reaching dense Palestinian neighborhoods, after a similar event nearly a year ago helped trigger an Israel-Gaza war. Parachute demo at Nats Park causes brief Capitol evacuation WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Capitol was briefly evacuated Wednesday evening after police identified an aircraft that they said posed "a probable threat. But the plane was actually carrying members of the U.S. Army Golden Knights, who then parachuted into Nationals Park for a pregame demonstration. The alert from the U.S. Capitol Police sent congressional staffers fleeing from the Capitol and legislative building around 6:30 p.m. The incident suggested a stunning communications failure between the military and the Capitol Police, all the more remarkable because of Washingtons focus on improving security since the January 6, 2021, attack on the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Michigan lawmaker's forceful speech rebuts 'grooming' attack LANSING, Mich. (AP) A Michigan lawmaker, mother and LGBTQ rights supporter who was accused by a Republican colleague of wanting to groom schoolchildren says her impassioned response resonated because people are sick of such attacks. Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow's remarks went viral after Republican Sen. Lana Theis attacked her in a fundraising email. McMorrow had criticized Theis for giving an invocation in which she claimed children are under attack by forces that want to indoctrinate them with ideas not supported by their parents. The salvos are among the latest to draw attention as conservatives push to make education a political wedge issue. Scholar uses trash as treasure to study life in North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A South Korean scholar has turned to a different way of collecting information about secretive North Korea as pandemic restrictions make it harder for outsiders to find out what's life like for North Koreans. Professor Kang Dong Wan from Dong-A University has been combing the beaches of South Korean border islands for North Korean trash. He's collected about 2,000 pieces of trash, ranging from snack bags, juice pouches, sweet wrappers and drink bottles to seasoning sachets. He says his findings confirm North Korean state media reports that the country has been producing a variety of consumer goods on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un. People's tastes have grown and there's even a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demand for goods. Southwest wildfires force evacuations, tighten resources FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona wildfire more than tripled in size as relentless winds pushed the flames through neighborhoods on the outskirts of a college and tourist town, forcing out hundreds of residents and destroying more than two dozen homes and other structures. The wind-whipped fire on the outskirts of Flagstaff ballooned to more than 30 square miles by Wednesday afternoon. Forest Service officials say flames as high as 100 feet quickly scorched dry vegetation. Weather conditions improved, but the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Thursday citing strong winds. Elsewhere in Arizona, firefighters battled a wildfire in a sparsely populated area of national forest south of Prescott. Crews also were busy trying to corral fires in New Mexico and Colorado. A gun, a phone cord spur heated talk at Kardashian trial LOS ANGELES (AP) Former reality television star Blac Chyna testified that she was joking when she put a phone cord around the neck of her then-fiance Rob Kardashian, and later grabbed his unloaded gun. The incidents from 2016 were at the center of testimony Tuesday by Chyna, who is suing Kardashian's mother and sisters for $100 million, alleging they forced the cancellation of her show Rob & Chyna" and ruined her TV career. The lawsuit says that Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and three of his sisters including Kim Kardashian falsely spread word that she was physically abusive. All four women were in court watching the testimony. Wright resigns as Villanova coach, Neptune takes over PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jay Wright shocked college basketball Wednesday night with his immediate resignation at Villanova, the Big East program he led to two national championships and four Final Fours in a Hall of Fame career. The 60-year-old Wright guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018 and just led the Wildcats to the Final Four, where they lost to national champion Kansas. He went 520-197 in 21 seasons at the school and 642-282 overall, also coaching Hofstra from 19942001. Kyle Neptune, who served on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021, returned to replace Wright. Wright will remain at Villanova and stay involved in fundraising, advising, education and more. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, on April 21, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2022 on Thursday. Following is the full text of the speech: Rising to Challenges and Building a Bright Future Through Cooperation Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China At the Opening Ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022 Beijing, 21 April 2022 Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government, Your Excellencies Heads of International Organizations, Your Excellencies Members of the Board of Directors of the Boao Forum for Asia, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, It gives me great pleasure to once again join friends old and new online for the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022. I want to begin by extending, on behalf of the Chinese government and people and also in my own name, hearty welcome to all participating guests and warm congratulations on the convening of the Annual Conference. Right now, changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding in ways like never before. These changes are posing challenges that must be taken seriously by humanity. We have yet to walk from the shadow of a once-in-a-century pandemic, but new traditional security risks are already emerging. The weak and faltering global economic recovery is compounded by a widening development gap. While governance deficit in areas like climate change has hardly been addressed, new issues such as digital governance are also vying for attention. Viewed in such a context, the theme of this year's Annual Conference "The World in COVID-19 & Beyond: Working Together for Global Development and Shared Future" cannot be more relevant. As an ancient Chinese adage goes, "One must not change his commitment or give up his pursuit even in the face of danger and risk." A review of human history teaches us that the more difficult things get, the greater the need grows to stay confident. Problems are not to be afraid of, as it is one problem after another that have driven the progress of human society. No difficulties could ever stop the wheel of history. Faced with the many challenges, we must not lose confidence, hesitate or flinch. Instead, we must firm up confidence and press ahead against all odds. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, For us to break through the mist and embrace a bright future, the biggest strength comes from cooperation and the most effective way is through solidarity. Over the past two years and more, the international community has been working extremely hard to respond to the COVID-19 challenge and boost global recovery and development. The hardships and challenges are yet another reminder that humanity is a community with a shared future where all people rise and fall together, and that all countries need to follow the trend of the times featuring peace, development and win-win cooperation, move in the direction of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and rise to challenges and build a bright future through cooperation. -- We need to work together to defend people's lives and health. Safety and health are the prerequisite for human development and progress. For humanity to clinch a final victory against the COVID-19 pandemic, more hard efforts are needed. It is essential that countries support each other, better coordinate response measures and improve global public health governance, so as to form strong international synergy against the pandemic. We must keep COVID vaccines a global public good and ensure their accessibility and affordability in developing countries. China has provided over 2.1 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. Be it in delivering vaccines abroad or producing them overseas, China has honored its commitments with concrete actions. China will follow through the pledged donation of 600 million and 150 million doses of vaccines to Africa and ASEAN countries respectively, as part of our effort to close the immunization gap. -- We need to work together to promote economic recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously eroded the gains the world has made in poverty reduction over the past decade. Uneven recovery is aggravating inequality across the world, further widening the North-South divide. We should stay committed to building an open world economy, stay on top of the dominant trend of economic globalization, increase macro policy coordination, turn to science and technology for more growth drivers, keep global industrial and supply chains stable, and prevent serious negative spillovers from policy adjustments in some countries, all in an effort to promote balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development. We should follow a people-centered approach, place development and people's well-being high on the agenda and, when policies are implemented, measures adopted and actions taken, always give top priority to bettering people's lives. We should pay due attention to the pressing needs of developing countries and advance practical cooperation in such key areas as poverty reduction, food security, development financing and industrialization, in a bid to address uneven and inadequate development. The Global Development Initiative (GDI) I proposed last year has been echoed and supported by the United Nations and other international organizations and nearly 100 countries. China is working with the international community on the solid implementation of the GDI. -- We need to work together to maintain peace and stability in the world. An ancient Chinese philosopher observed, "Stability brings a country prosperity while instability leads a country to poverty." Security is the precondition for development. We humanity are living in an indivisible security community. It has been proven time and again that the Cold War mentality would only wreck the global peace framework, that hegemonism and power politics would only endanger world peace, and that bloc confrontation would only exacerbate security challenges in the 21st century. To promote security for all in the world, China would like to propose a Global Security Initiative as follows: It is important that we stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to maintain world peace and security; stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold non-interference in internal affairs, and respect the independent choices of development paths and social systems made by people in different countries; stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, reject the Cold War mentality, oppose unilateralism, and say no to group politics and bloc confrontation; stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the pursuit of one's own security at the cost of others' security; stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises, reject double standards, and oppose the wanton use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction; stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains, and work together on regional disputes and global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity. -- We need to work together to tackle global governance challenges. Countries around the world are like passengers aboard the same ship who share the same destiny. For the ship to navigate the storm and sail toward a bright future, all passengers must pull together. The thought of throwing anyone overboard is simply not acceptable. In this day and age, the international community has evolved so much that it has become a sophisticated and integrated apparatus. Acts to remove any single part will cause serious problems to its operation. When that happens, both the victims and the initiators of such acts will stand to lose. In today's world, unilateralism and excessive pursuit of self-interest are doomed to fail; so are the practices of decoupling, supply disruption and maximum pressure; so are the attempts to forge "small circles" or to stoke conflict and confrontation along ideological lines. Instead, we need to embrace a global governance philosophy that emphasizes extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, promote the common values of humanity, and advocate exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. We need to uphold true multilateralism, and firmly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law. It is particularly important for major countries to lead by example in honoring equality, cooperation, good faith and the rule of law, and act in a way befitting their status. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Having been through hot and cold wars, hardships and tribulations, people in Asia deeply cherish the value of peace and understand that development gains do not come easily. Over the past decades, Asia has enjoyed overall stability and sustained rapid growth, making possible the Asian Miracle. When Asia fares well, the whole world benefits. Therefore, we need to continue developing and strengthening Asia, demonstrate Asia's resilience, wisdom and strength, and make Asia an anchor for world peace, a powerhouse for global growth and a new pacesetter for international cooperation. First, we should resolutely safeguard peace in Asia. Peace and stability in our region does not fall into our lap automatically or come as charity from any country. Rather, it is the result of the joint efforts of countries in the region. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit, first advocated by Asia, are all the more relevant today. We should honor such principles as mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, follow a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship, and make sure that we always keep our future in our own hands. Second, we should vigorously advance Asian cooperation. Many Asian proverbs describe the value of solidarity and cooperation, such as "climb the hill together and go down the ravine together" and "sugarcane and lemongrass grow in dense clumps". Win-win cooperation is a sure path to Asian development. The entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the opening to traffic of the China-Laos railway have effectively boosted institutional and physical connectivity in our region. We should seize these opportunities to foster a more open Asia-wide market and make new strides in mutually beneficial cooperation. Third, we should jointly promote Asian unity. Choosing dialogue and cooperation over zero-sum games, openness and inclusiveness over a closed-door and exclusive approach, and exchanges and mutual learning over a sense of superiority: this is the only choice worthy of the broad-mindedness of Asians. We should cement ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture, and uphold a regional order that balances the aspirations and accommodates the interests of all parties. Countries, no matter their size and strength, and both in and outside the region, should all add splendor rather than trouble to Asia. All should follow the path of peace and development, seek win-win cooperation, and contribute to an Asian family of unity and progress together. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Two months ago, China presented to the world a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, bringing warmth and hope to people across the globe. In the second half of this year, we will convene the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which will draw the blueprint for China's future development. The fundamentals of the Chinese economy - its strong resilience, enormous potential, vast room for maneuver and long-term sustainability - remain unchanged. They will provide great dynamism for the stability and recovery of the world economy and broader market opportunities for all countries. China will fully apply its new development philosophy, accelerate the establishment of a new development paradigm, and redouble efforts for high-quality development. No matter how the world will change, China's faith in and its commitment to reform and opening-up will not waver. China will expand high-standard opening-up, fully implement the negative list for foreign investment, expand the encouraged catalogue for FDI, improve services for investment promotion, and add more cities to the comprehensive pilot program for service sector opening. China will take solid steps to develop its pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port, align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and move ahead with institutional opening-up. China will implement the RCEP in full, seek the conclusion of high-standard FTAs with more countries and regions, and actively work for joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). China will press ahead with high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to make it high-standard, sustainable and people-centered. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, and always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Let me conclude with an old Chinese saying, "Keep walking and one will not be daunted by a thousand miles; make constant efforts and one will not be intimidated by a thousand tasks." As long as we join hands and never slacken in efforts, we will build great synergy through win-win cooperation, overcome the various challenges along the way, and usher in a brighter and better future for humanity. Thank you. Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to mull over what the future of Covid-19 booster shots might look like -- and they acknowledge that entirely different vaccine formulations could be needed. At their meeting Wednesday, the members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices discussed their next steps around recommending additional booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines for the general public. Currently, additional booster doses are recommended only for certain people with weakened immune systems and adults 50 and older. "Policy around future doses require continued evaluation of Covid-19 epidemiology and vaccine effectiveness, including the impact of both time and variants, and the ability of doses to improve this protection," the CDC's Dr. Sara Oliver, an epidemic intelligence service officer with the Division of Viral Diseases, said at the meeting. Before recommending future doses of Covid-19 vaccines, Oliver said, the committee members would need to assess the nation's recent case counts, hospitalization rates, vaccine effectiveness -- including whether it's waning over time -- and the impacts of circulating coronavirus variants. As the virus continues to evolve, the "evolution of the Covid vaccines will be important," including the vaccine platforms, Oliver said. The Covid-19 vaccinations that people get in the future could be completely different formulations from what's being given now, which is based on the original version of the virus that emerged in late 2019. The next booster might be a new vaccine Some companies, including Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, are developing variant-specific vaccines that could target whatever strain of the coronavirus is circulating when that booster might be needed. Pfizer and Moderna are working on vaccines that would specifically protect against the Omicron variant, even though it's not clear whether one is needed. The time needed to manufacture a vaccine -- once it is decided to change or update the composition of that vaccine -- also is not clear. But for the vaccines that are now available, a decision to modify them would need to be made "at the latest by the beginning of the summer" if a vaccination campaign were to be needed in the fall, Dr. Doran Fink, deputy director of the US Food and Drug Administration's Division of Vaccines, said at Wednesday's meeting. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said the company is also hoping to make a vaccine that will protect against Omicron as well as all other variants of the coronavirus. The goal is to create "something that can protect for at least a year," Bourla told CBS in March. "And if we are able to achieve that, then I think it is very easy to follow and remember so that we can go back to really the way [we] used to live." Moderna announced Tuesday that its first bivalent Covid-19 booster shot candidate -- which combines elements of the current vaccine with updates based on the Beta variant -- induced higher antibody responses against all variants of concern than the company's original Covid-19 booster. Moderna has been developing updated booster candidates to target emerging coronavirus variants, and it also has monovalent (based on a single virus strain) candidates in the works. Its first bivalent booster candidate, called mRNA-1273.211, was well-tolerated, the company said, and a preprint study posted last week to the online server Research Square found that it elicited higher antibody responses than Moderna's current booster shot against the original coronavirus and the Beta, Delta and Omicron variants. Moderna scientists wrote in the study that the safety profile of a 50-microgram dose of the mRNA.1273.211 booster candidate was comparable to that of the current 50-microgram dose of vaccine. The study has not been peer-reviewed or published in a professional journal. Despite the booster candidate's superiority over the original vaccine, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a news release Tuesday that a separate bivalent candidate combining the current vaccine with an Omicron-specific one is still the company's lead candidate to possibly roll out this fall. Two-in-one flu-Covid vaccines in development Moderna and the biotechnology company Novavax also are working on two-in-one combination vaccines that can offer protection against both flu and Covid-19. Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine is not authorized in the United States, but the company submitted a request for emergency use authorization to the US Food and Drug Administration in January. In the meantime, it continues to study the vaccine that combines its NVX-CoV2373 Covid-19 vaccine and its quadrivalent flu vaccine candidate. On Wednesday, Novavax announced that the combination vaccine was "well-tolerated" and induced an immune response among participants in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Novavax scientists assessed the safety of different formulations of the vaccine as well as the immunological responses they induced. The trial data showed that the combination vaccine induced immune responses comparable to those induced when the flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccine are given separately. The data also showed that the safety profile of the combination vaccine was consistent with the standalone safety profiles of the flu and Covid-19 vaccines. Serious adverse events in the trial were "rare and none were assessed as being related to the vaccine," the company said. "We continue to evaluate the dynamic public health landscape and believe there may be a need for recurrent boosters to fight both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza," Dr. Gregory Glenn, Novavax's president of research and development, said in a news release. "We're encouraged by these data and the potential path forward." Novavax announced that the data supports advancing the study to a Phase 2 trial, which is expected to begin by the end of the year. For now, the CDC's vaccine advisers plan to continue discussions around how to "be more proactive than reactive" when it comes to the future need for Covid-19 vaccinations, Dr. Matthew Daley, chair of the committee's vaccine working group and senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Research, said in Wednesday's meeting. "These are our marching orders," Daley told his fellow committee members. "We had plenty on our plate before, but then we want to take what we've heard in this meeting and take it to the work group and discuss each and every one of these issues," he said. "Given the unpredictability of the pandemic, we've needed to be reactive, but I think this is a place where we can also try to be more proactive." 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. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) Firefighters fanned out across blackened landscape in Arizonas high country, digging into the ground to put out smoldering tree stumps and roots as helicopters buzzed overhead with buckets of water to drop on a massive blaze. The work has been tedious and steady all with the recognition that already strong winds will become stronger Friday and a shift over the weekend could turn the blaze up hillsides or toward homes on the outskirts of Flagstaff. The 32-square-mile (83-square kilometer) blaze is one of a half-dozen major wildfires that have raced across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado over the past week. Forecasters have warned that warm weather, little to no precipitation and spring winds create a dangerous recipe for wildfires. Those elements are pretty much on steroids in the atmosphere'' for Friday said Scott Overpeck with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And by that we mean they are really cranked up. Everything is overlapping together at the same time. More than 500 firefighters were manning fire lines in Arizona and New Mexico, with more help on the way by Friday morning when the largest type management team is scheduled to take command of resources at the blaze near Flagstaff. It's expected to keep growing Friday, fanned by the wind, said Jerolyn Byrne, a spokeswoman for the team working the blaze. Neither officials nor residents have been able to fully survey the damage, as crews on Thursday were busy wrestling a spot fire and trying to keep flames from running up the mountainside. If that were to happen, it would mean a much bigger fire with long-term consequences such as erosion and flooding. Still, spirits were lifted Thursday as helicopters for the first time were able to start dropping water on the flames. Aerial attacks also resumed on a pair of fires in New Mexico, where at least one airtanker was able to join the effort something thats likely to be impossible on Friday. Sustained winds of 30-50 mph (48-80 kph) are forecast there Friday morning, with gusts from 60-80 mph (97-129 kph) in the afternoon from the Gila Mountains up through the Rio Grande Valley to neighboring highlands. There is high confidence that a widespread extreme and catastrophic fire weather event will occur on Friday, the Santa Fe National Forest said Thursday evening in its latest update about a fire mostly west of Santa Fe. We are urging the public to stay vigilant, to continue to watch for expected changes in evacuation status and be prepared to leave in a rapid manner, the agency said. Sheriffs deputies called for additional evacuations Thursday of scattered homes and closed some roads at a big fire burning in a rural area southeast of Taos, New Mexico, but reported no structures had burned. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Flagstaff's Coconino County. The declaration clears the way for state funding for evacuations, shelter, repairs and other expenses. However, the money cant be used to reimburse home and business owners for losses. About 30 structures have been destroyed, but it's still unclear how many were homes, the county sheriff's office said Thursday. Hundreds of people have been evacuated because of wildfires burning in the Southwest. Popular lakes and national monuments closed in Arizona including Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument outside Flagstaff because the wildfire moved directly over it, blackening trees, and burning tools and vehicles in a maintenance yard, said monument spokesman Richard Ullmann. The Coconino National Forest has closed where the wildfire is burning but has not enacted broader fire restrictions or closures. A sign at a gate warns of potential loose debris, falling trees and branches, and flash floods. Fire restrictions go into effect Friday at National Park Service sites in New Mexico, including Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandelier National Monument. Wildfire has become a year-round threat in the West given changing conditions that include earlier snowmelt and rain coming later in the fall, scientist have said. The problems are exacerbated by decades of fire suppression and poor forest management along with a more than 20-year megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. Residents around Flagstaff a year-round attraction for recreation, respite from desert heat, and Northern Arizona University questioned how a small blaze reported northeast of the college town Sunday afternoon ballooned in a matter of days. Matt McGrath, a district ranger on the Coconino National Forest, said firefighters had corralled the wildfire Sunday and didnt see any smoke or active flames when they checked on it again Monday. By Tuesday, the wind was firmly in control. Flames emerged and jumped the containment line. Residents in some 765 homes were evacuated, along with 1,000 animals from the rural neighborhoods. The fire's cause hasn't been determined. Investigators were at the site Thursday off a bumpy, gravel and dirt U.S. Forest Service road. In the distance, a large plume of grayish smoke rose over the surrounding hills. Snow still sat atop other mountains. Smoldering stumps, scorched grass and charred trees dotted the area near where the wildfire started. Preston Mercer, a fire management specialist with the Coconino National Forest, remembers standing on the same patch of ground in 2010, fighting another large blaze. Like that one, this fire has been taking advantage of dry vegetation and fierce winds. The environment is not very friendly. It was blowing 70 mph. Rocks were hitting everybody in the face. It was very smoky and we were working directly in the heat," he said Thursday from the fire line. These guys are working incredibly hard. They know the values at risk. This is their community. Crews nearby were focused on a 100-acre (40-hectare) spot fire that broke away from the main blaze toward hills that overlook nearby homes. One firefighter repeatedly swung a scraping tool as winds howled and smoke swirled through the air to reveal smoldering tree roots. He removed his glove and reached his hand into the ground to ensure it was cool before moving on and repeating the process. In Colorado, firefighters got a handle on two small wildfires in the southern and northern part of the state while contending with strong winds. The Boulder County blaze was sparked by the battery of a crashed drone that researchers were using to study severe weather, the sheriff's office said Thursday. Researchers used a fire extinguisher, but the fire spread quickly in high winds, authorities said. The other fire damaged or destroyed an estimated 15 structures, including homes, in Monte Vista, a community of about 4,150 people surrounded by farm fields, police said Thursday. Rocky Opliger, the incident commander on a wildfire that has forced evacuations south of Prescott, Arizona, said conditions are some of the worst he's seen in nearly five decades of fighting wildland fires. This is very early to have this kind of fire behavior, he said. Right now we are on the whims of weather. Associated Press writers Paul Davenport in Phoenix, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Colleen Slevin in Denver contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A 51-year-old Tampa woman has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for attempting to hire a hitman on the dark web to kill her ex-boyfriends wife. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday also ordered DeAnna Marie Stinson to serve three years of supervised release and to pay more than $12,000 in restitution and a fine. The judge noted it was difficult to determine the right sentence for the highly educated churchgoing businesswoman who prosecutors described as calculating" and brazen" in seeking someone to kill another woman, the Tampa Bay Times reported. It is true these two people exist, Judge Merryday said Wednesday. They are actually the same person. Stinson pleaded guilty in January to a single charge of murder-for-hire. Prosecutors sought a 9-year sentence, which was on the higher end of the federal sentencing guidelines. The website, which was not named in court, existed on the dark web" which is where some people go to buy illegal goods and services in online marketplaces. She admitted to making several transactions last summer on the website, which offered hitman services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Thelwell displayed screenshots showing banner photos of a spent shell casing, a man in a hoodie brandishing a handgun and other images. A pricing page detailed various acts: Death by shooting, was listed at a minimum of $5,000, Death by sniper was $20,000, and Beating was $2,000. It turns out, the website was a scam. But Stinson, unaware of the scam, made several posts on the websites public message forum seeking to order a hitman for a Florida Job," the newspaper reported. Records showed she made five bitcoin transactions totaling $12,307.61. She included the intended victim's name, address and a photo. The FBI was alerted, interviewed the intended victim and learned of the husband's previous relationship with Stinson. An undercover agent contacted Stinson in August, posing as a hitman. The agent told Stinson, in a recorded phone call that was played in court, that he had been watching the couple. He said he would make it look like a robbery and sought assurances that Stinson wanted to go through with it. She did not back out. He told her to act surprised when she found out. Dont do anything different, he said. Shell be dead within two weeks. Stinson was arrested in September. I cited the old adage, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Federal Defender Alec Hall told the judge. I think thats what happened in this case. Stinsons parents and friends attended the hearing. They told the judge Stinson held a masters degree in accounting, ran her own financial services business and served as the chief financial officer for her church. Stinson apologized in court. I wish there was another word for sorry, she told the court. I am truly sorry that my brokenness could bring discord to their family. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. PHOENIX (AP) Attorneys representing two Republican congressmen and a GOP state House member running to be Arizonas top election official urged a judge in Phoenix Wednesday to dismiss lawsuits that allege they are ineligible for the November ballot because they participated in or helped organize the Jan. 6, 2021, rally in Washington that ended with an unprecedented attack on Congress. Lawsuits seeking to disqualify Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs and state Rep. Mark Finchem filed on behalf of a handful of Arizona voters allege that they are ineligible to hold office because they participated in an insurrection. They cited a section of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. constitution enacted after the Civil War. But their attorneys told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Coury that he should throw out the lawsuits. Jack Wilenchik, the attorney for Finchem, said there is no enforcement mechanism in that amendment unless Congress has enacted one or someone has been convicted. There is no congressional statute that authorizes a state court to try someone under section three of the 14th amendment, Wilenchik told Coury. He said the amendment was intended to apply to the leading and most influential characters of the Confederacy engaged in rebellion." It was a very specific and limited purpose, Wilenchik said. Attorney Alexander Kolodin, representing Gosar, said the lawsuits ignore the free speech rights in the 1st Amendment and the Arizona Constitution. And he said there are least needs to be a crime for the 14th Amendment to apply. I want to note at the onset that it is absurd to claim that a sitting member of the U.S. Congress advocated for the overthrow of the United States government, Kolodin said. Kory Langhofer, the attorney representing Biggs, said the lawsuits' allegation that he planned events like the rally knowing it would lead to an insurrection was just wrong. Planning a rally and planning an insurrection are very different things, Langhofer said. Jim Barton, an attorney representing the voters trying to block the three lawmakers from appearing on the ballot, said his clients are not alleging they committed a crime. Were alleging that they were involved in something, they engaged in something, that was an uprising against the federal authority of the United States and targeting a core constitutional function of the United States, Barton said. The rally where former President Donald Trump spoke and urged attendees to march on the Capitol led to deadly clashes as protestors forced their way into Congress and it was certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 victory. Coury took the issue under advisement and is expected to quickly rule whether to dismiss the case. If he does not, he has scheduled a three-day trial for next week. Whoever loses is expected to quickly appeal directly to the Arizona Supreme Court under laws that fast-track election challenges. The Arizona lawsuits are mirrored in complaints now being pursued against sitting members of Congress from Georgia and North Carolina. Voters in Georgia are trying to get firebrand Republican and Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene thrown off the ballot for similar reasons. And voters are trying to get North Carolina U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn blocked from running in the fall. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. A prominent conservative activist in Houston has been charged with unlawful restraint and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over an October incident involving a contractor the activist hired, his attorneys said Wednesday. Jared Woodfill and Gary Polland, attorneys for Dr. Steven Hotze, said the Harris County District Attorneys Office told them Wednesday that Hotze was indicted over allegations against a former police officer, Mark Aguirre, who worked for Hotze. Aguirre had been retained to pursue a voter fraud investigation on behalf of Houston-based Liberty Center for God and Country, a nonprofit organization that Hotze runs. Woodfill and Polland said they had not seen the indictment and it had not been uploaded to the Harris County judicial database as of Wednesday afternoon, but both asserted that Hotze is innocent of any crime. He will plead not guilty, he will be vindicated of the charge, and we will demand an apology from the district attorney," Woodfill told The Associated Press in an interview. Hes not guilty unless theyve criminalized political activity," Polland said in a separate interview. A spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys office declined to comment. Aguirre was charged on Dec. 14 with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a man accused him of running him off the road and holding him at gunpoint in an effort to prove what authorities have called a bogus voter fraud scheme. Aguirre claimed that an air conditioner repairman was the mastermind. He said the mans truck was filled with fraudulent ballots when he ran his SUV into it on Oct. 19, according to authorities. Aguirre told police that he and some friends set up a command post at a Marriott hotel in suburban Houston that conducted 24-hour surveillance on the repairman for four days, according to a police affidavit. Lt. Wayne Rubio with the Texas Attorney Generals Office later told police that Aguirre had asked his office to conduct a traffic stop for his investigation. When Rubio said he could not do that, Aguirre said he would do it himself and make a citizens arrest, according to the affidavit. Aguirre said he ran the mans truck off the road, pointed a gun at him, forced him onto the ground and put a knee on his back, the affidavit said. Police who responded to the incident searched the truck and found only air conditioning parts and tools, authorities said. A lengthy investigation ... determined allegations of election fraud were unfounded and no evidence of illegal ballots was found, Houston police said. Aguirre was free on a $30,000 bond. A message to his attorney, Terry W. Yates, was not immediately returned. Aguirre was paid $266,400 by Liberty Center for God and Country, police said. A conservative power broker, Hotze unsuccessfully sued to stop the extension of early voting in Texas for this years election. He also sued officials in Harris County to limit in-person and absentee voting, making allegations without evidence that Democrats were engaged in ballot harvesting by gathering votes from individuals who are homeless or elderly. Allegations by former President Donald Trump and others of massive voter fraud have been refuted by several judges, state election officials, an arm of his own administrations Homeland Security Department and former Attorney General William Barr. Hotze was also part of a group of individuals who unsuccessfully tried to challenge the legality of drive-thru voting in Harris County. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. ATLANTA (AP) A change in a government website that used to make voter registration automatic in Georgia may have resulted in a sharp drop in people registering as they obtained driver's licenses. A review of data by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that the share of Georgians who registered through the state Department of Driver Services fell from 79% in 2020 to 39% last year. Pictures of the department's website show that before January 2021, drivers had to check a box to decline to register or update their voting information. But the website changed last year so that voters had to click Yes or No when asked if they wanted to register. However, the intent of the program is to register drivers by default, not give them an option. The share of unregistered Georgia adults had fallen sharply since automatic registration began in 2016, adding more than 1 million people to the voting rolls. Its really not true automatic voter registration, Eliza Sweren-Becker, an attorney for the Brennan Center for Justice told the newspaper. This seems like a good example of the importance of automatic voter registration in its proper form. Automatic registration takes some of the stumbling blocks out of the way of voters to help them participate. The Department of Driver Services recently changed the website again to make voter registration the default option, but its unclear if that will change registration rates. The opt out is more prominently displayed than in prior years. The department said it's up to drivers to decide. They make the choice. The question is still the same, and if that person wants to make a choice, that is their choice to make, said department spokesperson Shevondah Leslie. We cannot say that changes to the website made a difference." One million fewer people participated in automatic voter registration last year, though many of them are likely already registered, according to department data. About 95% of eligible Georgia voters were registered in 2020, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Still, the change means that people turning 18 or moving to Georgia for the first time may have missed out on getting registered. Democratic U.S. House members Carolyn Bourdeaux, Nikema Williams and Sanford Bishop wrote letters Wednesday to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland citing extreme concerns about decreases in automatic registration. This steep decline raises serious questions regarding access to the ballot in this years election, including the possibility that voters may believe they are registered to vote but are not and are therefore unable to exercise their constitutional right to vote, they wrote. The three requested an investigation, notification of voters whose registration information wasn't updated, and provisional ballots for affected voters in the May 24 primary. A new voter who moved from Florida last year, Jackie Harder, said she tried to register when she got her Georgia drivers license but later received a notice saying she wasnt registered. This is such a significant drop. I dont know why that didnt raise all kinds of red flags, said Harder, a Blackshear resident who later registered with a paper form. If people are being disenfranchised, whether due to human or technological errors, that is a big problem. In response to questions about automatic registration, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called it a false political narrative. It remains easy to register, easy to vote, and hard to cheat in Georgia, Raffensperger said in a statement Tuesday. All states are required to offer voter registration opportunities at drivers license offices under a 1993 federal law, but automatic registration is not required. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers will be honored with a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his refusal to consider overturning the 2020 election results despite massive pressure from former President Donald Trump and his supporters. I am very grateful for this honor yet cannot help but feel undeserving of it, said Bowers, a Mesa Republican. Honoring my oath and the peoples choices at the ballot box are not heroic acts they are the least that Arizonans should expect from the people elected to serve them. The five Profile in Courage Awards announced Thursday, under this years theme of Defending Democracy, put Bowers in the prestigious company of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukraine president was chosen because of the way he has marshaled the spirit, patriotism and untiring sacrifice of the Ukrainian people in a life-or-death fight for their country, as Russia pours in troops and assaults cities and towns, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation said. The foundation said Bowers and three other U.S. officials were chosen for standing up for free and fair elections as the system is challenged in ways it has never been before. The others are Republican Wyoming U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney; Democratic Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson; and Fulton County, Georgia, elections employee Wandrea Shaye Moss, who received death threats after being accused of processing fake ballots for Joe Biden. Bowers drew national attention for rebuffing repeated, direct efforts by Trump, his attorney Rudy Giuliani and others to overturn the 2020 election results that saw Biden narrowly defeat Trump in Arizona. Trump and Giuliani urged Bowers in a phone call to retroactively change Arizona law to allow the Legislature to chose a different slate of presidential electors than those picked by the voters. The honor actually comes with political baggage for Bowers, he told Capitol Media Services on Thursday. As he attempts to move to the state Senate, he faces a GOP primary battle this year with former state Sen. David Farnsworth, who has said he thinks the 2020 election was stolen. But Bowers said he remains convinced he made the right decisions in the wake of the election, including shutting down a proposed Arizona House investigation into the results. Bowers bucked pressure from his own party to decertify the election results that showed Biden outpolling Trump by 10,457 votes in Arizona, and instead have the Republican-controlled Legislature certify its own slate of Republicans to cast the states 11 electoral votes for Trump. The pressure included calls from Trump as well as some of his associates, including attorney Boris Epshteyn, who claimed a series of irregularities in the voting. He also rebuffed a call on Jan. 6 from Arizona Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who was trying to convince the speaker to recall the states 11 electors who were pledged to vote for Biden. Bowers also refused to allow state Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, to convene a hearing of his Federal Relations Committee in the days after the 2020 election to hear evidence of election fraud from Trump attorneys Giuliani and Jenna Ellis. Finchem and fellow election deniers instead convened what they called a public hearing at a downtown Phoenix hotel. For his efforts, Bowers found protesters at his house calling him a pedophile. More recently, he has used his power as speaker to quash legislation he said does not advance election security but only serves to throw more hurdles in the paths of those who want to cast a ballot. One would have repealed laws that allow anyone to get an early ballot and would bar all other forms of early voting, requiring instead that all ballots be cast only on Election Day. It also would have scrapped the current system of having ballots tabulated by machine, replacing that with a hand count of all votes cast, a figure that exceeded 3.4 million in 2020. The provision that alarmed Bowers and some others would have required the Legislature to call itself into special session after every election to review the ballot tabulating process. It would have permitted lawmakers to accept or reject the election returns, with the latter option paving the way for anyone to file suit to seek a new election. Bowers said while he voted for Trump, the proposed legislation was unacceptable. And he said the audit of Maricopa Countys 2020 election returns ordered by Senate President Karen Fann did not produce any evidence that, as some have alleged, the election was stolen from Trump. When we gave a fundamental right to the people, I dont care if I win or lose, that right was theirs, he said at the time. And Im not going to go back and kick them in the teeth. On Thursday, Bowers said there is a consistent basis for his choices. Some took the easy road of fault-finding and reactionary visions of changing elections in order to establish a winner that clearly was incorrect, he told Capitol Media Services. But Bowers said he was not going to throw away respect for our own constitutional obligations as well as the distortion of the national Constitution to legitimize us throwing out the electors or abolishing the vote of 3-point-what million Arizonans because somebody thinks there was fraud. He dismissed much of what has been brought forward as evidence. He said much of it falls in the category of a relative of a relative who saw this or wasnt allowed to see that. Theres never been proof, Bowers said. Its always statistically, its impossible. Bowers said he draws a fine line on what he will allow to come to the House floor and what he will kill. If it does not impose an interruptive burden on somebodys ability to vote, and their ability to vote in a timely way and in a secure way, and the vote would be as fast and as accurate, then the bill goes OK, he said. Bowers said hostility toward him from elements of his own party started even before the election, when he agreed to shut down the legislative session during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 and would not entertain calls to override the COVID-19 emergency declaration issued by GOP Gov. Doug Ducey. From that time on, it was open warfare on me and has not stopped, he said. Bowers expressed some amazement that he is sharing the honors with Zelenskyy, saying the issues he faces and even the protesters outside his house are nowhere in the same category. Im grateful that Im not in Kyiv, Im not in Mariupol, Bowers said. Im not having to hold a country together like President Zelenskyy. Ive just got my little thing right here. The annual award created by Kennedys family in 1989 is designed to recognize and celebrate the quality of political courage that he admired most. The awards will be presented at a May 22 ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. KYIV, Ukraine Satellite images released Thursday showed what appeared to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Putin tries to claim Mariupol win but wont storm holdout Chinas Xi urges dispute resolution, opposes sanctions EXPLAINER: Whats the impact if Europe cuts off Russian oil? Biden announce s new military assistance for Ukraine AP-NORC poll: Many say Biden not tough enough on Russia Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: UNITED NATIONS Russia and Ukraine squared off at the U.N. on Thursday over whether Russias war is to blame for rising food prices and hunger around the world. Between them, the two countries account for nearly a third of global wheat and barley exports and millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia depend on them for affordable bread and noodles. Ukraine also is a major corn supplier and the biggest exporter of sunflower oil. As long as Russia persists in its efforts to invade Ukraine, the threat of hunger will be looming over many countries throughout the globe, Ukrainian counsellor Natalia Mudrenko said Thursday at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss conflict and hunger. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Chumakov argued that sanctions, trade wars, the coronavirus pandemic and Western economic policies were shaking up the global food, energy and financial markets. Chumakov said Russias critics were trying to deflect focus from sanctions and the economic egoism of the developed countries during the pandemic. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the new package of $800 million in military aid, which he said was just what we were waiting for. The latest military aid, announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, includes heavy artillery, ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Zekenskyy has urged Western countries to speed up the deliveries of weapons to help Ukraine fend off the Russian offensive. The occupiers continue to do everything possible to give themselves a reason to speak about at least some kind of victory, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. They are building up their forces, bringing in new tactical battalions and trying even to begin a so-called mobilization in the regions they occupy in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also warned Ukrainians living in areas of southern Ukraine under the control of Russia troops not to provide them with their IDs, which he said could be used to falsify a so-called referendum on our land to create a Moscow-friendly government. Russias foreign ministry has announced that it has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans from entering the country. But one of the people targeted by the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, said he views the designation as an honor. I have to say it is nothing less than an accolade to earn the ire of a government that lies to its own people, brutalizes its neighbors and seeks to create a world where freedom and liberty are put on the run and, if they have their way, extinguished, Price told reporters in Washington. In a statement on its website Thursday, the ministry says the move came as a response to ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions brought on by the Biden administration. It claimed to be targeting top executives, public intellectuals and journalists shaping what it referred to as the Russophobic narrative prevailing in U.S. public debate. Alongside Harris and Zuckerberg, the ban includes top defense and justice officials; the CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank of America; high-profile foreign affairs commentators; as well as the editor of the Russia-focused Meduza news website. WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has tapped retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a former three-star Army general and former National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to coordinate billions of dollars security assistance being sent into Ukraine. Wolff recently joined the Biden White House but his appointment has not been formally announced, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Wolff as Army officer served three tours of duty in Iraq and has held senior roles at the Pentagon, Joint Staff, and State Department. He was tapped by the Obama administration in 2015 to serve as deputy special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State. Wolffs latest appointment comes as Biden on Thursday announced that he was sending a new tranche of $800 million of security assistance to Ukraine, including heavy artillery and drones. The president, who has already approved the dispersal of about $3.4 billion in military assistance, said he will soon seek approval from Congress for additional security assistance for Ukraine. Congress approved $6.5 billion for military assistance last month as part of $13.6 billion in spending for Ukraine and allies in response to the Russian invasion. KYIV, Ukraine -- The Mariupol City Council says as many as 9,000 civilians could be buried in mass graves in the village of Manhush outside Mariupol. In a post on Telegram, the city council quoted Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko calling the site the new Babi Yar. Then Hitler killed Jews, Roma and Slavs. And now Putin is destroying Ukrainians. He has already killed tens of thousands of civilians in Mariupol, he was quoted as saying. This requires a strong reaction from the entire world. We need to stop the genocide by any means possible. In a separate statement earlier Thursday, Boychenko alleged the Russians had dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol, and were hiding their war crimes by dumping bodies there. On Thursday evening, Ukrainian media published satellite photos of Manhush, showing what they said were mass graves similar to the ones discovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The accuracy of these claims and images could not be immediately verified. KYIV, Ukraine No residents could be evacuated from the encircled city of Mariupol on Thursday due to continuing Russian shelling of agreed-to humanitarian corridors, Ukrainian deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post on Thursday evening. No happy news out of Mariupol. Everything has been hard-going, she wrote. On the Russian side, everything has been very difficult, chaotic, slow, and of course, dishonest. We apologize to the residents of Mariupol who did not get to be evacuated today. Shelling began at the evacuation point, which is why the humanitarian corridor had to be closed. In the same post, Vereshchuk acknowledged that on Wednesday, a four-bus convoy was allowed to transport 79 civilians from Mariupol to Kyiv-controlled territory in Ukraines southeastern Zaporizhzhhia region - a development she said gave her hope. KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian official raised the possibility of a Ukrainian airstrike against the strategically important bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland. His statement on Thursday prompted angry denouncements from top Russian political figures. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, was asked in an interview with Ukraines Radio NV whether Kyiv would be able to hit the $4 billion Kerch bridge, which is Moscows only direct road link to the peninsula, in order to stem the flow of military resupplies channeled through it. Had we been able to do it, we would have already done it, Danilov said in response. If there is a possibility, we will definitely do it. He did not clarify whether Kyiv currently has the capability to carry out an attack. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, branded Danilovs statement nothing else than the announcement of a possible terrorist act and unacceptable. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Peskov added that all security measures were in place around the Kerch bridge and other strategic facilities. LONDON Western officials say Ukraine will need economic and military support for months to come as the war grinds into a long conflict. As Russias invasion enters a new phase focused on the eastern Donbas region, an official said Putin is still in a position to win the war, but not quickly. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, two Western officials said Russia might be able to surround and destroy the bulk of Ukraines forces and make territorial gains. An aim of taking all of the Donbas and securing a land bridge to Crimea is potentially within reach for Russias forces. However, officials said it is far from certain Russia will achieve that goal. They said Russia had learned some of the lessons of past failures in northern Ukraine, and was showing more effective command-and-control. But they said Russia was still feeding troops into its eastern offensive piecemeal and advancing in long columns of vehicles along roads, leaving its forces vulnerable to attack. Officials said they also have not yet seen a major push up from the south, which would allow Russian forces to trap Ukraines troops in a pincer movement. Partly that is due to 5,000 to 10,000 Russian troops attempting to overcome the last pocket of resistance in the port city of Mariupol. LISBON, Portugal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Portugal to support a European ban on Russian gas and oil to help his countrys war effort. Speaking via video conference to the Portuguese parliament on Thursday, Zelenskyy asked the European Union member to help speed up sanctions and the delivery of more military aid. I hope that you will also advocate a boycott of Russian oil and gas on the EU level, he said. The Russian occupiers killed people purely for entertainment, killed them inside their homes and in vehicles in which children were traveling. The Ukrainian leader drew a parallel between his countrys fight against Russian aggression and Portugals 1974 Carnation Revolution, the military coup by left-leaning officers that overthrew an authoritarian regime and ushered in democracy. The Portuguese know how to rid themselves of a dictatorship. I know that our nations understand each other, he said during his speech that earned him a standing ovation by lawmakers. The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol says Russian troops are burying Ukrainian civilians killed in the conflict in order to cover up military crimes. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko claimed that the Russians buried hundreds of civilians killed in Manhush outside Mariupol. Boychenko said that the bodies started disappearing from the streets of the city, charging that the Russians were hiding the trace of their crimes and using mass graves as one of the instruments for that. He said that the Russians dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol. They are taking the bodies of the dead residents of Mariupol in trucks and throw them into those trenches. He said during an online briefing. They are hiding their military crimes, he said. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden says he is sending another $800 million in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in the coming days, calling it the frontlines of freedom as it defends itself against a Russian invasion. This $800 million arms package raises to $3.4 billion the amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since the Russians began their invasion Feb. 24. Biden says he will ask Congress next week to approve billions more dollars in aid for Ukraine because the assistance package passed last month is now almost exhausted. He said officials were still sorting out the appropriate amount to request. Biden said the U.S. has the capacity to do this for a long time as it ships arms to Ukraine, but must work harder to maintain international pressure on Russia in retaliation for its invasion. Biden said despite Russian President Vladimir Putins claims, There is no evidence yet that Mariupol is completely fallen. Ukrainian forces and civilians are encircled in a massive steel plant in the city and Biden called on Russia to provide humanitarian corridors so that civilians may flee safely. WASHINGTON The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. A program announced Thursday will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting. But it will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have done since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost two months ago. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Officials said that, starting Monday, that route will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances. WASHINGTON A Treasury official says the United States will provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to help it sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of an announcement on Thursday, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, along with Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. The new funding comes on top of $500 million in economic aid that President Joe Biden unveiled in March. The announcement comes against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings dominated by conversations over how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. KYIV, Ukraine Denmark's prime minister has announced during a visit to Kyiv that her country will more than double the amount it has given to Ukraine to buy weapons. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that Denmark will donate 600 million kroner ($87.4 million). Standing alongside Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she called it a new, significant contribution. Frederiksen said the total Danish military contribution is now 1 billion kroner. Denmark also will assist Ukraine in the clearing mines in areas that are under Ukrainian control. - BERLIN -- The U.N. migration agency says the number of people displaced within Ukraine since Russias invasion began has risen to 7.7 million. The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration said Thursday that more than 600,000 additional people were displaced within the country in the first 17 days of April. The figures from the IOM came a day after the U.N. refugee agency said the number of people who have fled Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24 has risen to more than 5 million. The IOM said that more than half of the internally displaced people, mostly in the east of the country, reported a lack of some food products. It said their most pressing problems include cash and access to financial support, followed by medicines. Ukraine had a pre-war population of 44 million. WARSAW, Poland Polands Foreign Ministry says that Poland has frozen the bank account of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw over suspicions it was being used for purposes that were not good. Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said Thursday that the account was frozen by prosecutors. He said that Polands embassy and consulates in Russia have been exposed to various retaliatory steps with roads around the embassy in Moscow dug up for the past two weeks, complicating entry to and exit from the compound. He said that almost prevented the departure of Polish diplomats expelled by Russia in the international spat over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Jasina didnt give further details of the action by prosecutors. According to the Business Insider portal, prosecutors ordered the freezing of the embassy account and that of Russias trade mission in Poland for six months shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine began, saying the money in the accounts may be used to finance terrorism. LONDON -- Britains government has announced new sanctions against leaders in Russias army responsible for committing atrocities on the frontline. The Foreign Office said Thursday that its targeting several Russian generals and military commanders including Lt. Col. Azatbek Omurbekov. Authorities say the so-called Butcher of Bucha commanded forces that occupied the town outside Kyiv where multiple reports of war crimes and civilian killings have surfaced. Omurbekov and several others were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. British authorities also said Thursday that they are expanding their sanctions list to individuals and companies that are supporting President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. They include Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of logistics company Russian Railways, and Russian weapons suppliers and manufacturers such as Kalashnikov Concern. MILAN Italian energy company ENI has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo to increase natural gas production and supply to Italy, as part of European moves to cut dependence on Russian energy over its invasion of Ukraine. The deal signed Thursday comes on top of recent deals to increase production and delivery from Algeria and Angola. Italy currently gets some 38% of its natural gas from Russia, and has signed deals to replace about half. The new deal signed in Brazzaville calls for a new liquefied natural gas project that is expected to launch next year with a capacity of up to 4.5 billion cubic meters a year for export. ENI said it also agreed to back sustainable energy projects in the central African country. KYIV, Ukraine An adviser to the Ukrainian president says Russian President Vladimir Putins decision not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol means that the Russian military is unable to perform the task. Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Thursday that they cannot physically capture Azovstal, a giant steel plant that is Ukraines last stronghold in the strategic Sea of Azov port. Arestovichs statement followed Putins attempt to claim control of Mariupol even though Ukrainian defenders have continued to fight at Azovstal. Putin ordered his defense minister not to send troops to storm the plant and to block it instead. HELSINKI -- Latvias Parliament has approved a statement accusing Russia of carrying out genocide against the Ukrainian people. The statement approved unanimously Thursday by the Baltic countrys 100-seat Saeima legislature pointed to extensive testimony and evidence of crimes committed by the Russian military in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and elsewhere. It said that, as a member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union and NATO, Latvia cannot accept Russias actions. Neighboring Estonias Parliament agreed later Thursday on a similar statement. The Latvian statement also called on EU member countries to stop importing Russian oil and gas immediately. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tom Gilbert Chief Photographer I joined the Tulsa World in 1988 after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma. I lived in Saudi Arabia before graduating from Broken Arrow High School. I'm married to Karen Gilbert and have three grown children. Phone: 918-581-8349 Follow Tom Gilbert Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Oklahoma City's Vanessa House Beer Co., 118 NW 8th St. announced that it is the first brewery in the state to brew beer made by the sun. Vanessa House will release its first batch of sun-brewed beer at an Earth Day event from 5 till 10 p.m. on Friday, April 22, at their brewery. Vanessa House partnered with local solar energy company, EightTwenty, to install a 60.8 kW, 135-panel solar system to power the operations of their business. The solar installation was completed in Oct. 2021, and helps offset the brewery's utility costs, maximize energy efficiency, and increase the sustainability of its operations. So far, the energy production of Vanesa House's solar system has removed over 52,700 pounds of carbon emissions, the equivalent of planting 395 mature trees in downtown Oklahoma City. "I'm excited to say Vanessa House is now a producer of energy, not just beer," said Evan Smith, co-owner of Vanessa House and President of the Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma. "Installing solar with EightTwenty is another step in the right direction of reducing our environmental impact and serving as a steward of our community. By using the sun to brew our beer, we are also minimizing major operational costs, allowing us to continue to innovate and grow our business." "We are proud to empower local companies like Vanessa House with the resources needed to live solar," said Tony Capucille, Founder and CEO at EightTwenty. "This solar power plant will allow Vanessa House to offset their utility costs, maximize the energy efficiency of their business, and increase the sustainability of their operations to help foster healthier communities." For its Earth Day celebration, EightTwenty will be sponsoring "Live Solar" branded pint glasses for the first 50 customers to purchase the new beer on tap. The first 50 individuals to sign up for a solar consultation with EightTwenty will also receive a free beer ticket. Always Sunny In Rad City is the name of the sun-brewed IPA beer that will be served. The owner of Vanessa House's building, Adam Fink, spearheaded the solar installation. Fink, an OKC developer and President of the neighboring Elevated Paver Systems, paid for the solar installation on the roof and is looking to power additional building space with solar. "It's exciting to see Vanessa House powering their operations with the sun," said Fink. "As a landlord, it's a no-brainer to use natural resources to meet the energy needs of our tenants and reduce the overall carbon footprint of our facilities. In the future we plan to add solar to the other two spaces next to Vanessa House, and we look forward to partnering with EightTwenty on those projects as well." The family-friendly Earth Day celebration will include pop-ups promoting sustainability in Oklahoma by EightTwenty, Fertile Ground Cooperative, OKC Beautiful, Urban Agrarian and more, plus food by Let's Do Greek from 5 till 7:30 p.m. followed by live music by Beau Jennings from 8:30 till 10 p.m. 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. China on Thursday rolled out a private pension scheme to complement the nation's current pension system in its latest effort to tackle the strains of an aging population. The scheme allows Chinese citizens to contribute up to 12,000 yuan (about 1,872 U.S. dollars) annually to individual pension accounts that would be subject to closed-end management, according to guidelines released by the State Council. The cap would be adjusted according to social and economic development as well as how the country's pension system evolves. The funds in the accounts can be used to purchase financial products that are of relatively lower risk and have a longer-term investment horizon, according to the guidelines. Workers who currently contribute to the basic pension insurance can participate in the scheme on a voluntary basis, the guidelines said. The government will offer tax incentives to encourage participation in the new system, the guidelines said. The scheme will be piloted in some cities for a year before it is implemented nationwide, it said. The private pension mechanism will complement the country's current pension system consisting of the basic old-age pension, enterprise annuities as well as commercial insurance for the elderly, offering another layer of support for the aging population, analysts said. Policymakers in China are actively taking measures to address the issues of an aging society. According to the latest census, by 2020, the number of Chinese people aged 60 or above had reached 264 million, accounting for 18.7 percent of the country's total. Spring is a time that seems to demand fresh foods and lighter meals. Fortunately, the Made in Oklahoma Coalition has some ideas to make the best use of fresh, local ingredients to create dishes and meals that are sure to satisfy. For example, the spinach and spring salad mixes from Oklahomas Scissortail Farms are the perfect base for a salad that features a variety of berries and local candied pecans, topped with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette dressing that uses MIO Coalition ingredients. Turn salad into a main course or a snack with a Greek Salad Flatbread that features Sixth Day Snacks Hummus with eight varieties to choose from, you can customize the flavors to appeal to the tastes of your friends and family. For more information on MIO Coalition products, including where to purchase: miocoalition.com. Spinach and Berry Salad with Candied Pecans 4 cups Scissortail Farms Spinach 4 cups Scissortail Farms Spring Mix 1 cup sliced strawberries 1 cup blackberries 1 cup blueberries 1 cup raspberries cup feta cheese 1 cup Knight Pecan Farms Cinnamon Candied Pecans 1. Toss lettuce greens with berries, cheese and cinnamon pecans. Toss with Raspberry Vinaigrette, adding a little at a time until coated. You may have leftover dressing, which will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for a week. Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing 1 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen cup olive oil cup red wine vinegar 1 small shallot, diced 1 teaspoon Seikels Oklahoma Gold Old Style Mustard 1 tablespoon Roark Acres Honey tsp salt Pinch of fresh ground pepper 1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Greek Salad Flatbread 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped Scissortail Farms Dill 1 clove minced garlic Salt and freshly ground pepper 3 cups Scissortail Farms Romaine Lettuce, chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped cup finely chopped red onion 2 naan flatbreads cup Sixth Day Snacks Classic Hummus cup sliced kalamata olives cup crumbled feta cheese 1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, dill, garlic and salt and pepper. Toss dressing with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion. 2. Warm naan bread at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. 3. Spread hummus onto naan. Divide salad on top of hummus. Sprinkle with olives and cheese. Watch Now: 5 to find: Things to do this weekend Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Legislation barring the state from issuing new or amended birth certificates listing gender as anything except male or female won final passage from the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Thursday and is headed to Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it. House sponsor Shelia Dills, R-Tulsa, said Senate Bill 1100 assures birth certificates will record the truth based on faith and science. Given the conservative backlash against nontraditional gender identities, the passage of SB 1100 by Oklahomas Republican-dominated Legislature was never in doubt, but House Democrats forced the majority party to spend a half-day on the bill by arguing it serves no useful purpose and is mostly a rebuke to nonconformists. Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, and the only nonbinary member of the Legislature, was particularly emotional, saying, I cannot help but feel this bill is a personal attack. SB 1100 essentially codifies a Stitt executive order issued after the discovery last year that the Oklahoma Department of Health had quietly issued an amended birth certificate to settle a lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought by an Oregon resident who identifies as nonbinary neither male nor female and wanted his birth certificate to reflect as much. Stitt quickly denounced the new policy and issued an order rescinding it. That order is being challenged in court. In signing the executive order, Stitt declared, People are created by God to be male or female. Period. Republican legislators have followed that lead, although Dills and other supporters of the bill acknowledged Thursday that some people are born with ambiguous genitalia and atypical chromosomal makeup. In such cases, a decision on gender assignment is generally made within a few days of birth. This usually involves surgery and sometimes hormone treatments. Even then, according to reports, some people remain uncertain of their sexual identity. Dills argued that such cases are too rare about .02% of births to justify a policy exception, saying, This is what the vast majority of Oklahomans want. Democrats replied that the very smallness of the minority meant it needed to be protected, and that, in these cases at least, biological truth called for a male-female alternative. If were willing to cut them out, what lengths are we willing to go to legislate from our own bigotry, said Turner. Legislation like this becomes a path to discriminate. Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, argued that gender identification ought to be removed from birth certificates altogether. Republicans said it is necessary for identification, law enforcement, medical and even insurance purposes. Ultimately, though, arguments circled around to definitions of truth. Democrats said it is not always a matter of black and white or he and she. Dills, in closing debate, said anything other than male or female, at least on a birth certificate, would be a lie. Featured video: 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 presentation of video evidence continued during the third day of the David Ware trial Wednesday as prosecutors slowly shifted jurors attention from the shootings occurrence to its aftermath. Ware, 34, was videorecorded shooting two Tulsa police officers during a traffic stop in the early morning hours of June 29, 2020. Sgt. Craig Johnson succumbed to his injuries the next day, and Officer Aurash Zarkeshan returned to work after several months of recovery. Jurors in the capital case were shown dashcam video from Zarkeshans patrol vehicle late Tuesday, where they could see Wares car making a sweeping left turn in front of Zarkeshans marked unit and the entirety of the traffic stop from a car-length or so away. The dashcam recorded only the audio that could be heard from inside Zarkeshans patrol car: a hard rock song playing over the vehicles speakers, the stifled yells of the officers commands, 10 claps of gunfire and the breathy mumble of a responding officer hurriedly reciting and entering Zarkeshans computer password, trying to access the footage that showed the events directly prior. Wednesday morning, jurors watched footage from the body cameras of Zarkeshan and Johnson to see and hear the interaction more clearly. As with the dashcam, the jury saw the footage continue into the minutes after the shooting. These portions have not been released to the public. When a judge ruled in September 2020 that the videos should be made public in accordance with the Oklahoma Open Records Act, no specific orders or requests to redact any of the footage were made, allowing the Tulsa Police Department to decide what portions, if any, to withhold. After the shooting, the cameras, affixed to the officers chests, pointed into the dark sky or down the road, depending on how the officers fell. Jurors listened to Johnsons labored breaths before hearing sirens approach and seeing officers appear with flashlights overhead, saying things like Sergeant, stay with me, and Hey, youre going to be OK. The audio of Zarkeshans body camera cut off during a last attempt to pull Ware from the vehicle. Lt. Alexander Peiffer, who was TPDs video administrator at the time of the shooting, explained to jurors that the departments cameras at the time could be muted by pressing a button on the cameras exterior. At the time of the muting, Zarkeshan appears to have both of his hands on the back of Wares head and neck, pulling Wares head toward his chest in an apparent attempt to wrench him from the vehicle. During cross-examination, when Adams pointed out that the muting occurred in the middle of his clients screams for help, Peiffer testified that such appeared unintentional. The jury also heard from Dr. Joshua Lanter, the state medical examiner and forensic pathologist who performed Johnsons autopsy. He described to the jury four gunshot wounds he documented on the 45-year-olds body: right temple, left chest, left upper back and left bicep. Although he couldnt testify to the order in which the wounds occurred, Lanter identified Johnsons head wound as the most lethal of the four, which is the last shot that can be seen on video striking Johnson before Ware flees into the darkness. In testimony from multiple homicide detectives as to how police found Ware after the shooting he was arrested about 7 hours later at a home near 31st Street and Garnett Road prosecutors built their case for Ware's charge of unlawful possession of a controlled drug with the intent to distribute. District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler first introduced evidence of Wares apparent drug use to jurors Monday with pictures of a zipper bag that responding officers found under his cars drivers seat. The bag contained smaller, clear baggies of white crystalline or tacky brown substances stamped with playing card pips, which crime scene detective Lt. Stephen Stoltz testified resembled to him a drug kit. Jurors on Wednesday saw pictures of a search warrant service inside Wares apartment, where monitors could be seen presenting what Detective Jeffery Gatwood said was a live camera feed to an area where a motorcycle was parked and the sidewalk in front of Wares apartment building. Gatwood testified such a real-time setup is common among drug sellers who want to keep an eye on who is coming around. Detectives also found multiple of what Gatwood called debt lists papers posted around Wares apartment with lists of names, dollar amounts and gram measurements along with more individually packaged drugs that a forensic chemist later testified tested positive for controlled drugs including heroin and methamphetamine. Another witness affirmed Adams assertion that it is common for drug addicts to trade drugs and other items among themselves for their next fix. The chemist also testified that he identified Suboxone, an opioid that can be used to mitigate narcotic withdrawal, in the evidence from the case. To end the day, prosecutors called Tulsa County Sheriffs Office Deputy Kyra ONeill to the stand. ONeill was formerly a detention officer who helped process Ware into the Tulsa County jail after his arrest. Tasked with affirming whether Ware understood why he was in jail, she testified that he incorrectly said, Yes, murder. Ware was originally booked into jail on two complaints of shooting with intent to kill, for Johnson had not yet been taken off life support. ONeill testified that when she corrected Ware, he said he was pretty sure one would die, adding that he had shot each of them multiple times, including in the head. Prosecutors are expected to continue calling witnesses Thursday and rest their case before the end of this week. 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 Tulsa police officer has been arrested by the Muscogee Nation on a charge of child abuse, the Tulsa Police Department said in a news release. Michael Bell, who has been an officer since 2019, is being investigated by the Muscogee Nation after an alleged incident that occurred while he was off-duty in Jenks, police said. Because Bell is a tribal citizen, the Muscogee Nation is handling the investigation, but the federal government may also add additional charges. Bell was booked into Tulsa County jail on Tuesday, police said. Prior to being arrested, Bell was placed on administrative leave and relieved of his duties pending the investigation. Epic Charter Schools could consider a name change in the near future as its plan to consolidate its two schools into a single one continues to advance. The revelation came about during a school board discussion of the consolidation plan at a Wednesday evening meeting. Brandon Webb, executive director of operations and in-house legal counsel at Epic, said the schools communications team is preparing a process by which students and staff could consider a new moniker moving forward after years of scandal and scrutiny. No one is saying the name Epic is going away, but we did a brand study and it seems externally the name is ehhh, he said, implying that was a negative response, and internally, some people are passionate about it, is what Ive learned about it, said board Chair Paul Campbell. Webb was explaining to the board that Epic is working to obtain administrative approval for consolidation from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, and that includes answering a host of questions, including the name of the new school entity. In the short term, the board members settled on telling state education officials that they would be removing the plural s to become Epic Charter School in the singular sense, if the consolidation goes through. The plan to consolidate Epics two Oklahoma schools into a single one sponsored by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board was publicly unveiled in February. The virtual charter board has already given the consolidation plan the green light and Rose State College, which authorizes Epics second school system Epic Blended Learning Centers is set to consider the same move at a meeting on Thursday. Webb told the board that he hopes the school can work out a deal with Rose State for Epic BLC students to remain in a Midwest City facility owned by Rose State, but Epic officials will prepare a backup plan so students are not displaced if that doesnt work out. Epic co-founders Ben Harris and David Chaney lost control of Epic in the aftermath of an extremely critical investigative audit by the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspectors Office, which uncovered years of illegal administrative cost overruns, comingling of funds that should have been kept separate by Epics two Oklahoma schools, and the use of Oklahoma taxpayer dollars and taxpayer-funded school employees for a third Epic charter school operating in Southern California. As previously reported by the Tulsa World, a years-long investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has just been completed, and a district attorney is considering whether criminal charges should be filed. Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service recently launched an audit of Epic for the years in question. If approved, Epic will form a transition team to assure parents at both current schools that services for students remain unchanged. Epic will have to undergo a close-out audit of both its schools finances. The idea to streamline administration and simplify Epics governance structure was born of school leaders efforts to comply with a deal they cut to stop the statewide virtual boards plan to terminate Epic One-on-Ones contract over the state audit findings, which also included a host of violations of One-on-Ones contract. Superintendent Bart Banfield told the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board at its February meeting that Epic has struggled to come into full compliance with a consent agreement made last year to separate all administrative functions and governance of its two schools. He said an added benefit is that Epic stands to save between $4 million to $8 million annually with consolidation. 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. DOVER, Del. (AP) An administrator at a Delaware prep school whose graduates include U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and television personality Dr. Oz has been charged with dealing child pornography. William R. Ushler, 53, was arrested Tuesday, the same day authorities executed search warrants at his Wilmington home and at Tower Hill School. Ushler, director of upper school admissions at Tower Hill, is charged with five counts of dealing in child pornography, according to the Delaware Department of Justice. He is currently in custody, with cash bail set at $250,000. It was not immediately clear whether he has a lawyer. Tower Hill officials said in an email Wednesday to the school community that Ushler has been fired and barred from campus. We were advised that law enforcement authorities know the source of the images in question, and these images do not depict Tower Hill students or children who were in contact with Mr. Ushler, the email stated. According to a search warrant affidavit, the Delaware Child Predator Task Force received a cyber tipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on April 14. The report was initiated by Yahoo! Inc. and indicated that one of its email users had transmitted files possibly containing child pornography. The emails identified in the report included two sent March 21 showing a nude female who appeared to be 14 or 15 years old. Another email, sent on Aug. 10, 2019, showed an inappropriate image of a young teenage girl. Three more images of nude girls were found stored on Ushlers iPhone, according to investigators. According to the affidavit, Ushler told investigators after being read his Miranda rights that Yahoo! had suspended his email account about a month ago, and that he had engaged in online chats with people who would send him images of naked females. Ushler also admitted he had sent similar images, including those depicting minors. The search warrant affidavit indicates the IP addresses used by Ushler to access his Yahoo! email included one registered to Tower Hill. School officials said they have begun an audit of their technology systems to determine whether any safeguards were compromised. They also acknowledged that Ushlers arrest may have reverberations and echoes of a similar scandal involving former headmaster Christopher Wheeler. Wheeler was convicted in 2015 on 25 counts of dealing child porn and sentenced to 50 years in prison. The Delaware Supreme Court overturned the convictions the following year, ruling the search warrants obtained by police investigating Wheeler were unconstitutionally broad. Wheelers attorney had argued that authorities improperly used possible witness tampering as an excuse to obtain warrants allowing them to search his computers, cellphones and other digital devices. Wheeler was arrested after police, prompted by allegations of sexual abuse for which he was never charged, searched his home and office. Authorities purportedly were looking for evidence of Wheelers communications with Pennsylvania brothers who, in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University, contacted Wheeler about their alleged molestation several decades ago. In reply to a letter from one of the brothers, Wheeler apologized for the pain he had caused, saying, I did those things. Wheelers attorney argued that nothing in his correspondence or meetings with the brothers suggested, and no allegation was ever made, that he had tried to intimidate them or prevent them from reporting the alleged abuse to authorities. Wheelers attorney and the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed its own brief in the case, also noted that the computer containing child pornography images for which Wheeler was convicted had last been turned on 10 months before the Pennsylvania brothers began communicating with him in July 2013. The defense attorney also argued that prosecutors never proved Wheeler ever downloaded or looked at any images of child pornography, which he said were automatically cached to Wheelers computer from newsgroups to which he had subscribed. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee's governor on Thursday called off what would have been the state's first execution since the pandemic began, granting a temporary reprieve to the oldest inmate on death row for what was called an oversight" in preparations for the lethal injection. Republican Gov. Bill Lee didn't elaborate on what exactly forced the surprise 11th-hour stop to the planned execution of 72-year-old Oscar Smith. But Amy Harwell, an attorney with the federal public defender's office representing Smith, said her office received a notice that the issue dealt with "mishandling" of the drugs though no further specifics were provided to her office. The inmate had been scheduled to receive a three-drug injection only a short while later at a Nashville maximum security prison. Due to an oversight in preparation for lethal injection, the scheduled execution of Oscar Smith will not move forward tonight. I am granting a temporary reprieve while we address Tennessee Department of Correction protocol," Lee said in a statement promising further details once available. Kelley Henry, another attorney with the federal public defender's office, called for an independent entity to investigate, saying no execution should happen until questions are answered. Henry said the governor did the right thing by stopping the execution which would certainly have been torturous to Mr. Smith." Smith was convicted of the 1989 killings of his estranged wife and her two teenage sons. Shortly before the governor intervened, the U.S. Supreme Court had denied a last-hour bid by Smiths attorneys for a stay. His reprieve is in effect until the beginning of June. Dorinda Carter, a Department of Correction spokesperson, said the state Supreme Court would need to reschedule the execution. She said Smith would be removed from death watch and returned to his death row cell. State officials declined to provide further information. Just before learning of his reprieve, Smith had received communion from his spiritual adviser, who was going to be allowed in the execution chamber. Hours earlier, Smith had been served what was supposed to be his last meal, including a double bacon cheeseburger and apple pie. Tennessee had planned for five executions this year, including Smiths. It has been seeking to resume its quick, pre-pandemic pace of putting inmates to death. Heading into Thursday, the five pending death warrants tied Tennessee with Texas for the most nationally this year, according to the Washington-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. Texas, however, executed its oldest death row inmate on Thursday evening. Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, was put to death for the June 1990 fatal shooting of a Houston police officer, James Irby, during a traffic stop. Smith had initially been scheduled for a June 2020 execution, one of several dates delayed because of the pandemic. Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting Judith Smith and her sons Jason and Chad Burnett, 13 and 16, at their Nashville home on Oct. 1, 1989. Smith has maintained he is innocent. In a clemency filing, rejected Tuesday by Lee, Smiths legal team claimed problems with the jury in his 1990 trial. His attorneys were earlier denied requests to reopen his case after a new type of DNA analysis found the DNA of an unknown person on one of the murder weapons. Tennessee has not conducted any executions since February 2020, when Nicholas Sutton died in the electric chair for the killing of a fellow inmate in an east Tennessee prison. Of the seven inmates Tennessee has put to death since 2018 when Tennessee ended an execution pause stretching back to 2009 only two died by lethal injection. Smith had earlier declined to choose between the chair and lethal injection, so lethal injection became the default method. Tennessee uses a three-drug series to put inmates to death: midazolam, a sedative to render the inmate unconscious; vecuronium bromide, to paralyze the inmate; and potassium chloride, to stop the heart. Officials have said midazolam renders an inmate unconscious and unable to feel pain. Expert witnesses for inmates, however, say the drugs would cause sensations of drowning, suffocation and chemical burning while leaving inmates unable to move or call out. The assessment has led to more inmates selecting the electric chair over lethal injection. Tennessee's moves to continue with lethal injections come amid shortages of execution drugs in other states. For one, South Carolina has cited its struggles to obtain lethal injection drugs in recent years -- a problem in many states because pharmacies and manufacturers have refused to supply their medications for executions -- as it forges ahead with plans for a rare U.S. firing squad execution. That execution has been delayed as well. Lawmakers in South Carolina have failed to pass the kind of law to keep its execution drug suppliers confidential that Tennessee has in place. In Oklahoma last October, an inmate executed using the same three-drug lethal injection convulsed and vomited after receiving midazolam. Oklahoma has carried out three lethal injections since, without similar reactions reported. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Teenagers would be able to ring up wine and beer purchases and perform some jobs for alcohol wholesalers under legislation sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Senate Bill 1708, by Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, would allow employee licenses for grocery and convenience store workers as young as 16. If signed by Stitt, the measure would mean underage checkers would no longer have to call on older workers to ring up alcohol sales. The current minimum age is 18. SB 1708 was not the subject of much discussion or debate but encountered substantial opposition, passing 57-35 with 51 votes needed for passage. A similar measure, SB 1784, by Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, would permit workers as young as 18 at liquor wholesalers. The workers could only work in merchandising and delivery and would have to be accompanied by a coworker at least 21 years old. Currently, no one younger than 21 is allowed in a liquor wholesale business. SB 1784 passed 68-21. Other bills winning House approval Wednesday included: SB 1697, by Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, which would require commercial medical marijuana grows to post bonds of $25,000 or more against the cost of rehabilitating the property should it be abandoned. In a similar vein, SB 1693, by Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair, requires commercial grows to acquire authorization for water usage. Both bills were returned to the Senate for final consideration. House members spent the most time on SB 709, by Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, which makes the latest in a series of changes to the leadership structure and requirements of the state health department. In its current form, SB 709 exempts candidates for state health commissioner from existing education and experience requirements if they have at least a masters degree and experience in management of state agencies or large projects. That experience, discussion of the bill revealed, could include serving as interim director. Health commissioners previously answered to an independent board, but in 2019 the Legislature gave the governor direct control of the office. Opponents of SB 709 argued that means a governor could appoint almost anyone with a masters degree as interim commissioner, then elevate them to the position permanently. Currently, the state health commissioner must be a physician or possess a doctorate in public health or public health administration, or hold a masters degree and have five years experience in public health administration. SB 709 also creates a chief medical officer appointed by the commissioner. The position would be advisory only. SB 709 returns to the Senate for final consideration. SB 1695, by Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, which would require cabinet secretaries and agency heads appointed by the governor to file the same financial disclosure statements as elected officials, won unanimous final approval and goes to the governor. Featured video: 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. You are here: China Chinese research vessel KEXUE, or Science, has completed the second portion of its investigation in the western Pacific Ocean and returned to its home port in the eastern city of Qingdao. The ship covered more than 9,000 nautical miles during its 55-day voyage, carrying 78 scientists from seven research institutes and universities. Researchers have completed observations at more than 170 stations, obtaining a large number of deep-sea samples and observation data, according to Hu Shijian, chief scientist aboard and a researcher of Chinese Academy of Sciences. They conducted the multi-parameter observation of the conductivity, temperature and pressure of seawater, as well as interdisciplinary station investigations. Also, researchers systematically tested the performance, coordination and sampling capabilities of seawater profile on the clean laboratory and winch system. Scientists in Australia are testing printed solar panels they will use to power a Tesla on a 15,100-km (9,400-mile) journey beginning in September, which they hope will get the public thinking about steps to help avert climate change. The Charge Around Australia project will power a Tesla electric car with 18 of the team's printed plastic solar panels, each 18 metres (59 feet) long, rolling them out beside the vehicle to soak up sunlight when it needs a charge. Paul Dastoor, the inventor of the printed solar panels, said the University of Newcastle team would be testing not only the endurance of the panels but their potential performance for other applications. "This is actually an ideal test bed to give us information about how we would go about using and powering technology in other remote locations, for example, in space," Dastoor told Reuters in the town of Gosforth, north of Sydney. Printed solar is a lightweight, laminated PET plastic that can be made at a cost of less than $10 a square metre. The panels are made on a commercial printer originally used for printing wine labels. Dastoor said using the panels to power a car would get Australians to think more about electric vehicles and could help ease their "range anxiety". "(The) community is seeking these sorts of answers to the problems it's being presented with, day in, day out, around climate change," he said. On their 84-day Tesla journey, the team plans to visit about 70 schools to give students a taste of what the future may hold. Asked what Elon Musk, creator of the Tesla car and founder of Tesla Inc, might say about the CAA project, Dastoor said he hoped he would be pleased. CAA was "showing how our innovative technology is now combining with his developments to develop new solutions for the planet", Dastoor said. India is tapping a new energy source that promises to help clean up smog-choked cities and is already providing a vital revenue stream for poor Indian farmers: truckloads of bovine manure. Cows are venerated as sacred creatures by the country's Hindu majority. They also have pride of place in India's rural communities, where they are still regularly used as draught animals. Rural households have long burned sun-dried cattle droppings to heat stoves, a practice that continues despite government efforts to phase it out with subsidised gas cylinders. Villages on the outskirts of the central Indian city of Indore are now being handsomely rewarded for handing over their mounds of bovine waste in a pilot project to help meet the city's power needs. "We have a very good quality dung, and we keep the dung clean to ensure it fetches the best price," farmer Suresh Sisodia told AFP. The 46-year-old has sold nearly a dozen truckloads of fresh manure at the equivalent of $235 per shipment -- more than the monthly income of the average Indian farming household. Sisodia's farm has 50 head of cattle and, in the past, occasionally offset costs by selling manure for fertiliser. Now, he is hopeful for a more reliable revenue stream. Cattle droppings from Suresh Sisodia's farm are carted to the plant, where they are mixed with household waste to produce flammable methane gas and an organic residue that can be used as fertiliser. Photo: AFP 'Dung money' "The farmers pick it up once every six or 12 months and there are seasons when they don't -- but the plant could give us a steady income," he said, adding that his farm generates enough manure to fill a truck every three weeks. His family are one of the many beneficiaries of "Gobardhan" -- literally "dung money" in Hindi -- since the inauguration of a nearby biomass plant by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February. Sisodia's cattle droppings are carted to the plant, where they are mixed with household waste to produce flammable methane gas and an organic residue that can be used as fertiliser. Eventually, the plant is slated to work through 500 tonnes of waste, including at least 25 tonnes of bovine faeces, each day -- enough to power the city's public transit system, with plenty left over. "One half will run Indore buses and the other half will be sold to industrial clients," plant boss Nitesh Kumar Tripathi told AFP. The Gobardhan pilot programme has faced its share of logistical hurdles, with decrepit rural roads making it hard for the plant's dung-carrying trucks to reach farms. Farmers have also been sceptical of what appears to be a get-rich-quick scheme and required careful "assurances of quick and regular" payments before signing on, said Ankit Choudhary, who scouts villages for potential suppliers. The Indian government, however, has high hopes for the initiative, with Modi pledging waste-to-gas plants in 75 other locations since the Indore facility began operations. Cultivating alternative energy sources is an urgent priority in India, which burns coal to meet nearly three-quarters of the energy needs of its 1.4 billion citizens. Its cities regularly rank among the most smog-choked urban centres in the world as a result. Air pollution is blamed for more than a million deaths in India annually, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal. Villages on the outskirts of the city of Indore are now being rewarded for handing over their mounds of bovine waste in a pilot project to help meet the city's power needs. Photo: AFP Sacred strays The project is also guaranteed to appeal to Hindu nationalist groups -- Modi's most important political constituency and vocal advocates of cow protection. Under their watch, "cow vigilantes" have run Muslim-owned abattoirs out of business and lynched people accused of involvement in cattle slaughter. But bovine-centric religious policies have led to unintended consequences, with stray cows now a common sight in villages and even on busy roads in big cities. Government acolytes such as Malini Laxmansingh Gaur, a former Indore mayor and member of Modi's party, hope that scaling up the biogas project will incentivise farmers to keep their cows even when they are too old to give milk or help till fields. "This extra income will both clean villages and help tackle the strays," she told AFP. Scientists at Europe's physics research centre will this week fire up the 27 kilometer-long Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the machine that found the Higgs boson particle, after a shutdown for maintenance and upgrades was prolonged by COVID-19 delays. Restarting the collider is a complex procedure, and researchers at the CERN centre have champagne on hand if all goes well, ready to join a row of bottles in the control room celebrating landmarks including the discovery of the elusive subatomic particle a decade ago. "It's not flipping a button," Rende Steerenberg, in charge of control room operations, told Reuters. "This comes with a certain sense of tension, nervousness." A view through a glass of people working in the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Control Centre in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland, April 13, 2022. Photo: Reuters Potential pitfalls include the discovery of an obstruction; the shrinking of materials due to a nearly 300 degree temperature swing; and difficulties with thousands of magnets that help keep billions of particles in a tight beam as they circle the collider tunnel beneath the Swiss-French border. Steerenberg said the system had to work "like an orchestra." "In order for the beam to go around all these magnets have to play the right functions and the right things at the right time," he said. Head of the Operations Group in the Beam Department Rende Steerenberg gestures during an interview with Reuters in the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Control Centre in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland, April 13, 2022. Photo: Reuters The batch of LHC collisions observed at CERN between 2010-2013 brought proof of the existence of the long-sought Higgs boson particle which, along with its linked energy field, is thought to be vital to the formation of the universe after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. But plenty remains to be discovered. People work in the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Control Centre in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland, April 13, 2022. Photo: Reuters Physicists hope the resumption of collisions will help in their quest for so-called "dark matter" that lies beyond the visible universe. Dark matter is thought to be five times more prevalent than ordinary matter but does not absorb, reflect or emit light. Searches have so-far come up empty-handed. "We are going to increase the number of collisions drastically and therefore the probability of new discoveries also," said Steerenberg, who added that the collider was due to operate until another shutdown from 2025-2027. Check out news you should not miss today: Politics -- Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Wednesday received Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (the lower house) Om Birla who is paying an official visit to Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency reported the same day. Society -- Prosecutors in the south-central province of Binh Thuan on Wednesday said they have completed an indictment accusing Shedko Dmitrii, 34, of illegal possession of drug after the Russian national was caught illegally growing 27 cannabis plants (30-140cm tall) in a motel in Phan Thiet City on December 24, 2021. -- Dozens of workers on Wednesday evening were evacuated as an 800-square-meter warehouse of a toy making company in the northern city of Hai Phong City suddenly caught on fire. -- Supermarkets and trade centers in Vietnam will be fined for distributing disposable plastic bags to customers from 2026, Nguyen Trung Thang, deputy director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, said at a seminar to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bags in Vietnam on Wednesday. -- Police and local authorities in Thuan An City, southern Binh Duong Province are investigating a case in which a male security guard was found in a critical condition at Aeon Mall supermarket on Highway 13 on Wednesday evening, with some witnesses thinking he might have fallen from the venues second floor. Business -- Vietnams power generation capacity is projected to reach 146,000 MW by 2030, according to a Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh's conclusion at a conference with localities regarding the completion of the National Power Development Plan for the 2021 - 30 period, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday. Lifestyle -- Ho Chi Minh City will organize pyrotechnic displays for the celebrations of this year's Reunification Day from 9:00 to 9:15 pm on April 30 at the Saigon River Tunnel in Thu Duc City and Dam Sen Theme Park in District 11. World news -- China's commercial capital of Shanghai reported no new COVID-19 infections outside quarantine areas in two districts on Wednesday, fanning hopes that the tide is turning in its pandemic battle, as some factories began to return to work, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After leaving an eatery in the north central province of Nghe An three hours earlier, a local resident of Hanoi felt a surge of panic when he realized he forgot his bag containing nearly VND1 billion (US$43,300) at the eatery. Fortunately, he later received his bag with the money inside remaining unchanged from the owner of the eatery on Phan Chu Trinh Street, Vinh City, Nghe An Province. Local officials of Doi Cung Ward in Vinh City last week confirmed that the local authorities had received a report that an eatery owner on Phan Chu Trinh Street returned a bag with nearly VND1 billion inside to a customer. As the owner gave back the money to the customer on a day off for the Hung Kings death anniversary (April 10), the local authorities could not witness the event. The owner of the eatery was identified as Tran Dinh Quang, aged 36. As shared by Quang, when his store was nearly empty on the afternoon of April 10, his staff discovered a black leather bag while they were cleaning the facility. Nearly VND1 billion in cash contained in the lost bag. Photo: Tra Giang / Tuoi Tre After making sure that the bag belonged to none of his family members, Quang opened it and saw nearly VND1 billion in cash inside. There were no identity cards in the bag. By checking his stores security camera, Quang found out that the bag belonged to a diner who visited the eatery in a group. After this customer left his bag on the table, several other groups of diners came to the store and sat at the same table, but no one touched the bag. As that day was a national holiday, Quang did not report the issue to the authorities. Instead, he posted the story on a social media platform, hoping that he could find the owner of the bag to return it. Around three hours later, a man contacted me to confirm his lost bag and asked to get it back, Quang said. The bag owner is T.A., who had arrived in northern Ninh Binh Province before realizing that he lost his bag. Having remembered the place where he left the bag, A. immediately returned to Nghe An. Based on a security camera video and A.s description of his lost bag, Quang confirmed that A. is truly the owner of the lost bag. The bag owner said when he was on a holiday trip, he took the money alongside to make a deposit on a land transaction but left it at the eatery. Fortune smiled on him as he finally got the bag back from the store owner. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A two-year-old girl residing in Hanoi was electrocuted and had a cardiac arrest, losing her consciousness and having her entire left palm severely burned, after unplugging a charging mobile phone to play with it. The orthopedic department of Vietnam National Childrens Hospital is treating B.A., 29 months old, who was admitted to the hospital in a cyanotic state, with her left palm being extremely burned. Th., A.s mother, said that the baby had unplugged a charging mobile phone and got electrocuted. The baby was then knocked unconscious, with her body turning pale while her left palm became black. A neighbor gave A. first aid before her family members took her to the hospital. I was very shocked and scared, Th. said. Before that, I also knew about electric shock accidents caused by charging mobile phones through the media, but did not think it would happen to my child. Dr. Phung Cong Sang, deputy head of the orthopedic department of Vietnam National Childrens Hospital, said that A. has been treated for cardiovascular risk and acute renal failure. After helping the baby into a stable state, doctors performed a surgical excision of her necrotic skin, treating her muscle and finger bones, ensuring both of her hands function and esthetics, according to Dr. Sang. After the surgery, the baby is now in a stable condition, but her recovery still needs a long time, the doctor said. Dr. Sang also warned parents against letting children play with mobile phones being plugged into a power source. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Fireworks performances will be organized at two locations in Ho Chi Minh City on the night of April 30 to mark Vietnam's Reunification Day. The pyrotechnic shows will take place at the Saigon River Tunnel in Thu Duc City and Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 from 9:00 pm to 9:15 pm on April 30, according to the plan of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports. The fireworks displays are designed to celebrate Reunification Day (April 30, 1975) and International Workers Day (May 1, 1886). There will also be a series of events to mark the occasions, including photo exhibitions at President Ho Chi Minh Monument Park, Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, Dong Khoi Street, and Labor Culture Palace, a cross country tournament, artistic light decoration along downtown streets, and introduction of a book on the history of the Ho Chi Minh City government. On Reunification Day, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City will offer incense and flowers to late President Ho Chi Minh and late President Ton Duc Thang, as well as visit the citys martyr cemetery. Fireworks performances are often part of the celebration of Reunification Day in Ho Chi Minh City. However, the shows were canceled in 2021 due to the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Legal proceedings have been completed against a Russian man who was found unlawfully growing cannabis plants in his rented residence in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam, in late 2021, local procurators reported. Shedko Dmitrii, 34, of Russian nationality, was indicted on charges of possession of illegal narcotics as per Article 249 under the Vietnamese Penal Code, the provincial Peoples Procuracy said on Wednesday. The foreign man was arrested on December 24, 2021 when local police caught him growing 27 cannabis plants and storing about three kilograms of dried cannabis in a rented apartment in Ham Tien Ward of the provinces Phan Thiet City. The plants were found in his bedroom, where the watering, lighting, and air-conditioning systems were installed to serve the cannabis cultivation, according to Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper. Police seized from the man all equipment and tools used to grow, harvest, and process cannabis. Dmitrii told investigators that he took a tour to Mui Ne in Phan Thiet in November 2019 and had since rented the apartment in Ham Tien Ward to stay. He also confessed he had experience in cannabis cultivation and processing. In August 2020, Dmitrii bought cannabis seeds and tools from social media accounts and started growing the plants at his rented accommodation. The man initially planted about 20 saplings and after harvesting and processing them, he partly kept the finished cannabis products for his own use and shared the remainder with other foreigners living in Phan Thiet. Police raided his residence when he was taking care of his next batch of 27 plants, up to 1.4 meters tall. During the investigation process, the Russian citizen had an interpreter, consular support, and other legitimate rights as prescribed by Vietnamese law. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Supermarkets and trade centers in Vietnam will be fined for distributing disposable plastic bags to customers from 2026, the Vietnam News Agency quoted an environment official as saying at a seminar to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bags in the country on Wednesday. The seminar, which summarized the PLASTIC ALLIANCE pilot project, was jointly held by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE), the Department of Industry and Trade of Hanoi, and Expertise France the European countrys public agency in charge of international technical cooperation. Nguyen Trung Thang, deputy director of the ISPONRE, said that Vietnam has issued a lot of legal documents to control serious risks of plastic waste to the environment. The country also strives to use 100 percent of environmentally-friendly bags at shopping centers and supermarkets by 2025. Thang cited a survey by his institute as saying that up to 104,000 single-use plastic bags are distributed by supermarkets in Vietnam each day, equivalent to 38 million bags a year. Among the 48 supermarkets surveyed, 46 are providing plastic bags for free. From 2026, supermarkets and trade centers will be fined for providing disposable plastic bags to customers, Thang said. The PLASTIC ALLIANCE gathers 16 retailers that pledge to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags. It is part of the 'Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter in Vietnam' project funded by the European Union (EU) and the German government and carried out by Expertise France. The alliance has stepped up awareness programs, both directly at points of sale and online on social media platforms, to change consumers behavior by reducing the use of plastic products. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The story of a street food vendor who survived the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City was told at a conference in the city and got the audience thinking about how to help them in the post-pandemic phase. "Because of the pandemic, I could not work for many days, so my resources dried up. Thanks to 100 eggs and a bag of flour I had received from a person, I tried to sell fried rice flour cakes again, hoping to make ends meet," recalls Nam, a woman who has worked as a street vendor in Ho Chi Minh City for more than 30 years. The disastrous encounter was unprecedented for her in those decades. Many vendors never come back Indeed, Nam's demanding situation is not uncommon. According to a survey conducted by Social Life and Oxfam in Vietnam, more than 60 percent of street vendors in Vietnam face a lack of capital due to the prolonged pandemic. Despite generating more than 13 percent of the city's gross domestic product (GDP), street vendors, sometimes considered informal workers, have faced many difficulties since the COVID- 19 pandemic broke out in Vietnam in 2020. Even though the restrictions associated with COVID-19 have been lifted, no one can say for sure how many stalls have reopened and how many street vendors will never return. Moreover, as eaters, we cannot know what stories lie behind the smiles of the street vendors we encounter every day. More importantly, are there things we can do to help them? Are there ways we can offer to help street vendors return to their familiar working environment and become an integral part of the city life as they have been for a long time. These were some of the questions raised in the talk show titled "Am thuc uong pho, ngoi xuong ke nghe!" (Street food, please sit down and let us tell). The show was co-hosted by Dear Our community and RICE Content, Media, Oxfam, Social Life Research Institute and Sai Gon Um Company Ltd. Increasing vulnerability Let's get back to Nam, the street vendor from the first part of the article. She first came to Ho Chi Minh City to work when she was 27 years old and had two children. At the time, she never imagined that her life would be attached to the city for this long. The woman worked hand-to-mouth in the city for 11 years as an assistant at a stand selling sugar cane juice, learning the secrets of mixing the drink from a friendly male street vendor. She also sold fried rice flour cakes with scotch eggs twice a day. Selling the Chinese-influenced snack helped Nam raise her children. They grew up and she has already become a grandmother thanks to the stand. Unfortunately, her life and work were turned upside down when the pandemic broke out. The disease devastated street vendors like Nam. The impact was worst for vendors who depend on familiar customers and are unfamiliar with food-sharing apps or platforms. According to Dr. Nguyen Duc Loc, head of the Social Life Research Institute, most street vendors work hand-to-mouth with their income being just enough to cover expenses. Despite limited resources, it is often enough for people to start a family. In another way, the amount of money shows the spirit and determination of immigrants. According to Duc Loc, the migrant workers do not expect to receive more monetary donations. They just hope that the pandemic will soon phase out and they will find a way to reopen their stalls. As independent workers, they are used to living on their own and are willing to help others in the same situation. "Their 'capital' for business is their own lives," Loc says, adding that their experience and skills have contributed to Ho Ci Minh City's flexibility, openness, and generosity. However, there are many customer behaviors that have changed during the ongoing pandemic. The street vendors like Nam (vendors who do not know how to take advantage of technology in their work) are compared to leaves lying on the street, vulnerable to changing winds. They are workers who need more help than others given this vulnerability. Offering a path to the future "When I look at the markets, the areas of the stalls that once attracted so many customers and were rated by famous international broadcasters, it makes me so sad," chef Nickie Tran, owner of the Kau Ba Quan restaurant chain, shared his thoughts. "The beauty of street food is not in an app to order the food to be conveniently served on the spot, but in special street vendors like Nam," added the man, who is also the administrator of the food review group Saigon Um on Facebook with more than 800,000 members. As for Nickie Tran, vendors like Nam are different from others in their friendliness to customers. They are vendors who are willing to keep a tab for diners if they forget to bring money, give a discount, or even give food for free when they meet a person in need. "Street food is a beauty of Saigon. If it were not for these street vendors, Saigon would not be the Saigon city it used to be," Nickie Tran said. Nickie Tran shared how the Saigon Um group has worked so far. He said his community group often looks for street vendors like Nam and young entrepreneurs who open a local food business to author reports about their products. "Our members not only write about food, but also share memories and stories about the city's residents, who help create the beauty of culinary street food experiences in the city," Nickie Tran told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The administrator of Saigon Um is proud of his groups non-profit work and of being a trusted food news source for the public. However, he also admitted that his group has not done much to help street vendors, especially in this difficult period. Nickie Tran hoped the vendors will also be treated more equally. "They do not depend on the city, nor do they make the city uglier. On the contrary, they contribute both physical and spiritual values to society. It is more important that we make plans for street food with a kinder and more loving approach," he added. Dr. Nguyen Duc Loc suggested, "We need more practical projects starting from different resources." According to Loc, who has been working as a researcher and consultant on projects to solve social problems in Vietnam since 2004, especially those affecting disadvantaged groups, the youth can give a helping hand to vendors who have limited ability to use technology. "Vendors like Nam have great difficulty adapting to food apps or platforms, but young people can help them. Let us "sell" street food stories to tourists as an interesting feature," suggested Nguyen Duc Loc. "While many products need stories to be promoted, street food already has its own stories. It is our job to pay attention to them, listen carefully and bring them to the public," he added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City held a press conference on Wednesday morning to launch the Taste of Australia 2022, an annual celebration of Australias food and beverages in Vietnam, at Vietnam House Restaurant in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The Taste of Australia 2022, which will take place for two months after a long hiatus due to COVID-19, is an opportunity to showcase the fusion of the best of Australian food materials and Vietnamese cooking culture. The press conference was attended by Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Sarah Hooper, Australia's Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Rebecca Ball, Vietnamese-Australian chef Luke Nguyen. Promising trade Consul General Hooper told Tuoi Tre News that the event is a fantastic opportunity to bring Taste of Australia back to the city and to highlight Australian food produce. Australia's Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Rebecca Ball (left) and Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Sarah Hooper (right) talk about premium Australian produce at Vietnam House Restaurant in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, April 20, 2022. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre I think Taste of Vietnam is ideally suited to a market like Vietnam, Hooper said. Vietnam has a world-class cuisine with foods that everybody around the world wants to eat. Australia has fantastically safe and high-quality produce. So it's combining Australian produce with Vietnamese cooking, culture, and recipes that really brings it to life. Australia is fortunate to have a large number of Australians of Vietnamese heritage who are fantastic chefs because they can showcase Australian produce to its best advantage through Vietnamese cooking recipes and culture, the diplomat said. Premium Australian products will be sold in some of the biggest supermarket systems in Vietnam within the next few months. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre People see Australian food as something they can trust because they know that when it's produced, it's produced under all kinds of standards that translate to food safety," she said. And this is important for Vietnamese consumers, who are happy to know that there's a safe food option for them. Speaking at the press briefing, Australia's Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Ball said that the food products on display will be sold in supermarkets in Vietnam within the next few months, allowing Vietnamese consumers to experience the culture and innovation of Australian produce. Cuisine elevation Participants at the press conference also have a chance to experience premium, delicious Australian produce through a special menu designed and prepared by world-renowed Vietnamese-Australian chef Luke Nguyen. Chef Luke Nguyen showcases his two dishes made from Australian high-end abalones and oysters. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre According to Nguyen, his parents taught him to cook and always told him to use a lot of seasoning powder to get the flavor when he cooked Vietnamese dishes, but everything changed when he went to culinary school. My parents taught me how to cook. As I grew older and attended culinary school, I began to wonder why all Vietnamese restaurants tasted the same," he recounted. "Its due to the fact that they all use the same additives to keep it affordable. In culinary school, I was taught how to elevate Vietnamese dishes and how to put Vietnamese cuisine on the culinary map of the world." A dish of raw oysters topped with salmon roe by chef Luke Nguyen. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre Nguyen also remarked that the inspiration for the menu at the event is to elevate Vietnamese cuisine. Its a really great match to combine premium, safe Australian products with Vietnamese flavors," he observed. I want to introduce Vietnamese food to the world. "And I do this by bringing Australian products into Vietnamese dishes. And we elevate the cuisine to a much higher level." Along with Australian produce, the Taste of Australia 2022 also features sophisticated Australian wine varieties and the versatility of Australian wine for pairing with Vietnamese food. Consumers have grown accustomed to this event occurring annually to learn more about wine after five years of his company collaborating with the Australian Consulate General to promote wine culture to Vietnamese people, said Nguyen Khac Huy, business development manager of Red Apron Fine Wines & Spirits. Nguyen Khac Huy (right), business development manager of Red Apron Fine Wines & Spirits, talks to a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporter during an interview at Vietnam House Restaurant in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, April 20, 2022. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre Taste of Australia is not simply an event to promote Australian wine or Australian products in Vietnam, Huy said. It also promotes a more positive image of wine in Vietnam, bringing wine closer to the people, and altering their culture and way of enjoying wine. It is challenging to integrate wine into Vietnamese culture. However, the market has become more active in the last decade, indicating that Vietnamese people are becoming more conscious of their lifestyle and eating habits. Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Sarah Hooper gives a speech at the opening of the Taste of Australia 2022 press conference at Vietnam House Restaurant in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, April 20, 2022. Photo: Linh To / Tuoi Tre Huy added that pairing Vietnamese cuisine with wine serves as a means of bridging two cultures and introducing Vietnamese cuisine to the rest of the world. The Taste of Australia 2022 will partner with up to 40 of the best restaurants in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to feature the first-class quality of true Australian produce, fresh fruits, and products in the local market. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On Mondays Four Corners, Grace Tobin reports on The Butchers from Brazil, the corporate colossus devouring Australias food business. The control they exert is enormous. Pork producer, Victoria JBS is the corporate food giant youve probably never heard of, but it controls a huge amount of the food you eat, owning some of the most popular brands found in our supermarket aisles, from Coles and Woolworths to Aldi. Youll also find their meat between your burger buns at McDonalds. If you walked down the street and said, Whos JBS? No one would know. I think thats been clever in the sense theyve created brands within their brand. Cattle producer and butcher From beef and pork to lamb and even salmon, JBSs products end up on countless Australian plates. What many consumers dont know is the scandalous corporate practices behind the company. I think it will come as a surprise to a lot of your viewers that a Brazilian company, linked to so many scandals across so many continentshas been allowed to come into Australia and expand in the way that it has. Investigative reporter, UK. On Monday, Four Corners investigates the corporate colossus that has taken a major slice of Australias food production sector while being exposed internationally for bribery, corruption and environmental vandalism. JBS is a company under investigation in many countries except Australia, where they seem to be encouraged and supported and where no powerful person seems willing to say anything against them. Author, Tasmania The program tracks their corporate malpractices around the world and the scale of the revelations is staggering. This is certainly one of the biggest corruption schemes ever revealed in the world. Transparency activist Here in Australia some are questioning why the companys practices arent receiving more scrutiny after their recent acquisitions received the green light from regulators. You have to ask, what is going on? Why is that company so supported by our politicians? Author, Tasmania And international law makers have a warning for Australians. I would not trust them with a fragile environment anywhere. They have demonstrated their willingness for corruption, pollution, and illegal activitySo be wary in Australia. US Congresswoman Monday 25th April at 8.30pm on ABC. A former SAS soldier who is a witness in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial has told the federal court his legal fees are being paid by the Seven network. The retired soldier, who has been anonymised as Person 5, revealed under questioning from the Roberts-Smith team yesterday that he learned the Seven network was footing the bill for his solicitors and barristers fees on Tuesday. Seven was billed for three witnesses amounting to $170,000 in legal costs, however the network confirmed the fees were being reimbursed by another arm of the Kerry Stokes empire. The fees were reimbursed by ACE, the chairmans private company, a spokesperson told Guardian Australia. The chairman felt it was unfair that soldiers were being brought before the inquiry without representation. The Seven network is owned by billionaire Stokes, who is footing the legal bill for Roberts-Smith, the general manager of 7Queensland and Seven Brisbane before he stepped down to focus on the trial 12 months ago. Lawyers for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times, subpoenaed Seven Network Operations, Stokes and commercial director Bruce McWilliam late on Thursday, personally requiring them to produce any relevant documents to the court. Person 5 told the court that over two years he had never asked his lawyers how much they charged, discussed payment for their services, or received any bills. Person 5 also said he had never spoken to Stokes or anyone else employed by Seven other than Roberts-Smith. Seven declined to answer whether it was bearing the legal costs of any other soldier witnesses called by Roberts-Smith. Roberts-Smith is suing the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times for defamation over a series of reports he alleges are defamatory and portray him as committing war crimes, including murder. The newspapers are pleading a defence of truth. Roberts-Smith denies any wrongdoing. The case continues. Source: Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald The vibrant, whimsical murals of artist Lisa Lorek Quine 12 are becoming a signature part of the landscape in her beloved hometown of Cleveland. High school graduates and wedding parties pose in front of her popular Dream Big and Come Together murals, the inspirational simplicity of the messages complementing the intricacy of the fonts and patterns. Making a mural that is part of someones life event is so cool, said Quine, who has hand-painted more than 80 murals since starting her own business in 2017. It makes you feel so connected to your community. Clients range from mom-and-pop storefronts and Cleveland companies to major corporations, including Harley-Davidson, Mercedes-Benz, Holiday Inn, StubHub and DoorDash. In naming her one of the Most Interesting People for 2020, Cleveland Magazine noted, Quine has left you letters all over the city. Lisa Quine '12. Photo by Jeani Brechbill That recognition in her hometown was a career highlight, Quine said: I love the city so, so much, and it really felt like I was not only a part of the community but actually making my own mark here, too. Its like having a crush for a really long time and finding out that they like you back. The artists former University of Dayton professors are equally impressed. Quines senior seminar instructor, Kathy Weil Kargl 92, said her jaw dropped upon seeing Quines recent work. Theres no end to what she can do, said Kargl, a senior lecturer for UDs art and design department. Influences range from art deco to art nouveau, from the arts and crafts movement to mid-century modern. Quine is equally at home when designing a pre-Victorian-style Pride and Prejudice book cover or tackling a 40-foot mural spanning a city block. I love exploring a variety of styles from the past, and I love it that my clients trust me to try different things, she explained. Marveled Kargl, She has such a wide-ranging skill set. Such praise from her mentor feels full circle and profound, Quine said: As an artist you often doubt yourself, so it really feels good to hear a compliment from someone who was so important to you. As an artist you often doubt yourself, so it really feels good to hear a compliment from someone who was so important to you. That support is characteristic of a design faculty who helped seniors to develop their portfolio pieces and reached out with job leads after graduation, Quine said: It felt like our professors actually cared and wanted to see us thrive. Close friend Caitlin Douglas Rambacher 12 said Quine has been an ambassador for the program since the night they met at a freshman party. When a dormmate brought out a coloring book, Rambacher recalled, We took our pages very seriously. By the end of the night, Lisa had convinced me to switch my major to visual communication design based on my coloring book skills. From that time on, the kindred spirits were virtually inseparable. My best memories are working on projects together, staying up until 3 a.m. at the College Park Center, bouncing ideas around, said Rambacher, a senior art director for a Cleveland advertising agency. During study breaks they recorded lip-syncing videos on their Macs and ordered Cousin Vinnys pizza. But in the midst of all the fun, Rambacher said, they benefited from an exemplary design program: One thing that really set the program apart is that our class critiques encouraged us to have a rationale behind all of our decisions in a piece, requiring us to create with purpose and give our designs meaning. After graduation Quine landed a job as art director for a Cleveland advertising agency, where she met her husband, Mark. The couple lives in Hudson, Ohio, with 2-year-old daughter Renny. Shes not interested in coloring yet, her mother quipped. Quine loved her high-energy, full-tilt career as an art director, rarely fantasizing about starting her own business. As a side gig she started doing small hand-lettering projects; posting her work on Instagram attracted new clients, including Target, for whom she was asked to design what else? a coloring book. She fell into mural work when asked to design four walls for a small office. She impulsively said yes, reasoning, If I can draw it, I can paint it on a wall. Hand lettering, however, seemed more like her passion than her career a hobby she picked up in high school, when she became intrigued by the hand-lettered lyrics on a Panic! At the Disco CD booklet. That led to countless hours of doodling surely nothing serious or life-changing. Lisa Quine '12. Photo by Jeani Brechbill I pictured myself working at a corner office as a creative director instead of standing on a sidewalk, battling the elements, Quine said. But one day, a property management company commissioned her to paint a seven-wall mural. I took it as a sign from the universe that I should start my own business, she said. It can be grueling work that makes her commiserate with Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Quine confesses to a fear of heights as well as being such a baby when it comes to extreme temperatures. She has mastered the art of painting on a high scaffolding and working around pipes and electrical outlets. Shes a fantastic problem solver in her life and in her work, Rambacher said. She always finds a way to make it work. In 2018, Quine represented Cleveland in the city of Rouen, France, collaborating with two French artists to install a mural celebrating 10 years of being Sister Cities. That same year, she published a workbook, Vintage Hand Lettering, exploring 20 fonts from various time periods. Her latest commission is painting a mural in the stairwell leading to the bridal suite in The LeBron James Family Foundations House Three Thirty, a multi-use community center. LeBron has been a huge part of bringing jobs and overall growth to the Akron community, serving families in need, she said. The mural itself is super detailed and colorful, full of florals and imagery featuring Akron and LeBron. The artist recently served as guest speaker for Kargls senior seminar class in the Dayton Arcade. She couldnt help feeling envious of the new classroom space. I felt like I was in New York City; it was so sleek and state-of-the-art, she said. Despite an initial case of nerves, Quine found it rewarding to talk to the students and to provide the level of professional expertise that had so enriched her experience as an undergraduate. I hope it helps them to see that a graphic designer doesnt have to be chained to a desk, she said. It felt really cool to be back where it all started. (Getty Images) Gary Neville believes Mauricio Pochettino was overlooked for the Manchester United job due to Paris Saint-Germains collapse in the Champions League. United formally announced Ten Hags appointment at the end of the season with current interim boss Ralf Rangnick due to continue in a consultancy role. Former Tottenham manager Pochettino had long been linked with the job and has been touted to leave the French capital at the end of the season following a failure to get the most out of his star-studded squad. Whether or not it is as simple as being able to coach good players into a coherent team is up for debate, although the farcical manner in which PSG were knocked out by Real Madrid in the round-of-16 saw the clubs fans protest against their current model. Although Pochettino wasnt in charge for the entirety of last season, the Argentina also failed to capture the Ligue 1 title, something PSG have routinely been able to do since the Qatari takeover in 2011. "I think Pochettino has been the outstanding choice for a number of years. "But losing in the Champions League this season and not winning the French league last season has cost Mauricio. "The mood music, what would be the current moment, is absolutely key. Erik ten Hag is the man of the moment, the overwhelming choice I think of the fans as well, and the club has determined he is the right man to take the club forward." Fox News A frequent contributor to Laura Ingrahams Fox News show casually dismissed the news of a former MSNBC analyst joining the fight in Ukraine against Russian forces. Raymond Arroyo told Ingraham on Wednesday night that Malcolm Nances decision to take up arms was mere theatrics. This is the biggest crock of theatrical nonsense since Brian Williams flew over Iraq, Arroyo charged, referring to the former NBC News anchors false claim that his helicopter came under fire in 2003. But Arroyo didnt specify how he believes Nances time in the war-torn country rises to the level of a fabricated story. Instead, Arroyo took issue with Nances ability to be impartial, even though he acknowledged earlier that Nance is no longer an MSNBC analyst. Talk about a correspondent gone wrong. How can you provide impartial analysis of a war when youre a party to the war, actually on the ground? Arroyo said. Then, after noting Nances think tank, the Terror Asymmetrics Project, Arroyo and Ingraham each wondered who is providing it with financial support. Is MSNBC funding his new venture? Ingraham asked. No, I dont think so, Arroyo replied. But they are promoting himI meanon the ground. After Nance, a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer, appeared on MSNBC Tuesday night while on the ground in Ukraine, he told The Daily Beast, If anybody gives me any fucking flak, just tell them to shut the fuck up since theyre obviously pussies who have never been in combat. Arroyo might not have gotten the memo. 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. How Ethan "Rampage Poker" Yau Exploits Loose & Splashy Opponents! April 21 2022 Jonathan Little If you want to learn how to exploit the loose and splashy regs at your casino, look no further than this weeks strategy column on PokerNews! We love Ethan Yau, AKA Rampage Poker, on this channel and when he uploads hands like this one (which he does regularly) it isnt hard to figure out why. A lot of people like to rush to build a gigantic pot when they have pocket kings, but sometimes that isnt the ideal way to play them. If you are one of these people, then this video is definitely for you and I suggest you stick around until the end. The hand took place down in Texas, in a game of $2-$5 no-limit holdem. Yau, who in March has a very up-and-down month, looked down at the on the button after the player in the cutoff, who was described as playing a lot of hands, had opened for $20. "Yau can use a larger raise size as he is confident his opponent will be capable of calling with most of their raising range." Remember, just because an opponent plays a lot of hands does not necessarily mean they will have a wide range when they decide to raise. That said, when a passive opponent decides to take an aggressive line it is likely that they are at the top of their range. Yau, a former MSPT Venetian champ, ended up three-betting to $100. Typically when three-betting in a live cash game you should not use such a large raise size, but Yau can use a larger raise size as he is confident his opponent will be capable of calling with most of their raising range. Against calling stations you should aim to three-bet a more linear range using a larger raise size to build bigger pots with your nutted hands. Both blinds folded, the cutoff called, and the flop fell . The original raiser opted to lead out for $150 and Yau just called with the plan to let him hang himself. Why not raise here? A lot of players think that raising in this spot is optimal as it builds a bigger pot and protects their hand from draws. Best Free to Play Slots When Rampages opponent leads here theyre likely doing so with a polarized range of either premium-made hands, strong draws, or junky draws. If his opponent likes those hands and jams all in if Yau were to raise, then the latter would be faced with a tricky decision given the deep stack sizes (420 bb effective). Straightforward players are unlikely to put all their money in with a bluff which puts a hand like pocket kings in really bad shape when facing a three-bet jam on this flop. Furthermore, Rampages opponent might perceive a call as a sign of weakness and may decide to fire on all three streets with a worse hand. The turn saw the player in the cutoff fire out a $350 bet into the pot of $607. The board became a little more draw-heavy, and some ofRampages opponents range will have picked up additional equity on this turn. Rampage should not change his strategy on the basis that his opponent could have picked up additional equity and should just call in this spot. You dont want to discourage your opponent from continuing to bluff if that is indeed the case. Some players will call a three-bet preflop with a wider range looking to apply aggression on any board in an attempt to win the pot. As your opponents range contains more and more just absolute nonsense you should be way more inclined to call because they are sometimes drawing dead. You do not want to raise and let them fold. Yau did just call and the pot grew to $1,307. The paired the board on the river giving Yau the best possible two pair barring his opponent having pocket aces, which is a real possibility here. The player in the cutoff bet $520. What do we do with the kings in this spot? Fold Call Raise all in to $1,470 In this spot, I think Rampage should either call or shove all in. Rampage should not fold here, which would be atrociously bad, as his opponents range can contain missed draws that may attempt to bluff as well as some worse hands that have been overvalued. The player in the cutoff could have flopped a set the way this hand played out, and along with some other likely holdings there are 16 effective nut hands in the range of Rampages opponent. Rampage should compare the number of worse hands that will call a shove to the number of nutted hands before making his decision. Will the cutoff call an all-in shove with a hand like ? Maybe with pocket jacks or queens? By my count, there are 27 worse made-hands that are most likely to be in Rampages opponents rage that might take this line and call a jam. Knowing your opponent is very important in figuring out how wide you should raise for value in this spot. A lot of loose and splashy players will find a hero call if Rampage shoves on the basis that all of the draws have bricked on this river. If Yau believes his opponent falls in this category, he should definitely move all in. Thats exactly what he did for $1,470, and the player in the cutoff thought for a while before calling with the for an inferior two pair. Just like that Rampage scooped a $4,247 pot! It was a nice shove from Rampage as some players do not always shove enough for thin value as they assume they will never get called by worse. This hand shows that way of thinking is flawed. For more on this hand check out my breakdown in the following video: Jonathan Little is a professional poker player and author with over $7,000,000 in live tournament earnings. He writes a weekly educational blog and hosts a podcast at JonathanLittlePoker.com. Sign up to learn poker from Jonathan for free at PokerCoaching.com. You can follow him on Twitter @JonathanLittle. Thousands have been killed in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February (AFP/Yasuyoshi CHIBA) (Yasuyoshi CHIBA) Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine: - Mariupol defenders facing 'last days' - A commander of forces holding out at a steelworks in the besieged port city of Mariupol issues a desperate plea for help, saying his marines are "maybe facing our last days, if not hours". "The enemy is outnumbering us 10 to one," says Serhiy Volyna from the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. In the latest ultimatum issued in its seven-week battle to capture Mariupol, Moscow urges the city's defenders to surrender on Wednesday by 2:00 pm (1100 GMT). - Evacuation plan - Ukraine has agreed with Russian forces to open a safe route for civilians to flee Mariupol, according to Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. Writing on Telegram, she says the agreement covers women, children and elderly people and that evacuees will be taken to the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia. More than 140 civilians and five Ukrainian troops who have surrendered have been evacuated from Mariupol, pro-Russian separatists in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic say separately. - New planes - The Pentagon says that Ukraine recently received fighter planes and parts to bolster its air force while declining to specify the number of aircraft and their origin. Kyiv has asked its Western partners to provide MiG-29s, which its pilots already know how to fly, and a handful of Eastern European countries have. - Donbas offensive - Ukraine's defence ministry says its troops have beaten back a Russian attack in the city of Izium, a gateway to the eastern Donbas region which is the target of a major Russian offensive. Kyiv also claimed enemy losses in a Ukrainian counter-attack near the town of Marinka in the southern part of the Donbas, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting government forces since 2014. Moscow says the focus of the second phase of its Ukraine offensive is the "liberation" of the entire Donbas, an area about twice the size of Belgium. Story continues - Biden talks with allies - The United States and the European Union have reached "broad consensus" on the need to increase pressure on Russia through new sanctions, the Italian government says after a videoconference between US President Joe Biden and allies. The videoconference brings together the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Romania, Poland, Italy, Canada and Japan. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz later accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of war crimes in Ukraine. - Easter truce call - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounces Russia's fresh offensive in eastern Ukraine and calls for a four-day truce to mark Orthodox Holy Week. "Hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance," the United Nations chief says, adding a truce would allow safe passage for civilians to flee the eastern war zone and for humanitarian aid to be delivered to the hardest-hit areas. - EU chief in Kyiv - European Council chief Charles Michel arrives in Kyiv for a visit. On Twitter, he describes Ukraine, which applied for EU membership at the start of the war, as "the heart of a free and democratic Europe". - Nearly 5 mn have fled Ukraine: UN - More than 4.9 million Ukrainians have fled their country following the Russian invasion, says the UN's refugee agency. The UNHCR says 4,980,589 Ukrainians have left since Russia invaded on February 24 -- an increase of 46,174 from the total on Monday. burs-jmy/cb/spm Flash Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe held a phone talk with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday at the request of the U.S. side. According to a statement released on the Chinese Defense Ministry's website, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral ties, the Taiwan question, maritime and air security issues as well as the situation in Ukraine. China urged the U.S. side to stop carrying out military provocations at sea and refrain from using the Ukraine issue to smear and frame or exert pressure on Beijing through threats, the statement read. Wei told Austin that the two countries should seriously implement the consensus of the two heads of state to respect each other, coexist peacefully and avoid confrontation. As the U.S. leaders and senior officials have stated that the U.S. has no intention to seek a new Cold War or change China's system, that the revitalization of U.S. alliances is not anti-China, that the U.S. does not support "Taiwan independence," and that it is not looking for conflict or confrontation with China, Wei said the U.S. should put its commitments into practice. China hopes to establish a healthy and stable relationship with the U.S., and will defend its national interests and dignity, the Chinese defense minister noted, adding the U.S. should not underestimate China's determination and ability. He added the Chinese and U.S. militaries should enhance mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and exchanges, manage risks and crises, and carry out pragmatic cooperation to ensure the normal and stable development of relations. The statement also noted Wei has stated his stern position on the Taiwan question, emphasizing that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, "a fact and status quo that no one can change." If the Taiwan question is not handled properly, it will have a subversive impact on relations between the two countries, he stressed, adding the Chinese military will resolutely safeguard the sovereign security and territorial integrity of the country. For his part, Austin said the U.S. side is willing to promote the implementation of the important consensus reached during the call between the two heads of state, and will strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the military field in a frank and open attitude. The U.S. adheres to the one-China policy, he stressed, adding both sides should manage competition and risks in a responsible manner, and properly address the difficult issues facing the relationship between the two militaries. Leslie Palich, Ph.D., the W.A. (Agnes) Mays Professor of Entrepreneurship in Baylor Universitys Hankamer School of Business, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to Ireland, a competitive fellowship of the State Departments Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Fulbright Scholar awards give exceptional opportunities to the best of U.S. scholars to teach and research abroad, a role important to international diplomacy as they build relationships between people and nations. As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, Palich will work with the entrepreneurship faculty at Dublin City University for the fall semester. His studies will include researching ethical standards of Irish small business owners and entrepreneurs, as well as writing business cases on ventures selected by project participants. The primary project that I have planned will be an exploration of the ethical attitudes of small business owners in Ireland and the implications of various ethical values on venture conduct and performance outcomes, Palich said. Palich will write papers based on his research project and small business cases studies for publication in academic journals. Such work is important to building Baylors reputation and will support the research thrust of our strategic vision, he said. Palich has been a member of the business school faculty since 1991. Baylor Law School faculty member and Waco City Council Member Josh Borderud received the 2020 American Inns of Court Sandra Day OConnor Award for Professional Service at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C., on March 26. The American Inns of Court presents the Sandra Day OConnor Award to honor a member in the first 10 years of practice for excellence in public interest or pro bono activities. After a two-year delay due to the pandemic, Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. of the Supreme Court of Delaware presented Borderud with the award in the courtroom of the U.S. Supreme Court. At Baylor Law School, Borderud serves as the supervising attorney for the Veterans Clinic, the Trial Advocacy Clinic and the Estate Planning Clinic. Professor Borderud embodies Baylor Laws commitment to service and the values promoted by the American Inns of Court, Baylor Law School Dean Brad Toben said. As a student at Baylor Law, he was instrumental in creating the Baylor Public Interest Legal Society. In our clinics program, he selflessly serves those in need and cheerfully models and promotes a life of service to our students and others in the legal profession. Borderud was thankful for the recognition. It is the honor of a lifetime to be recognized by the American Inns of Court, Borderud said. The work of mentoring law students in service to others is a joy. I am grateful to the American Inns of Court for validating the good work of our students who serve those in need through the legal clinics. A great deal of credit for this recognition should go to the Baylor Law administration, faculty and staff for their enduring support of our clinical programs. I am profoundly grateful to Professor Bridget Fuselier and Professor Tom Featherston for their vision, commitment and guidance, and to Judge Gary Coley and Judge Christopher Taylor for their ongoing partnership with our clinics. Finally, our work would not be possible without the continued support of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. After graduating from Baylor Law in 2009, Borderud began his legal career as a prosecutor in Milam County. As an assistant district attorney, he prosecuted criminal cases and served as legal adviser to the county judge. He later joined the Waco law firm of Pakis, Giotes, Page & Burleson PC as a civil litigator. While in private practice, he was named Outstanding Young Lawyer of McLennan County. In 2016, thanks to a Texas Access to Justice Foundation grant, Baylor Law hired Borderud as its first full-time clinic director. Under his leadership, the Veterans Clinic has been highly successful in serving the civil legal needs of Central Texas veterans. In addition to supporting veterans at the monthly clinics, Borderud was in 2018 instrumental in spearheading the creation of a Veterans Treatment Court in McLennan County that focuses on meeting the behavioral health needs of veterans, emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment. In 2017, Borderud obtained a grant from the Cooper Foundation to establish the Trial Advocacy Clinic at Baylor Law. By appointment of Judge Coley, Baylor Law students represent children at their initial juvenile detention hearings in the 74th District Court of McLennan County. Since the programs inception, law students have appeared in over 400 juvenile hearings. Borderud is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and serves on the board of directors of the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association. In addition to his clinical work and service to the legal community, Borderud has been active in civic affairs in the city of Waco. He serves on the Waco City Council and on the board of trustees of the Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network, the local mental health authority for a six-county region. Teachers and most other employees in Midway Independent School District will receive pay raises totaling $2.3 million in the next school year, the Midway ISD board decided in a unanimous vote Tuesday. The pay package raises beginning teacher pay by $1,000, to $47,100, still below Waco Independent School Districts starting salary but higher than market average as calculated by a consultant. Teachers with 20 years experience will make $59,250, just shy of their counterparts salary in Waco ISD. Midway ISD has lost teachers this year to other school districts that have a higher pay scale, Midway ISD spokesperson Traci Marlin said. We have also had several teachers who accepted a job offer for the coming school year, turn around and decline the offer because they couldnt find a home in the area they and their spouse could afford, said Mary Lou Glaesmann, assistant superintendent for human resources. The board voted on the package after discussing a pay study and recommendations from Jennifer Barton, a human resources and pay consultant with the Texas Association of School Boards. Barton was formerly a principal in the San Antonio area, with some 19 years in teaching and administration. The study shows Midway pays its teachers more than China Spring ISD, but less than Temple ISD and Waco ISD for starting teachers and those with five years in the classroom. For teachers with 10 years experience and longer Midway falls behind all three of those districts. Using relief money Superintendent George Kazanas endorsed the pay plan. We need to do this for our teachers, Kazanas said Tuesday. Federal pandemic relief money may be used to pay for the raises in the next school year, Kazanas said. We really are looking for next year the ESSER dollars, he said, referring to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund that Congress established during the Trump Administration and renewed under President Joe Biden. Midway Board President Pete Rusek said the federal money could offset the cost this year, but he questions whether state aid from student enrollment growth would be enough to cover the additional cost in the longer term. Bartons recommendations would place teachers with five or fewer years teaching about $3,100 above the median market salary of $44,000, based on a survey of 20 Texas school districts, many of them in Central Texas. Midway teachers with 10 years or more would be paid a few hundred dollars more than the median salary, which ranges from $51,702 at 10 years to $58,947 at 20 years. Midway will pay about $1.2 million for teacher raises; about $500,000 for raises to professionals such as guidance counselors, librarians, principals and district administrators; and $400,000 for other district employees. Spending for stipends would increase by $128,000. The compensation study Barton performed a thorough study of pay in Midway and comprehensive comparisons to similar districts nearby, Kazanas said. For comparison, Barton said she selected school districts in the same University Interscholastic League region and other Texas districts that have similar enrollment, or similar numbers of special programs including those for economically disadvantaged students and those for students with exceptional aptitude. The study also showed that most administrators at the campus and district level in Midway ISD were paid 3% to 14% less than those with similar roles in comparison districts. Clerical, technical and instructional support personnel were found to be paid generally between 97% and 110% of the market median, the study found. Auxiliary personnel are paid between 89% and 97% of the market median for those roles, the study found. Stipends Midway ISD paid for academic and extracurricular roles were also found in the study to be generally behind the market. Midway ISD costs by pay group Source: Midway ISD, Texas Association of School Boards Pay group Estimated increase Teachers $1.2 million Professionals/administrators $506,000 Paraprofessionals $195,000 Auxiliary $218,000 Source: Midway ISD, Texas Association of School Boards ef778fea-c0f1-11ec-b2f9-134617a881c2 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. Local officials are backing their talk with action, agreeing to spend $4 million to install a roadway linking Interstate 35 and Robinsons Greig Drive to make an industrial tract there more attractive to potential developers. Since at least 2013, when the Waco Industrial Foundation bought 630 acres from the Bowden family at I-35 and Loop 340, locals raved about the locations potential. But Kris Collins, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerces industry recruiter, and Robinson City Manager Craig Lemin both said deals fell through or lookers went elsewhere due to restricted access. McLennan County, Robinson and the Waco Industrial Foundation hope to remedy that problem, or at least address it, by placing a mile-long roadway between the I-35 frontage road and Greig Drive in Robinson. Step one is building about half the link, 2,700 linear feet, from I-35 frontage to about halfway into the 630-acre site, paving the way to later complete the link-up with Greig Drive. Its a prime piece of property without a road on it, Lemin said. Weve had prospects look strongly at it, then went somewhere else. McLennan County commissioners this week agreed to provide $500,000 in funding, while the industrial foundation and Robinson have pledged $1 million and $2.5 million, respectively. Lemin said the city has money available from a bond issue several years ago dedicated to street improvements. Its been a challenge, Collins said. Not that prospects backed out, they might have chosen an alternative site more accessible. Collins said the industrial foundation is talking with someone interested in 38 acres on which to place a 250,000-square-foot speculative warehouse. Local real estate agents and other economic development officials have joined Collins in saying Greater Waco suffers from a critical shortage of warehouse space. Officials envision a 48-foot-wide concrete roadway strong enough to withstand traffic related to industrial operations. The $4 million also would cover the cost of a deceleration lane on the interstate access road, allowing motorists to slow down before entering the site. The 630-acre site, which lies in the city of Robinson across the interstate from the Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center, is divisible by lots and would serve retail and industrial needs. It has access to natural gas from Atmos Energy, electric service from Oncor, city of Robinson waterlines and sewer lines once used by a regional utility supplier. The planned roadway, located as it would be between Interstate 35 and Greig Drive, would appear to line up with Corporation Parkway on the opposite side of the interstate. Corporation Parkway provides access to Texas Central Industrial Park, a nearly 4,000-acre business park located in Waco. Lemin said some have mistakenly called the $4 million project the Corporation Parkway extension. He said the new roadway on the east side of the interstate in Robinson will not link up with Corporation Parkway on the west side of the interstate in Waco. He said there have been past discussions of building an I-35 overpass linking the Robinson and Waco sides. He said such considerations have been relegated to the back burner. The interchange the way it is, the proximity of on-ramps and off-ramps, it would be difficult to have an overpass. It might require a redesign, Lemin said. If it were going to be done, it should have been done when other interstate projects were playing out in recent years. The stretch of I-35 from Loop 340 south to Sun Valley Boulevard, which passes Corporation Parkway, was overhauled and widened in a project that started in 2008 and lasted more than three years. About a mile south of Corporation Parkway, there is an I-35 access road underpass where no cross streets connect to the access road. Waco annexation The Waco City Council voted Tuesday to approve a $2 million agreement with Mercer McMillan, the firm that plans to develop 215 acres of newly annexed land between Bagby Avenue and I-35, and build a new road connecting Bagby with the interstate. The southeast corner of the Mercer McMillan tract appears to extend almost to the underpass about a mile south of Corporation. Under a Chapter 380 agreement, the city waived all impact fees associated with the project. In exchange, Mercer McMillan will extend Gateway Boulevard from its intersection with Bagby Avenue to Interstate 35. It remains unclear whether the extension of Gateway would line up with the existing underpass. Collins said the Gateway Boulevard extension will ease travel in and out of Texas Central Industrial Park, taking stress off Bagby Avenue and Texas Central Parkway. She said the 215-acre site may become more attractive to tenants. 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. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico workplace safety regulators on Wednesday issued the maximum possible fine of nearly $137,000 against a film production company for firearms safety failures on the set of Rust where actor and producer Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer in October. New Mexicos Occupational Health and Safety Bureau said Rust Movie Productions must pay $136,793, and distributed a scathing narrative of safety failures in violation of standard industry protocols, including testimony that production managers took limited or no action to address two misfires on set prior to the fatal shooting. The bureau also documented gun safety complaints from crew members that went unheeded and said weapons specialists were not allowed to make decisions about additional safety training. What we had, based on our investigators' findings, was a set of obvious hazards to employees regarding the use of firearms and managements failure to act upon those obvious hazards, Bob Genoway, bureau chief for occupational safety, told The Associated Press. At a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe on Oct. 21, 2021, Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins inside a small church during setup for the filming of a scene when it went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. Baldwin said in a December interview with ABC News that he was pointing the gun at Hutchins at her instruction on the New Mexico set of the Western film when it went off without his pulling the trigger. The new occupational safety report confirms that a large-caliber revolver was handed to Baldwin by an assistant director, David Halls, without consulting with on-set weapons specialists during or after the gun was loaded. Regulators note that Halls also served as safety coordinator and that he was present and witnessed two accidental discharges of rifles on set, and that he and other managers who knew of the misfires took no investigative, corrective or disciplinary action. Crew members expressed surprise and discomfort. The Safety Coordinator was present on set and took no direct action to address safety concerns," the report states. Management was provided with multiple opportunities to take corrective actions and chose not to do so. As a result of these failures, Director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were severely injured. Halyna Hutchins succumbed to her injuries. Rust Movie Productions said through a spokesperson that it would dispute the findings and sanction. While we appreciate OSHAs time and effort in its investigation, we disagree with its findings and plan to appeal," said Stefan Friedman. Any appeal would be heard initially by the state's occupational health and safety commission. Baldwin issued a statement from his attorney, asserting that the safety investigation exonerates Mr. Baldwin." An attorney for Halls was not immediately available. The state fine applies to a film with a budget of about $7 million. Baldwin was assigned a salary of $250,000 as an actor and producer and may have put some of that money back into the production. At least five lawsuits have been filed over the shooting, including a wrongful death suit brought by Hutchins family against Baldwin and the movies other producers. The lawsuit on behalf of widower Matt Hutchins and his 9-year-old son alleges a callous disregard in the face of safety complaints on the set. James Kenney, secretary of the Environment Department that oversees occupational safety, said the agency dedicated 1,500 staff hours to its investigation, examined hundreds of documents and conducted at least a dozen interviews with cast and crew members. Investigators found production managers placed tight limits on resources for a small team that controlled weapons on set and failed to address concerns about a shotgun left unattended twice. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the daughter of a sharpshooter and consultant to film productions, was limited to eight paid days as an armorer to oversee weapons and training, and was assigned otherwise to lighter duties as a props assistant. As her time as an armorer ran out, Gutierrez Reed warned a manager and was rebuffed. Gutierrez Reed is both a plaintiff and a defendant in lawsuits seeking damages in the fatal shooting. In a statement Wednesday, her attorney highlighted findings that the armorer was not provided adequate time or resources to conduct her job effectively. Safety investigators also note that the production company did not develop a process to ensure live rounds of ammunition were not brought on set, in violation of industry safety protocols. Safety meetings were conducted, but not every day weapons were used, as required. Kenney said the separate investigations into possible criminal charges are still underway. The Santa Fe County sheriff and local prosecutors had no immediate comment. Kenney said his agency received no direct safety complaints from cast or crew prior to the fatal shooting, even though anonymity is offered. This tragedy, this loss of life, it could have been prevented, and we want people to say something, he said. Kenney was appointed in 2019 by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a staunch advocate for the film industry who increased a state cap in industry incentives shortly after taking office. New Mexico competes with non-Hollywood production sites in states such as Georgia, Louisiana and New York. Film productions have flocked to New Mexico in recent years to seize on its diverse outdoor scenery, moderate costs and generous state incentives, including a rebate of between 25% and 35% of in-state spending for video production that helps filmmakers large and small underwrite their work. This story has been updated to correct the state workplace safety fine to $136,793 instead of $139,793. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Flash Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations, Wang noted. Standing together through thick and thin over the past 30 years, Wang said, the two countries have jointly burnished the golden banner of friendly and cooperative partnership. As Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pointed out, Azerbaijan and China are "true strategic partners," Wang said, adding China-Azerbaijan relations will have new bright prospects and will become more mature and enriched under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state. Wang said that China will, as always, respect Azerbaijan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and support the Azerbaijani people in choosing their own development path in light of their own national conditions. He said he believes the Azerbaijani side will continue to support China's legitimate position on issues involving China's core interests, always follow the one-China policy, and oppose any form of "Taiwan independence." China is ready to synergize its development strategies with Azerbaijan, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, consolidate the traditional friendship between the two peoples and cement the social foundation of China-Azerbaijan relations, Wang said, adding China welcomes Azerbaijan's active participation in the Global Development Initiative. Bayramov, for his part, congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Winter Olympics and thanked China for its valuable assistance in Azerbaijan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that China's vaccine assistance has made Azerbaijan one of the first countries in the world to have COVID-19 vaccines. The two sides should celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in a grand manner and strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, said Bayramov, adding that Azerbaijan will continue to abide by the one-China principle. The minister also welcomes more Chinese-funded enterprises to invest in Azerbaijan, saying his country is also willing to strengthen cooperation with China under the framework of the Global Development Initiative. One of the silver linings of the very large dark cloud of Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine is the clarity it provides. This is, broadly speaking, a contest between good guys and bad guys. A lot of people who fancy themselves foreign policy realists roll their eyes at talk about good guys vs. bad guys. The world is made up of nation states with interests and those states act rationally on their interests. Good and bad aint got nothing to do with it. Ive never bought this argument, on either analytical or moral terms. Yes, nations have interests, but the way they define their interests is not always strictly rational. History is full of examples of nations committing vast resources to causes that are extra-rational. The mistake of the realists is not their interest in the struggle for power but their deliberate neglect of everything else, especially the non-scientific, contingent, very human feelings and beliefs that most powerfully move people, the late, great Donald Kagan wrote in Honor Among Nations: Intangible Interests and Foreign Policy. To claim that, say, North Koreas foreign and domestic policy is simply an expression of its rational self-interest is to declare you dont know anything about North Korea or the decisions its rulers chose to make in turning that society into a xenophobic gulag. Choices matter. And thats where the moral failings of realism come in. Realists tend to conflate the interests of rulers with the interests of the ruled. Its hard to find a sane analyst who argues that Putin invaded Ukraine solely in the name of Russias rational self-interest rather than his own notions of glory and historical retribution, and its even harder to find one who thinks the invasion is objectively in the interest of the Russian people. Again, while it would have been in everyones interest however you define it for Putin not to have committed this monstrous crime, his choice makes it easy to call him and his enablers the bad guys. Deliberately targeting civilians, sanctioning mass executions and rape, not to mention the intentional wholesale erasure of cities, is objectively evil. The Russian state tacitly admits this when it refuses to tell its own people what it is doing. Indeed, the scope of Russias lies is so great that the liars are starting to say the quiet part out loud: that truth and truth-telling are an impermissible threat to the Russian regime. Margarita Simonyan, the head of RT (formerly Russia Today), which once claimed to be a legitimate news organization, recently declared: No big nation can exist without control over information and that Russia should follow the Soviet or contemporary Chinese model, which would deny people freedom in the political life of their country, in the informational life of the country. With media voices like Simonyan in charge, its no wonder Putin allegedly polls well in Russia. Theres equal clarity for the United States. I think the realist case for doing everything possible to assure a Russian defeat is obvious. It is Russian policy to undermine our interests and the interests of our allies around the world. But theres a deeper moral realism involved. In the 1990s, we pushed Ukraine to relinquish its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees. In 2005, a bipartisan effort led by Sens. Dick Lugar and Barack Obama resulted in Ukraine destroying vast amounts of its conventional weapons, on the assumption that those security guarantees would be honored. In other words, we told them wed have their back. Putin said those guarantees which Russia signed on to were null and void because the Ukrainian Euromaidan protests in 2013 ushered in a new Ukrainian state. Whether you buy that garbage is immaterial Putins betrayal of his commitments doesnt release us from ours. And it is in our interest to be seen as a nation that honors its commitments, both moral and legal. None of this is to say we should send our own troops into Ukraine not that we wouldnt be morally justified. Igniting a direct war between two nuclear superpowers is a bad idea. Besides, Ukraine isnt asking for that. It is asking for the modern equivalent of the arsenal of democracy, and we should give it to them, fast. Because Putin is now doubling down on his crimes in eastern Ukraine just to save face. Its not in our interest that he succeed. And, as the bad guy, he deserves to lose. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. His Twitter handle is @JonahDispatch. 2022 marks the 80th year of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the quasi-military organization which trained women to fly, test aircraft and train other pilots during WWII; the program traces its roots to a pair of smaller units formed in September, 1942. As part of their efforts to celebrate this major anniversary, the National WASP WWII Museum is holding a special event over April 29th and 30th, 2022 at Avenger Field, the base in Sweetwater, Texas where many of the WASP underwent their training. To honor Americas first females to fly military aircraft, the Museum is recreating a wartime party scene, complete with WASP reenactors, a live swing band, good food, and best of all aircraft! The flight line will once again host the training aircraft the WASP flew, including eleven BT-13s and many other wonderful WWII-era warbirds, including the B-25 and DC-3. All-female crews will also be in attendance alongside their U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy aircraft. Visitors will enjoy many other activities, including the opening of a permanent exhibit describing the American history of black pilots (curated by historian Monica Smith) and a special temporary exhibit on John and Marie Clark (B-17 and WASP pilots respectively) courtesy of the Yankee Air Museum. Other activities during the two-day celebration will include author signings, special conversations, and the Cadet Zone. Saturdays fly-in and activities are free, while Fridays Dinner and Dance Fundraiser is a ticketed event to raise money for all-new exhibits in Hangar 2, a hangar dating from 1929 which formed part of Sweetwaters first airport. For more details about the event, to purchase tickets, or to learn more about Hangar 2 renovations, please visit www.waspmuseum.org or call +1 (325) 235-0099. About one in 10 children lived in a household where they didn't get enough to eat from 2019 to 2020, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Experts say the issue could worsen if more isn't done to ensure that federal programs aimed at addressing the problem are adequately funded. The study found that 10.8% of children up to age 17 experienced food insecurity during the study period. A family is considered food insecure if it is unable to regularly get enough food that is nutritionally adequate, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study also found vast disparities in the demographics of children who were affected by food insecurity. Nineteen percent of Black children and nearly 16% of Hispanic children lived in households where they didn't get enough to eat compared with 6.5% of white children, according to the study. Children living in households with one parent and no other adult were 2 1/2 times more likely to go hungry, and households with three or more children had higher rates of food insecurity than households with fewer kids, according to the study. "Access to sufficient and nutritious food is a key social determinant of health," the study authors wrote. "As such, disparities in food insecurity may contribute to inequalities in child health status." The COVID-19 pandemic caused many parents to have a harder time getting enough food for their kids, said Dr. Jessica Soldavini, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. The impacts on the economy led many adults to lose their jobs, making it more difficult for them to afford food, she told McClatchy News. But also, the closing of schools around the country created a challenge for children who relied on accessing free- and reduced-priced lunches at school, she said. But even as most schools around the country have reopened and many states lift their pandemic-related restrictions, other factors could continue to make affording food a challenge, she said. Experts say the war in Ukraine is causing the price of food, fuel and other commodities to skyrocket. The global food price index reached an all-time high in March, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Gas hit its highest national average price on record on March 11 at $4.33 a gallon, according to AAA. "With prices increasing, that is also causing more challenges for families, so that's going to make it even harder for them to afford food," she said. Another concern is that some pandemic-era programs aimed at helping more children get access to food could be coming to an end if they are not extended, she said. For example, a federal program that waived the onsite monitoring of school meal programs is set to expire on June 30. The program has allowed many more children than were previously eligible to access free meals at school, Soldavini said. "Some children who are now able to get the meals during the school year without having to pay for them, next school year will not be able to do so if these waivers don't get extended," she said. A lack of nutrition can affect a child's development as well as their physical and mental health and academic success, she said. "It's important to be aware of this issue," she said. "And there are programs out there that are able to help address it and it's important to make sure there's adequate resources and support provided to those programs." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital has revised its masking requirements based on community transmission levels of COVID-19. Masks are now optional for most patients, visitors and fully vaccinated UnityPoint Health employees. Masking is still recommended for individuals who: Are experiencing respiratory symptoms. Have been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 the past 10 days. Have tested positive for COVID-19 the past 10 days. Are not fully vaccinated, immunocompromised or choose to wear a mask. Rosewood Estate to close this summer due to regulatory changes, staffing difficulties Waterloo independent living facility working to find placements for its 48 residents and 37 staff members over the next 90 days. Health care workers are required to wear a mask when entering a patient room and/or performing direct patient care. Depending on location, patients may be asked to mask while seeing a health care provider one-on-one. Allen Hospital is one of three UnityPoint facilities changing its requirements because the communities where they are located have low COVID-19 transmission. The states level overall is deemed moderate. We would like to remind our communities that if community transmission levels increase, masks will again be required in UnityPoint Health facilities, the company said in a press release. These changes reflect the nature of COVID-19 and our new normal as we continue to navigate the pandemic. Please visit each hospital website for the most up-to-date visitor guidelines at unitypoint.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS One person has been arrested in connection with an overnight robbery in a Cedar Falls parking lot. Police said the robber demanded payment through a mobile payment app. Cedar Falls police arrested 20-year-old Isaiah Malik Pratt for second-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and possession of marijuana. Officers were called to the Planet Fitness, 6301 University Ave., shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday for a report that two people had been robbed. According to court records, Pratt approached two people sitting in a vehicle in the businesss parking lot, put his hand in the drivers side window and asked for money. When they declined, he wandered off but returned a short time later and climbed into the back seat their vehicle. He held his hand in his pocket as if he was armed and threatened to stick them if they left, records state. He then told them to send him $47 through CashApp, and mobile payment system, according to court records. The robber left in a silver vehicle, according to witnesses. Officers found Pratt a short time later and detained him. Police found marijuana when he was arrested. Love 0 Funny 6 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 3 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. WATERLOO A Cedar Rapids woman has been sentenced to prison for attacking a teen in the West High School parking lot in 2019. Ashanti Deanna Phillips, 21, pleaded to charges of first-degree theft, assault with a weapon and assault causing with bodily injury. On April 14, she was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution. The judge retained jurisdiction of the case for a possible reconsideration of the sentence in 120 days. Authorities allege Phillips and others attacked a 16-year-old girl in the school parking lot in January 2019. A stun gun and pepper spray were used in the assault, and the assailants stomped on the victim and kicked her in the face. She suffered a broken nose, according to police. The suspects took her shoes and gym bags. Another person charged in the incident, 21-year-old Naviea Jean Steele of Waterloo, was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison in 2019 on charges for first-degree theft and second-degree robbery. The sentence was to run concurrent with a conviction for a pepper spray robbery at the Independence Walmart. Third person charged in the school parking lot attack who was 16 at the time was handled in juvenile court. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 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 The work student-associates in Centers for Advanced Professional Studies programs have completed with local businesses this year will be showcased Wednesday. After a two-year break, the Cedar Valley CAPS programs will host their signature event 5:30-7:30 p.m. to showcase those experiences through more than 25 exhibits. With the programs growth, the 2022 Innovation Celebration will take place at the Bien Venu Event Center, 7400 Hudson Road. The event is open and free for the public with sponsorship support from Jam City, University of Northern Iowa, Kryton Engineered Metals, Cedar Falls Utilities, Hawkeye Community College, Heartland Technology, Lost Island Theme and Water Parks, Viking Pump, Western Home Communities, Invision and Mudd Advertising. We are so excited to come back in person for this event to showcase some of the amazing work our Associates have been a part of this school year, said Cedar Falls/Cedar Valley CAPS Director Ethan Wiechmann. This event allows parents, business partners, and community members the opportunity to really see the impact the young people can have for real businesses in our communities. Throughout the semester CAPS associates team up on projects and professional learning to give them valuable experience in supporting the mission and goals of local businesses and organizations. Business partners and CAPS instructors support the development of the student-associates by nurturing professional durable skills while working on real-world projects. Ultimately the work performed through CAPS provides value to the business partner and impacts companies, organizations and communities in the Cedar Valley. CAPS is a profession-based learning program built around the four cornerstones of innovation, problem solving, professional skills and career exploration, with the mission to Prepare students for their purpose. The program began in 2017 with Cedar Falls CAPS and has expanded exponentially since then serving nearly 250 high school juniors and seniors area-wide. The Cedar Falls High School program offers six industry strands within CAPS, while Columbus Catholic, Denver, Don Bosco Catholic, Jesup, Dunkerton and Wapsie Valley school districts offer an all-inclusive CAPS pathway that helps prepare all students through experience, skills, and exposure to various industries and professions. The Cedar Valley CAPS programs are a part of the CAPS National Network and are an Iowa STEM BEST Program Partner. For more information on how to engage in the Cedar Valley CAPS programs go to online to cedarvalleycaps.org or email nate.clayberg@cfschools.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS -- Three student-owned businesses at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) won the regional Pappajohn Student Venture Competition and will advance to a final pitch with the hope of earning seed money. Emma Slagle, founder of Honor and Respect, LLC; Noman Ikram, founder of Zemira; and Ryan Pentico and Trevor Pentico, founders of Pentico Bros Catering, will advance to the final round on April 28, where they will present virtually to John Pappajohn and Dan Storck, CFO of Equity Dynamics. The regional winners were awarded $500 each, and $5,000 of seed funding will be awarded to the top three business plans who submit and present at the final round. Pentico Bros Catering is a small family business that has been operating since April 2020, said Ryan and Trevor Pentico, who will present in the final round of competition. We specialize in large event catering, especially weddings, but have done all sorts of events such as fundraising galas, business events, graduation parties, cooking classes, etc. We were very proud to be able to partner with our familys church to be able to prepare food for distribution in our community throughout Covid, helping feed over 15,000 people. We are very excited to be starting our third year of business and looking to now grow our company! We are proud of our students, who work so hard to develop their businesses from the ground up, said Laurie Watje, Director of the UNI JPEC. This competition will allow them to elevate their businesses to the next level. The Pappajohn Student Entrepreneurial Venture Competition is sponsored by John Pappajohn, Equity Dynamics, and the Pappajohn Centers. This competition is intended for Iowa university and college students with an interest in starting their own businesses. Plans are judged based on content and concept of the plan and viability of the plan. Learn more about the three UNI student-run businesses at jpec.uni.edu. Please contact Katie Kreis, program associate at Business and Community Services at the University of Northern Iowa, at katie.kreis@uni.edu or (319) 273-4724 for more information. The UNI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. Located in Business & Community Services at UNI, the JPEC offers more than a dozen programs to assist students in their entrepreneurial efforts. Learn more at jpec.uni.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) Fire managers across the Southwest are reckoning with strong winds that forecasters say could lead to explosive growth in wildfires this week. Hundreds of people were evacuated in numerous blazes that have scorched structures and signaled an early start to the fire season. A wildfire on the outskirts of Flagstaff continued its run Wednesday though dry grass and scattered Ponderosa pines around homes into volcanic cinder fields, where roots underground can combust and send small rocks flying into the air, fire officials said. Aircraft was grounded for a second day due to high winds, and a major northern Arizona highway remained closed as smoke shrouded the air. Winds are expected to ramp up Thursday after easing up a bit Wednesday. Friday has a chance of precipitation but even stronger winds followed by a dry forecast into next week, said Brian Klimowski of the National Weather Service. Folks, we have entered our fire season," he said. Its going to be a long one this year. Resources are tight around the Southwest as multiple wildfires burn. Four of the 16 top-level national fire management teams are dedicated to blazes in Arizona and New Mexico something fire information officer Dick Fleishman said is rare this early in the season. At a community meeting in Flagstaff, residents questioned how a small blaze reported northeast of the city Sunday afternoon ballooned to more than 30 square miles (77 square kilometers) by Wednesday afternoon. Matt McGrath, a district ranger on the Coconino National Forest, said firefighters had corralled the wildfire Sunday and didn't see any smoke or active flames when they checked on it again Monday. By Tuesday, the wind was firmly in control. Flames emerged and jumped the containment line, leaving firefighters and McGrath to ask themselves if they could have done something differently, he said. I can't tell you for sure, but I don't think so, McGrath said. And I know that's not a satisfying answer with everything you're going through right now. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Firefighters have yet to corral any part of it. Hundreds of people have been evacuated in Arizona and New Mexico because of wildfires. This is a heads-up for everywhere else in the state, said Fleishman. If you have dry grass up next to your house, its time to get that cleaned up. In New Mexico, the Mora County Sheriff's Office expanded evacuation orders as winds fueled a 14 square-mile (36 square-kilometer) blaze. A new fire emerged Wednesday in a wooded area along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque. In Colorado, new wildfires prompted evacuations in Monte Vista, a city of about 4,150 people in the southern part of the state, and near Longmont. An undetermined number of structures burned but no one was injured, authorities said. "We struggled at times to stay in front of this fire and stay out of the way of it because the winds and stuff were so strong, said Monte Vista Police Chief George Dingfelder. The number of acres burned in the U.S. so far this year is about 30% above the 10-year average a figure that has gone up from 20% just earlier this month as the fire danger shifted from the southern U.S. to the Southwest. Above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation have combined with spring winds to elevate the risk of catastrophic fires. On the outskirts of Flagstaff where tourists and locals revel in hiking and horseback riding trails, camping spots, and the vast expanse of cinder fields for off-road vehicle use, flames soared as high as 100 feet (30 meters) at times. Popular national monuments including Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki were closed because of the wildfire. It's just a unique community and we're fortunate to live here, said Jon Stoner, who evacuated his home Tuesday. We feel very lucky with the views we have and the surrounding forest. About 200 residents attended the community meeting Wednesday in Flagstaff at a middle school that's also being used as a shelter. Some lost their homes part of the estimated 25 structures that have been lost and were worried about finding temporary housing in a city where rental prices have exploded in recent years. One woman who was evacuated from the forest where she was camping wondered when she might be able to retrieve her things. Coconino County officials pointed residents to a system set up to offer assistance. Sheriff Jim Driscoll couldn't say when residents might be allowed back home. Some 765 homes were evacuated. Theres still active firefighting going on in those areas, and we need to have it safe for you to go in, he said. U.S. 89, the main route between Flagstaff and far northern Arizona, and communities on the Navajo Nation, remained closed. Other residents asked when the U.S. Forest Service would begin restricting campfires or closing the forest to all visitors. McGrath said banning campfires isn't a silver bullet but ensured the audience that the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies already are talking about when to enact restrictions. Lisa Wells is among the residents whose home was burned. She said she saw a puff of smoke outside her window Tuesday. Before long, the smoke blackened, the wind gained strength and entire trees were being consumed by flames. In what felt like seconds, her family moved from being ready to go to fleeing. Wells grabbed medication, and the family got themselves, their alpacas, horses and dogs to safety, but left some animals behind. It was a miracle that people got out because we had so little time, Wells said. Birds, goats and chickens they left behind didn't survive the fire. The family now is staying at a hotel where their dogs also are welcome. Elsewhere in Arizona, a wildfire burned 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilometers) of brush and timber in the forest about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Prescott. Several small communities that included summer homes and hunting cabins were evacuated. Associated Press writer Paul Davenport in Phoenix, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES Another $53.2 million has been transferred to Iowa as part of the landmark 1998 tobacco settlement, bringing the total sent to Iowa over the past 24 years to $1.41 billion. The settlement was reached as the result of a lawsuit brought by 45 states against the nations four largest tobacco companies. The states were seeking to recover state health care costs associated with treating smoking-related illnesses, the Iowa Attorney Generals Office said in a news release. Payments continue to states as cigarettes are sold in the U.S. Of the latest payment to Iowa, about $11.7 million 22 percent will go to the state, while the rest will be used primarily to pay bondholders who purchased bonds issued by the Tobacco Settlement Authority, the Iowa Attorney Generals Office said. Nearly a quarter century after the Master Settlement Agreement was reached, it remains one of the most important settlements to consumers in Iowa and across the country. It is our duty year after year to ensure the provisions of the agreement are met and that Iowa receives its fair share, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said in the news release. Over the years, more tobacco companies have signed onto the settlement; payments in 2022 came from 20 companies, the Attorney Generals Office said. Smoking rates continue to fall in the U.S.: 12.5 percent of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes in 2020, down from 24 percent in 1998, when the settlement was reached, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. LARSON CONFIRMED: Stephen Larson was confirmed this week by the Iowa Senate to serve a fourth term as administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. His next term will begin May 1. Larson was first appointed in 2010 by Gov. Chet Culver, and has since been reappointed by Govs. Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds. The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division oversees licensing and regulation of alcohol sales in Iowa. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 You are here: World Flash North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries are doing everything to prolong the armed conflict in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday. NATO countries are increasing the supplies of military equipment, weapons and ammunition to Ukraine and pushing Kiev to continue "aggression" against Donbass, Zakharova said at her weekly briefing. These deeds go against NATO countries' words that hostilities in Ukraine should end as soon as possible, she said. Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation, Ukraine has attracted about 7,000 foreign mercenaries from 63 countries, with the United States as one of the major sources, Zakharova said. Only the guilty fear judgement, Gonzo had written in his Twitter bio. Only liars need stifle the truth. #Opinion by Maria Zakharova Gonzalo Lira, a video blogger, author and famous film director and a citizen of Chile and the United States, has not been in contact since April 15 after he went missing in Kharkov. He was where the action was, actively commenting on the events in Ukraine, first in Kiev and later in Kharkov. He honestly and professionally reported about the causes of the crisis and the ongoing outrages, including the Nazis atrocities. His video reports have helped many people in the West see the truth. The far-right radicals hated what he did and he started receiving threats. The liberal queers and honest Western journalists, which is often one and the same, echoed the neo-Nazis threats. And now these members of the public are merrily discussing Gonzalos disappearance and are openly threatening their colleagues who dare to speak out openly about the events in Ukraine without mincing words. Patrick [Lancaster], you next, tweeted a transgender journalist from Las Vegas, who is reporting from Kharkov and often takes photos with the thugs from the so-called territorial defence forces. They are doing their best to cancel and cross out those who disagree with them. Sergey Korotkikh, aka Botsman, a chieftain of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, has hinted that his neo-Nazi confederates could be involved in Gonzalos disappearance: It is ironic that Gonzalo Lira, a Chilean, has been captured by the man whose alias is Chile. Anyway, hope to see a beheading video on Telegram soon. How do you like that? Incidentally, Chile is one of those who murdered and tortured Russian servicemen. The tweet has been deleted, because Lira is a US citizen, but nothing can be deleted from the internet without a trace. This is fresh proof that the cannibalistic liberal logic is so closely interconnected with the Nazi ideology that it is sometimes impossible to tell which is which. This is indicative. P.S. We sincerely hope that the media mayhem raised by Azov Nazis and Western propagandists is nothing more than theatrics and that Gonzalo and his family are all well. https://t.me/MariaVladimirovnaZakharova/2443 WtR NATO wants the conflict in Ukraine to continue. The Turkish Foreign Minister said that Ankara was waiting for the cessation of hostilities after the Istanbul talks, but the meeting of NATO foreign ministers changed everything. There are NATO countries that want this continued. They want Russia weakened, Cavusoglu stressed. It is noteworthy that on the eve of the British Prime Minister Johnson said that the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations are doomed to failure and called for continuing to supply Kiev with weapons. After reports of Ukraines readiness to make concessions to Russia, arms supplies to Kiev were also activated by Germany and the United States. WtR 1. Sleep apnea Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which a person stops and restarts breathing several times throughout the night, can cause a bump in blood pressure. And its becoming increasingly common in the U.S. as more Americans struggle with being overweight, says Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., president of the American Heart Association and chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Excess weight is one of the foremost risk factors for developing sleep apnea; age is another big one. When a person with sleep apnea stops breathing, the brain steps in and wakes the body up to take a breath; this can happen up to 30 times an hour. And when we dont get good quality sleep and particularly if were not getting good quality sleep because our airway gets closed and our brain and our body have to maintain enough awareness to try to open up the airway that is very, very hard on the vascular system, Lloyd-Jones says. All the stress and strain drives up blood pressure and not just when were asleep, but also when were awake for the rest of the day, Lloyd-Jones says. It can cause a whole host of other health issues, too, including an increased risk for heart attack, type 2 diabetes and liver problems. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found that severe sleep apnea in middle or old age can increase risk of premature death by up to 46 percent. A common warning sign of sleep apnea is snoring, so if someone tells you that you snore loudly or gasp often during sleep, it may warrant a discussion with your health care provider. A number of devices and therapies can help to treat sleep apnea, and studies suggest that treatment with one of the more common options a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine may even improve blood pressure numbers. 2. Air pollution Research reveals that exposure to both fine particulate matter air pollution (what youd find from car exhaust and fuel burning, for example) and coarse particulate matter air pollution (like dust from roads and construction sites) can boost blood pressure in adults. The link has also been established in children. One study led by researchers at the University of Michigan found that even short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution can impact the blood pressure of healthy adults. The change was typical of what a person might see if his weight increased by about 5 or 10 pounds, the researchers noted in a news release. Another, also led by University of Michigan researchers, demonstrated that filtering the air can lower a persons blood pressure, study coauthor and assistant professor of internal medicine J. Brian Byrd, M.D., told AARP. Exercise can also lower high blood pressure, even in places where pollution levels are high, a 2020 study found. In 2019, 99 percent of the global population lived in places where air quality did not meet World Health Organization guidelines. In addition to the pollution from cars, traffic noise has been linked to an increased risk for high blood pressure. 3. Black licorice No trick on this treat: Black licorice were talking the real deal, not just licorice-flavored candy can be a health hazard, and not just because of its sugar content. The candy contains the compound glycyrrhizin, derived from the licorice root, which can cause the body to hold on to lots of salt and water, thereby driving blood pressure up. Consuming black licorice can also lead to low potassium levels and abnormal heart rhythms. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautions against eating large amounts of black licorice at one time. Eating just 2 ounces a day for at least two weeks could land adults age 40 and older in the hospital, the agency says. 4. Alcohol Although its often repeated that wine is good for the heart, alcohol can send blood pressure soaring, both in the short and long term. Lloyd-Jones explains that while alcohol initially relaxes the blood vessels, those vessels start to constrict once the liver metabolizes it. Blood pressure can remain at higher-than-normal levels the day after imbibing. And if drinking too much becomes a pattern, so will higher blood pressure numbers. Heavy drinkers (more than three drinks a day for women, four for men) who cut back to moderate drinking (up to one drink a day for women, two for men) can lower the top number in their blood pressure reading by about 5.5 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury, a measurement for pressure) and their bottom number by about 4 mm Hg, according to the Mayo Clinic. Flash UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to receive him to discuss steps to bring about peace following Russia's special military operation in its neighbor. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said on Wednesday in a statement that separate letters were sent Tuesday afternoon to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine to the UN, asking Vladimir Putin to receive Guterres in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky to receive him in Kiev. "The secretary-general said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law," Dujarric said. "He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the United Nations and have always been strong supporters of this organization," the spokesman added. The top UN official on Tuesday called for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting in Ukraine to allow for the opening of humanitarian aid corridors during the Orthodox Christian Holy Week. During the proposed pause, Guterres stated, civilians would be evacuated from "current or expected areas of confrontation" and humanitarian aid would be delivered to desperately in needy places such as Mariupol, Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson. Flash China on Thursday urged Japan to earnestly honor its statement of and commitment to facing up to and reflecting on its history of aggression and make a clean break with militarism. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering Thursday to the Yasukuni Shrine. Media reports that a cross-party group of lawmakers is scheduled to visit Yasukuni on Friday. "Japan's negative moves once again reflect its erroneous attitude toward its history of aggression," Wang told a press briefing. The Yasukuni Shrine, where World War II Class-A war criminals with heinous crimes are honored, is a spiritual tool and symbol of the Japanese militarism's war of aggression, Wang said, adding China firmly rejects, sternly condemns this and has lodged stern representations with the Japanese side. "China urged the Japanese side to earnestly honor its statement of and commitment to facing up to and reflecting on its history of aggression, make a clean break with militarism, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions," Wang said. Thick Basement Gold Intersections at West Island, Cue JV Perth, April 21, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Musgrave Minerals Ltd ( ASX:MGV ) ( FRA:6MU ) ( OTCMKTS:MGVMF ) is pleased to report further assay results (Tables 1a and 2a*) from diamond and aircore drilling programs on the Cue Joint Venture with Evolution Mining Ltd ( ASX:EVN ) in Western Australia's Murchison district. Diamond drilling continues to intersect potential ore grade intersections over wide thicknesses in basement rocks at the West Island Prospect. Aircore drilling results continue to extend the large regolith gold mineralisation footprint at the West Island Prospect and identify new zones for follow-up basement drill testing.The West Island zone is part of a broader regional 7km-long anomalous gold corridor within the joint venture (Figure 1*). The mineralisation at West Island is hosted within a differentiated dolerite intrusive sill, similar to that hosting the high-grade Great Fingall and Golden Crown deposits 25km to the north of the Cue Project.The Great Fingall and Golden Crown deposits host a combined 4.4Mt @ 14.1g/t Au for 2.0Moz gold (Total Indicated and Inferred Resources and past production) (see Westgold Resources Ltd ( ASX:WGX ) ASX announcement 10 June 2020, "Investor Presentation June 2020 - ASX Release", page 15).Musgrave Managing Director Rob Waugh said:"The gold system at West Island on the Cue JV with Evolution is a discovery that highlights the upside potential of the Cue Project. Diamond drilling continues to deliver strong basement results with drilling confirming the potential for multiple highgrade basement gold lodes within the dolerite sill. To compliment these results aircore drilling continues to extend the West Island system and identify new basement targets under Lake Austin."The intent of the drilling on the JV area is to delineate the scale of the gold system at West Island, test additional gold-in-regolith aircore anomalies and define new diamond drilling targets through aircore drilling.Lake Austin Diamond Drilling Program ResultsResults of diamond drilling continue to identify multiple, new northwest trending lodes oblique to the favourable dolerite host unit at West Island. Drilling will progress through the June quarter 2022 to continue to delineate the potential scale of the mineralisation at West Island whilst also beginning to focus on other basement targets within the JV area.Significant new diamond core intercepts include:o 2.4m @ 7.1g/t Au from 137.9m (22CUDD001), ando 19m @ 4.43g/t Au from 282.0m (22CUDD001) including:o 10.5m @ 6.25g/t Au from 287.0mo 2.9m @ 9.59g/t Au from 308.1m (22CUDD002), ando 12.0m @ 4.89g/t Au from 322.0m (22CUDD002) including:o 9.0m @ 6.37g/t Au from 322.0mo 6.55m @ 4.66g/t Au from 253.45m (21MODD035)o 5.04m @ 2.58g/t Au from 265.46m (21MODD034)Gold mineralisation is associated with a series of shear zones that obliquely crosscut a favourable dolerite host unit (Figures 1 and 2*). At least eight individual shear zones have been identified along the potential 2.1 kilometre-long West Island trend.Four of these structures have been prioritised for follow-up drilling to test their strike potential. Results will help with understanding the potential scale of the mineral system as well as adjacent targets that may be important for hosting high grade laminated veins.The intersections are associated with extensive gold in regolith mineralisation which aircore drilling has shown to extend for at least 2.1km of strike length at West Island. The West Island zone is part of a broader regional 7km long anomalous gold corridor within the joint venture tenements (Figure 1*). The diamond drilling to date at West Island has only tested a small area of basement and the mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth on at least four individual lodes. Diamond drilling at West Island is continuing.All new diamond drill assay results above 1g/t are presented in Table 1a with hole collars in Table 1b*.Lake Austin Aircore Drilling Program ResultsFinal results for the third phase of regional aircore drilling have now been received for the Musgrave - Evolution Joint Venture. The results continue to delineate the favourable dolerite host sill with the intersection in 21MOAC148 extending the strike of aircore gold anomalism at West Island to 2.1km. Significant new high-grade results (Figure 2*) from this phase of aircore drilling are summarised below:o 2m @ 119.6g/t Au from 174m (21MOAC148)o 2m @ 18.06g/t Au from 74m (21MOAC206)o 2m @ 3.91g/t Au from 124m (21MOAC212)The gold anomalism in 21MOAC206 is in a new area east of the Lake Austin North tonalite intrusive (Figure 2*) and 2.8km south of West Island. All new aircore assay results above 2m @ 1000ppb Au are presented in Table 2a* with drill hole collars in Table 2b*. A new phase of regional aircore drilling to identify additional basement gold targets has commenced.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Musgrave Minerals Ltd Musgrave Minerals Ltd (ASX:MGV) is an active Australian gold and base metals explorer. The Cue Project in the Murchison region of Western Australia is an advanced gold and copper project. Musgrave has had significant exploration success at Cue with the ongoing focus on increasing the gold and copper resources through discovery and extensional drilling to underpin studies that will demonstrate a viable path to development in the near term. Musgrave also holds a large exploration tenement package in the Ni-Cu-Co prospective Musgrave Province in South Australia. Okapi Continues to Strengthen Management Team in the US Perth, April 21, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Okapi Resources Limited ( ASX:OKR ) ( FRA:26O ) ( OTCMKTS:OKPRF ) is pleased to announce that Mr Jim Viellenave has joined the team as a consultant and a member of the Company's Advisory Committee.Jim's background includes over 40 years of development and operational experience in the U.S. mining industry, especially in the U.S. uranium industry, where Jim was fundamental to the development and resource expansion of the Reno Creek ISR Uranium project in Wyoming for a period of over 7 years until the project was sold to Uranium Energy Corp ( NYSE:UEC ) - Market Cap US$1.6 billion in 2018.Jim and his team were responsible for progressing the Reno Creek project through numerous technical and permitting milestones all the way to being fully permitted (with an NRC license) and ready for construction.Jim's other mining experience includes gold, phosphates, base metals, and industrial minerals. Jim is based in Denver, Colorado.Okapi's Managing Director, Mr Andrew Ferrier said:"I am very excited by the announcement of Jim Viellenave joining the Okapi team. Jim and I worked closely together on the Reno Creek uranium project in Wyoming. His decades of experience in the US uranium industry will be invaluable to the Company, as the team continues to progress and advance its existing high quality projects in the U.S. and continue to identify and review new projects.This is another steppingstone for the Company as we continue to build the Board and management team in North America."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. In a fast-evolving world of higher education, workforce training, student dynamics and employer needs, we at Central New Mexico Community College understand our community needs the college and CNM Ingenuity to be constantly innovating, staying agile and being strategic as we adjust to emerging trends and expectations. That applies to everything we do at CNM, including the comprehensive, data-driven review of 200-plus programs offered for college-credit at CNM or accelerated workforce training programs through CNM Ingenuity. CNM recently recommended two programs that are offered in both formats truck driving and bench jewelry move forward as workforce training offerings through CNM Ingenuity. Were planning to offer these two programs in the most efficient format that will help us best meet industry demand while helping students quickly gain the skills they need to enter the workforce and start earning a professional income. With New Mexicos unemployment rate leading the nation, quicker training options provide quicker access to jobs. In regard to truck driving, we currently offer two options for students the 15-week, college-credit truck driving certificate program and the immersive four- to five-week CNM Ingenuity truck driving program. Were recommending a consolidation of resources from the two programs into the more effective delivery method offered through CNM Ingenuity. We simply cant continue running the college-credit program at a significant deficit. Consolidating resources to scale up the CNM Ingenuity program will give us the capacity to: Serve more students and connect them more quickly to great jobs paying an entry level salary of $65,000 or more annually. Serve high-demand needs of employers in the region. Create more flexible training schedules that meet student and industry partner needs. The CNM Ingenuity program is more financially sustainable, and the training is proven in producing high-quality drivers for industry. While higher in price than the college-credit program, the Ingenuity program remains accessible to community members through many sources of financial assistance. Ingenuity students access local, state and federal programs including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Veterans Administration, and funding from workforce and industry partners. We have also ensured that our CNM Ingenuity program will remain the lowest-priced truck driving program in the Albuquerque regional market. Because New Mexico is a world-class mecca for the arts, and since cultural traditions can be expressed through jewelry making, were recommending that CNM Ingenuity expand bench jewelry course offerings in the workforce training format, which can be scaled more effectively to demand. For more than five years, the college-credit bench jewelry program has not met the academic thresholds and metrics of the evaluation process every college-credit program is required to have at least 10 graduates per year. Unfortunately, this program has had a declining number of annual graduates from eight to four over the last three years. CNM Ingenuity is currently collaborating with a local jeweler to run an open-enrollment class focused on targeted techniques in bench jewelry making. We can still meet the communitys needs by continuing and expanding these types of partnerships and efforts. CNM must make strategic decisions to maintain and improve the colleges financial position so we can continue innovating and creating new programs in emerging fields. Working with Amazon, CNM and CNM Ingenuity created a mechatronics program to meet industry demand for advanced manufacturing skills. Mechatronics provides students with a combination of skills related to mechanical, electronic and computing systems that are needed to work in modern-day manufacturing and are in demand by many local employers. CNMs new artificial intelligence program is educating students on skills that will provide them with high-wage jobs in a field thats growing exponentially every day. The CNM Governing Board is well-informed on our recommendations for truck driving and bench jewelry and will consider these recommendations at the April 27 Planning Committee meeting and at the May 10 Governing Board meeting. On behalf of CNM, well continue striving every day to be innovative, agile and strategic as we evolve for the future. Director Robert Eggers brings the Viking epic back to the big screen in a big, bold and bloody way with The Northman, starring Swedish actor Alexander SkarsgArd in a new retelling of the myth of Amleth, the Scandinavian legend that inspired Shakespeares Hamlet. Eggers, who made a splash with his first two films, The Witch, an intimate family drama about the horrors of pilgrims and patriarchy, and The Lighthouse, a black-and-white absurdist tale about two lighthouse keepers driving each other mad, is known for his historical research and attention to detail, and his meticulous approach to filmmaking has not changed despite the much larger scale, scope and budget of The Northman. Eggers assembled a team of Viking researchers, translators and archaeologists to help him craft what might be the most historically accurate Viking epic yet. And is it ever epic, not only in terms of budget and bloodshed, but in the way that Eggers treats the material. In tackling the ancient saga of Amleth, Eggers collaborated with Icelandic poet Sjon on the screenplay to craft a tale of fate and fury from the oral tradition of Viking lore. The Northman is heavy-duty myth straight from the muck and the mud, told in song and ancient pagan ritual and hallucinatory cosmic visions. It is a story of the body, both strong and fragile, bodies as weapons, currency and symbols, and the importance of the bloodline, in death and in regenerating life, offering threads of connection between people and generations. Young Amleth (Oscar Novak) witnesses the assassination of his father, King Aurvandil (Ethan Hawke) at the hands of his brother, Fjolnir (Claes Bang), who kidnaps his mother (Nicole Kidman) for his bride. Amleth makes a desperate escape to the sea, repeating a mantra that seals his fate: avenge father, save mother, kill Fjolnir. In the Kingdom of Rus, Amleth grows into a wild berserker warrior (SkarsgArd), pillaging villages and slashing throats clad in bear skins and little else. An opportunity presents itself, and he steals away to Fjolnirs farm in Iceland disguised as an enslaved man in order to enact his revenge. On the boat, he meets a young Slavic maiden, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), a witch who will assist in his journey to meet his fate. Eggers and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke create striking images informed by Eggers deep research. Scenes of pagan worship are fascinating and disturbing; long, unbroken takes of brutal violence are mesmerizing for their complex choreography. Dim, gray, almost black-and-white cinematography is offset with color used in shocking and delightful ways. Whether its a red cape adorning a small princes shoulders, a bright green river, or the glowing embers of fire, color is as thoughtfully utilized as anything else on screen. The use of sprawling, wide landscape shots set against soaring hills and crimson sunrises lend cinematic and thematic weight to the film. These shots are a signifier that The Northman is a throwback to the adventure epics of classical Hollywood, but they also offer texture to the setting of the film, which is situated in a real place with natural elements at play (the film was shot in Ireland and Iceland). There is a real heft to this craft, which Eggers wields like a carefully swung blade. But while the images are striking, its the sound of The Northman that will rattle you to your bones and makes this a full sensory cinematic experience, enveloping the audience in the rumblings of ancient incantations that seem to come from deep within the earth, the feral war screams of SkarsgArd, the spells Olga incants, and the remarkable score, by Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough. The performances are largely physical, the characters speaking in a kind of ancient poetry wrought in animal metaphor and proclamation. Its a story of fate, and wrestling with ones own preordained destiny, but the way that the characters embrace fate as they embrace life and death is exceptionally moving. These people live closer to everything in this world, closer to the earth, animals, each other, to life and death and destiny. Death is not defeat but divinity. The Northman embraces it all too. It is melodrama, and murder and mayhem and witchcraft; its everything Robert Eggers does best on the biggest scale, and its his best film yet. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal About two dozen South Valley farmers protested at Civic Plaza on Wednesday in response to comments about agricultural water use made by Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada who referred to farmers as being among the biggest wasters of water. The commissioner walked back his comments during Wednesdays Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority board meeting. My comments about agricultural irrigation methods were not intended as a criticism, Quezada said. We are all dealing with the effects of long-term drought, and farmers know that better than anyone. There is no more important use of water than to irrigate the crops that feed us. At the March 23 board meeting, Quezada had spoken up after a presentation on the utilitys water use goals. In my office weve been doing some research, and weve found that a lot of the agriculture and the farmers tend to be the biggest wasters of water, he said. He later clarified that he originally should have said users of water, not wasters. Quezada, who represents the countys southernmost area, pointed to flood irrigation and reports of farmers watering fields of weeds. Backlash was swift prior to the commissioners clarification. South Valley farmer Fidel Gonzales said farmers dont waste natural resources. Agriculture in the valley is not a Netflix series, Gonzales said, a reference to Quezadas acting career. This is real life. Several pitchfork-carrying, overall-wearing farmers attended Wednesdays protest, holding signs that read Farmers dont waste water and Support local farmers. Also in attendance were groups that have fought for years against the proposed Santolina development on the Southwest Mesa. These systems that have come after New Mexican statehood need to recognize our farmers in their right as technical experts, said Alejandria Lyons, an environmental justice organizer with the SouthWest Organizing Project. Quezada said he knows how valuable water is to his constituents. He referenced the countys $64 million investment of pandemic relief funds in water infrastructure. They can get upset with me all they want, but its everybodys responsibility to be good stewards of water, Quezada told the Journal. What I meant in that meeting was weve got to make sure that that (agricultural) community is also doing the best they can to conserve, and if not, how do we as government assist them. It was not being punitive or meant as a punishment. All county residents have a right to water, Quezada said, and misuse should be studied. The only time anybodys up in arms about water is when were looking at how were creating jobs and affordable housing in my district, he said. Jason Casuga, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District CEO and chief engineer, presented to the utility board on Wednesday. The agency that manages irrigation from Cochiti Dam to Bosque del Apache uses federal grants to help farmers to level fields and improve irrigation efficiency. Bringing your farm up to as being as efficient as it can is an expensive proposition, especially when that is things like laser leveling a field or investing in soil health, Casuga said. Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich is leading a bipartisan charge to push the U.S. Commerce Department to reject a petition to impose new tariffs on solar imports from some Asian countries. The Commerce Department opened an investigation in late March into solar manufacturing operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia that could culminate in new countervailing duties of 50% to 250% on imported solar cells and panels from those countries. The trade dispute is pushing the U.S. industry into crisis, because those four Asian nations supply more than 80% of the solar modules used in U.S. solar installations, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Solar Energy Industries Association. As a result, the association estimates at least 16 gigawatts of new annual solar development in the U.S. could be lost if tariffs are imposed, with up to 70,000 layoffs nationwide. Heinrich co-led a bipartisan group of 14 senators in a letter last month urging the Commerce Department to not open the trade investigation. Having failed in that effort, Heinrich is now working with other congressional leaders to lobby for a rapid end to the investigation and rejection of any new tariffs. We have to send a clear message to the Biden administration on the need to conclude this as fast as possible, Heinrich told the Journal on Tuesday. Ive had multiple conversations with people in the White House and other federal agencies about the potential for massive layoffs in the solar industry. The loss of some 16 GW of solar development is like losing 15 to 20 nuclear power plants worth of new renewable energy, Heinrich added. The White House wont be able to meet its climate change goals if that happens, Heinrich said. I believe this issue will be elevated beyond bureaucratic decision-making as more government officials learn whats truly at stake. Heinrich discussed the issue Tuesday morning with local industry leaders, who said the impact is already rippling across solar markets. Thats because developers need to forecast expenses one to two years in advance. And since they now cant accurately project costs, utility-scale projects are being postponed or canceled everywhere pending the outcome of the investigation, which may not conclude until April 2023, said Rikki Seguin, executive director of Interwest Energy Alliance, which met with Heinrich. Its hard to overstate the severity of this on the industry, Seguin told the Journal. Its truly devastating. A complaint by California-based manufacturer Auxin Solar Inc. triggered the investigation, based on Auxins claim that Asian companies are circumventing import tariffs imposed on China by instead using Chinese equipment and components to assemble solar cells and panels in their own countries. The Commerce Department has until August when its first preliminary case determination is due to make an expedited decision against tariffs. Thats our request to the senator to push for that outcome, Seguin said. The longer the dispute drags on, the more likely layoffs become, said Ryan Centerwall of Affordable Solar, New Mexicos largest installation firm with nearly 150 employees. Weve had no layoffs yet, but the solar supply pipeline is critical to everything, Centerwall told the Journal. Without it, well have no choice but to lay people off. Heinrich said jobs at every level are at risk, from solar manufacturing and engineering to design and construction. It runs the full gamut, Heinrich said. This is undeniably going to create havoc in the industry. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal The court martial of a major general in the U.S. Air Force is underway at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where a judge is weighing evidence against the Albuquerque native to determine if he committed abusive sexual contact against his sister-in-law after a family barbecue in Albuquerque. Maj. Gen. William Cooley, a graduate of Highland High School, rose through the ranks of the Air Force until he was relieved from duty in January 2020 amid an investigation into misconduct, the Air Force announced at the time. Cooley had been the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory and was spending the weekend in Albuquerque when the incident occurred. He was in town for a work conference at Kirtland Air Force Base, which is home to AFRLs Space Vehicles and Directed Energy directorates. Cooley has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have argued what happened between Cooley and his twin brothers wife was consensual, according to media reports of the court martial. Cooley was twice assigned to Kirtland, most recently as a commander of Phillips Research Site and Material Wing Director, Space Vehicles Directorate, between 2010 and 2013. He earned his masters degree from the University of New Mexico. The allegations against him center around the events after a family barbecue in Albuquerque, according to testimony during his court-martial proceeding, which is being covered by the Dayton Daily News and several military-centric outlets. According to coverage of the trial, Cooley was drinking bourbon and sangria at a relatives house in August 2018, when Cooleys sister-in-law gave Cooley a ride to his parents house to pick up luggage. She testified that during that ride, Cooley touched her hand and told her that he had fantasized about her for years. She said the ride left her stunned and speechless, according to coverage of the proceeding. She said on the stand that when Cooley returned to the vehicle after getting his luggage he grabbed her hand and pulled it toward his groin. He is also accused of pushing his hand between her legs, and kissing her without consent when the pair returned and parked the vehicle in the garage, according to coverage of the proceedings. The alleged victims lawyer requested she be identified only by her relationship to Cooley, according to multiple news outlets covering the court martial. Cooley is facing three counts of sexual contact: For kissing her without consent; having her touch him without her consent; and touching, through clothing, her breast and groin without consent, according to his charge sheet. The Air Force Times reported that Cooley is the first Air Force general officer to face a court martial. If convicted, he faces dismissal from the military and up to 21 years in prison. Since being relieved from duty at AFRL, Cooley has been a special assistant to the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, according to the Air Forces website. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Not getting permission has never stopped 420 in the past. Not getting permission is what 420 is all about. Wednesday afternoon, marijuana smoke filled The Jam Spot, a music venue at 415 Central NW. Music blared out from The Jam Spot stage and pulsed in time with flashing lights. Vendors, many of them selling cannabis- or CBD-infused products, lined two walls. 420 is code for marijuana, more specifically smoking marijuana. April 20 (4/20) has for many years been a day of celebration for those who use and champion the use of weed. When the organizers of the New Mexico 420 Fest failed to get Albuquerque Police Department approval to shut down some Downtown streets Wednesday to accommodate an outdoor festival featuring vendors, bands and street food, remnants of the fest moved into the music venue. It (420) means the expression of the value and benefit cannabis brings to the world and being able to celebrate in solidarity with like-minded people who realize its benefits, said David Valdez, 41, CEO of NM Brief Relief, an Alternative Health & Wellness Center. Valdez was attending The Jam Spot event. At the Masks Y Mas store in Nob Hill, artist Ron Cantrell, 47, who had painted and sold some 420-themed art, had a slightly different way of defining 420. Its a time when stoners get together all over and get stoned, he said. A holiday now The story is that the term 420 can be tracked back to 1971, when five students at a high school in Marin County, California, got together at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana, which was totally illegal back then. The students started to use 420 as a code for their pot parties. Valdez said he organized 420 events when they were illegal. He said he thought it was especially important to celebrate the day in New Mexico this year to mark the fact that the sale of recreational marijuana became legal in the state on April 1. It is turning into a holiday now. Its not just a code, he said. Now we dont have to give out the (details) the day before so we dont get raided. Cantrell, who said he has been smoking pot since he was 14, said that the city itself should have organized a 420 festival since recreational marijuana is now legal. They should have had it on Civic Plaza, he said. If (the city) put its effort into making it safe instead of preventing it, they could have made a lot of money and we need to have more revenue in this state because we are broke. But Im not going to join the City Council to make them smarter. Celebration of freedoms West on Central, between Seventh and Eighth streets, about 25 vendors were selling CBD products, Grateful Dead merchandise, jewelry and more at an event called 420 End of Prohibition. The organizers include Madeline Mariposa, whose Glitter Alchemy business sells herbal botanical products, jewelry and art, and Jay Steinberg, founder and owner of Birdland, the Nob Hill hippie store that has evolved into a cannabis dispensary. Steinberg is a longtime advocate of legalizing marijuana. Im a 65-year-old man who has smoked for 50 years, he said. I was tired of being deemed a criminal. This is really a medicine, but thankfully we can smoke recreationally. Jennifer Schoenholzer, 55, was selling her art, acrylic paintings on canvas, some with a 420 theme, at 420 End of Prohibition. A former corrections officer who has had to deal with pain since being injured in a motorcycle accident, Schoenholzer is a strong supporter of CBD and marijuanas medicinal uses. She said 420 is a day worth celebrating. It is a celebration of our freedoms and our rights, she said. CBD eliminated my need for opioids. So many people are hooked on heavy drugs. It is the drugs prescribed to you by doctors that will ruin your life. Amazing plant John Fisher, CEO and founder of Dreamz Cannabis Dispensary, worked feverishly to get his two new Albuquerque stores open in time for 420. He succeeded with the one at 2015 Eubank NE. The one on San Mateo NE will open on Friday. Eventually Fisher, whose corporate offices are in Dallas, hopes to have more than 20 stores throughout New Mexico. He has a 65,000-square-foot growing facility in Deming. At the Eubank store on Wednesday, there was a DJ, a food truck, a glass blower and a tattoo artist. We opened at 10. We had a line outside at 9:45, he said. This is a significant day, particularly significant in New Mexico because (recreational marijuana) became legal. This is a day to mark how far we have come. So many people have been trying to keep this amazing plant out of peoples hands. KYIV, Ukraine Satellite images released Thursday showed what appeared to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. The images emerged hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the battle for the Mariupol, despite the presence of an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters who were still holed up at a giant steel mill. Putin ordered his troops not to storm the stronghold but to seal it off so that not even a fly comes through. Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead, the Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Boychenko labeled Russian actions in the city as the new Babi Yar, a reference to the site of multiple Nazi massacres in which nearly 34,000 Ukrainian Jews were killed in 1941. The bodies of the dead were being brought by the truckload and actually simply being dumped in mounds, an aide to Boychenko, Piotr Andryushchenko, said on Telegram. There was no immediate reaction from the Kremlin. When mass graves and hundreds of dead civilians were discovered in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv after Russian troops retreated three weeks ago, Russian officials denied that their soldiers killed any civilians there and accused Ukraine of staging the atrocities. In a statement, Maxar said a review of previous images indicates that the graves in Manhush were dug in late March and expanded in recent weeks. After nearly two lethal months of bombardment that largely reduced Mariupol to a smoking ruin, Russian forces appear to control the rest of the strategic southern city, including its vital but now badly damaged port. But a few thousand Ukrainian troops, by Moscows estimate, have stubbornly held out for weeks at the steel plant, despite a pummeling from Russian forces and repeated demands for their surrender. About 1,000 civilians were also trapped there, according to Ukrainian officials. Instead of sending troops to finish off the defenders in a potentially bloody frontal assault, Russia apparently intends to maintain the siege and wait for the fighters to surrender when they run out of food or ammunition. Boychenko rejected any notion that Mariupol had fallen into Russian hands. The city was, is and remains Ukrainian, he declared. Today our brave warriors, our heroes, are defending our city. The capture of Mariupol would represent the Kremlins biggest victory yet of the war in Ukraine. It would help Moscow secure more of the coastline, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014, and free up more forces to join the larger and potentially more consequential battle now underway for Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, the Donbas. Putin expressed concern for the lives of Russian troops in deciding against sending them in to clear out the sprawling Azovstal steel plant, where the die-hard defenders were hiding in a maze of underground passageways. At a joint appearance with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Putin declared, The completion of combat work to liberate Mariupol is a success, and he offered congratulations to Shoigu. Shoigu predicted the steel plant could be taken in three to four days, but Putin said that would be pointless. There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities, the Russian leader said. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly comes through. The plant covers 11 square kilometers (4 square miles) and is threaded with some 24 kilometers (15 miles) of tunnels and bunkers. The Russian agenda now is not to capture these really difficult places where the Ukrainians can hold out in the urban centers, but to try and capture territory and also to encircle the Ukrainian forces and declare a huge victory, retired British Rear Adm. Chris Parry said. Russian officials for weeks have said capturing the mostly Russian-speaking Donbas is the wars main objective. Moscows forces opened the new phase of the fighting this week along a 300-mile (480-kilometer) front from the northeastern city of Kharkiv to the Azov Sea. While Russia continued heavy air and artillery attacks in those areas, it did not appear to gain any significant ground over the past few days, according to military analysts, who said Moscows forces were still ramping up the offensive. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said the Ukrainians were hindering the Russian effort to push south from Izyum. Rockets struck a neighborhood of Kharkiv on Thursday, and at least two civilians were burned to death in their car. A school and a residential building were also hit, and firefighters tried to put out a blaze and search for anyone trapped. Elsewhere, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Russian troops kidnapped a local official heading up a humanitarian convoy in the southern Kherson region. She said the Russians offered to free him in exchange for Russian prisoners of war, but she characterized that as unacceptable. Vereshchuk also said efforts to establish three humanitarian corridors in the Kherson region failed Thursday because Russian troops did not hold their fire. Western nations, meanwhile, rushed to pour heavy weapons into Ukraine to help it counter the offensive in the east. U.S. President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in military assistance, including heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones. But he also warned that the $13.6 billion approved last month by Congress for military and humanitarian aid is almost exhausted and more will be needed. All told, more than 100,000 people were believed trapped with little or no food, water, heat or medicine in Mariupol, which had a prewar population of about 430,000. Over 20,000 people have been killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities. The city has seized worldwide attention as the scene of some of the worst suffering of the war, including deadly airstrikes on a maternity hospital and a theater. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of launching attacks to block civilian evacuations from the city. On Thursday, at least two Russian attacks hit the city of Zaporizhzhia, a way station for people fleeing Mariupol. No one was wounded, the regional governor said. Among those who arrived in Zaporizhzhia after fleeing Mariupol were Yuriy and Polina Lulac, who spent nearly two months living in a basement with at least a dozen other people. There was no running water and little food, Yuriy Lulac said. What was happening there was so horrible that you cant describe it, said the native Russian speaker who used a derogatory word for the Russian troops, saying they were killing people for nothing. Mariupol is gone. In the courtyards there are just graves and crosses, Lulac said. The Red Cross said it expected to to evacuate 1,500 people by bus, but that the Russians allowed only a few dozen to leave and pulled some people off of the buses. Dmitriy Antipenko said he lived mostly in a basement with his wife and father-in-law amid death and destruction. In the courtyard, there was a little cemetery, and we buried seven people there, Antipenko said, wiping away tears. ___ Associated Press journalists Mstyslav Chernov and Felipe Dana in Kharkiv, Ukraine; Yesica Fisch in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine; Danica Kirka in London; and Robert Burns and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report, as did other AP staff members around the world. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine TEL AVIV, Israel Israels air force and Palestinian militants traded fire across the Gaza frontier early Thursday as clashes erupted again at Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, worsening an escalation that has been eerily similar to the lead-up to last years Israel-Gaza war. The Gaza violence, fueled by the unrest between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem, appears to be the heaviest-cross-border fighting since last years 11-day war and comes despite efforts to prevent a repeat. A rocket fired from Gaza earlier this week was the first to have been launched since the war. The latest Israeli-Palestinian tensions boiled over after a series of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, which then sparked days-long, sometimes lethal, arrest raids by the military in a flashpoint West Bank city and spread into daily clashes in Jerusalem. This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Passover, a time of heightened religious observances and visits by large numbers of people to Jerusalem. Palestinian militants fired two rockets toward Israel from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday and early Thursday, and Israeli aircraft hit militant targets in the seaside, Hamas-ruled enclave. One rocket landed in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, a frequent target, and another fell short and landed in Gaza, the Israeli military said. The launches set off air-raid sirens across parts of southern Israel, disrupting the quiet of the Passover holiday week. Early Thursday, Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in the central Gaza Strip, local media reported. Social media posts by activists showed smoke billowing in the air. The Israeli military said the airstrikes were aimed at a militant site and the entrance of a tunnel leading to an underground complex holding chemicals to make rockets. The military later said its planes attacked another Hamas compound after an anti-aircraft missile was fired from Gaza. It said the missile failed to hit its target and no injuries or damage were reported. In Jerusalem, Israeli police said dozens of masked protesters holed up in the Al-Aqsa Mosque early Thursday, sealed the doors and began throwing rocks and firecrackers. Police said they attempted to disperse the Palestinians using riot dispersal means, without elaborating, and that forces did not enter the mosque itself. A Palestinian official from the Waqf, which administers the site, said large numbers of police used stun grenades to clear out the site. He said police also fired stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets against Palestinians who had sealed themselves inside the mosque. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the incident with the media. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 20 people were injured, one critically. Similar clashes have taken place throughout the week, while fiercer ones broke out at the site earlier this month, wounding more than 150 Palestinians and three police officers. The Palestinians have accused Israeli police of using excessive force at the holy site, and Palestinian social media have been filled with videos showing Israeli forces striking what appear to be unarmed Palestinians, including women. Police say Palestinians instigate the violence and have released their own videos showing young Palestinian men throwing rocks and fireworks toward the security forces. Police say the Palestinians are desecrating their own shrine and putting others at risk. An emergency meeting of a regional Arab committee convened in Jordan Thursday over what it called illegal Israeli policies and measures in Jerusalem. It condemned the Israeli actions, called them provocative and called on Israel to ensure that only Muslims worship at the site. The committee includes member countries who have recently normalized ties with Israel, including the United Arab Emirates. The countrys top diplomat, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke by phone Thursday. Al Nahyan called for stability, according to the United Arab Emirates state-run WAM news agency. A U.S. State Department delegation is also in the region in a bid to secure calm. The scenes of rocket fire and repeated violence in Jerusalem recalled the run-up to last years war. Last year, the violence also spread to mixed Jewish-Arab cities, which hasnt happened in the current wave of unrest. On Wednesday, hundreds of flag-waving Israeli ultra-nationalists marched toward predominantly Palestinian areas around Jerusalems Old City, a demonstration of Israeli control over the disputed city seen as a provocation by Palestinians. Last years war erupted during a similar march, when Gaza militants, declaring themselves the guardians of Jerusalem, fired a barrage of rockets toward the holy city. Those events, along with other developments, led to an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that killed over 250 Palestinians and 14 people in Israel, causing extensive damage in Gaza. This year, Israeli police closed the main road leading to the Damascus Gate of the Old City and the heart of Muslim Quarter. After some pushing and shoving with police, the marchers rallied near the barricades, waving flags, singing and chanting. Israeli nationalists stage such marches to try to assert sovereignty over east Jerusalem, which Israel seized in 1967, along with the West Bank and Gaza, and annexed in a move not recognized internationally. The Palestinians seek an independent state in all three territories and consider east Jerusalem their capital. The hilltop shrine in the Old City is the emotional ground zero of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the center of previous rounds of violence. Known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, it is the third holiest site in Islam. It is also the holiest site in Judaism, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of their biblical temples. Israel says it is maintaining a decades-old status quo at the site, which prevents Jews from praying there. But during the Passover holiday this year, visits by Jews have skyrocketed and in some cases Jews have been praying at the compound. Palestinians view the visits, under police escort, as a provocation and possible prelude to Israel taking over the site or partitioning it. For Palestinians, the mosque compound, administered by Muslim clerics, is also a rare place in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem where they have a measure of control. Palestinian militant groups in Gaza the ruling Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad have positioned themselves as defenders of the Jerusalem holy site. On Wednesday, Hamas said Israel would bear full responsibility for the repercussions if it allowed the marchers to approach our holy sites. ___ Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Hamilton, Canada, and Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Russian man prosecuted for illegal marijuana planting, storage A Russian national has been charged with illegally storing drugs under Article 249 of the 2015 Penal Code (revised in 2017), Binh Thuan province's Peoples Procuracy said on April 20. Shedko Dmitrii (left) shows the place he plants marijuana to police. (Photo: laodong.vn) On December 24, 2021, police in Phan Thiet city arrested Shedko Dmitrii (born in 1988, temporarily residing in Ham Tien ward of Phan Thiet) for storing a large amount of dried marijuana and planting 27 marijuana plants at a rented house in Ham Tien ward. The police also seized tools for cultivating and harvesting marijuana. Dmitrii confessed that he arrived in Vietnam as a tourist in November 2019 and rented a house in Ham Tien ward. From about August 2020, he bought seeds, equipment and tools via a social network to cultivate marijuana. He initially grew about 20 plants for personal use, but then planted 27 more before he was caught. During the investigation, Dmitrii had access to an interpreter, the Russian consulate, and other rights in line with law, according to the procuracy. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden pledged an additional $1.3 billion Thursday for new weapons and economic assistance to help Ukraine in its strong but increasingly difficult battle against the Russian invasion, and he promised to seek much more from Congress to keep the guns, ammunition and cash flowing. The latest military aid, Biden said, will be sent directly to the front lines of freedom. Putin is banking on us losing interest, Biden said. The Russian president is betting that Western unity will crack and once again were going to prove him wrong. The new package includes $800 million in military aid for much-needed heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It builds on roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance that Biden previously approved. Theres also a fresh $500 million in direct economic assistance t o Ukraine for government salaries, pensions and other programs. That raises the total U.S. economic support to $1 billion since Russias invasion began nearly two months ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the United States in his nightly address in Ukraine, saying the military aid was just what we were waiting for. Earlier in a virtual address to the World Bank meeting in Washington, he said his nation will also need up to $7 billion each month to make up for economic losses. With tens of thousands of buildings damaged and key infrastructure in ruins, Ukraine will need hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild, Zelenskyy said. Biden underscored a need for the United States and Western allies to remain resolved in their support for Ukraine amid signs that Americans may becoming more wary of the war. A poll published Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows Americans desire to get involved has waned somewhat. Some 32% say the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict. Thats ticked down from 40% last month, though its slightly higher than the 26% who said so in February. An additional 49% say the U.S. should have a minor role. The president also announced that Russian-affiliated ships would be barred from U.S. ports, though that appeared to be largely symbolic. Russian ships bring a tiny amount of the cargo unloaded in the U.S., and my guess is that a decent chunk of that was tankers transporting Russian oil which is now banned anyway, said Colin Grabow, a research fellow who studies trade at the Cato Institute. Overall, Biden said that $6.5 billion in security assistance that Congress approved last month as part of a $13.6 billion package for Ukraine could soon be exhausted. With the latest announcement, Biden has approved about $3.4 billion in military aid since Feb. 24. Congress overall total also included about $6.8 billion in direct economic assistance to care for refugees and provide economic aid to allies in the region impacted by the war and additional funding for federal agencies to enforce economic sanctions against Russia and protect against cyber threats. Next week, Im going to have to be sending to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition deployed without interruption, Biden said. Congress has signaled it is receptive to further requests and has been expecting there would be a need for further help for the Ukrainians. But the issue could become entwined with partisan fights over pandemic spending and immigration, complicating the pathway. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has expressed a willingness to consider more aid for Ukraine in recent weeks. I think we need to say we want the Ukrainians to win, and were prepared to do everything we can to help them win, McConnell said Monday in Shelbyville, Kentucky. We want to do more, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters at the Capitol, during an appearance with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. She said lawmakers would learn more about Bidens latest funding request in the next day or so, to be taken up as soon as we can. Next week. Biden has chosen retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to oversee coordination of the security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet to be formally announced appointment, said Wolff was brought to the White House National Security Council team in recent days. Biden spoke on the new assistance, and more broadly about the situation in Ukraine, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the strategic city of Mariupol. Putin, however, ordered his troops not to risk more losses by storming the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the wars iconic battleground. Biden in an exchange with reporters following his remarks called Russias claim on Mariupol questionable. Russian forces have destroyed much of southeastern port city, which has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the war. By Russian estimates, about 2,000 Ukrainian forces remain holed up in a sprawling steel plant, even as Russia continues to pound the industrial site and issue ultimatums for surrender. Biden sought to make clear to Russians that plenty more military assistance for Ukraine would be coming. Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin, because were sending a lot of those, Biden said, paraphrasing Theodore Roosevelt and referring to an anti-tank missile system. The new U.S. military assistance is to include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, 72 vehicles used to tow to the howitzers onto battlefields, and over 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, as well as field equipment and spare parts. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the drones were developed by the Air Force and fit a specific need of Ukrainian forces in the battle for the Donbas. The drones are produced by a U.S. company, Aevex Aerospace, in a program that began before Russia invaded on Feb. 24. Kirby said the Phoenix Ghost is similar to the armed Switchblade kamikaze drones that the Pentagon already is providing to Ukraine. The 72 howitzers are in addition to the 18 announced last week the U.S. was transferring to Ukraine. Bidens decision to quadruple the number pledged in an arms package announced just last week reflects what is shaping up as a major ground battle in the contested Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The Russians have been deploying additional artillery there in recent days as they aim to expand their offensive and attempt to take full control of the Donbas after retreating from a failed attempt to capture Kyiv, the capital. Heavy weaponry like artillery is expected to play a key role in the fighting in the relatively confined area where Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatists have been battling since 2014. The announcements on new aid came against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings this week dominated by how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. Ahead of his remarks, Biden met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal. The Ukrainian leader also met on Thursday with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as well as Pelosi. Yellen at a news conference said the economic aid the U.S. and allies have sent is only the beginning of what Ukraine will need to rebuild. She added that shed be discussing efforts to further aid Ukraine with her Western counterparts this week. I think we stand united in recognizing weve got to find ways to meet Ukraines needs, she said. The Biden administration also announced a new program Thursday aimed at streamlining refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting, while they are still in Europe. The U.S. will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have. The U.S. expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come, mostly through Mexico. ___ Associated Press writers Ben Fox, Alan Fram, Fatima Hussein, Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman contributed reporting. NOTICE is hereby given that on March 14, 2022, Peggy & Herman Pohl, and Robert J. Jordan, Trustee of the Mending Wall Revocable Trust, both c/o WaterBank, 610 Gold Avenue SW, Suite 111, Albuquerque, NM 87102, filed with the STATE ENGINEER Application No. (SD-09733)-T for permit under Water-Use Leasing Act (NMSA 1978, Sections 72-6-1 thru -7) to temporarily change point of diversion and place of use of 9.0 acre-feet per annum (6.3 acre-feet per annum C.I.R.) from the works of the MRGCD within the Middle Rio Grande basin of the State of New Mexico. Preliminary Authorization was requested and granted. Valencia and Sandoval Counties are the Counties affected by the diversion and in which the water has been or will be put to beneficial use. This notice is ordered to be published in the Valencia County News and the Albuquerque Journal. The applicants propose to temporarily discontinue (until March 15, 2023) the diversion and use of a farm delivery requirement (FDR) of 9.0 acre-feet per annum of surface water, inclusive of a consumptive irrigation requirement (CIR) of 6.3 acre-feet per annum, from the Los Chavez Acequia, with a point of diversion on the Rio Grande at the Isleta Diversion Dam (SP-1690-3), at a point where X = 346,037 meters and Y = 3,863,8808 meters intersect, UTM Zone 13N, NAD 1983, on land owned by the Pueblo of Isleta, for the irrigation of 3 acres of land. The move-from land is described as Tract 63G1, MRGCD Map 87, within Section 20, Township 6 North, Range 2 East, NMPM. This move-from land is owned by Peggy & Herman Pohl, and is generally located approximately 0.25 mi.east of the intersection of Camino de los Chavez and NM Highway 314 south of Los Lunas, Valencia County, New Mexico. The applicants further propose to transfer an FDR of 9.0 acre-feet per annum inclusive of a CIR of 6.3 acre-feet per annum of the above-described water right (SD-09733) to a part of a property described as Tract 1-B1, MRGCD Map 4 for irrigation use. Tract 1-B1 comprises 4 acres, and the irrigation water shall be moved to 3 acres of the tract, the entire area not occupied by structures or driveway. SD-09733 shall be diverted from the Cochiti East Side Main Canal, with a point of diversion on the Rio Grande at the Cochiti Diversion Dam (SP-1690-1), at a point where X =380,297 meters and Y = 3,942,324 intersect, UTM Zone 13N, NAD 1983, on land owned by Pueblo de Cochiti, for the irrigation of 2 acres of land. The move-to place of use is on land owned by Robert J. Jordan, Trustee of the Mending Wall Living Trust, and is generally located approximately 0.25 mi. west of the intersection of Arroyo Leyba and New Mexico State Highway 22 near Pena Blanca, Sandoval County, New Mexico. This application is filed under the Water-Use Leasing Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 72-6-1 through 72-6-7. To view the application and supporting documentation contact the State Engineer District Office to arrange a date and time for an appointment located Insert District number and physical address here. Any person, firm or corporation or other entity asserting standing to file objections or protests shall do so in writing (objection must be legible, signed, and include the writers complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address). If the protest does not include the complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address, it may be deemed invalid and not accepted for filing unless Protestant provides with the protest an affidavit stating that it does not have one of the above-listed elements/requirements (phone number, mailing address, email address, etc.). The objection to the approval of the application must be based on: (1) Impairment; if impairment, you must specifically identify your water rights; and/or (2) Public Welfare/Conservation of Water; if public welfare or conservation of water within the state of New Mexico, you shall be required to provide evidence showing how you will be substantially and specifically affected. The written protest must be filed, in triplicate, with the State Engineer, 5550 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, on or before June 24, 2022. Facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted as a valid protest if the hard copy is hand-delivered or mailed and postmarked within 24-hours of the facsimile. Mailing postmark will be used to validate the 24-hour period. Protests can be faxed to the Office of the State Engineer, 505-383-4030. A copy of the written protest filed with the State Engineer must also be sent to the applicant by certified mail. If no valid protest or objection is filed, the State Engineer will evaluate the application in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 72 NMSA 1978. Journal: April 21, 28, May 5, 2022 WASHINGTON The mounting economic damage to Ukraine from Russias ongoing bombardment has the U.S. and its allies speeding billions in aid to the beleaguered country and looking for other sources of cash as well, including Russia itself. After the U.S. announced $1.3 billion in new economic assistance and military aid to Ukraine on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledged that this is only the beginning of what Ukraine will need to rebuild. The war has already caused more than $60 billion in damage to buildings and infrastructure, World Bank President David Malpass said. And the International Monetary Fund in its latest world economic outlook stated that Ukraines economy will shrink by 35% this year and next. The question of who will pay to restore Ukraine from the war has increasingly turned to the Russian state. Yellen said Thursday that looking to Russia itself for funds to rebuild Ukraine is something we ought to be pursuing. When asked during a press briefing about the potential of using frozen Russian Central Bank funds to support Ukraine, Yellen said, I wouldnt want to do so lightly, adding that it would have to be done in consensus with U.S. allies and partners. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a virtual address to IMF and World Bank leaders that a special tax on war is needed. He called for the proceeds of sanctioned property and Central Bank reserves to be used to compensate Ukraine for its losses. He added that frozen Russian assets have to be used to rebuild Ukraine after the war as well as to pay for the losses caused to other nations. The statements came after the Biden administration announced that the U.S. is providing an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs while it fends off Russias invasion. We plan to deploy this direct aid to Ukraine as soon as possible, to be used on the most urgent needs, Yellen said. The new funding is on top of $500 million in economic aid that President Joe Biden unveiled in March. Yellen met before the announcement with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, along with Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. The announcement comes against the backdrop of IMF and World Bank spring meetings dominated by conversations over how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. The calls to use frozen Central Bank funds to rebuild Ukraine are growing as the human and financial cost of the war mounts. Additionally, governments that volunteer grants and aid to Ukraine must grapple with rising inflation impacting food and energy prices in their home countries. However, liquidating Russias frozen Central Bank assets, among other sanctioned property, will not be easy and will likely require congressional action. I am unclear whether or not it would be possible without legislation authorizing the use of those assets, Yellen said. The Treasury Department imposed a new wave of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday. Included in the sanctions packages are penalties imposed on more than 40 people and entities accused of evading sanctions. The sanctions include the first set of penalties against a cryptocurrency mining firm in relation to the war. Yellen said Thursday that the U.S. was continuing to tighten the vise of our economic pressure campaign. She responded cautiously to a question about whether European allies needed to ban Russian oil and gas imports, a recurring issue during the war in Ukraine. Europe clearly needs to reduce its dependence on Russia in respect to energy. But we need to be careful, Yellen said, pointing out there would be a resulting rise in oil prices worldwide. Under that situation, she said, Russia could still benefit financially even if its sales in Europe declined. On Wednesday, Yellen and Ukraines finance minister walked out of a Group of 20 meeting as Russias representative started talking. Several other finance ministers and central bank governors also left the room, according an official familiar with the meetings, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the event was not public. Some ministers and central bank governors who attended the meeting virtually turned their cameras off when Russian President Vladimir Putins representative spoke, the person said. It simply cannot be business as usual for Russia in terms of its participation in our global forums, Yellen said. Yellen was noncommittal, though, on proposals to remove Russia from the G-20, which is made up of representatives of industrial and emerging-market nations. We will look for a way to make our disapproval known while still recognizing we have a lot of work to accomplish, she said. ___ Associated Press reporter Paul Wiseman contributed to this report. WASHINGTON The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. Under a program announced Thursday, the U.S. will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting, but will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum. Volunteers, many from American churches, were shuttling Ukrainians from a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, to the closest border crossing as news spread of plans to discourage a means of entering the U.S. taken by thousands of refugees since the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin began almost two months ago. It is going to be good for people. Im happy, said San Diego resident Ludmilo Jaaniste, who was at the shelter to get her niece and her nieces 12-year-old daughter after they fled Kyiv. They (the U.S.) were taking people, so why not make it easier. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Starting Monday, that will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances, officials said. Its an effort by the U.S. to uphold its commitment to help Eastern European nations contend with the 5 million refugees who have fled Ukraine while trying to reduce the number of migrants seeking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Complicating matters, however, the U.S. plans next month to lift a public health order, known as Title 42, that enables authorities to quickly turn away migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border without giving them a chance to claim asylum. The Biden administration has been exempting Ukrainian refugees, but will do so no longer. We are proud to deliver on President Bidens commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the effort. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putins unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country. U.S. officials say a majority of the Ukrainian refugees want to stay in Eastern Europe because many hope eventually to return home. Advocates have said the U.S. should take more than 100,000 refugees and further expedite the process. Public support doesnt seem to be an issue. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows 65% of Americans favor accepting Ukrainian refugees into the U.S., while 15% oppose. An additional 19% say they neither favor nor oppose. To qualify for admission to the U.S. under the new program, officially known as Uniting for Ukraine, people must have been in Ukraine as of Feb. 11; have a sponsor, which could be family or an organization; meet vaccination and other public health requirements; and pass background checks. Typically, people would start applications in their home country, but thats no longer possible because the U.S. pulled its diplomats from Ukraine. The State Department will expand resettlement operations in Eastern Europe under the new program to compensate. Most of those admitted will receive two years of residence and authorization to work in the United States under whats known as humanitarian parole. Those coming to the U.S. through the formal refugee process, including members of religious minority groups, will receive permanent legal residency. A downside of the new effort is that humanitarian parole generally does not include temporary housing support and other benefits provided through the traditional refugee program, which is only slowly recovering from Trump-era cutbacks, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Nevertheless, Vignarajah and other refugee advocates welcomed the announcement. Families desperately seeking to bring their loved ones directly to safety in the U.S. have a glimmer of hope, where there once was exceedingly little, she said. Refugees will encounter a streamlined process in Europe, but they wont be able to complete it in Mexico, senior administration officials told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the program before the public announcement. Instead, Ukrainians who show up at the border will generally be turned away and told to apply for entry under the new program. That is the situation for most migrants under the public health order in place since the early in the pandemic in March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the use of Title 42, which has been used to turn away more than 1.7 million people, is set to end May 23. The agency is under pressure to keep it in place not to control COVID-19, as it was supposedly intended, but to help ease an increase in migrants seeking to cross the border. Critics of the use of Title 42 at the border have pointed out that it denies people their right under U.S law and international treaty to make claims for asylum and forces migrants to return to dangerous conditions in Northern Mexico and elsewhere. Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in Tijuana, Mexico, contributed to this report. NEW YORK Actor Robert Morse, who won a Tony Award as a hilariously brash corporate climber in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and a second one a generation later as the brilliant, troubled Truman Capote in Tru, has died. He was 90. Morse died at his home Wednesday after a brief illness, said David Shaul of BRS/Gage Talent Agency. The boyishly handsome Morse first made his name on Broadway in the 1950s, and landed some roles in Hollywood comedies in the 1960s. I consider myself an actor shyly, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1964. I love acting. Its a great use of body and mind With all humility, you hope that you are doing something worthwhile. More recently, he played the autocratic and eccentric leader of an advertising agency in Mad Men, AMCs hit drama that debuted in 2007. The role of Bert Cooper earned him five Emmy nominations as best guest actor in a drama series. He radiated a wicked joy; it was impossible to watch him without instantly sharing his giddy delight, wrote playwright Paul Rudnick. Jason Alexander tweeted: His work was infused with joy and it was joyous to be with him. Morse was already well-established on Broadway, with two Tony nominations to his credit, when he became nationally famous at age 30 as the star of Abe Burrows and Frank Loessers smash 1961 Broadway satire of corporate life, How to Succeed. The show won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for best musical and ran for more than three years. Morses bright-eyed J. Pierrepont Finch was a master of corporate backstabbing with a toothy grin as he went from Manhattan window washer to titan at the World Wide Wicket company with the help of a little how-to paperback on office politics. The musicals song titles suggest the button-down, pre-feminist business world: The Company Way, a theme song for yes-men; A Secretary Is Not a Toy, a song that winks at office dalliance; Coffee Break, a tribute to caffeine; and the hymn Finch sings to himself: I Believe in You. Finch toadies up to the aging boss, played by 1920s crooner Rudy Vallee, by joining in the old mans college fight song, Grand Old Ivy. Imagine a collaboration between Horatio Alger and Machiavelli and you have Finch, the intrepid hero of this sortie into the canyons of commerce, The New York Times wrote. As played with unfaltering bravura and wit by Robert Morse, he is a rumpled, dimpled angel with a streak of Lucifer. The 1967 film version of How To Succeed dropped some songs but otherwise kept close to the stage original. Morse was back, as was Vallee. But Morses film career largely failed to take off. He was back on Broadway in 1972 and picked up another Tony nomination for Sugar, producer David Merricks musical version of Some Like It Hot. Morse starred as Jerry, the part played by Jack Lemmon in the Billy Wilder comedy about two male musicians who disguise themselves as women to get away from murderous gangsters. Tru, a one-man show based on Capotes writings, revived Morses stage career in 1989. His Capote is wickedly funny, a sly imp ready to deliver an off-color joke about the Queen Mum, zing Robert Goulet or rhapsodize about the time he tap-danced for Louis Armstrong. , Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote in his review. But theres a desperate side of Capote, too, and Morse rises to the pain. In 1993, the televised version of Tru (PBS) won Morse an Emmy for best actor in a miniseries or special. (Meanwhile, a 1995 Broadway revival of How to Succeed brought another Tony for its Finch, Matthew Broderick.) Televisions Mad Men returned Morse to the How to Succeed milieu of Manhattan office politics, 1960s-style. When Morse landed in Hollywood after his How to Succeed triumph, columnist Hedda Hopper predicted in 1963: If Robert Morse comes over on screen as he does on stage, hell have teenagers screaming and mothers wanting to adopt him. He has an innate sense of comedy and a funny face to go with it. Among his films was The Loved One, a 1965 black comedy about an Englishmans encounter with Hollywood and the funeral industry, based on the satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh. I dont think in terms of whether a picture will help or hinder my career, Morse told the Los Angeles Times when the film was in production. I think of who Im working with. Among his Loved One co-stars were Jonathan Winters, John Gielgud and Tab Hunter. Morse was born May 18, 1931, in Newton, Massachusetts, and made his Broadway debut in 1955 in The Matchmaker. He received back-to-back Tony nominations for his next two roles: in 1959 for best featured actor in a play for Say, Darling, and in 1960 for best actor in a musical for Take Me Along, which also starred Jackie Gleason. Say, Darling was a comedy about a young writers experience as his novel is turned into a Broadway show. The play was based on the creation of The Pajama Game, and Morses character, a boy producer who hated being called that, was modeled on Harold Prince, a Pajama Game co-producer. Reviewing his career, Morse told The New York Times in 1989: Things change. I never got a chance to be in a play or picture where I played a father, or had a family, or where I could feel or show something. The wild child in me never had a chance to grow up. He said he had successfully battled alcohol and drug abuse, but added, I dont think drinking got in the way of my work. I did my job. It was the other 22 hours I had a problem with. Still, he said of his career, I didnt think it was going to end or not end. I just plowed on. One day you hear `We love you, Bobby. The next day youre doing voiceovers. He is survived by five children, a son Charlie and four daughter, Robin, Andrea, Hilary and Allyn. ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits SAINT-DENIS, France French President Emmanuel Macron visited a multicultural, working-class suburb north of Paris on Thursday to woo leftist voters ahead of Sundays presidential runoff vote against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. Reflecting the votes wide international influence, the centrist Macron received support Thursday from the center-left leaders of Germany, Spain and Portugal, who urged French voters to choose him over the nationalist Le Pen. Their appeals came only a day after imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny also spoke up about the French vote, alleging that Le Pen is too closely linked to Russian authorities to become Frances next president amid Russias war on Ukraine. Macron, who led the first round of voting on April 10 that eliminated 10 other candidates, said he was taking nothing for granted and was seeking broader support. Nothing is final until the last minute, Macron said Thursday, as recent opinion polls show a stabilized lead against his rival. He said he chose to make one of his last campaign stops in a place that is facing many difficulties in the poorest region of mainland France, the Seine-Saint-Denis, where many residents are immigrants or have immigrant roots. His visit came after the two rivals clashed bitterly in a televised debate Wednesday, with Macron saying that Le Pens plan to ban Muslim women in France from wearing headscarves in public would trigger civil war in the country, which has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe. We must not get used to the rise of far-right ideas, Macron said Thursday in front of an ethnically diverse crowd in Saint-Denis. Le Pen, meanwhile, used her last big campaign rally to accuse Macron of unlimited arrogance in the debate and in his presidency. Ive had enough, like you, of this permanent disrespect, she told voters in the northern city of Arras, in the struggling former industrial heartland of France where she enjoys broad support among working-class voters. She framed Macron as soft on immigration and security and called his economic record hurt by the pandemic and Ukraine war catastrophic. Macron did not have an easy task in Saint-Denis, where an overwhelming majority of voters had supported far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who came in third in the first round of voting and did not make the runoff. One woman told the 44-year-old leader that the presidential runoff, to her, amounting to choosing between plague and cholera. Macron answered that he was ready change his platform to meet the needs of French voters, including of people who did not vote for me in the first round. Pierre Flament, 75-year-old leftist voter, said he will pick Macrons ballot Sunday with no pleasure. Calling Macron the president of the rich, he said he initially planned to vote blank. But he changed his mind in face of the enormous risk that Le Pen may win. Polls show the far-right figure has significantly narrowed the gap with Macron compared to their previous faceoff five years ago. If I vote Macron, I hope that we can start demonstrating the following day. We will have to take to the streets because Macrons measures will be bad. But if Marine Le Pen wins, we might not even be allowed to demonstrate at all, he said. The Socialist mayor of Saint-Denis, along with 14 leftist mayors and the head of the Seine-Saint-Denis region, called this week for people to back Macron in the runoff. With Marine Le Pen as president of the Republic, Seine-Saint-Denis residents will be the first victims of discrimination, they wrote, calling her platform racist and a negation of democracy. Le Pen has sought to appeal to voters struggling with surging prices amid the fallout of Russias war in Ukraine. She says bringing down the cost of living would be her priority if elected. But she has faced scrutiny over a 9 million euro ($9.7 million) loan that her party received in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank and her 2017 visit to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the French presidential runoff that year. In a column published Thursday in several European newspapers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa wrote that Sundays vote is critical for France and all and every one of us in Europe. Its the election between a democratic candidate who believes that Frances strength broadens in a powerful and autonomous European Union and an extreme-right candidate who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and democracy, values based on the French ideas of Enlightenment, the joint comment said without mentioning Macron or Le Pen by name. Social Democrat Scholz and Socialists Sanchez and Costa wrote that Europe is facing a change of era due to Russias invasion of Ukraine and that populists and the extreme right are viewing Putin as an ideological and political model, replicating his chauvinist ideas. They have echoed his attacks on minorities and diversity and his goal of nationalist uniformity, they said. We must not forget that, no matter how much those politicians are now trying to distance themselves from the Russian aggressor. ___ Follow all AP stories on Frances 2022 presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022 ___ Associated Press Journalists Alexander Turnbull and Oleg Cetinic in Saint-Denis, Thomas Adamson and Catherine Gaschka in Paris, and Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. Elon Musk says he has lined up $46.5 billion in financing to buy Twitter, putting pressure on the companys board to negotiate a deal. Last week, Musk announced an offer to buy the social media platform for $54.20 per share, or about $43 billion. At the time, he did not say how he would finance the acquisition. The Tesla CEO said Thursday in documents filed with U.S. securities regulators that the money would come from Morgan Stanley and other banks, some of it secured by his huge stake in the electric car maker. Twitter has yet to formally respond to Musks offer, but the company has enacted an anti-takeover measure known as a poison pill that could make a takeover attempt prohibitively expensive. The company said in a statement Thursday that it received Musks updated proposal and new information on potential financing and said its board is committed to conducting a careful, comprehensive and deliberate review. Musk, who owns about 9% of Twitter shares, indicated that hes exploring whats known as a tender offer in which Musk would try to get other shareholders to pledge their stock to him at a certain price on a certain date, bypassing the board. If enough shareholders agree, Musk could use that as leverage to get the board to drop its poison pill defense against his offer of $54.20 per share. But Musk hasnt decided yet whether to do that. The poison pill could significantly raise the costs of a takeover. If someone acquires a 15% stake in the company, it would trigger a huge payout to shareholders that could bankrupt Twitter. Other banks involved in Musks financing include Barclays, Bank of America, Societe Generale, Mizuho Bank, BNP Paribas and MUFG. Morgan Stanley is one of Twitters biggest shareholders, behind Vanguard Group and Musk. Musks documents say that $13 billion in financing came from Morgan Stanley and the other banks. As much as $12.5 billion would be loans secured by Musks Tesla stock, and he also committed $21 billion in direct or indirect equity, although he didnt disclose the source of those funds. The filing says that the equity commitment could be reduced by contributions from others or additional debt taken on. Musk is the worlds wealthiest person, according to Forbes, with a nearly $279 billion fortune. But much of his money is tied up in Tesla stock he owns about 17% of the company, according to FactSet, which is valued at more than $1 trillion and SpaceX, his privately held space company. Its unclear how much cash Musk has. Tesla allows executive officers to use shares as collateral for loans, but limits the borrowing to 25% of the value of the pledged shares. Musk owns 172.6 million shares worth $176.47 billion. Just over 51% of his stake already is pledged as collateral, according to a Tesla proxy statement. That means Musk could use the remaining stake to borrow about $21.5 billion. Musks latest move shows him ratcheting up the seriousness of purpose by lining up prominent banks that could finance his bid, said Donna Hitscherich, a finance professor at Columbia University. These are the usual suspects if youd get financing, she said. But certainly its pointing to the direction that he could make good on his thoughts were he to proceed in launching the tender offer. Shares of Twitter rose slightly to $47.04 in Thursday trading after the financing became public. The shares are trading $7.16 below Musks offer. The market is waiting for this to come to a head and for competing bidders to come forward, said Olaf Groth, a business professor at the University of California, Berkeley. The revelation of Musks prominent financial backers was mildly surprising to Groth because a lot of his wealth is tied to Tesla performance and Tesla has been on the volatile side of stock performance. On the other hand, Tesla reported strong quarterly results this week and Musk is viewed as coming through on things. That may be part of it, Groth said. Musk is seeking to negotiate a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Twitter and is prepared to begin such negotiations immediately, the documents say. Musk in recent weeks has voiced a number of proposed policy changes at Twitter, from relaxing its content restrictions such as the rules that suspended former President Donald Trumps account to ridding the platform of its problems with fake and automated accounts. If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying! he tweeted Thursday. Once competing bids surface, Twitters board can look not just at the financial terms but what specific plans Musk or his competitors have for reshaping the social media business. Thats when Musks ideas many of which hes tied to free speech principles could come into play. That could be ground for rejecting the offer, Groth said of the business plans. Some of that will be (about) money and some of that will be a beauty contest. Some of the board members will also talk about whats in the public interest. ____ Tali Arbel contributed from Phoenix. Krisher reported from Detroit. OBrien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Less than three months after suffering a serious stroke, Sen. Ben Ray Lujan said Thursday he was almost fully recovered and indicated he has no plans to step down from the U.S. Senate. During a tour of Santa Fe High School with U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Lujan appeared to be in good spirits as he shook hands and took photos with several students and school staffers. Im feeling strong, Lujan told reporters. Im still not 100%, but I think Im over 90%. Lujan said he recently walked to the Santuario de Chimayo as part of the annual pilgrimage that thousands of Catholic New Mexicans undertake. He said he also has been helping out on the family farm in Nambe. Id invite many people, including those serving in the United States Senate, to come walk with me to the Santuario or to go work with the acequia and irrigate, Lujan said. Lujan suffered a stoke in his cerebellum in late January and later underwent surgery to ease swelling at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. After several weeks of medical procedures and rehabilitation, the 49-year old Democrat returned to the U.S. Senate on March 3 and was able to cast a key vote this month to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. On Thursday, he thanked the doctors, nurses and therapists who helped him recover from the stroke, saying they encouraged him to stay positive. He also said colleagues in the U.S. Senate both fellow Democrats and Republicans had provided steady support. Ill tell you, a lot of people out there were praying for me, and I believe in the power of prayer, Lujan said before later adding, Theres no explanation for how well Im doing. He also said he never lost his speech abilities after suffering the stroke, but acknowledged other lingering physical issues. I got a little wobbly on the left (side) but I can jitterbug again, Lujan quipped. With the U.S. Senate currently on a two-week break, Lujan has attended events this week in Las Vegas and Albuquerque, in addition to Thursdays tour in Santa Fe. The events mark his first in-person public appearances in New Mexico since his stroke, a spokesman confirmed. Lujan will be back in Washington, D.C., next week for official Senate business. While the term he was elected to two years ago does not expire until 2026, the former congressman who in 2020 became New Mexicos first Hispanic senator since 1977 signaled he plans to stick around provided voters decide to reelect him. Id be so lucky if theyd keep me here, Lujan said. Im enjoying what Im doing and Im doing my best to make a difference. DES MOINES, Iowa Is it OK for free-range chickens to not range freely? Thats a question free-range egg producers have been pondering lately as they try to be open about their product while also protecting chickens from a highly infectious bird flu that has killed roughly 28 million poultry across the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that chickens be moved indoors to protect against the disease, but while some are keeping their hens inside, not everyone agrees. John Brunnquell, the CEO of Indiana-based Egg Innovations, which contracts with more than 50 farms in five states to produce free-range and pasture-raised eggs, said any of his chickens in states with bird flu cases will stay in confinement mode until the risk passes. We will keep them confined at least until early June, Brunnquell said. If we go four weeks with no more commercial breakouts then well look to get the girls back out. Bird flu cases have been identified in commercial chicken and turkey farms or in backyard flocks in 29 states, according to the USDA. Spread of the disease is largely blamed on the droppings of infected migrating wild birds. The farms Brunnquell contracts with are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin, all of which have had at least once case of bird flu. But some, like Mike Badger, the executive director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, are taking a different approach. Badger, whose Pennsylvania-based nonprofit group has about 1,000 members across the country, believes birds kept outdoors are at less risk of infection than chickens and turkeys raised amid thousands of others in large, enclosed barns. We put them outside and they get in touch with the environment so I think they have a better immune system to be able to fight off threats as they happen, Badger said. Research has not clearly proven significant immune system differences in chickens housed outdoors versus indoors. And Badger speculates that lower density of animals, air movement and less sharing of equipment and staff in pasture-raised operations may contribute to a lack of virus infections. He said the decision whether to bring hens inside to wait out the annual migration of wild waterfowl is a farm-to-farm decision based on the comfort level with the risk acceptance. Commercial outdoor flocks make up only a small percentage of U.S. egg production. About 6 million hens, or 2% of national flock, are free-range and about 4.2 million hens, or 1.3% of U.S. egg production, are from pasture-raised chickens. Chickens are categorized as free-range or pasture-raised primarily by the amount of time they spend outdoors and space they are provided. Free-range chickens typically must have at least 21.8 square feet (2 square meters) of roaming space outdoors and remain out until temperatures drop below around 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 1 Celsius), according to the American Humane Association, which certifies egg operations. Pasture-raised chickens typically must have 108 square feet (10 square meters) outdoors each and remain outside most of the year except during inclement weather. The certifying organizations have protocols for high-risk situations and allow for temporary housing indoors a time period not specifically defined once a farm documents an outbreak near an outdoor flock. Certification agencies monitor farms to ensure they dont use bird flu as an excuse to keep birds inside too long. Brunnquell said none of his farms had infections during the last big outbreak in 2015, and he hasnt had any cases this year. Farmers in Europe have been dealing with the bird virus longer than those in the U.S., with cases reported as early as last December. The United Kingdom has ordered free-range hens to be housed inside to protect them from the avian flu, and that has forced changes to how those eggs are labeled in stores. Free-range packaging is still used but must be marked with an added label of barn eggs, according to a communications representative for the British Free Range Egg Producers Association. Each egg also is stamped with a No. 2 that denotes barn rather than No. 1 for free-range. For U.S. consumers, it means the free-range eggs they buy at a premium price could come from a chicken being temporarily kept inside. But producers say they think people who pay more for pasture-raised or free-range eggs have animal-welfare concerns and dont want the chickens to be endangered the virus. Brunnquell also noted that the certification agencies monitor farms to ensure they dont use bird flu as an excuse to keep birds inside too long. Eggs of all kinds have grown costlier recently thanks to bird flu concerns and a national spike in food costs. Last week, prices for conventional eggs increased by 40 cents per dozen to $1.47 while cage-free egg prices rose 3 cents to $2.40 per dozen, according to the USDA. Organic eggs, which are from chickens required to have access to the outdoors, were selling for a national average of $4.39 a dozen last week, up from $3.65 the week before. The price of eggs used by bakeries and other food products soared to a record high on April 8. So-called breaker eggs, which will later be broken by processors and sold in containers weighing up to 50 pounds, peaked at $2.51 per pound, said Karyn Rispoli, egg market reporter for Urner Barry, a New Jersey-based food commodity market research and analytics firm. Many of the egg layers that have died from bird flu were on farms contracted to provide breaker eggs used as food product ingredients, Rispoli said. Bird flu likely will remain a problem for at least several more weeks as migrating waterfowl will remain on the move in the Mississippi Flyway until June. In the past, warmer weather and the end of migration brought an end to bird flu cases, allowing turkey and chicken farmers to begin the monthslong process of replenishing flocks and resuming production. ___ Associated Press writer Courtney Bonnell contributed to this report from London. On a recent Saturday, David Ryan and Martha Heard were on the corner of Rosemont and 12th Street NW, standing in the present but gazing into the past. One hundred years ago, there was a streetcar line on 12th Street, Ryan said. East of 12th there were apple orchards, from the late 19th century into the 1920s, Heard said. Ryan and Heard are among the organizers of Albuquerques version of Janes Walk, free, volunteer-led neighborhood walks held in cities throughout North America and around the world. Named for urban activist Jane Jacobs, the walks were launched in 2007 and usually take place in the first weekend in May. The strolls expose participants to the architecture, heritage, local culture, social history and planning issues of particular sections of a city. The plan had been to initiate Albuquerque Janes Walk events in May 2020, but the pandemic rained on that parade. In 2021, the citys Janes Walks were self-guided. This year, two guided Janes Walks will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7. Both begin and end at 11th Street and Mountain Road NW. When enough people show up for a walk, a volunteer will take them out. When more people arrive, another volunteer will lead them. Our walks go through neighborhoods meant to be walked, before cars became predominant, Ryan said. Back then, houses were built closer to each other, the streets were narrower and less circuitous, the blocks were shorter and retail and commercial establishments were often intermixed with houses. The two guided walks set for May 7 are the 2.7 to 3-mile Mountain Roads Arts Corridor foot tour and the 2.3-mile Wells Park Troche Moche ramble. Troche Moche translates to helter-skelter or all over the place. Ryan, 74, and Heard, 85, both live near the starting point of the walks. On this day, they were doing the Troche Moche route. It courses through a melding of residential and industrial areas in the Wells Park neighborhood. There are historic residences here, as well as buildings that were once cornerstone commercial and retail establishments and colorful murals waiting to surprise you just around that next corner or down that alley. Heard points out houses in the 1000 and 1100 block of 12th Street that were built in the 1920s for employees of the American Lumber Company, a sawmill. The sawmill and the railroad were the major employers back then, Ryan said. Tomas Duran owned the sawmill store. At the corner of 12th Street and Bellamah Avenue is the house he built in 1900 for his bride, a stunning redhead he met on Old Town Plaza. Charlies Grocery used to be at 1100 Bellamah NW. A brothel that once stood behind the grocery store is now The Painted Lady Bed and Brew. A sign at The Painted Lady makes clear what is not on tap there: This is not a brothel. There are no prostitutes at this address. Without guides, people would likely miss an enchanting mural of mid-20th-century vehicles. Its on a wall in an alley between Los Tomases and Sixth Street NW. It is at the southwest corner of Bellamah and Sixth, however, that youll find out how this walk got its name. Thats where the Troche Y Moche wall, built in the summer of 2017 stands. It is made of stones, volcanic rock, petrified wood, a little bit of a lot of things. Troche Moche. WASHINGTON, April 21, 2022 With a $500,000 donation, the American Chemical Society (ACS) has joined the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in an effort to help researchers who are being forced to flee Ukraine because of Russias invasion. The donation will support the NAS Scientists and Engineers in Exile or Displaced (SEED) program, which is working to help scientists and engineers relocate and continue their work in Poland and other neighboring countries. Under agreements with the Ukrainian and Polish academies of sciences, NAS support for researchers and their families includes providing the displaced researchers with grants and placements in appropriate research institutions for up to six months. The funding from ACS will be prioritized to assist Ukrainian chemical scientists to the extent possible. Millions of Ukrainians have fled their country since the start of the war, including an estimated 20,000 researchers. With many male family members still in Ukraine, the NAS effort is initially supporting primarily female scientists, but this may change as the situation evolves. Although Poland has been the principal destination for refugee scientists, many are also fleeing to Estonia, Lithuania and elsewhere. The NAS plans to help expand the program to include partnerships with other science academies. In addition to providing immediate assistance to these researchers and their families, the SEED program aims to ensure that Ukrainian science will be better positioned to be restored after the war ends. Keeping the affected researchers engaged in their work and connected to the international science community allows the world to continue to benefit from their ideas and discoveries. As our thoughts go out to all those impacted by this war, we appreciate the need to assist the scientists being displaced so that they can continue their work and their careers, says Paul W. Jagodzinski, Ph.D., chair of the ACS Board of Directors. Through NAS, we are proud to provide support for these skilled and talented people. The world very much needs the contributions of these displaced researchers, and eventually, their work will also be essential to one day help rebuild Ukraine, says NAS President Marcia McNutt, Ph.D. We are thankful that the American Chemical Society is partnering with us in this important effort to provide safety, dignity and opportunities for international research collaboration for our Ukrainian colleagues, without triggering a brain drain from Eastern Europe. Recognizing that years of specialized training could be at risk for refugees and displaced individuals, the SEED program was established in 2021 to provide bridge opportunities that enable scientists and engineers to remain connected to the global scientific enterprise. The program initially focused on helping Afghan scholars fleeing the Taliban, successfully placing them in academic appointments at the University of Rwanda. Authored by Navanil Sengupta, Head Brands & Corporate Communications, HDFC Securities This is the era of brand authenticity. Brand trust is a precious commodity when it comes to young customers. For instance, 82% of Gen Z consumers say they prefer companies that use real people in their advertisements and marketing messages. Financial brands especially need to be beacons of trust. The more competition escalates in the industry, the more important these beacons become. Trust erodes faster with the deluge of instances of misuse of customer data and media portrayals of endless scams. So, while technologies have enabled financial services companies to reach customers even in the far-flung areas of India, they now need to retain them. This is what pushed brands to become better storytellers in 2021, a PR trend expected to continue in 2022. What other trends will allow marketers to enhance brand equity in this omni-channel era? Lets take a look. Influencer PR With 63% of consumers stating that they trust influencers words more than brands advertisements, influencer PR is not fading anytime soon. India had over 448 million social media users at the start of 2021. The pandemic supported increaseduse of these channels in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. So, brands that are looking forward to capturing customers in this segment have a lot to gain from influencer marketing. The new-age content creators are highly accomplished in creating appealing (many times humorous) videos and reels, that strike a chord. They already have a head start in their digital reach and engagement. In 2022, brands will leverage audience insights, with intelligent vetting of creators to find the best people to convey marketing messages. Hyperpersonalisation Today, consumers dont just want home loans. They want apps that help them find houses as well. Investors want trading platforms that enable them to find the most suitable stocks. Businesses want banks to handle everything from supply financing to statutory payments. BFSI companies are selling their products and services to a digitally native generation, whose demands are evolving faster than technology. They have to be where the customer is and provide them with what they want at their fingertips. This will need an overhaul in communication strategies. Data-driven insights will need to be leveraged to reach specific buyer personas. PR professionals will use technologies to find the most trending topics in a specific consumer segment, and also understand the audience's reaction to them. Inclusivity Recent reports show that 80% of companies are only going through the motions of doubling down on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, but not doing anything significant about it. This can be catastrophic for a PR strategy. So, when companies talk about financial inclusion, they might want to show how they support their workforce in advancing financial literacy, or how they uphold their commitment to creating a diverse workforce. Responsible representation of minority and marginalised communities, women and children is a must, and failure to do so could lead to negative discussions on social media. Remember, when brands get tagged with negative hashtags, they remain in the public consciousness for a long time. Campaigns Guided by Social Listening PR strategies are no longer linear, but rather circular. Brands need ongoing insights to constantly refine their strategies. What better way to do that than listening to what consumers are talking about on social channels. Social listening can help marketers better engage in and own the conversations revolving around the brand. They can gain ideas, hashtags, keywords, and critical audience insights for future strategies. Talking About ESG Purpose is the much-required buzzword in the market. Its not just about the pandemic. With UN experts reminding us again and again about the looming consequences of climate change, theres a growing expectation from the private sector to step up and do its bit. There is pressure on many fronts. Over 74% of consumers in the 18 to 39 age bracket want businesses to take a stand on issues close to their hearts. Employees want to work for firms that work towards sustainability. In 2022, there will be a continued focus on ESG and DEI to ensure that brands uphold corporate responsibility, and also how they communicate this to stakeholders. No longer can big financial brands just spout corporate jargon and remain faceless. People want real connections and want to hear from real people with similar issues. PR strategies that take this into account will bear results for the long term. Adgullys premier event for the PR and Corporate Communications industry IMAGEXX Summit & Awards 2022 is coming soon. Entries for the Awards are now open. Click here for more details. After two consecutive summers of being affected by the pandemic, this is the first summer that is expected to mark a full return to the pre-pandemic levels especially for the AC and refrigerator brands. With the rising temperatures, demand for fans, room coolers, ACs and refrigerators will only increase in the coming weeks both at homes and in offices as people return to work from their offices. Multiple choice of brands The demand is not limited to metro and urban areas, as Tier 2 and 3 markets are also seeing a surge in demand for ACs. The AC market currently has over 12 brands vying for customers. The diverse range of features and prices cater to different market groups. Apart from the branded ACs and coolers, there are also those being sold as assembled ACs and coolers in some parts of the country, especially the Northern states. Brand benefits & features are important There is also a shift in the type of AC unit people are opting. While preference isthere both for the window AC and Split AC but it is the cost and the kind of facility that is available to install the AC determines on the type of model one goes for. The AC brands are in for a sizzling sales time. The brand benefits from each of the brand is mostly talking about powerful cooling, less power consumption, fast cooling and cooling that reaches every part of your room. Last year some of the brands harped in on the bacteria and virus protection keeping in mind pandemic situation that prevailed last summer. While functionality is what works in the category but the advanced features with sleek and stylish design offered by brands are catching the attention of many potential buyers. Easy loans & online buying Even word of mouth branding influences in this category as there is a good amount of investment on the purchase of an AC and so the customer would rather take guidance from his close family and friends. Liberal durable loans offered by many dealers, banks and brands who have tie ups with banks play a key role in purchasing a certain brand after weighing all the pros and cons of the brand. E-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart also offer a wide range of brands to the consumer. The consumer generally does a good search and narrows his decision before making the final decision. A busy working couple who has no time will quickly browse the site and decide to buy the brand of their choice. Celeb endorsers On the communication front there are quite a few celebrities who have been roped into endorse the brands. Bollywood celebrity couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are the new brand ambassador for Lloyd brand of ACs. Since the average age of the consumer durable purchase has come down from middle age and the brand is addressing a younger audience the brand fit of the celebrity couple works especially when we have large number of young population with double income households. Blue star is another brand which has roped in Virat Kohli, which focusses on the fast-cooling benefits in its new range. Bringing in Virat has helped the brand to talk to a mass audience and also address the smaller towns which has good growth potential. Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, announced that its business has onboarded the popular and versatile actor Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassador for their range of ACs. He shares a lot of synergy in values with the brand and has a high level of credibility which is most required in the consumer durables. With IPL coinciding with the peak summer season, AC brands are judiciously leveraging their best to be present on the IPL platform either on the mass media channel or digitally to catch their audiences. Brands need to reach a large audience so most of the brands will be visible on mass media both on television and print to generate quick awareness as there just 2 to 3 months where they have to cash in during the peak summer. There is some dip in the viewership of IPL in the intital weeks so perhaps brands may look at other high reach media option to take the maximum mileage. According to our consumer insights, the users now are looking for appliances that can take care of their comfort needs and help them multitask, said Shirish Agarwal, Head of Marketing Communication and Brand, Panasonic India. He added that the key deciding factor now is whether a particular appliance can take care of their health and hygiene concerns. Therefore, our appliances offer a connected living experience to our consumers via our in-house Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) platform Miraie. Further, taking cognizance of the health and hygiene concerns of consumers, our Air Conditioners (ACs) are equipped with our proprietary nanoe-X and nanoe-G technologies that inhibit bacteria and viruses, enhancing indoor air quality and promoting healthier lifestyles, he further said. Agarwal added, Digital is something that Panasonic is currently focusing on, as the consumers tend to spend most of their time online. But it also depends on the market, for example, for our recent campaign AC for Healthier Homes, the campaigns media mix was designed keeping in mind the major AC markets. While television (45-50 per cent spends) took care of the pan-India reach, digital (30-35 per cent spends) was used to target audiences in the top 8 to 12 markets. Today, even if a purchase happens offline, e-commerce still plays an extremely important role because of validation. The lines have completely blurred and omnichannel is the way to go. Brands need to ensure that they provide a seamless experience across all consumer touchpoints. Deba Ghoshal, Vice President and Head of Marketing, Voltas Ltd, said, We are extremely optimistic about the market this summer, given the prediction of a hot summer by IMD coupled with the pent-up demand of two summers. Keeping the needs of the consumers in mind and an increased focus on health and hygiene, this summer we have launched our PureAir AC with Indias first HEPA Filter technology. This will help consumers maintain optimum indoor air quality and also take care of energy efficiency. We have already witnessed some increase in demand of our cooling products and foresee the same trend through the summer. To leverage this opportunity, you will witness the next phase of our new mass media campaign, rolling out in the coming days. Commenting on the marketing initiatives, Ghoshal said that Voltas will continue to focus on an omni-channel approach giving equal weightage to digital, print, online, TV and radio. Our customers are spread across tiers of the country and a customised omni-channel approach helps us reach out to different demography of buyers. Apart from having multiple brand outlets in urban and rural India, we have opened up exclusive brand shops and experience centres for the brands physical interface with the customer which will elevate the buying experience and the consumers can enjoy the look and feel of the product, he added. For customers who still enjoy the comfort of online purchases, they can simply log onto www.voltaslounge.com, a one-stop-shop for all Voltas and Voltas Beko products. Apart from this, to make the buying process easier, Voltas is also providing a variety of consumer finance and cash-back programmes, extended warranties. We are already experiencing good traction for compressor products such as AC units and Refrigerators in Q1, and we expect to continue growing in Q2 as well, affirmed Deepak Bansal, VP - Home Appliances & Air Conditioners, LG Electronics India. In addition, purchasing the right AC is a long-term commitment. Hence, we noticed our customers looking for AC units that are well-designed for their homes along with faster cooling, and energy-saving. At LG, we keep our consumer insights at the forefront to design stylish and smart features that focus on their comfort, healthy lifestyle, and excellent performance. Available with all technical advancements by giving the best smart technology and energy savings in attractive floral design and wave patterns, LGs new 2022 line-up consists of 57 Split ACs and 4 window inverter ACs, Bansal added. He further said, At LG we strive to closely listen to our consumers needs and through extensive R&D introduce solutions to offer the best user experience. In terms of product differentiation, LG has taken consumers convenience to the next level with LG ThinQ technology, which allows users to control & monitor AC at any time and from anywhere with an app on the phone. LG ThinQ offers compatibility with Smart App, Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant AI Speakers & Apps, which are available in Split and Window Inverter ACs. Apart from control, consumers can also get filter cleaning notifications and control multiple home appliances through LGs ThinQ.Our technological advancements and integration of the latest features have helped create a niche for our products through superior performance and has given our customers a new product experience. IKEA (part of Ingka Group), the worlds leading Swedish home furnishings retailer, announced the appointment of Adosh Sharma as its new Country Expansion Manager, for its India business. Adosh, an experienced IKEA leader takes over from Per Hornell, and will be part of the IKEA India leadership team reporting to Susanne Pulverer, CEO-CSO. As the Country Expansion Manager, Adosh will lead IKEA Indias ambitious omnichannel expansion and growth plans to reach many more people in India. Prior to this role, Adosh held the position of General Manager Buying Merchandising & Planning for the MENA (Middle East North Africa) market with a multinational retailer/Marks & Spencer in Dubai. Adosh brings with him over 20 years of experience in retail, having worked across India, the Middle East, and North Africa markets. Prior to this, Adosh was associated with IKEA Franchises since 2008 and has worked across the markets of Egypt, UAE, and Qatar. In his last assignment with Al Futtaim, he worked with brands such as John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, and Eggo as General Manager where he was responsible for market expansion, operations, brand marketing, strategy, and profitability. Commenting on his appointment Adosh Sharma, Country Expansion Manager, IKEA India, said, "I am delighted to be back at IKEA and excited to begin my journey as IKEA continues to move closer towards the vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people of the country. IKEA is committed to India as it continues to be a prioritized market for us. We have been able to build a strong foundation in India through our omnichannel presence and we look forward to achieving the long-term vision of providing accessible, affordable, and sustainable home furnishing solutions to the people. KRBL, one of Indias largest rice millers and exporters with its flagship brand India Gate basmati rice launched its new digital campaign celebrating #EmotionCalledBiryani this Ramadan. Conceptualized and executed by Maximus Collabs, the campaign comprises of 3 digital films highlighting the biryani capital and its emotion with the city as a backdrop, influencer campaigns who share their festivities and nostalgia with biryani. These 150+ influencers across the county will be rating some of the most iconic biryani joints and how it has become synonymous to biryani for them. The film aims at showcasing how Biryani in India is not just a royal plate of food but an emotion!!The 2nd film based on Lucknow in the series will be release digitally on 20th April 2022 at 18:00 hrs. TNA1iOuQIu8?autoplay=0&rel=0" frameborder="0"> Celebrations are an inseparable part of India. This holy month of Ramadan when the Muslims spend the day fasting, one of the reason that makes this celebration even more special is the flavour in their plates during iftar. When we talk about food, everyones favourite meal to have after fast in Ramadan is Biryani. Since many ages, good food is considered to be the scale of success and happiness of any occasion here in India, and Biryani, being everyone's favourite is not just food here, Its an emotion that we all celebrate! Talking about the campaign, Ayush Gupta, Business Head, KRBL Ltd. said: You will agree, when it comes to biryani, every time you want it to be special- filled with flavours. The cities and marketplaces are also all open. People now want to go out and enjoy biryani and after long, making it even more special, our new campaign celebrates this #EmotionCalledBiryani. With this we aim to celebrate Biryani and create a recall on the core value of our brand. India Gate Basmati rice is an inseparable part of celebrations at every home in India. Our customers love to make a Classic Impression on their guests through this wonder grain. The digital campaign is further being amplified with celebrity influencers including Aly Goni, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Khan, Bhavna Pandey and Hina Khan are joining this celebration of #EmotionCalledBiryani by hosting special festive dinners and including biryani in their communication. These videos will release between 22nd April to 30th April 2022. Everyone has their favourite places whose Biryani they swear by. Be it a restaurant, a small tuck shop or one prepared at home by Ammi or their favourite chacha jaan, fufi or khala. India Gate has invited more than 150 micro influencers to visit their favourite Biryani place this Ramadan and share their experience of why Biryani is an Emotion for them., further shared Ayush Gupta, Business Head, KRBL Ltd. commenting on the amplification plan. The ignition point of this campaign was inspired by the thought that every household has its own secret recipe of biryani. The places also, which stand tall by serving Biryani over centuries and decades and still pull back people due to their taste. All these places and recipes hold a special emotion in the hearts of each and every Indian . As a county Biryani has always been a part of all our celebrations it was time to give its due to this emotion . shared Manisha Singh , Founder Maximus Collabs India Gate has a range of Quality Products in Basmati Rice but one of the products stands out from every other. It is India Gate Classic which is one product in our portfolio that has the perfect ingredients to make any occasion even more special. The perfect grains combined with the unique USP of 2 Years of Ageing bring the best in our rice giving it the perfect aroma, longest grains, fluffy texture and more yield post-cooking. Founded in 2011 by Jaydeep Barman and Kallol Banerjee, Rebel Foods is the worlds largest and fastest-growing Internet restaurant company, home to brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, Mandarin Oak, The Good Bowl, SLAY Coffee, Sweet Truth, Wendys and more. With over 450+ kitchens across 70+ cities, Rebel Foods has developed their full-stack technology Rebel OS through which multiple brands are launched and scaled up in a very short period. Through the Rebel Launcher, powered by Rebel OS, the company has launched over 25 brands. In an exclusive conversation with Adgully at the NRAIs Cloud Kitchen Convention, Kallol Banerjee, Co-Founder, Rebel Foods, speaks at length about how the Indian Food Industry has evolved, need for personalisation in online delivery and much more. On the challenges that food businesses faced during the past few years of the pandemic, Banerjee said, As a food business, I think it was a very immediate reaction because right after the pandemic was announced, our business dropped by 60% straight away overnight and there was a misconceived fear that it might also be transmitted through food and then gradually it came back. In the next few months onward I would say it was a very slow recovery, but by the time we reached December, we were back to what we were at last December. Basically, we lost the year and it was almost a year with no growth. Talking about the opportunities, he said, We are a cloud kitchen business, so its all food delivery. I think one of the unintended fallouts for us was that a lot of people actually left the metro cities, people who work in Mumbai or Bangalore, where the rents are very high. When it was work from home, they decided to go back to their hometowns and we were on an expansion mode. So, we noticed that when we were opening in Tier 2 markets, such as Bhubaneshwar and Patna, we saw an immediate uptake of the brands. Some of these guys probably were living in Bangalore, and hence, they were aware of brands like Faasos. So, when we launched in Patna, they kind of introduced the brand straight away to their communities. He further added, I think the word travelled faster in terms of food delivery, the usage of apps and it was everywhere. People working in the big cities returned to their hometowns during the pandemic and they introduced their friends to our brands. So, I think that was an unintentional tailwind. Commenting on where he sees the food delivery business headed in the coming years, Banerjee said, The pandemic has proved and one would notice in the numbers that even though people were ordering for delivery, they were ordering from brands. I think the level of trust that you build with your consumers remains true whether it is pandemic or not. We felt that was a definite trend that people stopped experimenting, the trend was definitely to order from brands. Where this industry is headed? I feel, right now delivery is pretty logistics-oriented because there is optimisation somebody picks it up and delivers it and you can track the rider. Thats about it. He further continued, But I think generally it is like Netflix, every other aspect of our lives is personalised. If you watch a YouTube video and go to YouTube again later, then they suggest similar videos. This doesnt happen in this case. I think that is the trend that finally based on your ordering behaviour, there will be suggestions for you. As an offline business, it is easier because you have a kitchen, people can come and see, but as an online business, you have to think of tech hacks for that, he concluded. There is a first time for everything!! KGF2 producers Hombale Productions is very proud to announce a mega collaboration with director Sudha Kongara for their upcoming next. This is the very first time when a production house is taking immense pride in declaring an alliance with the director before confirming the lead star cast for the film. Hombale Films shared this news on their social media handle as they wrote Some true stories deserve to be told, and told right. To a new beginning with a riveting story @Sudha_Kongra, based on true events. The creative copy shared by them read Some True Stories Deserve To Be Told, And Told Right. We, At Hombale Films Are Proud To Announce Our Next Film With Director Sudha Kongra. A Story That We Are Certain Will Capture Indias Imagination Like All Our Films Have. This announcement has taken the internet by storm as the netizens are hailing the makers of the upcoming film for bringing a change of this kind for the first time in the world of cinema. Sudha Kongara Prasad is an Indian film director and screenwriter who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. She will now be directing the next film of Hombale Films which is all set to go on the floor this year. Becoming the trusted choice of global brands, PR Professionalsthe flagship of PRP Group has bagged the PR mandate of Lulu Mall, Lucknow. PR Professionals (PRP) will be now responsible for delivering PR campaigns, for Lulu Mall, Lucknow that is expected to be thrown open to the public in the next few months. PRP already has a strong presence in Lucknow and has catered to niche clients such as Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRCL), Omaxe Group, DLF Ltd, Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), UNICEF, Medha- an NGO, and others. Sarvesh Tiwari, Founder & Managing Director, PR Professionals said, We are thrilled to have got this opportunity to work with Lulu Group which is one of the Forbes Top 100 companies that have made a global impact. We look forward to working with Lulu Group on their upcoming Lulu Mall in Lucknow which is all set to transform the retail landscape of Lucknow and the whole of Uttar Pradesh Lulu Group International, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE is a highly diversified entity with operations spanning a vast geographical landscape. Lulu Group at present has four malls in India at Kochi, Thrissur, Trivandrum, and Bangalore. Lulu Group currently has 220 plus hypermarkets and shopping malls in the Middle East, Egypt, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Strategically located at Shaheed Path in Lucknow, Lulu Mall is a much-anticipated project with the presence of over 300 international and national brands, occupying 2 million sq ft of built-up space. One of the key highlights of the mall will be the world-renowned Lulu Hypermarket the largest hypermarket in India and this will be the first outlet in Uttar Pradesh. PR Professionals last year celebrated its 10th foundation day in September 2021. From a humble beginning 10 years ago to becoming Indias fastest-growing PR firm, PR Professionals under the able leadership of Founder and Managing Director, Sarvesh Tiwari, the company has grown by leaps and bounds and earned the trust of its valued clientele across sectors. Founded in 2011 with a small team of three people and a vision of giving back to society, the company now proudly operates across seven time zones, working tirelessly across ten domestic and six offshore offices, and boasts a working strength of 150 associates. In its decade-long journey, PRP has been successfully catering to a diverse clientele, including government and development organizations, multinational corporates, real estate giants, startups, educational institutions, and many prominent brands. Apart from being an excellence-driven communications firm, the firm is the only organization that pledges to work for social welfare. He has become the most bankable actor in recent times and an unofficial spokesperson for the Governments major schemes such as Swachch Bharat, toilets for all, menstrual hygiene, On top of it, he is a major fitness influencer and well known for following a clean and healthy lifestyle. Therefore, when Akshay Kumar appeared in a Vimal ad, a brand known for its pan masala, it came as a huge shock to his fans. It is not surprising that people took to social media to vent their ire on seeing the popular actor endorsing a pan masala brand, even though the ad is about Vimal Elaichi. The latest Vimal ad also features fellow Bollywood stars Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan. While both these stars are also known to be fitness enthusiasts, but they are also known smokers, hence no backlash as such. But Akshay Kumar bore the brunt of the backlash, even as Devgn and SRK welcomed him to the Vimal Universe in the ad. Taking cognizance of the heavy social media trolling, in a lengthy tweet, Akshay Kumar apologised to his fans and said that he is stepping back from the ad and has decided to contribute the entire endorsement fee towards a worthy cause. Continuing further, he assured his fans, I promise to be extremely mindful in making my future choices. One is reminded of the controversy in 2016 when James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan was roped in for an ad by pan masala brand Pan Bahar. The ad, which showcased the international actor in his spy mode, was heavily criticised and Brosnan also came under a lot of flak. The Delhi government had even issued a show-cause notice to the actor. Following the media storm, Brosnan said that he was cheated by Ashok & Co, the parent company of Pan Bahar brand, and added that he was not made aware of the hazardous nature of the product and that he was told it was a mouth freshener and tooth whitener. On the other hand, no other actor has faced any flak for appearing in pan masala ads. Way back in the 80s/ 90s veteran actors Shammi Kapoor and Ashok Kumar had appeared in a Pan Parag ad. Over the years, a plethora of well-known actors have appeared in pan masals ads. Amitabh Bachchan has appeared in a Kamla Pasand ad. Salman Khan has appeared inan ad for Rajshree Pan Masala. Hrithik Roshan has been featured in an for Dilbagh Pan Masala. Priyanka Chopra has appeared in an ad for Rajnigandha Silver Pearls silver coated elaichi, and so has Anushka Sharma. Tiger Shroff and South star Mahesh Babu have appeared in ad for Pan Bahar. Indias most recognized & second largest ice cream brand, Vadilal Group has awarded its media business to Publicis Groupes Starcom, a human experience company. The pitch process managed over five weeks was clinched by Starcom which demonstrated its advantage in proprietary multi-channel planning tools, rich analytics and tech capability. As part of the mandate, Starcom will manage Vadilals media, strategy, planning, buying, negotiation and implementation for TV, Digital, Influencer and Content initiatives. The scope of work is future forward with Vadilal looking to strengthen its presence not only in general trade, but also modern trade, e-commerce and on-demand delivery. Speaking on the partnership, Niti Kumar, COO, Starcom India, said, We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Vadilal Ice Creams, [Vadilal Enterprises Pvt Ltd] a consumer favorite across generations due to their quality and range of flavours. We are a planning focused agency with Data and Tech at the heart of our products. With our record in delivering efficient and impactful media actions, Starcom will contribute to Vadilals growth plans in a world of new consumer realities. Commenting on the collaboration, Ms Aakanksha Gandhi Brand Director, Vadilal Ice-Creams, said, At Vadilal, we wanted to bring more accountability and scientific approach to media investments. Our just concluded pitch process demanded extensive detailing and process alignment. We selected Starcom as our media partner after evaluating all media agencies and their offering, in line with Vadilals business requirements. Starcom is a renowned integrated media agency and one of the best in their field. It would be a pleasure to onboard them and looking forward to work with them with further new age media innovations and avenues. Actors Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan have wrapped the Mauritius shoot schedule of their upcoming film Shehzada. Taking to her Instagram handle, Kriti confirmed the same by sharing a group selfie with her team. After wrapping up the shooting schedule in Mauritius, the duo landed at the Mumbai airport on Saturday. Directed by Rohit Dhawan, Shehzada is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Allu Arvind, S Radha Krishna and Aman Gill. Shehzada, which is touted as an action-packed family musical film, will hit theatres on November 4, 2022. It is said to the remake of Allu Arjuns runaway hit, Ala Vaikunthaparamaloo, which also starred Pooja Hegde. Meanwhile, Kartik recently dropped teaser of the much-anticipated sequel of Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The first teaser of the upcoming horror-comedy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, has been unveiled and seems like the movie will be a rollercoaster ride filled with laughter and chills. Kartik took to his Instagram handle on Thursday and posted the films teaser, introducing fans to his character Rooh Baba as he asked Manjulika to beware. Rooh Baba is coming Beware Manjulika !! (sic), he wrote in the caption. The almost minute-long teaser opened with visuals of a spooky haveli followed by a paranormal entity, as the song Ami Je Tomar played in the background, in Shreya Ghoshals voice. The music then switches to the iconic Hare Krishna Hare Ram song as the scene cuts to introduce Kartik making his grand entry with Rajpal Yadav. The upcoming film will have Rajpal reprising his role from the first installment as Chhota Pandit. Directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Bhushan Kumar under the banner T-Series, the horror comedy-drama, which also features Kiara Advani and Tabu, will hit theatres on May 20, 2022. How to get your ham radio license Its actually easy to get your ham radio license (also called an amateur radio license). I always wanted to get mine but didnt actually do it until the Morse code requirement was dropped. Heres why you need one, how I got mine, and how you can get yours. If you want a quick answer, just get this book. If you want more info, keep reading Every time I bring up the need to get a ham radio license, some idiot always pops up and says, You wont need a ham radio license if SHTF. WTF? Read How to communicate when the world goes silent (hint: ham radio is the best way to do that, and you need a license to use it). Operating a ham radio and actually getting a hold of someone is a bit more difficult at first than you might seem. You may be able to transmit without getting in trouble, but no one will hear you, and you wont hear them. Using a ham radio to transmit long distances in a variety of circumstances is quite complicated and takes decades to master. You might be able to get in touch with the guy down the street (maybe) but you wont be able to figure out long distance (called dx) communications by just picking one up and plugging it into an antenna. Do yourself a favor and get a license. Just like with FCC investigators and volunteers who track down offenders (you have to call out your FCC every 10 minute on the air or youll probably get some unwanted attention), if you find yourself in martial law and dont want to be found, they can track you down pretty easily. ABSOLUTELY read this book if youre a prepper and going to use ham radio for comms: Stealth Amateur Radio: Operate From Anywhere . For many years, you had to learn Morse Code to do it. That requirement was dropped now its a no-brainer. In 2011, I didnt work a full-time job because I was finishing my degree and doing all the preparation for Warrant Officer School (WOCS) for the Army. During that time, I started getting pretty heavy back into survival. One of the key things to survival, especially in a disaster situation, is communication. Nothing beats Ham Radio for survival communication. I finally got my ham radio license. So what is ham radio? Check out this link from ARRL (American Radio Relay League) to explain it. Theyre actually called the National Association for Amateur Radio so I dont know why theyre called dd and not NAAR. Whatever. Essentially, its a radio that lets you talk to people kind of like a CB radio but with a lot more frequencies youre allowed to use. The frequencies you can use depend on what level of licence you have, as youll see below. I first went to Barnes and Noble to read up on the subject, as Im wont to do on occasion, read several books, and then got the official ARRL ham radio test manual (there are tons of ham radio study books available if you dont like that one). It looked like a pretty daunting endeavor at first. I was thinking it was going to be too much work in addition to school and beer. Then one day at Starbucks, I perused the Internet for a while to study the subject and I came across the idea that you can practice easily online because all the test questions and answers are out there exactly as they are written on the test. You just have to drill them into your head over and over. I settled on QRZ and HamTestOnline and downloaded a $5 iPhone ham radio test app. They have a free version but it doesnt have all the questions. I then spent about 30-60 minutes for a few days a week for a month or so. I passed easily. This, in spite of the fact that the free versions of the websites dont give you all the questions. By going to several sites and using the iPhone app, I managed to get enough to pass. It did help, however, that I know electronics and RF theory quite well, but if you dont, it wont take you much longer to study to get it since you just have to recognize the question and match it to the correct answer. If youre not familiar with electronics and RF, Id get the book and study online to test yourself. Here is now what Im allowed to transmit: Ham Radio License Frequencies for the Technician Class: Band Frequencies (In MHz) Mode Notes 80 Meters 3.525 3.600 CW 200-watt limit 40 Meters 7.025 7.125 CW 200-watt limit 15 Meters 21.025 21.200 CW 200-watt limit 10 Meters 28.100 28.300 CW, RTTY, Data 200-watt limit 10 Meters 28.300 28.500 CW, Phone, Image 200-watt limit Above 50 MHz All amateur privileges Knowing what I know now from starting into my General License studying, using an app like Amateur Radio Exam Prep, I would have gone this route first. For just a few bucks, you get all the questions and answers you need to pass, right in your pocket. Why would I want to get another ham radio license? In addition to all the frequencies you get from the tech class, you get the following: Ham Radio License Frequencies for the General Class: Band Frequencies (in MHz) Mode 160, 60, 30 Meters All amateur privileges 80 Meters 3.525 3.600 CW, RTTY, Data 3.800 4.000 CW, Phone, Image 40 Meters 7.025 7.125 CW, RTTY, Data 7.175 7.300 CW, Phone, Image 20 Meters 14.025 14.150 CW, RTTY, Data 14.225 14.350 CW, Phone, Image 15 Meters 21.025 21.200 CW, RTTY, Data 21.275 21.450 CW, Phone, Image 17, 12, 10 Meters All amateur privileges Above 50 MHz All amateur privileges Im still interested in learning Morse Code; its one of the things on my Bucket List. I currently have about 11 characters down at a character speed of about 40wpm and effective speed of 5wpm. More on that to come on a later post. One of the things you should do when you get your license is join ARRL. According to their site: Founded in 1914, the ARRL is the national association for amateur radio in the USA. Today, with more than 158,000 members, ARRL is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the United States. They do a lot of good in the community by helping out with emergency planning and response. I have a few friends who work exercises with them by setting up at hospitals and police stations to run communications during emercencies or mass casualty practice events. Sounds right up my alley! The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is a great group to do things like this too.The ARES consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Im a member of the Maricopa County Special Forces Posse and a certified for search and rescue operations. Having a ham radio really comes in handy. One thing youll realize as soon as you get your amateur radio license is hams are REALLY helpful. If youd like to get started meeting people, check out the Prepared Ham forum. My buddy AD runs it (we actually met during our amateur radio license test). The E.U. is corrupt, tyrannical, autocratic, and undemocratic. It expresses the very characteristics of which it has accused Hungary, Poland, and its leaders. On the take, bribed, spiteful, woke, and unjust, the E.U. has come unhinged after their plans to dominate Hungary's people failed after the elections of March 3. One of the key players aligned against Hungary is the billionaire oligarch George Soros, who backs a well-funded web of NGOs, media, and lobbyists. Uncle "Gyuri" has been clear about his desire to punish Hungary using the E.U.'s sanctions mechanism: "I call on the EU to make Hungary a test case." Hungary's two sins? Hungarians want Soros to harass some other people. Exercising democracy. Globalists have proven themselves repeatedly to be authoritarian tyrants, unhesitatingly purveying propaganda to justify their positions. Soon after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban won a landslide victory (his fifth), the EU frothed with rage. As the EU is unhappy with the election results, it is preparing to sanction Hungary. Yes, sanction Hungary over a democratically held election[.] The E.U. called Hungary's unwillingness to take a knee "Rule of Law breaches" laws made up on the fly, with advance knowledge that Hungary has no way not to breach them. Take the E.U.'s objections to the 92% results of a referendum direct democracy and the will of its people that ends the sexual indoctrination of its children by the selfsame E.U.'s chosen pedophiles. Ninety-two percent of the people chose how they are to be governed. The E.U.'s bureaucrats agree that the Dutch P.M. who rules another nation should decide the outcome of Hungary's elections. "As far as I am concerned, then there is nothing left for them in the EU," Rutte said. "The goal is to force Hungary to its knees regarding this issue. They have to understand that they are either part of the European Union and the community of shared values we are," Rutte added, Euronews reports. To the best of my knowledge, there are no "shared European values" promoting the teaching of transgenderism and homosexuality to non-consensual, pre-sexual activity children. Just two days after Viktor Orban's internationally supervised electoral triumph, George Soros's paid off and miffed E.U. puppets, the European Parliament, and its court, which had bet on a different outcome, announced that the E.U. would impoverish Hungary by withholding E40 billion in COVID relief and reconstruction funding. The Hungarian nation was entitled to these by virtue of its having contributed its part to the E.U.'s wealth. Hungary participates in the euro economy and gives more than it gets. The 40 billion is Hungary's money. The E.U. has learned nothing from Brexit. Hungary has. Brussels will pay a price for trying to queer Hungary's children, the movement headed by the intolerant queer Dutch P.M. and his "greens." The E.U. will fail to replace Hungary's churches and synagogues with mosques, and Hungary's population with Syrian Muslims. Listen up, E.U.: Hungary has never taken a knee and never will! Hungary was destroyed in two wars in the 20th century. It is not willing to be destroyed again. Hungarians fought off two Ottoman wars and refused to be subjugated. Hungary will remain neutral in Ukraine to avoid a bigger penalty than the E.U.'s. Being laid to waste and rubble in a new war right next door is the bigger penalty. Whereas in other E.U. nations women are regularly being molested and raped, Jews spat on, beaten, and killed, and their property vandalized, Jews in Hungary are safe. Hungary remains neutral in the Ukrainian conflict. There is the potential of Russian genocide against the 200,000 ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathian Ukraine, a situation that is unique to Hungary. Maybe the Dutch P.M., who wants to "queer Hungary's children" can take that chance with his own, but Hungary will not. By holding up forty billion euros in COVID and reconstruction funds, the E.U. has been extorting the Hungarian people to vote for the E.U.-approved candidate or deprive Hungary of infrastructure, roads and bridges, hospitals, medical care, food, and schools. The money owed is not welfare payments, as the E.U. publicized it. Participation payments for Hungary are after wealth transfers to the E.U. that Hungary made in commerce far more in benefits than the E.U. returns to Hungary. The welfare of children is more important to Hungary's parents than the perverse desires of deviants, freaks, pedophiles and gay Dutch prime ministers. Orban intends to stop these degenerates at the school door who would groom Hungary's children. The E.U.'s sexual fluidity mental illness will cost NATO, too, because Hungarians are not kneeling in their sandbox, either. Hungarians who must hate Viktor Orban (according to the global media) have voted again, for the fifth time, in the fifth landslide election, to reinstate their dictator, tyrant, and autocrat. If the E.U. or NATO weakened eventually, they would only have themselves to blame. After all, that is exactly what the Kremlin wanted all along a weak NATO that won't stand up to Russia. Remember, Hungary didn't take a knee to the Russians in 1956, either. No nation will allow the extortion of its people by the unelected bureaucrats of Brussels. For years, the Soros-bought E.U. has waged war against Hungary's democracy, independence, economy, currency, media, citizens, history, legacy, security, and culture. Their games have just ended just not in the E.U.'s favor. Image: World Economic Forum via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Tiburon, a very pricy town in Marin County, California, found itself in the crosshairs of a racism claim against its police force. The couple making the claim was able to get the police sergeant involved in the dispute kicked out of his job. And on Tuesday, they got a $150,000 settlement payoff from the town and made the small Tiburon police force form a "police advisory council." This is noteworthy because it's how the left uses lawfare to force woke changes on basically healthy institutions. I first addressed this matter on August 29, 2020, in "A tempest in a Tiburon teapot." I described how a police officer doing post-midnight rounds on the small, incredibly pricy shopping area of downtown Tiburon, which shuts down by 9 P.M., was concerned when he saw that three people were inside one of the clothing stores. As it turned out, two of the people were the owners, Yema Khalif and Hawi Awash, and an unnamed friend, all three of whom are Black. When the officer knocked on the door to make sure everything was all right, Khalif, instead of identifying himself as the store's owner and thanking the officer for his attention to their store's safety, got into a fight with him, leading the officer to believe that a crime was in progress. The officer, therefore, called his sergeant for backup. Once Khalif showed that he was, in fact, the owner and that the three people in the store were conducting an inventory, the police immediately backed down. But Khalif and Awash had to play the race card. They called a press conference, during which Khalif complained about being targeted and it is true that Tiburon has few Black residents, so they do stand out. However, in this case, it was clear that the police officer and sergeant, who did not know Khalif or Awash, were behaving responsibly by checking on the welfare of a local store. Khalif and Awash forced Sergeant Michael Blasi to resign from his job. (And a gig as a Tiburon police officer is a good gig because the pay is decent and the crime nonviolent.) My comment at the time was that the only lesson the Tiburon police probably learned was to leave all Blacks alone, no matter how suspicious their behavior. In addition, BLM descended on Tiburon to scream about things. Image: Police footage of the interaction with Khalif. YouTube screen grab. Since I last wrote on the matter in 2020, Khalif and Awash sued Tiburon for $2 million based on their claim that they were racially profiled. Tiburon, inevitably, settled the suit, and, from a legal point of view, it was a decent settlement to get rid of a nuisance suit: $150,000 plus a promise to establish a "police advisory council." Practical matters aside, though, it was a very bad outcome, because the Tiburon police department is about to go woke: Tiburon police Chief Ryan Monaghan said in an email he was "glad" the town found a resolution. He said the incident provided an opportunity to proactively reevaluate the department's community relations. "We have remained dedicated to providing a high level of service to all those who live, work, and visit Tiburon," he said. "The initiatives outlined in the settlement agreement are things we feel will only enhance the community support we already have and will position us for the future." The chief reform is the establishment of a citizen's advisory panel to the department. The panel will be a community engagement body that will provide recommendations to the police chief, receive citizen complaints and participate in the hiring and interview process for police officers. Khalif and Awash will each serve separate one-year terms on the panel. Tiburon police officers also will be required to hand out business cards with identification information following "most interactions." [snip] The settlement also touted previous diversity achievements undertaken by the town, including the establishment of the town's diversity and inclusion task force; participation of the Tiburon Police Department staff on trainings focused on implicit bias; an engagement effort for underrepresented communities called "Living and Growing Together;" increased presence and foot patrols downtown with the goal of community engagement, working with the chamber of commerce to provide technology with business information that identifies store owners and a pilot community liaison policing program. We all know how this ends: the police department, as I predicted, will find it safer not to police any minorities engaging in suspicious activity. And the fact is that, with high-crime neighborhoods such as Richmond and Marin City not far away, word will get out that Tiburon is now safe for criminals. In addition, an inordinate amount of time that should be spent doing police work will be dedicated to wokism, something that always provides swiftly declining returns on effort for any organization that is forced to engage or voluntarily engages in it. (For an example of lawfare being used against leftism, check out Tulsi Gabbard's latest move.) Democrats are getting desperate, with all signs pointing toward a historic disaster in November. And it's getting worse: Two of the most respected political prognostication sites Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball and The Cook Political Report announced massive shifts in their partisan ratings for House races. What's a party to do when voters reject its senile, incompetent president and its radicals demanding the right to groom children in the classrooms of government schools? James Carville thinks he knows the answer: instill fear in them. Seriously. He said that. After all, "You can't govern without fear." Watch: There is a long and sordid history of ruling parties embracing this principle. But usually, they don't admit it until after they have suspended or fully corrupted elections. That Carville is saying so now quite openly raises some disturbing thoughts about election integrity. Hat tip: Arnold Cusmariu. Photo credit: YouTube screen grab. Meet the new lies same as the old lies. Propaganda media still spreading fear of a climate emergency! Hollywood elitists embracing the Green New Deal. Studio executives demanding woke green scripts, challenging a cis-gendered white patriarchal ideology. Government authoritarians mandating all manner of outrageous unscientific restrictions, demonizing American energy independence or else. The Who warned us in one of the greatest protest songs of the '70s: "Won't Get Fooled Again." Yet will we get fooled again this Earth Day? How did climate madness weave green alchemy into every aspect of life? When did this green religion cult first take hold? Starting 50 years ago in April, the founders of Earth Day preached their message of fear at Fairmont Park in Philadelphia. These were charismatic leaders using cult manipulation techniques brainwashing, love-bombing while peacefully promoting social isolation communes. Cultists demand obedience to the cause, or their followers face strong social pressures and banishment. Fooling a generation of pot-smoking youths to tune in, turn on, and drop out was a new industry in 1970. Leaders rewarded followers for their undying devotion to the cause with appealing promises of free love, no war, and rainbows yet to come. They peddled unchallenged stories and ecological propaganda...and Earth Day was born. Mesmerizing evangelical Earth Dayers megaphoned their message of fear-mongering with dire predictions of a grim future. Crowds shouted the responsorial mantras. Save the ecosystem, celebrate Earth Day, or face peak oil. Save the ecosystem, or face a global ice age. Save the ecosystem, or face dead oceans, decimated farmland, poisoned air, overpopulation, and the evils of capitalist pigs. Government must act now, or we are all doomed to an impending ecological "Eve of Destruction." None of the prophecies has ever come to fruition. Mainstream news outlets of the day were more than willing to spread the fear, parrot the lies, and spin fawning puff pieces to soften the truth about their cherished leaders. Sound familiar? Hanoi Jane was not a treasonous criminal straddling Vietcong artillery guns north of the DMZ. Why, no Miss Fonda is an ecology warrior starring in a movie about a fictional nuclear meltdown. Senator Ted Kennedy didn't leave Mary Jo to drown. Ted is the champion of the little guy, saving them with ecological legislation. The propaganda media ran cover stories for them all. Self-proclaimed eco-activist and Earth Day founder Ira Einhorn was even celebrated for his socially responsible crime. Einhorn spoke out for years against violence while bringing awareness to environmental issues. Einhorn had a live-in girlfriend, Holly Maddux, yet they broke up. When Philly police questioned Ira about Holly's mysterious disappearance, he claimed she had gone to the co-op for some tofu and sprouts and never returned. Eighteen months passed until neighbors noticed a foul-smelling liquid leaking from Einhorn's flat. Police found Holly's beaten and mummified body stuffed into a trunk packed with Styrofoam. The press rushed in with headlines proclaiming, "Earth Day co-founder killed, composted girlfriend." See? An ecologically responsible murderer. So, on this Earth Day, when today's GND climate warriors proclaim that dire consequences will materialize unless immediate government actions are implemented...fear not. Preaching green faith, socialist trust, and pixie dust, the Green New Deal is more fantasy than fact. When America's new Green Energy Pixie, Sandy O, starts waving her magic wand, conjuring up ghosts of Earth Days yet to come, ask her: where is all the money for this fantasy? America's Green Energy Pixie will promise a Green New Deal full of imaginary possibilities, just around the corner, just like her unicorn. So let's not get fooled again. Alex Ashe is the pen name of a lifelong conservative, computer engineer, and energy enthusiast. Image: HD Documentaries via YouTube. With the Twitter board having created a poison pill strategy to block Elon Musk from buying the entire company, it appeared that Musk might end up being stymied. However, Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, may be riding to the effort with a shareholders' suit accusing the board of directors of breaching its fiduciary duty. However, even if the board is forced to bow down, it's possible that America's national security apparatus may step in to block the sale. To catch you up on things, Twitter has become Ground Zero for the left's control of the flow of information. Democrats in politics and the media claim that the only way to save democracy in America is to end freedom of speech. Apparently, the Founders were fools when they drafted the First Amendment because they believed that our inherent right to free speech is essential to a democratic republic. Elon Musk, who is too friendly with China and builds electric cars because he believes in anthropogenic climate change, is nevertheless a free speech absolutist. He recognizes that Twitter is endangering the American experiment by stifling all speech that does not serve the interests of the Democrat party. Therefore, Musk bought a bunch of shares in the open market and then made an offer to buy the entire company for a price over 35% more than the market price per share. The sale would be a huge windfall for Twitter shareholders. The Twitter board responded by creating a poison pill strategy that would vastly increase the costs of the buyout for Musk. Technically speaking, this is a legitimate move. Corporations facing a hostile takeover frequently respond with poison pills. However, things are a bit different here. The poison pill strategy is meant to protect against takeovers that will destroy the value of shareholders' interest in the company or that will destroy the company itself. In this case, as noted, Musk's offer will enrich shareholders. Interestingly, though, the offer will not enrich board members. Except for Jack Dorsey, they don't hold shares. If Musk walks away, they, unlike the shareholders, suffer no economic harm. And if Musk triggers the poison pill strategy, they have no shares that will be devalued. Image: Ron DeSantis. Twitter screen grab. In other words, the board is harming its shareholders' financial interests but not its own. That's a breach of the board's financial duty, which is an actionable wrong and that's where Ron DeSantis comes in. On Wednesday, DeSantis held a press conference to announce that, because Florida's pension plan holds Twitter shares, he has standing to sue the board for breach of fiduciary duty: NOW - Gov. DeSantis wants to hold Twitter's board and directors accountable for potentially injuring Florida's pension fund.pic.twitter.com/lyfk0BBwoe Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) April 19, 2022 What a wonderful idea! DeSantis is on a roll, defending ordinary Americans' rights and interests all over the place. I am liking ever more the cut of that man's jib. But here's something that might throw a wrench in the works: according to former intel officials, any efforts to affect Big Tech companies, including Musk's buy-out plan, create a national security risk: Former Obama era intelligence officials, those who helped construct, organize and assemble the public-private partnership between intelligence data networks and supported social media companies, have written a letter to congress warning that any effort to break up Big Tech (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google, Microsoft, etc.) would be catastrophic for the national security system they have created. Citing the information control mechanisms they assembled, vis-a-vis the ability of social media networks to control and approve what is available for the public to read and review, the intelligence officials declare that any effort to break up the private side of the intel/tech partnership will only result in less ability of the intelligence apparatus to control public opinion. This is a fascinating assertion because, as you may recall, The Conservative Treehouse has already asserted quite credibly that Twitter may be a front for or partner with U.S. Intel. According to him, Twitter is a money hole that requires a huge platform to function: Twitter is not a platform built around a website; Twitter is a platform for comments and discussion that operates in the sphere of social media. As a consequence, the technology and data processing required to operate the platform does not have an economy of scale. There is no business model where Twitter is financially viable to operate. UNLESS the tech architecture under the platform was subsidized. In my opinion, there is only one technological system and entity that could possibly underwrite the cost of Twitter to operate. That entity is the United States Government, and here's why. In wrestling, if your opponent has you pinned, if you can wiggle around enough to force him to move and create space for you, you can still win. In the same way, the left, having thought it had locked conservatives down, is suddenly being forced to make that space. Things in America are getting very, very interesting, and, although that creates danger, it also creates opportunities. Do senile dogs learn new tricks? Or is Joe Biden hearing from too many angry Democrats? Sure enough, Joe Biden seems to recognize that he's strangling on his own border policies, and not for the first time. This time, though, he's looking for a way out. According to a report in Axios, as reported by the Washington Examiner's Byron York: There is word that President Joe Biden is looking for a way out of his decision to end Title 42, the Trump-era regulation that allows U.S. authorities to turn back illegal crossers at the U.S.-Mexico border on the grounds of protecting the country from COVID. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced that Title 42 will be repealed on May 23. But now Axios reports Biden is wavering in that decision. Top aides are discussing the possibility of delaying repeal. The reason is obvious. Administration officials predict ending Title 42 will result in a flood of illegal crossers arriving at the border as many as 18,000 each day, according to a scenario from the Department of Homeland Security. The administration will no longer have the means to turn them away on public health grounds and does not have the resolve to turn them away by simply enforcing immigration law or requiring them to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims are considered. And the midterm elections are coming with Democrats already in deep trouble and voters unhappy with the administration's handling of the border. That has set off Democratic panic on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. Thus far, nine Democrats from key swing and border states, who stand to lose their own congressional and Senate seats once the human waves commence, have signed on to the call to Biden to just stop, change course, do something to avoid the flood of people that's coming. For Biden, that's a quandary. Of course he wants to let every illegal into the U.S. as the open-borders lobby calls for. He did that the day he entered office, issuing no-deportations executive orders for his first 100 days, breaking the U.S. treaty with Mexico signed by President Trump on forcing illegal aliens to wait out their phony claims for asylum in Mexico, ending bans on migrants from terrorist hellholes, trying to shell out $400,000 payouts to migrants separated from kids at the border, halting construction of the border wall at great taxpayer cost, and appointing incompetent Kamala Harris to play border czar, all of which triggered the ongoing border surge. The list can be read at this leftist site here. But he doesn't like the fallout from it. Biden's poll numbers began to turn south when floods of illegals started camping out at a Texas bridge and Fox News did some actual news coverage showing it, with the Bidenites trying to shut the network down in violation of the First Amendment. Biden seems to know that much, and he also knows how much damage his previous open-borders actions have done to him and his wokester party. He makes a bad decision, he sees the unintended consequences, and normally he just tries to blame Trump, Vlad Putin, or whoever, but this time he seems to recognize that the voters aren't that stupid. They squarely lay the blame on him, and much to his big surprise, Latino voters are fleeing him in the biggest numbers. That's some reward for letting every global Tom, Dick, and Harry who wants into the U.S. into the U.S. He's strangling on his own bad border policies, unable to do the obvious thing and enforce border law as it's written, and as the midterms approach, somehow, he knows it. Why does he make these bad decisions? Why does he never foresee the consequences of his dinner triangle move to migrants? Did he think the migrants would protect him instead of Get Theirs? Why does he continuously fail to read the room? Why does he make the same mistakes over and over again? It's miserable stuff, and now he's got this quandary of going back on his word about letting all illegals in, or else not going back on his word and watching Congress fall to Republicans. It may well be that he wants to best Barack Obama, known as the "deporter in chief" to open-borders lobbyists, in criticism that stung. How nice it would be not to be condemned by that crowd the way Obama was for enforcing the border to a small extent. Now he's about to face down the wrath of angry voters. Somehow, that concentrates his feeble, filled-with-holes mind. It may be the only thing that does. Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of images from Pixabay, Pixabay license, and hand-drawn item. Chalk up a major embarrassment for MSNBC and its now-former analyst Malcolm Nance, who has run afoul of the Geneva Convention and is called out for playing at soldier with his military gear improperly carried. Don't expect to hear about this from MSNBC or the NYT or WaPo. With much fanfare and chest-thumping, MSNBC's on-air military intelligence analyst Malcolm Nance announced Monday that he had joined Ukraine's International Legion about a month ago. Anchor Joy Reid interviewed him dressed in military gear - from "a secure location" as he denounced "mass murder" by Russia. Here is the 7-minute interview: And here is the tweet he sent out later in the day, attempting to show off his gear: But there are just a couple of problems. Paul Goldberg of News Thud points out that the Geneva Convention does not allow journalists to become combatants. Oops! Perhaps that's why MSNBC "clarified" the following day that he no longer works for the network. Of course, the past month "or so" that he was a member of the Legion and working for MSNBC becomes (as the SJWs like to say) "problematic." CORRECTION: On Monday, we inaccurately referred to Malcolm Nance as an MSNBC analyst. To clarify, Nance is a former analyst and is not currently affiliated with the network. MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 19, 2022 Nance's tweet in gear also came under scrutiny by people who know what they're looking at, and lo and behold: as Sebastian Gorka said, it was "cosplay." The Cosplayer that is @MalcolmNance will have a surprise when he tries to use that AK. (Wont be a problem though, since hes probably in his backyard) (Thanks IMC) pic.twitter.com/ZWKFZSFpI9 Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) April 19, 2022 Photo credit: Twitter. Early this Monday, U.S. district judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Biden administration's mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport. A Twitter user called Jared Rabel reacted to the news by posting the following: I boarded a plane today with my son and mid flight, the pilot announces that the mask mandate is over. Flight attendants pulled off their masks and sneezed directly into their hands while screaming this is MAGA airspace. My son turned to me in tears. I dont know what to do. Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) April 19, 2022 Wow so this blew up, cash app is in the bio for my sons legal defense fun. We are suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) April 19, 2022 Anybody with a moderately functioning brain would be able to deduce that the tweets were comic hyperbole. But deep-rooted bias often impairs rational thinking. New York Times "journalist" Victoria Kim is one such individual deeply immersed in an ocean of bias known also as the New York Times. Kim swung into action, contacting Jared, wanting to speak to him over the phone about what happened on his flight that evening. Rabel publicly posted his reply, where he informed the journalist he was "pretty upset about the whole thing," but it was satire that only someone at the NYT would believe. Just got messaged by a NYT journalist about my previous tweet. This is what happened. pic.twitter.com/Dr5fHBnLCm Jared Rabel (@JradRabel) April 19, 2022 Kim wrote her piece anyway, making a passenger called Brooke Tansley the protagonist of her story. Tansley was on a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Monday night with her two children, a 4-year-old and an 8-month-old. Kim reminds the readers that the 4-year-old was "too young to be vaccinated, the baby too young for a mask." Tansley says that halfway through the flight, the pilot announced that the government was "no longer requiring masks on planes, and passengers were free to take them off if they'd like." The announcement was met with a smattering of claps and some jubilant cheers, and about a third of the people aboard immediately removed their masks. Kim writes that Tansley apparently "felt a jolt of fear and alarm." She was on her way to a work meeting involving a colleague with a rare autoimmune disease, and her family had undergone PCR tests because they were worried about potentially infecting him. Tansley said her family hadn't been on a flight since Christmas 2019 out of concern about the virus. She has asthma and said she wasn't sure whether she would proceed with her work meetings, or what her family would do about their return flight home on April 25. Kim quotes Tansley saying, "It's not that the mask mandate has changed that upset me, it's that we boarded the plane under one set of rules and made a decision as a family and as a workgroup. The decision was made for us midflight." Of all the people flying that day, it is quite amazing that Kim managed to find a passenger who is an asthma patient with two young children beyond masking and vaccine age, on her way to meet an individual with a compromised immune system. Tansley seems like a character in a pro-mask activist short film. Could Tansley be a figment of Kim's imagination? Not likely. Tansley has a Twitter account and a website that describes her as "a founder, co-founder, or early employee of six arts & media startups and has a track record for growth." Tansley also tweeted the story, which means the claims Kim made are authentic. Being in a viral moment is a strange experience that Im sure Ill be processing, but right now, as a Gen Xer, Im in awe of technology and how it allows us to connect, and how Ive seen it grow and change in my lifetime. https://t.co/8XdbaFSQlg Brooke Tansley (@BrookeTansley) April 19, 2022 But Kim, Tansley, and mask fanatics must understand the following: Removal of mandates doesn't prevent travelers from masking up; it merely offers a choice. Those who believe that the mask is effective can still cover up totally. It has been proven that masks don't necessarily work. A recent Danish study found no evidence that wearing a face mask minimizes the risk of contracting COVID-19. They also found no statistically significant difference in coronavirus infection rates between mask-wearers and non-mask-wearers. The WHO states that prolonged usage of masks could have short-term issues such as headaches, rashes, and nausea and long-term adverse effects such as respiratory disorders and impaired cognition and social skills. They also need to recall the precautions they took prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 when they had to meet someone with a compromised immune system. They consulted with the patient's doctors and followed instructions assiduously. If the patient was in such poor health, perhaps she could have settled for a Zoom call instead of traveling with her children. Back to Kim. She is obviously pro-mask. The way she fell for the satire proves that she was desperately looking for a way to peddle a narrative. The inference she expects her readers to draw is that disaster has struck since anti-intellectual and anti-science-supporting ignoramuses have taken over. A Trump-appointed judge removed the mask mandates. A Trump-supporting pilot gleefully announces it. A Trump-supporting air hostess sneezes into her hand and celebrates with other Trump supporters who have no empathy for fellow passengers. But the sufferers are regular people who care for their colleagues and children. It is probably meant to scare people from voting Republican in November and for Trump in 2024 by making people wonder: if "they" can do this now, imagine what "they" can do when they get power. This isn't journalism; it is propaganda. But we knew that already. Any responsible editor would have asked Kim to broaden her story by consulting those who suffered due to the mask mandates who welcome the repeal of the mandate. He would have also asked Kim to state scientific facts about the masks not being foolproof. But nothing of the kind occurred. The NYT and Kim already have an agenda i.e., the Democrat agenda. They have drawn their conclusions. When they see even satire, they are so overcome by the desire for it to be true that all skepticism is abandoned. They have also developed a loyal subscriber base who read the NYT only to have their biases confirmed. They also know if caught, they will not receive much punishment. The NYT even has a column that claims that Trump is testing the norms of journalistic objectivity. So what do you, the consumer, do? You assume that all that you read is false until proven true. You consume a myriad of media outlets and do your own fact-checking before arriving at your conclusions Staying away altogether may not be a bad idea. If you do not have the time, no information is better than misinformation. A very sad state of affairs. Every Christmas, the families of lighthouse keepers along the coast of New England receive presents from a flying Santa Claus, but the jolly old fellow doesnt come riding in a magical reindeer-drawn sledge but in a helicopter. The New England tradition of a Flying Santa delivering gifts to lonely and isolated lighthouse keepers and their families started over ninety years ago in 1929, when a Maine pilot named Captain William Wincapaw, started delivering gifts for his lighthouse keeper friends in Penobscot Bay in appreciation of the tremendous sacrifices those families made and the difficulties they faced while protecting the coastline and harbors. Flying Santa plane flies past Boston Light in 1947. Captain Wincapaw, a native of Friendship, Maine, was a skilled and adventurous pilot who was well known around the Penobscot Bay. At that time, Capt. Wincapaw was overseeing operations of the Curtis Flying Service at the Rockland airfield as well as the nearby seaplane base. His job included flying mail, medicine and supplies to remote coastal communities, as well as moving injured and sick islanders to nearby hospitals. On many occasions during medical emergencies, Capt. Wincapaw took to the air in inclement weather, saving countless lives in the process. During these flights, his only means of navigation were the lighthouse beacons along the coast. Wincapaw had a great deal of admiration for these men and their families who helped keep the lights burning, and thereby keeping the surrounding waters safe. Whenever Wincapaw found time, he would land at a local lighthouse and spend some time chatting with the keepers. This appreciation was mutual. Whenever Wincapaw was flying in bad weather, the keepers kept a watchful eye for his plane. They would always relay word back to the airfield as soon as he had safely passed their position. In 1929 Wincapaw decided to do something special to show them how much their efforts were appreciated. That Christmas, he loaded his plane with dozen of packages containing newspapers, magazines, coffee, candy and other small luxuries that could make living on an isolated island a little more bearable. He flew to lights around the Rockland area and dropped these modest gifts for the lighthouse families. Wincapaws small gesture of Christmas goodwill was so well received by the lighthouse families that he decided to make it an annual tradition, and increased the reach to additional stations all along the New England coast. By 1933, Wincapaw and his teenage son Bill, Jr. who was an aspiring pilot himself, were delivering to as many as 91 lighthouses and Coast Guard stations. William Wincapaw and his son Bill. Around this time, Wincapaw was joined by historian Edward Rowe Snow, a high school teacher who taught at the Winthrop High School, where Bill, Jr. studied. Snow was very enthusiastic about the program and agreed to fly some of the routes and deliver packages. When Wincapaw moved to Bolivia to fly gold and mining machinery over the jungles and mountains of South America, it was Snow and Bill, Jr who continued to carry on the tradition. In 1947, Captain Wincapaw was taking off from Rockland Harbor with a passenger when he suffered a heart attack in the air causing his plane to crash into the ocean, killing both men. After the death of Captain Wincapaw, Snow became the face of the Flying Santa. He continued to carry on the now famous tradition of delivering Christmas bundles to stations all along the New England coast, expanding the delivery to 176 lighthouses in 1947. In 1954 he expanded his flights to include Bermuda, the Great Lakes, and a remote location known as Sable Island about 100 miles from Nova Scotia. He arrived near the destination by seaplane, and then took a horse drawn wagon to the lighthouse where he presented gifts to 3 children and 23 grateful adults on the tiny remote island. Snow continued the program for 44 years before he passed away in 1982 at the age of seventy nine. After his death, the Hull Lifesaving Museum overtook the role of the Flying Santa. In 1997, a non-profit called Friends of Flying Santa was founded, and the responsibility of the program was transferred from the museum to it. Today, the gift delivering program is carried out by volunteer pilots to Coast Guard stations and deliver mostly toys and sweets to children. Edward Rowe Snow as the Flying Santa Edward Rowe Snow and wife Anna-Myrle preparing for a flight. Nest is fairly well-known as the smart home arm of Alphabet Incs Google, but the intricacies and history of its devices may still be elusive to some. The companys Nest-branded cameras are not immune to that, either. So this guide was written as a kind of primer specifically on what the Nest Cam is, current models, and answers to some common questions about the devices. If any or all of that sounds of interest, this articles for you. Read on. What is Nest Cam? Advertisement Summarily, Nest Cam is the branding given to the smart home-connected security cameras in Googles Nest line of devices. That includes three cameras, as of this writing. All bearing the Nest Cam brand and which well discuss more in-depth momentarily. Although there have been others previously throughout the history of the company. Nest Cam cameras are smart cameras. Meaning that they connect to the Nest and/or Google Home application on mobile devices. And via the Nest dedicated camera website. Via a cloud connection and the above-mentioned apps, Nest Cams pack a ton of great features. Those include not just motion alerts but also person, package, and animal alerts. As well as familiar face recognition. Alerts are also highly customizable, both in terms of scheduling and setting up zones for notification. In addition to which types of alerts are displayed, at the users discretion. Advertisement Moreover, thats all in addition to AI-driven features such as voice controls via Google Assistant. Accessed via smart home display hubs and other devices. And all of those features only improve further when paired with a Nest Aware subscription. Whats the history of Nest Cam? The history of the Nest Cam is a short one but, like the explosion of the company itself, started with an acquisition. Namely, the acquisition of Dropcam by Nest back in 2014. Advertisement Nest paid roughly $555 million for the acquisition, and effectively rolled Dropcams products into its own lineup. Thats following the launch of its Nest Learning Thermostat and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Prior to that acquisition, Nest didnt have a camera division. The tie-in would ultimately lead to the launch of the original Nest Cam Indoor the same year as the acquisition. The Nest Cam Indoor came with optional Nest Aware services and only a 1080p resolution. But it also came with many features that have become staples for the companys lineup. Starting with a rotating, magnetic stand, with modern Nest cameras using magnets to connect to a wall mount. And in addition to night vision, two-way talk, and sound and motion alerts. Nest also launched an outdoor variant of that camera in 2016, complete with a weather-resistant build. Advertisement Google, conversely, merged Nest into its own, with a complete merger in 2018. The search giant carried forward Nests product line and its current lineup was launched following the acquisition. But prior to that, Nest also updated both of its cameras with the Nest Cam IQ and an outdoor variant. The new cameras featured an HDR-compatible 4K sensor with AI recognition for faces. As well as updates to connectivity, infrared LEDs for night vision, and better speakers and mics. Close-up tracking for zoom was also added to ensure a more accurate snapshot of any recognized motion the cameras caught. Both models were launched in 2017. What Nest Cams are available now? Advertisement There are presently three models of cameras sold by Nest. Aside from Nest Doorbell (battery) and Nest Doorbell (wired), the company offers Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor), Cam with Floodlight, and Cam (indoor, wired). The first two of those devices, start out at $179.99 and $279.99, respectively. And the chief difference is in the inclusion of a Floodlight mount, for the Nest Cam with Floodlight. But there are other differences as well when it comes to Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor) and Cam with Floodlight. Google designed the latter gadget, as its branding suggests, to be hardwired. Just as with any floodlight. And it is constantly powered, as a result. The Nest Cam, on the other hand, is not powered but uses a battery. That is unless its hardwired using an adapter or third-party accessory. That also means that with Nest Aware Plus and unless the Nest Cam is provided constant power, only the Nest Cam with Floodlight can record 24/7 footage. Again, thats unless the Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor) is powered. The indoor, wired camera also supports 24/7 recording because its wired. Thats if its linked to an account with a Nest Aware Plus subscription. Advertisement In terms of other differences, the wired Nest Cam for indoor use also isnt weather resistant. While pricing starts at $99.99 for that camera. Otherwise, each camera is functionally identical. Offering facial recognition and sound recognition for breaking glass or alarms. And offers motion detection with precision detection for motion, people, vehicles, and animals. Each also shoots footage in 1080p HDR with Night Vision support. Storing three hours of history in the form of event video clips out of the box with no subscription. Or up to 60 days with a subscription and up to 10-days of live footage with a Plus subscription. Advertisement The cameras additionally offer two-way talk via talk and listen and will record up to an hour of footage if they lose access to WiFi. But only the battery-backed cameras will record during a power outage, up until they run out of battery. Finally, the three cameras all shoot with a field of view of 130- measured diagonally, or 135-degrees for the Nest Cam (indoor, wired), at a 16:9 ratio. Nest Cam with Floodlight Cam (outdoor or indoor) Cam (indoor, wired) The Nest app isnt the only way to connect your Nest Cam Now, among the more interesting aspects of Nest is whats happened to its app since the company was acquired by Google. Not least of all because Google has muddied the waters in terms of how the Nest app is used. For cameras prior to the latest battery-powered devices Nest Cam (Battery) and Nest Doorbell (Battery) , the Nest app has been a requirement. With those two cameras, and presumably newer ones going forward, all thats needed is Google Home. So, in a sense, the history of Nest Cam is similar to the history of Nest itself. The shift has undoubtedly made things easier for end-users. All of Nests cameras integrate with the Google Home ecosystem but the Nest app requirement makes using them more a hassle than it really needs to be. While the app brings a few features associated with the Nest Aware subscription service, it isnt necessary for all of them. And using two apps is inconvenient for a few obvious reasons. Moreover, those features arent available for the Nest cameras that dont require the Nest app. So, although there is and will be some initial confusion for those who already have owned older Nest cameras, that shouldnt remain the case in the long term. The latest cameras requiring only the Google Home app and, in fact, not working at all via the Nest app eliminates redundancy and potential confusion. With potential implications for the future, if Google continues in that direction with future gadgets. (ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - Pope Francis highlighted Hungary's efforts to protect refugees arriving from Ukraine during a 40-minute audience with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday, the Vatican press office said. The Argentine pontiff gave Orban a medallion depicting St Martin during the closed-doors meeting inside the Vatican. "God bless you, your family and Hungary," Francis said in English at the end the meeting. For his part, Orban invited the pope to visit Hungary, saying "we're waiting for you". In the past the pope had been critical of the type of hard line policies Orban has adopted with refugees and migrants from other parts of the world, calling for asylum seekers to be received with open arms. In September Francis paid flying visit of a few hours to Budapest for the concluding Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress while on the way to three-day trip to Slovakia. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - The EU is united on its determination to cut reliance on Russian gas amid the Ukraine war, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Thursday. In a message sent to the inauguration of the first offshore wind farm in the Mediterrenean, built by Renexia at Taranto in Puglia, Di Maio said "within the ambit of the European Union we are promoting a cohesive action aimed at emerging from our dependence on Russia". He said the EU was also trying to "mitigate the impact of energy market fluctuations on our economies and societies, maintaining at the same time the commitment on the objectives of the Green Deal". Di Maio said that "the Italian government, with the foreign ministry in the front line, promptly acted to diversify supply sources, prevent further tensions on global energy markets, boosting cooperation with strategic partners in the Mediterranean and beyond. "In the last few weeks I went on missions to Algeria, Qatar, Angola, Congo, Mozambique and Azerbaijan with the aim of further developing energy cooperation with current suppliers with great potential". After wrapping up a deal to boost energy supplies from Angola on Wednesday, the Italian government is seeking a similar agreement in the Republic of Congo on Thursday as Italy continues its drive to find alternative sources of gas to replace Russian supplies following the invasion of Ukraine. Di Maio, Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi are leading the two-day mission. Premier Mario Draghi was also meant to go on the trip but had to pull out because he has contracted COVID-19. Nevertheless, Draghi on Wednesday conferred by phone with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco on energy cooperation to help seal the deal. Draghi also had a phone conversation with Congo President De' nis Sassou N'Guesso Tuesday morning and agreed on the "wide potential" for bilateral partnership, in particular in the energy sector. Italy currently imports around 40% of the gas it uses from Russia. Cingolani said in an interview with Thursday's La Stampa that Italy should be able to end its reliance on Russian gas within 18 months, having previously said it could take up to three years. Italy recently signed an important agreement to increase the 31% of gas it gets from Algeria too. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - Italy and the Republic of Congo on Thursday signed an accord to increase the supply of gas from the African country to Italy as Rome looks to cut its reliance on Russian gas amid the Ukraine war. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani, accompanied by the CEO of energy giant Eni, Claudio Descalzi, met Congo Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francophonia and Congolese Abroad, Jean-Claude Gakosso. The ministers then signed a declaration of intent with Congo's minister for hydrocarbons, Bruno Jean Richard Itoua. The fuels minister then signed an energy accord with Descalzi. Di Maio said it was urgent to cut Italy's dependence on Russian gas, which currently amounts to 40% of total gas supplies. "The partnership between Italy and Congo comes from a long way away," he said after the deal was sealed. "With today's stage here a very important mission for the Italian government in this region has concluded," Di Maio said referring to a similar accord with Angola reached Wednesday. "Russian aggression has led Italy to diversify its sources. "It is a top-priority objective for Italy to reduce our dependence on Russian gas. "We are building new accords. "We are aiming to mitigate energy costs for households and we have an energy security plan". Di Maio added that "both (Premier Mario) Draghi and Cingolani ever since the first day have been working on a cap on gas prices as a way of averting speculation: this must be a priority for the EU. It is Italy's line: we have not spoken of vetoes and we expect support for this proposal". Eni said the accord with Congo foresees "the acceleration and increase of gas production in Congo, firstly via the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project projected to start in 2023 and a capacity once on line of more than three million tonnes a year (over 4.5 billion cubic metres/year)". The energy giant said exports of LNG "will enable us to valorize the production of gas in excess of Congolese domestic demand". Earlier Di Maio said the EU is united in its determination to cut reliance on Russian gas amid the Ukraine war. In a message sent to the inauguration of the first offshore wind farm in the Mediterrenean, built by Renexia at Taranto in Puglia, Di Maio said "within the ambit of the European Union we are promoting a cohesive action aimed at emerging from our dependence on Russia". He said the EU was also trying to "mitigate the impact of energy market fluctuations on our economies and societies, maintaining at the same time the commitment on the objectives of the Green Deal". Di Maio said that "the Italian government, with the foreign ministry in the front line, promptly acted to diversify supply sources, prevent further tensions on global energy markets, boosting cooperation with strategic partners in the Mediterranean and beyond. "In the last few weeks I went on missions to Algeria, Qatar, Angola, Congo, Mozambique and Azerbaijan with the aim of further developing energy cooperation with current suppliers with great potential". Draghi was also meant to go on the Angola and Congo trip but had to pull out because he has contracted COVID-19. Nevertheless, Draghi on Wednesday conferred by phone with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco on energy cooperation to help seal the deal. Draghi also had a phone conversation with Congo President De' nis Sassou N'Guesso Tuesday morning and agreed on the "wide potential" for bilateral partnership, in particular in the energy sector. Italy currently imports around 40% of the gas it uses from Russia. Cingolani said in an interview with Thursday's La Stampa that Italy should be able to end its reliance on Russian gas within 18 months, having previously said it could take up to three years. Italy recently signed an important agreement to increase the 31% of gas it gets from Algeria too. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - Health Minister Roberto Speranza said the Italian public must not drop its guard on COVID-19, stressing that the level of contagion is still high. "The pandemic is not over," Speranza said. "We have emerged from the state of emergency (on April 1) and we are in a different phase with respect to the past, but the virus has not disappeared. "Today, 1.2 million Italians have COVID and people are still dying. "We mustn't lower our guard. "It is necessary to be prudent and keep going with the vaccination campaign. "My voice continues to call for caution even if it is going against the tide". (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, APR 21 - After wrapping up a deal to boost energy supplies from Angola on Wednesday, the Italian government is seeking a similar agreement in the Republic of Congo on Thursday as Italy continues its drive to find alternative sources of gas to replace Russian supplies following the invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi are leading the two-day mission. Premier Mario Draghi was also meant to go on the trip but had to pull out because he has contracted COVID-19. Nevertheless, Draghi on Wednesday conferred by phone with Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco on energy cooperation to help seal the deal. Italy currently imports around 40% of the gas it uses from Russia. Cingolani said in an interview with Thursday's La Stampa that Italy should be able to end its reliance on Russian gas within 18 months, having previously said it could take up to three years. Italy recently signed an important agreement to increase the amount of gas it gets from Algeria too. (ANSA). LANZHOU, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Gansu Province saw foreign trade grow 21.7 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, local customs said. The province's import and export value hit 16.6 billion yuan (about 2.6 billion U.S. dollars) from January to March, said Lanzhou Customs in the provincial capital. Of the total, exports rose 51.1 percent year on year to 3.1 billion yuan, while imports increased 16.4 percent to 13.5 billion yuan. During the period, the three major trading partners of Gansu were Kazakhstan, the European Union, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The import and export value reached nearly 4.4 billion yuan, 1.3 billion yuan, and 1 billion yuan, respectively, in Q1. The province's exports of characteristic agricultural products increased significantly, with export volumes of seeds and fresh apples totaling 320 million yuan together, while mineral products and mechanical and electrical products were the main imported items. Italy should cut off Russian gas 'soon': minister Cingolani seeking energy deals in Africa (ANSA-AFP) - ROME, APR 21 - Italy is ethically obliged to stop buying Russian gas "soon" as the payments are funding the Ukraine war, the country's Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said in an interview Thursday. "I think that we will have to stop supplies of gas from Russia soon for ethical reasons," he told La Stampa newspaper. The minister is currently on a two-day trip to Angola and Congo Republic seeking energy deals as Italy scrambles to reduce its dependency on Russia, which provides about 45 percent of Italian gas. "We are diversifying our sources with great speed," he said. "It is clear that all of Europe is heavily dependent on Russia for gas, and this has been a major geopolitical mistake made over the past 20 years," he said. "It is useless to think that we can solve it in a month. From a certain point of view, however, this money is a lot... we are indirectly financing the war." Cingolani predicted the country would no longer need Russian gas within 18 months. Just two weeks earlier he had said he expected it to take up to three years. "By the second half of next year we will really begin to have an almost complete independence," he told La Stampa. Italy is one of Europe's biggest guzzlers of gas, which currently represents 42 percent of its energy consumption, and it imports 95 percent of the gas it uses. The foray into Angola and the Congo Republic follows the clinching of agreements with Algeria and Egypt in recent weeks. The government is also readying so-called "operation thermostat", which could see the public sector forced to use less heating and air conditioning, and the general public called to follow suit. (ANSA-AFP). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved Tunisia: UNHCR urges dialogue with refugees staging sit-in Agency calls for moderation, peaceful solution to crisis (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, 21 APR - The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR in Tunis is attempting to dialogue with African refugees and asylum seekers who have been staging a sit-in since last Saturday in front of the organization's offices in the capital, demanding to be evacuated to other countries. The protesters include 132 men, 10 women and eight children who are asking to be evacuated and resettled and who have so far refused the solutions they were offered. "Since the beginning of protests - first in front of the UNHCR's office in Zarzis and now in front of its office in Tunis - the Agency has continued with its efforts to commit with demonstrators to find peaceful solutions and offer practical support", UNHCR said in a statement. "Although we understand the challenges that many demonstrators must confront, we are sorry for the fact that all our offers have so far been rejected. Unfortunately, the resettlement options remain extremely limited given the number of slots assigned by countries of resettlement and that they are available only for the most vulnerable refugees". "UNHCR remains ready to dialogue with this group to guarantee a peaceful solution and to offer its support, on the basis of pertinent criteria of protection and vulnerability and of the needs for international protection". UNHCR then clarified that "the mechanism of humanitarian evacuation is exceptionally in place in Libya only due to the deterioration of the situation of security in the country. The program of humanitarian evacuation is a last-resort measure which usually occurs in extreme situations in which refugees and asylum seekers are dealing with violations of their human rights and where the provision of assistance and protection has become impossible". "This is not the case of Tunisia, which is part of the Convention on refugees of 1951, and where the fundamental rights of refugees are respected, they have access to essential services and where generally they don't risk arbitrary detention, inhuman treatment or forced return". "Lack of funding has forced us to reduce some programs, including our program of monetary assistance, aimed at the most vulnerable in the refugee population UNHCR does not however mean to close its centers in Tunisia", the statement also said. The UN agency urged "moderation and a peaceful solution to this difficult situation and is ready to collaborate with authorities, partners and refugees and all the affected sides to find alternative and adequate solutions to satisfy the requests of demonstrators and prevent violence or damages against anyone, including personnel, demonstrators or other members of the public in general", concluded the statement. (ANSAmed). Libya: keep oil out of disputes - Williams (UN) tells Dbeibah Special advisor highlighted importance of 'maintaining calm' (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, 21 APR - Stephanie Williams, the special adviser on Libya to the UN secretary general, met in Tripoli with the prime minister of the government of national unity, Abdelhamid Dbeibah, together with UNSMIL coordinator, Raisedon Zenenga. "I briefed them on the outcomes of the consultations held in Cairo from April 13-18 with the Joint Committee consisting of members from the HoR (House of Representatives) and HCS (High Council of State), convened with the purpose of reaching a consensual constitutional framework to hold national elections as soon as possible", Williams tweeted. She added that "during the meeting, I noted the necessity of ensuring that clear timelines are in place for national elections". "I also emphasized the need to refrain from the politicization of oil production while ensuring effective, transparent management and equitable distribution of affiliated revenues", Williams wrote on Twitter. "Lastly, I highlighted the importance of maintaining calm on the ground, and of guaranteeing the payment of salaries to all Libyan counterparts, regardless of political or organizational affiliation", concluded Williams. (ANSAmed). Drake has been granted a three year restraining order against a woman who threatened to invade his home. A US judge granted the order on Tuesday after lawyers argued that Mesha Collins had shown signs of behaviour consistent with her prior pattern of using civil litigation and proceedings to get access to the rapper. According to documents obtained by the PA news agency, Collins was given timely and proper notice of the hearing but failed to appear. Drake, real name Aubrey Graham was not present either, but was represented virtually by his lawyers Stanton Lawrence Stein and Ashley Yeargan. The legal documents showed that last month Collins had also threatened to invade (Drakes) home again if he did not buy her a brand new house and car for her birthday. Collins is reported to have previously made threats against Drake and his son. The restraining order, which orders Collins to stay at least 100 yards away from the rapper at all times, is due to expire on April 11 2025. A fantasist is facing life imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of murdering schoolboy Rikki Neave more than 27 years ago. James Watson was 13 when he lured six-year-old Rikki to woods near his home in Peterborough on November 28 1994. He strangled the boy from behind with a ligature or anorak collar, to fulfil a morbid fantasy he had told his mother about three days before. He stripped Rikki and posed his naked body in a star shape for sexual gratification, deliberately exhibiting him near a childrens woodland den, the Old Bailey heard. Watson, now 41, was found guilty of murder on Thursday by a jury who deliberated for 36 hours and 31 minutes to reach a majority verdict after an 11-week trial. After the verdict Rikkis mother Ruth Neave thanked the jury for making the right decision, called her sons killer a monster but said this is not the time to celebrate as it should never have happened. In a statement, released to Cambs Times, she also criticised Cambridgeshire Police and Cambridgeshire Social Services for the way they had handled the case. She said: The only thing now is to close this chapter in my life and open a new one. Rikki Neave (Handout/PA) I wonder what Rikki would be like today, married, children? Who knows? But this monster has taken that all from me and my daughters. Rikkis body was found the day after he went missing. Watson had obsessed over newspaper coverage of the killing, copying front page stories at school. The next month he was interviewed as a witness by police after an elderly resident reported seeing him with Rikki on the nearby Welland Estate. His lying account was unchallenged, as police wrongly focused on a theory that Ms Neave killed her son and used a buggy to dump his body. James Watson (Cambridgeshire Police/PA) Ms Neave, a mother-of-four, was cleared of Rikkis murder in 1996 but jailed for seven years after admitting child cruelty. The case was unsolved for more than 20 years until Watsons DNA was identified on Rikkis clothes, which had been recovered from a wheelie bin. Prosecutors felt there was still insufficient evidence, but reversed their decision after Ms Neave and Rikkis sisters called for a victims right to review. Key evidence included Rikkis last meal, of Weetabix, which fixed his time of death at about noon. It meant Rikki was killed shortly after being seen with Watson heading to the woods where he used to play. Police at the scene where Rikkis body was found (John Giles/PA) Rikkis muddy Clarks shoes also indicated his walk into the woods was a one-way trip. The prosecution claimed it was no coincidence that, three days before the murder, Watson was the source of a bogus radio report about a two-year-old boy being strangled. Watsons sexual interest in younger boys was known to police, who interviewed him over an allegation that he molested a five-year-old in 1993. More disturbing behaviour was noted at Watsons childrens home, including him masturbating over pictures of young boys in underwear and keeping a dead pheasant in his room, the court heard. Jurors were not told about a record of Watson allegedly throttling a staff member with a stocking. A policeman leaves flowers at Rikkis school, Welland County Primary School, in 1994 (PA) An ex-girlfriend said he had strangled her during sex in woods and killed a bird and spread its wings, in a sinister reconstruction of Rikkis murder. In a police interview in 2016, Watson attempted to explain his DNAs presence on Rikkis clothes by claiming he picked him up to look at diggers through a hole in a fence. Prosecutor John Price QC said that was his really big mistake, as police were able to prove the fence was not there in 1994. Jurors were told Watson has a long criminal record, which includes convictions for stealing cars and setting fire to a British Transport Police station. Watson fled to Portugal while on bail on suspicion of murder, but was extradited back to Britain. Socks Rikki was wearing when he was killed were recovered from a bin (Crown Prosecution Service/PA) In his defence, Watsons legal team pointed the finger of suspicion at Ms Neave, which she denied. The defence said Watson could not have murdered Rikki, as he was seen alive in the afternoon of November 28. However, the prosecution shrugged off the ghost sightings, which wrongly claimed Rikki was wearing a red jumper or riding a BMX bike. Sentencing will take place on May 9. The judge, Mrs Justice McGowan, said: He will fall to be sentenced for something he did at the age of 13. Front page of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph dated November 30 1994 (CPS/PA) The sentence for murder is one of life imprisonment. I have to set the minimum term he must serve before he can be considered for release. It will be determined largely by the age he was at the time of the offence he committed. After the verdict, Rikkis aunts Sandra Chestney and Alison Harvey, said that this is a day we feared would never come, 27 years is a long time to grieve without closure. In their statement, they said: Sadly, Rikkis dad Trevor passed away not knowing what happened to his best boy in the world, now they can finally both be at peace together. Rikkis sister Rebecca added: Although this day is a painful reminder of the loss we have all suffered, justice has finally been served. Ruth Neave leaves Rikkis funeral in 1995 (John Giles/PA) Following the verdict, former assistant chief constable Paul Fullwood, who led the cold case, said Watson is a fantasist, a dangerous individual, and a compulsive liar. Mr Fullwood said: All the way through this, its been a monumental series of challenges. But as far as were concerned, weve got the right person responsible for the dreadful, dreadful murder of that little boy Rikki Neave. Hopefully, we can bring some justice for his family and also make sure that we put a dangerous individual in prison. Hannah Van Dadelszen, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the east of England, acknowledged prosecuting Ms Neave was wrong. She said: I am pleased that we have been able to deliver justice for all those who knew and loved Rikki, and I hope that for all those people that does bring a sense of closure to the case. Boris Johnson was told the gigs up by a senior Tory as he faced the prospect of a parliamentary investigation into whether he lied to MPs about Downing Street parties during coronavirus lockdowns. The Government was forced to abandon an attempt to order Conservative MPs to vote for a delay in setting up any investigation as the scale of discontent on the Tory benches was laid bare. The investigation, by the Privileges Committee, is now expected to be approved although it will not begin until police inquiries have concluded. Mr Johnson who was away from the Commons on an official visit to India insisted he was content to face extra scrutiny, with the parliamentary investigation adding to inquiries conducted by the Metropolitan Police and senior civil servant Sue Gray. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in India so unable to take part in the Commons debate (Stefan Rousseau/PA) But it will mean the partygate scandal is prolonged and some Tory MPs patience with the Prime Minister is wearing thin. In a blow to Mr Johnson, former minister Steve Baker, an influential organiser on the Tory benches, said the Prime Minister should be long gone. Mr Baker, who was a prominent Brexiteer involved in ousting Theresa May, said: Really, the Prime Minister should just know the gigs up. Tory MPs had initially been ordered to back a Government amendment which would defer any decision on referring the matter to the committee until after the conclusion of the Met Police inquiry. But in a late U-turn shortly before the debate began, Tory MPs were given a free vote. The move appeared to confirm speculation at Westminster that a significant number of Conservatives were not prepared to back the Governments attempt to kick the issue into the long grass. Boris Johnson has abused his office and mislead Parliament. Honesty, integrity and the truth matter in our politics. Today, Conservative MPs have the opportunity to defend those principles and to vote in the national interest. If they dont, they won't be forgiven. Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 21, 2022 The scale of discontent was set out by Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee chairman William Wragg, who confirmed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnsons leadership. I cannot reconcile myself to the Prime Ministers continued leadership of our country and the Conservative Party, he told MPs. In a scathing speech, Mr Wragg said: There can be few colleagues on this side of the House I would contend who are truly enjoying being Members of Parliament at the moment. It is utterly depressing to be asked to defend the indefensible. Each time part of us withers. Mr Johnson was unable to escape the scandal during his visit to Ahmedabad, with the issue dominating a round of broadcast interviews. The Prime Minister insisted he has absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide as he explained why he had dropped the attempt to delay a decision on the investigation. He told Sky News: People were saying it looks like we are trying to stop stuff. I didnt want that. I didnt want people to be able say that. He said he remains confident of leading the Tories into the next general election. In response to Mr Bakers call for him to quit, the Prime Minister said: I understand peoples feelings. I dont think that is the right thing to do. The Prime Minister said he would be able to give a fuller account of his actions once the police investigation is over and the Gray report is published. He told the BBC: But until then, I have to say, I think a lot of this is not very useful. Theres not a lot more I can say and what I want to do is focus on the things that I think are a massive long-term benefit to this country. The Privileges Committee will investigate whether Mr Johnson is in contempt of Parliament for misleading MPs with his repeated denials of lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Prime Minister had tried to cover up his misdeeds by taking advantage of the Commons convention not to call someone a liar. There was no escape from the partygate saga for the Prime Minister, despite being in India (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Prime Minister has stood before this House and said things that are not true, safe in the knowledge that he will not be accused of lying because he cant be, Sir Keir said. He has stood at that despatch box and point blank denied rule-breaking took place, when it did. As he did so, he was hoping to gain extra protection from our good faith that no Prime Minister would deliberately mislead the House. Scotland Yards investigation into the parties in Downing Street and Whitehall during Englands lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 is continuing, although May 5s local elections mean no announcement about further fines will be made until after polling day. Mr Johnsons aides are braced for him to receive multiple fines, having already been handed one fixed-penalty notice for a gathering on his 56th birthday. He is thought to have been at six of the 12 events under investigation by Scotland Yard. The motion being voted on by MPs states Mr Johnsons comments including but not limited to four separate remarks in the Commons appear to amount to misleading the House. More than half (54%) of people say the surging cost of living is holding them back from saving as they want to, a survey has found. And nearly two-fifths (38%) believe Aprils national insurance (NI) hike to help pay for health and social care will make the situation worse, according to financial technology firm and workplace pension and savings provider Cushon. Cushon said if their workplace pension uses salary sacrifice then NI contributions could be reduced. Under salary sacrifice schemes, employees agree to reduce their salary by an amount equal to their pension contributions. Their employer will then pay their total pension contributions, which saves the employee and the employer money in lower NI contributions. Ben Pollard, chief executive and founder of Cushon said: Salary sacrifice is a simple way for people paying into workplace pension schemes to save hundreds of pounds each year just by changing the way their contributions are made. However, people should bear in mind there could be downsides to salary sacrifice, such as decreased mortgage affordability based on someones income. Employees currently pay NI on annual earnings above 9,880, but from July the threshold will increase to 12,570. Baroness Ros Altmann, a former pensions minister, said: Although it might not be right for some employees, especially those applying for a mortgage or close to minimum wage, for most workers salary sacrifice can be a great way to get more money into their pockets. Those people who are able to access salary sacrifice through their employer but choose not to take it up are missing out on free money from the Government. As so often in pensions, the terminology is a major problem here. To most people sacrifice means giving something up rather than gaining anything extra. Scotlands First Minister has branded UK Government plans to privatise Channel 4 cultural vandalism. Nicola Sturgeon was addressing MSPs at First Ministers Questions on Thursday. Jenni Minto, SNP MSP for Argyll and Bute, voiced her concerns on the controversial proposals for a change of ownership of the 40-year-old TV company. She asked: Does the First Minister share my concern that Channel 4 is currently under threat from a Tory Government that appears to be doing all it can to undermine the principles of public service broadcasting for its own narrow political interest? The First Minister said that is absolutely what is happening. She continued: These proposals, I think, represent cultural vandalism, but they do also represent an attempt on the part of the UK Government to undermine public service broadcasting. She told MSPs that the current model is a good one, its a successful one, and called on people to get behind it to try to reverse the move by the Conservatives. Ms Sturgeon said: I cant see any reason whatsoever why Channel 4 should be privatised, and especially not at the very time it has shown resilience in weathering the pandemic and strengthened its content spend and investment in Scotland. Meanwhile, former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson drew comparisons between the plans to privatise Channel 4 and the news that Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers in the first three months of 2022. I like Netflix. Heck, I'm I subscriber. I want it to do well. But its current tough patch throws into sharp relief why those in govt saying Channel 4 needs flogged off in order to compete with such streaming platforms should pause and realise C4's stability is actually a strength pic.twitter.com/7wtFqQM3nP Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonPC) April 21, 2022 The streaming giant has warned shareholders that it could lose a further two million subscribers in the three months leading up to July. Ms Davidson said: I like Netflix. Heck, Im a subscriber. I want it to do well. But its current tough patch throws into sharp relief why those in Government saying Channel 4 needs (to be) flogged off in order to compete with such streaming platforms should pause and realise Channel 4s stability is actually a strength. The plans have been met with much criticism, with bosses at the channel warning of a real risk to some of its programmes. A court has been told of the moment a mother screamed in horror after she found her son dead in her ex-partners home. Lukasz Czapla is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh accused of murdering his two-year-old son Julius at a property in the Muirhouse area of the city on November 20 or 21, 2020. Neighbour Tracy Stirling told the court she was in bed on November 21 when she heard noise outside her house which was getting louder, and she went out to see what was happening. Ms Stirling, fellow neighbour Joanne Gorrie and Juliuss mother Patrycja Szczesniak were then standing outside the door to Czaplas home. After Ms Szczesniak looked through the letter box and banged on the door, 41-year-old Czapla opened the door. Ms Stirling, 44, told the court: He had blood around his nose. I could smell alcohol. I dont know if he was maybe drunk. His eyes looked like they were rolling a bit. After Ms Szczesniak and Czapla had a discussion in their native Polish, Ms Stirling told the court the door was pushed shut before it was reopened moments later. She said: Patrycja was at the door asking me to come in. I didnt go right in, just put my foot in the door so Lukasz couldnt shut the door again. She goes walking to the bottom of the hall, turns right, and lets out a big scream like she knew there was something wrong. Then next thing she comes out saying hes killed my baby, hes killed my baby. Questioned by prosecutor Alan Cameron, Ms Stirling said she called 999 and Czapla left and drove away. Ms Stirling also told the court that in September 2020, she asked Czapla, who was working as an IT technician at Fife College, and Ms Szczesniak to her property as part of her partners birthday celebrations. She told the jury: He said not with her any more, shes a bitch, ever since having baby its caused problems. Czapla denies murder. He offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide but it was not accepted by the Crown. Iain McSporran QC, defending, called for a special defence which states the accused was suffering from diminished responsibility at the time of his sons death. Czapla faces nine other charges against him, including drink-driving, drug possession and having an air weapon. He denies all charges. The trial, before Lord Beckett, continues. Ministry and USAID sign agreement to expand cooperation The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today signed an amendment to their bilateral partnership agreement to expand USAIDs support to Vietnam to include local capacity development. The bilateral partnership agreement as amended will expand their joint efforts to strengthen private sector competitiveness, innovation and startup ecosystems, human capital, and local capacity building. Under this amended agreement, USAID's contribution in these areas will increase from $42 million to up to $100 million, and will continue for an additional three years, to September 30, 2028. Speaking about the agreement, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock said, This agreement reflects the United States continued commitment to support Vietnams efforts to become a more open, innovative, and inclusive economy." USAID technical assistance under this agreement will enhance the capacity of Vietnamese small and growing businesses, including those led by vulnerable populations, by facilitating access to competitiveness-enhancing technology, business management skills, and capital. The agreement will strengthen the high-quality human capital needed for a robust knowledge-based economy. USAID technical assistance will also help improve the capacity of participating local governments (provincial level and below) to effectively implement policies, as well as increase interaction between local governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders on issues of local socio-economic development. QUITO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Learning the Chinese language is attracting a growing number of young Ecuadorians who wish to develop professionally by traveling to China to learn about its ancient culture and economic opportunities. During Chinese Language Day on Wednesday, some Ecuadorians highlighted the importance of the language in a global context. "The Chinese language is important because China is a world power, so it is essential to learn it. It opens many doors for work. It is the language of the future," said 27-year-old Victor Tipun, a student attending the Confucius Class at the Siyuan School of Chinese Language in Quito, Ecuador's capital. Tipun said Mandarin Chinese is "complicated" and requires discipline but shouldn't be feared. Noting that many Chinese companies operate in Ecuador, Tipun said job opportunities increase with knowledge of the language, with a chance to travel to China. Tatiana Logacho, one of Tipun's classmates, is studying foreign trade and sees Chinese as key to doing business globally. "It seems that the Chinese language would help me achieve greater professional growth, and I would also like to travel to that country. The Chinese culture is very different from ours," said the 20-year-old. Logacho said that learning Chinese has been a fascinating experience and involves several facets, including calligraphy. "The truth is that I love it. I feel that it is fun. Learning a new language fascinates me," said Logacho, adding that Mandarin-language skills can contribute to Ecuador's economic progress. The study of Mandarin Chinese has created a cultural bridge between Ecuador and China. In Ecuador, the Confucius Class at the Siyuan School of Chinese Language is the largest, with some 2,300 students enrolled nationwide via virtual classes and in person. It serves as the official testing center, and classrooms are decorated with traditional Chinese ornaments. The teacher, Sun Jichun, or Anita, as her students call her in Spanish, told Xinhua that her students are genuinely curious about the language. "All the students are intelligent and have fun learning Chinese. They learn quickly. I think they can learn the language very well and travel to China to work," she said, expressing pride in her role as a conduit of the Chinese language. The school, set up in 2003, has about a dozen teachers from China. They teach children aged four and older with didactic methods and material to make learning enjoyable. "We are a school dedicated to teaching the Chinese language and spreading the culture. Many students dream of knowing more about China, learning the language to get a job in a Chinese company or winning a scholarship to study in China," said Cao Xiaohong, the schoolmaster. Cao arrived in Ecuador 20 years ago and set up a school with just three students from scratch. Over the years, Cao's endeavors changed the lives of many Ecuadorians. "With the teachers' efforts, the lives of many families have changed in this South American country," said Cao. "They are motivated to study the language because as each day passes, China's influence is greater, and China's openness is felt more. People want to do business with China, and Chinese culture is attracting attention." Another P&O Ferries vessel is being inspected as the company attempts to resume normal operations after sacking nearly 800 seafarers. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it began assessing Norbay on Wednesday. P&O Ferries is hoping the ship can restart sailings on the Liverpool-Dublin route. Eight of its vessels will be examined by the MCA following the mass sackings. The P&O Ferries vessel Spirit Of Britain remains under detention (Gareth Fuller/PA) A spokesman for the agency said: Our surveyors are carrying out a full inspection of the P&O ferry Norbay before it returns to service, to make sure it complies with international regulations on manning and safe operation, in particular emergency procedures such as firefighting and evacuating the ship. There are no further inspections of P&O Ferries at the moment but we will re-inspect when requested by P&O Ferries. The ferries Spirit Of Britain and Pride Of Kent remain under detention after safety issues were found. This caused a shortage of ferry capacity in the run-up to Easter on the key Dover-Calais route, which contributed to large queues of lorries on coastbound roads in Kent. European Causeway which runs between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland was detained after an initial inspection on March 25 uncovered 31 safety failings. The ship was cleared to sail a fortnight later following another examination. Pride Of Hull passed its inspection, enabling it to operate between Hull and Rotterdam. Three other ferries are out of action as they have not yet been fully inspected. Safety fears were raised after P&O Ferries replaced nearly 800 seafarers with cheaper agency staff on March 17. The firm suspended most of its sailings but reportedly only expected the disruption to last up to 10 days. On Tuesday, shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh accused the company of being a rogue operator which is cutting corners and putting key UK shipping routes at risk. P&O Ferries said in a statement that any suggestion that safety is being compromised is categorically false. Boris Johnson has struck back in a row with the Church of England, insisting his policy of sending some asylum seekers 4,000 miles to Rwanda is morally right. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have criticised the plan to send some asylum seekers on a one-way trip to East Africa on moral and ethical grounds. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, raised serious ethical questions during his Easter Sunday address, saying the policy cannot stand the judgment of God. Mr Johnson faced criticism after sources in a private meeting with Tory MPs revealed he claimed the senior clergymen had misconstrued the policy. The Prime Minister went on to claim they were less vociferous in their condemnation of Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine than they were on the migration policy. Mr Johnson defended his remarks and his Rwanda policy when speaking to journalists travelling with him on an official trip to India. I have a very good relationship with the archbishop, all I was saying was I think we have an excellent policy to try to stop people drowning at sea, in the Channel, and I was surprised to find it criticised, he said. I think its the morally right thing to do, to stop criminal, cynical gangs from exploiting people and sending them to a watery grave. I think its a sensible, brave and original policy. Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tyne (Gareth Fuller/PA) Mr Johnson denied suggestions that he was also criticising the BBCs coverage of the Rwanda policy during his controversial remarks made after he apologised for being fined by police for breaching his coronavirus laws. What I said was, and I was very mild, Im surprised this has engaged such a response. All I said is I thought the policy had been misconstrued on the BBC and by some parts of the clergy, thats what I said, he told reporters. Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer seized on the reports of the meeting when he went head-to-head with Mr Johnson in the Commons, claiming that the PM accused the BBC of not being critical enough of Putin. He said: Would the Prime Minister have the guts to say that to the face of (BBC reporters) Clive Myrie, Lyse Doucet and Steve Rosenberg, who have all risked their lives day in, day out, on the front line in Russia and Ukraine uncovering Putins barbarism? Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden wrote to Sir Keir calling for him to retract his comments and apologise to Mr Johnson. I am not aware that you have any evidence whatsoever to support this inaccurate claim, he said. Mr Welby and the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, have publicly condemned Mr Putins invasion of Ukraine as an act of great evil. Lambeth Palace issued a defence of the pair, with a spokesman saying: The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine as an act of great evil and spoken out repeatedly against it. In his Easter sermon the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of the suffering and terror being experienced by Ukrainians, called on Russia to withdraw its forces and said let the darkness of war be banished. And he said the pair will continue to be outspoken against the asylum plan, saying: They will continue to speak out against these plans on moral and ethical grounds. The Church of Englands head of news, John Bingham, said if the reports of Mr Johnsons behind-closed-doors comment were true, it was a disgraceful slur. At Prime Ministers Questions, Sir Keir invited Mr Johnson to apologise for slandering the archbishop and the Church of England. The Prime Minister told the Labour leader: I was slightly taken aback for the Government to be criticised over the policy that we have devised to end the deaths at sea in the Channel as a result of cruel criminal gangs. Meanwhile, senior Conservative MPs questioned the logic behind Government plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, as controversial immigration reforms edged closer to becoming law. The Nationality and Borders Bill would allow the UK to send asylum seekers to a safe third country and to submit claims at a designated place determined by the Secretary of State. On Wednesday, the Government started to overturn changes made to the Bill by peers, which saw MPs reject three amendments which were part of efforts to ensure any move to offshore asylum claims was subject to approval of both Houses of Parliament along with a cost breakdown. The royal family have wished the Queen a happy 96th birthday and described the monarch as an inspiration to so many across the UK. The occasion has been marked by the release of a picture showing her indulging her passion for horses and ponies. Standing with two of her Fell ponies, the Queen was photographed as the build-up begins for the Royal Windsor Horse Show, which commissioned the image. Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today! An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, its particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year. pic.twitter.com/iWfyorcd8I The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 21, 2022 The official Twitter account of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tweeted a picture of William and Kate with the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show a few years ago and another image of the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh surrounded by their great-grandchildren. The message read: Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very happy 96th birthday today! An inspiration to so many across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world, its particularly special to be celebrating in this #PlatinumJubilee year. Happy Birthday Your Majesty! Today as The Queen turns 96, were sharing this photograph of the young Princess Elizabeth aged 2. Then, in 1928, it was never expected she would be Queen, and this year Her Majesty is celebrating her #PlatinumJubilee a first in British history. pic.twitter.com/DnwsMU81I3 The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 21, 2022 The official Twitter account of the British monarchy also recognised the Queens milestone with a black and white photograph of the then Princess Elizabeth. The tribute read: Happy Birthday Your Majesty! Today as The Queen turns 96, were sharing this photograph of the young Princess Elizabeth aged 2. Then, in 1928, it was never expected she would be Queen, and this year Her Majesty is celebrating her #PlatinumJubilee a first in British history. The Queen travelled from Windsor to her Sandringham estate on Wednesday to stay at a property loved by her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, for her birthday. She has already received birthday wishes from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and gun salutes will be fired in her honour later on Thursday. This year, the Royal Windsor Horse Show will mark the Platinum Jubilee with A Gallop Through History, an equestrian display showcasing horses from across the globe. It has been billed as a personal tribute to our monarchy and will feature more than 500 horses and more than a thousand performers taking the audience on a journey from Elizabeth I to the Queen. The new photograph of the Queen was taken in March in the grounds of Windsor Castle by Henry Dallal, who was also commissioned to take an official portrait of her to mark her 90th birthday. On the Queens left is the pony Bybeck Nightingale and on her right is Bybeck Katie. Both animals will feature in A Gallop Through History. Her Majestys love for the equine world is something she shared with her mother, and she has been breeding and racing horses for more than 60 years. Rebekah Vardy will be able to use written summaries for four journalists at The Sun in her libel battle against Coleen Rooney, a High Court judge has said weeks before the expected start of the trial. Mrs Rooney accused Mrs Vardy of leaking false stories about her private life to the media in October 2019 after carrying out a months-long sting operation. She said she planted three stories about her travelling to Mexico to see what this gender selection is all about, returning to TV and the basement flooding in her new house. The wife of former England star Wayne Rooney was dubbed Wagatha Christie when she publicly claimed her fellow footballers wife shared the fake stories she had posted on her personal Instagram account with The Sun newspaper. Mrs Vardy, who is married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, denies the accusations and is suing Mrs Rooney for libel, with the full trial expected to begin next month. In a ruling on Thursday, Mrs Justice Steyn allowed a number of written summaries which state what witnesses are expected to say based on instructions from Mrs Vardy and her agent in the name of journalists at The Sun to be part of the case. This included summaries for Andy Halls, Simon Boyle and Michael Hamilton the authors of the articles Mrs Rooney said she planted information about as part of her sting operation. The fourth journalist was named as Amy Brookbanks. Coleen Rooney is defending the claim (Danny Lawson/PA) Mrs Justice Steyn said that Mrs Rooney claims that the claimant enjoyed an extremely close relationship with Mr Halls and Mr Boyle, and that they were people she directly communicated and interacted with on social media for several years. She continued: I accept it is likely that they will be able to give relevant evidence regarding their relationships with the claimant and, subject to any question of source protection, whether she was a source of private information about the defendant and others published in their articles. The judge concluded it was in the interests of justice for Mrs Vardy to be able to serve the witness summaries from a total of four journalists. David Price QC, for a number of journalists who have received requests to give evidence, said there was at least a prospect of some of them asking to have their witness summonses set aside, but no application was made at the previous hearing. At the hearing earlier this month, Mrs Rooneys barrister David Sherborne asked for some documents from News Group Newspapers the publisher of The Sun to be disclosed covering communications between Mrs Vardy, her agent and nine journalists at the newspaper. Mrs Justice Steyn previously granted the request but only related to communications between Mrs Vardy, her agent Caroline Watt and Mr Halls. Giving her reasons in Thursdays judgment, she said it would be appropriate and proportionate to make the order. She said: The messages that it is evident exist between the claimant and Mr Halls, and Ms Watt and Mr Halls are likely to, in the sense that they may well, support the defendants case or adversely affect the claimants case. The trial will take place at the Royal Courts of Justice in London (Aaron Chown/PA) However, she said she had denied the request regarding the other eight journalists, finding it would be a fishing expedition. At the hearing on April 13, the High Court heard Ms Watt could not give oral evidence at the trial next month due to medical reasons, and that she had also withdrawn her written evidence. Mrs Rooneys lawyers previously claimed that Mrs Vardy had leaked information to The Sun either directly or through Ms Watt acting on her instruction or with her knowing approval. In Thursdays ruling, Mrs Justice Steyn said Mrs Vardy does not intend to adduce any evidence from any of those who have been summonsed going to the question whether Ms Watt provided any information for any of the articles in issue. The full libel trial between Mrs Vardy and Mrs Rooney is due to begin on May 9 and last seven days. A crossbench peer offering her home to a Ukrainian family has said the Homes for Ukraine scheme is demoralising for refugees and changes must be made to it so families are processed together. Baroness Finlay of Llandaff is offering her Cardiff home to a family but waited over a month for all their visas to be cleared. After applying for the scheme on the day it launched, March 18, the children received visas separately earlier this week but it was only on Thursday afternoon that their mother received hers. They havent given up and we havent given up and were communicating with them almost daily but I could really understand if they feel completely demoralised, Baroness Finlay told the PA news agency. A young girl from Ukraine holds her dog as she waits with her mother for a bus to refugee accommodation after they crossed the border point from Ukraine into Medyka, Poland (Victoria Jones/PA) It is absolutely essential refugees are processed in family groups. Some of us were calling for that from day one. Government figures show fewer than a third of Ukrainian refugees who have been issued with visas have arrived in the UK. A total of 71,800 visas had been issued as of Wednesday under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, the Government said, but as of Monday, just 21,600 Ukrainians had arrived in the UK according to figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office. On this discrepancy, Baroness Finlay said: Emotionally, it is understandable if people have applied for visas and want to hold them almost like an insurance policy, but arent quite sure how its all going to pan out, hoping they might get back home. The other thing is, because the system has been so clunky and slow, people may have got used to where they are. If youve got traumatised children and theyre starting to play with some others nearby, youd be a bit hesitant about breaking that up. Theyre living with uncertainty on absolutely every front, so any crumb of certainty, such as just children forming relationships with other children, is something parents will cling on to. Baroness Finlay said refugees may also be facing travel issues and be put off by the UKs unfriendly approach to immigration, including the Governments new policy of sending some asylum seekers 4,000 miles to Rwanda. Weve got this reputation of being unfriendly and this latest policy involving Rwanda, I think, sullied the overall image, she said. These are completely separate schemes, I know they are, but the overall message is not good. The father of the family Baroness Finlay is helping is a doctor who had worked with her husband, Professor Andrew Finlay, before the Russian invasion. Baroness Finlay said he has remained in Kyiv to serve his country, but they have also submitted an application for him in the event he also leaves Ukraine due to injury or other reasons. The family will live in the home with Baroness Finlay and her husband, who have bought an extra bed and fridge to accommodate the whole family, clearing kitchen cupboards so they can have space to cook their own meals. They also installed another television and a radio which can be tuned to Ukrainian radio stations so that the refugees can have a link to their home country. With two children of her own, who have left home, Baroness Finlay has washed some soft toys so that the younger child can have something soft to comfort them. The Defence Secretary has said all countries could do more when it comes to providing support to Ukraine. Ben Wallace declined to confirm whether Stormer armoured anti-aircraft vehicles have been sent to Ukraine, but said the UK will continue to give them the air defence they need. The Cabinet minister was speaking during a visit to The Hague for the Invictus Games, the event founded by the Duke of Sussex to aid the rehabilitation of injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Asked if countries such as Germany could be doing more for Ukraine, he told the PA news agency: We all could do more. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace at the Invictus Games (Aaron Chown/PA) The Ukrainians need, first and foremost, they need long-range artillery and artillery shells. They use currently Russian Soviet stocks and the calibres are different from what the West holds, so not only are we trying to help them source those calibres so that they can immediately be used, but at the same time helping them explore developing new capabilities with what would be called Nato calibres so that if they choose to shift to that we can all help them with supply. Earlier this week, it emerged that the UK is to send armoured anti-aircraft vehicles to the Ukrainian military as they prepared for a Russian onslaught. The Stormer vehicle launches Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles which can be used to target planes and helicopters. It comes after Britain invited Ukrainian generals to Salisbury Plain earlier this month to see the military kit which could be available to them, including armoured vehicles. Mr Wallace declined to confirm that those vehicles had been sent. Im not going to comment on the operational details. I think to do so would put people at risk, he said. Well continue to engage with Ukrainians on a daily basis. I spoke to my counterpart only yesterday. They share with us their requirements in military equipment and, where we can, we either meet them from our own stocks and if we cant we work with third countries to try and encourage them to do it, or indeed give reassurance to countries that might donate it so that we can help with their security. Pressed on whether the Stormer vehicles are being sent, or have been sent already, Mr Wallace said: Ill be making a statement to Parliament next week, but we have said we are going to commit to deliver some armoured vehicles. Weve also publicly talked about delivering high velocity anti-air missiles, he said, adding that they go on an armoured vehicle. We will continue to give them the air defence they need. Mr Wallace also said it is very important that India where Prime Minister Boris Johnson is meeting his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi has the ability to lead, adding that Ukraine matters for all of us. Prime Minister Boris Johnson dressed in a turban during a visit to Gujarat Biotechnology Universit, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, as part of his two-day trip to India (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Asked how important it is that India begins to loosen ties with Russia, Mr Wallace said India is a big strategic nation, and a massive economy in the world. He said: Its very important that India has its ability to lead and I would say as the Prime Minister is going to say, or has said, Ukraine matters for all of us, it matters whats going on there and that we should all stand tall and be open in condemning Russias actions and illegal invasion. I think what weve also learned from the Ukraine invasion is no country benefits from being overdependent on one country, whether youre Germany and Russian gas supplies, whether youre India on vast amounts of Russian military equipment, it doesnt benefit any country to be overdependent. Its the same in the United Kingdom. I think more than anything India will look at how Russian equipment has performed in Ukraine and ask itself whether theyve got the best equipment they could have. Asked if India would see Britain as important enough to listen to, Mr Wallace said the question would have to be put to India, but added that Britain is a major military power. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has rejected a call from the childrens commissioner for a ban on smacking children in England. Dame Rachel de Souza signalled her support for changing the law to give children the same protection from assault as adults. Such a change would bring England into line with the legal position in Scotland and Wales. But Mr Zahawi said he did not believe the state should be nannying parents about the way they bring up their children. Dame Rachel de Souza (in hat) thinks England should consider following Wales and Scotland in banning smacking of children (Yui Mok/PA) My very strong view is that actually we have got to trust parents on this and parents being able to discipline their children is something that they should be entitled to do, he told Times radio. We have got to just make sure we dont end up in a world where the state is nannying people about how they bring up their children. Earlier Dame Rachel said said it was important that childrens rights are protected. I absolutely abhor, and Im against, violence of any kind against children, she told Times Radio. Because children are more vulnerable than adults, I think we do need to ensure that their rights are supported. Wales last month made any type of corporal punishment, including smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking, illegal in the country. The Welsh Government outlawed the physical punishment of a child in March (Welsh Government/PA) The smacking ban, as it is known, was brought in under the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 and marks the end of the common law defence of reasonable punishment. Parents or anyone who is responsible for a child while the parents are absent can now face criminal or civil charges if they are found to have physically disciplined a young person in any way. Critics of the law change have said it will criminalise parents, but the Welsh Government insisted the move was about protecting childrens rights. Scotland introduced a ban in November 2020. Previously, and as is still the case in England and Northern Ireland, smacking a child was unlawful, but such an assault was allowed as long as it constituted reasonable punishment. Whether the defence was accepted depended on the circumstances of each case, taking into consideration factors such as the age of the child and the nature of the contact, including whether it left a red mark or was carried out with a fist or implement such as a cane or belt. Dame Rachel urged ministers to look at how the legislation moved through the Welsh assembly and said she would support a decision to follow suit. She said Scotland and Wales had banned the physical punishment of children, So weve learnt a lot about what that would mean, as it goes into legislation. I think weve got a great opportunity to look, watch it, as its embedded (in Wales), and I would be supportive certainly, from what Ive seen so far I would be supportive if our government decided to do the same. Although Dame Rachel acknowledged that protections for children are already enshrined in law in England, she expressed admiration for the actions of the Scottish and Welsh governments, adding: Its certainly something that I think we should consider. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer previously said the move should be mirrored in England and Northern Ireland, calling it the right thing to do. A survey commissioned by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children found more than two-thirds of adults in England believe it is wrong for parents or carers to physically punish their child, with 58% thinking it was already illegal. More than 60 nations worldwide have legislated against the physical punishment of children. Former Fox News host Bill OReilly was caught on video berating an airline employee at a JetBlue kiosk. The video, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows OReilly at New York City's JFK airport on April 3, complaining that his flight is three hours late. The employee's responses are muffled. OReilly replies: "No, no, no, youre gonna find out." OReilly then leans down to see the employee's badge, which the man holds up so he can read it. When the employee says something back, OReilly cursed at him, calls him a "scumbag" and says, "Dont talk to me like that." OReilly, wearing a mask that is pulled down, can be seen repeatedly pointing his finger in the employee's face. "You're threatening me with violence, man," the employee says. "No, I'm not," OReilly says. "You're going to lose your job," he concludes before he walks away. It's not clear what happened before the altercation captured on the video. O'Reilly did not immediately respond to a request for comment. JetBlue also did not respond to a request for comment. OReilly told the Daily Mail that he was frustrated that his flight to the Turks and Caicos Islands was delayed by 2 hours. He said the discussion was "heated," blaming the escalation on the airport worker. "The guy was arrogant and falsely accused me of threatening him and I said: 'Youre lucky I didnt do that,'" OReilly said. OReilly was fired from Fox News in 2017 amid sexual harassment allegations stretching back to at least 2002. At the time, OReilly called the accusations "completely unfounded claims." Robert Morse, who translated Broadway stardom into a film career in the 1960s, then re-emerged decades later as one of the stars of Mad Men, has died. He was 90. Writer-producer Larry Karaszewski, who serves as a VP on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, tweeted news of Morses death on Thursday. My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90, he wrote. A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn. Had so much fun hanging with Bobby over the years filming People v OJ & hosting so many screenings (How To Succeed, Loved One, Thats Life). Morse was Emmy nominated five times for playing the sage Bertram Cooper, the senior partner at the advertising firm that was the focus of AMCs prestigious series Mad Men, from 2007 to 2015. In 2010, he shared the SAG Award that Mad Men won for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. The eccentric Bert Cooper was known for his bow ties and his collection of Japanese art and architecture; while at times he seemed indifferent to the business affairs at Sterling Cooper, he could be crafty and manipulative when necessary. Cooper died the night of the first moon landing and that 2014 episode afforded Morse the opportunity to show off his singing and dancing skills in a fantasy number, imagined by Jon Hamms Don Draper, to the tune of The Best Things in Life Are Free. The opportunity to shine in the spotlight that Matt Weiner gave me it was an absolute love letter. Christmas and New Years, all rolled into one, Morse told the New York Times. Morse also won an Emmy in 1993 for a PBS American Playhouse adaptation of Morses one-man show Tru, about Truman Capote. Morse, known for his impish, gap-toothed grin, became a star on Broadway in the musical comedy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, for which he won his first Tony, as best actor in a musical, in 1962. The enormous hit ran for more than 1,400 performances and was adapted for the big screen in a 1967 film in which Morse reprised his starring role of J. Pierpont Finch. Reviewing the movie, Variety said: Plot concerns window-washer Morse who, by superior instinct for advancement and survival, becomes a top exec in (Rudy) Vallees company in a matter of days. He becomes so big that former well-wishers plot his downfall. The pixie-like Morse is excellent, with both voice and facial expressions right on target all the time. Morse not only sang but danced in the musical; later, in reviewing the actors performance in Tru, Frank Rich of the New York Times said, Mr. Morse kicks a loose-limbed leg as high and friskily as he did when joining Bob Fosses hoedown for the Brotherhood of Man finale in How to Succeed. The actor won his second Tony for the one-man show Tru, in which he played Truman Capote, appearing on Broadway for 297 performances in 1989-1990. Makeup man Kevin Haney, whose credits include the movies Altered States and Wolfen, turned Morse into the bloated mass that Capote became before he died in 1984. With his mad shopping-bag womans cackle and darting lounge lizards tongue, Mr. Morse so eerily simulates the public Capote of the pathetic waning years that he could be a Capote robot, wrote Frank Rich. One is glad to have met up with this actor again, is impressed by his command of his technique and his audience, and is moved by the courage that has allowed him to return to a Broadway stage in so unlikely a vehicle. Morse appeared in a number of other movies in the 1960s, including Tony Richardsons satire of the funeral industry The Loved One (1965), also starring Jonathan Winters. Variety said: Robert Morse as the poet who falls in love with the lady cosmetician (later promoted to embalmer) while making arrangements for his uncles interment, plays it light and airy, like a soul apart. In 1967, in addition to the How to Succeed adaptation, Morse starred with Walter Matthau in the comedy A Guide for the Married Man, in which Morses character tries to convince Matthaus married man to keep an affair secret from his wife, and his points are illustrated in skits that featured a large number of celebrities. (According to a 2014 article in Playbill, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and A Guide for the Married Man served as inspirations for Matthew Weiner when he created Mad Men.) Morse starred opposite Doris Day in the 1968 film comedy Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? In 1968-69 Morse starred with E.J. Peaker in the innovative ABC musical comedy series Thats Life, in which the story of how a young couple met, fell in love, and married was told through a series of monologues, sketches, and song and dance routines. He earned his first Emmy nomination for his work on the series. The actor starred in the Disney comedy The Boatniks (1970), and made a few guest appearances on series including Love, American Style and Fantasy Island during the 1970s; in the 1980s he guested on shows including The Dukes of Hazzard and Murder, She Wrote. Morse was among the performers on Marlo Thomas celebrated Free to Be You and Me childrens album in 1972. In 1987 he starred in a Cannon Films version of The Emperors New Clothes, with Sid Caesar as the Emperor and Morse playing the Tailor. He was featured in ABCs 1993 series Wild Palms and was a series regular on Steven Bochcos brief-running CBS hospital drama City of Angels, starring Blair Underwood, in 2000. Morse was born in Newton, Massachusetts. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. A drama teacher in high school inspired him to become an actor, and after graduating he headed to New York Citys prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse, where his older brother, Richard, was already studying acting. He also studied with Lee Strasberg. He made his stage debut in 1949 production of Our Town in New Hampshire. He made his Broadway debut in 1955 in The Matchmaker, the Thornton Wilder play that would serve as the basis for the musical Hello, Dolly! (Ruth Gordon starred as Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi); he played Barnaby Tucker. After appearing in an uncredited role in the 1956 film The Proud and Profane, starring William Holden and Deborah Kerr, the young actor made his credited big-screen debut two years later in the film adaptation of The Matchmaker, starring Shirley Booth. The New York Times said, Robert Morse does a fine stint in re-creating his stage role as his wide-eyed, fellow adventurer. In 1959 he earned his first Tony nomination, for best featured actor in a play, for the original hit comedy with music Say, Darling, in which he spoofed the director Harold Prince. The next year he earned another Tony nomination, for best actor in a musical, for Take Me Along, which was also nominated for best musical and drew nominations for Jackie Gleason and Walter Pidgeon. After How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which ran from 1961-65, Morse starred in the original musical comedy Sugar, based on the classic Billy Wilder comedy Some Like It Hot. It ran for 505 performances in 1972-1973. In 1976, he appeared in the musical So Long, 174th Street, whose source material was a book by Carl Reiner. Morse did not return to Broadway until he appeared in Tru in 1989-90, and he did not appear on the Rialto again after that. In 1995, however, he starred in a Canadian production of Show Boat; in 2002 he played the Wizard in the San Francisco run of the musical Wicked but was replaced by Joel Grey when it opened on Broadway; in 2014, he appeared onstage at Vassars Powerhouse Theater as part of the cast of Christopher Gattellis dance ensemble piece In Your Arms. Morse was twice married, the first time to West Side Story actress Carole DAndrea from 1961 until their divorce in 1981. He is survived by second wife Elizabeth Roberts, whom he married in 1989; three daughters by DAndrea, Andrea Doven, Hilary Morse and Robin Morse, all actresses; and two children by Roberts, son Charles Morse and daughter Allyn Morse. Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! The failure of Russian forces to take the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the besieged city of Mariupol is hampering their latest offensive, Western officials have said. President Vladimir Putin has said his forces would seek to seal off the vast Azovstal steel works, where Ukrainian marines have been holding out, rather than risk storming it. However, officials said that would limit the numbers of troops that Russia could release for operations in the Donbas region which the new focus of their operations. Doing that around that area is not a trivial task if you want to seal it completely, one official said. That may still limit the ability of those forces to get themselves sorted to take part in operations in the Donbas. Nevertheless, officials said it was still possible for the Russians to make military gains which President Putin could claim as a success, although it was unlikely to be swift. One official said they had concentrated sufficient troops potentially to surround and destroy a significant proportion of Ukraines best forces, if they used their own forces intelligently. They could then seek to establish full control over the Donbas already part-held by pro-Moscow separatists with a land bridge from Crimea to Russia. If they were to surround those forces and grind them down over time that would be enough for Putin to be able to claim it as a win, the official said. In the really worst case scenario it could embolden the Russians to revive some of their earlier war aims, such as an assault on Kyiv or taking the port city of Odesa, effectively cutting off the Ukrainians from the sea. The official said it would would require sustained Western support to the Ukrainians in a conflict which could last most of the rest of this year. Burned vehicles are seen at the destroyed part of the Illich Iron & Steel Works Metallurgical Plant in Mariupol during heavy fighting (AP/Alexei Alexandrov) The Pentagon has said the Russians have 76 battalion tactical groups in the south and east of Ukraine the equivalent of 45,000 to 60,000 troops. However, Western officials many of the Russian units had not had time to properly reconstitute after being receiving a mauling by Ukrainian forces in the north of the country in the failed advance on Kyiv. As a result, they were being fed into the offensive in a piecemeal fashion with limited impact, taking relatively small amounts of terrain. One official said it may be driven by a desire by the Russian leader to secure a tangible success in time for the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 marking the defeat of the Nazis in the Second World War. If President Putin is going to stand on the May 9 Victory Day, he will want to do so on the back of Russian forces not being ritually humiliated in Ukraine which is pretty much been happening so far, the official said. I think that may have been a factor in their decision politically to commit their forces into the Donbas ahead of that force being entirely reconstituted and prepared. The official said that while the performance of the Russian forces had improved since the first day of the invasion, they were still not operating as a true manoeuvre force. They are still driving down roads in long columns. That makes them very vulnerable because they have a very exposed flank, the official said. BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday rolled out a private pension scheme to complement the nation's current pension system in its latest effort to tackle the strains of an aging population. The scheme allows Chinese citizens to contribute up to 12,000 yuan (about 1,872 U.S. dollars) annually to individual pension accounts that would be subject to closed-end management, according to guidelines released by the State Council. The cap would be adjusted according to social and economic development as well as how the country's pension system evolves. The funds can be used to purchase financial products that are of relatively lower risk and have a longer-term investment horizon, according to the guidelines. Workers who currently contribute to the basic pension insurance can participate in the scheme on a voluntary basis, the guidelines said. The government will offer tax incentives to encourage participation in the new system, the guidelines said. The scheme will be piloted in some cities for a year before it is implemented nationwide, it said. The private pension mechanism will complement the country's current pension system consisting of the basic old-age pension, enterprise annuities as well as commercial insurance for the elderly, offering another layer of support for the aging population, analysts said. Policymakers in China are actively taking measures to address the issues of an aging society. According to the latest census, by 2020, the number of Chinese people aged 60 or above had reached 264 million, accounting for 18.7 percent of the country's total. With such an aging population, government expenditure alone is hard to meet the rising obligations, and the development of the private pension scheme would help ease the strains, said Everbright Securities in a note. In a statement commenting on the new scheme, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said that the mechanism highlights the market-oriented operation of pension funds, which are usually large in scale and long-term in investment horizon, providing stable support to the real economy. It also said that the commission will work on the matching rules for private pensions to invest in the country's publicly-offered funds, which now run over 4 trillion yuan of pension assets. FILE PHOTO: The flags of the United States and the United Kingdom stand after bi-lateral photo between U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson was cancelled at the State Department in Washington LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said it was in discussion with around 20 U.S. states to secure individual trade deals as soon as next month, trade policy minister Penny Mordaunt told parliament on Thursday. In the absence of progress towards an overarching UK-U.S. trade agreement British negotiators are seeking to secure state level agreements, including a deal with Texas by October this year Theres been considerable progress on this and we are in discussions with around 20 U.S. states, Mordaunt said. We are going to do a state level agreement with Texas we hope by October of this year, and we will start signing these agreements with U.S. states next month. The first eight that we have in the pipeline will be equivalent to 20% of the United States economy, Mordaunt said in parliament. (Reporting by Farouq Suleiman; editing by William James) Oglala Lakota activist Leala Pourier. (Illustration by Nathalie Cruz for Yahoo Life) In Unearthed, Gen Z climate-change activists discuss some of the most pressing issues facing our planet and reveal what you can do to help make a real difference. In honor of Earth Day 2022, Yahoo Life speaks to Indigenous youth activists fighting for climate justice. For Oglala Lakota activist Leala Pourier, the idea of climate justice goes beyond protecting the Earth and its resources. It also includes bringing attention to a crisis many don't know about, let alone connect to environmentalism: the murders and disappearances of indigenous women living near oil pipeline camps. "I'm really passionate about it because it shows that climate change is not just crazy weather events that it's affecting our communities in very different, very unique, very painful ways," Pourier, a 21-year-old University of Denver student hailing from Colorado's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, tells Yahoo Life about a devastating issue that has Indigenous women targeted by oil company workers who are set up in remote temporary housing areas. "They've kind of been labeled as 'man camps,' because they are usually all men, set up in an isolated area where these drill sites are going up ... often on reservations or areas near large Indigenous populations. There's not a lot going on," explains the Indigenous youth committee member and co-director of communications at Earth Guardians, which trains and empowers youth to be effective climate justice leaders. The crisis she refers to is one that's been tracked and spoken about by Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, and one that lends itself to the remoteness of such camps. "That's when we start to see a spike in violent crimes robbery, drunken assault, things like that. And that's also when we start to see a spike in missing and murdered Indigenous women, is in those areas. It kind of started becoming an issue during the oil boom [in the early 2000s] in North Dakota," Pourier says. Pourier, who followed her activist father into standing up for Indigenous rights in general, says she sharpened her focus on climate justice after being inspired by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the many tribes that joined them in 2016 in trying to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline through sacred land (a process that has been officially halted, pending further environmental analysis, after a hard-won four-year battle). "It was kind of the first time I ever really saw any Native-led issues in mainstream media in my life. So that was really empowering to see that, like, this was something that everybody was watching. And that just got me looking more and more into environmental racism," she says, referring to the form of systemic racism that puts people of color at a disproportionately high risk of being hurt by pollutants and toxic waste. The way that all made sense, combined with what her dad had taught her since she was little "that we're not the owners of the land, but that we're the stewards of the land" made environmental activism a "natural fit" for her. Protesters march at a demonstration against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017, media coverage of which had a huge effect on youth activist Leala Pourier. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) "I think the connection between Indigenous people and environmental activism is very, very intertwined," she says. "The more I educated myself, the more I realized: You can't have Indigenous justice without climate justice and you can't have climate justice without Indigenous justice." It's because of some very fundamental, nature-connected ways of seeing the world, Pourier explains. "We've always viewed the earth in a way that she's one of us: She's not one that we're supposed to take from, and that's a core teaching of many, many indigenous cultures We have this belief that you have to look seven generations behind and seven generations forward and just, like, make sure you're keeping the land and the world as a safe, viable place for the generations to come." But with so much of Western culture not subscribing to this belief system, saving this planet could prove difficult, if not impossible, many indigenous activists fear. Luckily, Pourier is hopeful, when it comes to seeing that shift take hold in society. "Honestly, I think it's kind of already starting to happen," she says. That's because, as Pourier sees it, the "only" communities being obviously affected by climate change up until pretty recently were indigenous or coastal or poor. Now, she says, the "richer, more developed" regions and countries are being clearly disrupted. "We're seeing these devastating fires here. We're seeing these floods," she says. "And I think people are starting to realize that climate change is an everybody issue not just something, you know, you turn on the news and hear about. It's something that we all have to come together for. And I do think people are starting to understand that." She also believes the obviousness of the situation is whats driving some climate deniers. "I think that's a reason why others are really buckling down and trying to say that it isn't an issue trying to keep the status quo," the activist explains. "Because the second we, as a whole, acknowledge how detrimental climate change is to our survival," we'll have to truly change our ways, which will also be the moment "that a lot of systems change," specifically "capitalistic, money-driven sort of systems," she says. "And I think that scares a lot of people." But for Pourier, who is double majoring in creative writing and strategic communications in school, her activism will continue to be at center stage for the sake of climate justice something she believes is worth fighting for, as it's "at the intersection of so many issues affecting everybody in the world." She explains, "It's not just extreme weather events. It's not just like our ozone and pollution and things like that. It's so many other things ... including missing and murdered Indigenous women." It's why climate justice, to her, is the future. "It's the future for my baby niece and my baby nephew, and it's hope for all these other generations," she says. "And it's hope that, you know, for my generation, all our hard work is going to pay off, and our voices will be heard." Find all of Yahoo Life's Earth Day profiles here. Video produced by Olivia Schneider: Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. WASHINGTON President Biden announced another $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, as Russia began what could be a decisive offensive in the Donbas region. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes the second phase of the war will be more favorable to Russia than the initial invasion, launched in late February. Putin has failed to achieve his grand ambitions on the battlefield, Biden said Thursday, as he prepared to leave Washington for a trip to the Pacific Northwest. He praised the Ukrainian military for having beat back Putins savagery in the battle for Kyiv, which Russian generals told Putin they would win easily. Instead, the battle for Ukraines capital turned out to be what Biden called a historic victory for the Ukrainians. President Biden comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. (Evan Vucci/AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that Russia has begun its offensive on the plains of the Donbas, where the Kremlin hopes to consolidate territorial gains first achieved in Russias invasion of Ukraine eight years ago. Biden predicted on Thursday that the fighting in the Donbas would be more limited in terms of geography, but not in terms of brutality, an assessment generally shared by military experts. He said the $800 million in new military aid would include 144,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as heavy artillery, howitzers and tactical drones, an apparent reference to the explosive Switchblade unmanned aerial systems. Putin will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine, Biden vowed. That will not happen. A prolonged occupation, however, would be to Russias advantage, turning Ukraine into an image of Chechnya, the breakaway Islamic republic that Putin invaded in one of his first major acts as prime minister in 1999. The fighting there was ruthless, and the ensuing occupation prolonged. By the time Russian forces finally withdrew in 2009, the dreams of a free Chechnya were dead. Biden promised that support for Ukraine would be unwavering. Putin is banking on us losing interest, he said, adding a few moments later that Ukraines allies in the West will not lessen our resolve. In order to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption, Biden said he will ask Congress next week for additional funds to help Ukraine. He also announced $500 million in nonmilitary aid to Kyiv, as well as an expedited program for refugees from the war-ravaged nation seeking to enter the United States. The president also said Russian ships would be prevented from docking at American ports. _____ How are Ukrainian forces taking out so many Russian tanks? Use this embed to learn about some of the weapons systems the U.S. is sending to the Ukrainian army. WASHINGTON (AP) President Biden is set to announce plans to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine. The new package is expected to be similar in size to the $800 million package Biden announced last week. It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. A senior U.S. defense official on Wednesday said training of Ukrainian personnel on American 155mm howitzers has begun in a European country outside Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday lauded U.S. military officials for exceptional work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation's military brass for their first in-person group meeting at the White House of his presidency. It's an annual tradition that had been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic but is now being resurrected as the U.S. arms Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia's invasion. I dont know about you, but Ive been to Ukraine a number of times before the war ... and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: Theyre tougher and more proud than I thought, Biden told military commanders. "Im amazed at what theyre doing with your help. President Joe Biden listens during a meeting with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and other military leaders in the Cabinet Room the White House, Wednesday, April 20, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Biden brought together the Pentagons top civilian and uniformed officials amid the most serious fighting in Europe since World War II. Russias nearly two-month-old invasion of Ukraine was at the center of wide-ranging talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commanders. Biden also used the gathering to reflect on his administration's efforts to diversify Pentagon leadership. Hicks is the first Senate-confirmed woman to hold her role. Biden also chose Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost of the Air Force as commander of United States Transportation Command and Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson of the Army as commander of United States Southern Command. They are just the second and third women to lead combatant commands. Its an important milestone," Biden said. I think that speaks to how were harnessing the strength and diversity of our country. Following the meeting, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the military leaders and their spouses for dinner in the White House Blue Room. Such a gathering was last held in October 2019. Donald Trump was president at the time and was facing a House inquiry that would lead to his first impeachment, which centered on allegations that he withheld military assistance from Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure Zelenskyy to dig up dirt on Biden's adult son's business dealings in Ukraine. Nearly two months after announcing that the U.S. would welcome 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, President Biden on Wednesday unveiled a plan to make that happen. Today Im announcing a new program to enable Ukrainians seeking refuge to come directly from Europe to the U.S., Biden said during a speech from the Oval Office. The program, named Uniting for Ukraine, is aimed at making it easier for Ukrainian nationals with family or friends in the U.S. to apply for temporary resettlement. In order to be eligible, applicants must have been residents of Ukraine as of Feb. 11, 2022, and have a sponsor in the United States. They must also complete vaccination and other public health requirements and pass various security screenings. Volunteers welcome Ukrainian refugees at the airport in Tijuana, Mexico, on April 8 to help them on their journey to the United States. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) According to the Department of Homeland Security, which will be in charge of facilitating the program, any U.S.-based individual, including representatives of nongovernment organizations, can sponsor Ukrainians applying for humanitarian parole, as long as they provide a declaration of financial support and pass background checks to prevent exploitation and abuse. Starting April 25, people in the U.S. whove identified specific Ukrainian nationals theyd like to sponsor will be able to begin the application process by uploading an affidavit to an online portal on the DHS website. Though most applicants are expected to be sponsored by family or friends, the program allows for organizations such as churches and other nonprofits to help identify and connect potential U.S. sponsors with Ukrainians in need. Once both the Ukrainian applicants and their U.S.-based sponsors have met all the vetting and public health requirements, those who are approved will receive authorization to travel to the U.S. and will be considered for parole for up to two years, during which they will be eligible for work authorization. A senior DHS official told reporters Wednesday that if Ukrainians and their U.S.-based sponsors provide all the required information, the application process could take about a week to complete. Sasha, a Ukrainian seeking asylum in the U.S., displays her passport as she waits to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana on April 5. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) More than 5 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian military invaded the country on Feb. 24, according to the United Nations. Though the vast majority have gone to Poland and other neighboring countries in Europe, large numbers of Ukrainians have also begun traveling to Mexico in an effort to make their way to the U.S. On Wednesday, the senior DHS official told reporters that U.S. immigration officials have processed close to 15,000 Ukrainian nationals over the last three months, most of whom entered the country from Mexico. This program will be fast, it will be streamlined and will ensure the U.S. honors its commitment to the people of Ukraine, Biden said Wednesday. Crucially, he added, the program will ensure that those fleeing Ukraine need not go through our southern border. A Ukrainian seeking asylum pulls a child on luggage as people wait to cross the border in Tijuana on April 6. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Though most other migrants continue to be turned away at the border under a pandemic-era public health order known as Title 42, DHS issued guidance back in March encouraging U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to grant exemptions to the policy for Ukrainians seeking refuge. But the DHS official said Wednesday that that earlier guidance will effectively be rescinded on April 25. There will be no different process for Ukrainian nationals who travel to Mexico, the official said. We encourage all Ukrainian nationals seeking to come to the U.S. to remain in Europe and take advantage of this program. The DHS official added that Ukrainians who are already in Mexico may also be able to apply for parole through the Uniting for Ukraine program, but noted that the required vaccinations may be more difficult to obtain in Mexico. The U.S. will not be facilitating those inoculations. Travelers to Mexico will get no advantage under this process, the official emphasized. Ukrainians at the El Chaparral port of entry in Tijuana on their way to enter the United States on April 6. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) While administration officials said they expect the new parole program to serve a majority of the 100,000 Ukrainians the U.S. has promised to admit, they noted that some of those fleeing the war there, including LGBTQ individuals, religious minorities and refugees from other countries, are in need of more permanent protections. In addition to the Uniting for Ukraine program, the State Department announced a series of measures to expand refugee resettlement operations for members of those particularly vulnerable populations. Passengers walk through Terminal 4 at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Despite recent changes at the federal level, Los Angeles County is continuing to require travelers to mask up when aboard public transit or in indoor transportation hubs such as airports. The new health officer order, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, means the nation's most populous county again has face-covering rules that go beyond those set by the state. On Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health unveiled its own updated guidance that strongly recommends residents mask up when using public transit, though it's no longer required. L.A. Countys mask order covers commuter trains, subways, buses, taxis, Ubers and Lyfts; as well as indoor transportation hubs, including bus terminals, subway stations, seaports and other indoor port terminals, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. It applies to everyone ages 2 and older, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. The order affects Los Angeles International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport. Ferrer said she expects the Long Beach public health department, which operates independently of the county, to adopt a similar order. Pasadena, which also has its own public health agency, confirmed it will align with the county's mask-wearing rules. The local mask-wearing order applies to airline passengers once they disembark their plane and does not extend to people once they have boarded. Local transit agencies began announcing the return of mask orders on public transportation. Mask use became optional on the Metrolink commuter rail system Monday night and L.A. County's Metro system Tuesday, but mask wearing was again required starting Friday. In opting to maintain the mandate, Ferrer cited both the continued elevated level of coronavirus transmission countywide and a recent assessment from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that, "at this time, an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health." "That resonates with us," Ferrer told reporters during a briefing Thursday. "We think and agree that public transit settings ... and public transportation hubs that are indoors are places where, A) There's a lot of mingling; B) They're often crowded; and C) In some of those settings, it's really hard to have adequate ventilation. "As soon as CDC determined that it was important to keep this masking requirement in place, we went ahead and aligned with the CDC," she added. The CDC had intended to keep the federal mask order on public transportation systems such as buses, trains and airplanes in place at least until May 3, pending further review of increasing coronavirus cases nationally. But that timeline was upended by a court ruling striking down the mandate earlier this week. The Justice Department has since moved to appeal the decision. Ferrer said this latest health order is not meant as a precursor to the reinstitution of broader mask mandates, such as in schools or other indoor public settings. She did, however, acknowledge that some residents may feel a touch of whiplash as many airlines, transit systems and commuting companies, including Uber and Lyft, announced they would lift masking requirements for passengers following the court ruling. "I think it's important to note that the CDC did not change their requirements/recommendation, their guidance," Ferrer said. "A judge, a federal judge with little experience in public health, actually determined that and questioned ... whether CDC had the authority to issue that regulation." L.A. County is not the first local entity to require mask use on public transit in the aftermath of Mondays federal court ruling. On Tuesday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the mask mandate would remain in effect at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York City, based on local public health guidance. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that masks are still required on New York Citys subway and bus system, in accordance with recommendations from public health officials. The transit agency that serves Milwaukee County in Wisconsin has also retained a mask-wearing order on its bus system. Officials acknowledge it's not ideal to have local orders at odds with other areas of the country but blamed the mismatch of masking policies on the judicial action. While it would be much [more] preferable to have as the CDC had previously mandated a requirement that covers the entire country until the legal challenges are addressed, its important that local jurisdictions take direction from the CDC on what measures are needed to protect the public health, Ferrer said. This was not a decision by the federal government that masks were no longer needed in very congested settings like public transit, our buses, in New York City, the subway. But it was overturned by the court for procedural reasons, Hochul said Wednesday. Ferrer also expressed concern about recent increases in the county's coronavirus case and test positivity rates. Over the last week, L.A. County averaged 1,262 new cases a day, more than double the rate recorded a month ago. The coronavirus positivity rate also has increased to about 2% in recent days; two weeks ago, the positivity rate was about 1%. An additional point of concern is the rapidly spreading BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron variant in L.A. County, which now dominates sequenced coronavirus cases. The latest case rate is equivalent to 87 cases a week for every 100,000 residents, meaning the county is seeing a substantial level of coronavirus transmission. L.A. County would need to drop to a rate of fewer than 50 cases a week for every 100,000 residents, or fewer than 730 cases a day, to return to a moderate level of transmission. Ferrer said the county order will be reassessed when community transmission falls back to the moderate level, when the CDC determines transit masking is no longer necessary, or in 30 days, whichever happens first. "While many of us would like to be at a place where masking is no longer necessary, with substantial transmission and a more infectious variant, one of the easiest things we can do to prevent infection is to wear a well-fitting mask or respirator," she said. Ferrer added that the county will continue to employ an education-emphasis approach to promote compliance, rather than heavy-handed enforcement. "Our experience to date is that the vast majority of people follow these sensible rules. They take to heart the fact that these are put in place so that we can go on with the business of protecting each other and keeping each other safe, keeping the workforce safe," she said. "But as always, we anticipate that there will be small numbers of people that aren't going to be following the rules." State health officials, too, are continuing to tout the benefits afforded by masking particularly in settings such as public transit. However, unlike L.A. County, the California Department of Public Health is opting for a recommendation when it comes to face coverings, rather than a requirement. Going forward, California will strongly recommend masks on all public transportation and in transit hubs, including bus and train stations, ferry terminals and airports," Dr. Tomas Aragon, the state health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement to The Times. "These crowded settings should be considered high risk and may often not have adequate ventilation." He emphasized that "masks, along with vaccines, are an effective and important layer of protection against COVID-19," and said the state continues "to monitor federal action on this issue and will announce any additional changes to state policies as needed. Public transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area formally dropped their mask requirements Wednesday but also continue to suggest wearing face coverings. The board governing the BART commuter rail system, however, will consider reinstating a mask mandate at a meeting April 28. COVID cases are rising again, and we must keep riders safe, especially folks who are immunocompromised or who are under 5 and not yet eligible to get vaccinated, tweeted BART board President Rebecca Saltzman. Coronavirus cases are rising nationally, up from 27,000 to 41,000 cases a day over the last two weeks. New daily coronavirus-positive hospitalizations nationally are still among the lowest levels since recordkeeping began but are starting to increase, and are up 7% over the prior week. Scientists are closely watching the latest highly contagious Omicron subvariant, BA.2.12.1, which is believed to be 25% more contagious than its parent subvariant, BA.2. The newest subvariant already accounts for more than half the new coronavirus cases in New York and New Jersey. BA.2.12.1 has been detected in Los Angeles County, Ferrer said. Between March 27 and April 2, that subvariant accounted for 6% of analyzed cases in L.A. County. While cheered in certain circles, the sudden striking of the federal mask order sparked concern from some experts who didnt support the timing or the fact that the decision was made by a judge rather than public health officials. The absence of the mask order also presents additional challenges for many medically vulnerable people and their families who are now left worrying about whether to go through with plane trips or how to navigate other public transportation options. We have fought so hard for the right to exist in our community, and now to have these mask mandates fall, which will make it even harder for us to do so, is just infuriating, said Maria Town, president and chief executive of the American Assn. of People With Disabilities. Times staff writers Rachel Uranga and Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Johnny Depp testifies in court Wednesday. (Evelyn Hockstein / Pool via Associated Press) On the witness stand Wednesday, Johnny Depp went into detail about his opiate detox and the violent argument with fellow actor Amber Heard that allegedly left him without part of the middle finger on his right hand. Depp is suing his ex-wife for defamation, seeking $50 million after she described herself as a victim of physical abuse in a Washington Post essay. Heard has countersued, also for defamation, seeking $100 million. The civil trial, which started last week, is being held in Virginia, where servers for the newspaper's website are located. The trial, which is being broadcast live on Court TV, has featured witnesses supporting Depp's side of the case, including the actor himself. Cross-examination of Depp began late Wednesday, and Heard's witnesses will appear in the next phase of the trial. In his second day of testimony, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star departed from Tuesday's tales of his chaotic childhood and moved on to his life and volatile relationship with Heard. He continued with his long, sometimes rambling answers, delivered deliberately and slowly. It appears that Depps lawyers are letting him tell his story in his own way," attorney Rachel Fiset told The Times Wednesday. "He is providing long narratives to extremely open-ended questions. It appears that the strategy is for him to relate to the jury in a way that allows them to really get to know him." Fiset, managing partner of the L.A.-based law firm Zweiback, Fiset & Coleman, said attorneys usually seek more control over their witnesses, as detailed answers tend to give more fodder for the other side. But Depp's attorneys are giving him the freedom to say what he wants in a way that looks less legal," she said. "If this approach could work for anyone, it would be a superstar like Johnny Depp." Most dramatic in the actor's morning appearance was his story about a 2015 fight in Australia, where he was shooting the fifth "Pirates" movie. The altercation was sparked by Depp sending a lawyer to talk to Heard in L.A. about a post-nuptial agreement shortly after they were married, he said. When Heard arrived from L.A., Depp said, she told him the attorney had been rude and had laughed at her after she insisted her husband knew nothing about the legal papers she was being shown. Those comments, Depp said, "put her into a tailspin." "She could not let go of the fact that I was 'in' on this post-nuptial agreement and I was trying to trick her into essentially getting nothing if something were to happen ...," he said. "All I could do was try to calm her down and say I was not out to screw her over or put her into a position that was uncomfortable." But he alleged the situation quickly "turned into madness. Chaos. Violence." Amber Heard talks to her attorneys in the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., on Wednesday. (Evelyn Hockstein / Pool via Associated Press) Depp described Heard as "irate" and "possessed" and said he tried to remove himself from the situation, ultimately locking himself into nine bedrooms and bathrooms in the house where he was staying as she pounded on the doors and hurled insults at him. Finally, he said, he heard her walk away. Depp then went to the house's rec room, which had a bar, he said. After what he called months of sobriety, he grabbed a bottle of vodka and poured himself two or three shots. Heard came into the room and started screaming that he was drinking again, then grabbed the bottle and "hurled it" at him, missing his head, he alleged. Depp then grabbed a larger bottle of vodka and poured himself a shot, he said. "She threw the large bottle and it made contact," he said, gesturing toward his right hand, "and shattered everywhere. I honestly didn't feel the pain at first ... I felt heat and I felt as if something were dripping down my hand. Then I looked down and realized that the tip of my finger had been severed and I was looking directly at my bones sticking out and the meaty portion of the inside of [my] finger." Depp added, "I don't know what a nervous breakdown feels like, but that was probably the closest I've ever been. Nothing made sense. I knew in my mind and in my heart, this is not life. This is not life. No one should have to go through this." At that point, he said, he started using his bloody finger to write things on the walls: "Little reminders from our past that essentially represented lies that she had told me and lies that I had caught her in." He said he then hid in a bathroom and texted his doctor. After looking emotionless for her ex's previous testimony, Heard appeared to be fighting back emotions as she listened to Depp tell his version of their interaction. Depp and his employees, including a nurse who had helped with his detox, tended to the wound, he said, and looked for his finger. At the emergency room, he lied to the doctor about what had happened, he said, so as not to implicate Heard. Depp said he had asked his team to get his wife on a flight back to L.A. "I didn't want to see her. I didn't want to have any more arguments," he said. "I was, for all intents and purposes I was just done." In court, Depp then looked at a photo of himself that had been taken in the emergency room and smiled slightly as he noticed a detail he said he had forgotten: "Ms. Heard had taken my cigarette from the ashtray and stubbed it out on my face, here." He indicated a spot on the photo, which was not shown on the courtroom camera. Depp's team also introduced a photo of the actor, which he said was taken after he got a "roundhouse punch" from Heard. The photo, which was shown on camera, shows red marks on Depp's cheekbone and was taken soon after the couple returned to L.A after surgery on his hand, he said. Depp said the "Pirates" team had to use CGI to insert a "real finger" into the film, as he eventually finished shooting after undergoing surgery on his hand back in L.A. and was bandaged up. He said he used no opiates during his recovery, which apparently included a bout with MRSA, a drug-resistant bacteria. Court then broke for lunch. Before describing the drama in Australia, Depp had gone into detail about his struggle to detox from the opiate Roxicodone while on his private island with his doctor, his nurse and his then-wife. He said Heard was not helpful and deprived him of medications when he needed them medications that would have made withdrawal less painful. He said he ultimately went home, put her and her friends up in a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and detoxed over five days under medical supervision at home, without any additional drugs to help. He also talked about why he stayed with Heard, despite their arguments. "I stayed because of course I didn't want to fail. I didn't want to hurt anyone, especially Ms. Heard. I didn't want to break her heart," Depp said. "I remember when my father left, my mother's suicide [attempt], waking up to that it was a direct result of my father leaving. Ms. Heard had talked about suicide before." Fiset, the attorney, said Depp might soon find himself in trouble in court. The issue will be on cross-exam where he is put on the spot and led," she said. "He has provided so much information that it opens him up to a lot of leading questions that may make him look less credible. Cross-examination did begin late Wednesday, with Heard attorney Benjamin Rottenborn zooming in on the fact that Depp seemed to be complaining more about events that happened before Heard's article was published, not about things the article itself said. Under questioning, Depp admitted that he would not work for Disney again under any circumstances, after saying earlier in the day that Disney had released him from his recurring "Pirates of the Caribbean" role shortly after Heard's piece was published. Rottenborn asked him if he was aware of an article published months earlier by the Daily Mail that speculated Disney had cut him loose already. Depp said he was not aware of it. "You never fought the allegations [of domestic violence] in court back in 2016, did you?," the attorney asked. "It was only after Ms. Heard published this op-ed in 2018 that you fought them. You never tried to fight them in 2016." Depp said he'd been advised by his attorneys not to fight the statements at the time. Rottenborn then brought Depp's attention to his signature on a document that was part of his divorce settlement, in which he agreed to the terms of the joint statement the former couple released when they split. The statement included the phrase, "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain." Depp had said in his earlier testimony that he "wasn't given much of a choice" but to agree to the joint statement. Because of the ongoing litigation, obtaining a statement from Heard was not possible Wednesday. Cross-examination of Depp is expected to continue Thursday morning. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Top Putin ally says Russia will capture Mariupol on Thursday Local residents walk past a destroyed apartment building in Mariupol By Natalia Zinets (Reuters) - Russian forces said they will seize the Mariupol steel plant that is the last main stronghold of resistance in the besieged city on Thursday after Ukraine proposed talks on evacuating troops and civilians there. Mariupol would be the biggest city to be seized by Russia since invading Ukraine eight weeks ago in an attack that has taken longer than some military analysts expected, seen over five million people flee abroad and turned towns and cities to rubble. "Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation," Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia's republic of Chechnya, whose forces have been fighting in Ukraine, said of the steel plant. Ukraine's defence ministry was not immediately available for comment. A few dozen civilians managed to leave the strategically important southeastern port on Wednesday in a small bus convoy, according to Reuters witnesses, escaping the fiercest battle of the war. A Ukrainian marine commander, Serhiy Volny, said on Wednesday fighters at the steel works may not be able to hold out for much longer. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said an estimated 1,000 civilians are also sheltering there. Ukraine is ready for a "special round of negotiations" with no conditions "to save our guys, (the far right) Azov (battalion), military, civilians, children, the living and the wounded," negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. Fighters remain holed up in the plant and have ignored an ultimatum by Russia to surrender. David Arakhamia, a second negotiator, said in an online post that he and Podolyak were in constant contact with Ukrainian forces in the city. "Today, in a conversation with the city defenders, a proposal was put forward to hold direct negotiations, on site, on the evacuation of our military garrison," he said. "For our part, we are ready to arrive for such negotiations at any time as soon as we receive confirmation from the Russian side." Fewer civilians than hoped left on Wednesday, according to the authorities. Ukraine said it had so far held off an assault by thousands of Russian troops attempting to advance in what Kyiv calls the Battle of the Donbas, a new campaign to seize two eastern provinces Moscow claims on behalf of separatists. Russia's forces had carried out strikes on dozens of military facilities in eastern Ukraine and had shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter near the village of Koroviy Yar, its defence ministry said. On Wednesday, Russia conducted a first test launch of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, a new and long-awaited addition to its nuclear arsenal. "This truly unique weapon will ... provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country," President Vladimir Putin said. Russia calls its incursion a "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext. The West has responded with a slew of sanctions. The United States on Wednesday imposed restrictions on dozens of people and entities, including a commercial bank and a virtual currency mining company, targeting the evasion of existing rules. BILLOWING CLOUDS OF SMOKE Mariupol, once a prosperous city of 400,000, is now a wasteland where corpses lie in the streets and Russia was hitting the Azovstal steel plant with bunker-buster bombs, the government in Kyiv said. Large black clouds of smoke billowed from there on Wednesday as evacuees queued to get onto buses. Pensioner Tamara, 64, said she was going to stay with her sister in Zaporizhzhia. She was leaving the city with her husband, daughter, son-in-law and grandson. "It is a pleasure ... to leave after this nightmare. We lived in basements for 30 days," she said tearfully. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk accused Russian forces of failing to observe a local ceasefire agreement long enough to allow large numbers of people to leave. Russia did not immediately respond to the allegation. It denies targeting civilians and has blamed Ukraine for the failure of earlier attempts to organise humanitarian corridors out of Mariupol. The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment in Mariupol, Svyatoslav Kalamar, said several bunkers under the plant still held about 80-100 civilians each. Just five people in Mariupol had surrendered following Moscow's 2 p.m. (1100 GMT) surrender-or-die ultimatum, Russian-backed separatists said. Ukraine has proposed swapping Russian prisoners of war in exchange for safe passage for trapped civilians and soldiers. If Russia captured Mariupol it would link territory held by pro-Russian separatists in the east with the Crimea region that Moscow annexed in 2014. Moscow was forced to retreat from northern Ukraine after an assault on Kyiv was repelled last month, but has poured troops back in for an assault on the east that began this week. Putin says Ukraine mistreated Russian speakers in the Donbas, an accusation Kyiv dismisses as false. Russia was focusing on advancing towards the strategically important Donbas city of Sloviansk, but "so far they are not succeeding", Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych said. Meanwhile, peace negotiations have stalled. The Kremlin accused Kyiv on Wednesday of delaying the talks and changing its positions. Kyiv accuses Moscow of blocking talks by refusing humanitarian ceasefires. (Reporting by Reuters journalists; Writing by Costas Pitas; Editing by Grant McCool) WASHINGTON You have to wear a mask indoors in Philadelphia, but on an airplane that takes off from Philadelphia International Airport, you are welcome to go mask-free. In San Francisco, you have to wear a mask on BART trains, but not Muni buses. Uber dropped its masking requirement for riders, but New York City has its own superseding mandate for taxis and ride-share vehicles. You dont have to wear a mask if youre watching the Brooklyn Nets play at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but your 4-year-old has to wear a mask inside her Park Slope nursery three blocks away. The inconsistent and shifting rules have further fatigued an already exhausted nation. Even with the pandemic seemingly on the wane, the United States appears to have reached peak mask confusion, after months of competing lawsuits and guidances, protests and counterprotests, warnings, recriminations, condemnations and pleas. The potential final blow came on Monday, when a Republican federal judge in Florida, Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance requiring masks on public transportation, as well as airplanes and trains. A discarded surgical mask on the sidewalk in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Aside from the ever-shifting government mask requirements, many businesses have imposed their own policies. The we-are-all-in-this-together ethos of 2020 has devolved into an ideological patchwork that can vary from one business to another on the same city block. Sorting out whether to wear a mask on an airplane (or anywhere else) is an unbelievably complex decision, Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told Yahoo News in an email. That decision requires one to weigh individual risks (of contracting covid, of actually getting sick from it), vaccine status, immune status, whether youve already had covid, risks of Long Covid, whether you live with vulnerable people, the amount of Covid in the region (and the fact that an airplane is a mixture of people from a variety of regions) and the airflow on the plane. It would be shocking, he wrote, if this werent massively confusing! The chaos is likely to only worsen, with the federal government set to appeal the Florida decision. If that appeal is successful, passengers could suddenly be asked to don their face coverings once again. Asked if people should continue to wear masks on transit despite the Florida decision, President Biden had little to say. Thats up to them, he told a reporter during a visit to New Hampshire. His administration later had to clarify the remark. The travel rule had been the last vestige of anything resembling a national mask policy, given how quickly state and local mask rules had fallen away in the first three months of 2022. Now, outside of a few local governments Philadelphias being the largest significant mask mandates are becoming vanishingly rare, even as some public health officials say it is far too soon to unmask, regardless of what the courts say or the airlines want. A sign asks people to wear masks in a train station in Philadelphia on April 15. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Economic and political interests have repeatedly prevailed over scientific evidence in the CDCs decision making, says Dartmouth public health policy expert Anne Sosin, who believes that the agencys easing of masking guidelines in late February was an effective signal that face coverings were falling out of favor. Politicians and public health officials had been arguing about masks since early 2020. Since the Biden administration began imposing mandates in 2021, judges like Mizelle have also joined the fray, thus only adding more tension to an already tense debate. At the middle of it all has been the White House, whose promises to listen to the science have been frustrated at regular intervals. Showing little enthusiasm for resuming the mask wars, a weary White House nevertheless found it back into the breach this week. As the president traveled to New Hampshire on Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki challenged the notion that Tuesdays ruling had caught the administration off guard, leaving it without a coherent message on masking yet again. I would dispute the notion that people are confused, Psaki said. We are here to alleviate their confusion, right? She noted that everyone aboard Air Force One at the time was masked. Having already lost several court decisions regarding vaccine mandates, the Justice Department said it would wait for the CDC to decide whether Mizelles ruling was worth appealing. On Thursday, the CDC said that, yes, an appeal was necessary, in order to protect CDCs public health authority for future emergencies. White House press secretary Jen Psaki during the daily briefing on Wednesday. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Restoring the mandate will be difficult, in part because the conservative 11th Circuit will hear the argument, but also because the CDC itself has downplayed masking since late February. Since the CDC issued its revised guidelines, which rely more on hospitalizations than on infection rates, much of the country has seen its risk levels drop, thanks to what amounted to a formula tweak. Polls show Americans divided over masking but somewhat narrowly favoring the practice. Yet nobody could possibly be in favor of the competing and often contradictory messages that have emanated from federal, state and local leaders. The CDC could have allowed the travel mandate to expire, but with the BA.2 variant on the rise, the agency opted for a two-week extension. Mondays decision thus came as a glancing blow, one that an expired order would have obviated, since there would be no mask order to enjoin. Others say the focus on masks has been misguided, given that better methods of both individual and collective protection are available. I feel badly for people that we have messaged masks so terribly in the U.S., because it has created a lot of confusion, fear and distrust, Washington, D.C., physician Lucy McBride told Yahoo News. We have evangelized mask wearing and mandates at the expense of focusing on vaccination, ventilation and vigilance in protecting our highest-risk patients and populations. Almost from the start, masking has been endowed with a high degree of symbolism. For pro-Trump elements of the right, mask requirements have long been a symbol of tyranny and misguided fealty to the science. For many progressives, masks have become a symbol of communitarian values and regard for public safety. Protesters gather outside the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District office in California in January to speak out against mask mandates. (Mindy Schauer/MediaNewsGroup/Orange County Register via Getty Images) The judges decision striking down the travel mandate, accordingly, proved instantaneously divisive, reinvigorating a mask debate that had been relegated to the background, even as the BA.2 subvariant continued to gain traction in the Northeast and elsewhere. Mizelles relative youth (she is 35) and conservative politics (she was appointed during the Trump administration) gave further ammunition to her critics. Travel was about to become a MAGA nightmare, warned Georgetown professor Lawrence Gostin. Mizelles decision hinged on the word sanitation, which she argued the CDC had interpreted so broadly as to deem passengers worthy or not of travel depending on whether they were willing to mask. Even so, Mizelle agreed that masking would decrease the serious illness and death that COVID-19 occasions, an acknowledgment that seemed to only further infuriate critics of her ruling. People with prior conditions like cancer or autoimmune disease felt especially stung by the shift. It's incredibly isolating to be immunocompromised/disabled right now, Wisconsin-based voting rights attorney David Kronig wrote on Twitter. We see ppl celebrating the end of public health policies that make more of the world accessible to us, and it hurts. Each time mask or vax requirements are lifted, our worlds constrict, and few seem to care. The capacity for empathy erodes over time, and some were simply glad to show their faces again. This is the most important announcement Ive ever made, an Alaska Airlines pilot told passengers midflight, shortly after the judges ruling. The federal mask mandate is over. Take off your mask if you choose! People cheered, clapped and, yes, took off their masks. Travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., in November 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Airplanes are safe, experts said, because of the frequency with which cabin air is filtered, but the filters dont begin to function until takeoff. Ventilation matters, but so does vaccination. Then there are buses, trains and ride shares, where masks have been the norm. For two years, it was all about people being told what they had to do, former Baltimore Public Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen told Yahoo News. But just because the government is not requiring you to mask doesn't mean that you shouldn't mask. The focus has shifted from top-down government mandates to individual decision making. Wen is an advocate of one-way masking, in which people can make the decision to protect themselves with an effective mask, even if fellow passengers decline to do so. Unsatisfying and fraught as one-way masking could be, it is likely to become the reality for Americans seeking an additional layer of protection. If you are going to wear a mask, make sure to wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask ideally an N95 or equivalent (KN95, KF94), she told Yahoo News in an email. Its an imperfect solution, but given the messy state of masking in the United States, it may just have to do. _____ How are vaccination rates affecting the latest COVID surge? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. Rick Caruso fields questions from the media in February, when he jumped into the mayoral campaign. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Im so sick of Rick Caruso. Every time I turn on the TV or glance at social media, I find him staring out at me. I never liked him or retweeted him or clicked to buy one of his tote bags. So why is he hounding me? But there he is, the mall-developer-turned-mayoral candidate, bombarding me and the rest of Los Angeles, presumably with one slick ad after another, dispensing the usual bromides about cleaning up crime, homelessness and corruption until were all hearing his promises in our sleep. Thats what you can do when you have a fortune estimated at $4.3 billion: Waltz into the campaign at the last minute and beat your message into the heads of voters who didnt ask to hear it, in the long tradition of mega-rich candidates like Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, Mike Bloomberg, Jon Corzine, Donald Trump and Tom Steyer. Some people dont believe that sort of thing works. But its often remarkably effective. Caruso had the support of 8% of the electorate in February, polls showed. Then he spent about $10 million on digital and television advertising and lo and behold, as of last week, he has 24% support, putting him neck and neck with the other leading candidate in the June primary, Rep. Karen Bass. For each vote that moved his way, Caruso spent about $153 by my back-of-the-envelope calculation, assuming the polls are right and turnout is about the same as last time. Its not fair. Its not democratic. Big money distorts the race and gives special, unmerited advantages to wealthy candidates. But thats our system. Caruso is allowed to spend as much of his own enormous fortune as he chooses on his campaign. All $4.3 billion, if he wants. Thats been the law for nearly half a century since the Supreme Court decided a case called Buckley vs. Valeo in 1976. That decision which in effect declared that rich people have a constitutional right to buy their way into public office is less well known than the Supreme Courts 2010 decision in Citizens United, but it is in many ways the courts original sin on campaign finance. It dates back to the era just after the Watergate scandal. Congress was trying to clean up campaign finance corruption that had helped bring down President Nixon. But the law Congress passed didnt meet with the approval of the court, which struck down key sections. The justices held that while it was legal to limit what donors may contribute to a campaign, because that can pose a real danger of corruption, it is unconstitutional to limit what candidates may spend. Any spending restriction at all would constitute an infringement on the candidates freedom of speech, the court decided, because it would restrain the quantity of speech the candidate could engage in. With Buckley vs. Valeo, the court opened the floodgates to unlimited independent expenditures and at the same time sent a clear message to super-wealthy people that they could buy their way to electoral victory. The decision made the United States an outlier. Were the only advanced democracy unlike, say, Canada or most Western European countries that allows unlimited campaign spending, says Daniel Weiner, co-director of the election and government program at the Brennan Center for Justice. Many of those countries have robust public financing systems in which taxpayer dollars cover campaign costs. The Buckley decision took a set of 1st Amendment doctrines which had been used to protect dissenters and the least powerful and harnessed them instead to guarantee a megaphone for the most powerful interests, says Weiner. Buckley creates an uneven playing field. It tends to benefit rich white elites. It helps incumbents. It drives up the cost of elections. In 2020, the total cost of federal elections was close to $14 billion, according to the Center for Responsive Politics more than twice as much as the 2016 cycle. According to fivethirtyeight.com, more than 90% of candidates who outspend their opponents win their races. Ellen Weintraub, a member of the Federal Election Commission, argues that Buckley gets the argument backward. Failing to limit spending, she says, is what really restricts speech because all that money being spent drowns out lesser-financed candidates, denying voters the chance to hear and weigh all arguments. Buckley also forces less-wealthy candidates to raise even more money from special interest donors if they hope to compete. I have no beef with Rick Caruso. I have no reason to doubt that he is well-meaning, intelligent and competent. But I find it offensive that he can bypass L.A.s public financing system and radically outspend his opponents, many of whom have been campaigning diligently for months. I confess to taking a certain satisfaction when voters send wealthy candidates like Caruso packing, as California voters did to Fiorina, Whitman and Al Checchi. As for the Buckley decision, it is unlikely to be overturned any time soon. But lets keep hoping. As Canada and other countries have shown, there are ways to write campaign finance laws that allow for a fair and level playing field without damaging free speech rights. Thats because money isnt speech, and limiting candidates spending in order to protect election integrity won't stop debates, speeches, tweets, rallies or the airing of a reasonable number of ads. In 1985, Justice Byron White wrote in a dissent: The 1st Amendment protects the right to speak, not to spend. In 2006, Justice John Paul Stevens wrote: I am convinced that Buckleys holding on expenditure limits is wrong, and that the time has come to overrule it. The Buckley decision was wrong when it was written and is still wrong today. Perhaps the full court will eventually realize that. @Nick_Goldberg This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- "China is in right direction with its present policy and action to contain the corona infection," said Muzaherul Huq, former Southeast Asia Region adviser at the World Health Organization (WHO). Early detection and early management with isolation of the contaminated cases are crucial, the medical professor told Xinhua in a recent interview. Cutting off the source and contamination with early treatment provided to the infected persons is most effective, he noted as several parts of China are battling a COVID-19 resurgence attributable to the Omicron variant. In the face of this grave situation, Chinese authorities said it is the need of the hour for the world's most populous country to adhere to its dynamic zero-COVID policy. Referring to Shanghai's efforts to bring infection sources under control, cut off the transmission routes, and protect the vulnerable, he said this strategy has been proved effective in battles against Omicron, with attention given to the vulnerable population and senior population having other diseases or comorbidity. Wearing masks, sanitization and avoiding crowded places to maintain distance are additional measures for avoiding contamination, he said. Although the present situation is alarming, the strict measures China is adopting can be considered the right approach to containing the virus from spreading, said the former WHO expert. He said China has experience of successfully containing the coronavirus including the Omicron variant, which spreads faster and contaminates more people in a short span of time. "On the basis of the experience China is now taking right steps for its densely populated cities and around," he noted. As the Chinese society is strictly organized, people are supportive of the government measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as containing the pandemic, said the former director of the Center for Medical Education in Bangladesh, who thinks early detection and early management is very possible in the Chinese health system with the support of the public. The Chinese health system covers "all the people, particularly the most vulnerable as well as aged and comorbid patients," said the professor. Apart from this, vaccination is another big weapon against the infectious disease and China has got a wide vaccination coverage with its own products, he said. Huq expressed the hope that the present COVID-19 wave will not have any adverse effects on the Chinese economy and social life. "But containing it effectively within the shortest period is a must. The things to be seriously taken care of by the Chinese government is proper contact tracing and early management. People should also be involved and strictly follow health measures to protect them against the contamination of the virus," said the professor. "I do believe that with their experience, the Chinese government will soon contain the contamination and (the Chinese people) will be safe from the virus," he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged strategic city of Mariupol Thursday, even as he praised Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for the "liberation" of the city. "I believe the suggested attack at the industrial zone to be not necessary," Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. "I order for it to be called off." RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES "This is that case when we have to think- that is we always have to think but in this case it`s even more important - to think of saving lives and health of our soldiers and officers," Putin added. "One does not have to climb into these catacombs and crawl there underground around these industrial objects." "Block this industrial zone in such a way that even a fly could not fly through," the president ordered. Shoigu replied, "Yes." Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he holds a meeting of the Russia - Land of Opportunity platform supervisory board at the Catherine's Hall of the Kremlin in Moscow on April 20, 2022. Photo by Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / Sputnik / AFP) (Photo by MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images "Offer to all those who still did not lay down arms to do it," Putin added. "The Russian side guarantees life and dignified treatment to them in accordance with corresponding international legal acts. All of the wounded ones will receive qualified medical assistance." "Completion of military actions on liberation of Mariupol is a success," he added. "Congratulations." Previously, Soigu had told Putin, "As of today the whole Mariupol is under the control of Russian army, People`s militia of Donetsk People`s Republic and the territory of the plant Azovstal with the remainder of nationalists and foreign mercenaries has been reliably blocked." Early Wednesday, the commander of a Ukrainian Marine unit made an urgent last-ditch plea for Ukrainian women and children, along with wounded marines, sheltering in the Azovstal plant to be evacuated to a neutral third country as the Russian deadline to surrender Mariupol loomed. Moscow has given the Ukrainian forces several deadlines to surrender the plant and leave without their weapons. The latest expired at 2 p.m. Moscow time (11 a.m. GMT) on April 20. UKRAINIAN MARINE COMMANDER MAKES LAST-DITCH PLEA FOR EVACUATION FROM MARIUPOL The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works was once the site of one of the largest metallurgical factories in Europe, but since the onslaught of the war more than 50 days ago it has become a symbol of the citys resistance. The plants network of underground tunnels has become home to Mariupol residents seeking shelter from the barrage of shelling and a base for several military units. Despite weeks of intense shelling that has resulted in the death of more than 20,000 Mariupol residents according to Mayor Vadym Boychenko, Russian forces have been unable to take the strategically important city. An advisor to the Russian-backed separatist forces in the Donetsk region said the Azovstal tunnels were a leading contributor to Russias failed attempts to completely besiege the city, claiming that they could withstand "even [a] nuclear strike." Russia launched a full-scale offensive in eastern Ukraine this week, after pivoting from broad-based attacks across the country, including a massive assault on the capital of Kyiv. Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media. MARIUPOL CITY COUNCIL/via REUTERS Only four buses with civilians managed to escape Mariupol on Wednesday after several unsuccessful events, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. Late Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had liberated nearly 1,000 settlements Russian forces previously controlled earlier in the invasion. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged city of Mariupol on Thursday but instead to block it "so that not even a fly comes through. His defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, said the rest of the city beyond the sprawling Azovstal steel plant where Ukrainian forces were holed has been liberated as Russian officials refer to areas of Ukraine they have seized. Putin hailed that as a success. But leaving the plant in Ukrainian hands robs the Russians of the ability to declare complete victory in Mariupol, which has seen some of the most dramatic fighting of the war and whose capture has both strategic and symbolic importance. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point, and its definitive fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. Shoigu said the plant was securely blocked. Putin and Shoigus comments appeared to reflect a change in strategy in Mariupol, where the Russians previously seemed determined to take every last inch of the city. But it was not clear what it would mean in practical terms. Ukrainian officials did not comment on the latest remarks, but earlier said four buses with civilians managed to escape from the city after several unsuccessful attempts. Thousands more remain the city, much of which has been reduced to a smoking ruin in a nearly two-month siege, with over 20,000 people feared dead. Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol would be made Thursday though it was not clear how the latest comments would affect that. In this image provided by the European Council, European Council President Charles Michel, center, looks at destroyed vehicles as he is given a tour of the region of Borodyanka, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (Dario Pignatelli/European Council via AP) In Kyiv, Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Denmarks Mette Frederiksen became the latest European leaders to show support with a visit to the capital. They were due to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who warned in a video address overnight that the Russians were not abandoning their attempts to score at least some victory by launching a new, large-scale offensive. The West stands together to support the Ukrainian people, Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it submitted a draft of its demands for ending the war, and the West raced to supply Ukraine with heavier weapons to counter the Russians' new drive to seize the industrial east. Britain's Defense Ministry said in an assessment that Russia likely desires to demonstrate significant successes ahead of its annual May 9 Victory Day celebrations. This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date. As fears grew for the fate of civilians in Mariupol, the Kyiv regional police said Thursday that two mass graves with nine bodies were discovered in the city of Borodyanka, northwest of the capital. The findings added to thousands of civilians reported killed by Russian forces, who have been accused of wholesale abuses of Ukrainians. Head of the Kyiv regional police, Andriy Nebytov, said two women and a teenager were among the civilians killed by the Russian occupiers. I want to stress that these people are civilians. The Russian military deliberately shot civilians that didnt put up any resistance and didnt pose any threat, Nebytov said, adding that some of the victims were apparently tortured. With global tensions running high, Russia reported the first successful test launch of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. President Vladimir Putin boasted that it can overcome any missile defense system and make those who threaten Russia think twice." The head of the Russian state aerospace agency called the launch out of northern Russia a present to NATO. The Pentagon described the test as routine and said it wasn't considered a threat. On the battlefield, Ukraine said Moscow continued to mount assaults across the east, probing for weak points in Ukrainian defensive lines. Russia said it launched hundreds of missile and air attacks on targets that included concentrations of troops and vehicles. The Kremlin's stated goal is the capture of the Donbas, the mostly Russian-speaking eastern region that is home to coal mines, metal plants and heavy-equipment factories. Detaching it from the rest of Ukraine would give Putin a badly needed victory two months into the war, after the botched attempt to storm the capital, Kyiv. The U.K. Defense Ministry said Russian forces were advancing from staging areas in the Donbas toward Kramatorsk, which continues to suffer from persistent rocket attacks. Vova, 10, looks at the coffin carrying body of his mother, Maryna, as his father, Ivan Drahun, hugs him during her funeral in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Vova's mother died while they sheltered in a cold basement for more than a month during the Russian military's occupation. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) The Luhansk governor said Russian forces control 80% of his region, which is one of two that make up the Donbas. Before Russia invaded on Feb. 24, the Kyiv government controlled 60% of the Luhansk region. Gov. Serhiy Haidai said the Russians, after seizing the small city of Kreminna, are now threatening the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna. He urged all residents to evacuate immediately. The occupiers control only parts of these cities, unable to break through to the centers, Haidai said on the messaging app Telegram. Analysts have said the offensive in the east could become a war of attrition as Russia faces Ukraine's most experienced, battle-hardened troops, who have fought pro-Moscow separatists in the Donbas for eight years. Russia said it presented Ukraine with a draft document outlining its demands for ending the conflict days after Putin said the talks were at a dead end. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the ball is in their court, were waiting for a response. He gave no details on the draft, and it was not clear when it was sent or whether it offered anything new to the Ukrainians, who presented their own demands last month. Zelenskyy said he had not seen or heard of the proposal, though one of his top advisers said the Ukrainian side was reviewing it. Moscow has long demanded Ukraine drop any bid to join NATO. Ukraine has said it would agree to that in return for security guarantees from other countries. Other sources of tension include the status of both the Crimean Peninsula, seized by Moscow in 2014, and eastern Ukraine, where the separatists have declared independent republics recognized by Russia. Earlier this week, Ukraine said the Russians dropped heavy bombs to flatten what was left of the Azovstal steel plant . A few thousand Ukrainian troops, by the Russians estimate, remained in the plant and its labyrinth of tunnels and bunkers spread out across about 11 square kilometers (4 square miles). Zelenskyy said about 1,000 civilians were also trapped. Ukrainian soldiers walk on a destroyed bridge in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) A Ukrainian apparently in the plant posted a Facebook video urging world leaders to help evacuate people from the plant, saying, "We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children. The officer identified himself as Serhiy Volynskyy of the 36th Marine Brigade and warned: This may be our last appeal. We may have only a few days or hours left." The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. Russia has repeatedly issued ultimatums to the defenders to surrender, but the Ukrainians have ignored them. More than 100,000 people overall were believed trapped in Mariupol with little if any food, water, medicine or heat. The city's pre-war population was 400,000. A Zelenskyy adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without conditions to save the lives of trapped Mariupol defenders and civilians. There was no immediate response from Russia. Elsewhere, some residents of the eastern city of Kharkiv have lived in basements for weeks, trying to stay safe from Russian shelling. With no running water, gas or electricity, they collect rainwater and cook on open fires, burning debris from destroyed wooden buildings. In one neighborhood, they sought safety in a school basement using desks, tables and chairs to fashion beds. More than 300 people slept there during the first days of the war, but most have left for safer places, and only a few dozen remain. Stirring a large pot of a thin vegetable soup, a woman said volunteers brought cabbage, beets and canned beans. We mixed everything together and made borscht, said Natasha, who gave only her first name. As Russia funneled troops and equipment into the Donbas, Western nations rushed to boost the flow of military supplies to Kyiv for this new phase of the war likely to involve trench warfare, long-range artillery attacks and tank battles across relatively open terrain. President Biden was set to announce plans Thursday to send more military aid to Ukraine, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Zelenskyy said Ukraines Western allies have come to understand our needs better, adding that Ukraine is receiving new shipments of Western weapons now, when Russia is trying to step up its attacks, not in weeks or in a month. Putin, meanwhile, boasted that the Sarmat missile has no equivalents in the world. The Sarmat is intended to eventually replace the Soviet-built missile code-named Satan by NATO as a major component of Russia's nuclear arsenal. It will make those who, in the heat of frantic, aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country think twice, Putin said. LONDON Russian officials claimed Thursday that the port city of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine had come under their control. The besieged city has been reduced to rubble since the launch of the invasion on Feb. 24 as Russian forces attempted to capture the city for eight weeks. Mariupol has been liberated by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the forces of the Peoples Militia of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, Kremlin Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting in Moscow. Shoigu called the city a powerful, fortified area, equipped with a large number of heavy weapons and military equipment. A pro-Russian service member stands guard as evacuees wait to board a bus leaving Mariupol on Wednesday. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters) Also during the televised address, Shoigu said that around 2,000 Ukrainian troops were continuing to hold out in the massive Azovstal steel plant, which spans 4 miles. He then alleged that the troops were using their civilians as human shields and that the Russian army took all measures to preserve the lives of civilians. It is estimated that at least tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in Mariupol, with the citys mayor stating last week that around 100,000 still remain there. On Wednesday, an adviser to the mayor said the 1,000 civilians inside the steel building, believed to be the last stronghold, had no access to normal supplies of food and water. The Kremlin has denied intentionally targeting civilians. Smoke rises above the Azovstal Iron and Steel plant in Mariupol on Wednesday. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters) In the Thursday meeting, Putin called off his army from storming the steel plant, calling the plan impractical, and instead ordered troops to blockade the area so that a fly cant get through, the Guardian reported. I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary, Putin told Shoigu. I order you to cancel it. Putin went on to say that the decision not to storm the plant was for the safety of his soldiers. There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities, he said. Ukrainian officials have yet to verify Russias claims about taking control of Mariupol, which had 430,000 residents before the invasion. According to the New York Times, three-quarters of the citys population has fled to neighboring countries, adding to the 5 million Ukrainians who have been forced out of the country since Feb. 24. A civilian walks past a destroyed building in Mariupol on Tuesday. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters) If seized, Mariupol would be the largest city to be taken by Russia since it invaded eight weeks ago. In recent days, Russian forces have intensified their push in the Donbas region, claiming the city of Kreminna in a new offensive to take eastern Ukraine. Taking control of Donbas, where Mariupol is located, would mean Russia would have a southern land corridor to the annexed Crimean Peninsula, which has been occupied by Kremlin forces since 2014. If Mariupols control has fallen into Russian hands, Putin would end up with 80% of Ukraines Black Sea coastline, cutting it off from its maritime trade. _____ What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Police have arrested a third suspect accused of participating in an Easter weekend shootout at a South Carolina mall that wounded nine people. The Columbia Police Department said Thursday on Twitter that Amari Sincere-Jamal Smith, 21, of Columbia, turned himself in after authorities obtained arrest warrants earlier this week. Smith and two other men face charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault after police said they brought guns to a busy Columbia shopping center, eventually shooting nine bystanders. Another six were injured in the rush to exit Columbiana Centre in the states capital city. No fatalities have been announced in the incident. Columbia Police Chief W.H. Skip Holbrook said at a Monday news conference that the three identified suspects knew each other and the attack was not random. Emotions took over, you had firearms that were introduced into the dispute, gunfire was exchanged and innocent people got injured in the crossfire, Holbrook said. Police said Smith also faces a charge of unlawfully carrying a pistol. Smith was scheduled for a bond hearing Monday afternoon, according to online court records. A judge denied bond for two other defendants, Jewayne M. Price and Marquise Love Robinson, on Tuesday, news outlets reported. The mall shootout was one of two mass shootings that rocked the state over the Easter holiday weekend. State police are investigating after at least nine people were also shot at a nightclub in Hampton County that weekend. (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war, declaring the port of Mariupol "liberated" after nearly two months of siege, despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steel works. FIGHTING * Ukraine's deputy prime minister said an agreed humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from Mariupol's Azovstal factory had not worked as planned, blaming Russian forces. She said 1,000 civilians and 500 wounded soldiers needed to be brought out immediately. * Putin said the remaining Ukrainian troops were free to lay down their weapons and surrender. * Russian forces are advancing from staging areas in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region towards Kramatorsk, which continues to be hit by rocket attacks, the UK Ministry of Defence tweeted in a regular bulletin. * The mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, said it was under intense bombardment. * U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce an additional $800 million security assistance package for Ukraine on Thursday, a U.S. official said. DIPLOMACY * The Kremlin said peace talks with Ukraine were continuing, but that Moscow was still awaiting Kyiv's response to a proposal it had handed over. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he had not seen or heard of the document. * British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said any peace talks were likely to fail, compared holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiating with a crocodile. * The prime ministers of Spain and Denmark visited the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. * Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a "global security initiative" that upholds the principle of "indivisible security" - the concept, which Russia endorses, that no country may strengthen its own security at others' expense. * Italy's ecological transition minister said his country could start being independent from Russian gas by the second half of next year. ECONOMY * G7 finance ministers said they have provided and pledged together with the international community additional support to Ukraine exceeding $24 billion for 2022 and beyond, adding they were prepared to do more. * World Bank President David Malpass said the food security crisis caused by the war was likely to last months and perhaps into next year. QUOTES * "There's no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities ... Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through," Russian President Vladimir Putin. "If you have a helmet and a bulletproof vest, but you do not have a gun in your hands, you are doomed," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as he appealed to NATO and EU member Bulgaria for military aid. (Compiled by Kevin Liffey and Alexandra Hudson) Former President Donald Trump has endorsed a slew of candidates this year who are about to face competitive Republican primaries. And should his chosen candidates wind up losing those races, the results could cause him serious trouble ahead of a likely 2024 presidential run. Although Trump remains the early favorite for the presidential nomination, a number of other Republicans are mulling bids of their own. Its a list that includes figures from his own administration such as Mike Pence, Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo and prominent governors like Floridas Ron DeSantis and Marylands Larry Hogan. These would-be Trump rivals will be closely watching what happens in the coming weeks, when a number of candidates who have received the former presidents support face primary voters in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Republicans considering running for president in 2024 are clearly trying to figure out if running would be feasible with Trump in the race, Yuval Levin, a leading conservative intellectual, wrote recently in National Review. Could someone run against him and win? Could someone run while Trump is in the race but not explicitly run against him? Where are the boundaries? Former President Donald Trump at a rally in Selma, N.C., on April 9. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) Levin, in a detailed analysis of Trumps primary endorsements, argued that almost regardless of how the primaries turn out, the results are likely to weaken [Trumps] position and standing in the GOP and leave him diminished. Thats because, as Amy Walter argued in the Cook Political Report, most Republican candidates are already aligning themselves with Trump and his views even if Trump has not endorsed them, or even if hes endorsed their Republican opponent in a primary race. And so, because there is no real surge of anti-Trump Republicans standing for office, Trump is needlessly turning many of these contests into referendums on him and his political brand, Levin said. He could easily stand apart from the primaries in all these races and let essentially all the candidates claim him and thereby reinforce his dominance of the party. By choosing instead to endorse some candidates over others, he is choosing to narrow his reach and to constrain the meaning of Trumpism within the GOP, Levin wrote. The working assumption in Republican politics is that the GOP primary electorate demands absolute, groveling fidelity to the guy who lost the party the last election, Levin wrote. But what if it turns out that this is no more true than the last supposedly binding orthodoxy? You would think that Donald Trump would want to avoid asking that question, and testing the strength of his hold on the party. Yet it is Trump who has launched this test. No primary election demonstrates Trumps penchant for self-harm more than the one in Georgia, where he continues to rage against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Kemp won his election for governor in 2018 with Trumps help, narrowly defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp at a campaign event in Glennville, Ga., last week. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images) Kemp remains highly popular among Republican voters in Georgia, and is about as conservative as Republicans get. But Trump has been trying to unseat him because the Republican governor refused to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Kemp would not go along with Trumps lies and fantasies about a stolen election, and so Trump lured former Sen. David Perdue into a primary challenge against Kemp. But after a rally Trump headlined with Purdue in late March, two polls have shown Kemp leading Perdue by large margins. The Georgia primary is on May 24, just over a month away. Before that, the most imminent test for Trump on the calendar is also one of the most interesting. On May 3, Ohio Republicans will choose their nominee for U.S. Senate. The Senate race has been a crowded, multicandidate contest in which everyone has bowed as low as possible to obtain Trumps support. And last Friday he gave it to J.D. Vance, the author of the bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and a protege of tech titan and Republican super-donor Peter Thiel. Almost as quickly as Trump endorsed Vance, new details emerged about the degree to which Vance opposed Trumps candidacy in 2016. He told a friend at the time that he thought Trump could be Americas Hitler. Polling in the Ohio race has been sparse, but Vance has been in third place in most surveys. If he comes from behind to win the primary, it will bolster Trumps argument that he still commands the loyalty of Republican voters, and that running against him in 2024 would be a hopeless enterprise. Senate candidate J.D. Vance on the campaign trail in Troy, Ohio. (Gaelen Morse/Getty Images) But even if Vance wins on May 3, Trump is facing another headache on May 10, when Republicans in Nebraska choose their nominee for governor. Trump has endorsed businessman Charles Herbster in that race, but a week ago a Republican state senator and seven other women accused Herbster of sexual assault and harassment. Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who is not running for reelection due to term limits and is backing one of Herbsters opponents in the race, has called on Herbster to drop out. Trump, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that he will appear with Herbster at a rally on April 29. Trump will get yet another test on May 17 in Pennsylvania, where he has backed celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz in a race for the GOP nomination for Senate. Oz faces an uphill battle to defeat hedge fund CEO David McCormick, who was a top Treasury Department official in the George W. Bush administration. But even if Oz loses, Trump may get some good news the same day from North Carolina, where he is supporting Rep. Ted Budds quest for a Senate seat. Budd is now favored to win the GOP primary after trailing former Gov. Pat McCrory for much of the year. On May 24, Kemp and Perdue face off, and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is also facing a primary challenge from Jody Hice, who has backed Trumps lies about the 2020 election. If Kemp were to win and avoid a runoff, as he is trying to do, and Raffensperger survives to go to a runoff, or wins outright, that would be a significant blow for Trump. The attention of Trump's Republican rivals would then shift to the big remaining contests in which Trump has put his name on the line, most prominently in Wyoming, where Rep. Liz Cheney is seeking a primary win on Aug. 16. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Cheney became one of Trumps biggest critics in the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and voted for his impeachment last year. Should she emerge victorious in her primary after a series of losses in other contests for Trump-endorsed candidates, it would be the most definitive sign that a large number of Republican voters in numerous states are ready to move on from the former president, even if they dont reject him outright. Trump, so far, has made it more likely that the GOP will separate itself from him by remaining fixated on the last election, said a national Republican political consultant connected to one of Trumps potential rivals for the 2024 nomination. While a number of these endorsements are certain to backfire on Trump and expose his weakening grip on the party, nothing is or will be more destructive to his brand and popularity than his inability to talk about anything other than the 2020 election and Jan. 6, the Republican consultant told Yahoo News. Nothing. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is extremely and sincerely sorry for the hurt he caused by his attendance at a birthday gathering for Boris Johnson during lockdown. Mr Sunak, in Washington for the spring meeting of the IMF, said he respected the decision of the police in deciding to fine him for a breach of Covid rules over the event in June 2020. He denied, however, that he had considered resigning last week when he, along with Mr Johnson, received a fixed-penalty notice (FPN). I fully respect the decision that the police have reached, he told the BBC. I paid the FPN notice straightaway and I am extremely and sincerely sorry for the hurt and the anger that this has caused so many people. I have always acted, I believe, in good faith in regard to what I said to Parliament. Asked if he had considered resigning, he said: No. I am focused on getting on with the job I have got to do. It was reported that Mr Sunak had to be talked out of quitting after it took around seven hours for him to issue an apology following his receipt last week of a FPN. The Government has announced new sanctions against Vladimir Putins war leaders, as the Foreign Secretary vowed to crack down on those with Ukrainian blood on their hands. The move will target those commanding the front line to commit heinous acts in Ukraine, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The UK is also taking action against individuals outside of Mr Putins military, who are actively supporting his illegal invasion. The key leaders in Russias army targeted as part of the new wave of 26 sanctions include Lt Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, a commanding officer with involvement in the Bucha massacre, the FCDO said. NEWS: Today I announce new sanctions on those with Ukrainian blood on their hands including the commander of the unit which occupied Bucha and other individuals and businesses supporting Putins military. We are relentless in support of Ukraine.https://t.co/kUMdnKjJ5D Liz Truss (@trussliz) April 21, 2022 Also sanctioned by the UK are Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, commander of airborne forces; Major General Valery Flyustikov, commander of special operations forces; and Colonel General Nikolay Bogdanovsky, first deputy chief of the general staff. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted: Today I announce new sanctions on those with Ukrainian blood on their hands including the commander of the unit which occupied Bucha and other individuals and businesses supporting Putins military. We are relentless in support of Ukraine. The individuals outside of Mr Putins military targeted in Thursdays round of sanctions include Oleg Belozyorov, the chief executive and chairman of vital logistics company Russian Railways, and Ilya Kiva, the defecting and expelled Ukrainian MP who has publicly supported Russias actions in Ukraine, the FCDO said. The Foreign Secretary accused Russia of deliberately going after civilian targets. The depravity of Russias assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see, she said. They are deliberately targeting hospitals, schools, and transport hubs in Mariupol and beyond just as they did in Chechnya and Syria. Visa delays under the Governments Homes for Ukraine scheme is a national disgrace and a national embarrassment, a British host has said. David Turner, 53, a lawyer from Farnham, Surrey, is sponsoring four Ukrainian refugees but said only one visa has been approved almost five weeks after applying to the scheme. The way that the Home Office is performing is a national disgrace and a national embarrassment, Mr Turner told the PA news agency. David Turner, his wife Bridget, and their son Ollie (David Turner/PA) I never dreamed when I filled out the application form that five weeks later, wed still be waiting. It is soul-destroying listening to the accounts of what the people in Ukraine have been through and they desperately need the stability of these visas coming through. These people are all in a desperate situation and need to be in a place where they are safe and secure, and able, at least in some respects, to pick up their lives as soon as possible. Fewer than a third of Ukrainian refugees who have been issued with visas have arrived in the UK, Government figures show. A total of 71,800 visas had been issued as of Wednesday under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, the Government said. But, as of Monday, just 21,600 Ukrainians had arrived in the UK, according to figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office. Mr Turner and his wife Bridget, who have a 16-year-old daughter and two sons aged 20 and 21, applied to the Homes for Ukraine scheme the day after it opened on March 18. The family have offered three rooms to two Ukrainian families who have been forced to flee their homes in the capital Kyiv after Russia began shelling the city. We are sponsoring two middle-aged ladies, one has a 17-year-old son and one has a 19-year-old daughter, and both their husbands have not been allowed to leave Kyiv, Mr Turner said. The 17-year-old is now in Latvia but his mother is still in Ukraine, but on the border because she cant afford the cost of accommodation outside of Ukraine. The other two have ended up in Switzerland and as far as I know they are sleeping on a floor surviving on handouts. On one occasion they were reduced to eating baby food for three days in a row to survive. Mr Turner said it seems as though the visa applications are disappearing into a black hole and has turned to his local MP, Conservative Angela Richardson, for help. I think the application form itself is rubbish, but its not the obstacle here, Mr Turner said. The big turnoff is the fact your application seems to end up disappearing into a black hole and youve got no idea whether youre going to come out or when youre going to come out. One of the other big problems is that I dont think this issue is getting the political or media attraction as that it should be, because of the combination of partygate and Boris Johnsons behaviour. Angela Richardson and her staff have been faultless. I am sure they are just as frustrated by the whole thing but they are working night and day to try to move things along. PA Graphics A spokesperson for the Home Office said: In response to Putins barbaric invasion we have launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history. Our Ukraine Schemes have reached a turning point, thanks to the changes weve made to the streamline the visa system, including simplifying the forms, and boosting staff. Around 3,500 applications have been processed a day in the last few days, enabling thousands more Ukrainians to come through our uncapped routes. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have pledged to make a second donation to the Disasters Emergency Committees Ukraine appeal as they praised the DECs incredible total which has topped 300 million. William and Kate hailed the generosity of the British public, with the duke highlighting how the huge total was raised during the difficult financial situation many people are facing. During a visit to the DECs London offices, the duke told staff as they sat at their desks: We were saying with the background of the cost-of-living crisis youve raised 300 million in eight weeks thats incredible. The couple spoke with aid workers in the field over a video call (Jeff Spicer/PA) The couple chatted via a video call with senior aid workers from DEC member organisations who painted a grim picture of the situation in Ukraine. Rachel Cummings, health lead for Save The Children who called in from a roadside cafe between Kyiv and Lviv, told the royals the scale and complexity of the crisis is challenging. Speaking in person to a group of aid workers who had returned from the region William delivered the sobering assessment: We need less disasters in the world. Saleh Saeed, DECs chief executive said after the visit: They were very keen to hear how the appeal was going and thrilled to hear that wed raise over 300 million and solidified in their minds the goodwill and the response and the generosity of the British public. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Mr Saeed and DEC staff in London (Jeff Spicer/PA) He added the couple were so enthused after their visit they were planning on a second donation after giving to the appeal earlier in the year. Mr Saeed said: I think people have obviously been moved by what theyve seen on the news and they want to help and people feel helpless in a way. The need inside Ukraine and surrounding countries is huge. So the 300 million is of course a huge amount of money and were very grateful for that, but we also have to remember there are other crises around the world. And whilst the focus remains on Ukraine for the moment, we still have an Afghanistan appeal open thats raised 44 million, were worried about famine in the Horn of Africa, global hunger is on the rise and the World Bank today warned with soaring food prices millions could be pushed into poverty. "From the moment we crossed the border we received the highest level of hospitality. We could not have asked for more everything was given to us; food, water, hot drinks, sweets, tasty fresh food, and medical support." Anna* and her family at Przemysl train station, Poland. pic.twitter.com/1xZHEnCHom DEC (@decappeal) April 19, 2022 William and Kate were given a private briefing about the DECs work when they first arrived at the headquarters near Islington. The umbrella organisation of 15 leading UK Aid charities has been supporting some of the seven million internally displaced Ukrainians and the five million who have fled the country following the Russian invasion. The couple then joined a video call with three aid workers Ms Cummings from Save The Children; Giuliano Stochino Weiss, emergency response lead for Hungarian Interchurch Aid, one of Christian Aids partners, who is in Lviv; and Alexander Matheou, International Federation Red Cross special representative to Ukraine, who is in Vinnitsa. William asked the group: I just want to find out a little bit about what the scene is like, what the situation is like out therewhat youre seeing at the moment and where things are at on the ground? Aid workers rang the royals from the Ukriane (Jeff Spicer/PA) Mr Stochino Weiss told them: I crossed into Ukraine on the third day of the conflict, its been really heartbreaking to see mothers and fathers and children, fathers saying goodbye to their children because they had to leave the country. Lviv used to be a safe city, that changed on Monday with the huge rocket attacks 4km away from the office, so its an ever-changing situation and I would say its getting worse. Ms Cummings told William and Kate how she had been in Ukraine for around three weeks, travelling between Lviv and Kyiv and to Odessa: There is huge population displacement and Save The Children are deeply concerned about the children who are being affected by this crisis. The numbers are staggering, around three-and-a-half million children are now refugees. Its challenging for us to be able to support and scale up to that. The Duchess of Cambridge talks to aid workers Diana Hiscock and Vanessa Maynard (Jeff Spicer/PA) The duke asked the group of senior aid workers: Weve been watching and hearing a lot about Mariupol and whats been happening, which sounds like a truly horrendous situation. Do any of you have any idea of just how bad it is and have any of you been able to get any aid into there? Ms Cummings replied: I met the deputy mayor of Mariupol who just told us some horrendous stories of people who have left and people who havent been able to leave. Its a very challenging and very much a priority in the news, but Mariupol-plus is the challenge, because there are other areas within Ukraine which are maybe not as acutely affected but where people are in need. Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway prepares to depart from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) LANZHOU, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A freight train departed Thursday morning from Dunhuang City, northwest China's Gansu Province for Thailand's Bangkok, marking the opening of Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway. Loaded with 530 tonnes of asbestos, the train is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok via Laos' Vientiane in 12 days. The trip via the China-Laos Railway can save 28 days, compared with the previous 40-day sea shipping route between the two cities, according to the local authorities. The Department of Commerce of Gansu said that the new passage is another efficient, economical, safe and convenient international logistics channel linking Gansu and Southeast Asian countries. As a core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the inland province has sped up its opening-up and operated more international freight train lines linking with Central Asian, South Asian and European countries in recent years. The China-Laos Railway, which kicked off operation on Dec. 3, 2021, stretches over 1,000 km, linking Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane. Aerial photo taken on April 21, 2022 shows Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway before departing from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu) Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway prepares to depart from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway prepares to depart from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) Aerial photo taken on April 21, 2022 shows Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway departing from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu) Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway prepares to depart from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) A railway staff member checks the freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) Gansu's first international freight train that runs via the China-Laos Railway prepares to depart from Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) Marysville, CA (95901) Today Cloudy with a few showers. High 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Near record low temperatures. Low 42F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu announced that the Ukrainian city of Mariupol is now under the full control of Russian troops, TASS reported. As of today, entire Mariupol is under the control of the Russian army and the national militia of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, Shoygu said in a briefing with President Putin. Shoygu added that the territory of the Azovstal factory in the city is "reliably" blocked. According to Russia, foreign mercenaries still remain in the territory of the factory. YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. The United States has banned Russian ships from approaching US ports as part of sanctions against Russia, ARMENPRESS reports US President Joe Biden said. "I declare today that the United States will ban vessels having links with Russia from entering our ports, as is already the case in Europe. This means that any ship with the Russian flag, owned or used for Russian interests, will not be allowed to approach our shores," he said. YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hellenic Parliament on National Defense and Foreign Affairs Konstantinos Gioulekas took part in an event dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Thessaloniki, ARMENPRESS reports he laid a wreath at the monument to the unknown soldier. He made a note about the event on his Facebook page, noting: "The ties between the Greeks and the Armenians are very strong and multidimensional. The two peoples are also linked by the genocides: the Armenian Genocide, followed by the Genocide of the Pontic Greeks of Asia Minor." The Ukraine issue is expected to be discussed in great detail New Delhi/London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not want to lecture India on its ties with Russia in the context of the Ukraine war that will come up at his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to the country beginning Thursday, sources said Wednesday, adding that both sides understand each others position. In what will be the first-ever visit by a British PM to Gujarat, Mr Johnson will begin the visit in Ahmedabad on Thursday, after which he will travel to New Delhi on Friday for talks with Mr Modi, when the entire gamut of bilateral ties will be discussed, including the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. In Ahmedabad, the British PM is likely to announce major investments in key industries in both the UK and India, boosting jobs and growth at home, as well as new collaborations on cutting-edge science, health and technology. Mr Johnson will also meet leading businesses and discuss the UK and Indias thriving commercial, trade and people links. Gujarat is the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK, and so the visit will be important from that point of view too. In London, Mr Johnson told the House of Commons on Thursday: I will be travelling to India to deepen the strategic trade, defence and people- to-people ties between our countries, building on India's involvement in the Carbis Bay G-7 summit. I will be seeing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in Delhi, meeting Indian business people investing in the UK and visiting British investments in India. The British PMs official spokesperson told reporters in London: This visit is not framed on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Obviously, that is really important but this is a visit we have planned for a very long time. India is an incredibly important partner. The Prime Minister has been wanting to make this trip to build our partnership across trade, investment, security and defence, and green energy. We will be discussing all those issues and it is expected that the Russia-Ukraine issue will be on the agenda. But we won't be seeking to sort of lecture India or try and persuade them into one position or another. We will be seeking to work together constructively as an important international partner. Obviously, Russia-Ukraine is a huge priority for the UK at the moment and for the world. It's a global issue that has destabilised the economy, the oil markets and international security. So, it would absolutely be on the agenda. The New Delhi talks on Friday between the two PMs will focus on boosting economic, defence, security and technology co-operation in the face of shared global challenges. Mr Johnson will use the visit to drive progress in the FTA negotiations started earlier this year. Sources said the forthcoming talks would encourage and give momentum to the negotiations. The two leaders are also expected to review the progress in implementing the India-UK Roadmap 2030 adopted during the virtual summit between both leaders last year. The British PM will also hold talks with Mr Modi on the UK and Indias strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering our close partnership and stepping up security co-operation in the Indo-Pacific. The British PM is visiting India as part of Britains Indo-Pacific tilt. The Ukraine issue is expected to be discussed in great detail. Mr Johnson was recently quoted as saying: As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states, it is vital that democracies and friends stick together. India, as a major economic power and the worlds largest democracy, is a highly valued strategic partner for the UK in these uncertain times. My visit to India will deliver on the things that really matter to the people of both our nations -- from job creation and economic growth, to energy security and defence. Mr Johnsons visit follows that of his foreign secretary (minister) Liz Truss to New Delhi. Just last month, Mr Modi also had held a detailed discussion on the phone with Mr Johnson on the Ukraine conflict. India has not publicly criticised Russia but called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and dialogue between the warring sides to resolve the issue. The West, however, wants India to take a much stronger stand against Russia publicly, which New Delhi is reluctant to do due to its time-tested ties with Moscow. The Adani Group investment in Bengal will expand in world-class infrastructure, a state-of-the-art data centre and undersea cable Kolkata: In a first, top industrialist Gautam Adani on Wednesday pledged to invest over Rs 10,000 crores in West Bengal to create more than 25,000 jobs across various sectors in the next 10 years. The group chief made the announcement at the inauguration of the sixth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata in the presence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Mr Adani said: Over the next decade, we expect our total investment in (West) Bengal to exceed Rs 10,000 crores. We anticipate this investment will create 25,000 or more direct or indirect jobs for the people of Bengal. Thereafter, as we continue to expand per year, we will bring into Bengal our world-class expertise across the green energy value chain. He elaborated: What I am committing to bring is the promise that I will live up to the expectations of the people of Bengal. Let me explain what I mean. The Adani Group investment in Bengal will expand in world-class infrastructure, a state-of-the-art data centre and undersea cable that will connect them across the ocean, centres of excellence in digital innovation, warehousing and logistic parks and expanses of the Adani Wilmar product, which is already a household name in the state. The Adani Group chairman added: What I am committing to bring to Bengal is the best of the Adani Group, our expertise in infrastructure, our speed of execution, our experience and our focus on building bigger and better. What I am committing to bring is technology and skill that will have calibrated infrastructure in Bengal. Showering lavish praise on Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for her government's social welfare schemes and her leadership which are often criticised by the BJP, Mr Adani said: The legacy of great women has been continued by you. No wonder your popularity is unmatched. Your charisma is remarkable and the trust your people have in you is unshakable. You are a manifestation of this great delta of thinkers, poets, writers, designers and painters. An elated chief minister complimented Mr Adani for his investment plan, and said: Thanks a lot. You are attending this for the first time. Your enthusiasm will encourage us. When you are in Bengal, you are our family member. My journey with industry has started. We will be successful. She also urged state governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was present at the event, to ensure there is no harassment of industrialists by the Centre through its various agencies. Ms Banerjee said: One word for the governor on behalf of the industrialists because they cannot open their mouths. We want all help from the Centre. Raise it in the governors conference. Please see industrialists are not disturbed by the agencies. by Jamal Hashim BAGHDAD, April 21 (Xinhua) -- On a sunny spring day in the Adhamiyah neighborhood in northern Baghdad, a red 1937 Mercedes attracted people's attention as it slowed down at an intersection, prompting passersby to take selfies and souvenir videos. Its owner, Imad Abdullah, a retired government employee, speaks proudly about his unique Mercedes which he said has a spiritual value that makes him feel the happiness of the good old days in Iraq. Every antique car tells a story, and Abdullah's car has a reputation in Adhamiyah because it dates back to the monarchy era between the 1920s and the 1950s. Abdullah first saw the Mercedes several years ago and did everything he could to buy it, and then spent a lot of his money on the restoration to its original form as much as possible. The vintage car market in Baghdad has been booming in recent years, as many Iraqis feel that they evoke memories of happy times they lived in their youth before the decades of war and chaos. The prices of vintage cars, in general, range between 15,000 and 60,000 U.S. dollars, depending on the car's make, condition, features, and how rare it is, and the classic cars gain in value over time. According to Abdullah, he refused many offers from others to buy his car including one from an antique car lover who offered 50,000 U.S. dollars. "This car was made in 1937, it reminds us of the good old times in the last century when life was stable, no wars, people were simple and Iraq was advancing," Abdullah said. However, after three wars starting in the 1980s and 13 years of economic sanctions that severely destroyed Iraq's infrastructure, the country began to suffer from many difficulties. Abdullah, like many of the vintage car lovers in Baghdad, enjoys living with the passion of showing off their precious cars, as the security situation improves in the country after the defeat of the IS. Decades of wars and chaos have forced many vintage car collectors to keep their cars hidden. "When security is achieved and people feel safe in Iraq, we can enjoy driving classic cars," Abdullah said. Omer Mohammed, 35, has parked two classic cars, one blue 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS and a red 1965 Convertible Impala SS, in front of his shop near the main entrance of Adhamiyah. "I adore these two cars and I consider them the hallmarks of my shop. People always take selfies and that's what makes my shop popular here," Mohammed said. Basim al-Tamimi, 58, another vintage car enthusiast, told Xinhua that many luxury models of antique cars in Baghdad "were formerly owned by well-known families or dignitaries." Standing by his 1964 Ford Thunderbird at the bank of the Tigris River, al-Tamimi said that he and some vintage car lovers formed a group that includes more than 70 cars, ranging from 1922 to 1968. The group members usually communicate with each other to cooperate and exchange ideas on maintaining their antique cars and they have an account on social media. "We help each other and we make shows of our cars on some local occasions. People enjoy looking at our cars and taking pictures because they represent an era of Iraq's history," al-Tamimi said. Amid the sounds of hammers in a car repair workshop in Adhamiyah, technician Amer Ibrahim told Xinhua that he considers himself a part of the vintage car community and he enjoys working on antique cars, especially some rare and elegant ones. Driven by his passion for vintage cars, Ibrahim is now taking on the challenge of repairing a badly damaged 1949 Cadillac convertible which he considered a piece of art worth bringing back to life. The car was burned and badly damaged in a bombing by the U.S. forces after it invaded Iraq in 2003. To Ibrahim, the business in the vintage cars market is lucrative because the demand for such cars is high. "There are many families that have classic cars and are intended to repair or sell them. There are also dealers and rich classic car lovers who are willing to buy and restore these cars at any price," Ibrahim said. Johnson was received at the Ahmedabad airport by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at the Sarda Vallabhbhai Patel International airport in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, as he begins a two day visit to the country. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP) Ahmedabad: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning to start his India visit, and was accorded a grand welcome along the four-km route from the airport to a hotel in the city. Johnson was received at the Ahmedabad airport by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat. Senior state officials and ministers were also present to receive him. The British prime minister was greeted by troupes performing traditional Gujarati dances and music at the airport and along the road as his convoy headed for the hotel. The `roadshow' started outside the airport and passed through Ashram Road via Dafnala and Riverfront. As many as 40 platforms were erected at regular intervals on the four-km stretch from the Airport Circle to the five-star hotel on Ashram Road where again troupes performed traditional Indian dances to welcome Johnson. During his day-long stay in Gujarat, the British prime minister is scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with prominent business leaders from the state, sources said. After that, he will head for a manufacturing facility of JCB, a British construction equipment firm, near Halol in Panchmahal district. The British PM will then visit the campus of under-construction Gujarat Biotechnology University in Gandhinagar as the varsity is coming up in cooperation with the UK's University of Edinburgh, a Gujarat government release said. The British PM would visit the famous Akshardham temple of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar before winding up his Gujarat visit and leaving for New Delhi. In Delhi, Johnson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. PM Modi said that India will soon start the AYUSH visa category for those who come to the country seeking traditional ways of treatment Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit in Gandhinagar. (Photo by PIB / AFP) Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that to promote the traditional medicine industry, India will soon launch `AYUSH mark' which will give authenticity to quality AYUSH products made in the country. Speaking of "Heal in India", he also announced that a special visa category will be created soon for those who want to travel to the country to avail of AYUSH therapies. Modi was speaking after the inauguration of the three-day Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit at Mahatma Mandir here in the presence of Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and Director General of the World Health Organization Dr Tredos Ghebreyesus. `AYUSH' denotes Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. India has a central ministry dedicated to these alternative medicine systems. India will soon introduce the AYUSH mark, which will give authenticity to quality AYUSH products of the country. The mark will be given to products vetted using the latest technology. This will give confidence to people of the world that they are purchasing quality AYUSH products, Modi said. "Traditional medicine helped increase tourism in Kerala. This power is in the whole of India, in every corner of India. 'Heal in India' can become a big brand of this decade. Wellness centers based on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, etc., can be very popular," the prime minister said. The special "AYUSH visa" will help those who wish to seek traditional treatments in India, he said. The possibilities of investment and innovation in the field of AYUSH are limitless with the country having witnessed unprecedented growth in the production of AYUSH medicines, supplements and cosmetics, the prime minister said. "Before 2014, the AYUSH sector was less than USD 3 billion. Today it has also crossed USD 18 billion," he said. There are also possibilities of investment and innovation in supply chain management, AYUSH-based diagnostic tools and tele-medicine, Modi said. The Union Ministry of AYUSH has also taken steps to encourage start-up culture in the field of traditional medicine, and an incubation center developed by the All India Institute of Ayurveda was inaugurated recently, he noted. "In India, this is an era of unicorns. In 2022, so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the unicorn club. I am sure unicorns will emerge from our AYUSH start-ups very soon," Modi said. India of the 21st century wants to move ahead by sharing its experience, knowledge and information with the world, the prime minister said. "The main reason for the prosperity of Ayurveda has been its open source model. Ayurveda has developed through open source tradition. Even today, we should learn from our ancestors to work with intellectual openness," Modi said. The government is also working on the modernization and expansion of AYUSH e-market portal to connect farmers with companies which make AYUSH products, he said, noting that medicinal plants can be a good source for increasing farmers' income. "It has a large scope for employment generation. But we have seen that the markets for such plants and products are limited and specialized. It is very important that farmers involved in the production of medicinal plants get the facility to easily connect with the market," he said. The new category 'AYUSH Aahar' introduced by the FSSAI last week in its regulations will help the producers of herbal nutritional supplements, Modi said. The AYUSH Export Promotion Council, set up recently, will encourage exports and help find foreign markets, the prime minister added. The government is going to create a network of AYUSH Parks to encourage research and provide a new direction to AYUSH manufacturing, he said. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increase in the export of turmeric which was seen as immunity-booster, Modi noted. During the same period, modern pharmaceutical companies developed made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines in a very short time, showing "how amazing they were when they got investment at the right time," he said. "Who could have imagined that so soon we would be able to develop a made-in-India corona vaccine? Innovation and investment increase the capacities of any sector. Time has come to increase investment in the AYUSH sector as well, and this summit is a wonderful launch of the same," Modi said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh Bulldozers being used to remove illegal structures during a joint anti-encroachment drive by NDMC, PWD, local bodies and the police, in the violence-hit Jahangirpuri area, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan) New Delhi: Bulldozers razing several structures in violence-hit Jahangirpuri during an anti-encroachment drive triggered political sparring on Wednesday with the Opposition alleging it was a demolition of India's constitutional values which targeted the poor and minorities and the BJP asserting it was a legal exercise which had nothing to do with religion. Several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque were brought down this morning as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled civic body, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence. The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind against the demolition. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh and alleged that this is a demolition of India's constitutional values and targeted against the poor and minorities. Taking to Twitter, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off "bulldozers of hate" and switch on power plants, while highlighting the shortage of coal in the country due to which power plants were being shut down. In another tweet, Gandhi said, "This is a demolition of India's constitutional values. This is state-sponsored targeting of poor & minorities. BJP must bulldoze the hatred in their hearts instead." The Congress also said that "not only houses are being demolished by bulldozers, our Constitution is being demolished". Leaders from the Left parties, some of whom visited the Jahangirpuri demolition site, hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the use of bulldozers in the area, despite a Supreme Court order to the contrary. The BJP rebutted the opposition's allegation that Muslims were picked out in demolition drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, saying that this was a legal exercise which had nothing to do with religion. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the politics being played by opposition parties over the issue is saddening and accused them of bringing "religious angle" into a host of issues since 2014 to foment instability to attack the BJP government. "As far as the BJP government is concerned our only manta is 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas'. Every project and policy of the Modi government has been an inclusive exercise which has catered to every section of society without any kind of distinction along the lines of caste, creed and religion," he said. In an apparent reference to the demolition drive, BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar tweeted, "JCB = Jihad Crush Board!". He used the hashtag 'bulldozer'. Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi was allegedly stopped by the police from visiting Jahangirpuri. Owaisi lashed out at the BJP and AAP for the action "against Muslims" living in the area. There was heavy police deployment as Owaisi tried to reach violence hit area. "AAP is saying they are Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. I condemn it," he told mediapersons. He termed the demolition drive as an "example of vigilante justice" and slammed the BJP for it. CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat visited the demolition site earlier with a physical copy of the Supreme Court order and urged the civic staff to stop the demolition instantly. She stood in front of a bulldozer blocking its way. Karat, who received a lot of accolades on social media for trying to physically stop the bulldozer, also met Delhi Police officials present at the site. "Laws as well as the Constitution have been bulldozed by illegal demolitions. At least the Supreme Court and its order should not be bulldozed," Karat told reporters. CPI-ML's Delhi secretary Ravi Rai and CPI-M's Hannan Mollah were among the other Left leaders present at the demolition site. CPI MP Binoy Viswam said such politics only violate the rights of the poor. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury questioned the role of the Delhi police and demanded that the men in uniform be held accountable. The Aam Aadmi Party said razing the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP headquarters using bulldozers will free the country from communal violence and riots forever, as it slammed the saffron party for the demolition of several structures in Jahangirpuri. With the sole motive of triggering communal violence and riots, the BJP got Rohingyas and Bangladeshis "illegally" settled in different parts of the country over the last eight years, the AAP alleged. BSP leader Danish Ali said the nation is surprised that in Narendra Modi's digital India the order of Supreme Court takes more than two hours to reach Delhi's Jahangirpuri. "I am not with the illegal encroachment but how come MCD under union Home Ministry behave like this?" he said on Twitter. Cinema personalities reacted to the demolition drive in Delhi's Jahagirpuri area with some penning poetry and others expressing anguish on social media. Screenwriter Dhillon, best known for "Manmarziyaan" and "Haseen Dillruba", shared a poem called 'Ek bulldozer ki choti si kahaani' she wrote about how everyone from celebrities to common man are tight-lipped about the bulldozer drive. Actor Richa Chadha commented on a Twitter post by a journalist, who wrote how CPM leader Brinda Karat stood up to stop bulldozers being run in Jahangirpuri. "Where are the others???" Chadha said. On Friday Boris will hold detailed talks with Modi on the entire gamut of bilateral ties as well as discussions on global issues British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shown how to operate a cotton wheel at Mahatma Gandhi's house at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad during a cultural tour as part of his two day visit to India, April 21, 2022. AP/PTI New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Beginning a two-day India visit, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson touched down in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning. A day before his formal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on key international and bilateral issues in New Delhi, Mr Johnson announced commercial deals for bilateral investments worth 1 billion in sectors ranging from software to health. During the day, the British PM met top industrialist Gautam Adani, visited the famous Sabarmati Ashram, Vadodara and a factory of British multinational JCB in Halol. On his arrival, the British PM was received by Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel. Mr Johnson was accorded a grand welcome along the 4-km route from the airport to a hotel in Ahmedabad. This is a first-ever visit by a British PM to Gujarat. His engagements in Gujarat included visits to the famous Akshardham temple of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar. Mr Johnson will reach New Delhi late Thursday night. On Friday he will hold detailed talks with Mr Modi on the entire gamut of bilateral ties as well as discussions on global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthening of defence and security ties, besides talks on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Yes, I am looking forward to our conversation. We will talk about trade, security and about issues of importance, Mr Johnson told reporters in Ahmedabad when asked about the agenda of his meeting with Mr Modi. On the Ukraine conflict the British PM said: Well, we have already raised the issue of Ukraine with Prime Minister Modi diplomatically. Actually, they (India) were very strong in condemnation of atrocities in Bucha. I think everybody understands India and Russia have historically had very different relationships, like Russia and UK in the last couple of decades. He added: We have to reflect that reality while talking about it (Ukraine) to Narendra Modi. In a statement highlighting the trade and investment aspect, the British high commission in New Delhi said that UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion in new investments and export deals, which will create almost 11,000 jobs across the UK. The deals include a new switch mobility electric bus R&D centre in the UK and the opening of their Asia-Pacific headquarters in Chennai, generating over 1,000 jobs. It also includes investment by leading Indian manufacturer Bharat Forge and electric truck maker Tevva Motors to expand to a new site in the south-east and create 500 new jobs, Indian software company Mastek investing 79 million to create 1,600 jobs in the next three years all over the UK, business consultancy FirstSource opening new offices in South Wales, the Midlands and cities in the North-East and North-West, Hertfordshire-based firm Smith & Nephew agreeing a major export deal to sell robotic surgical systems in India and Northamptonshire business Scott Bader opening a new resins factory to supply top renewable energy companies in Southeast Asia. The PM will also welcome OneWeb signing a historic contract for satellite launches with New Space India Ltd, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation. OneWeb is an innovative UK-based satellite communications company, which the government has invested in to put the UK at the forefront of rapidly evolving space technologies. This agreement with India is a significant development for the companys operations, the high commission added. On the first leg of his trip, Mr Johnson held a meeting with industrialist Gautam Adani at the Adani Groups global headquarters at Shantigram, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support the climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat, Mr Adani tweeted later. News agencies quoted sources as saying the two discussed, among other things, key sectors such as energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence collaboration. With India set to invest $300 billion by 2030 to modernise its armed forces, the sources said collaboration in the defence sector was one of the key focus areas of the meeting between Mr Adani and Mr Johnson. Mr Adani announced an academic facilitation programme for young Indians through the Chevening Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarships offered by the UK government. Mr Johnson opened JCBs latest factory in Halol in Panchmahal district of Gujarat with a 100-million-pound investment, which will fabricate parts for global production lines. With 11 factories in the UK, employing over 7,500 people, JCB first began manufacturing in India in 1979 and is now the country's leading producer of construction equipment. It (the trip) has been absolutely fantastic so far and its great to be here in Gujarat. Gujarat is a great place and you know we have a huge Gujarati community, which is like a living bridge between India and the UK, Mr Johnson said. The visit to the Sabarmati Ashram also delighted Mr Johnson. It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better, Mr Johnson wrote in the visitors book at the Gandhi ashram. At the ashram he tried his hand at the charkha at Hriday Kunj, the hut where Gandhi lived. A replica of the charkha was presented to him. The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also gifted two books to him. One of them was Guide to London, an unpublished book which consists of Gandhis suggestions on how to live in London. The other was The Spirits Pilgrimage, an autobiography of Mirabehn, or Madeleine Slade, one of Gandhis British-born followers. The British prime minister started a two-day visit in Gujarat in order to persuade Modi to sign a free trade agreement by the end of the year. The UK leader is offering easier entry visas for Indian nationals, but this might not be enough to overcome Indian resistance. Ahmedabad (AsiaNews) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has arrived in India today for a two-day visit after announcing a number of new trade agreements worth 1 billion (US$ 1.3 billion) hoping they will pave the way for a free trade deal with India by the end of the year. Postponed several times due to COVID-19, the visit comes at a particular time for Johnson who faces a series of domestic issues, like the partygate scandal, as well as Indias different position on the war in Ukraine. However, for the British prime minister the real priority is to boost economic relations with Modi's India, a major world player, following the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit). It is no coincidence that the visit began today in Ahmedabad, in the State of Gujarat. This is the first time a British Prime Minister visits Indias economic powerhouse, which is also the original homeland of half of the UKs Indian community. His first stop was at the Sabarmati Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi lived. Paying tribute to Indias foremost independence campaigner gave Johnson an opportunity for some photo ops, like turning the charkha, the spinning wheel. However, the more substantive moment came when he met with Gautam Adani, Modis oligarch, who was recently touted as one of the worlds richest men, and on whose investments Johnson is betting. In the next stage, the British leader will travel to New Delhi where he will meet the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources in London have leaked that to strike a free trade deal with India, Johnson is prepared to increase visa quotas for Indian immigrants this year. Still, few expect this to be sufficient for Modi to grant the UK an advantage over the United States and the European Union. Afghan authorities reported the death of more than 40 people, including women and children, after Pakistani airstrikes hit bases used Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan to conduct an offensive against Pakistani security forces in the tribal areas near the border. After Imran Khan's accommodating attitude, it is not clear how Shehbaz Sharif will deal with the Taliban. Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) Last weekend Pakistan carried out an airstrike against targets in Afghanistan in response to an offensive by the Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban. Galvanised by the rise of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, the group is attacking Pakistani security forces on the border, also known as the Durand Line, destabilising disputed areas. During the operation in the eastern provinces of Khost and Kunar, more than 40 people were killed, including women and children, Taliban officials said, a clear message to Kabul, which Pakistans foreign minister reiterated last Sunday: control the TTP that attack Pakistan from Afghan territory. The Afghan Taliban responded equally clearly. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged Pakistan "not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again; otherwise, it will have bad consequences.'' Pakistani officials claim that they hit TTP bases on the border to which the Afghan security forces do not have access, and did not violate Afghanistans airspace. Since US forces pulled out of Afghanistan, the security situation has worsened. In late March, the TTP killed six Pakistani soldiers and announced the al-Badr operation for Ramadan. On 11 April, an army major and a soldier were killed in the South Waziristan tribal area. Three days later eight more soldiers died in a TTP ambush in North Waziristan. On the same day, the Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations office reported that 97 Pakistani military personnel were killed in the first three months of 2022, including officers and regular troops. The TTP wants to create an Islamic state in Pakistan after the success achieved by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Although the two entities remain separate, they share the same extremist ideology. Since the Taliban takeover of Kabul, TTP have reintegrated smaller extremist splinter groups weakened by the 2014 Zarb-e-Azb operation, led by the then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (elder brother of the current prime minister, Shehbaz, who took over from Imran Khan on 11 April). Following the fall of Kabul in August 2021, Islamabad perhaps hoped that, after hosting and partly supporting the Afghan Taliban for years, the latter would not allow one of their groups to carry out attacks on Pakistani territory. Things would have been easier with the US presence because the US military would have neutralised the threat at the border with targeted drone strikes. The situation has become more complicated with the new administration in Pakistan. While Imran Khan had a conciliatory attitude towards the Afghan Taliban and had tried to conclude agreements (which later failed) with the TTP, it is not yet clear what Shehbaz Sharif will do. What is more, Afghanistan does not recognise the border with Pakistan, the Durand Line, since it divides the predominantly Pashtun region, while Pakistan built a fence along it to stop terrorists and illegal migrants. According to some observers, skirmishes along the border could escalate into a full-blown conflict. by Shafique Khokhar In February, Muhammad Sharif tried to kidnap seven-year-old Jessica Pervaiz. His trial is not over yet. For Human Rights Focus Pakistan, This is the ideal time for new legislation in favour of minorities. Faisalabad (AsiaNews) A man who attempted to kidnap and rape a seven-year-old Christian girl was granted bail at the beginning of this month. On 7 February, Jessica Pervaiz and her parents had become separated during the funeral of a relative when Muhammad Sharif tried to sexually abuse the child. Upon hearing the cries of her daughter, the father intervened and called police; the latter filed a First Information Report (FIR) on the same day. The next day Sharif was arrested and admitted he wanted to kidnap the girl. However, the case took a different twist after Pervaiz was told to drop the charges; otherwise, he and his family would suffer consequences. At that point, the father turned to Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), an organisation that, among other things, provides providing legal aid to families of religious minorities who are facing legal cases. Muhammad Sharif was taken to the Faisalabad District Prison in early March, but was granted bail on 8 April. The court said that further investigation was needed. Meanwhile, the Pervaiz family, which has attended court proceedings, is getting death threats. HRFP president Naveed Walter told AsiaNews that half of the girls from religious minorities who are kidnapped are aged 7 and 15. The new government should take immediate action on issues involving kidnappings, forced conversions and forced marriages, Walter said. The previous government, led by Imran Khan, rejected a bill that would have banned forced conversions due to the opposition from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which defined the draft law as un-Islamic. For the activist, This is the ideal time for new legislation in favour of minorities given that both of the country's main parties are in coalition and in the past have claimed to be in favour of protection for minorities. by Vladimir Rozanskij The Kazakh president presents himself as a moralizer of Kazakh society, but his family members occupy key positions in the public and private sectors. Tokaev accused of owning princely villas. The government brands the accusations as "fake news". Pressure from the press. Moscow (AsiaNews) - After having "cleaned up" Kazakhstan from the dominance of the omnipresent family of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, his successor Kasym-Zomart Tokaev presents himself as the true reformer and moralizer of Kazakh society. Lately, however, a number of information sources have been investigating the ramifications of his family, which, although in less visible roles, has participated for years in the sharing of the cake. Tokaev was a loyal servant of Nazarbaev for years, eventually becoming head of the Senate and finally president in 2019. Even at the beginning of this year, however, he was considered a "semi-president," having left many decision-making powers to the "eternal president." Now, however, he is recognized in the "fullness of powers", and inevitably his family members are also in the crosshairs of the news, since the fight against corruption also includes a "de-familiarization" of the country, against the Central Asian traditions that usually exalt nepotistic participation in the management of public affairs. In the style of the Russian dissident Alexei Naval'nyj, Azattyk has published photos from drones showing luxurious buildings in the residential area of the powerful in Almaly, Almaty's VIP district. The great former capital is the true center of Kazakhstan's life. Tokaev himself is credited with a mansion of over 1,500 square meters with huge semicircular windows, set on 30 hectares of land. Next to it there is a former home of Nazarbaev, now returned to the Directorate for Construction Administration: it is used as a residence "for guests" who reach it by landing on one of the two helicopter pads. The Tokaev family also controls another "hospitality building" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a historical monument built 115 years ago by tobacco merchants. Since 2000, all the departments have been transferred to Astana (now Nur-Sultan), and the building came under the control of the president's younger sister, Karlyga Izbastina Tokaeva, who took it over for a little more than a symbolic sum, just when her brother was at the head of diplomacy. A very close partner of Tokaev's is the head of his presidential administration, Murat Nurtleu, who has been working alongside him in politics as well as business since the 1990s. His 38-year-old son Timur Tokaev administers with his younger brother Salkar Nurtleu the company "Fortius", active in many branches of trade. Together in 2017 they also founded the Unitary Energy Services Company, which privatized the supplies of the entire eastern part of the country in a complex financial operation, the operations of which are still to be clarified. In July 2019 Tokaev appointed Temirtau Izbastin, husband of his sister Karlyga, as ambassador to Sofia. The couple's children are already many placed in high levels of the administration. The 43-year-old eldest daughter, Dana Medeudova, controls all of Kazakhstan's business in Bulgaria, with three different companies in the capital, all registered at the same address. Dana also owns with her brother Beket Izbastin a couple of companies in the Czech Republic. Another of the president's nephews, Kanis Izbastin, participates in management roles in the affairs of various companies and is very close to another very talked-about figure, his brother-in-law Korpes Karbuzov, former deputy director of the Bureau of Customs Control, from which he resigned in 2011 after the discovery of a large smuggling ring from China. Now Karbuzov is enjoying the sun in Miami, Florida, in a villa that is very popular with all the family members. His other nephews, 37-year-old Beket and 39-year-old Mukhamed Izbastin, who recently contributed large sums to the new anti-corruption foundation set up by their uncle, the president, are also involved in the business. Members of the Tokaev family, of course, have many open accounts in Switzerland, and inquiries date back to 1998, when Kasym-Zomart's wife, Nadezda, deposited her first million dollars in a Zurich bank. Some of these accounts were later closed, and the Tokaevs opened several off-shore companies in the British Virgin Islands. The presidential administration rejects all allegations, branding them "fake news," but journalists insist with official requests to the government and the Bulgarian embassy, hoping to inspire a real renewal of Kazakhstan's politics and society. Fresh clashes broke out today in Jerusalems Old City between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, with at least 20 wounded and seven arrests. Israel carried out attacks in Gaza overnight in response to rocket fire. For Adel Misk, the situation is getting worse, fuelled by repeated provocations. Al-Aqsa is a red line that no one can cross. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) Israeli-Palestinian tensions are escalating and now also involve both Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The situation is getting worse and is a source of great concern, said Adel Misk, a Palestinian neurologist and activist. Tensions are fuelled by repeated provocations by the Israeli government and settlers, who have repeatedly invaded the Al-Aqsa Compound. For us al-Aqsa is a red line that no one can cross, and we cannot tolerate the provocations, he told AsiaNews. In a statement, the Red Crescent said that about 20 were wounded this morning in clashes with Israeli security forces at the compound, mostly from tear gas, but one man was wounded by a rubber bullet, Palestinian media reported. Meanwhile, police have arrested seven Palestinians in East Jerusalem for throwing a Molotov cocktail from the al-Aqsa mosque yesterday. Adel Misk, spokesperson for The Parents Circle, an association that brings together about 250 Israelis and 250 Palestinians, family members of victims of the conflict, is concerned about what is happening since last Friday's mosque attack, which everyone saw. For Misk, Trampling on people who are praying, blocking access, beating people who are praying, women and children means "not respecting any law, political or religious. This day should be reserved for prayer, in the month of Ramadan. Some 300,000 or 400,000 people usually participate, but this year, there were only about 30,000 and only from Jerusalem", mostly senior citizens because access from the Territories was denied. The tensions have been aggravated by the flag march by which the Israeli government and the settlers want to "assert their supremacy" over the Holy City and beyond, challenging, humiliating and trampling every right. Meanwhile, Israel hit central Gaza a couple of times overnight in response to a rocket attack from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip; at least four were intercepted by Israels anti-missile system. Yesterday afternoon Israeli police blocked access to the Muslim quarter of the Old City, to avoid further clashes after tensions rose in recent days. For more than a month, tensions have been building up in Israel and the West Bank, taking a turn for the worse with the approach of major Christian, Muslim and Jewish holidays (Ramadan, Easter and Passover). The latest outbreak of violence is the worse since Gaza crisis of May 2021. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern for the deteriorating situation in East Jerusalem and called on the parties to reduce tensions. His appeal fell on deaf ears, with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz promising a tough response to terrorist activities. Hamas responded immediately: We are still at the beginning of the battle, it warned. In an attempt to ease the tension, Jordan has called a regional emergency meeting that includes the United Arab Emirates, to discuss the situation. Ultimately, The occupation is at the root of the tensions, Misk explained. It blocks any possibility of peace, in an international context that seems to have forgotten the problem. At present, the Palestinian question is unfortunately no longer talked about. The events of the last few weeks, the support of the West and the United States for Ukraine invaded by Russia are a source of further outrage. "It is not envy but it is not clear why the Ukrainians have the right to defend themselves and we who have been under occupation for decades are defined as terrorists if we react. But in 22 days of Ramadan, 24 people have died. In other news of the day: the Rohingya escape in Malaysia was caused by overcrowding in the detention center; China continues to displace entire communities due to its "zero covid" policy; South Korea is offended by a Japanese premier's visit to a war shrine; a Tajikistan bank will adopt Islamic banking standards. TAIWAN A Taiwanese television station apologized for "causing public panic" after mistakenly issuing a series of alerts claiming China had attacked the island. The Chinese Television System attributed the error to staff: the content mistakenly published was about disaster response drills the station had been tasked with producing for the New Taipei City fire department. CHINA The Chinese government plans to relocate entire communities to quarantine facilities more than 100 miles away from their place of origin. The BBC, reports Beijing wants to move people who tested negative from Pingwang to the neighboring province of Zhejiang, where they will stay for a week. A few days ago, authorities evacuated other areas of Shanghai in an attempt to contain the spread of the covid-19 pandemic. SOUTH KOREA - JAPAN Seoul expressed "deep disappointment and regret" following Japanese Premier Fumio Kishida's visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine. In addition to 2.5 million victims of World War II, 14 Japanese military leaders convicted of war crimes by an allied court rest at the site. Offers made by Japanese leaders periodically reignite tensions between Japan, China and South Korea. MALAYSIA Local authorities say the riots that broke out at the migrant center in Penang State, which were followed by the escape of more than 500 Rohingya, were caused by overcrowding. "There were too many detainees in a relatively small area and (the situation) became uncontrollable," the police chief said. Meanwhile, security at immigration detention centers across Malaysia has been tightened. INDIA India's Supreme Court has barred local authorities from demolishing some stores around a mosque in a Muslim-majority area of New Delhi, near the site of weekend clashes between Hindus and Muslims. The matter is on hold until the next hearing. After sectarian tensions erupted in several parts of India, the government responded with demolition campaigns to intimidate the Muslim population. TURKEY - IRAQ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said the government of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan supports Ankara's offensive against Kurdish Pkk rebels in northern Iraq. But counterpart Barham Saleh the day before, referring to Turkey's operation, had spoken of "violation of Iraqi sovereignty" and the government had summoned the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad. RUSSIA The clashes in Kharkiv often involve churches and cemeteries, which were closed to visits during the Easter holidays due to continuous shootings by the Russian occupiers, who also targeted the Church of the Transfiguration (of the Moscow Patriarchate) where a large crowd had gathered, as communicated by the local eparchy itself. There are already more than 60 churches of various denominations attacked and partially destroyed throughout Ukraine by Russian fire, including some monasteries. TAJIKISTAN One of the most popular banks in Tajikistan, "Alif-Bank", has introduced restrictions on the payment of certain items and services, stating that the bank will adopt the criteria of Islamic banking in accordance with the principles of Sharia. European systems of credit installment payments, which contradict the norms of Islam, will no longer be applied. A staff member unloads supplies for residents in a community of Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 19, 2022. The spread of the epidemic in communities has been effectively contained in China's Shanghai, the municipal health commission told a press conference Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) A staff member transports supplies for residents in a community of Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 19, 2022. The spread of the epidemic in communities has been effectively contained in China's Shanghai, the municipal health commission told a press conference Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Staff members carry supplies for residents in a community of Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 19, 2022. The spread of the epidemic in communities has been effectively contained in China's Shanghai, the municipal health commission told a press conference Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) A staff member delivers supplies to residents in a community of Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 19, 2022. The spread of the epidemic in communities has been effectively contained in China's Shanghai, the municipal health commission told a press conference Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Staff members load supplies for residents onto a pedicab in a community of Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 19, 2022. The spread of the epidemic in communities has been effectively contained in China's Shanghai, the municipal health commission told a press conference Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) Experts warn mothers and unborn children is in danger. Those most at risk are Syrian refugees who have fled the war. Since October, one-third of children in need of care have not had access to health care. 40% of doctors and 30% of midwives have left the country. Beirut (AsiaNews) - The economic crisis that has hit Lebanon in the last three years, causing a general impoverishment and worsening of the quality of life, has tripled the number of victims of pregnancy-related complications, undermining the health of expectant mothers and fuelling infant mortality. This is what emerges from a report published yesterday by Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund, according to which among the factors that determine a critical situation is the flight of doctors and midwives abroad. The children most at risk are Syrian refugees who fled across the border to Lebanon because of the war. According to Unicef, at least one-third of children have not had access to health care since October of last year. The number of those dying within the first four weeks of birth "has increased dramatically" among refugees. One figure among others shows the extent of the emergency: from "65 newborn deaths in the first quarter of 2020, it has risen to 137 in the third quarter." Official estimates report that Lebanon has long welcomed 1.5 million Syrian refugees, who make up about a quarter of the population. "Parents and families in anguish," points out Ettie Higgins, Unicef representative in the Cedar Country, "are unable to access basic health care for their children, while skilled health workers struggle to keep facilities operational. About 40 percent of doctors, including those working with women and children, have left the country, as have about 30 percent of midwives, further undermining the quality of services provided by a nation once considered the region's health hub. In the past, Lebanon had achieved great success in reducing pregnancy-related deaths and child deaths. However, the UN agency's note continues, the number was on the rise again between 2019 and 2021, rising "from 13.7 to 37 deaths per thousand live births." Faysal al-Kak, coordinator of the Lebanese National Committee for Safe Motherhood, says the number of deaths increased largely "due to the Delta variant of the coronavirus" in 2021, but the economic crisis also had a "significant impact" on the deaths. "The Lebanese crisis is a strong variable maybe the mom is not visiting enough, afraid of going to the doctor because it costs money. It gave women a sense that 'I can't go to the doctor'," he told Reuters. The Delta variant of Covid-19 and low vaccination rates has also impacted on mortality . Rising transportation and service costs due to the collapse of the local currency and the removal of most subsidies on fuel and medicines has weakened primary health care, Unicef confirms. At the same time, childhood immunization rates have declined, leaving hundreds of thousands of children vulnerable to preventable diseases such as measles and pneumonia. ???????? beauty shot of Peregrine lunar lander before integration and assembly continues pic.twitter.com/QnaanRqU1D Astrobotic (@astrobotic) April 20, 2022 Through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the space agency is working with nine American companies on delivery services to the Moon. One of them is the Pittsburgh-based Atrobotics, which was awarded in 2019 a contract valued at $79.5 million to carry 11 NASA payloads to the lunar surface for a 10-year term.To get these scientific payloads to the Moon, Astrobotic designed Peregrine , a small-class lunar lander that's set to be the first American spacecraft to land on the satellite since the Apollo program. The company unveiled today (April 20) the nearly complete spacecraft at its Moonshot Museum, which is expected to open its doors for visitors this summer.It will be the first museum in Pittsburg dedicated exclusively to space exploration, and its main attraction will be a clean room with clear windows that will allow people to see all sorts of spacecraft, including the Peregrine lunar lander.Currently, the nearly two-meter-tall (six-foot-tall) vehicle is under development. It still needs to have a propulsion system installed, as well as solar panels and several key elements in order to be able to make it to the Moon. Once completed, Peregrine will launch atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket and will carry payloads about the size of a shoebox.But Peregrine is not the only spacecraft that the company is working on. NASA has awarded Astrobotic $199.5 million to deliver the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) in 2023. VIPER is a robot that will search for water at the Moon's South Pole in preparation for the first crewed flights that will take place in 2024 as part of the Artemis program. GM founded Pontiac late in 1925 as a junior companion to a then-famous brand (Oakland Motor Car Company) but it soon became a lot more popular than its senior and thus witnessed its demise in 1931. Little did they know that decades later, after churning out legendary models like the GTO, it would suffer the same fate.Well, a lot of automotive water has crossed under the bridge since Pontiacs demise back in 2010. But the GTO often credited with popularizing the muscle car segment lives on (forever) in our hearts. Well, oftentimes people with skill and wits also do something CGI about it. For example, Czech Republic-based virtual artist Rostislav Prokop, better known as rostislav_prokop on social media, has also joined forces with the good folks over at HotCars for a new digital muscle car series.So, after initially witnessing Timothy Adry Emmanuel (aka adry53customs) cook up the next-generation 2024 Dodge Challenger eMuscle car to pack a big horsepower count and look burnout-ready, now it is time to switch from Stellantis over to General Motors. And a Pontiac GTO revival could not have been more fitting for a muscle car-focused series, of course.Naturally, no Pontiac GTO tribute would be complete without a splash of orange to make sure The Judge fans would be entirely proud. However, I do feel there is a little bit of CGI laziness involved here. For starters, the artist just recycled his traditional estate background instead of coming up with a new one for this fresh series.Secondly, from certain angles, this cool Pontiac GTO reinvention seems a little bit based on the old BMW 8 Series... Well, maybe its just me, and luckily the front and rear treatments have a certain swashbuckler feeling of (muscle car pirate) naughtiness! ANKARA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the charge d'affaires of the Iraqi embassy to defend Turkey's fresh cross-border operation in northern Iraq. The ministry expressed its "discomfort over the baseless allegations" by the Iraqi authorities against Turkey's military operation, dubbed Claw-Lock, that targeted the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said in a statement. The Turkish move came after Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the Turkish ambassador in protest over Turkey's launching a cross-border offensive in northern Iraq a day earlier. Iraq slammed the Turkish operation as a violation of its sovereignty. Bilgic said Ankara prefers that the Iraqi authorities eliminate the PKK, and is ready for cooperation in this regard. The PKK, which has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades, is listed as a "terrorist" organization by Turkey. As long as the Iraqi authorities do not take concrete and effective steps in this direction and the PKK continues to pose threat to Turkey from Iraqi territories, Turkey will continue to take the necessary measures on the basis of the right of self-defense arising from Article 51 of the UN Charter, Bilgic explained. The Turkish offensive came two days after Masrour Barzani, prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government, met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul. Erdogan on Wednesday thanked Iraqi authorities for their support of the military operation, saying that the offensive was solely aimed at maintaining Turkey's border security. Turkey regularly conducts cross-border operations on the PKK bases in northern Iraq, despite Iraq's repeated protests. Embraer is a well-known name in the global aviation industry with a strong legacy, so its not surprising that it decided to establish an entire subsidiary dedicated to UAM a couple of years ago. Unlike other eVTOL makers, Eve Air Mobility has revealed very little about its future aircraft but was focused more on establishing acquisition collaborations across the globe. Indeed, it was successful at it, and Eve air taxis will soon be operating in various parts of the world.But the companys most recent partnership has to do with the aircrafts development and is a major one. Thales, the reputable technology specialist, will provide its expertise for developing the Eve eVTOL s avionics, electrical system, flight control, navigation, and communication.The collaboration includes a complex series of joint studies related to the technical and economic feasibility of all-electric aircraft . The studies began in January this year and will continue over the course of 12 months. Eves team will work mainly with the Thales Technological Space Centre in Sao Jose dos Campos, as well as its avionics center in Sao Bernardo do Campo, which was recently established. But Thales engineers in other countries will also provide their support to the project.Eve has already secured hundreds of orders, including in the U.S., where the regional airline Republic Airlines is gearing up to operate these eVTOLs in Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. The airline will even provide training for future eVTOL specialists at its school for pilots and technicians, called the Leadership In Flight Training (LIFT) Academy, in Indianapolis. Buzz about Trevor Jacobs crash started to pick up shortly after he uploaded the video of it, in December 2021. The actual crash, of a single-engine 1940s Taylorcraft BL-65 leisure plane, took place one month prior, in November. It saw Jacob fly over the Los Padres National Forest in Southern California, abandon the aircraft when it supposedly malfunctioned, land to safety, and then trek back through the bushes until he was rescued by a local farmer.Jacobs original video is still available online, despite the controversy. At the end of last year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into the crash. The conclusion reached earlier this month is that Jacob did fake the crash, bringing the aircraft down on purpose. The results of the investigation were made known to Jacob in a letter seen by the New York Times , but Jacob claims to know nothing about it.The FAA notes several discrepancies in the video that point to the crash being intentional, from the presence of a parachute on Jacob to the open door of the cockpit even before the supposed malfunction, and his forgetting to try to restart the engine or to call air traffic control to report the malfunction. Jacob also failed to try and glide the aircraft to a safe landing spot, though several were visible in the video, and tried to recover the wreck before alerting the FAA about the crash.You demonstrated a lack of care, judgment and responsibility by choosing to jump out of an aircraft solely so you could record the footage of the crash, the FAA says. Your egregious and intentional actions on these dates indicate that you presently lack the degree of care, judgment and responsibility required of a certificate holder.Consequently, the FAA has stripped Jacob of his private pilot license and may apply a fine. The agency cant prosecute, and the Transportation Departments Office of Inspector General would not comment on whether they plan to seek prosecution. Jacob would not comment on the ruling either, but he did address the crash in an earlier video this month, saying something to the effect that the truth will come out one day and vindicate him.Until that happens (if at all), heres the illegal stunt . Dont be like this guy. were spoiled for choice Eight months ago, we marveled at an example that was advertised for 7,437,500 ($8+ million), which equaled to 120 brand-new Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 muscle cars. However, the one that we just stumbled upon cost much more than that. In fact, it is over 4 million ($4.3+ million) more.Are you sitting down? Okay, here it is: 11,800,000, or $12,782,350 at the current exchange rates. A quick look on Chevrolets official website reveals that the new-gen Corvette has an MSRP of $60,900. Sure, it may be easier to find a needle in a haystack than a base Vette in dealer lots, but assuming that you can, you would be able to land well over 200 of them for the price of this single Bugatti Divo.This rare beast is advertised on Mobile by a French used car dealer, which has an Audi R8, Ferrari 488 GTB, Aspark Owl, and several other vehicles in its portfolio. Still, the Molsheim hypercar is the most expensive by far. And they did not say much about it, save for the fact that it has two owners in the papers, 310 miles (500 km) on the clock, a grey finish, and that it was first registered last June. They havent shared an extensive image gallery of it either, like one would expect, so wed check everything in the presence of a lawyer if wehad that kind of cash lying around.As a reminder, the Divo broke cover at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, and by that time, the entire production lot had been sold out. It builds on the Chiron, bringing its distinctive looks to the party, and it is actually a bit lighter than its more mainstream sibling. The engine is obviously the ubiquitous quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16, making 1,479 hp, enough for a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 2.4 seconds and a 236 mph (380 kph) top speed. Gateway will be an assembly of elements?in lunar orbit with?capabilities to advance deep?space exploration. It will serve as a unifying catalyst for?international partners to establish?deep space scientific investigations, long term?lunar surface access & missions to?Mars. pic.twitter.com/gpn72hxRQp NASA's Gateway Program (@NASA_Gateway) April 20, 2022 A lunar outpost (or more) is being envisioned as the stepping stone for future missions to Mars, because it will be a lot easier to launch them from there than from Earth. To do that, well probably need hardware both in orbit around the satellite, and on the dusty surface.The hardware that will float round and round the place is for now called, fittingly, Gateway . Previewed by the American space agency all the way back in 2018, it had an initial launch date for the power and propulsion element (PPE) planned sometime this year, but its obvious now thats not going to happen.Delays are only natural in space exploration (the launch of the James Webb telescope, for instance, was postponed time and again for no less than 14 years), and they dont mean NASA has given up on the Gateway plans. To remind us of that, the space agency released this week an image showing each and every element of what promises to be a historically important space station, together with their manufacturers.As per the info provided, SpaceX is tasked with launching the stations elements. Maxar will be making the PPE we mentioned earlier, Northrop Grumman (together with the European and Japanese space agencies, ESA and JAXA) the habitation and logistic outpost (HALO), and SpaceX the logistics module.NASA itself is responsible for creating and operating the Orion spaceship that will ferry astronauts to the station, while the European Space Agency will contribute the European service module, the refueler, and, together with JAXA, the International Habitat (I-HAB).The project is yet to determine a manufacturer for the Human Landing System (HLS) that will take humans down to the Moons surface, and the airlock.At the time of writing, NASA targets the launch of the PPE and HALO on the same mission, so sooner than November 2024. A cruise ship operator in Norway had to halt operations of its recently-launched eco-friendly vessel earlier this week. Although this is a Norwegian company, the Havila Capella cruise ship is financed through a Russian company called GTLK. To make things even more complicated, the company is based in Hong Kong.According to Offshore Energy , GTLK itself is owned by the Russian Ministry of Transport. So, indirectly, the Norwegian eco-friendly cruise ship is financed by Russia.As a result of the international sanctions against this country, Havila Kystruten announced that it had to stop operating the Havila Capella. But its working along all possible channels to find at least a temporary solution for this issue, until the more complex aspects get sorted out.Thats because Havila Capella is just one of the four hybrid-electric ships that the company intended to build, as part of a partnership with the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Norway.Because of the sanctions against Russia, this cruise ship operator will also have to find a new way of financing these four ships, in addition to trying to get the first one back on the water. It also stated that the financing and the formal registration do not change the fact that Havila Kystruten controls and operates Havila Capella. But it still has to comply with the sanctions until a legal resolution is found.The Havila Capella is no ordinary cruise ship. Sporting the worlds largest batteries, this 406-footer (124 meters) can carry 640 passengers and features a sustainable food concept that claims to save 60 tons of waste per year.In addition to being fueled by LNG (liquefied natural gas), its equipped with batteries that weigh 86 tons, claiming to boast a capacity equal to that of 600 top-range Teslas. Havila Capella and its three sisters were designed to operate between Bergen and Kirkenes, along the Norwegian coast. EV SUV Sure, it is still anyones guess how Kia will fight off Teslas Cybertruck, the Rivian R1T new kid on theblock, the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, or the upcoming 2024 Chevy Silverado EV and Ram trucks. But as far as the flagship EV sport utility vehicle strategy is concerned, the EV9 concepts future is already set in motion.During the 2022 New York International Auto Show, the South Korean automaker confirmed the timeframe for the production version of the serene, tech-modern prototype as the road-going EV9 will be launched during the second part of next year. Thus, the good folks over at the Gotcha Cars channel on YouTube have wasted no time and recently imagined the upcoming looks of the near-premium Kia EV9 flagshipIn a nutshell, their vision does not stray too far away from the concept and only changed some of the elements that had prototype vision plastered all over them, such as the pixelated headlights. Unfortunately, there is just one traditional front three-quarters POV to ogle at, for now. But, on the other hand, the channels team did their homework and decided to see how the EV9s looks would feel when pitted against real-world SUVs They did not stray too far away from Kia and Hyundais incredibly popular North American SUVs, so the EV9 got directly compared with the updated Hyundai Palisade , as well as both the pre-facelift and upgraded Kia Telluride variants. And that was not all, folks, as from the 2:38 mark, theres also ample color choice plastered all over the CGI body of this unofficial production version of Kia EV9 in the video embedded below. Swoop Aero boasts of having completed more than 13,000 BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flights, delivering over 750,000 packages worldwide, in Australia, the U.K., Congo, Mozambique, and Malawi. It was also the first company in the world to deliver a vaccine through a commercial drone operation in Vanuatu (South Pacific Ocean), back in 2018.The company plans to start developing its urban drone delivery network in Christchurch, the biggest city in the South Island of New Zealand. To that end, it joined forces with ChristchurchNZs Urban Development team, to design a concept for the air logistics network and unlock the skies, for both businesses and individuals. ChristchurchNZ is the agency in charge of stimulating sustainable economic growth in the kiwi city. Swoop Aero plans to use its autonomous docking station Aviary for a fleet of drones. Aviary is a complex solution that includes all the required elements for seamless access to the sky, from charging technology and payload exchange to the landing infrastructure and the user interface.We are yet to be given a clear timeline for the complex drone network that's going to be developed in New Zealand. However, referring to the recently announced partnership with ChristchurchNZ, Swoop Aero says this collaboration will bring the company closer to its goal of making its service accessible to 100 million people by 2025.Swoop Aeros newest delivery aircraft, Kite, is described by the manufacturer as a versatile powerhouse that can be used for various applications such as delivering medical supplies, assisting with disaster response, and more. It can fly at a speed of up to 200 kph (124 mph) carrying up to 5 kg (11 lb) and offers a range of up to 175 km (108 miles) on a single charge, with payloads of up to 3 kg (6.6 lb). Switching batteries and transitioning between its various configurations (transport, live video, mapping, SAR) takes under 30 seconds. SUV GM Korea, which also builds models that are exported to the United States, such as the Chevy Trailblazer, has decided to give up on one shift at the No. 1 Bupyeong facility where theis manufactured.Furthermore, the No. 2 Bupyeong plant will relocate no less than 1,200 workers, with the transfers to be complete by the end of the year to No. 1 and Changwon factories.Needless to say, these decisions are the result of a very constrained chip inventory that has significantly affected the local operations, though, on the other hand, GM Koreas production has been declining for quite some time now. Last year, for instance, its sales dropped no less than 36 percent.On the other hand, the struggle to deal with the wrath of the chip shortage isnt something new for General Motors. The company has been trying to minimize the impact on its manufacturing operations at its domestic plants as well, but more often than not, the whole thing came down to temporary production halts and selling vehicles without certain non-critical systems.Back in February, General Motors described 2022 as the year of recovery in terms of chip inventory, as the company expected the semiconductor market to improve substantially both in the United States and in China.However, the industry outlook isnt necessarily very optimistic right now, as chipmakers are now struggling with additional problems that could eventually impact their production capacity as well.China has recently enforced a new round of lockdowns and restrictions, while the war in Ukraine is causing shortages for various components, including neon, the gas thats being used for the manufacturing of chips. In this context, the 2022 chip recovery is still uncertain right now, not just for GM but for the entire industry as well. The folks over at Red Bull know how to put on a show, and their footage is world-class from all the events they organize and participate in. At least, footage with Red Bull athletes, as the company describes them.For this action-packed video, Red Bull decided to try to get the best possible footage on an FPV drone , so they hired Thomas and Shaggy, the Dutch Drone Gods, as they call themselves, and asked Thomas Slavik, a champion rider, to film his run in Valparaiso, Chile.The site is home to the Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo race, which had its first edition in 2003. It involves racing bicycles downhill on stairs, and it does not lack things like big drops, riding the wall, going through buildings, and other dangerous activities.After watching the video that is embedded below, we urge you to never attempt to replicate this, as serious injury or death may occur if someone tries to go biking downhill on stairs or by attempting to ride a wall.Thomas Slavik is a master in the sport, and even he requires his full concentration and ability to perform a clean run on the route in Chile The idea behind this was to have a full run recorded in a single shot. Filmmakers , vloggers, and people who work with cameras and filming call this a one-shot or a "one take." The idea is that you cannot make mistakes , and you must not have to re-shoot some of the footage because you did not film it correctly the first time.Well, when filming with an FPV drone, you need excellent signal and reception for it, which is why the crew prepared a larger drone with a signal repeater, which was flown above the route as the main drone was flying behind the cyclist. Moreover, signal boosting antennae were installed, and the two drone specialists were operating them from a roof.While we hope to see many more exciting things this year, this video will get a seat on the podium for excitement and wow factor. Go ahead and watch it below, and then re-watch it on a large screen TV for full effect. If conventional vehicles should be replaced by electric alternatives, traditional housing should also eventually be replaced by dwellings that are powered only by renewable energy and that are able to generate extra energy. This is what a San Francisco-based startup thinks the future should look like. 6 photos BAGHDAD, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Four militants of the Islamic State (IS) group were killed on Thursday in an Iraqi airstrike in a rugged area in Salahudin Province north of the capital Baghdad, the Iraqi government said. Acting on intelligence reports, the Iraqi armed forces launched an airstrike on abandoned houses in the al-Eith area in the eastern part of the province and killed the four IS militants, according to a statement by the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency of the Interior Ministry. Over the past few months, Iraqi security forces have mounted deadly attacks against IS militants to crack down on their intensified activities. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since the Iraqi forces defeated the IS in 2017. However, the IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Recently unveiled by the Korean automaker as one of the latest additions to its minivan range, it is the most luxurious by far. As such, it sits at the top of the family, and looks like the rest of the Starias on the outside, save for the raised roof that increases the interior headroom by 8 inches (205 mm), Creamy White or Abyss Black Pearl finishes, and two-tone 18-inch wheels.Speaking of the cabin, this is where the magic happens, as Hyundai gave it much more than captains chairs, leather upholstery, and the usual stuff that you normally find in such rides. For one, it features a massive 25-inch screen, whose fitting would not have been possible without the raised roof. Ambient lighting is included too, and to give the vehicle a posher feel, additional soundproofing material was added too. Built-in table, USB ports, cup holders, and others are included too.Besides the luxury cruiser, Hyundai has also introduced a camper van version of the Staria . Aptly dubbed the Staria Lounge Camper, it features a pop-up roof tent, canopy, and bed for two adults. Kitchen and storage modules are obviously on deck, albeit in the four-seater configuration, as an eleven-seater is also available, as is a water tank, waste tank, and detachable showerhead. Things such as foldable table and chairs, mosquito net for the tailgate, external power supply, and others can be found in this variant of the minivan.In Korea, Hyundai is asking at least 49,470,000 won for the Camper 11, aka the one with 11 seats, or a little over $40,000 at the current exchange rates, and 68,580,000 won ($55,490) for the Camper 4. The luxury version of the Staria comes from 57,920,000 won ($46,865) for the nine-seat version, and 59,630,000 won ($48,250) for the seven-seater. Vanetsian and a group of activists of his Fatherland party began the protest on Sunday, urging Armenians to thwart what they say are sweeping concessions to Azerbaijan planned by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. Armenias other major opposition groups backed the move and pledged to take coordinated actions aimed at toppling Pashinian. But they have so far given few details of their promised campaign. Vanetsian claimed that his sit-in is changing public mood in the country and setting the stage for massive anti-government protests. In the last few days I have seen many people in Liberty Square who were disappointed, didnt like us and the authorities, blamed everyone and were ready to emigrate, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. But people have now realized that they are losing the homeland. Believe me, in a short period of time there will be lots of people in the streets and squares of Armenia who will voice demands and definitely defend Armenia and Artsakh (Karabakh), he said. Vanetsians party and the former ruling Republican Party (HHK) make up the Pativ Unem bloc, one of the two opposition forces represented in the Armenian parliament. Pativ Unem and the other parliamentary opposition bloc, Hayastan, rallied thousands of supporters in Liberty Square on April 5 to warn Pashinian against agreeing to restore Azerbaijans control over Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinian met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels the following day for talks hosted by European Council President Charles Michel. Speaking in the parliament on April 13, the prime minister said the international community is pressing Armenia to lower a bit the bar on the question of Nagorno-Karabakhs status and recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity. He signaled Yerevans intention to make such concessions to Baku, fuelling more opposition allegations that he has agreed to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh. Some pro-government lawmakers insisted afterwards that Pashinian did not call for the restoration of Azerbaijani control of Karabakh. But they did not say what exactly lowering the bar on the territorys status means. Armenia has traditionally had strict restrictions on gun ownership. This is a key reason why only a small percentage of its population legally possesses weapons. The Armenian police have the exclusive right to issue a firearm license. Only members of the national Hunting Association can apply for one. Under an Armenian law on gun ownership, association members are at first allowed to possess only hunting rifles. They must wait for at least five years to get a permit to buy more potent firearms. Amendments to the law drafted by the lawmakers representing the ruling Civil Contract party would scrap these requirements. They also stipulate that a firearm license would be valid for ten years, as opposed to just five years required by the current law. In addition, they would increase from five to ten the maximum number of guns that can be possessed by a single person. One of the authors of the bill, Vilen Gabrielian, claimed on Thursday that it is meant to improve gun control in the country, rather than loosen the existing restrictions. Under our model, you need to pass an exam in order to get firearms, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. The current law is much more liberal than what we are proposing. Gabrielian said at the same time that the proposed amendments would expand gun ownership in the country by making weapons more affordable for citizens. Rifles and handguns are now mostly owned by wealthy Armenians because they are expensive, he said. It is not clear when the Armenian parliament will debate the bill. The Armenian governments position on the proposed changes to the gun law is not known either. Nina Karapetiants, a human rights activist, questioned the wisdom of those changes, saying that they could increase the countrys violent crime rate that has long been quite low. [Gun control] is a complex mechanism, she said. Im not sure the authorities will make it work properly. The vast majority of residents of Yerevan randomly interviewed by RFE/RLs Armenian Service in the streets said they want no guns in their homes. We dont need weapons now, said one man. That would create a dangerous situation because we are hot-tempered people. I wouldnt like my husband or other family members to have guns, said a young woman. Ashot Avetisian, another Yerevan resident, has owned a hunting rifle for the last ten years. He believes that everyone must know well how to use weapons and ammunition. For me, a gun is first of all a means of hunting and also a means of self-defense, said Avetisian. He admitted, though, that he has never gone hunting since obtaining his rifle. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter. by Dames Alexander Sinaga JAKARTA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of Indonesia's thermal coal shipments overseas is rising following Europe's ban on Russian coal amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russia, the world's third-largest coal supplier, dominates sales to Europe, but the Russian ban has disrupted supplies to the continent. Indonesia's second-biggest coal miner PT Adaro Energy Indonesia confirmed Monday that it has shipped approximately 300,000 tons of coal to the Netherlands and Spain, although a company official did not mention when exactly the shipments were made. "Amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we've started receiving demands from Europe," the company's chief financial officer Lie Luckman told local media on Monday. "It is possible that (demand) would increase." Despite increasing demand from Europe, Luckman said the company is still focused on supplying coal to its main customers in Asia and has not considered revising its coal production target this year despite events in Europe. This year, Indonesia aims to produce about 663 million tons of coal, with around 166 million tons for the domestic market and about 497 million tons for exports. In January, Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of coal used in electricity generation, temporarily banned coal exports to safeguard its domestic power supply. Statistics Indonesia, a government institute, reported that coal exports in January plunged 61 percent compared to December last year. The government later eased the ban and allowed miners to sell coal overseas. Given the global surge in thermal coal prices, Indonesia has introduced a higher coal royalty rate for miners to increase state revenues. Last week, Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed new government regulation on coal tariffs, increasing the country's royalty rate for miners from a single tariff of 13.5 percent to a range of 14 to 28 percent, depending on the country's benchmark coal prices. The mining industry is a significant contributor to Indonesia's non-tax state revenue. Official information showed that last year miners in the country contributed 189.2 trillion Indonesian rupiahs (about 13.2 billion U.S. dollars) to state coffers, while Indonesia's total non-tax state revenue in 2021 was 452 trillion rupiahs (about 31.5 billion dollars). Mamit Setiawan, executive director of Energy Watch Indonesia, a Jakarta-based think-tank, said Monday that the latest government regulation on coal tariffs would boost state revenues given the current high price of coal. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) Actor Johnny Depp scoffed at the notion during court testimony Wednesday that his constant quarrels with ex-wife Amber Heard would ever prompt him to hit her. Violence isn't necessary, he said from the stand during his libel lawsuit against Heard. Why would you hit someone to make them agree with you? Heard has accused Depp of physically and sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions before and during their brief marriage. Depp sued after Heard made an indirect reference to those accusations in a 2018 op-ed piece she wrote for The Washington Post. Depp began to address Heard's accusations in detail Wednesday. Heard has said the first time she was assaulted was when Depp slapped her in 2013 after she made fun of a tattoo he had one that used to say Winona Forever when he was dating the actress Winona Ryder that he altered to Wino Forever after they broke up. It didn't happen, he said of the alleged assault. Why would I take such great offense to someone making fun of a tattoo on my body? That allegation never made any sense to me. Later, he addressed an alleged assault on a private plane flight in 2014 from Boston to Los Angeles when he was filming the movie Black Mass. Heard has said Depp became blackout intoxicated and assaulted her on the plane ride. Depp testified he took two oxycodone pills an opiate to which he admits he was addicted at the time and locked himself in the plane bathroom and fell asleep to avoid her badgering. He took great lengths to explain the difference between falling asleep on opiates and blacking out on alcohol, and insisted throughout his testimony that he was never addicted to booze. Depp testified that he only drank perhaps a glass of Champagne as he boarded the plane. But according to evidence introduced at a similar trial in England where Depp sued a British tabloid a lawsuit he lost Depp texted his friend, actor Paul Bettany, and referenced drinking half a bottle of whiskey, a thousand Red Bull vodkas and two bottles of Champagne before the flight. Depp also discussed a violent argument in 2015 shortly after they were married in Australia that resulted in the tip of his middle finger being cut off. He said Heard was irate that Depp's lawyers had asked her to sign a post-nuptial agreement. Depp said he retreated to a basement bar and started pouring himself shots of vodka, which further enraged her. He said she threw two vodka bottles at him, the second of which exploded where he had placed his hand on the bar, severing the finger to the point where bone was exposed. I dont know what a nervous breakdown feels like, but thats probably the closest Ive ever been, he said. Depp said he began to write on the walls in his own blood to recount lies in which he had caught Heard. Depp told hospital doctors he had injured himself, and contemporaneous text messages introduced as evidence refer to Depp injuring himself. Depp testified he lied about the cause of the injury to protect her. In opening statements, Heard's lawyers said the laws of physics do not support Depp's story and they will introduce evidence to prove that. Most of his Depp's Day 1 testimony in Fairfax County Circuit Court focused on his descriptions of a difficult childhood, his rise to fame as an actor after an aborted music career and his early relationship with Heard after meeting her on the 2011 film The Rum Diary. The two married in 2015 and she filed for divorce a year later. Taking the stand for a second day, Depp said things began to change in his marriage when he felt that he was suddenly just wrong about everything in Heards eyes. Depp said that Heard made little digs at him to demean him. The insults escalated into full-fledged circular arguments from which there was no way in or out, Depp said. Ms. Heard was unable to be wrong," he said. He said he was constantly being told about how wrong he was about various aspects of his life, including his 30-year acting career. Violence would often ensue, sometimes with a slap or a shove from Heard or his wife throwing a television remote control or a glass of wine in his face, Depp said. There were times when I would just go and lock myself in the bathroom or a place where she couldnt get to, Depp said. Why did I stay? I stayed I suppose because my father stayed (with my mother) I didnt want to fail, Depp said. I wanted to try to make it work. I thought maybe I could help her. I thought maybe I could bring her around. Depp said he used drugs and drank alcohol as a way to cope with Heards abuse and said she was also a heavy drinker. Depp said he at one point stopped drinking to try to save the relationship. But Depp said Heard refused to abstain, even when he asked her to help him in his sobriety. Depp sued Heard after she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Post in which she referred to herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. She never mentioned Depp by name, but Depp and his lawyers said it was a clear reference to accusations Heard made in 2016 when the couple divorced and she sought a restraining order against him. Depp said the accusations and the article contributed to an unfairly ruined reputation that made him a Hollywood pariah and cost him his role in the lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. Heard's lawyers say the article is accurate and does not defame him. They say Depp's ruined reputation is the result of his own bad behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse. ___ Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia. The walls are filled with paintings and bursting with color literally so in the case of the large mural that greets visitors to Billy Hassell: Topography, on display at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas through June 19. Hassells paintings and lithography prints feature birds oh, my, are there birds as well as fish, flora and assorted Texas fauna. Each of the images is a spectacular visual feast, with the canvases filled with flamboyantly brightly colored creatures and rich stylized landscapes. At a gallery reception earlier this month, Hassell said he was fascinated as a child by the colors and geometric patterns found in the turtles, frogs, lizards and snakes he found around his Dallas home. His work takes those shapes and colors and pushes them to the edge of reality to border on the surreal. To liken a work to a candy-colored confection may appear to be an insult, but Hassell has cleverly designed his works to stop the casual viewer in his tracks. One cannot help but be drawn into the vivid landscapes and the large paintings are overwhelming in detail. Roseate Spoonbills at Sunset is the perfect example of Hassells approach. The large oil painting is saturated with color, with no fewer than 17 whole or partial birds flying about saturated and flamboyant sunset. Once the visceral attraction wears off, we stay with the image to explore the subtext. The animals depicted in the AMSET show are all found within four hours of Southeast Texas. They are an integral part of our surroundings. Hassell said he is not a political artist, but it is important that we recognize that if the birds and animals disappear it would take the color out of the landscape. Hassell is on the Big Bend Conservancy board of directors, as well as advocating for the Texas Parks and Wildlife, and his art serves to raise awareness of nature and the hazards it faces. The painting Shorebirds Following Schools of Fish, has a monochromatic background, but the gray tones only serve to better allow the birds to pop out. It creates a push and pull between color and tone. There is also a push and pull between Hassells very modern take and the traditional observations of 18th-century naturalists. It is similar to a page from an old encyclopedia, where the artist would place all the birds from an area in one image. Hassell does research but said he does not consider himself an ornithologist. He watches birds in nature but is not a birdwatcher. He learns by having conversations with others, and that is translated to the conversation the viewer has with the work. If the initial visceral connection through color and composition draws out a deeper discussion of the changing natural world, then that is a bonus. Hassell keeps journals of watercolor sketches of places all the paintings depict real places. The spontaneous watercolors are the source material for the paintings. He then applies his love of geometric forms and breaks the watercolors down to create the paintings. The images are not straightforward, literal paintings of a place, more of an attempt to capture the experience of a place. In that sense, Hassell is an impressionist, although stylistically opposite to the French style, with his clean lines and bold colors. He gives us permission to live with our individual reactions I hope the viewer will finish the piece, he said. Hassells works do not fit into an easily-definable category. The pair of color lithographs, Brown Pelican, Turbulent Sea, echo Japanese woodcuts, with their fantastic swirling waves, one with the water in silver and one in blue. Hassell said the paintings may only take a couple of weeks to finish but they percolate for a while until he is inspired to create. The paintings work better when he allows them to speak to him, he said. The mural at the entrance to the show is a collaboration with the staff from the museum. It features monarch butterflies filling the sky above a body of water. The butterflies are three-dimensional and are breaking free of the surface painting, immersing us in the experience as if the painting has come to life. Hassell said he enjoys blending abstraction while still making the image clearly what the thing looks like, drawing on the old adage that art is a deception that allows us to see something in a different way. With Topography, Hassell gives us joyous, bright and colorful images. The work leaves the viewer with an awareness of what would be lost if we allow that color to fade away. Topography is on display at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont, through June 19. Hassell will sign copies of the exhibition catalog, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., May 5. The creation of a $2.39 billion storm surge protection system is underway in Orange County. But before moving forward on the resiliency project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Gulf Coast Protection District are looking for public feedback. We're doing things here on the Texas coast that potentially can prepare this whole nation and every coast to adapt to the changes that we're seeing both in development and the risk of changing weather patterns and even the risk in terms of sea level rise, said USACE District Engineer and Commanding Officer Col. Timothy Vail. PTSD is a real thing that's Post Traumatic Storm Disorder. So the degree of empathy that's required of the Corps of Engineers is staggering. In order to understand the community and offer that empathy, USACE will have several in-person and virtual meetings to accommodate residents' concerns. Related: Orange County levee project takes first step forward We've worked very diligently for several years now to make sure that those concerns that our constituents have with rainfall events as well as storm surge (have) been addressed with this project, said Orange County Judge John Gothia. And we feel comfortable that we're moving in the right direction. The Orange County project is just a part of the $37 billion Sabine to Galveston Bay program, which includes 15 miles of new earthen levees, roughly 10 miles of concrete floodwalls, about 50 gravity drainage structures, multiple pump stations, around 30 closure structures at certain roads and railroad crossings, two gates at Adams and Cow bayous and restoration of about 450 acres of coastal marsh and 560 acres of forested wetlands in Orange alone. Gothia is confident that this project will yield improve protection, economic output and cost of living for the more than 85,000 residents. The project will be funded largely by the federal government, with 35% coming from other sources that relevant government agencies have about 30 years to find out. Related: Phelan Q&A: COVID will color everything this Legislative session It's in the engineering and design phase, but once complete, it's expected to provide protection from a 100-year-storm-surge event. The design is expected to be completed by 2024, when construction begins. Construction is expected to last until 2028. But this month, residents will have three chances to have their say and get further information on the project. There will be 3 open houses: April 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Bridge City Community Center, 105 Parkside Drive; April 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. at American Legion Post 49 in Orange, 108 Green Avenue; and April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Orange County Convention and Expo Center, 11475 FM 1442. This is another opportunity for the public to be able to see what we're doing and provide that input, said USACE chief of public affairs Lynda Yezzi. Everybody's a part of this. We're not just doing this in a vacuum, so we need for them to understand why (construction) has to be here or for them to say why it can't be (in a certain location) before we get into actual construction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Beaumont school board is looking to even out voting power across its five single-member districts, particularly between two that census data show a population difference of about 5,000 residents. And they're asking the community to be a part of the redistricting process. Tuesday, at its first of three community input meetings, trustees and an attorney for redistricting firm Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP Gunnar Seaquist answered residents' questions and explained the redistricting process. About a dozen community members showed out at the Beaumont United Jackson Center to inquire about the new district map plans, though none made any public comments. RELATED: Beaumont schools to seek feedback on voting district realignment Board President Robert Dunn, Sr. said he hoped more people would show at Wednesday's 6:30 p.m. meeting at Smith Middle School and the 6:30 p.m. meeting April 25 at West Brook. The move is necessitated by the outcome of the 2020 Census, which revealed the districts' population difference of 20.83% -- twice the maximum allowed by law. "(Single-member district trustees) are folks who run from the district they live in and who also are voted in by the voters of that district," said Seaquist during the presentation. "As we re-balance these districts and redraw them, the only effect that's going to have is changing the boundary lines of where individual trustees run from, who votes for which trustee and lives in which district." RELATED: Beaumont schools working to avoid need for more charter partners The 14th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution requires "one person, one vote," meaning that each of the member districts needs to be proportionate in terms of total population, Seaquist said. "The reason for that is if one district or another is significantly overpopulated or underpopulated, that can have an effect of either overvaluing or undervaluing votes of the individual voters," he said. "You're trying to make sure that everyone has as much of an equal 'one person, one vote' as possible. Of course, just based on the way folks live, you can't always divide it up into exactly equal districts, you're going to have some variation." Seaquist said federal courts mandate a maximum deviation between populations in each district below 10%. RELATED: 27 Beaumont educators named 'Teachers of the Year' The 2020 Census showed that District 5, represented by Tillie Hickman, is the most populous, with about 25,000 residents -- 8.7% above the ideal population. District 4, represented by Kevin Reece, is the least-populous district with about 20,000 residents -- 12.2% below the ideal. "Primarily, what the task we are looking at is, is taking some population out of (district) five and into (district) four and adding population to four so we can get the difference between all those districts back down below that 10%," Seaquist said. RELATED: More than 270 open positions in Beaumont school district The board is working to redraw the lines with the intent of keeping every incumbent in their current district to main community relationships. Seaquist also said the board and firm are making sure their re-draws comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, though the redistricting plans no longer have to be pre-approved through the Department of Justice. "We on the front end do the work in making sure that the plans that we draw don't have the effect of discriminating or limiting minority opportunity to participate in elections," he said. RELATED: Some high school students can earn real estate license before graduation After the three community meetings, the board will take the feedback into account as they finalize district plans in preparation for the 2023 election cycle. "We want (community members) to ask questions because some of the lines are redrawn from where they lived," Dunn said after the meeting. "We want the community to come out because there's a lot of misinformation that goes out on social media and I read a lot of it -- I would like folks to come out and ask us directly their concerns and we could take care of that for them. But if no one shows up, then there's nothing we can do about it." Seaquist said the board will have a public hearing regarding redistricting, though the date is dependent on how the feedback process goes. olivia.malick@hearst.com twitter.com/OliviaMalick This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine Satellite images released Thursday showed what appeared to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city. Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of hiding their military crimes by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. The Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app that the graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead. __ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Putin tries to claim Mariupol win but wont storm holdout Chinas Xi urges dispute resolution, opposes sanctions EXPLAINER: Whats the impact if Europe cuts off Russian oil? Biden announce s new military assistance for Ukraine AP-NORC poll: Many say Biden not tough enough on Russia Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: UNITED NATIONS Russia and Ukraine squared off at the U.N. on Thursday over whether Russias war is to blame for rising food prices and hunger around the world. Between them, the two countries account for nearly a third of global wheat and barley exports and millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia depend on them for affordable bread and noodles. Ukraine also is a major corn supplier and the biggest exporter of sunflower oil. As long as Russia persists in its efforts to invade Ukraine, the threat of hunger will be looming over many countries throughout the globe, Ukrainian counsellor Natalia Mudrenko said Thursday at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss conflict and hunger. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Chumakov argued that sanctions, trade wars, the coronavirus pandemic and Western economic policies were shaking up the global food, energy and financial markets. Chumakov said Russias critics were trying to deflect focus from sanctions and the economic egoism of the developed countries during the pandemic. __ KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the new package of $800 million in military aid, which he said was just what we were waiting for. The latest military aid, announced Thursday by President Joe Biden, includes heavy artillery, ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Zekenskyy has urged Western countries to speed up the deliveries of weapons to help Ukraine fend off the Russian offensive. The occupiers continue to do everything possible to give themselves a reason to speak about at least some kind of victory, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. They are building up their forces, bringing in new tactical battalions and trying even to begin a so-called mobilization in the regions they occupy in Ukraine. Zelenskyy also warned Ukrainians living in areas of southern Ukraine under the control of Russia troops not to provide them with their IDs, which he said could be used to falsify a so-called referendum on our land to create a Moscow-friendly government. __ Russias foreign ministry has announced that it has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans from entering the country. But one of the people targeted by the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, said he views the designation as an honor. I have to say it is nothing less than an accolade to earn the ire of a government that lies to its own people, brutalizes its neighbors and seeks to create a world where freedom and liberty are put on the run and, if they have their way, extinguished, Price told reporters in Washington. In a statement on its website Thursday, the ministry says the move came as a response to ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions brought on by the Biden administration. It claimed to be targeting top executives, public intellectuals and journalists shaping what it referred to as the Russophobic narrative prevailing in U.S. public debate. Alongside Harris and Zuckerberg, the ban includes top defense and justice officials; the CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank of America; high-profile foreign affairs commentators; as well as the editor of the Russia-focused Meduza news website. __ WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has tapped retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a former three-star Army general and former National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to coordinate billions of dollars security assistance being sent into Ukraine. Wolff recently joined the Biden White House but his appointment has not been formally announced, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Wolff as Army officer served three tours of duty in Iraq and has held senior roles at the Pentagon, Joint Staff, and State Department. He was tapped by the Obama administration in 2015 to serve as deputy special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State. Wolffs latest appointment comes as Biden on Thursday announced that he was sending a new tranche of $800 million of security assistance to Ukraine, including heavy artillery and drones. The president, who has already approved the dispersal of about $3.4 billion in military assistance, said he will soon seek approval from Congress for additional security assistance for Ukraine. Congress approved $6.5 billion for military assistance last month as part of $13.6 billion in spending for Ukraine and allies in response to the Russian invasion. __ KYIV, Ukraine -- The Mariupol City Council says as many as 9,000 civilians could be buried in mass graves in the village of Manhush outside Mariupol. In a post on Telegram, the city council quoted Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko calling the site the new Babi Yar. Then Hitler killed Jews, Roma and Slavs. And now Putin is destroying Ukrainians. He has already killed tens of thousands of civilians in Mariupol, he was quoted as saying. This requires a strong reaction from the entire world. We need to stop the genocide by any means possible. In a separate statement earlier Thursday, Boychenko alleged the Russians had dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol, and were hiding their war crimes by dumping bodies there. On Thursday evening, Ukrainian media published satellite photos of Manhush, showing what they said were mass graves similar to the ones discovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. The accuracy of these claims and images could not be immediately verified. ___ KYIV, Ukraine No residents could be evacuated from the encircled city of Mariupol on Thursday due to continuing Russian shelling of agreed-to humanitarian corridors, Ukrainian deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post on Thursday evening. No happy news out of Mariupol. Everything has been hard-going, she wrote. On the Russian side, everything has been very difficult, chaotic, slow, and of course, dishonest. We apologize to the residents of Mariupol who did not get to be evacuated today. Shelling began at the evacuation point, which is why the humanitarian corridor had to be closed. In the same post, Vereshchuk acknowledged that on Wednesday, a four-bus convoy was allowed to transport 79 civilians from Mariupol to Kyiv-controlled territory in Ukraines southeastern Zaporizhzhhia region - a development she said gave her hope. ___ KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian official raised the possibility of a Ukrainian airstrike against the strategically important bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland. His statement on Thursday prompted angry denouncements from top Russian political figures. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, was asked in an interview with Ukraines Radio NV whether Kyiv would be able to hit the $4 billion Kerch bridge, which is Moscows only direct road link to the peninsula, in order to stem the flow of military resupplies channeled through it. Had we been able to do it, we would have already done it, Danilov said in response. If there is a possibility, we will definitely do it. He did not clarify whether Kyiv currently has the capability to carry out an attack. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, branded Danilovs statement nothing else than the announcement of a possible terrorist act and unacceptable. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Peskov added that all security measures were in place around the Kerch bridge and other strategic facilities. ___ LONDON Western officials say Ukraine will need economic and military support for months to come as the war grinds into a long conflict. As Russias invasion enters a new phase focused on the eastern Donbas region, an official said Putin is still in a position to win the war, but not quickly. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, two Western officials said Russia might be able to surround and destroy the bulk of Ukraines forces and make territorial gains. An aim of taking all of the Donbas and securing a land bridge to Crimea is potentially within reach for Russias forces. However, officials said it is far from certain Russia will achieve that goal. They said Russia had learned some of the lessons of past failures in northern Ukraine, and was showing more effective command-and-control. But they said Russia was still feeding troops into its eastern offensive piecemeal and advancing in long columns of vehicles along roads, leaving its forces vulnerable to attack. Officials said they also have not yet seen a major push up from the south, which would allow Russian forces to trap Ukraines troops in a pincer movement. Partly that is due to 5,000 to 10,000 Russian troops attempting to overcome the last pocket of resistance in the port city of Mariupol. ___ LISBON, Portugal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Portugal to support a European ban on Russian gas and oil to help his countrys war effort. Speaking via video conference to the Portuguese parliament on Thursday, Zelenskyy asked the European Union member to help speed up sanctions and the delivery of more military aid. I hope that you will also advocate a boycott of Russian oil and gas on the EU level, he said. The Russian occupiers killed people purely for entertainment, killed them inside their homes and in vehicles in which children were traveling. The Ukrainian leader drew a parallel between his countrys fight against Russian aggression and Portugals 1974 Carnation Revolution, the military coup by left-leaning officers that overthrew an authoritarian regime and ushered in democracy. The Portuguese know how to rid themselves of a dictatorship. I know that our nations understand each other, he said during his speech that earned him a standing ovation by lawmakers. ___ The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol says Russian troops are burying Ukrainian civilians killed in the conflict in order to cover up military crimes. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko claimed that the Russians buried hundreds of civilians killed in Manhush outside Mariupol. Boychenko said that the bodies started disappearing from the streets of the city, charging that the Russians were hiding the trace of their crimes and using mass graves as one of the instruments for that. He said that the Russians dug huge trenches near Manhush, 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) west of Mariupol. They are taking the bodies of the dead residents of Mariupol in trucks and throw them into those trenches. He said during an online briefing. They are hiding their military crimes, he said. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden says he is sending another $800 million in weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in the coming days, calling it the frontlines of freedom as it defends itself against a Russian invasion. This $800 million arms package raises to $3.4 billion the amount of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since the Russians began their invasion Feb. 24. Biden says he will ask Congress next week to approve billions more dollars in aid for Ukraine because the assistance package passed last month is now almost exhausted. He said officials were still sorting out the appropriate amount to request. Biden said the U.S. has the capacity to do this for a long time as it ships arms to Ukraine, but must work harder to maintain international pressure on Russia in retaliation for its invasion. Biden said despite Russian President Vladimir Putins claims, There is no evidence yet that Mariupol is completely fallen. Ukrainian forces and civilians are encircled in a massive steel plant in the city and Biden called on Russia to provide humanitarian corridors so that civilians may flee safely. ___ WASHINGTON The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. A program announced Thursday will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting. But it will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have done since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost two months ago. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Officials said that, starting Monday, that route will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances. ___ WASHINGTON A Treasury official says the United States will provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to help it sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs. The official was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of an announcement on Thursday, when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, along with Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. The new funding comes on top of $500 million in economic aid that President Joe Biden unveiled in March. The announcement comes against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings dominated by conversations over how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Denmark's prime minister has announced during a visit to Kyiv that her country will more than double the amount it has given to Ukraine to buy weapons. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday that Denmark will donate 600 million kroner ($87.4 million). Standing alongside Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she called it a new, significant contribution. Frederiksen said the total Danish military contribution is now 1 billion kroner. Denmark also will assist Ukraine in the clearing mines in areas that are under Ukrainian control. - BERLIN -- The U.N. migration agency says the number of people displaced within Ukraine since Russias invasion began has risen to 7.7 million. The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration said Thursday that more than 600,000 additional people were displaced within the country in the first 17 days of April. The figures from the IOM came a day after the U.N. refugee agency said the number of people who have fled Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24 has risen to more than 5 million. The IOM said that more than half of the internally displaced people, mostly in the east of the country, reported a lack of some food products. It said their most pressing problems include cash and access to financial support, followed by medicines. Ukraine had a pre-war population of 44 million. ___ WARSAW, Poland Polands Foreign Ministry says that Poland has frozen the bank account of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw over suspicions it was being used for purposes that were not good. Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said Thursday that the account was frozen by prosecutors. He said that Polands embassy and consulates in Russia have been exposed to various retaliatory steps with roads around the embassy in Moscow dug up for the past two weeks, complicating entry to and exit from the compound. He said that almost prevented the departure of Polish diplomats expelled by Russia in the international spat over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Jasina didnt give further details of the action by prosecutors. According to the Business Insider portal, prosecutors ordered the freezing of the embassy account and that of Russias trade mission in Poland for six months shortly after Russias invasion of Ukraine began, saying the money in the accounts may be used to finance terrorism. ___ LONDON -- Britains government has announced new sanctions against leaders in Russias army responsible for committing atrocities on the frontline. The Foreign Office said Thursday that its targeting several Russian generals and military commanders including Lt. Col. Azatbek Omurbekov. Authorities say the so-called Butcher of Bucha commanded forces that occupied the town outside Kyiv where multiple reports of war crimes and civilian killings have surfaced. Omurbekov and several others were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. British authorities also said Thursday that they are expanding their sanctions list to individuals and companies that are supporting President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. They include Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of logistics company Russian Railways, and Russian weapons suppliers and manufacturers such as Kalashnikov Concern. ___ MILAN Italian energy company ENI has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo to increase natural gas production and supply to Italy, as part of European moves to cut dependence on Russian energy over its invasion of Ukraine. The deal signed Thursday comes on top of recent deals to increase production and delivery from Algeria and Angola. Italy currently gets some 38% of its natural gas from Russia, and has signed deals to replace about half. The new deal signed in Brazzaville calls for a new liquefied natural gas project that is expected to launch next year with a capacity of up to 4.5 billion cubic meters a year for export. ENI said it also agreed to back sustainable energy projects in the central African country. ___ KYIV, Ukraine An adviser to the Ukrainian president says Russian President Vladimir Putins decision not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol means that the Russian military is unable to perform the task. Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Thursday that they cannot physically capture Azovstal, a giant steel plant that is Ukraines last stronghold in the strategic Sea of Azov port. Arestovichs statement followed Putins attempt to claim control of Mariupol even though Ukrainian defenders have continued to fight at Azovstal. Putin ordered his defense minister not to send troops to storm the plant and to block it instead. ___ HELSINKI -- Latvias Parliament has approved a statement accusing Russia of carrying out genocide against the Ukrainian people. The statement approved unanimously Thursday by the Baltic countrys 100-seat Saeima legislature pointed to extensive testimony and evidence of crimes committed by the Russian military in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and elsewhere. It said that, as a member of the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union and NATO, Latvia cannot accept Russias actions. Neighboring Estonias Parliament agreed later Thursday on a similar statement. The Latvian statement also called on EU member countries to stop importing Russian oil and gas immediately. ___ YANGON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has been working to accelerate development of hydrocarbon and renewable energy for domestic power supply, the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations said in a joint statement on Thursday. The country would increase power generation in the country from oil and gas sources through new investments, partnerships and actions such as conversion to the use of existing facilities, the statement said. According to the statement, the country's State Administration Council would step up repair of damaged power infrastructure for better power supply in the country. It also said the recent temporary shortage of power was caused by a surge of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a weaker kyat currency. Myanmar was also working together with China to develop major energy projects including the 1,390-MW Mee Lin Gyaing LNG power project, it said. It added that China, Myanmar's largest neighbor and major economic partner, would play an increasingly important role in the country's energy-related developments. The Southeast Asian country was increasing investments in renewable energy sectors after developing solar power projects including the 40-MW Letpanhla and 30-MW Nyaungbingyi solar projects, it added. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIAMI (AP) For years after leaving Cuba, the mother of two tried to get her children and parents into the U.S. through legal channels. Finally, she decided she wouldnt wait any longer: She paid more than $40,000 dollars to someone to help them sneak in through Mexico. I said to myself, `Enough. I am going to risk everything,' said the 30-year-old woman, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from U.S. authorities. Her familys story is an example of what tens of thousands of Cuban immigrants looking to escape political and economic troubles are going through as more risk their lives and arrive illegally in the United States. It's a very different reality from years ago, when Cubans enjoyed special protections that other immigrants did not have. Her children and parents undertook a 20-day journey, starting with a plane ride from Havana to Managua, Nicaragua. From there, they took buses, vans and taxis across Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, until they arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border. I saw that other people were coming through the border and they were happy, and I, who had done things legally, was still waiting for my children, the woman said. ___ CUBA AND NICARAGUA U.S. border authorities encountered Cubans almost 32,400 times in March, according to figures released Monday. That was roughly double the number in February and five times the number in October. The increase coincided with Nicaraguas decision starting in November to stop requiring visas for Cubans to promote tourism after other countries, such as Panama and the Dominican Republic, began mandating them. After flying to Nicaragua, Cubans travel by land to remote stretches of the U.S. border with Mexico mainly in Yuma, Arizona, and Del Rio, Texas and generally turn themselves in to Border Patrol agents. The Biden administration has been leaning on other governments to do more to stop migrants from reaching the U.S., most recently during a visit this week to Panama by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. The actions of Nicaragua, a U.S. adversary, complicates that effort. Cuban and U.S. officials met Thursday in Washington to discuss migration in their highest-level diplomatic talks in four years. The State Department said the meeting covered areas of successful cooperation on migration but also identified obstacles to ensuring safe, orderly and legal migration U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped Cubans more than 79,800 times from October through March more than double all of 2021 and five times more than all of 2020. Overall, the Border Patrol stopped migrants of all nationalities more than 209,000 times in March, the highest monthly mark in 22 years. Cubans who cross the U.S. border illegally face little risk of being deported or expelled under a public health law that has been used to deny asylum to thousands of migrants of other nationalities on the grounds of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Barely 500 Cubans stopped in March, or about 2%, were subject to Title 42 authority, named after a public health law. The Biden administration plans to end Title 42 authority on May 23. Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, and other experts estimate the number of Cubans leaving could exceed other mass migrations from the island, including the Mariel boatlift of 1980, when more than 124,700 Cubans came to the U.S. There are several intertwined factors that have produced a perfect storm for the intensification of the Cuban exodus, Duany said. For one, Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the tightening of U.S. sanctions. Massive street protests on July 11, 2021, and the governments response also have played a role. Nongovernmental organizations have reported more than 1,400 arrests and 500 people sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for vandalism or sedition. Havana has not said how many Cubans have left and has accused the United States of manipulating the situation and offering perks that encourage departure. What hurts? That there are young people who find that their future plans cant develop in the country and have to emigrate, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said early this month. There are people who want to prove themselves in another world, who want to show they arent breaking with their country, that their aspiration is also to improve a little and later return. THE CUBAN FAMILY TIRED OF WAITING The 30-year-old woman who tried to bring her family to the U.S. through legal avenues had arrived in Florida in a raft in 2016. Under the wet foot, dry foot policy, Cubans could stay if they made it to U.S. land, but they were sent back if apprehended at sea. Former President Barack Obama ended that policy in 2017, and she petitioned for immigration for her children the next year. Every month, she sent her family $500 for medicine and food, along with boxes of clothes and other items, she said from her home in Tampa, Florida. Finally, she decided to pay $11,000 to smugglers for each relative -- her two children, ages 8 and 10, and her mother and father. Her parents sold everything, including their house and furniture, before embarking on the journey with both children, explained the single mother. In Managua, they met 200 other migrants -- Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans -- at a hotel. That same day they start a caravan by car, truck, or any kind of vehicle. In one night, they got into more than 10 different cars, the woman said. After 20 days, they arrived in Mexicali, Mexico, crossed the Colorado River at night and surrendered to Border Patrol agents in Yuma, Arizona. They were separated. The grandparents, 45 and 62 years-old, were released in two days; their grandchildren were detained 11 days, the woman said. THE CUBAN MAN WHO FEARED FOR HIS LIFE Other Cubans say they left because they felt persecuted. Ariel, 24, worked doing blood tests at a laboratory in a hospital in Cienfuegos, on Cuba's south coast. During the pandemic, he led a protest demanding masks, gowns and disinfectants and criticized the government on Facebook for the lack of medical supplies. He told the AP in a phone interview that he decided to leave in November after receiving threats and being beaten. He requested that only his middle name be used because his mother and 14-year-old sister in Cuba could face reprisals. His whole trip was a nightmare, Ariel recalled, but he said that he was willing to do whatever it took lo leave Cuba. He made his way to Mexicali, with help from an aunt in Florida, and paid a smuggler $300 to take him across the Colorado River. He joined about 100 migrants, 90 of them Cubans, who boarded a truck at midnight, he said. The river was calm, but deep. Water covered his waist. He helped a Cuban mom by carrying her child on his shoulders. The smuggler gave them directions to a place where Border Patrol agents would pick them up. They waited two days at a migrant camp with 1,000 other people, eating bread and canned food. Border Patrol agents picked them up in groups of 12 and took them to a center in Yuma that Ariel said seemed like a prison. After his release, he called his aunt to let her know that he was ready to fly to St. Petersburg, Florida. LIVING IN THE U.S. Many Cubans who crossed illegally say they now feel like they are in limbo. The most difficult situation is going to be here, not when crossing (the border), said Dr. Raul Gonzalez, a Cuban American who owns a clinic that helps new arrivals with paperwork to receive assistance for a few months. They are like stranded here. It can take some time for asylum-seekers to obtain a work permit. At Gonzalezs clinic, Cubans lined up to secure one of the 20 appointments available each day. It is sad what they are going through, said the doctor. Many tell me, Dont give me food stamps, I would prefer that they let me work. - AP journalists Andrea Rodriguez in Havana and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Workers lay the first section of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway track at the Tegalluar depot in West Java, April 20, 2022. Indonesia will ask the China Development Bank to finance 75 percent of the nearly U.S. $2 billion cost overrun for the construction of a Beijing-backed fast train project linking the capital Jakarta with Bandung, a project official said Thursday. The cost of the rail line, which is now projected to be completed next year, has swelled to nearly $8 billion. The project is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinas $1 trillion-plus program to finance and build infrastructure projects across the globe. Obviously the first one to be offered is CBD [China Development Bank], the lender financing 75 percent of the project, said Dwiyana Slamet Riyadi, president director of the consortium, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), according to a report by Tempo, the Indonesian news outlet. Dwiyana said the Indonesian government had proposed that the same financing structure apply to the cost overrun, with the consortium covering 25 percent. KCIC is a joint venture of a consortium of four Indonesian state-owned companies KAI, Wijaya Karya, PTPN VIII, and Jasa Marga and a consortium of Chinese companies. The Indonesian consortium controls 60 percent of KCIC, while China Railway Engineering Corp. and other Chinese companies control the rest. The 89-mile (143.2-km) Jakarta-Bandung rail line is expected to slash travel time between the Indonesian capital and Bandung from three hours to 40 minutes, officials have said. In January, President Joko Jokowi Widodo said the project was expected to be operational by June 2023. The contractor, meanwhile, said the project was 82 percent complete. Since construction began in 2017, the project has been dogged by criticism about its impacts on surrounding areas as well as concerns about rising costs. On Wednesday, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi witnessed the laying of the first section of track for the rail link in West Java. Last October, Jokowi decided to allow the government to share the cost of the railway project, contradicting an earlier pledge and decree in 2015 that prohibited the use of state funds for its construction. A presidential spokesman said Jokowis directive would allow the project to be completed. A month later, the finance minister told a parliamentary panel that the government had decided to inject 4.3 trillion rupiah ($299 million) into the project. Critics had expressed concern that the move could deplete state coffers and lead Indonesia into a debt trap. Yusuf Rendy Manilet, an economist at the Indonesian Center for Reform of Economics, a private think-tank, said renegotiating funding for the project is necessary. The government should also look at whether the risks [to state coffers] remain the same or there are adjustments or additional risks, Yusuf told BenarNews. The economist said potential overruns should have been agreed upon during the projects planning stage. This needs to be especially noted considering that China will become one of Indonesias main economic partners in the next few years, Yusuf said. Now, the government and other stakeholders need to recalculate the cost because of the overrun, he said. Knock-on effects from capital move In February, the consortium said the high-speed rail service was expected to become profitable 40 years after completion not 20 as earlier projected partly because plans to move the national capital from Jakarta to Borneo could sharply reduce the number of riders. Moving the seat of government away would cut the projected number of passengers using the railway connecting Jakarta to Bandung in West Java nearly in half because many government employees are expected to relocate to the new capital, a company spokesman said. An AidData study released last year noted that Indonesia owes $17.28 billion in hidden debt to China, more than four times its $3.90 billion in reported sovereign debt. Nearly 70 percent of Chinas overseas lending is directed to state-owned companies and private-sector institutions and the debts, for the most part, do not appear on government balance sheets, said the U.S.-based international development research lab. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures while meeting with cabinet officials at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, March 7, 2022. The Philippines has suspended oil and gas exploration activities in the disputed South China Sea, a presidential spokesman said, under what an analyst described as coercion from China. Martin Andanar, spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, told reporters on Tuesday in Manila that the Security, Justice and Peace Coordinating Cluster (SJPCC), or the governments security advisers, decided to suspend all exploration activities within the disputed areas in West Philippine Sea. It is the name Filipinos use to refer to South China Sea territories claimed by Manila. Local companies have been test drilling two sites at Reed Bank, known as Recto Bank in the Philippines, off Palawan province for survey purposes, but the government has ordered them to stop. Andanar said the Department of Energy has requested the government reconsider the suspension because under international law, a geophysical survey is perfectly legitimate activity in any disputed area. In 2018, Manila and Beijing signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint oil and gas development in contested areas. Those two sites were identified by the DOE as possible sites for joint exploration. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said Beijing has been pressuring Manila to accept its exploration terms or to stop drilling. Through diplomacy and the actions of the China Coast Guard, Beijing has been trying to coerce Manila to stop conducting seabed exploration and research activities in the West Philippine Sea until the latter submits to Chinas conditions for joint development, Batongbacal said. The Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam all hold claims in the South China Sea but Chinas claim is the most expansive, occupying nearly 90 percent of the territory. In 2016, an international tribunal ruled for the Philippines in its case against China regarding territorial claims, but Beijing refused to accept the ruling. The Haiyang Shiyou oil rig, the first deep-water drilling rig developed by the China National Offshore Oil Corp., 320 km (200 miles) southeast of Hong Kong in the South China Sea is seen in this May 7, 2012, picture. [Xinhua News Agency via AP] Joint exploration In 2014 under Dutertes predecessor, the Philippines imposed a ban on oil and gas exploration in the disputed areas of the South China Sea in protest against Chinas aggression. Duterte lifted the moratorium in 2020, paving the way for joint development with China, hoping to attract new investment from the biggest player in the region. There were also fears that unilateral exploration activities might hurt the Sino-Philippines relationship. Still, the MOU signed in 2018 has not resulted in any actual project. In addition, efforts by other countries in prospecting for oil and gas in the South China Sea have made little progress because of heavy opposition from China, said Fitch Solutions, a global market analysis agency. China has formally claimed the rights to explore and exploit hydrocarbon resources in the disputed waters, but has not done so in practice and appears content to prevent others from exploring the area, it said. There is limited scope for the current deadlock over the South China Sea to ease. Tensions have been high between the Philippines and China in the last few months of Dutertes presidency. In a recent incident, the Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest against China after a China Coast Guard ship maneuvered dangerously close to a Filipino ship in the disputed Scarborough Shoal in March. A government helicopter flies over a community that was buried by a landslide unleashed by Tropical Storm Megi, in Baybay City, Leyte province, central Philippines, April 14, 2022. Search teams have retrieved dozens more bodies in the central Philippines, where landslides from Tropical Storm Megi buried an entire community last week, as the nationwide death toll reached nearly 200 with scores of others still missing, officials said Thursday. The storm, known locally as Agaton, displaced more than two million people in nine regions after it made landfall on April 12, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. We are not losing hope no matter how (complicated) the situation is Its always a race against time. Several days have passed but were still hoping against hope that we will find more survivors, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal told reporters. Many of those uprooted by the storm, which dumped heavy rain that caused landslide and flooding, were sheltering in makeshift evacuation centers nine days later, the agency said. The council confirmed the death toll had climbed to 178 across the country, but said the authorities were carrying on with searching for at least 111 people still listed as missing in the storms aftermath. In its latest report, the agency revised down figures it issued on Thursday morning of 224 dead and 147 others missing. However, it noted, the final toll could still climb. Megi was the first storm to hit the Southeast Asian archipelago this year. The country endures about 20 storms yearly, some of them devastating. In November 2013, more than 6,500 people died or were missing after Super Typhoon Haiyan battered the central Philippines, causing massive storm surges that inundated coastal communities. President Rodrigo Duterte looks at destruction caused by Tropical Storm Megi (Agaton) as he travels in a helicopter over Baybay City in Leyte province, central Philippines, during a visit to the disaster zone, April 14, 2022. [Handout photo/Presidential Communications Operations Office] Many of the deaths from the storm and its aftermath were recorded in the Eastern Visayas region, where most of the victims drowned as they were washed away by flash floods. The relatives of the missing victims are waiting for us (to recover survivors). As much as possible, we want to give them hope, said Col. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Armys 802nd Brigade. As long as the risk is manageable, our teams will continue with the search, (rescue) and retrieval operations, he added, but emphasized that with several days having passed, it was unlikely that any survivors would be found. Police search-and-rescue teams have fanned out in areas that remain buried under mud in Baybay, a city in Leyte province, in hopes of locating any survivors. So far, there have been no dramatic rescues nor tearful reunions. There are still possibilities we can recover survivors. We cannot just say stop the search. People cannot understand that, especially the relatives of the (missing) victims who want to find their missing loved ones, Maj. Gen. Bernard Banac, the police chief for Eastern Visayas, told reporters. President Rodrigo Duterte, who visited storm-affected areas last week to distribute aide, also conducted an aerial inspection of the devastation and vowed to provide new homes to families who had lost everything. So, to all of you who lost their houses in the typhoon, you will be given a new house but it would be a long, long process and not an easy one. But the government will help you resettle first, Duterte said, according to a statement from his office. South Africa: IEC takes democracy programme to learners The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, is expected to launch a campaign aimed at promoting electoral democracy among learners. The objective of the Schools Democracy Programme, which has a focus week from 25 - 29 April to coincide with Freedom Day, is to promote electoral democracy among learners, and prepare them to be active citizens, who will be part of decisions about their own future, said the IEC ahead of the launch. As part of the campaign, thousands of learners across the country will engage in civic education and electoral registration activities. Fridays launch of the Schools Democracy Programme 2022 campaign will take place at Rekgaratlile High School in Kuruman, Northern Cape. Basic Education Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule and Bonolo Modise, the Northern Cape Provincial Electoral Officer, will address the launch. IEC staff will be on hand to assist students with information. They will answer questions about democracy and elections democracy, as well as demonstrate the latest election management technology. Research has shown that while young people make up the majority of the South African population, their participation in elections remains low. The IEC is addressing this through, among others, the Schools Democracy Programme and the Tertiary Institutions Voter Education Campaign. Empowering the young citizens of South Africa with knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for active citizenship and encouraging them to register and vote is critical to nurturing our young democracy. This is supported by research that shows that once people have voted once, they usually continue to vote in future elections, said the Commissions Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-04-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. US ready to deliver third coast guard ship to Vietnam US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper said the US is ready to deliver a third coast guard ship to Vietnam as part of its commitment to help the country increase its maritime security capacity. US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper speaks at the press briefing in Hanoi. (Photo:dantri.com.vn) The United States is committed to working together with Vietnam to strengthen its capacity to ensure maritime security and raise maritime awareness, Knapper told media workers in Hanoi on April 20. The US has delivered two Hamilton-class cutters to the Vietnam Coast Guard as part of its Excess Defence Articles (EDA) program that offers excess military equipment to US partners and allied countries in support of military and security modernization efforts. The third ship will be delivered to Vietnam, said the diplomat at the press briefing, but refused to talk about the delivery time. He affirmed that the Indo-Pacific region is one of the top priorities in the US foreign policy, and Vietnam plays a role in it. The US announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022, saying it will pursue five objectives in the region, including advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific, building connections within and beyond the region, driving regional prosperity, bolstering Indo-Pacific security, and building regional resilience to transnational threats. Ambassador Knapper, while addressing an event in February 2022, said the US was cooperating with Vietnam in all five key objectives of this strategy. The US ambassador also said it is time to upgrade the relationship between the two countries, noting this is not only a priority of the US government, but also a primary focus of his working term in Vietnam. An Afghan security force member stands guard near the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 21, 2022. At least two children were injured in a blast in Police District 5 of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Thursday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi said. It was a roadside bomb that injured two children in Niazbeg area in Police District 5 on Thursday morning, Nafi said without providing more details. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, April 21 (Xinhua) -- At least two children were injured in a blast in Police District 5 of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Thursday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi said. It was a roadside bomb that injured two children in Niazbeg area in Police District 5 on Thursday morning, Nafi said without providing more details. In the meantime, an eyewitness on the condition of anonymity claimed that the blast targeted a learning course named "Moral" in Charahi Qambar area of Police District 5. The roadside bomb explosion is the third security incident in Kabul since Tuesday. On Tuesday two bomb blasts targeted a school in Police District 18, leaving at least 6 people dead and many others wounded. A blast on Wednesday also injured one person, according to police. Afghan security force members stand guard near the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 21, 2022. At least two children were injured in a blast in Police District 5 of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Thursday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi said. It was a roadside bomb that injured two children in Niazbeg area in Police District 5 on Thursday morning, Nafi said without providing more details. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member stands guard near the site of a blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 21, 2022. At least two children were injured in a blast in Police District 5 of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Thursday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi said. It was a roadside bomb that injured two children in Niazbeg area in Police District 5 on Thursday morning, Nafi said without providing more details. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Parents gather in front of Anuban Pattani School to call for the headmaster to allow Muslim girls to wear hijabs, May 18, 2018. A court in Thailands Islamic-majority Deep South ruled Thursday that Muslim girls can wear hijabs at a Buddhist school housed within a temple where the principal had banned the religious headgear as part of the campus dress code. In its decision, the Administrative Court in Yala province ruled in favor of parents who lodged a petition in 2018 after the head master at the Anuban Pattani School in Pattani province had enforced a policy requiring all students to wear school uniforms and banning hijabs, which he deemed as inappropriate on temple grounds. [The court] rules to revoke the Anuban Pattani Schools order and allow Muslim children to dress according to Muslim customs, a sheet from a court document stated. Anuban Pattani School, a primary school, is located on the premises of Wat Noppawongsaram, a Buddhist temple in the Deep South where 80 percent of the border regions 2 million people are Muslim. Similar concerns involving Muslim girls attending public or Buddhist schools have not been reported elsewhere in Thailand, which is majority-Buddhist. A Muslim mother of a grade 4 student rejoiced over the courts decision. The administrative courts ruling today is what we parents have been longing for over four years. The judgment tells Muslim Thais that we have rights to dress according to Islamic code, Assara Ratkaran told BenarNews. Now all Muslim children can follow Islamic code when dressing for school, she said, noting Thailand is a land of many cultures. School officials have 30 days to appeal the courts ruling. BenarNews could not immediately reach school officials for comment on Thursday. When the headmaster began to enforce the dress code in May 2018, the requirement for school uniforms also called for girls to wear knee-length skirts and boys to wear shorts. The schools dress code had been in place for years, according to the headmaster, but a protest by Muslim parents led Buddhist community members to launch a counter-protest. Nearly 2,000 students attend the school and 40 percent are Muslim. The parents of 20 students filed a petition that led to an injunction allowing their girls to observe the Muslim dress code. In June 2018, at the height of the controversy, the Ministry of Education in Bangkok published information in the Royal Gazette that spelled out rules and provisions for dress codes at schools nationwide. Muslim students at non-Islamic schools were allowed to wear hijabs and could opt to wear uniforms or follow the dress code except at schools located on temple properties, where it would be mandatory under certain conditions. According to the notice in the Gazette, the requirement at schools located on temple grounds would depend on whether an agreement on a school dress code was made between the owner of the property the temple and the school. However, in the case of Anuban Pattani School, it remains unclear whether the clergy in charge of the temple had ever agreed on a dress code and required it for the students. The numbers game won A Buddhist resident in Pattani, meanwhile, voiced disappointment. The numbers game won over any rules there at Anuban Pattani School, the resident who asked not to be named over security concerns told BenarNews. The abbot hopes to unify children of Buddhist and Islam faiths by having them wear the same uniforms, but those Muslims accused him of rights violation. Its a pity. Rukchart Suwan, of the Buddhists for Peace organization in Yala, said he and others have to honor the court ruling and concessions must be made. The Deep South encompasses Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and four districts in Songkhla province. The Malay-speaking region has suffered over 7,300 deaths since Malay Muslim insurgents reignited their armed separatist movement 18 years ago. Beginning in 2013, Thailands government has held peace talks with southern rebel groups and factions. Those talks have been with Barisan Revolusi Nasional, the regions most powerful insurgent group, since January 2020. During recent talks in Kuala Lumpur, both sides agreed to maintain peace in the region during Ramadan peaceful. PULO, another rebel group launched a double bomb attack that killed a villager and injured three police officers on April 15. PHNOM PENH, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia decided on Thursday to reduce a quarantine period for unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated travelers from 14 days to seven days, Health Minister Mam Bunheng said in a statement. "Travelers entering Cambodia by land borders must undergo two rapid tests-one on the first day before entering the quarantine center and the other on the seventh day to end their quarantine," he said. "For those entering the country by air, they must take a rapid test on the seventh day to end their quarantine," he added. Bunheng said the decision took effect immediately. The minister also advised health authorities to provide COVID-19 vaccines to unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated Cambodian travelers on the seventh day when they are allowed to leave quarantine facilities. The Southeast Asian nation has fully resumed its socio-economic activities and reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers without quarantine since last November after most of its population have been inoculated against the disease. The kingdom has so far administered one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 14.86 million people, or 92.9 percent of its 16-million population, the health ministry said, adding that of them, 14.12 million, or 88.3 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots. Most of the jabs used in the country's immunization program are Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines. 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. President Joe Biden has pledged $1.3 billion more for new weapons and economic assistance to help Ukraine in its strong but increasingly difficult battle against the Russian invasion SEOUL, April 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Thursday expressed regret over Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sending a ritual offering to the notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of the militaristic and colonial past of Japan. The South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement that the government expresses deep disappointment and regret over the fact that responsible leaders of Japan have once again sent offerings to and paid respects at the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's war of aggression and enshrines war criminals. The South Korean government strongly urges the leaders of Japan to squarely face history and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's past history. The Japanese premier reportedly sent the masakaki offering to the Yasukuni Shrine earlier in the day on the occasion of the shrine's spring festival. Kishida sent a similar offering during the autumn festival after becoming prime minister in October last year. The Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese war dead from World War II. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the infamous shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. The Korean Peninsula was colonized by the Imperial Japan from 1910 to 1945. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close LEE The search for Meghan Marohn, who went missing nearly a month ago, remains ongoing, state police said late Wednesday. The high school teacher from Delmar, N.Y., has been missing since March 27, when her black 2017 Subaru Impreza was found parked on Church Street at Longcope Park, a heavily wooded hiking area in south Lee. Authorities have since searched that area and other areas of interest in Lee, police said in a news release. Her brother, Peter Naple, recently told The Eagle that he last spoke to Marohn over the phone the day before she went missing, and that she was suffering from an emotional upset. He declined to elaborate. I asked how she was doing, and she said Im just enjoying my soup, and Im reading a book, and Im just enjoying the room, he said of the conversation. Police do not believe there was foul play involved with Marohns disappearance, and said there is no evidence to suggest the public is in danger or that the case is connected to any others. Marohn, 42, is described as white, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, 120 pounds, with red hair and green eyes. Anyone who has seen Marohn or has information about her is asked to call state police detectives at 413-499-1112 or Lee police at 413-243-5530. PITTSFIELD The first of 11 abandoned cats rescued from two locations during a January storm and put up for adoption has picked out his new family. Really, he adopted us, said Joshua Christman, who was the first to notify authorities of one the abandonments. We already had six rescued cats (previously adopted from the shelter), and we wondered if we could do seven. But when he crawled into my wifes arms, that was it. We knew hes got to come home with us. Ten out of 11 cats that were dumped in the wilderness hours before a winter storm plowed through are ready for the adoptions. The first one adopted was by the family of Christman, the hero that alerted authorities to a crowd of cats blocking the road he was traveling on with his daughter. As the rest of the cats await their adoptions, John Perreault, executive director of the Berkshire Humane Society, said that the couple arrested for abandoning 15 cats had previous contact with BHS a few years ago, when authorities ordered animals removed from their household. BHS personnel took ownership of the animals, which were then adopted out. He also noted that when the accused were on their way to abandon their cats, they drove right by the shelter. They knew we were here, Perreault said. Perreault declined to comment on that further, as their trial on 15 counts of cruelty to animals is coming up in May. He did say that if it wasnt for the man who discovered the cats, called for help and then helped capture and relocate them, the surviving 11 cats may not have made it. Christman was cruising near Beech and Shore roads near Richmond Pond on Friday, Jan. 28, when he had to stop his truck because the road was blocked by the nine chilly cats. Bemused at first, Christman soon became very concerned as he watched the freezing felines shivering and meowing. One was so cold it climbed into the wheel well of his truck. Unable to handle the situation on his own, he posted his discovery to social media with a plea for help in rounding up the meandering felines. Animal lovers from around Berkshire County grabbed their pet crates, flashlights and blankets and responded to the scene. The search went on after darkness fell. The next day, at about 6 p.m., six more cats were abandoned on Hunter Mountain Road in Lanesborough. They were also rescued by volunteers and first responders just before the temperatures dipped below zero. Kelly Hathaway, 49, and Arthur Raney, 59, are both facing multiple felony counts in the incident. They were charged earlier this month following an investigation into the Jan 28 incident. Raneys black 2006 Chevrolet Equinox was seen on surveillance video visiting the Richmond site where the cats were abandoned, the report said. Hathaway told police they needed to relocate the cats to avoid eviction. [Christman] was the one who made the phone call, and stayed in the search, Perreault said. Afterwards he would come in regularly to check on the cats progress. None of this would have happened without Josh, so at the end of the day, he is the hero. Wednesday morning, the whole Christman family, Josh, his wife Jessica, son Gabriel and daughter Alice, came to the shelter to adopt the first of 10 cats who were recently certified as healthy and recovered from their near-death incident after more than 80 days. Two people are facing felony animal cruelty charges for allegedly abandoning 15 cats in late January Two Western Massachusetts residents have been charged with felony animal cruelty counts in the abandonment of cats in separate locations in the Berkshires in January. They adopted Arlo, one of the first cats to be found. Apparently, Arlo took a shining to Christmans wife during several visits. By Wednesday afternoon, Arlo was in his new home. Nine of the 10 remaining cats are healthy and ready to be adopted. All but three of them are spoken for, Perreault noted. He said he is confident the three remaining cats, Dixie, Darla and Delilah, will soon be adopted. They look like theyre sisters, Perreault noted. The last remaining cat, Eric Clapton, still has some minor maladies and is expected to recover soon, Perreault said. He said there are nearly 40 other cats, and 14 dogs, at the shelter ready to be adopted. Were so happy that this is a case that was resolved, he said. And that we had the opportunity to educate the public that when a pet cant be supported any longer can be surrendered at the shelter. Were also happy that these cats will soon wind up in loving households and never have to face that kind of trauma again. Going forward, my main concern is that this never happens again. He said 600 to 700 cats are surrendered at the shelter every year. Community News Editor / Librarian Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. Soon after a cannabis cultivation site proposal sparked controversy, a glamping pitch for the Dream Away Lodge grounds spurs its own intense debate in Becket. This small and scenic Central Berkshire town cant seem to catch a breath between divisive episodes of internal rancor over development proposals. Meaning of camping resurfaces as a flashpoint in Berkshires zoning A lawyer hired by Becket residents told planners Wednesday the towns zoning bylaw forbids the kind of permanent structures described in the glamping development that seeks a special permit as part of a revived Dream Away Lodge venture. While the public discussion over the cannabis facility was heated, the one surrounding the Dream Away glamping proposal has seemingly reached an uglier fever pitch. The most recent example of passions flaring unproductively came during last weeks Planning Board Zoom hearing when the panels vice chair interjected with a vulgarity while a lawyer representing several local residents was speaking. The attorneys representation was on behalf of several local residents opposed to the glamping proposal, but in this case it doesnt matter whos on what side. This conduct was inexcusably disrespectful and unbecoming of anyone looking to meaningfully contribute to the local democratic process, to say nothing of the higher standard our elected leaders should meet. This outburst might have been singular in its severity, but it betrays an animus unfortunately apparent on both sides. Its not only unnecessary but harmful to the conversation needed here, not to mention the health of the community. If one needs evidence of why municipal boards still holding remote-only meetings should break from that inertia, look no further. Would a local official have obscenely interrupted a speaker at an in-person meeting where folks could hash out these issues face-to-face? It arguably would be far less likely. Meanwhile, tensions were only heightened by a Zoom queue of more than 100 people, with an Eagle reporter noting the constant intrusion of muttering and outside comments from users who might have been unaware they were unmuted. Doesnt a hearing on an issue this weighty deserve more dignity and an effort to turn down the heat that digital domains often inflame? As we have stressed in this space, there is an honest conversation that must be had not just in Becket about priorities, reflexive resistance to change and the tenuous balancing act of preserving community character vs. encouraging the investment and revitalization the region desperately needs. A serious look at this glamping proposal produces questions about striking that balance here, even beyond those sticky particular questions Are cabins buildings for zoning purposes? Do permanent structures imply a use thats not truly camping? that pushed a Planning Board meeting over the edge. With regard to this specific proposal, we dont want to tell Becket what to think, but we suggest a change in how. The answers to the above questions wont be found without filtering out the emotional arguments from the substantive ones. This decision, ultimately up to the Becket community, needs to be decided in a thoughtful and careful manner. The one silver lining at this contentious Planning Board hearing was right after its lowest moment when the vice chairman interrupted a speaker. Thankfully, his peers on the Planning Board quieted him, the boards chairman adding We just have to listen. That simple statement is a reminder of something that shouldnt require spelling out to another official but now bears underscoring: For the enterprise of local democracy to work, we have to listen to each other with some baseline of decency and charity, including those with whom we strongly disagree. Yes, even when it comes to a glamping proposal for a cherished parcel. CANBERRA, April 21 (Xinhua) -- A massive solar farm proposed for northern Australia would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 480 million tons, an environmental assessment has found. The renewable energy company Sun Cable recently lodged its environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Australia-Asia PowerLink with authorities in the Northern Territory (NT). The proposed 30 billion Australian dollar (22.3 billion U.S. dollar) project would transmit solar energy harvested in the NT to Singapore via undersea cables. According to the EIS, it would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 480 million tons, equivalent to the average electricity used by over 2.5 million Australian homes each year over the project lifespan. Plans for the project include a 12,000-hectare solar farm southeast of Darwin in the NT's Barkly region. The Powell Creek Solar Precinct would have an energy generation capacity of 17-20 gigawatts (GW) and 36-42 gigawatt hours (GWh) of battery storage. Energy would be transmitted to Darwin and the remaining power would be transferred to a converter station in Singapore along a 4,200-km Subsea Cable System. The statement said large areas of land will be cleared. However the footprint represents only a small percentage of the total area of available habitat. It said construction and operation of the Subsea Cable System could have a minor impact on marine life species through temporary loss of habitat or disruption to behavior because of cable laying activities and possible collision with marine vessels. Signs and wonders occur throughout the Bible. From the Old Testament prophets to Jesus and the apostles, signs and wonders followed them. As we look at church in the 21st century, is there a place for signs and wonders? Should we still be looking for them? While some in the Christian world debate if signs and wonders even exist today, that is not my position. I fully believe all the gifts of the Spirit are operational in the church, and so are the possibility of signs and wonders. However, while I believe they are operational, I dont always agree with how they are used in many church settings today. Many times, they are abused or used in very unbiblical ways. With that being said, lets begin by looking at the purpose of signs and wonders. How Were Signs and Wonders Used in the Bible? Looking at the Bible, we see God uses signs and wonders for several things. Purpose 1: To Validate When Jesus began his ministry and when the early apostles began spreading the good news of the gospel, signs and wonders followed them. In Matthew 11, John the Baptist was in prison and sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one or should they look for another Messiah? Here is how Jesus responded: Jesus replied, Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (Matthew 11:4-5) During this time, the signs and wonders validated Jesus as the Messiah. The signs and wonders also validated that the apostles were Gods sent men. I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. (2 Corinthians 12:12) Purpose 2: To Build Faith In Exodus 3 and 4, God used a variety of signs to build Moses faith and show him he was with him. This didnt just happen with Moses. It also happened with later figures like Gideon, who asked God for a sign that gave him the confidence to go against the Midianites. God used signs and wonders to build faith in these situations and others, which he can still do today. Purpose 3: To Do Signs and wonders didnt just happen because God needed to show his power. Typically, signs and wonders were to encourage people to do something. In Moses case, it was to encourage him to face Pharoah. In Gideons case, it was to face the Midianites. With Jesus and the apostles, it was to move people to believe and receive salvation. The signs were there to invoke a response. Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. (John 2:23) Should We Keep Seeking Signs and Wonders Today? Lets address this question directly because there are many desiring to see God move as he did during the times of Jesus and the apostles. While there is nothing wrong with God moving in this fashion, when you look through the Bible, I dont see anywhere where we are told to seek signs and wonders. They may accompany or follow, but that is not what we should be looking for. One main purpose of signs and wonders was to open the door to preach the gospel. They were a means to an end. Remember Jesus response to John the Baptist we looked at earlier. Notice he didnt just stop with who was getting healed, but he added the gospel was being preached. While miraculous things can be great to see and experience, what good are they if the gospel is not preached along with it? Without the preaching of the gospel, these signs have no eternal value. Jesus didnt come just to wow people with his power. He came to save people from their sins, the greatest miracle. Also, note that the Bible doesnt say heaven rejoices over one healed sick person, but it does rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). We should be seeking that sign more than any else. Ask yourself this question: why are you seeking signs and wonders? Your answer may be why we dont see them as much because many want the signs but have no desire for the gospel to go forth. Two Warnings about Seeking Signs and Wonders There are two particular cautions we need to remember about signs and wonders. Warning 1: Signs and Wonders Dont Always Produce Conversions or Disciples As wonderful as signs and wonders can be, they dont always lead to salvation. We saw earlier in John 2:23 that many believed when they saw the miraculous signs. but look at what Jesus said in the very next verse in John 2: But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. (John 2:24) This is a powerful verse about why we dont need to seek signs. Many people believed, but their hearts were not entirely interested in following Jesus. While they enjoyed seeing miracles and may have even benefited from them, there was no desire to follow Jesus. Many wanted the signs, but they didnt want the Savior. We see this again later in John 12: Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. (John 12:37) On one occasion in Matthew 12, the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked for a sign. This request came after Jesus had already been doing miraculous things that proved who he was. Though they were asking for signs, they were not interested in believing. Jesus addressed them appropriately: He answered, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (Matthew 12:39) Those who seek signs and wonders are not always interested in being followers. Many just want to enjoy the spectacle of the moment. Thats why Jesus and the apostles didnt just stop at signs; they understood they had to preach the gospel. Warning 2: Seeking Signs and Wonders Can Open You Up to Deception We should note that Satan has the power to mimic and produce false signs and wonders. In some places or churches that believe in signs and wonders, pursuing these things takes precedence over preaching and teaching the word of God. When these things happen, people become open to deception. If a persons faith is built primarily on signs and wonders and not the word of God, they are walking on a very shaky foundation and are prone to deception. Because signs and wonders appear to be present, people ignore things like a persons character, their teaching, and can participate in things not found in Scripture. Even though the exhilaration can feel great, make sure an emphasis accompanies them on discipleship, the preaching and teaching of Gods word, the proclamation of the gospel, and the glory of Jesus (not the glory of the person producing the signs). If these things are not present, there is plenty of room for deception. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1) Is There a Better Option to Seeking Signs and Wonders? I want you to consider a better option than seeking signs. Instead of spending your time seeking signs, spend your time seeking the move of the Holy Spirit. You might think these two things are the same, but they are not. Let me explain the difference. The Holy Spirit can move in a place, and signs and wonders can follow. However, signs and wonders can be present where the Holy Spirit is not in the house. The two dont automatically equate. As we saw earlier with Jesus, many people sought signs and wonders yet missed God in the process. However, if you seek the Holy Spirit, you will not miss God. The true reward is not seeing God do some miraculous sign; the true reward is being in his presence. When the Spirit of God is in a place, it could mean signs and wonders. Even if they dont come, the joy of his presence will be enough to satisfy more than any sign or wonder ever could. A Final Thought on Signs and Wonders A true outpouring of the Holy Spirit will lead to the conviction of sin, repentance, salvation, and transformation. These are the signs we should desire more than anything else. Let your heart be drawn to a true move of the Holy Spirit, and if signs and wonders follow, that is fantastic. If they dont, but peoples lives are genuinely transformed, this may be the sign and wonder we should be seeking most of all. I leave you with this thought: dont run after signs and wonders. Run after God, and if signs and wonders follow you, wonderful. If not, remember knowing him and fellowshipping with him should be the prize we are after anyway. It is in knowing him we find eternal life, not by experiencing the signs and wonders. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/ipopba MOSCOW - Tuition for Idaho's four-year universities will once again hold steady. On Wednesday, the Idaho State Board of Education agreed to leave tuition prices the same for the 2022-23 school year, avoiding an increase for the third straight year. All four institutions also brought forward student body government-endorsed requests to increase mandatory consolidated resident student fees, which were approved. Following the approval, student fees at Lewis-Clark State College will increase $14 per year. Here are the increased amounts resident students will pay starting in academic year 2022/23: Approved Fee Increase Lewis-Clark State College -- $14 per year University of Idaho -- $56 per year Boise State University -- $304 per year Idaho State University -- $86 per year The Idaho State Board of Education will continue its meeting in Moscow on Thursday. Meijer shoppers in Michigan no longer need to walk into a store to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The retail giant announced Monday that Michigan stores are allowing customers with SNAP benefits to pay for Meijer Pickup or Home Delivery orders using an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. "We believe all customers should have access to personalized, convenient, digital shopping services and understand the added benefit this new payment capability provides," Derek Steele, Vice President of Customer Strategy for Meijer, said in a Monday press release. The change came the same day Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in April to help lower the cost of groceries. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.31 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households, according to the state. "We will continue collaborating with our federal partners to get things done by lowering out-of-pocket food costs and put money in people's pockets with our proposals to roll back the retirement tax, triple the Earned Income Tax Credit and lower the cost of gas," Whitmer said in a Monday press release. Meijer Pickup is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Meijer Home Delivery is available from 7 a.m. to midnight daily. To use an EBT-SNAP card as a payment method for these services place an order on Meijer.com. The Meijer app does not accept them, according to the company's website. The pickup service, which is free on orders more than $35, does not require membership, offers the same pricing available in-store and includes access to all weekly sales and discounts. Customers can order through Meijer Pickup, keep track of their total basket, use mPerks rewards and coupons, note any preferences and choose an available time for pickup, Meijer stated in the release. Customers paying with EBT-SNAP on Meijer.com can purchase non-eligible items with a debit or credit card on the same order. Meijer's same-day home delivery service gives shoppers the flexibility to shop for everything they need, from fresh produce and grocery items to everyday essentials and have a personal shopper hand-select the items and deliver them to their home within a few hours, Meijer stated in the release. Additionally, Meijer is offering $15 off the first three pickup or home delivery orders of $75 or more by using the code SAVEBIG at checkout. "Providing SNAP recipients with access to Meijer Pickup and Delivery will make shopping for affordable, fresh groceries and essentials a little easier for parents and families across the Midwest," Steele said in the release. "We hope the new capability brings convenience and access to all our customers when ordering groceries online." Meijer plans to allow customers to pay with an EBT card in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kentucky in the coming weeks. Stalls attracted large number of people during Global Ayush Summit at Gandhinagar, Gujarat Halls and sessions of the three-day event, Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS 2022) being held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, are full of enthusiastic people participating in the event. On the second day of the event, various interesting exhibitions, and panel discussions took place. During the 'Technology and Innovation in Ayush Sector' session, Rajeev Vasudevan, CMD AyurVAID Hospitals, Chair CII Ayush Group spoke about the importance of digital health, reiterating that it is not secondary to the Indian healthcare system. It is the first paradigm of the healthcare system that is about to break in and create a huge impact. Mahendrabhai Munjapara, Union Minister of State (MoS) of Ayush and Women & Child Development said that the Ministry is determined to revive traditional medicine in India and across the world. He shared that they are also working steadfastly to accelerate investment in Ayush Sector. He reiterated that tech and Innovation can help in validating telemedicine through modern means. In another session named 'Heal In India- Medical Value Travel in Ayush', K Pathak, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ayush spoke about the benefits of traditional medicine and the need for it to reach masses in effective and affordable ways. Lothar Pirc, Director, International Maharishi Foundation said that medical health tourism and Ayurveda will greatly help India in getting people from across the world to come for traditional medicines and he also discussed how he wants India to help and get Ayurveda recognized by the German Govt. Later, during the session 'Ayush in Education System Aligning with National Education Policy', Dr Anil Khurana, Chairman, National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) said that we need to promote research and statistics at an undergraduate level to expand the horizons of knowledge. He also said that the education sector and education policy play a critical role in the holistic growth and development of Ayurveda sector. The Cape Trade Portal was officially launched in 2022 by Wesgro in partnership with the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town to assist local exporters in expanding their global footprint, and also strengthen the Cape brand identity across global markets with an initial priority focus on the provinces top export markets internationally.Leveraging on the Capes reputation as an exporting powerhouse of premium, competitive, diverse and quality products and services, the portal acts as a dedicated resource centre, providing tools, insights, and expertise to support Western Cape exporters on their journey. Among some of the other services offered by the platform are training and mentoring programmes, keeping exporters updated on upcoming trade exhibitions, offering support with non-tariff export barriers as well as assistance with regulatory and compliance requirements.Wesgro has also developed a Made in the Cape brand story, supported by a robust digital marketing roll-out, to deepen and boost the brand story of the Cape as a region of origin of quality goods and services.The campaign aims to strengthen the identity of Western Cape exports by connecting the Cape to quality through highlighting hard-hitting proof points across five products including but not limited to: rooibos (representative of Natural Products), citrus (representative of Agriculture), wine (representative of Wine and Spirits), software development (representative of Tech Innovation), and design (representative of Creative Industries).Supported by the Made in the Cape digital brand marketing campaign, the Cape exports value proposition has reached over 7.9 million people in the United Kingdom alone between 7 March and 19 April 2022, and boasts over 81,000 hits to site. Other countries showing interest in the portal include the US, India and the Netherlands.Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier said: The Western Cape is a proud region of origin of many first-class products for the export market. A key priority for the Western Cape government is to ramp up our support for local exporters and to provide the right platforms for exporters to expand their global footprint. The Cape Trade Portal is one such initiative which embraces innovation to digitally connect exporters with key markets, because, at the end of the day, more exports mean more jobs in the Western Cape.The City of Cape Towns Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, said: "Our recovery from the pandemic must lead to a stronger, and more inclusive and sustainable economy. This means that Capetonian businesses, both existing and aspiring, must be central to our efforts. This is the very reason why the City has directed funding towards the online portal which directly connects local exporters with international buyers. These businesses also get ready access to the portals training platform. The Cape Trade Portal will prove to be a vital tool for the healthy growth of Cape Towns economy."It's encouraging to see such a positive uptake on the platform in such a short space of time. Trade promotion is key to the economic growth of the Western Cape and the virtual Cape Trade Portal is an essential piece of a larger, on-going effort to assist businesses in the province and boost their growth potential. I encourage Western Cape exporters of products and services who wish to grow their exports to become familiar with the portal and gain access to key growth markets. Wesgro continues to champion efforts to ensure that the province remains a sought-after source market globally, concluded Wesgro CEO, Wrenelle Stander.For more, go to https://capetradeportal.com/ Children sing a Chinese song during the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) President of the 41st UNESCO General Conference Santiago Mourao (L) addresses the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) (220421) -- DAKAR, April 21, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A Senegalese student reads a poem during an event celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute of the University of Dakar in Dakar, Senegal, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Wang Zizheng) Representatives from permanent delegations to UNESCO pose for a group photo during the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) (220421) -- LISBON, April 21, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on April 20, 2022 shows an event marking the United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day in Lisbon, Portugal. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Wen Xinnian) Participants perform during the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Tamara Siamashvili, chairperson of the Executive Board of UNESCO, addresses the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) An artist performs during the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) (220421) -- DAKAR, April 21, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A Senegalese student performs Chinese Kungfu during an event celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the Confucius Institute of the University of Dakar in Dakar, Senegal, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Wang Zizheng) Representatives from permanent delegations to UNESCO write Chinese calligraphy during the events celebrating the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, France, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) (220421) -- WAKISO, April 21, 2022 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese language instructor teaches a Chinese language class during an event marking the United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day in Wakiso, Central Region, Uganda, April 20, 2022. The UN Chinese Language Day is observed on April 20 every year since 2010, celebrating the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) Adopt-a-School Foundation announced an exciting partnership with ChairClub, a proudly South African and local chair manufacturer, in May 2020. The campaign Buy One, Give One, committed that every chair sold from its office chair range, a school chair was donated to disadvantaged schools in rural and urban communities across the country. On Friday, 8 April, Mohloli Secondary School in Sharpville received a donation of 213 school chairs. The school currently has an enrolment of 875 learners. This donation marks the fifth school to receive school chairs, bringing the total number of donated chairs to 751.According to Mohloli Secondary School principal, Nomhlolo Mavimbela, the school is thankful to Adopt-a-School Foundation and ChairClub for hearing their plea. The donation means a lot to the school and learners, as the school has been experiencing a shortage of school chairs for some time now.The school has been a beneficiary of Adopt-a-School Foundation since 2015, and has benefitted from multiple projects, such as infrastructure development, curriculum development and social welfare. The school and its community appreciates the Foundations efforts in making Mohloli Secondary School conducive for learning and teaching.The Adopt-a-School Foundation turns 20 years this year. The Foundation celebrates 20 years of improving education delivery to South Africa's marginalised communities. The Foundations success lies in partnering with like-minded organisations to meet the needs of 623 schools under its adoption programme across the country. The schools are transformed into centres of excellence by implementing its Whole School Development (WSD) model. The model ensures that schools are equipped in leadership, infrastructure, and learning outcomes."The importance of school furniture is undeniably one of the factors that contribute to conducive learning in the classroom. With many schools dealing with the effects of Covid-19, the donation provides relief to schools that are experiencing severe shortages of school furniture and ensures that schooling continues efficiently, said Zelda Jacobs, communications manager at Adopt-a-School Foundation.Im exceptionally proud to be part of the Buy One, Give One campaign. Being both a business person and a mother it feels so rewarding to be part of this collaboration with Adopt-a-School. There is nothing better in this world than being able to give back to society. Education right now is the pinnacle of every required need for every child in this country and, without education, this beautiful country of ours cannot grow, said Jade Kietzmann, sales administrator from ChaircCub. "To be able to make sure we can give something back, no matter how small, to ensure that all the children can grow and learn, and can become better for themselves and their families and for South Africa. The youth of today will be our leaders of tomorrow.Adopt-a-School Foundation and ChairClub encourage businesses to support this initiative by purchasing office chairs to provide much-needed chairs to learners in rural and urban areas of South Africa throughout 2022.For more information on how to support this initiative, please visit www.adoptaschool.org.za or www.chairclub.co.za KIEV, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday voted to extend the martial law in the country for another 30 days, until May 25, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said. The presidential proposal on the prolongation of the martial law was supported by 300 lawmakers in the 450-seat assembly, Zheleznyak wrote on Telegram. Ukraine imposed martial law on Feb. 24 in the wake of the conflict with Russia. On March 15, the Ukrainian parliament voted to extend the special regime till April 25. On April 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted to the parliament a bill to further extend martial law in the country. I want it all, and I want it now Some songs just stick with you through life. When I was 19, British rock band, Queen, released a song call I Want It All. It reached number three on the singles charts of the United Kingdom, Finland, Ireland and New Zealand. I Want It All is described as being notably heavy and features themes relating to rebellion and social upheaval, so much so that it became known as an anti-apartheid song in South Africa and was also being used as a gay rights protest theme and a rallying anthem for African-American youth in the United States of America. Its the chorus that has always stuck with me as a rallying cry for Gen Xers like me who to this day carry the highest debt load of any generation with our incessant desire to have everything, and because we can, to have it now. As we start to emerge from the haze of the last two years of COVID19, the chorus in this hit song still seems to echo through our heads and our hearts as we start to dream of what many are calling the new normal. When it comes to the new normal, I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now. But do I want it all, and do I want it now? Patience is a virtue Having patience is not something that my generation is particularly adept at; weve been conditioned to strive for success early, the quicker we can rise to the top the more amazing we are, buy-now-pay-later, instant gratification. I remember being considered mildly successful by virtue of owning [a small part of] our first home at aged 21 and by having my first management position in the finance sector at aged 23. I wanted it all, and I wanted it then. Time has brought with it much reflection and significant personal growth as Ive had to navigate the rocky road of understanding what constitutes success. It hasnt been an easy journey and yet its one made more profound by allowing time to shape and mould my worldview. While those around me are insidiously strategising and planning for the new normal, the new way of living, the new way of working, the new way of doing church, for perhaps one of the first times in my life I dont really have any answers and Im simply waiting, listening, observing, trying to make sense of what we may have learnt through a prolonged season of change we never saw coming. We learn from history I heard it said many years ago that, what we learn from history is that we dont learn from history. I would like to think that for those of us who call ourselves Christians that we have a head start over this phrase because what we call the Word of God, the Bible, is to us an opportunity to learn that history shapes us for the better, if we choose to learn from it. From a young age we taught the great stories of faith. Another word for great stories of faith could be great stories of patience. Think of Abraham and Sarah and the promise of God which only occurred well beyond what any reasonable person would consider, reasonable. Think of Joseph and the decades of persecution he endured before Gods promise to him was fulfilled. Think of Moses and the people of Israel wandering in the dessert for a long time. Think of the generations of people waiting for a Saviour. Scripture affirms patience as a virtue To say that the value of patience is mentioned in the Bible would be an understatement. Patience is embedded in the Bible as a core tenant of the creation of humanity; patience is something that God has given us as a gift for living. In describing the reality of life that we still experience to this day, the psalmist figuratively writes in the second half of Psalm chapter 30, verse 5, Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. The implication being that there are seasons in life that are hard, we weep, but if we give God permission to help us through these seasons, we will rejoice with Him on the other side. The Apostle Paul reiterates the challenges of every day living with each other in the letter he writes to Christians living in the city of Ephesus. In chapter 4, verse 2 of that letter, he says, Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Patience is one of the keys to living a more, peaceful, life. Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau sums up well by saying, Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. The new normal will arrive when its ready As we strive to implement the new normal, its clear that we dont know what were implementing. The rhythms of life and work coming out of COVID19 are yet to be discovered. For those of us who work vocationally within the church, none of us know what the future looks like or how the patterns of community life will function. Patience is a virtue, its a form of wisdom. It demonstrates that we understand and accept the fact that sometimes things must unfold in their own time. We will learn what a new normal looks like, but it will take time, and plenty of reflection. I dont want it all, and I definitely dont want it now. I was having coffee with a good friend when she asked the question. Would Putin ever be like the thief on the cross and be able to go to heaven? Like me, my friend is appalled at the stories coming out of Ukraine and the atrocities that have been committed. We both know that Gods grace is boundless and free and that Gods love is vast and unmeasured as the old hymn puts it. But how could it be possible for President Putin to be forgiven for what has been happening in the Ukraine? This issue has always been with us. Whenever and wherever mans inhumanity to man has occurred, people not only ask where is God in situations like this, but they also have agonised over whether those who commit such atrocities could ever be forgiven. But the issue becomes very real for us now, because of the agony that Ukraine is enduring. What Jesus said to the thief As my friend and I drank our coffee, several things became clear. One is that we cant judge whether or not Putin, or anyone for that matter, will go to heaven. Thats not our call, because we cant know anyones full situation, as God does. Its a question that we cant answer for anyone. It also raises the issue as to how we think of heaven. For many people its simply somewhere in another realm from where their loved ones are looking down on them. Jesus doesnt come into it. For Christians though it may help to consider what Jesus said to the thief on the cross next to him Today, you will be with me in paradise, Jesus responded. This man was going to be with Jesus and that is what heaven is about being with Jesus. Maybe we should put the question this way, would Putin want to be with Jesus? Realising who Jesus is Peter, the disciple, when he realised who Jesus was, said to him, Leave me Jesus, because I am a sinful man. The reality of who Jesus was really hit him and in contrast, the reality of who he was, a sinful man, also hit home. It was the same with the thief on the cross he realised who Jesus was, and he also realised what he was. Yet he turned to Jesus. We can never judge where anyone stands before God, but it does appear that Putins actions and the Russian Orthodox Church are inextricably linked. One is intertwined with the other. Putin has been photographed carrying out Orthodox rituals, presumably to indicate a degree of piety. He is deliberately following in the footsteps of the tsars of Russia who had close links with the Orthodox Church. Ukraine an area, or a sovereign state? Similarly, how Ukraine is regarded in Russia, is tied up with an understanding of Russian history, the nature of Russia itself, and where the Ukraine, (an area,) rather than Ukraine, (a sovereign state,) fits into this Russian mindset. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church recently preached a sermon in a cathedral built, not for the glory of God, but for the glory of Russian military might. In his sermon he talked about the Russian soldiers, in the words of Johns Gospel, laying down their lives for their friends the Ukrainians. (The fact that the Russian troops are committing atrocities against these friends is not part of the current mindset; bodies of Ukrainian civilians lying in the streets are said by the Russians to be staged by the Ukrainians. Satellite photos of the area indicate otherwise.) Is Putin responsible for what his military commanders do? There is also the issue as to how much Putin has been informed about the campaign. Theres some intelligence that suggests Putin is being kept in the dark about the nature of Russian losses, and possibly atrocities. Does the Russian failure to acknowledge or take responsibility for the genocide currently taking place in what is another sovereign country, lie with Putin or his military commanders? As the call for accountability gets louder, it is clear that justice needs to be done and seen to be done. Putin, as the initiator of the special operation in Ukraine, is regarded by most in the West as having committed war crimes. He is ultimately responsible. How and when and if he will be tried as a war criminal remains to be seen, but he is ultimately responsible before God. Meeting Jesus If Putin was to meet Jesus personally, rather than engaging in forms of ritualistic piety as sanctioned by the Russian Orthodox Church, would he be overwhelmed by the need to face up to what he has done? When Zacchaeus, one of the despised tax collectors, met Jesus, not only did he experience salvation himself as in his triumphant words, Today, salvation has come to this house, - but he also recognised his wrong-doing and promised to restore four-fold what he had taken illegally from people when collecting taxes. He knew he had to be accountable. Meeting Jesus opened his eyes. If Putin really met Jesus in this life, would his eyes be opened? Would he be prepared to face trial for war crimes; and to help restore the country he has devastated? We would anticipate there would be costly reparations to be paid. If he wasnt toppled by a coup, would he voluntarily stand down from his role as president? These are issues for this life before there is any question as to what would happen beyond this life. Would Putin really want to be with Jesus in the next life, if he hasnt been with him in this life? Insurgents with the Nusra-led Army of Conquest coalition in Idlid, March 2015. (ZEIN AL-RIFAI/AFP via Getty Images) Hours after the Feb. 3 U.S. military raid in northern Syria that left the leader of ISIS and multiple family members dead, President Biden delivered a triumphant White House address. The late-night Special Forces operation in Syria's Idlib province, Biden proclaimed, was a "testament to Americas reach and capability to take out terrorist threats no matter where they hide around the world." Unmentioned by the president, and virtually all media accounts of the assassination, was the critical role that top members of his administration played during the Obama years in creating the Al Qaeda-controlled hideout where ISIS head Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi, as well as his slain predecessor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, found their final refuge. In waging a multi-billion dollar covert war in support of the insurgency against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, top Obama officials who now serve under Biden made it American policy to enable and arm terrorist groups that attracted jihadi fighters from across the globe. This regime change campaign, undertaken one decade after Al Qaeda attacked the U.S. on 9/11, helped a sworn U.S. enemy establish the Idlib safe haven that it still controls today. A concise articulation came from Jake Sullivan to his then-State Department boss Hillary Clinton in a February 2012 email: "AQ [Al Qaeda] is on our side in Syria." Sullivan, the current national security adviser, is one of many officials who oversaw the Syria proxy war under Obama to now occupy a senior post under Biden. This group includes Secretary of State Antony Blinken, climate envoy John Kerry, USAID Administrator Samantha Power, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, NSC Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk, and State Department Counselor Derek Chollet. Their efforts to remake the Middle East via regime change, not just in Syria but earlier in Libya, led to the deaths of Americans including Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other U.S. officials in Benghazi in 2012; the slaughter of countless civilians; the creation of millions of refugees; and ultimately, Russia's entry into the Syrian battlefield. Contacted through their current U.S. government agencies, none of the Obama-Biden principals offered comment on their policy of supporting an Al Qaeda-dominated insurgency in Syria. The Obama-Biden team's record in Syria resonates today as many of its members handle the unfolding crisis in Ukraine. As in Syria, the U.S. is flooding a chaotic war zone with weapons in a dangerous proxy conflict against Russia, raising the threat of military confrontation between the world's top nuclear powers. "I deeply worry that whats going to happen next is that we will see Ukraine turn into Syria," Democratic Senator Chris Coons told CBS News on April 17. Based on declassified documents, news reports, and scattered admissions of U.S. officials, this overlooked history of how the Obama-Biden team's effort to oust the Assad regime in concert with allies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey details the series of discrete decisions that ultimately led the U.S. to empower terror networks bent on its destruction. Seizing Momentum and Munitions From Libya to Pursue Regime Change in Syria The road to Al Qaeda's control of the Syrian province of Idlib actually started hundreds of miles across the Mediterranean in Libya. In March 2011, after heavy lobbying from senior officials including Secretary Hillary Clinton, President Obama authorized a bombing campaign in support of the jihadist insurgency fighting the government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Backed by NATO firepower, the rebels toppled Gaddafi and gruesomely murdered him in October. Buoyed by their quick success in Libya, the Obama administration set their sights on Damascus, by then a top regime change target in Washington. According to former NATO commander Wesley Clark, the Assad regime a key ally of U.S. foes Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia was marked for overthrow alongside Iraq in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. A leaked 2006 U.S. Embassy in Damascus cable assessed that Assad's "vulnerabilities" included "the potential threat to the regime from the increasing presence of transiting Islamist extremists," and detailed how the U.S. could "improve the likelihood of such opportunities arising." The outbreak of the Syrian insurgency in March 2011, coupled with the fall of Gaddafi, offered the U.S. a historic opportunity to exploit Syria's vulnerabilities. While the Arab Spring sparked peaceful Syrian protests against the ruling Ba'ath party's cronyism and repression, it also triggered a largely Sunni, rural-based revolt that took a sectarian and violent turn. The U.S. and its allies, namely Qatar and Turkey, capitalized by tapping the massive arsenal of the newly ousted Libyan government. "During the immediate aftermath of, and following the uncertainty caused by, the downfall of the [Gaddafi] regime in October 2011," the Defense Intelligence Agency reported the following year, "weapons from the former Libya military stockpiles located in Benghazi, Libya were shipped from the port of Benghazi, Libya, to the ports of Banias and the Port of Borj Islam, Syria." The redacted DIA document, obtained by the group Judicial Watch, does not specify whether the U.S. was directly involved in these shipments. But it contains significant clues. With remarkable specificity, it detailed the size and contents of one such shipment in August 2012: 500 sniper rifles, 100 rocket-propelled grenade launchers with 300 rounds, and 400 howitzer missiles. Most tellingly, the document noted that the weapons shipments were halted "in early September 2012." This was a clear reference to the killing by militants that month of four Americans Ambassador Christopher Stevens, another State Department official, and two CIA contractors in Benghazi, the port city where the weapons to Syria were coming from. The Benghazi annex "was at its heart a CIA operation," U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal. At least two dozen CIA employees worked in Benghazi under diplomatic cover. Although top intelligence officials obscured the Benghazi operation in sworn testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, a Senate investigation eventually confirmed a direct CIA role in the movement of weapons from Libya to Syria. A classified version of a 2014 Senate report, not publicly released, documented an agreement between President Obama and Turkey to funnel weapons from Libya to insurgents in Syria. The operation, established in early 2012, was run by then-CIA Director David Petraeus. "The [Benghazi] consulates only mission was to provide cover for the moving of arms" to Syria, a former U.S. intelligence official told journalist Seymour Hersh in the London Review of Books. "It had no real political role." The Death of a U.S. Ambassador Under diplomatic cover, Stevens appears to have been a significant figure in the CIA program. More than one year before he became ambassador in June 2012, Stevens was appointed the U.S. liaison to the Libyan opposition. In this role, he worked with the Al Qaeda-tied Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and its leader, Abdelhakim Belhadj, a warlord who fought alongside Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. After Gaddafi's ouster, Belhadj was named head of the Tripoli Military Council, which controlled security in the country's capital. Belhadj's portfolio was not limited to post-coup Libya. In November 2011, the Al Qaeda ally traveled to Turkey to meet with leaders of the Free Syrian Army, the CIA-backed opposition military coalition. Belhadj's trip came as part of the new Libyan government's effort to provide "money and weapons to the growing insurgency against Bashar al-Assad," the London Telegraph reported at the time. On September 14, 2012 just three days after Stevens and his American colleagues were killed the London Times revealed that a Libyan vessel "carrying the largest consignment of weapons for Syria since the uprising began," had recently docked in the Turkish port of Iskenderun. Once unloaded, "most of its cargo is making its way to rebels on the front lines." The known details of Stevens' last hours on September 11 suggest that shipping weapons was at the top of his agenda. Although based in Tripoli and facing violent threats, he nonetheless made the dangerous trek to Benghazi around the charged anniversary of 9/11. According to a 2016 report from the House Intelligence Committee, one of Stevens' last scheduled meetings was with the head of al-Marfa Shipping and Maritime Services Company, a Libyan firm involved in ferrying weapons to Syria. His final meeting of the day was with Consul General Ali Sait Akin of Turkey, where the weapons were shipped. Fox News later reported that "Stevens was in Benghazi to negotiate a weapons transfer." With the Libyan channel shut down by Stevens' murder, the U.S. and its allies turned to other sources. One was Croatia, where Saudi Arabia financed a major weapons purchase in late 2012 that was arranged by the CIA. The CIA's use of the Saudi kingdom's vast coffers continued an arrangement from prior covert proxy wars, including the arming of the mujahideen in Afghanistan and of the Contras in Nicaragua. Although the Obama administration claimed that the weapons funneled to Syria were intended for "moderate rebels," they ultimately ended up in the hands of a jihadi-dominated insurgency. Just one month after the Benghazi attack, the New York Times reported that "hard-line Islamic jihadists," including groups "with ties or affiliations with Al Qaeda," have received "the lions share of the arms shipped to the Syrian opposition." Covertly Arming An Al Qaeda-Dominated Insurgency The Obama administration did not need media accounts to learn that jihadists dominated the Syrian insurgency on the receiving end of a CIA supply chain. One month before the Benghazi attack, Pentagon intelligence analysts gave the White House a blunt appraisal. An August 2012 Defense Intelligence Agency report, disseminated widely among U.S. officials, noted that "Salafi[s], the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI [Al Qaeda in Iraq] are the major forces driving the insurgency." Al Qaeda, the report stressed, "supported the Syrian opposition from the beginning." Their aim was to create a "Salafist principality in eastern Syria" an early warning of the ISIS caliphate that would be established two years later. General Michael Flynn, who headed the DIA at the time, later recalled that his staff "got enormous pushback" from the Obama White House. "I felt that they did not want to hear the truth," Flynn said. In 2015, one year after Flynn was forced out, dozens of Pentagon intelligence analysts signed on to a complaint alleging that top Pentagon intelligence officials were "cooking the books" to paint a rosier picture of the jihadi presence in Syria. (The Pentagon later cleared CENTCOM commanders of wrongdoing.) The Free Syrian Army (FSA), the main CIA-backed insurgent force, also informed Obama officials of the jihadi dominance in their ranks. "From the reports we get from the doctors," FSA officials told the State Department in November 2012, "most of the injured and dead FSA are Jabhat al-Nusra, due to their courage and [the fact they are] always at the front line." Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Nusra Front) is Al Qaeda's franchise in Syria. It emerged as a splinter group of Al Qaeda in Iraq after a falling out between AQI leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and his then-deputy, Mohammed al-Jolani. In 2013, Baghdadi relaunched his organization under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Jolani led his Syria-based Al Qaeda faction under the black flag of al-Nusra. "[W]hile rarely acknowledged explicitly in public," Charles Lister, a Gulf state-funded analyst in close contact with Syrian insurgent groups wrote in March 2015, "the vast majority of the Syrian insurgency has coordinated closely with Al-Qaeda since mid-2012 and to great effect on the battlefield." As one Free Syrian Army leader told the New York Times: "No FSA faction in the north can operate without al-Nusras approval." According to David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst who covered Syria in the war's early years, U.S. officials knew that "al-Qaeda affiliated groups and Salafi jihadist groups were the primary engine of the insurgency." This, McCloskey says, was "a tremendously problematic aspect of the conflict." In his memoir, senior Obama aide Ben Rhodes acknowledged that al-Nusra "was probably the strongest fighting force within the opposition." It was also clear, he wrote, that U.S.-backed insurgent groups were "fighting side by side with al-Nusra." For this reason, Rhodes recalled, he argued against the State Department's December 2012 designation of al-Nusra as a foreign terrorist organization. This move "would alienate the same people we want to help." (Asked about wanting to help an Al Qaeda-dominated insurgency, Rhodes did not respond). In fact, designating al-Nusra as a terror organization allowed the Obama administration to publicly claim that it opposed Al Qaeda's Syria branch while continuing to covertly arm the insurgency that it dominated. Three months after adding al-Nusra to the terrorism list, the U.S. and its allies "dramatically stepped up weapons supplies to Syrian rebels" to help "rebels to try and seize Damascus," the Associated Press reported in March 2013. 'There Was No Moderate Middle' Despite being privately aware of Nusra's dominance, Obama administration officials continued to publicly insist that the U.S. was only supporting Syria's "moderate opposition," as then-Deputy National Security Adviser Antony Blinken described it in September 2014. But speaking to a Harvard audience days later, then-Vice President Biden blurted out the concealed reality. In the Syrian insurgency, "there was no moderate middle," Biden admitted. Instead, U.S. "allies" in Syria "poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad." Those weapons were supplied, Biden said, to "al-Nusra, and Al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world." Aaron Mate @aaronjmate Aaron Mate @aaronjmate Biden on Syria, 2014: US allies "poured hundreds of millions of dollars & tensthousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad. Except that the people who were being supplied were... Al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis." June 8th 2021 556 Retweets1,263 Likes 556 Retweets1,263 Likes Biden quickly apologized for his comments, which appeared to fit the classic definition of the Kinsley gaffe: a politician inadvertently telling the truth. Biden's only error was omitting his administration's critical role in helping its allies arm the jihadis. Rather than shut down a CIA program that was aiding the Al Qaeda-dominated insurgency, Obama expanded it. In April 2013, the president signed an order that amended the CIA's covert war, codenamed Timber Sycamore, to allow direct U.S. arming and training. After tapping Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar to fund its arms pipeline for insurgents inside Syria, Obama's order allowed the CIA to directly furnish U.S.-made weapons. Just as with the regime change campaign in Libya, a key architect of this operation was Hillary Clinton. Obama's upgraded proxy war in Syria proved to be "one of the costliest covert action programs in the history of the C.I.A.," the New York Times reported in 2017. Documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed a budget of nearly $1 billion per year, or around $1 of every $15 in CIA spending. The CIA armed and trained nearly 10,000 insurgents, spending "roughly $100,000 per year for every anti-Assad rebel who has gone through the program," U.S. officials told the Washington Post in 2015. Two years later, one U.S. official estimated that CIA-funded militias "may have killed or wounded 100,000 Syrian soldiers and their allies over the past four years." But these militias were not just killing pro-Syrian government forces. As the New York Times reported in April 2017, US-backed insurgents carried out "sectarian mass murder." One such act of mass murder came in August 2013, when the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army joined an al-Nusra and ISIS offensive on Alawite areas of Latakia. A Human Rights Investigation found that the insurgents engaged in "the systematic killing of entire families," slaughtering a documented 190 civilians, including 57 women, 18 children, and 14 elderly men. In a video from the field, former Syrian army general Salim Idriss, head of the U.S.-backed Supreme Military Council (SMC), bragged that "we are cooperating to a great extent in this operation." The Latakia massacres came four months after the U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, hailed Idriss and his fighters as "the moderate and responsible elements of the armed opposition." The role of Idriss's forces in the slaughter did not cancel the administration's endorsement. In October, the Washington Post revealed that the "CIA is expanding a clandestine effort aimed at shoring up the fighting power of units aligned with the Supreme Military Council, an umbrella organization led by [Idriss] that is the main recipient of U.S. support." [In an emailed response to questions about U.S. policy in Syria, Ford says that there was no question that Free Syrian Army engaged in war crimes but noted, We denounced [them] publicly at the time and in private. Ford said the administrations official stance that moderates were engaged in the fight was accurate in light of the facts on the ground. "Our definition of moderates in the armed opposition, he wrote, were people willing to negotiate a peaceful end to the war."] Officially, the upgraded CIA program barred direct support to al-Nusra or its allies in Syria. But once U.S. weapons arrived in Syria, the Obama administration recognized that it had no way of controlling their use an apparent motive for waging the program covertly. "We needed plausible deniability in case the arms got into the hands of al-Nusra," a former senior administration official told the New York Times in 2013. Insurgents use US-made TOW missiles against Syrian forces in Northern Aleppo, July 2016 (Ahmed Ebu Bera/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) One area where U.S. arms got into al-Nusra's hands was the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib. 'Al-Qaeda's Largest Safe Haven Since 9/11' In May 2015, an array of insurgent groups, dubbed the Jaish al-Fatah ("Army of Conquest") coalition, captured Idlib province from the Syrian government. The fight was led by al-Nusra, and showcased what Charles Lister, the D.C.-based analyst with contacts to insurgents in Syria, dubbed "a far improved level of coordination" between rival militants, including the U.S.-backed FSA and multiple "jihadist factions." For Lister, the conquest of Idlib also revealed that the U.S. and its allies "changed their tune regarding coordination with Islamists." Citing multiple battlefield commanders, Lister reported that "the U.S.-led operations room in southern Turkey," which coordinated support to U.S.-backed insurgent groups, "was instrumental in facilitating their involvement in the operation" led by al-Nusra. While the insurgents' U.S.-led command had previously opposed "any direct coordination" with jihadist groups, the Idlib offensive "demonstrated something different," Lister concluded: To capture the province, U.S. officials "specifically encouraged a closer cooperation with Islamists commanding frontline operations." The U.S.-approved battlefield cooperation in Idlib allowed al-Nusra fighters to directly benefit from U.S. weapons. Despite occasional flare-ups between them, al-Nusra was able to use U.S.-backed insurgent groups "as force multipliers," the Institute for the Study of War, a prominent D.C. think tank, observed when the battle began. Insurgent military gains, Foreign Policy reported in April 2015, were achieved "thanks in large part to suicide bombers and American anti-tank TOW missiles." The jihadist-led victory in Idlib quickly subjected its residents to sectarian terror. In June 2015, al-Nusra fighters massacred at least 20 members of the Druze faith. Hundreds of villagers spared in the attack were forced to convert to Sunni Islam. Facing the same threats, nearly all of Idlib's remaining 1,200 Christians fled the province, leaving a Christian population that reportedly totals just three people today. In a 2017 post-mortem on the Obama administration's covert war in Syria, the New York Times described the insurgents' conquest of Idlib as among the CIA program's "periods of success." This was certainly the case for Al Qaeda. "Idlib Province," Brett McGurk, the anti-ISIS envoy under Obama and Trump, and now Biden's top White House official for the Middle East, said in 2017, "is the largest Al Qaeda safe haven since 9/11." U.S. Allows ISIS Takeover Al Qaeda is not the only sectarian death squad that managed to establish a safe haven in the chaos of the Syria proxy war. Starting in 2013, al-Nusra's sister-turned-rival group, ISIS, seized considerable territory of its own. As with Al Qaeda, ISIS' land-grab in Syria received a significant backdoor assist from Washington. Before Al Qaeda captured Idlib, the first ISIS stronghold in Syria, Raqqa, grew out of a similar alliance between U.S.-backed "moderate rebels" and jihadis. After this coalition seized the city from the Syrian government in March 2013, ISIS took full control in November. When ISIS declared its caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq in June 2014, the U.S. launched an air campaign against the group's strongholds. But the Obama administration's anti-ISIS offensive contained a significant exception. In key areas where ISISs advance could threaten the Assad regime, the U.S. watched it happen. In April 2015, just as al-Nusra was conquering Idlib, ISIS seized major parts of the Yarmouk refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus, marking what the New York Times called the group's "greatest inroads yet" into the Syrian capital. In the ancient city of Palmyra, the U.S. allowed an outright ISIS takeover. "[A]s Islamic State closed in on Palmyra, the U.S.-led aerial coalition that has been pummeling Islamic State in Syria for the past 18 months took no action to prevent the extremists advance toward the historic town which, until then, had remained in the hands of the sorely overstretched Syrian security forces," the Los Angeles Times reported in March 2016. In a leaked conversation with Syrian opposition activists months later, then-Secretary of State John Kerry explained the U.S. rationale for letting ISIS advance. "Daesh [ISIS] was threatening the possibility of going to Damascus and so forth," Kerry explained. "And we know that this was growing. We were watching. We saw that Daesh was growing in strength, and we thought Assad was threatened. We thought, however, we could probably manage, that Assad would then negotiate" his way out of power. In short, the U.S. was leveraging ISIS's growth to impose regime change on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. strategy of "watching" ISIS's advance in Syria, Kerry also admitted, directly caused Russia's 2015 entry into the conflict. The threat of an ISIS takeover, Kerry said, is "why Russia went in. Because they didnt want a Daesh government." Aaron Mate @aaronjmate Aaron Mate @aaronjmate In 2016, John Kerry privately admitted that the US "watched" ISIS spread in Syria in the hopes they could leverage that to oust Assad. Russia intervened in Syria, he said, "because they didnt want a Daesh [ISIS] government." April 20th 2022 3 Retweets6 Likes 3 Retweets6 Likes Russia's military intervention in Syria prevented the ISIS government in Damascus that Kerry and fellow Obama administration principals had been willing to risk. Pulverizing Russian airstrikes also dealt a fatal blow to the Al Qaeda-dominated insurgency that the Obama team had spent billions of dollars to support. From U.S. Enemy to 'Asset' in Syria With U.S.-backed fighters vanquished and one of their main champions, Hillary Clinton, defeated in the November 2016 election, the CIA operation in Syria met what the New York Times called a "sudden death." After criticizing the proxy war in Syria on the campaign trail, President Trump shut down the Timber Sycamore program for good in July 2017. "It turns out its a lot of al-Qaeda were giving these weapons to," Trump told the Wall Street Journal that month. With the exit of the Obama-Biden team, the U.S. was no longer fighting on Al Qaeda's side. But that did not mean that the U.S. was prepared to confront the enemy that it had helped install in Idlib. While Trump put an end to the CIA proxy war, his efforts to further extricate the U.S. from Syria by withdrawing troops were thwarted by senior officials who shared the preceding administration's regime change goals. "When President Trump said 'I want everybody out of Syria,' the top brass at Pentagon and State had aneurysms," Christopher Miller, the Acting Secretary of Defense during Trump's last months in office, recalls. Jim Jeffrey, Trump's envoy for Syria, admitted to deceiving the president in order to keep in place "a lot more than" the 200 U.S. troops that Trump had reluctantly agreed to. "We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there," Jeffrey told Defense One. Those "shell games" have put U.S. soldiers in harm's way, including four servicemembers recently wounded in a rocket attack on their base in northeastern Syria. While thwarting a full U.S. troop withdrawal, Jeffrey and other senior officials have also preserved the U.S. government's tacit alliance with Idlib's Al-Qaeda rulers. Officially, al-Nusra remains on the U.S. terrorism list. Despite several name changes, the State Department has dismissed its rebranding efforts as a "vehicle to advance its position in the Syrian uprising and to further its own goals as an al-Qaida affiliate." But in practice, as Jeffrey explained last year, the U.S. has treated Al-Nusra as "an asset" to U.S. strategy in Syria. "They are the least bad option of the various options on Idlib, and Idlib is one of the most important places in Syria, which is one of the most important places right now in the Middle East," he said. Jeffrey also revealed that he had communicated with al-Nusra leader Mohammed al-Jolani via "indirect channels." Jeffrey's comments underscore a profound shift in the U.S. government's Middle East strategy as a result of the Syria proxy war: The Syrian branch of Al Qaeda, the terror group that attacked the U.S. on 9/11, and which then became the target of a global war on terror aimed at destroying it, is no longer seen by powerful officials in Washington as an enemy, but an "asset." Since retaking office under Biden, the Obama veterans who targeted Syria with one of the most expensive covert wars in history have deprioritized the war-torn nation. While pledging to maintain crippling sanctions and keep U.S. troops at multiple bases, as well as announcing sporadic airstrikes, the White House has otherwise said little publicly about its Syria policy. The U.S. military raid that ended ISIS leader al-Qurayshis life in February prompted the only Syria-focused speech of Biden's presidency. While Biden trumpeted the lethal operation, the fact that it occurred in Idlib underscores a contradiction that his administration has yet to address. By taking out an ISIS leader in Al Qaeda's Syria stronghold, the president and his top officials are now confronting threats from a terror safe haven that they helped create. The memo, dated November 12 last year, was written by Dr Caroline McElnay, the former Director of Public Health. She was Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield's previous offsider. The memo expressly says that, way back in November, the risk posed by international arrivals transmitting COVID-19 was no longer higher than the risk of domestic transmission. The extra damning thing is that, looking at the full context of the Delta outbreak at the time, there were vaccine requirements for international arrivals and we had 80 percent of the population double vaccinated. There was ongoing transmission in Auckland and health officials agreed that right then MIQ was no longer justified. But MIQ remained in place over Christmas for another three months before the Government's actions matched its public health advice. And all that time, Kiwis fought a cruel lottery for a chance to come home. ACT leader David Seymour says the Government must apologise to Kiwis who were stranded overseas. "The Government owes all those who were stuck in limbo overseas an apology. They were the victims of a costly and cruel policy that wasn't even doing any good." The US Navy used its new marine surveillance aircraft to provide accurate targeting data to Ukrainian forces to sink the Russian Black Sea flag ship Moskva on April 13. Ukraine claimed it fired two Neptun missiles at the Russian warship which was patrolling south of Odesa. Russia initially claimed the vessel, which had more than 500 crew on board had blown up after a fire onboard. Later, the Kremlin was forced to admit the vessel - named in honour of the Russian capital - had been taken out by hostile action. The US Navy deployed one of its Boeing Poseidon P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft on the Black Sea coast over Romania in the hours before the Ukrainian attack on the Moskva The Moskva sank shortly after this image was taken following the missile strike on the cruiser According to The Times, a US marine surveillance P-8 Poseidon aircraft, was tracking Moskva in the hours before it was attacked before supplying its location to the Ukrainian military. The Boeing-made aircraft is based upon the Boeing 737-800 jet - which is widely used by airlines such as Ryanair. However, instead of passengers, the Poseidon is packed with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment which can track surface vessels and submarines at ranges of more than 100 miles. According to The Times, the P-8 took off from Italy and took up station on the Romanian Black Sea coast where it attempted to locate the position of the Russian Black Sea fleet. Since the invasion of Ukraine, a range of NATO surveillance platforms and drones have been monitoring Russian movements from the Polish coast, along the Ukrainian border and down to the Black Sea. The Moskva, pictured leaving Sevastopol on April 10, was the main air defence asset in the Black Sea Fleet and served as its flagship Moskva was the Russian Black Sea fleet's main radar platform, equipped with S-300 surface to air missiles to protect from air attack. The vessel sank as tugs attempted to tow the crippled warship back to Crimea for repairs. The Neptun is an anti-ship missile that was recently developed by Ukraine and based on an earlier Soviet design. The launchers are mounted on trucks stationed near the coast, and, according to the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the missiles can hit targets up to 175 miles away. That would have put the Moskva within range, based on where the fire began. According to The Times, the P-8 left US Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily on April 13, hours before the attack. Before reaching the Black Sea coastline, the Poseidon turned off its trackers, so it could no longer be followed online. The aircraft was 'hidden' for almost three hours before it returned to Flight Radar 24. Aviation data analysis Amelia Smith told The Times that there were slightly more US aircraft covering the Black Sea coast on the day of the attack. However, the US Navy refused to confirm if they assisted Ukraine with the attack by providing intelligence data. A Defence source added: 'In keeping with our support to Natos eastern flank, we have been conducting some limited air patrols off the coast of Romania. But we will not speak to the details of operational matters.' Participants in Modernas clinical trials for its mRNA booster Covid shots keep dying. And Moderna keeps obscuring their deaths. Last week, Moderna disclosed a death in its newest booster trial in a single chart on page 49 of a 53-page report, while elsewhere in the report inaccurately claiming the trial had no fatal events. Today, a reader pointed out another death in an earlier Moderna booster trial, this one from cardiac arrest in a 72-year-old man. The victim had received his third or booster dose nine days before. The death appears to have occurred in August 2021, at least six weeks before the Food and Drug Administration held a hearing in October to discuss authorizing a Moderna booster at a dose lower than the one used in the August trial. But the death was not mentioned at the hearing. Instead, Moderna quietly disclosed the death last month in a report on the trial it published on a preprint server. Almost no one appears to have seen the report. The full-text version of the report, where a description of the death can be found, had been viewed online fewer than 70 times as of this morning. The report also discloses a stroke suffered by another participant in the trial. Of note, both victims were men in their early seventies, although only about 50 of the trials 305 participants were men over 65. The stroke occurred only four days after the booster mRNA dose. The company said that its investigators believed the booster had caused the stroke but not the cardiac arrest; it did not offer details as to how they had reached that conclusion. No outside investigators appear to have reviewed either case. In what his lawyers have described as a brief but significant moment in the case, a British magistrates court has signed off on Julian Assanges extradition to the United States, bringing the WikiLeaks founder one step closer to a US trial under the Espionage Act which threatens press freedoms worldwide. The extradition case now goes to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel for approval, which will likely be forthcoming as Patel is a reliably loyal empire manager. After that point, Assanges legal team will be able to launch an appeal. This is happening at the same time the United States and the United Kingdom are loudly demanding accountability for alleged war crimes by the Russian military in Ukraine, which is interesting because attempting to bring accountability for war crimes is precisely why Julian Assange is in prison. He is a war criminal, President Biden said of Vladimir Putin following allegations of war crimes in Bucha, Ukraine earlier this month. I think it is a war crime. He should be held accountable. And thats all Id like to say here today, really. That this discrepancy is very interesting. I mean, can we take a moment to deeply appreciate the irony of this? Because its so obscene and outrageous its actually hard to take in unless you really let it absorb. The most powerful government in the world, which serves as the hub of the most powerful empire that has ever existed, is working to extradite a journalist for exposing its war crimes while simultaneously rending its garments over war crime allegations against another government. I mean, damn. You would think a power structure that had recently been caught red-handed committing war crimes and is currently in the process of imprisoning a journalist for exposing those war crimes would at least have the sense not to yell too loudly about war crimes for a little while. But this is how confident the empire is in its ability to control the narrative. Really take it in. Really digest it. The more you think about it, the freakier it gets. Not only is the empire persecuting a journalist for exposing its war crimes while at the same time demanding that others be held accountable for war crimes, it is also attacking the free press for reporting the truth about the powerful while at the very same time engaging in a massive propaganda operation which holds that it is involved in Ukraine to protect its freedom and democracy. I mean, the gall. The absolute temerity. The balls on this empire, man. I have said it before and I will say it again: Assange exposed many ugly realities about the powerful in his work with WikiLeaks, but everything that he has managed to expose thereafter simply by forcing them to prosecute him far surpasses the revelations in those publications. If the highest form of journalism is exposing the darkest secrets of the most powerful people in the world, then Julian Assange is the highest form of journalist. _________________ 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 Given the CCPs relatively advanced state surveillance/censorship regime, the mere fact that the images below have leaked into the online sphere is a minor miracle. Their survival in the face of the CCPs level-ten censorship speaks to the insatiable human hunger for real information, or maybe to the still-unconquered Wild West that the internet was intended to become. In any case, the imagery emerging from Orwellian nightmare Shanghai is, without exaggeration, jaw-dropping. Even in the context of widespread authoritarian government abuses carried out in the name of public health, to which we have become increasingly desensitized, it shocks the conscience. Lets survey techno-hell. Meanwhile in Shanghai pic.twitter.com/SFvWKgkZx5 Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) April 16, 2022 Drone circles Shanghai residential district, warns locked-in apartment-dwellers to control the souls desire for freedom The CCP, to the extent that it ever did, no longer feigns any pretense of benevolence. It rips the most haunting pages from the great dystopian novels and even techno-enhances them before hitting the streets. In the far distance, a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs, hovered for an instant like a bluebottle, and darted away again with a curving flight. It was the police patrol, snooping into peoples windows. -George Orwell, 1984 Inner Party-approved: Shanghai residents go to their balconies to sing and protest lack of supplies. A drone appears: Please comply with Covid restrictions. Control your souls desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.' Un drone survole un quartier de Shanghai en Chine apres que des habitants aient manifeste de leurs balcons contre le manque de nourriture : Veuillez respecter les restrictions pendant le confinement, controler votre desir de liberte. N'ouvrez pas la fenetre et ne chantez pas. pic.twitter.com/bUg4OXhQQA Anonyme Citoyen (@AnonymeCitoyen) April 9, 2022 Lockdown Robo-Dog orders Shanghai slaves to retreat into homes, shut their mouths and comply Lockdown in Shanghai: dog robots announce that nobody is allowed to leave the house. Drones fly around, come right up to you when they spot you outside and tell you to go back inside.pic.twitter.com/rLCVzHM8zP Ron D'Souza (@Holiearth) April 8, 2022 Police state chaos at COVID security checkpoint Accepting that this is actual reality is almost impossible to process it mimics far too closely the most far-fetched dystopian sci-fi thrillers to pass the credibility sniff test. Alas, its all real. A human rights catastrophe. The world should not be silent. pic.twitter.com/QU3QSFuIc0 Anthony LaMesa (@ajlamesa) April 14, 2022 One would be hard-pressed to come up with just a potential public health justification for this given the plethora of evidence that such draconian lockdown measures (which were also force-fed to Western populations and will be again if the biomedical authorities are not purged) dont work to prevent viral spread. On the contrary, they have a provably net negative public health impact (collapsed supply lines, wrecked mental health, etc.). COVID-positive children ripped from mothers arms, ferried to government detention centers The Chinese state is currently ripping children from their mothers arms and tossing them into government concentration camps deceptively marketed, true to form, as hospitals. Image credit: Xinhua Human misery = Public health Medical prisons = Hospitals In this way, the authoritarian government, as it always does, inverts reality via semantical engineering. Cats bundled in nets, awaiting government execution SHANGHAI CHINA: Cats in bags some are still alive pic.twitter.com/RCjCGF7tGL ItsRedRum (@RedRum2198) April 12, 2022 (despite evidence that the risk of pet-to-human owner transmission is low) Respect the Science! Chinese government worker beats dog to death in broad daylight after owner tests COVID positive Decent, non-MAGA-terrorist people know, of course, as do the Chinese authorities, that public health is best doled out to defenseless corgis at the end of a truncheon. COVID terrorist neutralized, frolics freely no longer And another video of a similar occurrence inside of a CCP COVID death camp: Shanghai, China (CCP officers) Covid Workers Brutally Murders a Pet Dog. The Owner Was Taken to a Covid Facility. Warning Sounds May Be Very Disturbing pic.twitter.com/zd0Z6XZb8z Hyein (@BabeeHyeinK2021) April 13, 2022 Again, the state demonstrates its love: https://twitter.com/Daytoday240/status/1513377613817184258 Hordes of COVID government workers maraud Shanghai streets Big Whites Theyre calling them Big Whites now pic.twitter.com/EsoQfR1DUt Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) April 16, 2022 If you think none of this could happen in the West Yes, in the US we have a Bill of Rights (and similar such guarantees of liberty in other Western states) that, in theory, would prevent the worst government overreach. In practice, though, as demonstrated by Snowdens leaks proving indiscriminate NSA mass surveillance of every Americans digital communications, among thousands of other scandals, the Bill of Rights is effectively dead. Here is Canadian PM Justin Trudeau describing his admiration of China not in spite of, but rather specifically because of, its authoritarian trampling of human rights with impunity: Justin Trudeau: "There's a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime." pic.twitter.com/Vxwn2DhpgZ Harrison Faulkner (@Harry__Faulkner) April 11, 2022 The human rights trampling isnt the bug; its the feature. And here is Bill Gates mentor Charlie Munger, with a face only a mother could love and maybe not even her, explaining the benefits of Chinas policy regarding how it handles dissidents: We Americans would like to think that our free expression and allowing all kinds of opinion and all kinds of criticisms of the government is a totally essential part of the economy what the Chinese have proved is that you can have a screamingly successfully economy with a fairly controlling government. Charlie Munger has enthusiastically advocated banning non-central-banker-controlled cryptocurrency and jailing political dissidents. Authoritarian, highly centralized CCP-style corporate governance is the model of the elites. They look to the Chinese example in awe, and envy. Shanghai-style lockdowns across the West from London to Seattle to Melbourne, a nightmare to normal people, is their wet dream. Stay human, Shanghai Imagine the Chinese pressure-cooker pressed on your neck, squeezing the humanity out of you one drop at a time: getting condescended to by a robot dog lectured to about curtailing your natural desire for freedom via government drone hovering outside of your window shoved into a government van to be deposited like a lab rat in some cage watching, in helplessness, your beloved pets life get snuffed out on the street from the rear window as it speeds away What else is more worth viciously safeguarding than our humanity? Those government agents beating corgis to death with sticks have already lost theirs they are now something not wholly human, a hybrid of sorts made up in part of biological bits and in part of corporate state machinery. The will to resist, to stay human, is the last line of defense. Ultimately, social engineers in the West are hard at work devising what they term moral enhancements to induce involuntary compliance with lockdowns so that even passive resistance inside of your own inviolable conscience becomes impossible: Widespread administration of psychoactive drugs could provide moral enhancement that would make people more likely to adhere to social norms such as wearing masks and adhering to social distancing guidelines. Stay human. Eat clean. Fight the machine. For the first time in his life he did not despise the proles or think of them merely as an inert force which would one day spring to life and regenerate the world. The proles had stayed human. -George Orwell, 1984 Ben Bartee is a Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff via Armageddon Prose, Substack, Patreon, Gab, and Twitter. Please support his independent operations however you can. Bitcoin public address: 14gU3aHBXkNq8bDqmibfnubV7kSJqfx5LX Its all wrapped up in Technocracy, both historic and modern. The billionaires that ate the world are the same crowd that started with the Trilateral Commission in 1973, founded by David Rockefeller and Zbigniew Brzezinski. The Commission set about to create a New International Economic Order that benefited them at everyone elses expense. TN Editor In case you have not noticed, I have been in a bit of a funk lately. The big interdependent trifecta of censorship, state and corporatist-sponsored propaganda, and the role of Davos Man in the emerging new world order have been weighing heavy on my mind. Or maybe its just that I have been traveling too much, seen and heard too many things, and been the recipient of chronic targeted defamation for too long. Or perhaps I am just homesick for my quiet centered life with my wife Jill, our horses and fruit trees, and our modest Virginia farm/horticultural park. Or all the above. What has really been eating away at my soul, like some kind of Dementor from JK Rowlings darkest imaginings, is that we have allowed the billionaires to take over our world, and we have yet to come to terms with the consequences. The party of Davos, with its public facing mask behind the benign name of the World Economic Forum (WEF). What are the practical consequences for how both ourselves and our children will live their lives? This issue touches the deepest questions. What is the fundamental nature of man, good or evil? What is justice, the proper order and character of political structures as they relate to justice, and what are the characteristics of a just and ethical man. The deep stuff which Plato covers in the foundation stone of western thought on politics, the Socratic dialog published as The Republic. Although pre-Christian (380BC), whether or not you have read the multi-volume work your ideas of right and wrong are profoundly influenced by this ancient text, and regardless of your personal opinion regarding the dialectic tension between Hobbes (solitary, poore, nasty brutish, and short) and Rousseau, The Republic is the bedrock upon which western political thought is built. By way of contrast, the work of Kong (Confucius, 551479 BC) is often seen as the foundation for much of Chinese/Asian culture, Zoroaster (Zarathustra, 628-551 BC) in historic Persia, and the blend of the teachings of Gautama Buddha (563483 BC) and the Hindu classification of astika and nastika schools of philosophy in India. Quoting from Robin Douglass, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at Kings College London. He is the author of Rousseau and Hobbes: Nature, Free Will, and the Passions (2015) Rousseau thought that once human nature has been corrupted the chances for redemption are vanishingly slight. In his own day, he held out little hope for the most advanced commercial states in Europe and, although he never witnessed the onset of industrial capitalism, its safe to say that it would have only confirmed his worst fears about inequality. The sting in the tale of Rousseaus analysis is that, even if Hobbes was wrong about human nature, modern society is Hobbesian to the core and theres now no turning back. This way of putting things adds a twist to the usual narrative, where Hobbes is supposed to be the pessimist, and Rousseau the optimist. If thats true of their ideas of human nature, the opposite is so when it comes to their evaluation of modern politics. If you think that modern life is characterized by self-interest and competition, then one response is to sit back and wonder at how such individualistic creatures ever managed to form peaceful societies. But if you think that theres a better side to human nature that were naturally good then youre more likely to ask: where did it all go wrong? Hobbes saw societies divided by war and offered a road to peace. Rousseau saw societies divided by inequality and prophesized their downfall. From my personal point of view, whether aware or not, we seem to find ourselves at yet another fundamental crossroad in human history. As I move back and forth in my daily life residing in this strange intersection of serving as one of the leaders of the resistance regarding current public health policies versus just trying to keep my farm financed and operating and my wife (and life) happy, I often hear various versions of the sad words I really feel sorry for the young people, and what they are going to have to deal with. I certainly would not want to have to raise a child at this point.. Rephrasing, this embodies a sense of impending failure of global and US society to meet expectations for what Plato correctly identified the highest priority for a human society to provide for the biological survival and reproductive needs of its members. We also find ourselves now inundated by opinions couched as legacy news media, controlled social media and official opinion from what are essentially Sophists, paid to serve the interests of the global oligarchy. Quoting from Peter Corning: The Sophists were a group of itinerant teachers whose pupils included many of Athens wealthy aristocrats, who paid generously for being told what they wanted to hear. Among other things, the Sophists taught the idea that all laws are merely social conventions and that each individual has the right to define for himself (or herself) what is right and wrong. For instance, the Sophist Antiphon suggested that some laws may even require us to do what is unnatural i.e., helping others. What is natural is to pursue your own self-interest. Sound familiar? Later Sophists went even further, arguing that all laws arise from a voluntary contract that can be changed or even subverted if desired. Since inequality is a basic law of nature and we are inherently unequal, justice is whatever the strongest and most powerful are able to impose on others. Might makes right. Thus, the character Thrasymachus in the Republic claims that justice is nothing more than the interest of the stronger. An outstanding example of Sophistry is provided by the recent outrage on the part of the Twitterati and legacy media darlings concerning the actions of Elon Musk and his comments/actions concerning Twitter and free speech (COI statement- I was unapologetically deplatformed by Twitter last winter for posting this truthbomb). Hamish McKenzie argues that the decentralized citizen journalism of Substack is one viable solution, while simultaneously promoting pro-censorship COVID official party line apologist Dr. Eric Topol. There have been many excellent video and written essays covering the rampant absurdities being promoted by various elite, corrupt, self-serving establishment apologists concerning the need for more censorship on Twitter and other social media platforms in order to protect free speech, but I really like the summary provided by Matt Welch in his essay Gatekeepers Very Afraid That Elon Musk Will Remove the Gates From Twitter. He leads with a quote from Max Boot, a Sophist who writes for the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post. I am frightened by the impact on society and politics if Elon Musk acquires Twitter, wrote Max Boot, columnist for The (Jeff Bezosowned) Washington Post, on Twitter. He seems to believe that on social media anything goes. For democracy to survive, we need more content moderation, not less. Boot is a longtime apocalyptic trollpast lowlights include declaring that I would sooner vote for Josef Stalin than I would vote for Donald Trump, and advocating the Federal Communications Commission go after Fox News to forestall the plot against America. But his anxiety about allegedly unfettered free speech is revealingly common in media, academia, Silicon Valley, and the government. For somebody with a lot of money to just come in and say, Look, Im going to buy a part of this company, and therefore my voice as to how your rules are adopted and enforced is going to have more power than anybody elses I think thats regressive after years of [Twitter] trying to make sensible rules, University of California, Irvine, law professor and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression David Kaye was quoted in Vox on Tuesday. Twitter has stepped away from this idea of it being the free speech wing of the free speech party, and being a more realistic custodian of speech on the platform. Those realistic and sensible rules Twitter has adopted include banning thousands of political provocateurs (including then-President Donald Trump in 2021), suspending entire news organizations for publishing stories that turned out to be largely true, creating warning labels for COVID-19 misinformation, strengthening filters for allegedly threatening speech, and so on. But is this really the dawning of a new age, or is it just another version of the ancient tensions between autocracy/totalitarianism, Platos benevolent dictatorship by wise and disinterested philosopher-kings, and the dwindling few who still believe in the American enlightenment principles embodied in the writings and thought of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison? In his seminal evolutionary politics article Synergy, Cybernetics and the Evolution of Politics Peter Corning argues that what we are seeing is a predictable progression and adaptation to increasing levels of global political interdependence. But what I am seeing is something more fundamental, something which (in my mind) is truly evil. As outlined by Peter Goodman in his masterpiece Davos Man, in which he documents how members of the billionaire class have gained global controlchronicling have exploited the global pandemic to hasten a fifty-year trend of wealth centralization, what we are now experiencing is the latest consequences of an intentional, thirty-year campaign by the World Economic Forum to assimilate and dominate virtually all aspects of information, thought, political and economic life for the purpose of continued global hegemony by a financial elite. You will own nothing and be happy. While there is a chance of flooding in some areas of southern Manitoba, the province said in its latest flood forecast update Wednesday the Assiniboine River is less at risk. Advertisement Advertise With Us While there is a chance of flooding in some areas of southern Manitoba, the province said in its latest flood forecast update Wednesday the Assiniboine River is less at risk. The province could see significant precipitation this week. According to a news release, around 30 centimetres of snow and 50 millimetres of rain could fall in the central and southern Manitoban basins. There is a moderate risk of flooding along the Assiniboine, Souris, Roseau and Pembina rivers. The Red River is considered a major flood risk. Its not known yet where the precipitation could hit, but it is expected to affect the central and southern Manitoba basins, which include the United States portions of the Red, Souris, Pembina and Roseau river basins. The Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructures Hydrologic Forecast Centre is monitoring a weather system, said Doyle Piwniuk, minister of transportation and infrastructure. He said the province is well-prepared for flooding, adding the risk of ice jams along the Red River is low due to ice cutting and the recent thaw clearing most of the ice cover. However, this could be the second-wettest April on record since 1950, second to only April 1986, according to Fisaha Unduche, executive director of hydrologic forecasting and water management. "The most likely areas that could get overland flooding are areas in the southwest part of Manitoba, based on todays forecast," Unduche said. The Red River Floodway is not currently operating because of low flow rate, but Unduche noted it could start up again as early as the beginning of May. Manitoba lakes are also projected to have a low risk of flooding. Unduche said they should reach their ideal levels by the end of the spring runoff. Peak flows on the Red and Assiniboine rivers are not expected until the end of April or early May, said Johanu Botha, assistant deputy minister of emergency management and head of Manitobas Emergency Management Organization. However, he did say the recent melt and spring snow storm allowed the province to stress-test flood mitigation measures and everything worked well. The below-seasonal temperatures are also working in the provinces favour, slowing down the rate of melting snow. "I know the average temperature right now should be 10 C and we are all wanting warmer temperatures, but this is helping to make things work in our favour," he said. kmckinley@brandonsun.com Twitter: @karenleighmcki1 Ukrainians Mykola Prysiazhnyi and Hanna Palamarchuk are settling into their new home in Onanole after fleeing their war-torn country. Advertisement Advertise With Us Ukrainians Mykola Prysiazhnyi and Hanna Palamarchuk are settling into their new home in Onanole after fleeing their war-torn country. The couple is the first to arrive in the community as part of the Municipality of Harrison Parks initiative to aid Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion that began Feb. 24. Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Centre has partnered with the municipality to offer housing and employment to those displaced by the war. SUBMITTED Ukrainians Mykola Prysiazhnyi and Hanna Palamarchuk are currently working at the Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Centre after fleeing their war-torn country. Prysiazhnyi and Palamarchuk are currently working at Elkhorn Resort as restaurant servers after arriving in the community on April 13. Wednesday marked their third day on the job. "So far, so good. We are really enjoying our working place," Palamarchuk said. "Canada is such a beautiful country." Moving to Canada has been a unique experience and they are still adjusting to some of the cultural differences. It feels like a new world unlike anywhere they have ever been, Palamarchuk said, especially with the wide-open spaces. "All this open space makes you feel free." After the war started, the Canadian government expedited Ukrainian applications for refuge. Ukrainians who have applied to come to Canada are doing so under a special visitor visa program that would allow them to work and study for three years while they decide whether or not to return home. As of March 30, approximately 60,000 Ukrainians have applied to come to Canada under that program, and another 12,000 have come under traditional immigration streams since January. Prysiazhnyi and Palamarchuk first wanted to move to Canada in 2012 but did not qualify as permanent residents. In 2017 they launched a small business that designs and produces leather goods. After five years, they were finding success and the business became sustainable, allowing them to apply as self-employed permanent residents. "We actually wanted to come to live in Canada for quite a long time already and always the end would be Manitoba," Prysiazhnyi said. "It is a safer country, plus we were aiming for some rural area because we lived in Kyiv, the big city we were just looking for a safe and nice place to live." For the past decade, Prysiazhnyi and Palamarchuk have been living in Kyiv. In the months leading up to the Russian invasion, they had growing concerns war was imminent in Ukraine. "We really hoped that it wouldnt happen. For the past month [before the invasion] we had an emergency bag next to our door in our apartment, just in case we would have to move and move fast," Prysiazhnyi said. They decided to flee when war broke out on Feb. 24. The sounds of rockets and explosions could be felt and heard from their home. The crisis in Ukraine has the potential to displace up to 6.7 million people and affect 18 million people, nearly half the population of Ukraine, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Since Feb. 24, more than four million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, including Poland and Moldova. Prysiazhnyi and Palamarchuk decided it was no longer safe in Kyiv as Russian troops advanced. They bought tickets to get to the sanctuary of Poland, bringing with them three backpacks and cash for their journey. They learned of Onanole after reading about the Elkhorn Resort-led initiative through an online article. They immediately sent an email looking to connect with the resort in the hopes the quiet cottage country could become their new home base. When the resort responded with an invitation of housing and employment, they felt hope for the first time since the war began. "That was the first time since the war started that we realized some kind of future is possible," Prysiazhnyi said. Stepping foot on Onanole soil for the first time felt surreal. The initial days spent in the rural community felt like a dream because it seemed too good to be true. The next major step for the couple will be acquiring drivers licences in the summer, a significant feat for two people who have never operated cars. They are hoping to work at the Elkhorn Resort for about a year and relaunch their small business. "We hope to make Canada our new home. We dont have any kids yet, but we are planning to have them someday in the future, so we want a better life for our kids. We think its the perfect country to raise your kids here," Palamarchuk said. Elkhorn general manager Chris Phillips picked the couple up from the Winnipeg airport himself. "Its really hitting home that its making a pretty big difference to a few peoples lives," Phillips said. "You couldnt ask for a better first couple." The Elkhorn Resort is working to bring more Ukrainians to the town, including two others families who have reached out to the resort directly. The goal is to help families settle and regain independence after living in limbo during the war. Phillips praised the community at large for rallying behind refugees and offering donations and support to help the new community members feel at home. "We havent had to contact any government agencies or put our name on any list willing to take people, because its coming in at a nice pace and its coming directly to us because they heard that were willing to house people and that there are jobs," Phillips said. "Its a win-win for everyone." ckemp@brandonsun.com, with files from The Canadian Press Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp No changes to school boards are on the table in the provinces revamped plan to improve Manitobas K-12 education system. Advertisement Advertise With Us No changes to school boards are on the table in the provinces revamped plan to improve Manitobas K-12 education system. The Education Action Plan, announced Wednesday afternoon by Education Minister Wayne Ewasko in Winnipeg, is the provinces latest education reform strategy based on the dozens of recommendations from the Manitoba Commission on Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education. There are four pillars of the plan, including high-quality learning, student engagement and well-being, excellence in teaching and leadership and responsive systems. The new plan includes a number of changes to education in Manitoba, including developing a new framework for learning to guide curriculum and assessment, strengthening French curriculum, establishing a student advisory council to advise the minister of education, and launching a funding model review for the overall system. "With the plan today its student-centric," Ewasko said in an interview with the Sun. The list of 75 recommendations from the commission was released in March 2021, after it was tasked with making recommendations to improve student outcomes and boost public confidence in the education system. In response, the provincial government introduced Bill 64, which included plans to consolidate all English school boards and instead create a central education authority. The move was unpopular, however, and the bill was withdrawn in September 2021 after receiving much backlash from the public. Ewasko acknowledged this in a letter at the beginning of the plan, where he thanked the "thousands of Manitobans" who gave feedback as part of the process. "They basically told us they want to keep the present governance model and I think really we showed that were listening and were acting on what Manitobans want." The trustee model will remain as it is now, but Ewasko left the door open to school division amalgamations. "If theres school divisions out there that feel that theyve got willing partners and they willingly want to amalgamate, well work with them so that we make sure we get it right," he said. No school divisions have said they want to amalgamate. The province isnt moving forward with two other recommendations: removing principals and vice-principals from the teacher bargaining unit and reorganizing administrative staff to create business manager positions in schools. "This is a living, breathing document. Were going to continue working with our education partners every step of the way and keeping in mind students are at the centre of this plan, thats our overarching goal." Brandon School Division Supt. Mathew Gustafson said the four pillars outlined in the plan are all important in the field and goals the division shares with the provincial government. The fact the province is not moving forward with consolidating school divisions also gives the BSD stability to plan and focus on the other initiatives outlined in the document, he said. The Education Action Plan includes efforts to create a "workforce planning framework" on the recruitment and retention of school staff in rural and northern communities. The framework will also focus on increasing French, Indigenous and Indigenous language teachers. While the BSD does not have the same issues with teacher retention as other divisions, Gustafson said the plan signals it will be a priority for the provincial government "Anything we can do to create a stronger workforce we support," he said. "As we dive into the action under each of those pillars well get a little more clarity as that goes on," he said, adding the focus on students is "reassuring." The Education Action Plan also includes a focus on mental health and well-being, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The department is planning to develop a remote learning strategy to boost access to programming across the province. Despite the changes announced in the plan, NDP leader Wab Kinew said funding remains the biggest issue for school divisions. He pointed to a $1.2-million budget shortfall in Brandons school divisions budget, which resulted in a decrease of 10.69 full-time equivalent teaching positions, including speech-language pathologists (one FTE), psychologists (one FTE), high school lunch supervision (one FTE) and the reading recovery program (0.75 FTE). "I dont think any part of the announcement today would make a parent or a family feel better," he said. One of the goals of the newly announced program is to help improve student outcomes, and Kinew said the way to do that is to improve things like nutritional programs and more mental health supports. "If we have a funding reality under the PCs where the Brandon School Division cant even afford to keep the same number of teachers working in the classroom as were there last year, what hope do we have that those additional supports are actually going to come and make a difference for kids?" dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Manitobas annual summer jobs program that helps municipalities and non-profits hire students for summer positions is receiving a substantial funding boost this year. Advertisement Advertise With Us COLIN SLARK/THE BRANDON SUN Municipality of Rhineland councillor June Letkeman (left) talks about the impact the provincial Green Team program has had on her community as Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke looks on. Clarke announced Tuesday at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities spring convention in Brandon that funding for the program was being raised from $5 million to $9 million this year. Manitobas annual summer jobs program that helps municipalities and non-profits hire students for summer positions is receiving a substantial funding boost this year. Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke announced during the first day of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities spring convention in Brandon the funding for the Green Team program will increase from $5 million last year to $9 million this year. "Despite the recent weather, summer is approaching," Clarke said with a chuckle after last weeks blizzard. "We hope." The annual program subsidizes jobs for young Manitobans aged 15 to 29. It completely reduces wage costs for non-profits, education authorities and Northern Affairs Community Councils as well as covers half the expenses for municipalities. This year, Clarke said, one of the biggest points of the program is helping organizations and municipalities recover from COVID-19. Applications for this years program opened in December 2021. Approximately 700 projects and 2,200 jobs will be funded this year. "As a former mayor, I know the value of these jobs for these youth," Clarke said. "For most of them, this is their first job and this is where they get hands-on training, most often with people and under management. They have to show up for work on time and be managed by someone other than a parent." Asked why the province decided to boost the programs funding this year, Clarke reiterated the COVID recovery aspect, but also said municipalities need extra employees and the working participants of the program rely on the experience they receive. Accompanying Clarke at the announcement were Association of Manitoba Municipalities president Kam Blight also the mayor of the RM of Portage la Prairie and June Letkeman, a councillor for the Municipality of Rhineland. "I am pleased to see the Manitoba government increase the Green Team program for the third year in a row," Blight said. "Increasing the program to $9 million is certainly welcome as our members enjoy tapping into this essential fund to help advance community development projects." This program, he added, is extremely helpful for municipalities after staffing shortages and operating losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Letkeman listed several projects the program has helped her community of Rhineland accomplish over the years. "We hire local students and they do jobs that our regular foreman and maintenance crew dont have time for usually," she said. "Without the Green Team, we would not have people to mow all the extra grass that we have in the summer, water our flowers and doing other duties around the community. Because we have a beach in Plum Coulee which many of you may not know it takes a long time to take care of that beach and the Green Team is valuable because they have the rake the sand every morning and clear our pathways of all the goose poop." Another project the municipality is hoping a Green Team worker can complete this year is digitizing the collection at the Prairie View Elevator Museum in Plum Coulee. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark ROME - A Metis group from Manitoba says Pope Francis took ownership of the harms done by the Roman Catholic Church during the first meeting with an Indigenous group at the Vatican since the pontiff's historic apology. Advertisement Advertise With Us Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand stands in St. Peter's Square as Metis met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 21, 2022, in this handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Jordan Meixner - Manitoba Metis Federation **MANDATORY CREDIT** ROME - A Metis group from Manitoba says Pope Francis took ownership of the harms done by the Roman Catholic Church during the first meeting with an Indigenous group at the Vatican since the pontiff's historic apology. "He understands the damage that was done and he asked that we in that room and the Red River Metis forgive him and the church," Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand said after the meeting Thursday. "Thats a very powerful way to start the healing process." Andrew Carrier said he spoke about his experiences as an abuse survivor at a Catholic day school. The Pope was sincere and listened, Carrier said. "We need to overcome this pain and move forward," he said. On April 1, after meetings with First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups, Francis apologized for the deplorable conduct of church members involved in residential schools. He stood before a room of nearly 200 Indigenous delegates and asked for God's forgiveness for the actions of the Catholic Church. "I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry," Francis said in Italian. "And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon." An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools, more than 60 per cent of which were run by the Catholic Church. The Manitoba Metis Federation organized the separate meeting with the Pope because the group last year withdrew from the Metis National Council following years of internal conflict. The national council was part of the larger Indigenous delegation. Chartrand said the Manitoba Metis understood there "were individuals that were predators, evil and did such harm to so many. It wasnt the church." After the apology, there was pushback from some Indigenous people in Canada who said it focused on the actions of a few members of the church. They said the apology did not recognize the lasting damage that was done in residential schools. Chartrand said Metis people experienced significant harm to their culture, language and identity through actions of the churches. But, he said, the ties between Metis and the Roman Catholic Church remain deep and strong. A Catholic priest played a significant role in Metis leader Louis Riels founding of what would become Manitoba. Rev. Noel-Joseph Ritchot led the delegation Riel sent to Ottawa to negotiate the provisional governments entry into Confederation. Riel himself was Catholic but also wrote about his issues with the church. In 1817, the Metis petitioned to have churches built in Western Canada, Chartrand noted. Francis told the group that it's important to learn to walk in other people's shoes, said Archbishop Richard Joseph Gagnon, who accompanied the latest delegation. That means learning to appreciate the importance of culture and the spirituality of others, he said. "If all of us, if we can learn to appreciate other people's journeys more, then the future does have a lot of hope," Gagnon said. The group gave the Pope a scroll that explained the Metis history with the church, beaded moccasins, a Louis Riel coin and beaded crosses. They received a brass olive branch in return. Chartrand said he invited the pontiff to come to Manitoba to visit Riel's grave at Saint-Boniface Cathedral cemetery in Winnipeg as part of an expected trip to Canada. The Manitoba Metis delegation came with a message of hope and revitalization, Chartrand said. "We cant change history but we definitely can change the future." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2022. By Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg Four years on, Hainan's free trade port construction in full swing Xinhua) 08:03, April 21, 2022 BOAO, Hainan, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Lin Guangming, an overseas Chinese with Singaporean citizenship, came to China's southernmost province of Hainan in 2020 and became the chief planner for the Yangpu Economic Development Zone management committee, fascinated by the massive opportunities presented by the fledgling free trade port (FTP). Lin's confidence in Hainan's prospects grew after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Xiaochantan wharf of the Yangpu International Container Port to learn about the port's development last week. Lin was among those Xi met during the inspection tour. Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Danzhou, a city in the northwestern part of Hainan, is a pioneer and demonstration area for the Hainan FTP. Xi stressed that Hainan should pursue green development, prioritize ecological protection, and enhance synergy between port development and the construction of the Yangpu Economic Development Zone and the Hainan FTP in order to better contribute to the development of the new land-sea transit routes for the western region and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The initiative was proposed in 2013 to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Since then, over two-thirds of the world's countries have reached a consensus with China on cooperation under the BRI. China announced a decision to develop Hainan into a pilot free trade zone while gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of an FTP with Chinese characteristics in 2018. As a primary hub along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Hainan has made use of favorable supporting policies and its unique advantages as China's largest free trade zone and its first free trade port since the founding of New China to pioneer the country's high-level opening up. On Thursday, a sub-forum themed "The Belt and Road: A New Practice of Cooperative Development" will be held during this year's annual Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) conference in Boao, a coastal town in Hainan. Forum attendees are expected to sum up new progress, which has laid a sound foundation for the economic recovery in the countries and regions along the route under the BRI. They will discuss future cooperation to build a "green silk road." The tropical island has benefited from the international community's enthusiasm for promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. In 2021 alone, it recorded a total foreign investment inflow of over 3.5 billion U.S. dollars in actual use, up 16.2 percent year on year. Meanwhile, 1,936 foreign-funded enterprises were newly established in the province, a year-on-year increase of about 92.6 percent, said the provincial commerce department. Hainan is expected to ride high on its industrious construction of FTP and advance toward its high-level, comprehensive development. During the inspection tour to Hainan, Xi called on the island to develop tourism, modern services, high-tech industries and high-efficiency tropical agriculture, and accelerate the building of a modern industrial system. "There are huge opportunities for businesses and individuals. With free and convenient personnel exchanges and all the professionals, Yangpu can provide the best career platform for talents," said Lin, adding that the FTP supporting policies are open enough to attract foreign talents to work in Hainan. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Zip Co has said it will be more conservative in its lending and will slash $30 million in costs, as the plunge in buy now, pay later (BNPL) share prices ramps up pressure on loss-making operators to show they can make profits. Following a period of intense competition among BNPL providers, the Sydney-based fintech on Thursday said bad debts had increased to outside its target range, a similar trend seen at rival Afterpay earlier this month. Zip Co co-founder and chief executive Larry Diamond. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The total value of transactions on its platform rose 26 per cent year-on-year, but UBS analysts said this was below market expectations, as Zip reaffirmed its plans to generate profits earlier than previously expected. Zip, a key local rival to Afterpay, provides short-term instalment loans in Australia, the US and markets around the world. It is trying to disrupt the global credit card market, which is dominated by banks. While BNPL firms were among the most-hyped stocks on the stockmarket in early 2021, their share prices have collapsed since the second half of last year, as investors fret over the impact of rising interest rates on technology companies valuations, stiff competition and rising bad debts. Zip shares fell 4.6 per cent to $1.15 on Thursday and so far this year have fallen by about 70 per cent. Zip co-founder and chief executive Larry Diamond reiterated the company was aiming to accelerate its path to making a profit - something it has previously said it hopes to achieve by 2024 on the basis of earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBTDA). In the half year results we acknowledged a change in external factors and announced several adjustments to our strategy - with a refined focus on sustainable growth, strong unit economics and fast tracking profitability, Diamond said. The quarter saw us continue to deliver top line growth and strong revenue margins, while beginning to implement this refreshed strategy. Read the full story here. Beaumont sets her task to explore why and how this happened. In charting the sources of resilience of communities, individuals and political structures, Beaumont delivers the most authoritative historical work on Australia and the Great Depression to date. The story is told with a balance of compassion and astute analytical power. Beaumont captures the breadth and depth of this traumatic event that remained indelibly etched on the memories of the generation of Australians who painfully endured it. One striking and distinctive feature of this world crisis in Australia, notes Beaumont, was that Australias political system survived it. Notwithstanding the protests and unrest about the glaring inequalities in how different classes were affected, unlike other countries Australias democratic institutions remained intact. Joan Beaumont begins her outstanding and meticulously researched book, Australias Great Depression, with a simple yet powerful observation. Some generations, she observes, are born unlucky. For the generation who survived the devastation of both world wars, the intervening years brought the Great Depression. It was the most severe and cataclysmic economic crisis the country had experienced. At its height in 1932 a third or more of the Australian workforce was unemployed. Thousands lost their homes, businesses, savings, and farms. The narrative begins with the aftermath of the First World War and ends in 1937. What caused the Depression? Beaumont provides a forensic and compelling examination of Australias dependency on the international economic system. The Depression, Beaumont shows, begins well before the New York stock market crash in October 1929 as the Australian economy was before then on the brink of recession, a nation struggling to service its debts. The war itself did not create the Depression opines Beaumont, but it created structural weaknesses that exposed the economy to the vagaries of the international markets. Australias Great Depression by Joan Beaumont. Her astute observation that prime minister Stanley Bruces program of men, money, markets emerged from a vision of a better society brutalised by war points to the wars ever-present shadow. The heavy borrowing by federal and state governments from London and at times New York to finance public works, infrastructure, the manufacturing sector, sewerage, and roads exposed the Australian economy. After expansion in the early and mid 1920s, a decline set in by 1927. Two years later, in 1929, the Australian economy moved from a recession into a depression. James Scullin, elected in 1929, was in the unenviable position of steering the country out of the crisis. As Beaumont aptly observes, few incoming prime ministers have had their agenda set by factors so much beyond their control. The political turmoil that beset the Bruce and Scullin governments and the state governments is covered with a sharp attention to detail of the political crisis that unfolded. But this is not a history solely about the challenges that confronted politicians, economists, and bureaucrats. One of the enduring strengths of this work is how Beaumont captures the extraordinary impact of the Depression on a range of groups and communities. Barons ABC, Sunday 8.30pm Like most things counterculture, the surfing lifestyle of the early 1970s, based around the free-spirited adventures of beach bums chasing waves, women and pot and sticking it to the man, inevitably intersected with capitalism, and the surfwear industry that grew out of it became a global billion-dollar industry. Fremantles new drama Barons is a fictionalised beaches-to-boardroom tale of two rival brands begun by two friends, echoing the real-life stories of brands such as Quiksilver and Billabong. Sharpie (Nicholas Burton), Buddy, (Lincoln Younes) and Dani (Sophia Forrest) in Barons. Set in the fictional town of Woogonga on the NSW Central Coast, its the story of a group of diehard surfers, with two best mates, Snapper (Ben OToole) and Trotter (Sean Keenan) at the heart of the action. Snapper has his own small company, Bare Feet, and he and Trotter work together making bespoke wetsuits for surfers. Snapper is content with their laidback business model of selling the suits out of the back of a car as long as he has enough cash for beer and drugs, and time to surf each day, hes content to stay salty but Trotter has grander visions. Hes also unimpressed with Snappers method of bringing in extra money, smuggling drugs inside surfboards from Indonesia (these things were a lot easier in the 1970s). Trotter and his fiancee Tracy (Jillian Nguyen), an art teacher at the local high school (who also happens to be Snappers ex-girlfriend again, the 70s), begin making boardshorts specifically for surfers, establishing a fledgling business, LightWave Surf Company, trying to harness the dream of the surfer lifestyle as much as the practical surf attire market. Dani (Sophia Forrest) and Trotter (Sean Keenan) sell LightWaves homemade board shorts from the back of a car in Barons. This news doesnt go down well with Snapper, especially as hes loaned the couple money for their wedding, which they instead use to create their first batch of shorts. Suddenly the former best mates are rivals, in a classic tale of money coming between friends. The pair still surf at the same beach, though, and mix in the same group of sun-bronzed mates, which includes pro-surfer Dani (Sophia Forrest), a gay woman who keeps her sexuality secret from her mates; Reggie (Hunter Page-Lochard), an Indigenous surfboard maker whose adoptive white parents would rather he settled down and learnt a real trade; Jules (Karina Banno), from a city fabric company who helps Trotter and Tracy out, becoming an integral part of LightWave; and two American surfers who blow in and out, charming Californian Buddy (Lincoln Younes) and Bernie (George Pullar), a college student from a wealthy family turned hippy. Loading The business side of this tale is a slow burn, but theres plenty going on around the periphery. Barons begins in 1971 during the Vietnam War, and when hes drafted Reggie skips town; almost all the women face some kind of discrimination; Tracys little brother Dimma (Sebastian Tang), a promising surfer, lands himself in trouble after a trip to Indonesia; and everyone is enjoying lots of sex and drugs to a psychedelic soundtrack. Dozens of the countrys top doctors have backed calls for a crackdown on the scandal-tainted cosmetic surgery industry, with hundreds of submissions to the national medical watchdog as part of a landmark inquiry into patient safety. More than 800 responses from doctors and patients were received by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) after the regulator opened a sweeping review of the sector, many demanding an end to the unfettered use of social media by practitioners and laws to stop rogue medicos calling themselves cosmetic surgeons. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency is conducting a sweeping review of the cosmetic surgery sector. Credit: Weak regulation has allowed the billion-dollar industry to flourish for decades, doctors say, with some early data showing up to 20 per cent of women who have had breast implants may need surgery to fix up botched procedures. Women are being sucked into a vortex of aggressive social media and the use of influencers by cosmetic surgeons to market their services. Women arent seen as patients but as commodities, Professor Anand Deva, head of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Macquarie University, said. Channel Seven was billed almost $170,000 for the legal costs of three witnesses testifying on behalf of Ben Roberts-Smith in his defamation fight against war crimes allegations, including more than $65,000 over two years to pay for lawyers acting for his former patrol commander, a close friend. Documents aired in the Federal Court on Thursday shows bills and payslips sent to the lawyers were paid by Seven Network (Operations), a subsidiary of the public company Seven West Media. Ben Robert-Smith leaves the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday. Credit:James Alcock However, a spokesman for Seven West Media executive chairman Kerry Stokes said the bills were not ultimately paid by shareholders, but re-charged to the Stokes familys private company, Australian Capital Equity (ACE). No documents verifying this claim have been made public. The spokesman said Stokes believed soldiers should have legal representation when they appeared at the inquiry by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force into war crimes allegations against Australian soldiers. Charges against the Queensland Police Commissioner for failing to provide regular tyre-spike training to her officers have been dismissed. Katarina Carroll had been charged with two counts of failing to comply with her health and safety duties between January 1, 2012, and June 30, 2019. During this 7-year period, 26 officers were injured on the job while deploying tyre spikes. Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll. Credit:Michelle Smith She sought to have the charges, brought by the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor, thrown out because she was not in the top job during the period alleged, and she claimed she couldnt be charged with criminal offences in her position. The charges were filed on February 1, 2021. The first charge relates to officers being put at risk by the Commissioners actions, while the second relates to risks to members of the public. Drought declarations across south-east Queensland have been revoked after months of rainfall flooded communities and filled dams, though almost two-thirds of council regions statewide are still struggling. Water infrastructure has emerged as a key plank of the federal Coalitions pitch to win voters, but has been further questioned in a report that suggested the spending has targeted Nationals-held seats and could create tens of thousands of more jobs if invested elsewhere. The percentage of the state under drought declarations has dropped from 64.7 per cent to 61.1 per cent, still mostly confined to a swath south of the Whitsunday region along the coast and the Mount Isa region in the west. Credit:SEQ Water State Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner announced on Thursday that 11 council areas in the south-east were considered drought-free some of which had been under the declarations for more than five years. While we acknowledge that some producers have suffered significant damage from the severe rain and flood events, the positive is that natural water courses and stock and irrigation water storages have been replenished, along with excellent pasture growth that will see us through to the next wet season, Furner said. A woman who died inside Busselton Health Campus emergency department on Tuesday had been triaged but still not admitted, and was left to the care of the paramedics who had brought her in, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has confirmed. An investigation has been launched into the death, the latest controversy in a system plagued by complaints of staffing shortages and record-breaking ambulance ramping hours for more than 18 months. Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson. Credit:Peter de Kruijff The woman was considered a ramped patient at the time, meaning paramedics still had charge of her care because the hospital had not yet accepted her under its care. Sanderson said that afternoon the hospital was busy because of school holidays but was fully staffed and the woman was triaged accordingly given she was mobile and went to the toilet while waiting. Australia knew about a secret draft security pact between China and Solomon Islands weeks before it mysteriously surfaced on the internet, with several government sources claiming the nations intelligence agencies played a role in orchestrating the leak. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne are under increasing pressure to reveal what they knew about the proposed agreement before the draft was leaked on March 24, after the Australian government this week failed to convince Honiara to abandon the deal with Beijing. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The deal could see Chinese naval vessels and troops based less than 2000 kilometres off the Australian east coast and cut off vital supply lines to the US and Asia in the event of a conflict. I cant go into all the details as to how Australia is able to know the specific information, as they are security matters, Morrison said. But what I do know is we have always been very conscious of that threat of China being able to influence a nation in our region. The WA Liberal Party has rubbished a claim that online petitions promoted by candidates during the federal election campaign were data-harvesting exercises. Liberal candidates have been posting links to the petitions on their social media pages since March, urging followers to join to fight for a range of community infrastructure including aquatic centres, sporting facility upgrades and CCTV and lighting upgrades. Scott Morrison announced $1.6 million for Wanneroo BMX Club on Monday while campaigning in Perth. The project was called for in a petition by Pearce candidate Linda Aitken. Credit:James Brickwood But the WA Greens claim the petitions are insincere because the projects would have already been agreed to as election commitments behind the scenes by the party. The Liberal Party has made four community-level funding announcements in WA during the campaign, with all four appearing in petitions posted on social media in the weeks and days before their announcement. Latest News Labor might consider limiting clawbacks Party to review system if it wins government What's happening with property investment in Australia? ABS reveals all The federal governments decision to boost the price cap for the Home Guarantee Scheme is a win for regional areas, says broker Aaron Bell. The scheme really has become a specialist area of its own, said Bell, owner of Sydney brokerage Home Loan Village (pictured). This increase basically allows more buyers easier access to property in a slightly higher price bracket. On April 19, the government announced it would raise price caps for the Home Guarantee Scheme. It raised the price cap to $900,000 in Sydney and regional NSW (previously $800,000) and $800,000 for Melbourne and regional Victoria (previously $700,000). This follows its earlier move to boost the number of spaces available to 50,000. Read more: Australian property sees a strong 2022 start Bell said with property prices increasing in a short amount of time, buyers were being priced out of the market. It was a big administrative nightmare for buyers and brokers, he said. Now 12 months on, albeit property prices are higher and loan volumes are larger, the dramatic property price increase is starting to level out now. Bell said the rise in spaces for the scheme would allow more opportunities for first home buyers. He said brokers in areas such as Newcastle, Central Coast, the Illawarra, Geelong, and the Gold Coast should be actively using the scheme with their first home buyers. Houses in these areas are being sold at these price caps, he said. It is hard to purchase properties in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne under this price cap. Read more: What's happening in Newcastle's property market? Bell said it was positive that spaces on the scheme had doubled. Right now, in mid-April there are currently no major lenders, second-tier lenders, or regional lenders able to offer any spaces to clients, he said. I am telling my clients now we need to wait until July for the next round of spaces to become available. Bell said brokers should prepare ahead of the revised scheme in July. It is important to speak with your existing clients or those leads that havent been able to secure a space, he said. I also recommend brokers put the word out into their communities that they work with the scheme, educate yourself on it and set yourself and your brokerage apart. With spaces doubling and becoming available shortly, Bell said the scheme would become far more mainstream. When it comes to first home buyers, information is key as it is an area which receives the most government intervention and concessions, he noted. Bell advised brokers to do their research on the scheme, read success stories, and visit the scheme website. If you have any questions about it, contact them directly. I also recommend talking to BDMs of lenders who are involved with the scheme to get an understanding around it, along with talking to other brokers who have been involved, he concluded. Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland, has lined up investments of about 300 million across the UK and India to develop its range of electric buses and light commercial vehicles. On Thursday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Switch Mobility and its investment in the UK and India during his trade visit to India. As part of his visit to Delhi and Gujarat, Johnson took the opportunity to highlight Switch as an example of a business strengthening bilateral trade between the countries. The UK and Indian businesses confirmed more than 1 billion in new investments. We are delighted that the Prime Minister has commended the investment Switch is making to become a leader in electric transportation as an example of the benefits of UK-India collaboration. Since forming Switch Mobility over a year ago, we have seen the pace of change to for public and commercial transportation increase significantly, said Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Switch Mobility. The company is expecting to create over 4,000 skilled jobs in the UK and India as part of the investment, the UK Prime Ministers visit also coincided with the launch of the companys new 12m electric bus for India and the announcement of a new technical centre in the UK. With a strong order bank of nearly 600 buses and ambitious investment plans already in place, we believe we are well placed to capitalise on this growth. The new 12m bus has been designed specifically taking into account the requirements of the Indian market and delivering a range of up to 300km, he added. As part of the companys investment into the UK, Switchs new Technical Centre will be the focal point of its Global Research and Development team. Creating over 130 skilled jobs and led by Chief Technology Officer, Roger Blakey, the centre will focus on development of Switchs next generation vehicles. The venue is expected to open in June 2022 and will work closely with Switchs existing R&D offices in Chennai, Leeds and Valladolid employing a further 200 engineers. TVS Motor Company, which makes two- and three-wheelers, said on Thursday it will make an additional investment of 100 million in Norton Motorcycles, the iconic UK brand it acquired in April 2020. Trade and investment between the UK and India is creating good jobs and sustaining livelihoods in both of our countries. Im very pleased that has decided to join the legions of Indian companies investing in the UK, boosting our future mobility sector and driving economic growth, said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day visit to India, in a statement. Norton recently opened its new manufacturing facility in Solihull, West Midlands, to build bikes using traditional hand-crafted techniques with modern-day machinery for consistently high quality. is excited to announce an investment of about 100 million in Norton Motorcycle, the iconic British brand we had acquired in 2020. Some of these investments have already been made, leading to the creation of a world-class facility and the imminent launch of a re-engineered V4 SV and 961 Commando, said Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, . This investment will be towards electrification, cutting edge technology, world class vehicles, manufacturing, sustainability & the future of mobility. This is expected to create 250-300 direct jobs over the next 3 years and another 500-800 indirect jobs across the supply chain. The investments, spread over the next few years, will result in an exciting range of products for the global market. A brand-new facility has already been set up at Solar Park, Solihull, UK, which houses Nortons state-of-the-art manufacturing capability and the companys new global design and R&D hub, he said. Norton Motorcycles new global headquarters houses state-of-the-art manufacturing capability and the companys new global design and R&D hub. It forms a key part of Nortons strategic growth plan on its journey to becoming a leading player in luxury and high-performance motorcycles. The manufacturing facility has been engineered to be highly sustainable and minimise waste. Singapore-headquartered consumer products company Believe Pte Ltd, said it has raised Series C funding of $55 million from incoming investors Venturi Partners and IIFL AMC alongside continued participation from Jungle Ventures, Accel, Alteria Capital and Genesis Alternative Ventures. Investment from IIFL AMC is subject to approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The firm said it is serving the global Muslim audience with brands spanning skincare, fragrances, make-up and hair care. The company (started in mid-2019) said it has delivered rapid growth in its relatively short history, thereby inspiring investor interest and has cumulatively raised over $80 million over the last two years. Believe said its vision to create enduring brands consistent with consumers belief systems while ensuring the highest efficacy, quality and uniqueness drives its success across distribution formats in the Middle East and Asia. This fundraise will catalyze consolidating market share in Bangladesh and India (via strategic acquisitions) while deepening reach in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and South-East Asia (through both organic and inorganic growth). It would pave a path for the company to become a large global CPG (consumer packaged goods) conglomerate. We have received tremendous consumer love all the way from launching our first product in 2019 to witnessing 2.5x growth in the last one year. Our 2000 family of happy Believers is our eyes and ears to the ground that help us be nimble and responsive to consumer needs, said Ankit Mahajan, CEO of Believe PTE Ltd. We have created a relentless marketing organization that has the ability to identify consumer needs, use 12-member strong R&D expertise to make fantastic products and then put our international supply chain to deliver global standard products to countries across the world. The Series A and Series B fundraises were led by Accel and Jungle Ventures with participation from Wamda Capital, a Middle East-based fund. The current Series C raise in Believes third year of operation is led by Venturi Partners, a Singapore-based investment platform founded by veteran consumer investor Nicholas Cator. Venturi Partners enables consumer-facing business startups to build disruptive brands in sectors such as FMCG, education, health-tech, home improvement, etc. in India and Southeast Asia. IIFL AMCs private equity fund that has backed several leading consumer brands will also co-lead this round, subject to approval from SEBI. This is Venturis second investment and is a testament to the investment platforms expertise in identifying and supporting multi-geography, high-growth consumer brands with an online and offline presence. We are excited to be backing the most experienced BPC (beauty and personal care) founders in the region and have been extremely impressed by their ability to build a diversified portfolio of products and a unique distribution network during a pandemic, said Nicholas Cator, founder & managing partner at Venturi. We are convinced that with its strong team and group of investors, Believe will become the leading global halal and clean BPC house of brands. With the likes of Swiggy, Licious, Dailyhunt, and Country Delight in its portfolio, IIFL AMC said it looks to back market leaders and disruptors across businesses while keeping sight of profitability at a steady state. Believe has demonstrated unprecedented traction and growth in a very short period via its brands focused on the global markets in the BPC segment. With its unique positioning of halal based clean products (devoid of alcohol and animal ingredients), it has addressed the latent need of a large target market in a highly focused manner, said Chetan Naik, Fund Manager at IIFL AMC. Its growth is a testament to how a relevantly positioned brand with strong product efficacy creates resonance with its consumer and creates value for all. We are delighted to partner with the exceptional team at Believe for the companys next phase of growth. Believe is a house of brands that includes Lafz, ZM and Dr.Rhazes. The brands have received huge traction in Bangladesh and India with a growing base in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. They are sold in over 8 countries and are manufactured across the globe including countries like South Korea, Italy, Spain, France, Germany and UAE. Lafz is the flagship premium brand of the firm crafted with traditional ingredients. The company said ZMs vegan, cruelty-free, single ingredient positioning finds popularity among the youthful and aspirational. Bengaluru-based investment bank IndigoEdge was the sole advisor for this transaction. general insurance has reported a 9.53 per cent year-on-year (YoY) drop in net profit in the January-March quarter of FY22, linking the decline to the third wave of Covid-19 and accounting principles that required the company to take the cost upfront. The net profit of Indias largest private sector general insurer, in Q4FY22 totaled to Rs 313 crore compared to Rs 346 crore in the same period a year ago. For the full year, the company earned a net profit of Rs 1,271 crore, down 13.7 per cent from Rs 1,473 crore in FY21. The company has proposed a dividend of Rs 5 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2022, subject to approval of the members at the ensuing annual general meeting. There was a small impact of wave III of Covid in this quarter (Q4). Secondly, when we grow fast, the cost, as per the accounting policy, has to be taken upfront and the premium is accounted for over the entire period. So, if you have a very high growth in the last quarter, as we had this year, you will have the full cost being accounted for upfront but the earnings will happen over twelve months, said Bhargav Dasgupta, MD and CEO, General Insurance. Underwriting losses of the insurer also widened in the quarter to Rs 308.98 crore. In the year ago period, underwriting losses of the insurer was to the tune of Rs 91.29 crore. Combined ratio, a measure of the money flowing out of an insurance company in the form of dividends, expenses, and losses, of the insurer stood at 103.2 per cent in Q4FY22 compared to 101.8 per cent in the year-ago period. For the full year, the combined ratio of the insurer stood at 108.8 per cent versus 99.8 per cent in FY21. Combined ratio below 100 per cent indicates that the company is making an underwriting profit, while a ratio above 100 per cent means that it is paying out more money in claims that it is receiving from premiums. The company earned premium income to the tune of Rs 4,666 crore in the reporting quarter, up 34.15 per cent over the year ago period. In FY22, the gross direct premium income of the insurer was to the tune of Rs 17,977 crore, up 28 per cent over last year. The company paid claims to the tune of Rs 1,915.21 crore in Q4FY22, up 15 per cent from Rs 1,665. 52 crore in the year ago period. In the preceding quarter (Q3FY22), it had paid claims to the tune of Rs 2,083.23 crore. The impact of Covid claims on the insurer for the full year (FY22) is Rs 556 crore, of which Rs 27 crore came in the last quarter. As an industry, we have taken a hit of over Rs 25,000 crore because of Covid claims. We have been adversely affected and never asked for any benefit from the government, Dasgupta said. As of now, we are not looking at any price increase for the retail products, he added. Solvency ratio of the insurer at the end of March quarter stood at 2.46x, much higher than the regulatory requirement of 1.5x. Shares of the insurer closed 2.61 per cent higher at Rs 1,400.30 on the BSE. startup Newton School on Thursday said it has raised USD 25 million (about Rs 191 crore) in a Series-B funding round led by investment firm Steadview Capital. Steadview Capital's portfolio includes Indian unicorns Nykaa, Polygon, Zomato and Freshworks. Existing investors Nexus Venture Partners and RTP Global also participated in the round. The capital raised will be used to accelerate the company's growth and expand its team, technology and brand building initiatives, the company said. Founded in 2019 by IIT batchmates Nishant Chandra and Siddharth Maheshwari, Newton School provides outcome-oriented learning experiences to freshers and working professionals and enables them to become skilled software developers. "This fundraise will enable us to build a strong brand and leadership team while investing in innovative technologies like AI to transform education. In India, you have more than a million college graduates every year who fail to get relevant employment opportunities, and yet there are thousands of struggling to find talent. Newton School's learning platform aims to bridge this gap," Maheshwari said. In just over two years, the startup claims to have placed over 1,500 aspirants in over 600 prestigious companies, including Google, Lenskart, Razorpay, Flipkart, Zomato, Deloitte, Meesho and Target. "Newton School's unique model and platform will support the aspirations of millions of Indians by removing location barriers and lowering costs. We are confident in Newton School's growth potential and are proud to partner with them in addressing crucial needs in the Indian education sector," Steadview Capital managing director Puneet Kumar said. Newton School's Series-B round follows just a year after it raised USD 5 million in a Series-A round led by RTP Global and angels such as Flipkart's Kalyan Krishnamoorthy, CRED's Kunal Shah, Freshworks' Girish Mathrubootham, Udaan's Sujeet Kumar and the founders of Unacademy and Razorpay. (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.) Maharashtra State Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, on Wednesday, inaugurated the city's first completely digital bus on the Gateway of India to Churchgate route, with a unique Tap-in Tap-out feature. "Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) is India's first to go completely digital," said . "We will be implementing this in all 10 buses on this route in a few days and later expand it on all 438 routes across the city,' he added. According to Lokesh Chandra, the General Manager (GM) of BEST, "this is the first-ever 100 per cent digital of the country, aiming to increase the digitisation of bus ticketing system." "It provides ease and convenience to the travellers as they can tap-in using their smart card or via the 'Chalo' app installed in their smartphones," said GM. "After completing the journey, the traveller gets a receipt on their mobile phone if they Tap-out using the app and can also collect their ticket if they used the smart card," he explained. Initially, the inaugurated Tap-in Tap-out service is a part of two buses only, but the service providers are likely to deploy this digital for 200 routes in the city, soon. Travellers who commuted through this fully digital bus were found praising the step towards digitisation. "It was a much-needed initiative for travelling in a city like Mumbai," said Jatin, a commuter. He said that the journey became more convenient as it was completely contactless, with no interaction with the ticket checker. (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.) Keeping up the heat on the ruling DMK over the black flag protest against Governor RN Ravi, alleging he was attacked, the opposition has written to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others, seeking an "appropriate enquiry" to ascertain if it was pre-planned or there was a failure to provide protection to the state's constitutional head. In his letter also marked to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Justice of India, N V Ramana, leader R M Babu Murugavel wanted the enquiry to be headed "befittingly" by retired Supreme Court Judge. Murugavel is the AIADMK's Joint secretary, State Legal Wing and also its official spokesperson. In his letter dated April 20, released to the media on Thursday, Murugavel alleged the Governor "was attacked by certain anti-social elements belonging to DMK and its affliated parties." On April 19, a black flag demo was held against Ravi during his visit to a Saivite mutt in Mayiladuthurai district, with the agitators opposing him over the pendency of the state's anti-NEET Assembly bill. Opposition and BJP have alleged his convoy was then attacked using stones and flagpoles, an accusation that has been outrightly rejected by the state government, with Chief Minister M K Stalin asserting not even a "speck of dust" fell on Ravi during the protest and that there will be no compromise with his security. In his letter, Murugavel said the incident has "negatively affected the reputation" of . The state governor "was attacked by certain anti-social elements belonging to DMK and its affiliated parties," he claimed in the letter. "His convoy was intercepted and assaulted by blocking the way and by protesting using black flags and the unlawful mob broke the police cordon and hurled stones and sticks at the convoy vehicle. According to information available, it has been apparent that the vehicles in-charge of Governor's security were attacked using slippers, stones and black flags. Fortunately, our Hon'ble Governor and his convoy passed unharmed," he said. With the governor's schedule having been notified much prior and well informed, the police had the bounden duty to take note of such circumstances that has created hindrance to the travel through the Intelligence Department and should have taken necessary steps to protect him, he said. It "expressly denotes the failure of Tamil Nadu police along with its ancillary wing and the Intelligence Department too. There should be an appropriate enquiry to verify whether the incident is a well-planned activity or a failure towards providing protection to the Hon'ble Governor," Murugavel said. He claimed ruling DMK's allies-- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Left parties "have also been involved along with DMK in these anti-social activities that has created a breach to the security of the Governor of Tamil Nadu." "...necessary enquiry befittingly to be headed by any retired Hon'ble Judge of Supreme Court of India should be held and stringent and rigorous action should be taken against the perpetrators, accused persons, accomplices and conspirators along with DMK state government and its affiliated parties who had involved in the incident and also for their inaction as mentioned above", he urged. (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.) Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, who had been arrested from the western state by the Police for a purported social media post, was brought here on Thursday, a police officer said. "He was flown to Guwahati from Gujarat around 11 am," the officer said. Mevani was then taken to by road, over 220 km from Guwahati, as the case under which he was arrested was registered there. The prominent Dalit leader was apprehended from Palanpur town in Gujarat on Wednesday night after a First Information Report (FIR) under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with offences related to promoting enmity between communities, was filed at police station, his aide Suresh Jat said. "As per a document shared by the officials of the police, an FIR has been lodged over a tweet by Mevani few days back. The post has been withheld by Twitter. It was about Nathuram Godse. Mevani was first brought to Ahmedabad by road and then taken to by air early today morning," he added. Mevani is an independent MLA from Vadgam seat in Banaskantha. He has recently pledged support to the Congress. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday termed Mevani's arrest "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional". Gandhi said it was an insult to the people who elected him as a public representative. (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.) police have arrested MLA and Dalit leader from Palanpur town in Gujarat's Banaskantha district and took him to the north-eastern state by air in the early hours of Thursday, officials said. While the police did not specify the reason behind his arrest, Mevani's close aide cited a document shared by the police and claimed that the legislator was held over his tweet on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. Angered over Mevani's arrest, leaders staged a demonstration near Sarangpur circle in the city and demanded his release. " police took custody of Mevani from Palanpur circuit house late on Wednesday night and took him with them to Assam after informing the local police," an official of Banaskantha police station said. Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Akshayraj Makwana confirmed that Assam police arrested Mevani and took him to their state after informing Palanpur police. Mevani had won as an independent MLA from Vadgam (SC) seat of Banaskantha in 2017 through support. Though he is "ideologically" with the at present, he has not joined the opposition party officially. He has earlier said that he would fight the next elections as a Congress candidate. He was arrested after an FIR under section 153A of the IPC, which deals with offences related to promoting enmity between communities, was registered at Kokrajhar police station in Assam, said Mevani's aide Suresh Jat. "As per a document shared by the officials of the Assam police, an FIR has been lodged over a tweet by Mevani few days back. However, the tweet has been withheld by Twitter. It was about Nathuram Godse. Mevani was first brought to Ahmedabad by road and then taken to Assam by air early in the morning," Jat added. Apart from section 153A of the IPC, Mevani has been booked under section 295A (malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 504 (provocation with an intention to break public peace) and under relevant sections of the IT Act. In a statement, Mevani's office said he was arrested by Assam police from Palanpur circuit House at 11.30 pm on Wednesday and then taken to Assam by air from Ahmedabad airport in the early hours of Thursday. After learning about Mevani's arrest, Congress president Jagdish Thakor and other Congress leaders rushed to Ahmedabad airport around 4 am to express solidarity with Mevani. To protest Mevani's arrest, Congress leaders and workers, including Thakor, Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathva and former Gujarat Congress chief Siddharth Patel, staged a protest at Sarangpur circle and raised anti-BJP slogans. Following their attempt to block the busy road, local police briefly detained nearly 20 Congress workers and leaders, including Thakor, said an official of the city police control room. (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.) MLA was arrested by Police from Palanpur town in on late Wednesday night over a tweet and taken to by air in the early hours, officials said here on Thursday. The prominent Dalit leader from was arrested soon after a First Information Report (FIR) under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with offences related to promoting enmity between communities, was registered at Kokrajhar police station in Assam, said his aide Suresh Jat. "As per a document shared by the officials of the police, an FIR has been lodged over a tweet by Mevani few days back. However, the tweet has been withheld by Twitter. It was about Nathuram Godse. Mevani was first brought to Ahmedabad by road and then taken to Assam by air early today morning," he added. Mevani is independent MLA from Vadgam seat in Banaskantha. He recently joined . In a statement, Mevani's office said he was arrested by Assam police from Palanpur circuit House at 11:30 pm on Wednesday. president Jagdish Thakor and other Congress leaders rushed to Ahmedabad Airport after learning about his arrest and shouted slogans against the 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.) British Prime Minister on Thursday toured the newly-built campus of the Biotechnology University (GBU) near Gandhinagar city and also visited the famous in the state capital. Johnson arrived here in the morning as part of his two-day India tour. During his visit to the Akshardham Temple, the British PM was accompanied by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. GBU, a post-graduate varsity established recently by the government, is the first such university to have its focus on biotechnology in the country, said state Science and Technology Minister Jitu Vaghani in a statement after Johnson's visit. The varsity has been established in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh of the United Kingdom. After being welcomed by Patel at the university complex, Johnson took a round of the campus and was explained functioning of various departments, said the statement. Very soon, GBU will have a high-tech testing facility and a research building, said Vaghani, adding the varsity offers courses in medical, environment and industrial biotechnology, among other streams. Before winding up his day-long Gujarat tour, Johnson visited the in Gandhinagar, said another government release. The grand temple is run by the BAPS Swaminarayan sect. (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.) arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning to start his India visit, and was accorded a grand welcome along the four-km route from the airport to a hotel in the city. Johnson was received at the Ahmedabad airport by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat. Senior state officials and ministers were also present to receive him. The was greeted by troupes performing traditional Gujarati dances and music at the airport and along the road as his convoy headed for the hotel. The 'roadshow' started outside the airport and passed through Ashram Road via Dafnala and Riverfront. As many as 40 platforms were erected at regular intervals on the four-km stretch from the Airport Circle to the five-star hotel on Ashram Road where again troupes performed traditional Indian dances to welcome Johnson. Johnson also visited the Sabarmati Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram. The Ashram trust gifted him two books, one of them an unpublished guide for the benefit of those seeking to live in London, penned by Mahatma Gandhi himself. After paying floral tributes to Gandhi, Johnson also visited 'Hriday Kunj' where the Mahatma lived, and 'Mira Kutir' where Gandhi's English-born disciple Mirabehn or Madeleine Slade used to live. It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better": UK PM Boris Johnsons message at Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/z9Gj6FrB52 ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022 During his day-long stay in Gujarat, the is scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with prominent business leaders from the state, sources said. After that, he will head for a manufacturing facility of JCB, a British construction equipment firm, near Halol in Panchmahal district. The British PM will then visit the campus of under-construction Biotechnology University in Gandhinagar as the varsity is coming up in cooperation with the UK's University of Edinburgh, a government release said. The British PM would visit the famous Akshardham temple of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar before winding up his Gujarat visit and leaving for New Delhi. In Delhi, Johnson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. (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 cleric was arrested on Thursday in connection with the violence reported in the city recently over an alleged social media post hurting the sentiments of a community. Waseem Pathan was picked up from Mumbai, where he was hiding, on Wednesday night and brought here this morning, police sources said. Video footage purportedly showed Pathan standing on a police official's jeep and addressing a crowd of people gathered outside the old Hubballi police station to protest against the alleged post, showing a saffron flag planted on a mosque, that surfaced on social media on Saturday night. After the speech, the mob went on a rampage damaging many police vehicles, and hurled stones at a nearby hospital and temple. After the police named him in the FIR, the cleric went into hiding and released a video on social media claiming that he was innocent. (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 will conduct a series of outreach programmes in various cities, including Hyderabad and Mumbai, to promote the recently signed free trade agreements with the UAE and Australia, an official said. "The main objective of these programmes is to inform Indian exporters about the export opportunities which these trade agreements will provide to them in both goods and services segments," the official said. These programmes are planned to be conducted in cities, including Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Agra. They would be organised in close coordination with the respective state governments. Officials from trade or industry ministries of the states concerned as well as those from industry associations and export promotion councils will participate in the programmes. The first in the series of programmes would be conducted in Hyderabad on Saturday. The free trade agreement between India and the UAE is likely to come into effect from May 1 this year, under which domestic exporters of as many as 6,090 goods from sectors like textiles, agriculture, dry fruits, gem and jewellery would get duty-free access to the UAE market. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed by India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February which aims to boost bilateral trade to USD 100 billion in the next five years from current USD 60 billion. On April 2, India and Australia signed an economic cooperation and trade agreement under which Canberra would provide duty-free access in its market for over 6,000 broad sectors of India, including textiles, leather, furniture, jewellery and machinery. Both the pacts would help in promoting trade in services as well. Mumbai-based exporter and Chairman of Technocraft Industries Sharda Kumar Saraf said the India-UAE agreement is also likely to give a boost to bilateral investments from both sides. "Importers in UAE can now set up joint ventures in India to procure goods at competitive terms. Indian manufacturers can get the benefit of importing raw material in India duty free and finishing the final product using excellent infrastructure and cheap finance in UAE," he said. Saraf said that CEPA has come at the right time when the government of Dubai is in the process of establishing Bharat Bazar in their proposed Traders Market. This is a unique facility wherein Indian exporters will be given office and warehousing space for active and aggressive marketing in Middle East and African region. "These agreements (with the UAE and Australia) are likely to help in providing a quantum jump to Indian exports," 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.) The unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has said that it will intensify protest marches against state Governor R.N. Ravi for not forwarding the bill seeking exemption from the Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) passed by the state Assembly to the President. Party state secretary R. Mutharsan while speaking to IANS said: "We will continue with the black flag protests against Governor until he forwards the bill seeking exemption from to the President". He said that the Governor has disrespected the Assembly in not forwarding the bill to the President and that the party had boycotted the 'At Home' reception at Raj Bhavan on Tamil New Year day,' Puthandu' due to this. The leader said that the Tamil Nadu unit of the was trying to create an issue over the black flag protests against the Governor and said that the and other left and democratic forces will continue with the peaceful protests against the Governor. The senior leader also said that the state was creating communal issues to dilute the protests against the price hike of fuel and other essential commodities. In a related development, the Tamil Nadu unit of the Congress party said that it would conduct a peaceful protest in front of the Raj Bhavan on April 28th against the Governor not forwarding the bill seeking exemption from for the state to the President. TNCC state president, K.S. Alagiri while speaking to IANS said: "The Tamil Nadu Governor is functioning against the will of the people of the state and he is bound to be criticized. Nobody is above criticism in this country, and why can't we criticize him? He has no right to keep the exemption bill pending with him under Article 200 of the constitution." Alagiri said that Congress will protest outside the Raj Bhavan on April 28 demanding that the Governor send the NEET exemption bill passed by the state legislative assembly to the President for his assent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Youth Congress activists were on Thursday detained by the police while staging a protest near Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri's residence against the anti-encroachment drive conducted by the North MCD in violence-hit Jahangirupri a day before, officials said. The IYC activists were detained from the Akbar Road here while they were trying to reach the Union Housing and Urban Affairs minister's residence, they said. In an official statement, IYC national president Srinivas BV said the BJP is pushing the country towards hatred and violence. "The ruling party is creating an atmosphere of hatred in the country. BJP's conspiracy to trample on the truth, non-violence and justice will not succeed," he said. Around 25-30 activists were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station, said a senior police officer. "The BJP is using bulldozers to crush the peace and harmony in the country. "We will keep raising our voice over such incidents, including in Jahangirpuri, where houses and shops of poor people were demolished illegally, alleged IYC's national media in-charge Rahul Rao. Bulldozers had razed several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled North Municipal Corporation on Wednesday, days after the northwest neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence. The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition. The area witnessed stone pelting, firing and arson last Saturday with groups of two communities clashing during a Hanuman Jayanti procession. (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 broke out in a seven-storey building in suburban Khar in on Thursday morning, a civic official said. While there was no report of anyone getting injured in the blaze, the brigade rescued four people from the terrace of the building, an official from the brigade said. The fire started in a flat on the fourth floor of Nothan Villa Building on Guru Ganeshwar Marg in Khar (West) around 10.30 am. At least eight fire engines, water tankers, ambulances and other fire-fighting equipment reached the spot, the officer said. Four people, who were trapped in the building's terrace, were rescued by the fire brigade around 1 pm, he said. After more than two hours of efforts, the blaze has been covered from all sides and efforts are on to extinguish it, the official said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, 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.) The government will penalise e-scooter companies violating safety and it wants immediate recall of defective batches of vehicles, said Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, on Thursday. The ministry has formed an expert committee to investigate two-wheelers fires that caused deaths and injuries and make recommendations. "Based on the reports, we will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies. We will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for Electric Vehicles," Gadkari said in a series of posts on Twitter. His statement came hours after a PureEV e-scooter caught fire in Hyderabad, causing the death of one person and injuring two. Earlier, a similar incident had also caused two deaths in Tamil Nadu. "Meanwhile companies may take advance action to recall all defective batches of vehicles immediately," said Gadkari. Hours before the tweet, Pure EV ordered a recall of 2000 of its e-scooter units amid the rising safety concerns. Last week, EV manufacturer Okinawa Autotech had also recalled 3215 of its Praise Pro scooters. On 13 April, NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant had also asked EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to voluntarily recall their batches which were embroiled in the fire controversy. The road transport ministry had earlier asked Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES), an arm of Defence Research and Development Organisation to investigate the incidents of Ola and Okinawa e-scooters catching fire in separate incidents. The Ola two-wheeler, which went ablaze at the side of a road in Pune, was shown fully charred, in a video that had gone viral on social media. The ministry is also reportedly working on a new policy, which could see improved battery quality standards imposed on these manufacturers. Some sector experts believe that the lithium-ion batteries, imported from countries with different weather conditions, are not suited for Indian temperatures, and the hotter months to follow could pose even bigger challenges for the struggling two-wheeler EV space. The government on Wednesday lifted the power load restriction on the industries in the state after it started purchasing additional electricity, a senior official said. "The state government has started purchasing additional power and hence lifted the power load restriction on industries," the official from department said. State Industries' Association (GSIA) president Damodar Kochkar thanked Chief Minister for the "timely intervention". On Tuesday, Sawant had assured that the state will purchase 120 MW additional power from the open market. The industry bodies in the state had assured the state government that they will pay for additional power as current load shedding was affecting their business. The industry bodies had on Monday written to the state government raising concerns about the "acute power shortage" in the state resulting in load shedding thereby affecting the industry. State's all the prime Industry bodies Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), GSIA and Goa Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers' Association (GPMA) had written to Sawant and state Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Monday expressing their concerns. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With increasing incidents of electric two-wheelers catching fire, Union minister on Thursday said the government will issue necessary orders on defaulting companies after receiving the report of an expert panel that has been formed to enquire into the matter. In a series of tweets, Gadkari said several mishaps involving electric two-wheelers have come to light in the last two months. "We have constituted an expert committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps. "Based on the reports, we will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies," the road transport and highways minister said. Gadkari added: "We will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for ." The minister asserted that if any company is found negligent in its processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed and a recall of all defective vehicles will also be ordered. Meanwhile, companies may take advance action to recall all defective batches of vehicles immediately, Gadkari tweeted. "Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji, our government is committed to ensure safety of each and every commuter," he tweeted. The government had ordered a probe last month after an e-scooter launched by ride-hailing operator Ola's electric mobility arm caught fire in Pune. The Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) had been asked to probe the circumstances that led to the incident and also suggest remedial measures, according to the road transport ministry. The ministry had also asked CFEES to share the findings along with its suggestions on measures to prevent such incidents. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister on Thursday said his country has raised the Ukraine war issue with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at diplomatic levels and maintained everybody understands India and Russia shared "very different relationships historically" as he wrapped his day-long visit to with several firsts to his credit. In a first visit by any UK head of the state to Gujarat, Johnson arrived here in the morning on a two-day India tour to a grand welcome and had a hectic day attending multiple programmes and visiting some iconic sites. Johnson also became the first prime minister of the UK in 75 years after India's independence to visit Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, the place from where Mahatma Gandhi led freedom movement against the British imperial power. He praised Gandhi as an extraordinary man who changed the world for better. "Well, we have already raised the issue of Ukraine with Prime Minister Narendra Modi diplomatically. Actually, they (India) were very strong in condemnation of atrocities in Bucha (city in Ukraine from where civilian killings were reported recently)," Johnson told reporters in Halol in Panchmahals district of Gujarat, where he opened a new JCB factory. "I think everybody understands that India and Russia have historically had very different relationships, like Russia and the UK had in the last couple of decades," Johnson said while replying to a question whether he will raise the issue of India's stand on Ukraine with PM Modi. The British PM is scheduled to meet Modi in New Delhi on Friday. "We have to reflect that reality while talking about it (Ukraine) to Narendra Modi," he further said. Johnson's first stop after a grand welcome when he arrived at the Sardar Patel International Airport in Ahmadabad was Sabarmati Ashram, a historic place closely associated with the life and time of Mahatma Gandhi, who led India's freedom movement. "It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better, Johnson wrote in the visitor's book at the premises, also called Gandhi Ashram. While the British PM was effusive in his praise for the Mahatma, during the freedom struggle such praise for Gandhi from Britain's ruling class was rare. Then-PM Winston Churchill famously called Gandhi a "half-naked fakir" as the latter opposed sending Indian soldiers to fight for Britain in the Second World War and launched the Quit India movement in 1942. The Father of the Nation had given a call to the people of India to make their own clothes using 'charkha' (spinning wheel) and boycott foreign goods, including clothes coming from the UK which had led to the closing of textile mills in Manchester city. Charkha had become one of the symbols of India's freedom struggle. In fact, a replica of the charkha was presented to Johnson by Sabarmati Ashram authorities during his visit. The visiting dignitary also tried to operate a charkha kept in Hriday Kunj, the house of Gandhi in the Ashram premises. Johnson later went to meet noted industrialist Gautam Adani at the Adani Group's global headquarters at Shantigram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support the climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat," Adani tweeted afterwards. The British PM also toured the newly-built campus of the Biotechnology University (GBU) near Gandhinagar city and visited the famous Akshardham Temple in the state capital. He will meet Prime Minister Modi on Friday in Delhi on the last day of his two-day trip. "Yes, I am looking forward to our conversation. We will talk about trade, security and about issues of importance," Johnson told reporters in Ahmedabad when asked about the agenda of his meeting with Modi. "It (the trip) has been absolutely fantastic so far and it's great to be here in . Gujarat is a great place and you know that we have a huge Gujarati community which is like a living bridge between India and UK," Johnson 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 defence relationship between India and the United States, the world's largest and oldest democracies, over the years has become a trusted one, a former top official and now a senior Boeing executive has said. Heidi Grant, president, business development, defence, space and security, global services, Boeing told PTI on Wednesday that Boeing's investments in India's aerospace infrastructure, defence capabilities, manufacturing, engineering and services, skill development and innovation will only continue to grow in the coming years. In 2010, when I was Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs at the Pentagon, the India-US defence relationship was just taking off and look at where we are now. When I am asked about what I am most proud of during my years at the Pentagon, I say I'm proud of my relationship with India, she said. I believe the defence relationship between the US and India has become a trusted one, starting with the C-17 which became a symbol of that relationship. Look at how India is using their C-17s for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions that has lifted up the Indian Air Force and India's Ministry of Defence's reputation globally and with the Indian public on how they're using their defence assets Chinooks, Apaches, P-8Is, she said. Grant joined Boeing in November 2021 from the US Department of Defense where she spent 32 years. She served as director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), responsible for all DoD security cooperation programmes involving defence articles, training and other defence-related services. There, she oversaw more than 15,000 sales cases with more than 150 countries valued at more than USD 600 billion. Grant recalled that during her time at the DSCA, the most amount of time she spent in any country was in India. In my previous role at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, I recall spending more than 60 per cent of my time on India, she said. We looked at co-production, how to use the significant engineering capability that India has, tapping into the defence capability and capacity that India and the United States have and getting industry involved. We spent time on the industrial supply chain and Make in India' and now it has all come back full circle with Boeing. Boeing is at the front of center of all of that, she said. Last Sunday, she met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Ted Colbert, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The last time I met with Minister Singh was in 2020 when I was in India for the third 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue along with the then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, she said. We welcome the political and industry alignment and bipartisan support for a strong and growing relationship between the between the United States and India, world's largest democracies. It's exciting for us at Boeing to be part of this fundamental, transformational shift and we are committed to helping build India's defense aerospace and defense sector and industrial base, she said. Responding to a question on India's defense needs, Grant observed that operating different types of equipment from different countries is difficult. It's expensive and logistically challenging managing the infrastructure, part and sustainment. There needs to be a balance and the US would be a better way to go to fill in those areas or to replace some of those capabilities, she said. Capabilities such as navy fighters like the F/A-18 Super Hornet that can operate on carriers (U.S. has 11 aircraft carriers; other countries don't match up), P-8I for ISR capability (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), F-15EX and aerial refueling (KC-46 tanker), she said. I strongly believe in the tremendous potential of the F/A-18 Super Hornet for the Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighter requirement and the P-8I in furthering maritime cooperation between India and the United States and the strengthening the naval aviation ecosystem between the two navies, Grant said. The investments that Boeing has made in India's aerospace infrastructure, defence capabilities, manufacturing, engineering and services, skill development and innovation will only continue to grow in the coming years, she said. We're excited about the transformative potential of our partnership with India, she asserted. Our partnership is an enduring one, and not a transactional one, Grant said. Last year, Boeing launched a USD 10 million emergency assistance package to support India's COVID-19 response and is working with central and state governments and international relief organisations to set up COVID-19 care hospitals, provide medical equipment and facilities support, and organise vaccination camps. Boeing now has 3,500 employees in India and more than 7,000 people working with its supply chain partners. We are proud to support the many missions of the Indian armed forces that operate multiple Boeing aircraft, including C-17 strategic airlifters, P-8I long range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters, Grant said. We've made the latest investment outside of India in Boeing's India Engineering and Technology Center at USD 200 million and have a wholly-owned engineering and technology campus with future avionics manufacturing and assembly capability that is coming up in Bengaluru, she said. In support of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India', Boeing sources over USD1 billion from India and Boeing's Indian supply chain partners are exporting products made in India for the global aerospace market. Over 275 Indian suppliers deliver components, parts and complex assemblies for Boeing's commercial and defence aircraft, including the F/A-18, F-15, P-8, Apache, Chinook, C-17 and T-7, Grant said. The top Boeing official said that she was in India last month and visited the JV facility with Tata Advanced Systems that is producing aero-structures for Boeing's AH-64 Apache helicopter for the US Army and global customers and recently delivered its 140th AH-64 Apache fuselage from its 14,000 square meters state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad. The JV is also manufacturing 737 Vertical Fin structures, a complex structural part, on a new production line that will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation. At Boeing's India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC), engineers work on cutting-edge R&D and undertake high-quality, advanced aerospace work and offer engineering expertise to Boeing's defence, space, and commercial businesses spanning engineering design of structures and systems, manufacturing support, developing systems to test our aircraft, and providing digital solutions to our airline customers, she said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the US have a growing convergence of strategic interests and both sides seek a resilient and rules-based international order that safeguards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. Singh said the recent India-US '2+2' dialogue and fruitful conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden have created the ground for a more ambitious and strategic engagement between the two sides. In an address at the American Chamber of Commerce in India, he said both India and the US share a common vision of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region. "We have a growing convergence of strategic interests as both countries seek a resilient, rules-based international order that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds democratic values and promotes peace and prosperity for all," he said. The defence minister also described the India-US economic engagement as one of the defining business relationships of the 21st century and said there has been a rebound in bilateral trade over the last year, surpassing USD 113 billion (one billion =10,000 lakhs) in goods. "In the context of this increasing trade, the India-US Trade Policy Forum discussions to expand bilateral trade, remove market access barriers, and improve ease of business become increasingly important," he said. Singh said the "defence pillar" of the US-India relationship is strong and growing. "It is built on foundational bilateral agreements, military to military engagements, cooperation in the enhancement of defence capabilities and now a new emphasis on co-development and co-production," he said. "Of late, some of the US companies have expanded their local presence in partnership with Indian companies, producing in India, for India and for the world.However, we believe this is just a beginning," Singh said. The India-US '2+2' dialogue had taken place in Washington on April 11. Defence Minister Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held the dialogue with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J Blinken. Ahead of the dialogue on that day, Prime Minister Modi and President Biden held a virtual meeting during which the crisis in Ukraine figured prominently. "As we move forward to strengthen our relationship, I would like to emphasise the need to move from a buyer-seller relationship to one of partner nations and business partners," Singh said. "I think, India and the United States are uniquely poised to leverage each other's strengths for a win-win model in the coming years," 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.) Hitting out at British Prime Minister for inaugurating a factory in a day after municipal corporation in Delhi razed homes in Jahangirpuri using bulldozers, called the move "ignorant", while also saying his "silence" on the incident was deafening. Earlier in the day, Johnson, who is on a two-day visit to India, inaugurated a factory of UK-headquartered heavy equipment maker at Halol in Panchmahals district of . This comes a day after bulldozers tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporatin, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence. The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition. Reacting sharply, tweeted, "In the backdrop of Municipal Corporation of Delhi using bulldozers to raze down shops of Muslims in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri yesterday, UK Prime Minister's inauguration of a JCB factory in is not only ignorant but his silence on the incident is deafening." It further said the UK government must not remain a mute bystander. It must bring human rights to the discussion table. India cannot wait another day for justice. The demolition continued despite and in defiance of an order by the Supreme Court of India asking the authorities to stay the demolition exercise. The residents of Jahangirpuri were not even given an opportunity to salvage their possessions," said in another tweet. The rights group also called these "brazen attacks" on the right to livelihood and adequate housing of religious minorities in India as an attack on their hopes for a secure future. (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.) Hundreds of workers staged a outside a police station in the eastern suburb of Chembur here on Thursday, demanding the immediate arrest of persons who vandalised the party's 'Pol Khol' rath during a campaign two days ago, police said. Senior leaders Pravin Darekar, Ashish Shelar, Mangal Prabhat Lodha among other took part in the agitation. The party leaders also had a meeting with senior officials of the police at the Additional Commissioner's office. According to the police, a case was registered against unidentified pers ons after a civic poll campaign vehicle of the fashioned as a rath was vandalised in the Cheetah Camp area in the early hours of Tuesday. The 'Pol Khol' (exposure of corruption) vehicle was parked by a road and the shattered windscreen, caused by the pelting of a stone, was noticed in the morning, it was stated. BJP workers holding placards shouted slogans against the state government during the outside the Chembur police station, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, an officials said. Two people have been detained in the case but no arrests have been made so far, he said, adding that two teams have been formed to crack the case. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis reiterated that the BJP will continue its Pol Khol' campaign against the Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) irrespective of the attack on the vehicle. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said, The BJP will continue its Pol-Khol campaign against the Sena-controlled . Irrespective of the number of times we get attacked, we will not step back. If the police fail to protect the BJP and its campaign, their misdeeds will be exposed as well, he said. Former chief minister said the BJP was exposing the corrupt practices in the civic body, which is controlled by the Sena. It has unsettled the party and its leaders. The attack indicates that the rulers of the are frightened. Talking about the communal tension in Amravati district, Fadnavis said, The police are acting like the British who used to crush the freedom fighters. The government and some ministers are trying to pamper a particular community, which is fueling the communal tensions in Amravati. The police should intervene and prevent any law and order situation in Amravati, he said. Reacting to the MVA constituents, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, attacking MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Fadnavis said, When Raj was critical of the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, these people were elated. Today, Raj is critical of the state government, so they are attacking him. The BJP does not need any proxy to carry out its agenda. (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 (ED) on Thursday submitted a charge-sheet in a court here against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in an alleged case linked to fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, nearly two months after arresting him in the matter. Malik (62), a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, was arrested by the ED on February 23 in the case, and is currently in jail under judicial custody. The over-5,000-page charge-sheet was submitted in the court's registry, ED lawyers said. The special court for Prevention of Act (PMLA) cases will take cognizance of the charge-sheet after verification of the documents, they said. The ED's case is based on an FIR filed recently by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Ibrahim, a designated global terrorist and key 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts accused, and his aides under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Earlier, during remand hearings, the central financial investigation agency had told the court Malik was the key conspirator and beneficiary of the "entire charade". In lieu of getting control of illegal occupation of this property, he funded a prominent member of 'D-Gang' (Dawood gang) , the ED had said. It has claimed that for usurping "this property, members of the D-Gang and Nawab Malik connived together and executed several legal documents to put a facade of genuinity over this criminal act". During his custodial interrogation, (previously arrested accused) Iqbal Kaskar (brother of Dawood Ibrahim) revealed certain facts about his sister Haseena Parker and her involvement in usurping high-valued properties of innocent citizens in Mumbai by using the clout of D-Gang, it had said. In course of the investigation, it was revealed one such victim of the D-Gang was one Munira Plumber, the agency had said. Plumber's prime property (having present market value of Rs 300 crore) was usurped by Malik through Solidus Investments, a company owned by the minister's family, with active connivance of members of the D-Gang, including Haseena Parkar, the ED had told the court. Plumber, in her statement to the ED, has said she had not sold this property to Malik, the agency said. It is also apparent that Malik is guilty of the offence of as defined under provisions of the PMLA, the probe agency has said. Malik, who has denied all charges levelled against him, has moved the Supreme Court against an order of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his interim application seeking immediate release from jail. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister on Thursday said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has the highest conviction rate of 93.25 per cent among all probe agencies in the country. Speaking at the 13th Raising Day, Shah added that in a short span of 13 years, the Agency has registered more than 400 cases, filed charge sheets in 349 cases, arrested 2,494 accused, as well as convicted 391 accused. The Union Home Minister said the must further strive for 100 per cent conviction rate and recognition as a world-class probe agency. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a terror-free India, he added that in recent years, the and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been strengthened after amendments by Parliament. "Earlier, the NIA had the right to declare any terror outfit as terrorist organisation but now any individual can also be declared as terrorist and so far 36 ultras of different terror outfits have been declared individual terrorist under the amended UAPA," the Home Minister said, adding that now the NIA has been authorised to probe terror cases related to endangering the interests of the country or Indian nationals abroad as well. Shah said putting an end to terrorism is necessary for keeping human rights intact. Referring to investigations conducted by the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir, the Home Minister said the Central probe agency has destroyed the terror funding channels of terrorists in the union territory. For the first time in 2018-19 the NIA acted on dismantling the terror funding channels in the union territory and choked all pipelines that used to feed the terrorists there, he added. "Now it is almost impossible to send terror funding in the union territory, for this all credit goes to NIA," Shah said. He added that the NIA has registered many cases against overground workers and sleeper cells of terror outfits during 2021-22 and dismantled the supply of weapons and logistics. A total of 105 cases have been registered by the NIA in left wing extremism regions in which 876 people have been named and 796 have been arrested while in 94 cases, charge sheets have been filed and 100 accused have convicted so far, the Home Minister said. He added that the police and probe agencies must adopt new investigation techniques based on data and digital evidences and information. "We need to create database and with the help of digital forensic. Recently, the NIA has been assigned to create a national database on narcotics, fake currencies, terror funding, bomb explosion, and terrorism and the agency has been executing this well. "Once this national database is created, this will be shared by all the probe agencies, including state police and the data of the states will also be shared by these national agencies which will help in faster investigation which will eventually lead to higher rate of convictions," the Home Minister said, adding that if the data is stacked separately it is trash. --IANS ams/khz/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new mutant variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, has been detected in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to official sources. BA.2.12.1 was found in 60 per cent of the total samples tested in . The Union Health Ministry did not confirm the development on Thursday. Majority of the samples sequenced from in the first two weeks of April have shown presence of BA.2.12 variant, an sub-lineage. An Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) source claimed that BA.2.12.1 has been found in some of the samples that were sequenced in . Sources also claimed that the variant may be behind the recent surge in cases in the NCR, as this is considered to be highly transmissive and capable of causing re-infections. "New sub-variants BA.2.12 (52 percent samples) and BA.2.10 (11 percent samples) are showing high transmission and have been found in over 60 per cent of the total samples from Delhi sequenced recently," said an official source. "The BA.2.12 variant appears to have a growth advantage of about 30 percent to 90 percent per week over BA.2 (Omicron)," the source said. Over 300 samples have been genome sequenced in Delhi in the first fortnight. The official said the same sub-variants more or less have been found in samples sequenced in neighbouring districts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Media reports said that Sujeet Kumar Singh, director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has confirmed the detection of the variant in Delhi. Despite several attempts, Singh could not be reached for a comment. NCDC leads the INSACOG project. Recently, this sub-lineage, BA.2.12.1 was identified by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) along with BA.2.12 (the sub-variant of Omicrons BA.2). Cases have been rising in India. According to Union Health Ministry data as of April 21, 2380 fresh Covid19 cases were reported in the last 24-hours. A Business Standard analysis showed that between April 16 and April 19, 233 districts across India (out of total 727 districts) reported a rise in positivity rate. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is also writing to a Central institute seeking clarity on the lineage of the sample which the civic body had concluded to be of the XE variant. On April 6, the BMC had said that one sample, of a woman from South Africa, had been found to be infected with the XE variant. Hours later the Union Health Ministry dismissed the claim. Later, the BMC sent the sequencing data to the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), and now an analysis shows that the above-mentioned variant is a combination of BA.1 and BA.2. BMC is thus planning to seek advice on the lineage. Another man from Gujarat, allegedly tested positive for XE, had travelled to Mumbai. None of his contacts have tested positive for XE, though. XE is considered to be more transmissive than the variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The Union Health secretary, in a letter to the governments of Maharashtra, Mizoram, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on April 19, said positivity rates is rising. The Union Health Ministry has urged these states to monitor the spread of infection and take prompt actions wherever required. Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief was allegedly stopped by the police from visiting the riot-hit parts of Jahangirpuri where the North Municipal Corporation demolished several structures on Wednesday before the Supreme Court ordered a stay on it. Police personnel with anti-riot gear were deployed in Jahangirpuri in large numbers as Owaisi reached there in the evening and tried to reach the violence-hit area. The Hyderabad MP lashed out at the and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the launched by the North Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in the area. "The is saying they are Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. I condemn it," he told reporters and termed the demolition drive an "example of vigilante justice" and slammed the for it. "A leader wrote a letter for using bulldozers in Jahangirpuri and the mayor said that they are criminals and their houses should be demolished," Owaisi said. He claimed the demolition was carried out without serving notices to the people owning those structures and added that it was a "biased" behaviour of the BJP and the . He wondered why the BJP, which runs the NDMC, did not raze these structures earlier. The AIMIM chief also sought to know how a procession could be taken out in Jahangirpuri on Hanuman Jayanti without police permission. Police officials said they were taking all possible measures to prevent the tense situation from escalating. Earlier in the day, bulldozers tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an by the BJP-ruled civic body, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence. The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition. The area witnessed violent clashes, including stone-pelting, arson and firing, between two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday that left eight police personnel and a local injured. (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 a special mark for products among many new initiatives for sector, on the occasion of Global Ayush Investment & Innovation Summit 2022. The Prime Minister on Wednesday inaugurated the three-day Global Ayush Investment & Innovation Summit 2022 at Gandhinagar in the presence of the Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and others. In his inaugural address, Modi said: "We are already witnessing unprecedented growth in the production of Ayush medicines, supplements and cosmetics. In 2014, where the Ayush sector was less than $3 billion, today it has increased to more than $18 billion. An unprecedented efforts has been made in the past years to promote the export of Ayush products." Along with first being a special Ayush mark for Ayush products, Modi announced many other initiatives for Ayush sector. A new category named 'Ayush Aahar' was announced which will greatly facilitate the producers of herbal nutritional supplements. Further, another major initiative for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of Ayush therapy was announced. India will soon introduce a special Ayush visa category. Describing the current age of the era of unicorns, the Prime Minister informed that in the year 2022 itself, so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club. "I am sure unicorns will emerge from our Ayush start-ups very soon", he stated. Prime Minister also announced launch of Ayush Export Promotion Council and four Ayush ICT initiatives which includes Ayush Information Hub, AyuSoft, Ayush Next and Ayush GIS. The Prime Minister also released a comic book named 'Professor Ayushman', which describes how Ayush systems and products helped in fighting not only Covid-19 but other diseases also. Addressing the session, Tedros said that the Ayush sector is growing significantly -- by 17 per cent per year since 2014. He said that Ayush industry is projected to reach $23 billion by the end of this year. "We are exploring innovative study designs and the use of artificial intelligence to document the impact of traditional medicine practices, in cases when standard randomised trials are not possible or are difficult to undertake. "Strengthening the evidence base of traditional medicine should facilitate its use by communities, to promote better health outcomes, economic benefits and overall impact," 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.) Defence Minister on Thursday exhorted American firms to carry out joint research and co-development of military hardware in India, saying the engagement should move beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship. In an address at the American Chamber of Commerce in India, he also said that India and the US have a growing convergence of strategic interests and both sides seek a resilient and rules-based international order that safeguards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. Singh said the recent India-US '2+2' dialogue and fruitful conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden have created the ground for a more ambitious and strategic engagement between the two sides. "Of late, some US companies have expanded their local presence in partnership with Indian industry to achieve our aim of 'Make in India, Make for the World'. We believe this is just a beginning," Singh said. "With increasing business, we aspire for increased investments by US companies in India. Making full use of the Industrial Security Agreement, we need to facilitate collaboration and indigenisation of defence technology and boost the participation of US and Indian companies in each other's defence supply chains," he added. The defence minister said American companies are welcome to establish manufacturing facilities in India and exhorted them to take advantage of the policy initiatives of the Narendra Modi government to promote defence manufacturing. Singh described the recently-held India-US '2+2' ministerial dialogue in Washington as "positive and fruitful", saying the defence sector is a strong and growing pillar of the bilateral relationship. He emphasised the need to move from a buyer-seller relationship to one of the partner nations, noting that India and the US are uniquely poised to leverage each other's strengths for a mutually beneficial and bright future. Singh said both India and the US share a common vision of a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region. "We have a growing convergence of strategic interests as both countries seek a resilient, rules-based international order, that safeguards sovereignty and territorial integrity, upholds democratic values and promotes peace and prosperity for all," he said. "The India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership is of critical importance for international peace, stability and prosperity," he said. The defence minister also described the India-US economic engagement as one of the defining business relationships of the 21st century and that there has been a rebound in bilateral trade over the last year, surpassing USD 113 billion in goods. "In the context of this increasing trade, the India-US Trade Policy Forum discussions to expand bilateral trade, remove market access barriers and improve ease of business become increasingly important," he said. Singh said the "defence pillar" of the US-India relationship is strong and growing. "It is built on foundational bilateral agreements, military to military engagements, cooperation in the enhancement of defence capabilities and now a new emphasis on co-development and co-production," he said. The India-US '2+2' dialogue had taken place in Washington on April 11. Defence Minister Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held the dialogue with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J Blinken. Ahead of the dialogue on that day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting during which the crisis in Ukraine figured prominently. "As we move forward to strengthen our relationship, I would like to emphasise the need to move from a buyer-seller relationship to one of partner nations and business partners," Singh said. "I think, India and the are uniquely poised to leverage each other's strengths for a win-win model in the coming years," 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.) In the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, Defence Minister on Thursday asked the top commanders of the Army to prepare for every possible security challenge that India may face in the future including that of unconventional and asymmetric warfare. Singh made the remarks at the biannual Army Commanders' Conference that began on Monday. The defence minister also complimented the Army for its operational readiness to deal with any possible eventualities. The commanders carried out an extensive review of India's national security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan as well as assessed possible geopolitical implications of the Russia-Ukraine war for the region. "Addressed the Army Commanders Conference today. Complimented the for their operational preparedness and capabilities. Exhorted the Military leadership to prepare for every possible challenge in future, including the challenge of unconventional & asymmetric warfare," Singh tweeted. The Army said the defence minister appreciated the force for "selfless and unflinching" service to the nation and its relentless efforts towards modernisation through indigenisation. The five-day conference will come to an end on Friday. The Army Commanders' Conference is an apex level biannual event that is held in April and October every year. The conference is an institutional platform for conceptual level deliberations, culminating in making important policy decisions for the . Officials said the conference held detailed deliberations on possible implications of the war in Ukraine for regional security as well as various military aspects of the conflict. The commanders also carried out a comprehensive review of India's military preparedness along the 3,400-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) in view of the lingering military standoff with China in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh, they said. The anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the overall situation in the Union Territory was also deliberated upon extensively at the conference, the officials said. The commanders also delved into infrastructure development along the LAC. India has been ramping up infrastructure development in the border regions in view of China's building new bridges, roads and related structures in key sectors along the frontier. (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.) Orders from US companies have boosted Indias defence exports and created employment in India, said Defence Minister . He said Indian firms have exported around $2.5 billion to the US in the last five years, which is 35 per cent of total defence exports achieved during the period. Even so, India remains well short of the manufacturing and export targets specified in the Ministry of Defences (MoDs) Defence Production Policy of 2018 (DProP 2018), which sets as its aim: To achieve a turnover of Rs 1,70,000 crore (US $26 billion approximately) in aerospace and defence goods and services by 2025 creating employment for nearly two-to-three million people. Also distant is the DProP 2018 export target: To achieve export of Rs 35,000 crore (approximately US $5 billion) in defence goods and services by 2025. The defence minister was addressing the American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM India) through video conferencing during its 30th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. Established in 1992, AMCHAM-India an association of US business firms operating in India has over 400 US companies as members. Rajnath exhorted American companies to take advantage of Prime Minister Narendra Modis policy initiatives, such as Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), and carry out joint R&D, co-production, co-development, investment promotion and develop maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in India. Of late, some US companies have expanded their local presence in partnership with Indian industry to achieve our aim of Make in India, Make for the World. We believe this is just a beginning. With increasing business, we aspire for increased investments by US companies in India, said. The defence minister said that Indian and US firms needed to make full use of the Industrial Security Annexure (ISA) to participate in each others defence supply chains. The ISA was signed in December 2019 to facilitate the exchange of classified information between the defence industries of both countries. This was followed by an ISA summit in New Delhi between September 27 to October 01, 2021 to develop protocols for exchanging classified information between the two defence industries. The minister listed out initiatives taken by New Delhi to facilitate partnerships between US original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Indian companies. From increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) limit to improving ease of doing business and from encouraging innovation through the iDEX platform to an enhanced positive list to give fillip to manufacture in India, the government is sharply focussed on enhancing the share of defence manufacturing, export by India-based companies and joint ventures, he said. Terming defence as a strong and growing pillar of the bilateral relationship, Rajnath said that US-India defence ties are built on foundational agreements, military-to-military engagements, cooperation in enhancement of defence capabilities, defence trade and technology cooperation, mutual logistic share and now a new emphasis on co-development and co-production. The defence minister also talked up the rise in US-India bilateral trade in goods over the last year, which surpassed $113 billion. also revealed that, during the 2+2 ministerial meeting on April 11, India and US confirmed their intent to advance cooperation in critical and emerging technologies such as advanced communication technology, artificial intelligence, quantum science, STEM, semi-conductors and biotechnology. Local people on Thursday claimed that several persons are feared trapped in an abandoned coal mine in Jharkhands Dhanbad district after it collapsed during illegal mining, but none was found during a rescue operation till late Thursday evening, officials said. The alleged incident occurred in Chanch Victoria colliery area of Bharat Coking Coal. The BCCL authorities launched a rescue operation in the abandoned mine but none was found during the four-hour search till 8.30 pm when they stopped the exercise. There was no casualty, General Manager of Chanch Victoria colliery area, A K Dutt, said. It is not clear whether the search operation will continue on Friday. A BCCL spokesperson said the information of an incident at an abandoned coal mine in Chanch Victoria colliery area at Nirsa, 45 km from Dhanbad, has been received in the morning but there is no confirmation that people got trapped there. Local villagers had claimed that an area, including a village road, collapsed in the morning due to illegal mining and several people who were there at that time are feared trapped. Following that, a BCCL rescue team from Dhanbad was pressed into service at around 4.30 pm to look for any trapped person there. Though entering an abandoned mine is illegal, local people with rudimentary safety equipment frequently go inside such mines to find coal, leading to accidents. Dhanbad Sub-Divisional Magistrate Prem Kumar Tiwari, who was at the spot along with other administrative and police officers during the search operation, said that there is no sign of anyone being trapped and none came forward to say that a family member is stuck in the mine. Earlier, panic gripped Dumrijor village in Chanch Victoria colliery area under Chirkunda police station where a road caved in. Following the subsidence, traffic movement in the area was affected while the power supply was also hit. Dutt, the GM of Chanch Victoria colliery area, said that he got information about the subsidence from the local administration. The spot would be filled up soon. A similar incident had occurred last week too, he said. Police and CISF personnel in large numbers have been deployed around the abandoned mine. Former Nirsa legislator Arup Chatterji who reached the spot just after the incident said that as per locals, "about 50 to 60 people were engaged in illegal mining when the incident occurred." However, the current MLA, Aparna Sengupta, said so far there is no report of anyone trapped. In February, five people had lost their lives in an ECL abandoned mine collapse at Gopinathpur in Dhanbad during illegal mining and the government had formed a special investigation team to probe the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Thursday posted 39 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the caseload to 34,53,390 as the state continued to witness an increasing trend. The toll remained 38,025 with zero fatalities being recorded in the last 24 hours, a medical bulletin said. Taking cognizance of the rise in new cases, the government directed the department to step up testing of samples to around 25,000 a day from the present 18,000 cases. After visiting the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) Secretary J Radhakrishnan said 12 people at the campus have tested COVID-19 positive. Meanwhile, COVID-19 recoveries grew to 34.15 lakh with 26 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, leaving 256 active infections. Chennai, which has been reporting cases below 20 over the last few days accounted for the majority of new with 21 cases, followed by Chengalpet six, while Vellore and Thanjavur recorded two cases, respectively. Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Tirupathur, Tiruvallur, Tiruvarur reported one case each. The state capital leads among districts with 7,51,356 cases overall. A total of 18,825 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of specimens examined to 6.60 crore, the bulletin said. Noting that adherence to COVID-19 norms in public places is on the wane of late, Radhakrishnan said the state government is yet to announce relaxation of restrictions. "Though some states have announced relaxation on wearing face masks in public places, (Government) is yet to make such an announcement," he said. Urging people not to lower their guard, he said the daily cases in New Delhi spiked as of Wednesday and a similar situation may emerge in if people show laxity in following Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. "It has been decided to increase the total number of samples that were tested by the department per day. It was 16,000 (16,583) yesterday, today it will be 18,000 (18,825).. we have directed department authorities to increase the total number of samples collected per day to 25,000", he said. On the 12 people who tested positive in IIT-M campus, he said they were 'vaccinated', doing 'fine' and do not require hospitalization. "We have collected 365 samples as of today (at IIT Madras) and a necessity may arise to test 1,500-2,000 people here in the locality if positive cases increases...", he said. "People should understand that the prevalence of the virus decreased in the state during the first, second and third wave of Covid-19 because people followed the COVID-19 behaviour. Now the cases have increased to 39 (across Tamil Nadu) and by following the protocols they (public) can prevent its spread" 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.) is the biggest form of human rights violation and action against cannot be contradictory to human rights, Union Home Minister said on Thursday. Addressing the 13th foundation day of the Investigation Agency (NIA) here, Shah said strong action has been taken against terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir and against those who had helped and were living respectfully in society. Terrorism is the biggest curse for the society, he said, adding that if there is any country which bore the maximum brunt of terrorism, it is India. "I have some differences with human rights organisations. Whenever there is an anti-terror action, some human rights groups come forward to raise the issue. But I strongly believe that there cannot be a bigger human rights violation than terrorism. It is the biggest form of human rights violation. "Action against terrorism cannot be contradictory to human rights. It is absolutely necessary to root out terrorism to protect human rights," Shah said amid an applause from officers of the NIA and other security organisations. The home minister said the Narendra Modi government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and was working to root out the menace from India. He said the NIA had registered terror funding cases and these cases helped to a great extent to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. Shah said that earlier, there was no proper action against terror funding. In 2018, cases were registered against terror funding for the first time, and because of that, there is no smooth road for funding terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he added. "In 2021-22, the NIA registered many cases which helped in destroying sleeper cells in Jammu and Kashmir. It has taken strong action against the logistics and supply chain and those who had helped terrorism and were living respectfully in society. They were exposed by the NIA and brought to justice. This is a big thing," he said. In Jammu and Kashmir, fighting against terrorism and terrorists is one thing and action taken to root out terrorism is another thing, Shah said. "We have to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. So, we have to destroy the mechanism of terror funding. Because of the terror funding cases of Jammu and Kashmir registered by the NIA, it has become very difficult now to provide funds for terror acts there," he said. The home minister said there is a realisation worldwide that without India, no goal can be achieved -- be it with regards to environment, economic growth, equal development or ending terrorism. Without India, such goals cannot be achieved, and hence, it is absolutely necessary to ensure and strengthen the country's internal security mechanism, he said. "The prime minister has set a target of a USD 5 trillion economy for India. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to ensure the country's internal security," Shah said. The minister said the 2008 Mumbai terror attack was an incident which necessitated reforms in institutions. The NIA was formed after the Mumbai attacks, and all agencies became active against terror funding. There have been positive changes in anti-terror organisations, intelligence agencies and intelligence gathering mechanism, he said. Lauding the NIA's role in the last 13 years, the home minister said the agency should take some pledges for the next 25 years (Azadi ka Amrit Kaal) and efforts should be made so that successes could be achieved on them. "Success is a good thing. But it is important how this success takes any organisation forward. If success gives encouragement, the organisation goes further. The NIA must consolidate and institutionalise its successes. Unless the successes are consolidated and institutionalised, the NIA will not be successful in its mission," he said. Shah also referred to sporadic protests that erupted in some places after the NIA took action, and said that without protests, real success cannot be achieved. He also advocated sharing of information, intelligence and other data among law enforcement agencies to check terrorism, crime and criminals. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day India visit, on Thursday held a meeting with industrialist here. The meeting took place at the Adani Group's global headquarters at Shantigram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. "Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat," Adani tweeted afterwards. Sources said the two discussed, among other things, key sectors such as energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence collaboration. With India set to invest USD 300 billion by 2030 to modernize its armed forces, sources said collaboration in the defence sector was one of the key focus areas of the meeting between Adani and Johnson. Discussions revolved around how Adani Group and British companies can collaborate to co-design and develop aerospace and defence technologies as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, sources said. Adani also announced an academic facilitation program for young Indians through Chevening Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarships offered by the government. He also invited the British Prime Minister to the India-UK Climate Science and Technology Summit, to be held in London on June 28. The Adani Group Chairman had met Johnson in October last year at the Global Investment Summit in London where the two leaders had reiterated their commitment to ongoing transition to clean energy. After the meeting on Thursday, Johnson left for Halol industrial area near Vadodara where he will visit a factory of British equipment manufacturer JCB. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister will announce a raft of commercial agreements and hail a "new era" in bilateral trade and investment ties during his visit to India, the UK High Commission said on Thursday. It said the UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion pounds (1 GBP= Rs 99.63) in new investments and export deals on Tuesday in areas ranging from software engineering to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK. Johnson begins his two-day visit to on Thursday to further expand ties between the two countries and exchange views on pressing global challenges, including the crisis in Ukraine and the situation in the Indo-Pacific. "As I arrive in today, I see vast possibilities for what our two great nations can achieve together. From next-generation 5G telecoms and AI to new partnerships in health research and renewable energy -- the UK and are leading the world," Johnson was quoted as saying by the high commission. "Our powerhouse partnership is delivering jobs, growth and opportunities for our people, and it will only go from strength to strength in the coming years," he said. Johnson will hold talks with Prime Minister in New Delhi on Friday after concluding his engagements in Gujarat on Thursday. The British prime minister will visit a new factory being opened by a top British firm in Gujarat, as well as a biotechnology university working in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. In a statement, the high commission said Johnson will use his visit to India to "boost our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home". It said the UK will confirm major new science and tech collaboration, including a digital health partnership and a joint investment fund for Indian deep-tech and AI start-ups, supported by the UK and the Indian governments. "As he moves on to New Delhi on Friday, the prime minister will also use this week's visit to drive progress in negotiations on the landmark UK-India free trade agreement, which is expected to help double our trade and investment by 2030," the high commission said. "Negotiating teams will hold their third round of formal talks in India next week," it said. The high commission said work is already progressing on cutting red tape for businesses following the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership launched by both the prime ministers last year. "And today, our governments will announce new measures to make it easier to export UK-made medical devices to India. This will support UK jobs and create opportunities for British med-tech companies like Redcar-based Micropore Technologies to sell their lifesaving products in India, an import market worth 2.4 billion pound," 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.) While Indias (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy) industry welcomed the move to have the mark for quality products made in the country, some pointed out how global agencies recognise and acknowledge the stamp playing a key role in determining demand in international markets. Speaking at the Global Investment & Innovation Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that India would soon introduce the AYUSH mark, which will give authenticity to quality AYUSH products of the country. Dabur India CEO Mohit Malhotra said the introduction of an AYUSH mark will go a long way in raising awareness about and improve its acceptance in global markets. In a post-Covid world, and ayurvedic products are being recognised for their immunity building properties. The government, too, has been issuing guidelines advocating the use of ayurvedic supplements to boost immunity and fend off illnesses, said Malhotra, adding that to promote the use and benefits of ayurveda, the government should mount large-scale promotional efforts on the lines of initiatives taken to promote yoga. These will go a long way in popularising and help it become mainstream, he added. Ameve Sharma, co-founder of Kapiva, a direct-to-consumer ayurvedic nutrition brand, and president of Baidyanath Group, pointed out that several players are investing in the latest technology to produce quality products that adhere to World Health Organizations good manufacturing practices. Having an AYUSH mark will bring in the much-needed regulation in this largely unorganised industry. I expect players will step up and invest in plants and machinery. Apart from the government, the industry, too, needs to promote the AYUSH mark in their products to build consumer awareness, said Sharma. Legal experts felt that worldwide demand will depend upon how widely they are able to create awareness of this recognition. Aparna Gaur, leader, IP practice, Nishith Desai Associates, said, The AYUSH mark will be given to products after some scrutiny. But how well we are able to create awareness will hold the key to worldwide demand. At present, Sri Lanka is a key patron of ayurveda, but in terms of potential and availability of herbs, Kerala is a key place for alternative medicine. Hence, the AYUSH mark will give authenticity to even small traditional places in front of foreign clients, said Raju Thomas, president, Ayurveda Medical Association of India. AMAI is of the opinion that an AYUSH visa will give a boost to traditional medicine. The Ministry of Defence signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of AYUSH on Wednesday to start ayurveda centres at 37 cantonment hospitals and 12 military health care facilities. In the homoeopathy segment, a lot of people are concerned about the AYUSH mark, but experts indicate this may bring more users from abroad. At present, AYUSH patients are mostly visiting under tourist visas. This move will bring in more revenue and more investment in terms of medicine, said Bhaskar Bhatt, former president of the Homoeopathic Medical Association of India. This is a success for traditional siddha medicines, which were there for more than 5,000 years. AYUSH mark will ensure better quality and products are prepared, said Dr G Ganapathy, a siddha practitioner and former joint director of Indian medicine, Government of Tamil Nadu. At present, there are 296 hospitals and 859 dispensaries under the siddha segment in India. Similarly, 265 hospitals and 1,748 dispensaries are under the unani sector. India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, is looking at boosting oil purchases from Brazil, oil minister said on Thursday after a meeting with Brazilian Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque. Currently India imports only a fraction of its oil imports from . "We have expressed to the honourable minister that we are willing to increase our crude from many times over," Puri said, adding Indian companies will also be looking at boosting investment in the South American nation. At present, Indian state-run companies Bharat Petroleum Corp and Oil and Natural Gas Corp have made investment in Brazil's oil and gas exploration sector. India wants to import oil from under "long-term special contracts,", a government statement issued after the meeting said without elaborating further. Brazil, which is ramping up its oil output by 10% to 3.3 million barrels per day, is willing to meeting Indian demand for oil, Albuquerque said. India, which meets about 84% of its oil needs through imports, is looking at ways to cut its import bill including stepping up use of bio-fuels. India's state-run fuel retailers are increasing their ethanol storage capacity by 51% as the nation targets to double the biofuel's blending with gasoline to 20% by 2025. Puri said India and Brazil are cooperating in the areas of biofuels and ethanol. Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, Unica has signed an memorandum of understanding with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers to work in the areas of ethanol and flex-fuel technology. "We believe that India and Brazil can come together to help other counties seeking to ramp up the use ethanol as auto fuel and to develop the flex-fuel technology to reduce carbon footprint," said Evandro Gussi, chief executive of Unica. India imported the bulk of its oil needs from the Middle East and shipped in about 9% from Latin America in 2021. Recently India has increased its purchases of Russian crude, available at a cheaper rates after some companies and countries shunned Russian oil following Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) (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.) 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 Emphasising the need to reduce reliance on foreign oil and gas amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister on Thursday said his country hoped to complete a free trade agreement (FTA) with India by the year-end. We are hoping to complete another FTA with India by the end of the year, by the autumn, Johnson told reporters in Gujarat during the first leg of his two-day visit to the country. Johnson, the first British PM to visit Gujarat, also reportedly told the media on the plane on his way to India that he was ready to offer more visas to India in return for the FTA deal that could boost annual bilateral trade immensely. According to Britain, the trade deal with India could almost double the formers exports, boosting annual bilateral trade by 28 billion (Rs 2.8 trillion) per annum even as British statistics pegged total trade at 23 billion (Rs 2.2 trillion) in 2019. Johnson interacts with Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani. Photos: PTI Apart from following the tradition of visiting Sabarmati Ashram to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and try his hand at spinning the charkha, Johnsons visit to Gujarat involved a one-on-one meeting with Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group as well as a trip to Halol to open JCB Indias new export-focused facility near Vadodara. Set up at an investment of 100 million (over Rs 990 crore) investment in Gujarat, the latest factory by JCB will fabricate parts for global production lines even as the company strengthens its global manufacturing presence. Welcomed by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Johnson held a roadshow from the airport to the Ashram before he met Adani at the group headquarters. It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better, Johnson wrote in the Sabarmati Ashrams visitor book. Later, among a range of bilateral matters, Johnson and Adani discussed several key thrust areas, including aerospace and defence, energy transition, climate action, and human capital development. Prominent among the discussions was the defence sector where the Adani Group aims to develop deep original equipment manufacturing (OEM) capabilities and work towards making India an export hub for defence with both Johnson and Adani exploring ways for collaborations with British companies for co-design and co-development of aerospace and defence technology. On Thursday, Adani announced an academic programme for young Indians through the governments renowned international Chevening Scholarship, where Adani Group will provide 200,000 every year through five scholarships for Indian graduate students for studying in a masters degree in the . Ahead of his official in-depth talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Johnson on Thursday announced that the UK and Indian businesses had confirmed more than 1 billion of new investments and export deals, set to create 11,000 jobs across the UK. Earlier, Johnson had said that the two nations would be talking about building partnerships in hydrogen, electric vehicles, offshore wind as well as deepening security and defence partnership. Later in the day, Johnson visited the Gujarat Biotechnology University at GIFT City as well as Akshardham temple before hosting a private dinner for the states whos who at Ahmedabad. Dhaka wants to wrap up the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with India within the next one year, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said here on Thursday. In an exclusive interview to PTI, Munshi said that is in the advanced stage of talks with the Tata Group and Ashok Leyland for automotive investment in that country. He also said that would be interested in a BIMSTEC free pact, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently spoke of. "We want to wrap up the CEPA with India, which is our second-largest partner, as well as other countries such as Sri Lanka and Indonesia within the next one year," Munshi said. A study on the agreement will be ready by May and it will be the position paper for final negotiations, he added. "Sheikh Hasina wants us to gear up and finalise these trade deals before 2026," he said. Bangladesh will soon graduate to the status of a developing nation as per the UN, and will not be eligible for the many trade benefits it currently enjoys as a LDC (least developed countries) nation. "We are talking very seriously about finalising this agreement with our Indian counterparts. We have found them very positive. Obviously, there is much at stake for both sides. "We are the second largest exporter of ready-made garments in the world and India is a very large market. We are also exporting many other products to India, including ships. With 170 million people we too are a large market with increasing consumer power," Munshi said. In the last financial year, India exported goods worth USD 9.7 billion to Bangladesh, and imported goods worth over USD 1.4 billion from that country. However, studies have shown that trade can be ratcheted up to USD 25 billion with a free trade deal, which will help both countries in expanding exports -- but Bangladesh increasing its exports at a faster pace. "We are in advanced talks with the Tata Group, who already have plants in Bangladesh, for a large automotive investment, as also with Ashok Leyland," the minister said. He said Domino's India has set up 25 outlets in Dhaka and plans to increase the number more than ten-fold, besides setting up a large mother factory. "We are looking for Indian investment, especially from West Bengal -- a state with which we have a lot in common," Munshi said. He pointed out that a large number of Bangladeshi firms are keen to invest in India too. "However, we understand that there are some restrictions on investments from neighbouring countries. Clearances are being given on a case-to-case basis," the 71-year-old minister said. "I know that our Walton Group is keen to invest here for instance," he added. Walton Group of Bangladesh manufactures consumer durables, computers and telecom equipment, among others, and has revenue of nearly a billion dollars. (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.) is aiming to double exports of agricultural, horticultural and animal-based produce by 2030, and has introduced several enabling policies to fructify the objective, a top state government official said on Thursday. The government has identified export clusters across the state to ensure focused processing and higher production, he said. There is a huge potential of doubling exports. We need to channelise opportunities and make it happen. The state has done exceedingly well in the and allied sector, including fisheries, horticulture, food processing and animal resource. A lot of enabling policies have also been brought out by the government, Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi said at the Bengal Global Business Summit here. Dwivedi also unveiled the Export Policy of West Bengal-2022' during a special session on international trade on the second and concluding day of the summit. The major exported products from Bengal include rice, potato, vegetables and fruits to countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore, Malaysia, UK, Italy, Germany and Sweden, another state government official said. According to the policy document, the state's target is to increase its contribution to India's and allied products in respect of exports to Rs 20,000 crore in 2028-29 from Rs 6,800 crore in 2018-19. The small landholding pattern and low farmer awareness in has often led to limited volumes of different varieties of multiple crops with little or no standardisation. Export-oriented cluster development across the state will be the key to ensuring surplus produce with standard physical and quality parameters to meet export demands, the second official said. Some of the export clusters identified are Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Nadia, Bankura and Howrah districts, he said. The government also plans to establish an Export Facilitation Centre, which will operate from the Office of the Paschimbanga Agri Marketing Corporation Ltd. The centre will handhold and educate budding exporters and facilitate their registration with different government organisations and other institutions, among other functions, 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.) The government will pay Rs 2 crore to English-medium towards their dues over 25 per cent admissions in the Act quota, School Minister Varsha Gaikwad has said. Gaikwad was speaking at an annual conference of the English School Trustees Association in Mumbai on Tuesday. She also advised these to focus on Marathi as the regional language and then English as an international language. Minister of State for School Bacchu Kadu, Higher Education Minister Uday Samant and president of the Rashtriya Mill Mazdoor Sangh Sachin Ahir also attended the function. The ministers were presented a charter of demands by MESTA. (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 UN migration agency says the number of people displaced within since Russia's invasion began has risen to 7.7 million. The Geneva-based Organisation for Migration said Thursday that more than 600,000 additional people were displaced within the country in the first 17 days of April. The figures from the IOM came a day after the UN refugee agency said the number of people who have fled since the war began on Feb 24 has risen to more than 5 million. The IOM said more than half of the internally displaced people, mostly in the east of the country, reported a lack of some food products. It said their most pressing problems include cash and access to financial support, followed by medicines. had a pre-war population of 44 million. ___ Warsaw: Poland's Foreign Ministry says that Poland has frozen the bank account of the Russian Embassy in Warsaw over suspicions it was being used for purposes that were not good. Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said Thursday that the account was frozen by prosecutors. He said that Poland's embassy and consulates in Russia have been exposed to various retaliatory steps - with roads around the embassy in Moscow dug up for the past two weeks, complicating entry to and exit from the compound. He said that almost prevented the departure of Polish diplomats expelled by Russia in the spat over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Jasina didn't give further details of the action by prosecutors. According to the Business Insider portal, prosecutors ordered the freezing of the embassy account and that of Russia's trade mission in Poland for six months shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, saying the money in the accounts may be used to finance terrorism. ___ Madrid: Spain's prime minister says he was shocked to witness the horror and atrocities of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war on the streets of Borodyanka, a town in northern Ukraine that has been devastated by the invasion. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez commented on Twitter after visiting Borodyanka on Thursday with his Danish counterpart, Denmark's Mette Frederiksen. He said that we will not leave the Ukrainian people alone. Television images showed the leaders walking through the bombed streets of the town accompanied by Ukrainian military and government officials. Sanchez and Frederiksen are to hold a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Thursday. ___ London: Britain's government has announced new sanctions against leaders in Russia's army responsible for committing atrocities on the frontline. The Foreign Office said Thursday that it's targeting several Russian generals and military commanders including Lt Col Azatbek Omurbekov. Authorities say the so-called Butcher of Bucha commanded forces that occupied the town outside Kyiv where multiple reports of war crimes and civilian killings have surfaced. Omurbekov and several were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. British authorities also said Thursday that they are expanding their sanctions list to individuals and companies that are supporting President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. They include Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of logistics company Russian Railways, and Russian weapons suppliers and manufacturers such as Kalashnikov Concern. ___ Milan: Italian energy company ENI has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo to increase natural gas production and supply to Italy, as part of European moves to cut dependence on Russian energy over its invasion of Ukraine. The deal signed Thursday comes on top of recent deals to increase production and delivery from Algeria and Angola. Italy currently gets some 38% of its natural gas from Russia, and has signed deals to replace about half. The new deal signed in Brazzaville calls for a new liquefied natural gas project that is expected to launch next year with a capacity of up to 4.5 billion cubic metres a year for export. ENI said it also agreed to back sustainable energy projects in the central African country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India-UK trade is just scratching the surface and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to India will build momentum towards a multi-fold increase in goods and services trade, a British industry chief said on Thursday. Lord Karan Bilimoria, the Indian-origin president of the Confederation of British Industry, is in New Delhi for the business-level interactions scheduled as part of the prime ministerial visit on Friday. The founder of the Cobra Beer brand, who heads up the industry body that speaks on behalf of 190,000 British businesses, also expressed his optimism that an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) can be concluded by the end of this year. "Firms will welcome the GBP 1 billion new investment announcements in India, but the point I do want to make is that we are still scratching the surface when it comes to UK-India trade," Lord Bilimoria told PTI. "We are bilaterally doing GBP 24 billion worth of trade in goods and services and, in my view, it should be a multi-fold of that given the scale of the two economies. With Canada, UK trade is about GBP 20 billion. With China, on the other hand, UK trade is over GBP 90 billion, so we should be doing much more with India. We've got targets to try and double it by 2030, but I believe we can do much more than that and an FTA will really help to scale up the level of trade, he said. As a UK-based business leader who has been part of every prime ministerial visit since Tony Blair visited India in 2005, Bilimoria pointed to the long gap since the last time a UK Prime Minister visited after the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in two cancelled visits last year. "This is long overdue. The last prime ministerial visit was Theresa May five and half years ago It's also very timely as we are in the midst of FTA negotiations. This is a very opportune moment to come to the country to help that move along, keep that momentum going because we want to try and get an FTA agreed ideally by the end of this year, said Bilimoria. The entrepreneur was equally optimistic about Johnson's further sped-up timeline of autumn, or around October this year. The Confederation of British Industry has been instrumental in pushing through the UK's other recent FTAs, including ones with Australia and New Zealand, and is playing an active role in the India FTA negotiations as they enter the third round of talks in New Delhi next week. "Where there is a will, there is a way. It is certainly possible. If the Australia FTA could be done in one year, there is no reason why we can't with India, said Bilimoria. "On the other side, India has just concluded a free trade deal with the UAE in less than three months. And, another deal with Australia was done very rapidly. So, the Indians have shown they can conclude trade deals rapidly, the UK has shown the same and both have the will to conclude the UK-India one rapidly, it can be done, he said. The business leader also welcomed Johnson's visa-friendly statements en route to India, highlighting that youth mobility and ease of travel would be an important aspect of any deal. "We have an acute labour shortage in the UK across all sectors. So, if there are skilled Indians who fulfil the requirements, then we should be welcoming them. The National Health Service (NHS) would collapse without Indian doctors. There is a big shortage of doctors and nurses. If the Indians can come in to address that, it's a win-win, he pointed out. Besides, he stressed that closer defence and security ties are also important as he rooted for the UK to join the Quad currently made up of India, Japan, Australia and the US. "The UK could join the Quad; why can't the UK join a strategic, security alliance with India, added Bilimoria. (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 worried on Thursday called on and the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan to resolve their "concerns" through talks after Pakistani air raids reportedly killed 47 Afghans, prompting Kabul to lodge a "strong demarche" to Islamabad. "Afghanistan and are close neighbours with traditional friendship with China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked about the recent border skirmishes between close allies sparked by recurring terror attacks on Pakistani troops allegedly from across the borders in Afghanistan. "I believe the countries can properly settle their concerns through dialogue and consultation and jointly maintain peace and tranquility," Wang said, declining to elaborate on Beijing's apprehensions over its trilateral initiative of forming a China, Pakistan, Afghanistan alliance. The Pakistani air raids on Afghanistan came about a fortnight after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the third meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan comprising Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at Tunxi in on March 30-31 for which interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was invited. Wang later held a meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan which was attended by the then Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Despite the "close ties" and Pakistan are yet to recognise the Afghan Taliban's interim government. The widening differences between Pakistan and the in the meantime resulting in violent clashes was seen as a setback for Beijing and Islamabad efforts to gain control over the volatile Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US troops. China is also eyeing the lucrative mines and oil deposits in Afghanistan. For its part, Pakistan was saddled with recurring terror attacks by the Tehreek-e- Pakistan (TTP) based in Afghanistan leading to many casualties for Pakistan military in the troubled tribal Waziristan region. Islamabad is angry that the Taliban is not cracking down hard on the TTP despite its repeated requests. The situation turned worse on April 16 when the Taliban accused Pakistan of launching cross-border military raids inside Afghanistan resulting in deaths of 47 Afghans. The Pakistani air raids prompted a massive demonstration in Khost in which protestors chanted anti-Pakistan slogans, according to reports from Kabul. Officials said the military actions prompted the Taliban interim Foreign Minister Muttaqi to summon Pakistani ambassador in Kabul Mansoor Ahmad Khan to his office and lodge a "strong dmarche" or official protest note to him. "The Afghan side condemned the recent attacks on Khost and Kunar provinces, stressing prevention of such acts," Muttaqi's office said in a statement. It warned that military violations by Pakistan would deteriorate bilateral ties and allow "antagonists to misuse the situation leading to undesired consequences." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement, later stressed the need for resolving bilateral problems through political means. "IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) calls on the Pakistani side not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again, otherwise it will have bad consequences," Mujahid warned. (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.) reported eight more deaths due to COVID-19, taking the toll in the current outbreak in the eastern metropolis to 25, while the Chinese mainland reported over 19,300 cases due to the new variant. Wednesday saw eight deaths from COVID-19, all in Shanghai, China's National Health Commission reported on Thursday. With this, the in since emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 has reached 4,663 according to official data. On Wednesday, the Chinese mainland reported total 19,382 COVID-19 cases, including 2,830 who tested positive while the rest were asymptomatic cases with a majority of them in Shanghai, the country's financial hub. According to official policy, both positive and asymptomatic cases needed to be treated in designated hospitals. Apart from Shanghai, 17 other provincial-level regions on the mainland saw new local COVID-19 cases, including 95 in the north-eastern province of Jilin, and one in Beijing, the Commission report said. As of Wednesday, 31,421 confirmed COVID-19 cases undergoing treatment in hospitals across the country. Meanwhile, officials attribute deaths in due to COVID-19 in the past few days to low vaccination among the elderly population. The deaths are sounding alarms in the city, which has a relatively low vaccination rate among provincial-level regions in the Chinese mainland, state-run Global Times reported. For the country at large, it is also a grim reminder that the insufficient vaccination rate among the elderly is a towering obstacle to China's move to ease COVID-19 restrictions, epidemiologists said. Although the number of patients released from the makeshift hospital surpassed that of the new daily tally, epidemiologists said that the deaths reported in the past few days in highlighted the lurking danger, given the city's low vaccination rate of its senior residents. On Friday, Shanghai government officials said that only 62 per cent of the city's 3.6 million elderly - aged 60 and above - are fully vaccinated, and the rate among those aged above 80 years old is only 15 per cent. The rate of those getting booster shots accounts for merely 38 per cent. In comparison, 80 per cent of those aged above 60 in have been fully vaccinated. Nationwide, the rate of fully vaccinated people aged above 60 amounts to 79 per cent. The insufficient vaccination rate among China's elderly in some areas is because this vulnerable group has been well protected by the low infection in during the past two years, so "they did not feel the urgency of getting vaccinated," Zeng Guang, former chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told the Global Times. (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's processor has refused to work with banks in for fear of being targeted by sanctions over its war on Ukraine, cutting off a possible alternative after Visa and stopped serving them, according to the Russian news outlet RBC. UnionPay's decision affects Sberbank, Russia's biggest commercial bank, and smaller institutions, RBC reported Wednesday. It cited five unidentified sources in large Russian banks. and Visa suspended operations in after the United States and other governments imposed trade and financial sanctions on President Vladimir Putin's government for its attack on Ukraine. Sberbank and another institution, Tinkoff Bank, announced they were looking at switching to UnionPay, which is operated by Chinese state-owned banks. UnionPay is one of the biggest global payments processors but does almost all its business in . American officials have warned that governments or that try to undermine sanctions will face consequences. RBC said UnionPay wanted to avoid such secondary sanctions. Chinese President Xi Jinping's government has called its most important strategic partner and criticised sanctions on Moscow. But Chinese and banks appear to be complying with trade and financial restrictions. Other banks cited by RBC include Alfa Bank, VTB, Otkrytie and Promsvyazbank. (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.) Just four days ahead of the run-off polls, incumbent French President and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen went head to head in their only televised debate during which they clashed on a number of issues, ranging from cost of living, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, immigration and climate change. The two hour and 45 minutes debate on Wednesday night was the first time that the same candidates squared off in two consecutive elections, the first being in 2017, reports the BBC. Le Pen, who lost to Macron in 2017, termed the issue of cost of living as her biggest priority, saying she "will permanently cut VAT on energy" and "will also cut taxes, no income tax for under-30s". "My absolute priority of the next five years is to give French people back their money," she was quoted as saying. Le Pen also accused Macron on letting pension levels fall in real terms. The President however, challenged his opponent's proposals as "unworkable" and said that his solution was to impose a cap on prices which was "twice as effective as dropping sales tax". On the Ukraine-Russia war, Macron said Moscow was "going down a fatal path", while Le Pen warned that giving Ukraine weapons could make a "co-belligerent". But the two contenders agreed on backing Ukraine and taking in refugees, said the BBC report. Shifting to the topic of immigration, Le Pen said that if she wins, she will call on a referendum on who should stay and who should leave . She also condemned the "anarchic and massive immigration" that has contributed to a sense of insecurity in the country. Speaking on banning the wearing of a headscarf in public, another one of Le Pen's key policies, she argued that "women had to be liberated from Islamist pressure". "I think that the headscarf is a uniform imposed by the Islamists... I think that the great majority of the women who wear one can't do otherwise in reality, even if they don't dare say so." Macron however, accused her of creating a "system of equivalence" among Islamism, terrorism and foreigners that would "create civil war", reports CNN. She also accused Macron of being out of touch with voters, claiming he was ignorant of the suffering of health care workers before Covid-19, as he promised more investment in health care. But the incumbent President said he had steered through challenges, including the pandemic, and aimed to make the country a stronger country. On climate change, Le Pen labelled Macron a "climate hypocrite", while the President called his opponent "a climate sceptic". Although they sparred on the topic of renewable energy, the two contenders agreed on building more nuclear power stations. Meanwhile, the gap in the opinion polls has widened slightly since the first round vote on April 10 in which Macron won 27.85 per cent and Le Pen came second with 23.15 per cent. The latest Harris/Challenges poll conducted between April 15-18 have placed Macron 54.0 per cent and Le Pen at 46.0 per cent, the BBC reported. The candidates are not allowed to campaign the day before the vote, or on election day itself, and the media will be subject to strict reporting restrictions from the day before the election until polls close at 8 p.m. on Sunday in France. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The German Defense Ministry has cut by half the list of weaponry that can be supplied to Ukraine drafted by the German defense industry, striking off all heavy weapons, the German newspaper BILD reported on Wednesday, citing a copy of the final document. The changes were initiated by the Office of the German Chancellor, the outlet said. The German defense industry had previously expressed readiness to supply many of now canceled weaponry in short- or mid-term perspective. The final list, initially suggested by Kiev to the German authorities for consideration, has been cut down from 48 to 24 pages, Bild said. The final version includes only three out of 15 types of weaponry requested by Ukraine, with some of them having possible alternatives indicated, according to the newspaper. Earlier in the day, Scholz confirmed that was considering the list of weapons that could been delivered to Ukraine as part of Berlin's military assistance to Kiev. He pledged to proceed with the payments for weaponry supplied shortly after the decision on the final list is made, with "no more waiting." At the same time, has repeatedly declined to supply Ukraine with particular weaponry it had requested, including heavy arms and artillery weapons. Earlier in the month, denied Kiev's plea for Marder infantry fighting vehicles, but delivered around 500 Stingers, nearly 2,000 Strela anti-aircraft missiles and over 1,000 anti-tank weapons. Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, the West, including Germany, have been supplying Ukraine with various types of lethal weaponry, including heavy arms, such as anti-tank missiles, fighter jets, missile systems and armored vehicles. Nevertheless, German authorities, particularly Scholz, have been criticized by Kiev and some Western allies for insufficient military support for Ukraine and for not taking a strong enough stance against Russia. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The recent arrest in of a journalism professor, on charges of conspiring to publish seditious material, has troubled academics and journalists alike and shows how the city authorities continue to punish dissenting voices. Allan Au, 54, a lecturer and consultant at the Chinese University of (CUHK) journalism school was detained by city authorities on April 11. Allan was later released without charge, Voice of America (VOA) reported. Allan, whose writing touched on issues such as the national security law, has worked as a producer for TVB News. He was a Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 2006. Moreover, he also provided commentary for the Ming Pao newspaper and Stand News. Political and law expert Eric Yan-ho Lai said, "This arrest gives a disturbing message and signals a chilling effect to outspoken opinion writers as well as academics who commit themselves in public debate." "Dr. Au's research and teaching interests are censorship and self-censorship in the industry of journalism. His arrest is obviously, and sadly, an example of how the authorities censor and punish dissenting voices in the city," Yan-ho Lai told VOA. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), authorities are determined to eradicate . "The detention of a third journalist from Stand News ... months after the media's forced shutdown shows the government's determination to put an end to in the territory," the group's East Asia bureau head, Cedric Alviani, said in a statement. RSF has said that Hong Kong's use of legal action, including the National Security Law, to punish what it deems "crimes against the state" has made journalism more dangerous. In a report titled The Great Leap Backwards of Journalism in China, published on December 7, 2021, RSF revealed the system of censorship and information control established by the Chinese regime and the global threat it poses to and . Hong Kong, once a bastion of press freedom, has fallen from 18th place in 2002 to 80th place in the 2020 RSF World Press Freedom Index. The People's Republic of China, for its part, has stagnated at 177th out of 180. (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 veiled attack on Pakistan's Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, former prime minister has alleged that "some elements" in the powerful establishment who indulged in "bad practices" were responsible for his unceremonious ouster from power. According to experts, Khan, who was ousted from power on April 10 after the National Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against him, had apparently lost support of the Army after he refused to endorse the appointment of the ISI spy agency chief last year. Finally, he agreed but it soured his ties with the Army. Addressing party workers on Twitter at night, Imran said: "There are also humans in institutions. If one or two individuals do something wrong, the entire institution is not responsible. If one person (in an apparent reference to Army chief Gen. Bajwa) makes a mistake, this does not mean that the whole institution is at fault. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister said on Wednesday that his long-delayed visit to will deepen the strategic trade, defence and people-to-people ties between the two countries. Ahead of Johnson's two-day visit, Downing Street has stressed that the UK would not look to "lecture" over its neutral stance in the United Nations or its decision to hike Russian oil imports. The UK has been trying to persuade to reduce its reliance on Moscow since invaded Ukraine on February 24. Addressing the House of Commons for his weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), Johnson said the trip to Ahmedabad and New Delhi will build on India being invited as a guest country for the G7 Summit hosted by the UK in Cornwall in June last year. "I will be travelling to India to deepen the strategic trade, defence and people- to-people ties between our two countries, building on India's involvement in the Carbis Bay G7 summit," Johnson told members of Parliament. It will be Johnson's first major trip to India as Prime Minister after previous visits were postponed due to Covid. "I will be seeing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in Delhi, meeting Indian business people investing in the UK and visiting British investments in India, he said. Prime Minister Modi had addressed the G7 summit at Carbis Bay virtually as his travel plans were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The two leaders met in person later in the year, when Modi travelled to Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit in November. This followed Johnson's planned visits to India in 2021 being cancelled twice due to the pandemic situation in either country. It is expected that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will feature prominently during the bilateral talks between the leaders when Johnson is in New Delhi on Friday. Downing Street has stressed that the UK would not look to "lecture" India over its neutral stance in the United Nations or its decision to hike Russian oil imports. "This visit is not framed on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Obviously, that is really important but this is a visit we have planned for a very long time. India is an incredibly important partner," Johnson's official spokesperson, who is accompanying him to India, told reporters at Downing Street. Last month, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited India in an attempt to persuade New Delhi to reduce its reliance on imports from and to cooperate more closely with the UK on trade, defence, energy and food security. "The Prime Minister has been wanting to make this trip to build our partnership across trade, investment, security and defence, and green energy. We will be discussing all those issues and it is expected that Russia-Ukraine will be on the agenda. But we won't be seeking to sort of lecture India or try and persuade them into one position or another. We will be seeking to work together constructively as an important partner, the spokesperson said. Asked if the issue is likely to dominate the closed-door discussions between the two Prime Ministers, the spokesperson asserted that it would be one of many topics. "Obviously, Russia-Ukraine is a huge priority for the UK at the moment and for the world. It's a global issue that has destablised the economy, the oil markets and security. So, it would absolutely be on the agenda," the spokesperson said. Downing Street has reiterated the position that "different countries are in a different position" when it comes to energy security and that the UK accepts that dynamic in relation to levels of Russian oil imports, whether it is in Europe or in India. Meanwhile, with the third round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations scheduled in Delhi for next week, Johnson's first visit to India as Prime Minister is also expected to push forward trade talks towards an end of the year agreement timeline. "Both countries have set out an intention to reach an agreement by the end of this year. It's not a fixed deadline, we won't rush it. We would take as long as it takes to reach a good deal for both countries," his spokesperson said. Thursday, the first day of the visit, will be focused on trade and investment and commercial matters in Ahmedabad, involving a visit to a university and a new business as well as some cultural sightseeing. In New Delhi on Friday, the UK Prime Minister is scheduled for a ceremonial day of greetings and meetings with Modi and business leaders. Unlike previous prime ministerial visits, he is not accompanied by a business delegation from the UK. The visit coincides with a crucial vote in the House of Commons on Thursday, when MPs will decide if Johnson should be referred to the Committee of Privileges over whether he knowingly misled Parliament over the partygate scandal involving lockdown-breaching parties at Downing Street. Downing Street dismissed the notion that there was any itinerary reconsideration around the Parliament vote clash with the India visit, which they said has been in the making for some time now and reflects the "importance of the bilateral relationship with India". (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.) Treasury Secretary and Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko walked out of a Group of 20 meeting Wednesday as Russia's representative started talking. Several finance ministers and central bank governors also left the room, according an official familiar with the meetings, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the event was not public. Some ministers and central bank governors who attended the meeting virtually turned their cameras off when the representative spoke, the person said. The incident came amid the Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings, in which finance heads gather to tackle the world's most pressing issues. The brutal effects of Russia's war against Ukraine have taken center stage, and Treasury officials said earlier this week that Yellen would try to avoid contact with Russian officials who plan to attend some Group of 20 events virtually. President has said that should not remain a member of the G-20, an body of the world's biggest economies that promotes economic cooperation between countries. (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.) Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi plans to visit the in early May, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources. Kishi is expected to meet with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to discuss cooperation on the situation in Ukraine and North Korea. The exact dates of the visit are currently being agreed upon, the agency 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.) spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that Russia's military operation in Ukraine continues according to plan although President Vladimir Putin has ordered his forces not to storm the Azovstal steel plant, the last holdout of Ukrainian forces in the port city of Mariupol. Peskov told reporters on Thursday that there was and still is an opportunity for Ukrainian troops to lay down their arms and come out via established corridors. He said that the operation continues according to plan" and that Mariupol has been liberated. Asked whether the order not to storm the steel plant represented a change of plans, he said that "this is a separate facility where the remaining group of Ukrainian nationalists is completely blocked. --- Berlin: Germany's foreign minister says her country and others are keeping up pressure on to allow people out of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and stop striking potential evacuation routes. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a news conference Thursday that trying to ensure humanitarian corridors has been an issue for weeks. She noted that in some cases such corridors have been shot at, and you see that assurances can't be relied on. Baerbock said that Germany and partners, as well as the Committee of the Red Cross, are working to make clear that people must be able to leave the city; the Russian bombardment of routes and ways must be stopped so that innocent people can be brought to safety. But she added that the situation is how it is. It is in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's hands to stop these bombardments there. ___ Vatican City: Pope Francis has renewed his call for a truce in the war in Ukraine, pointing to the April 24 celebration of Easter for the Orthodox Church. Francis had already called for an Easter truce at the start of the Catholic Church's Holy Week, but the war ground on through Catholic Easter, which was celebrated on April 17. In a statement Thursday, Francis said he was joining the call by the U.N. secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, and the head of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine for an April 24 cease-fire. The statement said: Knowing that nothing is impossible for God, they invoke the Lord that the people trapped in war zones are evacuated and peace is restored, and ask for those responsible in nations to hear the people's cry for peace. ___ Belgrade: Serbia's interior minister says the Balkan country should reconsider its proclaimed goal of joining the European Union because of alleged Western pressure to join sanctions against over the war in Ukraine. Aleksandar Vulin was responding Thursday to a question about a draft European Parliament resolution calling on Serbia to introduce sanctions against if it really wants to join the EU. He told the state RTS broadcaster that the draft ''clearly indicates that the European Union does not want Serbia in its composition and that it's ''high time that Serbia also reconsiders its decision to remain on the path to EU membership.'' Although Serbia has voted in favor of three United Nations resolutions condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine, it has refused to join Western sanctions against . Vulin said that we are an old, ancient, historical nation that chooses its friends. Russia is our friend. ___ Copenhagen: Denmark's Parliament has decided that Danish students studying in Russia or Belarus will no longer be entitled to state grants from Denmark. Under Danish law, the country's citizens are entitled to receive financial support throughout their studies wherever they study, a system meant to ensure that people from all social backgrounds can study without having to focus on earning money. This year, they get 6,397 kroner ($931) per month before tax. Lawmakers voted Thursday to exclude studies in Russia and Belarus from the grant program until Jan. 1, 2024. ___ Copenhagen: Denmark's prime minister says that her country is considering sending more weapons to Ukraine. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke as she visited Kyiv Thursday with her Spanish counterpart, Pedro Snchez. They plan to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2 that Denmark is considering sending more weapons. That is what is needed. (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 retired senior army officer and an ardent supporter of former Pakistani prime minister on Thursday resurfaced in the UK, a day after he was reported missing by his family. On Wednesday, Sabine Kayani, wife of Ex-Serviceman Society (PESS) former spokesman Major (retd) Adil Raja, in a tweet said she was unable to establish contact with him and sought people's help to trace his whereabouts. I've been desperately trying to contact my husband @soldierspeaks but haven't been able to trace him. Neither has anyone else. Does anybody have any information about him? Any help will be most appreciated, she tweeted. Kayani said some men claiming to be from the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) raided the house of her mother-in-law while Raja was not there. "Her house is hardly 100 metres away from the Army house. Shortly after this we lost contact with my husband," she tweeted, sharing a video that showed armed men standing on a staircase, purportedly outside an apartment. Social media has been abuzz over Raja's "disappearance" since then. A day later, Raja tweeted that he reached London and warned that he will follow the policy of no-holds barred in case of any harm to his mother or relatives. "There is a lot to say, but everything will be spoken about in time," he said. "After this, if my mother and loved ones are hurt even slightly, I won't hold back." He also shared a copy of his complaint registered on April 19 with the Punjab Police stating that he was given "life threats". Raja is very active on social media, especially Twitter, and an ardent supporter of former prime minister Khan. (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 US President Barack and Michelle Obama's media company is reportedly ending its exclusive deal with Swedish music streaming service . According to a CNN report citing sources, Higher Ground, the production company run by the former President and First Lady, is seeking a multi-million deal elsewhere as their deal with expires this year. Higher Ground is reportedly negotiating with Amazon's Audible and iHeartMedia, the media reports said late on Wednesday. The Obamas signed a deal with in 2019, streaming podcasts like "The Michelle Podcast" and the Barack Obama-Bruce Springsteen programme "Renegades: Born in the USA". They also signed a deal with Netflix in 2018. "The deal with Spotify is set to expire at the end of this year when the final series from Higher Ground is scheduled to be released," the person familiar with the matter who spoke with CNN said. Neither Spotify nor the Obamas have confirmed the development. The Obamas are exiting Spotify after "being frustrated with the company's exclusive terms". Their production company also reportedly disagreed with Spotify over how many of its shows would feature the former President and First Lady. Higher Ground's current deal with Spotify runs through October this year. --IANS na/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Sonali Paul (Reuters) - Oil prices traded higher but in a narrow range on Thursday, after being rocked earlier in the week by supply losses from Libya and a worrying outlook for demand as the Monetary Fund cut its global growth forecasts. futures rose 55 cents, or 0.5%, to $107.35 a barrel at 0117 GMT, recouping losses from the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 41 cents, or 0.4%, to 102.60 a barrel, adding to a 19 cent gain in the previous session. Analysts said market volatility is likely to pick up again soon, with the European Union still weighing a ban on Russian oil for its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". "Oil, and energy generally, have plenty of big issues in a state of flux to stay quiet for long," said Commonwealth Bank commodities analyst Tobin Gorey. Libya, a member of OPEC, on Wednesday said the country was losing more than 550,000 barrels per day of oil output due to blockades at major fields and export terminals. The demand outlook in China continues to weigh on the market, as the world's biggest oil importer slowly eases strict COVID-19 curbs that have hit manufacturing activity and global supply chains. The Monetary Fund highlighted risks in China when it cut its forecast for global economic growth by nearly a full percentage point on Tuesday. However the oil market remains tight with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, together called OPEC+, struggling to meet their production targets and with U.S. crude stockpiles down sharply in the week ended April 15. [EIA/S] "There is not much incremental news overnight, with a trajectory from here really hinging on whether other nations join the UK/U.S. in banning Russian oil imports," SPI Asset Management managing director Stephen Innes said in a note. Eight weeks after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, European Union countries are evaluating ways to offset a potential ban on Russian oil, but no decisions have been made yet on a sixth package of sanctions. (Reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) (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.) rose on Thursday as concerns about supply as the European Union (EU) mulls a potential ban on Russian oil imports, days after diminished supplies from rocked the market. Brent crude futures rose $1.11, or 1%, to $107.91 a barrel at 0852 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 87 cents, or 0.9%, to 103.06 a barrel. Analysts said market volatility is likely to pick up again soon, with the EU still weighing a ban on Russian oil for its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". Libya, a member of OPEC, on Wednesday said the country was losing more than 550,000 barrels per day of oil output due to blockades at major fields and export terminals. The oil market remains tight with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, together called OPEC+, struggling to meet their production targets and with U.S. crude stockpiles down sharply in the week ended April 15. [EIA/S] "Global supply capacity for oil remains limited," UBS said in a note. "With only two countries in the OPEC+ alliance holding significant spare capacity, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the group is sticking to a cautious approach in unwinding pandemic-related production cuts." The demand outlook in China continues to weigh on the market, as the world's biggest oil importer slowly eases strict COVID-19 curbs that have hit manufacturing activity and global supply chains. Meanwhile, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea terminal could return to full capacity this week, Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said on Wednesday. "The resumption of CPC crude deliveries will be somewhat offset by continuing outages in and the likelihood of more Russian crude getting locked out of the market in the face of an EU ban," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights. (Reporting by Mohi Narayan in New Delhi and Sonali Paul in Melbourne; editing by Himani Sarkar and Jason Neely) (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 is set to announce plans on Thursday to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, according to a US official. The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly USD 2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine. The new package is expected to be similar in size to the USD 800 million package Biden announced last week. It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. A senior US defense official on Wednesday said training of Ukrainian personnel on American 155mm howitzers has begun in a European country outside Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday lauded US military officials for exceptional work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation's military brass for their first in-person group meeting at the White House of his presidency. It's an annual tradition that had been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic but is now being resurrected as the US arms Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia's invasion. I don't know about you, but I've been to Ukraine a number of times before the war ... and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: They're tougher and more proud than I thought, Biden told military commanders. "I'm amazed at what they're doing with your help. Biden brought together the Pentagon's top civilian and uniformed officials amid the most serious fighting in Europe since World War II. Russia's nearly two-month-old invasion of Ukraine was at the center of wide-ranging talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commanders. Biden also used the gathering to reflect on his administration's efforts to diversify Pentagon leadership. Hicks is the first Senate-confirmed woman to hold her role. Biden also chose Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost of the Air Force as commander of United States Transportation Command and Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson of the Army as commander of United States Southern Command. They are just the second and third women to lead combatant commands. It's an important milestone," Biden said. I think that speaks to how we're harnessing the strength and diversity of our country. Following the meeting, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the military leaders and their spouses for dinner in the White House Blue Room. Such a gathering was last held in October 2019. Donald Trump was president at the time and was facing a House inquiry that would lead to his first impeachment, which centered on allegations that he withheld military assistance from Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to dig up dirt on Biden's adult son's business dealings in Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President claimed victory in the biggest battle of the war in on Thursday, declaring the port of Mariupol liberated after nearly two months of siege although hundreds of defenders were still holed up inside a steel works. on Wednesday proposed to hold a special round of negotiations with Russia in the besieged city of Mariupol. Yes. Without any conditions. Were ready to hold a special round of negotiations right in Mariupol, top negotiator and presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. But the nation derided Putins attempt to avoid a final clash with its forces in the city as an acknowledgment that he lacked the troops to defeat them. In Washington, US President Joe Biden authorised a further $800 million in military aid for Ukraine, including heavy artillery. Facing the prospect of a longer and deadlier standoff, Putin ordered Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to call off the storming of the Azovstal steel works, saying it would save the lives of Russian troops. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can escape, he said, calling on remaining Ukrainian troops at the plant to surrender. Around 100,000 civilians are now in Mariupol, including between 300 and 1,000 hiding in bunkers in Azovstal, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said. The city links territory held by separatists Russia backs in Donbas with Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014. is closer-than-ever to a default on its sovereign money it owes after an industry body overseeing the credit-default swaps market said on Wednesday that the Kremlin failed to meet its obligations to collectors when it paid them with rubles earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported. paid bondholders in rubles on April 6 after the US blocked from utilising American banks to channel payments on its dollar-denominated bonds. The Russian Ministry of Finance mentioned it had tried to remit greenback curiosity payments due to bondholders by way of JPMorgan Chase & Co. The 14 counterparties that oversee the credit-default swaps market, together with funding banks, asset managers and brokerage companies, said unanimously on Wednesday that the borrower fell in need of fulfilling its debt obligations, as buyers didnt obtain dollars, which had been owed. Only four buses with civilians managed to escape from Mariupol after several unsuccessful attempts, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday, as thousands more remained trapped under relentless Russian attacks against the last pockets of Ukrainian resistance in the devastated southern port city. Another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol will be made on Thursday, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said. In Kyiv, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Snchez and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen became the latest European leaders to show support with a visit to the capital. They were due to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who warned in a video address overnight that the Russians were not abandoning their attempts to score at least some victory by launching a new, large-scale offensive. The West stands together to support the Ukrainian people, Danish Prime minister Frederiksen said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it submitted a draft of its demands for ending the war, and the West raced to supply with heavier weapons to counter the Russians' new drive to seize the industrial east. Britain's Defence Ministry said in an assessment that Russia likely desires to demonstrate significant successes ahead of its annual May 9 Victory Day celebrations. This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date. As fears grew for the fate of civilians in Mariupol, the Kyiv regional police said on Thursday that two mass graves with nine bodies were discovered in the city of Borodyanka, northwest of the capital. The findings added to thousands of civilians reported killed by Russian forces, who have been accused of wholesale abuses of Ukrainians. Head of the Kyiv regional police Andriy Nebytov said two women and a teenager were among the civilians killed by the Russian occupiers. I want to stress that these people are civilians. The Russian military deliberately shot civilians that didn't put up any resistance and didn't pose any threat, Nebytov said, adding that some of the victims were apparently tortured. With global tensions running high, Russia reported the first successful test launch of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. President boasted that it can overcome any missile defence system and make those who threaten Russia think twice". The head of the Russian state aerospace agency called the launch out of northern Russia a present to NATO. The Pentagon described the test as routine and said it wasn't considered a threat. On the battlefield, said Moscow continued to mount assaults across the east, probing for weak points in Ukrainian defensive lines. Russia said it launched hundreds of missile and air attacks on targets that included concentrations of troops and vehicles. The Kremlin's stated goal is the capture of the Donbas, the mostly Russian-speaking eastern region that is home to coal mines, metal plants and heavy-equipment factories. Detaching it from the rest of would give Putin a badly needed victory two months into the war, after the botched attempt to storm capital Kyiv. The UK Defence Ministry said Russian forces were advancing from staging areas in the Donbas toward Kramatorsk, which continues to suffer from persistent rocket attacks. The Luhansk governor said Russian forces control 80 per cent of his region, which is one of two that make up the Donbas. Before Russia invaded on February 24, the Kyiv government controlled 60 per cent of the Luhansk region. Governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russians, after seizing the small city of Kreminna, are now threatening the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna. He urged all residents to evacuate immediately. The occupiers control only parts of these cities, unable to break through to the centres, Haidai said on the messaging app Telegram. Analysts have said the offensive in the east could become a war of attrition as Russia faces Ukraine's most experienced, battle-hardened troops, who have fought pro-Moscow separatists in the Donbas for eight years. Russia said it presented Ukraine with a draft document outlining its demands for ending the conflict days after Putin said the talks were at a dead end. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the ball is in their court, we're waiting for a response. He gave no details on the draft, and it was not clear when it was sent or whether it offered anything new to the Ukrainians, who presented their own demands last month. Zelenskyy said he had not seen or heard of the proposal, though one of his top advisers said the Ukrainian side was reviewing it. Moscow has long demanded Ukraine drop any bid to join NATO. Ukraine has said it would agree to that in return for security guarantees from other countries. Other sources of tension include the status of both the Crimean Peninsula, seized by Moscow in 2014, and eastern Ukraine, where the separatists have declared independent republics recognised by Russia. In devastated Mariupol, Ukraine said the Russians dropped heavy bombs to flatten what was left of the sprawling Azovstal steel plant, believed to be the city's last pocket of resistance. A few thousand Ukrainian troops, by the Russians' estimate, remained in the plant and its labyrinth of tunnels and bunkers spread out across about 11 square kilometres. Zelenskyy said about 1,000 civilians were also trapped. A Ukrainian apparently in the plant posted a Facebook video urging world leaders to help evacuate people from the plant, saying, "We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children. The officer identified himself as Serhiy Volynskyy of the 36th Marine Brigade and warned: This may be our last appeal. We may have only a few days or hours left." The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. The Russian side issued a new ultimatum to the defenders to surrender, but the Ukrainians have ignored all previous demands. More than 100,000 people overall were believed trapped in Mariupol with little if any food, water, medicine or heat. The city's pre-war population was 400,000. Zelenskyy's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without conditions to save the lives of trapped Mariupol defenders and civilians. There was no immediate response from Russia. Mariupol holds strategic and symbolic value for both sides. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point of the war. Mariupol's fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. Elsewhere, some residents of the eastern city of Kharkiv have lived in basements for weeks, trying to stay safe from Russian shelling. With no running water, gas or electricity, they collect rainwater and cook on open fires, burning debris from destroyed wooden buildings. In one neighbourhood, they sought safety in a school basement using desks, tables and chairs to fashion beds. More than 300 people slept there during the first days of the war, but most have left for safer places, and only a few dozen remain. Stirring a large pot of a thin vegetable soup, a woman said volunteers brought cabbage, beets and canned beans. We mixed everything together and made borscht, said Natasha, who gave only her first name. As Russia funnelled troops and equipment into the Donbas, Western nations rushed to boost the flow of military supplies to Kyiv for this new phase of the war likely to involve trench warfare, long-range artillery attacks and tank battles across relatively open terrain. US President Joe Biden was set to announce plans on Thursday to send more military aid to Ukraine, according to a US official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Zelenskyy said Ukraine's Western allies have come to understand our needs better, adding that Ukraine is receiving new shipments of Western weapons now, when Russia is trying to step up its attacks, not in weeks or in a month. Putin, meanwhile, boasted that the Sarmat missile has no equivalents in the world. The Sarmat is intended to eventually replace the Soviet-built missile code-named Satan by NATO as a major component of Russia's nuclear arsenal. It will make those who, in the heat of frantic, aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country think twice, Putin 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.) may take nearly three weeks to appoint advisers to guide an overhaul of its debt, according to the countrys finance chief, a move seen as key to unlock emergency funds needed to ease its worsening . The country is aiming to choose financial and legal advisers in 15 to 20 days, Finance Minister Ali Sabry said in a Bloomberg Television interview with Kathleen Hays and Haidi Stroud-Watts late Wednesday in Washington. is seeking as much as $4 billion this year to help ease shortages of food, fuel and medicines as its foreign reserves dry up and it heads for a default on its debt. The economic decline in recent weeks has spiraled into a domestic crisis, with protests seeking the ouster of President Gotabaya turning deadly on Tuesday when police killed at least one person and wounded several others. About $500 million of the total funds sought by is expected to come as emergency aid from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank in the next six months, Sabry said. The IMF has said its rapid aid depends on progress on debt restructuring, but the lender has declined to comment on what represents adequate steps toward developing a credible debt plan. Our talks have been centered around restructuring, and along with that to go forward for a proper program with the IMF, Sabry said. An IMF program requires debt restructuring when they come to the finding that it is not sustainable in the long run. While the IMFs board could approve release of funds earlier if necessary, a first step along that path will be for the country to appoint advisers to chart the restructuring and payments of debts. Thats accompanied by fiscal reforms and other points, to meet the requirements of traditional multilateral lenders like the IMF and WB. A comprehensive aid package from the IMF may require about six months, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris said earlier Wednesday in Colombo. Sabry is in Washington with other officials seeking emergency funds during the so-called spring meetings of the . He added in the interview that Sri Lanka has been contacted by a couple of creditors, and that he also plans further talks with officials from the U.S., Japan, India and China, among others. Its early days, he said. Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland, has get investments of around 300 million in the UK and India to develop electric buses and light commercial vehicles. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday praised Switch Mobilitys in the UK and India. On a two-day visit to India, Johnson said Switch is an example of a business strengthening bilateral trade between countries. UK and Indian businesses confirmed more than 1bn in new investments. We are delighted that the Prime Minister has commended the Switch is making to become a leader in electric transportation as an example of the benefits of UK-India collaboration. Since forming Switch Mobility over a year ago, we have seen the pace of change to for public and commercial transportation increase significantly, said Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Switch Mobility. The company is expecting to create over 4,000 skilled jobs in the UK and India as part of the investment, the UK Prime Ministers visit also coincided with the launch of the Companys new 12m electric bus for India and the announcement of a new technical centre in the UK. With a strong order bank of nearly 600 buses and ambitious plans already in place, we believe we are well placed to capitalise on this growth. The new 12m bus has been designed specifically taking into account the requirements of the Indian market and delivering a range of up to 300km, he added. As part of the companys investment into the UK, Switchs new Technical Centre will be the focal point of its Global Research and Development team. Creating over 130 skilled jobs and led by Chief Technology Officer, Roger Blakey, the Centre will focus on development of Switchs next generation vehicles. The venue is expected to open in June 2022 and will work closely with Switchs existing R&D offices in Chennai, Leeds and Valladolid employing a further 200 engineers. has secured $46.5 billion in funding to buy Inc and is considering a tender offer for its shares, a filing with U.S. regulators showed on Thursday. Musk himself has committed to put up $33.5 billion, which will include $21 billion of equity and $12.5 billion of margin loans, to finance the transaction. Banks, including Morgan Stanley, have agreed to provide another $13 billion in debt secured against itself, according to the filing. was not immediately available for comment. Musk's latest move comes after Twitter failed to respond to his offer and adopted of a "poison pill" to thwart the billionaire's effort to buy the social media platform for $43 billion. Musk, a self-described "free speech absolutist," has said the social media company needs to be taken private to grow and become a platform for free speech. The offer from Musk, who is the second-largest shareholder of Twitter, has drawn private equity interest in participating in a deal for Twitter, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Apollo Global Management Inc is considering ways it can provide financing to any deal and is open to working with Musk or any other bidder, while Thoma Bravo has informed Twitter that it is exploring the possibility of putting together a bid. Musk, an active Twitter user with over 80 million followers on the platform, has made of number of announcements on the platform, including some that have landed him in hot water with U.S. regulators. In 2018, Musk tweeted he had "funding secured" to take Tesla Inc private for $420 per share - a move that led to millions of dollars in fines and him being forced to step down as chairman of the electric car company to resolve claims from the U.S. securities regulator that he defrauded investors. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu and Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) (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.) reported that its first-quarter net were over seven times greater than a year ago, buoyed by strong demand for its electric vehicles, with predicting output will grow at a fast clip for the rest of the year despite supply-chain challenges. The EV company reported first-quarter profits of $3.3 billion, up 658 percent from the year-ago period on an 81 percent jump in revenues to $18.8 billion. The first major US automaker to report financial results for the first three months, easily beat estimates with a record profit. It cautioned that production remains constrained by shortages and higher prices for key components, a common refrain for automakers due to global bottlenecks on supplies of parts such as semiconductors. But Chief Executive Officer Musk said should be able to make up for any production shortfalls in the first half of the year from coronavirus-related shutdowns at its factory in Shanghai, and is on track to expand production to more than 1.5 million vehicles this year. It delivered about 936,000 cars in 2021. We may pull a rabbit out of the hat, Musk said on a conference call on Wednesday. Q3 and Q4 will be substantially higher. The Austin, Texas-based company posted strong gains in profit and revenue for the first three months, including the sale of regulatory credits totaling $679 million more than double the previous quarter. Tesla has generated billions through sales of zero-carbon credits that allow other automakers to comply with stricter emissions regulations. But Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn said that credit gain was mostly due to a one-time $288 million benefit linked to stiffer U.S. emissions penalties. Tesla reported that its first-quarter net were over seven times greater than a year ago, buoyed by strong demand for its electric vehicles, with predicting output will grow at a fast clip for the rest of the year despite supply-chain challenges. The EV company reported first-quarter profits of $3.3 billion, up 658 percent from the year-ago period on an 81 percent jump in revenues to $18.8 billion. The first major US automaker to report financial results for the first three months, Tesla easily beat estimates with a record profit. It cautioned that production remains constrained by shortages and higher prices for key components, a common refrain for automakers due to global bottlenecks on supplies of parts such as semiconductors. But Chief Executive Officer Musk said Tesla should be able to make up for any production shortfalls in the first half of the year from coronavirus-related shutdowns at its factory in Shanghai, and is on track to expand production to more than 1.5 million vehicles this year. It delivered about 936,000 cars in 2021. We may pull a rabbit out of the hat, Musk said on a conference call on Wednesday. Q3 and Q4 will be substantially higher. The Austin, Texas-based company posted strong gains in profit and revenue for the first three months, including the sale of regulatory credits totaling $679 million more than double the previous quarter. Tesla has generated billions through sales of zero-carbon credits that allow other automakers to comply with stricter emissions regulations. But Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn said that credit gain was mostly due to a one-time $288 million benefit linked to stiffer U.S. emissions penalties. Shares of Tesla rose as much as 10.5 per cent to $1,079.90 in New York on Thursday, resulting in a nearly 2 per cent gain for the year. Profit totalled $3.22 a share, excluding some items, the automaker said on Wednesday. That beat the $2.27 average of analysts estimates. Increased sales of higher-margin vehicles and cost cuts helped Tesla improve its automotive gross margin to 32.9 per cent. Turkish President Recep has said that his country will continue to support the Palestinian cause even as the government is developing ties with Israel. "The steps we take for our political-economic relations with Israel ... are different" from the Palestinian cause, Erdogan told his lawmakers at parliament. will not abandon its support for Palestinians because of its political, cultural and economic relations with Israel, the Turkish President was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. "This does not mean that we will turn a blind eye to the occupation in Jerusalem and other Palestinian territories," he said. The effective way to defend the Palestinian cause is to have a "reasonable, consistent and balanced" relationship with Israel, Erdogan added. The tension between Israelis and Palestinians has flared up in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the past weeks, especially when the Jewish festival of Passover began on Friday during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog on Tuesday, Erdogan urged Herzog not to allow "provocations and threats" against the status and spirituality of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, according to a Twitter post by Erdogan. and Israel have been trying to mend ties in the past few months. The relations between the two countries were strained in 2010 when a Turkish-led flotilla attempting to break Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip clashed with Israeli forces, leaving 10 Turks on board killed. In a more recent spat in 2018, expelled the Israeli ambassador after Israeli forces killed Palestinians during protests on the Gaza border against the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem. --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.) UN Secretary-General has asked both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to receive him to discuss steps to bring about peace following Russia's special military operation in its neighbour. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said on Wednesday in a statement that separate letters were sent Tuesday afternoon to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine to the UN, asking Vladimir Putin to receive Guterres in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky to receive him in Kiev, Xinhua news agency reported. "The secretary-general said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the and law," Dujarric said. "He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the and have always been strong supporters of this organization," the spokesman added. The top UN official on Tuesday called for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting in Ukraine to allow for the opening of humanitarian aid corridors during the Orthodox Christian Holy Week. During the proposed pause, Guterres stated, civilians would be evacuated from "current or expected areas of confrontation" and humanitarian aid would be delivered to desperately in needy places such as Mariupol, Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson. --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 Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russia's war on Ukraine to come to the from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. A programme announced Thursday will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and fleeing the fighting, but will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the US-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have done since the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin began almost two months ago. The US says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Starting Monday, that route will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances, officials said. It's an effort for the US to uphold its commitment to help Eastern European nations contend with the 5 million refugees who have fled Ukraine while trying to reduce the number of migrants seeking to cross the US-Mexico border, which has become a political challenge for President Joe Biden and his administration. We are proud to deliver on President Biden's commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and fleeing Russian aggression to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the effort. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putin's unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country. US officials say a majority of the Ukrainian refugees want to stay in Eastern Europe because they have family fighting in the war and eventually hope to return home. Advocates have said the US should take far more than 100,000 refugees and do more to expedite the process. To qualify for admission to the US under the new expedited programme, officially known as Uniting for Ukraine, people must have been in Ukraine as of Feb 11; have a family sponsor in the United States; complete vaccinations and other public health requirements and pass background checks. Typically, they would start the application process in their home country, but that's no longer possible because the US pulled its diplomats from Ukraine. The State Department will expand resettlement operations in Eastern Europe under the new programme to compensate. Most will receive two years of residence and authorisation to work in the under what's known as humanitarian parole. Those who coming to the US through the formal refugee process, including thousands who will come as members of religious minority groups, will have permanent legal residency. It will be a streamlined process in Europe, but refugees won't be able to complete it in Mexico, senior administration officials told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the program before the public announcement. Instead, Ukrainians who show up at the border will generally be turned away without being able to apply for asylum under a public health order known as Title 42 that has been in place since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said the use of Title 42, which has been used to turn away more than 1.7 million people, is set to end May 23. The agency is under pressure to keep it in place not to control COVID-19, as it was supposedly intended, but to help ease an increase in migrants seeking to cross the border. Critics of the use of Title 42 at the border have pointed out that it denies people their right under US law and treaty to make claims for asylum and forces migrants to return to dangerous conditions in Northern Mexico and elsewhere. (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.) World Bank President David Malpass said that the global community is facing a "human catastrophe" in the wake of Russia's continued war against Ukraine. Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, Malpass said that if the war continues, there will be record increases in food prices which would push hundreds of millions people into poverty and lower nutrition. "It's a human catastrophe, meaning nutrition goes down. But then it also becomes a political challenge for governments who can't do anything about it, they didn't cause it and they see the prices going up. "The World Bank calculates there could be a huge 37 per cent increase in food prices, which is magnified for (the) poor, who will eat less and have less money for anything else such as schooling. And so that means that it's really an unfair kind of crisis. It hits the poorest the hardest. That was true also of Covid," he added. Regarding the "broad and deep" price hikes, the World Bank chief told the BBC that it was "affecting food of all different kinds oils, grains, and then it gets into other crops, corn crops, because they go up when wheat goes up". Although there was enough food in the world to feed everybody and global stockpiles are large by historical standards, he warned that there will have to be a sharing or sales process to get the food to where it is needed. Malpass further warned of a possible "crisis within a crisis" arising from the inability of developing countries to service their large pandemic debts, amid rising food and energy prices. "This is a very real prospect. It's happening for some countries, we don't know how far it'll go. As many as 60 per cent of the poorest countries right now are either in debt distress or at high risk of being in debt distress. "We have to be worried about a debt crisis, the best thing to do is to start early to act early on finding ways to reduce the debt burden for countries that are on have unsustainable debt, the longer you put it off, the worse it is," he told the BBC. The World Bank chief's statement came after the UN had said earlier this month that the ongoing war has led to a "giant leap" in food prices, as they hit a new record high in March, the BBC reported. The crisis has cut off supplies from the world's biggest exporter of sunflower oil and the cost of alternatives climbed. Ukraine is also a major producer of cereals such as maize and wheat which have risen sharply in price too. According to the UN Food Prices Index, the current rates are at their highest since records began 60 years ago, after they jumped nearly 13 per cent in March, following February's record high. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian President has called on to join the #ArmUkraineNow campaign on social networks. "Today I want to thank the millions of people around the world who support Ukraine and ask their leaders #ArmUkraineNow. They understand that any weapon in the hands of our army is designed solely to protect against invaders. Heavy weapons are a tool we need now to protect the civilian population from air and artillery shelling, to preserve our infrastructure and our cities. Russia will not stop alone," he wrote in a telegram post. "Arm us with enough heavy weapons, and we will end this war sooner rather than later - with fewer maimed and killed Ukrainian civilians and soldiers," the Ukrainian President was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency. He called for joining the millions of votes in the global campaign on social networks: #ArmUkraineNow. "1. Post a photo with the caption #ArmUkraineNow 2. Call on your government to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine 3. Mark 3 friends and ask them to do the same," Zelensky suggested. --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.) Mukesh Ambani-led (RIL) is set to become India's first company to hit market capitalisation (m-cap) of Rs 19 trillion after a strong rally over the past three trading days. RIL's m-cap hit Rs 18.85 trillion intra-day today after the stock price of the company touched a new high of Rs 2,787.10. The stock surpassed its previous high of Rs 2,750 that it touched on October 19, 2021. According to the BSE data, RIL m-cap stood at Rs 18.84 trillion at 01:16 PM, just a per cent away from the Rs 19-trillion feat. In the past three trading days, RIL's m-cap has zoomed Rs 1.64 trillion after the stock rallied 10 per cent since Monday, April 18, 2022. RIL is one of India's biggest conglomerates with a presence in refining or marketing petrochemicals (O2C), oil and gas exploration, retail, digital services and media, making it a well-diversified business entity. In April-December period (9MFY22), O2C and oil and gas contributed 50 per cent to the EBITDA level whereas retail, digital and others contributed 10 per cent, 34 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. Analysts at Morgan Stanley, on Wednesday, riased their target price on the stock to Rs 3,253 on the back of new-energy boost. "We estimate tightness in the gas and fuel refining will fund nearly half of RIL's new energy capex over the next three years as refining margins and gas prices stay above mid-cycle levels," it said in its report. It further added: We expect up to a 10 per cent boost to RIL's NAV in anticipation of quicker hydrogen monetization quite similar to its digital and retail NAVs over the past decade, which were discounted 3-4 years ahead of their actual earnings contribution. "We also estimate hydrogen can achieve a 14-15 per cent ROCE for RIL on a through-cycle basis on par with its highly profitable oil-to-chemicals operation. As the green hydrogen ecosystem is rolled out, it will also raise demand for RIL's solar panel," it added. Those at ICICI Securities, meanwhile, believe the long-term prospects and dominant standing of RIL in each of its product & service portfolio provide comfort for long term value creation. "RIL's consumer business will be the growth driver going ahead. The company has a strong balance sheet post fund raising while its traditional business will continue to generate steady cash flows," the brokerage firm added.. Goldman Sachs, too, expects the conglomerate's strong cash flow will drive capex of new energy business. "RIL's strong cash flow generation in the 'best in class' old energy business can fund the capex of the new energy business and in turn drive one of the fastest and most profitable net-zero transitions by 2035 amongst large energy companies," the brokerage firm added. Indian capital regulator and Canada's Manitoba Securities Commission (MSC) have entered into a pact for mutual cooperation, exchange of information and technical assistance. The move comes after the Union Cabinet last week approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and Manitoba Securities Commission. The MoU, which took effect on Wednesday, will strengthen cross border cooperation in the area of securities regulation, said in a statement. This will facilitate mutual assistance, contribute towards the efficient performance of the supervisory functions, aid in imparting technical domain knowledge, and enable effective enforcement of the laws and regulations governing the securities . The signing of this MoU will also make investors based in the province of Manitoba eligible to obtain registration as Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) with . The agreement was signed by Sebi chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and David Cheop, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson at MSC. Sebi has signed bilateral MoUs with securities regulators of various jurisdictions. It is also a signatory to the multilateral MoU (MMoU) and enhanced MMoU (EMMoU) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President . Photo: Bloomberg We need to work together to defend peoples lives and health, Xi said. Safety and health are the prerequisite for human development and progress. China is seeking to support economic growth weighed down by lockdown measures to contain the countrys worst Covid-19 outbreaks since the early days of the pandemic. March data showed the biggest contraction in retail sales and a surge in unemployment to the highest since early 2020, even before more stringent virus-control measures were introduced in places like Shanghai in April. We have yet to walk from the shadow of a once-in-a-century pandemic, Xi said. Economists at banks from UBS Group AG to Nomura Holdings Inc. have cut their full-year growth forecasts to well below the governments official 5.5% growth target. That adds social risks to the political pressures confronting Xi as he prepares for a twice-a-decade leadership reshuffle later this year expected to give him a precedent-breaking third term as Communist Party leader. China has also faced criticism from the countrys largest markets, the U.S. and European Union, for refusing to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. Xi support for Russian President Vladimir Putins justification for attacking his neighbor has fueled fears of foreign sanctions and an accelerated decoupling from the West. In his speech, Xi took a few veiled swipes at the U.S., urging a rejection of what he called a Cold War mentality and small circle alliances. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 395.8, up 1.5% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 5.39% in last one year as compared to a 20.41% jump in NIFTY and a 66.44% jump in the Nifty Energy index. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 395.8, up 1.5% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 1.23% on the day, quoting at 17346.7. The Sensex is at 57790.68, up 1.32%. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has gained around 7.44% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 14.01% in last one month and is currently quoting at 28690.7, up 0.77% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 48.23 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 49.51 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark April futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 395.95, up 1.2% on the day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is down 5.39% in last one year as compared to a 20.41% jump in NIFTY and a 66.44% jump in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 6.59 based on TTM earnings ending December 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad Thursday morning on a two-day visit to India. Johnson was accorded a grand welcome on a four-km route from Ahmedabad airport to a hotel with a colorful roadshow. The British Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Gandhi Ashram. Later in the day, he will go to Gujarat Biotechnology University and Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar. Johnson will also visit a plant of JCB Company at Halol near Vadodara. He will leave for Delhi in the evening. Johnson will hold bilateral consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow. The two Prime Ministers will review the implementation of the Roadmap 2030 and set their vision for further intensifying cooperation across the full spectrum of bilateral ties. They will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. India and the United Kingdom enjoy a long and historical relationship that was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the India-UK Virtual Summit last year. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 2781, up 2.3% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 45.88% in last one year as compared to a 20.41% spurt in NIFTY and a 66.44% spurt in the Nifty Energy index. Shares of Reliance Industries (RIL) jumped 9.17% in three trading sessions from its previous closing low of Rs 2,544.15 posted on 18 April 2022. The stock has zoomed nearly 47.93% from its 52-week low of Rs 1,877.60 recorded on 22 April 2021. The company hit an all time high today at Rs 2,786.05. RIL currently has a market capitalization of Rs 18.81 lakh crore. Meanwhile, an international broking company revised its price target of Reliance Industries higher, referring to opportunities from energy adoption. It expects a 20% upside for the stock. Also, Reliance Brands (RBL) has signed a definitive agreement to invest (either by itself and / or through its affiliates) in India's foremost Couturiers Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla (AJSK) for a 51% majority stake. The strategic partnership is aimed at accelerating the 35-year-old couture house's growth plans in India and across the globe. RBL is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures (holding company of all retail companies in Reliance Industries group) and began operations in 2007 with a mandate to launch and build global brands in luxury to premium segments across fashion and lifestyle. On the technical front, the stock's RSI (relative strength index) stood at 69.933. The RSI oscillates between zero and 100. Traditionally the RSI is considered overbought when above 70 and oversold when below 30. The stock is trading above its 50,100 and 200 days simple moving average placed at 2,474.26, 2443.83 and 2397.17 respectively. These levels will act as crucial support zones in near term. Reliance Industries is engaged in activities spanning across hydrocarbon exploration and production, Oil to chemicals, retail, digital services and financial services. On consolidated basis, the company reported 41.6% rise in net profit to Rs 18,549 crore on 57% increase in net sales to Rs 1,85,027 crore inQ3 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.) Reasons to stay optimistic on Chinese economy Xinhua) 08:06, April 21, 2022 * China's gross domestic product grew by 4.8 percent year on year in Q1, quickening from a 4-percent increase in the previous quarter. * This positive start to the year has defied uncertainties stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a resurgence of domestic COVID-19 infections. * The long-term economic fundamentals remain sound and the continued momentum of economic recovery has not changed. BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- With several economic indicators showing slower increases in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, some analysts are concerned that China is falling into a further slowdown, or even a slump. But is this actually the case? A closer look at the economic performance would prove that such concerns are overblown as the world's second largest economy remains resilient with a super-large market, complete industrial and supply chains and huge domestic demand. China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.8 percent year on year in Q1, quickening from a 4-percent increase in the previous quarter, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday. This positive start to the year has defied uncertainties stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a resurgence of domestic COVID-19 infections. Though lower than the 5.5-percent annual growth target set by policymakers in March, the Q1 growth will not "drag down" China's economic development in 2022, which mainly depends on economic operations in Q3 and Q4, according to Li Daokui, an economist with Tsinghua University. Overall, China has shown solid economic performance in Q1 and a 4.8-percent GDP expansion represents fairly rapid growth, Li told Xinhua. BRIGHT SPOTS A breakdown of the NBS data shows that the performance of the industrial sector and investment beat market expectations. In the first three months, China's value-added industrial output went up 6.5 percent year on year, and fixed-asset investment jumped 9.3 percent. In particular, investment in infrastructure rose 8.5 percent. As infrastructure projects usually last for longer periods, they are expected to maintain their momentum over the following quarters, according to Li. China's industrial upgrades and improvements in economic structure were also revealed in the NBS data, with the high-end manufacturing sector posting 14.2 percent output growth and final consumption spending contributing 69.4 percent of GDP expansion. In Q1, the output of new energy vehicles logged a marked increase of 140.8 percent, while that of solar batteries jumped 24.3 percent year on year, pointing to the country's continuous transition toward green growth. "The long-term economic fundamentals remain sound and the continued momentum of economic recovery has not changed," NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said. Looking into the full year, Fu expressed confidence in the economy, citing favorable conditions including reviving consumption, stronger investment, and innovation-driven industrial upgrades. CHALLENGES VERSUS FAVORABLE CONDITIONS The data showed that a range of contact-based sectors from catering, retail sales and employment have taken a hit as the Omicron variant has infected over 320,000 people across China since March, resulting in reduction or suspension of factory activities and freight transport. Retail sales of consumer goods rose 3.3 percent year on year in Q1, but decreased by 3.5 percent in March, becoming one of major aspects to take off the shine of Q1 economic expansion. However, the trend of recovery will not change and consumption will continue to function as the "ballast stone" of China's economy, Fu said. Authorities have pledged more measures to boost consumption, including encouraging spending on home appliances and other big-ticket items, and supporting purchases of new-energy vehicles. Due to the COVID-19 disruption, China's unemployment rate climbed slightly in Q1, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate reaching 5.8 percent in March and 5.5 percent in Q1. This is usually a peak season for job hunting activities as it comes just after the lunar new year holiday. However, China's employment situation has remained generally stable thanks to its job-first policy and ever-increasing support for struggling businesses, Fu said. Authorities have vowed to channel more unemployment insurance funds to underpin employment and training, and provide job seekers with no fewer than 1 million internship openings this year. China's economy is still relatively resilient and able to cope with challenges, said Liang Guoyong, a senior economist with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. He noted that China's macroeconomic policies have remained generally stable since the pandemic's outbreak, avoiding the excessive stimulus policies of major developed economies. "This means that the Chinese government has retained sufficient economic policy tools and macro-adjustment measures to ensure the smooth operation of the economy," he said. PRO-GROWTH POLICIES IN MOVE In order to reduce the burden on enterprises and further stabilize the economy, the country has adopted a series of measures, including cutting the cash amount banks must hold in reserve in the central bank and advancing a large-scale tax and fee cuts and rebates. On Friday, the central bank announced the cutting of the reserve requirement ratio for financial institutions by 0.25 percentage points. Designed to support the real economy, the move is expected to free up 530 billion yuan (82.8 billion U.S. dollars) in long-term liquidity. Most recently, at a national teleconference on ensuring the stability of supply and industrial chains on Monday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He urged efforts to eliminate obstacles to goods flows across the nation. The country will create a "white list" of foreign trade firms and companies in the automobile, medical and other key sectors, according to the meeting. Despite short-term fluctuations in several economic barometers, foreign investors have shown their confidence in Chinese market. According to recent reports by the German Chamber of Commerce in China and the American Chamber of Commerce in China, 71 percent of German-invested companies and over 60 percent of U.S. companies plan to increase investment in China. Foreign investment in China's high-tech industry grew 50 percent year on year in Q1, of which high-tech services sector posting growth of nearly 60 percent. This fully illustrates that "investing in China is investing in the future," analysts said. "Although the Chinese economy will come under near-term pressure because of pandemic controls, we remain confident in China economy's long-term resilience and vitality," a CNBC report quoted Monica Li, director of equities at Fidelity International, as saying. Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said the group is quite optimistic about the mid- and long-term prospect of the Chinese market. "Looking ahead, we are encouraged by China's pledge to further open its market, as well as its efforts to promote green development and innovation," he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The benchmark indices witnessed robust gains during morning trade, buoyed by a strong demand in IT and auto scrips. The Nifty index traded above 17,250 mark. At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, S&P BSE Sensex rallied 450.71 points or 0.79% at 57,488.21. The Nifty 50 index rose 128.10 points or 0.75% at 17,264.65. Meanwhile, Reliance Industries (RIL) (up 1.74%) hit an all-time record high of Rs 2,776.40 during intraday trade. Oil prices traded higher on Thursday, after being rocked earlier in the week by supply losses from Libya and a worrying outlook for demand as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its global growth forecasts. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.80%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 1.27%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 2,257 shares rose while 887 shares fell. A total of 128 shares were unchanged. As per provisional data, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,009.26 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,645.82 crore in the Indian equity market on 20 April 2022. COVID-19 Update: India reported 2,380 COVID-19 cases and 56 deaths as of Thursday. The active cases in the country are above 13,000. Results Today: HCL Technologies (up 0.46%), ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company (up 1.33%), L&T Technology Services (LTTS) (up 1.78%), Cyient (up 3.13%) and Rallis India (up 0.72%) will release their quarterly earnings today, 21 April 2022. Buzzing Index: The Nifty IT index rose 0.96% to 32,483.70. The index added 2.13% in two trading sessions. Among the components of the Nifty IT index, Coforge (up 1.89%), L&T Technology Services (LTTS) (up 1.78%), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (up 1.75%), Infosys (up 1.3%) and Mindtree (up 1.19%) were the top gainers. Among the other gainers were Wipro (up 0.7%), HCL Technologies (up 0.46%) and Tech Mahindra (up 0.03%). On the other hand, Mphasis (down 0.3%) and Larsen & Toubro Infotech (LTI) (down 2.31%) declined. Earnings in Spotlight: Angel One surged 6.45%. The company's consolidated net profit doubled to Rs 204.7 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 101.9 crore in Q4 FY21. Total Revenue from operations increased by 64.3% YoY to Rs 671.3 crore during the quarter. Total expenses rose by 48.6% to Rs 411 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Profit before tax in Q4 FY22 stood at Rs 205.4 crore, up by 94.6% from Rs 105.6 crore in Q4 FY21. As compared with Q3 FY22, the company's net profit and revenue are higher by 24.4% and 12.4%, respectively. Earnings before depreciation, amortization, & taxes (EBDAT) improved by 23.9% to Rs 279.5 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 225.6 crore in Q3 FY22. EBDAT margin expanded to 54.9% in Q4 FY22 from 50.7% in Q3 FY22. The company witnessed strong gross addition in client base by 1.5 million clients in Q4 FY22 as compared to 1.3 million clients in Q3 FY22. Total client base was 9.2 million in Q4 FY22 as against 7.8 million in Q3 FY22. ICICI Securities dropped 7.49%. The brokerage house reported a 3.3% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 340.2 crore on a 20.6% rise in total revenue from operations to Rs 891.6 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Consolidated profit before tax grew 3.2% to Rs 455.3 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Interest income jumped 105% to Rs 211.9 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 103.3 crore in Q4 FY21. The company said it added 6.18 lakh clients during the quarter ended March 2022. Despite of client addition, brokerage income declined 5.5% to Rs 372.8 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 394.5 crore in Q4 FY21. ICICI Sec said that decline in brokerage income was primarily due to fall in retail equity volumes. In Q4 FY22, Equities and Allied Business, which comprises retail equity, institutional equity, lending towards ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plans) & MTF (Margin Trade Funding), Prime & NEO subscription fees and other charges, rose 20% year-on-year to Rs 521.5 crore. The company's Distribution revenue stood at Rs 168.6 crore in Q4FY22 up 21% against Q4 FY21. ICICI Sec said that Distribution Business continued to scale with increasing contribution in revenue while Retail equities revenue remained stable. ICICI Sec's Private Wealth Management (PWM) business reported Rs 251.8 crore of revenue in Q4 FY22, up by 59% year on year. Nestle India declined 2.40%. The FMCG major recorded a 1.25% fall in standalone net profit after taxes to Rs 594.71 crore in Q1 March 2022 from Rs 602.25 crore in Q1 March 2021. However, revenue from operations jumped 10.24% to Rs 3,980.70 crore in Q1 March 2022 over Rs 3,610.82 crore in Q1 March 2021. Crypto Market: Among the popular crypto currencies, Bitcoin (BTC) (up 0.86%), Binance Coin (BNB) (up 0.25%), Tether (USDT) (up 0.18%) and Ethereum (ETH) (up 0.10%) advanced. However, Doge Coin (Doge) (down 3.15%) declined. 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 Delhi on Wednesday hit out at the and said it has become "nervous" over the demolition drive against illegal and Bangladeshis in Jahangirpuri whom it provided "freebies". The leaders launched a scathing attack on the BJP, hours after the saffron party-ruled North MCD started a demolition drive in Jahangirpuri that was stayed by the Supreme Court. Delhi president Adesh Gupta charged that opposition parties were giving a "political colour to the removal of rioters' encroachments. Jahangirpuri witnessed violence and arson on Saturday last during a Hanuman Jayanti procession with people from two communities engaging in stone pelting. "The patronising Rohingiyas and Bangladeshis is nervous at their encroachments being removed. Mamta Banerjee allows and Bangladeshis to enter India while Kejriwal gives them freebies and shelter," Gupta alleged. This was not the first one when the North corporation took action in this locality. This is seventh such action in this area, he claimed. Gupta said the corporation never targets a particular community or religion but always takes action against illegal encroachments. "Now the AAP is nervous because in this area the party has its MLA and councillor who have have been protecting these Rohingiyas and Bangladeshis living there illegally," he charged. North East Delhi MP alleged that the AAP helped illegal and Bangladeshis to settle at Jahangirpuri and Okhla in Delhi but was now disowning the responsibility. "Everyone is watching the opportunist AAP now. You were ready to do anything to get their votes but in your zeal to attack BJP you are abandoning them," Tiwari said replying to Senior AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister charge. Sisodia had alleged that the BJP in last eight years of its rule at the Centre helped settling Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in the country. AAP leaders Sisodia, Raghav Chadha, and Sanjay Singh attacked the BJP saying razing the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP headquarters using bulldozers will free the country from communal violence and riots forever. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party alleged that it was the BJP that had engineered clashes between two communities in Jahangirpuri during a Hanuman Jayanti procession last week as well as other such incidents of violence in various parts of the country during Ram Navami. (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 Thursday criticised the arrest of MLA and termed it unlawful. Mevani was arrested by Police on Wednesday from Palanpur in and later taken to . In a statement, said: "The unlawful & unconstitutional arrest of at midnight by Police is the latest proof of authoritarianism under ." "Such an arrest of a people's representative not only betrays their fear of criticism but also attacks the foundations of our democracy," he added. Former president of JNU Students' Union posted on twitter: "Vadgam MLA arrested by Assam police from Palanpur circuit House. Police yet to share the copy of the FIR with us, we have been informed about some case filed against him in Assam and is likely to be deported to Assam tonight." (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.) Days after the formation of Goa government, Chief Minister met Union Home Minister in on Wednesday. This was Sawant's first visit to the capital after the formation of the state government. The meeting lasted for more than half an hour, he informed the Home Minister about the development works of the state by the Goa government and took his guidance to move forward. Sawant had reached late Tuesday night for his tour. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Gujarat during his visit, he is likely to meet the Prime Minister during his next visit. The Prime Minister was on a three-day visit to Gujarat from April 18 to 20 to inaugurate various projects. Last month, took oath as the for the second consecutive term after Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the Assembly polls in Goa conducted earlier this year. Of the five states - Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Goa and Punjab - where polls were held, retained power in four states. In the recently concluded state Assembly polls, the emerged as the single largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly while Congress came a distant second with 11 seats. (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.) leader on Wednesday hit out at the government in Bihar, alleging that the dispensation in the state is "pursuing communal and divisive agenda". He also accused the state government of failing to generate employment opportunities, maintain law and order and address farmers' issues. "Recent reports of the central government's agencies - CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) and NITI Aayog - showed the as a failure on almost all indicators. The is not serious about meeting the basic needs of people. The government in the state is simply pursuing communal and divisive agenda," Yadav wrote in a letter titled 'Dil Ki Baat' to residents of the state on Wednesday. The problem of education, migration and unemployment is "at its peak in Bihar under the so-called double engine government", he said. "The condition of law and order is bad and corruption is rampant in every field," said the leader. He also alleged that the government has failed to fulfil its promises made before the 2020 assembly polls in the state. He stated that the parties, which have been ruling Bihar for the last 17 years, will "never think for the well-being" of people. As per the Niti Aayog's Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI), Bihar has the highest proportion of "multidimensionally poor" people, 51.91 per cent of the state's population. Poverty, under MPI, was measured on three equally weighted dimensions - health, education, and standard of living. (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.) Tesla CEO has predicted that will soon be worth more than the car business and even the FSD (full-self-driving) programme. At Tesla's Texas gigafactory opening earlier this month, Musk had said that a new wave of products, like the Optimus robot, will be introduced in 2023. Musk told analysts during the company's Q1 2022 earnings call late on Wednesday that people did not realise the magnitude of the Optimus robot programme. "The importance of Optimus will become apparent in coming years. Those who are insightful or listen carefully will understand that Optimus ultimately will be worth more than the car business, worth more than FSD," he noted. Tesla is working on a humanoid robot and the prototype that will arrive sometime in 2023. The Tesla robot will weigh 125 pounds and have a walking gait of 5 miles per hour. The 5.8-inch bot would be used to handle automated machines at Tesla factories, as well as some of the hardware and software that powers the Autopilot driver assistance software. The robot's face will house a screen to display important information. Musk also said that the company is working on a dedicated robotaxi. "That's highly optimised for autonomy, meaning it would not have steering wheel or pedals. And there are a number of other innovations around it that I think are quite exciting," he announced. Robotaxi may reach volume production in 2024. "Looking at some of our projections, it would appear that a robotaxi ride will cost less than a bus ticket, a subsidized bus ticket or subsidized subway ticket," Musk noted. "I think that really will be a massive driver of Teslaas growth. And we remain on track to reach volume production of the Cybertruck next year." --IANS na/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Entrepreneurship may not be in his genes, but Shashank Sharma started his own business at the young age of 22 and followed his passion to be a successful entrepreneur. Shashank is the name behind India's renowned internationally acclaimed tea cafe, The Tea Factory (TTF). Shashank's journey from Indore to India and then to International Tea Cafe Franchise Chain Owner within just 10 years began in the year 2012. Shashank introduced The Tea Factory (TTF) cafe in the market when the craze for tea and coffee in the Food and beverage industry was at its lowest. It was an entirely new concept at that time. The aim was to bring together different flavors of tea such as Kashmiri kahwa, Masala Chai, Green Tea, Nilgiri tea, Darjeeling tea, and the likes under one roof. It was to create a heaven for chai lovers where they could meet, hang out, and experience the best of their most loved beverage. The Tea Factory came into the picture when tea spots usually meant tapris, and small roadside shops. It was either about 2-5 rupees cutting chai near the roadside shops or costly cups of tea at high-class hotels and cafes. In such a scenario, the opening of a cafe with multiple options of tea flavors with light music, a soothing environment, a beautiful exterior, and an interior was like a breath of fresh air. It is not easy to change one's habits. Therefore, reaching out to all the chai lovers out there and giving them the best experience and service was not easy. Sharing his experience, Shashank says, "I wanted to bring something new to the market. Right from the start, the goal was to bring into focus the various flavors of our tea culture directly to the customers. Tea has always been the favorite beverage of all time. We wanted to bring different flavors of tea from different regions to one place. This means you don't need to visit Kashmir to drink Kashmiri kahwa." Notably, Shashank started the revolution of chai cafe franchise business globally. The Tea Factory (TTF) is also known for its low investment high return business model. In terms of the franchise, it is also the only T-Cafe brand in the world to encourage investment at the most affordable rates. The Tea Factory has become one of the most popular brands with its foray into the food and beverage industry in the year 2013. He further adds, "I started the first The Tea Factory (TTF) outlet in 2013 and expanded it through the franchise model. Today, it has become one of the fastest-growing tea cafe franchises, having its outlets in around nine countries, around the world including India, Saudi, UAE, and Nepal. With The Tea Factory (TTF), we provide full support in terms of outlet designing; product development, and production training, helping franchises achieve 360-degree quality marks. The Tea Cafe Franchise Partners are given critical training on Tea Room Operations, Supply Chain, Customer Satisfaction, Manpower, etc." Interestingly, in all the outlets, Shashank personally looks after the chef management and tea supplies. Over the years, there has been a dynamic change in the tea-coffee culture, especially in India. Starting from the grass root level, Shashank is definitely the man who revolutionalized the tea culture in the form of The Tea Factory (TTF) not only in India but also around the world. Fighting against all the odds, Shashank definitely managed to make his dream the most interesting reality for millions of tea lovers. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The summer made an early entry this year, nudging people to switch on ACs, coolers and fans in the middle of March. But cooling comes at a cost. Tons and tons of coal is burnt in power plants to keep the homes and offices cold. And just like last summer, coal stock is dwindling again. Nomura said that most power plants are grappling with and hinted at . We find out more about the current situation and what could be done to address it. Just like coal and electricity, the demand for masks is going up. Cases of Covid-19 are rising in several parts of the country. So at a time when the economy is still reeling under the impact of the previous wave and simultaneously trying to absorb the shock of the Russia-Ukraine war, the severity of a possible fourth wave may well have far-reaching consequences. Business Standard's Bhaswar Kumar spoke to Professor K Srinath Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India, about how the fourth Covid wave is likely to play out. Markets too are keeping fingers crossed as cases soar again. Meanwhile, after a decade of downtrend, rising investments in industrial and household segments, bottoming out of prices, and sustained demand have brightened the outlook for the sector. But, as recovery remains uneven between housing and commercial space, how should investors play the theme? From the hustle and bustle of Mumbais Dalal Street, let us move on to quiet lanes of Zurich, Basel and Geneva in Switzerland-- which house a number of banks famous for stashing huge amounts of wealth shielded by countrys age-old secrecy laws. Let's demystify the aura of secrecy around these Swiss banks and more about the laws governing them in this episode of the podcast. Early Swiss laws protecting the identity of clients were codified way back in 1713 AD by authorities in Geneva -- a city which, by then, had become a refuge for the wealth of French royalties and European elites. Since then, the notion of secrecy has always been at the centre of all the banking laws formed in Switzerland, a small European country tucked between snow-capped Alps. And about 80 years ago, in 1934, a law made sharing client information with foreign countries a criminal offence. Article 47 of the Swiss Banking Act said that without the customer's consent and in the absence of a criminal complaint, revealing clients details to almost anyone, including the government, would be a crime. A violation could land the person in question in prison for five years. And, over the years, the country became a magnet for tax-dodging people and entities around the world. They parked their money to evade taxes in their countries denting their governments exchequers. But some sort of watershed moment came in May, 2014 when over 50 countries signed a declaration prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The countries, for the first time, agreed on global exchange of information about their respective taxpayers financial information. Switzerland too promised to share information about client bank accounts. But, early this year, a leak of Credit Suisse data again triggered a debate around the banking laws of the Alpine country. The alleged leak revealed that the banks clients were involved in torture, drug trafficking and money laundering. Meanwhile, back home in India, the hunt for is still on. Prime Minister Narendra Modi rode to power in 2014, promising to bring it back. But in July 2021, a news agency reported that Minister of State for Pankaj Chaudhary had told the Lok Sabha that the government had no official estimate of the kept in for the past 10 years. Since 2018, India and Switzerland have a system of automatic exchange of information in tax matters. Under it, in September 2019, for the first time, detailed financial information on all Indian residents with accounts in Swiss financial institutions was provided to Indian authorities. But most experts believe that the official data given by the is that of the legal wealth parked by Indians there. The reaches after travelling through 5-6 tax havens, like Jersey Island To Havana. This process is called layering, which makes it very difficult for authorities to trace the trail. Meanwhile, India has passed a Black Money law that arms its taxmen to go after citizens with secret foreign bank accounts and assets. Citing lawyers, a financial daily report said that close to half a dozen appeals were coming up for hearing in Switzerland courts. The petitions want to stop Swiss authorities from sharing information with India. The grounds for appeal are that the Indian law can be applied retroactively and that it can be used to impose criminal sanctions that would be stricter than those that would have applied at the time the offences were committed originally. Swiss National Bank data show that in 2020, funds kept by Indian individuals and companies in Swiss banks rose to their highest level in 13 years. Clearly, despite all the negative connotations, Swiss banks continue to be popular. Netflixs shocking announcement that it has lost subscribers for the first time in a decade has resulted in a dramatic drop in stock price and sent ripples across the streaming industry. The companys troubles became known during its Q1 earnings after-hours on Tuesday. What happened? Investors and analysts had low expectations for this quarter, but Netflix underperformed even those already-weak projections. As a result, the companys shares hit their lowest point since early 2018, falling as much as 37% by Wednesday morning. The drop resulted in a loss of over $50 billion in market cap, plunging the companys valuation to under $100 billion. This weeks drop is just the latest in a series of financial blows suffered by Netflix, and combined with a January drop of 20%, has seen the companys shares lose two-thirds of their value over the past six months. Investors who once treated Netflix as a high-tech growth stock have clearly readjusted to viewing the company as a traditional media content provider. How big was the drop? The biggest shock for investors was that the company reported a loss of 200,000 subscribers worldwide in the first quarter of 2022. Its the first time since the company split its dvd and streaming businesses in 2011 that Netflix has seen a fall in subscriber numbers. Price hikes in the U.S. and Canada resulted in a loss of 600,000 subscribers in these two countries alone, though Japan, India, and the Philippines added subscribers. Some perspective: the company had forecast 2.5 million additional subscribers in Q1, which was already considered a disappointment since they had added 4 million in the same period of 2021. To make matters worse, Netflix offered even weaker guidance for Q2, warning that it may lose another two million subscribers over the next three months. At the beginning of the decade, Russian animation producers developed a plan to grow the countrys global footprint in terms of animation production and exportation. That strategy is now in need of a complete overhaul as many Western countries have levied cultural sanctions against Russia, while other past and potential partners are unofficially refusing to deal with Russian companies for the time being. Says Slashcheva: In 2020, we created a strategy that the industry should become one of the top ten world animation powers in five to seven years At the moment, in terms of the volume of the animation market, Russia is near the bottom of the Top 20. Initially, the plan called for the largest of Russias animated production companies to double their export figures. Leading candidates to buy those productions were based in North America, Europe, and Asia, and Soyuzmultfilm already had several deals in place. At the beginning of this year, the studio had some very good deals to sell our content abroad and enlisted the support of a large production and distribution company in Europe. The growth of international sales was the main goal of Soyuzmultfilm for the next five years. The current situation has completely changed the entire landscape, including our plans. Companies in the U.S., Europe, and Australia have halted their purchases of Russian childrens content, although interest remains. Needing a new strategy, Soyuzmultfilm is looking elsewhere for potential partners. Slashcheva suggests other Russian studios do the same. Now we must reorient ourselves to other markets, to where they are waiting for us, where they are ready to see us. This is the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. I think that this is where the international focus of Russian studios will be concentrated in the next two or three years. And Im sure we are competitive in terms of quality and cost of our animation. Exactly how the shift in target markets will change the Russian industrys top ten ambitions is not addressed in the piece, and perhaps its too early to speculate. Image at top: Yuri Norsteins Hedgehog in the Fog (1975), produced by Soyuzmultfilm. All quotes used in this piece were translated using Google Translate. The full interview, in Russian, can be found on Snob.ru. Photo: Contributed Health Canada has issued a recall for various brands of ice cream products because they may contain pieces of plastic and metal. The ice cream is produced by the Agropur Cooperative based out of Quebec and distributed by Baskin and Robins, Best Buy, President's Choice and Scotsburn Joins Farmers. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency the ice cream could contain extraneous material and should not be consumed. Photo: Contributed If you have any questions people are encouraged to call 1-800-442-2342. All of the products have been sold nationally across Canada. Photo: The Canadian Press Rogers corporate head office and headquarters seen from Ted Rogers Way in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. Rogers Communications Inc. said it earned a first-quarter profit of $392 million, up from $361 million a year earlier, and raised its guidance for the year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler Rogers Communications Inc. says it will make more money than expected this year and is still "on track" to close its $26 billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. by the end of the quarter. Rogers said Wednesday it earned a first-quarter profit of $392 million, up from $361 million a year earlier. Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri said in a statement that the company is raising its guidance to reflect its "improved outlook" based on strong results across all businesses. "We are very confident about the opportunities ahead, driven by the exceptional quality of our assets and the dedicated efforts of the Rogers team," said Staffieri, who became CEO earlier this year after a battle for control of the company's board of directors pitted members of the Rogers family against one another and resulted in the departure of previous chief executive Joe Natale. The Toronto-based telecommunications company raised its guidance for total service revenue growth, saying it now expects it to grow six to eight per cent this year compared with an earlier forecast for growth between four and six per cent. The company also raised its expectations for adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to the range of eight to 10 per cent compared with earlier guidance for growth between six and eight per cent. This is in line with Telus Corp. and higher than BCE Inc.'s two to five per cent. Free cash flow for the year is now expected to be between $1.9 billion and $2.1 billion, up from earlier guidance for between $1.8 billion and $2 billion. "It is not common for telecom companies to increase their outlook this early in the year, which speaks to management's improved visibility on the company's operations amid the reopening," Desjardins analyst Jerome Dubreuil said in a note. The cable, wireless and media company said its net income amounted to 77 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, up from 70 cents per diluted share in the first three months of 2021. Revenue totalled $3.62 billion, up from $3.49 billion a year earlier. Rogers said the increase came as wireless service revenue rose seven per cent in the quarter mainly as a result of higher roaming revenue associated with significantly greater travel as COVID-19-related global travel restrictions eased. A larger postpaid mobile phone subscriber base also contributed to the increase. Wireless equipment revenue fell 10 per cent, as a result of fewer device upgrades by existing subscribers and fewer of its new subscribers purchasing devices. Cable service revenue rose one per cent, while media revenue increased 10 per cent, boosted by higher sports-related revenue. On an adjusted basis, Rogers said it earned 91 cents per diluted share for the quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 77 cents per diluted share a year earlier. One analyst on the company's earnings call asked about a Globe and Mail report citing unidentified sources that said Rogers has presented Ottawa with a deal that would see Xplornet Communications Inc., a Canadian rural internet provider, acquire wireless carrier provider, Freedom Mobile, which is owned by Shaw. It's expected that Shaw will have to sell its Freedom assets as a requirement of the deal's regulatory approval. "We're not going to comment on any rumours that are out there," Staffieri said during the call. Some analysts nonetheless saw the report by the newspaper as a good sign for the deal, overall. "This represents another milestone toward merger approval," Dubreuil said. On the call, Rogers added that it has started working with its vendors and is beginning to make leadership preparations for the merger, though it is still awaiting full regulatory approval. Rogers also said that the target remains $1 billion of cost synergies within two years of the deal closing. In March, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved the transfer of Shaw's broadcast services to Rogers. Rogers said Wednesday that teams from both Rogers and Shaw "continue to work constructively with the Competition Bureau and ISED Canada to ensure they have the information they need to assess the significant benefits the combined company will bring to Canadians and the Canadian economy." Rogers held its annual meeting of shareholders Wednesday as well, where Staffieri said the acquisition of Shaw would give the company the scale to "meaningfully bridge the digital divide" and "drive competition," despite concerns from critics who see the transaction hampering competition. Photo: The Canadian Press Students sit under a canopy of cherry blossom trees in full bloom at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, on Thursday, April 7, 2022. The University of British Columbia says it will keep its mask mandate for indoor spaces until the end of June as experts anticipate the province will enter the sixth wave of the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck The University of British Columbia says it will keep its mask mandate for indoor spaces until the end of June as experts anticipate the province will enter the sixth wave of the pandemic. The university says in a statement there are signs of further Omicron variants and increased case numbers. It says masks provide an added layer of protection, especially for those who are most vulnerable. The university says it will monitor the situation and adjust protocols if needed. Simon Fraser University says on its website that it encourages mask use on campuses and particularly in spaces where people are close together. British Columbia lifted its mask mandate and capacity limits March 11. Photo: The Old Farmer's Almanac The Old Farmer's Almanac calls for sizzling temperatures across Canada in summer 2022 and dry weather conditions in British Columbia. The Old Farmer's Almanac calls for sizzling temperatures across Canada this summer. In its recently released summer 2022 forecast, the reference book forecasts a toasty summer across most of North America, noting that "the summer heat wont be stopped at the border" and Western Canada should see intense heat toward the end of July. "Many localities during that time will be dealing with highs of 30 to 35 C," notes the report. On the other side of Canada, the forecast includes overall averages leaning near seasonably warm temperatures. This is expected to be in part due to "unseasonably cool" temperatures in September, however. Early August is expected to include "blistering hot" temperatures across much of Canada, while "British Columbia Day festivities will be held under changeable skies along with a few widely scattered showers," according to the report authors. The intense heat is expected to dissipate after mid-August, but B.C. is expected to have "unusually dry" conditions. Towards the end of September cooler weather may produce some snowfall in parts of the Rocky Mountains. Photo: Vopak Artist's rendering of storage tanks for Vopak Pacific Canada's proposed bulk fuels export terminal in Prince Rupert. An $885 million liquid fuels export terminal on Ridley Island in Prince Rupert has gotten the green light from the B.C. Ministry of Environment. Should it get federal approval as well, it would be the second bulk fuels export terminal in Prince Rupert. The other is the AltaGas (TSX:ALA) propane export terminal. The Vopak Pacific Canada terminal would export propane as well as other liquid fuels, like diesel, gasoline and methanol. The fuels would arrive in Prince Rupert by rail and be stored at Vopaks proposed new bulk liquids storage facility on Ridley Island. Vopak has estimated the project would cost $885 million to build over a period of two years and employ 250 people during construction. It would employ 39 people once in operation. The project has been the subject of a provincial environmental review that has taken nearly four years. The project entered the BC Environmental Assessment process in July 2018. On Wednesday, the B.C. Minister of Environment, George Heyman, issued a provincial environmental certificate. Conditions attached to the provincial certificate include: developing a greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan; working with the local community and First Nations to address potential adverse effects on community services, infrastructure and well-being; and participating in initiatives at the request of the province to manage potential cumulative effects of this and other projects in the area The project is within the shared traditional territories of six First Nations: the Gitga'at, Gitxaa?a, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum, Metlakatla and Lax Kw'alaams. Many of the concerns identified by First Nations and the public during consultation and engagement fall under federal jurisdiction, such as rail transport and marine shipping, the ministry of Environment says in a press release. Ministers have written federal regulators recommending concerns regarding the impacts of potential spills and increased rail and marine traffic be addressed in the parallel federal review process currently underway, or through other government actions. Vopak Pacific Canada is a Canadian subsidiary of the Dutch company, Royal Vopak N.V. The project is still in the review process with Environment and Climate Change Canada. Photo: DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Victoria fire investigators work at home on Caledonia Avenue that was damaged in a fire on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy caught his children as they jumped from a second-floor window early Wednesday at their burning Victoria home. All got out safely, he said, but his 11-year-old daughter had to go to the hospital for stitches after being cut by shattered glass when she landed. Victoria police are calling the fire an arson, and Vyshnevskyy is saying it was targeted at his family. Vyshnevskyy, a pastor at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church next door, is convinced the fire was set deliberately in the area of the front porch. He said there was a smell of gasoline, which he thinks was the accelerant. He said he and his wife are still trying to wrap our heads around what happened, how it happened and who did it. Who would want to burn a family with children while they are asleep? Asked if the fire was somehow related to the war in Ukraine, he said he didnt want to think that way. He said hasnt had any threats because of the war or anything else. Nothing, he said. This was a shock. The wooden heritage home, where the family has lived for about six years, serves as a parish rectory for the church. Even though the home had heavy damage, the church located at the corner of Cook Street and Caledonia Avenue looked to have escaped any effect from the fire. The home on the other side seemed unscathed, as well. Vyshnevskyy said his wife was awakened by a noise about 1 a.m. then realized there was a fire. At first, he tried to put it out with water. It just was spreading too fast. He ran outside through the back door then realized his wife and children were on the second floor, with the fire now right underneath the staircase. Black smoke was filling the interior of the home, Vyshnevskyy said. You could hardly see what was happening. Mom and the kids went to a window with him waiting below, by this time joined by a neighbour from across the street. The five- and seven-year-old were caught easily when they jumped but it was a little hard with the eldest, who ended up cutting her arm badly and losing a lot of blood, Vyshnevskyy said. Her injury was luckily limited to soft-tissue damage, he said. He said the Victoria Fire Department was on the scene by then and used a ladder to get his wife out. Vyshnevskyy said he is extremely grateful that his family is safe. You have to be thankful, he said. God is watching. God is protecting us. For his wife to wake up when she did is amazing, he said, because even a minute or two delay could have made things so much more dangerous. I dont want to think what could have happened. Traffic in the area was detoured for a time, including B.C. Transit routes along Cook Street. Vyshnevskyy said he expects to cancel regular 9 a.m. services through Friday but is planning to hold a Sunday service. Photo: The Canadian Press Carl Girouard, 26, is seen in an undated police handout photo received April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy of SPVQ (Quebec City police) Police and first responders who engaged with the man accused in Quebec City's Halloween 2020 stabbing murders encountered a serene suspect who kept quiet under hours of questioning, a jury trial heard Wednesday. Carl Girouard was described by a series of witnesses as calm, co-operative and attentive as he was placed under arrest, taken to hospital, and later, transported to a detention facility to be interrogated. Girouard, 26, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Suzanne Clermont, 61, and Francois Duchesne, 56, in the historic Old Quebec district on Oct. 31, 2020. He is also charged with five counts of attempted murder for allegedly injuring five other people with a sword that night. The judge has told jurors that Girouard admits to the physical acts but will argue he was not criminally responsible at the time of the events because he was suffering from a mental disorder. One of the officers who arrested Girouard, Const. Audrey Boulet, said he was compliant and appeared coherent moments after she took him into custody in the early hours of Nov. 1, 2020. Boulet told the court that when she and her partner, Dany Gauthier, approached Girouard, the suspect seemed to have been waiting for the arrival of police. They told him to drop his sword and he obeyed, Boulet said, adding that Girouard was listening to her orders as he was being handcuffed. Boulet said Girouard did not have identification and refused to give his name; instead, he told her to check his 2006 black Saturn vehicle parked near the Chateau Frontenac hotel. She testified that she was with Girouard for several hours after his arrest, including in hospital, where he was taken as a precaution. Boulet said she escorted him to a detention centre after he was discharged. According to our observations, he was calm; he complied with orders that he was given, Boulet said. There were no disjointed comments, no incoherent talk during our observations." The jury also heard Wednesday from Pierre-Luc Laflamme, a paramedic who tended to Girouard after his arrest, who also described the suspect's demeanour as calm following the sword attacks. Laflamme said Girouard answered his questions but then suddenly stopped responding. "It was a call like any other; that's what was strange," Laflamme said, testifying that he had expected to encounter someone less collaborative. Also Wednesday, a Quebec City detective who questioned Girouard for more than five hours said the accused maintained his silence throughout the interrogation. Lt.-Det. David Gionet said the suspect made visual contact and appeared to understand what he was being told. Gionet, however, said he was unable to get Girouard to answer questions despite trying a variety of methods to establish a connection with the suspect. He noted that the only time Girouard spoke in his presence was to request his lawyer. The trial resumes Thursday with testimony from a forensic pathologist. Photo: The Canadian Press A young person gets vaccinated at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic as the campaign to vaccinate children aged 5-11 against COVID-19 continues, in Montreal, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. A Quebec judge is allowing a mother to have her young son vaccinated against the novel coronavirus without the father's consent and banning the father from bringing the child to COVID-19 protests. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz A Quebec judge has ruled a mother can have her young son vaccinated against the novel coronavirus without the father's consent and ordered the father not to take the child to COVID-19 protests. In a ruling dated April 12, Superior Court Justice Nathalie Pelletier sides with the 10-year-old's mother, who says she learned the boy's father forced him to lie about his age to avoid masking in public places. The mother says the child's father took him to the trucker convoy protests in Ottawa last winter, claiming he wanted to instil democratic values in the boy, but she argues those kinds of protests are dangerous for children. The father, meanwhile, said demonstrations against COVID-19 health orders aren't risky for children and that he has the right to a contrarian opinion against the vaccine. Pelletier found the evidence the father submitted in court to defend his position against COVID-19 vaccines wasn't corroborated by health experts. She ruled that vaccinating the boy against the coronavirus would be in his best interest, as would keeping him away from COVID-19 demonstrations, which she said can escalate quickly into violence. Photo: The Canadian Press University of Calgary researchers check monitoring equipment as they track traces of COVID-19 in the wastewater system. Experts say Canada needs to develop a robust system to detect COVID-19 activity in the absence of wide-scale PCR testing. Since the onset of the Omicron variant, provinces and territories have scaled back access to gold-standard PCR testing, citing the lack of capacity to keep up with demand and the need to free up health-care resources. Many people have since relied on results from rapid antigen tests, but they aren't as reliable at detecting the Omicron variant or reported and tracked the way PCR tests are. Experts say there needs to be a better way of informing people about COVID-19 activity in their communities. Dr. Caroline Colijn, a mathematician and epidemiologist at Simon Fraser University, said there are currently "too many infections" in Canada to expand access to PCR tests to everyone to find out the true number of infections. She said more robust programs could also be used to pick up other kinds of respiratory infections. "And I suspect those are under development, but until they're developed, deployed, and results are publicly available, people will have trouble finding out what their risks are in their social group, in their community and in their workplace," she said. "So then they'll have trouble having the information needed to inform their own choices, their own workplace or community policies." Colijn said wastewater data is a really important source of information that can be publicly shared without compromising anyone's private medical data and can help communities understand the prevalence of COVID-19. But like PCR and rapid tests, she said it has its limitations. She noted there are numerous factors that could change wastewater signals, such as rainfall, temperature and different variants leaving different amounts of sequencing in the water, resulting in less accurate COVID-19 case estimates. Colijn said she anticipates an integrated system that would incorporate wastewater data, along with PCR and rapid test results, in a way that's designed to paint a more accurate picture of how much COVID-19 is in a population and inform people about the risk of contracting the virus. "So we do need to think about how to get representative samples, and how to understand how many infections are out there," she said. Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious disease physician and medical microbiologist at the University of Calgary, said it would be reasonable to expand PCR testing access to certain settings like schools and long-term care homes in the event of an outbreak so they can make a decision on whether to close those institutions to prevent further transmission. However, he said the average person can rely on wastewater data to assess the risk of contracting COVID-19 in their community since it's "much more cost-effective" and "tells us similar information" to PCR testing. Dr. Peter Juni, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, said it's "likely not sustainable" to expand access to PCR testing to all symptomatic individuals again because of the high cost of the tests. Juni noted that when PCR testing was available to all residents in Ontario, only somewhere between 30 and 45 per cent of infections were being detected because not everyone with the virus was getting tested. Some may have been asymptomatic, while others may not have had time to get tested., and still others may not have been getting tested early enough. As for rapid antigen tests available in Canada, he said they have shown "lower test performance" when it comes to detecting the Omicron variant. What's needed is a COVID-19 detection system that can use a random sample in a population "to try to understand what's actually happening and which can be ramped up if needed," Juni said. "If we see in wastewater, for instance, that infections start to increase, (then) we actually can really activate the system or extend it a bit, but it will be just a surveillance system that gives us enough situational awareness." Photo: The Canadian Press Uber is dropping its mask mandate for customers and drivers in most of Canada, but says they are still recommended. The company says starting Friday customers and drivers in Canada, except in Quebec, will no longer be required by the company to wear masks, unless required by law. However, the ride hailing company says it still strongly recommends wearing a mask depending on a person's personal risk factors and infection rates in their area. It also says drivers can require customers to wear a mask. It urged users to be considerate if a driver asks them to wear a mask or cancels a trip because of it. The company also says users will no longer be required to only sit in the back seat, though it asks customers to use the front seat only if its required by the size of their group. Photo: Glacier Media Three young girls jumped from a second-storey window at their burning Victoria home early Wednesday and were caught by their father and a neighbour. Police suspect the fire was an arson attack. All the girls aged five, seven and 11 got out safely, but the 11-year-old went to hospital for stitches after cutting her arm when she landed on shattered glass. Their father is Yuriy Vyshnevskyy, priest at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, which is next door to the home. Victoria Police say the fire at the wooden heritage home was arson. Vyshnevskyy said his family was targeted. He is convinced the blaze was set deliberately around the front porch. There was a smell of gasoline, which he thinks was the accelerant. He and his wife are trying to wrap our heads around what happened, how it happened and who did it, he said. Who would want to burn a family with children while they are asleep? Asked if the fire was somehow related to the war in Ukraine, he said he didnt want to think that way. He said hasnt had any threats because of the war or anything else. Nothing, he said. This was a shock. The home, where the family has lived for about six years, serves as a parish rectory for the church. Even though the home was badly damaged, the church was not affected. The home on the other side was unscathed, as well. Vyshnevskyy said he is a heavy sleeper, but his wife was awakened by a noise about 1 a.m. before realizing there was a fire. At first, he tried to put it out with water, but it just was spreading too fast, Vyshnevskyy said. He ran outside through the back door then realized his wife and children were on the second floor, with the fire by then underneath the staircase. Black smoke was filling the home, Vyshnevskyy said. You could hardly see what was happening. His wife and the children went to a window, with Vyshnevskyy waiting below, by this time joined by a neighbour from across the street. The five- and seven-year-old were caught easily when they jumped, but it was a little harder with the eldest and she was injured, Vyshnevskyy said. By then, the Victoria Fire Department was on the scene and used a ladder to get Vyshnevskyys wife out. Acting Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said crews found heavy fire conditions at the front of the house when they arrived. Police said the front entryway was fully engulfed in flames. Atkinson said the wife was hanging on at a window with smoke billowing over her head. We were able to rescue her and she was able to provide us with information that all other occupants of the house had escaped. Vyshnevskyy said he is extremely grateful that his family is safe. You have to be thankful, he said. God is watching. God is protecting us. There is no point for us to be focused on anger. The familys cat was revived after being found showing no signs of life. Firefighters administered oxygen with a special attachment for pets that fits over the snout. We were able to save the cat so thats a great news story there, Atkinson said. The cat is recovering at Central Victoria Animal Hospital. Vyshnevskyy said that for his wife to wake up when she did is amazing, because even a minutes delay could have made things so much more dangerous. I dont want to think what could have happened. On Wednesday, the family was being helped by friends and church members. The house will be unoccupiable for some time, Atkinson said. Photo: Glacier Media Woodfibre LNG has declared that it has given the final green light for its Squamish project to proceed. After years of deferring the $1.6-billion project, Woodfibre said on April 14 that it had issued a Notice to Proceed to its construction contractor, McDermott International. This would pave the way for major construction to start in 2023, with an anticipated completion date somewhere around 2027. We have different terminology from other projects. While we dont call it a [Final Investment Decision], this is similar in that it marks the go-ahead for construction, said spokesperson Rebecca Scott in an email at the time of the announcement. Pre-construction starts this year, then major works in 2023. There will be a gradual ramp-up to peak construction in 2025. Pre-construction refers to the $25-million site cleaning and preparation process, which has been ongoing to this point. Since the company doesnt use the term, Final Investment Decision, Scott said in the email, this will be the closest that Woodfibre LNG will come to declaring something of that nature. A Final Investment Decision, or FID, is an industry term that generally denotes when a company decides to officially move forward with a project. Our Notice to Proceed is a final green light for the Woodfibre LNG project to move into construction, Scott said in a follow-up email on April 18. Another reason Woodfibre doesnt use the FID term is because of its governance structure, she said. As a privately-owned project, Woodfibre does not use the same terminology as public companies such as Shell and the LNG Canada project, wrote Scott. The project is owned by Woodfibre LNG Limited, a privately-held Canadian company based in Vancouver with a community office in Squamish. It is a subsidiary of Pacific Oil & Gas Limited, which is part of the Singapore-based Royal Golden Eagle, or RGE group of companies. RGE was founded by Sukanto Tanoto, who is also its chairman. Generally, an FID is a signal that a public companys board of directors which generally has governing power over the corporation has voted in favour of giving a project the green light. In Woodfibres case as a private company, that wouldnt apply. A Notice to Proceed is a routine step for LNG construction projects and is an instruction to the contractor that they may begin work, wrote Scott. It is comparable with a public companys FID in that both can mark the final go-ahead announcements. For example, the LNG Canada project announced both their FID and [Notice to Proceed] on the same day. Photo: Abbotsford Police Shaun Deacon seen in an updated photo on April 20, 2022. A notorious sex offender who was spotted in West Kelowna earlier this month has changed his appearance so much that the Abbottsford police have sent out a new photograph. Abbotsford Police Department posted the photo on their Facebook page on Thursday with the caption, "on March 18 AbbyPD issued a public notification regarding Shaun Deacon. Since then, Mr. Deacon has changed his appearance. As a result, AbbyPD is releasing updated photos today." Shaun Joshua Deacon, 56, was released from Matsqui Institution on March 18 with plans to live in the Abbotsford area. Abbotsford police issued a press release outlining his past crimes and current restrictions. Deacon has a criminal history that includes convictions for sexual offences against children in 1988, 1996 and 1998; as well as breaches of long-term supervision orders in 2002, 2009, 2014 and 2018. The two new photos of Deacon were taken on April 20 in the photos Deacon's hair appears to be darker and he has regrown a beard. The Abbotsford Police Department continues to closely monitor Mr. Deacon's movements and appearance. Deacon is described as being six-feet tall, about 225 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. As part of his release, Deacon is banned for life from visiting public parks and swimming pools where kids under the age of 14 may frequent. He is also banned from daycares, school grounds, playgrounds and community centres and is not to seek paid or volunteer work that involves working with those under the age of 16. He is also subject to a court order that bans him from possessing any weapons and possessing any knives unless used to prepare food. In addition to the venues listed previously, he is also banned from skating rinks or other places where those under the age of 16 may be present. Deacon is not to contact or communicate with anyone under the age of 16 unless it is a commercial transaction set in a retail shop where the staff may be under the age of 16. He is also not to own any computers or smartphones that can access the internet, store data or use a computer network unless approved by his bail supervisor. Abbotsford police will be monitoring Deacon while he is in the community but the public is asked to contact the authorities if he is spotted violating any of the listed conditions. Reports can be made to 604-859-5225 or 911 in case of emergency. Whenever people come together in a permanent community or cohesive group, a natural leader emerges. Normally this has been a male of imposing strength and stature. This was probably the pattern in history, where the Warrior King was the ideal and practical for the times; obviously the members of the tribe were not really free. The ancient Greeks formed the backbone of Western philosophical development and the ideals of a democratically elected government of the people. Unfortunately politicians have learned to game the system. In their positions of influence they are susceptible to bribes from those seeking an unfair advantage in exchange for a favourable decision. These (people) are now euphemistically called lobbyists. Either corrupt people get themselves elected or they get corrupted by the system, the effect is the samethe Robert Redford movie The Candidate shows this. Different systems of government evolved under different circumstances and political theories, not of how to run the country but of how to control the population. From the past to the present, it is doubtful if any truly representative, truly honest, truly non-coercive form of government has ever existed. In 1513 Machiavelli wrote that it is better to rule by fear than by love. It should be clear by now that no form of government has any interest in freedom for the governed. The current government's support and implementation of equity over equality are naked demonstrations and proof of this, as are the public's responses to the COVID-19 narrative. Although all people are equal in the physical sense, they are certainly not equal in almost every other sense and we are all individuals. Equity doesn't accept this. Equality on the other hand focuses on all those mainly non-physical things like opportunity, choice, expertise, which are matters of personal achievement and enterprise. It is clear that under a regime that favours equity, equality has no value. One can't help what race, religion or ethnic group one is born into but one can make the most of what one has under the limited form of freedom of equality. Freedom under an equitable regime is an illusion enjoyed only by the favoured group, all others are losers. In almost every group there exists a strong desire to conform, to support, contribute and reap the benefits of one's efforts. Individuals who fail to conform are ostracized, vilified and punished. The conformists, on the other hand, would rather die than be different. They naturally tend to gravitate to government sinecures. Freedom, while cherished as an ideal, is seldom practiced in any political ideology and what little remains is under threat from our leaders and their followers. Steve Friedman, West Kelowna Photo: The Canadian Press David Eby, B.C. Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, speaks during a social housing funding announcement in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. The British Columbia government says it has developed "a new approach to litigation" as part of its process to implement its 2019 legislation adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck The British Columbia government says it has developed "a new approach to litigation" as part of its process to implement its 2019 legislation adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Attorney General's Ministry says in a news release the goals of a series of 20 directives for the Crown are prioritizing resolution and negotiated settlement and reducing the potential for legal action over Indigenous rights and title. Attorney General David Eby says it's important to respect that First Nations may choose to go through the courts, while at the same time recognizing litigation is an adversarial process that can drive the two sides further apart rather than advance reconciliation. The ministry says the first directive for Crown counsel in civil litigation is that they must understand and apply the principles of B.C.'s 2019 law that requires the province to align its laws with the United Nations declaration on Indigenous rights. For ongoing litigation that began before the passage of the Declaration Act, the directive says counsel must review their pleadings, legal positions and litigation strategy to ensure that they are consistent with the act. It says counsel must work with the Indigenous Relations Ministry and "take steps to resolve any inconsistencies, including amending pleadings." In circumstances where it appears impossible to resolve an inconsistency, the directive says counsel must consult with the attorney general. Another directive says counsel should "vigorously pursue" alternative forms of resolution throughout litigation, and their main goal is to use the courts as a last resort, "in the narrowest and most constructive way possible." Terry Teegee, regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations, says the province is "doing the right thing to push to change the legal culture of fighting and denying (Indigenous) rights." The directives "may not change the system overnight," but they're a welcome and overdue step, he says in a statement released by the province. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, also applauded the changes. "There is a real opportunity now to resolve matters, working collaboratively, and to remove the enormous burden borne by many Indigenous leaders in British Columbia who had to fight tooth and nail to get recognition, sometimes in decades-long matters," he says in a statement. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, a retired judge and law professor at the University of B.C., says that in the past, relationships were "poisoned" by "endless procedural and technical motions and a blanket denial of rights." The litigation directives will bring "necessary shifts in the mindset and approach of lawyers" acting on the province's behalf, her statement says. Photo: The Canadian Press A senior leader in the Canadian Armed Forces has retired and travelled to Ukraine to help defend the country from Russias invasion while still under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. The Department of National Defence confirmed Thursday that lieutenant-general Trevor Cadieu retired on April 5 after more than 30 years in uniform, even as military police continue their investigation into his conduct. His release was done in accordance with proper procedures and in accordance with his legal rights to release from the CAF, Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said in a statement. There has been no CAF support, material or otherwise, given to Cadieu since his departure as it pertains to his personal endeavours. Several defence sources say Cadieu has since headed to Ukraine to volunteer to help fight back against a Russian invasion that is about to enter its third month. The sources were not authorized to comment publicly on his whereabouts. Cadieu, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, could not be reached for comment on Thursday while the Defence Department declined to confirm his whereabouts. As he is now a private citizen, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on his personal plans, Le Bouthillier said. The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service said in a statement that its investigation is ongoing, adding: A members release has no bearing on investigative work, nor does their personal travel. Defence officials have previously said Armed Forces members can be charged for crimes allegedly committed while in uniform even after they retire. Cadieus suddenly retirement and departure come more than six months after the popular officer was slated to take command of the Canadian Army, with some military insiders predicting his eventual appointment as chief of the defence staff. Defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre instead quietly suspended Cadieus installation as army commander in September after he was informed of what the CFNIS has described as historical allegations of sexual misconduct. The Canadian Army has been without a permanent commander since February 2021, when Eyre was tapped to serve as acting chief of the defence staff while then-defence chief Admiral Art McDonald was being investigated for alleged sexual behaviour. While McDonald was not charged, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opted to replace him on a permanent basis with Eyre. Maj.-Gen. Michel-Henri St-Louis has served as acting army commander since April 2021. Cadieu is one of several senior commanders to be investigated by military police for alleged sexual misconduct in the past year. Those allegations have forced a reckoning within the military over its failure to address inappropriate behaviour. They also sparked criticism of the Liberal government's handling of the issue and calls for more external oversight of the military. Cadieu strenuously denied any wrongdoing in a statement last fall, saying: The allegations are false, but they must be investigated thoroughly to expose the truth. He said he had provided information to investigators to prove his innocence. The retired officer also said at the time that he had asked Eyre to select someone else to serve as Canadian Army commander, adding: I know that these false claims will, as intended, create doubts about my ability to lead in this environment. Cadieus decision to travel to Ukraine follows an order from Eyre banning serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces from joining the thousands of foreigners who have flocked to the country in recent weeks to help fight Russias invasion. Russia has reportedly threatened criminal prosecutions against any foreigners captured fighting in Ukraine while a senior Canadian officer last month raised the spectre of Moscow attempting to use captured foreign fighters for propaganda purposes. Photo: SAVE OLD GROWTH Members of Save Old Growth were blocking the Trans-Canada Highway in Langford on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. RCMP arrested two protesters who remain in custody Thursday after the Trans-Canada Highways northbound lane was blocked at West Shore Parkway in Langford the previous afternoon. The two are expected to appear before either a provincial court judge or a justice of the peace Thursday afternoon. They may face charges at that point. It will also be decided whether they will stay in custody or be released, possibly under conditions. No names have been released. The protest was staged during rush-hour traffic. It started about 3 p.m. and ran until shortly after 7 p.m., said the protesters. Social media lit up with comments from motorists unhappy that the highway had been blocked. When traffic is obstructed or slowed, it inconveniences thousands of people. Many of those drivers would have been heading over the Malahat. Every day, 24,600 vehicles and 30,000 people travel over the Malahat, according to a February report by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. On Wednesday, a man and a woman sat in the middle of the highway with their arms up to their elbows were a metal tube encased in concrete which was inside an 227-kilogram oil barrel filled. The group Save Old Growth said this was their most successful and longest protest. Wednesdays event followed a protest on the Grandview Highway and Boundary Road on the lower mainland on Monday. This is the second round of protests Save Old Growth has held. The group was responsible for staging five blockades in Victoria and Nanaimo in February. Langford was the site of a similar protest last week. In a statement, the group says 82 people have been arrested to date at protests in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver and Revelstoke, and two members are on a hunger strike until they can have a public meeting with Forests Minister Katrine Conroy. Potential charges in such instances could include mischief or blocking or obstructing a highway, said RCMP Cpl. Alex Berube of the Vancouver Island district. Pakistan cement dispatches and exports slow in 9MFY22 21 April 2022 Pakistans cement dispatches have slowed amid rising construction costs, a lower development budget and higher freight costs with 9MFY22 dispatches down six per cent, says Topline Securities. Topline analysts report that political noise, economic slowdown and rising cement bag costs could further affect dispatches going ahead. Along with the lower dispatches, rising coal cost is another key concern for the sector as global supply chain disruption, and the Russia-Ukraine war has kept the commodity prices elevated to date. Pakistan's cement and clinker exports in the first nine months of FY21-22 (July 2021 to March 2022) earned US$199.37m in revenue by dispatching 5.227Mt of cement and clinker overseas, compared to US$210.045m from 6.247Mt of exports in the year-ago period. Consequently, the sector saw a rising slide of 5.1 per cent in dollar terms and reported a double-digit decline of 16.3 per cent in volume during the export period. However, exports valued in Pakistani rupees edged up of 1.1 per cent to PKR34.418bn (US$185.1m) during this period. On a positive note, in March 2022 alone, export revenues increased 6.4 per cent MoM to US$19.817m on the shipment of 478,544t, compared to US$18.627m from 433,780t of exports in February 2022. The quantity increased by 10.3 per cent during this period. However, when compared with March 2021 earnings of US$26.849m from 776,934t, this represents a drop of 26.2 per cent and 38.4 per cent YoY in value and quantity, respectively. Pakistan has been exporting clinker/cement to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania and India. Export to India has been suspended for the last few years. Still, with a change in government in Islamabad, experts hope that Pakistan and India may revisit their trade suspension and resolve political issues. The export to Sri Lanka has also been hit due to the foreign exchange crunch in Colombo lately. Published under A man on Sherman Street told police that he briefly went inside his residence to change clothes, and when he returned his vehicle was gone. He said he left the keys in the ignition of the vehicle when he went inside. Police entered it in NCIC as stolen. * * * A man on E. 23rd Street told police he believed a black male, who he identified, had hacked his phone. When asked if he had allowed the man to use his phone, he said did not recall. Police informed him that the man was not able to access his information, due to being logged into his own account. Police showed him how to log out of the man's account. After doing this, he did not need any further assistance. * * * Suspicious activity was reported at the Common House Chattanooga, 1517 Mitchell Ave. Police spoke with the night auditor, who said a black male walked into the back patio area and pushed on the windows, but was unable to open them. She said when the man saw her he left the area. Police searched the area, but were unable to locate the man. * * * Police checked out a suspicious vehicle reported sitting on Carousel Road. The vehicle was found to be stolen, with a stolen vehicle report from Hamilton County. The vehicle owner was contacted and the vehicle was towed to Bliss Avenue. The vehicle was taken out of NCIC. * * * A caller reported a man walking on to residents' porches on Quinn Adams Street. Police spoke to the man, who was sitting on a porch. The man showed police texts on his phone telling him to wait on his friends' porch until they got there to unlock the door. * * * Police responded to a broken down vehicle blocking a lane of traffic at 234 Browns Ferry Road. Police found the vehicle abandoned, no driver present. Shackleford Towing was called for a district police pickup, but 40 minutes later the owner of the vehicle showed up and said the battery was dead and he had A-1 Towing on the way to pick up his vehicle. Shackleford Towing was canceled and put back onto the rotation. * * * A theft was reported at a government building, 4005 Cromwell Road. A manager told police that the catalytic converter ($800), a Dewalt drill set ($200) and a Dewalt 15v drill battery ($100) were stolen from a TDOT work truck. He said the theft happened overnight. There was no suspect information and no video footage of the incident. The manager said that the on-duty security would be interviewed at a later date. He was provided a complaint card to contact police if more property is discovered to have been stolen. * * * An anonymous caller reported a black male was inside the Shell station, 1905 Gunbarrel Road, acting suspicious. Police spoke with the man, who said he was homeless and stopped at the convenience store to use the restroom. Police asked him if he needed any assistance, a ride somewhere or medical treatment, and he replied no. He said he just wanted to be on his way and would not return and loiter at the business. * * * A man on Zephyr Lane reported that his red SUN EZ-Speedster CX Recumbent Bike ($1,200) was stolen off his back porch. The bike does have the wheel lock activated, but was not chained up. * * * Police responded to a residence on Roanoke Avenue to assist another agency, McKamey Animal Services. Police spoke with a woman who said that she was letting her dog outside the residence to use the restroom when a white pit bull dog named Gemie ran at her dog. She said that she feared an attack was about to happen and she intervened to step between the two dogs. She told police the residence that the dog belonged to. Police and MAC attempted to make contact at that address, but were unable to. MAC will issue citations to the owner. * * * A woman on Virginia Avenue told police her son had been driving her car and her son's school iPad was stolen from it sometime overnight. He last saw the car around 3:30 p.m. the day before and they discovered the incident around 6 a.m. that morning. She said he possibly left the vehicle unlocked, because there was no damage and the alarm didn't go off. She is going to check with her neighbor later to see if he got any video on his ring camera. * * * A woman on Pine View Lane told police that after pulling into her driveway from work, she observed eggs had been thrown at her house. She also said last week she had a prior incident with her neighbor, and she believed eggs thrown at her house might be related to that incident. She said she needed to report it in case this becomes a bigger issue. More than a year after the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office took over a privately-run detention center, violent attacks within the facility are continuing unabated, lawsuits filed this week allege. Three former detainees at the Silverdale Detention Center filed suit Monday in U.S. District Court against Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and county government. In each case, the detainees contend the sheriff has done little or nothing to address the violence that preceded the countys takeover of the detention facility in December 2020 and blame correctional officers there for putting them in harms way. Christopher Lamond Bell says in his civil-rights lawsuit he was stabbed 17 times in April 2021 after jailers forced him into a cell where a throng of masked inmates were waiting to attack him as part of an initiation for new detainees. Luster Dewayne Deloney says in a separate lawsuit he, too, was forced by jailers to go inside the same cell on the night of Bells attack. Like Bell, Deloney says inmates wearing towels around their faces to mask their identities attacked him within minutes of his placement there. He was stabbed six times, the lawsuit states.At some time between 11 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on the night of April 23, 2021, a number of deputies arrived to take Bell and a handful of other inmates (including Deloney) to a cell that had the notorious reputation of being a place where new inmates were ganged up on and attacked, the lawsuits state.A number of inmates with towels around their faces were ready to assault the new inmates, the lawsuits continue. The attack started almost immediately. After Bell and other inmates (including Deloney) were assaulted for two to three minutes, sheriffs deputies removed the victims from the dangerous cell.A third Silverdale detainee, Michael Brinkley, alleges in his lawsuit that jailers in September 2021 moved him without cause or warning into a new cell block and left his cell door open.Brinkley pounded on his door to try to get the attention of three correctional officers, but they carried on about their business. Then, five inmates entered Brinkleys cell and attacked Brinkley, stabbing him nine times including once in the face.Bell and Brinkley required emergency treatment at a nearby hospital after their respective attacks. Deloneys lawsuit does not make clear whether he received emergency medical care.The Hamilton County Commission handed over the keys to the Silverdale facility to Corrections Corporation of America in 1984, making it one of the first privately-operated local jails in the country. The company, now known as CoreCivic, is one of the largest private prison firms in the nation and operates four of them in Tennessee.Claims of mismanagement and inmate-on-inmate violence and inmate deaths at CoreCivic facilities throughout the country and in Tennessee are widespread.In February 2020, security-related issues at Silverdale prompted two U.S. District Court judges in Chattanooga to order federal detainees removed from the facility, records show.CoreCivic, in turn, blamed the county for failing to address significant safety and security issues, including faulty locking controls, broken camera systems and interior and exterior doors that do not function properly, according to a letter the firm sent to commissioners.The firm pulled out of its management agreement in July 2020. The sheriffs office formally took over Silverdale five months later.Attorney Derek Jordan, who represents the three detainees in the civil-rights litigation filed Monday, contends conditions at Silverdale have not improved with the countys takeover. He cites as examples a gang-style assault in October 2020 that lasted one to two hours and left a detainee with 73 stab wounds and a March rape of another inmate.(Sheriff Hammond and county leaders) knew of the levels of violence at the facility, but nevertheless continued to operate the facility with minimal adjustments, Mr. Jordan wrote.Last month, Sheriff Hammond sought and received from county commissioners $6.3 million to upgrade security systems at Silverdale. He did not mention ongoing violence at the facility but instead blamed CoreCivic for what he called inadequate security technology. * * * Jamie Satterfield is an investigative journalist with more than 33 years of experience, specializing in legal affairs, policing, public corruption, environmental crime and civil rights violations. Her journalism has been honored as some of the best in the nation, earning recognition from the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Awards, the Green Eyeshade Awards, the Tennessee Press Association, the Tennessee Managing Editors Association, the First Amendment Center and many other industry organizations. Her work has led to criminal charges against wrongdoers, changes in state law and citations in legal opinions and journals. She was married to the love of her life for 28 years and is now a widow and proud mother of two successful children of good character and work ethic. The Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police announced the selection of Chief Mark Gibson to serve as the second vice president for the Association. Following a series of interviews with seven candidates, the executive board announced the unanimous vote supporting Chief Gibson. Chief Deborah Faulkner, chief of police for the Franklin Police Department and president of the TACP added, Chief Gibson brings a spirit of leadership and integrity to the board of directors and has demonstrated his tireless efforts to support the TACP and law enforcement leadership in Tennessee." A member of the TACP since 2016, has also served as the chief of police in Cleveland since September 2015. Throughout the years, Chief Gibson has advanced through the ranks of patrol, investigations and administration, gaining experience in a variety of operational and management functions. Today, he oversees a department of 106 sworn officers and 40 civilian personnel on an annual budget of over $11 million dollars.Chief Gibson obtained his masters degree in criminal justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy 247th Session. He has specialized law enforcement training, including the National Forensics Academy, and has received numerous commendations throughout his career.Chief Gibson has served in various roles as a member of TACP. In addition to him being a TACP member, he serves on the Commission on Readiness for the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police as the Planning, Technology, and Administration Working Group chairman. He also serves on the Professional Standards Committee, Ethics Committee and is on the board of directors representing the 4th District. In 2020, Chief Gibson met all requirements to receive TACPs Level 4 Executive Leadership Certificate.I am honored to have been selected to serve as the second vice president of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. The impact from the men and women I have worked with during my membership within the TACP has furthered my development as a leader. I am looking forward to learning the aspects of this new role and the ability to return the support the association has given me the past six years," said Chief Gibson. EPB has promoted Ken Jones to Senior Director of Procurement, Vendor Relations and MWOB, a new position responsible for leading the companys overall Purchasing and Materials Management as well as Minority & Women-Owned Business Program. The move is part of EPBs mission of enhancing quality of life for the community by supporting job creation and broader prosperity. Our goal in promoting Ken Jones is to maximize our local economic impact by further integrating our purchasing efforts with our focus on contracting with diverse Chattanooga area businesses whenever possible, said David Wade, president and CEO of EPB. Ken was already doing an outstanding job leading EPBs Purchasing team and has built a strong network of community connections over the years. Adding our Minority and Women-Owned Business Program to his responsibilities is a great fit. EPBs Minority & Women-Owned Business Program began in 2002 under the leadership of Michael Jones (no relation to Ken Jones), who was recognized during his recent retirement for his pioneering efforts to build one of the premiere local programs for promoting the success of non-traditional business owners. At EPB, the Purchasing team and the Minority & Women-Owned Business Program have worked closely over the years on efforts that total more than $90 million in contracts with business owners since the program began, said Ken Jones. Our goal is to further increase our ability to form successful contracts with diverse companies that help us provide outstanding services for our customers while helping more local companies grow and create jobs. Mr. Jones started at EPB in 2000 as a Network Technician and has worked for EPB in a range of roles and leadership positions including fiber optics, project management, engineering, strategic planning and, most recently, procurement. Mr. Jones also emphasizes the importance of community connections. Weve built a large and diverse list of potential vendors which is key to our efforts because we utilize a competitive purchasing process for all of our contracts, he said. We work with all potential vendors with the aim of achieving the best outcome at the best value for our community. Mr. Jones invites both local companies and groups that can help promote contracting opportunities to contact him. Were always looking to add new potential vendors to our contact list, and community organizations are critical for helping us get the word out about these opportunities to newly started businesses and others we havent managed to connect with yet, Jones said. Mr. Jones passion for the community is evident in his volunteer efforts. In addition to being the board chair for Erlanger Community Health Centers, he currently serves on the board of directors for green|spaces, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Alumni Association and the Chattanooga Library. He also mentors middle school, high school, college students and adult professionals. In addition, he works as a volunteer for The Hunter Museum of American Art, American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), UTC Gary Rollins College of Business and Chattanooga Preparatory School. Having the opportunity to make a difference for our neighbors across the Chattanooga area is what makes working for EPB so meaningful to me, Mr. Jones said. I carry that same commitment into my volunteer work. Mr. Jones attended Chattanooga State Technical Community College, where he earned an associate's degree in Electrical Electronics Engineering Technology, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Entrepreneurship and an MBA in Business Analytics. Mr. Jones is the proud of father of two adult children and credits his mother as his biggest supporter and role model in success. Mr. Jones invites local businesses of all kinds with an interest in EPBs contracting opportunities to contact him at joneske@epb.net. The Center for Professional Education, the workforce development arm of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, is partnering with the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts to offer a new 100% online court reporting course.The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts, also known as the Tennessee AOC, provides support to the Tennessee Supreme Court and the entire state court system. The AOC is currently working to fill its substitute court reporter pool, and the UTC Center for Professional Education is delivering online training to those interested in pursuing careers in the field.Through the Digital Court Reporting Online Course, individuals can work toward preparation for work as court reporters and fill employment gaps across the state.In Tennessee, the most critical need for court reporters is in our criminal courts, said Connie Turner, Tennessee AOC coordinator for court reporting services.State law requires court reporters to be present during all criminal proceedings. If there are no court reporters available because of a shortage, court proceedings are delayed. Delays impact the lives of many individuals.The UTC Center for Professional Education plays a strategic role in listening to local and regional workforce needs and facilitating quality skills training to help people pursue and succeed in various jobs.I was honored when Connie Turner from the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts asked if CPE could support Tennessee judicial systems by providing court reporter training, said Tripp Stanford, the CPE assistant director of marketing. Our judicial system is the foundation of our local governments. We appreciate the opportunity to help serve local communities across the state.Court reporting is one of the fastest-growing careers in the legal system. As a critical player in the courtroom, court reporters ensure that courtroom proceedings are accurately recorded and transcribed. The median salary is listed as $54,179 per year.Upon completing the UTC course, graduates are fully prepared to pass the Certified Electronic Reporter and Certified Electronic Transcriber exams offered by the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers. Upon passing the certification exams, individuals may apply for licensure with the Tennessee Board of Court Reporting. After obtaining a license, graduates may reach out to Ms. Turner at the AOC for job placement assistance.UTCs course teaches students valuable skills such as how to create accurate legal transcripts and use digital recording software, Ms. Turner said. When hiring court reporters, the AOC looks for those skills as well as certification.For questions about the course, call the Center for Professional Education at 423 425-4344.For more information, visit the Digital Court Reporting Online Course web page The Tennessee Department of Transportation will close SR-312 (Harrison Pike) to all traffic at the intersection with Old Harrison Circle to replace a failed drainage pipe, beginning Friday, at 6 p.m. through Monday, at 12 p.m. Local traffic will detour around the closure via White Oak Road NW, Rollins Ridge Road NW, and White Oak Valley Road NW. Signs will be posted. This work is weather-dependent. Should inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances delay this work, it will be rescheduled to take place as soon as possible. From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or Chattanooga area alerts @Chattanooga511 or any of TDOTs other Twitter pages. George Thacker, the county executive for Rhea County for the past 12 years, on Thursday afternoon pleaded guilty in Federal Court to one count of wire fraud. Thacker, 59, of Spring City, Tennessee, appeared before Judge Charles Atchley in Chattanooga. He pleaded guilty related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Officials said, "The CARES Act is a federal law designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, it authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses through programs referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. The funds from those programs were intended to ensure that small businesses suffering economic impacts related to the coronavirus pandemic could continue to operate and pay expenses, including their employees wages. "According to court filings, Thacker applied for and received over $600,000 in PPP and EIDL loan proceeds. When applying for the loans, Thacker falsely certified that he would use the funds to pay employees and for other operating expenses. Instead of using the money to its intended purpose, "Thacker used the funds for his own enrichment, among other things, purchasing cryptocurrency and funding his personal investment accounts. This investigation was led by the United States Secret Service." Sentencing has been set for Sept. 22 before Judge Atchley, Thacker faces a maximum of 20-year prison sentence; $250,000 in fines; and supervised release for three years. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Wilson represented the United States. Lee Davis represents George Thacker. 90 Day Fiance Season 9 couple, Shaeeda and Bilal Hazziez are already husband and wife in the eyes of God thanks to them having a Nikah. Heres everything fans need to know about the Muslim marriage ceremony that Bilal and Shaeeda already had. Bilal and Shaeeda, 90 Day Fiance Season 9 | TLC Bilal and Shaeedas have a Nikah ceremony On the April 17 episode of 90 Day Fiance Season 9, Bilal and Shaeeda begin their journey. Bilal, a successful real estate investor and agent, prepares for his fiancees arrival. Shaeeda, a yoga instructor from Trinidad and Tobago, is moving to Kansas City, Mo, to be with Bilal. Bilal and Shaeeda 90 Day FIance Season 9 | TLC After Bilals divorce, Shaeeda slid into his DMs, and they began talking online. Bilal went to Trinidad for a week. He explained, So we only spent actually seven days together physically before we decided that, Okay, this is official.' During the trip, Bilal proposed to Shaeeda, and she said yes. Now, two years later, they are finally going to be together. Bilal told his ex-wife, Shahidah, that they are already married. He said, You know, we actually had our Nikah, the spiritual union. He explained to the cameras, There are a couple of things within our religion that we do not do. Like, we dont have sexual relationships before we get married. So, Shaeeda and I thought that it would be best to have a Nikah. Is the Nikah ceremony legally binding? What is a Nikah? According to JMW, the Nikah is the Islamic marriage ceremony, whereby the Muslim couple legitimise their marriage in the eyes of God. The ceremony is done by signing the marriage contract in the presence of an imam and at least two witnesses. In the episode, Bilal explains what Nikah entails. He said, Its like a marriage. Its a spiritual union. He revealed that the Nikah is not legally binding, at least in America. He said, Now, were not married under the laws of the United States. But under the eyes of God, we are married. Are Bilal and Shaeeda already married? According to Bilal, their marriage is only recognized as a spiritual union, not a legal one. Nikah ceremonies are considered non-qualifying ceremonies that fall outside the Marriage Act of 1949. Shaeeda and Bilal, 90 Day Fiance Season 9 | TLC After Shaeedas arrival on a K-1 visa, the couple will have 90 days to get married legally, or she will have to go back home. However, if Shaeeda and Bilad didnt have their Nikah before her arrival, they wouldnt have been allowed to stay under the same roof during the 90 days. While they might already be husband and wife in the eyes of Allah, they still have to get married legally in the US. However, with Bilals switching house prank and all of the prenup drama, it will be a miracle if they do make it down the aisle. New episodes of 90 Day Fiance Season 9 air Sundays on TLC and discovery+. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance Season 9: Where To Follow the New Cast Members on Instagram In A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16, Lesson Learned, Gary (James Roday Rodriguez, Maggie (Allison Miller), Eddie (David Giuntoli), and Anna (Erin Karpluk) run into Annas ex-husband. Anna finds out that Peter Benoit (Andrew Leeds), who sexually assaulted Sophie, is now dating one of Annas friends. Meanwhile, Rome (Romany Malco) and Tyrell (Adam Swain) receive good news in the ABC series. Find out what happened in tonights episode of A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16 with the recap below. [Warning: This article contains spoilers from A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16, Lesson Learned.] A Million Little Things: Erin Karpluk, James Roday Rodriguez, Allison Miller and David Giuntoli | ABC/Darko Sikman Peter Benoit returns in A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16 The A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16 begins with a celebratory dinner. They celebrate Maggie and Gary moving in together and Eddies autograph signing the next day. Then, Anna secretly grabs a shot at the bar and runs into an old friend, Carly (Robyn Ross). Anna finds out that her friend is dating her ex-husband, Peter Benoit. She cant believe that Carly would date Peter after hearing Sophies testimony on Maggies podcast. Anna has an outburst, and Gary suggests Peter leave. However, Peter refuses. Instead, Peter points out that Gary looks familiar (Viewers should recall that Gary and Christopher attacked Peter). Gary responds by threatening him, and the group of four decide to leave. When Eddie drops Anna off at her house, she insists that he doesnt need to stay with her. However, when she walks away, viewers can tell the run-in with Peter is still on her mind. Roommates or not, we'll always love this bromance. What are your favorite Eddie x Gary moments, #Millionaires? pic.twitter.com/C2r64JyeIB A Million Little Things (@AMillionABC) April 19, 2022 Eddie answered his phone excitedly during dinner about Charlies first day of preschool. However, shes still sleeping, and he doesnt get to talk to his daughter. Theres still no mention of Delilah Dixon (Stephanie Szostak) returning from France. Rome and Regina both find a new job Later in A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16, Rome gets a call from Dre Washington (Keith Robinson), who is now the Sussex Prep School Dean. He took the position of Dean Dennings (Sam Anderson), who retired a few days after Rome was at the school in episode 14. Dre offers Rome a position as a teacher of an elective art class. Meanwhile, Tyrell finds out he was not accepted to his fallback school, the University of Southern California. After a pep talk, Tyrell finds out that he was accepted into Yale University and thanks Rome for being an amazing father. Then Rome returns Dres call and takes the teaching job. Meanwhile, Regina and Valerie (Andrea Navedo) lose a catering job because Valerie made a mistake, forgetting a gluten-free allergy. She insists that Regina should find someone else. However, Regina explains that she would rather have someone she trusts. The two end up selling all of the food they made out of the truck. Instead of a catering business, did they become a genuine food truck vendor? A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16: Sophie and Danny reminisce about Jon Dixon Sophie and Danny go through old artwork and photos to clean out the Dixon house in A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16. They find a clue from one of the scavenger hunts that their dad put together when they were kids. Brother and sister go on a mission to find the treasure from Jon Dixon (Ron Livingston). When they finally find it, they are in awe over Dads handwriting and thumbprint. He left them one root beer with two straws and a sweet note that made them realize they should stop fighting. Sophie asks Danny to move in with her; however, Danny insists that he will go back to France for their little sister, Charlie. Katherine meets Gretas wife Better catch up on @AMillionABC on @hulu now cuz next weeks got DRAMA pic.twitter.com/MX5TGZGj3C Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) April 14, 2022 RELATED: A Million Little Things: Greta Could be Katherines Soulmate According to Show Boss Katherine (Grace Park) drops in at the tattoo parlor to drop off lunch for Greta (Cameron Esposito) and runs into Gretas wife, Julia (Jessica Lindsey). The two women fight over whether to sell their house before or after the divorce. However, the argument makes Katherine worry that Greta and Julia still seem passionate together. Instead, Greta explains how Katherine is the right person for her. Katherine suggests Greta give in and sell the house because shes already won. Katherine also asks Greta to move in with her. A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16: Colin Hay guest stars After the convention ends, Colin Hay talks with Eddie about the joy that his fans bring him. Eddie admits he cant find happiness in the music anymore. Colin suggests that he try to find his love for the music, not for the recognition. When the convention organizer (Joshua Pak) asks Eddie to return for the next one, Eddie agrees. A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16: Who killed Peter Benoit? Later, Maggie and Gary visit their fertility specialist and find that her eggs are in the best position. When they get home to make a baby, Detective Saunders (Brian Markinson) confronts Gary about Peter. He tells Maggie and Gary that Peter Benoit is dead. They provide Garys alibi and new address. When Eddie finally goes to Annas house, she says she broke her phone. Shes also acting weird. The clues dropped in A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 16 point to Anna Benoit as the cause of Peters death. However, as the detective noted, it could be an accident since he fell down the stairs in his home. There was no evidence of a forced entry, but that might be because Anna still has a key. Detective Saunders visits Garys new residence with Maggie to tell him that he corroborated his story. However, Rome overhears the detective mentioning the doctor and gets worried. Gary and Maggie tell Rome and Regina that they are trying to have a baby. According to IMDb, A Million Little Things Season 4 airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC and is available for streaming the next day on Hulu. RELATED: A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 15 Recap, Fingers Crossed Is Garys Cancer Back? Chicago Fire actor Katelynn Shennett joined the cast as Kylie Estevez in episode 18 of season 8. Shennett wasnt supposed to stick around for long. Her character was anticipated to have an arc of only a few episodes. However, Kylie has become a recurring character and remains on the show in season 10. Miranda Rae Mayo as Stella Kidd and Katelynn Shennett as Kylie in Chicago Fire | Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC Chicago Fire fans first met Kylie when she joined Girls On Fire In season 8 of Chicago Fire, Stella Kidd was trying to get her Girls On Fire program off the ground. The program is designed to get young women involved in firefighting, but at first, Kidd has trouble getting any takers. Then Kylie shows up with a group of her friends to join the program. Later Kylie starts working as Chief Bodens assistant. She even offers to help Kidd with some of the work for Girls On Fire when Kidd begins to feel overwhelmed. Now Shennett is a recurring character on the show. Fans have watched her character grow and Kylie certainly seems to have a bright future with Firehouse 51. The most recent episode of Chicago Fire saw Kidd and Chief Bodens protective side come out toward Kylie. The pair intervened when they thought Kylie might get involved with a not-so-great guy named Needles. However, Kylie proved she could handle herself. Thanks, mom and dad, she says to Boden and Kidd after they talk with her. Katelynn Shennett wasnt meant to stay on Chicago Fire for long When Shennett was first cast in Chicago Fire, she wasnt expecting it to be in a long-term role. In fact, Shennett almost didnt audition in the first place. Between working multiple jobs and taking classes to become a massage therapist, Shennett had a lot going on when her agent called her about the Chicago Fire audition. According to The Pantagraph, her roommate encouraged her to audition and Shennett landed the role. Shennetts character Kylie was originally supposed to appear in only a few episodes of Chicago Fire, but two seasons later she is still on the show. I guess they liked the work I did, so they wanted to keep bringing me back, which was really lucky, Shennett said in an interview with The Pantagraph. I definitely didnt expect to land anything like this for many years. Its pretty uncommon to get anything major right after college, so I was pretty floored to land this role. Playing Kylie in Chicago Fire is Shennetts first on-screen role, though she previously acted with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in Bloomington. Its such an incredible process working with everybody, she said of Chicago Fire while speaking with The Pantagraph. I couldnt have asked for a better show to start my career with. Everybody is so kind and down to earth. They want to have fun, but theyre all here to do their jobs, and there are no egos. Shennett discusses whats next for her character Shennett can relate to her characters curiosity and hunger for knowledge. It has been fun growing up with Kylie, she said to The Pantagraph. I wasnt a teenager when I started in this role, but I was so new to everything. A lot of her curiosity about everything and that fire of wanting to jump in and grow and improve resonated a lot with me because I was there in a similar place. In the future, Shennett would love to see Kylie come into her own a little more, she told The Pantagraph. Theyre already working to age her up because she is a high school character. So theyre slowly trying to hint that she is entering a more mature phase of her life. Id like to see them give her that opportunity to get involved with the action and a little more responsibility in the firehouse. Chicago Fire Season 10 airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. RELATED: Chicago Fire: Joe Minoso Shares Hidden Easter Egg Tributes to Otis Daniel Craigs five James Bond movies turned him into a household name. Casino Royale turned Craigs previously solid, if relatively obscure, acting career into something completely different. In hindsight, its hard to fathom that he never wanted to play James Bond in the first place. The role not only brought international superstardom, it also helped Craig overcome a lifelong fear. James Bond actor Daniel Craig | Pierre-Phillipe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images Craig is the longest-tenured James Bond actor No Time to Die, Craigs fifth turn donning impeccably tailored suits whilst fulfilling his MI6 duties, finally hit theaters in 2021, marking the actors last Bond movie. Rumors of Craig leaving the role circulated for years, but he left the franchise on good terms. At least the casting backlash that followed him before 2006s Casino Royale had abated. When all was said and done, Craigs 15 years playing Bond were longer than any other. Sean Connery played the superspy first, acting in five Bond movies from 1962-67 before returning for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. Roger Moore led seven movies in the series from 1973-85, but no one has approached Craigs longevity as James Bond. Casino Royale helped revive the Bond franchise, and it also helped Craig overcome his lifelong fear. Craig conquered his fear of heights while shooting Casino Royale The first post-opening credits scene in Casino Royale sees Bond in a parkour-heavy chase through a market and construction zone. Part of the chase takes place on the arm of a tower crane, and aside from some sequences where the stunt double fills in, Craig was the one running along the crane at great heights. Its not obvious on film, but Craig called the scene the most challenging of his tenure because of his lifelong fear of heights, as he revealed to GQ (via YouTube): The crane sequence in Casino was one of the most challenging and fun scenes, because when I had started Casino Royale, I was afraid of heights. And after it, I wasnt. So, I had to go up about 60 feet onto scaffolding and walk along beams that were about six inches across. No, run across beams that were six inches across 60 feet up in the air, which was it wasnt fun, but it was challenging. Daniel Craig In the same video, Craig said Casino Royale is also responsible for some of his favorite stunts, especially the physicality he needed for the finale in the sinking house in Venice, Italy. Who will play James Bond after Craig? Now that Craig has left the role behind and finishes his tenure near the top of the Bond rankings, the question is, whos next? The answer is equally concise: Who knows? As Esquire noted, the list of actors who could play James Bond is about as long as the celluloid rolls from the previous 25 movies put together. The list includes certifiable stars such as Tom Hardy, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson, Bridgerton actors Tom Hopper and Rene-Jean Page, and a slew of British-born gentlemen. One thing we do know is Bond will always be a man, according to producer Barbara Broccoli. However, as Esquire reported, she hasnt even considered who will fill Craigs shoes. Craig conquered his fear, proved the doubters wrong, and finished as the longest-tenured Bond. Whoever is next to play the role has big shoes to fill. RELATED: Daniel Craig Once Joked About Being Slightly Worried at the Idea of Quentin Tarantino Directing a James Bond Film Daniel Radcliffe has spent most of his life in front of the camera as an actor. So it probably comes as little surprise that he always had a desire to act. The Harry Potter star told his parents that he wanted to act at a young age. Long before they didnt want him playing Harry Potter, Radcliffes parents tried to advise him against an acting career. As we know, their advice didnt stick at all, not even close. Radcliffe wanted to be an actor at a very young age Daniel Radcliffe | Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic The side effect of Radcliffes rapid rise to fame as an actor was a lack of anonymity in all aspects of his life. He became an international star at 12 years old thanks to Harry Potter, and he wasnt able to make mistakes and learn from them the same way most kids do. At the same time, he wouldnt trade his career for anything. Radcliffe knew acting was the career for him well before Potter hit theaters. His mom helped spark the idea. In a discussion with Wired (via YouTube), he recalled attending a comedy play with his mother when he was five or six years old. He told his mom then it was what he wanted to do with his life. It wasnt until several years later that Radcliffe started his acting career with the BBCs David Copperfield and a small role in the 2001 movie The Tailor of Panama. In the time between watching the play and starting his career, his parents discouraged and then facilitated his dream of becoming an actor. Radcliffe ignored his parents advice, but they still encouraged his dream Almost as soon as Radcliffe saw acting live and in person, he expressed his desire to do it himself. His mother advised him against it almost immediately. I had, like, expressed an interest in acting when I was like five or six [years old], and then I saw a comedy play my mom took me to. I turned around to her, and I was like, I want to be an actor, Radcliffe told Wired. And she, having been an actor, and not having the greatest experience of it, was like, No, you dont want to do that. That was the end of the acting discussion between Radcliffe and his parents. At least until the casting call for David Copperfield happened several years later. David Copperfield led directly to Radcliffe becoming Harry Potter, thanks to one of his co-stars. And I didnt think about it again for a long time, and then they were auditioning people to play David Copperfield for the BBC, Radcliffe said. More as like a self-esteem thing, [my parents] were like, Maybe he can have an audition, and the experience of auditioning will have been a thing that none of the other kids in the class will have. And then, on that project, I worked with Maggie Smith. She played my aunt in that. And then I think it was her who recommended me to the director for Potter. Daniel Radcliffe Even though his mother initially discouraged him from becoming an actor, Radcliffes parents stood by him when they realized it was what he truly wanted to do. Radcliffes parents stood by him during the early part of his career The Harry Potter franchise brought Radcliffe nearly instantaneous worldwide fame. And with that fame came side effects. Fame led to scrutiny and pressure to live up to expectations. The pressure led him to drink heavily during the later stages of the Potter series as he felt compulsion to remain in the role and be a breadwinner for his family. But it was his parents and close friends who helped him overcome his alcohol misuse. They helped him deal with his fame by keeping him grounded and reassuring him that his identity wasnt tied to any character, even if it was one of the most beloved characters ever. They tried to dissuade his acting career at first, but Radcliffes parents later facilitated his dream and then stood by him when the trappings of fame threatened to derail him. How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357. RELATED: How Daniel Radcliffe Developed a Pathological Need to Sign Autographs: The Sad Truth Surrounding Harry Potter Marvels Moon Knight Episode 4 had a mind-bending ending for Steven Grant/Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac), Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy), Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke), and Egyptian Hippo god, Taweret? Fans have dozens of questions about new Moon Knight episodes. And in one major twist in Moon Knight, Alexander the Greats tomb was discovered to also be the same as Ammits. And the twist may have revealed the Marvel Cinematic Universes oldest supervillain. Oscar Isaac | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Moon Knight Episode 4 revealed Alexander the Greats tomb to be the same as Ammits tomb While the MCU is no stranger to the gods and goddesses of mythology being real. As Tom Hollands Spider-Man said in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Thor was a myth. Now I study him in my physics class. However, Moon Knight introduced the Egyptian Ennead and the idea of avatars. The Egyptian moon god Khonshu struck a deal with Marc Spector to carry out his schemes. Arthur Harrow admitted to once being Khonshus avatar. And Khonshu already has plans to turn Layla into his next Moon Knight. For a moment I felt like I had discovered the tomb of Alexander the Great with Stephen #moonknight pic.twitter.com/rmWlVpMFCF RaRa (@R70570583) April 20, 2022 However, Harrow now follows Ammit. He used the golden scarab to track down Ammits tomb in Egypt in Moon Knight Episodes 2 and 3. And when the Moon Knight characters reached it, it was revealed to be the same as Alexander the Greats tomb. In June 323 BC, Alexander the Great died in the Babylonian palace of Nebuchadnezzar II after being deathly sick for two weeks, ScreenRant reports. Following his death, Alexanders body was sealed in a golden sarcophagus with plans to carry it to Macedonia. Through a series of people stealing Alexanders body and various tomb raiders and destruction, to this day, archeologists have failed to locate his resting place. However, the Alexander the Great and Ammit connection goes deeper than historical references in Moon Knight. In Moon Knight, Alexander the Great was an avatar of Ammit From Arthur Harrows talk of Ammit, the Moon Knight god of judgment is more vengeful than just. Harrow describes Ammit as judging people as good or bad, even if they have not yet committed a negative act. It echoes Hyrdas plan in Captain America: Winter Soldier. And Moon Knight Episode 4 revealed that Alexander the Great acted as Ammits avatar. This implies that Alexander used Ammits power in his lifetime in the MCU. The new episode of Moon Knight is the most different by far. They really went for it in this new direction this episode. Alexander the Great! When he said, Macedonian, I perked up! The last 10 minutes are absolutely wild. I cant wait to see how they pick up next episode. pic.twitter.com/kivV2IGI5y Michael Messina (@mikeamessina) April 21, 2022 Along with any other Egyptian avatars, Alexander the Great could have been one of the oldest superheroes in the MCU or the first supervillain. Of course, the ancient Eternals and Celestials remain far older than any Earth-based hero or weapon (like Dane Whitmans Ebony Blade). What does Ammits former avatar mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Alexander the Great in Moon Knight is hardly the first time Marvel Studios has twisted the MCU with real history. Hydra confessed to tampering with political history. The Eternals affected all of human evolution. Moon Knight confirming Alexander the Great had the help of Egyptian gods is hardly new. However, what does it mean for the MCU? Unfortunately, the Moon Knight TV series does not reveal much about this version of Alexander the Great. Fans can watch new episodes of Moon Knight Wednesdays on Disney+ to see how history and fiction collide. RELATED: Moon Knight Cast Diana Bermudez After a Role in Horizon Forbidden West Jill Dillard and Derick Dillard are deviating from the Duggar family once again. While most of the family has opted to shy away from the spotlight since Josh Duggars child pornography conviction, Derick and Jill are sharing more than ever with their fan base. In recent months, the former reality TV couple shared two pieces of big news. This week, they shared a third. The couple is selling their home and moving. Jill and Derick Dillard are moving Jill and Derick Dillard are moving. The couple announced their plans to leave their first home on April 19, just weeks after Derick passed the bar exam. The announcement comes just over a month before Jills older brother, Josh Duggar, is sentenced on two child pornography charges. He was found guilty in December 2021. In a post on their official family blog, the former reality TV couple explained that they would be packing up because Derick accepted a job offer. They did not reveal where theyll be moving just yet. Jill and Derick are parents to two boys, Israel, 7, and Samuel, 5. Their third son is due in July. Jill Dillard and husband Derick Dillard | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra Two years ago, the couple broke with Duggar family tradition when they enrolled their oldest child in the public school system. Jill was homeschooled, as were her siblings. Derick attended a traditional school and went to college at Oklahoma State University. He graduated from the Univerity of Arkansas School of Law in 2021. Derick and Jill are posed to make a tidy profit on their home sale Jill and Derick only listed their home for sale a few days ago, but it looks like the property was desirable. According to Realtor, the home already has a pending offer. Jill and Derick will make a tidy profit on the sale if all goes according to plan. The couple purchased the new construction home in Lowell, Arkansas, in 2019 for $187,729. Almost exactly three years later, they listed it for sale for $279,900. The couple is set to walk away with over $90,000 in profit if they sell the home at their asking price. The former reality TV stars havent shared where theyll be moving just yet While the couple took to their blog to share the big news with their fans, they have yet to reveal exactly where theyll be setting down roots next. Derick recently passed the bar exam in his home state of Arkansas, but that doesnt mean he can only practice in Arkansas. Bar reciprocity allows a lawyer admitted to the bar in one state to practice in another. According to Bar Max, each state sets its own bar reciprocity rules. For example, New Jersey allows people who passed the bar in Arkansas to practice in New Jersey without taking another test. New York state, on the other hand, does not. Eight states, including Oregon, offer bar reciprocity to Arkansas lawyers. In September 2021, Jill and Derick took a family road trip to the state. Could Derick have been interviewing for a job? Anything is possible. RELATED: Duggar Family News: Derick Dillard Passes Arkansas Bar Exam Mountain climbing is a dangerous activity. Even seasoned experts, like the late mountaineer Marc-Andre Leclerc, risk extreme peril. Nevertheless, mountaineering draws enthusiasts from all corners of the globe, ready to test their endurance thousands of feet above the ground. Recently, the survival thriller Infinite Storm premiered in theaters. The movie depicts the real story of two individuals who met on a New Hampshire mountain under less-than-ideal circumstances. Actor Naomi Watts stars in the film, which tells the story of Pam Bales on that fateful day. Infinite Storm is about two people trying to survive a blizzard Produced by Bleecker Street, Infinite Storm is a drama adventure film starring Watts as Bales. Other cast members include Parker Sawyers, Billy Howle, and Denis OHare. Directed by Malgorzata Szumowska, the film came out on March 25, 2022. Infinite Storm focuses on Bales, an experienced climber and search and rescue volunteer. One day, she hikes up New Hampshires Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern U.S. A blizzard arrives, and Bales follows some tracks on the 6,288-foot-high mountain, only to find a freezing man. Bales refers to the stranger as John, and he is walking through the heavy snow alone. As a result, she decides to get them both down safely. They need to get off the mountain before nightfall, or they could succumb to the low temperature. Bales and John come close to death, facing multiple obstacles along the way. During the film, viewers see Bales having flashbacks of her late daughters. Naomi Watts survival thriller is based on the true story of Pam Bales Infinite Storm star Naomi Watts and real-life subject Pam Bales | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Like many other survival movies, Infinite Storm took inspiration from real-life events. According to Stylist, Bales is an actual person who worked as a nurse and mountain guide. The day started calm and sunny, but the weather quickly took a turn for the worse. When Bales came across the man, he was not wearing an outfit fit for a hike in the snow. Additionally, he was close to death due to hypothermia. She immediately tried to warm him up and gave him a name since he did not give her one. When Bales and John got to safety, John went into his car and drove away. A week later, the man sent her a letter to thank her. He had meant to end his life, but her kindness led to him getting help. Watts paid tribute to Bales in an Instagram post, finding the role a privilege to play. Bales story reminded her of humanitys ability to be selfless. While filming, Watts felt the immensity and power that is nature. Reviews for Infinite Storm Infinite Storm received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Some people liked Watts performance, while others did not enjoy the movie. A Roger Ebert reviewer mentioned that the action-filled scenes were exceptionally decent. Several of the scenes made the most out of the on-location scenery. Viewers also can see the endurance of the actors rather than stunt doubles. Watts did all of her own work while filming. However, one complaint has to do with the flashback moments. So we get biographical flashbacks that explain her and that (seemingly) try to raise the stakes or widen out the story and otherwise add sort of a metaphorical dimension to the challenge facing her on the mountain, reviewer Matt Zoller Seitz wrote. Critics might compare the movie to Wild since it features the story of a woman surviving the elements. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Wild also shows flashbacks of a tragic past. Unlike Bales, Witherspoons character, Cheryl Strayed, hikes thousands of miles across the Pacific Crest Trail. RELATED: 9 Lifetime Movies Based on Shocking True Stories Oscar Isaac is in high demand in Hollywood these days. Having been compared to Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Isaac has been in some high-profile roles lately, namely his role as Poe Dameron in the Star Wars universe. Based on his actual last name, Estrada, some have speculated that he may be related to Erik Estrada, who portrayed Ponch in the police TV drama CHiPS. But it turns out theyre not. Oscar Isaacs career highlights Oscar Isaac attends the UK special screening of Marvel Studios original series Moon Knight at British Museum on March 17, 2022 in London, England. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney Isaac was born in Guatemala in 1979. His first major acting role was in All About the Benjamins in 2002 as a guy named Frank, although not a stand-out role for him. The actors first memorable role was in the movie Drive with Ryan Gosling. His appearance in the film, albeit brief, was memorable just the same. From there, his film credits include Inside Llewyn Davis in 2013 and Ex Machina in 2014. Isaac made his blockbuster debut in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens in 2015 as Poe Dameron. According to Isaac, there was an implied romantic relationship between Dameron and Finn. He and fellow actor John Boyega, who portrayed Finn, didnt hold back the intimacy between them in their scenes. However, Disney shied away from the relationship because they were afraid to approach the subject. Isaac told Variety in 2019, Theres like an intimacy that was very just, like, there. And I think the fact that neither of us shied away from that while we were shooting as well, I think it was just like, these are two guys that are happy being intimate with each other emotionally. So it wasnt actually a total shock [that] people, you know, saw that in there. A common last name starts a rumor There has been speculation among fans that Isaac may be related to Erik Estrada of the TV series CHiPS. Estrada portrayed Officer Francis Frank Poncherello on the show, which aired from 1977 to 1983. Estrada was considered a sex symbol in the 70s and 80s. Even though the two actors may look a little alike to some people, they are not related. Theyre not even from the same country: Isaacs family is from Guatemala, while Estrada is from Puerto Rico. Oscar Isaac lost out on a role due to his name change Its not uncommon for actors to have stage names, and Isaac is no different. Isaacs full name is Oscar Isaac Hernandez Estrada. Isaac dropped the Hernandez Estrada from his name for his acting career because he felt that the names were too common, and he wanted to set himself apart. When he attended Julliard, he also feared that he would be typecast because of his heritage. However, he lost the opportunity to appear in a movie directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Sonnenfeld said he wanted only Cubans for the role, so he skipped Isaac because of his name. Ironically, if Isaac had left the Hernandez in his name, he may well have been picked for the role. Even though Isaac isnt part of a famous Hollywood pedigree, he is a talented and committed actor in his own right. In his latest work in the Disney+ series The Moon Knight, Isaac plays a neurodivergent superhero who an Egyptian vigilante god is using as an avatar to balance the scales of justice. The show is a definite divergence for Disney due to its graphic violence. A new episode is released every Wednesday beginning March 30th and will run for six episodes through May 4th. RELATED: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: New Shocking Secrets About Poe Damerons Past Will Answer Many of Fans Questions Prince Harry recently visited Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle before flying to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. He later talked about his meeting with Her Majesty and made headlines after sharing his desire to protect her. According to a royal expert, the comment about protecting the queen feels similar to the accusation of racism Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, made against the royal family last year. Prince Harry | Steve Parsons/AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry talked about protecting Queen Elizabeth During an interview with Hoda Kotb, Harry opened up about meeting with Queen Elizabeth. The Duke of Sussex shared that he and Meghan had tea with Her Majesty. He also revealed that he and his grandmother still have a great relationship, though he is concerned about making sure she has the right protection. Being with her, it was great. It was just so nice to see her. Shes on great form, he told Kotb. Shes always got a great sense of humor with me and Im just making sure that shes, you know, protected and got the right people around her. However, Harry did not explain who these people are or how the queen is currently protected. Prince Harrys protection comment is similar to the Sussexes racism accusation, expert says Royal journalist Richard Eden shared his thoughts on Harrys comment about protecting the queen. He pointed out what he believes are similarities between that comment and the Sussexes racism accusation during the infamous Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021. Regular viewers of this program will know that I was left furious after that Oprah interview, Eden said on Mail Plus Palace Confidential show. They threw those accusations out there, and what was so damaging was it was left hanging. They sort of suggested that the royal family was racist without naming anyone. And that led to all sorts of speculations and has ever since. Eden added, Here we are again Everyone is talking about What does he mean by protection? Whos not looking after the queen? Even the prime ministers asked about Is the protection adequate for the queen? And were all trying to see who hes having a dig at. The comment could be a sign of lingering bitterness, another expert speculates Another royal expert, Richard Palmer, has weighed in on the comment as well. According to Palmer, Harrys desire to protect the queen could come from a place of bitterness, especially when Meghan Markle opened up about not getting support when she was in the royal family. He talked about how he wanted to make sure the Queen was protected and has the right people around her and I think that has really left people wondering who he is talking and what he means, Palmer said (via Express). Its been seen as a dig at some of the senior advisers to the Queen. Palmer added, I think theres a little bit of bitterness left over from after he and Meghan got married and they felt Meghan didnt get the help and support she needed. RELATED: Prince Harrys Meeting With Queen Elizabeth Was Pointless as His Upcoming Memoir Will Reopen Wounds, Commentator Says Country music icon and fan-favorite sitcom actor Reba McEntire excitedly announced shes working on her first lifestyle book. And she thinks her fans are going to love it once they can get their hands on a copy. So, what can they expect to find on the pages of her first book solely focused on her ways of living? And, maybe most importantly, when do publishers anticipate its release? Reba McEntire | Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Spotify Reba McEntire has never abandoned her country lifestyle Born in Oklahoma in 1955, McEntire spent her childhood on a cattle ranch as one middle child of four siblings. Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a world champion steer roper. Young McEntire was a rodeo barrel racer herself before turning her aspirations toward a career in country music. McEntire never seemed to lose touch with her beginnings throughout more than four decades of fame. And shes always said the values in how she was raised molded her into the hard-working, determined person she needed to be to become a star. And theres little doubt that those roots will be showcased in her upcoming book. Plus, fans can expect some wisdom from her perspective as a twice-divorced mother and stepmother. Maybe shell even share some secrets from her relationship with the partner she said shed always hoped for, Rex Linn. Publishers anticipate a fall 2023 release for Reba McEntires lifestyle book Can't wait to get my copy of @Reba's new book! https://t.co/3njGJiPrLQ iHeartCountry (@iHeartCountry) April 21, 2022 According to a press release from publisher Harper Celebrate, McEntires untitled book is set for a fall 2023 release. It will feature recipes, stories, photos in full color, and advice from the multi-talented superstar on various lifestyle-related topics. Shell share her hacks for some of lifes tasks, from hosting parties to packing suitcases. Each chapter of the book will center on a theme from her music. And those will include grit, family legacy, being curious, and prioritizing the things that matter most, the press release shared. Im so excited to partner with the Harper Celebrate team to create my first lifestyle book where I will share stories, behind the scenes photos, some of my favorite recipes and life lessons Ive learned over the years, McEntire said of the project. I know my fans are going to love it! Reba McEntires lifestyle book will offer a seat at her table My roots are planted in the past, and though my life is changing fast, who I am is who I want to be. https://t.co/RfnRJUcSrK #ImASurvivor pic.twitter.com/PcVfBWItWH Reba McEntire (@reba) October 2, 2021 McEntire has had her hand in singing, acting, barrel racing, and a few different kinds of business, like boots, clothes, and furniture. Not to mention she was the first female Colonel Sanders for KFC. But the experience she and the publishers are trying to create with her forthcoming book is a feeling of being at home with the hard-working country star. Reba is universally beloved for her talent, humor, and unapologetic authenticity, Michael Aulisio, vice president and publisher at Harper Celebrate, said. This book will offer readers a seat at Rebas table as she shares her hard-earned wisdom on what it means to live a good life, Aulisio explained. And let me assure you, there will be a lot of fun had along the way. RELATED: Reba McEntire Didnt Always Recognize the Dangers in Her Rodeo-Riding Youth The Flight Attendant returns to HBO Max this April, continuing Cassie Bowdens (Kaley Cuoco) story in a second season that promises to be nearly as thrilling as season 1. Although Cassie has gotten her life together following the chain of events that nearly saw her put away for murder, her days of investigating bizarre mysteries arent over. In fact, The Flight Attendant Season 2 will see her secretly working for the CIA. Those struggling to remember how Cassie got to this point may need a refresher ahead of the new episodes. Fortunately, weve got you covered. Heres a recap of what happened in The Flight Attendant Season 1. Cassie Bowden spends The Flight Attendant Season 1 in a predicament Kaley Cuoco in The Flight Attendant | HBO Max/Phil Caruso The Flight Attendant Season 2 will see Cassie Bowden sober and sporting a new spring in her step, but season 1 opened with Kaley Cuocos character in a much different place. Cassie is in full-blown party mode at the beginning of the series. She travels around the world for her job, spending most of her downtime getting drunk. That becomes a problem when she blacks out one night, waking up in a foreign country with a dead body in her bed. That body belongs to Alex Sokolov (Michiel Huisman), a well-off businessman she meets on her flight to Thailand. Cassie has no recollection of how he ended up in her bed much less dead and she panics at what this means for her. However, as hard as Cassie tries to cover up her connection to Alexs murder, she soon becomes suspect number one. Part of that has to do with her insistence on figuring out what happened that night, something that leads her to question his coworkers and show up at his funeral. Her personal investigation uncovers some interesting details including that that Alex was wrapped up in a pretty serious money-laundering operation. After he realizes his family is engaged in such behavior, he tries to take a stand. He makes off with a company called Lionfishs money, causing the men behind the organization to come after him. Although his family sends a woman named Miranda (Michelle Gomez) to reason with him, the people at Lionfish kill him first. Cassie is an unexpected part of the equation. Naturally, her digging puts her in danger from the same people who killed Alex. She also has the CIA on her back, giving her ample reason to figure out the truth about Alexs death. Megan Briscoes story could continue in The Flight Attendant While Alexs murder and Cassies involvement in it takes the spotlight in The Flight Attendant Season 1, several side characters get story arcs as well. Cassies best friend, Annie (Zosia Mamet), and her brother, Davey (T.R. Knight), play prominent roles. Both of them try to get Cassie out of trouble, frustrated and concerned about her drinking and unbelievable stories (most of which turn out to be true). But while Annie and Davey both have satisfying arcs with Cassie, theres one character whose story leaves viewers with questions: Megan Briscoes (Rosie Perez). Megan is one of Cassies colleagues, and she gets caught up in her own predicament during the first outing. Looking for some extra excitement in her life, she sells information from her husbands computer to men from North Korea. Megan doesnt realize the implications of her actions, but they amount to treason. Shes forced to flee the U.S. after an international flight. And although she bids farewell to Cassie, its unclear whats next for her if anything at all. Its possible Megan will make an appearance in The Flight Attendant Season 2. Although her arc could end with her leaving town, she seems the most likely character to receive a continued storyline from season 1. Where we leave Cassie ahead of The Flight Attendant Season 2 Once Cassie gets to the bottom of Alexs murder and proves herself innocent she winds up walking free. Of course, the nightmarish experience forces her to take a long, hard look at her life. Not only does she confront the childhood scars left by her father, but she winds up seeking help for her alcoholism. At the end of The Flight Attendant Season 1, Cassies circumstances are looking up. And it looks like shes managed to stay sober heading into the second season. HBO Maxs trailer teases a new lease on life for her character. It also reveals a working relationship with the FBI. Although the mystery in season 2 looks to be disconnected from season 1, its possible well see some fallout from the initial batch of episodes. Only time will tell where this new chapter will take Cassie. But well be along for the ride especially if its as exciting as her first mystery. The Flight Attendant Season 2 premieres on HBO Max on April 21, 2022. RELATED: The Flight Attendant: How the Ending Differed From the Book Cherokee Nation Public Health is offering a return to in-person racing for members of the Wings Fitness Program. Did you know Russia attacked a Ukrainian nuclear power facility, and a government official said that elevated levels of radiation were detected near the plant? Did you hear about the Ukrainian soldiers trapped on a tiny island who told off a Russian warship before they died defending their post? Or did you see the video of the Ghost of Kyiv, the ace Ukrainian pilot shooting down Russian bombers midair? You may think you know these stories, but you dont. And neither do I, because each is half-true at best. Russian forces did attack the power plant, but early reports of a radiation spike, like the CBS tweet I quoted above, were false. The International Atomic Energy Agency had said as much before CBS posted, yet, weeks later, CBS hasnt deleted its erroneous tweet as of the time of writing this. The warship story isnt quite true, either: Ukrainians did insult the ship, but they werent soldiers, and they arent dead. As for the Ghost of Kyiv, that ones a total whopper. The footage came from a video game. Beyond the brutality of the physical battlefield, the conflict in Ukraine is an information war. And unlike bombs and tanks thousands of miles away, that battle is all around us. Watching the conflict in real time, were all targets for misinformation. Fact checks help, sure. But sometimes even generally credible news sources like CBS leave up errors, and sometimes even the fact checks are fake. If we want to avoid becoming casualties in the information war, what we need most is not endless debunking of every false tweet, but to build intellectual virtues. God enjoins us in Scripture to pursue these virtues, writes Wheaton College emeritus philosopher W. Jay Wood in Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous. The command is not only for professional philosophers: The Bible is unequivocally clear that Christians are to superintend the life of the mind. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds (Rom. 12:3). God cares about how you think, not just what you think. No walk of life is without the need for insight, discretion and love of truth. Intellectual virtue concerns your very character, the kind of person you are and are becoming, Wood says. Careful oversight of our intellectual lives is imperative if we are to think well, and thinking well is an indispensable ingredient in living well. That was always true, but the sheer volume of information to which we can now expose ourselves daily has made it more pressing. The global theater of information warfare tied to the conflict in Ukraine means our need for intellectual virtue is at present especially acute. Wood wrote more than two decades ago, but his suggestion of three key virtuesstudiousness, intellectual honesty, and wisdomis just as needful now. Studiousness means seeking truth well, steering between the excesses of vicious curiosity on the one hand and credulousness and oblivion on the other. A studious person values learning the truth, but shes also attentive to how she learns it (some research methods are unethical), what she does with it (knowledge may be abused), and whether there are other, better things to which she should attend instead (Did you really need to know about that tweet? Will having that knowledge help anything or anyone?). Studiousness is also a matter of attitude and self-discipline. A studious person must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful (2 Tim. 2:24). They should be intellectually generous, diligent, and aware of their own limitations. The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered (Prov. 17:27), so sometimes to be studious requires us to keep silent. Article continues below Intellectual honesty concerns how we respond to knowledge while acquiring it. Its the virtuous mean between intellectual dishonesty and willful naivete, and it requires us to deal in sincerity and good faith, even when we cant expect the same from others (Rom. 12:1721). The intellectually honest person scrutinizes his own thinking and is scrupulous about admitting when hes wrong, working to put off falsehood and speak truthfully to [his] neighbor (Eph. 4:25). He is on the lookout for motivated reasoning in himself and others, asking whether he believes something merely because he wants it to be true. And someone who is intellectually honest will never dissemble, or call evil good and good evil (Isa. 5:20), though that may be the easy or popular course of action. Last, wisdom is the virtue we need to put knowledge weve sought and gained to good use. The wise persons life will be marked by deep and abiding meaningfulness, anchored in beliefs and purposes that offer lasting contentment, Wood says. This person wants knowledge of ultimate significanceknowledge that explains the most important features of our world, especially as they bear on human happiness. This requires circumspection and prudence, a healthy skepticism that doesnt devolve into cynicism andparticularly in our information agecareful curation of ones own attention. Wisdom requires rejecting belligerence, pedantry, pride, and rumormongering, all of which are encouraged in much of our traditional and social media. I cant end this column with five short steps to becoming intellectually virtuous. Virtues need time, practice, and patience to take root; the most I can offer here is a seed. Nor can I conclude with some foolproof guide to recognizing propaganda online. The scale and nature of this warwhere your answer to a question as basic as whos winning may depend on where you livemean any concrete recommendations I could give would rapidly become useless. The power of modern, decentralized propaganda is how quickly it can evolve. But we can log off more often. Touch grass. Pray more than we post. We can remember that the fate of Ukraine doesnt depend on whether you share another article. As C. S. Lewis wrote in a letter in 1946, that it is not the duty of any private person to fix his mind on ills which he cannot help, and the mere state of being worried is [not] in itself meritorious. We must, if it so happens, give our lives for others; but even while were doing it, I think were meant to enjoy Our Lord and, in Him, our friends, our food, our sleep, our jokes, and the birds song and the frosty sunrise. Developing intellectual virtues is not a task to which were left on our own. Woods reminds us, We can hardly do better than to recall the words of James: If any of you lack wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you (Jas 1:5). In information warfare, as ever, God is ready to assist us. The Korean drama Squid Game was a hit in 2021, reaching over 140 million Netflix viewers worldwide. The series used games familiar to Korean children to describe the social pathology of adults amid the fair competition of the modern world. It satirizes a system in which people would do anything in order to survive at the expense of others. In real life, the current war between Russia and Ukraine is the latest event to expose the ugliness of human conflicts. Each brings division, with supporters and opponents increasingly polarized. However, do Christians have to choose only between the polarized options of full support or full opposition amid the conflicts of the 21st century? Two Old Testament books suggest not. Different narratives The Israelites in the Old Testament were repeatedly subjected to cruelty. They suffered from foreign aggression and were often at war. Gideons son, Abimelech, killed 70 brothers in one day in order to become king in Shechem (Judges 9:16). A Levite was returning home with his concubine, but she was raped to death by local hooligans. News of the incident spread to the other tribes and led to a war that nearly wiped out the entire tribe of Benjamin (Judges 1921). The writer of Judges sums up the situation of that time period with a repeated phrase: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit (21:25). When members of society did what was right in their own eyes, everything was based on their own interests, which naturally led to a ruthless generation. The word mercy would not be found in their dictionary. It was during this period that Ruth, a Moabite woman, arrived in Bethlehem of Judah to begin her life in a foreign land (Ruth 1:22). She was prompted by the prayer of her mother-in-law, Naomi: May the Lord show you kindness (v. 8). Naomis prayer of kindness (hesed) for her two daughters-in-law can be understood as loyalty but can also be interpreted as loving-kindness. This prayer motivated Ruths journey of grace. Before Ruth left Moab, she argued with her mother-in-law. Naomi advised her not to come to Judah because there was no mercy from God there, but only his judgment (1:1213). She thought her daughters-in-law should remain in Moab to seek the Lords mercy (vv. 8, 15). Ruths answer was the opposite: Dont urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go (v. 16). This is a puzzling emigration decision. Given the choice, how could Ruth choose a cruel and unforgiving society (as described in Judges) when a normal person would choose a calm, safe, and economically prosperous country to migrate to? Could she have chosen the wrong place? The end of the first chapter of Ruth seems to suggest the answer. They arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning (v. 22). There was a law for people like Naomi and Ruth in Israelite society: When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands (Deut. 24:19). This was the Lords way of showing mercy to disadvantaged people. But in a generation when everyone did as they saw fit, did anyone keep the law? Boazs later words to Ruth seem to suggest that the people of Bethlehem did not, and would even harass her (Ruth 2:89). In fact, the question facing Ruth was not only whether the Israelites were willing to obey the law, but also whether they were willing to break the law. For while the Deuteronomic law protected the widows who lived in the land, it also prohibited Moabites like Ruth from entering the community of Israel (Deut. 23:3). Unless someone was gracious enough to set aside this prohibition, those who strived to keep the law would be deterred from lending a helping hand. Article continues below It seems that this harvest was not only a sign of the Lords renewed favor toward Bethlehem (Ruth 1:6), but also a test of the citys graciousness. Ruth seemed to be aware of the difficulties she would face and the mercy she would need (2:2). What followed was a series of providential events. Ruth went behind the harvesters to glean; as it turned out, she followed them to a certain field of wheat; and just then, Boaz, the field owner, arrived from Bethlehem (Ruth 2:34). Boaz not only allowed Ruth to gather wheat in his field but also protected her (vv. 89). He commanded his servants not to insult her even to let her glean more (vv. 1516). The kindness that Ruth had sought was found, and it was more than she thought she could expect (v. 10). When she couldnt resist asking Boaz why he was so gracious to her, his answer indicated he believed that what had happened was no coincidence but instead a merciful act of the Lord in reward of her faith (v. 12). Naomi came to the same conclusion after hearing Ruths account of the events in the field (v. 20). Sharp social contrasts In the narrative world of Judges, there are apostate Israelites, idolatrous and lustful judges (Gideon and Samson, respectively), Levite priests of idol shrines, the mob in Gibeah who raped the Levites concubine, and the peremptory Benjamites. The land of Israel was a place of foreign invasions and tribal wars arising from internal strife. In the narrative of Ruth, however, the reader sees a society of kindness and warmth, a Bethlehem where the Lord demonstrated his mercy and grace through Israelites. There is not only Boaz, who is full of kindness to the Moabites, but also the ten elders who bless the marriage of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:1112). We see some stark contrasts between the two books. Judges tells of a foreign woman who was abused and died in Gibeah, while Ruth tells of a foreign woman who was not only accepted in Bethlehem but also honored as one of the ancestors of Israelthe equal of Rachel and Leah. The writer of Judges repeatedly attributes its chaos to the fact that in those days Israel had no king. Instead of criticizing this environment, the Book of Ruth deliberately concludes with the genealogy of King David (4:1722), implying that the king expected during the time of judges was David, who foreshadowed Christ, the King of peace. The narrative of Ruth offers what Charles Taylor described as an alternative social reality, similar to the alternative consciousness proclaimed by the Old Testament prophets as described by Walter Bruggemann in The Prophetic Imagination. The polarized social consciousness In recent years, there has been a spate of incidents of polarization among Christians, exemplified by debates over public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons for these conflicts are not necessarily biblical, but rather polarized views on politics, race relations, gender theory, sexual ethics, Christian nationalism, and other issues. Among evangelicals, each side defines evangelicalism by its own set of values. As Jim Cymbala, senior pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, said in a January sermon, Christians in North America now no longer define an evangelical person by whether he or she believes in Jesus, but by whether he or she is Democrat or Republican, pro-vaccination or anti-vaccination, and mask-wearing or not. Article continues below These were my people, but now I dont know who they are, or maybe I dont know who I am, Timothy Dalrymple, CEO and editor in chief of Christianity Today, described his friend as saying last year. In February, he told David Brooks for The New York Times, One of the most surprising elements is that Ive realized that the people who I used to stand shoulder to shoulder with on almost every issue, I now realize that we are separated by a yawning chasm of mutual incomprehension. I would never have thought that could have happened so quickly. One of the major factors that has brought evangelical relations to this point is the divisive information bubbles formed by polarized mass media and social media. Each side chooses to absorb or disseminate only the data of its own circle. The social reality behind each sides values becomes the eyes of the beholder, leading to a clear distinction between enemies and friends. Few people believe the other side, and each side speaks its own language. For each circle, the social reality seen by peers is the real reality while the social reality of other circles is suspicious fake news or misinformation. It is almost another phenomenon where everyone did as they saw fit. This polarized social reality has no room for objective reality. If both sides are in danger, neither side will be able to detect it due to lack of objective vision. Even more regrettable is the fact that within our own Christian community, there are many rivalries and enemies. Those who seek the truth are at a loss. Many people have created a world of cold and cruel narratives without the mercy and grace of the Lord. An alternative reality The Book of Ruth sheds some lightand even offers a modelfor Christians dealing with current conflicts of consciousness. Ruth shows that even amid the darkest chaos, there are positive narratives to report in the world that God created. Like the biblical writers, Christians can create a healthier social reality using the positive examples that exist amid conflicts. Such a social reality does not deny the dark side of the present but focuses on the positive stories within society. For example, in the war between Russia and Ukraine, we can focus on the humanitarian relief efforts of many charities and Christian organizations. As Christians, we should be especially aware of the contributions of congregations and missionaries at this time. Many missionaries chose to stay behind even though they could have been evacuated from the war zone. (The parents of one of my theology students decided to stay in Ukraine to serve and accompany local Christians in distress.) Another example is CTs recent report on Shanghai that even amid the difficulties and chaos of the citys COVID-19 lockdown, local Christians are helping their neighbors and serving their community with charity. Unfortunately, the daily focus of the polarized media today often ignores the ministry of these Christians, which is rarely heard even within the church. Their stories need to be made more public so that we can create an alternative sense of reality amid the predominantly antagonistic social reality. The Lord is still in power in the midst of chaos, and he is still exercising his mercy among the masses. This is the narrative that people who are confused by the opposing social realities need to hear. We want to show them that in this cold era, human beings can still enjoy the warmth of humanity because of Gods intervention. In fact, what Jesus Christ brought out in his three and a half years of ministry was a different kind of social reality. He was often caught between pro-Roman and anti-Roman Jews, and his followers included those who took different sides. In the face of such polarization, Jesus chose to proclaim the alternative social reality of the kingdom of heaven: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near (Matt. 4:17). A careful reading of the Gospel accounts reveals that both Jesus message and his healing ministry were beyond the imagination of the Old Testament prophets, who were not able to imagine an eternal kingdom of love for both enemies and friends like the one Jesus described. Article continues below Jesus said that before his return, wars would continue to rage in the world and humans would be divided: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matt. 24:7). No matter which side people were on, their political views on war all eventually became a thing of the past The focus of Christians should not be blurred in the face of the tidal wave of wars and struggles. Our narrative should be like that of Jesusthe narrative of an alternative heavenly reality. We should pray as Jesus did that the Fathers will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10), and help people see an alternative social reality amid a world in turmoil and a generation divided. Dr. Samuel Goh holds two masters degrees in theology and a PhD degree. He pastored a church in Singapore for many years and is currently a lecturer of Old Testament at Brisbane Theological Seminary in Australia. Translation by Sean Cheng [ This article is also available in and . ] Canadas first national indigenous Anglican archbishop resigns over sexual misconduct Mark MacDonald, Canadas first national indigenous Anglican archbishop, resigned from his post over acknowledged sexual misconduct, the church announced Wednesday. In a statement providing few details of the misconduct committed by MacDonald, the Anglican Church of Canada said the 68-year-old married father of three, who assumed the post of bishop in 2007 before he was promoted to archbishop in 2019, formally relinquished the exercise of the ordained ministry pursuant to Canon XIX, effective April 20, 2022. Archbishop Mark MacDonald has resigned as National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop and has relinquished the exercise of ministry due to acknowledged sexual misconduct, The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, archbishop and primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, wrote in an open letter. This is devastating news. The sense of betrayal is deep and profound when leaders fail to live up to the standards we expect and the boundaries we set. Our hearts hold compassion for human frailty and space for repentance while we also ache with the pain that such betrayal causes first to the complainant; then to so many others and to the life of our Church, she added. MacDonald, who served as bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church of Alaska for 10 years, also served for a period as assistant bishop for the Navajo Reservation, covering parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, The National Post reported. In her letter about MacDonalds admission, Nicholls urged prayers for him as well as the individual who revealed his sexual misconduct. First and most importantly our prayers must be for the complainant whose life has been affected by Marks actions. The betrayal of trust by someone in such a prominent role of leadership will require a long road of healing and our constant prayers, she said. Also remember Mark and his family in prayer as they face the consequences of his actions that will affect every member, she asked. The ripple effects of this misconduct will be felt throughout the Church both in Canada and internationally, but most especially within the Sacred Circle and Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples. We mourn with them. Hundreds of people gather every two to three years to participate in Sacred Circles, which are national gatherings of Indigenous Anglicans for prayer, worship, discernment, and decision-making. The last one was held in November. According to The Vancouver Sun, MacDonalds sudden resignation comes while the Anglican Church of Canada is under fire for its handling of unrelated allegations of sexual misconduct. He had also been slated to play a crucial role in the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to Canada next week, where the churchs desire to reconcile with Canadas Indigenous people is expected to be highlighted. Cost of Guidepost report on SBC leaders alleged mishandling of sexual abuse exceeds $1.7M A Guidepost Solutions report on an investigation of the alleged mishandling of a crisis of sexual abuse by leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention set to be released before the annual meeting of the nations largest Protestant denomination in Anaheim, California, in June, has already exceeded more than $1.7 million in costs. According to a report by the Baptist Press, the denominations official news service, while the budget submitted by Guidepost Solutions originally projected the investigation would cost between $1.3 million and $1.6 million, total invoices for the period October 2021 through February 2022 were $1,743,121. Bruce Frank, pastor of Biltmore Church in Arden, North Carolina who also chairs the Sexual Abuse Task Force said the cost of the investigation could have already exceeded $2 million had Guidepost Solutions not applied a $458,154 credit to the denominations February invoice. I am very grateful for the immense professionalism shown by Guidepost in dealing with a condensed time frame due to EC delays and a large project, Frank told Baptist Press. We are also grateful for the professional courtesy discount given by Guidepost due to this projects importance. According to Baptist Press, trustees of the SBCs Executive Committee originally voted to allocate up to $1.6 million for the investigation. At their February meeting, that allocation was increased to $2 million. Legal fees which were originally approved for $500,000, were also increased in February to $2 million. The SBC Executive Committee announced on June 11 that Guidepost Solutions would review allegations made by the former leader of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Russell Moore, that SBC leaders intimidated whistleblowers and exonerated churches with credible claims of negligence of sexual abuse victims. Guidepost Solutions was also commissioned to "review and enhance training provided to SBC Executive Committee staff and its board of trustees" as it relates to sex abuse and the organizations "communications to cooperating churches and congregants in cooperating churches." The investigation, funded by allocations from the Cooperative Program, is expected to cover the period from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021, and include a review of actions and decisions of staff and members of the Executive Committee. The investigation will also include an audit of the procedures and actions taken by the SBC Credentials Committee, a body formed at the convention meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2019. Willie McLaurin, interim EC president and CEO, told Baptist Press that the current expenditures on the investigation reflect the wishes of Southern Baptists. The final authority and final accountability for how funds are spent is given by the messengers and the convention, he explained. Southern Baptist can be confident that while the investigation focused on the Executive Committee, the EC has diligently fulfilled the request of the messengers by funding the investigation. I am incredibly thankful that for such a time as this, reserve funds were available to use without having impact on our cooperative work. The SBCs reserve funds are generated from gifts allocated through the Cooperative Program to the EC. Those reserves have been built over the years through investments and as of February stood at $15 million, with $12.2 million in unrestricted funds Baptist Press said. Viral pastor reveals what took place before singing worship on airplane, responds to backlash A video posted by Pastor Jack Jensz Jr. of his ministry team worshiping aboard an airplane in mid-flight has amassed over 35 million views online but the reason they were on the plane in the first place is the real star of the show. The clip posted on April 6 of people from Kingdom Realm Ministries and other churches worldwide singing How Great Is Our God during a commercial flight out of Poland gained traction after Muslim U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., posted the clip on her Twitter page Saturday. She included the caption, "I think my family and I should have a prayer session next time I am on a plane. I think my family and I should have a prayer session next time I am on a plane. How do you think it will end? pic.twitter.com/5696Erwsl5 Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 17, 2022 Her comments were criticized by some Republican politicians, such as Vernon Jones, a former Democrat who is running to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives, who suggested Omar's comments were hateful toward Christians. Others criticized the worshippers, claiming the event was invasive and forced everyone else on board to listen to music praising God against their will. Jensz said the impromptu worship moment was not a part of a political agenda at all. I didn't post it to stir anything up, the Australian-born pastor shared in an interview with The Christian Post. It was actually just a post to share with our friends and encourage our friends that have been following our journey. When she posted that, I just looked at it and I didn't really give it too much thought. I didn't really enter into any political debate, he continued. For us, we just came to share the love of God, we came just to reveal to people that Jesus loves them so much, and that's our focus. Our focus wasn't a political agenda at all. The minister captioned the video, We are taking this flight over for Jesus! The video showed a guitar player leading a group of people in worship to the popular Chris Tomlin song. Many passengers joined in and filmed the event that lasted a few minutes as others sat in silence. The song came on the heels of Jensz and his team being spiritually high because of what they saw God do while serving at the Ukrainian border. He said the plane ride came after their time in Ukraine, and it was their way of keeping hope going. "We were with our team. We're flying away from Ukraine to another place to have a meeting. We had 10 members of our team on the plane, and we've been worshiping and praying for people all over the place, he explained. We decided, 'How awesome would it be if we could just bless these people with a song and bring hope and joy to this flight as so many people are in such a devastating place in pain and suffering?'" They approached the air host and shared what they were doing in Ukraine and asked permission to sing worship music in an attempt to keep morale high even while in the air. Jensz said they would not have done the video if they weren't granted permission because they believe in honor, we believe in respecting authority. After asking the air host if they could sing the song, Jensz said, "she took a step back, and she was so surprised and so happy." She's like, 'Oh, wow, really? This would be so beautiful.' So she went to the pilot and asked the pilot, the pilot was in agreement, and everyone was in agreement," he stated. "Then she jumped on the intercom and goes, 'Hey, passengers, we have guests from all around the world who have been serving in Ukraine and helping the beautiful Ukrainian refugees, and they want to sing one song, just to bring joy and hope to you in this time.' "As she announced that, everyone clapped, a bunch of smiles on the plane, and we stood up to our feet with our team and we sang How great is our God, which is a beautiful song, Jensz continued. As we sang it, we saw people smiling, some people even crying, they were touched. We had people filming on their phones. It was a real joyful moment on the plane. Then we shared with them. We said, 'Hey, this might be the most interesting plane flight that you've ever been on in your life. But we're here to bring joy and happiness and just to tell you, God loves you and He's with you. Jensz said many Ukrainian refugees were on that flight, and it's why they felt compelled to do what they did. No one said anything negative, no one stood up [against it], everyone was there enjoying, he shared. It was just a beautiful time, and it seemed like everyone was truly blessed. After the clip went viral, it created an uproar online. People had varying opinions about what took place. For Jensz and his team, however, it was another miraculous ministry opportunity for them as they saw God move in a significant way during their entire trip. The founder and president of the Philadelphia-based Kingdom Realm Ministries testified of what God did leading up to that worshipful moment that has caught the world's attention. "Ukraine is in the midst of a great war, and this is devastating to see. So on the second day of the war, our teams from all over the world were like, 'Hey, let's go to the Ukrainian border and minister to the people, love the people and help the people," Jensz recalled. He said his ministry affiliates came from all over the world to do "four different types of ministries." "The first thing that we did is we did a border ministry, where we went to the Ukrainian border, and we came with supplies, humanitarian aid, we came with medical supplies, food, blankets, you name it. Just helping the immediate needs of these beautiful refugees," he said. The stories he heard were heartbreaking. He recalled seeing people waiting in line to cross the border for three or four days by car. Others were standing in line waiting to get in for hours upon hours. He even heard reports of refugees suffering from frostbite because they were standing so long in the cold. "I've never seen anything like this! Walking down the lines, you have people throwing their children at you saying, 'Please take them,' and they're just filled with great fear, he described. These people have driven days to get to the border. These people are leaving war-torn areas where they've even seen their houses bombed. They've had to send their sons and fathers back in to fight the war, and so it's just so devastating." Jensz said it is essential for churches to pray, but he and his team felt called not only to pray but to action. He shared how they went to refugee centers to pray with various refugees and help them get connected with family members throughout Europe. Jensz credited the ministry Awakening Europe for helping to coordinate everything for his team during their time in the region. "It's amazing because when you hand humanitarian aid to these beautiful people, they say thank you, they're so kind and so happy that we're there to help from all around the world, Jensz noted. But when you sit and you tell them, 'Hey, can I just share with you that God loves you so much. Even though you're going through this, know that Jesus is with you.' They begin to just melt, they cry, they get so touched. Ukraine is known as a predominantly Christian nation. A 2018 survey conducted by the Razumkov Centre think tank found that 71.7% of the population declared themselves believers. The pastor said that telling the people that God loved them meant the world to them. "So it's not pushing religion down their throat at all. It's actually something that's so dear to their heart, and it moves them, he clarified. "We also went to the train stations, where all these refugees are jumping on trains to go throughout Europe to find family members. We were there with humanitarian aid, with food, we gave candy to the kids, make the kids smile and have joy in the midst of this crazy war. Then we just share the beautiful Gospel, Jensz continued. "We are not ashamed of the Gospel. The Gospel has the power to save and transform." Jensz saw the transformative power of Jesus Christ in his own life. He was brought up in an abusive home and saw God intervene by changing his mother's life and his own life, setting them on a course of hope and fulfillment. We believe that Jesus is the answer. Obviously, we don't want to shove that down their throat. We wait for the opportunity for God to open it up. But these people were so open to receiving the good news of God," Jensz assured. "We actually saw healings and miracles. Multiple people received healing in their bodies, and it was beautiful. It's like God was kissing them, saying, 'I'm with you and I'm for you and I love you' by healing their body. It was incredible! While their worship video has gone viral, Jensz wants all the attention to bring glory to God. "From a Christian perspective, I just hope that the Church rises up and realizes that the Gospel is powerful. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. ... We have a call to action to love people more, a call to action to serve people more. We have a call to action to share the Good News more. That's really my heart, he concluded. When asked if worship on a plane should be encouraged in the future, Jensz said he's been on several plane rides where other beliefs have expressed their faith. "I've been on different flights, and I have friends that have traveled to different countries where there are different religions that are widely spread there. I've been on flights where you have a Muslim or Islamic person come up, and they'll share and they'll pray. I've been on flights where they pray before we take off, even had Jewish people that will stand up and they'll pray, he described. "It happens quite often. I think that we just shook the ground a little bit because it was a worship song. So it's very out there in that sense. But I think that if you ask for permission and it's granted and what you have to say is encouraging and uplifting and brings hope and light, sure! ... We live in a beautiful, free country, and we're free to express what we believe and what we stand firm on in our heart and if that's bringing life." The pastor believes the criticism he and his team have received is whats expected as a follower of Christ. "They persecuted Jesus and persecuted the disciples. This is just what we laid our life down for. This is the cost, Jensz maintained. The history of the idea of 'war crimes' Evidence is mounting of possible war crimes by Russia and, on a vastly smaller scale, by Ukraine. We can be sure, given that every act of warring nations is documented on social media today, that the truth will come out. But where did the idea come from that some ways of fighting wars crossed some sort of civilized line? Who decided where that line should be drawn? Where did the very notion of war crimes come from? Union Major General Sherman, the general behind the infamous Shermans March during the Civil War, famously said that War is hell. International laws on war crimes are a historically recent innovation intended to mitigate how terrible and devastating war becomes. They are attempts to prevent war from descending entirely into hell, especially for non-combatants. In the West, the primary sources for laws governing how war should be waged are found in Just War Theory. The earliest idea that war should be governed and moderated, however, dates long before any formal formulation of Just War Theory. In Deuteronomy 20, Moses instructed the Israelites not to kill the women and children of their enemies. Much later, the Roman Republic would embrace three criteria for waging war: first, that it had to be waged for a legally sound reason, such as in response to aggression; second, that it had to be declared by someone legally authorized to do so; and third, that it had to be waged justly. As ethically innovative as that may sound, the Romans still had no problem using horrific tactics, such as rape, torture, enslavement, and terrorism, in their warfare. It was Christian thinkers, especially Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas, who most fully developed the ideas governing if and how war was to be waged. This Judeo-Christian approach eventually influenced the formation of the code of chivalry in medieval Europe. Like the injunctions in Deuteronomy 20, the code was eventually expanded to include the protection of women and non-combatants, with the ideal of the knight being a protector of the weak. Though in the throes of war, these ideals were rarely followed, the code held among the nobles. For example, if a knight unnecessarily killed another knight in combat, he could be charged with murder. This was not considered a war crime, however. In the wake of the brutality of the Spanish conquests in the Americas, thinkers such as 16th-century Spanish theologian and jurist Francisco de Vitoria began to argue that war was never part of Gods plan and could only be justified on the grounds of the common good. Thus, consideration of war and warfare shifted from a topic within theology to the emerging realm of international law. At the same time, the emergence of gunpowder armies and other military technologies made war increasingly destructive. As weapons became more powerful, the ability of armies to target civilians grew as well. This led to legal attempts in the 19th century to restrict warfare. The first international treaty on warfare was the 1864 Geneva Convention, which covered the treatment of sick and wounded prisoners of war. This was followed by the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, which also banned weapons such as poison gas, the killing of surrendering prisoners, looting, and the bombardment of undefended towns. The 1925 Geneva Protocol supplemented the ban on chemical weapons with a ban on biological weapons. Protections afforded to civilians were expanded in the 1949 Geneva Conventions. In 2008, the U.N. Security Council added rape and sexual violence to the list of war crimes. Although a few Germans were tried for war crimes after the first World War I, it was the Nuremberg Trials and the lesser-known International Military Tribunal for the Far East after World War II that most fully established the idea of war crimes and holding violators accountable. Since 2002, such trials have been handled by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In the U.S., war crimes can be prosecuted using the 1996 War Crimes Act and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Despite all the conventions, treaties, and laws, war crimes continue to be a part of every military conflict and are often perpetrated by all sides. Heads of state and others have been prosecuted in a range of countries, while others have escaped accountability altogether. It is important to remember that the U.S. has been guilty of war crimes, such as the violations at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The very concept of war crimes is rooted in the Judeo-Christian understanding that in a deeply flawed world, war is at times a horrible necessity. However, the desired ends of nations, even if noble, do not justify the means. The waging of war, even if just, must not violate the inherent dignity of human beings. In other words, all is not fair in love and war, and to whatever extent we can control, war should not be hell. Franklin Graham preaches in Ukraine: Easter is about more than just egg hunts and bunny rabbits Evangelist Franklin Graham, the son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham and head of the Evangelical humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse, preached an Easter sermon in Ukraine, urging believers not to lose sight of the true meaning of the celebration. As thousands have reportedly died and over 11 million have been displaced from their homes since the invasion began at the end of February, the 69-year-old Graham preached his pre-recorded Easter sermon from Lviv in western Ukraine. Fox News broadcasted the event, which featured music from the Ukrainian Easter Choir. Graham grieved that the world is continuing to become more violent and secular. Many politicians and educators scoff at those that worship the Lord Jesus Christ. They make fun. They dont believe, Graham said. For many, Easter has become Easter egg hunts and bunny rabbits and candy. But, may we never forget the true meaning of Easter, and that is the price that was paid for the redemption of your soul." The head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association assured that the price was "paid by God" and "Easter is about Gods love for mankind." God created the world and everything in it. He made us man and woman. And he placed the first man and woman in a perfect world," he added. "There was no sin in this world that God created. He intended for man to live, but God has laws." And we know from the Scripture that the first man and woman chose to disobey God. And as a result sin came into the world. And sin has infected the entire human race, he continued. According to Graham, Bible states that every human has sinned and that all humans have come short of "God's standards for His glory." "And there is a penalty for sin. And its death," he warned. "The entire human race is under a death sentence from God because of our sins. But yet, God had a plan to save us from our sins." What does that strange concept [of sin mean]? Well, the Bible says, telling a lie is a sin. Have you ever lied? Of course, you have. All of us have lied. The Bible says all men are liars. It's true. Stealing is a sin, Graham stated, adding adultery, murder, hatred, bearing a false witness and pride as other examples of a long list of sinful behavior. Although God is "holy and just," Graham stated that "sin separates humans from God." It breaks fellowship with God. All of us fall short of God's standards. And the Bible says in Isaiah: all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are as filthy rags, Graham said. The Bible says: There is no one righteous; no, not even one. So what can man do? How can we be saved? Graham asked hypothetically. Graham said many people believe a false notion that they can work to earn their salvation by making enough money, building a building, being kind or going to church a few times a year. No, there is nothing that you can do. You see, it's only through Jesus Christ and Him alone, Graham said, referring to salvation as a gift from God. The Bible says: It is by grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not of yourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Good Works cannot save your soul. It just can't do it." In His plan to "redeem" mankind, God sent His Son, Jesus, from Heaven to earth "for the purpose of taking our sins" by dying on a cross. Graham pointed listeners to the Bible verse John 3:16. By Jesus Christ shedding His blood for us, He was redeeming our souls to God. But we have to be willing to accept it by faith, Graham said. He stated that Jesus was falsely accused and beaten beyond recognition. "Religious leaders falsely testified against Him. The Roman government wanted to appease the crowd. They knew He was innocent. They knew there were religious leaders who were jealous of Him. So what did they do? They just gave in to the mob and gave into the crowd." Graham stressed that Jesus "went willingly to the cross." "He went there for you and for me. He was mocked when he hung on that cross. And Jesus stayed on the cross, Graham said. And while He was on the cross, God poured upon his Son your sins and my sins, the sins of mankind, sins past, sins present, sins future. That's us today." We're the ones who deserve to go to the cross. We're the ones that deserve death," he said. "Jesus never sinned. And as a sinless person, He was able to take our sins. He was buried in a tomb." As many in Ukraine may have "lost hope this Easter," the preacher said many wonder "what to do and where to go." He urged them to fix their minds "on eternity in heaven with God and having belief and faith in Jesus." He has risen, just as He said. He is not here. He is risen. This is the greatest news that has ever been proclaimed that Jesus Christ is alive. The tomb is empty. He's not here. He's alive. He is risen, as He said He would, Graham said. If we repent and turn from our sins and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, God will forgive our sins, and we can have that hope that we will be saved and forgiven and be with God for eternity in Heaven. How do we have eternal life? It's not by works, but it's by God's grace, and it's through faith in His Son Jesus Christ." He remarked: "This is Easter. It's about a risen Savior. It's about an empty tomb." "Other religions are notable, and you can go and visit their tombs. Some of them are gorgeous, a lot of marble or granite. Jesus' tomb is empty. He is not there. He is risen, just as the angel has said." Graham's speech comes as the North Carolina-based Samaritans Purse has about 160 workers and volunteers on the ground in Ukraine meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those displaced from their homes by the Russian invasion. About half of [the displaced people] have gone out of the country, the other half are here inside Ukraine with no place to go and living with friends or relatives and some cities that converted factories or abandoned buildings into warehouses with beds where they can keep them, Graham said. And this is a difficult time for Ukraine. So much suffering in this country and Samaritans Purse [has] responded." Samaritans Purse, which works in regions of the world struck by tragedy, war and natural disasters, has several field hospitals and clinics established to help the people in Ukraine. Samaritan Purse also has established food distribution centers. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are ministering in hospitals and praying for Ukrainians. I think it's important for this Easter that we remember the people of Ukraine and that we pray, Graham said. Pastor says 200K Easter egg drop is church following Pauls example by finding ways to share the Gospel A multisite nondenominational church based in Kentucky held multiple Easter egg drops on Sunday, dropping approximately 200,000 Easter eggs for nearly 3,000 children to collect. 7 Hills Church, a congregation with locations in Florence, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, held multiple egg drops after services on Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Kyle Waid, an associate pastor at 7 Hills Church, told The Christian Post that nearly 3,000 children took part in the egg drops, and more than 700 volunteers helped organize the events. Every year, 7 Hills Church tries to make fun Easter memories for families. Over the years, weve dropped eggs out of hot air balloons, had professional sky divers, fireworks, and even shot people out of cannons, said Waid. Many churches host Easter egg hunts, with some holding them off site and with tens of thousands of eggs being available for children to search for and gather into baskets. In 2015, for example, the New Jersey-based Liquid Church held what was reportedly the largest Easter egg hunt in the state that year, with approximately 100,000 eggs being hidden for children to find. Although technically a secular practice, Waid defended the idea of churches holding Easter egg hunts, quoting 1 Corinthians 9:22, in which St. Paul wrote, "To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." Our church carries that same mission. We have become all things to all people with the same goal as Paul: that someone would receive the message of Jesus, Waid said. The egg hunt is an afterthought. The goal is to reach people. Following every Easter service, we hand out admission tickets to the egg hunt. Its our hope that through the 10 minutes of hunting eggs, families can create a fun memory together. Its our prayer that through the hour and 15-minute service, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sisters and brothers can find a forever friend in Jesus. To add to his point, Waid explained that 7 Hills Church recorded almost 500 salvations during Easter weekend, while also noting that Lead Pastor Marcus Mecum has always invested heavily in the next generation, including making church for children fun and engaging. Neighbors facilitate Shanghai's recovery By MA ZHENHUAN,QI XIAO in Hangzhou and CANG WEI in Suzhou, Jiangsu (China Daily) 08:13, April 21, 2022 A crane at a railway station in Hai'an, Jiangsu province, loads cargo that will be used in the fight against COVID-19 in Shanghai. ZHAI HUIYONG/FOR CHINA DAILY Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui roll out special measures, subsidies to spur logistics As Shanghai is on track to resume production after a 20-day citywide lockdown due to COVID-19, neighboring provinces in the Yangtze River Delta region have been helping with the resumption efforts by providing logistics support and facilitating cross-region transport of manufacturing materials. On Monday in Zhejiang, two transit stations for the auto industry went into operation. They are designed to ensure smooth operations of the auto parts supply chain. "Auto parts from across the province are gathered at the station, before being shipped to warehouses in Shanghai, usually on the same day," said Chen Huan, deputy director of the commerce bureau in Qiantang district, Hangzhou, where one of the stations is located. The stations will help relieve pressure on Shanghai as they integrate the supply of manufacturing materials from the area before they are sent to the city, said Lou Haojie, who works at another station in Ningbo. "It will also enable the authorities to better manage the trucks and their drivers, as well as the loading and unloading processes," Lou said, referring to the potential risks of spreading COVID-19. Earlier this month, two transit stations for daily necessities were put into use in Pinghu and Jiashan county with closed-loop management and contact-free transit. Such a transit station has also been established in Kunshan, Jiangsu province. In the province, cities like Taizhou and Suzhou have taken measures to help supply chain companies affiliated with automakers such as SAIC Group and Tesla to resume operations and tackle logistical problems. Two additional transit stations for key products and manufacturing materials are being built in the province. Suzhou has opened 50 highway lanes for trucks, of which 11 are for transporting emergency supplies, according to Suzhou's COVID-19 prevention and control team for traffic. It said that some highway lanes have been designated for trucks to transport supplies to Shanghai specifically. Li Feng, deputy director of Jiangsu's Industry and Information Technology Department, said: "Railway, port, airline and shipping companies have been asked by the local government to work with industrial, domestic and foreign trade companies. Logistics operations must be resumed as soon as possible." Jiang Xin, deputy director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce, said that more highways and roads will be reopened to guarantee logistics soon, and that the province will make detailed plans for each of the leading companies that have been seriously affected. In Anhui province, subsidies have been provided to truckers transporting manufacturing materials for key enterprises. Shanghai authorities issued a guideline last Saturday to restore production in key industries amid the latest COVID-19 outbreak. Some 666 companies in sectors like semiconductors, automobiles, and medical manufacturing and supplies were among the first group of firms to get back to work. "We are preparing for the resumption of work and production," Shanghai Junshi Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company, told China Times on Monday. "We are formulating epidemic prevention policies and resumption plans based on the guideline as well as the prevention and control requirements issued by the city." Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said it has "started the procedures of resuming production and work, and, after recalling employees, will carry out closed-loop manufacturing in accordance with the government requirements." Tesla Inc, which produces Model 3 and Model Y vehicles at its Shanghai plant, resumed production at its battery and machinery workshops on Tuesday, after 8,000-odd employees returned to the site on Sunday and Monday, the company said in a statement to China Daily late on Tuesday. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Pennsylvania school board votes down parent's request to launch After School Satan Club A Pennsylvania school district has voted against a parent's request to launch a satanic group's After School Satan Club at an elementary school for students who want to participate in an extracurricular program that is non-religious. In an 8-1 vote Tuesday, the Northern York County School Board based in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, rejected the request to establish an After School Satan Club at the districts Northern Elementary School. The agenda for Tuesdays meeting indicates that Samantha Groome sought to establish the club on a probationary basis. A video clip of the school board meeting, obtained by the York Daily Record, shows parents and others gathered in the crowd standing up and erupting into applause after the effort to create the satanic club was defeated. Groome said she wanted her children to be able to participate in extracurricular activities, but sought a secular alternative to the Joy El Christian club, which operates at nine of the 16 school districts in the county and offers off-campus activities. While an After School Satan Club will not come to fruition in Northern York County, Pennsylvania, other school districts in the country have embraced the extracurricular programs sponsored by the Satanic Temple. Earlier this year, Jane Addams Elementary School in Moline, Illinois, received criticism for handing out flyers promoting the After School Satan Club. The Moline-Coal Valley School District defended its decision to allow the club to operate at one of its elementary schools. Noting that it does not discriminate against any groups who wish to rent our facilities, including religious-affiliated groups, the district explained that religiously affiliated groups are among those allowed to rent our facilities for a fee. The district pointed to the Good News Club, which it described as an after-school child evangelism fellowship group, as an example of a religious organization that it allows to use its facilities even though it doesn't endorse its message. According to the Satanic Temples website, the After School Satan Clubs meet at select public schools where Good News Clubs also operate. Other school districts that host After School Satan Clubs include Lebanon City School District in Lebanon, Ohio, which also faced intense pushback for allowing the Satanic Temple to host an after-school activity for elementary school children. June Everett, who serves as a minister of Satan at the Satanic Temple and is the campaign director of the After School Satan Club, announced that the club would begin meeting at William Bruce Elementary School in Eaton, Ohio, in February. Everett stressed that ASSC is ONLY in schools that have a Good News Club or other religious club operating after hours. Everett listed the presence of the extracurricular program LifeWise Academy, a released time religious instruction program focused on Bible-based character education, at the school as justification for seeking to launch an After School Satan Club there. She also posted a flyer advertising the After School Satan Club at William Bruce Elementary School. The flyer touted some of the activities participants would engage in, including science projects, puzzles games, and arts and crafts projects, and listed benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem solving, creative expression and personal sovereignty as concepts children will learn there. It also asserted that the United States Constitution protects the After School Satan Clubs right to distribute flyers on public school grounds. The United States Constitution requires schools to respect the right of all external organizations to distribute flyers to students at school if the school permits any such organization to distribute flyers. Accordingly, the school cannot discriminate among groups wishing to distribute flyers at school and does not endorse the content of any flyer distributed at school. The After School Satan Club contends that the U.S. Supreme Court precedent gives it the right to hold meetings on public school grounds after hours: The Supreme Court ruled in 2001 in the case of Good News Club v. Milford Central School that schools operate a limited public forum and that, as such, they may not discriminate against religious speech should a religious organization choose to operate an After School Club on their premises. The After School Satan Club Handbook insists that the group is not offering any materials or lectures to your child about satanism. The handbook cites free inquiry and rationalism as the focus of the club, adding: While the classes are designed to promote intellectual and emotional development in accordance with TSTs tenets, no proselytization or religious instruction takes place. A video on the After School Satan Clubs website features a song titled My Pal Satan, which includes lyrics declaring, Satans not an evil guy, he wants you to learn and question why, he wants you to have fun and be yourself and by the way, there is no Hell. Additionally, the song maintains that Satans not a scary guy, he wants you to share and to be kind. When all is said and done, Satan doesnt actually exist, the song continues. Hes an imaginary friend who can teach us how to live. Dennis Quaid's 'Blue Miracle' wins most inspiring film of 2021 at Movieguide awards show The annual Movieguide Awards aired on the REELZ Channel Easter weekend, and the film Blue Miracle starring Dennis Quaid took home the big award of the night: Most Inspiring Movie of 2021. Im so encouraged that movies infused with strong biblical content continue to make waves in theaters and on streaming, Movieguide founder and publisher Ted Baehr said in a statement. The award show, "Movieguides Movies That Inspire," celebrates faith and family films in both the Christian and mainstream arenas. Each of our nominations show that audiences rally around inspirational content that puts faith and family at the center of their story, Baehr continued. The Netflix film Blue Miracle is the inspiring true story of Casa Hogar, the Mexican boys' home that entered the world's biggest fishing tournament to save their orphanage," the film's synopsis says. Movieguide Awards selected the movie as the "Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie of 2021" because of its strong, faith-filled message. One theme that always stood out the most to me was James 1:27 in Scripture about true religion ... those who take care of widows and orphans, Blue Miracle producer Trey Reynolds told Movieguide. [Blue Miracle] is kind of a modern-day story of how Gods heart is close to orphans and just the most vulnerable in our society. Dune was awarded under the "Best Movie for Mature Audiences" category; The Boss Baby: Family Business snagged "Best Movie for All Audiences," and "The Grace Prize" went to Jennifer Hudson for her portrayal as Aretha Franklin in Respect. Upon learning of the win, Blue Miracle co-writter Chris Dowling, who teamed up with Julio Quintana (The Vessel), celebrated on social media. YO! A movie that I wrote on Blue Miracle, won MOST INSPIRING MOVIE right alongside Jennifer Hudson and Dune... but they gave us the big one! Lots of people I love worked on this one. Go team! Dowling wrote. Quaids character in the film, Wade Malloy, helps the orphanage compete in a Bisbee's Black & Blue Fishing Tournament that transforms his character and changes the boys' lives. When asked in a past interview to share his thoughts on a quote from the film that says, God hears me every time, I pray to God and He will help you listen, Quaid related the quote to his character. "My character, he was a person who really had his focus on the wrong things and had forgotten, and had become a very jaded person, Quaid told CP. In the course of this movie, he was humbled. By being humbled, that's when God's miracles are allowed to work. Once we get out of the way, he shared. Quaids character, a "two-time champion of Bisbee's Black & Blue Tournament," teamed up with a local Mexican to qualify to compete in the tournament. He is introduced to the members of the orphanage, and though reluctant, he helps to lead them to victory. Christians rally against California abortion legislation: Never seen a bill like this A bill that critics argue could decriminalize infanticide in California drew hundreds of people to the state's capitol Tuesday as the legislation continues to move forward in Sacramento. Demonstrators including Pastor Jack Hibbs and other pastors and churchgoers descended on the state capitol to lobby legislators ahead of a committee vote on Assembly Bill 2223. The day of advocacy was led by Capitol Resource Institute, California Family Council and Real Impact. According to Hibbs, the pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and head of the advocacy group Real Impact, close to 3,000 people attended. However, news reports have estimated around 1,500 participants. Opponents say the new bill would protect mothers and their accomplices who kill or let die breathing newborns from criminal prosecution. But supporters of the bill, which passed the Assembly Health Committee on an 11-3 vote Tuesday, say it would prevent women from being prosecuted for any actions or omissions related to pregnancy, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, or perinatal death. Proponents have also pushed back on claims that the bill would decriminalize infanticide. While definitions of perinatal death vary, many refer to the demise of newborns up to seven days old. But under California code, the perinatal period is defined as "the period from the establishment of pregnancy to one month following delivery. Amid critics' concern with the bill's inclusion of "perinatal death," Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who authored AB 2223, recently modified the bills language to narrow the definition of perinatal death to include due to a pregnancy-related cause. But the California Family Council contends that since pregnancy-related cause is not defined in the bill, a mother who takes the life of her newborn could potentially cite postpartum depression as such a pregnancy-related cause. AB 2223 also states: People also need to end pregnancies by abortion, including self-managed abortion, which means ending ones own pregnancy outside of the medical system." The bill cites what it describes as out-of-date provisions that allow healthcare providers and others to report pregnancy losses to law enforcement. The bill describes mothers as pregnant people and says the threat of facing civil or criminal penalties for adverse pregnancy outcomes is the result of systemic racial inequities. In an interview with The Christian Post, Hibbs called the proposed legislation literally unbelievable." How can this possibly be justified by anyones worldview, no matter what? Hibbs asked. By what means, by what logic have you come to this conclusion that a baby can be murdered up to 30 days after birth, and therell be no accountability. Its literally unbelievable." According to the California Family Council, the bill "also removes the duty of a coroner to determine how a newborn died if the death is known or suspected to be the result of a self-induced or criminal abortion." "If a coroner decides to investigate a newborns death under these circumstances, the reason for the newborns death cant be used to prosecute anyone involved with the death," the Calfornia Family Council warned in a statement. "This law would leave babies born alive after a failed abortion vulnerable to murder or death by neglect." "The bill also gives a mother the right to sue any law enforcement agency for investigating or threatening to investigate her 'pregnancy outcome' including the perinatal death of her child," the statement adds. "So if someone finds a dead newborn in a dumpster, law enforcement is expected to ask no questions or look further into the matter if they suspect the child died after a failed abortion or from any pregnancy-related cause. The legislation comes as two California women were charged with "fetal murder" for causing the stillbirths of their fetuses, one of which is serving an 11-year prison sentence after drug use was found to have contributed to the death of her baby. Earlier this year, California Attorney General Rob Bonta advised district attorneys, police chiefs and sheriffs across the state Thursday not to prosecute pregnant women whose actions lead to the miscarriage or stillbirth of a fetus. Hibbs told CP that based on what he's heard from legal counsel, "the United States has never seen a bill like this in its history. Hibbs cited the words of Ben Franklin, who, when asked what kind of government he had helped shape, famously responded, A republic, if you can keep it. We have not been busy about keeping our republic, which is why we have sunken to the level that we have in crime, in lawlessness, in racism, Hibbs said. All these things, notice, have surfaced as America departs from God. Look whats filling the void, absolute lawlessness is filling that void when Gods removed. Hibbs called on every concerned voter to make an effort to vote for a biblical worldview, and then you need to make sure that the person you voted for hears from you from time to time. In an editorial for The Christian Post earlier this week, Hibbs referred to California as the Gangrene State and urged believers to become more involved. He quoted the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13: You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. It just simply means that if you know whats right as a believer, let alone a human, then you should do the right thing. But if you know whats right and dont do the right thing, now you are complicit to the problem, he said. Thats what people need to do. People need to take their country back. Frankly, as a pastor, I can say this, pastors need to take their pulpit back from the 'woke-ism' that has softened the church." Hibbs argues that the Church "has almost lost its voice in the nation." "However, in California, the voice of the Church is very strong, and yeah, so to speak, its bloody," he said. And as for believers in the rest of the country who may think such legislation wont pop up in other states, Hibbs had a dire prediction. Ten years ago I was the only guy standing up here, and I was mocked and ridiculed," he said. "Today, we had 2,700 people show up and 35 pastors up and down the state show up. Californias the place to come and fight for whats right because if we dont stop it in California, ... what happens here winds up in your state within three years. Satan Club Holds First Meeting at Washington Elementary School The After School Satan Club held its first meeting at an elementary school in Washington state last week where 20 people attended the event hosted by the Satanic Temple. Eleven adults and nine children were at last Wednesday's meeting at Point Defiance Elementary School, where one parent reportedly signed up their child for the program. Lilith Starr, chapter head for the Satanic Temple of Seattle and director of Washington state's After School Satan Club program, was one of the attendees for the Point Defiance meeting. "It went very well; we were able to answer a lot of questions from the parents and most of them seemed supportive of the After School Satan Club," Starr said Tuesday in an interview with The Christian Post. "One family signed their child up right then and there. We anticipate others will sign up before our next club meeting on Jan. 11, 2017." Earlier this year, the Satanic Temple announced that they were going to launch an After School Satan Club chapters in public schools nationwide. Their intention was to hold meetings at the same elementary schools that allow student chapters of the evangelical Christian group Good News Bible Club to meet after school. The effort comes several years after the United States Supreme Court ruled 63 in the decision Good News Club v. Milford Central School that the Christian group had the right to meet on public school property after class hours. "By denying the club access to the school's limited public forum on the ground that the club was religious in nature, Milford discriminated against the club because of its religious viewpoint in violation of the Free Speech Clause," wrote Justice Clarence Thomas for the majority. "[It] cannot be said that the danger that children would misperceive the endorsement of religion is any greater than the danger that they would perceive a hostility toward the religious viewpoint if the club were excluded from the public forum." Starr told CP that if the Good News Club were to stop holding their gatherings at Point Defiance Elementary School, then the After School Satan Club would do the same. "Our goal with the After School Satan Club is to provide another alternative to the Good News Club. If one religion is allowed access to a school, we believe it's important that there be more than one option for children to choose from," said Starr. "Otherwise it could appear that the school is promoting one religious voice exclusively. If the Good News Club withdraws, our program will no longer be needed to provide a counterpoint, and we will also withdraw." Moises Esteves, vice president of USA Ministries for Child Evangelism Fellowship, which oversees the Good News Bible Club, told CP in an interview earlier this year that his organization had no plans to quit meeting at elementary schools. "The After School Satan Club is simply another attention-seeking atheist club. The choice of mascot reveals that its leaders simply hate God, and are trying to provoke or spook parents and schools," said Esteves. "Like those before it, this club will fizzle out, because parents don't view their children as pawns for a 'blend of political activism, religious critique and performance art' by angry atheists." School District Advised to Allow After School Satan Club Because It Would Be Costly to Fight A school district in Mount Vernon, Washington, was advised by legal representation Wednesday to allow the Satanic Temple of Seattle to start an after-school program at one of their elementary schools because it would be costly and futile if officials chose otherwise. Duncan Fobes, a lawyer with the Seattle-based law firm Patterson, Buchanan, Fobes and Leitch, advised the Mount Vernon School Board during a Wednesday meeting that any effort to block the proposed "After School Satan Club" by the Satanic Temple of Seattle for Centennial Elementary School "would ultimately be unsuccessful," according to the Skagit Valley Herald. "I think that if the school district denied that application, you would face costly litigation that would be distracting from your mission," said Fobes who was hired by the district's risk-pool insurance group to assess if the district had legal standing to deny the temple's application. "We believe that it's clear that, because the district has a policy and procedure that encourages the use of community groups to use your facilities, because you do that, you must open it to this group," Fobes added. "You don't have to sponsor the group, you don't have to help the group." The After School Satan Club explains on its website that it aims to counter Christian evangelism specifically the work of the Good News Club in schools, by giving children "an opportunity to realize that the evangelical materials now creeping into their schools are representative of but one religious opinion amongst many." The After School Satan Club asserts its standing to operate in public schools citing the 2001 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Good News Club v. Milford Central School which allowed it to operate in public schools. The court ruled that schools operate a "limited public forum" and that, as such, they may not discriminate against religious speech if a religious organization chooses to operate an After School Club on their premises. "Christian evangelicals particularly the Child Evangelism Fellowship have taken advantage of this ruling ever since. As it is illegal for the schools to discriminate against specific religions or preference others, After School Satan Clubs cannot be denied wherever Christian, or any other religious clubs, operate," they explained. The Satanic Temple says its after-school program will focus on "free inquiry and rationalism." "While the Good News Clubs focus on indoctrination, instilling them with a fear of Hell and God's wrath, After School Satan Clubs will focus on free inquiry and rationalism, the scientific basis for which we know what we know about the world around us. We prefer to give children an appreciation of the natural wonders surrounding them, not a fear of everlasting other-worldly horrors," it said. The Mount Vernon School District is one of nine throughout the country that has been chosen by the Satanic Temple to host a pilot After School Satan Club program because the districts also host a Good News Bible Club says the Skagit Valley Herald. "We didn't invite them to the school, they put our name on a website," Centennial Principal Erwin Stroosma told the publication. "We feel like we're pawns in a game someone else is manipulating us." The Satanic Temple of Seattle applied to rent space at the Centennial Elementary School for about an hour after school one day a month during the school year. "This is going to be infectious and widespread," Mike Cheek, who has grandchildren in the district said. "I know that if there is anything to do with Satan, it is dark and it is evil." Other parents however did not appear so worried. "It feels like we're all reacting with fear," said Melissa McPhaden. "I'm not afraid of what this church can do, because I have a relationship with my children." Massachusetts city bans pro-life crisis pregnancy centers A Massachusetts city passed an ordinance banning pro-life pregnancy centers because they allegedly deceive clients about abortion, a claim challenged by advocates who support the free resources pregnancy centers offer women seeking support raising their child. Tufts Daily reports that the Somerville City Council passed the ordinance on March 24 banning limited services pregnancy centers that don't provide or refer clients for abortions or emergency contraception. Somerville City Councilor-at-Large Kristen Strezo championed the measure, and it was sponsored by the entire city council. The ban is reportedly the first of its kind in Massachusetts, but it is also proactive, as Somerville does not have any practices resembling a pregnancy center. Still, a failure to comply with the ordinance may result in a fine of $300. Describing the reason for the ordinance, Strezo claimed pregnancy centers are "disingenuous" and accused them of withholding information about pregnancy and abortion from clients. She also expressed relief that the measure will prevent Somerville residents from having to "deal with deceptive or misleading and manipulative language" that these pro-life centers supposedly share in their materials. Laura Echevarria, director of communications and press secretary at National Right to Life, who previously worked at a pregnancy center in Virginia, disagrees with Strezo's assessment. She told The Christian Post that pro-life pregnancy centers offer a wide range of supportive services. "The majority of pregnancy centers are known in the community. The one where I worked was supported by area churches and businesses, and so, people knew about the pregnancy center," Echevarria said. "The businesses knew about the pregnancy center. Everyone knew that it was, you know, a pro-life center. But everything was done for free." Echevarria said these organizations are upfront "about what they do and what they don't do." She said the center she worked at never advertised itself as an abortion facility. However, the center offered ultrasounds and free resources for clients, something Echevarria said is how "the vast majority of pregnancy centers are set up." The pro-life advocate contends that it's "disingenuous" to claim pregnancy centers mislead clients and criticized Somerville's ordinance for promoting inaccurate information. "What is deceptive is the fact that the real intent behind this is to prevent women from having real choices and to prevent them from having the opportunity to see their baby, to have the opportunity to talk to someone about resources in the area that can help them," she said. Echevarria asserted that it's "rare" for a woman to be "excited" about having an abortion and that most women who visit pregnancy centers do not want to have abortions. "The average woman that goes to a pregnancy center, she wants help," the advocate said. "She wants someone to say, 'You know what? You can do this, and we can put you in contact with a place that can help you with housing. We can put you in contact with someone who can help you with transportation.'" A 2020 report released by the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List and its research arm, the Charlotte Lozier Institute, found that 2,700 pregnancy centers nationwide provided almost 2 million people with free resources at an estimated value of nearly $270 million in 2019. A 2017 CLI report estimates that the free resources pregnancy centers offered to clients saved communities nearly $161 million annually. A 2019 report found that Heartbeat International, which runs one of the largest networks of pregnancy centers worldwide, reported that "90% of their affiliates' funding comes from [non-governmental] donations from local communities." In contrast, Planned Parenthood's 2018-2019 annual report suggests that the nation's largest abortion provider collected over $600 million in taxpayer dollars. While the abortion provider and abortion advocacy groups have accused pregnancy centers of operating unlicensed medical facilities, Heartbeat International's "Pregnancy Center Truth" report highlights a distinction between medical and non-medical pregnancy centers. The former adheres to all medical board requirements and state laws to administer medical care by a licensed professional at no cost to the client. A non-medical pregnancy center typically offers material resources, such as diapers and clothes, and parenting education classes during their clients' time of need. How Polish churches are loving their Ukrainian neighbors Russias invasion of Ukraine has sparked a humanitarian crisis unlike anything seen in Europe in nearly a century. Millions of Ukrainians are fleeing across the border to safety in surrounding countries as Russian forces continue to attack their homeland. When I visited Poland earlier this month, the Polish peoples support for Ukraine was evident. In train stations throughout the country, Ukrainian refugees are met with information desks specifically set up for them, medical tents, basic food and supplies, and volunteers in yellow vests waiting to direct and assist them. The warm reception of the Polish people and government toward Ukrainian refugees has emerged as a powerful theme in the wake of Russias war. And although evangelical Polish churches only make up an estimated 0.3 percent of the population, they have been at the forefront helping refugees. For example, one Warsaw congregation of fewer than 100 members, Zoe Church, launched into action immediately upon hearing of the invasion. Pastor Szymon Kmiecik jumped into a car the night of the invasion and drove to the Ukrainian border to see how they could help. Since then, the congregation has been sending vans full of supplies into Ukraine and coordinating with Ukrainian evangelical churches to distribute supplies to meet basic needs. The church is also renting three apartments to house Ukrainian refugees and assisting them as they resettle and look for work. Approximately 90% of Ukrainian refugees in Poland are women and children. This poses unique challenges as mothers try to provide for their families and get a job while also caring for young children. Zoe Church has a vision to meet this need by offering a safe childcare option for refugee mothers trying to work or simply looking to entertain their kids for a few hours. Now, the churchs Sunday service attendees have doubled with the Ukrainian refugees the church is helping in attendance. You can donate to their efforts here. In Western Poland, the First Baptist Church of Wroclaw has also stepped up, making space inside the church for Ukrainian refugees to stay until they find a more permanent place to live. Pastor Michal Domagala told me the church houses an average of 40-60 Ukrainian refugees. Polish volunteers help the refugees find jobs, fill out government paperwork, and get acclimated to life in Poland. At 300 members, First Baptist Church could be considered a megachurch in Poland. Even before the start of the war, the church held a Ukrainian-language service for the Ukrainians who lived and worked in the city. The churchs setup for refugees is beyond impressive. A room full of clothes for all ages is staffed with volunteers who help refugees locate items they might need. Baby supplies and toys are available for those who fled Ukraine with only what they could carry. You can donate to their efforts here. The need is great in Poland; the country has already taken in 2.6 million Ukrainian refugees, and more are on the way. The strain on the Polish education and health care systems is starting to show, and housing is becoming scarce. In this environment, the tiny evangelical minority is having an outsized impact. International Christian humanitarian aid organizations, such as Convoy of Hope Europe and Samaritans Purse, also have warehouses and personnel set up inside of Ukraine to help the civilians who remain there and find themselves under attack, out of work, and struggling to cope with shortages of food and basic supplies. The Polish pastors I spoke with say there is no shortage of people ready to volunteer. Yet, some have noticed that donations are tapering off as the war in Ukraine becomes the new normal. One pastor encouraged Christians around the world to pray that the Polish people will have the grace to continue displaying compassion and generosity to Ukrainian refugees for as long as it is needed. Polands evangelical churches have given much of themselves in order to love their neighbors. It is a beautiful example of Christian charity worth emulating. Should we love our enemies even during a time of war? Recently, some Christians in Ukraine came under fire for putting up billboards in their city with verses from the Bible, one of which quoted the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount where He called us to love our enemies (see Matthew 5:43-48). As a result, these Christians have been branded separatists and traitors, with some calling for their church to be investigated. But was Jesus referring to situations like this when He called us to love our enemies? Are we to love those who ruthlessly bomb our families? Are we to love those who rape our women and murder our children? Are we to love those who tie the hands of civilians behind their backs before executing them? Is this really what Jesus meant? To be sure, these Ukrainian Christians (some of whom I know) were not calling for pacifism. They believe in defending their country, and they believe in the use of force to resist and repel the attack on their nation. In fact, I could easily see them praying for God to be with them as they fought against the Russian army, the result of which would be Russian casualties. But can you love an enemy soldier while at the same time trying to kill him before he kills you? Lets first consider whom Jesus was talking to in the Sermon on the Mount, namely, first-century Jews under the occupation of Rome. They had personal enemies, religious enemies, and national enemies. And there were some Jewish groups who taught that it was absolutely right to hate their enemies. Jesus says absolutely not. We are to love them, even the worst of them. That means that, in times of war, you would rather see your enemy surrender than kill him, and if he did surrender, you would not treat him harshly. It means that you would recognize his humanity, remembering that he has a loving wife and children (or parents) waiting for him at home. That you would understand that, in all likelihood, he is simply following orders and has been fed lots of misinformation about you. That you would want to see him rehabilitated after the war, truly repenting for his actions, truly coming to know God, and living a redemptive life. (In the case of someone who committed war crimes and would be sentenced to prison or death, even then, you would want him to repent and get right with God before he died.) That you would even have pity on the enemy who has seemingly lost all human feeling to the point of acting like a rabid animal. Surely this was not who God created him to be. Even if he must die, we should pity his poor, lost soul. That is how you can love your enemies even during a time of war, all while fighting with all your might to defeat that very enemy. Some might quip in facetious response, So, it looks like this? Before the sniper shoots the enemy in the head, he mutters under his breath, Jesus loves you, and so do I. Heres a token of my love. Bang! Obviously not. But he might pray regularly for God to have mercy on those he has to take out. Or for God to help the widows and orphans left behind. Or for God to give them a change of heart and mind, resulting in a change of actions, so the sniper does not need to take them out. On the other hand, if the sniper enjoys the kill itself, if he revels in the bloodshed and longs to have the opportunity to take more enemy lives, I would question how much of the love of God is in his heart. The fact is that we are products of our environment more than we care to realize, and the ones we brand as terrorists are often hailed as freedom fighters by their people. (Ask yourself this: how would British historians writing in the early 1800s describe the Revolutionary War? Our American heroes and freedom fighters were anything but that in their eyes.) And are all Russians guilty of the barbaric Ukraine invasion? Should all Russians be blamed and hated? Obviously not. Of course, Im not saying there is no such thing as objective morality. Quite the contrary. For example, there was nothing good or noble about the Nazi cause. It was downright evil, to the core. And the Nazis absolutely deserved what they got. I wish they had been stopped in their tracks and destroyed years earlier. Yet, as New Testament scholar Craig Keener notes in his shorter Matthew commentary, Jesus also makes a demand that can require more than merely human resources for forgiveness. Corrie ten Boom, who had lost most of her family in a Nazi concentration camp, often lectured on grace. But one day a man who came to shake her hand after such a talk turned out to be a former prison guard. Only by asking God to love through her did she find the grace to take his hand and offer him Christian forgiveness. So, by all legal means, let the Ukrainians fight against the Russian invaders, and may their triumph over the Russian army put a stop to this senseless shedding of blood. And may the Ukrainian Christians continue to love their enemies through it all. (For those of us feeling smugly self-righteous right now, how about us loving our enemies, right where we live?) Ukrainian President Zelensky urges Biden to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism As the Russian invasions of Ukraine continues with mounting civilian casualties and fear that the Kremlin might resort to tactical nuclear weapons in the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged President Biden to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Zelensky made the request to blacklist Russia while speaking to Biden on the phone, and the White House is said to be reviewing the state sponsor designation, which allows the U.S. to adopt the most aggressive sanctions, according to media reports. Four countries North Korea, Iran, Syria and Cuba are on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The discussion about the state sponsor designation was a very brief part of the call, which was mainly about Ukraines urgent appeals for more weapons and energy sanctions against Russia, NBC News reported, citing anonymous administrative sources. We have put in place the most unprecedented sanctions and export controls with over 30 countries across four continents, a source was quoted as saying. As usual, were not going to comment on any one specific option, but we will continue to consider all options to increase the pressure on Putin. Sources also told The Times (U.K.) that Biden is keeping the move under consideration, and observers believe Russias history under President Putin might fulfill the criteria for the designation. Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN, which aired Sunday, Zelensky warned that Putin could use nuclear or chemical weapons against Ukraine. Not only me all of the world, all of the countries have to be worried because it can be not real information, but it can be truth, Zelensky told CNN. Chemical weapons they could do it, for them the life of the people [is] nothing. We should think not be afraid, not be afraid but be ready. But that is not a question for Ukraine, not only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think. Since Russia began its invasion on Feb. 24, its estimated that at least 1,982 civilians have been killed and 2,651 have been injured as of an April 15 update from the United Nations. Among those killed are 162 children. Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes, the U.N. said, adding that the actual number of casualties is likely to be considerably higher. Late Sunday, the Qatari government-run news outlet Al Jazeera quoted the Crimean Human Rights Group as saying that the Russian military had forcibly removed around 150 children from the shattered Ukrainian city of Mariupol. The children were likely taken to the temporarily-occupied Donetsk region and the Russian city of Taganrog, an advisor to Mariupols Mayor Petro Andriushchenko was quoted as saying. In the last known pocket of resistance inside besieged Mariupol on Sunday, about 2,500 Ukrainian troops and about 400 foreign mercenaries holed up in a steel plant ignored Russias ultimatum that they surrender or face destruction by Russian forces, The Guardian reported. Russian forces, meanwhile, carried out aerial attacks near Kyiv and elsewhere in an apparent effort to weaken Ukraines military capacity ahead of the anticipated assault, it said. The British newspaper also reported that Ukraine had completed a questionnaire required for the European Union to begin to decide on its membership. More than 280 priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church and over 400 ministers of Evangelical churches in Russia have called for reconciliation and an immediate end to Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Can you hear me now? Apparently not! Verizons infamous slogan didnt seem to be too accurate on Wednesday when cellular service and internet outages swept the country unprompted. Over 24,073 people reported outages per Down Detector, with peak outages being reached around 4:30 pm EST. The majority of outages reported came from the West Coast (partially California) though they seemed to affect customers all over the country. Related: 3 Ways to Invest in 5G Growth Verizon did not immediately make a statement regarding the outages, leaving many customers confused as to whether or not their was something wrong with their individual devices or if the issues were widespread. Many turned to social media to lament that they had heard nothing from the service provider, causing outrage on Twitter by disgruntled customers who demanded answers from Verizon via the Verizon Support account. We just gonna sit here and pretend that the entire #verizon entire isnt down. I cant make a call. I get no internet. The Eagle is compromised. Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) March 4, 2022 I like how I had to google Verizon cell outage to figure out why my phone suddenly couldnt make or receive calls because #Verizon couldnt be bothered to notify their customers that the network was down. Super awesome customer service right there. Melanie (Mel) (@melon_reads) April 20, 2022 @Verizon Are we just going to ignore the fact that your entire network is down? Why wouldn't someone post an update for customers? After this, I think I'm leaving verizon. #busted Mr. (@woirhaye) April 20, 2022 @Verizon @VerizonSupport This is the part where you make a public statement, so that you don't hit #1 trending for an outage you won't acknowledge.#Verizondown #Verizon John1918 (@Johnc1918) April 20, 2022 @Verizon why in the world is my service down? The amount I pay for this should give me service well into heaven! #verizonoutage #westcoast Mimosa (@bruncheveryday) April 20, 2022 So Verizon Wireless is down just about everywhere in the US? Great...#verizon K-Med (@TBCcast) (@K__Med) April 20, 2022 @Verizon my phone service has been down for 24+ hours w no updates from your team ???? AMRIT (@_itsamrit) April 21, 2022 Hey #verizon, do you know that your service is down? I cannot make it receive calls. Can't even call customer service. And with everyone i know with Verizon. Brad Bradley (@BradArn54608589) April 20, 2022 @VerizonSupport please make a public statement about your #outage and stop asking customers to have private DMs. @knxnews #verizon Vicky Moore (@VickyMooreNews) April 20, 2022 @Verizon an outage for more than 5+ hours yet you still havent posted a statement reassuring your 110 million customers that their service will be restored &/or isnt under threat of an outage (for those not currently affected). Waiting for your response. #Verizondown #Verizon Katie Laas (@KatieLaas) April 21, 2022 Yo @Verizon, whats the word on the service outage??? Id like to make phone calls please Stephen Barnett (@ScubaSteve425) April 21, 2022 Though some received individual responses, Verizon did not release any sort of widespread statement or confirmation on Verizon Support, Verizon main or any related Twitter accounts. There was also nothing posted to the Verizon website or any sort of email sent out to customers. Related: Verizon Just Sold AOL and Yahoo for $5 Billion "An outage for more than 5+ hours yet you still havent posted a statement reassuring your 110 million customers that their service will be restored," one user wrote. "Are we just going to ignore the fact that your entire network is down? Why wouldn't someone post an update for customers," another pointed out. Many called the company out for poor customer service and pressed the company to give any updates. However, a Verizon spokesperson released a statement to KCRA 3 on Wednesday during peak outages around 4:30 pm. "A fiber issue in the core of the network caused some of our customers to experience intermittent call failures today," Verizon spokesperson Liz Maly told KCRA 3 in a statement. "The issue was identified and resolved by Verizon engineers and the majority of impacted customers should be seeing service as usual. If any customer is still experiencing lingering issues, please restart your device. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused." Reports of outages started dwindling down about an hour later with less than 1,000 outages being reported by midnight. Verizon was down just shy of 5% year over year as of Thursday afternoon. Related: 7 Ways Technology Is Working to Address a World in Crisis Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Bloomberg | Getty Images Sam Bankman-Fried understands Elon Musk. The cryptocurrency billionaire, owner of the FTX exchange platform, gave an interview to Bloomberg TV in which he said that social networks have a broken model that can be repaired using block chain technology (fundamental to the industry). of NFTs and cryptocurrencies). According to the 30-year-old , the problem is in the moderation policies of the networks: "What is the moderation policy for all social networks? Are they like three types? It is the people who run three companies who choose what what gets censored and what doesn't. That's a broken model... We saw a social network choose not to censor misinformation in 2016 and got burned for that decision, then we saw them choose censorship in 2020 and get roasted for that decision." According to the businessman, the problem with the networks is that each one is independent of the other, even when they belong to the same company like Facebook and WhatsApp, which are part of Meta: "There is no possibility of seeing a tweet on Facebook. If you send a message someone on Facebook, even WhatsApp can't read it, being from the same company. It's a really messy system where there's no interoperability between the different platforms." Two years of upheaval has changed my company, Lattice, at its core. During the most difficult times over the past two years, I've found immense strength in Lattices values. They echo whats most important to us as a team. When I was tired, stressed or lonely, our values motivated me to get back up and continue pushing. They kept me going through the worst of times, and they kept me going as we returned to rebuilding and growth. Looking back, Im grateful I had those guiding values as my rock. Theyre grounding, inspiring and motivational but they werent easy to create. Read More: 6 Steps to Adopting Core Values That Stick Our first attempt at values failed miserably In 2018, we took the entire 30-person team to Mexico for an off-site event. Wed had a hectic year, and our plan was to enjoy a long weekend on the beach, swimming in the ocean and enjoying meals together. The one work activity we had planned was an exercise to define our company values. We sat in a circle on the beach and shared the qualities we most valued in our coworkers. The exercise was unexpectedly emotional. One laconic engineer stood up and explained how determination and perseverance defined his life. Others spoke about how honesty underpinned trust and friendship. One of our first marketers gave an impassioned speech on creativity. We laughed and cried and shared things we would never have in the office. Through this process, we created a list of values that we believed defined us. Except they didnt. Its like we were painting a picture. We handed out brushes and let everyone loose on the same canvas. Instead of a beautiful painting, we ended up with all of the colors swirled together in a mush. The mush values we came up with empathy, effort, growth didnt describe us; they described basically every company ever. They were empty platitudes that, when we returned to San Francisco, I dont remember a single person actually using. I felt certain that we had nailed our values in Mexico. The tumbleweeds rolling across our office highlighted how wrong I was. Read More: It's Better Stick to Your Values Than be a Slave to the Numbers Great values reinforce whats already there Great fiction writers identify real-life truths and bring them into their books and poems. Reading their words, you end up thinking, Thats something Ive experienced, but Ive never been able to put my finger on it before. Values are similar. They shouldnt dictate or drive new behavior. They need to describe what's already happening in your organization. For our second run at Lattices values, our COO, J Zac Stein, ran a process with a far smaller group primarily just himself, me and my co-founder, Eric Koslow. We took a bunch of common phrases that our colleagues already used and stuck them all around the room. We looked for the phrases that highlighted what was special about our team. "Ship, Shipmate, Self" was one. We always spoke about how the success of our company is more important than the individual, and how the wellbeing of our colleagues is more important than our own. That became our first value. "Chop Wood, Carry Water" was another. Wed say it whenever we had to do something tough, but necessary. We surrender to the outcome and work even when no one is watching. That became our second value. "Clear Eyes" approaching everything with honesty and clarity became our third. "Whats next?" an obsession to grow, improve and move forward rounded out the quartet. The difference between honesty and Clear Eyes might seem slight, but its important. The former points towards the quality we admire. The latter is the thing itself: the quality and action we truly, deeply cared about. In Mexico, we focused far more on the former. We told ourselves that we would be empathic and effortful. But back in the office, those were just words. How does an engineer exhibit empathy when writing code? How does a designer embody effort when creating sales enablement assets? Our new values were memorable and real and tied to specific behaviors. When someone at Lattice faced a decision to better themselves or bolster the company, our values guided their decision-making. They spread like wildfire. Even today, years later, our values remain a cultural cornerstone. They help people focus on Monday morning as well as push through complex problems. They inspire us to do selfless acts and tackle the unseen work. And they motivate us to push through crises and build a better future. Read More: 3 Steps to Establish Authentic Core Values Be inflexible about your values When times get tough, you cant compromise on your values or mission. But everything else is fair game. To understand why, consider the inverse: someone who is dogmatic and uncompromising in their day-to-day work, but pliable on their fundamental values and mission. How effective do you think that person would be? Even when its stuff that seems important the way we build products, the goals we set, our hiring practices and so on we need to be willing to let it all go, especially the smaller things that stopped serving us years ago. I think this mentality is equally important on a personal level. What will you work towards, no matter what? How will you treat people, no matter what? What do you know you will value, no matter what? And then how will you make sure you stay adaptable and childlike in your willingness to learn and change, so you can meet the world wherever its at? Its our values that dictate the answers to those questions. Read More: How Establishing Core Values Drives Success Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DALLAS (AP) U.S. airlines say they have hit a turning point: After a lousy first quarter, they expect to be profitable as Americans return to travel in the biggest numbers since the start of the pandemic. American Airlines is the latest carrier to give a rosy outlook for the rest of 2022. American said Thursday that although it lost $1.64 billion in the first quarter, sales hit a record in March, and the company expects to earn a profit in the second quarter. Demand is as strong as we have ever seen it, American CEO Robert Isom told analysts. Americans upbeat view echoed similar comments from Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, which both predicted in recent days that they will earn full-year profits despite big losses in the first quarter. Air travel was subdued in January and February by the omicron variant that caused an increase in COVID-19 cases among both travelers and airline employees. But travelers came back in March, and airline executives believe that Americans are eager to travel this summer and won't be discouraged by another, smaller uptick in coronavirus cases and higher airfares. Industry officials attribute rising airfares to a combination of covering higher fuel costs, a limited number of flights compared with schedules before the pandemic, and strong demand. We are encouraged that indeed month to month we are seeing a greater increase in fares, said Vasu Raja, American's chief commercial officer. We are seeing a lot of strength in the fare environment. The recovery is being powered by leisure travelers, but the airlines say they are seeing more business travelers. American said overall business travel is 80% of pre-pandemic levels, dragged down by corporate travel, which is only 50% of 2019 levels. Isom said, however, that corporate bookings are the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic, and we expect that to continue as more companies reopen their offices. Along with higher revenue, however, airlines face higher costs for fuel and labor. Americans fuel bill more than doubled from a year earlier, and payroll costs rose more than 15%. Airlines struggled with a nascent recovery in travel last summer, as understaffing contributed to thousands of canceled flights. Now, facing a much bigger boom the number of people going through checkpoints at U.S. airports is up more than 50% from a year ago to 2.1 million a day in April its unclear whether airlines have done enough hiring to avoid bigger disruptions this summer. A major challenge will be the limited supply of pilots, which could limit the ability of airlines to operate as many flights as they would like. The pilot shortage for the industry is real, and most airlines are simply not going to be able to realize their capacity plans because there simply aren't enough pilots, at least not for the next five-plus years, United CEO Scott Kirby told analysts Thursday. American said it has hired 1,100 pilots since the start of last year. Many of those came from smaller, regional airlines, leaving those carriers with shortages. As a result, American will trim its American Eagle schedule in the second quarter. American's passenger-carrying capacity will also be lower than planned because deliveries of new Boeing 787 jets have been delayed by production problems at Boeing factories. Isom said American will adjust its schedule to match the number of available planes and pilots. He said American executives have tremendous confidence that the airline will operate smoothly through the summer. American reported a bigger first-quarter loss than a year ago, when it lost $1.25 billion. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline said that excluding special items it lost $2.32 a share, slightly better than the average forecast of an adjusted loss of $2.43 per share, according to a Zacks Investment Research survey. Revenue rose to $8.9 billion. Alaska Air Group, the parent of Alaska Airlines, said Thursday that it lost $143 million in the first quarter, compared with a $131 million loss a year earlier. Revenue more than doubled to $1.68 billion but was down 10% from the same quarter in 2019. The Seattle-based carrier forecast that second-quarter revenue will be 5% to 8% higher than in the same quarter of 2019. After the market closed on Thursday, Chicago-based United Airlines Holdings reported Wednesday a $1.38 billion loss for the first quarter but said it expects to return to profitability in the April-to-June quarter. Revenue of $7.67 billion was up from a year ago but down 21% from early 2019, as the airline continues to run fewer flights than before the pandemic. Shares of United rose 9% by the closing bell, while American gained 4%, Delta Air Lines added 3%, and Alaska was little changed. Click here to read the full article. Donald Trump appears to have walked out of an interview with Piers Morgan after the controversial broadcaster pressed him about the results of the 2020 presidential election. In a clip from the interview, which will air on Talk TVs Piers Morgan Uncensored and Fox Nation on April 25, the former president asks Morgan to turn the cameras off and calls him very dishonest. I think Im a very nice man. Much more honest than you, actually, a sweaty Trump says to Morgan at the beginning of the clip. Morgan then begins to ask Trump about his denial regarding losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. It was a free and fair election. You lost, Morgan says to Trump, to which he replies: Only a fool would think that. Morgan continues, With respect, you have to produce the hard evidence. The conversation then gets even more heated as Trump tells Morgan, I dont think youre real. Lets finish up the interview. Footage is then shown of Trump standing up and walking off-camera, ordering production to turn the cameras off and muttering that Morgan is very dishonest. Trump and Morgan have known each other since 2008, when Morgan became the first winner of Trumps reality show Celebrity Apprentice. In a column for the New York Post published shortly after the interview clip was released, Morgan explains that Trump had been sent a document containing negative comments he had made about Trump prior to the interview. As the two sat down for their discussion, Morgan says that Trump began to read out the list of comments, which included Morgan calling Trump a supreme narcissist. However, Morgan says the two engaged in a 75-minute interview before he asked about the election, at which point Trump walked out. Morgan writes in the column that he sent Trump an email following the interview thanking him, but never received a response. Perhaps well never speak again, and our friendship is over? Morgan writes in the column. I hope not. Donald Trump remains one of the worlds most interesting people, he is still the most popular Republican choice for 2024 nominee, and if Bidens presidency continues to self-implode as badly as it currently is, he could end up back in the White House in two years. In which eventuality, I can only imagine his fury if we all say that election was rigged and Biden had the presidency stolen from him. Watch the preview clip below. During the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Japanese pilots were given instructions that if they were in trouble, to fly 30 minutes to Niihau a small island off Kauai they thought was uninhabited and wait for a submarine to pick them up at night. One first-class Japanese Zero pilot, Shigenori Nishikaichi, would need to stop in Niihau. The island of Niihau, however, was not uninhabited. Purchased by the Sinclair family in 1864 and passed down to the Robinson line, Niihau is an undeveloped island that had a 200 or so residents at the time, mostly Native Hawaiian. They lived without electricity, and guests are restricted even to this day. Nishikaichis role in the attack on Pearl Harbor would have been combat air patrol over Pearl Harbor. But his plane was losing fuel quickly, so he made it to Niihau, where he crash-landed. We think his gas tanks were hit, did not explode, Rod Bengston, the director of exhibits, restoration and curatorial services at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, told SFGATE. So he made his way down to Niihau, and as he was coming in, his landing gear either hit a fence and were sheared off, or he landed in a field that had been plowed on purpose with big ruts across it to keep planes from landing there, and that had ripped off the gear. There would be no way for the plane to fly again. The mysterious downed pilot Hawila Howard Kaleohano, a 30-year-old ranch hand, was the first to reach the crash site. He took Nishikaichis pistol and documents, including a map of Oahu, charts and other military documents, out of the plane and held them in his possession. He could speak a little English, Kaleohano later said in a 1946 article in the Honolulu Advertiser, but he didnt say anything about the war or attack. Unaware of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Niihau residents took care of Nishikaichi as they would any other downed pilot. Because he spoke Japanese, the residents sent for the islands beekeeper, Ishimatsu Shintani, to interpret what the pilot was trying to say. However, the beekeeper became alarmed and upset upon hearing what the pilot had to say and left without translating. Next, the Niihauans reached out to island residents Yoshio and Irene Harada, who were also of Japanese descent, and they talked to the pilot, who told them about Pearl Harbor and that he wanted his weapon and papers returned. For unknown reasons, the Haradas decided to keep what he told them about the Pearl Harbor attack a secret. They did tell Kaleohano that Nishikaichi wanted his weapon and papers back. Kaleohano said no. With still no knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack or of any threat to their town, the Niihau residents were hospitable to Nishikaichi. They felt they had rescued this guy. They had his papers and gun because they werent quite sure what was up, but they didnt expect anything. Most of them didnt really think about it. So they treated him to a luau and were singing songs, and they had a great time, Bengston said. And he, the pilot, sort of adopted the attitude that he was just going to wait for the Japanese submarine to show up and look for anybody that made their way to the island as a downed Japanese aviator. What he did not know is that all the Japanese submarines had been ordered not to go to Niihau but rather to attempt to patrol for any American ships that went out that night. It may be that they didnt know anybody went to the island and crashed there. The attack on Pearl Harbor is revealed News finally came later that night, through a battery-operated radio, that Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the Niihau residents then realized they had an enemy fighter pilot on their hands. The residents were unsure what to do. The owner of the island, Aylmer Robinson, was on Kauai, and there was no way to reach him. In the end, the residents held Nishikaichi under house arrest at the Haradas and placed a guard outside. Even so, Nishikaichi found a way to sneak back to his plane and set it on fire, in an attempt to destroy it so it would be no use to the U.S. government. His orders were to destroy his plane and his documents, which he failed to maintain, should he be captured. Between Monday, Dec. 8, and Wednesday, Dec. 10 days after the Pearl Harbor attack Nishikaichi talked a lot with the Haradas and convinced them to help him. Shintani, the beekeeper, was also brought back in to ask Kaleohano once more if Nishikaichi could get his papers and weapon back. Again, the answer was no. Nishikaichi and the Haradas knew then that negotiating with Kaleohano wasnt going to work, so Yoshio Harada snuck in and stole the pistol back, as well as a resident shotgun. Later, Harada and Nishikaichi returned armed to demand the documents. Then Nishikaichi took a shot at Kaleohano, but he missed. An enemy among them Kaleohano got away and ran to warn the rest of the residents, who gathered together to form a plan. Some built a fire to send a distress signal to Kauai. Others, including Kaleohano, took a 10-hour boat trip to Kauai to let the owner know. Meanwhile, the pilot terrorized the town and set Kaleohanos house on fire. The pilot came back to town with the weapons that had been stolen, and he demanded to see the ranch hand. And they made excuses. They couldnt produce the ranch hand because they didnt want to tell him that he had gone for help, Bengston said. So he took hostages and threatened them if they didnt produce him or his papers that bad things were going to happen. One of the hostages was Kealoha Ella Kanahele. Her 49-year-old husband, Benehakaka Ben Kanahele, and others pretended to look for Kaleohano to buy time until Ben saw an opportunity to make a move on the pilot. The pilot was faster and pulled his pistol out and shot Ben, the Hawaiian Islander, three times, but this didnt stop him. It made him really mad, Bengston said. So he went over, and he just picked up the pilot and threw him against the stone wall. This all happened very quickly. He threw him against the stone wall, and Bens wife grabbed a rock and smashed it into the pilots head. Almost immediately, the husband Ben was on top of him and slit his throat. So that was the end of the pilot. Immediately after, Harada, who had witnessed it all, turned the shotgun on himself and committed suicide. I got mad, Kanahele was quoted as saying later in a 1942 San Francisco Examiner article. She was plenty mad, that woman, he said of his wife. She beat that pilots brains out, and she did a good job. The morning after On Sunday, Dec. 14, 1941, Robinson arrived on the island with Kaleohano and the U.S. military, who examined the plane and pilot. The plane was hidden under some trees should another wave of Japanese planes fly over and see it. Irene, Haradas wife, was imprisoned at Honouliuli internment camp on Oahu, returning to Kauai 33 months later. Shintani, the beekeeper, was interned at a camp in the continental U.S. He returned later to live on Niihau again. Kaleohano, the ranch hand, was awarded the Medal of Freedom. Ben Kanahele recovered from his wounds and received the Medal for Merit and a Purple Heart. In 2006, the story of the Niihau Incident was pieced together by the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museums restoration expert for an exhibit, by interviewing people on the island and visiting the sites. The exhibit and whats left of the deteriorated plane parts of the engine, wings and fuselage can be seen there today. Mondadori Portfolio/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Im United and Delta Airlines announced separately this week that they will be rescinding bans for certain passengers barred from the carriers due to mask violations, decisions that come on the heels of a federal judge on Monday voiding federal mask mandates for airplanes and public transportation in the United States. According to Reuters, both airlines banned thousands of passengers over the course of the pandemic as carriers adopted zero-tolerance policies in response to increasing and sometimes violent altercations between staff and passengers over face-covering enforcement. The Federal Aviation Administration reports that unruly passenger investigations increased 500 percent over the first two years of the pandemic, going from less than 200 total incidents in 2020 to 1,099 in 2021 alone. The FAA reports that it has already received 1,233 unruly passenger reports in 2022 as of April 19797 of which it says were related to face masks. Residents of Manistees fifth district will be represented on the Manistee City Council by Dale Priester following Priesters appointment to council at last nights meeting. Priester was selected by a 4-2 ballot. Swap Day Parents, grandparents, relatives or anyone that wants to head back to high school for a day heres your chance. On April 26, Manistee High School is holding its second annual Parent-Student Swap Day. Parents and relatives can attend school and follow a students schedule for the day, while the student who is successful in getting their parent to come to school on Monday may take the day off with an excused absence. 60 YEARS AGO Check fire City firefighters were called at 2:25 p.m. yesterday to extinguish a trash fire between boxcars on the Chesapeake and Ohio right-of-way, east of the Consumers Power Co. substation on Vine Street. Trash which had accumulated between tracks had been ignited yesterday morning, but was unattended during the afternoon, firefighters said and the department was notified. 80 YEARS AGO Fourth Avenue extended City Manager Otto Damrow reported today that city crews completed work on the west end of Fourth Avenue last week. The street was extended to accommodate two new homes recently completed in that area and city workers laid 75 feet of new sewer for the homes. He also reported that crews are now completing their clean-up work in the second district and will begin work in the third district tomorrow. Residents are urged to have the rubbish ready for the workers when they call in order to facilitate a more complete and more rapid clean-up of the city. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With its thriving food scene, museums, live sports and everything else the Houston has to offer, hiking may not be first on a list of activities you associate with the Bayou City. But there are actually plenty of great trails for residents and guests to take on. These trails, coupled with the advantages of a city that enjoys year-round outdoor weather, can be quite enjoyable for weekend warriors, nature enthusiasts and those just looking to get out and explore the Greater Houston area. Wherever you trek, you'll discover plenty of beautiful spots amid Houston's bayou backdrop. Keep reading for 5 of our favorites. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Trail If you dont want to stray too far out of town but still want to enjoy some time outdoors, the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is a great option. Situated in the Memorial Park neighborhood, this underrated spot has a network of trails that covers five miles. The trails are wide, well-maintained and paved or boardwalk-style, which is great for accessibility. DuyDo/Getty Images/iStockphoto The longest trail is a 1.76-mile loop around the entire park, but no matter which trail you choose, this is a great place to spot flora and fauna. The conservation area is fun for all agesthere are tons of adult and family programs, from a Sip & Stroll through the park with adult beverages to guided hikes and day camps for kids. 4501 Woodway Drive Houston, TX 77024-7708 713-681-8433 Baytown Nature Center Baytown, only 20 miles east of Houston, is home to the Baytown Nature Center which is situated on a 450-acre peninsula surrounded by Burnet, Crystal and Scott Bays. Noted for its birding, its hardwood uplands, tidal marsh and freshwater wetlands provide a habitat for 317 species of resident and migratory birds. The area also features seven miles of hiking trails perfect for day hikes. PaulWolf/Getty Images/iStockphoto Hikers can enjoy the view from the San Jacinto Monument (a gargantuan tower commemorating the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution) and the Fred Hartman Bridge. In addition to guided hikes and a plethora of youth programming, once a month there is a free 90-minute Full Moon Hike that welcomes nature lovers over age 13 to experience the wonders of the habitats of nocturnal animals like raccoons, owls, coyotes, opossums and more. 6213 Bayway Drive Baytown, TX 77520 281-424-9198 White Oak Bayou Trail There are more than 17 miles of hike-and-bike trails and public green space in White Oak Bayou, encompassing several parksall within the Houston city limits. It includes Watonga Parkway Park (home to one of Houstons largest bat roosts), T.C. Jester Park, Stude Park, Hogg Park and White Oak Park, and is one of several local bayou greenways projects. Loren Elliott/Getty Images At the confluence of White Oak and Buffalo Bayou, a hike-and-bike trail was completed in 2018 connecting Houston residents to downtown neighborhoods, transit centers and parks. Theres also a 223-foot-long mural by artist Jane Kim that shows the year-long transformation of the areas migratory birds, whose plumage changes seasonally to attract mates. The White Oak Bayou Greenway intersects with the Houston Heights hike-and-bike trail, meandering through the historic neighborhoods of the Heights and Woodland Heights. View the Bayou Greenways map here. Lake Houston Wilderness Park Would you believe that just 30 minutes north of the sprawl of Houston, theres an almost 5,000-acre wilderness area thats full of hiking trails? At the Lake Houston Wilderness Park, youll find more than 20 miles of gravel trails including the Ameri-Trail Forest Loop, a dog-friendly trail that makes a 9.6-mile loop past a lake and through some forested areas. EyeWolf/Getty Images Its the only Houston park that permits camping or overnight stays in one of its cabins. The park has ample wildlife and wilderness, and opportunities for trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, birding, fishing and horseback riding, though it is a BYOG (bring your own gear) setup. 25840 FM 1485 New Caney, TX 77357 832-395-7690 Lone Star Hiking Trail Anyone who doesnt think Houston has serious hikes hasnt encountered the Lone Star Hiking Trail, which, at 129 miles long, is the longest trail in the great state of Texas. Despite being in a typically flat region, on this trail you'll actually gain more than 3,500 feet of elevation. The trail criss-crosses through private and public property, so good trail etiquette is encouraged. Holger Leue/Getty Images Enter the trail at Huntsville State Park and head to the Big Creek Scenic Area through the Sam Houston National Forest. Its dotted with Texas wildflowers, endless forests and bubbling creeks. If youre looking for walking partners, the Lone Star Hiking Trail Club meets twice monthly to hike the trails together. Huntsville State Park (entry point) 565 Park Road, 40 West Huntsville, TX 77340 936-344-6205 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON (AP) Texas oldest death row inmate faces execution Thursday for killing a Houston police officer nearly 32 years ago during a traffic stop. Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, was sentenced to death for the June 1990 fatal shooting of Houston police officer James Irby, a nearly 20-year member of the force. Buntion had been on parole for just six weeks when he shot the 37-year-old Irby. Buntion, who had an extensive criminal record, was a passenger in the car Irby pulled over. In 2009, an appeals court vacated Buntions sentence, but another jury resentenced him to death three years later. Before his death, James Irby had talked of retirement and spending more time with his two children, who were 1 and 3 years old at the time, said his wife, Maura Irby. He was ready to fill out the paperwork and stay home and open a feed store, Maura Irby, 60, said. He wanted to be the dad that was there to go to all the ballgames and the father-daughter dances. He was a super guy, the love of my life. Various state and federal courts have turned down appeals by Buntions lawyers to stop his execution. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Tuesday rejected his clemency request. Buntions attorneys say he is responsible for Irbys death and deserved to be punished severely for that crime. But they argue his execution would be unconstitutional because the jurys finding he would be a future danger to society one of the reasons he was sentenced to death has proven incorrect. Also, they said, his execution would serve no legitimate purpose because so much time has passed since his conviction. His attorneys describe Buntion as a geriatric inmate who poses no threat as he suffers from arthritis, vertigo and needs a wheelchair. This delay of three decades undermines the rationale for the death penalty ... Whatever deterrent effect there is diminished by delay, his attorneys David Dow and Jeffrey Newberry, wrote in court documents. If Buntion is executed, he would become the oldest person Texas has put to death since the Supreme Court lifted its ban on capital punishment in 1976. The oldest inmate executed in the U.S. in modern times was Walter Moody Jr., who was 83 years old when he was put to death in Alabama in 2018. Buntion would also be the first inmate executed in Texas in 2022. Although Texas has been the nations busiest capital punishment state, its been nearly seven months since it carried out an execution. There have been only three executions in each of the last two years, due in part to the pandemic and delays over Texas refusal to allow spiritual advisers to touch inmates and pray aloud in the death chamber. In March, the U.S. Supreme Court said states must accommodate such requests, and Texas prison officials have agreed to allow Buntion's spiritual adviser to pray aloud and touch him while he is being executed. Maura Irby said she had believed Buntion would die of old age on death row. I had stuffed so much of it away in a big trunk and shut the lid on it in my mind, in my heart because I didnt think anything was really going to come of it, Irby said. While the pending execution has stirred up painful memories for her, Irby said it has also reminded her of her advocacy work in public safety after her husbands death, including helping put together legislation that allowed victim impact statements at trials. Irby said she and her two children are hoping with the execution, a painful chapter in their lives can finally come to an end. So, I hope Jimmy will finally rest in peace and then we can all kind of breathe a sigh of relief and just keep him in our prayers now and in our hearts, Irby said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) A northwestern Indiana youth is facing rape charges for allegedly assaulting a classmate during a school active shooter drill. The 17-year-old Hammond Morton High School student was charged as an adult with rape, criminal confinement and sexual battery and arrested Wednesday. Police were called to the school on Nov. 12, where the 16-year-old victim was crying, court documents say. She told police she was in band class with the older teen when the drill was announced and the class was told to go to a darkened instrument storage room. The youth bumped into her, asked who it was, and the girl said her name, documents say. The youth then started touching her breasts and genitals. She tried moving away from him and getting him off her, but he was too strong for her. The girl felt she had to stay quiet because of the drill. The boy stuck his hands down her pants, then grabbed her and stuck her hands down his pants. He then again stuck his hands down her pants, documents say. He stopped when the lights were turned back on, and the girl went to her desk and cried. The victims parents were contacted and she was taken to a hospital for a sexual assault examination. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) The co-founder of the We Build The Wall project aimed at raising money for a border wall pleaded guilty Thursday to charges in a case that once included former President Donald Trump's adviser Steve Bannon. Brian Kolfage admitted to pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars while promising all donations would pay for the wall. His plea came a month before a trial in a case that began in dramatic fashion in August 2020, when Bannon was pulled from a luxury yacht off the coast of Connecticut and arrested on allegations that he and three others ripped off donors trying to fund a southern border wall. Bannon was pardoned by Trump just before he left office last year. Bannon had pleaded not guilty to charges he pocketed over $1 million, using some of the money to secretly pay Kolfage, a 39-year-old Air Force veteran who lost both legs in a mortar attack in Iraq. A guilty plea Thursday by codefendant financier Andrew Badolato, 57, in the case during the same remotely conducted electronic hearing before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan meant that only one of the four defendants originally charged might go to trial in mid-May. Plea agreements between the government and Kolfage and Badolato specified the defendants will not challenge sentences within an agreed-to guidelines range. For Kolfage, that range was four to five years. For Badolato, it was roughly 3 1/2 years to four years. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 6. Kolfage, of Miramar Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and tax charges brought originally in Florida. Badolato, of Sarasota, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Without the plea deal, Kolfage could have faced up to 46 years in prison while Badolato faced a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. The organizers of the We Build The Wall group raised more than $25 million from thousands of donors as they repeatedly pledged that every dollar would be used for the project. Asked to describe his crimes by the judge, Kolfage said the group had originally intended for all the raised money to be used to build a wall, but it soon became apparent that the plan to donate the money to the U.S. government for the wall's construction was not possible. At that point, he said, they induced donors to opt in to the new project to build a border wall on private land by falsely representing that none of the donations would be spent on salaries or compensation to the fundraisers. I knew what I was doing was wrong and a crime, he said. After he spoke, Torres asked questions, including whether he had promised the public that 100 percent of the money would go toward building the wall. That is correct, he answered. Despite your promise, you made an agreement with others to keep a large sum of money for yourself, the judge said. That is correct, Kolfage answered. Badolato said he engaged in the conspiracy from 2018 to 2020, agreeing to assure donors that all the money would go toward building the wall when he knew the statements were false. I knew this was wrong and Im terribly, terribly sorry for what I did and I humbly beg the court for mercy, he said. When the judge asked Badolato if he was aware that Kolfage was going to get money from donations, he said: Yes I did and I helped facilitate it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said evidence against the men at trial would have included testimony from donors, along with transaction records following donations into the defendants' bank accounts, emails and text records, along with public statements made by the coconspirators that were false. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LAS VEGAS (AP) Most of the five leading Republican candidates for Nevada governor who gathered Wednesday for a campaign forum in Las Vegas offered dire assessments of the states tourism-dependent economy, rising crime and struggling schools and asked for votes for their visions to fix them. Several also blamed Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, the consensus GOP front-runner, for skipping the event. We want to have the best, well-run, state in the country, said Guy Nohra, a Reno venture capitalist, drawing applause from among about 100 people at a Republican women's club luncheon. But we dont. Were 50th in everything, said Nora, who called his foray into politics the culmination of an American dream after his own teenage experience fighting a war in his home country, Lebanon, and his business ventures in the U.S. The event also featured North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, Gardnerville surgeon Fred Simon, former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller and firebrand northern Nevada lawyer Joey Gilbert. The tone in the room was polite, calls to action were pointed, and fangs were out over the absence of Lombardo, the best-funded candidate among the 20 Republicans seeking the nomination in June to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in November. You need to know theres somebody in this room who should be your next governor, Lee said after placing an empty chair next to the speakers podium to conduct a self-answering John-versus-Joe monologue. But its not Lombardo and its not Sisolak. Lombardos campaign spokeswoman, in a statement, called the two-term elected head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department one of the most accessible elected officials in Nevada. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Ray noted that Lombardo participated in previous candidates forums, said he planned to attend others and pointed to his fundraising lead. Voters know that Joe has leadership and experience they can trust, and thats evident in our fundraising number," she said. Campaign filings submitted to the Nevada Secretary of State last week showed Lombardo raised more than $825,000 during the first three months of 2022 and spent about $522,000, with almost $3 million in the bank ahead of the June 14 primary. Sisolak, by comparison, raised almost $1.6 million from January to March and spent $265,000, leaving him with more than $9.5 million to spend. His lone underfunded Democratic primary challenger, former North Las Vegas City Council member and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, reported loaning his own campaign $4,200 and having about $6,900 cash-on-hand on March 31. Among the Republicans, Simon is running a mostly self-funded campaign. He calls himself a constitutional conservative and reported he contributed all but about $10,000 of the $1.3 million he took in during the January-to-March reporting period. He spent $66,000 and reported having almost $1.25 million to spend. Im not owned, Simon told the GOP womens group. Nohra reported raising $528,000 and spending almost $413,000, ending the reporting period with $700,000 cash-on-hand. Gilbert, a Reno-based attorney who was outside the U.S. Capitol the day it was stormed on Jan. 6, 2020, parked his campaign bus parked outside the forum at Lawrys The Prime Rib restaurant. He cited lawsuits he filed in Nevada against what he called COVID insanity of coronavirus pandemic mask mandates and a ban on treating COVID-19 patients with a malaria drug. He drew loud applause for a pledge to audit this sucker, the entire thing, and promised to get rid of transgender social indoctrination nonsense in schools. Youre looking at the Ron DeSantis of the West, Gilbert said, invoking the name of the Florida Republican governor who signed a law that forbidding classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay law has become a culture war flashpoint. Heller, who lost his U.S. Senate seat to Democrat Jacky Rosen in 2018, previously served as Nevada Secretary of State and in the Nevada State Assembly and the U.S. House. He said he had a wonderful flight from Reno to Las Vegas for the forum because, for the first time in two years, he didnt have to wear a face covering. He noted that as a senator he voted to approve the Trump-nominated Florida federal judge who struck down the nations federal mask mandate on public transit. Heller reported raising $155,000 and spending $179,000 during the January-to-March reporting period, leaving a little more than $241,000 to spend. 3 Americans die in mysterious circumstances at Bahamas resort A fourth guest at Sandals Resort on Great Exuma Island was airlifted to a hospital. Mavs fan removed after incident with Chris Paul's family The Dallas Mavericks said they are aware of an incident between a fan and the family of Chris... BALDWIN Baldwin Community Schools board president Mary Martin and trustee Shawn Ware were recently honored by the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) for their continued commitment to student achievement and leadership. Martin and Ware received the MASB awards April 14 at the spring banquet of the West Shore Area School Board Association. Superintendents and board of education members of the districts within West Shore ESD attended the event. Mary and Shawn are truly dedicated to supporting the students and staff at Baldwin Community Schools reach their full potential, and we applaud them for this well-deserved recognition, superintendent David Forrester said. We appreciate the time Mary and Shawn have spent in addition to their regular board duties to take part in MASB trainings and professional development as part of their mission to make Baldwin an excellent place to learn and achieve. MASB recognizes school board members throughout Michigan for working to improve their leadership skills, demonstrating their commitment to student achievement and their own continuous improvement. Awards are earned for classes completed in MASB's leadership training program, as well as for conference attendance, years of service and leadership activities. Martin received the Level 4 MASB Master Boardmember Award. To receive the Level 4 Master Boardmember Award, individuals must complete the previous three levels, nine advanced classes and 368 education credits. Ware received the MASB Master Diamond Award and the MASB Data Specialist Award. To receive the Data Specialist Award, board members must complete classes such as District Strategic Planning and Goal Setting, Teacher Effectiveness and Student Achievement, Data Foundations and others. The Master Diamond Award is a Level 5 award, which consists of completing the previous four levels, 14 advanced classes and at least 528 education credits. Ive worked with school boards and public schools for more than 20 years and am always in awe of the commitment of so many members, MASB executive director Don Wotruba said. Schools are under exceptional pressure to be innovative and reinvent the way they deliver education. Training equips them with the tools necessary to make the best decisions for Michigans schoolchildren. The time they spend being servant leaders and honing their skills is second to none. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Gov. Andy Beshear revealed plans Thursday for a review of medical marijuana, signaling he's considering whether to take matters into his own hands to legalize medical cannabis in Kentucky. The Democratic governor said he'll seek grassroots input as his legal team explores his potential options to make medical marijuana legally accessible. He made a direct appeal for Kentuckians to offer their views, It came a week after the latest bill to legalize medical cannabis died in the state Senate after the House passed it. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers. I want to be clear, I am for medical cannabis, Beshear said at his weekly news conference. I want it done in the right way. And were going to be looking at our legal options very closely. And at the same time, we want to hear from you. During much of the pandemic, the governor aggressively wielded his executive powers to order restrictions to try to curb the virus' spread. Those actions eventually triggered strong pushback from Republican lawmakers, who reined in the governor's emergency powers. A top lawmaker and the attorney general warned Thursday that the governor risked overstepping his authority by taking executive action to unilaterally make medical marijuana legal. The General Assembly is the policy-making body of this state, and weve seen the problems that result when the governor tries to circumvent the legislature and make unilateral policy decisions," Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron said in a statement Thursday. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers said Kentuckians should be concerned that the governor thinks he can change statute by executive order. He simply cant legalize medical marijuana by executive order; you cant supersede a statue by executive order because its a constitutional separation of powers violation, Stivers said. Beshear faulted lawmakers for failing to get the job done, saying he'd prefer that the legislature pass a measure legalizing medical marijuana. He said such legislation has strong statewide support, and that Kentucky has fallen behind the majority of states that made medical cannabis available as an alternative to opioid medications. I believe its my obligation to see whats possible, given the will of the people and their desire to move forward on this, the governor said. Beshear said he has instructed the legal team in his office to analyze potential options for executive action that could create a framework to make medical cannabis available for people suffering from certain medical ailments. In other states, he said, people battling Alzheimers, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy and seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder can consult their health care providers to gain access to medical cannabis to help treat their symptoms. Beshear said he was establishing a medical cannabis advisory team, which will travel across the state to gather public input. Kentuckians also will be able to express their views directly to the governor's office by sending an email to GovMedicalCannabisAdvisoryTeam@ky.gov. The governor said the review will span the next couple of months. Its got to be done right," he said. "And I believe that we have an opportunity to set up the right regulatory framework where we dont see abuse. And this gives us a chance over the next couple months to be thoughtful. But we will be looking at action and a culmination into some form of action depending on our legal options. Cameron said later that it would be premature to comment on the validity of any potential executive action on medical marijuana until the governor disclosed the specifics of his intended action. Before the GOP-led legislature ended its 60-day session last week, lawmakers gave final passage to a bill to create a cannabis research center to study the use of cannabis to treat certain medical conditions. It was offered as an alternative to the stalled bill legalizing medical marijuana. The legalization bill would have strictly regulated the use of cannabis for a list of eligible medical conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy and chronic nausea. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden pledged an additional $1.3 billion Thursday for new weapons and economic assistance to help Ukraine in its strong but increasingly difficult battle against the Russian invasion, and he promised to seek much more from Congress to keep the guns, ammunition and cash flowing. The latest military aid, Biden said, will be sent directly to the front lines of freedom. Putin is banking on us losing interest, Biden said. The Russian president is betting that Western unity will crack ... and once again were going to prove him wrong. The new package includes $800 million in military aid for much-needed heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It builds on roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance that Biden previously approved. Theres also a fresh $500 million in direct economic assistance t o Ukraine for government salaries, pensions and other programs. That raises the total U.S. economic support to $1 billion since Russias invasion began nearly two months ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the United States in his nightly address in Ukraine, saying the military aid was just what we were waiting for. Earlier in a virtual address to the World Bank meeting in Washington, he said his nation will also need up to $7 billion each month to make up for economic losses. With tens of thousands of buildings damaged and key infrastructure in ruins, Ukraine will need hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild, Zelenskyy said. Biden underscored a need for the United States and Western allies to remain resolved in their support for Ukraine amid signs that Americans may becoming more wary of the war. A poll published Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows Americans desire to get involved has waned somewhat. Some 32% say the U.S. should have a major role in the conflict. Thats ticked down from 40% last month, though its slightly higher than the 26% who said so in February. An additional 49% say the U.S. should have a minor role. The president also announced that Russian-affiliated ships would be barred from U.S. ports, though that appeared to be largely symbolic. Russian ships bring a tiny amount of the cargo unloaded in the U.S., and "my guess is that ... a decent chunk of that was tankers transporting Russian oil which is now banned anyway, said Colin Grabow, a research fellow who studies trade at the Cato Institute. Overall, Biden said that $6.5 billion in security assistance that Congress approved last month as part of a $13.6 billion package for Ukraine could soon be exhausted." With the latest announcement, Biden has approved about $3.4 billion in military aid since Feb. 24. Congress' overall total also included about $6.8 billion in direct economic assistance to care for refugees and provide economic aid to allies in the region impacted by the war and additional funding for federal agencies to enforce economic sanctions against Russia and protect against cyber threats. Next week, Im going to have to be sending to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition deployed without interruption, Biden said. Congress has signaled it is receptive to further requests and has been expecting there would be a need for further help for the Ukrainians. But the issue could become entwined with partisan fights over pandemic spending and immigration, complicating the pathway. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has expressed a willingness to consider more aid for Ukraine in recent weeks. I think we need to say we want the Ukrainians to win, and were prepared to do everything we can to help them win, McConnell said Monday in Shelbyville, Kentucky. We want to do more, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters at the Capitol, during an appearance with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. She said lawmakers would learn more about Bidens latest funding request in the next day or so, to be taken up as soon as we can. Next week. Biden has chosen retired Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, a National Security Council official during the Obama administration, to oversee coordination of the security assistance to Ukraine, according to a White House official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet to be formally announced appointment, said Wolff was brought to the White House National Security Council team in recent days. Biden spoke on the new assistance, and more broadly about the situation in Ukraine, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the strategic city of Mariupol. Putin, however, ordered his troops not to risk more losses by storming the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the wars iconic battleground. Biden in an exchange with reporters following his remarks called Russias claim on Mariupol questionable." Russian forces have destroyed much of southeastern port city, which has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the war. By Russian estimates, about 2,000 Ukrainian forces remain holed up in a sprawling steel plant, even as Russia continues to pound the industrial site and issue ultimatums for surrender. Biden sought to make clear to Russians that plenty more military assistance for Ukraine would be coming. Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin, because were sending a lot of those, Biden said, paraphrasing Theodore Roosevelt and referring to an anti-tank missile system. The new U.S. military assistance is to include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, 72 vehicles used to tow to the howitzers onto battlefields, and over 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, as well as field equipment and spare parts. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the drones were developed by the Air Force and fit a specific need of Ukrainian forces in the battle for the Donbas. The drones are produced by a U.S. company, Aevex Aerospace, in a program that began before Russia invaded on Feb. 24. Kirby said the Phoenix Ghost is similar to the armed Switchblade kamikaze drones that the Pentagon already is providing to Ukraine. The 72 howitzers are in addition to the 18 announced last week the U.S. was transferring to Ukraine. Bidens decision to quadruple the number pledged in an arms package announced just last week reflects what is shaping up as a major ground battle in the contested Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The Russians have been deploying additional artillery there in recent days as they aim to expand their offensive and attempt to take full control of the Donbas after retreating from a failed attempt to capture Kyiv, the capital. Heavy weaponry like artillery is expected to play a key role in the fighting in the relatively confined area where Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatists have been battling since 2014. The announcements on new aid came against the backdrop of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings this week dominated by how to manage the spillover from Russias war in Ukraine. Ahead of his remarks, Biden met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal. The Ukrainian leader also met on Thursday with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as well as Pelosi. Yellen at a news conference said the economic aid the U.S. and allies have sent is only the beginning of what Ukraine will need to rebuild. She added that she'd be discussing efforts to further aid Ukraine with her Western counterparts this week. I think we stand united in recognizing weve got to find ways to meet Ukraines needs, she said. The Biden administration also announced a new program Thursday aimed at streamlining refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting, while they are still in Europe. The U.S. will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, as thousands have. The U.S. expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come, mostly through Mexico. ___ Associated Press writers Ben Fox, Alan Fram, Fatima Hussein, Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman contributed reporting. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A bill adding an exception to New Hampshires new abortion ban for cases in which the fetus has been diagnosed with abnormalities incompatible with life is heading to the desk of Gov. Chris Sununu, who has said he will sign it. Since Jan. 1, New Hampshire has outlawed abortion after 24 weeks gestation, with exceptions only for pregnancies that threaten the mothers life or health. Doctors who provide late-term abortions can face felony charges, and ultrasounds are required before any abortion. With nine Republicans joining all 10 Democrats, the Senate voted 19-5 in favor of a bill to limit the use of ultrasounds and add the abnormalities incompatible with life exception. The bill passed the House last month. Sen. Becky Whitley, D-Hopkinton, said she was grateful to women who shared heartbreaking stories, including a Brookline woman who learned 21 weeks into her pregnancy that one of her twins would not survive on her own after birth. We know that there are many more women who have these deeply personal stories who may not be comfortable attending a public hearing who can attest that, yes, these circumstances are rare, but they happen to real families, she said. The Senate rejected an amendment proposed by Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, who said she understood the desire to add an exception but felt the bill raised too many questions. Incompatible with life ... is it just minutes, is it days, is it weeks? We dont know that, she said. With the U.S. Supreme Court considering a case that could severely erode abortion rights, state legislatures across the country are taking up measures to either restrict the procedure further, or ensure access to it. New Hampshire lawmakers are considering at least eight bills on both sides of the issue. Among those that have passed the House are bills that would allow health care workers to refuse to participate in the delivery of contraception or abortion care, and another that would eliminate the safety zone that keeps protesters at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) away from abortion clinics. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW ORLEANS (AP) Stinky but handsome and widely popular landscape trees have spawned aggressive invaders, creating thickets that overwhelm native plants and sport nasty four-inch spikes. Bradford pears and 24 other ornamental trees were developed from Callery pears a species brought to America a century ago to save ravaged pear orchards. Now, their invasive descendants have been reported in more than 30 states. Worse than murder hornets! was the tongue-in-cheek title of a U.S. Department of Agriculture webinar in 2020 about Callery pears including the two dozen thornless ornamental varieties sold since the 1960s. Theyre a real menace, said Jerrod Carlisle, who discovered that four trees in his yard and one at a neighbors had spawned thousands on 50 acres (20 hectares) he was turning from cropland to woods in Otwell, a community of about 400 in southern Indiana. Indiana is among 12 midwestern and western states that have reported invasions, though most are in the South and Northeast. Until 2015, Carlisle rented his field to a farmer. Then he enrolled it in a USDA crop reduction program that paid for planting 29,000 trees as wildlife habitat. Carlisle realized the spiky flowering pears were a problem in 2019. When he cut or mowed them, new sprouts popped up. Trees sprayed with herbicide regrew leaves. Cutting off bark in a circle around the trunk kills most trees. Not these. He and his 17-year-old son have cut down an estimated 1,400 Callery pears, applying herbicide to the stumps. But he figures there are about 1,000 more to go. Without regular maintenance, fields near seed-producing trees can be covered with sprouts within a couple of years, said James J.T. Vogt, a scientist at the U.S. Forest Services Southern Research Station in Athens, Georgia. If you mow it, it sprouts and you get a thicket," he said. If you burn it, it sprouts, too. Seedlings only a few months old bear spurs that can punch through tractor tires, said David R. Coyle, an assistant professor in Clemson Universitys Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. The stench wafting from the tree's billows of white blossoms has been compared to perfume gone wrong, rotting fish, chlorine, and a cheese sandwich left in a car for a week. The trunks branch off in deep Vs, so after 15 to 20 years they tend to break in storms. But Frank N. Meyer, an agricultural explorer who brought 2,500 species of plants including his namesake Meyer lemon to the USDA in the early 1900s, called the Callery pear wonderful, noting that it survived drought and poor soil. At the time, a bacterial disease called fire blight was devastating U.S. pear orchards, University of Cincinnati researchers Theresa M. Culley and Nicole A. Hardiman wrote in a 2007 BioScience article about the plants U.S. history. And, just as researchers had hoped, grafting edible pears onto Callery roots produced blight-resistant fruit trees. In 1952, USDA workers noticed a spikeless mutant growing among Callery pears started from seed. By grafting its cuttings onto roots of other Callery pears, they cloned an ornamental line they named Bradford pears. That variety was commercially available by 1962, Culley and Hardiman wrote. Other seedlings grew into 24 more ornamental varieties. All are so pretty, hardy and insect-resistant that they were planted nationwide. Bradford and other Callery ornamentals are the third most common trees of 132 species planted along New York City streets -- more than 58,000 out of 650,000 as of 2015, the most recent count, said city parks department spokesman Dan Kastanis. But the city is no longer planting them, Kastanis said. Neither is Newport News, Virginia, which got rid of its Bradford pears in 2005. South Carolina, Ohio and cities including South Bend, Indiana, have banned or are banning all commercial varieties of Callery pears. Some states, including Missouri and Alabama, are asking homeowners and landowners to stop planting them or to cut existing ones down and apply herbicide to the stumps. Several, such as North Carolina, offer free native trees to landowners who provide photos proving they have cut down Callery pears on their property. For the USDA, which ordered Meyer to send Callery pear seeds from China, the nasty spurs and marble-sized, inedible fruit were irrelevant. What mattered was that the plant was resistant to fire blight. Genetically identical pears dont produce seed, so botanists figured the cloned varieties were safe for ornamental use. In 1971, the USDA even put out a brochure about their care, touting them as trees that bloom several times from spring through fall, thrive in many climates and soils, and don't attract plant pests. Now, the USDA describes Callery pears as near ubiquitous and has been studying the best way to kill them. Their adaptability is one reason they're so invasive. And their bug-resistant waxy leaves mean insect-eating birds dont come near them. Theyre kind of a food desert for a bird, said Coyle, who leads Clemsons annual Bradford pear bounty, providing native saplings to landowners who have felled their Callery ornamentals. It turned out that, although trees of the same variety cannot produce seeds with each other, two different varieties within a pollinator's range can produce fruit that squishes on sidewalks and feeds starlings and robins, which spread the seeds widely. In addition, the root stock can send up sprouts. If those arent regularly pruned to prevent them from blossoming, they can cross-pollinate with the grafted-on tree to produce fertile seed, noted University of Cincinnati's Culley. A wild population can potentially originate from a single landscaping tree that someone plants in their yard, she said in an email. Carlisle, the Indiana landowner, thinks he's finally getting ahead of his invasion because native trees planted for reforestation, especially six oak species, are casting enough shade to inhibit Callery seedlings. I truly believe I'm in eradication mode now, he said. ___ This article was originally published April 21, 2022. It has been corrected to state that fire blight is a bacterial disease, not a fungus. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Alcohol and the powerful opioid fentanyl killed a student from South Carolina who was left at a hospital after watching parades 10 days before Mardi Gras, the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office reported Thursday. The family of Ciaya Whetstone is saddened by the information contained in the coroners report ... and distraught that their daughter may have been the victim of a spiked substance," said a statement by attorneys for the family of the Bamberg, South Carolina, student. Attorneys Justin Bamberg, L. Chris Stewart, Brandon DeCuir and Michael Adams said they need information about an Uber driver who reportedly drove the 21-year-old University of New Orleans student from Bamberg, South Carolina, to look for her car. They want to know what the Uber driver did as he witnessed a passenger dying, and why he never called 911 as he witnessed a medical emergency, the statement said. "Uber still has not released any information to the family, so we are forced to file our lawsuit. Uber said Thursday that it cannot comment on pending litigation. The company has given police requested information about the driver, vehicle and GPS trip data, according to emailed information from the company. The statement said police will decide whether to release that information to Wheatstone's family or the public. The company forbids contact with passengers after their trips, and its safety team has removed the drivers access to the app, the statement said. The coroners office said Whetstone died about 7 a.m. on Feb. 19 at a hospital in eastern New Orleans. That's on the other side of the city from suburban Metairie, where news outlets reported she had watched parades before going out with friends. Her roommate told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate in February that after returning home via Uber to check on her dog, she went back out with the same driver, saying she wanted to look for her car. This coroners report simply confirmed what we already suspected: she died of an overdose and her Uber driver failed to take appropriate action, the lawyers said. The statement continued, We are waiting for law enforcement and Uber to offer additional details that will provide this family with the real information they need. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program thats available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The court held by an 8-1 vote Thursday that making Puerto Ricans ineligible for the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides benefits to older, disabled and blind Americans, did not unconstitutionally discriminate against them. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico, was the lone dissenter. Writing for the court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the court was bound by a pair of earlier rulings that already upheld the federal law that created SSI and excluded Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories from it. Congress later added in the Mariana Islands. Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since the Spanish American War in 1898, and its residents are U.S. citizens. They can vote in primaries, but not the presidential election, and have limited representation in Congress. Many also do not pay federal income tax. Kavanaugh wrote that just as not every federal tax extends to residents of Puerto Rico, so too not every federal benefits program extends to residents of Puerto Rico. In dissent, Sotomayor responded, "In my view, there is no rational basis for Congress to treat needy citizens living anywhere in the United States so differently from others. To hold otherwise, as the Court does, is irrational and antithetical to the very nature of the SSI program and the equal protection of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution. I respectfully dissent. The decision outraged many in Puerto Rico including Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, who said statehood is the only solution to Puerto Rico's second-class status. The decision ... once again confirms that the territorial status of Puerto Rico is discriminatory for the islands U.S. citizens and allows Congress to do what it wants with us, he said in a statement. Pierluisi noted that Puerto Rico also receives unequal treatment when it comes to Medicaid, Medicare and other federal programs. Meanwhile, Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Ricos representative in Congress and a member of Pierluisis pro-statehood party, called the exclusion an unbelievable discrimination that keeps more than 300,000 people in extreme poverty. Jose Luis Vaello-Madero, the Puerto Rico resident at the center of the case, began receiving SSI payments after he suffered a series of strokes while living in New York. The payments continued to his bank account in New York even after he moved back to Puerto Rico. When he notified the Social Security Administration, the payments stopped and then the government sued to recover more than $28,000 it said he was not entitled to. Lower courts sided with Vaello-Madero, ruling that the exclusion of Puerto Rico from the SSI program is unconstitutional. In a similar case in Guam, a federal judge ruled recently that residents of that Pacific island also should be able to collect SSI. The Justice Department first filed its appeal of a ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals during the Trump administration but maintained the case even after President Joe Biden took office. The Biden administration has said it supports changing the law to extend SSI payments to Puerto Rico. It included a provision in its Build Back Better proposal to make residents of U.S. territories eligible for SSI payments, but the legislation is stalled in Congress. A separate program, Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled, covers residents of the territories, but it has more stringent eligibility requirements and pays less generous benefits than SSI. ATLANTA (AP) Emory University in Atlanta will remove the names of a former psychologist and a former U.S. Supreme Court justice from campus institutions and professorships. President Gregory Fenves announced the changes on Thursday. They follow his decision to convene a committee in 2020 to examine people whose names are honored by Emory. The Yerkes National Primate Research Center is named for psychologist and primatologist Robert Yerkes, who the university said vigorously supported eugenics. That idea called for genetic improvement of humans and was often used to discriminate against racial minority groups and people with disabilities. The facility will become the Emory National Primate Research Center. Two professorships in the university's law school now named for L.Q.C. Lamar, an Emory graduate who wrote Mississippi's secession ordinance and defended slavery and white supremacy, will become Emory School of Law Distinguished Professors. Georgia's largest private university already renamed a dormitory that honored a president who defended slavery and named a building on its Oxford campus for Horace Johnson Jr., a Black judge who died of an apparent heart attack in 2020 less than a week after testing positive for COVID-19. Fenves, though, said he won't rename a gate on the Atlanta campus and a residence hall in Oxford that honor former president Atticus Green Haygood. Although the committee recommended that Haygood's name be removed, Fenves noted that Haygood later denounced slavery, helped found historically Black Paine College in Augusta and supported development of other schools for Black people. Fenves said he's still considering removing the name of George Foster Pierce, a pre-Civil War president of Emory and Methodist bishop. A building on the Oxford campus and streets on both the Oxford and Atlanta campuses are named for Pierce, according to Emory's website.. PHILADELPHIA (AP) A fired Philadelphia police officer was arrested for aggravated assault and other charges in the beating of a mother who was pulled from her SUV by police after accidentally driving into civil unrest with her 2-year-old son in the car. The interaction between Rickia Young and more than a dozen officers during the October 27, 2020 protests that followed the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace, Jr. a Black man in mental health crisis was recorded by at least one witness on their cellphone. The video shows a rush of officers rocking and shaking the SUV as they try to open the doors, eventually breaking the windows and pulling the passengers to the ground. Prosecutors said Thursday that Darren Kardos, 42, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, possession of an instrument of a crime, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Court records showed he turned himself in on April 15 and was released on his own recognizance. Young's attorney, Kevin Mincey, said litigation is still pending against the National Fraternal Order of Police because of a photo the union tweeted the night of the unrest. It showed a Philadelphia officer holding Young's son with a caption claiming police had found the child wandering shoeless in the melee and calling the officers heroes. The post was later deleted, but was shared widely on social media. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a news conference Thursday that Young was driving slowly, trying to navigate out of the area, when Kardos used his baton to break the windows. Kardos made claims about the victims actions that were not corroborated by the video evidence, Krasner said. Prosecutors would not say whether they expected other officers to be charged in the episode, but said the investigation remains active. An attorney for Kardos was not listed in court records, and a spokesman for the Lodge 5 Fraternal Order of Police declined to comment Thursday. Kardos was one of two officers fired last spring over their actions during the unrest. In a call with reporters Thursday, Young said she was happy but in shock. She and her son are still living with traumatic memories of that night, she said. Addressing the officer, Young said, You could have talked to me, Im very easy to talk to. What you did to me in front of my son was not acceptable. She added, I have to live the rest of my life knowing that the people who are supposed to serve and protect us really dont serve and protect us. The city settled a civil lawsuit for $2 million in September with Young, who was released without charges. Young, a home healthcare aide, said she saw the protests on television and went to West Philadelphia to pick up her then 16-year-old nephew that night. She put her then 2-year-old son in the car, not wanting to leave him home alone, and hoping he might fall asleep. After getting her nephew she accidentally drove into the fray at about 1:45 a.m. as police clashed with demonstrators. Police told her to turn around. As she did, officers swarmed her car, broke windows and injured her and her nephew as they pulled them from the vehicle. Her nephew would later need surgery to repair broken bones in his hand. Young spent the next few hours at police headquarters and at a hospital. She was bruised, bleeding from the head and had been sprayed with mace. Her mother went in search for her son, who she found in a police cruiser with a welt on his head and glass in his car seat, her attorneys previously said in an interview. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Israels air force and Palestinian militants traded fire across the Gaza frontier early Thursday as clashes erupted again at Jerusalems most sensitive holy site, worsening an escalation that has been eerily similar to the lead-up to last years Israel-Gaza war. The Gaza violence, fueled by the unrest between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem, appears to be the heaviest-cross-border fighting since last years 11-day war and comes despite efforts to prevent a repeat. A rocket fired from Gaza earlier this week was the first to have been launched since the war. The latest Israeli-Palestinian tensions boiled over after a series of deadly attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, which then sparked days-long, sometimes lethal, arrest raids by the military in a flashpoint West Bank city and spread into daily clashes in Jerusalem. This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Passover, a time of heightened religious observances and visits by large numbers of people to Jerusalem. Palestinian militants fired two rockets toward Israel from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday and early Thursday, and Israeli aircraft hit militant targets in the seaside, Hamas-ruled enclave. One rocket landed in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, a frequent target, and another fell short and landed in Gaza, the Israeli military said. The launches set off air-raid sirens across parts of southern Israel, disrupting the quiet of the Passover holiday week. Early Thursday, Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in the central Gaza Strip, local media reported. Social media posts by activists showed smoke billowing in the air. The Israeli military said the airstrikes were aimed at a militant site and the entrance of a tunnel leading to an underground complex holding chemicals to make rockets. The military later said its planes attacked another Hamas compound after an anti-aircraft missile was fired from Gaza. It said the missile failed to hit its target and no injuries or damage were reported. In Jerusalem, Israeli police said dozens of masked protesters holed up in the Al-Aqsa Mosque early Thursday, sealed the doors and began throwing rocks and firecrackers. Police said they attempted to disperse the Palestinians using riot dispersal means, without elaborating, and that forces did not enter the mosque itself. A Palestinian official from the Waqf, which administers the site, said large numbers of police used stun grenades to clear out the site. He said police also fired stun grenades and rubber-coated bullets against Palestinians who had sealed themselves inside the mosque. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the incident with the media. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 20 people were injured, one critically. Similar clashes have taken place throughout the week, while fiercer ones broke out at the site earlier this month, wounding more than 150 Palestinians and three police officers. The Palestinians have accused Israeli police of using excessive force at the holy site, and Palestinian social media have been filled with videos showing Israeli forces striking what appear to be unarmed Palestinians, including women. Police say Palestinians instigate the violence and have released their own videos showing young Palestinian men throwing rocks and fireworks toward the security forces. Police say the Palestinians are desecrating their own shrine and putting others at risk. An emergency meeting of a regional Arab committee convened in Jordan Thursday over what it called illegal Israeli policies and measures in Jerusalem. It condemned the Israeli actions, called them provocative and called on Israel to ensure that only Muslims worship at the site. The committee includes member countries who have recently normalized ties with Israel, including the United Arab Emirates. The country's top diplomat, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke by phone Thursday. Al Nahyan called for stability, according to the United Arab Emirates state-run WAM news agency. A U.S. State Department delegation is also in the region in a bid to secure calm. The scenes of rocket fire and repeated violence in Jerusalem recalled the run-up to last years war. Last year, the violence also spread to mixed Jewish-Arab cities, which hasn't happened in the current wave of unrest. On Wednesday, hundreds of flag-waving Israeli ultra-nationalists marched toward predominantly Palestinian areas around Jerusalems Old City, a demonstration of Israeli control over the disputed city seen as a provocation by Palestinians. Last years war erupted during a similar march, when Gaza militants, declaring themselves the guardians of Jerusalem, fired a barrage of rockets toward the holy city. Those events, along with other developments, led to an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that killed over 250 Palestinians and 14 people in Israel, causing extensive damage in Gaza. This year, Israeli police closed the main road leading to the Damascus Gate of the Old City and the heart of Muslim Quarter. After some pushing and shoving with police, the marchers rallied near the barricades, waving flags, singing and chanting. Israeli nationalists stage such marches to try to assert sovereignty over east Jerusalem, which Israel seized in 1967, along with the West Bank and Gaza, and annexed in a move not recognized internationally. The Palestinians seek an independent state in all three territories and consider east Jerusalem their capital. The hilltop shrine in the Old City is the emotional ground zero of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the center of previous rounds of violence. Known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, it is the third holiest site in Islam. It is also the holiest site in Judaism, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of their biblical temples. Israel says it is maintaining a decades-old status quo at the site, which prevents Jews from praying there. But during the Passover holiday this year, visits by Jews have skyrocketed and in some cases Jews have been praying at the compound. Palestinians view the visits, under police escort, as a provocation and possible prelude to Israel taking over the site or partitioning it. For Palestinians, the mosque compound, administered by Muslim clerics, is also a rare place in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem where they have a measure of control. Palestinian militant groups in Gaza the ruling Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad have positioned themselves as defenders of the Jerusalem holy site. On Wednesday, Hamas said Israel would bear full responsibility for the repercussions if it allowed the marchers to approach our holy sites. ___ Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Hamilton, Canada, and Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) Greek police said Thursday they rescued 64 asylum-seekers, including 10 children, who had been marooned by smugglers on a tiny islet in the river that runs along Greece's land border with Turkey. Police said the migrants were located Wednesday night after Greek authorities were tipped off to their presence, but that the group initially refused to accompany rescue teams into boats to take them to the Greek side of the Evros River. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Haitis National Civil Aviation Office announced Thursday that it is banning all private aircraft from flying during an investigation into the crash of a small plane that killed at least five people and injured several others. Authorities did not say when private flights could resume, adding that the measure is part of a review of private operators. The announcement was made a day after a Cessna 207 crashed into a truck transporting sodas in the crowded capital of Port-au-Prince. A police official told The Associated Press that five people died upon impact, including the truck driver. I heard a big boom, said Jean Felix Surin, a farmer who rushed out of his house to the scene of the crash. Everybody was in shock. Someone in the crowd said one of the victims asked for help while still on the ground but died shortly afterward. Hours later, firefighters used hoses to clean the site. Paule Robitaille, a Canadian politician, tweeted that one of the victims was Gamaniel Valcin and called on Canada's government to help repatriate his body. The Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported that the pilot died after being taken to a hospital. The pilot was identified as Amado Gutierrez from the Dominican Republic and carried a badge belonging to a Dominican flight school called Enalas. A secretary at the school said no one was immediately available for comment. Officials said the plane was en route to the southern coastal city of Jacmel and crashed shortly after taking off from Port-au-Prince. The crash comes four months after Haitis Civil Aviation Security Department issued a notice warning that several private operators it did not identify had been breaking rules by running commercial flights, among other things, without the required license. Last July, another small plane also en route to Jacmel crashed near the capital, killing six people, including two U.S. missionaries. Some people in recent months have opted to fly from the capital to Haitis southern region to avoid driving through gang-controlled areas that have seen a spike in kidnappings and killings. ___ Sanon reported from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. AP videographer Pierre-Richard Luxama in Port-au-Prince contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court said Thursday that a federal appeals court was wrong when it ordered Michigan to retry or release a convicted murderer because his rights were violated when he was shackled at trial. In a decision that split the court 6-3 along ideological lines, the court's conservative majority said that a federal appeals court was wrong to apply only one legal test to conclude that the man should be released or retried. The justices said the appeals court should have applied two different legal tests, not just one, and that the man's case didn't pass the second test. State courts had agreed that shackling Ervine Davenport at his trial violated his rights but said the error was harmless because it did not affect the verdict in his case. Davenport then took his case to federal court, and an appeals court concluded he should be released or retried. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch disagreed. He said that: When a state court has ruled on the merits of a state prisoners claim, a federal court cannot grant relief without first applying both a test the court outlined in a 1993 Supreme Court case and a second one Congress mandated when it passed a 1996 law, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. The law made it more difficult for prisoners to challenge their convictions. Gorsuch wrote that even assuming Davenport succeeded under the 1993 test, he failed the second because the Michigan Court of Appeals had not acted unreasonably in deciding the case. Gorsuch noted that the court had found Davenport's shackling harmless for two reasons," because of the overwhelming evidence against him and because jurors said it did not affect their verdict. But Justice Elena Kagan, writing for herself and the court's two other liberal justices, said requiring courts to apply both tests was make-work. She said the court had twice in recent years said that applying the 1993 test alone is sufficient because it is "harder for a prisoner to meet." She wrote that requiring courts to do both tests is a pointless demand. Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud, who argued the case for the state, said the high court's decision ensures that state court decisions that determine an error at trial was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt are given the deference and respect they are due not just in Michigan, but across the country." Messages left for Davenport's attorney were not immediately returned. Davenport's case traces back to the 2007 death of Annette White. The two had been attending a gathering together and left in a car. Both had used cocaine, and White died during a struggle while the two were driving. Davenport said White had attacked him. A jury convicted him of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. Davenport appealed, arguing that his rights were violated because he was shackled during his trial at the waist, wrist, and ankles. Five of the twelve jurors said they remembered seeing the shackles, but all said the shackles did not affect their deliberations. State courts concluded that Davenport's shackling didn't affect the case's outcome. A federal appeals court, however, said the restraints branded Davenport as having a violent nature and were inherently prejudicial. It ordered Michigan to retry Davenport or release him. The high court reversed that decision. The case is Brown, Acting Warden v. Davenport, 20-826. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduras extradited former President Juan Orlando Hernandez to the United States on Thursday to face drug trafficking and weapons charges in a dramatic reversal for a leader once touted by U.S. authorities as a key ally in the war on the drugs. Just three months after leaving office, a handcuffed Hernandez boarded an airplane with agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration bound for the United States, where he faces charges in the Southern District of New York. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Hernandez abused his position as President of Honduras from 2014 through 2022 to operate the country as a narco-state. In court documents, U.S. prosecutors alleged Hernandez was involved in a corrupt and violent drug-trafficking conspiracy" that moved more than 550 tons of cocaine to the United States. He was charged with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Prosecutors charge that Hernandez received millions of dollars from drug cartels, including from notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. They allege he used the money to finance his political campaigns and engaged in voter fraud in the 2013 and 2017 Honduran presidential elections. In return, drug traffickers in Honduras were allowed to operate with virtual impunity, Garland said. "We allege that Hernandez corrupted legitimate public institutions in the country including parts of the national police, military and national Congress." Hernandez was arrested at his home in Tegucigalpa in February at the request of U.S. authorities. He was shackled and paraded in front of journalists, a sight many Hondurans never imagined seeing. Honduras Supreme Court rejected his appeal of a judges decision in favor of extradition. Drug trafficking fuels violent crime and addiction; it devastates families, and it ravages communities, Garland said. The Justice Department is committed to disrupting the entire ecosystem of drug trafficking networks that harm the American people, no matter how far or how high we must go. Hernandez has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a video message released Thursday, he said, I am innocent; I have been and I am being unjustly subjected to prosecution. He has said he is the victim of drug traffickers he extradited who are now lying to seek revenge. Henry Osorto Canales, a retired National Police commissioner who is now an analyst, said that while the extradition was an embarrassment for Honduras, it was also a historic day. This is a start because it has begun with the largest political piece that the country had and logically the rest of the pieces are going to fall, at least those closest (to Hernandez), Osorto said. U.S. prosecutors have spent years building cases from low-level drug traffickers and local politicians to organized crime bosses who used their political connections and ties to drug trafficking cartels in Colombia and Mexico to move tons of cocaine to the United States. Many of them testified about making payments to Hernandez or one of his brothers, also a politician. Hernandezs brother Tony Hernandez, a former congressman, was sentenced to life in prison in the same U.S. court on essentially the same charges. Juan Orlando Hernandez took office in January 2014 and held the presidency until this January, when Xiomara Castro was sworn in as his replacement. Castro campaigned on rooting out Honduras corruption and Hernandez was seen as the largest target. On Wednesday, Honduras' Supreme Court denied an appeal from the former chief of the National Police, Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, better known as El Tigre or The Tiger. He was arrested after Hernandez at the request of U.S. prosecutors on similar charges and is expected to be extradited in the coming weeks. U.S. prosecutors allege Bonilla assisted the movement of tons of cocaine through Honduras, working with Hernandez and his brother Tony Hernandez, both co-conspirators in the case in the Southern District of New York. Hernandezs transport via helicopter under heavy guard from the police base where he was held to the airport Thursday was covered live by local television outlets. Some Hondurans stood outside the airport's perimeter fence to catch a glimpse of the former president boarding the plane with U.S. authorities. When Hernandez's plane took off some were seen jumping in celebration. Thousands of their countrymen emigrated from the country during Hernandez's administration, often shouting Get out JOH! using his initials as they walked north. They frequently complained of a lack of job opportunities and gang violence. ___ Balsamo reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Hundreds of protesters, mostly students, took to the streets Thursday in Indonesias capital, voicing concern over rumors that the government is considering postponing the 2024 presidential election to allow President Joko Widodo to remain in office beyond the two-term legal limit, calling it a threat to the countrys democracy. The demonstrators also railed against soaring food and oil prices, a controversial job law and the targeting of activists who oppose government policies. Labor unions, farmer organizations and womens groups also joined the protests, which were reignited following another demonstration on April 11 in front of the Parliament building in Jakarta, where police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds, and in other cities across the country. Calm had largely returned over the past 10 days. Authorities in Jakarta on Thursday blocked streets leading to the heavily guarded presidential palace and Parliament building. Protesters had marched there to demand that lawmakers not delay the election or amend the constitution to allow Widodo to run again in 2024. Widodo has denied that his administration is attempting to delay the vote after senior politicians, including a close ally, supported the idea, and he ordered the Cabinet to confirm that the election has been set for Feb. 14, 2024. Despite denials, doubts about his intentions have persisted. Thursday's protest involved about 800 people, according to Jakarta police spokesman Endra Zulpan, who said that the crowd dispersed peacefully as darkness fell. The protesters slammed the countrys widely criticized Job Creation Law, which was declared unconstitutional in a Constitutional Court ruling last November, and urged the government and legislature to call off the ongoing deliberations to amend it. Critics have charged it would cripple labor rights and harm the environment. Demonstrators also demanded that the government stop alleged violence against and oppression of activists who defend the rights of the underprivileged, including those displaced by government development projects, as well as opponents who criticize the Widodo administration. The National Police have been under fire for allegedly using excessive force against suspected criminals and abusing the law by criminalizing critics and activists. Protesters near the blocked streets to the presidential palace were seeking a meeting with Widodo. They booed the president for failing to meet them. A speaker read out their demands including that the government immediately reduce the price of fuel and basic foods, including cooking oil, which skyrocketed in recent months, and raise wages to counter inflation. We will keep fighting and the wave of demonstrations will continue if the government doesnt listen to our demands, a speaker standing atop a small truck shouted at the crowd. Powerful political figures, including Cabinet ministers Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Airlangga Hartarto, who is also chair of the Golkar party in the governing coalition, have suggested that the election should be delayed. Supporters have argued that Widodo needs more time to deal with the economy, which slumped during the pandemic, and complete his agenda, including a $35 billion project to relocate the capital to the island of Borneo. Presidents are limited to two terms under the first amendment to the Indonesian Constitution, which was passed in 1999, a year after dictator Suharto was toppled by massive pro-democracy protests. Suharto ruled Indonesia for more than three decades under an authoritarian, often violent regime. During his rule, corruption and rights abuses became rampant as the elite plundered the economy. His downfall ushered in democracy, and the term limit is meant to prevent a repeat of the authoritarian past. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is in the midst of her first visit to Alaska in that role, including to a community at the center of a long-running dispute over a proposed land exchange aimed at building a road through a national wildlife refuge. Residents of King Cove have seen a road as a life and safety issue. Haaland was in King Cove on Wednesday with Gov. Mike Dunleavy and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. King Cove residents have long sought a land connection through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to Cold Bay, which is about 18 miles (29 kilometers) away and has an all-weather airport. The refuge is near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula and contains internationally recognized habitat for migrating waterfowl. Haaland, speaking to reporters from Anchorage on Thursday, she is still in a learning process regarding the issue and had no announcements to make about it at this time. The Interior Department said Haaland had committed to visiting the community early in her tenure, as part of her ongoing effort to hear directly from communities about the policies that impact them. Haaland, Murkowski and the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also visited Cold Bay and the refuge, the department said. A U.S. Justice Department attorney last summer said Haaland had not decided what position she would take on a proposed land exchange, saying Haaland planned to review the record and visit King Cove before making a decision. A planned trip to Alaska last year didn't materialize. In 2013, then-Secretary Sally Jewell visited King Cove to hear from residents. Jewell later issued a decision declining a land exchange, saying she supported a conclusion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that building a road through the refuge would cause irreversible damage to the refuge and to wildlife that depend on it. Under the Trump administration, efforts to advance a land exchange faced legal challenges. But a divided federal appeals court panel last month reversed a decision by U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick that had set aside a proposed 2019 agreement that then-Secretary David Bernhardt had entered into with King Cove Corp., an Alaska Native village corporation. Sedwick had found in part that Bernhardt had failed to provide adequate reasoning to support a change in policy in favor of a land exchange and road. The appeals court ruling disagreed with that assessment. The choice to place greater weight on the interests of King Cove residents sufficiently explained the change in policy, the ruling stated. Bridget Psarianos, staff attorney with Trustees for Alaska, last month vowed continued efforts to "fight this illegal land exchange to protect Izembeks irreplaceable values and all of Alaskas protected public lands. Trustees for Alaska represented conservation groups that challenged the proposed land exchange. The Aleutians East Borough says flights from King Coves unpaved airstrip are delayed or canceled about 30% of the time, usually due to harsh weather conditions. The community often experiences gales, snow squalls or dense fog, according to the borough. It says the community of Cold Bay has a 10,000-foot (3,048 meter) paved runway at its all-weather airport. Della Trumble, CEO of the King Cove Corp., said she thought it was important that Haaland was able to hear from residents directly. At this point, we just do everything we can and continue forward and with the hope that we can put this all behind us and move forward and be able to have safe access between these two communities, Trumble said. Dunleavy, in a statement, said local residents deserve to be heard by the federal government. Haaland said she is being very thoughtful. I want the people to know that we care about their community. We care about a lot of things, she said. Melissa Schwartz, an Interior Department spokesperson, by email said Haaland's visit to Alaska includes meetings with Alaska Native leaders and elders, local, state and federal elected officials, and members of the conservation, outdoor recreation, and labor community to discuss sustainable economies, federal investments, and infrastructure needs. Haaland said she is scheduled to leave Sunday. New Delhi: The BJP-ruled NDMC has initiated an anti-encroachment drive on Wednesday in Jahangirpuri, where clashes broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, and has asked the Delhi Police to provide at least 400 personnel to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta on Tuesday wrote to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) mayor to identify the illegal constructions of "rioters" in Jahangirpuri and demolish it using bulldozers. The copy of the letter was also sent to commissioner of the municipal body. Clashes broke out between two communities during the procession at Jahangirpuri on Saturday, leaving eight police personnel and a local resident injured. There was also stone-pelting and arson during the clashes and some vehicles were also torched. The north civic body in a letter to the Northwest deputy commissioner of police (DCP) said that a special joint encroachment removal action programme, comprising the public works department, police, works department, health and sanitation department, veterinary department and enforcement cell of the NDMC has been scheduled in Jahangirpuri. You (police) are therefore requested to provide at least 400 police personnel including lady police/outer force for maintaining law and order during the encroachment removal action on April 20 or April 21 (9.30 am onwards) as per your convenience for three days, the assistant commissioner, NDMC civil lines zone, said in the letter to the DCP. Delhi BJP president Gupta, said that a Hanuman Jayanti procession passing through Jahangirpuri was pelted with stones by anti-social elements and rioters on April 16 These anti-social elements have protection of the local MLA and councillor as a result of which they have made large numbers of encroachments and illegal constructions, he alleged. "The illegal constructions and encroachments by these rioters should be identified and demolished with bulldozers and strict action should be taken against them at the earliest," Delhi BJP president wrote to Mayor Raja Iqbal. The ruling AAP and the BJP have been engaged in blame game over the violence and arson in Jahangirpuri. While the AAP has been alleging that main accused in the clashes belonged to the BJP, the saffron party claims they belong to the AAP NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (AP) A judge rejected a proposed plea agreement for a suspended Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in 2016 and instead set a trial date for the cleric Thursday. Hamilton County Superior Court Judge Michael Casati threw out the deal that would have allowed David Marcotte to plead guilty to one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minor in exchange for the state dismissing charges of child solicitation and vicarious sexual gratification. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Lee Circle a round patch of New Orleans green space where a larger-than-life statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee once loomed over St. Charles Avenue was officially been renamed Harmony Circle on Thursday as the City Council continued to eliminate memorials honoring Confederate leaders. The small urban park, originally Tivoli Circle, had been called Lee Circle since the 16-foot (5 meter) bronze likeness of Lee was erected atop a 60-foot (18 meter) pedestal in 1884. Unanimous approval to change the name of the New Orleans park came a day after officials in southwest Louisiana's St. Landry Parish voted to to remove a 102-year-old Confederate monument from the parish courthouse grounds in the city of Opelousas. Acadiana region news outlets report that the 10-3 vote followed sometimes emotional debate. In New Orleans, the statue of Lee was removed in 2017 the last of four Jim Crow-era monuments taken down in New Orleans under then-Mayor Mitch Landrieu following two years of political and legal battles. Opponents of removal have defended the icons as historic memorials to Southern heritage. But moves to eliminate Confederate memorials in Southern cities had gained impetus after nine black parishioners were fatally shot in 2015 by an avowed racist at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. The renaming of the circle comes as part of a continuing New Orleans city government project to rename streets bearing the names of Confederate leaders. Last year, for instance, Jefferson Davis Parkway, named for the president of the Confederacy, was renamed to honor Norman C. Francis, the long-time former president of Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically Black institution. While the circular park, covering an area about the size of a small city block, will be called Harmony Circle, the street encircling the park where it separates sections of St. Charles Avenue, will remain Tivoli Circle. Researchers determined the streets name was never changed from Tivoli, although street signs that are still in place identify the street as Lee Circle. Although the once-heated issue has cooled in New Orleans, the fate of the memorial in Opelousas may not be settled. News outlets said there may be legal action to halt monument removal. The Advocate reported that the monument's supporters said its purpose was nothing other than honoring named and unnamed veterans of the Confederate Army who fought in the Civil War. St. Landry Parish resident George Gremillion said the monument provides a place to honor war dead who wound up in mass graves. To the wives, the daughters and the sisters, they put together their efforts and constructed this monument downtown here to honor, to have a place for them to say thanks to their loved ones," Gremillion said. When all you guys go out there and see your parents and grandparents headstones there, you can go honor them. A lot of families cant say that. The St. Landry monument was erected in February 1920 by the United Daughters of the Confederacys Louisiana division and Gordon chapter, nearly 55 years after the Civil War ended. BANGOR, Maine (AP) A Maine man charged with lying to receive $60,000 from the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program has been arrested again after he allegedly violated the terms of his bail by applying for rental assistance. Nathan Reardon, 44, was arrested on Wednesday on a motion to revoke his bail. MONROE, La. (AP) Several law enforcement agencies on Thursday searched for an inmate on a work release detail who stabbed and killed a co-worker at the job site and fled, state corrections officials said. Bruce Causey, 48, who is serving time at a facility in Union Parish for three charges including attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of cocaine and second-degree battery, stabbed a man at Foster Farms in Farmerville, Louisiana, the state Department of Corrections said in a news release. The man, whose name was not released, died from his injuries, said Ken Pastorick, a department spokesperson. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MEXICO CITY (AP) Angry and frustrated over corruption and violence, Mexican voters delivered a tidal wave presidential election victory to leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, giving him a broad mandate to upend the political establishment and govern for the poor. An official quick count from electoral authorities late Sunday forecast that Lopez Obrador would win with between 53 percent and 53.8 percent of the votes, a remarkable margin not seen in the country for more than three decades. Early Monday, with about 40 percent of the votes counted, Lopez Obrador's advantage was close to the quick count's statistical sample. BAKER INSTITUTE: Understanding Mexico's new president A prominent exit poll predicted his party allies were poised to score big victories in congressional races, possibly winning absolute majorities in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Lopez Obrador, who campaigned on vows to transform Mexico and oust the "mafia of power" ruling the country, rode widespread voter anger and discontent with the governing Institutional Revolution Party, or PRI, of President Enrique Pena Nieto and had led opinion polls since the beginning of the campaign. The PRI, which dominated Mexican politics for nearly the entire 20th century and recaptured the presidency in 2012, was set to suffer heavy losses not just for the presidency but in other races as well. OPINION: A new NAFTA can solve border problems, only on HoustonChronicle.com In brief remarks at a hotel in central Mexico City, Lopez Obrador called for reconciliation after a polarizing campaign and promised profound change but with respect for the law and constitutional order. "I confess that I have a legitimate ambition: I want to go down in history as a good president of Mexico," said Lopez Obrador, who had lost in the previous two presidential elections. "I desire with all my soul to raise the greatness of our country on high." SOFTER TONE: Oil sector crosses fingers over Lopez Obrador, exclusively on Houston Chronicle.com The president-in-waiting, whose term will begin Dec. 1, devoted much of his speech to appealing to citizens of all stripes and seeking to reassure those who have eyed his candidacy nervously. "This new national project will seek to establish an authentic democracy and we do not intend to establish a dictatorship," Lopez Obrador said. "The changes will be profound, but in accordance with established order." FRUSTRATION: Mexican citizens in Houston, US faced obstacles to vote Conservative Ricardo Anaya of a right-left coalition and the PRI's Jose Antonio Meade acknowledged defeat shortly after polls closed nationwide. The quick count had them around 22 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Lopez Obrador's supporters began wild celebrations in Mexico City, cruising up and down the central Paseo de la Reforma boulevard honking horns to the tune of "Viva Mexico!" and waving Mexican flags from car windows and moon roofs. Thousands poured into the sprawling main square known as the Zocalo, where the 64-year-old former mayor of the capital had called on his backers to rally. Many danced to the trills of mariachi music. Retired teacher Susana Zuniga beamed and said the country was experiencing a moment similar to the Mexican Revolution a century ago. "The people are fed up. That is what brought us to this," she said. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted congratulations: "I look very much forward to working with him. There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!" Lopez Obrador said individual and property rights would be guaranteed, promised respect for the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and said his government will maintain financial and fiscal discipline. He said contracts obtained under energy reforms passed under President Enrique Pena Nieto will be scrutinized for any corruption or illegality, but otherwise contracts will be honored. "There will be no confiscation or expropriation of assets. ... Eradicating corruption will be the principal mission," he said. Lopez Obrador also spoke of support for migrants and said the most forgotten and humble people of Mexico will be given preference in his government. He said he will seek a relationship of "friendship and respect" with the United States. And rather than the use of force to fight spiraling violence, he will look to fix root causes such as inequality and poverty. "Peace and tranquility are the fruits of justice," Lopez Obrador said. Exit polling by Consulta Mitofsky for the Televisa network forecast gubernatorial wins for allies of Lopez Obrador's Morena party in at least four of eight state races on the ballot plus for the head of government in Mexico City. The central state of Guanajuato was expected to go to a candidate of the conservative National Action Party. Mitofsky predicted Morena allies would take between 56 and 70 seats in the 128-member Senate and between 256 and 291 spots in the 500-seat lower house. "The anger that the average Mexican feels toward the way things are being governed has favored Lopez Obrador," said Shannon O'Neil, senior fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "He's been able to capture the mantle of the person who's on the outside who wants change." In a speech to the huge crowd in the Zocalo, he struck a moderate tone, stressing a need to act respectfully, to maintain economic and financial stability. He also pledged to increase support payments for the elderly and to give scholarships or paid apprenticeships to young people. "Now that he has won, he cannot fail this new generation that believes in him," said Mariano Bartolini, a 29-year-old lawyer who voted for Lopez Obrador in the northwestern city of Rosarito, near Tijuana. "It is thanks to us young people who are supporting him that he was able to get more votes than he did in past elections." ___ Associated Press writers Maria Verza and Andrea Rodriguez in Mexico City and Nancy Moya in Tijuana contributed to this report. LAS VEGAS (AP) The Nevada Supreme Court said Thursday it wants to finally settle a key question that has hung for decades over public employees who are elected to the states part-time Legislature: Should a person who makes the law also enforce the law? The seven-member state high court unanimously called for more fact-finding hearings by a lower court judge on a Nevada Policy Research Institute lawsuit that would unseat nine public employees, including the two top Democrats in the state Legislature. Few would support rules that limit their own power, which is precisely why the power to write the law must be kept separate from those tasked with enforcing the law, institute executive Robert Fellner said in a statement hailing the ruling. A 15-page decision authored by Justice James Hardesty acknowledged the extraordinary importance of deciding whether the states constitutional separation-of-powers clause applies to elected officials who hold full-time taxpayer-funded jobs. It called separation of powers probably the most important single principle of government declaring and guaranteeing the liberties of the people. The Nevada Constitution prohibits a person from serving two elected offices or in multiple branches of government at the same time. The case before the court focuses on nine Las Vegas-area lawmakers seven Democrats and two Republicans variously employed by the Clark County district attorney and public defender offices, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and the Clark County School District. The top Democrats are Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, a Clark County prosecutor, and Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, a county deputy public defender. The court overturned a finding by a now-retired Clark County District Court judge that Nevada Policy Research Institute, a conservative and libertarian think tank, lacked legal standing to bring its lawsuit because the organization did not show it was personally injured. The justices acknowledged that the institute did not demonstrate personal injury and noted the case did not challenge an expenditure or appropriation by the Legislature. To have standing to challenge an unconstitutional act, a plaintiff generally must suffer a personal injury traceable to that act, the court said. However, the ruling praised the Nevada Policy Research Institute for its sincerity in challenging legislators dual employment and its ability to vigorously litigate this important, recurring issue. It granted an exception to let the case proceed. Our refusal to grant standing under these circumstances could result in serious public injury either by the continued allegedly unlawful service of the (nine defendants), or by the refusal of qualified persons to run for office for fear of acting unconstitutionally because this unsettled issue continues to arise, the court said. The court has yet to rule on another pending separation-of-powers case involving Democratic state Sen. Melanie Scheible of Las Vegas, whose full-time job is deputy Clark County district attorney. In that case, a state court judge in Las Vegas overturned the Henderson womans 2018 drunk driving conviction on the grounds that Scheible is an elected state senator. EAST ALTON On Tuesday, a new farmers market debuted in East Alton. In March Woody Peterson, owner of Peterson's Family Farms in East Alton, announced plans to coordinate the East Alton Farmer's Market 3-7 p.m. every Tuesday from April 19 through Oct. 25 in the parking lot of Eastgate Plaza, 625 Eastgate Shopping Center (near the AMC Classic Eastgate 6). "I talked to Todd Kennedy (of Eastgate Plaza) and asked if I could set a market up," Peterson said in March. "And he was all for it." Within the first half hour, the market was filled with eager people to explore the various offerings. The market housed more than 20 tables selling various items including plants, kettle corn, baked goods, meats, jewelry, honey and barbecue sauce. One vendor, Sharayah Barnes, sells mainly hand-raised plants and artwork made by her through her business The Remnant Company. Her plants include cacti, aloe vera and snake plants. All of these plants are relatively low maintenance and can go long periods of time without water. "You could put snake plant in a closet and it would survive without water for God knows how long," Barnes said. Kathleen McKeever, owner of Frost Bakery, is no stranger to farmer's markets. She has called the Alton Main Street Farmers' and Artisans' Market home since 2013. Even then, she was surprised by the turn out. "I didn't know what to expect," McKeever said. "It's very exciting." Her stand carries home-baked goods, such as gooey butter cakes, focaccia, oatmeal pies and breakfast cookies. McKeever said that she will be back at Alton Main Street Farmers' and Artisans' Market, too. The 30th year of the Alton Main Street Farmers' and Artisans' Market is scheduled to start Saturday, May 7, in the lot at Henry Street and Landmarks Boulevard near the Mississippi River. The market will be open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more details, visit Facebook.com/AltonFarmersMarket. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The New Hampshire House gave preliminary approval Thursday to replacing the state's troubled youth detention center with a six-bed facility and further limit which crimes could land children there. The state currently spends $13 million a year to operate the 144-bed Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, although the typical population is currently about a dozen teens. Debate over its future began years ago, but has come to a boil amid horrific sexual abuse allegations. The state budget passed last June mandated closing the center by March 2023. But the House on Thursday amended a Senate-passed bill that would extend the deadline, giving the state until June 30, 2024 to build a new facility, with the possibility of extending it for an additional two years if necessary. The Senate version had called for a facility with up to 18 beds. The House cut that to six and added provisions restricting the crimes that would make children eligible for detention to violent crimes such as murder, assault, sexual assault, burglaries involving bodily harm and felony arson. State Rep. Robert Lynn, R-Windham, unsuccessfully argued against those limits, saying that the threat of incarceration is sometimes needed to get teens to comply with lesser penalties and that incarceration is appropriate when someone repeatedly destroys property. This amendment sends the message that in New Hampshire, property rights dont mean very much, said Lynn, a former chief justice of the state Supreme Court. The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee. The youth center, named for former Gov. John H. Sununu, has been the target of a criminal investigation since 2019, and 11 former workers were arrested last April. Lawmakers also are considering a $100 million fund to settle claims brought by nearly 450 former residents who have sued the state with allegations involving more than 150 staffers from 1963 to 2018. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) An Oklahoma man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Wednesday for conspiring to smuggle guns through Arkansas to Mexican drug cartels. In a statement, federal prosecutors said Andrew Scott Pierson was sentenced in Little Rock, Arkansas, for his Nov. 9 guilty plea. The 46-year-old Jay, Oklahoma, man faced up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million at sentencing. Hyderabad: Lemon, a common persons easiest source for vitamin c, the staple refreshing drink to prevent dehydration in a hot summer season, is now beyond our reach. As prices of various vegetables rise steeply in the market, lemons will taste bitter, and heavy, on the pocket. This rise of the lemons price is matched only by the rise in mercury and the temperatures. This price rise is now immediately reflected at lime soda or lime juice carts on the streets. It has impacted the delicacy of the Ramzan season, with Haleem sellers. Canteens, messes, hotels, all of which used to offer complementary lime and onion have now stopped giving lemon wedges. At the Monda market, Secund-erabad, a single large sized lemon is selling for Rs 15, a medium one for Rs 10. Middle-class families, who were buying the vegetables in adequate quantities, are giving the purchase of the citrus fruit a go by. What was a common part of every day in the kitchen, now, after petrol and diesel, and milk, is now beyond reach. This rising prices have impacted the Haleem sellers throughout the city. At cafe 555, each day, around 6,000 lemons are being used. The management said, without a lemon, Haleem does not taste the same. To add a tangy taste, it is important to garnish a squeeze of lime before eating. Ganesh Kumar of Ganesh vegetable wholesale merchants at Gudimalkapur market, said, at our market, around 72 tons of lemons get sold each day. This season, the prices have been abnormally high. The reason is Ramzan this year is coinciding with summer. Both push the demand very high. Besides, lots of lemons get exported out of the local market. Joint director of TS agricultural marketing department, K. Rajashekar Reddy, gave some more insight into this abnormal rise of lemon prices. the Nakrekal lemon market in Nalgonda is the largest market in Telangana, from which around two to three thousand bags of lemons are distributed each day. With rise in groundwater levels, lemon farms were converted into paddy fields. And yes, lots of lemons get exported to Delhi and Dubai. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) A Republican seeking his party's nomination for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor in next month's primary threatened one of his eight opponents that he plans to confront him in person over a Facebook post raising questions about his background because it merely mentioned his wife. The back-and-forth between two candidates in a statewide contest largely overshadowed this spring by nominating races for governor and U.S. Senate began on Thursday. That's when state Rep. Russ Diamond of Lebanon County posted a six-minute video with documents about opponent Teddy Daniels' disability payments, police career and decision to sell a debt-free home just a few months after a veterans' charity gave him the deed. I find it disturbing that Mr. Daniels is portraying himself as some sort of great American hero, Diamond said in the video. And even more disturbing that some decent, patriotic, hard-working Republican voters are falling for it. Daniels, whose pugnacious campaign style had previously drawn complaints from two other GOP candidates for lieutenant governor, answered a day later with a Facebook post of his own, calling Diamond a loser and his claims a slimy snake-oil salesman video. Daniels said he took particular umbrage that Diamond said Daniels' wife was listed in state corporate records as an organizer of a marijuana security business with a Coatesville address. Daniels warned Diamond to expect a confrontation when you and I are going to be in the same room, I believe twice, before the primary." Republican candidates for lieutenant governor are expected at a campaign event Friday near Wilkes-Barre. Im curious to see what youre going to do with a man standing in front of you, now that you want to bring my wife into things, Daniels said in the video. You are the lowest, scummiest, dirtiest form of a thing on the face of the earth. And boy you poked the wrong bear. He said Diamond was going to have to answer for that and its not going to be over a video. OK? Just so you know, just so youre aware. Thats something that needs to be handled." Diamond said in a phone interview on Wednesday that he was not afraid of Daniels. Its easy to be a tough guy on the internet, Diamond said. Daniels also brought up protective orders that had been taken out against Diamond many years ago and a video in which Diamond was recorded referring to police as liars. Daniels did not respond to multiple requests for an interview made through a campaign press aide. Daniels is running with the endorsement of a leading candidate for the GOP gubernatorial nomination state Sen. Doug Mastriano of Franklin County and leaning heavily on his law enforcement and military background while exhibiting enthusiastic support for former President Donald Trump. Daniels confrontational campaign style caused two of the other Republican primary candidates, former state Rep. Jeff Coleman and New Castle Mayor Chris Frye, to go public last month with an appeal asking Daniels and Mastriano to stop what they called negative attacks, name-calling and spreading misinformation. When you escalate rhetoric to this level theres no coming back," Coleman said Wednesday. "But more importantly, it shifts the conversation from the voters' problems and makes this a personal grudge match. Daniels, whose helmet camera video of himself being shot in Afghanistan in 2012 has been viewed online millions of times, was given the Coatesville house by the Military Warriors Support Foundation in December 2016. Diamond said that the deed was transferred to Daniels in January 2020, and in October of that year he sold the property for $167,000. A spokeswoman for the foundation, Casey Kinser, said Daniels met the group's requirement that his family live in the house for at least three years and complete a financial literacy program. At that point it is their choice what they do, Kinser said. Obviously, we would prefer that the families stay where they are, but life circumstances lead them elsewhere sometimes that's fine. GRANITE CITY A public meeting to discuss the proposed replacement of the Interstate 270 Chain of Rocks Bridge and related changes near Riverfront Drive in Missouri is set for May 4 in Granite City. The bridge replacement and Riverfront Drive improvements are a part of a larger project by the Illinois and Missouri departments of transportation. The meeting will be from 4-7 p.m. at the Southwestern Illinois Colleges Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road, Granite City. The meeting will have an open house format with exhibits on display. Illinois Department of Transportation and Missouri Department of Transportation officials will be available to discuss the project and answer questions. Mary Lamie, executive vice president of multimodal enterprises for the Bi-State Development Agency, the parent agency of St. Louis Regional Freightway, recently discussed the importance of the I-270 improvements. Approximately $600 million has been earmarked for the bridge replacement project. The existing four-lane bridge was built in 1966 and is near the end of its planned life. The traffic count has also risen dramatically, to about 51,000 vehicles per day from 19,000 in 1975. About 20 percent of the bridge's traffic is heavy trucks. The total 1-270 corridor project has an estimated cost of approximately $1.2 billion, and includes expanding lanes, improvements to approaches and other work on both sides of the river, including major changes to the interchange at Illinois 111. Written comments will be accepted at the meeting, and can also be made within 10 days following the public meeting. In addition, comments can be submitted online via the project websites www.idot.illinois.gov/projects/i-270-over-the-mississippi-river and https://www.modot.org/i270-and-riverview-drive-interchange-project. The meeting is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Anyone requiring special assistance may contact Billie Owen, IDOT studies and plans project engineer at 618-346-3209, or Lis a Kuntz, MoDOT project manager at 314-453-1879. Anyone needing a sign language interpreter or similar accommodations may notify Illinois Relay at 800-526-0844 or 7-1-1. All requests should be made at least five days before the meeting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) In a time where debates over elections and voting end up in partisan arguments, Democrats and Republicans in the South Carolina General Assembly are trying to come together to expand early voting in this conservative state. The state Senate unanimously gave the proposal key approval Wednesday. The bill unanimously passed the House in early March. But there may be one big snag between Republicans. Gov. Henry McMaster and House leaders aren't happy that senators added a provision giving them power to confirm the governor's choices for not just the director, but also the five members of the board of the South Carolina Election Commission. After the routine final approval Thursday, the bill goes back to the House, which seems unlikely to accept the Senate's changes. That means the bill will go to a small conference committee of senators and House members to try to work out a compromise. Lawmakers are trying to get the new rules in place for the statewide primaries on June 14. The key to bipartisan support to the bill was compromise. It opens polling places for regular early voting for two weeks before elections, excluding Sundays. And it also expands state-run audits of voting machines and ballot counting after elections and increases penalties for voter fraud. Make it easier to vote and harder to cheat, said state Sen. Chip Campsen, a Republican from the Isle of Palms. The Senate debated for over five hours, discussing and eventually rejecting whether to have people register to vote by political parties if they wish, cutting the early voting period to a week or eliminating the ability of all people over age 65 to vote absentee. But senators did not waver on their insistence they get approval power over the governor's selections for the elections board even as several of them warned they were told by the governor he would veto the bill with that provision in it. McMaster on Twitter didnt go that far. But he said senators were misled by Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey and Democrats on a common sense compromise. His staff said the proposal doesn't allow the governor to even make temporary appointments for the board when the Senate isn't in session after May, when both primaries and the general election happen. If this bill doesnt become law, the voters will know who to blame and why, McMaster said. Massey said the Senate gets to approve plenty of other appointments by the governor and elections should be no different. He talked at length about how he was unhappy with how former Election Commission Director Marci Andino handled the 2020 election during the pandemic overstepping what the legislature that writes the election laws wanted her to do. Sen. Sandy Senn said the Senate shouldn't bow to threats from the House or governor either. If we give in, every time the house and governor want to team up, we lose," the Charleston Republican said. The biggest change in the bill would be to make South Carolina the 45th state to allow anyone to vote outside of Election Day without an excuse. The state would have two weeks of early voting with polls open Monday through Saturday. For many years, South Carolina has allowed people to cast absentee ballots in person, but they had to include an excuse for why they couldnt be at the polls on Election Day. Under the proposal, the state would go back to mail-in absentee ballots. The bill also would make voter fraud a felony, increasing fines and possible jail time for people who try to vote under a false name, vote more than once or poll managers who intentionally break the law. The proposal requires audits of at least 5% of all votes in a county in the days after an election. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) The director of the Sioux Falls VA Healthcare System has been reassigned following a multitude of complaints about mismanagement. The VAs Midwest region director Robert McDivitt said Lisa Simoneau will stay with the Veterans Affairs Department and serve at regional headquarters in the Twin Cities. VA employees in Sioux Falls were notified this week that Simoneau would no longer lead that office. According to a letter from Sen. Mike Rounds to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough at least 46 employees left during Simoneau's tenure, which began in January 2020. According to whistleblowers who have contacted my office, the SFVA medical center is a hostile work environment, where employees are mistreated and veteran care is not a priority. Rounds said he was concerned that patient care was at risk because of the leadership issues. Simoneau did not respond to a message for comment Thursday. U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson met with veterans at the Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls Wednesday and heard firsthand about the problems. The wait times to call in were absolutely unacceptable, the average wait times were at 52 or 55 minutes, said Johnson. According to Johnson, those wait times have improved, KELO-TV reported. Our congressional delegation does not normally get involved in calling for somebody to be reassigned but in this instance, it was just clear that a change had to be made, obviously that is going to create a little bit of disruption. I think getting the right leadership in place is going to make a big impact long term, said Johnson. Dr. Timothy Pendergrass, the current chief of staff, will take over as the interim director. The Sioux Falls VA medical center serves 25,000 veterans in eastern South Dakota. HELENA, Mont. (AP) The administrator of Montana's state psychiatric hospital is leaving his post amid the facility's loss of Medicare and Medicaid funding for repeated failures to meet health and safety standards, the state health department said Thursday. Kyle Fouts, who has led the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs since 2019, will begin work on May 9 as administrator at the Intensive Behavior Center in Boulder, the Montana State News Bureau reports. The center is a 12-bed, short-term treatment facility for people with intellectual disabilities, The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had found patients at the Montana State Hospital were in immediate jeopardy several times in recent months before revoking the hospital's federal funding effective on April 12. Payments for patients who were already at the hospital continues for another 30 days, but no new patients would qualify for Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements. The hospital's deficiencies included failing to separate patients with COVID-19 from those who weren't sick. Three patients died of COVID-19. Another patient died after repeated falls. The hospital, which had about 142 patients in early April, is also short-staffed and has relied heavily on traveling staff, the agency found. The Montana State Hospital also failed to adequately investigate the August 2021 death of a patient after staff reportedly ignored her complaints that she wasn't able to catch her breath, CMS said. In March, as the hospital was working to avoid the loss of federal funding, a patient was violently assaulted by fellow patients, requiring hospitalization. The facility is at least $7 million over budget because of hiring traveling staff at a higher cost, the health department has said. The hospital is reimbursed on average $7 million annually through Medicaid and Medicare, out of about $47 million annually appropriated to the facility by the Legislature, state officials said. Carter Anderson, inspector general of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, will serve as interim director of the state hospital in Warm Springs, the health department told state lawmakers in an email. The state has also hired an outside contractor, Alvarez & Marsal, to evaluate the state's health care facilities at a cost of $2.2 million. Fouts has 32 years of supervisory experience in the public sector. A message left at his work phone number seeking comment Thursday was not immediately returned. GOULDSBORO, Maine (AP) A state agency has terminated an application for a large aquaculture operation opposed by lobstermen in Frenchman Bay. American Aquafarms, which was notified of the decision Tuesday, proposed a pair of 60-acre, 15-pen sites that together could produce 66 million pounds of Atlantic salmon a year. The Department of Marine Resources said the Portland-based company backed by Norwegian investors failed to find a state-approved hatchery for salmon eggs for the operation. The company also failed to prove the hatchery met requirements of state law for fish health and genetics, officials said. The company was notified eight months ago of the deficiencies and failed to rectify them, officials said. The group that for the past year has been leading the fight against the operation, which included a proposed processing plant on the mainland, praised the decision. We hope that the company has finally gotten the message that they are not welcome here and that its time to pull the plug on this destructive and ill-conceived project once and for all," said Henry Sharpe, president of the Frenchman Bay United board. The company could submit a new application but that would add several years to the permitting process. The company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) An organization that has staged dozens of protests against a Confederate monument in north Alabama filed suit contending the city of Florence is trying to limit the demonstrations in violation of free-speech guarantees. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by Project Say Something and its founder, Camille Bennett, claims the city and Police Chief Ron Tyler are trying to clamp down on the protests by telling the group when, where and how it can demonstrate against the monument, located at the Lauderdale County Courthouse. Bennett said the organization, a nonprofit which she founded about eight years ago, has tried to work with the city, the TimesDaily reported. Alabama has a long history of confronting racial injustice through peaceful demonstration, and it is imperative that we not lose that ability to speak truth to power when the situation demands it, Bennett said in a statement. The city has not responded to the federal lawsuit in court and city officials declined comment. The courthouse monument was dedicated in 1903 when Confederate descendants were erecting memorials all over the South to honor rebel veterans and perpetuate the lost cause mythology that portrayed the Civil War as being about something other than slavery. Project Say Something began almost daily protests against the monument in 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. While the group held as many as 175 demonstrations in 2020, it cut back the following year because the city used its noise and parade permit ordinances to discourage them, the lawsuit said. The chief relocated the demonstrations to a protest zone away from the courthouse to shrink the potential audience, it claimed, and he threatened to issue citations. After the city requested $360 a day for police protection during demonstrations, the group began hiring private security and has spent about $4,100 so far, according to the complaint. The group held silent protests in response to noise complaints after counter-protesters began gathering and yelling racial epithets at demonstrators, it said. David Gespass, co-chairman of the Alabama chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which was among the organizations assisting with the lawsuit, said it was not up to the city or Tyler to tell people where and how to protest. The First Amendment holds that everywhere from the Atlantic to the Pacific and Canada to Mexico is a protest zone, Gaspass said. A prominent conservative activist in Houston has been charged with unlawful restraint and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon over an October incident involving a contractor the activist hired, his attorneys said Wednesday. Jared Woodfill and Gary Polland, attorneys for Dr. Steven Hotze, said the Harris County District Attorneys Office told them Wednesday that Hotze was indicted over allegations against a former police officer, Mark Aguirre, who worked for Hotze. Aguirre had been retained to pursue a voter fraud investigation on behalf of Houston-based Liberty Center for God and Country, a nonprofit organization that Hotze runs. Woodfill and Polland said they had not seen the indictment and it had not been uploaded to the Harris County judicial database as of Wednesday afternoon, but both asserted that Hotze is innocent of any crime. He will plead not guilty, he will be vindicated of the charge, and we will demand an apology from the district attorney," Woodfill told The Associated Press in an interview. Hes not guilty unless theyve criminalized political activity," Polland said in a separate interview. A spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys office declined to comment. Aguirre was charged on Dec. 14 with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a man accused him of running him off the road and holding him at gunpoint in an effort to prove what authorities have called a bogus voter fraud scheme. Aguirre claimed that an air conditioner repairman was the mastermind. He said the mans truck was filled with fraudulent ballots when he ran his SUV into it on Oct. 19, according to authorities. Aguirre told police that he and some friends set up a command post at a Marriott hotel in suburban Houston that conducted 24-hour surveillance on the repairman for four days, according to a police affidavit. Lt. Wayne Rubio with the Texas Attorney Generals Office later told police that Aguirre had asked his office to conduct a traffic stop for his investigation. When Rubio said he could not do that, Aguirre said he would do it himself and make a citizens arrest, according to the affidavit. Aguirre said he ran the mans truck off the road, pointed a gun at him, forced him onto the ground and put a knee on his back, the affidavit said. Police who responded to the incident searched the truck and found only air conditioning parts and tools, authorities said. A lengthy investigation ... determined allegations of election fraud were unfounded and no evidence of illegal ballots was found, Houston police said. Aguirre was free on a $30,000 bond. A message to his attorney, Terry W. Yates, was not immediately returned. Aguirre was paid $266,400 by Liberty Center for God and Country, police said. A conservative power broker, Hotze unsuccessfully sued to stop the extension of early voting in Texas for this years election. He also sued officials in Harris County to limit in-person and absentee voting, making allegations without evidence that Democrats were engaged in ballot harvesting by gathering votes from individuals who are homeless or elderly. Allegations by former President Donald Trump and others of massive voter fraud have been refuted by several judges, state election officials, an arm of his own administrations Homeland Security Department and former Attorney General William Barr. Hotze was also part of a group of individuals who unsuccessfully tried to challenge the legality of drive-thru voting in Harris County. ___ Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano in Houston and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio is set to be executed on April 27. In 2008, She was convicted of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez. Here are 5 things to know about Melissa Lucio's execution, her capital murder case, death row statistics and more. If Lucio is executed on April 27, she would become the first Hispanic woman executed in Texas and the first woman on Texas death row to be executed since 2014. Texas leads the nation in the number of executions since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, according to data on the TDCJ website. According to TDCJ's Death Row Facts page, the average length of time spent on death row prior to execution is 11 years, the shortest time on death row prior to execution was 252 days and the longest time spent on death row before an execution was 31 years. The average age of inmates executed is 39 and the youngest man executed was at age 24. Information about prosecuting district attorney Lucio's case was held in Cameron County. During Lucio's trial, Cameron County, District Attorney, Armando Villalobos, was seeking re-election and came under scrutiny for failing to thoroughly investigate or prosecute more than 100 previous allegations of child abuse, stated a report from The Innocence Project. After the capital murder trial of Lucio, the former D.A. was convicted for his role in a bribery and extortion scheme and is now serving a 13-year sentence in federal prison. "Evidence presented at trial revealed that from October 2, 2006, through May 3, 2012, Villalobos and others were involved in a scheme to illegally generate income for themselves and others through a pattern of bribery and extortion, favoritism, improper influence, personal self-enrichment, self-dealing, concealment and conflict of interest," a portion of the press release from the U.S. Department of Justice states. Details involving Lucio's confession A report from the Texas Tribune stated that Lucio denied accusations and maintained her innocence for three hours and near the fifth hour of interrogation, Lucio confessed to the murder. Lucio has since maintained her innocence for the past 14 years while on death row. According to the report, after about three hours of denying accusations from multiple police investigators, Lucio began to agree with Texas Ranger Victor Escalon. "For about two more hours, Lucio conceded to Escalon," the report states. "She said she guessed she spanked Mariah out of frustration, a word police repeatedly suggested to her. She strongly denied responsibility for what Escalon believed was a pinch mark on Mariahs vulva, but the Ranger insisted she 'get it over with.'" Attorneys in the Lucio case argue she was coerced into giving a false confession with a lack of evidence that supported the crime and capital murder conviction. Clemency in Texas Three humanitarian grants of clemency have been offered by Texas governors. This includes clemency granted to Henry Lee Lucas in 1998 by Gov. George W Bush, clemency granted to Kenneth Foster in 2008 by Gov. Rick Perry and clemency granted to Thomas Whitaker in 2018 by Gov. Greg Abbott, according to Robert Dunham, Executive Director with deathpenalty.org. "The humanitarian grants of clemency does not include what we call 'administrative clemencies,' such as when Texas governors commuted groups of prisoners who became ineligible for the death penalty after the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional to use capital punishment against juvenile offenders," Dunham explained via email. Execution and lethal injection drugs Lucio's execution date will include execution by lethal injection from the 13 doses, according to the lethal injection report published by the Texas Tribune. According to a Texas Tribune page tracking TDCJ lethal injection inventories, a total of 13 doses have been issued to the TDCJ and 11 of the 13 doses in stock have expiration dates that have been extended. "Texas has been able to keep an adequate supply on hand, but part of that is because the state has repeatedly extended the expiration date of doses in stock retesting the potency levels as the expiration date nears and then relabeling them," the report states. "The practice has drawn sharp criticism from death penalty defense attorneys, who say the old drugs are causing painful executions," the report continued. Kim Kardashian recently tweeted support for Lucio's clemency efforts Lucio's case has inspired protests and a petition urging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to offer clemency to the 53-year-old. Kim Kardashian recently used her social media platform to support Lucio's clemency efforts. Kardashian has also spoken out in support of criminal justice reform in Texas in Bastrop County with the death row case of Rodney Reed, according to a 2021 report from The Innocence Project. Kardashian also took action to support a case in Tennessee involving the Alice Marie Johnson case. Johnson was serving a life sentence on drug charges in Memphis. The 63-year-old was ultimately released from prison in 2018. NEW HAVEN Save the Sound has asked the FAAs New England Region administrator to require a full Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed expansion of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, calling the current requirement for a less-rigorous Environmental Assessment a flawed environmental review process. An EIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, Save the Sound said in a release. We are writing to bring to your attention the serious environmental concerns raised by the planned expansion of Tweed New Haven Airport, Save the Sound, based in New Haven, wrote Monday to Federal Aviation Administration New England Region Administrator Colleen DAlessandro. An EIS, as opposed to a less rigorous Environmental Assessment ... is necessary because (1) this is a long-running and highly controversial project, (2) a full EIS was required for a previous expansion of this airport with lesser impacts, (3) it is foreseeable that taxiways, which are not included in the present proposed project, will be necessary and will impose substantial additional impacts, and (4) the impacts will be severe across different categories, Save the Sound wrote. The letter was signed by Save the Sound lawyer Christopher P. Kell, the organizations Peter B. Cooper Legal Fellow, and Philip Steitz, its University of Connecticut legal intern. Under the proposed expansion, Tweeds longtime operator, Avports LLC, would spend its own money about $70 million to start and $100 million overall to extend the runway from 5,600 feet to 6,635 feet and build a new 74,000-square-foot, carbon-neutral terminal on the East Haven side of the airport, which is owned by New Haven but is located both in New Haven and East Haven. A new entrance would be constructed off Proto Drive in East Haven. The FAA must undertake a thorough environmental review to assess these impacts on the natural and human environments at and around Tweed, said Kelly in a subsequent release. Residents deserve to understand the consequences of this long-term and highly controversial project. Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon said the airport is not trying to sidestep full review. We are following NEPA process and working closely with both the FAA and DEEP (the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection), and right now, they are telling us that its an EA, Scanlon said. If they decide that its something else, then well do something else. But for right now, its an EA. More specifically, Its an EA because thats what the federal process and the FAA are prescribing, and were following that, Scanlon said. Save the Sound suggested its more complicated than that. Under NEPA, projects with foreseeable, potentially severe impacts require a full Environmental Impact Statement, Kelly said in the release. In fact, an EIS was required for a smaller expansion of the airport in 2002. Not only is an EIS the right thing to doits the law. Of concern to Save the Sound is the segmentation of the expansion plan, which currently includes an extension of the runway but not the parallel taxiway, the release states. A full-length parallel taxiway is a safety requirement that will accompany the runway extension, but the current environmental review does not consider the taxiways impact, it says. Such segmentation is prohibited under NEPA. The wetland delineation report Tweed prepared for the EA says the currently proposed development could affect 22.74 acres of inland wetlands and 6.76 acres of tidal wetlands, but Save the Sound does not believe this includes all wetlands that would be affected by the expansion, the release states. One additional area of concern is the Morris Creek Nature Preserve, a pristine tidal wetland through which the airports stormwaters flow to Long Island Sound, it says. The threatened wetlands allow the airport to serve a vital function as a flood management zone that protects the surrounding neighborhoods. Increased development of the airport in tandem with intensifying rainstorms and sea-level rise poses a severe risk of flooding to the entire community. Save the Sound also has raised concerns about disruption of local and migratory wildlife habitat; compromised water quality due to increased traffic and discharges; increased greenhouse gas emissions; and the effects of emissions, traffic, and noise on nearby state-designated environmental justice communities in East Haven and New Haven. At risk from the increased capacity of the airport are local and migratory wildlife populations, including migrating birds of prey, Save the Sound said. Copies of the letter were sent to administrators at the Environmental Protection Agency, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and DEEP, Save the Sound said. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com New Delhi/London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not want to lecture India on its ties with Russia in the context of the Ukraine war that will come up at his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to the country beginning Thursday, sources said Wednesday, adding that both sides understand each others position. In what will be the first-ever visit by a British PM to Gujarat, Mr Johnson will begin the visit in Ahmedabad on Thursday, after which he will travel to New Delhi on Friday for talks with Mr Modi, when the entire gamut of bilateral ties will be discussed, including the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. In Ahmedabad, the British PM is likely to announce major investments in key industries in both the UK and India, boosting jobs and growth at home, as well as new collaborations on cutting-edge science, health and technology. Mr Johnson will also meet leading businesses and discuss the UK and Indias thriving commercial, trade and people links. Gujarat is the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK, and so the visit will be important from that point of view too. In London, Mr Johnson told the House of Commons on Thursday: I will be travelling to India to deepen the strategic trade, defence and people- to-people ties between our countries, building on India's involvement in the Carbis Bay G-7 summit. I will be seeing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in Delhi, meeting Indian business people investing in the UK and visiting British investments in India. The British PMs official spokesperson told reporters in London: This visit is not framed on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Obviously, that is really important but this is a visit we have planned for a very long time. India is an incredibly important partner. The Prime Minister has been wanting to make this trip to build our partnership across trade, investment, security and defence, and green energy. We will be discussing all those issues and it is expected that the Russia-Ukraine issue will be on the agenda. But we won't be seeking to sort of lecture India or try and persuade them into one position or another. We will be seeking to work together constructively as an important international partner. Obviously, Russia-Ukraine is a huge priority for the UK at the moment and for the world. It's a global issue that has destabilised the economy, the oil markets and international security. So, it would absolutely be on the agenda. The New Delhi talks on Friday between the two PMs will focus on boosting economic, defence, security and technology co-operation in the face of shared global challenges. Mr Johnson will use the visit to drive progress in the FTA negotiations started earlier this year. Sources said the forthcoming talks would encourage and give momentum to the negotiations. The two leaders are also expected to review the progress in implementing the India-UK Roadmap 2030 adopted during the virtual summit between both leaders last year. The British PM will also hold talks with Mr Modi on the UK and Indias strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering our close partnership and stepping up security co-operation in the Indo-Pacific. The British PM is visiting India as part of Britains Indo-Pacific tilt. The Ukraine issue is expected to be discussed in great detail. Mr Johnson was recently quoted as saying: As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states, it is vital that democracies and friends stick together. India, as a major economic power and the worlds largest democracy, is a highly valued strategic partner for the UK in these uncertain times. My visit to India will deliver on the things that really matter to the people of both our nations -- from job creation and economic growth, to energy security and defence. Mr Johnsons visit follows that of his foreign secretary (minister) Liz Truss to New Delhi. Just last month, Mr Modi also had held a detailed discussion on the phone with Mr Johnson on the Ukraine conflict. India has not publicly criticised Russia but called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and dialogue between the warring sides to resolve the issue. The West, however, wants India to take a much stronger stand against Russia publicly, which New Delhi is reluctant to do due to its time-tested ties with Moscow. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) British lawmakers on Thursday ordered a parliamentary investigation into Prime Minister Boris Johnson for allegedly lying about whether he broke coronavirus restrictions by attending illegal gatherings during the pandemic. The move, approved by cries of aye and without a formal vote in the House of Commons, means Parliaments Committee of Privileges will investigate whether Johnson knowingly misled Parliament historically a resigning offense if proven. The probe piles more pressure on a Conservative prime minister whose grip on power has been shaken by claims he flouted the pandemic rules he imposed on the country, then repeatedly failed to own up to it. The move was instigated by the opposition Labour Party and passed after the government abandoned efforts to get Conservative lawmakers to block it. Johnsons Conservatives have a substantial majority in Parliament, but many lawmakers are uneasy with the prime ministers behavior. Labour leader Keir Starmer said the move sought to uphold the simple principle that honesty, integrity and telling the truth matter in our politics. It is a British principle ... guiding members from every political party in this House, Starmer said. But it is a principle under attack. Johnson was not present for the decision on a scandal that has rocked his leadership of the country and the Conservative Party. He was more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) away in India, insisting he wanted to get on with the job of leading the country. Johnson was fined 50 pounds ($66) by police last week for attending his own birthday party in his office in June 2020, when people in Britain were barred from meeting up with friends and family, or even visiting dying relatives. Johnson is the first British prime minister ever found to have broken the law while in office. He has apologized, but denied he knowingly broke the rules. Johnsons shifting defense initially saying there were no illegal gatherings, then claiming it did not occur to me that the birthday event was a party has drawn derision and outrage from opponents, who have called for him to quit. The truth is simple and its this he lied to avoid getting caught, and once he got caught, he lied again," Scottish National Party lawmaker Ian Blackford said in the House of Commons. Usually lawmakers are forbidden from accusing one another of lying, but Blackford was not reprimanded by the Speaker. A growing number of Conservatives are uncomfortable about defending a leader who broke rules he imposed on the country. A few have called openly for Johnson to go, and the number is rising. Others are waiting to see whether public anger translates into Conservative losses at local elections on May 5. It is utterly depressing to be asked to defend the indefensible, said Conservative legislator William Wragg. "Each time part of us withers. Lawmaker Steve Baker, until now a prominent supporter, said that Johnson should be long gone for violating the letter and spirit of the rules. Ill certainly vote for this motion, he said. But really, the prime minister should just know the gigs up. The Committee of Privileges probe will not start until twin police and civil-service investigations into partygate have concluded. Senior civil servant Sue Gray is investigating 16 events, including bring your own booze office parties and wine time Fridays in Johnsons 10 Downing St. office and other government buildings. Police are probing a dozen of the events and so far have handed out at least 50 fines, including ones to Johnson, his wife Carrie and Treasury chief Rishi Sunak. Johnson is believed to have attended about six of the gatherings and could face more police fines. Johnson and his allies argue that it would be reckless for the country to change leaders now amid the war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living squeeze sparked by soaring prices for energy and food. As he flew to India for a two-day visit focused on boosting economic ties, Johnson again denied knowingly misleading Parliament and insisted he would lead the Conservatives into the next national election, due by 2024. I have absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide, Johnson told Sky News during his visit to the western Indian state of Gujarat. I want to get on with the job that I was elected to do. JACKSON, Miss, (AP) Mississippi's longest-serving state superintendent of education said Thursday that she will retire this summer. Carey Wright became the leader of Mississippi public schools in 2013, after a 41-year career as an educator in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Her retirement June 30 comes on the final day of the state budget year. Wright said in a news release that she is grateful to have worked with educators, state Department of Education employees, legislators and other leaders. Together, we have worked to make a difference in the lives of children. Wright said. Most especially, I am incredibly proud of Mississippi students. There is no limit to what they can accomplish. During Wright's time as superintendent, Mississippi's high school graduation rate has increased and fourth grade students' scores have improved on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Since the 2014-15 school year, Mississippi has required third graders to pass a test to ensure they have strong enough reading skills to advance to the fourth grade. Wright also supported the creation of early learning collaboratives for preschool children. The Department of Education said Mississippi had 11 collaboratives serving 1,700 children in 2014. By next school year, 30 collaboratives will serve 6,000 children. The state Board of Education will choose a new superintendent, and that person must be confirmed by the state Senate. Dr. Wright never wavered from her belief that Mississippi students were just as capable as students in any other state, said the board chairwoman, Rosemary Aultman, said in a news release from the state Department of Education. She eliminated the culture of low expectations and proved our students could achieve at the highest levels." OnScene.TV An off-duty Pasadena police officer who crashed into the back of a stopped Houston police cruiser earlier this month is now charged with driving while intoxicated. Houston police filed the misdemeanor charge against Elias Vega on Wednesday, about a week after police said he slammed into the back of an officer's patrol SUV in the 6000 block of the S. Sam Houston Parkway frontage road around 2:45 a.m. on April 14. Vega resigned from the Pasadena Police Department the same day he was charged, according to a press release from that agency. A Houston police spokesperson said Vega was not yet in custody as of Thursday afternoon. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As the world watches Russias attacks on Ukraine and families around the globe struggle with rising costs for everything from energy to food, there is a solution. That solution lies underneath the surface of the Permian Basin, said Rep. August Pfluger. And the audience gathered at the Horseshoe to hear the San Angelo Republican speak are contributing to providing that solution. That solution, he said, is the abundance of oil and natural gas present in the Permian Basin. That abundance of oil and gas, which has already saved American households $10,000 a year since the shale revolution, can help lower energy prices and thus the prices of just about every other product, he said. This is the most important region, poised to solve the geopolitical issues confronting the world, said Pfluger, who represents the 11th District, a 29-county swath of West Texas that includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo and much of the Permian Basin. Asked to speak at the Midland Chamber of Commerces annual State of Midland luncheon, Pfluger declared the state of Midland resilient, renewed and ready. He was speaking, he pointed out, on the second anniversary of oil prices going negative for the first time ever. Midland weathered that downturn caused by oil demand destruction from the COVID-19 pandemic and an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia and has now put 100 more drilling rigs back to work and grown Permian output to 5.1 million barrels a day. Two years to the day that oil prices fell to a negative $38 a barrel, he said Midland is renewed and has become a geopolitical tool the US must use now amid aggression by Russia and China and emerging concerns about other nations like Iran and North Korea. The state of Midland is ready, he said, to address those challenges as well as challenges he said are coming from the nations capital. We are poised to provide energy security not just for the US but for our partners and allies, Pfluger said. We lead the nation in affordable, reliable, secure, clean energy. Midland has changed the political landscape. If we are serious about reducing emissions, we should embrace what the industry is doing here. Over the last decade, he said Permian Basin production has quadrupled but methane intensity has fallen 50 percent over that same time. The US, he said, has reduced emissions more than the next 12 emissions-reducing nations combined because steps the Permian Basin energy industry has taken to reduce emissions. President Biden should have called Midland Mayor Patrick Payton instead of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to see more supplies of crude and natural gas to help lower energy costs, Pfluger said. That is why he introduced the Midland over Moscow act, which would require the Biden administration to develop an energy strategy to counter Russia and strengthen US energy security, impose sanctions on the Nord Stream II pipeline and expand markets for US energy, specifically liquefied natural gas. It is not just a phrase, he said. We need to fuel the world with US energy, not Russian energy, Pfluger declared. He called on the administration to unleash the domestic energy industry by again issuing permits to drill on federal lands and for new pipelines and for new facilities to export more US crude and natural gas to Europe and Asia. Energy, he said, has lifted more than a billion people out of poverty around the world, yet 600 million remain without electricity. We need to stand at the side of the industry that has lifted a billion people out of poverty, that provides energy and national security Pfluger said. If, he continued, were serious about ending energy poverty and promoting prosperity, we must embrace the Permian Basins oil gas resources. Im sorry if this column is pornographic, but there are some things I have to say even if theyre in poor taste. I live in an X-rated neighborhood. You see, its mating season for wild turkeys, and they cant control their hormones. This time of year, my yard is worse than Miami Beach over spring break. Every day, the males, which are known as Toms, chase after the hens for some affection. Its kind of embarrassing what those male turkeys will do for a little love. They have no scruples. Last Sunday, they were parading up and down the street. Picture this: Six hens were trying to escape from three aggressive Toms. The girls outnumbered the guys two to one. It reminded me of the Jan and Dean song, Surf City, where Dean sings in his falsetto voice, TWO GIRLS FOR EVERY BOY! Over here, its two hens for every Tom. As they say, Were going to Surf City cause its two to one; yeah, were going to Surf City, gonna have some fun! In the spring, the Toms compete with each other for the hens, and to prove theyre worthy mates, they strut their stuff around our yard, fanning their tail feathers and gobbling in a loud display of machoism that gives me second-hand embarrassment. The Toms have heads and necks that are red, white and blue, which is a bit frightening, so I guess they have to compensate for their bad looks with some seductive gobbling. Heck, if Pete Davidson can capture the affections of Kim Kardashian, those male turkeys have a chance, too, even though their heads look like the American flag. Sometimes theyll spar with each other over a gal, but it gets really crazy when they start to peck at our cars because they see their reflection and mistake it for a competitor. More than once, Ive had to run outside in my pajamas and chase them away before they do some serious damage. Every morning and every afternoon, we go through this. Im afraid to think what happens when the sun goes down, and I suspect that pretty soon, theyll start pole dancing. Hey, Im all for romance and an occasional public display of affection, but this turkey love is going too far. Its time for them to get a motel room. Theres an American myth that Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the wild turkey the national bird of the United States and put it on the Great Seal, but Thomas Jefferson prevailed and we got the bald eagle instead. So then Franklin began to mock Jefferson by calling male turkeys Tom. Actually, Im glad the bald eagle won that competition, and not just because Im bald. I mean, would you want a bunch of womanizing fowl on the Great Seal of our country? Is nothing sacred? On the other hand, the Great Seal is supposed to represent our national leaders so the turkey might be an entirely appropriate choice. The historical truth if there is such a thing is slightly different. Franklin actually preferred a biblical scene on the Great Seal, of Moses parting the Red Sea and drowning Pharaoh and his charioteers, but that idea bombed. Nevertheless, he was thoroughly intrigued by wild turkeys. He wrote to his daughter that the turkey was a true original native of America and a bird of courage that would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of British Guards. He said it would have been a better representation on the seal than the bald eagle, which he criticized as a rank coward and a bird of bad moral character, largely because it has been known to steal fish from other birds of prey. For the Truth, the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, Franklin wrote. What do you expect from a guy who flies a kite in the middle of a thunderstorm and almost gets electrocuted. Hed think differently, Im sure, if he saw a dozen of them parading through my yard, pooping on the driveway, pecking at our cars and doing the turkey trot around the block as part of their mating game. Thank goodness we humans have Tinder and eHarmony, and dont have to resort to those antics to get a date. When the turkeys finally find partners, they do their thing and then go into hiding to raise their young. A few months after the eggs hatch, flocks of juvenile turkeys aka jakes and jennies rampage through the neighborhood, looking for trouble. When I see them coming, Im so inspired that it makes me want to break into song, Surf City, here we come! Surf City, gonna have some fun! Former Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time Editor Joe Pisani can be reached at joefpisani@yahoo.com. Everybody knows you dont mess with Texas. Unfortunately, President Biden didnt get the memo, and his administration has been making it nearly impossible for farmers, ranchers and oil and gas producers in the Lone Star State to keep America agriculture and energy independent. Our farmers and ranchers have experienced firsthand the challenges created by the Biden Administrations radical policy agenda. From overbearing regulations like waters of the United States (WOTUS) and the outdated Endangered Species Act to skyrocketing input costs resulting in 40-year high prices for consumers, our agriculture industry is fighting an uphill battle to feed America and the world. Our energy producers are also suffering the consequences of the Biden administrations whole-of-government assault on oil and gas. On his first day in office, President Biden canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline and took several actions to kneecap the U.S. energy industry all the while, he gave the green light for Russias Nord Stream 2 Pipeline and begged foreign countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to produce more oil. As members of the Congressional Western Caucus, we come from communities that represent all walks of life, but we have one thing in common: We fiercely advocate on behalf of rural America. By promoting American energy production and independence and working to support our nations farmers, we know that we are representing the priorities and values of rural communities across the United States. This week, we are leading an Agriculture and Energy Field Tour to showcase for our colleagues in Congress that West Texas is the epicenter for producing our nations food, fuel and fiber. One of the most valuable experiences members of Congress can have is seeing how actions in D.C. have adverse and unintended consequences for folks on the front lines. Thats why we will meet directly with agriculture and energy producers to hear from the people who matter the most when it comes to keeping our nation energy and food independent. Well hear from Texas Tech University researchers and industry leaders in the Lubbock area about the work they are conducting to ensure America remains at the forefront of global innovation from promoting agriculture research in cotton and cattle production to expanding access to rural healthcare for Texas communities. In Midland, well meet with Texas energy producers who are helping lead the charge toward a secure energy future for our nation, and well see firsthand how producers are working to responsibly develop oil and natural gas by touring a rig as well as a fracking operation. We understand that increasing domestic energy production is the only solution to again achieve American energy independence. As Americans face record-high prices at the pump, President Biden should look no further than Texas energy to accomplish that goal. Instead of propping up the economies of authoritarian regimes like those in Russia, we must unleash the full extent of American energy exceptionalism. Quite simply, President Biden must put Midland over Moscow. The two most important of components of our society are food and energy. This field tour demonstrates what we know to be true: The men and women of West Texas and across rural America are doing their part to support our families, our economy, and our national security. We look forward to taking what we learn here and sharing it with our colleagues in our nations capital. -- August Pfluger represents Texas District 11, Jodey Arrington represents Texas District 19 and Dan Newhouse represents Washington District 4 Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders is open to running for president in 2024 if President Biden declines to seek reelection, according to a campaign memo a top political adviser distributed to allies on Wednesday and was shared with The Washington Post. "In the event of an open 2024 Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Sanders has not ruled out another run for president, so we advise that you answer any questions about 2024 with that in mind," says the memo from Faiz Shakir, a close Sanders adviser who was his campaign manager when he ran in 2020. The memo was shared by a person with direct knowledge of its contents on the condition of anonymity because it was not released publicly, and confirmed by a second person with direct knowledge of the contents. Shakir did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "While it's frustrating this private memo leaked to the media, the central fact remains true, which is that Senator Sanders is the most popular officeholder in the country," said Sanders spokesman Mike Casca, when asked for comment. Casca and the memo based that assertion on a recent poll. Still, many Democrats see Sanders as a polarizing figure whose socialism label and association to Democratic candidates could hurt in the general election, particularly in swing areas, dragging down candidates. Not long after he ended his 2020 campaign, Sanders said during a Washington Post Live event in May of 2020 that the likelihood of him running for president again was "very, very slim." Biden has said he intends to run for reelection, but cautioned last year that he had "never been able to plan ... four years ahead, for certain." The note about 2024 comes at the very end of the memo from Shakir, titled "Embrace the attacks," which mostly advises campaigns supported by Sanders on how to address criticism and questions they could receive over his support. "As campaigning heats up in states across the country, your political opponents and their corporate-aligned allies will try to make you feel defensive about Sen. Bernie Sanders' support for your candidate," writes Shakir. He adds, "Our advice is to embrace the attacks." The memo also provides an update on the senator's endorsement and travel plans. "Sen. Sanders is interested in endorsing more candidates and we'd love your help identifying potential target races," says the memo. It also welcomes recommendations on where to travel. The 80-year-old Sanders has long been active in midterm campaigns and has tended to endorse more liberal candidates. Among others this year, he is supporting Jessica Cisneros, a 28-year-old immigration lawyer who is challenging Rep. Henry Cuellar, of Texas, in a May Democratic primary runoff. He is also backing state Rep. Summer Lee, a candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania. The memo provides some proposed responses to hostile inquiries. "We do understand that corporate-backed campaigns will try to make Sen. Sanders' endorsement controversial, especially in a Democratic Primary, so here are some answers to frequently asked questions," it says. "Sen. Sanders is an independent and an avowed Democratic Socialist. Why are you accepting his endorsement?" is one the questions that could come up, Shakir writes. The proposed answer, according to Shakir, is, "Sen. Sanders is putting forward an extremely popular vision for the Democratic Party that will win back critical support that we have lost. In fact, Bernie wants to build power for the working class and take on the corporate socialism that our political system currently favors." Another question the memo suggests could come up: "Will you support Sanders if he challenges Biden in 2024?" The proposed response: "Sen. Sanders is focused on helping Joe Biden have a successful presidency. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, no one fought harder for the president's policy agenda than Bernie. He traveled to Republican Congressional Districts last summer to promote Build Back Better. Unfortunately, that legislation was stopped by corporate Democrats." Gov. Greg Abbott has reportedly sent a total of 10 buses carrying undocumented migrants to Washington, D.C. in April, with the latest arriving Thursday. However, despite the Republican leader lauding the initiative, the number of transported migrants doesn't appear to be that impactful for Texas. Abbott's office told the New York Post Wednesday that, so far, only 152 migrants have been transported to Washington, D.C. from the Lone Star State, amounting to an average of 19 migrants per bus. Each bus has been said to have the capacity to hold up to 40 migrants, though Abbott's office did not confirm how many migrants traveled during each trip. During a roundtable Thursday with local law enforcement in San Antonio, Abbott admitted that he doesn't actually know the total number of migrants that have been bused to D.C. so far. He also did not specify how many migrants have traveled on each bus, but says the number has been as high as 28 migrants and as low as nine. "The number of people on the buses varies because it depends on how many people are in these local communities that are just standing around that the local community has us put on the bus," Abbott said. "We will transport as many people we can and this is going to be an ongoing process." Three buses arrived at the nation's capitol today, Abbott said, adding that buses have been sent daily. The 152 migrants is a small figure compared to the number of those attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border this year. Customs and Border Protection recorded 221,303 migrant encounters in March, according to a monthly report released earlier this week. In addition, U.S. border authorities arrested 210,000 migrants in March, the highest monthly total in two decades, according to Reuters. This number marks 24 percent increase from the same month in 2021 when 169,000 migrants were arrested at the border. The number of migrants on each bus to D.C. also appears to be on the decline. While Abbott previously said there were 24 passengers on the first bus that arrived on April 13, the second bus carried only 14. The fourth bus, which arrived on April 16, carried less than 10 migrants, according to Fox News. Abbott's office declined to tell the Post how much the bus trips are costing taxpayers. Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze told the Post that the state legislature has appropriated billions of dollars for border security. "As they do with all disaster response costs, (the Texas Division of Emergency Management) will be submitting expenses for reimbursement from funds previously appropriated by the legislature for border security efforts," Eze told the Post. "Associated costs will be dependent on bus use. Abbott announced his bus plan in response to the Biden administration ending Title 42 expulsions. The migrants, who volunteered to take the buses, hail from the countries of Angola, Brazil, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, according to Abbott's office. The catalyst for the measure stemmed from discussions Abbott had with border officials who claimed the Biden administration was dropping off "dozens, if not hundreds" of migrants into their communities, he said. "Some of those local communities were putting people on buses sending them right here to San Antonio," Abbott said. "I said 'I have a better idea. Let's not send them to San Antonio. Let's send them to Washington, D.C.'" When asked about some migrants expressing gratitude for getting a free ride to D.C., Abbott responded his intent was to "alleviate the strain put on border communities." Abbott also claims that President Biden has not once visited the border during his presidency. "If he will not come to the border, I'm going to take the border to President Biden," Abbott said. "He will see by these daily flows of buses what it's going to be like, what Texans are dealing with and he and members of Congress are going to have to deal with it directly." Abbott's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how long he plans to continue his bus initiative. However, appearing on Fox News this week, the Republican leader indicated that he is considering busing migrants to President Joe Biden's home state of Delaware next. WFO SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, April 21, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA 247 PM PDT Thu Apr 21 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Fresno County through 330 PM PDT... At 246 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9 miles northeast of Cantua Creek, or 25 miles south of Madera, moving northeast at 10 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Kerman and San Joaquin. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Conditions are favorable for the development of weak, brief funnel clouds. Theis type of funnel cloud is harmless, but on rare occasions they can briefly touch down, producing wind gusts over 50 mph. If a funnel cloud is spotted move indoors and report your sighting to the National Weather Service. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 3655 12024 3666 12032 3681 12007 3661 11995 TIME...MOT...LOC 2146Z 244DEG 9KT 3661 12023 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southern Madera and west central Fresno Counties through 330 PM PDT... At 244 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles southwest of Mendota, or 29 miles southwest of Madera, moving northeast at 15 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. Brief heavy rain and lightning. Mendota, San Joaquin and Panoche Road. clouds. This type of funnel cloud is harmless, but on rare occasions Brief Heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm and could lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 3655 12050 3669 12062 3689 12021 3663 12005 TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 241DEG 11KT 3667 12048 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...A strong northwest swell at 18 to 20 seconds associated with swell heights over 12 feet has arrived. This strong swell will likely impact area beaches with breaking waves of 14 to 18 feet possible through tomorrow. * WHERE...Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast, San Francisco Peninsula Coast, San Francisco and Northern Monterey Bay. * WHEN...Through late Friday night. * IMPACTS...High risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents. Larger breaking waves in the surf zone may be possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Stay well away from the shoreline, expect dangerous, potentially deadly high risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents. Stay off coastal rocks and jetties. Keep children close, keep pets on leashes, and never turn your back to the ocean. This swell may also provide occasional larger breaking waves in the surf zone from 14 to 18 feet. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at the Sarda Vallabhbhai Patel International airport in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, as he begins a two day visit to the country. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP) Ahmedabad: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning to start his India visit, and was accorded a grand welcome along the four-km route from the airport to a hotel in the city. Johnson was received at the Ahmedabad airport by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Governor Acharya Devvrat. Senior state officials and ministers were also present to receive him. The British prime minister was greeted by troupes performing traditional Gujarati dances and music at the airport and along the road as his convoy headed for the hotel. The `roadshow' started outside the airport and passed through Ashram Road via Dafnala and Riverfront. As many as 40 platforms were erected at regular intervals on the four-km stretch from the Airport Circle to the five-star hotel on Ashram Road where again troupes performed traditional Indian dances to welcome Johnson. During his day-long stay in Gujarat, the British prime minister is scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with prominent business leaders from the state, sources said. After that, he will head for a manufacturing facility of JCB, a British construction equipment firm, near Halol in Panchmahal district. The British PM will then visit the campus of under-construction Gujarat Biotechnology University in Gandhinagar as the varsity is coming up in cooperation with the UK's University of Edinburgh, a Gujarat government release said. The British PM would visit the famous Akshardham temple of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar before winding up his Gujarat visit and leaving for New Delhi. In Delhi, Johnson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. ZZ Top pulled into the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Wednesday evening for a rocking performance. The band has been together for over five decades and sold over 30 million records across 15 studio albums. The loss of long-time bassist Dusty Hill in 2021 did not stop the band as his spot o Chief Minister Y.S.Jaganmohan Reddy inaugurates Grasim Industries Limited at Balabhadrapuram in East Godavari district on Thursday. Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, AP Industries Minister G.Amarnath and others are seen. (Photo:DC) KAKINADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has requested Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumara Mangalam Birla to become the Industrial Ambassador of Andhra Pradesh so that the state attracts investments and industrialises rapidly. Jagan Mohan Reddy made the appeal while inaugurating the first Chlori Alkali unit set up by Grasim Industries, a part of Aditya Birla Group, at Balabhadrapuram village in Bikkavole mandal of East Godavari on Thursday. The CM thanked ABG group for investing 2,470 crore in three phases, with 1,000 crore coming in first phase itself. The Chief Minister appreciated that ABG group has agreed to state governments stipulation that 75 per cent of jobs in the industry being set up be provided to locals. Speaking on the occasion, Kumara Mangalam Birla pointed out that Grasim is the largest player in India when it comes to chemicals and stands among top 15 manufacturers globally. He pointed out that Aditya Birla Group is providing direct and indirect employment to about 10,000 people in Andhra Pradesh. It is also setting up a state-of-the-art garment manufacturing unit in Kadapa district to manufacture 1.8 million garments. Anaparti MLA Sathi Suryanarayana Reddy requested the CM to upgrade the community health centre in the area from 30 beds to 100 beds and sanction 6,000 houses to the poor in his constituency. Jagan Mohan Reddy promised that 6,000 houses will be sanctioned within three months. East Godavari district collector K. Madhavi Latha, home minister Thaneti Vanitha, roads and buildings minister Dadisetty Ramalingeswara Rao, transport minister Vishwaroop, information minister Ch. Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna and others were present on the occasion. The Chief Minister made it a point to host lunch for Kumar Mangalam Birla at his Tadepalli residence in Vijayawada. He also presented the dignitary a memento. Earlier in the day, former Anaparti MLA Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy of TDP and 18 party activists were put under house arrest by Anaparti police, so that they do not cause any unpleasantness at inauguration of the chemical plant at Balabhadrapuram. Telugu Desam is opposed to setting up of the unit. Anaparti circle inspector B.V. Ramana told Deccan Chronicle that TD leaders had been put under house arrest to ensure maintenance of law and order. Quebec needs more workers to fill job vacancies: report The Institute du Quebec's study sheds light on how the pandemic affected Quebec's labour force. Quebec needs more workers to fill job vacancies: report The Institute du Quebec's study sheds light on how the pandemic affected Quebec's labour force. Quebec needs more workers to fill job vacancies: report The Institute du Quebec's study sheds light on how the pandemic affected Quebec's labour force. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Quebec has started off the year with a low unemployment rate and a record number of job vacancies. In an effort to address labour shortages, the provincial and federal governments have put forth a number of measures to support immigrants. The pandemic has transformed Quebecs labour market. Public health measures have exacerbated previously-existing labour market gaps and brought forth new challenges, according to a report from the Institute du Quebec. The report titled Bilan 2021 de lemploi au Quebec : Transformations sectorielles et deficit de competences en vue poses key questions that have emerged during the pandemic in an effort to understand the labour markets current state. We have begun 2022 with one of the lowest unemployment rates in years and a record number of job vacancies, said Mia Homsy, Chief Executive Officer of the Institut du Quebec, in a media release. With a dwindling pool of potential workers and a considerable decrease in the labour market participation rate among those 55 and up, unless businesses, unions, schools and governments embrace a substantial shift in their approach to human resources management, the labour shortage will undoubtedly be the biggest obstacle to recovery. Do you have a Canadian job offer? Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm Labour market challenges expected in 2022 According to the report, Quebecs aging population will continue to affect labour supply, as workers reach retirement age amid a period of high job vacancies and low unemployment. Some groups of workers, including those in the age 55 plus group, are not fully back to work and it may be difficult to entice early retirees among them to return. Further, the accommodation, food services and retail industry could be facing ongoing recruitment problems, which may result in employers needing to rethink their business models, even beyond the pandemic. With more opportunities to work from home or in a hybrid model, jobs that do not offer this option may become less desirable to potential employees. Employers struggling with recruiting issues may need to lower their hiring standards, especially those related to academic credentials. If this becomes the case, it would mean that educational requirements for a given job may not be as stringent as they were before the pandemic. Companies may be able to offset this by increasing focus on professional development and in-house training to maintain competitiveness. Finally, more professions will be looking for candidates with stronger reading comprehension, writing and complex solving skills, whereas Quebec and the rest of Canada are already struggling with digital literacy. The need for qualified workers will continue to grow, especially in health care, social assistance, educational services, information technology and construction. Quebecs immigration measures to address labour shortages Quebec is taking measures to address labour shortages, such as increasing immigration levels and making it easier for employers with genuine labour shortages to hire temporary foreign workers. The province is set to welcome 52,500 new permanent residents in 2022, according to Quebecs Immigration Levels Plan released October 28, 2021. Most of these newcomers will come through Quebecs economic immigration programs, including the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) and the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). The levels plan also calls for an additional 18,000 admissions to reach the admission levels that were not met in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that more than 70,000 newcomers could be admitted to Quebec in 2022. A number of measures for temporary foreign workers in Quebec have also been introduced. As of this past January, certain Quebec workplaces can now support staff of up to 20% temporary workers, up from 10%. This measure applies to businesses in hard-hit sectors such as retail, and accommodation and food services, among others. Also, on May 24 this year, occupations listed under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C will now be included in the Traitement Simplifie, (facilitated processing). This simplified process allows Quebec employers more flexibility under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). On December 6, 2021, Quebec announced that certain NOC D occupations were exempt from the advertising and recruitment requirements of the TFWP. Previously, only occupations classified under NOC skill levels 0, A, and B were eligible for facilitated processing. These measures are among multiple implemented by Quebec and the federal government to support the provinces labour market through immigration. The Institut du Quebecs report shows immigrants have high instances of employment in Quebecs workforce. Employment recovery has been strongest among landed immigrants who have been in Canada for less than five years. The employment rate for these newcomers was at nearly 76% in 2021 compared to roughly 64% for the same period in 2019. At the end of 2021, overall immigrant employment rate was nearly 83%up from about 78% in 2019. Do you have a Canadian job offer? Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access According to the terms of MoF approval, the project was eligible for VGF of Rs 1,458 crore from the Central government, and the same was payable to the concessionaire of the project. (Represenational Image/ DC) Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) authorities' double standards were exposed when it moved to the High Court after the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TSERC) upheld the increase in power tariff for Metro rail, claimed activists. The counsel for the petitioner informed the court that the petitioner had addressed a representation to the energy department requesting to fix the tariff on a cost-to-serve basis as per clause 6.4 of the concession agreement. However, prior to its operations, the HMRL already breached the agreement. The metro authorities, violating the agreement, hiked ticket fares to a maximum of Rs 60 which was fixed to only Rs 19 while entering into the agreement. City-based activist M. Srinivas said the ongoing scam involved large sums of money and valuable commercial real estate, besides unlawful exploitation of millions of commuters using the Hyderabad metro rail. This scam includes unlawful appropriation of Central Viability Gap Funding (VGF) grant of Rs 1,458 crore, illegal misappropriation of user charges, real estate scam and undue largesse of real estate. Srinivas said the increase in user charges was said to have been done under the garb of change in law. He, however, said Article 41 of the concession agreement provided that if the concessionaire suffers any financial loss due to change in law, the same would be compensated by the state government. Conversely, if the concessionaire makes any financial gain due to change in law, he must reimburse the same to the state government, as categorically provided in the said Article 41. However, the state government has not enforced the provisions of this Article, and has allowed the concessionaire to unlawfully misappropriate large unearned gains, which legitimately belong to the state government or the users, Srinivas explained. This apart, the HMRL authorities were requesting to fix the tariff on a cost-to-serve basis, which would only benefit the nodal agency but not the passengers, the activist said. He also said the HMRL had already taken about Rs 1,250 crore as VGF from the Centre, did not utilise the 18 lakh sqft real estate, did not complete the MGBS-Falaknuma stretch and as per the agreement, the HMRL projected 15 lakh footfall per day, however it only managed 4.5 lakh as the maximum with the ticket fare hike and now the agency was asking for concession on power tariff when the common man was forced to pay their electricity bills. The activist demanded that the government give subsidies to everyone, not just the HMRL, which was a real estate agency. Meanwhile, the project was structured and transparently awarded through open competitive bidding based on the bidding documents that were duly approved by the union ministry of finance (MoF). According to the terms of MoF approval, the project was eligible for VGF of Rs 1,458 crore from the Central government, and the same was payable to the concessionaire of the project. He said the concessionaire, in collusion with the state government, unlawfully increased the fare by more than double, and yet, received and misappropriated a large proportion of the VGF. The first time I visited New York, between 40 and 50 years ago, it was a place of ill repute, at least among foreigners. Rumor and report made the city sound like a low-intensity war zone, and you would find yourself regaled with advice on how to stay safe there, un-mugged and un-shot. On no account wander about at night, you were told, and if you insist on going out after dark, get into and out of your taxi at your point of departure and your destination, without deviating. Do not think of going to, or even passing through, Harlem. The rules to follow in New York were like an updated version of those followed by Transylvanian peasants in Dracula. Illustration by Garry Brown I survived, but I doubt that that had much to do with my state of paranoia, induced by what other visitors, but also some residents, told me. My one brush with danger was on Madison Avenue near 57th Street, early on a Sunday morning. I was waiting at a bus stop with an elderly lady when a gunshot rang out, producing a ricochet and a puff of smoke in the street, about five or ten yards away. The old lady turned to me impassively, having taken no evasive action. Im telling you, she said, this city is a bad place. Since then, I have traveled to cities far more dangerous than New York ever was: Monrovia, Mogadishu, San Salvador. In the first, every institution had completely broken down; in the second, they were only halfway there; and in the last, death squads roamed the streets while guerrillas loosed rockets into the city, and one was asked (politely, I must say) to leave ones guns at the door before entering a supermarket. But I was young and naive when I first came to New York, and I arrived from a city then famed for its safety and civility: London. Indeed, London was so safe that, by age ten, I was free to roam it on public transportation without anyone concluding that I was a neglected or an abandoned child. Nowadays, the police and social services doubtless would get a callprobably for good reasonif a ten-year-old were seen alone on the streets. Just under a half-century later, the level of civility in the two cities has switched: New York now feels safer than London. I have in recent years enjoyed walking dozens of city blocks after midnight in Manhattan without apprehension; I would hesitate these days to walk such a distance in London after midnight. Some London boroughs have more robberies in a month than all of Great Britain did in a year a century ago. Differences in policy almost surely produced this reversal of fortune in the two great cities, at least as far as crime is concerned. New York decided that the root cause of crime is the criminals decision to commit it, which, in turn, is strongly influenced by the likely consequences to him of doing so, a theory easy to understand. London adhered to the theory, propounded by criminologists, that the root causes of crime are multifactorial and so complex as to be almost incomprehensiblevast social forces the direction of which somehow must change if crime is to fall. In other words, New York treated criminals and would-be criminals as individuals with powers of reflection and decision; London treated them as inanimate objects, mere vectors of forces. Contrary to first impressions, New Yorks approach was more respectful of people than Londons, which, quite apart from its practical failure, led to all manner of equivocation, special pleading, dishonesty, condescension toward perpetrator and victim alike, and confusion as to the proper role of the police. As violence rose, the police in London (and elsewhere in Britain) increasingly took on the appearance of military occupiers instead of the traditional unarmed civilian force that they had hitherto been; or, as one commentator put it, they became paramilitary social workers, more concerned to protect the feelings of certain designated groups than the lives and property of all. The police became bullying without efficacy, the worst possible combination; and the confusion of roles led to their demoralization. If London should learn from New York, then New York should learn from London, the power of bad example being as great as that of good. After my first visit to New York (also my first to the United States), I then traveled to Detroit. This might seem an odd choice of destination, but I had a cousin living there. Detroit was a different kind of city from New York, and one that I discovered that I did not much care for. It had not yet imploded; the auto industry still seemed like an unstoppable generator of prosperity, and I had no inkling of the developments that were not only to lay the industry low but also destroy the city as comprehensively as a civil war might have done. Detroit was an apartheid city, de facto though not de jure. (Later in life, I experienced the real thing in South Africa. By then, I had developed a taste for danger, though I had also learned that dangers are usually exaggerated in the recounting.) In Detroit, I was warned of the peril of running into groups of blacks on my own, but this remained mere rumor to me, for the segregation was so effective that it was like good prose style, according to George Orwell: one didnt notice that it was there. The reasons for my dislike of Detroit were otherwise, however. It was the seeming deadness of the city that disturbed me. Detroit had a center, but nobody lived there: after work each evening, everyone decamped to the suburbs, where they seemed to live in isolation from one another and where human relations, if they existed, were shallow and unrooted, as if everyone expected the neighbors to move away soon and so avoided deep attachments. The suburbs, quiet and spacious as they were, seemed to vitiate the purpose, or at least the pleasures, of living in a city, while not compensating for their loss by the pleasures of real country living. Even their comfort seemed suffocating, as if it were a kind of bribe, or an offer that no one could refuse, in return for living in the way that they did. My reaction to Detroits suburbs was purely conventional, but you always experience your reactions as if you were the first person to have thought of something. I little thought that my complaint was that of hundreds or thousands of intellectuals before me. I was still a long way from my present realizationit has taken many years and much voyaging to attain itthat every place is interesting, albeit in its own way. Even boredom has its interest, for it is at the root of all kinds of baroque pathology. Detroit was my first experience of a city without public transportation. It existed only in a token way, and to all intents and purposes was useless if you couldnt wait all day for it. To go anywhere, to do anything, a car was essential. Without one, you were like an anchorite in the Syrian desert, though with air-conditioning. The suburbs were far too spread out for effective public transportation without massive subsidies. This struck me as disastrous from the standpoint of quality of life. The car, supposedly a symbol of individual freedom, became instead an instrument of an informal servitude, adding two, three, or even four hours to the workday: it also added periods of isolation, frustration, irritation, andfrequentlyrage. It is one thing to drive on the open road, like Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows; it is quite another to be but one driver in a seemingly endless procession, thundering or crawling to and from work, five days a week, 50 weeks a year, spending a tenth of ones waking life behind the wheel. The very sight of the traffic in Los Angeles appalls me, and it would terrify me to have to participate in it. Perhaps such traffic is an inevitable quid pro quo for the great benefits of modern existence, and perhaps my horror of traffic is idiosyncratic, a personal taste, or even merely snobbish; I have certainly been fortunate in having been able to arrange my life so as largely to avoid it. After visiting Detroit, the possibility of living without a car became a personal criterion of desirable city life. For this, a good public transportation system is necessary; and that can exist only in a city with a dense enough population. Many have written about the problems of overcrowding, with psychologists performing experiments on rodents in cages to demonstrate the bad effects on conduct of lack of space; but the negative consequences of under-crowding in cities are less often emphasized. For family reasons, I have recently spent a lot of time in Paris, a city where the advantages of not having a car far outweigh the occasional disadvantages, thanks to the citys density and its highly efficient public transportation system. A car would be a nuisance, an anxiety, and a needless expense; even taking a taxi is often pointless if one is looking to save time. Since my first trip to Detroit, decades ago, the city has become the Mogadishu of the American Midwest, with drawbacks far worse than merely aesthetic. I have not returned, for my cousin has long since fled the city, like almost everybody else who could; the nearest I have come to Detroit since then is Dearborn. Looking at Detroit in the distance from my hotel bedroom, I felt a rekindling of my former taste for danger; but my request to pay a visit to the city was regarded as too perverse for my hosts to take seriously, and my time in Dearborn was too short to arrange such a visit myself. But the fate of Detroit is a powerful reminder, if such were needed, that foolish and corrupt policiesand the city pursued many, from solvency-eroding public-worker pensions to vituperative racial politics that drove out the middle classcan destroy any degree of prosperity and bring ruin to multitudes. After Detroit, I traveled the United States by Greyhound bus, as was then de rigueur for impoverished young foreigners visiting the country. (It says something of the change in my circumstances that, until I checked on the Internet, I was unsure if Greyhound buses still existed. Knowledge of a country can decline with experience, as well as increase.) It was by traveling by Greyhound that I lost my subliminal fear of Americas cities, caused by the selective reporting in the press of crime, gangs, riots, and racial hatred. Bus stations are wonderful vantage points for observing the human comedy, no less in America than elsewhere; and by the time I reached Atlanta, I was not afraid to reply to the young black man who approached me for a monetary contribution for the brothers in prison by asking exactly how many brothers he had in prison. He retreated as if I were dangerously mad; I think he expected an immediate accession to his request as a result of his mixture of faint but discernible physical and moral intimidation, the latter as if I were personally responsible for the imprisonment of his brothers, or at least responsible for the social conditions that supposedly led them to commit the crimes that led to their imprisonmentsocial conditions of which I was, ex officio as a white, the beneficiary, and for which I was therefore obliged to make restitution. My taste in American cities was, and remains, purely conventional. I liked New Orleans for precisely the reasons that everyone likes New Orleans. Moreover, it was indissolubly associated in my mind with A Streetcar Named Desire, one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century. It was partly for this reason, and partly for its history, that New Orleans incarnated for me what American suburbs seek to deny or eliminate: the tragic dimension of human existence. Tragedy is not absent from those suburbs, of course; ineluctable, it is a dimension of, and not an irruption into, human existence. But in New Orleans, it is not hidden and is therefore potentially usable for artistic purposes. Art is, among other things, consolation for the tragic: that is why so many of the best American writers have been Southerners. All the other American cities that I liked had cores that were more than just centers of business with extensive dormitories attached. Chicago and San Francisco seemed to me the best, and alsohere, I suspect, many will disagree because their dislike of central government colors their response to itWashington. I could not warm to Houston or Los Angeles, though I think I might have liked the City of Angels in Philip Marlowes day. And if the Cubans of Miami were ever to return to Cuba, that city would lose all interest for me. For the European visitor, the architecture of American cities is what strikes him first, favorably only to a limited extent. The Chicago School, for example, is incomparably superior to any equivalent modernist architecture in Europe; and the Chrysler Building in New York is undoubtedly a masterpiece of twentieth-century architecture. No one can remain unimpressed by the sight of Manhattan lit up at night, one of the wonders of the worldthough increasingly equaled by other cities in this regard. The upward thrust of American architecture has been copied throughout the world, successfully in Asia but unsuccessfully in Europe, where skyscrapers tend to be shabby, unconvincing, and out of place. The reasons for this lack of imitative success are several. First, such architecture requires either enormous capital or cheap labor, or both. Dubai, for example, could not have been built without an almost inexhaustible fund of inexpensive labor from South Asia, but the result is a modernism far more imposing than anything in Europe. In Europe, the buildings go upward, but the economy goes sideways. When I look from my balcony over extra-muros Paris, for example, what I see is not Chicago, Hong Kong, or Singapore, but Novosibirsk. The City of Londonthe financial districtlooks like a Dubai where land costs were prohibitive, labor was not cheap, capital was insufficient and had to be cheese-pared, and architects were desperate to leave a mark by designing buildings of original but ugly shape, one known as the gherkin and another as the mobile telephone (when mobile phones resembled odd-angled bricks). Any American city is better than this. American modernist architecture is convincing compared with the European variety because America is modern, whereas Europe, ever since the end of World War I, has merely tried to be modern, limping sadly after a model. American modernity is native to its soil. European modernity is highly ideological, or at least theoretical, with either fascist or Communist roots. Le Corbusier, an architectural totalitarian with strong fascist leanings, wrote his preposterous manifestos in the imperative mood, in which repetitionwhich Napoleon said was the only rhetorical device of any political valueserved for argument and the authors assumption was that the past should be cleared away as so much dead wood. (See The Architect as Totalitarian, Autumn 2009.) In America, modernity produced the buildings; in Europe, the buildings were supposed to produce the modernity. The European way was a form of magical thinking, a little like the Zambian attempts to catch up with the rest of the world by building imitation rockets, or a hotel in Nigeria that advertised itself as ultramodern because it was 14 stories high and built in 1970s style. Never mind that the hotel was moldy inside because the air-conditioning in the hot, humid climate worked only intermittently and the windows had been sealed on the assumption that open windows were bad for air-conditioning, or that the guests had to carry their luggage up many flights of stairs because the elevators usually did not work: what counted was the appearance of modernity. At a slightly higher level of sophistication, such is what the French call the etat damethe moral preoccupationof European architecture. Almost everywhere it has resulted in a visual hell. American cities were built, relative to European ones, on a tabula rasa. The difference between them and the modern parts of European cities is the difference between a fruit plucked directly from a free-growing tree and a fruit raised under artificial conditions, picked unripe and transported under refrigeration halfway across the globe. But I am a European: for all my admiration of American modernity compared with its European equivalent, I prefer to be awed by more intimate beauty rather than overawed by the sheer size of Mans productions, however glassily elegant they may be. In other words, I am a man of the past, not of the future. Raspunsul la criza refugiatilor: Apel de propuneri, lansat de MAD-Aid in parteneriat cu Camera de Comert Britanica din Moldova Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Charities, community interest companies and other non-profits have been involved in 7,330 government contracts, worth 17bn, over a four-year period. This equates to just 5% of the total value and volume of contracts awarded, although some charities, such as Barnardos, are securing significant funding from the public sector. The Office for Civil Society, part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commissioned Tussell to analyse the scale and proportion of public sector procurement conducted through voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises (VCSE). The report, UK Public Procurement through VCSEs, 2016-2020 , published this week, looks at four financial years between April 2016 and March 2020. VCSEs have won 4.8bn from public sector contracts in each of the last two years from around 2,000 agreements. Local government awards more contracts than any other part of the public sector, and VCSEs have a greater representation in areas such as homelessness services than others. The vast majority, 82%, of VCSE organisations in the analysis are registered charities. The rest are either community interest companies or other non-profit organisations. There were limitations in identifying social enterprises, and researchers relied on organisations including making their status clear in their name. Which parts of the public sector fund VCSEs? Local government contracts with VCSE organisations were worth 2bn in 2020, down from 2.8bn in 2018. VCSEs win around 1,200 contracts a year from local government. This compares with contracts worth 0.6bn from central government in 2020, down from 1bn in 2018. Meanwhile, NHS contracts were worth 2bn in 2020, up from 0.4bn in 2018. But this is from just 300 distinct contracts. Decline in number of new VCSEs winning a contract In 2016 there were 1,042 VCSEs which won their first public sector contract in that year. This figure has fallen every year, reaching 587 in 2020. The report suggests that this could be explained by the fact that it has only been mandatory to publish details of lower value contracts since 2015. More than half (56%) of VCSEs named on a public sector contract have only won one contract in the period covered by the research. Some 41% won between two and 10. A small minority of VCSEs (108) have won more than 10 contracts, and just 10 have won more than 50 contracts. Services delivered by VCSEs In absolute terms, the social care and health market is the largest for VCSEs, delivering 11.6bn to the sector over four years. This is followed by disability (2.4bn) and employability (1.1bn). But in these three sectors VCSEs won less than half the total value of contracts available. Just two of the eight sectors looked at for the report were dominated by VCSE contractors. These were domestic violence and sexual abuse, with VCSEs winning two-thirds of the contracts totalling 500m. The second was homelessness where VCSEs won 69% of contracts, again worth 500m. Which charities have won contracts? In the health and social care sector Barnardos has won the most contracts (62) worth 814m over the period. This is followed by Change, Grow Live with 40 contracts bringing in 385m for the charity. In the offender rehabilitation sector Prison Advice and Care Trust won the most contracts (22) but others had fewer contracts bringing in more money overall. Humankind charity had two contracts, totalling 64m. One of its contracts from Staffordshire County Council in 2019 was worth 55m and was the largest single award in this sector. Barnardos was awarded 732m from 13 disability contracts, with most of this coming from a contract with one council. In the domestic abuse and sexual violence sector the largest award was 84m to Nottingham Citycare Partnership CIC. Victim Support won 35m through 18 contracts and Refuge won 16m from 14 contracts. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Gun violence creates thousands of orphans 08:18, April 21, 2022 By BELINDA ROBINSON in New York ( China Daily Thousands of children in the United States are being left without parents due to the scourge of gun crime in dozens of communities across the country. Gun violence in the US is so bad that more than 40 children lose a parent to it every day, according to analysis by The Washington Post. The violence is reshaping communities in Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and many others. And relatives and friends often must step in to look after the children who have no one to do so. In at least 20 cities where there were shootings in 2020, more than 3,600 children lost their mother or father because of gun violence, the Post found. The total number of people gunned down in the 20 communities was a quarter of those killed by gun violence in the entire country. According to local news reports, police statements and an obituary, 26-year-old La'Kia Lyshawn Dawkins from Las Vegas was murdered in her sleep by her boyfriend, 25-yearold Daniel Greer, on March 10. Her distraught mother Rashonda McCondichie said her daughter was shot to death as she slept beside her 5-year-old daughter Wynter. Dawkins lived with her sister and her daughter. On the night of the shooting, her sister contacted their mother about it. McCondichie said after her daughter saw that Dawkins had been shot, she started screaming, called 911, grabbed Wynter and ran outside. Greer fled the scene after the shooting. Two days later, police found him dead inside a hotel from a self-inflicted gunshot. On a GoFundMe page set up to cover funeral costs for Dawkins, her friends and family described her as "a loving and caring mother to her daughter Wynter and an amazingly loving big sister to her siblings". "Our hearts are broken to pieces" they wrote. Some parents who die from gun violence are killed by their partners who may end up in jail or dead. Others get caught in the crossfire from stray bullets. Angelica James, mother of four boys, was shot and killed on Feb 27 by the father of her children, Christopher Gordon, according to local news and police reports. On the night that James was shot, she was in a car with her two youngest boys in the Newburg area of Louisville, Kentucky. Her 10-year-old's hand and hip was wounded, but he is expected to recover. Her 2-year-old was taken by Gordon, who has a history of violence. But the toddler was later found safe that evening. Gordon was arrested on March 3. The children are now without a parent in their lives. Last year, there were 20,726 gun deaths in the US, excluding suicides by guns, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive. "Black and Latinx children and teens are impacted by gun violence at higher rates than their white peers, in part because of deliberate policy decisions that created segregated neighborhoods and under investments in their communities," nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) In exchange for the defence land, the state government according to the defence ministry proposal is to provide alternative land and compensation for the loss of the Army's infrastructure like buildings, water pipelines, drains and electricity network. DC File Image Hyderabad: The defence ministry has offered to hand over 40 acres in a land-for-land deal in the Secunderabad cantonment to the state government to build an alternative to the arterial Gough Road which runs through the heart of the Army area. "The state government is yet to respond to the proposal," defence sources told this correspondent. If the government builds an alternative road, it would come as a boon to commuters in the north and northeast parts of the city who need to travel via the Gough Road, Ordnance Road, Entrenchment Road and Wellington Road in the Army area to reach Secunderabad. Sources said the defence ministry had issued working permission for the state government's acquisition of around 40 acres to build the alternative to the Gough Road, skirting the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) Centre and leading to RK Puram and Neredmet. As per the plan, two roads are to be built, one each from East Marredpally and West Marredpally, which will merge and lead to the RK Puram flyover while skirting the AOC centre. In exchange for the defence land, the state government according to the defence ministry proposal is to provide alternative land and compensation for the loss of the Army's infrastructure like buildings, water pipelines, drains and electricity network. The sources said the sanction was the last thing pending from the Union governments side. It is up to the state government to decide when it wishes to start the project. The ball is now in the government's court, the sources said. This is in compliance with the High Court ruling in 2014 directing the Hyderabad collector and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to work towards expanding and strengthening the alternative routes in the cantonment and Army areas. The court had also directed the civic authorities to make a full-fledged alternative road network so that civilians need not use the roads belonging to the Army in the cantonment area. "It is necessary for the civil administration to rise to the occasion and take immediate measures so that civilians are not put to inconveniences and hardships," the judge observed. This story originated in the Columbia Journalism Review and is part of Climate & Democracy, a series from the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now. ON THE FIRST EARTH DAY, in 1970, Americas TV networks were not shy about taking a position on the news of the day. CBS News produced a special titled Earth Day, A Question of Survival, which opened its flagship evening broadcast showing biologist Barry Commoner telling a crowd, This planet is threatened with destruction. We are in a crisis of survival. Anchorman Walter Cronkite then reiterated the theme, declaring this a unique day in American history, dedicated to mankind seeking its own survival. ABC News titled its own special report Earth Day: An SOS for Survival. Anchorman Frank Reynoldss first sentence congratulated activists for speaking out, crediting millions of Americans with taking the first step to survival. CBS and ABC devoted virtually their entire broadcasts to the Earth Day story, with correspondents emphasizing the scourges of air and water pollution in reports from New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Albuquerque, and St. Louis. NBCs coverage was less extensive but featured one item that, viewed from today, sounds eerily prescient. Anchorman Frank Blair reported that a government scientist had told colleagues at the American Geophysical Union that over-pollution, unless checked, could so warm the earth in 200 years as to create a greenhouse effect, melting the Arctic ice cap and flooding vast areas of the world. At the time, network television was approaching the height of its power to influence public opinion. So when the evening newscasts lavished so much attention on Earth Day, and made their support for tackling pollution so clear, the effects were profound. Richard Nixon, not yet halfway through his first term as US president, took the hint. Memoirs of top White House aides later revealed that the outpouring of public sentiment on Earth Daysome accounts estimated that twenty million people took part, a collective that drew supporters from all parts of society, not just long-haired radicalsconvinced Nixon that his reelection chances in 1972 required taking the environment issue away from his opponents. Before long, Nixon had created the Environmental Protection Agency and signed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and other pieces of legislation that to this day rank among the strongest environmental laws on earth. Which brings us to this Earth Day. By all scientific accounts, the environmental crisis that activists highlighted more than half a century ago is much more dire today, and the need for far-reaching action more urgent. And yet those network news anchors from 1970, dismissed as anachronisms in our digital era, were in many ways ahead of where journalists are now. Just imagine each of Americas big three networks leading their broadcasts with the recent UN climate report, packaged under headlines like A Question of Survival, and then spending the entire program explaining the problem and exploring solutions. It is tragic that, until very recently, the medias treatment of the environment story has gone backward from fifty years ago in every conceivable metric: less urgency, less space, fewer minutes on the air. The fact that journalism is finally beginning to give the story the attention it deserves probably says more about the state of the weather than it does about a newfound media commitment to chronicle whats happening. As US Representative Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, said in an interview published this week by members of the global media collaboration Covering Climate Now, If we were smarter as an animal, humans would be working on nothing other than climate change. Sign up for CJR 's daily email A big part of the problem has been the sense among journalistsagain, until very recentlythat aggressive coverage of the climate story is somehow activism, and that covering the activists pushing for change is a partisan act. But when you go back and watch the coverage from 1970, you see none of that hesitancy from the very sober, very straitlaced anchors of the day. Act or die, was how Cronkite summarized the message of that first Earth Day. Imagine reading the same headline today in the news pages of the New York Times. Those inaugural Earth Day reports illustrate an enduring journalistic truism: all news coverage has a point of view. Every news story, every home page, every TV or radio program reflects a point of view, if only implicitly. That point of view is defined by which subjects get covered and which do not; which facts are reported and which are not; which voices are quoted and which are not. Accuracy and fairness remain essential to honest journalism, but there is no escaping a point of view. In a battle for facts, in a battle for truth, journalism is activism, said Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, winner of the Nobel Prize, who has been repeatedly targeted and arrested for her decision to report truthfully about her homeland. Reporting with a point of view has a storied place in journalistic history. The reporters in Vietnam chronicling the lies about how many people were dying in the war were reporting with a point of view, as were the TV cameras documenting the civil rights movement. More recently, coverage of the war in Ukraine has portrayed Russias invasion as a brutal and unwarranted act that has criminally targeted civilians. Coverage of covid-19 likewise portrayed the pandemic as a public health emergency that requires vaccines, face masks, and physical distancing to overcome. This Earth Day, newsrooms everywhere should resolve to apply this same kind of journalistic attention and judgment to the climate crisis. If a point of view is inevitable in journalism, let ours be one that favors defusing this catastrophic threat to our planetary home. That should not be a difficult choice to make, for journalists or anyone else. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope are the authors. Hertsgaard is Covering Climate Nows executive director and co-founder, and the environment correspondent of The Nation. Pope is the editor and publisher of Columbia Journalism Review, and a co-founder of Covering Climate Now. Elon Musk will not be subjected to a gag order preventing him from discussing a lawsuit claiming he defrauded Tesla Inc. shareholders by tweeting in 2018 about taking his electric car company private, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco agreed with Musk and Tesla that the proposed temporary restraining order appeared overbroad because it prevented Musk from speaking to anyone about the case. Chen also found no proof that letting Musk, the worlds richest person according to Forbes, talk publicly posed a clear and present danger or serious and imminent threat to a trial. But the judge also said he plans to tell jurors at the scheduled January 2023 trial he had already ruled that Musks tweets were false, and made with sufficient knowledge they were false. Shareholders sued over losses resulting from volatility in Teslas shares after Musk tweeted on Aug. 7, 2018, that he had funding secured to potentially take Tesla private at $420 per share, and that investor support is confirmed. Nicholas Porritt, a lawyer for the shareholders, in an email said he was pleased that jurors will be instructed that the tweets were false and were made fraudulently by Elon Musk. He said the primary remaining issue is the amount of damages owed. Lawyers for Musk and Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The April 15 request for a gag order came one day after Musk told the TED conference in Vancouver that he had lined up funding to privatize Tesla, but the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued him for fraud anyway over his tweeting. Musk and Tesla said the proposed gag order evokes a level of censorship that could not be reconciled with the U.S. Constitutions guarantee of free speech. They also said an order could block Musk from communicating with Tesla shareholders, discussing his proposal to buy Twitter Inc TWTR.N, and trying to end his consent decree with the SEC, which requires Tesla lawyers to vet some of his tweets. Musk has said he would never lie to shareholders. He has offered to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share. The case is In re Tesla Inc Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 18-04865. SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) A man charged with setting a fire that gutted a Northern California Home Depot, prompted hundreds to flee and filled the sky with smoke was trying to cover up a theft of tools, authorities said Tuesday. Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27, of San Jose, was arrested last Friday. He appeared in court Tuesday and was given a public defender and a June 1 court date to enter a plea. He was being held without bail. Gogue is accused of setting a fire that began in the lumber section of the Home Depot in South San Jose on April 9. He was trying to create a distraction while making off with a cart full of tools but drove off without taking them, prosecutors said. The five-alarm fire destroyed the store, causing an estimated $17 million in damage to the store contents. The fire, which took about 100 firefighters six hours to control, sent up a huge black plume of smoke. People in nearby homes and businesses were told to stay inside out of concerns that the smoke might contain toxic chemicals. The fire burned near hundreds of homes and was so hot that it was seen by satellites, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said at a news conference. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said the fire erupted on a weekend when the store was full of shoppers and he was thankful that his office is not prosecuting a multiple murder case today. Miraculously no one was hurt, he said. But it came close far, far too close to causing many injuries and deaths. Gogue allegedly stole items from a Bass Pro Shop before the fire, and he went on to steal from a Macys store afterward, authorities said. In addition to aggravated arson, he also is charged with grand theft and petty theft involving shoplifting at six South San Jose stores between last October and April 2. The new theft charges span from October 2021 to April 2, involving $17,000 worth of items from six South San Jose retailers. He could face a potential life sentence if convicted of all charges, prosecutors said. About the photo: Smoke rises from an extinguished fire at the Home Depot off Blossom Hill Road in San Jose, Calif., on Sunday, April 10, 2022. Authorities say a man charged with setting the fire that gutted the Northern California Home Depot, prompted hundreds to flee and filled the sky with smoke was trying to cover up a theft of tools. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group via AP, File) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona wildfire doubled in size overnight into Wednesday, a day after heavy winds kicked up a towering wall of flames outside a northern Arizona tourist and college town, ripping through two-dozen structures and sending residents of more than 700 homes scrambling to flee. Flames as high as 100 feet (30 meters) on Tuesday raced through an area of scattered homes, dry grass and Ponderosa pine trees in a rural area on the outskirts of Flagstaff as wind gusts of up to 50 mph (80 kph) pushed the blaze over a major highway. Weather conditions were more favorable Wednesday with light breezes before a return to stronger winds Thursday approaching a critical level, said Mark Stubblefield, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Flagstaff. No significant precipitation is in the forecast into next week, Stubblefield said. Coconino County officials said during a Tuesday evening news conference that 766 homes and 1,000 animals had been evacuated. About 250 structures remained threatened in the area popular with hikers and off-road vehicle users and where astronauts have trained amid volcanic cinder pits. The county declared an emergency after the wildfire ballooned from 100 acres (40 hectares) Tuesday morning to over 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) by evening and to 26 square miles (67 square kilometers) by Wednesday morning. The fire was moving northeast away from the more heavily populated areas of Flagstaff, home to Northern Arizona University, and toward Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, said Coconino National Forest spokesman Brady Smith. Its good in that its not headed toward a very populated area, and its headed toward less fuel, Smith said. But depending on the intensity of the fire, fire can still move across cinders. Authorities wont be able to determine whether anyone was injured in the wildfire until the flames subside. Firefighters and law enforcement officers went door to door telling people to evacuate but had to pull out to avoid getting boxed in, said Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll. He said his office got a call about a man who was trapped inside his house, but firefighters couldnt get to him. We dont know if he made it out or not, Driscoll said. Various organizations worked to set up shelters for evacuees and animals, including goats and horses. The scene was all too familiar for residents who recalled rushing to pack their bags and flee a dozen years ago when a much larger wildfire burned in the same area. This time was different, right there in your backyard, said Kathy Vollmer, a resident. She said she and her husband grabbed their three dogs but left a couple of cats behind as they faced what she described as a wall of fire. We just hope they are going to be OK, she said. Earlier in the day, the wildfire shut down U.S. 89, the main route between Flagstaff and far northern Arizona, and communities on the Navajo Nation. The high winds grounded aircraft that could drop water and fire retardant on the blaze. Arizona Public Service Co., the states largest utility, shut off power to about 625 customers to keep firefighters safe, a spokeswoman said. About 200 firefighters were battling the flames, but more are expected as a top-level national management team takes over later this week. The fire started Sunday afternoon 14 miles (22 kilometers) northeast of Flagstaff. Investigators dont know yet what caused it and have yet to corral any part of the blaze. Ali Taranto rushed to Flagstaff from Winslow, where she works at a hospital, on Tuesday to check on a property she owns that was threatened by the wildfire. She also was getting messages to check on a neighbor whom she found didnt have access to oxygen while the power was out and didnt have the strength to manually open her garage door to evacuate. Taranto said the neighbor was disoriented and gasping for air when she reached her. Firefighters in the area helped get the garage door open and the neighbor to the hospital, she said. Taranto was looking for a shelter for the neighbors two dogs. By the time Taranto left the area, the highway into Flagstaff was shut down and she had to drive an extra two hours back home. At least two other neighbors didnt evacuate, she said. To see flames several yards away from your property line and to hear the propane tanks bursting in the background, it was very surreal, Taranto said. Ash falling down. It was crazy. Red flag warnings blanketed much of New Mexico on Wednesday, indicating conditions are ripe for wildfires. Residents in northern New Mexicos Mora and San Miguel counties were warned to be ready to evacuate as wildfires burned there amid dry, warm and windy conditions. The National Interagency Fire Center reported Wednesday that over 2,300 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to more than a dozen large wildfires in the Southwestern, Southern and Rocky Mountain areas. Scientists say climate change has made the U.S. West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Elsewhere in Arizona, firefighters battled a wildfire in a sparsely populated area of the Prescott National Forest, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Prescott. Cory Carlson, the incident commander with the Prescott National Forest, said late Tuesday afternoon the high winds have been the biggest challenge, sending embers into the air that sparked new spot fires near State Route 261, along with the demand for crews at other fires. We do have a lack of resources, he said. Theres a lot of fires in the region. Associated Press writer Paul Davenport in Phoenix, Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report. About the photo: Smoke from a wind-whipped wildfire rises above neighborhoods on the outskirts of Flagstaff, Ariz., on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Homes on the outskirts of Flagstaff were being evacuated Tuesday as high winds whipped a wildfire, shut down a major highway and grounded firefighting aircraft. (Sean Golightly/Arizona Daily Sun via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Clark County is hosting a public service job fair with the local cities and several other government agencies on Thursday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road. Job seekers interested in attending the event are encouraged to register in advance for the event through One-Stop Career Center at http://www.nvcareercenter.org/pscf/. Online registration will be open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday, but walk-ins also are welcome the day of the event. Parking at the Convention Center is free. In addition to Clark County, participating agencies include the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas, Clark Countys Department of Aviation, Clark County Water Reclamation District, Southern Nevada Health District, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission and the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services and Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. As our economy recovers from the pandemic, Clark County and many government agencies are actively recruiting for a variety of open positions, said Clark County Commission Chairman Jim Gibson. Some high needs areas for the County include engineers, building inspectors, cyber security and information technology help desk staff, summer lifeguards and Safe Key workers. Anyone interested in a career in public service is encouraged to attend this event to learn about the depth and breadth of opportunities. The job fair offers attendees the opportunity to meet face-to-face with staff to ask questions and learn about the application and hiring process for a variety of government jobs and the benefits of working in the public sector. Job seekers interested in working for Clark County also can learn about the Career Concierge service offered through our Human Resources Department that is available to guide people through the application process and check on their application status after position postings close. New positions are posted on Clark Countys website every Tuesday at htpps://Clarkcountynv.gov/careers . Job seekers also can submit job interest cards online to receive emails about job categories of interest. Clark County is one of the largest and most diverse employers in Southern Nevada with more than 10,000 employees and 38 departments. The County is dedicated to being an employer of choice by attracting and retaining top talent to serve the regions residents and visitors. ### Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nations 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.3 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2019). Included are the nations 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the states largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development. Starting Monday, May 9, Clark County and participating government agencies will host a series of surplus auctions online for vehicles and equipment and miscellaneous items on TNT Auctions website at www.tntauction.com. All bidding for the auctions will take place online. Online bidding for Harry Reid International Airport lost and found items will be held May 9 through May 13. Online bidding for the vehicle and equipment auction opens May 12 and closes May 16. Online bidding for miscellaneous items, including computers and office equipment, opens May 12 and closes May 17. Catalogs listing hundreds of items to be sold will be available for viewing on TNTs website and regularly updated as the dates of the sales get closer. Information about registering as a bidder and the terms and conditions for participation also is on the website. The public will be able to preview most of the vehicles and miscellaneous items being sold on May 13, and May 14 at TNTs auction yard lot at 4530 Alto Ave., located northeast of Lamb Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue. On-site hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. About 200 vehicles and 225 lots of miscellaneous items will be sold. No airport lost and found items are available for preview but pictures of the lots of items being sold are in the online catalog. The preview gives people an opportunity to see some items in person before placing their bids online, said David Johnson, director of Clark Countys Automotive and Central Services Division. All the vehicles being sold will be on the lot as well as most of the miscellaneous items. Clark County works with TNT Auction to host three surplus auctions each year, typically in February, May and November, to sell vehicles and equipment used or acquired by government agencies in Southern Nevada. Participating agencies include the area cities, local police departments and the state of Nevada. For further details, the public may contact TNT Auctions toll free at (855) 317-5133. ### Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nations 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.3 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2019). Included are the nations 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the states largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development. The Colorado Senate passed legislation Thursday to protect educators from doxxing, sending the bill to the House of Representatives for consideration. If enacted, Senate Bill 171 would add educators to the list of people who can request to have their personal information removed from government websites after they or their family receive threats to their safety. Personal information includes home addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. We shouldnt have to pass this bill. Unfortunately, today, we do, said bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village. We have a coarsening of the political dialogue in this country and somehow teachers have ended up in the crosshairs. They should never feel threatened for doing their job for our kids. Bridges said the bill was inspired by recent events in Douglas County, during which the identities of hundreds of teachers faced potential exposure after participating in a protest. In February, as many as 1,500 teachers from the Douglas County School District took part in a sick out in support of former Superintendent Corey Wise, after he was fired in a controversial move by the new school board. Afterwards, some teachers who participated in the protest found fliers on their cars telling them to get out and leave. An unknown person also made a records request for the names of the teachers absent on the day of the protest. During a committee meeting on the bill, several teachers from the district testified in support, saying they live in fear of their personal information being released online and of being followed home from school. The state Senate approved the bill in a 25-9 vote on Thursday. All nine opponents are Republicans, some of whom raised issue with a portion of the bill that would update Colorados open records law to prohibit the public from accessing the specific dates an educator is absent from work. Under the bill, the total number of days absent would still be open to the public, but not the dates. Because they work for the people, they should be visible and accountable to the people, said Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, who voted against the bill. This idea of obfuscating, hiding political communication by a class of individuals who work for the public, Ive got a problem with that. This part of the bill was added in direct response to the records request that asked for the names of the Douglas County teachers absent on the day of the sick out, Bridges said. The district initially agreed to release the names of the teachers who took off work, though it later decided against doing so and said the request had been withdrawn. Lundeen introduced a failed amendment to remove this section of the bill on Wednesday, arguing that the teachers political speech in support of the superintendent needs to be open to the public. The newly conservative majority school board questioned the superintendent's role in creating masking policies and in the district's decision in October to sue other county authorities to keep those mask rules in place. The board's minority members countered that the decision to fire Wise is disastrous, warning it would lead to educators leaving the district and to "the Dark Ages." What we saw happen in Douglas County was an attempt to use the date the teachers had taken their sick leave as a way to create what this bill is designed to protect: an imminent and serious threat, Bridges said. I cant conceive of a use for the exact date that a teacher was out that is not to the purpose of creating a serious and imminent threat. Bridges added that not all teachers who were absent on the day of the protest were participating in it, with some missing school for other reasons like being sick with COVID-19. During testimony on the bill, several teachers described a dire state of public education in Colorado, saying many are leaving due to the kind of harassment that occurred in Douglas County. Teachers said they receive threats not only for political protests, but also for enforcing face mask mandates or teaching about evolution and equity. A survey of the 39,000 members of the Colorado Education Association found that nearly 67% of the educators are considering retiring or resigning at the end of this school year. This comes as Colorado and the nation have been experiencing a teacher shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bills other sponsor Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, said his brother-in-law is retiring from teaching in Jefferson County just two years short of his 30-year goal because of the stress the pandemic has put on the profession. I think we need to also be cognizant of how this bill will hopefully help teachers when theyre making those decisions, Priola said. Give them just a little peace of mind. Other professions, including peace officers and public defenders, already enjoy privacy protections in Colorado. Last month, House Bill 1041 was signed into law to also add health care workers, code enforcement officers, child representatives and animal control officers to the list. 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. 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 04/21/2022 Photo (c) Westend61 - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 80,818,490 (80,733,941) Total U.S. deaths: 990,395 (989,367) Total global cases: 507,371,986 (506,185,821) Total global deaths: 6,210,317 (6,204,500) CDC still recommends masks on planes and trains While the U.S. government is appealing a judges ruling that blocks the extension of the travel mask mandate, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says everyone should continue masking up. In a statement to the media, the CDC said it will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether such an order remains necessary. In the meantime, it has asked the Justice Department to appeal a federal judges ruling blocking the extension of the travel mask mandate. CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in all indoor public transportation settings, the agency said in a statement. CDCs number one priority is protecting the public health of our nation. As we have said before, wearing masks is most beneficial in crowded or poorly ventilated locations, such as the transportation corridor. Justice Department charges 21 people with COVID-19 financial fraud The U.S. Justice Department has leveled criminal charges against 21 people in nine federal districts across the U.S. for their alleged participation in various health care-related fraud schemes that exploited the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the complaint, the cases resulted in over $149 million in COVID-19-related false billings to federal programs and theft from federally-funded pandemic assistance programs. In connection with the enforcement action, the department seized over $8 million in cash and other alleged fraud proceeds. The Department of Justices Health Care Fraud Unit and our partners are dedicated to rooting out schemes that have exploited the pandemic, said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite, Jr. Todays enforcement action reinforces our commitment to using all available tools to hold accountable medical professionals, corporate executives, and others who have placed greed above care during an unprecedented public health emergency. Unions protected staff at nursing homes, study finds Nursing homes have been vulnerable hot spots during the pandemic. Residents are elderly, sometimes in declining health, and live in close proximity. Many early deaths occurred among residents and staff at long-term care facilities. But a new study by researchers at George Washington University found that facilities that employed union staff members suffered fewer infections and deaths. The study was published in the journal Health Affairs and suggests that union work rules made the difference. "By protecting workers during the pandemic, labor unions are limiting the spread of COVID-19 inside nursing homes and have likely saved the lives of thousands of residents," said Adam Dean, the studys lead author. Around the nation Congratulations, davidvidalnet.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Davidvidalnet.com scored 79 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 21 Oct 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. davidvidalnet.com is very popular in Twitter and Facebook. It is liked by 15 people on Facebook and it has 1419 twitter followers. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the davidvidalnet homepage on Twitter + the total number of davidvidalnet followers (if davidvidalnet has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the davidvidalnet homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the davidvidalnet homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the davidvidalnet homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if davidvidalnet has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the davidvidalnet homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Blog Oficial de David Vidal Emprendedor Social. Aprende a Ganarte la Vida en Internet DESCRIPTION secretos emprender KEYWORDS david vidal, secretos emprender, Plataformas de Trading, como ganar dinero, 11 Crash que estan sucediendo en este momento. Enterate, Invierte en Agua: El Oro del Futuro, Grandes Mentiras sobre el Dinero - 3, Que pasara con nuestro dinero?, Lecciones que OTHER KEYWORDS opciones binarias, opciones, binarias, share and enjoy, share, enjoy, david vidal The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Strict CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Spanish (Spain, International Sort) UTF-8Spanish (Spain, International Sort) DETECTED LANGUAGE Spanish Spanish SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of davidvidalnet.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for davidvidalnet.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/davidvidaldomech DESCRIPTION LIKES PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT PAGE TYPE TIMELINE PAGE NO TIMELINE The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/davidcoach1 DESCRIPTION Asesor de Negocios en la Red. Resuelve todas tus dudas sobre Negocios por Internet en mi Blog o consu ltame Gratis. ACCOUNT CREATED ON 24 Aug 2011 LOCATION lleida spain TWEETS 22363 FOLLOWERS 1419 LISTED 22 Congratulations, mybuddhis.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Mybuddhis.com scored 71 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 4 Jun 2017, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. mybuddhis.com is very popular in Google Plus. It has 10 google+ shares. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the mybuddhis homepage on Twitter + the total number of mybuddhis followers (if mybuddhis has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the mybuddhis homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the mybuddhis homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if mybuddhis has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the mybuddhis homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the mybuddhis homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Komunitas dan Forum buddhist Indonesia DESCRIPTION Selamat Datang di mybuddhis- Komunitas dan Forum buddhist Indonesia KEYWORDS komunitas buddhist, forum buddhist, jejaring sosial buddhist, jodoh buddhis, teman buddhist OTHER KEYWORDS login, forum, buddhist, komunitas dan forum buddhist indonesia, komunitas dan forum buddhist, dan forum buddhist indonesia, komunitas dan forum The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Indonesian (Indonesia) UTF-8Indonesian (Indonesia) DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER nginx OPERATIVE SYSTEM Operative System running on the server. The language of mybuddhis.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for mybuddhis.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. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Congratulations, soldbysuzanne.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Soldbysuzanne.com scored 79 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 4/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 16 Oct 2015, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. soldbysuzanne.com is very popular in Facebook. It has 7 twitter followers. Furthermore its facebook page has 113 likes. Add a widget like this on your site: click here This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the soldbysuzanne homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if soldbysuzanne has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the soldbysuzanne homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the soldbysuzanne homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the soldbysuzanne homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the soldbysuzanne homepage on Twitter + the total number of soldbysuzanne followers (if soldbysuzanne has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE For Sale or Lease - Listings of Houses for Sale in Hamilton, Suzanne Lemaich, RE/MAX Escarpme DESCRIPTION Find For Sale or Lease KEYWORDS Find For Sale or Lease OTHER KEYWORDS street, for sale, escarpment, max escarpment realty inc , max escarpment realty inc, max escarpment realty, escarpment realty inc The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. The language of soldbysuzanne.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. 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 soldbysuzanne.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/SoldBuySue DESCRIPTION Here you will find information relating to Real Estate LIKES 113 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 32 PAGE TYPE Real Estate TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE 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. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/RemaxsSue DESCRIPTION Providing Real Estate Services throughout the Hamilton & Halton area. ACCOUNT CREATED ON 22 Jun 2015 LOCATION Ontario TWEETS 80 FOLLOWERS 7 LISTED 0 The modern subscription video business is a cut-throat one. At this point, pretty much any channel or video producer with three cameras to rub together has entered the fray to battle over a couple dollars of the average consumers monthly entertainment budget. The latest channel to enter the ring was CNN, with their new premium video service, CNN+. It is also the latest channel to leave the ring in a thoroughly bloodied and pulped state. I dont think the failure of CNN+ is that surprising to most people, but the sheer SPEED in which it failed is pretty impressive. The service lasted a month before being shut down due to what experts would call aggressive and complete apathy. To fail that fast in a business climate that applauds companies that lose money for years is like starting a marathon, and then within the first 300 feet, just straight up exploding like a tangerine under an SUV wheel. If I had to pinpoint what CNN could have done better to attract viewers, I would say that they erroneously convinced themselves that what people need right now, during a time of global doomsaying and anxiety, was MORE news. Thats like trying to sell fireworks in a burn ward. Instead, Ive come up with some show ideas that could have kept the streaming service going a little bit longer. In a move demonstrative of international cooperation and partnership, the Five Eyes (United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and United Kingdom) issued an alert giving a comprehensive overview of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal threats to critical infrastructure. The alert also includes remediation guidance, which CISOs will find of particular import. Alert AA22-110A Russian State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure, provides details on the cyber operations attributable to Russian state actors, including the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), and Russian Ministry of Defense, Central Scientific Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (TsNIIKhM). It also identifies cybercriminal organizations, including some which have expressed fealty to the Russian Federation, that have pledged to conduct cyber operations against entities that are providing support to Ukraine. Thus, your companys position on Russias invasion of Ukraine very well may place your company in the target sights of Russian state actors or their cybercriminal cronies. Need to invest in cybersecurity It cannot be overstated that investment in cybersecurity is a must. Threats to critical infrastructure remain very real," said Rob Joyce, NSA Cybersecurity Director. "The Russia situation means you must invest and take action. The four areas of immediate concern that infosec teams should be addressing will not be alien to any entity with a modicum of cybersecurity acumen: Prioritize patching of known exploited vulnerabilities Enforce multi-factor authentication Monitor remote desktop protocol (RDP) Provide end-user awareness and training The fact that the alert leads with these four items, which many would consider Cybersecurity 101, suggests that many entities are devoid of such acumen. CISOs will benefit from the depth of this brief, which clearly embraces the axiom, knowledge is power, as the multinational comments and attribution statements provide additional clarity to a number of historical cybersecurity incidents. Russias cyber threat actors The alert goes into great detail on the various threat actors, a brief synopsis on these follows: FSB: The U.S. and UK have attributed Berserk Bear to be associated with FSBs Center 16 or GRU Unit 71330, and that the targets are critical IT systems and infrastructure in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The U.S. and UK have attributed Berserk Bear to be associated with FSBs Center 16 or GRU Unit 71330, and that the targets are critical IT systems and infrastructure in Europe, the Americas and Asia. SVR: S., Canada and the UK have attributed the SolarWinds Orion compromise to have been conducted by the SVR. An advanced persistent threat (APT) group from within the SVR has been targeting critical infrastructure since at least 2008. S., Canada and the UK have attributed the SolarWinds Orion compromise to have been conducted by the SVR. An advanced persistent threat (APT) group from within the SVR has been targeting critical infrastructure since at least 2008. GRU: Multiple units within the GRU have been previously identified as potential cyber threat actors. This alert highlights two of those units, Unit 26165 and Unit 74455. Unit 26165 is an APT group whose targets are primarily government organizations, travel, and hospitality entities, research institutions, and non-governmental organizations, in addition to other critical infrastructure organizations. Furthermore, the Drovorub malware used in the conduct of cyberespionage activities is attributed to have its origin within the GRU. Unit 74455 is also an APT group is primarily associated with cyber espionage activities, with a particular focus on critical infrastructure within the energy, transportation, and financial services sectors. Unit 74455 notoriety comes from their effective destructive cyber actions -- DDOS and wiper malware attacks. Multiple governments have attributed this APT group to have been instrumental in the 2016 Ukrainian power grid attack and the 2019 attack against Georgian entities. Multiple units within the GRU have been previously identified as potential cyber threat actors. This alert highlights two of those units, Unit 26165 and Unit 74455. TsNIIKhM: This entity is a part of the R&D arm of the Russian Ministry of Defense. They are adept at creating destructive ICS malware. The attacks against U.S. energy entities in 2021 resulted in this entity being sanctioned and an employee indicted by the Department of Energy. This entity is a part of the R&D arm of the Russian Ministry of Defense. They are adept at creating destructive ICS malware. The attacks against U.S. energy entities in 2021 resulted in this entity being sanctioned and an employee indicted by the Department of Energy. Primitive Bear and Venomous Bear: These have been identified as two state-sponsored APT groups by industry. The alert highlights that the Five Eyes have not, as yet, attributed these two entities as being associated with the Russian government. Nonetheless, the groups are targeting western government entities including Ukrainian government entities, governments aligned with NATO, defense contractors and others deemed of intelligence value. Additionally, Russian cybercriminal groups have been highlighted and their efforts cataloged within the alert. These include The CoomingProject, Killnet, Mummy Spider, Salty Spider, Scully Spider, Smokey Spider, Wizard Spider, and The Xaknet Team. Report incidents and unusual cyber activity The alert asks organizations to report incidents and unusual cyber activity with their respective government cybersecurity authorities and provides contact information for CISA. CISA Director Jen Easterly emphasized, We know that malicious cyber activity is part of the Russian playbook. We also know that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure. Todays cybersecurity advisory released jointly by CISA and our interagency and international partners reinforces the demonstrated threat and capability of Russian state-sponsored and Russian aligned cybercriminal groups to our homeland. Easterly urged all organizations to review the guidance in the advisory and on CISAs Shields Up website, which is updated regularly. Leonard Berstein's fans in Connecticut might have an opportunity to be part of a new biographic film about him. The film production company behind "Maestro," a biopic about Bernstein's life starring Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, is hiring for background actors, according to the casting call from Project Casting. The shooting will take place in Tanglewood, Mass. from May 21 - 26. "Maestro," directed by Cooper and produced by Netflix, is looking for actors to play roles set in the 1940s and 1980s. The movie will focus on the relationship between Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre, according to IMDb. Bernstein was an American conductor and composer. He conducted the New York Philharmonic from 1943 to 1989, making 1,244 performances with the Orchestra, according to the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein also composed famous Broadway musicals such as "West Side Story" and "On the Town." While permanently based in New York, Bernstein spent a lot of his time in the Nutmeg State. In 1962, the musician bought a 100-year-old house in Fairfield where he lived for more than two decades and his family still owns. "Maestro," is Cooper's second directing job after his Oscar-winning movie "A Star is Born." In January, Cooper said to Variety that he would start shooting for the movie in May but the release date for the film is still unknown. All I wanted was to be a conductor since I was a kid, Cooper told to Variety about the new film. During the beginning of the pandemic, Bradley Cooper was also rumored to be living in Fairfield after he was spotted several times at local restaurants. Extras must be vaccinated, the post says. Hired actors will be paid but the announcement did not specify the rate. "For 1940s scenes, men must be comfortable receiving a period haircut and have natural colored hair," wrote the casting company in the announcement. Restrictions to appear include no buzz cuts, crew cuts and shaved heads. Women also have to have natural colored hair and preferably above shoulder-length," according to the announcement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Attorneys for actor Amber Heard sought to undermine Johnny Depps libel lawsuit against her Thursday by spending hours in court focused on the actor's drinking, drug use and texts he sent to friends including one about wanting to kill and defile his then-wife. Heard's lawyers referenced Depps history of trashing hotel rooms and his smashing of a bathroom sconce during an argument with Heard. Depp is also facing a lawsuit filed by a member of a film crew who alleges he was assaulted in 2018. Depps lawsuit against Heard alleges that she falsely portrayed him as a domestic abuser and ruined his lucrative acting career. But Heard's attorneys argue that Depp did indeed abuse Heard, both physically and sexually, and claim he cant deny it because he was often drunk and high to the point of blacking out. Depp's text messages only bolster his ex-wife's defense, her lawyers said. I, of course, pounded and displayed ugly colors to Amber on a recent journey," Depp said in a text message to a friend, the actor Paul Bettany, in July 2013, which was shown to jurors. I am an insane person and not so fair headed after too much of the drink, Depp continued. Heard lawyer J. Benjamin Rottenborn focused on another exchange that year between Depp and Bettany in which Depp wrote: Lets burn Amber!!! Bettany responded: Having thought it through I dont think we should burn Amber. Depp texted: Lets drown her before we burn her!!! I will (expletive) her burnt corpse afterwards to make sure shes dead. Depp has previously apologized to the jury for the vulgar language in the texts and said that "in the heat of the pain I was feeling, I went to dark places. He made the same apology Thursday. Rottenborn also showed the jury one of Depps texts to Bettany in 2014 in which he referenced whiskey, pills and cocaine. The texts were written during a period in which Depp said he had stopped drinking. And they were sent around the time of a private flight from Boston to Los Angeles, during which Heard said Depp assaulted her while he was blackout drunk. Rottenborn presented texts that Depp sent to Bettany that said he drank all night before I picked Amber up to fly to LA this past Sunday Ugly, mate No food for days Powders Half a bottle of Whiskey, a thousand red bull and vodkas, pills, 2 bottles of Champers on plane Depp had previously testified that he took two oxycodone pills an opiate to which he admits he was addicted at the time and locked himself in the plane bathroom and fell asleep to avoid her badgering. He also disputes that he was drunk on the flight, saying he drank only a glass of Champagne as he boarded the plane. But Rottenborn also showed the jury Depps expressions of contrition following the flight. Once again I find myself in a place of shame and regret, Depp wrote to Heard. Of course, I am sorry. I really dont know why, or what happened. But I will never do it again My illness somehow crept up and grabbed me I must get better. And I will. For us both. Starting today. I love you. Again, I am so sorry. So sorry. The jury also saw a written apology from Depp to Heard's father in which the actor said he (messed) up and went too far in a fight with Heard. But Depp noted on the stand that the message did not say the fight was a physical. Multiple audio recordings of the couple's conversations were played in court. In one, Heard told Depp he vomited in his sleep. In another discussion, it sounds as if Depp said he had head-butted Heard. I was using the words that Ms. Heard was using, Depp countered. But there was not an intentional head-butt. And if you want to have a peaceful conversation with Ms. Heard, you might have to placate just a little bit. Depp has been on the stand in Fairfax County Circuit Court since Tuesday afternoon. He previously called the accusations of drug addiction grossly embellished, though he acknowledged taking many drugs. The actor also spent much of his previous testimony describing the couple's volatile relationship and denying that he ever abused Heard. Depp said that Heard abused drugs and often violently attacked him. Depp has argued that his movie career suffered after she wrote a 2018 op-ed piece in The Washington Post, which prompted his libel lawsuit against Heard. Heard never mentioned Depp by name in the article, but Depps lawyers said it was a clear reference to accusations Heard made when she sought a 2016 restraining order against him. Depp said the accusations and the article contributed to an unfairly ruined reputation that made him a Hollywood outcast and cost him his role in the lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. When cross-examination began Wednesday, Rottenborn pointed to evidence that Disney made that decision months before the articles publication. Her attorneys have said that Depps damaged reputation was due to his own bad behavior. Rottenborn's cross-examination of Depp lasted all of Thursday and is scheduled to continue Monday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The arrest of Connecticut State Trooper Brian North this week for a fatal shooting in the line of duty more than two years ago marks the first such arrest of a police officer in 17 years. North was charged with first-degree manslaughter with a firearm Tuesday by the state inspector generals office in the shooting of Mubarak Soulemane on Jan. 15, 2020. He was released on $50,000 bond and is due to appear in Milford Superior Court on May 3. My initial reaction was that I was shocked because usually when we come across situations such as this, usually officers walk away with no consequences, said Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut State Conference of the NAACP. Weve see this time and time and time again this particular time I was shocked. Esdaile, who said he had not yet read the full report, said the organization had fought hard for the creation of the inspector generals office, which is now tasked with investigating officer involved shootings and use-of-force incidents. The office was created by state lawmakers in the wake of nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in 2020. It seems like we have a little promise here that were starting to move in the right direction Esdaile said, reached by phone Wednesday. I know this is a very dark tunnel for the family, it seems like this is a little light in the tunnel. Norths arrest is the first time 17 years that a Connecticut police officer has been criminally charged in a fatal shooting while on-duty. The last officer to face charges in a shooting was Hartford police Detective Robert Lawlor, who was acquitted of manslaughter and assault charges in 2009 in the killing of Jashon Bryant. In 2005, Lawlor was working alongside an FBI agent in Hartfords North End when he fired into a car driven by Bryants friend. Lawlor claimed the car was driving at the federal agent, and that he thought Bryant had a gun. The case brought against Lawlor was the only instance an officer was charged in 76 police-related deaths that were investigated between 2001 and 2020, according to reports from the Chief States Attorneys Office. It was less than a decade before the Bryant shooting that a Connecticut officer was first charged with murder for a shooting in the line of duty. On Dec. 29, 1998, New Milford police Officer Scott B. Smith chased down Franklyn Reid, who was wanted on a warrant charging him with violating his probation. Smith shot Reid in the back, claiming self-defense because he didnt show his hands and Smith was concerned he was reaching for a weapon. Smith was acquitted of the murder charge, but convicted of manslaughter in the case. John DeCarlo, a professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven and former police chief for the town of Branford, said charges against Connecticut officers involved in shootings are uncommon. But I suspect that it will be less rare under the police accountability bill with events like this being examined under a different set of circumstances, he said. The unfortunate thing is when a cop makes a mistake like this - like an aircraft pilot making a mistake or a doctor making a mistake - it costs peoples lives, DeCarlo added. Body camera footage from the Soulemane shooting showed North firing at Soulemane seven times through the window of a car as he sat in the drivers seat. The vehicle had become boxed in traffic under an Interstate 95 overpass following a high speed pursuit, after police claimed Soulemane had stolen the car in a carjacking. North told investigators that Soulemane had a knife in the car during the encounter. Soulemanes family said the 19-year-old New Haven resident had a history of schizophrenia, which may have contributed to his actions leading up to the shooting. In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut said Soulemane should still be alive today, but that the arrest of North is a welcome step toward individual accountability. For two years, Mubarak Soulemanes loved ones have called for police to be held accountable for killing him. No family should ever have to lose a loved one to police violence, let alone have to advocate for police to be held accountable afterward, read the statement from Claudine Constant, the organizations public policy and advocacy director. Yet far too many families, especially Black families, have been left to grieve loved ones killed by police and never seen the individual police or system-wide actors held responsible, she went on to say. The Inspector Generals report is a thorough indictment of the system that makes it possible for police to kill a young Black man experiencing a mental health crisis and of previous prosecutors excuses for that system. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A Florida dentist was arrested Thursday on charges that he hired hit men eight years ago to kill his sister's ex-husband, a prominent law professor, so she could move back to the Fort Lauderdale area from Tallahassee with her two children. Charles Adelson, 45, was being held Thursday without bond at the Broward County jail on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder after being arrested at his home by U.S. marshals. He is awaiting transfer to Tallahassee. His attorney said Thursday he is innocent. Adelson and other members of his family have long been cited by prosecutors and investigators as potential suspects in the July 18, 2014, killing of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel by two men at his Tallahassee home. Markel, 41, had been married to Wendi Adelson, who had been unable to return to South Florida because Markel had joint custody of their young children after a highly contentious divorce. Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell said in a statement that Adelson was indicted by a grand jury after technicians were able to enhance the sound on an April 2016 video recording made secretly of him talking to a former girlfriend and employee, Katherine Magbanua. She was charged six months later with organizing the killing. Adelson had been under surveillance. This recording includes statements by Charles Adelson which can be heard clearly for the first time, Campbell said. Magbanua is scheduled to be retried next month on a first-degree murder charge after a jury hung in 2019. Prosecutors say she hired Sigfredo Garcia, the father of her two children, to commit the murder and that he enlisted the help of his childhood friend, Luis Rivera. Prosecutors said the two men drove from South Florida to Tallahassee to execute the plan, stalking Markel on the morning of the shooting as he dropped off his children at day care and stopped at the gym. When Markel returned home, Garcia shot him as he sat in his car talking on his cellphone. Garcia is serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2019. Rivera is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against Garcia and Magbanua. David Markus, Adelsons attorney, said his client is innocent and tied the arrest to Magbanuas retrial. Prosecutors have no new information that led to this arrest. The timing sure does stink, doesnt it? On the eve of a long-awaited trial of (Magbanua), this move has the smell of desperation, Markus said in an emailed statement. Campbell did not specify which statements led to Adelson's arrest, but in the 41-minute recording released Thursday afternoon, Adelson sits with Magbanua at a noisy Mexican restaurant. The hidden camera recording them appears to be sitting on a bench across the aisle. Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, Adelson first told Magbanua that if the police knew anything, we would have already gone to the airport. He then told her that the police simply putting someone in a car or with someone else isn't enough for a conviction they and prosecutors need proof the person was involved in the crime. He then told her that someone had approached his mother and demanded money. He told Magbanua that the man knew details about the killing and mentioned her. But as he contemplated whether the extortionist might be an undercover police officer trying to rattle his mother, he denied any involvement in the shooting something he did repeatedly throughout the rest of the conversation. If it's a cop, I'm happy because I've got nothing to hide, Adelson told Magbanua. He then told Magbanua she needs to contact the extortionist and tell him that a one-time payment will be made, but the Adelsons will contact the police if he or anyone else demands further money. The whole time you are talking, you just say, I dont know what's going on,'" Adelson told her. If it's the police, they can't take the money. They won't even come meet you. He tells Magbanua that his mother can't meet with the extortionist because that will just lead to further demands. If my parents were guilty, they may think they have a really big fish on the line that's gonna pay them monthly. he said. He tries to calm Magbanua's worries by telling her, You giving somebody some money is not an admission of any kind of guilt. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Adelsons restaurant conversation was with a co-defendant, not his mother. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Adelson sat with Magbanua at a Mexican restaurant. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) Hong Kong relaxed pandemic restrictions on Thursday, with Disneyland and museums reopening and nighttime restaurant dining resuming as the city's worst COVID-19 outbreak appears to be fading. Enthusiastic visitors ran into Disneyland the moment the gates opened after a three-month closure. Popular theme parks were ordered to close in January as Hong Kong's fifth wave of the coronavirus took hold. Nearly 1.2 million people in the city of 7.4 million were infected in less than four months, and nearly 9,000 have died. Since Christmas we havent been back here, my daughters really happy, shes been waiting so long, said Joyce Mak, 36, who brought her young daughter to Disneyland. Last night she was so excited, she didnt want to go to sleep. The city was caught off guard as the surge, driven by highly transmissible omicron variant, overwhelmed hospitals. At the peak of the outbreak, bodies were stored in refrigerated containers because mortuaries were overwhelmed. The easing of restrictions came after officials acknowledged that people were getting frustrated with the measures, and that there must be a balance between fighting the epidemic and resumption of normal activities. The relaxation of measures before Hong Kong has reached zero COVID-19 cases marks a shift from the citys earlier strategy, which was aligned to mainland Chinas zero-tolerance for any outbreaks. Previously, authorities were reluctant to ease measures until it was clear that outbreaks in the city were stamped out. A 15-year-old student, Cynthia Cheung, said Disneyland was her happiest place. Its been such a long time since coming here, last time was in December, she said. I really missed it. Theme parks can now operate at 50% capacity, and visitors must show proof of vaccination. Disney employees held up signs reminding people to keep social distance. In mainland China, the death toll rose to 25 in an outbreak in Shanghai that has all but shut down the countrys largest city. Health authorities said Thursday that eight more people had died in the previous day. The relatively low number of reported deaths highlights China's use of much narrower criteria than the rest of the world for its pandemic statistics. Shanghai has eased the lockdown somewhat in areas that have not reported new cases in seven to 14 days, allowing residents out of their homes but still restricting them to their compounds or neighborhoods. Some said on social media that they dare not venture out anyway, wary of entering nearby areas that have had recent cases. Officials said this week that 12.3 million people in the city of 25 million are now in control or prevention areas, which are less restrictive than lockdown zones in a three-tier system. That is 4 million more than 10 days ago, they said. However, one of the citys 16 districts announced Thursday that no residents would be allowed to leave their compounds. The Jingan district in central Shanghai said that even those in prevention areas, the least restrictive zone, would no longer be able to venture into the surrounding neighborhood. The city reported 18,495 new local cases on Thursday, including 15,861 without symptoms. In eastern Shanghai, some residents were ordered to leave their homes while health workers carried out a large-scale disinfection following a spike in infections, according to news reports and social media posts. It wasnt clear how many people in Beicai town were affected. The areas population is nearly 300,000. Phone calls to the municipal government werent answered. Photos published by The Paper, an online news outlet, showed workers in hooded, white protective suits spraying disinfectant in homes. In Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese region, attractions such as Ocean Park and M+ museum reopened Thursday. Gyms, beauty salons and massage parlors were also allowed to resume business. Customers must have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and scan a QR code upon entry for contact-tracing purposes. Restaurants, which had been barred from providing dine-in service after 6 p.m., can reopen in the evening, although each table is capped at four guests. Hong Kong reported 603 locally spread infections Thursday, down more than 99% from the peak of more than 30,000 in March. ___ Soo reported from Singapore. Associated Press researcher Chen Si in Shanghai, writer Joe McDonald and researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Thursday kept alive a California mans hope of reclaiming a valuable impressionist masterpiece taken from his family by the Nazis and now on display in a Spanish museum. The question in the case was not directly about whether San Diego resident David Cassirer can get back the streetscape by French impressionist Camille Pissarro. Instead, the question was how to determine whose property laws Spain's or California's ultimately apply to resolving the dispute over Rue Saint-Honore in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain." The painting of a Paris street with horse-drawn carriages and a fountain is now worth tens of millions of dollars. Lower courts had concluded Spanish property law should ultimately govern the case and that under Spanish law, the museum was the rightful owner of the painting the family believed for over half a century had been lost or destroyed. If the Supreme Court had upheld that ruling, the case would have been over. Instead, the justices unanimously sided with Cassirer and sent the case back to lower courts, where he still faces hurdles to getting the painting back. The museum and Cassirer could also come to some agreement rather than continue to fight in court. Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the courts 9-page opinion that the path of our decision has been as short as the hunt for Rue Saint-Honore was long; our ruling is as simple as the conflict over its rightful owner has been vexed. In statements, Cassirer's lawyers cheered the decision. David Boies, who argued the case before the justices, called it "a great day for the Cassirer family and for all who care about justice. Cassirer's lawyer Scott Gant said he hoped that Spain and the foundation that runs the museum for the Spanish government would reflect, and conclude they should return the painting rather than maintain their longstanding refusal to do what is just. In ruling in the case, lower courts have criticized Spain for not living up to commitments to return Nazi-looted art. Lawyers for the museum did not immediately respond to messages seeking their reaction to the decision. The story of the stolen Pissarro painting goes back to Cassirer's great-grandmother Lilly Cassirer, a German Jew. She had owned the 1897 oil painting, one of a series of 15 that Pissarro painted of a Paris street as seen from his hotel window. After the Nazis came to power and years of intensifying persecution, Lilly Cassirer and her husband decided to flee Germany. In 1939, in order to get visas to leave, she surrendered the Pissarro painting to the Nazis. The painting changed hands a number of times after that. It is now in the collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid, which has fought to retain it. It has been said to be worth more than $30 million. In 1958, Lilly Cassirer reached a monetary settlement with the German government worth about $250,000 in today's dollars, but she didnt give up rights to try to pursue the painting if it turned up. In fact, the painting was not lost or destroyed but had traveled to the United States, where it spent 25 years in the hands of different collectors before being purchased in 1976 by Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza of Lugano, Switzerland. He owned it until the 1990s when he sold much of his art collection to Spain for more than $300 million. The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, a renovated palace, now houses the collection. In 2000, Lilly Cassirer's grandson Claude Cassirer learned the painting's whereabouts. Spain rejected his attempts to get it back, however, and he ultimately sued in his home state of California in 2005. Claude Cassirer died in 2010. Its his son David now fighting for the pieces return. In her opinion, Kagan wrote that in lawsuits like Cassirer's, foreign parties should be treated just as a private party would be. The standard rule" there is that the rules of the state where the lawsuit is filed should apply, she said. That means lower courts should have looked to California rules about what law should be used to resolve the case. That doesn't necessarily mean Cassirer will win. One lower court said that under California rules which require weighing whether California or Spanish property law should apply Spanish law would still apply and the museum would win. Kagan, one of two Jewish justices on the court, ended the opinion by attaching an image of the painting and an image of the painting hanging in Lilly Cassirer's living room in Germany. The case is David Cassirer v. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation, 20-1566. A Texas judge postponed a defamation awards trial that was supposed to begin on Monday to determine how much money Alex Jones will pay the parents of a slain Sandy Hook boy while three of Jones companies seek bankruptcy protection in federal court. As soon as I do get a remand (from bankruptcy court) I will be resetting this trial, said Travis County District Court Judge Maya Guerra Gamble during a Wednesday morning hearing in Austin, Texas the headquarters of Jones Infowars broadcast and marketing platform. We are going to go to trial as soon as I possibly can. Guerra Gambles decision comes one day after a Superior Court judge in Connecticut postponed a trial planned for August to determine how much money Jones will pay an FBI agent and eight families who lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook massacre, stemming from a defamation suit Jones lost to them last year. The ruling by the Texas judge means the parents of Jesse Lewis will have to await the outcome of the bankruptcy process. The parents of a second boy slain in the Sandy Hook massacre who also won a defamation case against Jones last year in Texas and were scheduled to have their awards trial next will also have to wait. Neil Heslin, who along with Scarlett Lewis was preparing for a Monday trial declined to comment about the delay after the judges ruling. Jones legal and financial troubles have been in the national headlines for a month as his first defamation awards trial approached in Texas. His effort to settle with 19 people in the Connecticut and Texas defamation cases for $120,000 each was rejected. At the same time, he was sued in Texas by four Sandy Hook parents who accused him of transferring millions of dollars from his fortune to shield assets from them at the damages trials. On Monday, Guerra Gamble ordered Jones and his companies to pay $1 million in legal fees to the parents of two slain Sandy Hook children and a Norwalk native falsely accused of being the shooter in a Florida high school massacre. Jones made public statements recently in Bridgeport that he no longer believes the massacre of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 was staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors. On Wednesday in Austin, Guerra Gamble heard first from the Sandy Hook parents attorney Mark Bankston, who argued the defamation awards trial should begin on Monday regardless of the bankruptcy filings because the effort by Jones attorney to remove the case to federal court was abnormal and dishonest. As things stand right nowI have a feeling when we walk out of this courtroom they are going to come out with another stunt, Bankston said during a livestreamed conference. They have already shown an extraordinary willingness to go beyond what is honest and forthright to make this scheme work. Bankston was referring to three Jones controlled businesses that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday - an action that normally would have delayed the pretrial defamation award cases in Texas and Connecticut, except that Jones himself and another business he controls, Free Speech Systems, were not part of the bankruptcy filing and remained defendants. On Monday, Jones attorneys filed a separate motion to remove the remaining cases from state court until the bankruptcy process was complete. That prompted Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis to suspend pretrial preparations in Waterbury. On Wednesday, Jones Houston attorney Andino Reynal said Guerra Gamble should to the same as Bellis, arguing that the disposition of the Jones-controlled businesses in bankruptcy could have an effect on the ability of Jones and Free Speech Systems to pay defamation damages awarded by a jury. Our position is that (your) jurisdiction disappeared at some point yesterday, Reynal told the judge. After a 30-minute break, Guerra Gamble agreed. As a result, all eyes now turn to Texas Southern Bankruptcy Court in Victoria, where the first hearing is planned for Friday. For some of the Sandy Hook families involved in the Jones defamation cases, it is not the first time a lawsuit has been delayed by bankruptcy. In 2020, Remington filed for bankruptcy protection after nine Sandy Hook families won a string of pretrial victories in their wrongful death lawsuit. After Remington was sold off to competitors, its insurance carriers settled with the families for $73 million. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) Zipline, an American company that specializes in using autonomously flying drones to deliver medical supplies, has taken off in Japan. Theyre flying, starting Thursday, across the tiny Goto Islands, off the western coast of Kyushu, in southwestern Japan, delivering to pharmacies and hospitals. Other parts of Japan may follow, including urban areas, although the biggest needs tend to be in isolated rural areas. Zipline, founded six years ago, already is in service in the U.S., where it has partnered with Walmart Inc. to deliver other products at the retail chain as well as drugs. It is also delivering medical goods in Ghana and Rwanda. Its takeoff in Japan is in partnership with Toyota Tsusho, a group company of Japans top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. You can totally transform the way that you react to pandemics, treat patients and do things like home health care delivery, Zipline Chief Executive Keller Rinaudo told The Associated Press. Although drones have been used in Japan for photography and aerial exhibitions, such as the Tokyo Olympics last year, theyre not in wide use, especially in urban areas because of regulations. It remains to be seen if Ziplines health care service will help win over skeptics. Rinaudo was optimistic the technology will be accepted in a nation known for robotics prowess, which has a large elderly population but needs better health care in isolated areas. Medical services are the focus because there was a real moral imperative to get that right first, he said. Communities will deeply understand the value of the service. And it was also easier to get regulators comfortable with what we were doing when every flight was potentially saving a human life, Rinaudo said. By delivering medicine precisely, the service helps reduce stockpiles and, potentially, waste. The zero-emission quiet flights can go as far as 300 kilometers (186 miles) and are inexpensive compared to other modes of transport, according to Zipline, based in South San Francisco, California. The coronavirus pandemic has made deliveries of vaccines more pressing than ever, Rinaudo said. Blood supplies, insulin and cancer treatment have also been delivered with Zipline drones. A subsidiary called Sora-iina will carry out the operations, managing a distribution center and flight services from Fukue Port on Goto Islands. Its the first distribution center in Asia, and 14th in the world to operate Ziplines autonomous instant logistics technology. Three major Japanese distributors of pharmaceuticals have agreed to be partners. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama HARTFORD The addresses of about 200 employees in the state Attorney Generals office would be protected from public disclosure, under legislation that passed the House of Representatives Wednesday. The bill, which passed 111-33, next heads to the Senate, including a rare instance in which a liberal Democrat, Rep. Peter Tercyak of New Britain, voted with conservative Republicans led by Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco of Wolcott, the top GOP lawmaker on the Government Administration & Elections Committee, who voted against the bill. There is no reason for the state of Connecticut to make this information public, said Rep. Dan Fox, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the GAE Committee. During a recent public hearing, Attorney General William Tong testified that his staff often represents Department of Correction Officers in court and are subject to the same kind of threats from prison inmates. The office of the attorney general is no different from us here, Mastrofrancesco said of fellow House members, whose addresses are readily available in various state records. *** The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation to allow some towns to enter into agreements to fix assessments on property or air space. The bill, which passed 131-12 after a brief vote, next heads to the Senate. In communities where legislative bodies are a town-meeting-style of government, the local board of selectmen, if allowed by local ordinance, could participate in the fixed assessments. According to an analysis of the legislation, current law limits such agreements to the legislative bodies, which sometimes meet only once a year. Fixed assessments would be fixed for up to 10 years for long-term improvements, including offices, manufacturing, retail uses, multi-family housing and parking. *** People in possession of plastic gift cards worth five dollars or less would be allowed to exchange them for cash under a consumer-friendly bill that was approved Wednesday by the state Senate. The current maximum amount that can be redeemed for cash is $3. The legislation, which next heads to the House, would not include gift certificates sold below face value to non-profits; paper gift certificates, or retailer gift cards that do not have a retail establishment in the state. State Sen. Patricia Billie Miller, D-Stamford, co-chairwoman of the Banks Committee introduced the legislation, starting an hour-long debate over the difference between a donated card or one that was purchased outright. She said that retailers would decide whether they were straight-up gift cards or charitable donations. "Instead of having a gift card with a small balance sitting in your drawer, Connecticut residents will be able to redeem that remaining low balance and put it toward something else they may need, Miller said after the vote. The bill would also eliminate the requirement to provide the proof of purchase or a gift receipt. Republicans led by Sen. Paul Formica, a restaurateur from East Lyme, said the bill seemed to be confusing, and questioned whether it would create problems for retailers who had given away cards for charities. It is so fuzzy to me right now, said Sen. John Kissel of Enfield. The bill passed 24-9. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT LOS ANGELES (AP) In a city struggling with rising crime rates and an out-of-control homeless crisis, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday proposed boosting spending for police and funneling a record amount more than $1 billion into housing and other programs to help those those living on the streets. Garcetti said the spending aimed at homelessness, if approved by City Council, would be about 20 times the amount directed at homelessness when he took office in 2013. The proposal comes at a time when makeshift encampments have spread in virtually every neighborhood. US sincerity key for risk management by both forces By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 08:22, April 21, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held a telephone talk on Wednesday with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. This is the first phone call between Chinese and US defense chiefs since US President Joe Biden took office, which highlights the difficulties and complexity in the current bilateral ties, including the relations between the two militaries, and has certain particularity and importance. Against the backdrop of a turbulent international situation and continuous tensions between China and the US, the communication between the two defense ministers sent a positive signal to the outside world. During the call, both Wei and Austin expressed their willingness to advance the implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state, as well as their desire to manage risks. Wei stated China's solemn position on the Taiwan question and demanded that the US stop military provocations at sea. Austin said that the US adheres to the one-China policy and will strengthen military exchanges and cooperation with China in a candid and open manner. The two sides also exchanged views on issues such as maritime and air security and the situation in Ukraine, continuing the consistent, frank style of high-level China-US dialogues when facing differences. The high-level communication between both militaries will help avoid misjudgments and create favorable conditions for the return to a stable development of military relations. Needless to say, the risk of a military accident and even an outbreak of armed conflict between the Chinese and US forces is increasing, which has aroused growing concerns in the international community. The Chinese and US militaries have had a relatively stable period in the past decade or so. However, during the later period of the Trump administration, as Washington unscrupulously launched all-round provocations against China, military exchanges between the two countries fell into low ebb. The real risk of military mishaps is greatly increased. This situation continues to this day. The responsibility for such a perilous state today lies entirely with the US. The Biden administration made it clear that it does not seek confrontation with China. Nonetheless, provocations from the US military kept increasing. In particular, the military collusion between the US and the island of Taiwan has become increasingly rampant. Washington is stepping up its arms sales to Taiwan island. The two sides have also greatly increased "military exchanges" aimed at improving "joint combat capabilities." In addition, in recent years, US congressmen have visited Taiwan many times with the assistance of the military, roaming around the red line with "US military planes landing in Taiwan." The US aircraft carriers passed through the Taiwan Straits under the banner of "freedom of navigation." These dangerous acts of repeatedly testing the mainland's red line have greatly pushed up the real risks of a war in the Taiwan Straits. The US has carried out close-in reconnaissance on China in the South China Sea, East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and other regions, which has also ramped up the risk of accidents. According to statistics, in 2021, there were about 4,000 to 5,000 close-in reconnaissance sorties of various US military aircraft over China and about five warships a day operating in the South China Sea, East China Sea, or the Yellow Sea. Because of the increasing frequency, the US military has already been in a state of excessive deployment and overfatigue in the West Pacific, resulting in a decline in professionalism of front-line officers and soldiers. Recent frequent incidents of US warships and planes in the South China Sea are proof of it. This situation also means that the risk of friction between the US and the Chinese militaries is rapidly rising and it is urgent that risks are controlled. This time, China spoke to the US at the invitation of the Americans, which demonstrates that Washington is also aware of the seriousness of the problem. Dialogue is better than no talk and engagement is better than confrontation, but what is more important is that the US should show its sincerity to implement its promise to avoid a new Cold War with China, to not change China's system or revitalize alliances against China, and that the US does not support "Taiwan independence" or intend to seek a conflict with China. The defense ministers of the two countries have emphasized "controlling the crisis." Washington, as the side that provoked conflicts and created the crisis, should of course take the initiative to win the trust of China. If the US military truly does not want to have clashes with the PLA, it should stop militarily provoking China and keep away from China's doorstep. Especially on the Taiwan question, Washington should understand that China does not have the slightest room for compromise and the Chinese army will firmly safeguard the country's security of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The US should clearly receive this signal and refrain from misinterpreting, misunderstanding and misjudging this position. We have also noticed that some in the US have increased their urge to take chances as they have exploited the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. They even thought that the US could provoke a conflict in Asia-Pacific or the Taiwan Straits and then retreat without losses. We hope that this kind of madness will not erode the already scarce rational elements in America's perception of China. Cooperation between China and the US will benefit both, while confrontation will hurt. This is not a casual slogan but a fact. Now that the US secretary of defense has expressed his willingness to "manage risks," it is time for Washington to take concrete actions to prove its credibility. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) HARTFORD A years-long effort to ban single-use polystyrene foam takeout containers and lunch trays took its furthest step toward becoming law on Wednesday, with the state Senate voting in favor of a moratorium beginning in 2024. The legislation, which passed by a vote of 24-11, would prohibit the use of expanded polystyrene foam from use by restaurants, caterers and school districts to package food and drinks. Connecticut is not able to recycle the foam, and burning it in incinerators has led to worries about releasing toxic chemicals into the air, advocates say. Previous efforts to enact a ban, however, have failed in the face of opposition from the restaurant owners, who pointed to their own financial struggles during the pandemic and reliance on takeout business to stay afloat. In each of the last two legislative sessions, similar bills to ban the use of polystyrene failed to receive a vote on the floor of either chamber. By extending the proposed ban out two years, to July 1, 2024, bill sponsor state Sen. Christine Cohen, D- Guilford, said she hoped to alleviate those concerns and give restaurateurs time to use up their existing supplies of takeout containers and find suitable alternatives such as cardboard or clear plastic. As a restaurant owner myself, I know that there were some real struggles, real struggles, during the pandemic, said Cohen, who owns a bagel shop in Guilford. We needed to allow time for our restaurants to really get back on their feet. The restaurant industry has continued to oppose the bill however, and in testimony submitted to lawmakers last month the Connecticut Restaurant Association pointed out that roughly 600 restaurants had closed during the pandemic. Even as restaurants are open in 2022, the road to recovery will be extremely challenging and this legislation would cause financial harm to many, said Scott Dolch, president of the Restaurant Association. Republicans took up the cause of the industry during debate over the legislation late Wednesday evening, arguing that the legislation would largely impact smaller businesses while grocers, big box stores and wholesale delivery businesses could continue using the foam in their packaging. The practicality of what were doing here, to me, makes no sense, state Sen. Paul Formica, R- East Lyme. This body seems to enjoy targeting restaurants and caterers. New York enacted its own ban on plastic foam containers at the start of this year. Maine, Vermont and Maryland have also imposed bans, while some restaurant chains, such as Dunkin Donuts, have voluntarily phased out the use of foam packaging. The legislation would also apply to school districts, which would have to stop using polystyrene lunch trays by the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Districts that currently use polystyrene lunch trays would have to develop a plan to switch over to alternative materials no later than July 1, 2023. Cohen said she had met with school officials to address their concerns and ensure that enough time was given to make the switch. Eric Scoville, a spokesman for the Department of Education, said on Thursday however that it could cost some larger districts as much as $850,000 to make the switch to alternate materials, and that the agency remained oppossed to the bill. Many districts have already transitioned, and others are already starting to voluntarily switch to non-polystyrene based trays in their schools, Scoville said. While we are in support of the overall intent of the bill from an environmental standpoint, such a change will place a significant cost burden on our districts as the costs for alternative trays are up to four times the cost of the polystyrene trays. An amendment added to the bill without opposition on Wednesday evening would also require state agencies to study the impact of the ban and frequency of violations and deliver a report to lawmakers by 2025 to determine whether there is an additional need for a hardship waiver. The bill now heads to the House for consideration. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee Republican officials have removed three congressional hopefuls from the GOP primary ballot, including one candidate backed by former President Donald Trump. The late Tuesday night decision by the Tennessee Republican Party was a long awaited result of months of debate over Morgan Ortagus, Trump's former State Department spokesperson, entering Nashville's open 5th Congressional District race. Even with Trump's endorsement, some Republicans criticized the selection after pointing out that she had just recently moved to the state and did not know the region or its voters. Tennessees Republican-controlled Legislature had sought to nudge Ortagus and others off the ballot by imposing residency requirements on most U.S. House and Senate candidates. However, that attempt fizzled after the state's election office told The Associated Press the legislation which Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee allowed to go into effect without his signature earlier this month would not apply retroactively to candidates who had already met the qualifications. That left the decision up to the state Republican Party, who had received challenges over the voting records of Ortagus, as well as video producer Robby Starbuck and small business owner Baxter Lee. Party officials had until Thursday to decide whether to keep the candidates on the August primary ballot. Tennessee GOP chairman Scott Golden confirmed the three were removed in a text to the AP on Wednesday. In a statement, Ortagus said she was deeply disappointed in the GOP executive committee's decision. "As I have said all along, I believe that voters in Middle Tennessee should pick their representative not establishment party insiders, she said. Our team is evaluating the options before us. Trump has not responded to the state party's move. He had announced his endorsement via email in January, before Ortagus had officially filed to run, saying she would have his Complete and Total Endorsement." Meanwhile, Starbuck tweeted out a short video with dark music that simply said war shortly after the party's decision was revealed. In Cuba they have sham elections where the party decides which candidates are allowed to run. Thats what we have in Tennessee now thanks to the State Executive Committee, he later said in a Wednesday statement. My family didnt come from Cuba just to watch America become Cuba. Not without a fight. Freedom matters. In a longer statement posted Wednesday, Starbuck promised to use all available legal options to fight this disgusting outcome" and said he believed his campaign would win in court. Chip Saltsman, Baxter Lee's campaign manager, described the decision a headscratcher and said Baxter Lee was a Republican through and through. Saltsman said Baxter Lee was kicked off the ballot because the candidate had not voted in three of the last four Tennessee primary elections. However, Saltsman pointed out that Lee had voted in 10 of the last 12 GOP primaries while giving nearly $100,000 to Republican candidates. Meanwhile, Republican state Sen. Frank Niceley they key sponsor of the legislation that sought to boot Ortagus and others off the ballot told NBC News that only Jewish members of Trump's family will care about Ortagus getting kicked out of the primary. Ortagus is Jewish. I dont think Trump cares one way or the other, Niceley said, who is supporting former House Speaker Beth Harwell in the open congressional race. I think Jared Kushner hes Jewish, shes Jewish I think Jared will be upset. Ivanka will be upset. I dont think Trump cares. Niceley had recently sparked national criticism after seemingly praising Adolf Hitler on the Senate floor while discussing a homelessness bill. Ortagus responded that Niceley should be ashamed of his repeated anti-Semitic rhetoric. I will condemn anyone who traffics in this hate-mongering, she said in a statement. Senator Niceleys repulsive words could not be more clear in disparaging the Jewish people. This racism cannot stand. Niceley claimed his words were taken out of context. "Attempting to construe my off-hand comments about the Trump family as antisemitism is unfair and inaccurate, he said Wednesday. The deep Republican field for the 5th District now includes Harwell, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles and retired National Guard Brig. Gen. Kurt Winstead. The flurry of candidates have set their sights on Tennessees freshly drawn 5th District after Republican redistricting this year. The seat became open after Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper announced he would not seek reelection rather than run in a district that carved up Nashville, favoring Republicans in each of the three seats and making it impossible for him to win any of them, in his view. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Heidi Campbell is seeking the 5th District seat. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UNITED NATIONS (AP) Two days into Russia's attack on Ukraine, a majority of U.N. Security Council members voted to demand that Moscow withdraw. One thing stood in their way: a veto by Russia itself. It was the latest in decades of vetoes on issues ranging from the Korean War to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to climate change that at least temporarily stymied the council that was designed to be the U.N.'s most potent component. A round of venting followed over the veto power afforded to just five of its 15 members: China, the United States, Russia, France, and Britain. Each has used that power over the years. Proposals to change the council's structure or rein in vetoes have sputtered for more than half a century. But now, a new approach simply subjecting vetoed matters to scrutiny by the full U.N. membership appears to be gaining traction. Spearheaded by Liechtenstein, the measure has more than 55 co-sponsors, including the U.S. The 193-member General Assembly is due to consider the proposed resolution Tuesday. This is really an important initiative," said Thomas Weiss, a City University of New York Graduate Center political science professor and Chicago Council on Global Affairs distinguished fellow who specializes in U.N. politics. To him, the proposal promotes transparency and challenges the idea that a few powerful countries can tank Security Council initiatives without so much as an explanation. It does, in important ways, suggest that the veto is not sacrosanct, he said. The proposal wouldn't limit vetoes, but they would trigger public debates in the General Assembly. Whichever country or countries had cast a veto would be invited to say why. The assembly wouldnt have to take or even consider any action. Regardless, the discussion could put veto-wielders on the spot and let a raft of other countries be heard. It aims to promote the voice of all of us who are not veto-holders, and who are not on the Security Council, on matters of international peace and security because they affect all of us, said Liechtenstein's U.N. ambassador, Christian Wenaweser. From the U.N.'s 1945 start, World War II allies Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union (succeeded by Russia), and the U.S. have been the only countries with permanent seats and veto power in the Security Council. Other members are elected to two-year terms. While the General Assembly got a broad membership and agenda, the council got more power. Its resolutions are legally binding, if sometimes ignored nonetheless, and can entail military action (i.e., assembling peacekeeping forces with troops contributed by various countries.) Vetoes arose quickly. So did frustration. By the end of 1946, the assembly asked the council to make every effort not to let vetoes hinder prompt decision-making. By now, more than 200 different Security Council proposals have been vetoed, some by multiple countries, according to U.N. records. The subjects were as sweeping as reporting on weapons stockpiles and as specific as the governance of a part of the Indian Ocean nation Comoros. The Soviet Union/Russia has cast the most vetoes by far, followed by the United States. Fewer still have been cast by Britain, China and France. Countless other ideas were never brought to a vote because of an expected veto. All that has engendered laments that the council's sometime paralysis undermines its legitimacy and public faith in the U.N. And Russia's invasion of Ukraine has only brought those grievances more into focus. We are dealing with a state that is turning the veto in the United Nations Security Council into the right to die," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the council via video April 5. Saying the group simply cannot work effectively, he called on members to remove Russia, reform or "dissolve yourself and work for peace. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, in turn, bristled that his country had been thwarted in its efforts to hold a separate council meeting on Ukraine the day before. Current council president Britain said it was just a scheduling disagreement. With the council at an impasse, the no-veto General Assembly has voted to demand that Russia stop the war, to blame Russia for the humanitarian crisis that has ensued, to urge an immediate cease-fire, and to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council. Russia subsequently said it withdrew from the rights group before the vote. Assembly resolutions can function as prominent statements of world opinion but aren't legally binding. Liechtenstein initially planned to introduce its proposal in March 2020 but held off because of the coronavirus pandemic, Wenaweser said. He said the Ukraine stalemate has helped build support for the idea. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield cited what she called Russia's shameful pattern of abusing its veto privilege when she announced last week that Washington was backing Liechtenstein's proposal. She called it innovative and a significant step toward the accountability, transparency and responsibility" of countries with veto power. The United States last used it to kill an August 2020 proposal about prosecuting and rehabilitating people involved in terrorism. Washington objected that the measure didn't call for repatriating foreign fighters for the Islamic State extremist group in Iraq and Syria. The other veto-wielding countries haven't responded to requests for comment on Liechtenstein's proposal. Wenaweser said Russia had raised objections, centered on views about the General Assembly's proper role in international peace and security issues. Wenaweser said his country is pragmatic about the future of veto power, but we want to help initiate a change in mindset as to the way in which the veto is cast. Boston urged people to start wearing masks Thursday and the Biden administration weighed its next legal step in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes court fight over the abrupt end of the national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit. The Boston Public Health Commission noted a rise in hospitalizations, as well as a 65% increase in cases and an even larger spike in COVID-19 levels in local wastewater samples. It also stressed that the guidance was merely a recommendation, not an order. The country is wrestling with how to deal with the next phase of the pandemic and find the right balance in enacting health measures at a time when many Americans are ready to move on after two exhausting years. A federal judge in Florida this week threw out a national mask mandate on mass transportation, and airlines and airports responded swiftly Monday by repealing their requirements that passengers wear face coverings. That put the Biden administration in the position of trying to navigate an appeal that could have sweeping ramifications over the power that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has in regulating future health emergencies. Los Angeles County bucked national trends and said Thursday it will still require masks on public transit including trains, subways, buses, taxis and rideshares. Cases have risen in the past week and hospitalizations have plateaued after falling the previous two months. Philadelphia last week became the first big city to bring back a mask mandate, responding to a rise and infections and hospitalizations there, but the city abruptly reversed course Thursday night and ended the mandate. Other cities in the Northeast have been closely watching the trend lines and a new color-coded map from the CDC to decide next steps. The map that the CDC switched to in late February is less focused on positive test results and more on whats happening at hospitals to give community leaders clearer guidelines on when to urge masking. Nearly 95% of U.S. counties still have low transmission based on the map, but more places have shifted to medium and high transmission in recent weeks, including many places in upstate New York. Hospitalizations nationally have ticked up in recent weeks but are nowhere near the peak reached at the height of the omicron surge. COVID-19 cases have increased rapidly citywide, so we need people to be vigilant and take precautions that can help us avoid another potential surge, said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, the Boston commissions executive director. Living with COVID-19 is about collective responsibility and working together. She said people in Boston should mask indoors, stay up to date with their vaccinations and test for suspected infections. The Boston recommendation came two days after the city's transit system lifted mask requirements in response to the national transportation ruling, reflecting the mishmash of reactions following the court decision by an appointee of former President Donald Trump. As the Biden administration figures out an appeal, Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University, said a monumental battle" was shaping up, with the future of the CDC at stake. The agency continues to recommend that people wear masks in all indoor public transportation settings. The question the courts are going to have to decide, and the public will have to decide, is when the next health crisis hits and it will will we have a strong public health agency to protect the population? he said. Or will the CDC simply have its hands tied behind its back? I think its a very really possibility were going to see the CDC handcuffed. While the Supreme Court did strike down the agencys eviction moratorium for housing, that was more at the edge of the agencys authority. Setting rules for mask wearing on public transit is a basic, core tenant of the CDCs power, Gostin said. If someone gets on a flight from New York to LA, theres no state stopping them. The only thing preventing that transmission is the CDC, Gostin said. Temple University Law Professor Scott Burris echoed that sentiment, saying that the U.S. government's legal authority to respond sensibly to epidemics and other kinds of emergencies is at stake in the case. Burris said the ability to manage future health emergencies must have weighed heavily in the reasoning of the Justice Department to appeal the ruling, but lets not forget were going into another surge and there is the potential for new variants. An appeal would go to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considered a right-leaning court, and conservative justices have a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling could take away the CDCs power to issue mask orders and cast any future orders under a legal cloud, he said. Temple Laws Craig Green said the federal governments strategy is really almost brilliant because it could win in two ways with its appeal. If COVID-19 cases numbers continue to fall, Justice Department attorneys could argue that the issue is moot and ask to have the case thrown out. No one will have reason to cite it ever in the future as a precedent, he said. But he said that if cases rise, the federal government would be better positioned to reimpose a mask mandate. I think the arguments about what a government can do, what the federal level can do under conditions of emergency were very difficult and problematic, he said. I can understand why the Department of Justice and the United States government really did not want to see that kind of limit on their authority in the future, even if COVID ends up being more controlled in the future. Amid the court battle, American, United and Delta have all indicated that they will lift the bans they imposed on passengers who refused to wear masks now that masks are optional on flights. We have talked to them individually, United CEO Scott Kirby told NBC on Thursday. Many of them assure us that now that the mask mandate is off, everything is going to be fine, and I trust that the vast majority of them will. Many passengers were shrugging off the changes. When Jon Schaudies flies from Chicago to San Antonio next week, he'll wear a mask, but won't worry if the passenger next to him doesn't do the same. Schaudies, who travels frequently as vice president of a small manufacturing company, feels that he has enough protection from the COVID-19 vaccine and booster to avoid becoming seriously ill if he does contract it. I feel like people are at such extremes, but Im sort of right down the middle," said Schaudies, 51, who plans to get a second booster shot. He understands the worries of parents traveling with children who are too young to be vaccinated, but says they have decision to make about whether to fly. But for business travelers, we can't stop." The world has to go on at some point. ____ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas, and Whitehurst from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson contributed from Seattle. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The work of an investigator looking into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin generated fresh criticism Thursday after newly posted documents included a memo describing one elections worker as probably a Democrat in part because she loves nature and has a weird nose ring. Also on Thursday, a judge ordered Michael Gableman to stop deleting records, the latest legal defeat for the former state Supreme Court justice. Gableman has released two interim reports on the election won by President Joe Biden and has suggested the GOP-controlled Legislature look into decertifying his victory. Republican leaders including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who hired Gableman, have repeatedly said they have no intention of trying to decertify the win. Gableman's reports have not included evidence to back up the false claims that Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2020. A recently posted unsigned document on Gableman's website, titled cross pollinators, details his probe into public employees who work in elections. That memo contends that a geographic information system analyst for Milwaukee is probably a Democrat because she plays video games, has a weird nose ring, sometimes colors her hair, loves nature and snakes and lives with a boyfriend but is not married to him. Other documents posted on Gablemans website misspell the name of Vos, who hired him, as Voss. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported on the documents. It is bizarre, state Sen. Kathy Bernier, a Republican who leads the Senate Elections Committee, said of the memo. It is speculative. It is stereotypical. Its not something I would expect out of a conservatives position. Bernier, who has long been critical of Gablemans investigation, said he is on a partisan crusade and hes harming Republicans in the process. Theres something wrong with him, she said. Gableman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Bidens win over Trump by nearly 21,000 votes has withstood recounts, independent audits and reviews and numerous lawsuits. Still, Vos ordered the review by Gableman last summer under pressure from Trump and others who falsely contend the election was stolen. Gableman's work is mired in lawsuits, including three brought by the liberal watchdog group American Oversight. It filed numerous open records requests seeking documents primarily from Vos and Gableman. Vos has been found in contempt in one case for failing to turn over records. Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington on Thursday issued an order in another of those lawsuits, telling Gableman not to delete or destroy any record that is or may be responsive to the group's open records requests. Remington made the order after Gableman's attorney told American Oversight that it routinely deletes documents and text messages that are not of use to the investigation. The nonpartisan Legislative Council, attorneys who advise the Legislature, said in October that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, is a violation of Wisconsin law. Gableman's attorney, James Bopp, has argued in court filings that the record retention law does not pertain to contractors. Bopp did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday. Bopp said in the April 8 letter to American Oversight that all responsive records have been turned over and once the investigation is complete, all materials will be made public. Bopp said that Gableman's office routinely evaluates documents, including text messages and emails, to determine whether the record is of use to the ongoing probe. Those determined to be relevant are retained and the others are deleted, Bopp said. American Oversight adviser Melanie Sloan faulted Gableman's office for deleting the records. If this investigation was above board, the Office of Special Counsel would have maintained and released records of its work required by law," Sloan said. "Instead, it is fighting tooth and nail to hide its work from the public. This inquiry is nothing more than an attempt to prop up conspiracy theories and undermine free and fair elections. Gableman's contract runs through the end of April, but he has indicated in recent interviews that he does not expect it to be extended. Remington in March released more than 700 pages of documents from Gableman, records the judge said did not support conclusions made in Gablemans latest report or that showed there has been much of an investigation at all. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEYMOUR Rui Fang opened Seymour Spa in December 2021. But less than five months later she watched her hardwork go up in flames. Its all gone, Rui said Thursday. Ruis spa is one of five businesses destroyed in a fire at 4 Bank St. Wednesday which destroyed a historic building in the downtown area. The fire marshal said the investigations preliminary findings appear to indicate the fire was the result of a store employee at one of the businesses accidentally igniting wax while polishing some merchandise. Rui noticed the fire after she smelled smoke. I smelled smoke. I moved out, nobody got hurt. So thats lucky, Rui said. No one was seriously hurt in the fire or in the efforts to contain it, but recovery for these local businesses may take time and, according to the towns economic development director Sheila OMalley, their loss presents a challenge to revitalizing the downtown area. Rui said shes now figuring out next steps too. I need to think about it, because everything is messy now, she said. First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said the street would remain closed for some time. She said the town will see what it can do to get the affected owners help from the state. She said the loss of a historic building was sad, yet the town would rebound. We are saddened for the loss of the building. The building is over 100 years old and it was a staple in downtown Seymour for quite some time, she said. With the loss of the five small businesses downtown, it hurts us to see them lose everything. But as a community, we will come together around them and help them get back on their feet in one way or another. Firefighters responded to 4 Bank St. the actual address is 141 Main St. shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday for a reported structure fire and arrived to find heavy fire conditions, said Fire Marshal Timothy P. Willis on Thursday. Willis said crews began an initial interior attack and were met with heavy fire before conditions began to deteriorate above them and fire spread throughout the common cockloft above the businesses. At this point, a decision was made to go to a defensive attack, Willis said. With firefighters working to extinguish the flames, thick layers of smoke covered the areas around the building. Smoke lingered in the air for about five hours as roughly 150 firefighters battled the blaze. Two firefighters were treated at the scene for minor injuries, Willis said. One tenant was evaluated. Willis said the building was deemed a total loss. Mutual aid fire units from Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Beacon Fall and Bethany responded to aid Seymour during Wednesdays fire. The area was closed to traffic while crews remained at the scene. The fire remains under investigation by Williss office, with the help of Seymour police and representatives of the Connecticut State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit. The fires destruction of several business has complicated efforts for Seymour s downtown revitalization, but OMalley said it also could create opportunities. You dont want to have this loss of business, and especially an entire cluster of businesses, she said. It makes it more challenging, but it presents itself with new opportunities. There may be places to relocate these businesses, maybe its a better spot for them. Maybe you develop or attract other businesses that come in that want to take their place. The idea is to revitalize the downtown, and were going to do that by trying to relocate these companies or drawing new ones. Erin Meskill, who runs the neighboring Greenwich Workshop, said recovering from a fire is a long process, based on her experience. She said the building the business is in had a fire in August 2020. She said the business is only now starting to rebuild, having hired an architect and construction company. She said the building now has a roof and is finishing exterior work and is planning on moving back in soon. Meskill said she was there yesterday, checking on the construction progress when she found out about the fire. It reminded her of her own misfortune. Were starting our repair work finally and it was pretty scary. Yesterday, the building burned right next door, and I started feeling all those feelings again, of oh my God, Meskill said. Its definitely been a long haul and nothing that I wish upon anyone. BRIDGEPORT The state rested its case Thursday in the murder trial of Brandon Roberts for the December 2018 shooting death of 25-year-old Emily Todd of Bethel. On the final day of testimony, Marshall Robinson, a firearm examiner from the Bridgeport police, said the markings on a .40 caliber shell casing found next to Todds body near the public boat ramp off Seaview Avenue matched those from a gun bought by Roberts at an Ohio pawn shop. It was fired by that pistol, Robinson told States Attorney Joseph Corradino. Following Robinson, the prosecutor called several police witnesses who testified that Roberts charged with murder, felony murder, first-degree robbery and carrying a pistol without a permit had never applied for a pistol permit. Roberts trial began Monday in state Superior Court in Bridgeport before Judge Alex Hernandez. On Tuesday, Todds mother took the stand for roughly three hours and recounted her daughters brief relationship with Roberts, which police said Todd ended soon after it began. On Wednesday, Corradino played video of Roberts confession to police following his arrest at his fathers house in Shaker Heights, Ohio. After Corradino rested his case Thursday, the judge told jurors he anticipated closing arguments and the beginning of deliberations Monday. Roberts lawyers have not said whether or not he will be testifying in his defense, but at previous hearings indicated they will be raising a defense of extreme emotional disturbance. Unlike the so-called insanity defense, if jurors are convinced Roberts was acting under extreme emotional distress they could find him guilty of a lesser manslaughter charge. Todds death sparked debate about numerous issues, including Connecticuts gun laws and Bridgeports response to a 911 call from Todd about a week before the killing. Roberts, who is now 29, is being held in lieu of $2.5 million bond at Bridgeport Correctional Center. He has been behind bars since his arrest six days after the homicide. While being questioned in the Shaker Heights police station, police said Roberts confessed to shooting another woman near Washington Park a year earlier. The second woman, who was 43 at the time, was taken to Bridgeport Hospital with a bullet wound in her right shoulder. Roberts is charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault in that case. As part of an agreement with Roberts lawyer, Corradino did not present evidence from that case during Roberts trial in Todds death. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIRUT (AP) For journalist Amer Matar, a decade-long search for his younger brother has defined him and changed the course of his life, now dedicated to researching and documenting crimes committed by the Islamic State group in Syria. His brother, Mohammed Nour Matar, vanished in Syrias northern city of Raqqa in 2013 while reporting on an explosion that hit the headquarters of an insurgent group. His burnt camera was found at the scene of the blast, and his family soon after got word he was in an IS prison. But there has been no other sign of him since. Mohammed Nour is among thousands of people believed to have been seized by the Islamic State, the extremist group that in 2014 overran large parts of Syria and Iraq, where it set up a so-called Islamic Caliphate and brutalized the population for years. Three years after its territorial defeat, thousands are still missing and accountability for their captors remains elusive. Families of the missing feel abandoned by a world that has largely moved on, while they struggle alone to uncover the fate of their loved ones. These violations may constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and even genocide in some cases, the Washington-based Syria Justice and Accountability Center said in a report published Thursday. These families have the right to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones. The rights group says that between 2013 and 2017, when IS ruled much of northern and eastern Syria, the militant group detained thousands who remain missing and whose families continue to live in a state of grief and uncertainty. In its report titled Unearthing Hope: The Search for the Missing Victims of ISIS, SJAC said that approximately 6,000 bodies have been exhumed from dozens of mass graves dug by IS in northeast Syria, and retrieved from buildings destroyed by airstrikes of the U.S.-led coalition during the military campaign that eventually brought down IS. This may amount to approximately half of the total number of missing people in the northeast, according to the group, although estimates of the missing vary. Mohammed Nour Matar had become a citizen journalist during Syrias civil war, and he was often out with his camera documenting the conflict. He went missing on Aug. 13, 2013 while covering an explosion in Raqqa that went off outside the offices of the Ahfad al-Rasoul faction, one of several insurgent groups that were rivals of IS. He was 21 at the time and was working on a documentary about Raqqa and its residents opposition to IS. Four months later, Raqqa became Syrias first provincial capital to fall under the full control of IS. When the extremists declared a so-called caliphate in June 2014, the city became their de-facto capital. The group ruled Matars hometown of Raqqa with fear, setting up scores of detention centers in different parts of the city, brutalizing opponents and even placing heads of beheaded victims in the citys Naim Square Arabic for Paradise. In the report, SJAC documented for the first time the vast web of detention facilities that were central to IS disappearances. Different wings of the IS security apparatus systematically used this network of 152 police stations, training camps, and secret security prisons to detain kidnapped civilians and members of rival armed groups, in some cases before issuing death sentences or summarily executing them. It listed 33 detention facilities in the city of Raqqa alone. SJAC says alleged perpetrators who may hold evidence necessary to identify remains are languishing in prisons of the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces with no fair judicial procedures in sight. It says other former IS members live in their home countries where they returned after the group was defeated. The permanent defeat of ISIS cannot be secured without justice for the victims of the organizations crimes, including those who remain missing, it said. Amer Matar, who now lives in Berlin with his parents and siblings, said they were told at one point that Mohammed Nour was being held in a jail in the city. Some former prisoners who had seen him there provided personal details that only the family knew. But as of 2014, the family lost any proof of life. Amer Matar has traveled to Syria several times over the past years to try get information about his brother, even going to mass graves as bodies were being removed. The International Commission on Missing Persons has started collecting DNA samples from families of the missing but they are moving slowly, and Matar said his family has not given samples yet. Also a journalist, Matar began a few years ago collecting thousands of IS documents and 3D photographs of IS detention centers. He now works with activists from Syria, Iraq, Germany, France, Japan and the U.S. to set up a virtual museum about the extremists. He said the aim is to have a platform where the families of the missing can find information about their loved ones, where they can walk virtually inside the jails, see names of detainees, read documents and witness sites of mass graves and information about those buried there, whether in Syria or in Iraq. Asked if his family has hope, Matar said that the most difficult question is about hope. Sometimes I lose hope because logic says there is no hope. Asked if in his research he found evidence about Mohammed Nour, Matar said, My mother asks me this question every month or every few weeks. My answer regrettably is, We found nothing. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko walked out of a Group of 20 meeting Wednesday as Russia's representative started talking. Several finance ministers and central bank governors also left the room, according an official familiar with the meetings, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the event was not public. Some ministers and central bank governors who attended the meeting virtually turned their cameras off when Russian President Vladimir Putin's representative spoke, the person said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said of Yellen's walkout, Certainly we support her steps and its an indication of the fact that President Putin and Russia has become a pariah on the global stage. The incident came amid the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings, in which finance leaders try to tackle the world's most pressing issues. The brutal effects of Russias war against Ukraine have taken center stage, and Treasury Department officials said earlier this week that Yellen would try to avoid contact with Russians who plan to attend some G-20 virtually. President Joe Biden has said that Russia should not remain a member of the G-20, an international body of the world's biggest economies that promotes economic cooperation between countries. Indonesia is the host country for G-20 summit in November. The Group of Seven which does not include Russia released a statement late Wednesday saying: International organisations and multilateral fora should no longer conduct their activities with Russia in a business-as-usual manner. ... As such, we regret participation by Russia in international fora, including G20, International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings this week. Russia was once part of what was then called the Group of Eight, but its membership was suspended in 2014 after its annexation of Crimea. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia's finance minister, when asked about Russia's participation in the G-20 and the about the walkout, said that the multilateral forum is a place to express the views of all members and invitees." Psaki reiterated the administration's position that "we cant have business as usual at the G-20 and other international forums when it comes to Russia. As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, research is beginning to confirm a disturbing trend that I have been worried about since we first went into lockdown in March 2020. For too many kids, home has not been a safe place. In fact, for some kids, its been downright dangerous. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control released a series of statistics that mirror the staggering 25 percent increase in demand for domestic and sexual violence services weve experienced at The Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport since this pandemic began. While weve long understood that COVID-19 was causing a second pandemic of abuse as victims were forced to shelter in place with their abusers, it seems that children and teens have borne the brunt of the collateral damage. The CDC reports that the last few years have had a particularly devastating impact on the physical and mental health of adolescents. More than 55 percent reported they experienced emotional abuse at home, while another 11.3 percent reported being the victims of physical abuse. More than 44 percent reported experiencing feelings of persistent sadness and some 9 percent reported attempting suicide. As we observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month, I consider these CDC findings deeply unsettling. For starters, they illustrate how much work we still have to do to break the generational cycles of abuse in our communities. We know that children who grow up in unhealthy homes, where physical or sexual abuse are a constant threat during their formative years, are far more likely to perpetuate this abuse as adults. They are more likely to be depressed and struggle in school. They are much more likely to enter unhealthy relationships and abuse their own kids. They are much more susceptible to substance abuse and suicide. To give these already vulnerable kids a brighter and safer future, it is imperative that we intervene in their lives as soon as possible. As a nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center, CFJ is proud to be on the forefront of providing comprehensive crisis and supportive services to abused children and teens. Last year, we worked with more than 209 children who had experienced the extreme trauma of sexual or physical abuse. We worked with hundreds more who were the secondary victims of abuse, having witnessed it in their homes. Through the support of Office of Victims Services Victims of Crime Act and the Petit Family Foundation, we are able to provide these scared, hurting young people free therapeutic services to help them process and overcome their trauma. Right now, we are preparing for the sixth summer of the Elizabeth M. Pfriem Camp HOPE America-Bridgeport, our summer camp, and year-long Pathways to HOPE engagement and mentoring program for youth ages 7 to 17 who have experienced abuse of a domestic or sexual nature. Through these two interconnected programs we work to rebuild the hope and self-esteem of abused children and teens, helping them recover part of the childhoods they have lost. But there is more we can be doing to keep these kids healthy, safe and supported. Currently, in the state of Connecticut, we are not able to completely address the needs of the many children impacted by domestic violence because positions for child advocates are not fully funded. Indeed, we only receive a about $11,000 a year to fund these critically needed roles. CFJ is one of 18 domestic violence agencies operating shelters in Connecticut that have asked the General Assembly to begin providing adequate financing to pay the salaries of child advocates, so we can adequately protect and support children who have witnessed and experienced physical and emotional abuse. Since we work with hundreds of abused kids every year, the least we can do as a caring state is fully fund at least one of these positions for each domestic violence agency in the state. And of course, theres something we can all do to stand with kids whove experienced abuse. On Saturday, April 23, CFJ will hold its tenth annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event in downtown Fairfield. This fundraising walk is also an awareness event, held annually during Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness months, which helps fund our Camp HOPE program. By walking a mile on April 23, you will be joining us in the effort to take a stand against gender-based violence in our communities and say, no more! Its time to rally around these kids and help them heal from this second pandemic of abuse. Debra A. Greenwood is the president and CEO of The Center for Family Justice, which provides free, confidential services to victims of domestic and sexual violence in the communities of Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. 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. Nothing displays self expression quite like your closet can, but for people who choose not to conform to the styles that reflect the gender binary, it can be difficult to find a way to feel comfortable and dress in a way that expresses who they are and what they feel. A majority of clothing brands and labels you see in the market today still classify their products as either male or female, sticking to the standard heteronormative gender spectrum. This can cause non-binary and genderqueer individuals to be forced into choosing between a masculine or feminine look, and they become obligated to either pick a side or create their own alternative. A study conducted by the Williams Institute, which focuses its research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, found that over 1.2 million LGBTQ people in the U.S. identify as non-binary, or about 11% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. Fortunately, societys recent efforts to incite more gender-fluid acceptance across various institutions has found fashion as a place to keep that ball rolling. These four genderless clothing brands are just a few examples of how the fashion world is integrating more inclusivity into their merchandise. Telfar Established in 2005 and well known for its memorable slogan, Its not for you its for everyone, this high-end unisex line was globally recognized years after its inception. Liberian-American fashion designer and founder of the label, Telfar Clemens, wants to create a space where free expression is welcome to all, regardless of how you choose to identify. Like many genderless labels, you wont find a mens or womens filtered collection anywhere just one apparel collection built for anyone. Telfar is known for its relatively simple, on-the-go flavor with distinct cut jeans, graphic hoodies and tees, crewnecks, sweaters, sweatpants and even socks. Telfar offers just about anything you might need for your wardrobe, as well as beautiful monochrome handbags ready to make a statement. This brand caters to those with a monotone color preference looking for a slightly experimental twist on everyday pieces. Wildfang In 2012, Emma McIlroy, Taralyn Thuot and Julia Parsley decided that they had outgrown their corporate lives at Nike, Inc. and found themselves wondering why they could never find the clothes they needed that fitted their tomboy styles. They soon cashed in their retirement and savings accounts to build what is now Wildfang. Initially starting out in a studio apartment in Portland, Oregon, Wildfang was born to create a space that broke free from outdated gender norms found in fashion that restricts how many people are able to dress. Their androgynous style incorporates their iconic double-breasted blazers, patterned button-up shirts, overalls, coveralls and jeans, all in a myriad of color ways. Wildfang is for anyone who could rock a workwear meets hipster office party style. Their brand also emphasizes sustainability at every step of the supply chain, with factories that meet certified standards for energy and water conservation and wastewater management. Since its launch a decade ago, Wildfang has contributed over $650k to organizations like Q Center, Tegan & Sara Foundation, Planned Parenthood and more with the hopes of making a difference in the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and other causes. Nicopanda A truly one-of-kind streetwear-inspired fashion label with eye-popping color and design patterns, Nicopanda launched in 2015 from the mind of the innovative designer Nicola Formichetti. The Italian-Japanese fashion designer, editor and director who is also widely known for his frequent collaborative work with Lady Gaga created his all-inclusive label to bring vivid, eye-catching style and creativity to the industry with a unisex focus, something that is rare to find among popular streetwear brands today. Nicopanda reinvents all kinds of everyday pieces. The label has imagined otherworldly designs of graphic hoodies, leather jackets, airy skirts and dresses designated for any gender identification. They also have furry coats, metallic pants and everything in between, peppered with as many complementary accessories as possible. Expanding its resume with numerous yet unexpected collaborations, such as Hello Kitty, Urban Outfitters, Pepsi and even Amazon, Nicopanda strives to bring playfulness and atypical vibrancy to an androgynous wardrobe, proving that gender-neutral clothing can expand far beyond monotone color palettes. If youre a fan of contemporary Japanese graphic and color-heavy streetwear labels like BAPE, Nicopanda might spark your interest. I and Me This London-based denim and lifestyle brand, founded by designer and creative director Jessica Gebhart, is built from an ideology of protecting the people. Whether its from damaging consumer practices on the environment or restrictive gender binary ideologies that inhibit consumers true style identities. Gebhart prides her fashion designs on a completely gender-neutral design process. Her priorities for fashion consistently reside in style and fabric quality over gender labels and short-lived seasonal trends. I and Mes inventory is defined by simple yet distinct striped sweaters, cardigans, baggy jeans, denim jackets, outerwear and embroidered tees. Disenchanted by the throwaway culture of fast fashion, Gebhart equally emphasizes sustainability at the manufacturing level, utilizing natural yarns and authentic selvedge denim made to be functional and built to last. I and Me is for those who aspire to make a casual, cozy outfit on a cloudy Sunday morning. If these labels prove anything, its that fashion really is for everyone. And these progressive designers want to make sure of that. Just a quick browse through these sites might have something for you. After the residents of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods went to the checkpoints surrounding the two neighborhoods to break the imposed siege, Damascus government intensified the checkpoints on the two besieged neighborhoods. A number of well-informed sources told ANHA that members of the Fourth Division had resorted to the Military Security Branch, which set up checkpoints, along with the Fourth Division and the State Security Branch of the Damascus government. Activists confirmed to ANHA that the current scenes remind them of the scenes in 2012 when the Damascus government used military force to deal with the demonstrations that came out to improve in the country's living conditions. This policy eventually led to putting the country in a cycle of war that has been raging for more than 11 years. . Worth to note that Damascus's Fourth Division has imposed a suffocating siege on the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods since the 13th of last March. A.K ANHA Boris Johnson's enemies have been in full cry in the last few days over Partygate and the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Nowhere was this more obvious than in the Commons on Tuesday when the Prime Minister apologised 'wholeheartedly' over the Downing Street parties, and took questions from MPs afterwards. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer branded Boris Johnson 'a man without shame' who should resign over his Partygate fine. The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford joined in the chorus. And then there were the critics from the PM's own backbenches, including Theresa May who launched a savage attack on him over the Rwanda asylum plan. But while Boris's critics in the House take the moral high ground, a number have themselves broken Covid rules while others have previously backed the 'offshoring' asylum seekers. Here, ANDREW PIERCE investigates those in Westminster who are boiling over with confected outrage, comparing the accusations they are now levelling against Boris and his government with how they have behaved in the past and highlighting their shameless hypocrisy... MP for Forest of Dean, Mark Harper, has called for the Prime Minister's resignation, but has faced controversy in his own career Former Tory Chief Whip Mark Harper The accusation: 'The Prime Minister is no longer worthy of the great office he holds.' The hypocrisy: Harper was the immigration minister who took legislation through the Commons in 2014 requiring landlords to carry out 'reasonable checks' to ensure tenants had the right to live in Britain. If only he had practised what he preached. The Forest of Dean MP had to resign as a minister after it was revealed his private cleaner for seven years did not have permission to work in Britain. His career never really recovered in the 2019 Tory leadership contest, he received just ten votes out of a potential 317. Former Theresa May criticised the Rwanda migrant scheme, but herself received criticism while Home Secretary for her similar policies Former Prime Minister Theresa May: The accusation: Mrs May launched a bitter Commons attack on her own government, pouring scorn on the Rwanda refugee plan and questioning whether it met the expected standards on 'legality, practicality and efficacy'. The hypocrisy: As Home Secretary, Theresa May presided over a disastrous billboard campaign aimed directly at illegal migrants, and telling them to 'Go Home'. The billboards read: 'In the UK illegally? Go home or face arrest,' and advertising vans were driven around displaying them with a helpline number for illegal migrants. The scheme was dropped in 2013 after it resulted in the voluntary repatriation of only one person. In 2018 May's former chief of staff Nick Timothy claimed she had been opposed to the 'Go Home' scheme which had been introduced when she was on holiday. But he was flatly contradicted by a Home Office statement from immigration minister Robert Goodwill in 2016 which said: 'Theresa May MP was informed of the intention to pilot this campaign.' Former Brexit Secretary David Davis hit out at Priti Patel's Rwanda migrant scheme, saying 'we are better than this' Former Tory Brexit Secretary David Davis The accusation: Condemning the 'moral delinquency' of the Rwanda plan, Mr Davis said it was 'fraught with practical problems... and hamstrung by extortionate costs', adding: 'We are better than this. Or at least we used to be.' The hypocrisy: The old bruiser, a long-standing opponent of Boris, drew cheers as shadow home secretary at the 2004 Tory conference when he declared: 'We will also push ahead with reforms to our asylum system, with a system of overseas processing.' Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was involved in a government in 2004 that backed the offshoring of asylum seekers Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper The accusation: Describing the Rwanda scheme as 'unethical and shameful' she said: 'Whether or not people are refugees, whether or not they are victims of modern slavery... the Home Secretary is asking Rwanda to do the job that she is not capable of doing.' The hypocrisy: As a minister in 2004, Miss Cooper was a member of the Labour government which backed the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act, permitting the offshoring of asylum seekers. After Tony Blair promised to halve the 100,000 asylum applications a year, Labour reportedly offered Tanzania an extra 4million in aid if it opened an asylum camp for Somali refugees to have their applications assessed before they made the journey to the UK. David Blunkett, the then home secretary, presented Labour's plans to the EU, saying: 'We had a serious discussion of the challenges we all face in finding a 21st century solution to asylum issues and illegal immigration.' Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has had two instances where he has been accused of breaking Covid rules Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn The accusation: 'Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have been fined by the police for breaking the law. They should be held to account.' The hypocrisy: Corbyn was pictured breaking the rule of six at a dinner party in London in September 2020. Scotland Yard decided he wouldn't be fined, saying police would not retrospectively enforce coronavirus laws. In February last year he was spotted in a group of 12. Corbyn's spokesman said he had been at a funeral, but he was not socially distancing, or wearing a mask, when the rule of six was still in place. Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock, who himself broke lockdown rules, has called for the Prime Minister's resignation Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock The accusation: There is no question that 'Boris has to go,' declared the Labour MP for Aberavon. The hypocrisy: Kinnock himself broke the rules against non-essential travel when he visited London in March 2020 to celebrate the birthday of his father, former Labour leader Neil Kinnock. His constituency in South Wales is 180 miles from London, and South Wales Police tweeted: 'Hello @SKinnock we know celebrating your Dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with @GOVUK restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe. Thank you.' But no further action was taken. Kinnock said he had also been delivering supplies to his parents. Labour MP Tahir Ali, who attended a funeral in April 2020 which reportedly up to 100 people attended, called for Boris Johnson to resign Labour MP Tahir Ali The accusation: Since he broke the rules, 'Johnson must resign,' said the Birmingham Hall Green MP. The hypocrisy: Tahir Ali attended a funeral in Sutton Coldfield in April 2020 where there were reports of up to 100 people. Ali said he was attending as 'an observer', which was in breach of guidance on funerals at a time when Birmingham City Council limited the number of mourners to six. West Midlands Police said they had spoken to Ali and 'warned' him about his behaviour. He was criticised as 'totally irresponsible' by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson. Ali apologised but no fine was issued. Labour MP Barry Gardiner criticised the PM and Chancellor, but attended a Black Lives Matter protest - which was against lockdown rules Labour MP Barry Gardiner The accusation: Revelling in the PM's and the Chancellor's predicament after being given fines for Partygate, the Brent North MP said: 'The Prime Minister and Chancellor will now wriggle to stay in office.' The hypocrisy: He boasted on Twitter that he had broken social distancing rules to attend a Black Lives Matter protest outside Parliament last year. He said he 'took the knee with thousands of brave young people fighting for justice'. No action was taken. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has repeatedly called for Boris Johnson to stand down as Prime Minister over Partygate, but drove from London to Scotland during the first lockdown SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford The accusation: 'The public know the difference between the truth and lying, and they know that the Prime Minister is apologising for one reason, and one reason only, and it is the only reason he ever apologises: because he has been caught.' The hypocrisy: He drove 600 miles from London to his Isle of Skye home three days after lockdown was introduced and people were told to 'stay at home and save lives'. This is the same Blackford who called for Boris's then senior adviser Dominic Cummings to quit after he drove from London to Durham and then Barnard Castle during lockdown. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was spotted drinking a beer (pictured) in April 2021, but denies that there was a breach of rules Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer The accusation: 'If the Prime Minister had any respect for the millions who sacrificed everything to follow the rules, he would resign. But he will not, because he does not respect the sacrifice of the British public. He is a man without shame.' The hypocrisy: Back in April 2021, Starmer was pictured drinking a bottle of beer in a Durham constituency office with other Labour campaigners. He argued 'it was perfectly lawful to meet for work' and added: 'No party, no breach of the rules.' He is now calling for the PM to resign for a remarkably similar-sounding incident, although Durham police decided no offence had been committed. Starmer (again) The accusation: Referring to Boris's 50 fixed penalty notice for joining the No 10 gathering, Starmer criticised those who said it was no worse than a speeding ticket. 'No, it is not,' he insisted. 'The last minister who got a speeding ticket, and then lied about it, ended up in prison. I know, because I prosecuted him.' The hypocrisy: Starmer was, indeed, Director of Public Prosecutions in 2012 when the Coalition's LibDem cabinet minister Chris Huhne was charged with perverting the course of justice. He lied about driving the car he was caught speeding in, so his then wife could take his penalty points. Starmer was not directly involved in the case, though he was very happy to take credit for it in the Commons. It was a very different story when, earlier this year, Boris Johnson pointed out that Sir Keir was DPP when the decision was made not to charge Jimmy Savile. On that occasion, Starmer was appalled at the suggestion that he should be connected directly to a case and called Johnson's comments a 'ridiculous slur'. P.S. And it's not just the MPs Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon The accusation: 'Boris Johnson must resign. He broke the law and repeatedly lied.' The hypocrisy: She was investigated by Scottish police after being reported for not wearing a face mask on a visit to a barber's shop at the weekend in a breach of laws set by her own government. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford The accusation: The Labour politician demanded Boris should quit. 'You can't be a law-maker and a law-breaker.' The hypocrisy: He refused to sack his health minister Eluned Morgan, who last month was fined 800 and banned from driving for six months. Boris Johnson is no stranger to India. His ex-wife, Marina Wheeler, is the daughter of a prominent Indian socialite and Johnson was once a familiar figure in Mumbai and Delhi. This attachment means that, unlike some of his predecessors, he is keenly alert to the sensibilities of his hosts who yesterday gave him a lavish welcome in Gujarat. He is the first British PM to visit the state a smart move diplomatically, given that Gujarat is the home state of Indias PM, Narendra Modi, while many Gujaratis have made their homes in the UK. Post-Brexit trade deals are the focus: two previous visits were cancelled because of the pandemic and the pressure is now on. But there is an unexpectedly awkward obstacle in the way: the war in Ukraine. This has emerged as a major source of contention in diplomatic relations between India and the West. He is the first British PM to visit the state a smart move diplomatically, given that Gujarat is the home state of Indias PM, Narendra Modi, while many Gujaratis have made their homes in the UK The worlds largest democracy has historic links to Britain and is its key trading partner. India has also become a close partner of the US, courted by Washington as a democratic counterweight to China. And yet India has consistently refused to condemn Moscows invasion. In early March, the US state department went so far as to issue a memo accusing India of belonging in Russias camp although it was quickly recalled. Boris tried to push Delhi to take sides by dispatching Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with no obvious success. But he does understand that Britain has more to lose than gain by appearing to pressure India to abandon Moscow. Delhi has been Russias closest Asian partner for over five decades. Theirs is a relationship forged during the Cold War, when the US sought to isolate India, struck an entente cordiale with China, and patronised Pakistan with weapons and aid. In parallel, Moscow deployed its veto power to shield India at meetings of the UN Security Council when necessary, maintained a vital trade relationship and also supplied essential military hardware. The worlds largest democracy has historic links to Britain and is its key trading partner. India has also become a close partner of the US, courted by Washington as a democratic counterweight to China. The PM is pictured using a spinning wheel The Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev once told Indians that if you ever call us from the mountain tops we will appear at your side. India made that call in 1971, when Pakistans military junta, backed by the US, perpetrated a genocide in what is today Bangladesh, slaughtering three million Bengalis and displacing ten million people. When India authorised military action after Pakistans pre-emptive strikes on Indian airfields, the US and Britain dispatched naval fleets to the Bay of Bengal to intimidate India. Moscow sent a rival fleet to defend it. Bangladesh was liberated in days, but that experience, in which fellow democracies lined up behind a genocidal regime, served to shape the worldview of a generation of Indians. India still depends on Moscow for the majority of its defence needs. And given its geographic curse positioned between two hostile nuclear adversaries, Pakistan and China, who have both waged wars against it it can scarcely afford to antagonise its principal military supplier. All of this explains why Boris Johnson will refrain from overt hectoring of Delhi on its Moscow ties, although he is likely to promote Britains expertise in the defence industry as an alternative to Russian weaponry. His goal, however, is to secure an ambitious deal with India to eradicate barriers to free trade. India is already the second-largest source of foreign direct investment into Britain. Between 2020 and 2021, Indian companies invested in 100 British projects and created nearly 5,000 jobs. On the other side of the ledger, British investment into India, the third largest, is responsible for one in 20 jobs in the private sector. The PMs first act in India was to announce trade deals covering health and software which will create 11,000 jobs in Britain. A free trade deal has thus far proved difficult, in part because India, due to its colonial past, is highly protective of its market. The US and the EU do not have bilateral free trade deals with India. While he may struggle to change Indias stance on Russia, Boris is confident of achieving, before the end of 2022, what has long eluded his predecessors at home and his peers in the West. Kapil Komireddi is the author of Malevolent Republic: A Short History of the New India. A grandmother has gone viral on social media after sharing a series of home cooking tutorials from her care home. Jean Roberts, 85, moved into Alveston Leys Bupa Care Home in Stratford-upon-Avon in August 2021, but that hasn't stopped her sharing tutorials for making meals, including pizza, burgers, and cinnamon and iced pecan rolls, in a series of live streams since her carers discovered her love of cooking. Facebook users have commented on her visible joy when cooking, while admitting that they are impressed with how each meal looks. Delicious Easter treats baked by our fabulously talented, Jean #homemade #delicious #yummy #easter #baking Posted by Bupa UK on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Jean Roberts, 85, (pictured), who lives in Alveston Leys Bupa Care Home in Stratford-upon-Avon, has been live streaming her home cooking recipes on Facebook Jean, who claims cooking runs in her family, said she gets joy from turning fresh ingredients into a meal Jean has always enjoyed cooking and said that it runs in her family because her son Andrew is also a 'brilliant' cook. A recent video uploaded to Facebook shows the 85-year-old making vanilla Easter egg cupcakes, starting by sifting flour then combining sugar and eggs with an electric whisk. After adding butter, she placed the mix into cupcake cups and made the icing while they baked. Jean then decorated the cakes with the icing and topped them with Cadbury's mini eggs. The clip ended with Jean and a carer giving the cupcakes a thumbs up after taking a bite. Phil Vickers of Bupa Care Home, said Jean has inspired other residents to get involved in cooking with her passion Jean recently impressed Facebook users with a tutorial on how to make cupcakes (pictured) for Easter Phil Vickers who is senior activity coordinator at Alveston Leys Bupa Care Home, explained that Jean's passion for cooking is obvious in any food-related activity that they host. Phil said: 'We always try to tailor our activities around every resident's individuality, so we're thrilled that Jean was keen to get stuck in and it has inspired her fellow residents to get involved in cooking. 'I'm looking forward to seeing what else Jean has to teach us and tasting more of her delicious food.' Jean has revealed that will share Singaporean dishes in her upcoming videos. Pictured: Jean preparing to make a pizza Jean, who plans to share Singaporean dishes in upcoming videos, has gained loyal viewers of her tutorials. Commenting on her first tutorial, Jean's daughter Joanna Palmer wrote: 'Move over Jamie, its Jean Oliver! Its lovely to see you cooking. You always loved being in the kitchen.' Another person said: 'You look at home there cooking. You always made delicious meals.' 'They look delicious,' a third commented. A fourth added: 'Wow they look amazing. Well done Jean' The EU gets unsettled by China, which does not want to drop Moscow, even allegedly shipping missiles that will be used in the Ukraine conflict. Brussels sugar coating an offer to Beijing that has sent a representative to eastern Europe and affirming support for the Kremlin. Hou Yuzhen, China's special representative, has left on April 18 to visit eastern European countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and Poland. China Deals With Russia, Europe Western powers are desperately trying to keep China out of the picture, which can be a game-changer for Vladimir Putin, and a disaster for the US primarily, the Express reported. According to the allies, all sorts of military supplies should be kept from Russian forces while they send lethal aid to Azov and Ukrainian units fighting in contested areas. Politico states that the Chinese diplomat wants to see the sentiment and follow up on how to deal with members of the bloc individually. The Czech Republic's new government is wary of the intent of Beijing's interest in central Europe. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsk brought up Taiwan, a very sensitive issue for China. He went on to say that the EU should do more to aid "bullied" countries like Taiwan and that China's connection with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin should be investigated more closely. The communist dictatorship seems to be sending missiles to Serbia, raising doubts about its true intentions. Some agree the missiles may be surreptitiously transported to Russia. This implies that the EU's neighboring policy fails to prevent Serbia from cooperating with its adversaries. The EU's conviction reinforces this that it has "particularly credible evidence" that China is contemplating military help for Russia in the Ukraine conflict, according to Stars Post. Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids? The missile delivery also serves as a demonstration of China's growing global reach. This could be a prelude to a more sinister plan by Putin and Xi Jinping as interpreted by the West. Aleksandar Radic, a Serbian military analyst, stated that China demonstrated force that shook the West. Though Serbia has voted for the UN resolutions that condemn the bloody Russian invasion, it has drawn anger from the Western alliance in not sanctioning Moscow. The US has been actively trying to have a unified opposition via weaker countries, but Hungary, Serbia, and other nations are not following. Serbia's Dubious Motives in Teaming With Russia, China Serbian authorities have desisted from condemning the alleged atrocities in Bucha and other places where the Neo-Nazis are alleged to have a hand in the rigged war crimes of Russia, mentioned the Daily Telegraph. Bolstering its military with weapons from Russia and China, both of which do not acknowledge Kosovo's independence. The province seceded from Serbia in 2008, but the militarization of Serbia by its eastern neighbors has expressed concerns that it will be pushed into another confrontation. Just weeks even before the invasion of Ukraine, President Xi Jinping proclaimed a "no-limits" collaboration with Russia. While not overtly voiced support for the incursion since he has also not strongly denounced it. China's arming of Serbia may be yet another indicator that China's affiliations lie with the eastern bloc's expansion. The EU is not pleased with how the Ukraine Conflict might change if China openly supported Russia. Xi Jinping has ignored Volodymyr Zelensky with no apparent intention to mind his rants. Related Article: Moscow Reveals Actual Ukrainian Casualties in Its Military Service Since Hostilities Started on February 24 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement A photographer has shared chilling images of a racist-owned bowling alley which became frozen in time when it was shut down 54 years ago, after a key Civil Rights battle was fought on the property. All-Star Bowling Lanes was once owned by a man named Harry Floyd, whose refusal to desegregate led to the death of three young black men. The bowling alley was built as part of a shopping center development in the city of Orangeburg, South Carolina, during the early 1960s. When the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, most of Orangeburgs public accommodations soon desegregated. However, the management at the only bowling alley in town refused to do so. The owner of All-Star Bowling Lanes, Floyd, claimed that his bowling alley was exempt from desegregation laws since it was private property; he argued that allowing black bowlers in would offend his long-time clientele. A photographer has shared chilling images of a racist-owned bowling alley which became frozen in time when it was shut down 54 years ago, after a key Civil Rights battle was fought on the property All-Star Bowling Lanes was once owned by a man named Harry Floyd, whose refusal to desegregate led to the death of three young black men - Samuel Hammond Jr. (left), Delano Middleton (center), and Henry Smith (right) The owner of All-Star Bowling Lanes, Floyd (pictured), claimed that his bowling alley was exempt from desegregation laws since it was private property; he argued that allowing black bowlers in would offend his long-time clientele When the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, most of Orangeburgs public accommodations soon desegregated. However, Ford refused to do so - which was the catalyst of civil unrest in South Carolina. The bowling alley is pictured in 2022 The tragic and violent history of South Carolina's All-Star Bowling Lanes The bowling alley was built as part of a shopping center development in the city of Orangeburg, South Carolina, during the early 1960s. When the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, most of Orangeburgs public accommodations soon desegregated. However, the management at the only bowling alley in town refused to do so. The owner of All-Star Bowling Lanes, Harry Floyd, claimed that his bowling alley was exempt from desegregation laws since it was private property; he argued that allowing black bowlers in would offend his long-time clientele. Floyd's actions were the catalyst of civil unrest in South Carolina, and outraged many people in the town. Hundreds of enraged students from a nearby college showed up at the bowling alley to protest on February 8, and when one threw a rock at a police officer and hit him in the face, law enforcement opened fire on the crowd. 31 young black people were shot, three of whom died - aged 17, 18, and 19. The events of February 8 and the days leading up to it have been labelled as the Orangeburg Massacre, after which the bowling alley has sat abandoned. Advertisement Floyd's actions were the catalyst of civil unrest in South Carolina, and outraged many people in the town. Hundreds of angry students from a nearby college showed up at the bowling alley to protest on February 8, and when one threw a rock at a police officer and hit him in the face, law enforcement opened fire on the crowd. 31 young black people were shot, three of whom who died - aged 17, 18, and 19. The events of February 8 and the days leading up to it have been labelled as the Orangeburg Massacre, after which, the bowling alley shut down and has sat abandoned ever since. Now, photographer Leland Kent - who is well-known for capturing abandoned and forgotten places across the Southeast - has documented the remains of the historical and once-prestigious institution. One image showed an old locker room, with bowling balls left deserted and gathering dust. Another image showed bowling lanes covered in a layer of soot, having been nearly-untouched over the last five decades. Hundreds of enraged students from a nearby college showed up at the bowling alley (pictured in 1968) to protest on February 8, but when one threw a rock at a police officer and hit him in the face, law enforcement opened fire on the crowd 31 young black people were shot, three of whom died. The events of February 8 have been labelled as the Orangeburg Massacre, after which, the bowling alley has sat abandoned ever since. Police are pictured outside the bowling alley in 1968 Now, photographer Leland Kent - who is well-known for capturing deserted and forgotten places across the Southeast - has documented the remains of the historical and once-prestigious institution One image showed an old locker room, with bowling balls left abandoned and gathering dust Another image showed bowling lanes covered in a layer of soot, having been nearly-untouched over the last five decades The bowling alley was built as part of a shopping center development in the city of Orangeburg, South Carolina, during the early 1960s The bowling alley, which had 16 lanes in total, was situated between two schools - South Carolina State and Claflin College. S.C. State - which were both made up of mostly poor and middle-class black families. For years, Ford's segregationist policies infuriated local African-Americans in Orangeburg, as well as the students at the schools. In 1966, S.C. State students were told they weren't allowed to play at All-Star Bowling, despite the Civil Rights Act outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin years earlier. And when the American Legions Little World Series was held in Orangeburg in 1967, a team with African-American members was also turned away. 'The conflict Floyd created by staying adamant in the face of his racist beliefs led to the Orangeburg Massacre,' Kent said, while discussing the history behind his photographs. 'From 1964 to 1968, many of the students from S.C. State and Claflin became involved in the civil rights movement and were determined to turn the tide of racism within their small town.' It was situated between two schools - South Carolina State and Claflin College. S.C. State - which were both made up of mostly poor and middle-class black families For years, Ford's segregationist policies infuriated local African-Americans in Orangeburg, as well as the students at both schools. The abandoned bowling alley is pictured in 2022 Local black leaders unsuccessfully tried to convince Floyd to desegregate for years, and they even filed an appeal with the U.S. Justice Department. The abandoned bowling alley is pictured in 2022 By early 1968, 'tensions were reaching a boiling point,' the photographer explained, and John Stroman, a black S.C. State senior from Savannah, Georgia, who had a passion for bowling, decided to take action. The bowling alley is pictured in 2022 He and roughly 40 students entered All-Star Bowling Lanes (pictured in 2022) to protest its whites-only policy. Authorities then closed the bowling alley for the night. The students went peacefully back to campus, but vowed to return Local black leaders unsuccessfully tried to convince Floyd to desegregate for years, and they even filed an appeal with the U.S. Justice Department. Unfortunately, their attempts ultimately failed to achieve anything since the Justice Department said it was unsure of the status of the alley under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. By early 1968, 'tensions were reaching a boiling point,' Kent explained, and John Stroman, a black S.C. State senior from Savannah, Georgia, who had a passion for bowling, decided to take action. 'On Monday, February 5, 1968, a group of roughly 40 students - led by senior John Stroman - entered All-Star Bowling Lanes to protest its whites-only policy before Harry Floyd was able to bolt the door locked,' Kent shared. 'Every time the students touched a salt shaker or napkin holder, Floyd would throw it in the trash. When they deposited money in the jukebox, he unplugged it and gave them their money back. 'After the students refused to leave, Floyd called the police and demanded they be arrested for trespassing. 'Orangeburg police chief Roger Poston, who was convinced the situation could become explosive, ordered the bowling alley closed for the night. The students went peacefully back to campus, but vowed to return.' The conflict didn't end there. The news of Floyd's refusal then 'spread across both campuses like wildfire,' which inspired even more students to get involved. The conflict didn't end there. The news of Floyd's refusal 'spread across both campuses like wildfire,' said Kent, which inspired even more students to get involved. The abandoned bowling alley is pictured in 2022 Protests continued in the days that followed, and when the protestors were met by 'heavily armed law enforcement officers,' things escalated even further. The abandoned bowling alley is pictured in 2022 'With at least 50 (some say as many as 100) law enforcement officers present, [the students] made repeated pleas for calm, but it was too late; the seeds of a riot had been sown,' Kent said of the incident. The bowling alley is pictured in 2022 On February 8, roughly 120 National Guardsmen, state troopers, and local police carrying shotguns were present on the South Carolina States campus. An additional 450 troops were also stationed downtown. The bowling alley is pictured in 2022 Protests continued in the days that followed, and when the protestors were met by 'heavily armed law enforcement officers,' things escalated even further. 'The next night, on Tuesday, February 6, John Stroman and a group of students returned to the bowling alley for a second protest,' recalled Kent. 'This time, however, they found the doors shut and locked. Instead of encountering Harry Floyd, the group of young protestors was met in the parking lot by a group of heavily armed law enforcement officers, some carrying three-foot-long wooden riot batons. 'The police asked the female students to go home and advised all remaining protestors to leave if they did not want to be arrested. '15 students chose to stay, hoping their arrests would compel the issues resolution in court. As they were led away to awaiting patrol cars, an angry crowd gathered outside of the bowling alley.' More students continued to storm the bowling alley, some armed with bricks obtained from a nearby construction site. Kent explained, 'As the word spread around town about the bowling alley unrest, tensions quickly escalated. 'Expecting looting and violence, some store owners decided to arm themselves. South Carolina Governor Robert McNair, supposedly one of the more moderate governors of the Deep South, insisted Black Power leaders were inciting student unrest and called in the National Guard. 'With at least 50 (some say as many as 100) law enforcement officers present, both Poston and Stroman made repeated pleas for calm, but it was too late; the seeds of a riot had been sown. 'Several hundred students rallied, and a surge of angry students pressed against the bowling alleys storefront, yelling insults and hurling fists. After a student threw a rock at a police officer, another fired his gun in the air as a warning shot. Later claiming they feared the shot had been fired by a student, nine officers then opened fire. Police are pictured at the bowling alley in 1968 31 young black people were shot, three of whom who died - aged 17, 18, and 19. Abandoned bowling shoes are pictured in the desolate bowling alley After the tragic events, the bowling alley was shut down and has been abandoned ever since. It is pictured in 2022 'State troopers responded swiftly with broad-scale beatings. The widescale unrest continued for many days. 'On February 8, 1968, roughly 120 National Guardsmen, state troopers, and local police had amassed at the edges of South Carolina States campus. 'An additional 450 troops were stationed downtown. The officers were issued shotguns loaded with double-ought buckshot, used to kill deer and other large game.' As darkness fell, students at S.C. State gathered on a hill at the schools entrance, holding hands and singing around a bonfire. '30 minutes later, firefighters moved in to douse the blaze, backed by just under 70 officers,' Kent revealed. 'The students began to retreat, but someone threw a bannister or a rock, hitting highway trooper David Shealy in the face. Shealy collapsed to the ground bleeding. Another officer fired his gun in the air as a warning shot. 'Later claiming they feared the shot had been fired by a student, eight other officers and a city policeman opened fire. The onslaught lasted about 15 seconds. Between 100-150 students were present. 'Of these, 31 young black people were shot, three of whom died. Two of the victims were Samuel Hammond, Jr. and Henry Smith, ages 18 and 19, who were students at South Carolina State. 'The third victim was Delano Middleton, a 17-year-old senior at nearby Wilkinson High School.' After the tragic events, the bowling alley was shut down and has been abandoned ever since. The officers who shot the students were charged for using excessive force at a campus protest, however, all nine of them were acquitted, according to History.com. One protestor, Cleveland Sellers, was convicted of rioting and was sentenced to one-year of hard labor. He was released after seven months. There will be much fanfare for the Queen's 96th birthday today, with gun salutes across London and Windsor to mark the milestone. But Her Majesty isn't the only nonagenarian royal celebrating a birthday this week. One of her bridesmaids, Lady Pamela Hicks, the daughter of Lord Mountbatten and cousin of Prince Philip, turned 93 yesterday, celebrating with a visit from some rather unusual animals, including a ferret, Mexican red kneed tarantula and Californian corn snake. In a video posted to Instagram by her daughter India Hicks, Lady Pamela relaxes as creepy crawlies make themselves comfortable on her. Lady Pamela Hicks, the daughter of Lord Mountbatten and cousin of Prince Philip, turned 93 yesterday, celebrating with a visit from some rather unusual animals - including a millipede (right), tarantula (left) and snake. India, who was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, also posted a picture of her enjoying cake. Lady Pamela Hicks was one of the bridesmaids at the wedding of Prince Philip to Princess Elizabeth in 1947 The animals included chinchilla, which cutely nuzzled in her lap, as well as a meerkat, which jumped on her shoulder and even a giant African millipede. Alongside a video showing Lady Pamela relaxing on a sofa in a green shirt with the animals running wild, India, who is the goddaughter of Prince Charles wrote on Instagram: 'My mama turned 93 today. What on earth do you give to someone who has lived 93 very full years?'. 'Impossible to wrap but I hope much enjoyed was an afternoon spent with some new curious friends. 'Probably the first and last time we will see a Sugar Glider leaping off Domino's arm across the pink drawing room.' India, 54, who shares sons Wesley, 24, Felix, 24, Amory, 22, Conrad, 18, and daughter Domino, 13, with her partner David Flint Wood, revealed the party was thrown by Living Things UK. The family live in the Bahamas, but believed to visit her mother's stately home, known as The Grove, near Brightwell Baldwin, in Oxforshire, for the celebration. The animals included chinchilla, pictured, with India saying 'what can you get at 93 years old?' India, 54, revealed the party was thrown by Living Things UK, with animals including a meerkat (left) and Californian corn snake India, who was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, also posted a picture of her enjoying cake. Lady Pamela is the daughter of Earl Mountbatten, the brother of Prince Philip's mother. Earl Mountbatten, was affectionately known as 'Uncle Dickie' by Prince Philip and the Queen, and was seen as hugely influential in the early life of both royals. Lady Pamela has previously shared insight into Prince Philip's family life. India is the daughter of Lady Pamela Mountbatten, who was herself a royal bridesmaid at the Queen's 1947 wedding, and interior designer David Hicks India was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. She is pictured second left at the wedding with the Queen and Diana Lady Pamela recalled in a podcast interview last year how the Queen was always 'patient' and 'kind' to her mother-in-law Princess Alice of Battenberg, who could be 'very sharp and difficult 'I remember, she was staying at Windsor and we were waiting to go into lunch,' Lady Pamela recalled. 'The equerry had come to collect her for lunch with the Queen. 'He was a new equerry, a young man of about 20, and thought he must entertain Princess Alice and talk to her. 'He unwisely asked, "and what have you been doing this morning, Ma'am,' to which Princess Alice replied: "And what has that got to do with you?"' Lady Pamela also explained that, despite living under the same roof as her son, Princess Alice and Prince Philip led very separate lives. 'She was in a dressing gown, by choice, in the attic,' Lady Pamela said. 'While Prince Philip was very busy down below.' Iconic Australian beauty brand Alya Skin launched its ninth product in the form of a marine collagen sleep mask just 48 hours ago - and 13,000 units have already been sold. The company, which was founded by best friends Manny Barbas and James Hachem, teased fans with the new product release on its Instagram, promising plumper skin, intense hydration and a strengthened skin barrier after using the product. The mask, which retails for $49.95 on the website and in stores like Chemist Warehouse and Priceline, is filled with red algae, strawberry gum, finger lime, mountain pepperberry and marine collagen. 'It is a luxurious overnight treatment that delivers bouncy and bright skin the very next morning,' the website read. The company, which was founded by best friends Manny Barbas and James Hachem, teased fans with the new product release on its Instagram, promising plumper skin, intense hydration and a strengthened skin barrier after using the product 'This pillow-proof formula strengthens the skin's precious moisture barrier, promotes anti-aging, and energises dull skin.' Alya Skin's loyal fanbase are excited to give the pretty pink mask a try, with those who are yet to purchase it commenting online: 'I've got to have this'. 'So excited it's going to be a self b'day present,' one woman said. 'Can't wait to to use it... so far the whole skincare range works really well on my skin,' said another. Alya Skin's loyal fanbase are excited to give the pretty pink mask a try, with those who are yet to purchase it commenting online: 'I've got to have this' Manny Barbas and James Hachem came up with the idea for Alya Skin's signature Australian pink clay mask ($49.99) in 2018 after noticing a gap in the market for a face mask that didn't dry out the skin. 'Most masks we tried left our skin feeling dry and irritated afterwards - we both suffer from sensitive skin,' Mr Barbas, from Victoria, told FEMAIL. 'We then came up with the idea to make a pink clay mask that was rose scented and was suitable for all skin types.' Manny Barbas (right) and James Hachem (left) came up with the idea for Alya Skin's signature Australian pink clay mask after noticing a gap in the market for a mask that didn't dry out your skin So they decided to make their own rose-scented version that was suitable for all skin types (pictured), launching it to the public in early 2018 While the pink packaging is primarily targeted at women, that hasn't stopped men applying it as part of their weekly routine too. 'We used the clay mask to catapult our growth in the market and then built products around it to develop a skincare brand that is now one of the fastest growing brands in Australia,' he said. While the pink packaging is primarily targeted at women that hasn't stopped boyfriends applying it as part of their weekly routine (a transformation pictured) As part of their popular 'complete skincare bundle' ($104.99, currently 30 per cent off) customers can get the entire range - including the mask, a native berry moisturiser, the pomegranate exfoliator scrub and the micellar cleanser How does the Alya Skin mask work? Kaolin clay, which is included in the mask, removes toxins and pollutants from your skin. It helps to remove pigmentation clusters from your skin's surface, as well as stimulate the regeneration of skin cells. The mask reduces skin inflammation and assists in removing eczema and acne. It contains antioxidants that tighten your pores and give you overall smooth skin. Vitamin E inside the mask speeds up the healing of pimples. Alya Skin claims that the mask will last two months if you're using it three to four times a week, applied with your fingers over the entire face. It can be washed off with the pink bamboo towel included in the box. Advertisement 'We sell a product every 22 seconds around the globe, selling to more than 60 countries globally,' Mr Barbas said. Six months after launching the brand they started to see it take off and now the pair are growing their business at an average of 75 per cent per year. Alya Skin was awarded Best in Beauty by Beauty Heaven New Zealand in 2019, cementing its status as a force to be reckoned with, but the individual customer reviews are just as positive. 'I have tried most of Alya Skin's skincare products and they work really well on my skin... I love the clay mask in particular. They are a bit pricey but to be honest they are worth it so I don't mind paying extra for good skincare products,' one woman said. 'Impressed is an understatement. I never leave reviews but these products are worth the hype,' said another. Alya Skin was awarded Best in Beauty by Beauty Heaven New Zealand in 2019, cementing its status as a force to be reckoned with These comments only spur Mr Barbas and Mr Hachem to work harder on Alya Skin, and they have two new products to add to the bundle by the end of the year (a transformation pictured) A third added: 'Alya Skin products are now my new daily skin care routine, I love how clean and fresh they make my skin feel'. 'We care about our customers and our community. We focus not only on the products we produce but the entire experience when you purchase from us,' Manny said. 'It is important to focus on all aspects of the business in terms of customer care, product quality and packaging. We also have amazing products that truly do work.' With the human body nearly 60 per cent water, it is essential to maintain health and wellbeing by drinking enough water each day. And Sydney general practitioner Dr Dasha Fielder told FEMAIL most adults should aim to drink between 2.5 to three litres in order to maintain healthy hydration. Dr Fielder said drinking water will help hydrate the kidneys, improve digestion and gut health, rejuvenate the skin and avoid feeling fatigued. 'We lose a lot of water by drinking caffeinated drinks, such as teas and coffees, and overnight while sleeping so we need to replenish this throughout the day,' she said. Sydney general practitioner Dr Dasha Fielder told FEMAIL most adults should aim to drink up to three litres per day in order to maintain optimum hydration Maintain kidney health and flush out toxins Dr Fielder said drinking at least two litres of water will help maintain kidney health, which is the first step towards other wellbeing benefits. 'Kidney function is essential for metabolism and toxin excretion and because the kidneys are very sensitive, lower water defecates will effect the overall functionality,' she said. If the unwanted toxins are not flushed out, this can lead to feeling fatigued, an increase in headaches and a lack of concentration. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DRINK AT LEAST 2 LITRES OF WATER? Increase brain power and concentration Flush out unwanted toxins Improve digestion and gut health Maintain kidney health Improve or maintain healthy skin Decrease headaches and boost mood Hydrate the body and skin Advertisement Improve or maintain healthy skin Keeping hydrated will not only remove toxins from the body but will also replenish the skin from the inside out. 'For women in particular it's important to maintain fluid as this can rejuvenate the skin and lower the appearance of wrinkles,' Dr Fielder said. As the skin is the largest bodily organ it's essential to keep it hydrated to maintain younger looking skin. It's also particularly important to drink more water in summer as the body can lose excess water through sweat. Keeping hydrated will not only remove toxins but will also replenish the skin from the inside out WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T DRINK ENOUGH WATER? The body is prone to more headaches and fatigue It becomes difficult to stay focused and concentrate during the day The kidneys, gut and digestive system don't function efficiently The skin will become dehydrated and possibly irritated Your mood will be negatively impacted Energy levels decrease Unwanted toxins remain in the body Advertisement Increase brain power and concentration Rather than reaching for a cup of coffee for a mental boost, drink more water as this will stimulate the brain and allow it to function better. 'Our ability to concentrate through brain power relies on water to function well,' Dr Fielder said. Since three quarters of the brain is made up of water, drinking adequate amounts during the day will boost concentration, maintain focus and decrease the likeliness of headaches. Dr Fielder also said staying hydrated throughout the day can improve physical performance when exercising. Dr Fielder also said staying hydrated throughout the day can also improve physical performance when exercising Improve digestion and gut health Drinking water is also key to improving digestion and ensure the gut is working efficiently. 'Even if you eat a lot of fibre and green vegetables, you must drink water in order for the nutrients to pass through the system,' Dr Fielder said. 'If there is no water, the food cannot move through the gut and this often leads to constipation.' Similarly to the kidneys, enough water will make sure the gut is working properly. Princess Isabella of Denmark is the epitome of a trendy royal teenager in official portraits released to mark her 15th birthday today. Isabella is the daughter of Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark, 53, who is heir to the throne, and his Australian-born wife Princess Mary, 50. Her grandmother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 82, is celebrating her Golden Jubilee this year. Happy birthday, Isabella! Princess Isabella of Denmark is the epitome of a trendy royal teenager in official portraits released to mark her 15th birthday today Dressed to impress: In two of the photos, the teenager is dressed in a simple striped black and white top, black trousers and an elegant tuxedo jacket with satin lapels, pictured Regal: A third black and white photo shows Isabella in a printed top, looking out to the middle distance. The teenager is third in line to the throne behind her father and older brother The schoolgirl, who is third in the order of succession behind her father and older brother Christian, 16, lives with her family at Amalienborg, the royal residence in Copenhagen, and at Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace, the family's spring and summer residence. The Danish Royal Family released three photographs to celebrate Isabella's birthday via Instagram. In two of the photos, the teenager is dressed in a simple striped black and white top, black trousers and an elegant tuxedo jacket with satin lapels. To stop the outfit looking too mature, Isabella added gold hoops and a simple gold chain necklace. Royal family! Queen Margrethe of Denmark with her son Crown Prince Frederick (left), his wife Mary (second from right) and their four children (left to right) Prince Vincent, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine A third black and white photo shows Isabella in a printed top, looking out to the middle distance. It comes after Queen Elizabeth II paid homage to Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee with an Instagram snap. The snap shows the two Queens with the late Duke of Edinburgh and the late Prince Henrik of Denmark, during a royal visit to Copenhagen in 1979. It comes after the British royal household marked Queen Margrethe of Denmark's Golden Jubilee with a throwback picture on Instagram Margrethe, 82, ascended the throne upon her father Frederick IX of Denmark's death on 14 January 1972. This year marks the 50th of her reign. Throughout the decades. the two Queen, who are third cousins, have enjoyed a courteous relationship. Queen Margrethe travelled to the UK on March 29 to attend Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey. Queen Margrethe's consort died in February 2018 after a short illness. Socialites, aristocrats and influencers are jetting out to Mexico to watch two of London's fashion set tie the knot. D&G model Sabrina Percy, whose father Richard Percy is a second cousin of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, is among the well-heeled guests expected at the wedding of Nina Brener-Hellmund and Freddie Briance over the weekend. Nina, who grew up between Mexico, Texas, and Switzerland, is the founder of online fashion platform Cult Mia. The dashing Freddie is the CEO of gentlemen's outfitters New & Lingwood. The couple officially wed at home in London in October but are now celebrating with friends and family at a big blowout bash in Yucatan, southeastern Mexico. The happy couple! Nina, who grew up between Mexico, Texas, and Switzerland, is the founder of online fashion platform Cult Mia. The dashing Freddie is the CEO of gentlemen's outfitters New & Lingwood. The couple, pictured in 2018, are tying the knot in Mexico this weekend Ready for the beach! Well connected journalist Natalie Salmon made the journey from the UK Strike a pose! D&G model Sabrina Percy, right, whose father Richard Percy is a second cousin of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, is taking in the sights ahead of the nuptials First class treatment! Personal stylist and shopper fashion influencer, stylist Bettina Looney and her husband Carlos treated themselves to first class tickets Heiress Jemima Cadbury, who is looking ahead to her own big day in the near future, has made the journey from the UK, as has well connected journalist Natalie Salmon. New York-based influencer Ani Pkhakadze will be in attendance, while personal stylist and shopper fashion influencer, stylist Bettina Looney and her husband Carlos treated themselves to first class tickets. Details of the nuptials have not been revealed but it is likely to be a glamorous affair. Some of the guests have booked into the exclusive Chable Yucatan, where rooms cost upwards of 1,353-per-night. The wedding could be taking place in a similarly grand venue. Nina attended Stanford University in California, graduating in 2013. She first tried to build a business at 19 before joining Goldman Sachs, followed by UBS, working in investment banking. Ready, get set, glow! Entrepreneur Ani Pkhakadze is also on her way to the society wedding Chic: Natalie spent time checking out the local shops ahead of this weekend's blowout bash In 2017 she enrolled at the London Business School to study for her MBA. She worked at fashionista favourite Moda Operandi, founded by socialite entrepreneur Lauren Santo Domingo, where she learned the foundations of e-commerce before founding Cult Mia. It is thought she met Freddie in London, where she has been based for almost 10 years. Soaking up the sun: Natalie and friend Holly Tabor shared snaps from their day at the beach Local cuisine: Entrepreneur Ani Pkhakadze made the journey from her home in New York City Oxford graduate Freddie also studied for his MBA at London Business School. He now heads up New & Lingwood, a British heritage brand founded in 1865 in Eton. Multi-day destination weddings have become a must-have for the society set. Lady Kitty Spencer set the trend when she wed Michael Lewis in her Roman extravaganza and in the months since there have been OTT nuptials in Spain, Mexico and the English countryside. A Mormon husband who came out as a transgender woman at age 47 said it strengthened her marriage to her wife - who has stayed by her side, despite the couple being outcast from the religion. Allyssa Conner, 50, who was born a male, has been married to her doting wife, Andrea, 46, for almost 26 years. Before coming out, the Utah-based campaigner lived as Kevin Conner - a married Mormon man with three children. For many years, Allyssa worked as a national sales director and would present herself a man while at work, at church, and to her friends and family, despite knowing that deep down she wanted to be a woman. The only person who knew her true identity was her wife, Andrea, who said she noticed early on that Allyssa would watch her while she was putting on her makeup. A Mormon husband who came out as a transgender woman at age 47 said it strengthened her marriage - despite the couple being outcast from the religion. They are pictured before (left) and after (right) her transition Allyssa Conner, 50, who was born a male, has been married to her doting wife, Andrea, 46, for almost 26 years. They are pictured at their wedding Before coming out, the Utah-based campaigner lived as Kevin Conner - a married Mormon man with three children (pictured) Allyssa, who said she was always honest with her wife about her gender identity, was forced to hide it from the rest of the world, but would secretly dress as a woman and go on outings as Allyssa with Andrea. Allyssa eventually took a leap of faith at the age of 47, when she officially came out as transgender and later quit her corporate role at the age of 50. She now spends her days sharing her experience in order to help others understand the complexities of gender identity - with supportive Andrea by her side. She said her gender dysphoria strengthened their marriage in the end, and has brought the pair closer together. Allyssa said: 'I've always had an awareness of my gender. Femininity was an energy I was drawn to. 'When I was growing up, there was no terminology for transgender and I didn't have the vocabulary for it. For years, Allyssa worked as a sales director and would present herself a man while at work, at church, and to her friends and family. She is pictured with wife Andrea before her transition The only person who knew her true identity was her wife, Andrea, who said she noticed early on that Allyssa (pictured after her transition) would watch her put on her makeup Allyssa was forced to hide it from the rest of the world, but would secretly dress as a woman and go on outings as Allyssa with Andrea. They are pictured together after her transition 'Around the age of 17 or 18 I was able to explore my identity more. I've always been honest with Andrea with whatever understanding I had about my gender and she's always been supportive. Allyssa eventually took a leap of faith at the age of 47, when she officially came out as transgender, and she later quit her corporate role at the age of 50. She is pictured at her wedding, before transitioning 'The transition has made us so much stronger and closer as a couple because we've fought bigger battles together. 'It's not a small experience for either of us, even just going to the shops as Allyssa was an experience for both of us, not just myself. 'It's been difficult for her as she feels as though she gets judged for being with me.' Mother-of-three Andrea added: 'Kevin was always into more feminine things. 'He would watch me do my make-up and I could tell he was really paying attention to it and taking mental notes. 'It didn't come as a shock when he confided in me about how he was feeling. It's definitely brought us closer together. 'I feel very blessed and it's as though I have two relationships, one with Kevin and one with Allyssa. 'I love hanging out with Allyssa as she smiles brighter and is so happy when she's dressed up. She now spends her days sharing her experience in order to help others understand the complexities of gender identity - with Andrea by her side. They are pictured after her transition Together forever: She said her gender dysphoria strengthened their marriage in the end, and has brought the pair (pictured at their wedding) closer together 'Not that Kevin isn't happy and bright but Allyssa gets to be her true self, which is lovely. The relationship is much more genuine.' Although Allyssa identifies as transgender, she still presents as Kevin on certain occasions, such as family events. She is taking hormones but has not undergone any surgery to fully transition. The couple decided to hide Allyssa's true identity from their three children until they were grown up, in order to protect them. 'We made a joint decision to not tell the children until they were 18 years old,' Allyssa explained. 'I have two daughters and they were in their formative years and looking to us to know what to expect from a spouse and a husband. 'They needed a father figure. When the time came, I was terrified but they were fully supportive. 'It was a weight off my chest and has enabled me to have an honest relationship with them as they didn't really know who I was before.' Despite the support of her immediate family, Allyssa found herself outcast by her Mormon community, as the church does not support her gender identity. True self: Allyssa (pictured with Andrea after her transition) is taking hormones but has not undergone any surgery yet Allyssa (pictured with Andrea after transitioning) was outcast by her Mormon community, with the church telling her that they 'decided this wasn't a way of life they could support' She added: 'We were raised Mormon and in the church, I even completed a missionary trip in Japan for the church. 'They decided this wasn't a way of life they could support and have told other members of the church to not support it, including my family. 'I am still in contact with them but they haven't seen me as Allyssa, only Kevin. 'It hurts because they cannot celebrate my achievements as they aren't able to support it. It's the position they've been put in by the church so I understand but it's very difficult.' Despite the challenges, Allyssa and Andrea now work full time educating others, in the hopes they can spread more awareness about the topic. She added: 'I want to teach people that the condition is uncommon, not un-Godly. 'Even if people don't agree with it, they can support others or have the tools and knowledge to help.' Queen Letizia of Spain was the picture of elegance as she joined King Felipe to host a luncheon for the winner of an esteemed literature award today. The Spanish monarch, who spent a decade working as a TV reporter before marrying Felipe in 2004, met with representatives of the worlds of literature and journalism at La Zarzuela palace in Madrid. The prestigious Miguel de Cervantes Prize is awarded to one writer annually to celebrate a lifetime of work, this year being given to Uruguayan novelist Cristina Peri Rossi. Looking typically polished, Letizia, 49, opted for a recycled blue midi-dress by Spanish fashion designer Manuel Pertegaz featuring a floral design and long peplum sleeves. Queen Letizia of Spain was the picture of elegance as she joined King Felipe to host a luncheon for the winner of an esteemed literature award today The Spanish monarch, who spent a decade working as a TV reporter before marrying Felipe in 2004, met with representatives of the world of literature and journalism at La Zarzuela palace in Madrid Letizia teamed the dress with a suede clutch and matching pair of pumps by Spanish fashion house Magrit and added some glitz to her outfit with a pair of simple teardrop earrings. Her brown tresses were styled in a chic half-up, half-down do, while for her make-up look the mother-of-two opted for a subtle smokey eye, light eyeliner and touch of bronzer. The royal was last spotted in the outfit as she joined Felipe, 54, and their children Crown Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia at the Princess of Asturias Awards Ceremony in 2019. The Miguel de Cervantes Prize is one of the most coveted in Spanish literature and has awarded an accolade to an esteemed writer every April at Alcala de Henares University since it's launch in 1974. Looking typically polished, Letizia, 49, opted for a recycled blue midi-dress by Spanish fashion designer Manuel Pertegaz featuring a floral design and long peplum sleeves Her brown tresses were styled in a chic half-up, half-down do, while for her make-up look the mother-of-two opted for a subtle smokey eye, light eyeliner and touch of bronzer The candidates are nominated by the Spanish Royal Academy and by former prize-winners. The chairman of the jury is the Spanish Minister of Culture. Letizia, whose father Jesus Jose Ortiz Alvarez and stepmother Ana Togores are both journalists, met her husband while still a reporter and was famously asked to conduct an interview with him. Letizia's media career was a lengthy one and began with a stint at Asturian daily paper, La Nueva Espana. Next came a role at ABC, a popular national newspaper that enjoys the third largest circulation in Spain, before spells at EFE and Mexican publication Siglo 21, which is based in Guadelajara. Letizia teamed the dress with a suede clutch and matching pair of pumps by Spanish fashion house Magrit and added some glitz to her outfit with a pair of simple teardrop earrings The couple appeared in high spirits as they stepped out at La Zarzuela palace to host a luncheon for the winner of the Cervantes Award The Spanish monarchs were seen clinking champagne glasses as they hosted a luncheon with representatives of the world of literature and journalism Back in Spain a year later, she worked for the Spanish version of Bloomberg, a news channel and agency specialising in economics, before moving to CNN+. By the time she met her husband-to-be, Letizia was working for popular TV channel 24 Horas, where she anchored the popular Telediario 2 evening news bulletin. Perhaps as a result of her reporting background, Letizia is one of the most enthusiastically pro-newspaper royals in Europe and regularly turns out for journalist charities and awards ceremonies. By contrast, Prince Philip is notoriously mistrustful of the media and once quipped to the matron of a Caribbean hospital he was visiting: 'You have mosquitoes. I have the Press!' uke of Sussex 'hopes and believes that 'everything he does' makes her proud Prince Harry has said he 'honours his mother' in everything he does and that he is 'his mother's son', in a new interview with a US magazine. Speaking to People magazine, the Duke of Sussex, 37, said the he hopes and believes that 'everything he does' makes her proud. 'In the 12 short years I was lucky enough to have with her, I saw and felt the energy and lift she got from helping others, no matter their background, ailment or status. Her life and theirs was better for it, however short theirs or hers was,' he said. Prince Harry has said he 'honours his mother' in everything he does and that he is 'his mother's son', in a new interview with a US magazine. He is pictured at the Invictus Games last week with wife Meghan Speaking to People magazine, the Duke of Sussex, 37, said the he hopes and believes that 'everything he does' makes her proud. Harry and Diana are picture in Hyde Park in the early 1990s 'I honour my mother in everything I do. I am my mother's son.' Harry is currently in the Hague for this Invictus Games while his wife Meghan Markle, 40, is at home at their $14m mansion in California with their children Archie, two, and Lilibet, 10 months. The royal was only 12 when his mother died in a car crash in 1997, aged 36. He has since carried on much of her charity work, particularly with landmine clearing charity Halo Trust. Princess Diana worked with the Halo Trust in Huambo, Angola, during the 1990s in a fight against landmines. The royal was only 12 when his mother died in a car crash in 1997, aged 36. He has since carried on much of her charity work, particularly with landmine clearing charity Halo Trust. Harry, William and Diana are pictured at Thorpe Park At the time, her support for an international treaty banning use of the explosive devices was seen as a political stance, but it was widely regarded as one of her greatest humanitarian efforts. The duke made an emotional pilgrimage to Africa in 2019 to retrace the steps of his mother Diana, who famously walked through a partially cleared Angolan minefield in 1997 to highlight the trusts efforts and the threat of the military munitions. Harry's comment come as the Royal Family continues to process his comments made during a US TV interview the day before the Queen celebrated her 96th birthday. Despite her grandson's incendiary remarks appearing to question those around her - and him opening up to NBC about their 'private' time together - Princess Diana wearing a bombproof visor during her visit to a minefield in Huambo, in Angola in 1997 The duke made an emotional pilgrimage to Africa in 2019 to retrace the steps of his mother Diana, who famously walked through a partially cleared Angolan minefield in 1997 to highlight the trusts efforts and the threat of the military munitions Her Majesty, who turned 96 today, looked happy and relaxed as she chatted away to her bodyguard as he drove her through the grounds of her beloved Sandringham, which was also treasured by her late husband Prince Philip. The Royal Family was this week left reeling when Harry, who met with British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in The Hague today, appeared to issue a veiled warning to those closest to the Queen when interviewed by a US network, saying he wanted to make sure his grandmother was 'protected' and had 'the right people around her'. The duke did not elaborate on whether he was referring to royal aides or members of his own family, but his comments may have deepened his rift with his father the Prince of Wales and his brother William and perplexed palace officials. Harry also risked further fuelling the rift with his estranged older brother by stating that their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was now watching over him from beyond the grave as 'she's done her bit' with Prince William and his family. Covid lockdowns may partly explain the mysterious spate of hepatitis cases which has sickened dozens of British children, experts claim. Some 108 youngsters under 10 have been struck down with the inflammatory liver condition in Britain so far since January. Eight have needed a liver transplant. Sick children have also been reported in the US, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain but scientists are still unsure what is behind the cases. The UK Health Security Agency believes adenoviruses a family of common viruses which usually cause mild colds, vomiting and diarrhoea may be playing a role. Around 77 per cent of the cases in Britain also tested positive for adenovirus, the agency said today. Experts tasked with investigating the spate of illnesses believe the endless cycle of lockdowns may have played a contributing role, weakening children's immunity and leaving them at heightened risk of adenovirus. Writing in the journal Eurosurveillance, the team led by Public Health Scotland epidemiologist Dr Kimberly Marsh said more children could be 'immunologically naive' to the virus because of restrictions. They said: 'The leading hypotheses centre around adenovirus either a new variant with a distinct clinical syndrome or a routinely circulating variant that is more severely impacting younger children who are immunologically naive. 'The latter scenario may be the result of restricted social mixing during the pandemic.' Other scientists said it may have been a virus that has acquired 'unusual mutations'. Covid lockdowns may be behind the mysterious spate of hepatitis cases in children because they reduced social mixing and weakened their immunity, experts claim The UKHSA has noted Covid as well as other infections and environmental triggers are still being probed as possible causes of the illnesses. But Professor Graham Cooke, an expert in infectious diseases at Imperial College London, said it is unlikely Covid was responsible. He said: 'Mild hepatitis is very common in children following a range of viral infections, but what is being seen at the moment is quite different. WHAT IS HEPATITIS? Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that is usually caused by a viral infection or liver damage from drinking alcohol. Short-term hepatitis often has no noticeable symptoms. But if some develop they can include dark urine, pale grey-coloured poo, itchy skin and yellowing of the eyes and skin. They can also include muscle and joint pain, a high temperature, feeling and being sick and being unusually tired all of the time. When hepatitis is spread by a virus, it's usually caused by consuming food and drink contaminated with the faeces of an infected person or blood-to-blood or sexual contact. Source: NHS Advertisement 'If the hepatitis was a result of Covid it would be surprising not to see it more widely distributed across the country given the high prevalence of (Covid) at the moment.' He said the theory that younger children may suffer more serious symptoms because of lower immunity from lockdown was 'speculative but possible'. Professor Cooke told The i: 'There is going to be a group of children under the age of two who have not been exposed to the same number of viruses that they would have been exposed to normally.' Just two of the cases in Scotland were aged two or younger. A virology specialist at Imperial told The Telegraph it is 'very unusual and rare' for children to suffer severe hepatitis, especially to the extent that they require a liver transplant. The expert, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'The number of cases is exceptional. 'It makes people think there is something unusual going on such as a virus that has mutated or some other cause. 'It has sent alarm bells ringing.' Hepatitis often has no noticeable symptoms but they can include dark urine, pale grey-coloured faeces, itchy skin and the yellowing of the eyes and skin. Infected people can also suffer muscle and joint pain, a high temperature, feeling and being sick and being unusually tired all of the time. When hepatitis is spread by a virus, it's usually caused by consuming food and drink contaminated with the faeces of an infected person or blood-to-blood or sexual contact. Dr Meera Chand, director of clinical and emerging infections at UKHSA, said: 'We are working with the NHS and public health colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to swiftly investigate a wide range of possible factors which may be causing children to be admitted to hospital with liver inflammation known as hepatitis. 'Information gathered through our investigations increasingly suggests that this is linked to adenovirus infection. 'However, we are thoroughly investigating other potential causes.' US authorities have also spotted nine cases among children in Alabama, all of whom tested positive for adenovirus. Two had to have liver transplants. Some doctors have noted that adenoviruses are so common in children that finding them in those with hepatitis does not necessarily mean the viruses are responsible for the liver disease. While they do not typically cause hepatitis, it is a known rare complication of the virus. Adenoviruses are commonly passed from person to person and by touching contaminated surfaces, as well as through the 'respiratory route', the UKHSA said. It ruled out any links to Covid vaccines, saying none of the affected children were vaccinated. The World Health Organization noted that although there has been an increase in adenovirus in Britain, which is spreading at the same time as Covid, the potential role of those viruses in triggering hepatitis is unclear. Some of the children have tested positive for coronavirus, but the WHO said genetic analysis of the virus was needed to determine if there were any connections between the cases. It said no other links had been found between the children in the UK and none had recently travelled internationally. Lab tests are also under way to determine if a chemical or toxin might be the cause. The WHO said there were fewer than five possible cases in Ireland and three confirmed cases in Spain, in children aged 22 months to 13 years. The UN health agency said that given the jump in cases and heightened surveillance, it is 'very likely' more cases will be detected before the cause of the outbreak is identified. A wildfire in northern Arizona has spread rapidly to more than 6,000 acres due to significant winds and dry conditions. Officials from Coconino County stated over 200 people were working to put out the fire, but as of Tuesday evening, they had not been able to achieve it. About 14 miles north of Flagstaff, the so-called Tunnel Fire was raging, according to Fox News. Nearly 800 families and over 1,000 animals were relocated from the area, which is home to more than 2,000 people, according to county officials. Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll said that the evacuation procedure "was very difficult" due to the "rapid movement and progression" of the wildfire, which made the situation more complicated in comparison to past incidents. According to Driscoll, his office received calls from people stranded in their homes, but officials could not reach them due to the fire. He stated that it is yet unknown whether those individuals survived. Wildfire Threatens The Northeast Area Officials say the fire has burned at least two dozen structures and is threatening hundreds more as it advances northeast. Driscoll said that the fire was "moving so fast" that it put officers "in harm's way themselves." "I'm very proud of the fact that we were able to get this evacuation done despite the rapid progression of the fire," he noted. The fire threatens local power and gas distribution networks, as well as historical and cultural institutions and 150 companies, as per a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Coconino National Forest, the fire has evolved drastically due to high winds and is rapidly spreading toward the northeast. Weather conditions are expected to make the rest of the week difficult for authorities. Meteorologist Robert Rickey said that there would be no significant decreases in the wind. " I don't see any big bump-ups in humidity and, at this point, we're not really expecting any precipitation either," he noted. A fire investigation team has been ordered and will be on the scene by Wednesday, according to Matt McGrath, district ranger for the Coconino National Forest. The #TunnelFire on @CoconinoNF has closed both Sunset Crater & Wupatki national monuments near #Flagstaff. The fire is 16,625 acres as of this morning & a Type 1 incident management team should be arriving tomorrow. More information at https://t.co/zgXg9pzuaR pic.twitter.com/zFXLUITyee NPS Fire & Aviation (@FireAviationNPS) April 20, 2022 The cause of the fire is being investigated, according to a report from CNN. The Red Cross established an evacuation center at Sinagua Middle School in Flagstaff, and officials urged evacuees to drop off animals and livestock at other locations. Read Also: South Africa Begins Restoration Efforts After Disastrous Flooding Kills at Least 440 Residents Advised To Stay Updated County officials declared a local emergency as a result of the fire and advised residents to check the county's website for updates on the fire's progress. According to the news release, FEMA approved the request for federal funds, covering up to 75% of qualified firefighting expenditures. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, nearly 2,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to more than a dozen enormous wildfires in the Southwestern, Southern, and Rocky Mountain regions. Climate change, as per scientists, has caused the United States to become more vulnerable to natural disasters. In the last 30 years, per USA Today report, the West has become significantly warmer and drier, leading to more extreme weather conditions and more frequent and devastating wildfires. Related Article: Bird Flu Outbreak Results in Death of 1.4 Million Avians, Forcing Experts To Anticipate What Comes Next @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Analysis of thousands of tumours from NHS patients has identified a 'treasure trove' of new clues about the causes of cancer. In the biggest study of its kind, researchers at Cambridge University Hospitals looked at the genomes of more than 12,000 people with cancer in England. They spotted 58 new patterns in their DNA, called mutational signatures, suggesting there are causes that scientists are not yet aware of. The researchers hope the discovery will allow future studies to work out the root of these cancer-causing mutations. Scientists were aware of just 51 mutational signatures before the new find, including changes caused by smoking or UV light. Identifying these signatures also allow doctors to look at each patient's tumour and match it to specific treatments and medications. However, the patterns can only be detected in cancer patients who have had their whole genome sequenced by scientists which isn't routinely done. Professor Serena Nik-Zainal, a genomic expert who led the study, said these patterns are like 'fingerprints at a crime scene'. She said the findings could indicate an 'Achilles heel' in individual cancers that could be targeted with treatment. Cambridge University researchers studied the genetic make-up of more than 12,000 people with cancer in England, which allows them to see the origins of the tumour. They spotted 58 new patterns in the DNA of cancer, suggesting there are causes that scientists are not yet aware of HOW DOES CANCER DEVELOP? Cancer starts in the cells. Inside almost every cell in the body is a copy of your genome, made of DNA. The genome can be thought of as the instructions for running a cell. It tells the cell what kind of cell to be such as a skin cell or a liver cell and has instructions that tell the cell when to grow, divide and die. When a cell divides to become two cells, the genome is copied. Usually this happens in a controlled way and is how bodies grow and repair. But sometimes mistakes happen when copying the genome. These are called mutations. The mistakes can be caused by natural processes in the cells, by chance, or by external factors, such as UV light or smoking. Most damage is repaired immediately with no negative effects. But sometimes the mutations in critical genes means it no longer understands its instructions and multiplies out of control. The abnormal cell keeps dividing and making more and more abnormal cells. These cells form a lump, which is called a tumour. Source: Genomics England Advertisement Around 375,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK every year, while 1.7million are confirmed in the US. Cancer is caused by mutations in the genome of cells, which causes cells to multiply out of control until they form a tumour. The latest study, published in the journal Science, analysed the whole genome of 12,222 NHS cancer patients as part of the 100,000 Genomes Project in England. Genome sequencing looks at all of the thousands of DNA building blocks within each tumour, showing the mutations that contribute to each person's cancer. Some of the new mutational patterns observed were present across many different cancer patients, while some were more rare. Cancers are thought to have a finite amount of mutational processes, fuelling the search to identify them all and what causes them. Knowing the signatures are present within a tumour helps to figure out the root cause of them and point towards whether the mutation was caused by environmental factors or a genetic problem. Professor Nik-Zainal told MailOnline: 'I sometimes use the analogy of footprints in sand where the mutational signatures are the footprints. 'When you look across a beach, there could be footprints everywhere (analogous to cancer, mutations look a bit random, they are everywhere). 'But if you study the footprints in detail, there are characteristics that tell you whether the footprints are an animal or a human.' She added: 'Mutational signatures are like those footprints. We can start to figure out whether something is due to external or cellular factors by studying the mutation patterns in detail.' The researchers used their findings to develop an algorithm called Signature Fit Multi-Step (FitMS) that can spot mutational signatures in new cancer genome samples. Only patients who have had their cancers whole genome sequenced will be able to benefit from this tool, but the team believes it can be rolled out to them 'very quickly'. As it stands, only cancers in children, specific leukaemias and sarcomas rare cancers affecting the body's tissues are sequenced through the NHS but experts expect this list to be widened in the coming years. FitMS will spot the mutational signatures in these patients' cancer, which scientists hope will speed up the ability to match them to a more specific treatment. Professor Nik-Zainal said: 'The reason it is important to identify mutational signatures is because they are like fingerprints at a crime scene they help to pinpoint cancer culprits. 'Some mutational signatures have clinical or treatment implications they can highlight abnormalities that may be targeted with specific drugs or may indicate a potential "Achilles heel" in individual cancers.' Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study shows how powerful whole genome sequencing tests can be in giving clues into how the cancer may have developed, how it will behave and what treatment options would work best.' The results can 'potentially be used within the NHS to improve the treatment and care for people with cancer', she added. Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer of Genomics England, said applying the mutational clues to patients 'could improve the diagnosis and management of cancer patients'. Advertisement New Yorkers are reporting confusion and frustration over the city's choice to leave its public transport mask orders in place despite a federal court axing them on Monday. At the start of the week, a court in Florida ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) mask mandate for public transportation - which had recently been given a two-week extension - unlawful, a move that was met with jubilation by some, as videos of airline patrons taking off their masks mid-flight going viral on social media. The Big Apple chose to keep their own local regulations in place, though creating an odd situation where the city has more strict rules than any of its surrounding areas. New Yorkers tell DailyMail.com that the decision to keep the masks in place is both confusing and frustrating, and point out that the city's Covid rules have always felt inconsistent over the pandemic's past two years. The move comes as cases in the city continue a steady rise, but deaths remain low. Nationally, case figures have remained stagnant for over a month, while death figures have continued to plummet from their late-January peak. Despite a recent federal court ruling, New Yorkers are still required to wear a mask on the subway and in the city's two local airports. Some residents are expressing feelings of confusion and frustration about the current orders remaining despite them being lifted almost everywhere else in America. Pictured: New Yorkers mask up while on the subway Kate Alexander is a Queens resident who regularly uses the subway and travels out of the three local airports in the city, LaGuardia and JFK, both in Queens, and Newark Liberty in neighboring New Jersey. She told DailyMail.com that she was initially ok with the masks, but now people deserve to choose for themselves. 'Initially I was fine with having to wear a mask on the subway and in the airport but I think its time to give people the choice, especially because the mandates arent consistent,' she said. 'I dont have to wear a mask in the Uber to JFK, but I have to wear one in the airport and I can take it off again as soon as I get on the plane. No consistency.' Under the current orders, airline passengers traveling out of LaGuardia or JFK have to mask in the airport, since it falls under NYC jurisdiction. Once they are on the plane, though, they are technically under federal orders for which required masking is no longer a thing. This means that in an airport, a wider area where social distancing is not a particular challenge, masks are required, but on the crowded plane where people are sitting in tight quarters, the face coverings come off. Those who use ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft are not required to mask either, but face-coverings are required to ride in a taxi. 'I think right now, is a good time to give people the choice about how they may want to protect themselves,' Cedric Alam, a Newark resident who travels into Manhattan every other day and regularly flies out of JFK, told DailyMail.com. 'If people think they should wear a mask, then they should go right ahead and wear one, while people who think they will be fine without one should have the freedom to travel bare faced.' Alam explains that the inconsistency with the masks can be frustrating, since a trip from New Jersey to New York - a common trip for many in the tri-state area - requires a person to continuously put on and take-off their mask to abide by local regulations. The virus is the same on both sides of the Hudson River, though. 'Where I am the most frustrated with New York is the lack of consistency with the court order and the rest of the U.S.,' he explained. 'They say they believe in science, so can they please explain where the science is in the following: NJ transit to Penn station or a flight into JFK, mask off, then while at JFK, mask on, and as soon as you get on a plane or get to another airport outside of New York, its mask off again. 'There is no consistency, no science, no making sense.' He said that next time he plans to book a flight, he will consider booking out of Newark instead to avoid the frustrating rules. Alexander laments the frustrating inconsistencies as well, and pointed out that the regulations in New York City differing from other surrounding areas has been an issue all throughout the pandemic. 'Throughout the whole pandemic its been frustrating,' she said. 'At one point in Long Island, [which is just east of Queens], you could eat inside. But you couldnt in Queens because its NYC. So weve been dealing with that across the board.' The inconsistencies have some New Yorkers calling for the city to get with the rest of the country's program. 'New York needs to comply with the decision of the Federal court,' Manny Alicandro, a Manhattanite who regularly uses to subway and travels out of both JFK and LaGaurdia, told DailyMail.com. '[They're] silly and makes no sense... did you see the people on the planes cheering when it was announced that the mask mandate ended... never seen people so happy on an airplane.' Americans seem to support the mask orders over all, though, at least according to a poll performed by the Morning Consult. It found that 59 percent of Americans, and 85 percent of Democrats - for which New York City is dominated by - support the federal mask mandate on public transportation. It is unlikely that they return, though. While the Department of Justice plans to appeal the court's decision, it is likely that the current orders lapse before the issue is settled. Jack Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, told TODAY this week that he does not think the masks will ever come back, either. Despite orders being lifted, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that it would continue to implement its 'zero tolerance policy' for banning passengers that are 'unruly' over Covid guidelines. New York is currently experiencing an uptick in Covid cases, but its situation is still an overall positive. The Big Apple has recorded a 65 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks, with daily figures jumping to 2,505 per day - still far below the peak over over 40,000 during the peak of the Omicron variant in early January. The Empire state as a whole has recorded a 71 percent jump in daily infections over the last 14 days. Nationwide, case figures have once again creeped over the 40,000 mark, with 40,918 daily cases being added to the ledger - the second highest mark since early March. Deaths continue to rampantly plummet, though, with 380 Americans dying from Covid daily - a 29 percent fall over the past week. A teenager told he'd never walk again after snapping his shin in a freak sledging accident has taken his first steps. Ben Thompson, 19, begged doctors to 'chop his leg off' after hitting a metal sign while sliding down a snowy hill in Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, in November. The horror accident saw his shin bone snap and puncture the muscle and artery in his calf, completely destroying the nerve system in his leg. He was told he might lose his leg during surgery at Queen's Hospital Burton and even after the surgery was a success, medics told him he might never walk again. Mr Thompson's leg continued to expand because of infections in the weeks after his operation and doctors had to give him a skin graft. The ex-warehouse worker asked doctors to cut off his leg because of the unbearable pain which felt worse because he was not on the 'right medication'. Five months later, Mr Thompson has started to walk again, although he will remain on pain meds for the foreseeable. Ben Thompson (left), 19, smashed into a metal pole while sliding down a hill on a plastic sledge in Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, in November last year (right) The brutal crash caused his broken shin to punctured the muscle and artery in his calf before completely destroying the nerve system in his leg He was told he might lose his leg during surgery and even after he was operated on, medics told him he might never walk again. Mr Thompson's leg continued to expand because of infections in the weeks after his operation and doctors had to give him a skin graft (right) The former warehouse worker asked doctors to cut off his leg because of the unbearable pain which felt worse because he was not on the 'right medication' HOW IS A BROKEN LEG NORMALLY TREATED? A broken leg will be severely painful and may be swollen or bruised and you usually won't be able to walk on it. If it's a severe fracture, the leg may be an odd shape and the bone may even be poking out of the skin. There may have been a 'crack' sound when the leg was broken, and the shock and pain of breaking your leg may cause you to feel faint, dizzy or sick. First, a doctor will give you painkillers and may fix a splint to your leg to secure it in position and prevent further damage. For severe pain, you may be given pain-killing gas through a face mask or medication through a drip into a vein. An X-ray is often necessary to assess the fracture. If the broken bone is still in position, you'll usually just need a plaster cast. This holds the bone in place so it can heal. If there's a lot of swelling, you may just have a splint or cast around the back half of your leg until the swelling goes down. A full cast can be fitted a few days later. You may be provided with painkillers to take home and information on how to look after your cast. If the bones are misaligned, a doctor or surgeon may need to put them back into place. This is known as 'reduction'. Sedatives are sometimes provided before the procedure and local or regional anaesthetic is used to numb the site of the break. In some cases a general anaesthetic is needed, which means you'll be asleep during the procedure. Once the bones are in the correct position, a plaster cast can be applied. Severe fractures are often treated with surgery to realign and fix the broken bones. Surgeons can fix bones with metal wires, plates, screws or rods. Advertisement Describing the crash, Mr Thompson said: 'I went sledging on a hill in Shobnall Park with somebody else. 'We didn't see the skinny metal pole ahead. At the last minute the other rider was able to get off but I wasn't so lucky. 'I put my foot out to stop the impact and the pole has smacked the bottom of my foot. 'This snapped my bone which then stabbed through my muscle and snapping both my artery and my nerve system from the shin down.' After arriving at the hospital in Burton, he was taken to to Royal Stoke University Hospital where he was given emergency surgery to fit metal pins into his leg and hold his shin bone in place. They told him his leg may not be salvageable and that he could wake up from a second surgery days later as an amputee. Medics managed to save his leg, but the former warehouse worker was told he would be disabled for life and may never walk again. After surgery, Mr Thompson's muscle began expanding again, leaving him in need of a skin graft on either side of his calf with doctors taking skin from his thigh. At times the pain got so much for Mr Thompson that he repeatedly begged doctors to amputate his leg. However, a change of medication helped Mr Thompson with the pain and slowly began exercising his leg again. He said: 'I was in hospital for three weeks in constant pain and no sign of recovery. 'Around two months later the doctors said I'd still be disabled and they couldn't see much sign of movement. 'I'm also on permanent medication for the rest of my life. Walking is very hard for me and even five months later my foot hasn't healed any better, but I'm learning to live with it and make adjustments. 'Because they hadn't given me the right medication I was in complete agony and was begging them to chop it off. 'I was very close to going through with it but decided not to because I didn't want to give up.' Mr Thompson documented his recovery on social media, where followers have encouraged him with his progress. He said: 'Learning to walk was very hard because not only could I not feel my leg but I had been lying down non stop for over a month so my leg muscle was very weak. 'I had a big heavy boot to begin with and a pair of crutches but would still struggle to walk anywhere. 'I would practice in my bedroom and exercise my muscles. Once I got my foot brace my foot was a lot easier to move around. 'I was very determined to get better and in a few more months I was able to move around my house.' A 'bi-polar' woman who faced mood swings for six years was finally diagnosed with a brain disorder moments before being admitted to a psychiatric ward. Concerns were first raised when Chloe Kral, now 23, from California, spent six weeks vegetating in bed and avoiding classes in October 2016. Over the next few years she started struggling to remember simple instructions, switching from being aggressive to 'like a toddler' and being unable to walk in a straight line or without dragging her right foot. Therapists initially said she had severe depression and then bi-polar disorder, giving the family pills to treat both. But Chloe kept getting worse, and in September 2020 was checked into an intensive psychotherapy facility for six months costing all $180,000 of the family savings. It was only when the teenager was rushed to the emergency room at Cedars-Dinai Marina del Rey hospital that a CT scan revealed she actually had hydrocephalus. The condition occurs when too much fluid collects around the brain, compressing it and triggering balance and mood problems. It is diagnosed in about two in 1,000 Americans after birth. After the diagnosis, Chloe was raced to surgery to remove the excess fluid and restore normal drainage. She was discharged five days later. 'If doctors hadnt done that scan, Chloe would have gone to that psychiatric facility and she would have continued to be treated as a psychiatric patient,' her mother Alison, said. Chloe is now driving again, holding down a job and has joined a design college in San Francisco. 'For me, having them diagnose me it means the opportunity to have the life I've always wanted and that I thought I wouldn't be able to have,' she said. Concerns were first raised about Chloe Kral, now 23, when she vegetated in her room for six weeks instead of going to college. Her parents brought her home to California, but it still took another six years before doctors finally diagnosed her condition. She is pictured above before surgery (left), and afterwards (right) Chloe was initially living like any other teenager, and in 2015 left home to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She is pictured above outside the college But after she spent six weeks vegetating at home, her parents rushed her home to near Palos Verdes, California, putting her condition down to severe depression. But it got worse It was only when she was checked in to hospital in California after threatening to kill herself that doctors did a CT scan and found she actually had hydrocephalus. This is a condition where too much fluid builds up around the brain, compressing it and triggering problems such as mood swings and difficulty balancing. The above picture shows the ventricles in the brain (right), which are swollen due to too much fluid collecting Dr Elizabeth Mitchell (left), at Cedars-Dinai Marina del Rey hospital in California, said she decided on the CT scan when it appeared something was a 'bit off'. The surgery was done by Dr Ray Chu (right), who said it helped to re-establish normal fluid flow Hydrocephalus also known as 'water on the brain' is a rare condition that can either be present when someone is born, or develop during their lifetime. It happens when channels for draining cerebrospinal fluid which surrounds and cushion the brain become blocked, leading the fluid to build up. In turn, this can begin compressing areas of the brain, leading to symptoms including mood swings, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Treatment involves cutting a hole in the skull and using an instrument about the size of a pen to clear the blockage and re-open the channels, ensuring normal drainage. When left untreated, the condition can lead to permanent brain damage. WHAT IS HYDROCEPHALUS? Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain, which can damage tissue. Aside from an abnormally-sized head, other symptoms can include headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion and vision problems. Hydrocephalus' cause is usually unknown but may be due to issues with cavities in the brain or an underlying health problem that affects blood flow, such as heart disease. It can also be acquired by damage to the brain due to a head injury, stroke or tumour. Treatment is shunt surgery, which involves implanting a thin tube into the brain to drain away excess fluid to another part of the body where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. If untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal due to increased pressure compressing the brainstem, which is responsible for regulating heart rates and breathing. A patient's prognosis after surgery depends on their age and general health. Source: Brain and Spine Foundation Advertisement In Chloe's case, the build up of fluid around her brain was pressing her frontal lobes against the back of her forehead. This area is involved in memory, decision-making and controlling emotions. Doctors said she likely had the condition from birth, and that her brain had been compensating for it for as long as possible. They added her lack of common symptoms likely delayed the diagnosis. She did not suffer any long-term damage. Cedars Sinai Marina del Rey hospital, in California, revealed the tale as a warning to other families struggling to diagnose their children's condition. Describing her daughter before October 2016, Kral said she was a 'very proficient skier' who loved to go to the slopes. 'Then at around 13 or 14, her balance wasn't as good, and she didn't want to ski anymore. But it was just so gradual we didn't think much of it,' she added. Like any aspiring student, Chloe pursued her dream to be a designer and enrolled at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology. But in thanksgiving after her first term she told a therapist she was 'struggling a lot', reports the Washington Post, and prescribed antidepressants. In her second year she suddenly started vegetating in her flat, triggering Kral to rush her back to California blaming the episode on severe depression. Chloe was then enrolled in a community college, but quickly dropped out because she kept forgetting to hand in assignments. She was also fired from jobs at a movie theater and local market because she could not remember basic instructions. By mid-2019, she was facing what appeared to be 'bipolar' episodes where her mood would swing rapidly between aggression and clinging to her mother 'like a toddler' and following her around the house. She was also not sleeping, would talk rapidly, and at one point disappeared for two days. Six months later Alison also noticed her daughter was now dragging her right foot during walks around the local area. By the autumn, Chloe had begun spending days just lying on the living room sofa, was forgetting to bathe and brush her teeth and even wet herself in the car. This was when Alison took the decision to move Chloe to a psychiatric ward in a last ditch attempt to get her daughter back. 'It just stripped us, but what choice did we have? I remember thinking that if this doesn't work, I don't know what we're going to do,' Alison said. Chloe, pictured above before the condition was diagnosed, was initially attending a fashion college in New York. Doctors said her brain had likely been compensating for the condition for as long as it could Chloe said that the eventual diagnosis and surgery had given her her life back. She is pictured above before doctors found out she had hydrocephalus Pictured above is mother Alison Kral, who struggled with Chloe for six years before the condition was eventually diagnosed. She said the doctor that spotted her daughter's condition should be awarded a medal In March 2020, however, Chloe started threatening to harm staff in the hospital and then threatened to kill herself. Police were called and she was put in four-point restraints which restrain the hands and feet before being taken to the Cedars-Sinai emergency ward. Upon arrival there, physician Dr Elizabeth Mitchell noticed something was 'a bit off' with the patient. Chloe was 'mumbling about Rosa Parks' on admission, she told the Washington Post, and managed to tell doctors she had not used and drugs or alcohol but was otherwise 'incoherent'. 'My gut thinking was something was a little bit off, so I ordered a CT of her head,' Mitchell said. 'And I just, I could not believe it. I called the entire emergency department to come look at this CT it was a very dramatic CT scan.' The scan had revealed what Kral said was 'one of the worst cases' of hydrocephalus that the doctors had ever seen. Chloe was quickly rushed for surgery to clear the fluid from around her brain, and get it to start draining away again normally. Dr Ray Chu, the neurosurgeon who carried out the procedure, said it helped to 'in a sense re-establish normal spinal fluid flow'. One day after the surgery, Chloe rung her mother and asked her to bring some magazines for her to read because the ward was 'so boring'. By three months after the operation she was 'totally independent', and once again driving, working and applying for college. 'All throughout high school I was really focused and good at timing and once I got into college there was like this complete change around,' Chloe said. But talking about her condition, she said: 'I was just kind of wasting the day away. I didnt have anything that I wanted to do. Nothing motivated me or made me excited. It was just the same thing every day, and I didnt see anything changing.' 'That emergency doctor, when I went there that day I said I just want to kiss your feet like, thank you!' Alison said. Americans were breathing in more polluted air than ever in the years just before the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study finds. Researchers from the American Lung Association (ALA) reported that after over two-decades of declines, the number of days where the air quality in the U.S. fell under the umbrella of 'very healthy' or 'hazardous' reached an all-time high from 2018 to 2020. Polluted air has been tied to lung cancer, asthma and other respiratory issues, and can be tied to tens of thousands of U.S. deaths every year. While the U.S. has certainly made leaps in recent decades to limit air pollution, experts tell DailyMail.com that more still needs to be done, warning that this situation will worsen if leaders remain inactive on climate change. The ALA publishes regular reports on the state of American air quality, and had noted declined air pollution levels for 23 years leading up to 2018. Researchers find that America experienced more days of high air pollution levels than ever before from 2017 to 2020, largely sparked by wildfires across the west coast Positive trends reversed late last decade, though, and now over 137 million Americans - around 40 percent of the population - are believed to live in a region with unhealthy air. Paul Billings, the national senior vice president at the ALA, told DailyMail.com that these decreases were mainly a result of the Clean Air Act, which was passed in 1963 for that exact purpose. A changing climate has proven to be a setback, though, as wildfires that scorched through the west coast in recent years fueling a massive uptick in particles being captured in the air. Too many people are breathing too much air pollution on too many days,' Billings said. '...Things like wildfire dramatically affect the health of those exposed.' Paul Billings (pictured), the national senior vice president at the ALA, said that officials need to work to move towards renewable, greener, energy sources These fires were not the only major cause, though, with Billings saying that 'any place where theres high levels of combustion going on' will generate high levels of particle pollution. He also notes that regular use of cars - a staple of American life - power plants, wood burning and manufacturing pollution are also playing major roles in polluting American's air. Because of how much of a role driving in particular plays in pollution, many were hoping that reduced travel and traffic levels would give a reprieve to the polluted air. This proved not to be the case, though, because there was a surge in people having packages and food delivered, polluting the air. The surge in wildfires that struck the west coast in the late 2010s were tied to a warming climate creating dryer conditions in the nation's lush forests. Climate change, Billings says, is at the root of the issue here. 'Climate change is a health emergency,' he warned. 'Our report shows the impact climate change is having on the air we breathe. The same things causing air pollution are both causing the changing climate, and on the other side, the after effects of climate change then create more pollution. While wildfires are one major cause of air pollution, emissions from cars, energy and manufacturing facilities are major culprits as well Cars are some of the largest pollutants in America, and there are known links between living next to a major highway and suffering brain and respiratory issues because of constant inhalation of pollutants. This has also led to a disproportionate burden of air pollution being shouldered by poorer, often minority, communities. The report finds that a person of color is 61 percent more likely to be living in an area with unhealthy air pollution that a while person. Billings explains that this is because of the way much of American society was built in past decades. When the Clear Air Act passed, much of the nation's investment into reducing pollution levels went into more affluent - usually white - communities. Major pollutants like major roads and power plants were often built in poorer, more minority, communities as well, eventually leading to this disparity decades later. He recommends that officials work to implement renewable energy around the country, moving from fossil fuel powered grids to green energy, and to transition to widespread use of electric cars. We published an article on 7 July about the reaction of Vicky Foster, the ex-partner of a firefighter, Barrie Jackson, murdered by London Bridge terror attack hero Steven Gallant, to Gallant's release from prison. Following contact from Ms Foster the article has been removed from the website and she has asked us to make clear the following points: Ms Foster was referred to in the article as Mr Jackson's widow, whereas he was her ex-partner; her comments published in the piece that 'heroes aren't always what they're cracked up to be' were initially made in an article for The Hull Story in December 2020 and not, as suggested, contemporaneously to MailOnline. Further to this, we are happy to clarify that only 2 people were convicted for the attack on Mr Jackson rather than 'a gang', and that the motive was not purported revenge following Mr Jackson being found not guilty for an attack on a sex worker but rather a belief that Mr Jackson had been partly responsible for an attack on the girlfriend of one of the attackers. We apologise for any distress caused. To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers' Editor, MailOnline, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk BOOK OF THE WEEK SUPER- INFINITE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF JOHN DONNE by Katherine Rundell (Faber 16.99, 344pp) Though I prefer Keats myself, Katherine Rundell is of the opinion that John Donne was the finest love poet in the English language. He created the most lavishly sexed poetry ever written in English, which at least leaves out the Welsh. In a way I can see what she means: all those Renaissance verses about roving hands and dabbling fingers, mingling the blood and the soul, desire burgeoning like springtime grass or frothing like blossom. Looking at Donnes work, which I have been doing regularly since A-Level days, is to picture the most busy womaniser next to Casanova one bragging of his prowess, too. Now thou hast loved me one whole day,/Tomorrow when thou leavst, what wilt thou say? What was he angling for? A glowing review on Tripadvisor or Tinder? Katherine Rundell's new book argues that John Donne (pictured) created the most lavishly sexed poetry ever written in English Sex with Donne really did mean the earth moved all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. O my America! he squeaked in ecstasy. My new-foundland! This saucy one is To His Mistress Going To Bed. In it, the poet instructs his lady-love to perform a strip-tease, taking off her shoes, girdle and breastplate, and to get a wriggle on, for Gods sake, and unlace herself: Your gown going off, such beauteous state reveals, he pants presumably the two of them must still have had the lights on. After a fair bit of ogling at her full nakedness, Donne rips off his own doublet and hose I am naked first! he declares. You can guess the rest. For Donne, love is golden sands, crystal brooks, an infection, a fever, an itch out of control. Such images, says Rundell over-excitedly, kick the metal out of your knees. Reading one of Donnes stanzas, all the oxygen in a five-mile radius rushes to greet you. Silly hyperbole aside, it is surely more the case that, despite everything, Donnes chief subject wasnt love but death. Donnes great phrase of foreboding, never send to know for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee!, was used in 1940 by Hemingway as a title for a novel about courage in the face of extinction. There is certainly enough material in Super-Infinite to argue that what filled Donnes life was death, rather than amorousness. The plague was everywhere, for a start. Seventeenth-century mortality rates ran at 60 per cent. To put this in perspective, coronaviruss rate recently was only 3 per cent. In 1603, there were 22,819 plague deaths in ten weeks. The equivalent figure today would be 880,000 pandemic fatalities in London alone. SUPER- INFINITE: THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF JOHN DONNE by Katherine Rundell (Faber 16.99, 344pp) If you fell ill, the house was boarded up with you and your family inside. Victims endured pains in the back, stumbling and hard red swellings the notorious buboes. In 1593, Donnes brother Henry died of the plague, aged 19. London itself was hardly a salubrious spot, as sanitation was unheard of. The rains brought corpses floating to the surface of the soil in graveyards. The city was covered with a pall of sulphurous smoke. The Thames stank . Rotting vegetables and human waste littered the streets. So its no wonder Donne was always on his sickbed. He was racked, over and over again, says Rundell, by lifethreatening illnesses, with dozens of bouts of fever, aching throat, vomiting. Donne also had problems with his teeth, which he treated by rubbing the gums with a powder made from a burned rabbits head. Whether or not a person was a picture of rude health, there was in any event a background thrum of terror in the Tudor and Stuart era, owing to religious persecution. The Donnes' were Catholic landowners, who lost their wealth in Protestant times. A great-uncle, Thomas Heywood, was arrested in an anti-Catholic raid in 1574 and executed. Another relative was locked in the Tower of London. A friend of the family, William Harrington, was captured, hanged, drawn and quartered in 1594. The penalty for being a Catholic priest was always death, which meant being stretched, hung until almost dead, and then having the arms and legs severed from the body while crowds looked on, Donne among them. Rundell, perhaps out of squeamishness, omits the ritual disembowelling. . The brutality of the world, therefore, was not concealed from Donne, or from anybody. He was born in 1572 (month unknown), but trying to write a full biography today is no better than educated guesswork. As Rundell says, rather despairingly, there arent any diaries to go on, nor books of household notes or accounts. Archives are non-existent. Time and fire together have laid waste to so much of the paper that might have told us about Donne. The Great Fire of London, in 1666, turned many records, manuscripts and legal documents to ash. As Donne's wife Anne was only 16, he was thrown into the Fleet prison, which was carpeted with lice. Here he remained until judges declared the bond good and sufficient, a short time later What is known generally derives from Izaak Waltons memoir of 1670. Donne, apparently, didnt go to school, but he did matriculate at Oxford at the age of 12, where he studied Latin and Greek. By 1591, he was at the Inns of Court, learning about the law and enjoying wild partieswith raucous singing and drinking. Though the impression given by the poetry is of Donne the libertine, Donne the rake, Donne a Renaissance Warren Beatty, whether Donne was a conqueror of swathes of women is something we can only guess, says Rundell. For some reason, she reminds us of the horrors of venereal disease, which people tried to cure by eating chunks of mercury. We are also told about elementary birth-control techniques, such as prophylactic penis baths made of ginger and vinegar. Donne wanted to be a diplomat or courtier, and was appointed secretary to the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Thomas Egerton. Unfortunately, as there is little that remains to give us clues about his day-to-day life, Rundell pads things out with a description of bear-baiting. In 1601, probably at the Chapel of the Savoy, Donne married Egertons niece, Anne More, who was likely to have been fashionable. Theyd met in parks and at church, but as the brides fathers permission had not been sought, and as Anne was only 16, Donne was thrown into the Fleet prison, which was carpeted with lice. Here he remained until judges declared the bond good and sufficient, a short time later. Egerton, however, sacked Donne for his scandalous behaviour, and the poet had no obvious employment in those years, except when he spent eight weeks as MP for Taunton. He did, however, father lots of children. Anne, poor thing, died at the age of 33, in 1617, having given birth 12 times. Six of the babies died not that Donne mentioned this, so it is Rundell who feels compelled to say how nasty whooping cough was to witness. Actually, Donne didnt like domesticity and never garnered much joy from his children. Leaving the family behind in Mitcham, to escape his brood, he took lodgings in the Strand. In 1615, he turned towards the Anglican church, an expediency, especially as James I offered him a chaplaincy and a living in Sevenoaks. He was a popular sermoniser. He often wept in the pulpit, in joy and in sorrow, and his audience would weep with him. If the plague hadnt kept closing the theatres, surely Donnes calling was to be an actor. Because people came flocking, often in their thousands, in 1621 the monarch made Donne the Dean of St Pauls Cathedral. Matters werent as sepulchral as they were later. If sermons went on too long, the congregation threw shoes or went to the lavatory in the pews. Boys peed on the floor and used the slippery surface as an ice rink. The amply bearded Donne wrote 9,100 lines of poetry and 160 sermons. He coined the words beauteousness, bystander, enripen, horridness and jig. Beyond that, in this book at least, too much is conjecture. Rundell is always saying Donne must surely have done one thing or another. He would have known that; Its more than likely that. Did Donne meet Shakespeare, as their dates overlapped and the authors were both resident in London? Its tantalisingly impossible to know. Believing you were meant to meet death with a flounce, it was Donnes habit to dress up in his own shroud and pose for portraits. He died in 1631. I were miserable if I might not die, he said cheerfully his last words. BIOGRAPHY WHERE LIGHT IN DARKNESS LIES: THE STORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE by Veronica della Dora (Reaktion Books 25, 280pp) Its a safe rule of thumb in cinema, the film critic Guy Lodge once wrote, that nothing good happens in a lighthouse. In her intriguing account of our fascination with lighthouses through the centuries, Veronica della Dora provides plenty of evidence that he was right. Lighthouses may have often been symbols of hope and, literally, beacons of enlightenment. They have also had, as she points out, a dark edge. In Thunder Rock, a British film from 1942, a lonely lighthouse keeper is visited by the ghosts of men and women lost in a wreck many years earlier. More recently, in Robert Eggerss much acclaimed movie The Lighthouse, two keepers, played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, are trapped on a remote island and descend into lurid insanity. Veronica della Dora explores the history of the lighthouse in human imagination. She says lighthouses may have often been symbols of hope and, literally, beacons of enlightenment Go back to pre-cinema days and that idea of the lighthouse as a site of threat rather than reassurance already existed. The Victorians made a heroine out of Grace Darling, the Northumbrian lighthouse keepers daughter who took part in the rescue of survivors from a shipwreck off the Farne Islands. She was immortalised in paintings, engravings, memorabilia and a poem by William Wordsworth. But lighthouses in literature were more often the settings for ghost stories or tales of horror, filled with madness and suicide. To a certain extent, such stories echoed reality. In 1801, two keepers were stranded on the Smalls Lighthouse off Pembrokeshire by stormy weather. One died and the other, fearful of being accused of his murder if he simply disposed of the body in the sea, preserved the corpse in the lighthouse. Weeks later, when he was rescued, the surviving keeper had been reduced to babbling lunacy by enforced proximity to his dead mate. And della Dora recounts an extraordinary story from Mexico which sounds all too close to the scenario of a horror film. WHERE LIGHT IN DARKNESS LIES: THE STORY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE by Veronica della Dora (Reaktion Books 25, 280pp) In the years just before World War I, a colony of about 100 people developed around a lighthouse on Clipperton Island, a territory claimed by Mexico. In the turmoil of the Mexican Revolution, they were forgotten. No supplies were sent to them. They began to die. The lighthouse keeper, a man named Alvarez, went mad. He declared himself king of the island, ruling his diminishing number of subjects with such brutality that one of his victims was eventually driven to kill him. When rescuers finally did arrive at Clipperton, only 11 people were still alive. Lighthouses have, of course, been around since ancient times. The first of a style we would recognise today was built on Pharos, an islet off the coast of Alexandria, in the 3rd century BCE. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was approximately 100 metres in height (todays tallest lighthouse, the Jeddah lighthouse in Saudi Arabia, stands only about 30 metres higher) and was destroyed by an earthquake 1,500 years after its construction. In the 12th century, the Islamic geographer Ibn Jubayr was overawed by it. Description of it falls short, he wrote. The eyes fail to comprehend it, and words are inadequate, so vast is the spectacle. Lighthouses from the ancient world have survived. Bell towers in some Italian coastal towns were originally Roman circular lighthouses. At the time of the emperor Caesar Augustus, the lighthouse at Ravenna was, unsurprisingly, located on the seashore. Today, thanks to the slow accumulation of silt over the centuries, its more than five miles inland. Peggy's Cove Lighthouse is inundated with surf associations. Lighthouses from the ancient world have survived. Bell towers in some Italian coastal towns were originally Roman circular lighthouses Other lighthouses around the world have been threatened by eroding coastlines. The Rubjerg Knude lighthouse in Jutland, Denmark, was built in 1900. It was then 200 metres from the edge of a cliff. By 2019, it was only six metres away and was predicted to tumble down within four years. The Danish government committed money and men to saving it. A set of rails was constructed on which to wheel the entire lighthouse back to safety. Veronica della Dora is a professor of human geography in the University of London and her book isnt always easy going for the general reader. At times, meaning threatens to get lost amid thickets of academic prose. However, fight your way through those, and its full of eye-opening information. Who knew that there was a whole discipline devoted to the study of lights and lighthouses? (Its called pharology, after the original Alexandrian beacon.) There are numerous associations which promote lighthouse heritage. There are even lighthouse collectors who attempt to bag lighthouses in the same way that mountaineers bag Munros. The ultimate challenge, apparently, is to visit all of the 209 lighthouses scattered around Scotlands coast. Today, nearly all lighthouses around the world are unmanned. They have lost some of their mystery but our fascination with them remains. They are, in della Doras words, magnets for human thoughts and for the human imagination. Her book goes some way towards explaining that fascination. TRESPASSES by Louise Kennedy (Bloomsbury 14.99, 320pp) TRESPASSES by Louise Kennedy (Bloomsbury 14.99, 320pp) Northern Irish writer Kennedy made waves a couple of years ago with her debut, The End Of The World Is A Cul De Sac, a collection of short stories showcasing a range of different styles. Her brilliant first novel turns on a cross-class affair in a border town during the Troubles, as Cushla, a young Catholic primary teacher, falls for Michael, a barrister who is older, married and Protestant. Shes also caring for her widowed mother while moonlighting behind the bar of the family pub and trying to help a pupil whose father is the victim of brutal sectarian violence. The wonder of the book is that its unassumingly arrow-like narrative can fold so much into its layers: at once intimate and political, its a love story, a crime drama and a state-of-the-nation period snapshot. Kennedy manages the tension expertly, steadily steering us to an explosive climax with no frills, just consummate artistry and control. A LITTLE HOPE by Ethan Joella (Muswell Press 12.99, 288pp) A LITTLE HOPE by Ethan Joella (Muswell Press 12.99, 288pp) This sensitive U.S. debut about a group of neighbours should scratch the itch of any Elizabeth Strout fans eagerly marking time until her next novel. A mosaic of intersecting vignettes, it centres on Greg, a Connecticut businessman and father whose have-itall idyll is rocked by a grave diagnosis. Also in the spotlight are his wife, Freddie, a seamstress who dreams of being a writer, and Darcy, a curmudgeonly widow worried about her son, Luke, a one-time musician who wont settle down. Our view of each character is neatly complicated by the bit-part roles they play in one anothers story, as Joella flits between the perspectives of these and many other residents in an ensemble narrative simmering with everyday drama and heartache. Sure, a touch more humour or irony would hardly have gone amiss, but the level of craft on display here ultimately compels you to take the books cast every bit as seriously as Joella does. THINGS THEY LOST by Okwiri Oduor (Oneworld 16.99, 368pp) THINGS THEY LOST by Okwiri Oduor (Oneworld 16.99, 368pp) The supernatural runs amok, for good and ill, in this boisterous and bittersweet saga tracking four generations of women from a cursed family in a fictional East African town. At the heart of the tale is a lonely 12-year-old girl, Ayosa, gifted with insight into the traumatic history of her absent mother, Nabumbo, a lauded photographer whose past is marked by violence and grief. Oduor deploys otherworldly goingson for a slantwise take on the topsyturvy transitions of adolescence, as well as the knotty dilemmas of parental duty and filial obligation, to say nothing of chewier themes involving colonial legacies and the power of storytelling itself. Less might have been more, though, in a novel that cant quite dodge the pitfalls of magic realism. Oduors freewheeling invention, an undeniable strength, ends up something of an impediment, too, on account of the readers growing sense that anything goes, with one plot point after another pulled out of the hat. ANIMAL PERSON by Alexander MacLeod (Jonathan Cape 16.99, 256pp) ANIMAL PERSON by Alexander MacLeod (Jonathan Cape 16.99, 256pp) The eight stories in Alexander MacLeods excellent second collection, composed in crystalline prose, glimmer and gleam with yearning and loss, as strange longings overwhelm his finely-drawn characters. We meet a 1970s criminal, with a penchant for stealing luggage from airports, who is captivated by a majorettes suitcase (What Exactly Do You Think Youre Looking At?) and a serial killer whos surprisingly pleasant to the family staying in an adjacent motel room (The Closing Date). Elsewhere, a piano concert goes wonderfully awry as an elderly dementia patient and a reluctant student tackle a tricky piece of music in the evocative, moving The Entertainer. WE MOVE by Gurnaik Johal (Serpents Tail 12.99, 240pp) WE MOVE by Gurnaik Johal (Serpents Tail 12.99, 240pp) Southall, Ealing and the highways and byways of West London are the settings for these superbly engaging stories by 23-year-old Gurnaik Johal, who skilfully captures the interconnected lives of its Punjabi community as families and estranged friends attempt to navigate the shifting currents of their changeable relationships. Conversational, brimful of beautifully observed descriptions of the sights and sounds of this world, hes especially brilliant at writing about food, its flavours and its unifying significance in lives of his characters, from the bucket of chicken eaten by Gujan and his reclusive baba after an impromptu bike ride (Leave To Remain) to the Battenberg cake thats savoured by Miriam and Mont in a retirement home alongside their shared, made-up memories of romance in the lovely, lonesome Be More Roy. OUT THERE by Kate Folk (Hodder Studio, 16.99, 256pp) OUT THERE by Kate Folk (Hodder Studio, 16.99, 256pp) Kate Folks short stories are wonderfully weird; playfully pushing the possibilities of plotlines towards the uncanny, creepy and off-kilter, they have a seam of dark humour that illuminates the grotesquery with an unnerving beauty. Here houses arent havens; instead a mysterious head pushes its way through the floorboards, a home demands constant moisturising to keep it safe and unblemished, and a student rental comes with a brain in the attic and a stomach in the upstairs hallway that slowly digests the inhabitants (The Houses Beating Heart). Dating is dangerous as blots, a fleet of biomorphic robots, target unsuspecting women to steal their internet data (Big Sur), and romance ruinous as lovers harvest slivers of hearts, lungs and kidneys, erotically attracted by thoughts of organs pulsing beneath a thin layer of skin. According to a summary of the findings, China's preliminary report into what caused a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 to crash into a mountain last month, killing all 132 people on board, provides a few new clues to help solve the mystery surrounding the country's worst air disaster in nearly three decades. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement Wednesday summarizing its findings that no abnormalities were detected in the maintenance records or flying circumstances at the time of the incident. China Eastern Plane Crash Still a Mystery Within 30 days following the March 21 incident, CAAC is obligated to submit a preliminary report to the International Civil Aviation Organization and all parties involved, including the United States, where the Boeing was made. Investigators are now concentrating on putting together data to explain why the jet sped toward the ground before disintegrating on impact, with a last reported speed of 1,010 kilometers per hour (628 miles per hour). The CAAC stated that it had identified no anomalies in the flight's functioning before the tragedy. According to the statement, data from the plane's badly damaged flight recorders, often known as black boxes, is still being collected and processed. The National Transportation Safety Board, a US organization that examines transportation accidents and is involved in the investigation, has aided with the download of data from the two recorders in its Washington, DC lab. The preliminary study hasn't been made public, according to the CAAC, since it lacks any analysis or conclusions on the crash's cause. China has the option of keeping the information hidden under ICAO guidelines, however nations are encouraged to publish a final report within 12 months following a catastrophe, The Walls Street Journal reported. Read Also: Israel Intercepts Gaza Rocket Strikes as Tensions Rise Over East Jerusalem No Abnormalities Found in China Plane Crash Flight MU5735 was flying from Kunming in southwestern China to Guangzhou, a province capital and export industrial powerhouse near Hong Kong in the southeast, with 123 passengers and nine crew members. Investigators will continue to expose debris to scientific testing in search of evidence, in addition to studying flight data, according to the article. Following the incident, China Eastern and its subsidiaries grounded all of its Boeing 737-800s, totaling more than 200 planes, but have subsequently returned them to operation. The grounding was a precaution, according to the airline, and not a sign of a problem with the planes, which are among the most trusted by airlines throughout the globe, as per Fox News. There were about 49,000 pieces of aircraft debris discovered. The cockpit voice recorder took two days to find, while the flight data recorder, which was buried five feet down, took six days. Investigators will continue to expose debris to scientific testing in search of evidence, in addition to studying flight data, according to the article. Following the incident, China Eastern and its subsidiaries grounded all of its Boeing 737-800s, totaling more than 200 planes, but have subsequently returned them to operation. The grounding was a precaution, as stated by the airline, and not a sign of a problem with the planes, which are among the most trusted by airlines throughout the globe, according to Daily Mail. Related Article: India's Advanced Light Helicopter Free of Troubles of its Former Variants @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. THE GIRL FROM LAMAHA STREET by Sharon Maas (Thread 8.99, 288pp) Youre just youre just ... the angry girl spluttered in the face of her classmate, before finishing her sentence with the most devastating dismissal she could muster. Youre just brown. The insult which came from a white South African girl cut through ten-year-old Sharon Maas like a knife. She was the only dark-skinned girl at Harrogate Ladies College in the early 1960s. The shy little Maas had been raised to believe that all people are equal. But that day she realised that Its one thing to know, intellectually, that people of all colours and races are equal. Its quite another to ignore the reality that was out there in plain sight: white people were at the top of the racial pyramid, and the lighter you were the easier it would be to rise. Sharon Maas pictured here as a young girl reveals what it was like growing up at Harrogate Ladies College as the dark-skinned girl Now in her seventies, Maas, the author of 13 novels, believes the hard struggles of her childhood forced her to develop a strength of mind you simply cant cultivate when everything falls into your lap unasked. A fiercely independent only child, Maas was born in Guyana in 1951. Back then it was British Guiana, affectionately known by its inhabitants as BG. As a child, Maas wasnt able to understand the arguments against empire and felt that Britains seemingly benign hand held us safe and cosy ... you basked in the comfiness of it all. With both her parents busy at work and soon divorced, Maas was raised mostly by aunts and grandmothers in the familys large Dutch Colonial house on Lamaha Street, where cooling, lime-scented breezes blew through the ornately carved windows. As she grew, the solitary Maas lost herself in Enid Blytons Famous Five stories, although the books alerted her to the racism shed later encounter, when Anne (the youngest of the Five) woke to see a mans face at her bedroom window. Oh Julian! the character sobbed. What if it was a black man! Maas was stung by the fact that even the children in the books I read knew that their race was a better one. Sharon (pictured) was born in Guyana in 1951. But it was thanks to a love a Enid Blyton that saw her settle at the English boarding school Yet it was thanks to Enid Blyton that my soul settled in England. Maas longed for the British boarding school experience shed read about in Malory Towers and her ambitious mother worked hard to ensure her clever child got what she wanted. THE GIRL FROM LAMAHA STREET by Sharon Maas (Thread 8.99, 288pp) Maas account of her time in Harrogate will resonate with anyone who attended boarding school during the 1960s. Shes funny about the deportment lessons, serge knickers and eccentric teachers. After the bountiful fruit platters of Guyana, she was appalled by the awful school meals, including a dish masquerading as stew that we called chewed-up-and-spat-out . Despite her differences, Maas made wonderful friends and still has happy memories of her Harrogate years. Looking back in this richly evocative memoir, she is aware that many dark-skinned people have faced and still face horrific abuse and treatment in the United Kingdom, but she says that she was never mocked by her polite English classmates. Its all about perspective, she says, concluding generously that the long lens of time has brought not only deeper love and understanding, but compassion and, where needed, closure.' Shares in Card Factory have soared after the retailer declared it had slashed its debt pile and successfully renegotiated better terms with lenders. Card Factory shares jumped 32.8 per cent to 60.1p on Thursday, making it the highest riser on the FTSE All-Share Index, ahead of troubled Anglo-Russian gold miner Petropavlovsk. Nonetheless, their value remains significantly below their pre-pandemic levels due to a plunge in sales caused by Covid-related restrictions forcing the group's shops to temporarily close for much of the past two years. Recovery: Since summer last year, Card Factory has seen trade roar back as customers returned to its outlets in droves following the loosening of lockdown rules This created major financial problems for the Yorkshire-based company, which warned in January last year that it could contravene its banking covenants and clambered to raise emergency funding. It eventually agreed to a 225million refinancing package, with one-third of the amount comprising a term loan, and the rest involving a revolving credit facility or Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) facilities. Since then, the card seller has seen trade roar back as customers returned to its outlets in droves following the loosening of lockdown rules, especially over the critical Christmas trading period. At the same time, the group's cash flow has improved, and it has used some of the proceeds to lower its net debts, which stood at 79million - when not including lease liabilities - at the end of March. Subsequently, the firm has managed to agree a new 150million refinancing deal, which includes a 100million revolving credit facility, and 20million in CBILS borrowings that must be paid back by September next year. Also included are two term loans worth 30million between them, one of which must be repaid in the 12 months succeeding January 2023, while the other will be handed back in six instalments of 1.75million each from April 2024. Card Factory's chief executive Darcy Wilson-Rymer called the refinancing agreement 'an important milestone,' which ensures the company has 'the financial foundations in place to capitalise on the opportunities ahead.' He added: 'We are now well-positioned to continue our strategic transition from a store-led card retailer to a market-leading omnichannel retailer of cards and gifts. I look forward to updating you on our progress at our full-year results next month.' Today's announcement by Card Factory comes less than a fortnight before it is due to report its full-year results for the 12 months to January 2022, where it is expected to reveal that trading surpassed the board's forecasts. It expects to post revenues of more than 360million, year-on-year underlying earnings growth of around 50 per cent, and pre-tax profits of 7million to 10million, compared to a 16.4million loss in the previous 12 months. Looking ahead to this year, the business anticipates its revenues continuing to grow, although it expects margins to be hit by higher freight, employee and utility costs, as well as investment in developing its online platform. A petty criminal who lied about being a policeman's son was today found guilty of murdering schoolboy Rikki Neave, finally bringing the killer to justice after nearly 30 years. James Watson, 40, a convicted arsonist with 'morbid fantasies' and a 'sexual interest' in small children, strangled Rikki, six, before leaving his naked body in a star shape in woodland in Peterborough in 1994. Watson had long evaded the authorities before a cold case review in 2015 used new scientific techniques to identify his DNA on Rikki's clothes, which had been dumped in a wheelie bin near the murder scene. It gave a chilling new context to disturbing behaviour that had included keeping a dead pheasant in his room and being caught pleasuring himself over kids' clothing. After he had murdered him, Watson made photocopies of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph with the front page dominated by a picture of a smiling Rikki as sick trophies. When police questioned him following the breakthrough Watson - who the trial was told was gay and HIV positive - implicated himself by mistake. He tried to explain away the DNA being there by claiming he had helped Rikki up to peer over a fence at some diggers - but detectives knew there had never been a fence at the time of the murder. After the appalling killing between November 1998 and October 2008 Watson was convicted of a series of crimes, including carrying a loaded air rifle in public, engaging in sexual activity in a public lavatory, and stealing from his fathers house while his dad was in hospital. He also had theft and burglary convictions 17 for theft, eleven for burglary. In 2009, he forced entry to an unmanned British Transport Police station, stole equipment and set it on fire. The killer, who grew up in care, absconded following his arrest over Rikki's death in 2016 by taking a ferry to the Continent, and would go on to taunt police by sharing a string of holiday photos from Portugal showing him drinking beer, sun-bathing and even posing nude. James Watson, 40, was today found guilty of murdering schoolboy Rikki Neave nearly 30 years ago. He is pictured in 2016 after fleeing to Europe following his arrest Watson fled the UK in a mobile home, boasting to a friend: 'The best thing is I don't even have a passport. I just walked out of our country' Watson boasted in one message: 'The best thing is I don't even have a passport. I just walked out of our country. 'Me and a mate left the UK in a mobile home. Booked it on the ferry, drove on and that was that. No checks, nothing.' But his plans to flee to Thailand soon collapsed, and he sent emails to his probation officer begging to be helped back home after he ended up homeless and wandering the streets of Portugal. On July 14, he contacted his probation officer by email telling them he wanted to return to the UK. The next day, Watsons probation officer replied: Whereabouts are you? How can we support you getting back to the UK? Watson wrote back: I am in a world of sh**, I left with that Collin under the assumption that he was going to Thailand and I could see a bit of Europe for a few days. It never turned out like that. Now I am homeless and living on the streets in Europe. Watson strangled Rikki, six, before leaving his naked body in a star shape in woodland in Peterborough in 1994 I stayed in a room with some people I met but that was not long term now I don't know what my next plan should be? The probation officer referred the matter to the police. Detective Sergeant Gan Thayanithy sent an email to Watson that same day. On August 2, Watson was arrested in Lisbon at the Consulate building, he consented to the extradition and he returned to the UK ten days later. Two years later in April 2018, Watson was convicted of a sexual assault in which he briefly touched the penis of a man over his clothing while he was asleep. Watson said he intended to do this, but he woke up completely disgusted with myself. Watson's trial heard disturbing details about his fascination with murder and dead animals, with a former girlfriend telling how he once killed a sparrow with a stone. Watson had long evaded the authorities before a cold case review in 2015 used new scientific techniques to identify his DNA on Rikki's clothes, including this jacket Rikki's clothes and shoes (pictured) had been dumped in a wheelie bin near the murder scene A white shirt worn by Rikki, who was stripped naked and deliberately posed in a star shape after his death A small pair of sock worn by the six-year-old schoolboy, who was killed in a 'swiftly executed' attack The muddy trousers recovered from the scene after being dumped into a wheelie bin a short distance from Rikki's body Watson's half-brother, Andrew Bailey, was friends with Rikki's stepfather Dean Neave, and took Watson to visit the Neave family home 'a couple of times' when he was aged 11 or 12. Mr Bailey went on to 'distance' himself from Watson after he told him he was gay at the age of 11. In 2016, Watson admitted to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy in April 1993, when he was 12. Asked why he kept a dead carcass of a pheasant at the children's home, he said he was 'against animal cruelty' but found the iridescence of pheasant feathers 'fascinating'. Watson's defence depended on casting doubt on the evidence he murdered Rikki and suggesting the child's abusive mother, Ruth, had been responsible instead. However, Ruth was cleared of her son's murder 26 years ago, and today the jury in Watson's case found there was enough evidence to convict him. Prosecutor John Price QC set out a detailed version of the events of November 28, 1994 that would end with Rikki's sexually motivated murder. Mr Price told jurors that the pair were seen walking from the city's Welland Estate. 'It was a sunny late autumn day and they were going to a place both of them knew well and both had visited many times before, at least during daylight they were going to the woods,' he said. Watson's defence had depended on casting doubt on the evidence he murdered Rikki and suggesting the child's abusive mother, Ruth, had been responsible instead Watson's trial heard disturbing details about his fascination with murder and dead animals, with a former girlfriend telling how he once killed a sparrow with a stone The killer - who grew up in care and was described as 'vulnerable' - is pictured as a child 'Some time after the two boys arrived in the wood, from behind and without warning James Watson ambushed Rikki Neave and strangled him to death using a ligature, whether it was the collar of the jacket Rikki was wearing or something applied on the collar. 'Rikki was wearing the jacket when he died and it was still zipped up because the zip left a telltale mark on his neck. 'James Watson then stripped the child's body. He had an abiding sexual interest in small children which he had already acted on in the previous year, an interest reinforced with a morbid fantasy about the death of a child known to have been on his mind as recently as three days earlier.' Mr Price said one of Rikki's shirt buttons came off and was placed on a nearby leaf as Watson 'did whatever he was doing'. Watson then posed Rikki's body 'much as he did with a dead bird' he killed months later, before taking Rikki's clothes and dumping them in a bin. Afterwards, Watson became 'fascinated by the consequences of his own act', copying newspaper stories on Rikki's death, Mr Price said. But when he talked to teachers he did not reveal he had been with Rikki that day, only mentioning it to police when they called days later, the court was told. Rikki was murdered near his home in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire on December 5, 1994 and his body was dumped in some nearby woods, circled His account was not questioned or challenged for more than two decades, during which time Watson acquired a 'considerable amount of forensic experience', Mr Price said. Before police told him about the DNA link to Rikki's clothes, Watson had prepared an explanation that he had picked him up to look through a hole in a fence, Mr Price suggested. The prosecutor said: 'He would tell them how, all these years later, the memory of the little boy peering through the hole in the fence still made him chuckle when it came to his mind.' That was, Mr Price said, Watson's 'really big mistake because it never occurred to him all these years later it would be possible to conclusively prove that the high fence was not there' on the day Rikki was murdered. In a police interview in April 2016, Watson admitted to sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy in April 1993, when he was 12. Asked about the admission at his murder trial, the killer pleaded ignorance. Later, he broke down and tearfully told the court: 'I'm a complete a***hole'. Actress Jodi Gordon and her investment banker boyfriend have settled Apprehended Violence Orders against one another in court two weeks after she allegedly hit him with a wine bottle while drunk on a Sunday morning. The former star of Home and Away, Underbelly and Neighbours actordid not appear at Windsor Local Court for the hearing finalising the orders on Thursday morning, nor did 31-year-old Sebastian Blackler. But his lawyer Michael Bowe has exclusively revealed to Daily Mail Australia that the tumultuous romance between his client and the 37-year-old Logie award-winner is finally over. By the consent of both Ms Gordon and Mr Blackler's lawyers, Magistrate Leanne Robinson ordered that the couple obey two condition for a period of two years. The conditions are that the two do not approach or contact each other unless through a lawyer, and that they do not assault, threaten, harass or interfere with each other. This is the second AVO taken out against Mr Blackler after police were called to an altercation between the two, and court documents allege attending police found Ms Gordon 'well affected by intoxicating liquor'. Jodi Gordon and Sebastian Blackler (above) have settled AVOs against one another in court after a tumultuous romance which the banker's lawyer says has finally come to an end Jodi Gordon, 37, (left) allegedly hit on-again off-again lover, 31-year-old investment banker Sebastian Blackler (above, right with Gordon) on a Sunday away when police found her 'well affected by intoxicating liquor' Documents tendered to the court also allege that police 'fear domestic assaults are occurring between the parties with Gordon's consumption of intoxicating liquor exacerbating the violence'. The AVOS against Ms Gordon and Mr Blackler, a Sydney wealth management firm portfolio manager, relate to an alleged altercation between the pair on April 3 in far north-western Sydney. Daily Mail Australia understands the couple would regularly travel out of town - on this weekend, 80km from Ms Gordon's Double Bay apartment - to escape the cameras of the paparazzi. On the Sunday morning in question, NSW Police were called to a bed and breakfast in Kurrajong Heights, and arrested Mr Blackler, but later released him without charge. Court documents reportedly said when police asked him about bruising and swelling to his left eye, he alleged said his girlfriend 'hit him with a wine bottle', but declined to make a formal statement.. The AVO documents, obtained by The Australian newspaper, also police found bruising on Ms Gordon's left eye and bottom lip, and three lumps on her forehead, but believed the injuries were days old. Court documents allege that investigators found Gordon (pictured) with bruising to her left eye and bottom lip, and with three lumps on her forehead The 37-year-old Home and Away and Neighbours alumni has been in a 'tumultuous on-off relationship' with 31-year-old banker Sebastian Blackler since November 2020 'There is clearly domestic violence occurring between the parties [but they] are reluctant to disclose how the injuries have been sustained,' the documents said. Officers took out a restraining order against Ms Gordon on behalf of Mr Blackler, who was also issued with an AVO against the actress over the same alleged incident. Police would not provide a statement when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. The couple had previously broken up in May 2021, but are understood to have rekindled their relationship in February this year following the expiry of an earlier AVO. The new court orders state the pair must not must not assault or threaten stalk, harass or intimidate each other. They are also prohibited from intentionally or recklessly destroy or damage any property or harm an animal the other person owns. Australian actress Jodi Gordon (pictured) and her ex-boyfriend Sebastian Blackler have each been reportedly issued with AVOs against each other Ms Gordon's order also bars her from being in Mr Blackler's company for at least 12 hours after drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Gordon and Mr Blackler for comment. It is not the first time police have taken out an AVO against Mr Blackler on Ms Gordon's behalf. Police were called to Ms Gordon's Double Bay apartment, in Sydney's eastern suburbs on November 27, 2020, over reports of an alleged domestic violence incident. Officers subsequently took out an interim AVO to prevent Mr Blackler from assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Ms Gordon. Jodi Gordon split with Mr Blackler (above, the couple in 2020) in May last year, but after an AVO expired in December the pair reportedly rekindled their relationship in February The following month, a court order was issued banning Mr Blackler from assaulting or threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating Ms Gordon, but that expired at the end of 2021. Ms Gordon, who played Martha MacKenzie on Home and Away from 2005 to 2010, shares daughter Aleeia with her ex-husband, former NRL star Braith Anasta. The former couple married in 2012, welcomed their daughter in 2014, and separated a year later. The Sydney Retreat's mantra for 'for individuals and families struggling with alcohol and drug addiction is 'recovery starts here There is hope. We can help.' Part of its program includes giving 'our clients the opportunity to have regular contact with members of the recovery community who have managed to stop drinking and taking drugs'. Sarah Palin said if Donald Trump runs for president in 2024 and asks her to be his running mate, she'd consider it, her comments coming as she tries to make her return to the national political scene with her bid for a vacant House seat in Alaska. She also added that he could choose anyone and they haven't had such a candid conversation. Trump hasn't said if he will run again in 2024 but he's been active in the 2022 midterm election. He's endorsed Palin's House bid. 'Sarah shocked many when she endorsed me very early in 2016, and we won big,' Trump said earlier this month. 'Now it's my turn!' Although it has been years since Palin's last electoral bid, she enters the race as a household name in Alaska Since running for vice president in 2008, Palin has not sought any other elected office. Sarah Palin said if Donald Trump runs for president in 2024 and asks her to be his running mate, she'd consider it - the two are seen together at a political rally in Iowa during the 2016 presidential campaign In the nearly 14 years since she burst onto the national political scene, the former Alaska governor has appeared on reality television programs, written books, spent time as a Fox News contributor, formed a political action committee in her name and been a rumored White House contender. She more recently revived her status as a conservative sensation with an ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit against The New York Times. Now, the first Republican female vice presidential nominee is vying for what could be considered a less glamorous role: a member of the U.S. House. Palin is among 48 candidates running for Alaska's lone House seat following the death last month of Republican Rep. Don Young, who'd held the job since 1973. If successful, Palin would be one of 435 members in a chamber where ambition runs deep but legislating is tough, in no small part because of the populist politics that took hold in the aftermath of the 2008 election. Given those dynamics, it would be easy to dismiss Palin's candidacy as the latest headline-grabbing twist in an unconventional career. Some of her critics have sought to cast her as an opportunist seeking to bolster her brand. The opinion section of the website of Alaska's largest newspaper is dotted with letters to the editor urging Alaskans to reject her run. They remind readers she left the last major job she had in politics, as Alaska's governor, with about 16 months left in her term. But in a recent interview with The Associated Press, Palin rejected such critiques. She insisted her commitment to Alaska has not wavered and those who suggest otherwise 'dont know me.' She said she is serious about seeking the House seat and doesn't need a 'launching pad for anything else.' If anything, she said her unique place in American politics would put her in a stronger position in Washington. Unlike other freshmen lawmakers, she said, she could 'pick up the phone and call any reporter and be on any show if I wanted to, and it would be all about Alaska.' 'I love to work, and anyone who is around me, they know,' she said. 'What I'm doing is applying for a job, for Alaskans, saying, `Hey, you guys would be my boss. Do you want to hire me? Because if you do, I'll do a good job for you, and I won't back down' Theres only one former governor who is currently a member of the House - Democrat Charlie Crist of Florida. Palin faces several hurdles to getting there. One is navigating elections that will unfold in rapid order. A June 11 special primary will be the first statewide by-mail election. The four candidates who get the most votes will advance to an Aug. 16 special election, in which ranked choice voting will be used. The winner will serve the remainder of Young's term, which expires in January. There also will be an August primary and November general election to determine who will serve a two-year term starting in January. Some voters question her decision to leave the governor's office, a move she has attributed to an onslaught of records requests and ethics complaints she said were frivolous. She has spent time out of the state but maintains a home in Wasilla, her hometown and where she got her start in politics. 'Well, Im sorry if that narrative is out there because its inaccurate,' she said of the perception she had left Alaska behind. She said Alaska is her home and that she was 'shoveling moose poop' in her fathers yard on a recent sunny day before calling a reporter. She has regularly voted in state elections since leaving office, according to the Division of Elections. 'Im still all about Carhartts and steel-toed boots and just hard work,' Palin said, referring to a popular brand of outerwear. 'I just have been blessed with opportunities and a platform to get out there and tell and show other people the beauty of being an Alaskan.' She mentions Alaskans hunting lifestyles and the importance of responsibly developing the states oil and gas resources. She said she plans to attend events including this weeks state Republican party convention. Sarah Palin burst on the national political scene in 2008 as John McCain's running mate in the presidential election - above are Palin and McCain at the 2008 Republican National Convention The contest in Republican-leaning Alaska will do little to change the balance of power in Washington. But the election is being closely watched as a barometer of former President Donald Trumps connection to the GOPs most loyal voters. In Wasilla, Trump 2020 or Trump 2024 banners fly from several homes, the few political signs seen so far this election year. Palin said Trump was among those who contacted her after Youngs death asking if she would be willing to run. She said this is a good time in her life to seek a return to office, politically and personally. Her family life has changed, she noted, with her four older children grown. Her youngest, Trig, is in middle school. Palin was divorced from Todd Palin, her husband of more than 30 years, in 2020. She said she feels like she has 'nothing to lose' in running. After having her political and personal lives in the media glare for so long, 'what more can they say?' she said, and later added: 'To me, its freedom.' Palin has perhaps the highest profile among a list of candidates that includes current and former state legislators, a North Pole city council member whose legal name is Santa Claus, and Republican Nick Begich, who got into the race last fall and has been working for months to rack up conservative support. Begich said he considers the Matanuska-Susitna region, a conservative hotbed that includes Wasilla, as one of his strongest areas, and said he is unaware of any of his supporters defecting since Palin joined the race. 'Everyone that has come to support me remains fully supportive, and thats a strong statement because a lot has changed,' he said. Tim Burney, who lives in Wasilla, said he supports Palin. He said she resigned 'for the good of the state' after her detractors 'came at her with guns ablazing.' 'She just lives right down the road here, and, you know, she grew up here,' he said while smoking a cigarette outside the Mug-Shot Saloon after finishing lunch on a recent day. 'Her hearts here in Alaska, and I think that shes good for Alaska,' he said. A Connecticut state trooper who fired seven gunshots into a car and killed a man in 2020 after a high-speed chase has been charged with manslaughter after a more than two-year investigation found the shooting not to be justified, officials said Wednesday. Trooper Brian North turned himself in Tuesday evening to the state inspector general at the state police barracks in Bethany, state police said. North was released after posting $50,000 bail, was placed on paid administrative leave and his police powers were suspended. North fatally shot 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane in January 2020 as Soulemane sat in the driver's seat of a car in West Haven, where the chase ended and police boxed in the car. He had stolen the Hyundai Sonata from a Lyft driver. 'Stated briefly, the investigation establishes that, at the time Trooper North fired his weapon, neither he nor any other person was in imminent danger of serious injury or death from a knife attack at the hands of Soulemane,' the Inspector General wrote in the report. 'Further, any belief that persons were in such danger was not reasonable. I therefore find that North's use of deadly force was not justified under Connecticut law.' Trooper Brian North has been charged with manslaughter after shooting dead schizophrenic 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane (right) in January 2020 Trooper Brian North is pictured in January 2020 after discharging his weapon and fatally shooting Mubarak Soulemane following a high-speed chase. On Tuesday, North handed himself in and was bailed The stolen white Hyundai Sonata that Soulemane drove is pictured surrounded by police cars. Soulemane was cornered when North opened fire North told officials he feared Soulemane was going to attack other officers with a knife. The 19-year-old lived with his mother and brother, and had a row with his brother before leaving the house and then stealing a car Soulemane's family, the NAACP and other groups said North, who is white, should not have shot Soulemane, who was black, because police had him surrounded and he could not get away. Soulemane had a knife, but he was inside the car by himself and police should have attempted to deescalate the situation, they said. 'Thank God Trooper Brian North was arrested,' Soulemane's mother, Omo Mohammed, said in a statement provided by her lawyers. 'I now want to see him convicted and sent to jail.' Soulemane was a community college student who had schizophrenia, his family said. Mohammed has a pending wrongful death lawsuit against North and other officers who were at the scene. Soulemane crashed into another vehicle and was then quickly surrounded by police The car Soulemane is driving is pictured crashed into the SUV in front Body camera videos show an officer smashing out the passenger door window 'The family of Mubarak Soulemane is very happy that, after 2+ years, Trooper Brian North, who murdered Mubarak in West Haven in January 2020, may be brought to justice,' Mark Arons, a lawyer for Soulemane's family, said in a statement. 'It's a long road ahead. But this is a good day.' Justin Elicker, mayor of New Haven, on Wednesday called Soulemane's death a tragedy. 'I have watched the video of the incident many times which leads so many of us to believe that the trooper's actions were unjustified,' he said. 'This is now reinforced by the charges brought by the Inspector General. 'Law enforcement officers are committed to keeping our community safe and we are grateful for the work they do on behalf our community. And it is critical that all our law enforcement officers are held to a high standard. 'The state trooper's arrest, and the due process that will follow, will help ensure that there is accountability for Mubarak's death and that justice will be served on his behalf and for his family.' North is scheduled to be arraigned May 3 in Milford Superior Court. First-degree manslaughter with a firearm is a Class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $15,000 in fines. Ned Lamont, the Democrat governor of Connecticut, said he had not met with Soulemane's family but said he trusts the judicial system to provide an independent outcome for Soulemane and North. 'That's why we have an inspector general,' Lamont told reporters on Wednesday. 'Independent. Police aren't investigating police. Give people confidence that we're holding people accountable. That's what that arrest, I think, means. Now, let justice take its course.' Asked what he would say to the Soulemane family, Lamont said: 'My heart goes out to the family. But let's see now exactly where justice leads us. It will be in the courts now. 'But I mourn their loss.' In a report released on Wednesday morning, Inspector General Robert Devlin's office said the shooting was not justified. 'At the time Trooper North fired his weapon, neither he nor any other person was in imminent danger of serious injury or death from a knife attack at the hands of Soulemane,' the report said. 'Further, any belief that persons were in such danger was not reasonable.' The report also includes a lengthy statement by North on the shooting. He said Soulemane was 'holding the knife in an aggressive manner' and appeared to be preparing to attack other officers who were outside the car. 'Based on these circumstances, I believed that (the other officers) were at imminent risk of serious physical injury or death, and could have been stabbed in the neck or face as they attempted to enter the vehicle and remove the suspect,' he said. 'As a result, I discharged my duty firearm to eliminate the threat.' Rev. Al Sharpton hugs Imam Al Hassan Kamagtey, of Yonkers on January 26, 2020, as Omo Muhammed, right, mother of 19-year-old fatal shooting victim Mubarak Soulemane, looks on The Connecticut State Police Union said in a statement it was disappointed the inspector general's office, which investigates police use of deadly force, decided to prosecute North. The union defended North's actions. The union said North 'was forced to make a split-second decision during these dangerous and rapidly evolving circumstances. Trooper North was risking his own life while trying to fulfill his oath of office to protect the lives of others.' On the day of the shooting, Soulemane, whose mental health appeared to have deteriorated in the days before he was killed, tried unsuccessfully to steal a cellphone from a store in Norwalk and fled in a car he stole from a Lyft driver, Devlin's report said. Soulemane led police on a chase of nearly 30 miles from Norwalk to West Haven that reached speeds of 100 mph on Interstate 95, the report said. Norwalk police at one point stopped pursuing Soulemane because of the dangers, but state troopers, including North, resumed the chase after Soulemane had reportedly struck several vehicles. In West Haven, state police said Soulemane took an exit, rear-ended a civilian's vehicle and was immediately boxed in by police. Police said the officers ordered him out of the car, but he refused. State police body camera videos show a West Haven officer smashing out the passenger door window of the stolen car before another trooper shoots Soulemane with a stun gun, which did not work. North then fired his handgun seven times through the driver's door window when Soulemane displayed the knife, state police said. North is the third Connecticut police officer to be arrested for a fatal shooting. New Milford officer Scott Smith pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and was sentenced to two years probation for the 1998 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Franklyn Reid. Smith killed himself in 2013. Hartford officer Robert Lawlor was charged with manslaughter but was later acquitted in the 2005 shooting death of an unarmed man, Jashon Bryant. In a non-fatal shooting in 2019, Hamden officer Devin Eaton was arrested and pleaded no contest to felony assault in January. Eaton awaits sentencing and faces up to 18 months in prison under his plea agreement. A gang suspect was killed and a veteran detective was critically injured during an FBI anti-gun task force sting operation-gone-wrong in Yonkers. Detective Brian Menton, who was assigned to the Westchester County Safe Streets task force, was conducting a sting operation to buy a firearm inside a convenience store around 2 p.m. on Wednesday. As he went to arrest three suspects alongside several fellow officers, one of the men tried to push past and escape, cops said. That's when one of the suspects fired a shot from his pocket, striking Menton. The suspect was later identified by relatives as Bryant Adams Jackson Jr., 28. After firing the shot, he was quickly killed by an FBI agent inside the bodega, located near Elm and Linden streets, NBC reported. Menton's twin brother, an FBI agent who was also working the scene, rushed him to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was taken into surgery. Jackson Jr. was taken to the St. Joseph's hospital but was declared dead shortly after, Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller said. His distraught mother spoke with reporters near the hospital, blasting the officers who shot her son. '[They] won't let me identify his body, nothing. [They] just killed my child, and now you're telling me, what do you want me to do?' a distraught woman claiming to be Adams' mother told NBC. 'He should be alive' 'I want to see my son! I have been to Jacoby, St. John's ... just to find my son was laying right there in St. Joseph's hospital,' she added. The woman also said Adams was not involved in any type of illegal activity and that he was a father-of-five visiting from Georgia, News12 reported. Menton, who was set to retire in the upcoming week after 27 years with the Yonkers Police Department, suffered injuries to his colon, intestines and kidneys. He lost a 'tremendous amount of blood,' but is expected to survive, Mueller said. Menton was in plainclothes at the time of the shooting so he did not have a body camera on. Surveillance video from the bodega was retrieved, police said. Two other suspects are in custody. Bryant Adams Jackson Jr., 28, (pictured) was fatally shot on Wednesday in a shootout that involved members of the FBI and the Westchester County Safe Streets task force. His mother said Adams was not involved in any type of illegal activity and that he was a father-of-five visiting from Georgia A veteran detective was critically injured during the FBI anti-gun task force sting operation gone wrong in Yonkers Detective Brian Menton was also shot in the abdomen by a suspect, who was then fatally shot by an FBI agent inside a bodega near Elm and Linden streets The suspect was apparently shot by an FBI agent part of the Westchester County Safe Streets task force Menton's twin brother, an FBI agent who was also working the scene, rushed him to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was taken into surgery A woman claiming to be Adams' mother said he was not involved in any type of illegal activity and that he was a father-of-five visiting from Georgia The altercation on Wednesday reportedly began outside of the bodega. The Westchester County Safe Streets task force along with members of the FBI attempted to make the arrests before two suspects went inside the bodega. Adams allegedly pushed past Menton before opening fire from his pocket and shooting the veteran officer in the abdomen. An FBI agent working the case then fatally shot Adams. The Westchester County Safe Streets task force along with members of the FBI attempted to make the arrests before two suspects went inside the bodega. A third suspect pushed past Menton before opening fire from his pocket and shooting the veteran officer in the abdomen A police officer responds to the scene of the shooting in Yonkers The suspect, 'a father-of-five from Georgia' was also taken to the hospital but was declared dead shortly after, Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller said 'Earlier today, members of our Westchester County Safe Streets task force were involved in a shooting incident in Yonkers, NY...' the FBI tweeted on Wednesday Commissioner Mueller said at a press conference that Menton's condition is critical but he is stable. Menton, who had nearly three decades with the department, was set to retire next week. He was not wearing a body camera as he was undercover, police said. Two illegal guns were recovered at the scene and two suspects are in custody, police said. 'Earlier today, members of our Westchester County Safe Streets task force were involved in a shooting incident in Yonkers, NY. As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further information to provide at this time,' the FBI tweeted on Wednesday. Governor Kathy Hochul also tweeted: 'Our hearts are with the entire Yonkers community today. We are ready to assist @YonkersPD & @NewYorkFBI however needed.' An Australian couple was duped out of tens of thousands of dollars by scammers who hacked their email during a property settlement. Queenslanders Margaret and Patrick Hailey downsized to a new home in September 2021, but lost $52,757 when hackers sent an email in their name with instructions for a payment. The scam happened as cyber security experts warn that 'all parties' involved in any property transaction - including buying and even renting - need to be aware of scam emails. Queenslanders Margaret and Patrick Hailey downsized to a new home in September 2021, but lost $52,757 when scammers sent an email in their name with instructions for a payment The couple had no knowledge of the scam transaction, the recipient or the dodgy email until Mrs Hailey's daughter told them they were 'missing money' (pictured, the new home the Haileys bought which sparked the scam email) The fake email was sent to the couple's real estate agent Crafted Property, instructing it to pay the deposit it held in trust for them. As the email appeared to be from Mr Hailey, the agency paid the $52,757 to the scammer's account, which was unrelated to the settlement. Mr Hailey doesn't use email and didn't send it. The couple had no knowledge of the email, the recipient or the transaction until Mrs Hailey's daughter told them they were 'missing money'. 'I said where's my money? And [the agency] said "no idea", Mrs Hailey said. They couple described being ripped off as 'stressful' and 'absolutely horrendous'. The most likely explanation is that hackers intercepted key details about the property settlement and sent an email at a crucial time in the process asking for payment. They had decided to sell their beloved family home after suffering health issues. Mrs Hailey battled against both breast and stomach cancer - which saw her entire stomach removed - while Mr Hailey underwent a kidney transplant that's left him debilitated. Local police from Browns Plains took on the case, bringing in other cyber security experts to tackle the sophisticated fraud. After six months, bank fraud teams managed to get the fake transaction reversed and refunded the relieved Haileys their money. Their real estate agent said he had received an email from Mr Hailey requesting the large sum be transferred to an ANZ bank account Antonia Mercorella from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland said cybercrime was a 'very significant issue' for the industry including for conveyancing lawyers Cyber security experts warned that 'all parties' involved in any property transaction - including buying and even renting - need to be aware of scam emails The Australian government's cyber security centre issued an alert at the time of Hailey's fraud warning that anyone buying, selling or leasing of property is at risk of being targeted. 'Cybercriminals are targeting all parties involved in the real estate sector, with a particular focus on impersonating conveyancing lawyers and communicating with their clients. 'Cybercriminals are also singling out mortgage lenders in order to intercept property settlements.' The Real Estate Institute of Queensland advised agents to redraft all contracts to include warnings not to send bank details by email. Antonia Mercorella from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland said cybercrime was a 'very significant issue' for the industry including for conveyancing lawyers. 'Before transferring any cash in response to an email you should always pick up the phone and call the real estate firm to ensure that that email has in fact come from the real estate professional,' she said. A road sign on one of the longest stretches of highway in Australia has alarmed those who can barely survive without constantly checking their phone. The Queensland sign informs travellers they will have no phone reception for the next 630km - about six hours of driving - and sparked plenty of comment when it resurfaced on social media this week. The road sign is positioned on Diamantina Developmental Road, which stretches from Charleville in south-central Queensland to Mount Isa in the north-west. In a world where many are entirely dependent on phones, laptops and other gadgets, being forced offline for six hours was a disturbing prospect. The 'disturbing' sign informing drivers they will have no reception for the next 630km is positioned on Diamantina Developmental Road in outback Queensland The 1,334km road (pictured) stretches from Charleville in the south-central of the Sunshine State to Mount Isa in the state's north-west However, other commenters said having no reception was just part of travelling in outback Australia and shared their experiences of driving off the grid. 'Driven plenty of roads out that way in QLD that have no signal,' one man wrote. 'I have a satellite phone for backup emergency communications. Wow, people need to get out more. This country is a big place.' 'Gosh imagine how some of these people would have survived 25 years ago when we didn't even have mobile phones,' another commented. 'That's life Down Under. We live in a valley 17km from town and have satellite TV and internet and mobile reception is erratic,' another woman shared. 'Because we don't depend on technology 24/7 it doesn't worry us.' The road is mostly sealed and single-lane meaning drivers must pull over to allow road trains to pass and and be wary of horses and livestock The Diamantina Developmental Road is one of the longest motorways in the country at 1,344 kilometres, and takes drivers about 13 hours to traverse. The road is mostly sealed and single-lane meaning drivers must pull over to allow road trains to pass and and be wary of horses and livestock. Motorists are also advised to drive with their lights on during lengthy dirt sections of the road to avoid having clouds of dust impair their vision. One internet user compared the road to the Nullarbor Plain which stretches between Norseman in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia. Motorists are advised to drive with their lights on during lengthy dirt sections of the road to avoid having clouds of dust impair their vision The plain is linked by the Eyre Highway which is about 1,660km in length and is one of the longest straight stretches of road in the world. Crossing the Nullarbor Plain is a must for those seeking to experience Australia's outback for its vastness and isolation. WA is also home to the Canning Stock Route which stretches for 1,850km and is the longest historic stock route in the world. The track runs from Halls Creek in the Kimberley region to the small town of Wiluna in the mid-west region of the state. Drivers need a permit to complete the track. Press Secretary Jen Psaki clashed with CNN+ host Chris Wallace on Wednesday night when the veteran news anchor grilled the White House official over President Joe Biden's lack of sit-down press interviews. Psaki's nearly half hour-long interview with Wallace was largely uncontentious, especially when compared to her exchanges with Wallace's ex-colleagues at his former network, Fox News. The press secretary opened up about some of her most notable -- and controversial -- moments in the briefing room, and discussed her headline-making tears over Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill she shed during a recent podcast interview. Her boss, however, has had far fewer drawn-out media appearances. Though Biden often stops to answer reporters' shouted questions while traveling to and from events, the president has only had one sit-down interview this year so far. He's also participated in fewer press conferences during his first year in office, holding just nine joint or solo such events. Donald Trump held 21 and Barack Obama 27 during their first years, according to The American Presidency Project. 'Why has President Biden been so sheltered from the press?' Wallace asked Psaki on Wednesday. Psaki challenged, 'In what way?' 'He just did a press conference several weeks ago. He takes questions from the press nearly every day,' she defended. Chris Wallace grilled the White House press secretary on President Biden's lack of scheduled media appearances, and countered her attempts to equate interviews and press conferences with answering shouted questions from the White House press corps Wallace pointed out that Biden has sat down for 28 reporter interviews during the same time span Trump did 95 and Obama even more at 162, but Psaki countered he was 'leaving out' the times he's stopped for impromptu chats with White House reporters. 'Nearly every day at the White House, he takes questions from the White House press corps,' she said. Wallace began, 'Yeah but Jen --' 'Two questions three questions eight questions,' Psaki continued saying over the CNN+ host. 'So why is that different?' Wallace, who spent more than a decade early in his career as a White House correspondent, challenged: 'I'll tell you exactly why that's different, because when you're standing there, you can take a question. You can answer it, you can slough it off and you can move on.' 'And oftentimes, he gives a partial answer and walks away. It in no way compares to sitting down with a reporter for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and having -- you can't move away, you can duck it, you've got to sit there and answer the question and the follow up. It's not the same thing,' he finished. Psaki asked him to 'agree to disagree.' Elsewhere in the interview, she reflected on a podcast interview released earlier this week during which the senior Biden official was brought to tears by the wave of anti-LGBTQI+ youth legislation being passed in Republican-led states. Speaking to the News Not Noise podcast on Tuesday, Psaki denounced the 'political games and harsh and cruel attempts at laws that we're seeing in some states like Florida.' The Sunshine State recently passed a new Parental Rights In Education law banning public school staff and teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, and in a matter that is 'developmentally appropriate' for all other ages. Psaki said Tuesday that the bill could stop children with LGBTQI parents from talking about their 'loving' family lives. 'I'm going to get emotional about this issue -- because it's horrible,' she said, beginning to cry. 'But it's like kids who are bullied and all these leaders are taking steps to hurt them and hurt their lives and hurt their families. And you look at some of these laws in these states and it's going after parents who are in loving relationships who have kids. It's completely outrageous.' Biden has held nine press conferences during his first year in office, compared to 21 by Trump and even more by Obama Psaki added: 'Sorry, this is an issue that makes me completely crazy.' She excused it as a moment of issue-driven 'passion' during her interview with CNN+ on Wednesday, reaffirming her stance that Florida's law is 'morally wrong.' 'I will say that many of us who have served as long as I have in public service...we're passionate about issues, we're passionate about what we think is right,' Psaki explained. 'I personally think that these laws in states like Florida are morally wrong and that they are targeting kids and they're targeting families, and we know statistically that transgender kids are bullied. We know that they have a tough time already.' The issue 'hit me in my heart as a parent,' Psaki said, 'And somebody who wants all kids to be treated equally and be given kind of a loving chance by society.' 'Yes I had a reaction, because I'm a human being, like we all are.' Elsewhere in the interview, Psaki admitted that sarcastically asking a reporter whether COVID-19 tests should be sent to 'every American' during a nationwide testing shortage and a winter virus surge last year was not one of her 'better moments.' Psaki was widely criticized for a testy exchange with an NPR reporter who asked why the U.S.'s COVID testing infrastructure lacked the efficiency of those in Germany or South Korea. 'Should we just send one to every American?' she answered. The reporter said 'maybe,' to which Psaki said: 'Then what happens if you if every American has one test? How much does that cost, and then what happens after that?' 'What I will say -- and I do not think that was one of my better moments -- is that I learned that you always need to include context,' Psaki reflected on Wednesday. 'You are not when you're in the White House briefing.. you are not having a conversation at a dinner party, or a bar, or with a friend. You always need to provide context and as many details as possible.' She also refused to discuss a reported contract in the works to join MSNBC, citing ethical concerns. 'I have not set any date of departure yet,' Psaki said. Pressed about alleged talks with the left-leaning network, Psaki said she had 'nothing to announce' I'm going to sleep at some point when I leave, I'm going to read some fiction books, I'm going to spend time with my family,' the official said. Former United States President Donald Trump blasts Piers Morgan while suddenly walking out of the interview when he was pressed on his claims of voter fraud during the 2020 elections, saying the host was "very dishonest." During the interview, the Republican businessman became increasingly frustrated with Morgan's questions and at one point called him a "fool." Trump said he was a very honest man and claimed that he was much more honest than the interviewer. Trump Walks Out Morgan at one time said that the 2020 election was a "free and fair election" and told Trump that he clearly lost. Trump shot back, saying that only a fool would believe that, and continued to criticize the post columnist for his words and beliefs. Since election night of 2020, Trump has repeatedly claimed that there were hidden plans to make him lose the presidency, including expansion of mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic. He argued that Democrats used the process in key swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, as per the New York Post. The fiery interview is another sign that the former president plans to continue clinging to his baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 elections. The Republican businessman has also maintained his stronghold on the GOP as he teases a potential 2024 presidential bid. Read Also: Democrats Question Biden Administration's Decision To Lift Trump-Era Immigration Rule; ICE Set To Release 600K Immigrants by September The interview was for Morgan's new shot titled "Piers Morgan Uncensored," and Trump was his first guest. He is returning to television after a controversial exit from "Good Morning Britain" last year. According to Politico, Morgan is set to reveal more details regarding his interview with Trump in a column on Thursday and said that Trump called him a fool more than six times. Furthermore, the former president allegedly attacked former Vice President Mike Pence, calling him "foolish and weak" and calling Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell "stupid." Interview With The Former President In an advert for the interview, Trump was seen walking out of the interview and telling the camera crew to "turn the camera off." The 75-minute show is scheduled to air on Monday at 8:00 p.m., which is the launch day of Rupert Murdoch's new television enterprise. Morgan is believed to be paid $65 million over the course of three years with the new program that will be streamed on various outlets. Murdoch, who hired Morgan in September, said that the columnist is the broadcaster that every channel wants but is too afraid to deal with. He called Morgan a "brilliant presenter" and a "talented journalist" and argued that he said what people thought and felt. His return to television marks him making good on his announcement when he was a guest on the Lorraine show on Saturday. Morgan left Good Morning Britain after he had an on-air clash with weather presenter Alex Beresford over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's interview with Oprah Winfrey, The Guardian reported. Morgan has since said that he acknowledged that he should not have stormed out of the program despite the confrontation between him and Beresford. Related Article: [Report] Joe Biden Told Barack Obama He's Running Again in 2024 Election as POTUS Believes He Is the Only One Who Can Beat Donald Trump @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Anthony Albanese's record on border security has come under fire with a radio host unearthing an old interview where the Labor leader said he would not stop the boats. During the first debate of the federal election campaign last night, Scott Morrison said the people smuggling trade would resume if Labor wins power, which Mr Albanese vehemently denied. But on Thursday a past interview resurfaced from 2015, where Mr Albanese said he would not stop boats. 'I couldn't ask someone else to do something that I couldn't see myself doing. And if people were in a boat, including families and children, I myself couldn't turn that around... 'Everyone in Labor wants to make sure that there aren't turnbacks,' Mr Albanese said. 'He was telling Barrie Cassidy (on ABC) there won't be any boats so we won't need any boat turnbacks,' said radio 2GB's Ben Fordham after he played the clip. 'Come on, tell him he's dreaming.' Fordham called out Mr Albanese over this and his comments about the issue at the debate last night. Labor leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) has been accused of lying in Wednesday night's debate with Scott Morrison 'Albo, the audio doesn't lie, but last night you did, four times,' 2GB's Ben Fordham said on Thursday morning. 'He claimed four times the Coalition didn't promise to turn back boats before forming government. That is simply wrong and there is ample evidence to prove this. 'And if you think that passes the pub test, you must be drunk ... Four times last night he said that wasn't (Coalition) policy at the time. How wrong can you be?' Fordham said Labor had not learned a lesson from 'one of its greatest mistakes'. 'When Kevin Rudd and co dismantled the Pacific solution (to people smuggling), boats started arriving by the hundreds and sadly more than a thousand people died at sea while trying to make it here.' Fordham recalled the horrific images of a boat being smashed against the rocks on Christmas Island in December 2010, saying it was a 'heartbreaking scene'. He reminded listeners that Tony Abbott, when he was the opposition leader, said it was Coalition policy to turn back boats where it was safe to do so. He played a clip from then Labor leader Kevin Rudd saying before the 2007 federal election that in government Labor would turn back boats. Fordham said this is where 'Labor's record is dangerous. Because they've got a history of saying one thing before an election and doing something else after an election. 'Kevin Rudd said he'd turn the boats back, but he didn't do it. The boats started arriving, desperate families were handing over their life savings to get on rickety boats, the people smugglers were making a fortune, men, women and children were dying at sea,' he said. Fordham then pointed out that Mr Albanese voted against a boat turnback proposal in October 2010. In the lead up to the 2013 election, the Coalition announced it would turn back boats if it regained power, effectively ending the dangerous sea crossings from Indonesia. During Wednesday night's debate Mr Morrison said of his record of in stopping the boats, 'You'll know I'll do it because I've done it.' Mr Albanese denied he would not be weak on borders, saying he was deputy prime minister when the last Labor government restored offshore processing after initially scrapping it. But the Labor leader admitted he did not support the Coalition's boat turnback policy at the time, but had since changed his mind and does support it now. But Mr Morrison asked Mr Albanese why he didn't support turnbacks when he was in government. 'You weren't proposing (it) back then. You were not proposing (it),' Mr Albanese said. Mr Morrison replied: 'I'm sorry, it was our policy I was the shadow immigration minister. I designed the policy.' The Coalition knows very well how the boats issue can be turned to political advantage in an election campaign, with many crediting John Howard's victory in 2001 to his government's decision to turn away the Norwegian cargo ship MV Tampa. Prime Minister Scott Morrison listens as Anthony Albanese speaks in Wednesday night's leaders' debate The Tampa had picked up 433 mostly Afghan asylum seekers from a fishing boat stranded at sea, 140km from the Australian territory of Christmas Island. The ship requested authority to unload the people at Christmas Island but Australia's government refused, setting up a tense situation as the ship returned to Australian waters, Indonesia refused permission for it to dock there and the agitated asylum seekers - which vastly outnumbered the ship's crew - demanded they go to Australian territory. The government's stance had the overwhelming backing of the public, and Labor's refusal to pass the resulting Border Protection Law in the Senate put it at odds with the electorate, and the Howard government went from trailing in the polls to winning re-election with a 17-seat majority. The Tampa asylum seekers were taken to Nauru while their refugee claims were processed, and this began the ongoing policy of 'offshore processing' of anyone who attempts to enter Australia by sea without permission. Asylum seekers arriving by boat (pictured front) are escorted by an Australian Navy patrol boat It is entrenched policy for the Coalition and conditionally supported by Labor, but the left-wing of that party has agitated for a change of policy to restore the previous policy under which would-be refugees are housed in Australia while their claims are assessed. The boats policy is therefore an issue the government is eager to raise in each election campaign, while being a thorny one for Labor which is trapped between the risk of losing votes to the Greens - who back onshore processing - and winning the votes of swing voters who mostly back the tough policy of refusing entry. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Labor campaign for comment. A former Liberal staffer who received a $500,000 payout after having an affair with an MP has accused Scott Morrison of supporting Katherine Deves for political gain. Rachelle Miller alleges she was repeatedly 'silenced, ignored and denied' during her 10-year tenure as a staffer in parliament. Yet Ms Deves, a candidate for Warringah in Sydney's north, has enjoyed 'protection' from the prime minister after old comments she made about transgender rights were dredged up last week. Some of the comments included describing transgender children as 'surgically mutilated and sterilised' and surrogacy as 'reproductive prostitution'. She also described transgenderism as 'a fetish for middle-aged white men because they've watched too much porn'. A former Liberal staffer who received a $500,000 payout after having an affair with an MP has accused Scott Morrison of supporting Katherine Deves for political gain The Prime Minister said Warringah candidate Katherine Deves (pictured with her family) would be a 'great member of parliament' and declared: 'I'm not going to allow her to be silenced' Ms Deves, a mother-of-three, has since received death threats and has stepped away from campaigning commitments to deal with the backlash. Ms Miller, the ex-mistress of Education Minister Alan Tudge, said Mr Morrison only 'talks about his captain's pick and her ''right to be heard''' for personal gain. 'She only has that protection to spew bigotry because the votes she attracts HE needs,' she said. Her comments came just hours after Mr Morrison's first official debate of his election campaign against Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese drew to a close. Ms Miller went on to criticise the prime minister for selectively offering women a platform 'to be heard'. 'What about my right, a Liberal Party member & staffer for ten years, to be heard? All the silent women? We are furious,' she said. Candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves has divided the Liberal Party over her controversial comments This is the tweet in which Ms Deves made her controversial comments about transgender teenagers. She shared a picture of a trans American teenager who had just had breasts removed and wrote: 'This photo just hit my feed. It is beyond heartbreaking' Ms Miller will reportedly receive a $500,000 payout from the Federal Government after claiming she was bullied. Mr Tudge was cleared of breaching any ministerial guidelines during his affair with former press secretary Ms Miller. Ms Miller alleged he had been emotionally and, in one instance, physically abusive towards her during the pair's consensual affair, which Mr Tudge emphatically denies. Despite the investigation clearing Mr Tudge, the Morrison Government is finalising a financial settlement with Ms Miller, which includes a payout and reimbursement of legal costs. 'I spoke out to use my experience as a staffer as an example of how toxic the world of politics had become. To shed light on the reality of a glamourised world of power and privilege. And yet somehow, along the way, my story has been silenced, ignored and denied,' Ms Miller said. Ms Miller, the ex-mistress of Education Minister Alan Tudge, said Mr Morrison only 'talks about his captain's pick and her ''right to be heard''' for personal gain Ms Miller will reportedly receive a $500,000 payout from the Federal Government after claiming she was bullied While Ms Deves has enjoyed the support of Mr Morrison and a handful of other Liberal moderates, she is still struggling with the widespread condemnation her comments have attracted. Some moderate Liberal members have called for Ms Deves to be disendorsed after she apologised for calling transgender children 'surgically mutilated and sterilised' in tweets last year. She also condemned surrogacy as a 'human rights violation' while blasting a gay politician following the birth of his twins. 'Women's bodies are not vehicles for a vanity project,' she said. 'It is egregious exploitation of women, both the woman from egg is 'harvested' and the pregnant woman who gives birth to the baby.' But Mr Morrison stood by his candidate, saying: 'I'm not going to allow her to be pushed aside as the pile on comes in to try and silence her. Katherine Deves (pictured) is contesting the seat of Warringah held by independent Zali Steggall 'I will stand up with her, my team is standing up with her, and we will make sure that she won't be silenced.' Ms Deves pulled the pin on a community Q&A on Tuesday night and has not been seen in the Northern Beaches campaigning, unlike her main opposition, Independent Zali Steggall. Warringah includes part of Sydney's northern beaches and north shore. It was Tony Abbott's seat but was taken by Ms Steggall at the 2019 election. She is favourite to hold on to the seat. A couple's home burnt down just hours after they filmed their neighbour launching into a vile racist rant where he brandished a knife and drank pig's blood while calling them 'dogs' and 'wogs'. Syed 'Robbie' Qaisar, 49, and his wife Shilebeth, 40, are facing financial ruin after their western Sydney home went up in flames on January 25. At the time, the husband and wife, from Pakistan and the Philippines, respectively, were at the police station to report their neighbour for intimidation after he made racist remarks earlier that day. The neighbour is currently on the run from police over charges related to the incident, but he has not been charged over the fire, which authorities believe was deliberately lit. The couple are now struggling to make ends meet as they continue to pay their mortgage and rent for a new property. Syed 'Robbie' Qaisar, 49, and his wife Shilebeth, 40, lost their Western Sydney home in January in a suspected arson attack 'I spent 25 years working hard it is heartbreaking,' Robbie told news.com.au. Robbie said issues with the neighbour first began at the end of last year when the man, on two occasions, screamed at his home, prompting him to call the police. Then, in January, the man told them they 'do not belong in this country' and said he wanted them to 'f*** off on your boat and go home to where you belong, because this is not your country.' Clasping a knife and piece of pork, he came out of his house and said to Shilebeth 'it's tradition you lick pork blood, you ready?" He then lifted up the piece of meat and drank its liquids, before calling the couple other insulting names. Shilebeth filmed the incident and headed to the police station where she was later met by her husband after he finished work. While there, they received the heartbreaking call from another neighbour telling them their house was on fire. The blaze gutted the home and has left asbestos exposed, rendering the house unliveable. The couple's Lalor Park home was gutted by flames, leaving asbestos exposed, and needs to be knocked down The property now needs to be knocked down, but the removal of the asbestos and clearing the land will cost an estimated $50,000. Adding to their heartache, Mr Qaisar, a taxi driver, and his wife, a photographer, had been struggling financially during the Covid-19 pandemic and were behind on their house insurance payment at the time. Prioritising other bills first, they were yet to pay the $1865 annual fee meaning their house was uninsured. Aside from losing their home, Ms Qaisar lost all of her business equipment for her company Dreamlove Photography in the fire, including lenses, cameras, hard drives, her laptops, and photos from recent shoots. The couple are hoping they will be able to sell the land to soothe their mounting debts and have launched a GoFundMe to help them demolish the property. So far, the fundraiser has reached $30,385 of its $200,000 goal. Mr Qaisar's boss, Lily Avery, who hired him to work as a delivery driver for a takeaway picnic service, The Boujee Boards, has rallied around the couple during this difficult time. The couple lost their valuables and are facing financial ruin as they work to pay their mortgage and rent on another property Ms Avery, who is also their neighbour, has vowed to donate $10 towards their cause from every order she receives. NSW Police said the fire appeared to have been deliberately lit and investigations into the matter continue. 'Just after 8.50pm on Saturday 15 January 2022, emergency services were called to Lalor Park, following reports of a house fire,' a spokesperson said. 'On arrival, officers attached to Blacktown Police Area Command found a house well alight, before it was extinguished a short time later by NSW Fire and Rescue. 'A crime scene was been established, which will be examined by specialist police.' 'Initial inquiries suggest the fire may have been deliberately lit and inquiries are ongoing.' As the sun set over a rail yard in Poland, the crane slowly lifted the 40ft shipping container off its lorry and carefully positioned it onto the waiting freight train. But this is no ordinary cargo. Stacked high inside are more than 2,400 cardboard boxes crammed with food partly funded with the help of Mail Force offering a lifeline to those fleeing Vladimir Putin's forces. The train was today speeding into Ukraine to provide life-saving help for families threatened with starvation. It is the latest step in a mammoth logistical exercise to transport almost 500,000 more boxes 2,000 miles from Leicester to areas of Ukraine devastated by war. The remarkable humanitarian operation is being led by the Ukrainian ambassador and his embassy team, co-ordinated by the Confederation of British Industry and backed by donations from tens of thousands of generous Mail readers. The operation is being led by the Ukrainian ambassador and his embassy team, co-ordinated by the Confederation of British Industry and backed by donations generous Mail readers. Pictured, the 40ft shipping container is carefully positioned onto the waiting freight train The record-breaking appeal has raised more than 11million so far. Each food box has 14 items including pasta, porridge, tinned meat, fish and vegetables and contains enough calories to feed an adult for a week. Malwina Rudnik, who oversees the delivery of aid to Ukraine for the Polish Government's Strategic Reserves Agency, last night hailed the operation. She told the Mail: 'You are doing a great job. These are pre-prepared boxes with rations for families it is something everyone should follow as an example. 'This is a great help, for sure. To see that the money has been spent for such a good purpose is a huge relief and what I can say is thank you for this.' The Mail on Sunday revealed how the first 20 tons of food were delivered to a huge warehouse in Poland following a 63-hour journey from Oakland International, a food distribution firm near Leicester. Two days later, the Mail watched as workers at the Polish warehouse used forklift trucks to manoeuvre the boxes, arranged on 26 wooden pallets, into a huge shipping container on the back of a lorry ready for the onward journey east. Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, said the food packages will 'literally save people's lives' As he slammed container doors shut, Dariusz Robak, a warehouse manager, said: 'It has been amazing to be involved in this operation. These food boxes will make a real difference to Ukrainians who are suffering because of the war. I applaud the Mail readers for helping Ukraine.' The lorry's driver, Dariusz Klama, 52, from Sosnowiec in Poland, said he was 'delighted' to be a crucial part of the huge team helping feed desperately hungry Ukrainian families. He added: 'It is a catastrophe what is happening. Anything I can do to help, I will. Since the war began I have only been delivering aid. I have been a truck driver for 20 years. It is incredible to see how much a newspaper has helped.' Supply lines are delivering 15,000 boxes of food from the UK to Ukraine. Pictured: Vitalina Polishenko who works on the packing line for the boxes in Leicester After a short delay for customs clearance, Mr Klama's lorry hit the road on Tuesday, thundering through a landscape of flat farmland, then thick pine forest. The Mail has agreed to keep the exact aid routes and destinations secret due to fears they could be targeted by Russian forces. Glasto chief: Putting on festival is easier than refugee scheme As Glastonbury co-organiser, she is used to bureaucratic hurdles. But Emily Eavis says hosting the festival is easier than sponsoring two refugees in the UK's shambolic Homes for Ukraine scheme. The 42-year-old applied to bring Veronika and her nine-year-old son from Kyiv to Worthy Farm in Somerset four weeks ago. 'We are the dream really, in terms of being able to offer accommodation and work... But we've just come up against lots and lots of brick walls,' she said. 'I contacted the local authorities, our MP, charities, the Government. I've called the Home Office. I can't tell you how many letters I've written.' 'We're waiting for the visas, and no one knows how long they'll take,' she told The Times. While Veronika was granted her visa yesterday, they are still waiting for her child's and her sister's application. Advertisement After a six-hour journey, the lorry and its precious cargo finally reached an isolated freight rail station in southern Poland. The Mail's photographer was granted access to the secure site to witness our container being loaded on to the train on Tuesday evening. A queue of lorries waited to unload their own containers of aid on to the train's flat-bed wagons. By the early hours of today, the train carrying hundreds of tons of aid was due to head west towards Ukraine. It was expected to cross the border today and arrive at a humanitarian hub in western Ukraine tomorrow, where the boxes will then be sent on to those who most need them. And their arrival cannot come a moment too soon. Andriy Dykun, chairman of the Ukrainian Agricultural Council, which represents 1,100 farmers who cultivate 12 million acres of land, last night said Putin's forces are using starvation as a weapon. The tactic echoes that of Communist dictator Joseph Stalin, who seized food supplies during Ukraine's great famine of 1932. Mr Dykun said: 'In some places they [the Russian armed forces] completely destroyed farms, animals, machinery and equipment. 'They did the same as was done by Stalin in the Soviet Union. If we will not fight we will have hunger all over the country.' He added: 'I would like to thank your readers it's really great. We really need this help.' Sourcing, packing and sending the 500,000 boxes is costing 8million of which 4million will come from Mail Force Ukraine Refugee Appeal funds and the other half from the Ukrainian embassy. The appeal was started with a 500,000 donation from the papers' parent company DMGT at the request of chairman Lord Rothermere and Lady Rothermere. Chechen warlord and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov has said the besieged port of Mariupol will 'fall by lunchtime' as Russian forces continue to tighten the noose around the city's last Ukrainian stronghold. Mariupol would be the biggest city to be seized by Russia since invading Ukraine eight weeks ago, and the port is seen as a key strategic position for Russia's assault on the east of Ukraine. But Putin's forces have been forced to reduce what was once a bustling metropolis of 400,000 people to rubble, having met bitter resistance from Ukraine's armed forces and territorial defence units stationed there. Now, all that remains of the Ukrainian defence in Mariupol is sheltered in the Azovstal steel plant, along with an estimated 1,000 civilians hiding as the Russian forces close in. 'Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation,' Kadyrov, the head of Russia's republic of Chechnya said of the steel plant. Ukraine's defence ministry was not immediately available for comment. A few dozen civilians managed to leave the bombed out urban centre in a small bus convoy yesterday, but Ukraine accused Russia yet again of sealing off previously agreed humanitarian corridor, meaning fewer civilians were able to flee than hoped. 'Before lunchtime, or after lunch, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the forces of the Russian Federation,' Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia's republic of Chechnya said of the steel plant in Mariupol where Ukrainian fighters and civilians are sheltering All that remains of the Ukrainian defence in Mariupol is sheltered in the Azovstal steel plant, along with an estimated 1,000 civilians hiding as the Russian forces close in A local resident pushes a dog in a pram past a building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Evacuees board a bus to leave the city during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine April 20, 2022 A few dozen civilians managed to leave the bombed out urban centre in a small bus convoy yesterday, but Ukraine accused Russia yet again of sealing off previously agreed humanitarian corridor, meaning fewer civilians were able to flee than hoped A Ukrainian marine commander, Serhiy Volny, said on Wednesday fighters at the steel works may not be able to hold out for much longer, adding to fears that an estimated 1,000 civilians trapped in the steel plant will soon be at the mercy of the invaders. 'This is our appeal to the world. It may be our last. We may have only a few days or hours left,' he said in an alarming video message 'The enemy units are dozens of times larger than ours, they have dominance in the air, in artillery, in ground troops, in equipment and in tanks.' Ukrainian negotiators are working fervently in a last-ditch attempt to reach a deal to spare their compatriots after a Russian surrender-or-die ultimatum was ignored yesterday. Ukraine is ready for a 'special round of negotiations' with no conditions 'to save our guys - military, civilians, children, the living and the wounded,' negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. But peace negotiations have stalled after the Kremlin accused Kyiv on Wednesday of delaying the talks and changing its positions. Kyiv accuses Moscow of blocking talks by refusing humanitarian ceasefires, referring to repeated bombing of evacuation corridors in Mariupol and other cities. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also warned it is 'very hard' to see how Kyiv can negotiate with Putin given his 'lack of good faith'. 'How can you negotiate with a crocodile when it's got your leg in its jaws?' Johnson asked reporters last night. Half a million Ukrainians 'kidnapped by invaders' More than half a million Ukrainians have been deported to 'economically depressed' areas of Russia and banned from leaving them for two years, Kyiv claimed. Sergiy Kyslytsya, permanent representative to the United Nations, told the body's Security Council that the deportees, including 121,000 Ukrainian children, had been sent to bleak regions in the north and east of the country. Mr Kyslytsya added: 'Such actions of the Russian invaders can be qualified as kidnapping and require a resolute response by the international community, primarily from the relevant UN agencies.' At the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he wanted to see the opening of humanitarian corridors over orthodox Easter, which is this weekend. But Russian deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said he was 'a bit sceptical' about the idea. Advertisement 'It's not for the UK or for anyone else to try and substitute ourselves for the Ukrainians. It's for the Ukrainians to decide their future. 'But it's very hard to see how they can negotiate with Putin now given his manifest lack of good faith. He added: 'We've just got to keep supplying them with the things they need.' Russia's targeted attacks in Mariupol and other locations in the Donbas have prompted European and Western powers to offer further aid to the Ukrainian defenders by supplying yet more weaponry. US President Joe Biden last week announced another $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, sending for the first time heavy artillery systems, while Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed this week the United States military will start training Ukrainians on using howitzer artillery. Kirby said the training would happen outside of Ukraine with military personnel who will then return to the country and in turn train their compatriots. 'There is a plan now that we are beginning to execute and we think that that training can happen in the next several days,' Kirby said, adding that the latest aid package included 18 howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds. 'Artillery is a specific item that the Ukrainians asked for, because of the fighting that they expect is going to occur in the Donbas,' he said. In Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would provide finance to Ukraine which it could use to buy anti-tank weapons and ammunition from German arms manufacturers. Scholz's claim came amid criticism that Germany had delayed sending arms to Ukraine and even blocked other countries from sending German-supplied arms from their own reserves earlier in the war, while still purchasing huge quantities of Russian oil and gas. Elsewhere, the Czech Republic said it would launch a engineering and repair campaign to help restore Ukrainian tanks and armoured vehicles damaged in combat for redeployment to the front lines. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine and the EU will use 'modern technology' to find the personal details of every Russian soldier and commander thought to have committed war crimes in the country. Ukrainian marine commander, Serhiy Volny, said on Wednesday fighters at the steel works may not be able to hold out for much longer, adding to fears that an estimated 1,000 civilians trapped in the steel plant will soon be at the mercy of the invaders Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, and European Council President, Charles Michel attend a news conference after their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 20, 2022 'President Charles Michel visited Borodyanka, not alone but with his whole team, and they saw with their own eyes what the occupiers have done to our land,' Zelesnky declared President of the European Council Charles Michel visits Kyiv and tours Borodyanka on April 20, 2022 Former president of Belgium Michel was led on a tour of the town on the outskirts of Kyiv yesterday to see firsthand the damage caused by the Russian war in Ukraine - and speak to some of the families affected by the violence During his nightly presidential address, Zelensky said that a European delegation, led by European Council President Charles Michel, agreed that Russia must be held to account for its actions on the streets of Ukraine after they visited Borodyanka, north of Kyiv, yesterday. 'President Charles Michel visited Borodyanka, not alone but with his whole team, and they saw with their own eyes what the occupiers have done to our land,' Zelesnky declared. 'They came to the correct conclusion - there can be no peace without justice. 'Modern technology allows you to find every surname, every home address, every bank account. We will find everything... We will do everything to bring every Russian soldier and commander guilty of war crimes to justice.' Former president of Belgium Michel was led on a tour of the town on the outskirts of Kyiv yesterday to see firsthand the damage caused by the Russian war in Ukraine - and speak to some of the families affected by the violence. Zelensky also launched a social media campaign yesterday, in an attempt to drum up global support for increased arms shipments to Ukraine as Russia begins its assault on the Donbas. The Ukrainian leader's Twitter account posted a tweet imploring people worldwide to demand their governments send heavy weapons to Ukraine - and encourage their friends to do the same. The campaign aims to harness the trending hashtag #ArmUkraineNow, and was accompanied by a short video showing dozens of people holding signs bearing the slogan, along with Ukrainian flags and facepaint. 'Join millions of voices in a global social media campaign: #ArmUkraineNow,' the President's tweet read. '1. Post a picture with a sign saying #ArmUkraineNow. 2. Call on your government to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine 3. Tag 3 friends and ask them to do the same. Stand with the Ukrainian people.' The campaign aims to harness the trending hashtag #ArmUkraineNow, and was accompanied by a short video showing dozens of people holding signs bearing the slogan, along with Ukrainian flags and facepaint 'Join millions of voices in a global social media campaign: #ArmUkraineNow,' the President's tweet read. '1. Post a picture with a sign saying #ArmUkraineNow. 2. Call on your government to provide heavy weapons to Ukraine 3. Tag 3 friends and ask them to do the same. 'Stand with the Ukrainian people.' Zelensky's renewed call for heavy weapons support comes as Russia launched a fresh military offensive in the Donbas region. After withdrawing troops from areas around Kyiv at the start of the month, the bulk of Russia's military is now being redeployed to the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions for a targeted assault designed to seize control of large swathes of territory in Ukraine's east. The governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, said Russian forces now control 80 per cent of the region in light of this week's all-out assault in the Donbas - an area of eastern Ukraine made up of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. Before Russia invaded on Feb. 24, the Kyiv government controlled 60 per cent of the Luhansk region. Haidai said the Russians, who renewed their offensive this week in eastern and southern Ukraine, have strengthened their attacks in the Luhansk region after seizing the town of Kreminna and are now threatening the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna. Energy industry bosses are pushing for the introduction of a cheap social tariff for poorer households, which would be paid for by levies on the bills of the wealthy. Trade body Energy UK said the market needs serious reform to ensure all households get affordable gas and electricity against the background of soaring bills. The organisation said the proposal for a social tariff is one of a raft of ideas being discussed with ministers. The regime would effectively replace the current price cap, which limits tariffs paid by all customers, and switch help instead to the poorest families and pensioners. Households saw a 54 per cent rise in the energy tariff price cap on April 1, adding about 700 to annual bills taking them close to 2,000. A cheaper social tariff is one ideas being pushed by energy bosses to help poorer households pay for their energy bills, which jumped 54%, through levies on the bills of richer households Scottish Power chief executive Keith Anderson said the scheme is 'what the country needs' to help poorer households There are fears of a further rise to 2,600 from October 1. The need for a social tariff has been championed by the Scottish Power chief executive Keith Anderson, who told MPs this week: I am hugely concerned for people... There are so many people who are going to really struggle. Mr Anderson said that the Government needs to take immediate action, specifically providing a discount of 1,000 on annual energy bills for the poorest households. He said the next stage should include the implementation of a social tariff to provide gas and electricity at a discounted price to those who struggle to pay for heat and food, with the cost of this paid for by wealthier households. Moving to a social tariff is what the country needs. And we should implement it when we get a bit more stability and a little bit less volatility in the market, he said. Chief executive at Energy UK Emma Pinchbeck said action is needed urgently to help with bills, combined with major changes to how energy is bought and sold. The retail market needs serious reform. We have lost 29 suppliers, she said. We want to have a much better look at what retail is for and make sure that all energy customers get fair and affordable energy. She said the proposal made to MPs is take money off wealthier customers to fund a social tariff for poorer customers. She added: It is one idea along with reforms to the price cap. The really important thing is that, on top of what we do with the market in the medium term to help people, there is a need for short-term intervention because none of these changes are quick. And none of them are going to be brought in before the autumn, which is when we know the price cap will go up again. So the industry is saying to the Government that we desperately need to do more for what will be a horrible, horrible winter period. Industry sources suggest as many as 40 per cent of households could be suffering fuel stress this winter, which means they are spending a large proportion of their income on heat and light. The Government is offering some help in the form of a 150 council tax rebate this month coupled with a loan of 200 in October, which is to be repaid over five years. However, consumer groups and industry leaders have said that this is nowhere near enough to protect millions from facing a choice between heating and eating. Advertisement It's a rare treat to see a Hurricane roaring through the skies. Thousands were built, but only a handful of airworthy examples of the Second World War fighter remain. However, now enthusiasts can not only see one in flight, they can sit in a second Hurricane the world's only remaining two-seater example and fly alongside it. The experience is being offered by a firm based at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. Hurricane Heritage founder James Brown, 51, said it was 'absolutely thrilling' to have another Hurricane 'appear on your wing 50ft away'. The single-seater, R4118, is the only remaining Hurricane to have taken part in the Battle of Britain in 1940. It shot down five German aircraft. The two-seater, BE505, dates from 1942. Aviation fans have the opportunity to take to the skies in a two-seat Hawker Hurricane from White Waltham in Berkshire The single-seater, R4118, is the only remaining Hurricane to have taken part in the Battle of Britain in 1940. It shot down five German aircraft. The two-seater, BE505, dates from 1942 This 1942 Hawker Hurricane has two seats allowing it to carry a passenger. It saw action over Dieppe before being taken out service in 1944 Of the 14,487 Hurricanes built from 1937 to 1944, 17 remain airworthy. It was the main UK fighter in the Battle of Britain, destroying more enemy aircraft than the Spitfire. The Hawker Hurricane experience costs from 3,875 for 30 minutes in the air. Hurricane Heritage founder James Brown said: 'Most people have never flown in an aircraft where you have another one alongside you. But it's also very rare to have a second Hawker Hurricane. 'We've only been able to offer it to a couple of people so far but they have been blown away. To have one appear on your wing 50ft away is absolutely thrilling.' The converted two-seater was built in 1942 and saw action over Dieppe before being taken out of service in 1944. It has dual controls, allowing the passenger to take charge of its Merlin engine. Hurricane Heritage founder James Brown said: 'Most people have never flown in an aircraft where you have another one alongside you. But it's also very rare to have a second Hawker Hurricane Civilians rarely get the opportunity to fly in formation with a historic fighter, such as the Hawker Hurricane which was the most effective aircraft during the Battle of Britain Software entrepreneur Mr Brown, 51, said the Spitfire stirred emotions more than any other Second World War plane for a variety of reasons, including its 'undeniable beauty'. 'Spitfire Funds' to raise money for vital aircraft during the war also embedded the name in the national consciousness. But he added: 'The Hurricane is what saved us really. They were more numerous than the Spitfire and easier to repair. 'Without the Hurricane, the outcome of the Battle of Britain would have been different.' A total of 14,487 Hurricanes were built in Britain and Canada between 1937 and 1944, with variants including bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers and ground support aircraft, as well as fighters. They inflicted 60 per cent of Luftwaffe losses in the Battle of Britain and took part in all the major theatres of the Second World War. Just over 20,000 Spitfires were built over a longer period, stretching from 1938 to 1948. The Hawker Hurricane, pictured, was produced in greater numbers than the Supermarine Spitfire More than 14,000 Hurricanes were produced between 1937 and 1944, making it a crucial weapon in the defence of Britain Boris Johnson told his MPs they can have a vote on referring him to the Commons watchdog over Partygate but only if they wait until the police have concluded their investigations. No 10 was forced to abandon efforts to kill off Labour plans for an inquiry into whether the Prime Minister deliberately misled parliament over the extent of lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street. Tory whips warned that dozens of their MPs were threatening to abstain on today's vote on the issue after Labour said it would use election literature to 'name and shame' those who tried to block an inquiry. Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to the media on board his flight as he flies to India for a two day visit. Wednesday April 20, 2022 Boris Johnson vowed last night to lead the Tories into the next election as he ordered his MPs to delay a new probe into Partygate. Speaking to reporters on a flight to India, he said he would 'of course' contest the national poll in 2024 and suggested voters now wanted politicians to focus on 'the issues that matter' such as the economy' Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson waves as he boards a plane at Stansted Airport, northeast of London, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, for a visit to India Boris Johnson has refused to resign over Partygate, and was forced to abandon plans to delay a new investigation into his actions last night In a compromise move, ministers instead tabled an amendment that would defer a decision on whether to hold another inquiry until the police have completed their investigations and Whitehall ethics chief Sue Gray has delivered her verdict. The move is likely to mean no further inquiry can be held for now. However, it risks the Government having to hold a potentially difficult vote some weeks or months down the line when Mr Johnson may have received further fines and flak. Despite this the PM vowed last night to lead the Tories into the next election. Speaking to reporters on a flight to India, he said he would 'of course' contest the national poll in 2024 and suggested voters now wanted politicians to focus on 'the issues that matter' such as the economy.' Pressed on whether there were no circumstances under which he would consider resigning, Mr Johnson said: 'Not a lot that spring to mind at the moment. 'But if you want to sketch some out I'm sure you could entertain your viewers with some imaginary circumstances in which I might have to resign, but I don't propose to go into them, I can't think of them right now. 'What the people of this country want is for the Conservative Government to get on with the job, and in particular get on with attracting jobs to this country,' he insisted. Mr Johnson's aides are braced for him to receive multiple fixed penalty notices, having already been handed one for the gathering for his 56th birthday. He is thought to have been at six of the 12 events under investigation by Scotland Yard. When MPs vote on Thursday, Conservatives will be urged to back the amendment to delay making a decision on whether to launch an inquiry until all other investigations finish. Mr Johnson sought to justify the position, which comes after Tory MP Craig Whittaker called for him to refer himself to an investigation to end the saga. Asked why he will not submit himself to an inquiry if he has nothing to hide, Mr Johnson said: 'I think the best thing is if the investigation is concluded. 'There's a police investigation that has not concluded. We have to wait for that and then for Sue Gray to have her final say.' Pressed if he would back one after that point, he said: 'I think we need to wait and see where it gets.' A Labour source said: 'Tory whips obviously knew that they couldn't vote this down. 'They clearly haven't learnt a thing from the mess they got into over Owen Paterson. 'Boris Johnson is trying to rig the rules to deflect from his own law breaking. Any Tory MP who votes for (the amendment) is voting for a cover up.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson (second left) in the House of Commons where he made a statement to MPs following the announcement that he is among the 50-plus people fined so far as part of the Metropolitan Police probe into Covid breaches in Government Mr Johnson told MPs an alleged party to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings (pictured) was actually a meeting to find his replacement The Prime Minister could receive a second fine from police over the event which was held when Mr Cummings quite after losing a power struggle with Mr Johnson's wife, Carrie (pictured) The intervention came as it emerged he has told Tory MPs that an alleged party to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings was actually a 'council of war' to discuss his replacement. An event in Mr Johnson's Downing St flat on November 13, 2020 - the day Mr Cummings quit after losing a power struggle with Mr Johnson's wife Carrie - is one of 12 under investigation. Mrs Johnson is said to have held a 'victory party' to celebrate the chief aide's departure. Officials are reported to have told Miss Gray that music and dancing were heard from the Prime Minister's flat. But Tory sources said Mr Johnson described the gathering as a 'work event' when answering questions from Tory MPs behind closed doors. Five members of a family and their dog were found dead in a house in northern Minnesota in what the police chief described as an 'unimaginable tragedy'. Neighbors told The Minnesota Star Tribune that a family of four lived there, with two preteen girls. The fifth deceased person in the house, a man, is the suspect, Fox 21 reported. Police were initially called to a property around seven miles away, for a welfare check at 11:18 a.m. in the Duluth suburb of Hermantown. When no one answered, Hermantown police contacted their Duluth colleagues, who were warned that a person inside the house may be armed. Duluth police then surrounded the house in the East Hillside district of their city. The property was known to police, Chief Mike Tusken said. Police in Duluth, Minnesota, were called to a house in the East Hillside district on Wednesday Officers were alerted by police in the suburb of Hermantown, who had initially been called to a welfare check at a property in Hermantown. Finding no answer, they alerted Duluth authorities Heavily-armed police with shields are seen arriving at the East Hillside home in Duluth Tusken said his officers carried out a 'methodical search of the premise.' They were able to eventually enter the home, and found five dead bodies as well as a dead dog. Rick Adamski told the Star Tribune the family were 'nice people.' 'I just can't believe it,' he said. The house has a Little Free Library in the front yard, and sleds and wagons sitting nearby. Emily Larson, mayor of Duluth, tweeted: 'Things happened today that can't be undone. 'Tonight we are a community in pain and shock, sharing a sorrow for the loss of our people. 'DPD w support of other jurisdictions responded to a call today where 5 people & 1 dog were found deceased.' She added: 'My heart, like yours, absolutely hurts for the pain of loved ones and the fear people likely experienced on their final day here with us.' Boris Johnson opened the door last night to easing immigration rules with India, saying that the UK is short of hundreds of thousands of IT experts. The Government is aiming to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with India by the end of 2022 and the PM signalled a relaxation of immigration rules could be part of it. We are aiming for an FTA by the end of the year, Mr Johnson said. On immigration Ive always been in favour of having people coming to this country. Boris Johnson said that the UK is short of hundreds of thousands of IT experts and could relax immigration rules with India as a result. Pictured today on his way to India 'We have a massive shortage in the UK, not least in experts in IT and programmers. We need to have a professional approach but it has to be controlled. He made the comments as he flew to India, where he will today hail a new era in the UK and Indias trade relationship. He will confirm more than 1billion in new investments and export deals, creating 11,000 jobs across the UK. He is also set to welcome a taxpayer-backed satellite firm, OneWeb, signing a contract which could see Britain launch its satellites from India. No10 said the historic move will be a significant development for the operations of the company. Mr Johnson said last night: As I arrive in India, I see vast possibilities for what our two great nations can achieve together. It will only go from strength to strength. New sanctions were imposed by the Biden administration on Wednesday against a Russian commercial bank, a Russian tycoon, and Russia's virtual-currency mining business. The Treasury Department's actions occurred on the second day of Russia's retaliation in the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine, as Russian troops launched their anticipated attack after retreating from the country's northern region. US Hits Digital Currency Company, Bank, Another Oligarch In an interview with MSNBC earlier Wednesday, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland hinted at a fresh wave of US sanctions, saying that the US must continue to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the richest Russians so that they will put pressure on Putin. The Biden administration is also working on a new security aid package to supply Ukrainian forces with armaments that will enable them better defend themselves against Russian strikes in the Donbas. On Tuesday, Biden informed reporters that he would allow the supply of more weaponry to Ukraine. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on Wednesday that it has designated Public Joint Stock Company Transkapitalbank, a Russian privately held commercial bank that has been in operation since 1992. The OFAC also went after a global sanctions evasion and malign influence network managed by Russian tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev, who was originally sanctioned in 2014 and was charged with sanctions violations by the Justice Department earlier this month. On Wednesday, the OFAC re-designated Malofeyev, as well as his son and 40 other people and companies linked to his networks - including organizations whose principal objective is to aid sanctions evasion for Russian enterprises. Finally, the OFAC recognized a virtual-currency mining firm for the first time, focusing on what is supposedly the world's third-largest sector of its kind in Russia, as per Politico. Treasury also targeted individuals and businesses linked to Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeyev, the creator of the Russian Orthodox news station Tsargrad TV, which was sanctioned by the US in December 2014. He was one of the primary sources of funding for Russian separatists in Crimea, according to the Treasury Department. Russia may be utilizing cryptocurrencies to evade the avalanche of sanctions put on banks, oligarchs, and the energy industry in recent months as a result of the invasion, according to lawmakers and administration officials. Experts believe that Russia will increasingly rely on bitcoin to support its financial operations, but Treasury officials have dismissed the idea that cryptocurrency might be a major driver of sanctions evasion. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated in a statement published immediately after the sanctions were announced: "Russia's invasion is an assault on fundamental international rules and norms and threatens the core of the international order." The remark was made in conjunction with a combined meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee and the Development Committee, which was held in conjunction with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings, WDBJ7 reported. Read Also: Solomon Islands: China Confirms Signing Security Pact Despite Criticism From US, Australia Biden Targets Putin's Children in Latest Sanctions The assets of Putin's daughters Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Tikhonova will be targeted, the US announced on Wednesday. The Biden administration blew up the secrecy Putin has long maintained over his closest relationships by targeting Vladimir Putin's adult daughters with penalties over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions placed on Putin's closest family members and other Russian oligarchs indicate how the US and its allies have refined their procedures for selecting people for financial punishment. Sanctioning family members is often necessary in Russia, as well as other autocracies across the world, to ensure that financial sanctions have the desired impact. Many tycoons adopt the method of placing assets in the names of wives, children, and others, and powerful and affluent leaders are no exception, according to ABC News. Related Article: [Report] Joe Biden Told Barack Obama He's Running Again in 2024 Election as POTUS Believes He Is the Only One Who Can Beat Donald Trump @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. More than 100,000 Channel migrants will reach Britain this year, the UKs former Border Force chief has told the Mail. Backing the Governments asylum deal with Rwanda, former director general of UK Border Force Tony Smith said: There comes a point where we need to get a grip of our border and stop the boats. The numbers are going up, a fourfold increase already this year 28,500 last year, Mr Smith told the Mail at an immigration event by think-tank Policy Exchange. Thats going to be over 100,000 this year just by migrant boats alone. Tony Smith, former director general of UK Border Force, said 100,000 would migrants reach the shores of Britain this year Mr Smiths prediction would be nearly 12 times the level seen in 2020, 54 times that of 2019 and more than 300 times that in 2018. So far this year 6,693 migrants have reached the UK across the Channel four times that seen by the same point last year. There were 651 arrivals last Wednesday, a level not seen last year until the calm summer months. In January, it emerged that the Home Office had produced official papers warning that 65,000 migrants could cross this year. The number of crossings has since outstripped this. Mr Smith praised the Rwanda scheme, which will see asylum seekers sent 4,000 miles to claim refugee status from the East African country. He said: I think its a bold attempt by the government to stop the boats. We have to stop the boats - people are drowning and people are going to drown. The problem the government has is the French wont accept people back, nor will the EU, so the migrants know that simply by paying 5,000 and getting in a small boat, getting into the English territorial waters, theyre essentially in the UK. So the Government is right to look at alternatives. We need to find countries that are prepared to take people. He praised the Government's controversial Rwanda scheme as a 'bold attempt' to stop the boats If Rwanda is a safe country, which is offering them protection and a new life, if it means they dont have to go back to the country they fear persecution from, then this is an alternative to having more and more people coming across the Channel and drowning. Another former top borders officer said the Rwanda agreement will short circuit the classic asylum claim where someone claims to be facing religious persecution. Glyn Williams, the former director general of the Home Offices migration and borders group, said: The classic claim at the moment is Im a Christian but I cant pursue my Christian religion in Iran or Iraq. The Rwanda scheme has been heavily criticised by members of all parties, including former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May If Rwanda is, and I believe it is, a safe country, where someone whos claiming they suffered discrimination, you can pursue it in Rwanda. You will be given safe haven there. Whats wrong with that? Mr Williams led a Home Office delegation to Rwanda for the first serious talks in November, and retired the following month. He added: One of the things Ive been really disappointed about in the last few days is the level of assumptions that are being made about Rwanda. People were just saying its a terrible place, how can you possibly send anybody to there? I think because of their experience with the genocide in the mid-90s, theyre particularly sensitive about how people are treated and trying to stop exploitation because they had it big time. I dont think the Rwandans are doing this just for the money. I think that they actually have genuine humanitarian motivations as well. A Home Office spokesperson said: We do not recognise these figures. Last week, the Government announced a series of measures to overhaul our broken asylum system and through our Nationality and Borders Bill we are clamping down on illegal migration, including dangerous channel crossings which places vulnerable people at the mercy of evil people smugglers. A leaked Liberal campaign email shows Scott Morrison and his team are nervous about being accused of bribing voters or 'pork barrelling'. The email was sent by Liberal advisers to prepare MPs on how to answer questions from journalists about a mobile coverage grant scheme. It emerged as the Prime Minister visited the marginal LNP electorate of Longman in outer Brisbane on Thursday to announce further funding for coverage in 50 outer urban areas. Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured centre) at the Living Gems Retirement Village in Caboolture in the seat of Longman on Thursday, April 21, 2022 He received a hero's welcome from residents at aged care home Living Gems where he announced more mobile masts for the area which has historically had a bad signal. The $22.8million urban connectivity package will target poor mobile phone coverage in the outer suburbs of major cities - Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. In the memo, Liberal MPs were briefed on how to answer potential tricky questions suggesting the Prime Minister's latest campaign announcement is just an election bribe. The package includes specific funding for mobile black spots in Longman, a Queensland electorate held by Liberal MP Terry Young. The briefing note details how politicians to respond to questions about whether the commitment is a 'bribe' or 'another example of pork barrelling'. The answer provided in the talking points is 'no', saying that the grants program was 'announced in the 2021/22 budget as part of the government's digital economy strategy'. The 2021/22 budget committed $16.4million over three years to establish what is called a 'peri-urban' program to improve mobile phone reception in areas prone to bushfire. The bombshell leaked document obtained by Daily Mail Australia, showing that the Liberal Party is greatly concerned with being seen as trying to bribe the electorate The Liberals are fearful that promising money for better mobile phone coverage in outer urban areas will be seen as bribes. Pictured is a mobile phone mast But due to high demand the government budgeted an extra $11.8million for a wider mobile black spots program which had not been announced before, the briefing note says. The memo claims of the 66 projects in the program across 28 electorates, 13 are currently held by the Liberal-National coalition, 14 by Labor and one by an independent. Mr Morrison attended a morning tea at a retirement village in Mr Young's electorate on Thursday and is expected to face questions on the announcement at a press conference later. At the aged care centre, Morrison was applauded by delighted residents when he tried his hand at bowls. The PM played against two locals at the Living Gems carehome in Caboolture, QLD on Thursday. He received a loud applause and cheers when he fired a well-aimed shot which nestled right next to the jack. 'I'm not taking another shot after that,' he joked. On the eve of COVID-19 isolation rules being ditched for household contacts of people with the virus in NSW and Victoria, the ACT is expected to follow suit. The seven-day home quarantine for household contacts will be scrapped in NSW at 6pm on Friday and 11.59pm in Victoria. Instead close close contacts will be able to circulate publicly provided they undertake daily rapid antigen tests to check if they have contracted the virus, wear masks indoors and work from home where possible. The seven day home quarantine for household contacts will be scrapped in NSW at 6pm on Friday and 11.59pm in Victoria. Industry groups welcomed the easing of restrictions, which they say will help address staffing shortages, particularly in retail and hospitality. They will also have to notify their employers and avoid high-risk environments like hospitals and aged care settings. ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has indicated the nation's capital will make a similar announcement on Thursday. "The ACT government is keen to ensure that ACT public health directions are consistent with settings in NSW and Victoria to the greatest extent possible, taking account of our local circumstances," she told the ABC. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the easing of restrictions was an important milestone for the state after an "incredibly challenging" two years. "People havent been able to say goodbye to their loved ones, weddings have been postponed, people have lost jobs," he told Sydney radio 2GB on Thursday. "When it comes to COVID we all have a lot to be proud of. "These changes (are) another mark in our COVID journey." The government would work with unions to determine which industries would still require workers to be vaccinated, with the health and education sectors likely to keep the vaccine mandate. From April 30 hotel quarantine for unvaccinated international returning travellers will also end in NSW, while social distancing on public transport will also be ditched, but masks will still be required for commuters as well as on planes, inside airports and cruise terminals. Industry groups welcomed the easing of restrictions, which they say will help address staffing shortages, particularly in retail and hospitality. LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA FROM ACROSS AUSTRALIA: NSW: 17,447 new cases (71 per cent below Omicron peak), 16 deaths (five below last Thursday), 1641 in hospital (highest number since Valentines Day, Feb.14), 69 in ICU (68 per cent below Omicron peak), active cases 185,898 (lowest since March 17). VIC: NSW: 10,674 new cases (79 per cent below Omicron peak), 11 deaths (three below last Thursday), 444 in hospital (most since Feb.15), 35 in ICU (most since March 2), active cases 53,896 (79 per cent below Omicron peak) Scrooge may be one of the worlds best known old misers but it seems that Charles Dickens character is far from typical. In fact, say researchers, theres evidence that age makes us more generous, not less. And they say it is down to oxytocin, a hormone linked to empathy and generosity and nicknamed the love hormone because one of its functions is to help couples and mothers and babies to bond. According to the US study, it appears to be released at higher levels in the elderly, making them more generous when confronted with something requiring their sympathy or compassion. The researchers at Claremont Graduate University in California showed 103 individuals aged 18 to 99 a heart-rending video of a father describing his feelings about his two-year-old son who was dying from brain cancer. The toddler was shown playing in hospital. They were then asked for an anonymous donation to the hospital and those aged 65 and over gave nearly three times as much as those aged 18 to 35. They were also found to have released more oxytocin into their blood in response to the video. A new study suggest that as people age they may become more generous due to the love hormone 'Oxytocin' (stock image) Dr Paul Zak, who led the study, said: People who released the most oxytocin in the experiment were not only more generous to charity, but also performed many other helping behaviours. After watching the video, the participants were given the opportunity to win up to $40 (30) in a money-sharing task, with all age groups winning roughly the same amount. When they were given their winnings, they were asked if they wanted to make a confidential donation to the hospital treating the toddler on the video. Those aged 36 to 64 donated $9.30 (7.13) on average, which was double the amount of $4.64 (3.56) offered by young adults aged 18 to 35. But the 65-plus group donated $12.45 (9.55) which was almost 2.7 times as much as the youngest adults. Older people released the most oxytocin while watching the video, the study found those who released more oxytocin were more generous to charity and performed 'many other helping behaviours (stock image) Blood tests before and after the video showed the older people released the most oxytocin while watching it. It is believed this may be because older adults, having more life experience, are better able to manage negative emotions such as distress towards others suffering. This allows them to focus on feelings of compassion prompting the brain to signal the release of more oxytocin. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience, also found those who released more oxytocin reported volunteering more frequently in the past year, and donating more of their income and a higher value of goods to charity. They were also more satisfied with their lives. Dr Zak said: The findings are consistent with many religions and philosophies, where satisfaction with ones life is enhanced by helping others. A Florida bride and her caterer face felony charges after they allegedly dosed unwitting wedding guests with a weed-laced menu, sending several to the hospital. Now, the dazed and confused revelers are pressing charges. Bride Danya Shea Glenny Svoboda, 42, and wedding caterer Joycelyn Montrinice Bryant, 31, were charged on April 18 with delivering marijuana, tampering with guests' food and misdemeanor culpable negligence. Both parties turned themselves in to the Seminole County Sheriff's Department, have since been released and are scheduled for arraignment on June 7. About 50 guest attended the February 19 wedding reception at The Springs Clubhouse in Longwood, which became a weed-fueled disaster after several unwitting guests helped themselves to marijuana-infused chocolate-covered strawberries, pudding 'shot' desserts and lasagna. When police asked whether guests had requested or consented to the food offerings, groom Andrew Svoboda allegedly 'stared at Deputy Donald Schwaezman with a blank expression for a few moments before replying "no,"' according to the arrest warrant for his now-wife. One guest told police that he'd texted the groom asking whether the food had been drugged after his wife fell ill and was taken to South Seminole Hospital - Andrew Svoboda allegedly told that guest that he didn't know. Deputies took samples of food and silverware for testing, including a bowl, several glasses, a plate and a 'handful of lasagna [that] was taken directly from a large container of lasagna that was place out during the event.' Meanwhile, many of the wedding guests were not feeling particularly mellow. Bride Danya Shea Glenny Svoboda, 42, (pictured) and Joycelyn Montrinice Bryant, 31, were charged on April 18 with delivering marijuana, tampering with guests' food and misdemeanor culpable negligence after allegedly dosing wedding guests with weed - without warning them first Joycelyn Montrinice Bryant, 31, is pictured. She turned herself in to the Seminole County Sheriff's Department About 50 guest attended the February 19 wedding reception at The Springs Clubhouse in Longwood, which became a weed-fueled disaster after several unwitting guests helped themselves marijuana-infused chocolate-covered strawberries, pudding 'shot' desserts and lasagna When concerned guests asked the best man, a Department of Justice employee, what was happening, he was allegedly unresponsive, police said. One woman told police she felt 'numb, helpless and her mind was playing strange things in her head.' She believed that her son-in-law had died and her family hadn't told her, and described seeing 'the side of a house.' Later, at the hospital, police wrote she was 'loud and unruly and had to be given something to calm down.' Another guest, who traveled to the Florida wedding from Michigan, told deputies that after drinking three glasses of white wine and eating two meatballs, Caesar salad, tortellini, and 'bread with an olive oil and herb dip,' he 'felt tingly, his heart started to race, and [he] was having crazy thoughts,' A third guest vomited profusely, police said, and yet another was 'so drugged that he was having difficult[y] operating his cellphone to order an Uber' to take him to a hospital. Every guest tested for cannabis showed positive results, according to the arrest warrant, and none who were interviewed by police said they knew their food had been laced with marijuana. Each said they would prosecute whoever tampered with the menu. By the time police arrived, employees of Bryant's catering service, 'Joycelyn's Southern Kitchen,' were fleeing into their vehicles and away from the venue. They learned that Bryant was the caterer by questioning security staff. Bryant, the caterer, allegedly told Miranda Cady about the food's secret ingredient - Cady told police that she thought Bryant was joking, and ate anyway. By the time police arrived, employees of Bryant's catering service, 'Joycelyn's Southern Kitchen,' were fleeing into their vehicles and away from the venue. Bryant is pictured here in a promotional photo Oe woman told police that she saw Bryant, pictured, removing a 'green substance' from a punch bowl, placing it into ramekins and mixing it with olive oil She told police that she saw Bryant removing a 'green substance' from a punch bowl, placing it into ramekins and mixing it with olive oil. 'It should be noted what [Cady] was referring to what is commonly referred to as marijuana 'shake,' which is the small scraps that fall off larger amounts of marijuana, the affidavit read. After she snacked on the bread and oil, Cady 'felt stoned.' Then, Svoboda told her that there was marijuana in the food, 'acting like [Cady] should have been excited as though she were being given a gift.' Cady told police she 'felt like her heart was going to stop' and went to lay down in her car, where she 'sent a text to herself so if she died in her car someone would know what happened to her.' An Australian pastor and his wife working at the Boston branch of scandal-hit Hillsong church have resigned after he admitted sending a 'racist text' to a congregant, in the latest scandal to rock the Pentecostal group. Josh and Leona Kimes announced on Monday that they were stepping down from the group. Leona in May 2021 announced in a bombshell Medium post that she had been 'subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse' by the founders of the New York branch, Carl and Laura Lentz, while working at their home as a nanny. The Lentzes strongly denied Leona Kimes's allegations. On April 11, The Christian Post published excerpts of an internal investigation into the Lentzes behavior, which found that Laura Lentz had punched Leona Kimes when she found her snuggled on the sofa with her husband. Carl Lentz, pastor to the stars who presided over Justin and Hailey Bieber's September 2019 wedding, was fired from the church in November 2020 after his five-month affair with Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Ranin Karim emerged. While he was seeing her, he also engaged in another 'inappropriate relationship' with a woman he called Germany, who he met in Brooklyn, the report allegedly says. Lentz was also accused of causing workers to suffer mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. The Kimeses said on Monday: 'It was never in our plans to ever leave Hillsong Church. Josh and Leona Kimes on Monday announced that they were leaving Hillsong Church, where they led the Boston congregation. They did not give a reason, but it emerged on Tuesday that Josh admitted to sending a 'racist text' to a congregant The Kimes family, from Sydney, Australia, said they have made 'the difficult decision' to step down from the church HILLSONG SCANDALS FROM CHILD SEX ABUSE TO MISAPPROPRIATING FUNDS NOVEMBER 2020: Carl Lentz admits cheating on his wife of 17 years with Brooklyn designer he met during the pandemic DECEMBER 2020: Former member Yolandi Bosch claims publicly the church is a cult that controls members 2021: Creative director Darrell Barnett fired for sending shirtless selfie JAN 2021: Reed Bogard and wife fired for misappropriating funds AUGUST 2021: Head of church Brian Houston charged with covering up his father's alleged sex crimes against minors MARCH 24, 2022: Houston steps down as it's claimed he was inappropriate to two women MARCH 25: Woman's rape claim against Bogard becomes public APRIL 11: 'Internal Investigation Report Regarding Carl Lentz and Other Matters' published by The Christian Post, detailing his affairs and his wife hitting Leona Kimes APRIL 18: Josh and Leona Kimes resign from the church, without giving a reason APRIL 19: It emerges that Josh Kimes admitted to sending a 'racist text' to a congregant Advertisement 'It's been home for 22yrs of my life. It's where I've pastored for the last 16yrs. 'We've made the difficult decision to resign as we know God is directing our steps to walk confidently & humbly into the unknown & trust Him to open the right door & plant us somewhere new.' They did not give a reason for stepping down from the church. But on Tuesday, it emerged that Josh Kimes admitted to sending a racist text. The admission was enclosed in a report entitled 'Internal Investigation Report Regarding Carl Lentz and Other Matters,' produced in January 2021 and obtained by The Christian Post. In late 2020, multiple people had accused Kimes of race-related discrimination, according to a Business Insider report, but Kimes never publicly admitted to any wrongdoing. When investigators from Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, LLP, asked Kimes about the allegations for the report, he said it was limited to 'a racist text.' 'Josh Kimes admitted that he once wrote a racist text,' they wrote. 'He explained that he apologized to each of the people who received the text. 'Outside of that, he stated the other allegations of racism were half-truths or lies. 'Leona Kimes stated that if there was racism at Hillsong, it was Carl Lentz's fault. Leona stated that each time they wanted to have a meeting or organize an event related to racism Lentz would tell them that he would handle it and then never do anything.' One Asian member of the church described to investigators, The Christian Post reported, how she once attended a Connect Group leaders training meeting in 2012. Kane Keatinge, one of the co-founders of Hillsong NYC, allegedly walked into the room and said: 'I'm so glad there are more white people here today. In the last training, there were too many non-white people and it felt weird.' The church member said those present laughed nervously, and Keatinge said: 'It's a joke. And you know, if you can't take the joke, there are many churches out there who will welcome you.' Carl Lentz's wife (pictured together) punched Leona Kimes in the face when she caught him with her under a blanket on the couch, a bombshell leaked report revealed on April 11 Lentz is pictured with his friend Justin Bieber in August 2017, who he baptized and married Jewelry designer Ranin Karim, 35, claims she had a five-month affair with married former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz before he was fired in 2020 Josh Kimes, in his resignation note, apologized for his role in 'perpetuating a culture that at times valued the building of the church at the expense of those building it.' He wrote: 'Transparency, honesty, accountability & a culture that allows people to create healthy boundaries is so important & I'm encouraged to see things starting to change. 'Hillsong will always hold a special place in our hearts, even with the immense pain we've endured while building church here in the USA. 'Pastors are meant to be shepherds who protect the sheep, not wolves who prey on the sheep they're entrusted to protect,' they wrote. Lentz, in the January 2021 document, was also reportedly accused of messing with workers' mental health. One ministry leader is believed to have said he had left him feeling depressed and suffering from anxiety due to his time at work. He claimed his boss would 'belittle him, bully him and complain about the driving or the route he was taking' as well as be expected to be free 24 hours a day. But Lentz hit back, claiming he only shouted at him once when they nearly crashed in Manhattan. He also disputed the claim drivers had to be available 24/7, saying he was not driven out to club late at night. The pastor, who co-founded the New York City branch of the Australian church back in 2010, claimed he had resigned from Hillsong in 2020. Lentz is still married to his wife, Laura, with whom he shares three kids But a few days later, the church announced he had been fired by the organization's leader Brian Houston, 68, who accused the pastor of 'moral failures'. Lentz, who rose to notoriety after baptizing his close friend Justin Bieber in 2014, later publicly admitted he had cheated on his wife. Earlier this month Hillsong was back in the headlines when Dallas pastor Reed Bogard was accused of raping a female staffer who he had an affair with in 2013. He was ousted from the church along with his wife last year amid claims they had been misappropriating church donations to fund their lavish lifestyle. But it emerged this year he had an affair between October 2013 and 2014 with a junior female staffer. The woman claimed in October 2020 - six years after the affair ended - that Bogard raped her the first time they had sex on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 2013. She made the allegation for the first time in conversations with Hillsong leaders and an investigation was commissioned as a result. The details have never been made public until now. The Christian Post obtained a copy of the investigation report in which lawyers said it was still a possibility Bogard could face criminal charges. It remains unclear if the allegation has ever been reported to the police. New York's statute of limitations for reporting rape cases can be as long as 20 years. There is no statute of limitations for first degree rape cases. Church leaders did know about the affair and had for years, but they thought it had always been consensual. Hillsong Dallas pastor Reed Bogard was secretly accused of raping a younger, female staffer who he had an affair with in 2013, it has been revealed Bogard with his wife Jess. The pair stepped down last year amid claims they were misappropriating funds from the church Hillsong started in Australia in 1983 but has since ballooned to become an international mega church with a cult-like celebrity following. Justin and Hailey Bieber are the church's most famous followers but the Kardashians have been tied to it as has Selena Gomez and others. Its selling point are its army of young, glamorous and trendy pastors who give concert-like sermons and appeal to Instagram-savvy, younger worshippers. But over the last few years, the so-called disciples of the church have revealed themselves to have somewhat compromised morals. In 2020, star pastor Lentz was exposed for cheating on his wife. He was fired by Houston and retreated from the limelight, which he had enjoyed with his celebrity following. Bogard was fired in January 2021. 'It was very disappointing to learn that, while some of you experienced the Bogards as dedicated pastors, many others have experienced leadership that failed to meet the commitments and standards of Hillsong Church,' Houston said at the time. Other former church members have compared it to a cult and detailed incidents of sexual assault. Houston himself is now facing claims that his father, who founded the church and died in 2004, covered up sexual abuse during his tenure in charge. He resigned on March 24 after it was also claimed he had been inappropriate with staff, notably two women. He has been criminally charged in Australia over the allegation that he turned a blind eye to his father's abuse - which he vehemently denies. Darnell Barrett, another member of the church, was fired in 2021 for sending a shirtless picture to someone else in the congregation. As experts, diplomats and political commentators examine how Australia has made 'the worst foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since World War II', I can't help but feel a sense of guilt. I was in Honiara for four days in October 2019 when I believe the controversial security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands was being set in motion. I was living in Sydney while working as an English language news editor for Chinese state media giant Xinhua. The job saw me occasionally visiting the South Pacific to churn out Beijing-friendly stories about how jumping into bed with China was a 'win-win'. Reporter Levi Parsons conducts an interview with a local landowner in the Solomon Islands - which was never published China's security agreement with the Solomon Islands could see military bases built by Beijing within 2,000km of Australia WHAT IS THE ONE CHINA POLICY? In order to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, nations must recognise the disputed independent territory of Taiwan as part of 'China'. Chinese Communist Party-led forces under Mao Zedong defeated the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party in 1949. Those linked to the Nationalist fled to Taiwan and still claim it as the Republic of China. There are now only 15 nations that recognise the Republic of China. Advertisement But on this particular trip, one of the people I was travelling with was later accused of being a Chinese spy after his Sydney home was raided by ASIO on June 26, 2020. Yang Jingzhong, the former Sydney bureau chief, has since fled the country. The trip came on the heels of Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's decision one month earlier to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognise Beijing under the One China Policy. Beijing handed over about $730million to the Solomon Islands government after the diplomatic switch was made. I did not receive a briefing about the trip and was not given any information about what stories I'd be working on there - something not that unusual when working for China's state-run media. When our news crew arrived on the island of Guadalcanal we checked into a hotel beside the Honiara Yacht Club and were told by Mr Yang to wait as he mysteriously ventured off with a small group of humourless Chinese men linked to a state-owned construction firm based in the country. I sat in the hotel for a day and a half with my colleagues drinking Sol Brew beer and ordering fried calamari while pitching stories by text and phone calls to Mr Yang, only to be told to stay put. Eventually we all went to the office of a local politician (not named for legal reasons) whose corruption was an open secret. I was vaguely told he had a pivotal role in securing China's 75-year lease of the island of Tulagi which was later blocked by the Solomon Islands' Attorney General for being 'unconstitutional'. The Solomon Islands has cemented ties with China with a new security pact. Pictured are Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in 2019 Pictured: Yang Jingzhong, former head of Sydney's Xinhua News Agency bureau We set up lights and cameras for an interview and then I scribbled down some questions for Mr Yang - barely enough to justify my title as producer of the segment. Then it was back to the hotel where I grew increasingly frustrated with sitting around doing nothing apart from the occasional stroll to the local market to chew betel nuts. I was a journalist in a foreign country. It was a great career opportunity so I wanted to get out and talk to people. I wanted bylines. I wanted to work. I made my feelings clear to Mr Yang and we had several heated arguments about the situation before he finally sent us out to what I would describe as 'mock interviews'. One was with the owner of a local Chinese restaurant and the other was a landowner who allowed a Chinese firm to build a small bridge on his property. They were not even remotely newsworthy and I don't think either of the stories were published or went to air. Royal Solomon Islands Police Force train with a China Police Liaison Team in March 2022 On the flight back to Brisbane I made the decision to resign and I changed jobs three months later. Up until the draft version of the China-Solomon Islands security deal was leaked in March, I had always struggled to understand why the Beijing-backed news outlet was willing to pay a team of reporters and their camera crew to fly overseas and not publish any stories. I can't say for sure, but it seems obvious now that we were the useful idiots in the early stages of a clandestine Chinese plot to set up a military base in the Solomon Islands. The news team I was part of helped to put a legitimate facade on what was likely a four-day trip of bribery, espionage and backroom deal-making that will see Australia exposed to a hostile authoritarian power for decades to come. Sorry about that. The security pact between China and the Solomon Islands could affect the South Pacific island nation's ties with Australia. Pictured is Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (left) with Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) in June 2019 WHO IS YANG JINGZHONG? AND WHY WAS HE RAIDED BY ASIO? Yang Jingzhong is a former head of Sydney's Xinhua News Agency bureau and has now fled the country after ASIO and the Australian Federal Police raided his home on June 26, 2020. He was targeted along with three other Chinese journalists on the same day intelligence agencies also busted down the door of NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane home and office. The investigation centered around a Wechat group alleged to be carrying out a campaign of political influence in Australia on behalf of Beijing. Mr Moselmane and Mr Yang have both denied any wrongdoing. Advertisement A Muslim writer said she was shocked by the racist behaviour of non-Muslim 'tourists' at a popular Ramadan night market. Soaliha Iqbal wrote for Pedestrian that she is tired of white people's 'ignorant' behaviour at culturally significant events after she encountered a racist woman just 30 minutes after arriving at Sydney's Lakemba Ramadan Nights. Ms Iqbal wrote that she has been going to the event for several years and enjoyed taking her non-Muslim friends to experience tasty cultural foods in an 'unapologetically Muslim' environment. Sydney Muslim writer Soaliha Iqbal has slammed the 'rude, inconsiderate and hurtful behaviour' of 'white tourists' at Lakemba's Ramadan Nights Lakemba's Ramadan Nights are a culturally significant event for Sydney's Muslim community However after going to this year's market she wishes she had kept it a secret. Ms Iqbal wrote that within half an hour of arriving to the market she encountered a woman who told her to 'go back where she came from'. 'It was so sudden and out of place on the busy, ethnic, Muslim-populated streets of Lakemba that by the time I processed what she said she was long gone,' she said. Ms Iqbal also wrote that the market was so full of cultural tourists that her own Muslim people - who the event is created for - were pushed to the sidelines. 'I'd heard local Muslims lamenting leaving the markets with nothing to eat because the influx of tourists meant the lines were super long,' she wrote. 'Considering this is an event held by the Muslim community, it felt wrong to see locals driven out.' The Muslim community has complained of being pushed to the sidelines by 'white tourists' at the Ramadan event Ms Iqbal said she was racially abused just 30 minutes after entering the market and retold encounters where non-Muslim people had mocked South Asian accents and food She later found out several other people had encountered racist behaviour at the event, citing an incident where a group of young non-Muslim boys mocked South Asian accents and another where 'white tourists' called famous dishes 'gross'. Ms Iqbal also slammed attendees who brought dogs to the event and complained about the lack of music saying: 'Google exists and I'm tired of the ignorance'. 'It's so unsettling and hurtful to see this pocket of peace become infiltrated with the same racism and microaggressions we experience outside of our community. It is not fair that people harbouring racist attitudes get to exploit our cultures,' she said. Ms Iqbal finished her piece by saying the Lakemba Ramadan Nights are a fun event that deserves to be shared but that 'rude, inconsiderate and hurtful behaviour' ruins the experience for everyone. Lakemba's Ramadan Nights feature a wide range of pop-up kitchens along the area's Haldon Street and Railway Parade. The event started off a small market celebrating the Ramadan tradition of breaking fast but has grown into a large-scale event also popular with non-Muslim people and is publicised to a wide audience by the local council. A British grandmother will be allowed to stay in Australia for up to a year after she had initially been cruelly denied entry over a change in government policy on vaccine exemptions, devastating her expectant sons and granddaughter. Clare Henderson landed in Perth this week to visit her sons Michael and Martin and their families after three years kept apart by Covid travel restrictions, but instead was held for seven hours in immigration detention. Michael and his three-year-old daughter were waiting at the airport for the 64-year-old from Billingham, County Durham with an adorable sign reading: 'Can't wait to see you, grandma'. However, Ms Henderson never cleared customs and the anticipated emotional family reunion was denied. Ms Henderson was detained and told she would be sent back to the UK because the details of her vaccine exemption had changed since she made the visa request in November. The retired foster carer from Billingham, County Durham, has not had her jabs because she was advised against it due to having a medical condition called temporal arteritis Michael (pictured), a British man living in Perth, has called on Australian Border Force workers to show some 'compassion' and allow his mother to enter the country 'We all stood on the other side. My daughter who is three-years-old had a sign waiting for her saying 'Can't wait to see you, grandma',' Michael told 6PR this week. 'This is an absolutely disgusting situation that's happening.' Clare landed in Perth on Monday evening and was interrogated over the details of her vaccine exemption. Her exemption had been granted due to having temporal arteritis; an inflammation of the arteries in her head which increases risk of strokes and heart attacks - and can make certain vaccines unsafe. Clare Henderson is facing deportation back to the UK after landing in Australia to see her family after doctors warned her against getting a jab because of her medical condition. Pictured: Clare with her granddaughter Michael (pictured left with his Australian wife) said his mother had 'ticked all the boxes' as far as eligibility for entering the country The issue was that she had been granted an exemption, and therefore a visa, in November and the entry restrictions to WA had since been tightened and such an exemption was no longer valid. After the disappointment of having their airport reunion ruined, the family were informed seven hours after she touched down that her entry was being declined by Australian Border Force. 'She was interrogated three times on the record, they took her fingerprint, and they took her possessions away from her,' Michael said. 'She did everything she needed to do, she's had this trip planned for a long time,' he said. 'All the boxes were ticked.' Michael shows a picture of his mother to people waiting outside the quarantine hotel where she is currently awaiting her fate Clare Henderson is waiting to be reunited with her son Michael, his wife and their children 'This is an absolute shambles, they interrogated her for over seven hours on three separate occasions, they had all of her medical exemptions in front of her. It sounds like there's a huge cover-up going on here,' Michael said. Ms Henderson was put in detainee accommodation pending deportation but the family's pleas for understanding and compassion were finally heard, and the ABF has now said it will grant her a 12-month visa. She had been transferred out of the detainee accommodation where she was being held pending deportation, and moved into a quarantine hotel for her seven days of isolation. Clare will be able to see her family on Anzac Day - a significance that was not lost on her son. Michael hailed the Anzac spirit saying it was the 'irony of what the Anzacs fought for! Freedom!' The Australian Border Force are unable to comment on individual cases. 'Australia has strict border rules, including for unvaccinated travellers.' The Australian Border Force ensures that people arriving at the border comply with our laws and entry requirements, and will continue to do so,' an Australian Border Force spokesperson said. Australian doctors are urging the government to ditch bulk billing amid claims tradies earn more in 15 minutes than a local GP. Frustrated general practitioners across the country are demanding an increase to the Medicare rebate as the current time-tiered charge system is sending them broke. The Australian Medical Association recommends doctors charge $86 for a standard GP consult. Under the current Medicare system a GP earns less than half the recommended amount - a meagre $39.10. Australian doctors are urging both major parties to reform the Medicare rebate system as increasing numbers of them ditch bulk billing Some electricians and plumbers earn approximately $45 to $50 for 15 minutes of work which is more than local GPs who earn $39.10 under the current Medicare rebate system Some electricians and plumbers, by comparison, earn approximately $45 to $50 for 15 minutes of work - more than their local GP. Dr Karen Price, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), said the low return per consult is 'hitting crunch point' by deterring medical graduates and putting financial pressure on owners of medical practices. 'We have been talking about it for a long time but it's hitting crunch point,' Dr Price told 6PR breakfast radio on Thursday. We've got 50 per cent of practice owners worried about the sustainability of their practices and we have not [got] enough young doctors choosing general practice as a specialty.' Doctors are calling for an overdue reform of Medicare so that the nation's health care system focuses on higher levels of patient care rather than turnover of patients. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President, Dr Karen Price (pictured), said bulk billing is putting financial pressure on practice owners and vulnerable patients are suffering because of it 'The longer [doctors] spend with patients, the less the patient's insurance covers costs,' Dr Price said. 'We're actually rewarded for pushing patients through at a higher volume, which we know is not sufficient for a modern approach to health care. 'We want to have more investment in longer consultations, and see those rewarded by a minute-by-minute approach applied to a shorter consultation. 'We cannot provide the same level of quality service, which is what this is all about, with a bulk billed rate.' Dr Price said longer consultations and access to continuous care has 'fallen off the radar' under the Medicare rebate system and vulnerable patients are suffering. 'Those with complex chronic medical conditions, aged care, mental health, disability care - this all requires a much bigger share of Medicare for the patients to subsidise the health care costs,' Dr Price said. 'Procedures are valued at a greater rate by Medicare than, say, counselling for a suicidal adolescent. We find that pretty astonishing in today's age.' According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest patient experience survey, more than one in 10 Australians aged 15 and above visited a GP at least 12 times in a year. The survey taken between 2021 and 2022 revealed 35 per cent of the population saw a GP between four and 11 times a year, while only 16.3 per cent went once. The Australian Medical Association has recognised the pressure GP's face to keep healthcare affordable and accessible and are demanding major political parties commit to a 'modern Medicare' Toogood Road Family Medical Centre co-owner Dr Elizabeth Martin said the low income has been demoralising for many doctors and caused practices to shut down in her region. 'I feel very passionate about this because I don't want to see general practice die,' Dr Martin told Cairns Post. 'If you are not paid for your work, it demoralises your whole sector. It's demoralising and depressing. 'We are just earning a huge amount less than we used to. I have had people join the practice who learned they can earn more by doing an overnight shift in a hospital.' The Australian Medical Association has recognised the pressure GPs face to keep healthcare affordable and accessible and have ramped up their federal election campaign focused on modernising Medicare. AMA encouraged doctors and patients to use their votes to demand political parties commit to reforming the current health care system. Last Wednesday, the association handed out 45,840 election posters to general practitioners to hang in their practices and template letters for patients to send to their local MPs ahead of the May 21 federal election. Defense minister stresses China's resolve, warns against US provocations in late first phone talk with Austin By Liu Xuanzun (Global Times) 08:24, April 21, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe had a phone call with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday at the latter's request, with Wei stressing the importance of the Taiwan question, while demanding the US to stop its military provocations at sea, and not to throw mud or threaten China with the Ukraine issue. The dialogue, the first since Austin became US Defense Secretary in January 2021, will hopefully provide stability to the two countries' military-to-military ties and avoid and reduce misjudgments by letting the US better understand China's bottom line and core interests at a very challenging time in the China-US relations, analysts said. Wei said that China and the US should implement the consensus reached by the two countries' top leadersin earnest, pledge mutual respect, coexist peacefully and avoid confrontation. The US should fulfill its promise of not seeking a new Cold War with China, should not aim to change China's system, the revitalization of its alliances should not target China, that the US does not support "Taiwan independence," and that it has no intention to seek a conflict with China. China hopes to build a sound and steady major power relationship with the US, and it will also safeguard its national interests and dignity. The US should not underestimate China's determination and capability, Wei said. The two countries' militaries should enhance mutual trust, boost conversation and communication, manage and control risks and crises, and carry out pragmatic cooperation to ensure the normal, steady development of the two countries' military-to-military relations, Wei said. Wei stated a solemn position over the Taiwan question, as he stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and this is a fact and a status quo no one can change. It will bring a disruptive impact on China-US relations if the Taiwan question is not handled well, and the Chinese military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, Wei said. Austin said that the US is willing to promote the implementation of the important consensus reached by the two countries' top leaders, and it will enhance exchanges and cooperation in the military field with a sincere and open attitude. The US stays committed to the one-China policy, Austin said. Both sides should manage and control competition and risks with responsible manners, and deal well with challenges that the military ties between the two countries are facing, the US defense secretary said. The biggest significance of the dialogue between two countries' defense ministers is that China and the US could avoid and reduce misjudgments by better understanding each other's bottom lines and not challenge each other's core interests, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Wednesday. China does not seek hegemony but it will not allow the US to challenge its red lines in terms of core interests, Song said. Hopefully, the talk can provide stability for the two countries' military-to-military ties and a resumption of high-level military communications, Song said. The defense ministers' talk came after a video call between the two countries' top leadersin March, which was deemed constructive, and teams from both countries were directed to promptly follow up and take concrete actions to put China-US relations back on the track of steady development, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time. China-US relations have been in a very difficult time, with all kinds of challenges stacked together, but the two countries' leaderships know they have wide and deep common interests, and those cannot be ignored because of the challenges, a Chinese expert on foreign affairs told the Global Times on Wednesday, requesting anonymity. Wei and Austin's phone call is a chance to enable the two militaries to better understand each other's strategic intent and enhance the management of tensions in places like the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits, the expert said. China warned the US that is should not go further on the Taiwan question, not to mention supporting "Taiwan independence" forces, as this is a major question of principle that involves national sovereignty, security and development interests, Song said. China must make clear its bottom line to the US in order to safeguard peace and stability, and the Chinese mainland has the legal basis, the capability and the determination to resolve the Taiwan question, including by force, he said. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Friday organized multi-services and arms, dispatching forces including destroyers, frigates, bombers and fighters, and conducted joint combat alert patrols and drillsincluding a maritime assault, in the forefront of the East China Sea and in waters and aerial areas around the island of Taiwan, when a group of US lawmakers were visiting the island. A total of 11 PLA aircraft, namely a Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft, two H-6 bombers, a KJ-500 early warning aircraft and seven J-16 fighter jets, entered the island of Taiwan's self-proclaimed southwestern air defense identification zone on Wednesday, Taiwan's defense authority said on the day. Wei and Austin exchanged views over air and maritime safety issues, with China demanding the US to stop making military provocations from the sea. China and the US have already established mechanisms for the safety of air and maritime encounters, but the US military has been increasing close-in reconnaissance operations on China with aircraft and vessels, Song said. In 2021, US large spy planes carried out about 1,200 aerial close-in reconnaissance sorties on China, with US aircraft carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups and nuclear-powered attack submarines repeatedly entering the South China Sea, according to the monitoring by the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, a Beijing-based think tank. This increases the risk of an accident and could lead to serious consequences, and the US must stop making such provocations, or the Chinese military would have to deal with them, experts said. The two defense ministers also discussed the situation in Ukraine, and China urged the US not to use the Ukraine issue to throw mud at, threaten and pressure China. First conversation This is the first time Wei and Austin have had a direct conversation since Austin became Pentagon chief, observers noted. In May 2021, Western media reported that Austin had yet to talk to Chinese military leaders "despite repeated attempts," but that was because Austin, in an unprofessional and unfriendly actof disregarding diplomatic protocol and international common practice, requested to meet with Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, instead of Wei, sources told the Global Times at the time. This time, it was also the US side that proposed the call, but with the right person, observers pointed out. A reason why the US requested the call is probably because the US acknowledges China as its greatest strategic competitor, but in the meantime the risk of a real conflict must be avoided, analysts said. Another reason is that the US might want China's help with the Ukraine crisis, and put pressure on China over its ties with Russia amid the Ukraine crisis, but its attempt to sow discord between China and Russia is bound to be futile, Song said. China-US relations, as the most important relations in the world, have big influence potentials on the Russia-Ukraine issue, Song pointed out, noting that the US is fanning the flames and stirring up troubles at the cost of the Russians, Ukrainians and Europeans to serve its own hegemonic interests, and China on the other hand is promoting talks and peace. The anonymous foreign affairs expert said that the US might be worried whether China could have some sorts of military coordination and cooperation with Russia. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly said that it is disinformation from the US that Russia has asked China for military assistance, and China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, as China has been playing a constructive part in promoting peace talks. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The Justice Department on Wednesday announced that it has filed a federal appeal on the ban on United States President Joe Biden's mask mandate for public transportation as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend the use of masks. In the statement, the health agency said that it is the continuing assessment at the time that Biden's order requiring the usage of face masks while inside indoor transportation corridors are still necessary for public health. The CDC said that it will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether or not such an order will remain necessary in the future. Appeal on Mask Mandate Ban The CDC said that the mask mandate was a lawful order that was well within the agency's legal authority that aims to protect public health. In the wake of Federal Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle's Monday ruling, the DOJ had already considered whether or not to fight the decision in court. The judge's decision caught much of the administration, airline industry, local public transit departments, and every American off-guard. The DOJ's appeal means that the federal government will head to a higher court to extend the mask mandate despite many airlines and public transit systems already removing the restriction, as per CNN. Read Also: Joe Biden Breaks Silence on Major Ruling That Voids Transportation Mask Mandate The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11 Circuit will be responsible for hearing the appeal and has a conservative bent. This means that the case could later end up before the Supreme Court if no decision is made beforehand. If the ruling that removes the mask mandate is upheld, it could permanently weaken the CDC's authority. Even in the possibility of the Biden administration winning the appeal, there will be much backlash from Americans who have celebrated the lifting of the mandate. The order has been in place since shortly after Biden took office last January and was extended multiple times, the latest being a May 3 deadline. Face Masks in the U.S. According to the New York Times, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday evening that the appeal was crucial for preserving the CDC's future public health authority. In an interview with Chris Wallace, Psaki said that the appeal was important for two reasons: the order was entirely reasonable and it was a fight to ensure the CDC"s authority and ability to put in mandates. The situation comes as the federal ruling dealt a huge blow to an industry that built dozens of small U.S. mask factories during the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic. The chief executive of Armbrust American, Lloyd Armbrust, said that the federal government never really supported mask manufacturing across the nation. He added that the removal of the mask mandate only worked to accelerate the decline of the new industry in the United States. Armbrust is also the president of the American Mask Manufacturer's Association, which is a group created to fight for domestic startups. He is one of the last remaining manufacturers but he is also at risk of decline, Yahoo Finance reported. Related Article: Judge Blocks Public Transportation Mask Mandate, Cites CDC's Lack of Authority @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Anthony Albanese pushed in front of one of his candidates to stop her repeatedly taking questions about Labor's policy on turning back people smuggler boats. Sky News reporter Jonathan Lea asked Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips on Thursday about why she had changed her views about government asylum seeker policy. 'Why have you changed your mind when you were such a fierce advocate about not turning back the boats previously?' Ms Phillips insisted that she 'absolutely' supported Labor's currently policy - before Mr Albanese stepped in front of her and tried to intercept the questions, saying 'thanks'. But the reporter wasn't letting the matter go - with Mr Albanese struggling to answer the question on her behalf. Anthony Albanese pushed in front of Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips halfway through her response to why she had backflipped on her stance on turning back the boats The reporter continued to direct his question to Ms Phillips, who represents a swathe of the NSW south coast, saying: 'We now understand that Mr Albanese has (but) why have you changed your mind?' Mr Albanese replies with a wry laugh: 'She's answered that'. The reporter then asks if Ms Phillips can speak for herself - before she steps back in front of the microphone. 'I, like any member, have been to (Labor party) national conferences, and just like we should we discuss items and I support that position,' she responds. Ms Phillips opposed boat turn backs in 2015 and was signatory to a letter that said she rejected the measure during Labors national conference. The awkward moment came just hours after Mr Albanese and Scott Morrison went head to head in their first election debate. Ms Phillips (pictured with the Opposition leader in January) said she supported the party's stance on turning back the boats during a press conference on Thursday During the Wednesday night's Sky News debate, Mr Albanese insisted he would be strong on border policy. He insisted that he was Deputy Prime Minister when the last Labor government restored offshore processing after initially scrapping it. The Labor leader admitted he did not support the Coalition's boat turnback policy at the time, but had since changed his mind and does support it now. Mr Morrison said voters could be assured of his record in stopping the boats: 'You'll know I'll do it because I've done it'. He questioned why Mr Albanese had not supported turnback policy while he was in government. 'You weren't proposing (it) back then. You were not proposing (it),' Mr Albanese replied to which Mr Morrison hit back that he had designed the policy in his role as shadow immigration minister. The awkward moment comes just hours after Mr Albanese and Scott Morrison went head to head in their first election debate on Wednesday night (pictured) In the lead up to the 2013 election, the Coalition announced it would turn back boats if it regained power, effectively ending the dangerous sea crossings from Indonesia. The boats policy is a thorny one for Labor which is trapped between the risk of losing votes to the Greens - who back onshore processing - and winning the votes of swing voters who mostly back the tough policy of refusing entry. On Thursday an interview resurfaced from 2015, where Mr Albanese said he could not ask the Navy to stop boats. 'I couldn't ask someone else to do something that I couldn't see myself doing. And if people were in a boat, including families and children, I myself couldn't turn that around...' the Labor leader is heard telling the ABC's Barrie Cassidy. 'Everyone in Labor wants to make sure that there aren't turnbacks.' Of an audience of 100 undecided voters, 40 per cent said Mr Albanese won the debate compared to 35 per cent who back Mr Morrison. Twenty-five per cent left the debate still undecided. Victoria's long-time Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar has announced he will quit his post as Premier Daniel Andrews winds back the state's pandemic measures. Jeroen Weimar was the Covid-19 response commander responsible for the coordination of Victoria's testing, tracing and vaccination schemes in Mr Andrews' government Mr Weimar is set to leave at the end of the month as Victoria eases restrictions, including mandatory masks and vaccinated economy rules. Victoria's 'sex symbol' Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar (pictured) will step down from his role at the helm of the state's pandemic response Mr Weimar has been in the role since July 2020, after the state's hotel quarantine debacle and said he would take time off before returning to the public service later in the year. Upon his appointment, Mr Weimar and Victoria's top doctor, Brett Sutton, were hailed as 'sex symbols' by some quarters of the population. His resignation from the role comes following announcements the bulk of pandemic rules in Australia's two biggest states' will be scrapped. New South Wales and Victoria both are abolishing close-contact isolation requirements following Scott Morrison's declaration 'the pandemic has passed. Jeroen Weimar (pictured) is tipped to return to the public service after he takes a short break when he steps down from the role Dan Andrews' (pictured right) Victorian government has scrapped close-contact isolation rules along with New South Wales this week (Jeroen Weimar pictured left) Close-contacts in both states will, however, have to abide by a series of new rules. As of Friday 6pm, the seven-day isolation rule for close contacts will be scrapped in both states. In Victoria, close contacts will also be required to wear a mask indoors and take five RAT tests in a week. In NSW, close-contacts will need to take a rapid antigen test daily and wear a face mask in indoor settings. Milwaukee Public Schools reinstated their mask mandate on Wednesday - just one day after it was lifted - following a COVID spike in Wisconsin and a near 50-percent increase among the district's staff members. The school district announced on March 24 that face coverings would become optional in its school districts starting April 18. But after an emergency school board meeting a day after the change took effect, parents were notified that their children would need to mask up again starting on Thursday due to 'a significant transmission of the virus within the city.' There were 479 new cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin on Tuesday - but the next day, that number shot up to 1,585, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The seven-day average of new cases in the city of Milwaukee also increased on April 15, according to the City of Milwaukee health department, hitting an average of 47 new cases. Among teachers in the school district, officials said, the COVID positivity rate among staff members increased by 47 percent over the last three weeks. MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Posley told WISN that the district 'made it clear that if the case burden/positivity rate moved to substantial transmission, which is [denoted by the health department as] orange, the district would revert to the mandatory mask policy, and that's what happened.' 'I understand the frustration that parents and staff face here, but what I want to make sure we do everything we can from a mitigating strategy to make sure all of our students, staff and our community is safe,' he said. When rates dip back down, he said, MPS will consider making masks optional once more. Milwaukee Public Schools reinstated their mask mandate on Wednesday just a day after it went into effect following a surge in COVID cases in the state and among school staff The district's teacher's union and the Milwaukee Health Department were consulted before the decision was made, he said. Posley told FOX 6 that 'everything we have done is to make sure that our students are in school every day.' 'We are constantly looking at the rate of infection, the positivity rates in the city and our own district dashboard,' he told the outlet. University of Wisconsin Health's medical director of infection prevention, Dr. Dan Shirley, agreed with the district's choice. 'When there are rates going up, obviously, now we know the importance of having kids in school,' he told FOX 6. 'If there are layers of protection and things we can do there, that's worth considering.' MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Posley told WISN that the district 'made it clear that if the case burden/positivity rate moved to substantial transmission, which is [denoted by the health department as] orange, the district would revert to the mandatory mask policy, and that's what happened' He said that samples taken from Milwaukee's wastewater show a 'major increase' in infection rates, and that he fears that COVID cases may surge. 'I don't think by itself the perfect measure yet but definitely a tool, along with a couple of other things, to give us a clue that cases are rising.' Regardless, hundreds of parents took to social media to voice their exasperation, leaving comments on the district's Facebook post announcing the swift reversal. One parent asked if the shift was 'some kind of joke,' and another called the district's move an 'arrogant power grab.' 'So disappointed,' Lori Ward Kanarek wrote on Facebook. 'One day [with], one day without. And that required an emergency board meeting and a three week transition. To go back requires none of the same.' Becky Engel wrote that she would 'like to know who the Karen is who did this' because she was 'LIVID.' 'Those poor kids should really have a choice whether they want to wear those masks or not,' wrote another poster. 'I'm calling tomorrow and voicing my opinion. They will not like what I have to say,' she wrote. 'This is ridiculous and there is zero science to back this up. Even the federal mandates are gone.' Other parents were more understanding of the district's flip-flop. 'I wish that every last one of the parents that are upset about masks would put that same energy into other things that are lacking within our district,' wrote Caressa Dixon. 'Our special education department sucks but y'all want to argue about masks.' Another Facebook user urged commenters to 'think outside [themselves] for a moment.' 'There's only one reason they'd reverse this decision. Cases are rising and safely staffing buildings is becoming a concern at some schools.' Throughout the U.S., about 35,000 new COVID cases are emerging per day, according to John's Hopkins University Data - about a third of the rate two months prior. The school's decision came as a federal judge in Florida struck down the CDC's national mask mandate for public transport, leaving officials to determine whether their cities would enforce local requirements. Philadelphia announced last week that it would reinstitute its mask mandate as cases rose to 149 per day, and jumped by 86 percent over the past two weeks. Some cities like New York and Boston will still require masks in some places, even without federal orders. Meanwhile, some cities like Washington D.C. chose to follow the federal government, and rescind orders along with the removal of the CDC order. The striking down of mask orders comes as Covid continues to recede in the U.S. Cases have remained flat at 37,792 per day, with deaths plummeting 22 percent to 422 per day over the last seven days. The CDC also reports that only 0.5 percent of U.S. counties are considered to be of 'high' Covid risk. The change comes as a new version of the Omicron variant, and potentially a new threat during the pandemic, emerges around the nation. For the first time Tuesday, the CDC included the BA.2.12.1 variant on its NOWCAST, with the strain making up 19 percent of sequenced cases in America. The sub-strain falls within the BA.2 lineage - which is in itself a sub-strain of the Omicron variant. Little is known about this version of the virus, though it is believed to have a 27 percent growth advantage over the original version of BA.2, though there is no evidence that it is more severe than its predecessor. This is now the third different version of Omicron - which in total makes up 100 percent of sequenced cases in the U.S. - to be categorized separately by health officials, a phenomenon that did not occur with previous versions of the virus. Scott Morrison said he is 'deeply sorry' for any offence he caused after being slammed for saying he and wife Jenny are 'blessed' their children were born without disabilities. During a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Morrison was more apologetic than his remarks on 2GB earlier in the day, saying he recognised his response to a question during the leaders' debate last night 'has caused offence to people'. He also revealed he had called Australian of the Year, wheelchair athlete Dylan Alcott, to apologise after the star disabled athlete tweeted that 'feeling sorry for us and our families doesn't help'. 'Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does,' Mr Alcott tweeted. 'I think people would also appreciate that I had no such intention of suggesting anything other than every child is a blessing is true,' Mr Morrison said. 'Every single child is precious and every child is a blessing to every parent. I don't think that's in dispute and I don't think anyone would seriously think that I had intent [to say] anything different to that.' During a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Morrison moderated his remarks on 2GB earlier in the day, saying he recognised the response to a question during the leaders' debate last night 'has caused offence to people'. 'I would hope that people would accept that at face value and deeply apologise for any offence it caused' Mr Morrison told Ray Hadley on Thursday morning that he was speaking 'in good faith' when he told the mother of a boy with autism that he had not had to go through with what she had. 'Every single child is a blessing,' Mr Morrison told the 2GB host in an interview from a retirement village in the Queensland suburb of Caboolture. 'Theres no doubt about that in my mind. What I was saying was in good faith about her son Ethan. She didn't take it (as an insult). 'I was simply saying its tough and Im grateful there are these hardships that we havent had to deal with. 'There is no greater love than a parent has for a child and particularly a child that has special needs and it is a blessing. 'I was trying to say "I havent walked in your shoes and I cant understand it as you do".' At the later press conference Mr Morrison said he and wife Jenny had 'waited 14 years' to have their daughters. 'I don't often refer to my own children as a blessing, we were 14 years in the waiting to have our children but my point is I wasn't trying to imply that I could first-hand understand the challenges people face in those situations. 'I was seeking to respect the challenges they face. Not the opposite. I would hope that people would accept that at face value and deeply apologise for any offence it caused.' A social media storm erupted when the Prime Minister was asked about removing funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme during Wednesday night's Leaders' Debate on Sky News. Katherine, mother of autistic four-year-old boy Ethan, said she had heard stories about families losing funding under the NDIS. 'I have a four-year-old autistic son, we are grateful to receive funding under the NDIS. I have heard many stories from people having their funding cut under the current government, including my own. 'I've been told that to give my son the best future, I should vote Labor. Can you tell me what the future of the NDIS looks like under your government?' Mr Morrison replied: 'Jenny and I have been blessed. We've got two children who haven't had to go through that. 'So parents of children who were disabled - I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children. Scott Morrison said during Wednesday's opening leaders debate that he and wife Jenny were 'blessed' their children won't born with disabilities Mr Morrison's comments were criticised by Labor politicians as being offensive. Mr Morrison has two daughters, Lily and Abbey, who he has described as his miracles Poll Was ScoMo's disabilities response OK? It was awkward but not offensive It was deeply offensive Was ScoMo's disabilities response OK? It was awkward but not offensive 313 votes It was deeply offensive 165 votes Now share your opinion 'And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.' Mr Morrison then went onto credit Labor prime minister Julia Gillard for shepherding the scheme through Parliament. He said the NDIS helped people with disabilities live their best life, including his brother-in-law, who has multiple sclerosis. 'He gets support through the NDIS to ensure that he has the wheelchair he needs and the aids he needs at home to work as a call centre operator and do things like that,' the Prime Minister said. While Katherine didn't object to Mr Morrison's comments at the time, his apparently clumsy use of language saw Twitter ignite with criticism and Sky News commentators to point it out as a moment of note. Labor frontbenchers Senators Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher led the criticism, with Ms Gallagher pointing to the example of her own autistic child. 'I am 'blessed' to have a child with autism. She teaches me things every day. Our lives are enriched by her,' she wrote. Ms Keneally retweeted her post, sharing her apparent outrage at Mr Morrison's choice of words. 'Unbelievably, Scott Morrison just said he was 'blessed' not to have a child with a disability. Parents of children with a disability are blessed too,' she wrote. Bill Shorten, Labor's NDIS spokesman also weighed in, saying: 'ScoMo says he is 'blessed' to have two non disabled children. Every child is a blessing. 'The NDIS is there to help people with disability live their lives to the fullest. The Morrison Gov has slashed NDIS plans for 1000s of children around Australia. Labor will fix the NDIS.' Grace Tame's fiance Max Heerey also took to twitter to support his girlfriend, shaming Mr Morrison for his comments. 'My incredible Fiancee @TamePunk is autistic and I am more than BLESSED to know her let alone be engaged to her.' '@ScottMorrisonMP shame on you.' Mr Heerey wrote, backing up an earlier post from Ms Tame. Ms Tame has high-functioning autism. She made an earlier post taking a crack at the PM a photo of her and Mr Morrison from their frosty encounter at this year's Australian of the Year morning tea at The Lodge, with a caption that didn't hold back. 'Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off,' she wrote. The advocate for sexual abuse survivors refused to smile for photos with Mr Morrison and his wife at the event in January, and instead shot a cold sidewards glance towards the PM. The 27-year-old has been vocal in her criticism of Mr Morrison and his response to women's safety issues. 'Jenny and I have been blessed, we have two children who haven't had to go through that. I can only understand what you go through,' he said when asked about supporting the NDIS Donald Trump will have to pay $1.3 million in legal fees to former 'The Apprentice' star and White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, a court arbitrator ordered. Newman, who wrote the first tell-all book about the Trump White House, was awarded the whopping sum on Tuesday, The New York Times reported. Trump sued Newman in 2018, claiming that she violated a nondisclosure agreement she signed while working for his transition campaign by publishing 'Unhinged.' An arbitrator ruled in favor of Newman in September 2021, but both parties have appealed the size of the award numerous times in the aftermath of the ruling. This week, a court arbitrator ordered the 45th President of the United States to pay Newman nearly $1.3 million. 'Respondent was defending herself in a claim which was extensively litigated for more than three years, against an opponent who undoubtedly commanded far greater resources than did respondent,' the arbitrator said, according to documents obtained by the Times. Newman's lawyer, John Phillips, told the outlet he and his client hoped the ruling sends 'a message that weaponized litigation will not be tolerated.' Newman joined Trump's presidential transition team in 2016. She became an assistant to Trump during his term in office and was also the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. Above, Newman and Trump during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in 2017 Donald Trump was ordered to pay $1.3million in legal fees to former 'The Apprentice' star and White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman (File photo) Trump sued Newman in 2018, claiming that she violated a nondisclosure agreement she signed while working for his campaign by publishing 'Unhinged.' Above, Newman pictured in 2019 Newman worked in the office of Al Gore, Clinton's Vice President, as a 'scheduling correspondent'. She soon moved on to the White House personnel office and then the Commerce Department, where she held two different positions. Newman went on to become a reality TV personality after her first stint in the White House, appearing on Trump's reality show The Apprentice, and on The Ultimate Merger, before she returned to politics in late 2016 and joined Trump's presidential transition team. She became an assistant to Trump during his term in office and was also the director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison. She was unceremoniously fired in December 2017, just one year after taking office, after reportedly being caught abusing the White House car service. Her controversial termination made headlines after it was reported that security had to carry her out of the White House. She later denied those claims and insisted she had resigned from her post. Newman has since publicly criticized the Trump administration numerous times and went on to publish a tell-all book on the Trump White House in August 2018. Newman became a reality TV personality after her first stint in the White House, appearing on Trump's reality show The Apprentice. Above, Trump and Newman on the 'All-Star Celebrity Apprentice' red carpet in 2013 Newman has since publicly criticized the Trump administration numerous times and went on to publish a tell-all book on the Trump White House in August 2018. Newman wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin brought an attractive translator to a meeting to distract Trump, that Trump concealed what was likely a colonoscopy when he was taken to Walter Reed, among other disclosures In the book, Newman claimed Trump had been recorded using the N-word while at NBC, although she writes she failed to uncover the tapes, and claimed he was 'mentally declined.' Trump sued in 2018 to try to enforce and NDA she had signed in 2016. He called her 'disgusting' in 2019 tweets, and wrote: 'Yes, I am currently suing various people for violating their confidentiality agreements. Disgusting and foul mouthed Omarosa is one.' He also wrote: 'I gave her every break, despite the fact that she was despised by everyone, and she went for some cheap money from a book. Numerous others also!' Newman wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin brought an attractive translator to a meeting to distract Trump, that Trump concealed what was likely a colonoscopy when he was taken to Walter Reed, among other disclosures. Qantas flight attendants are taking a stand after photos emerged of cabin crew creating blanket forts to sleep among passengers' seats on long-haul flights. Photos taken on board A330 Qantas airplanes show flight attendants were forced to create makeshift shelters from blankets to sleep privately while on flights up to 14 hours long. A photo of cabin crew onboard a flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles shows the conditions staff endured in order to rest. Scroll down for the video. Cabin crew onboard a flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles were forced to create makeshift shelters from blankets among passengers to sleep privately An anonymous Qantas employee told Nine News the airline no longer caters to the needs of Australian crews. 'I feel like they hate us, I feel that they don't understand what the role of flight attendant is,' he said. A330 planes are used for flight under 14 hours and are not fitted with private sleeping cabins for the crew as on other long-haul aircraft. To help exhausted attendants adequately rest the union requested crew aboard these flights receive a recovery day either side of a long shift on the aircraft. A330 planes are used for flight under 14 hours and are not fitted with private sleeping cabins for the crew However the iconic Australian company instead switched to New Zealand crew aboard their flights to deal with the issue. New Zealand flight attendants are not protected by the same rest requirements as Australian crews. The move has seen 55 per cent of Aussie staff grounded on a reserve roster. Teri O'Toole from the Flight Attendants Association of Australia told Nine the Kiwi crews are also entitled to adequate rest. 'The crew have tried to get some privacy by making a fort like little kids out of blankets to give themselves privacy, which is just a disgrace,' she said. 'It's not appropriate rest in the workplace. It's not appropriate rest for anyone.' In response, Qantas Cabin Crew Executive Manager Rachel Yangoyan told Daily Mail Australia the airline was working on a long-term solution that would create a private area for flight attendants to rest in. Qantas Cabin Crew Executive Manager Rachel Yangoyan said that in six weeks' time the airline will have installed a wrap-around curtained area for cabin crew to rest in to deal with issue on board A330 aircraft on long-haul flights Inside the private curtained area Qantas plans to add to the aircraft will be a bed that flight attendants can properly rest on 'It's really important to note that what you've seen currently is actually not what the long term solution will be,' she said. 'What they will have installed in around six weeks is a full curtain that wraps around that lie-flat rest area. 'But in the interim, whilst we've been operating without that curtain, we have changed the timing of those flights so that they are operating during the day [and] our crew don't need as much sleep time as they would typically need if we were to operate these flights during the evening. 'We've also looked at some additional rest that we're giving these crew in Los Angeles and also when they return home. 'Once we get that curtain in place, we're really confident that this will be a private area with a lie flat bed, where our crew really will be able to get some adequate rest on these longer duties.' Hi-tech household sensors that text you when your home is flooded, on fire or being robbed, could save you $1,000 a year in insurance claims. That's according to Richard Joffe, the founder and CEO of a disruptor insurance-tech start up 'Honey'. Mr Joffe told Daily Mail Australia the technology that costs $250 as is given to customers for free acts like a 'a protective angel' around the family home. The entrepreneur admits some might find the idea of your family home being monitored 24 hours a day a little 'creepy' , but he said the smart technology can save you big bucks and is the way of the future. However, as an increasing number of smart devices make their way into the home, law enforcement agencies like the US FBI have warned that homeowners need to be wary of cybercriminals targeting gadgets designed to make life easier. These hi-tech household sensors text you when your home is flooded, on fire or being robbed 'The fact is that technology reduces risk,' Joffe said. 'It's like having a little protective angel watching over your house.' In 2021, there were about $5billion in insurance claims made across Australia, leaving the average family $1,000 out-of-pocket per claim. But Mr Joffe says as high as $1.9billion of that was 'avoidable'. 'There are three main risks in the home. Fire, water and theft. With these sensors, we can alert customers immediately when one of these is taking place, giving you an early warning and a chance to intervene.' 'For example if your fire alarm goes off and you're not home it will send a notification to your phone. If you have left your garage door open you will be notified. 'It could also tell you when a drip starts leaking from your flexi hoses under the kitchen sink, before it's too late.' Honey CEO Richard Joffe told Daily Mail Australia the sci-fi styled technology acts like 'a protective angel' for the home The 'set and forget' technology sensors which automatically communicate to a router, are able to detect heat, water leaks, movement and if a door has been left open. Most customers already using the technology put one under their sink, another next to their smoke detector and one by their front door or in their garage. 'We believe the sensors can reduce the risk of something bad happening at your home by eight per cent so at Honey we reduce the price of home insurance by eight per cent,' Mr Joffe said. But such devices are not always without risk. The 'set and forget' technology sensors which automatically communicate to a router, are able to detect heat, water leaks, movement and if a door has been left open The FBI in 2019 sent out a warning that hackers can use 'innocent devices' to do a 'virtual drive-by of your digital life.' The US intelligence agency urges users to regularly change passwords, check for firmware updates and never have two devices on the same network. Digital assistants, smart watches, fitness trackers, home security devices, thermostats, refrigerators, and even light bulbs are all on the list of devices that can be infiltrated by cybercriminals. And if these devices, among other smart home technology, are not properly protected, they can be targeted by hackers. 'Unsecured devices can allow hackers a path into your router, giving the bad guy access to everything else on your home network that you thought was secure,' the FBI said in their report. Hackers can also take control of unsecured smart TVs and use them as a bridgehead to access your router and form their get into your computer or smartphone. Anthony Albanese's Labor party is now on the attack with a brutal new ad to hit airwaves tonight slamming Scott Morrison over his Covid and bushfire missteps. The 30-second advert carries the slogan 'no more mistakes, no more Morrison' and has been deliberately timed to hit screens after Mr Albanese's win at the first leaders' debate on Wednesday night. The ad features images of Mr Morrison trying to force an exhausted firefighter to shake his hand during the Black Summer bushfires as well as pictures of him on holiday in Hawaii as the nation burned. The narrator starts by saying: 'Going to Hawaii when half the nation was burning was a mistake.' It then criticises the PM for 'not making sure we had enough vaccines and rapid tests' with a clip of him saying 'it's not a race' at the start of the jab rollout. 'No one gets it right all the time, but Scott Morrison makes too many mistakes and always makes excuses,' the narrator says. The ad then shows a clip of Mr Morrison forcing a distressed firefighter to shake his hand in Cobargo in southern NSW after the area was ravaged by bushfires. 'Next time something goes wrong do you trust him to make it right,' the narrator asks. The clip concludes with three examples of the Prime Minister saying the state governments are responsible for certain policy areas. 'That's not my job,' he says three times in the edit. Labor has unveiled a new TV advert attacking the Prime Minister over his missteps on Covid-19 and bushfires. He is pictured in Hawaii as the nation burned in 2019 ALP bosses sent the adverts to supporters with a letter reading: 'Over the next four weeks, this campaign will be shining a relentless spotlight on Scott Morrison's failures as Prime Minister. 'No more mistakes. No more excuses. No more Morrison. 'Australians know that when things get hard, Scott Morrison goes missing in action. And when things go wrong, all he's got are excuses. 'From going on holidays to Hawaii during the bushfires, to the bungled vaccine rollout and not securing enough rapid tests his failures have held Australia back.' It comes after the Liberal Party last week unveiled adverts attacking Mr Albanese with the slogan 'it won't be easy under Albanese'. At the debate in Brisbane Mr Albanese repeatedly criticised Mr Morrison for not taking responsibility when his Government gets things wrong. He won over 40 per cent of the audience of undecided voters. Some 35 per cent said the PM won and a huge 25 per cent were still undecided. Advertisement Queens mother Orsolya Gaal sipped on a Moscow mule cocktail and had 'a bite to eat' at a local bar last Friday before she was murdered at home, with police arresting David Bonola on charges including murder, criminal tampering and criminal possession of a weapon. Gaal was a regular the Forest Hills Station House, about a 13-minute walk from her home. Bar manager Gabriel Veras says there was nothing out of the ordinary about her outing, which lasted from about 11.45pm to 12.30am. 'She was here alone, business as usual, Moscow mule, bite to eat, talked with some staff,' Veras told WABC. 'She was friendly. And when she left alone, it didn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary or unusual.' He added: 'She was delightful lady to talk to, real classy.' She would later return home to be beaten and stabbed to death by a killer who allegedly used her phone to text her husband, 'your whole family is next'. PIX11 cites sources who say the killer also told Howard Klein: 'Your wife sent me to jail some years ago. I'm back'. Police investigating the early Saturday morning murder are now keen to find the owner of a pair of bloodied boots left in the trash near the home. On Thursday morning, police arrested 44-year-old David Bonola of Queens in connection with the killing. The handyman lived near Gaal and worked for her, police told WNBC. The two allegedly argued about something before he killed her. Police had previously said they were investigating whether she was having an affair. Orsolya Gaal was beaten and stabbed to death in her Forest Hills basement last week before her body was dragged in a duffel bag and left on the side of the road. On Thursday, police sources said they arrested her handyman for murder These are the last known movements of Orsolya Gaal, 51, who died in the early hours of Saturday morning. She is understood to have gone to a bar in Forest Hills, Queens, after returning to the neighborhood from a show. She spent 45 minutes there then walked home where she was stabbed to death by an unknown attacker at 12.40am Forest Hills Station House bar manager Gabriel Veras says there was nothing out of the ordinary about her outing, which lasted from about 11.45pm to 12.30am. He said it was 'business as usual' as she sipped on a Moscow Mule and had some food Gaal was seen at the Forest Hills Station House minutes before she died at 12.40am, according to investigators. The mother-of-two met friends for drinks in Forest Hill's business district fairly often, but she was alone when she went out in the area last Friday night. On Thursday, police arrested handyman David Bonola on charges including murder. Police sources previously said the killer left a 'sloppy' crime scene - which suggests they did not plan the attack. The murderer stabbed Gaal in an apparent frenzy in her home in Forest Hills, puncturing her neck, torso and arm 58 times before eventually killing her. He then stuffed her body in a bag and dragged it less than a mile through the quiet neighborhood where she lived, before dumping it on the side of a road to be found the next day. It left a trail of blood that police sources followed back to her home. 'He left a blood trail for five blocks from the house. It was like a trail of bread crumbs. 'If you want to kill somebody, you try to make it a little cleaner, be a little more prepared. He didn't go with something to move her body. He took something from the house. 'I'm sure with that kind of blood, there's lots of DNA there. The killer's DNA has gotta be in that blood. It's not a clean scene,' a source told The New York Post on Tuesday night. Since the body was discovered on Saturday, the NYPD has made very few statements. All of the information has come from unnamed sources. They have revealed that; Howard Klein, Gaal's husband, received a text message from his wife's phone that claimed to be from the killer. It read: 'Your wife sent me to prison some years ago. Now I'm back. It is also said to have warned him: 'You're next' Investigators were probing whether Gaal was having an affair, and which men she was seeing Gaal recently had an affair with a handyman who had access to the house and knowledge of a spare key She was briefly reported missing by her husband in 2020 but was found safe She told her son Leo, 13, she was going out with friends but might have been meeting a man Leo was taken out of the home in handcuffs to be questioned but was released later into the care of a relative Cops wish to be speak with 'multiple suspects' including the unnamed handyman Gaal is understood to have gone to a show at the Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side in Manhattan on Friday night, then returned to Forest Hills, Queens. It's likely she took the train, getting off at Forest Hills-71 Av stop. From there, she is believed to have gone for a drink at the Forest Hills Station House near her home, sitting alone for 45 minutes before walking home to her family's house on Juno Street. The owner of another nearby bar, the 5 Burro Cafe, told the New York Post: 'Her house is a 10-minute walk. She comes here, y'know, she's been here before. 'She used to come with some Russian ladies. I saw the bag, where they found it, after I left that night. I drove by it after leaving here. I couldn't believe when I heard. It smacked me when I saw her picture!' Detectives were going to neighbors' homes on Wednesday asking them for more information. Authorities are offering a $3,500 reward The Gaal-Klein family home remained sealed off on Wednesday morning with multiple NYPD vehicles parked outside The killer is believed to have taken Gaal's body out the side door on Saturday. She died at 12.40am, according to police, but it was another four hours before the killer was seen wheeling her body in a bag past houses The suspected killer wheeling the body in a bag down 75th Avenue in Forrest Hills, Queens, on Saturday This is believed to be Orsolya Gaal's killer, dragging her body along the sidewalk after stabbing her nearly 60 times in her basement in Queens on Saturday Gaal with her sons, 17-year-old Jamie and 13-year-old Leo, and husband Howard Klein on Christmas Eve in 2021 Gaal and her husband Howard Klein had been married for more than 20 years. He was out of town with their oldest son when she was killed Electrician Arrjuna Jack has worked in the family's house in the past. He said there is an extensive security system inside the house that would have captured a killer leaving the home Her son Leo was in the house on the top floor. At around 12.40am is when she is believed to have been attacked. It's unclear when the killer entered the home or if he had been waiting for her. The NYPD is offering a $3,500 reward for information that may lead to Orsolya Gaal's killer Police believe he had a key or knew how to get into the property unnoticed since there was no sign of forced entry. What exactly happened in the four hours that followed is unclear but at around 4am, Gaal's body was removed from the house in a duffel bag. The suspect was filmed by doorbell surveillance cameras wheeling it past houses on the streets surrounding Gaal's family house. At 8.11am, the bag was found near Metropolitan Avenue and Jackie Robinson Parkway by a dog walker. They told police they initially thought the bag contained a mannequin. The caller then noticed black ankle-length jeans, a belt and a woman's waist. Police followed a trail of blood left by the killer dragging the bag back to her home. That is where they are understood to have found Leo on Saturday morning. Neighbors say he was taken away in handcuffs that morning. He was later released into the care of an unnamed adult relative. Howard, Orsolya's husband, and their older son Jamie were visiting a college in Oregon. They returned to New York on Sunday. Howard, who is a lithium equities advisor, had tweeted that he was out of town with his son before Orsolya was found dead. After her body was discovered, he switched his public Twitter account to private. He told The New York Post before he returned home last week that he was in fear of his life and the lives of his two sons. Since then, he has not made any kind of public comment. A teenage crusader dedicated to helping motorists avoid unnecessary speed camera fines has been slapped with a fine himself while helping motorists. 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, which sits at the bottom of a very steep hill. But just weeks after the teen's story featured on A Current Affair, he received a very confusing fine in the letterbox. NSWs Environmental Protection Agency issued Mr Jackson a $250 fine for 'littering from [his] Yamaha'. 'I rang them and they said my sign and some drink cans were on the side of the road,' Mr Jackson told A Current Affair. However Mr Jackson says he always takes the sign and his rubbish home after each shift of warning local motorists. 'I pack up my sign and rubbish and take it home. I still have my sign, so I certainly didnt leave it on the side of the road,' he said. The teen asked the EPA for photo proof, but was told there was no evidence. 'I couldnt believe it. I dont litter, all my friends and family know that,' he said. He claims the fine is payback for costing the New South Wales government millions in revenue from the speed camera. 'Clearly someone is upset with what I am doing, because Im costing them revenue, he said. ACA contacted Revenue NSW and were told Mr Jackson was welcome to appeal the fine. He will now take it to court. Beau Jackson (left) is regarded as a hero by many motorists on the NSW Central Coast Last month, Beau explained to A Current Affair why he was warning motorists about the speed camera. 'I want to look out for people as it's a pretty hard time right now,' Beau explained. '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 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. On Wednesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requested that a federal judge dismiss a lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump, alleging that Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and others conspired to spread false information about Trump's campaign's collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Last month, Trump filed a 108-page case in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Florida's District Court. Trump said in the case, filed more than five years after he defeated Clinton in the November 2016 election, that he spent more than $24 million defending himself against the allegations and is demanding three times that amount in damages. Hillary Clinton Says Trump Missed the Deadline To File Lawsuit The complaint names more than a half-dozen companies and people. Former Clinton foreign policy advisor and current national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the Democratic National Committee, former FBI Director James Comey, and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta are among the defendants in the lawsuit. The complaint appears to be significantly influenced by indictments filed by special counsel John Durham, who was entrusted by then-Attorney General William P. Barr with examining the FBI's 2016 investigation into Trump's campaign. However, to depict a big Clinton-led plot to derail Trump's campaign, the complaint frequently inflated or misrepresented Durham's charges or other aspects of the case. Clinton's lawyers said in a motion filed Wednesday that the statute of limitations has long since passed because the majority of Trump's accusations come from 2016 and 2017. They cited a tweet from Trump in October 2017 in which he denounced the "Clinton produced Fake Dossier" and stated, "There is so much GUILT by Democrats/Clinton, and now the facts are pouring out." GET UP AND DO SOMETHING!, " The Washington Post via MSN reported. They further stated that there is no factual foundation for a legal claim in the case. The only factually supported claims against Clinton in the long Complaint are the dates on which she launched her candidacy and secured the Democratic presidential nomination, as well as her public pronouncements regarding alleged links between Trump and Russia, according to the legal filing. Donald Trump said earlier this month that the US Trump's plea that District Judge Donald Middlebrooks disqualify himself from the lawsuit since he was chosen by former President Bill Clinton was refused by Middlebrooks, who stated in his judgment that the request had no legal foundation and that the president's nomination had no influence on his capacity to assess cases impartially, according to The Hill. Read Also: Revealed: How Tevfik Arif and Trump Got Acquainted Clinton Claims Russiagate Lawsuit Doomed Over Basic Issues Clinton's petition spends little time dissecting Trump's bizarre and often unintelligible accusations against her, such as trade secret theft and witness tampering. The statement claims that Trump's lawsuit is doomed because of some very basic issues, the most serious of which is that the famously litigious former president and real estate billionaire delayed too long to get to court. The statute of limitations for the charges in Trump's lawsuit runs from two to four years, according to Clinton's lawyers, but the many claims about Trump's links to Russia were out in the open in 2017. Middlebrooks was nominated by Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, and Trump requested him to disqualify himself from the case earlier this month. But the West Palm Beach judge quickly dismissed the request, claiming that he had never met either Clinton. Middlebrooks also believes that having judges recuse themselves from cases involving political associates of the president who selected them might bring the federal judiciary to a standstill, as per Politico via MSN. Related Article: Donald Trump Blasts Attorney General Letitia James for Spending Millions Probing Business Instead of Fighting Crimes in New York @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A mother of two teenage boys with autism said Scott Morrison was partly right to say he was blessed his children weren't born with disabilities. Briana Blackett, from western Sydney, penned a fiery blog in response to the Prime Minister's awkward comments during the election debate. Ms Blackett said if Mr Morrison meant that it's a blessing to not face huge daily hurdles in education, housing, income and health, then he's right. Mr Morrison was asked about removing funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) during Wednesday night's Leaders' Debate on Wednesday. Briana Blackett, a Sydney mum with two boys with autism, penned a fiery blog in response to the Prime Minister's awkward comments during the election debate Scott Morrison fluffed his lines answering a question about the NDIS during the leaders' debate when he suggested he was 'blessed' to not have children with disabilities Responding to a question about the future of the NDIS, Morrison said 'Jenny and I have been blessed. We've got two children who haven't had to go through that.' After a day at The Sydney Family Show at Moore Park with Max, 15, and Freddie, 13, Ms Blackett admitted she couldn't sleep out of frustration with the comment - so she started writing a response. In a blog for disability support platform HireUp, she slammed the narrative that life is better if your kids are fully able children as 'tired and ignorant'. Her blog, titled 'Scott Morrison suggests that I have not been blessed because I have disabled children. Here's where he got it right' went viral online. She told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Morrison may have got one thing right if he meant it's a blessing not to face the daily challenges posed by disabilities. Max Blackett (pictured) has autism and is non-speaking but Briana Blackett says both her boys are the greatest blessings in her life In the blog she wrote, 'I thought, perhaps Scott Morrison is right. There are many times I have felt 'unblessed' since my children were diagnosed.' Both her sons Max and Freddie have 'high support needs' and Max is 'non-speaking'. She listed those times, which included painful rejections from schools including teachers and principals, and from government funding and housing bodies. 'I did not feel blessed when a school principal told me he did not think he would be happy to have his own son in the same class as mine,' she said. 'I did not feel blessed when an NDIS planner told me my children 'weren't worth the investment'. 'I did not feel blessed when the preschool revoked my son's enrolment when I told him he was being assessed for autism. Despite having vacancies, they had apparently already filled their 'quota' of disabled children. 'I do not feel blessed when I look at housing options for my children and realise they may be safer never leaving home.' Ms Blackett concedes its understandable for someone to feel 'blessed' not to face the issues other families do - but she says the Prime Minister voicing that actually makes life harder by suggesting disability is 'a problem'. 'Once again, the lives of my children, who do have disability, have been devalued,' she wrote. 'Their existence, again, not being seen as worthy of celebration. A blessing.' After a day at The Sydney Family Show at Moore Park with Max, 15, and Freddie, 13, Ms Blackett admitted she couldn't sleep out of frustration - so she started writing a response Ms Blackett told Daily Mail Australia that the narrative that its better not to have children with disabilities is 'tired and ignorant' and reduces opportunities for children, making them feel unworthy 'The problem is everyone else's problem with disability,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'When society has a problem it becomes a problem for people with disability. 'If [Morrison] is referring to the difficulties that come with trying to exist in the mainstream world with systems we have created whilst having a disability, then for sure, I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.' 'What he got right is that for people without disability don't have to experience any of these things - being locked out, shut down, turned away, neglected and abused.' Ms Blackett said she'd heard Morrison had backed down and said he was referring to the difficulties others faced. But she believes it 'speaks volumes' that Morrison, with his excellent instinct for communications, could so easily slip up on comments about people with disabilities. 'He wouldn't dare say 'I count my blessings that my kids were not born gay or indigenous', he would be too aware to do that, it speaks to a bigger issue of how people with disability are viewed. 'The fact it didn't dawn on him that wouldn't be a good look speaks volumes. 'I cant speak to exactly what he meant when he said blessed as he's a religious man might mean different things, but I know it offends people like me because it makes me feel like my children are not worthy of celebration and not considered to be a blessing, and of course to me they are, 100 per cent.' 'Once again, the lives of my children, who do have disability, have been devalued. Their existence, again, not being seen as worthy of celebration. A blessing.' The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday the agency's 'zero tolerance policy' for addressing unruly passengers will become permanent even after a court ended transportation mask requirements. Then FAA Administrator Steve Dickson first imposed the policy in January 2021 and later said it would remain as least as long as an order was in place requiring masks onboard airplanes. The move comes after a federal judge on Monday struck the down the 14-month-old federal rule mandating masks on commercial flights and other forms of interstate transportation. Following the ruling, Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday it plans to restore flight privileges to about 2,000 customers who were barred from flights after failing to comply with mask rules. Travellers wearing masks and not wearing masks wait in line at a Delta Airlines counter in Boston on Tuesday. Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday it plans to restore flight privileges to about 2,000 customers who were barred from flights after failing to comply with mask rules The Biden administration on Monday said it would no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation and airlines after a federal judge struck down the directive as unlawful. Atlanta-based Delta said it will restore passengers 'only after each case is reviewed and each customer demonstrates an understanding of their expected behavior when flying with us. Any further disregard for the policies that keep us all safe will result in placement on Delta's permanent no-fly list.' The change will not impact Delta's separate list of about 1,000 people 'who demonstrated egregious behavior and are already on the permanent no-fly list.' Delta's announcement follows a similar decision by United Airlines on Tuesday to allow some of the roughly 1,000 people who have been banned for not wearing masks to return to flights on a 'case by case basis.' Chicago-based United said those people would be allowed to return to flights 'after ensuring their commitment to follow all crewmember instructions on board.' Unmasked passengers check in for a flight with Delta Air Lines in Florida on Tuesday Pictured passenger a mask less Casey Phillips age 40 from Alexandria, VA is served a cup of champagne from a maskless Delta Flight attendant on a flight heading to Atlanta, Georgia from Reagan National Airport on April 19th, 2022 Delta said that of the 2,000 passengers barred over mask violations, 'any further disregard for the policies that keep us all safe will result in placement on Delta's permanent no-fly list.' The airline has urged the Justice Department to back a federal permanent no-fly list for those who exhibit egregious or violent behavior. The Justice Department said Wednesday it plans to appeal the order that forced the government to halt enforcement of the mask mandate. The appeal will send the legal fight to the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, where there are seven Republican-appointed judges and four appointed by Democrats. The feds filed a noticed of appeal in federal court in Tampa. The battle could end up in the Supreme Court, which earlier this year struck down a vaccine mandate for large private businesses in a 6-3 ruling. A former bikie who was involved in a string of major incidents has suddenly died at work. Ricky Chapman, a 32-year-old one-time hard man for the Bandidos on the Gold Coast, was found dead on Wednesday evening after suffering a medical episode. Emergency services were called to Rio Tinto's port in Cape Lambert, about 1,500km north of Perth, about 10pm, but Chapman could not be revived. He was working as a fly-in-fly-out rigger between Perth and Cape Lambert at the time of his death after vowing to give up the outlaw motorcycle gang lifestyle. Chapman was involved in the infamous bikie brawl in Broadbeach in 2013 and last made headlines in 2020 when he copped a stray bullet to the arm in the contract killing of his father-in-law, Rebels kingpin Nick Martin. Ricky Chapman, a one-time hard man for the Bandidos on the Gold Coast, died aged just 32 on Wednesday night. Pictured with his partner Stacey Schoppe In the 12 months since leaving prison, Chapman appears to have dedicated his life to body building and his new work The cryptic Facebook post Chapman made just days before he suddenly died while on the job He required surgery to remove the bullet and was arrested upon leaving hospital for breaching the conditions of his parole for associating with known underworld figures. He served further prison time but was released in April 2021, when he again vowed to turn his life around, the Courier Mail reported. In the 12 months since, Chapman appears to have dedicated his life to body building and his new work. Just two days ago the 32-year-old shared a motivational quote reading 'I hope that you become filled with so much happiness that it heals every part of you'. He was working as a fly-in-fly-out rigger between Perth and Cape Lambert at the time of his death after vowing to give up the outlaw motorcycle gang lifestyle Emergency services were called to Rio Tinto's port in Cape Lambert, about 1,500km north of Perth, about 10pm, but Chapman could not be revived Chapman also claimed someone had made a dating profile for him on Grindr because he was constantly being sent messages by men A day earlier, he made a separate post questioning whether 'someone made a grindr profile of me or put me on a gay site'. Chapman said he'd been bombarded by messages from men. His mother shared an update to extended friends and family confirming his tragic death overnight. She was inundated with messages of support and shock. 'Is this a joke? Please don't be serious,' one mourner said in response. The mother of an autistic boy has blasted Scott Morrison for saying he is blessed to have children without disabilities. Catherine Yeoman, mother of four-year-old Ethan, questioned Mr Morrison about the NDIS at the Sky News leaders' debate on Wednesday evening. The PM responded by saying he and his wife were 'blessed' to have two children 'who haven't had to go through that'. The comments sparked a pile-on from Labor MPs and criticism from Australians of the Year Grace Tame and Dylan Alcott. And Ms Yeoman has now also labelled his phrase a 'poor choice of words'. 'It was a poor choice of words and I do believe every child is a blessing,' she told the Brisbane Times. She added: 'I don't want this comment to overshadow the intent of the original question.' Ms Yeoman told Daily Mail Australia she didn't want to speak further as ' there's enough commentary as it is'. During a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Morrison was apologetic, saying he recognised his response to a question during the leaders' debate last night 'has caused offence to people'. He also revealed he had called Australian of the Year, wheelchair athlete Dylan Alcott, to apologise after the star disabled athlete tweeted that 'feeling sorry for us and our families doesn't help'. 'Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does,' Mr Alcott tweeted. 'I think people would also appreciate that I had no such intention of suggesting anything other than every child is a blessing is true,' Mr Morrison said. 'Every single child is precious and every child is a blessing to every parent. I don't think that's in dispute and I don't think anyone would seriously think that I had intent [to say] anything different to that.' During a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Morrison moderated his remarks on 2GB earlier in the day, saying he recognised the response to a question during the leaders' debate last night 'has caused offence to people'. 'I would hope that people would accept that at face value and deeply apologise for any offence it caused' Mr Morrison told Ray Hadley on Thursday morning that he was speaking 'in good faith' when he told the mother of a boy with autism that he had not had to go through with what she had. 'Every single child is a blessing,' Mr Morrison told the 2GB host in an interview from a retirement village in the Queensland suburb of Caboolture. 'There's no doubt about that in my mind. What I was saying was in good faith about her son Ethan. She didn't take it (as an insult). 'I was simply saying 'it's tough' and I'm grateful there are these hardships that we haven't had to deal with. 'There is no greater love than a parent has for a child and particularly a child that has special needs and it is a blessing. 'I was trying to say 'I haven't walked in your shoes and I can't understand it as you do'.' At the later press conference Mr Morrison said he and wife Jenny had 'waited 14 years' to have their daughters. 'I don't often refer to my own children as a blessing, we were 14 years in the waiting to have our children but my point is I wasn't trying to imply that I could first-hand understand the challenges people face in those situations. 'I was seeking to respect the challenges they face. Not the opposite. I would hope that people would accept that at face value and deeply apologise for any offence it caused.' A social media storm erupted when the Prime Minister was asked about removing funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme during Wednesday night's Leaders' Debate on Sky News. Katherine, mother of autistic four-year-old boy Ethan, said she had heard stories about families losing funding under the NDIS. 'I have a four-year-old autistic son, we are grateful to receive funding under the NDIS. I have heard many stories from people having their funding cut under the current government, including my own. 'I've been told that to give my son the best future, I should vote Labor. Can you tell me what the future of the NDIS looks like under your government?' Mr Morrison replied: 'Jenny and I have been blessed. We've got two children who haven't had to go through that. 'So parents of children who were disabled - I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children. Scott Morrison said during Wednesday's opening leaders debate that he and wife Jenny were 'blessed' their children won't born with disabilities Mr Morrison's comments were criticised by Labor politicians as being offensive. Mr Morrison has two daughters, Lily and Abbey, who he has described as his miracles Poll Was ScoMo's disabilities response OK? It was awkward but not offensive It was deeply offensive Was ScoMo's disabilities response OK? It was awkward but not offensive 313 votes It was deeply offensive 165 votes Now share your opinion 'And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.' Mr Morrison then went onto credit Labor prime minister Julia Gillard for shepherding the scheme through Parliament. He said the NDIS helped people with disabilities live their best life, including his brother-in-law, who has multiple sclerosis. 'He gets support through the NDIS to ensure that he has the wheelchair he needs and the aids he needs at home to work as a call centre operator and do things like that,' the Prime Minister said. While Katherine didn't object to Mr Morrison's comments at the time, his apparently clumsy use of language saw Twitter ignite with criticism and Sky News commentators to point it out as a moment of note. Labor frontbenchers Senators Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher led the criticism, with Ms Gallagher pointing to the example of her own autistic child. 'I am 'blessed' to have a child with autism. She teaches me things every day. Our lives are enriched by her,' she wrote. Ms Keneally retweeted her post, sharing her apparent outrage at Mr Morrison's choice of words. 'Unbelievably, Scott Morrison just said he was 'blessed' not to have a child with a disability. Parents of children with a disability are blessed too,' she wrote. Bill Shorten, Labor's NDIS spokesman also weighed in, saying: 'ScoMo says he is 'blessed' to have two non disabled children. Every child is a blessing. 'The NDIS is there to help people with disability live their lives to the fullest. The Morrison Gov has slashed NDIS plans for 1000s of children around Australia. Labor will fix the NDIS.' Grace Tame's fiance Max Heerey also took to twitter to support his girlfriend, shaming Mr Morrison for his comments. 'My incredible Fiancee @TamePunk is autistic and I am more than BLESSED to know her let alone be engaged to her.' '@ScottMorrisonMP shame on you.' Mr Heerey wrote, backing up an earlier post from Ms Tame. Ms Tame has high-functioning autism. She made an earlier post taking a crack at the PM a photo of her and Mr Morrison from their frosty encounter at this year's Australian of the Year morning tea at The Lodge, with a caption that didn't hold back. 'Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off,' she wrote. The advocate for sexual abuse survivors refused to smile for photos with Mr Morrison and his wife at the event in January, and instead shot a cold sidewards glance towards the PM. The 27-year-old has been vocal in her criticism of Mr Morrison and his response to women's safety issues. 'Jenny and I have been blessed, we have two children who haven't had to go through that. I can only understand what you go through,' he said when asked about supporting the NDIS Advertisement A group of 65 chimps - the remnants of 400 ex-test subjects of a US-funded research projects who survived decades of invasive experiments - are now able to enjoy their days eating fruit and being cared for, scattered across six uninhabited river islands near Liberia. The 'traumatised' animals - some of which underwent several hundred biopsies - cannot be released into the wild, and are confined to their new home, about 34 miles south of the West African country's capital Monrovia, for life. Carers prepare at Humane Society International (HSI) about 440 pounds (200 kilogrammes) of food every morning, and 264 pounds (120 kilos) in the afternoon - amounting to about 10 tonnes a month. Chimp testing in Liberia began 1974, when the New York Blood Center (NYBC) funded biomedical research related to hepatitis B and other diseases at a complex by the Farmington River. During Liberia's devastating 1989-2003 civil war, the chimpanzees nearly starved to death as the country imploded around them. Chimpanzees holds their hand out to catch a pieces of fruit thrown by an animal care specialists on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 A chimpanzee reacts to a splash of water after an animal care specialist threw some food its way on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 A chimpanzee holds up its hand, calling for more fruit to be thrown by the animal care specialists, on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 Research staff in the impoverished country had to dig into their own pockets to provide basic sustenance. The researchers retired many of the chimps to the river islands in the mid-2000s but their ordeal continued. For reasons that remain unclear, NYBC cut funding in 2015 - in a move that provoked global outrage - abandoning the apes on the tiny river islands incapable of supporting them. Activists picketed NYBC headquarters in New York and Hollywood stars such as Joaquin Phoenix and Ellen Page signed a petition urging the blood bank to reinstate funding. A chimpanzee looks on as it waits for the animal care specialists to feed him on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 A chimpanzee tries to catch a piece of grapefruit on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021. The 'traumatised' animals - some of which underwent several hundred biopsies - can be released into the wild, and are confined to their home Chimps on one of the islands eat pineapple in November 2021. During Liberia's devastating 1989-2003 civil war, the chimpanzees nearly starved to death as the country imploded around them Brian Hare, a US-based primatologist who launched the petition, wrote at the time: 'Effectively they have left these poor chimpanzees to suffer from dehydration and starvation'. HSI vet Richard Ssuna said they were 'traumatised', and called one grizzled ape with a missing arm a 'victim of torture'. The chimp, named Bullet, lost the limb as a infant when poachers killed his mother and ripped him from her arms. He then ended up at the research lab. The former lab chimps now enjoy veterinary care and two daily meals, although many still bear the scars of their grim past. A chimpanzee holds eats a papaya fruit, thrown by an animal care specialists on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 A man working with the Humane Society International prepares buckets of papaya fruit to feed the 65 chimpanzees living across six different islands Carers prepare about 440 pounds (200 kilogrammes) of food every morning, and 264 pounds (120 kilos) in the afternoon - amounting to about 10 tonnes a month Carers wade towards the shore to feed the apes, hurling fruits and imitating chimpanzee calls as they go, letting the rehabilitating animals enjoy portions of bananas, palm nuts and cassava. Mr Ssuna, who is also director of the Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge run by HSI, an animal protection group said that the carers are trained to form close attachments with the chimpanzees and to be gentle. He added that certain stimuli can trigger negative memories in chimps, as in humans. Care will continue until every ape on the islands dies, according to the vet. A tree on one of the islands along the Farmington river, which houses 65 chimpanzees between six islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 A disused chimpanzee cage on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021. Chimp testing in Liberia began 1974, when the New York Blood Center (NYBC) funded biomedical research related to hepatitis B and other diseases Chimps, pictured on one of the islands in 2021, eat some pineapple. Local staff at the research centre kept showing up to work to help the chimps when NYBC cut funding - at a time when an Ebola epidemic was raging in Liberia A chimpanzee looks on as it waits for the animal care specialists to feed him on one of the islands on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 An animal care specialists holds a fruit out to the chimps, pictured in 2021. Vet Richard Ssuna said that the carers are trained to form close attachments with the chimpanzees and to be gentle They never learned to fend for themselves and there are also fears they would spread disease if humans came into contact with them. He estimates that their lifelong care will last some 50 years. Many of the chimps are around 20 years old and have a lifespan of about 60. There are also a small number of babies. HSI plans to vasectomise the males to prevent further births. Standing near the rusted animal cages of the old research complex, Mr Ssuna told AFP: 'The future is very bright, as much as we would like to leave them back in the wild. They're in a better place.' A warden working with Humane Society International paddles his pirogue around on of the six islands housing chimpanzees along the Farmington river on the outskirts of Marshall City on November 18, 2021 Chimps at one of the islands eat pineapple, pictured in 2021. They never learned to fend for themselves and there are also fears they would spread disease if humans came into contact with them Liberia is one of the world's poorest countries, where 44 percent of the population lives on less than $1.90 per day, according to the World Bank. Local staff at the research centre kept showing up to work to help the chimps when NYBC cut funding - at a time when an Ebola epidemic was raging in Liberia. Rights groups and US financial giant Citigroup also provided relief funds during the turbulent period. Under pressure, NYBC eventually struck an agreement to split the long-term care costs for the chimps with the HSI in 2017, pledging $6 million. NYBC did not respond to questions from AFP about why it withdrew funding. A popular Russian state TV game show host has quit after slamming Vladimir Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine. Alexander Gurevich, 57, apologised to fans for presenting the lighthearted Hundred to One show at the same time as Kremlin forces carry out horrors on their neighbouring country. His comments have led to all episodes of the show, similar to Family Feud, being removed from YouTube and he has reportedly resigned from the state TV channel Rossiya 1. Popular TV host Alexander Gurevich, 57, has slammed Vladimir Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine His comments have led to all episodes of the show, similar to Family Feud, being removed from YouTube The host had written online: 'This war must be stopped! Stop! 'For me it is absolutely impossible to have fun and joke against the background of a huge tragedy, without noticing what is happening.' Gurevich said his family from his wife's side has Ukrainian roots. 'My [late] mother-in-law was born in Odessa and lived in Kharkiv for a long time,' he said in his critical comments which were written rather than said on air. 'How would she listen to today's information reports about the death of soldiers, about explosions, that civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv spend the night in the subway, fleeing the war,' he said. Valentyna Nechyporenko, 77, weeps at the grave of her son Ruslan Nechyporenko in Bucha this week The bodies of four people who died during the Russian occupation await burial during funerals in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv She would have demanded a stop to a repeat of the scenes of the gruesome Second World War, he said. In his post, the TV host said he believed game show participants would not want to take part in a fun show during the war. Episodes currently being screened were filmed before the conflict began in February, he said. Gurevich, 57, apologised to fans for presenting the lighthearted Hundred to One show and he has now reportedly resigned 'Shell explosions, human casualties, people leaving their homes and fleeing the shelling - I apologise to anyone for whom the hilarity of our programme seems, like me, completely inappropriate these days,' he said. The long running gameshow's YouTube channel has had past Gurevich broadcasts removed. The show was first broadcast in Russia in 1995. Gurevich is a well-known presenter, showman, producer and director. Advertisement Sir Richard Branson has claimed that a 10mph reduction in speed limits on British motorways could 'save lives' in Ukraine and help to defeat Vladimir Putin's forces by cutting dependency on Russian oil. The 71-year-old British billionaire and Virgin Galactic founder, who has an estimated net worth of 3.8billion, said the upper limit on roads should drop from 70mph to 60mph so that drivers reduce their fuel consumption. As Russia continues to rake in billions of pounds a day from countries in Europe purchasing its oil and gas, Sir Richard told CNBC: 'Lives will be saved by, you know, by just in the UK alone by reducing the speed limit.' While Russia provides only about 4 per cent of the UK's gas, experts say that Britain reducing its consumption would then free up fuel to be sent to other European nations who are more reliant on Russia's exports. He said: 'If we can reduce the West's dependence on fuel, by, say, just 10 per cent, that will free up something like 3 billion barrels of fuel. That will be plenty to make sure countries like Germany do not have to import any more.' But Sir Richard's comments come in the context of his Virgin Galactic space programme, with experts saying rocket launches emit 200 to 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide per launch. Its latest SpaceShipTwo launch last July had six passengers including Sir Richard, meaning this could have equated to up to 50 tonnes per passenger. Long-haul plane flights emit a much smaller one to three tonnes of carbon dioxide per passenger, but Virgin Galactic has said 'CO2 emissions per passenger on a spaceflight will be equivalent to approximately 60 per cent of a per passenger return commercial London to New York flight'. The firm has not yet broken down these figures. There were 114 attempted rocket launches in 2020, compared to the airline industry average of about 100,000 flights each day - but rocket emissions end up in the upper atmosphere and stay there for up to three years. While Virgin Galactic has insisted it has a focus on 'environmental sustainability', calculations by the Financial Times last year revealed that a trip to the edge of space with the company emits 12kg of CO2 per passenger per mile, compared to 0.2kg of CO2 for a business class transatlantic return trip from London to New York. Virgin's SpaceShipTwo, which launched last year over New Mexico, uses a hybrid propellant based of a solid carbon-based fuel called 'hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene' (HTPB) and nitrous oxide (NO). In simpler terms, the engine burns rubber and leaves behind a cloud of soot, with experts saying it effectively works like a candle. Sir Richard, who also owns the Virgin Atlantic airline which has pledged to be Net Zero by 2050, did not explain during the interview with CNBC yesterday how his own businesses would reduce their fuel consumption. Virgin Galactic's Sir Richard Branson has an estimated net worth of 3.8billion and owns Necker Island in the Caribbean Virgin Galatic's SpaceShip Two Unity 22 heads towards space after separating from a carrier plane over New Mexico last July Sir Richard Branson with crew members Beth Moses and Sirisha Bandla floating in zero gravity on board Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity after reaching the edge of space above Spaceport America in New Mexico last July Amid the ongoing war, Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of this year - with Britain currently importing around 8 per cent of its total oil from the country as well as 18 per cent of diesel. Sir Richard added that a 10mph speed reduction by drivers in the International Energy Agency's member countries would reduce fuel use by enough to 'sort out those countries who are importing fuel from Russia'. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah: Air pollution targets an 'insult' to girl's memory Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah A mother whose nine-year-old daughter died due to dangerous levels of air pollution has described the Government's climate targets as an 'insult' to her memory. Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose nine-year-old daughter Ella suffered a fatal asthma attack in 2013, spoke on an air pollution conference panel in Borough, central London, along with three experts on Wednesday. The conference marked one year since Coroner Philip Barlow urged the Government to set legal air pollution limits based on 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and to launch a public awareness campaign in response to the school child's death. Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah was the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death The Government is currently working towards meeting the WHO's older 2005 guidelines by 2040. Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah told the panel: 'It really is a bit of an insult to Ella's memory when I think about it. What they are telling the British public is: 'We will meet the 2005 target by 2040'. I try not to get emotional about it, but my concern is that it's not going to change life for an asthmatic child who lives by a busy road and who is breathing toxic air.' The family lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham, South East London. Ella was the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death. Advertisement He also urged airlines to consider reducing the number of flights to cut down on fuel burnt and called on firms and households to turn down central heating and air conditioning to cut overall usage by 1 per cent. In addition Sir Richard, who owns Necker Island in the Caribbean, urged Western countries to increase the amount of military aid being delivered to Ukrainian forces to save the 'breadbasket of the world'. He said: 'It's not the time for neutrality. We say that there's a need for increased military aid. Nato governments should immediately authorise the transfer of the weapons that Ukraine has asked for.' One of the countries that has pushed back against Western plans to increase military aid to Ukraine is Germany, which currently sources up to 34 per cent of its oil and 55 per cent of its gas from Russia. Meanwhile oil prices rose this morning as concerns about supply due to a potential European Union ban on Russian oil came to the fore, days after diminished supplies from Libya rocked the market. Brent crude futures rose $1.32, or 1.24 per cent, to $108.12 a barrel today. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained $1.26, or 1.23 per cent, to 103.45 a barrel, adding to a 19 cent gain in the previous session. Analysts said market volatility is likely to pick up again soon, with the EU still weighing a ban on Russian oil for its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation'. Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights, said: 'EU discussions to ban or phase out Russian oil purchases, the biggest influence on crude prices in recent days, are on the back-burner but not settled yet, which may limit crude prices to a relatively narrow range on a daily settlement basis.' Libya, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), yesterday said the country was losing more than 550,000 barrels per day of oil output due to blockades at major fields and export terminals. The demand outlook in China continues to weigh on the market, as the world's biggest oil importer slowly eases strict Coid-19 curbs that have hit manufacturing activity and global supply chains. The International Monetary Fund highlighted risks in China when it cut its forecast for global economic growth by nearly a full percentage point on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea terminal could return to full capacity this week, Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said yesterday. 'The resumption of CPC crude deliveries will be somewhat offset by continuing outages in Libya and the likelihood of more Russian crude getting locked out of market in face of an EU ban,' Ms Hari said. Ukrainian soldiers walk on a destroyed bridge in Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv yesterday as the Russian invasion continues The M25 between junctions 13 for Staines and 12 for Thorpe on Good Friday. Sir Richard has called for a speed limit reduction The oil market remains tight with Opec and allies led by Russia, together called Opec+, struggling to meet their production targets and with US crude stockpiles down sharply in the week that ended April 15. Jeffrey Halley, analyst at Oanda, said: 'I continue to expect that Brent will remain in a choppy $100.00 to $120.00 range, with WTI in a $95.00 to $115.00 range. 'A potential European oil embargo on Russia next week after French elections, could see a move towards the top of the range.' SPI Asset Management managing director Stephen Innes said: 'There is not much incremental news overnight, with a trajectory from here really hinging on whether other nations join the UK/U.S. in banning Russian oil imports.' A former SAS soldier told Ben Roberts-Smith to prepare for an Australian military inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan as it was a witch hunt, he told a court. The war veteran's former patrol commander codenamed Person Five returned to the Federal Court on Thursday to continue his evidence on behalf of his good friend. The witness was granted a certificate of immunity by Justice Anthony Besanko to speak about a potential offence he committed under Australian law in June 2018. From the United States Person Five admitted he sent the Victoria Cross recipient a confidential document about evidence he gave to the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force. 'I wanted to complain about the treatment and that was the avenue I took.' One month earlier after his interview with the IGADF, Person Five spoke to his former second-in-command. 'I told him to prepare himself, it was a witch hunt.' A former SAS soldier told Ben Roberts-Smith (pictured) to prepare for an Australian military inquiry into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan as it was a witch hunt, he told a court He said it looked like another comrade who has given evidence in the trial, Person 18, had been 'dragged in as well'. The former SAS corporal is suing for defamation The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald over reports claiming he committed war crimes in Afghanistan including murder, and acts of bullying and domestic violence. The 43-year-old denies all claims of wrongdoing, while the mastheads are defending them as true. Person Five on Thursday recounted the extensive documentation following the 2010 battle of Tizak for which Mr Roberts-Smith was awarded the VC. The 'after action report' was viewed by all troop members and was revised up to seven times to ensure everyone agreed the details were correct, he said. The former patrol commander says the fog of war and personnel in different locations led to different angles and ideas of what occurred. He recalled an Australian general attended after hearing about the extensive onslaught the SAS soldiers had fought through, and said: 'What the f*** were you thinking'? 'Doing my job,' he recollected responding. Following Mr Roberts-Smith's award of the highest honour, media articles surfaced of alleged bullying almost immediately, he said. Person Five recalled a barbecue sometime in 2011 attended by other squadmates and their spouses where the wife of Person Four approached him. 'She thought she was going to chest poke me a little bit we say in the military,' about why her husband deserved an award, he said. The former SAS corporal (pictured with ex-wife Emma) is suing for defamation The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald over reports claiming he committed war crimes in Afghanistan including murder, and acts of bullying and domestic violence 'I told her to wind her neck in, which means to mind your own business.' Person Four earlier told the court the battle of Tizak where he fought alongside Mr Roberts-Smith was the 'highlight of my professional career' with both soldiers' performance equally outstanding. But he felt the award was later politicised for a good news story. Another soldier dubbed Person Seven has testified he believed Mr Roberts-Smith's VC citation for his actions at Tizak contained 'lies and embellishments'. Mr Roberts-Smith's legal counsel have argued Person Seven's and a handful of other 'bitter' claims stem from jealous associates spiteful that he is one of few Australian recipients of the VC since 1970. The trial continues. A mysterious woman has been spotted following Kim Jong-un amid mounting speculation that another member of his family has entered the public eye. The woman, who has been tentatively identified as Kim Sol-song, the dictator's half-sister, was seen watching over the dictator at several recent engagements. She appears to be in her 30s or 40s, wears glasses and carries a large handbag. A mysterious woman has been spotted following Kim Jong-un amid mounting speculation that another member of his family has entered the public eye The woman, who has been tentatively identified as Kim Sol-song, the dictator's half sister, was seen watching over the dictator She has also been spotted leaving Kim Jong-un's Mercedes and was seen handing him his speech at a large political rally in February. Michael Madden, a leading expert on North Korea's elite, suggested that she might be part of the leader's inner circle. 'We do not know what job or function this individual discharges,' he said. 'But because she was observed leaving Kim Jong-un's personal car at an event, it is a reasonable and safe assumption that she works directly for him in his executive office. 'Kim Jong-un has four or five individuals men and women who work as administrative and personal assistants to him. Michael Madden, a leading expert on North Korea's elite, suggested that she might be part of the leader's inner circle The new member of the Kim circle was seen handing him his speech at a large political rally in February 'This woman might be his private secretary.' If the woman in question is Kim Sol-song, 47, she brings a wealth of experience to the role. She served her father, the former leader Kim Jong-il, as an event director before his death in 2011. Mr Madden who runs the North Korea Leadership Watch website called it a 'critical' position. He said: 'It involves coordinating the leader's schedule, his security arrangements, protocol and press coverage requirements, etc. 'In a political culture like North Korea's, it is a pretty critical job as this individual controls what elite North Korean citizens have access to the leader at least for public events.' If the woman in question is Kim Sol-song, 47, she brings a wealth of experience to the role Kim Sol-song is also said to have served Kim Il-sung her grandfather and the country's founding ruler as a foreign language interpreter. Further roles within the regime's propaganda and defence departments have been attributed to her by some sources. Mr Madden added: 'When Kim Jong-un assumed the leadership ten years ago, she was a core elite political supporter, and provided his succession and transition with effectual support.' The leader's full sister, Kim Yo-jong, already has a public-facing role within the North Korean regime. Kim Sol-song, however, has so far avoided the spotlight though Mr Madden said that this did not necessarily diminish her influence. Kim Sol-song is also said to have served Kim Il-sung her grandfather and the country's founding ruler as a foreign language interpreter He said: 'Kim Sol-song has never been a public figure in North Korean media and political culture. 'In contrast to other political cultures in the world, a North Korean elite does not necessarily need a public profile in order to establish his or her power or influence. 'But it would certainly be quite fascinating if she were to transition to a public role, and to ponder the internal dynamics behind that kind of move.' South Korea-based website NK News, which monitors goings-on in North Korea, suggested Kim Sol-song could be the mystery woman in a new article. But Mr Madden urged caution until the woman's true identity could be confirmed. He said: 'When we are observing North Korea, Kim Sol-song is one of those individuals and lines of inquiry where the information landscape is marked more by smoke than actual fire.' Nadhim Zahawi yesterday admitted that his wife has smacked their daughter 'on occasion' while rejecting fresh calls for a smacking ban in England, leading to criticism from children's workers for a 'lack of safeguarding knowledge'. The Education Secretary said his wife Lana had previously given his nine-year-old a 'light smack on the arm' when misbehaving. The admission came as he rejected calls for England to introduce a smacking ban - a law which would bring the country in line with Scotland and Wales. The father-of-one, responding to comments made by England's Children's Commissioner, who last night signalled her support for changing the law, said parents must be 'trusted' in how they choose to discipline their own children. When asked about his personal situation on Times Radio, Mr Zahawi said: 'I've got a young child. I've got a nine-year-old Mia, and I don't think I've ever smacked her. 'But I think her mother, on occasion, has felt the need for a light smack on the arm, if she's been completely naughty and misbehaving. 'But even when that happens it has to be on very very rare occasions and not something we would certainly as parents would do very often. 'It is much better to sit down and communicate with your child and discuss what positive behaviour looks like. And that's how we chose to do things in the Zahawi household.' Rejecting calls for a smacking ban in England, Mr Zahawi added: 'My very strong view is that actually we have got to trust parents on this and parents being able to discipline their children is something that they should be entitled to do.' 'We have got to just make sure we don't end up in a world where the state is nannying people about how they bring up their children.' Some educational workers criticised his comments, with one ex-headteacher saying they 'betray a serious lack of safeguarding knowledge'. However, campaigners say it should be down to parents to decide how to discipline their children. Mr Zahawi's remarks came after the Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, signalled her support for changing the law to give children the same protection from assault as adults. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi (pictured) has today rejected calls for a smacking ban in England, saying parents must be 'trusted' in how they choose to discipline their own children Responding to comments by England's Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza (pictured), who last night signalled her support for changing the law, Mr Zahawi said parents should be 'entitled' to discipline their kids Dame Rachel last night said she 'absolutely abhors' violence and 'admires' that a law banning the punishment exists in Scotland and Wales. 'I'm against violence of any kind against children,' she told Times Radio. 'Because children are more vulnerable than adults, I think we do need to ensure that their rights are supported.' Parents in England and Northern Ireland have a legal defence for smacking if the action constitutes 'reasonable punishment'. Scotland banned the physical punishment in 2020 and the Welsh parliament introduced a ban last month. Dame Rachel said: 'I certainly admire Scotland and Wales moving on this. It's certainly something that I think we should consider.' However a government source indicated there were no plans to change the law. 'Most people would say a light smack on the arm from a parent to a child isn't child abuse,' the source said. 'We trust parents to discipline their children, when necessary, in the way they think is right. 'We've purposely not interfered in that too much. Child abuse is an entirely separate matter.' Tory critics have argued a proposed ban on smacking would criminalise parents and be an overreach by the 'nanny state'. But Dame Rachel added: 'I think we've got a great opportunity to look, watch it, as it's embedded [in Wales], and I would be supportive - certainly, from what I've seen so far - I would be supportive if our government decided to do the same.' More than 60 nations have legislated against the physical punishment of children, outlawing smacking, slapping and shaking. England is one of four European countries where parents can legally use physical force against children if it is 'reasonable punishment'. However experts have long called for England to change its law, saying smacking brings no benefits and can make children's behaviour worse. Research published in The Lancet last year evaluated 69 studies into corporal punishment conducted over the past 20 years. It found under-16s who have been hit by parents are more likely to be aggressive, anti-social and display behavioural problems. The more frequently children are smacked, the worse their behaviour. Lead author Dr Anja Heilmann, from the UCL department of epidemiology and public health, said following the report's release: 'Physical punishment is ineffective and harmful, and has no benefits for children and their families. This could not be clearer from the evidence we present. 'We see a definitive link between physical punishment and behavioural problems such as aggression and anti-social behaviour. 'This is a public health issue. But physical punishment is not only harmful it also violates children's human rights.' Joanna Barrett, from the NSPCC, speaking at the time of the report, said: 'This is yet another significant study that shows physical punishment is harmful to children. 'It cannot be right that in 2021 children are the only group in society that it is legally acceptable to assault in England. The case for reform is beyond doubt.' And reacting to Mr Zahawi's comments, a former headteacher wrote on Twitter: 'That England hasn't already banned smacking is shocking enough but hearing a minister say this betrays a serious lack of safeguarding knowledge. Children deserve better.' An early years consultant posted: 'Nadhim Zahawi says parents should be trusted on whether to smack children - don't children come first to the Secretary of State for Education?' Another educational consultant added: 'I cannot believe he openly admitted that his wife has smacked their child! If the minister for children cannot put their safety why is he in the job?' However, The Be Reasonable campaign, which opposes smacking bans, said: 'Parents who love their children should be trusted to decide when a smack on the bum is appropriate. Ordinary mums and dads are fed up of so-called experts demonising their parenting.' Andrea Williams, of Christian Concern, added: 'There is an important issue of parental freedom at stake here. A blanket ban on smacking would be a damaging invasion of government into family life.' Some educational workers criticised his comments, with one ex-headteacher saying they 'betray a serious lack of safeguarding knowledge'. However, campaigners say it should be down to parents to decide how to discipline their children Earlier this month, Dame Rachel warned how online pornography is as dangerous to youngsters as handing them a weapon. 'We'll look back in 20 years and be absolutely stunned that our children were exposed to so much harm online,' she said. 'I wouldn't leave a weapon laying around in the offline world and yet we're doing something equally as dangerous in the online world. 'I'm seeing eight-year-olds and nine-year-olds a massive percentage of underage children on these websites and social media... If parents actually knew what their children were seeing they would be really worried.' With almost half of children exposed to inappropriate content on social media and free-to-use websites, Dame Rachel is urging the Government to crack down on porn purveyors. Another young girl described being harassed for naked selfies up to ten times a night. The Education Secretary, who revealed his wife Lana had 'on occasion' smacked their nine-year-old daughter when she was being naughty, said there was a 'very big difference' between a 'light smack on the arm' and child abuse. Library image 'The difference is that when I was at school something might happen... but we could go home and it was over, whereas it is 24/7 now,' said Dame Rachel, a mother-of-one who was appointed Children's Commissioner a year ago. The daughter of a Scunthorpe steelworker father and Hungarian refugee mother, Dame Rachel, 54, worked in schools for 30 years, carving out a reputation as a traditionalist who insisted on discipline. She banned mobile phones in classrooms and famously deployed teachers to drag children out of bed to attend classes. She is determined to act on the estimated 100,000 'ghost children' who have vanished from the education system since the start of the pandemic, and is working with the Government to introduce a unique identifier number for each child to help track missing youngsters. Reflecting on her childhood, Dame Rachel said there were times when she and her siblings would rely on free school meals and 'didn't know where dinner was coming from'. She added, however, that what her parents lacked financially, they made up for in love a quality that she believes passionately is the bedrock of family life. 'When children talk to me about family, that's what they're talking about,' she said. 'They're talking about love and that is what it is all about. I think it somehow inoculates children from some of the harms they face.' Dame Rachel whose grandfather was a Ukrainian journalist expelled from his homeland during the Soviet era earlier this month visited sick children evacuated from Ukraine to Britain. 'Any child that comes into this country, I've got an interest in,' she said. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the test-launch of the new nuclear-capable missile that he claims is the best in the world and has the highest tactical and technical characteristics to penetrate any missile defense system. The launch was conducted amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine and did not come as a surprise to the West. The successful test of the Sarmat Missile, colloquially known as Satan, marks a significant event for Russia's defense with Putin adding the equipment will make the country's enemies "think twice." Russia's New Nuclear-Capable Missile Russian authorities fired the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk cosmodrome located roughly 800 kilometers north of Moscow in the northern Arkhangelsk region. The missile was able to hit targets that were placed in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far eastern parts of the country, roughly 6,000 kilometers away. The missile weighs more than 200 tons and is capable of transporting multiple nuclear warheads, with many believing it could carry up to 10. Russian media said that the Sarmat missile is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile that has a range of 18,000 kilometers and a launch weight of 208.1 metric tons, as per the Hindustan Times. In a televised program, Putin was shown telling the country's military that the long-awaited Sarmat missile had been successfully test-launched for the first time. While Western nations expected the incident, it came during a moment of extreme geopolitical tension over Russia's war on Ukraine. Read Also: Putin Honors Military Unit Responsible for Bucha Massacre for Defending the 'Motherland and State Interests' Despite the war between the two European nations going on for nearly two months, Russia has been unable to capture any major cities. Moscow has sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine that has faced a stalwart defense. According to Reuters, Putin called the Sarmat missile a "unique weapon" that will be used to strengthen Russia's combat potential and reliably ensure the country's security from external threats. He argued that it would also provide food for thought for parties that, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, attempt to threaten the nation. War in Ukraine The situation comes as Russia has demanded the surrender of Mariupol with Ukraine proposing negotiations for the situation. Officials have already begun evacuating residents as Ukraine negotiator and presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Wednesday that the administration was willing to hold a "special round of negotiations" with the Russian forces. On Telegram, another key Ukrainian negotiator, David Arakhamia, said that he and Podolyak were ready to go to Mariupol and begin discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the situation in the besieged city was deteriorating after another desperate attempt to evacuate civilians failed on Wednesday. Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready to resolve the issues in Mariupol but argued that Russia was not showing signs that it was willing to take similar steps. He said that hundreds of Ukraine's military troops have been wounded trying to protect ordinary civilians. The Ukrainian president added that there were about a thousand civilians that were being protected by the military in Mariupol and including children and women desperately trying to stay alive, The Guardian reported. Related Article: Russia Gives Ukraine 2 Hours To Surrender Azovstal Plant as Battle of Donbas Rages @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A taxi driver has been found dead in a popular park in the middle of Sydney after allegedly meeting up with other cabbies to take drugs. Police were called to Centennial Park on Thursday morning after receiving reports multiple bodies had been found. One man was found dead, with another taken to nearby St Vincent's Hospital. It's believed they overdosed after taking drugs at the end of their shifts. A taxi driver was found dead in a popular park in the middle of Sydney after allegedly meeting up with other cabbies to take drugs The third man was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was questioned by officers The wife of one of the taxi drivers had called their company after her husband failed to return home after work. The cab company used the GPS of the vehicles to locate the cars parked outside the park. They then called police. Police found one man dead while another was rushed to hospital. The third man was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was questioned by officers. They are currently investigating the drugs that may have been taken by the three men. Advertisement Thousands of civilians face starving to death in captured Mariupol after Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to seal shut the Azovstal steelworks. The complex was the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the port city but Putin has ordered his forces to completely block it off, 'so even a fly cannot escape'. Soldiers and civilians trapped inside have no food or water and Ukraine's foreign ministry is desperately appealing for an evacuation route to get them to safety. They said in a statement: 'Hundreds of civilians, children, injured Ukrainian defenders are trapped in plant's shelters. They have almost no food, water, essential medicine. 'An urgent humanitarian corridor is needed from the Azovstal plant with guarantees people will be safe.' The city's capture has both strategic and symbolic importance, boosting Putin's hopes to demonstrate major success by Russia's Victory Day on May 9, with operations set to ramp up to coincide with the celebrations, the British MoD said today. Putin gave the Avozstal order to Sergei Shoigu, his defence minister, who had previously told his boss more than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters were still holed up in the vast plant, which has a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels underneath it. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,' Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. 'I order you to cancel it.' After Shoigu told him Moscow controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - Putin hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol. He said his decision not to storm the steelworks was motivated by the desire to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers. 'There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities,' he said. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through.' Shoigu confirmed the plant was 'securely blocked.' Putin also called on the remaining Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal who had not yet surrendered to lay down their arms, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured. Leaving the plant in Ukrainian hands, however, robs the Russians of the ability to declare complete victory in Mariupol. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point, and its definitive fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. Thousands of civilians face starving to death in captured Mariupol after Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to seal shut the Azovstal steelworks President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the Russian military to cancel plans to storm a Mariupol steelworks. Pictured: Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media A service member of pro-Russian troops is seen on an armoured personnel carrier as evacuees board buses to leave the city during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine April 20, 2022 After Defence Minister Shoigu (pictured right today) told Vladimir Putin (pictured left) that Russia's forces controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - the Russian president hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol A service member of pro-Russian troops stands next to a military vehicle with the letter 'Z' painted on it in Mariupol Elsewhere today, Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv was under intense bombardment on Thursday, its mayor Ihor Terekhov said. 'Huge blasts, the Russian Federation is furiously bombing the city,' Terekhov said in a televised address. He said that around a million people remain in the northeastern city, while about 30 per cent of the population have evacuated, mainly women, children and the elderly. Putin and Shoigu's comments appeared to reflect a change in strategy in Mariupol, where the Russians previously seemed determined to take every last inch of the city. But it was not clear what it would mean in practical terms. Speaking to the resistance fighters, Putin commanded: 'Once again, ask those who have not yet laid down their arms to do so. 'Russia guarantees their lives and their dignified treatment in accordance with the relevant international legal acts. All those who have been wounded will be provided with qualified medical assistance.' Mariupol is in ruins after the Russian blitzkrieg, but Putin told Shoigu: 'The completion of the combat operations to liberate Mariupol is a success. I congratulate you.' Yesterday, Russian apparatchik Andrey Turchak visited a school in Mariupol where he told a terrified schoolgirl: 'Victory will be ours, the enemy will be defeated.' The school was the first in the city to resume in-person teaching since the start of the Russian invasion. Ukrainian officials did not comment on the latest remarks, but earlier said four buses with civilians managed to escape from the city after several unsuccessful attempts. A day earlier, Shoigu oversaw an operation to launch Russia's deadly new hypersonic 208-ton 15,880 'Satan-2' intercontinental ballistic missile - with Putin watching on video link. But today their pair met for a tete-a-tete without Putin's trademark long table, which was supposedly used to protect him from Covid. This seems a concerted effort to show that Shoigu is back in charge of the defence ministry and the war, and to scotch speculation of a rift between the pair amid claims Putin had sidelined him from the war in Ukraine . Other rumours suggested Shoigu had suffered a heart attack or coronary problems. Russia is believed to have lost 20,000-plus men in the way including eight generals and 35 colonels since it sent in tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24, in what it called a special operation to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities and root out people it called dangerous nationalists. Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces. Since the invasion began, tens of thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed in Mariupol, which has been indiscriminately targeted by Russian shelling. Investigations are on-going into war crimes in the city, with two attacks - one on a maternity ward and another on a theatre where hundreds of civilians were taking shelter at the time - of particular focus. Thousands more remain trapped under relentless Russian attacks against the last pockets of Ukrainian resistance in the devastated southern port city. A service member of pro-Russian troops stands guard as evacuees board buses to leave the city during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine April 20, 2022 A view shows damaged buildings, with the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in the background, in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (left) speaks alongside Volodymyr Zelensky today after travelling to Kyiv A Ukrainian apparently in the plant posted a Facebook video urging world leaders to help evacuate people from the plant, saying, 'We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children.' The officer identified himself as Serhiy Volynskyy of the 36th Marine Brigade and warned: 'This may be our last appeal. We may have only a few days or hours left.' The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. Wednesday saw the Russian side issue a new ultimatum to the defenders to surrender, but the Ukrainians have ignored all previous demands. Putin's troops, meanwhile, were ordered to shoot civilians in the city if they do not wear white ribbons on their clothes. Russia was accused of forcing civilians to wear the white ribbons, a symbol of the Russian army, so that they become 'bait' for Ukrainian snipers - and in turn help Putin's men find out where the snipers are hidden. Petro Andriushchenko, the advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, said on Telegram: 'The occupiers no longer 'mildly' propose that civilians wear white ribbons to mark themselves out - they have turned to direct threats to open fire on anyone seen on the street without such ribbons. 'Russians are gradually turning the city into a true ghetto for Ukrainians, at the same time using civilians as bait to detect hotspots.' The disturbing development came as Zelensky said he was ready to swap Russian prisoners of war in exchange for the safe passage of civilians and Ukrainian troops who remain in Mariupol. More than 100,000 people overall were believed trapped in Mariupol with little if any food, water, medicine or heat. The city's pre-war population was 400,000. A Zelensky adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without conditions to save the lives of trapped Mariupol defenders and civilians. There was no immediate response from Russia. Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that British fighters who had been captured in Mariupol when hundreds of Kyiv's fighters surrendered last week were being fed, watered and given necessary help. 'Don't worry, the Russian side is taking care of them. They are fed, watered, and given the necessary assistance. Just like other foreigners who have surrendered or been detained', Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Two British fighters captured in Ukraine by Russian forces appeared on Russian state TV on Monday and asked to be exchanged for a Ukrainian ally of President Vladimir Putin who is being held by the Ukrainian authorities. It was unclear how freely the two men - Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin - were able to talk. Service members of pro-Russian troops stand next to buses arranged to evacuate civilians from the city during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine April 20 Local resident Tamara, 71, cries in front of an apartment building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Natalia Maznichenko, 57, stands beside the coffin of her husband Vasyl Maznichenko, 61, in Bucha today amid scenes of grief across Ukraine The body of Vasyl Maznichenko is lifted out the back of a lorry as his widow Natalia watches on in tears in another distressing scene from Bucha In Kyiv, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen became the latest European leaders to show support with a visit to the capital. They were due to meet with Zelensky, who warned in a video address overnight that the Russians were not 'abandoning their attempts to score at least some victory by launching a new, large-scale offensive.' 'The West stands together to support the Ukrainian people,' Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it submitted a draft of its demands for ending the war, and the West raced to supply Ukraine with heavier weapons to counter the Russians' new drive to seize the industrial east. Britain's Defence Ministry said in an assessment that Russia likely desires to demonstrate significant successes ahead of its annual May 9 Victory Day celebrations. 'This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date.' Officials had previously said they fear that the worst of the Russian atrocities are still lying undiscovered in Mariupol, after hundreds of bodies turned up in other towns around Kyiv following Putin's withdrawal. Maznichenko, 57, holds a photograph of her husband Vasyl Maznichenko, 61, who according to her was killed during Russian shelling on their home Ludmilla mourns her father-in-law at the service in Bucha today on the outskirts of Kyiv where Russia is accused of carrying out war crimes Natalia hugs her son as she mourns the death of her husband in the Ukrainian town of horrors where hundreds of civilians were slaughtered The bodies of more than 1,000 innocent Ukrainian civilians are being stored in morgues near Kyiv after Russian troops abandoned their savage campaign to take the capital. '1,020 bodies (of) civilians, only civilians, in the areas of all the Kyiv region,' were discovered, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, told AFP in Borodyanka. 'These are only civilians collected from buildings, but also on the streets,' she said, adding the bodies date back to the beginning of the savage invasion. Her comments came after police in the Kyiv region said they had discovered the remains of nine civilians in Borodyanka, some 34 miles from the capital, buried in communal graves. Oleksandr Pavliuk, the Kyiv regional governor, said the dead were 'either killed or tortured to death during the hostilities.' 'Forensic experts are now examining the bodies, but what we saw was hands tied behind the back, their legs tied and shot through the limbs, and in the back of the head,' he added. Head of the police in the Kyiv region Andriy Niebytov added: 'These people were killed by the occupiers and some show signs of torture. I want to emphasise that these people were civilians. 'The Russian military knowingly shot civilians who did not put up any resistance.' Volodymyr Chaika, 55, reacts after looking through a refrigerator truck outside a morgue as he has been trying find his brother-in-law Andrew Voznenko, 43, for three days Workers take a break next to body bags as they exam the bodies of victims at a morgue in Bucha where Russian troops are accused of carrying out war crimes The horrors started with discoveries in Bucha that have led Ukrainian officials to accuse Russia of genocide Bodies waiting to be identified by their families, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are seen outside the morgue in Bucha The bodies of four people who died during the Russian occupation await burial during funerals in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv Irpin suffered huge civilian casualties after weeks under Russian occupation, with horrific accounts of deliberate killings of civilians carried out by Putin's men (pictured, newly-dug graves on the outskirts of the city) A woman weeps over the coffin of a dead loved one as Ukrainian civilians bury their dead in a huge graveyard on the outskirts of Irpin, near Kyiv, which was previously occupied by Russian troops Niebytov said police had discovered two graves around Borodyanka. In one grave, three people - including a 15-year-old girl - were discovered and a second grave held the bodies of six people, he said. All of them were locals, he added. The withdrawal of Russian forces left a horrific trail of civilian deaths in a senseless onslaught by Putin's troops now they have completely given up on Ukraine's major cities and focused instead on the Donbas. The horrors started with discoveries in Bucha that have led Ukrainian officials to accuse Russia of genocide. At the beginning of April, prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova told journalists that Ukraine had recovered 410 civilian bodies from areas it retook from the Russian army in the wider Kyiv region. Since being liberated, numerous Russian atrocities have also come to light in Irpin, and a vast graveyard has been growing by the day as more bodies of civilians and soldiers killed by Russian forces are discovered. Such scenes have become all-too-common across Ukraine since Russian forces began their barbaric invasion on February 24, when they entered Ukraine and began besieging towns and cities on Putin's orders. Irpin - along with the neighbouring of Bucha - is one of many sites across the country where Russian forces are accused of carrying out war crimes, indiscriminately attacking and executing civilians. Russia denies targeting civilians and has dismissed allegations its troops committed war crimes in occupied areas of Ukraine - despite mounting evidence against them. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation against Russia, with chief prosecutor Karim Khan QC visiting Irpin's neighbouring town Bucha last week - where hundreds more bodies have been found. Marine Le Pen has slumped in the polls after vowing to ban the Muslim headscarf in a fiery TV debate with Emmanuel Macron last night. The incumbent president warned France faces a 'civil war' if his rival, who he accused of being a Russian puppet, pips him in the polls in Sunday's vote. Survey results published hours after the face-off showed Macron on 59 per cent of the vote, and his right-wing right rival on 39 per cent, with 2 per cent abstentions. A similar result on Sunday in the final round of the 2022 presidential election would see Macron win his second five-year term of office, and suggests a widening in the polls from yesterday when the pair were eight to 12 points apart. The snap Elabe poll found Macron 'more convincing' than Le Pen, after he said she was 'in the grip of Russia' and using Moscow 'as her banker'. Headlines across France highlighted the sulphuric accusations, with Le Monde saying Le Pen had been 'suffocated by an offensive Emmanuel Macron'. During the debate, Le Pen confirmed that she stood by her controversial idea of banning the headscarf, which she called 'a uniform imposed by Islamists', but she said she was not 'fighting against Islam.' 'I'm telling it in a very clear manner: I think the headscarf is a uniform imposed by Islamists,' Le Pen said. Marine Le Pen (pictured today campaigning in Arras) has slumped in the polls after vowing to ban the Muslim headscarf in a fiery TV debate Survey results published hours after the face-off showed Macron on 59 per cent of the vote (pictured today in Saint-Denis) Centrist candidate and French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and far-right contender Marine Le Pen pose before a televised debate in La Plaine-Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Wednesday, April 20, 2022 French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, left, talks to a woman as she campaigns in a market in Pertuis, southern France, Friday, April 15, 2022 'I think a great proportion of young women who are wearing it have no other choice in reality.' Macron responded: 'What you're saying is very serious. You are going to cause a civil war. I say this sincerely.' The sitting President has said he would not ban religious clothing, but he has overseen the closure of numerous mosques, schools and Islamic groups, with help from a special team to root out suspected breeding grounds for radicalism. The Macron government also passed a controversial law last year to fight 'separatism,' the word used to describe the mixing of politics with Islam, deemed dangerous to France's prized value of secularism. But Le Pen has pledged to take things a step further by placing an outright ban on religious clothing in public - a law she says would be enforced like 'wearing a seatbelt in a car'. In the climax of France's presidential campaign, centrist President Emmanuel Macron and far-right contender Marine Le Pen on Wednesday engaged in a one-on-one television debate that could prove decisive before Sunday's runoff vote The move would represent a giant step further than two laws already in place, a 2004 ban on headscarves in classrooms and a 2010 ban on the face-covering niqab in streets. Headscarves are common apparel for many Muslim women, and Le Pen's opposition to the garment has encapsulated what her critics say makes her dangerous to French unity, by alienating millions of French Muslims. Le Pen would also slash immigration and wants to outlaw ritual slaughter, which would restrict French Muslims' and Jews' access to kosher and halal meat. Earlier in the debate, Macron sensationally accused his election rival of being 'in the grip of Russia' and using the country as 'her banker'. The 44-year-old head of state said the far-right Le Pen, 53, was unfit to replace him because she was still paying money back to Moscow during the Ukraine War. 'War is raging on the continent,' said Macron during a live TV face-off between the two candidates on Wednesday night. 'Times are very dangerous indeed. Russia is strengthening its offensive, and this will lead to more human disasters.' Earlier in the debate, Macron sensationally accused election rival Marine Le Pen of being 'in the grip of Russia' and using the country as 'her banker'. The 44-year-old head of state said the far-right Le Pen, 53, was unfit to replace him because she was still paying money back to Moscow during the Ukraine War Le Pen rebuffed claims that her National Rally party was in cahoots with Russia, arguing she 'had no other choice' but to take out the 8million loan because 'French banks would not lend to us.' The National Rally leader rejected the accusations, saying: 'I am a completely free and independent woman' The centrist president then rounded on Le Pen: 'You are in fact in Russia's grip. You took out a loan from the First Czech-Russian Bank in 2014, working with people who were directly involved in the war in Syria.' Referring to his 2017 election campaign, when Macron beat Le Pen to win his first term of office, he said: 'You are not just talking about Russia, but your banker. It's hardly surprising that Russia took part in the campaign to destabilise me in 2017.' Le Pen rebuffed claims that her National Rally party was in cahoots with Russia, arguing she 'had no other choice' but to take out the 8million loan because 'French banks would not lend to us.' The National Rally leader rejected the accusations, saying: 'I am a completely free and independent woman.' Denying any wrongdoing, Le Pen said: 'I offer my solidarity and absolute compassion to the Ukrainian people in front of millions of viewers.' But she added: 'I agree with sanctions against Oligarchs, but I disagree with the ban on imports of oil from Russia. 'I don't think it will hurt Russia, but it will hurt the French people. The consequences will be cataclysmic, not just against business but against private individuals. Russia can just sell its oil to other countries.' Le Pen also said she feared that sending French weapons to Ukraine could suck her country into the war. 'This could be a huge risk for the West and for France,' said Le Pen. The TV debate is a traditional part of French election campaigns, with the two leading candidates taking part in a contest moderated by journalists. In the first round on April 10, Macron came first out of the 12 candidates, beating second-placed Le Pen by more than 4 percentage points. Polls indicate that Macron, a fiercely pro-EU centrist, has a strong lead of up to 10 per cent ahead of Sunday's decisive vote. But the gap is much narrower than in 2017, when Macron beat Le Pen with a landslide 66 per cent of the second round vote. The TV debate is a traditional part of French election campaigns, with the two leading candidates taking part in a contest moderated by journalists. In the first round on April 10, Macron (pictured) came first out of the 12 candidates, beating second-placed Le Pen by more than 4 percentage points Polls indicate the sitting President is ahead in the race, but the gap is much narrower than in 2017, when Macron beat Le Pen (pictured) with a landslide 66 per cent of the second round vote Le Pen's hard-right agenda includes a pledge to cut immigration to France by up to 75 per cent, and to prioritise social security benefits including housing for French nationals. She has also said she will cut most taxes for the under-30s, and slash VAT on fuel to just 5 per cent. The TV debate was a disaster for Le Pen five years ago, when her poor knowledge of the economy was exposed by the then more astute Macron. The French president has said he will press on with his pro-EU agenda, so as to make France stronger in the world. The former merchant banker resents being called 'President of the French' by enemies, insisting that he wants to spread wealth throughout society. 'I want to win over women and men with diverse political points of view,' he declared. With unemployment at a 13-year low, Macron said he was proud of job creation during his term and added: 'the best way to gain purchasing power is to fight unemployment.' The two candidates kept interrupting each other at the start of the debate, with Le Pen saying that 'in real life' her proposals would improve voters' situation much more than her opponent, while Macron said some of her proposals were not realistic. 'Mrs Le Pen, what you said is inaccurate,' Macron told his opponent about her proposals to slash VAT to improve purchasing power. 'And you responded to none of my remarks because you have no response,' he said. Le Pen said Macron's cost of living proposals would be inefficient. French journalists and TV hosts Lea Salame (L) and Gilles Bouleau pose pose prior to moderating a live televised debate between French President and La Republique en Marche (LREM) party candidate for re-election Emmanuel Macron and French far-right party Rassemblement National (RN) presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on French TV channels TF1 and France 2 in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, ahead of the second round of France's presidential election Macron created En Marche! (On the Move!) his own political movement in 2016, and is independent of any established party. Le Pen meanwhile changed the name of her family party, the National Front, to National Rally in 2018, in an attempt to try and soften its extremist image. The party was founded in 1972 by her father, Jean-Marine Le Pen, who is widely reported to be a Holocaust denier. Mr Le Pen, 93, was officially expelled from his daughter's party but remains very popular among the rank and file. In the audience supporting Macron tonight was his wife, Brigitte Macron, 69. Ms Le Pen, a mother of three, is currently single. Advertisement The former wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin has taken up hiking to 'clear her head', neighbours told MailOnline today, as a new TV drama rakes up her criminal past. Anne Darwin, 69, regularly embarks on long solitary walks around the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills, those living in the area revealed. She lives a quiet life by herself in a small one-bedroom bungalow in a pretty village in North Yorkshire. Avoiding the village shops, tearoom and pub, she instead seeks solace in the surrounding countryside. Her former husband, meanwhile, has been pictured shopping for his new Filipina wife, as thousands of viewers have tuned in to see their extraordinary story told once again. Ms Darwin was jailed for six years in 2008, along with her former husband, for fraud after he faked his death in a canoeing accident and disappeared so they could claim his life insurance. The deception, which the couple even hid from their two sons, Mark and Anthony, made headlines around the world and is now the subject of ITV four-part series The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe. The drama has aired every night since Sunday and a documentary, titled The Real Story, is broadcast tonight at 9pm. Ms Darwin, who moved into the bungalow just over a year and a half ago, keeps a low profile and has not been seen since the show hit television screens. Neighbour Sally Scott told MailOnline: 'She's not been around for the last couple of days, her car isn't in the usual spot and hasn't been since before Easter. 'I think she's gone away somewhere because she knew this new TV drama was starting at the weekend and it would bring up her past.' Anne Darwin, the former wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin, has taken up hiking near her home in a village in North Yorkshire, to 'clear her head' as a new TV drama rakes up her criminal past Ms Darwin and her former husband divorced when they were both in prison. Darwin has since re-married and moved to Manila in the Philippines. He is seen above shopping in the busy area of Antipolo in Manila The neighbour added: 'I speak to her fairly regularly and she's lovely. To me she comes across as a nice genuine lady who has fitted in to our little community very well. 'A lot of people are unaware that she is the former wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin, she's certainly never mentioned it to me, but a few of us know. 'She's moved into the bungalow where my father used to live, that's how I actually got speaking to her. 'She's become really interested in hiking. The first thing she asked me was where was good to walk, and if it was far to Captain Cook's Monument because she wanted to "explore the local area". Ms Darwin was jailed for six years in 2008, along with her former husband, for fraud after he faked his death in a canoeing accident and disappeared so they could claim his life insurance Ms Darwin, who moved into her bungalow just over a year and a half ago, keeps a low profile and has not been seen since the drama, named The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, began airing on Sunday evening. Ms Darwin is played by Monica Dolan (right), while her ex-husband is portrayed by Eddie Marsan (left) 'I see her quite a lot of the time with hiking boots on. She goes for hours, always on her own. It's good for her mental health, I think, a way of clearing her head, particularly with this new ITV miniseries starting and what it might stir up again.' Ms Darwin has reconciled with one of her sons, believed to be Mark, who now visits his mother with his wife and two children having previously cut her out of his life. Both of the boys were unaware their father was still alive and in hiding and had grieved for him. But the neighbour added: 'One of her sons helped her move in. She had the grandkids with her at the time. 'They come and visit now and again. She's always really pleased to see them because she lives in the bungalow by herself.' Another local, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked to know that her near neighbour was part of such a notorious con and was the inspiration for The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which first aired over the weekend and is back on screens again tonight. She said: 'I watched the opening episode on Sunday and cannot believe it's about the woman who lives barely 50-metres from my front door. 'I've only ever spoken to her twice when I've passed her on her doorstep. It was just a nod and a "hello". She's almost like a recluse, you'll never see her in the village, at the shops or at the pub or cafe. Undated handout photo issued by Cleveland Police of CCTV from Hartlepool Police station when Anne Darwin was taken into custody Mrs Darwin is pictured in December 2007, after she had been arrested following her return to Britain. Right: The mother-of-two is seen in March 'The only time I ever see her leave her home is to go out walking. She's very quiet, I don't think she knows many people here at all and very few would be aware of what she's done.' Ms Darwin's former husband John, who she split with while in prison, now lives in the Philippines with a younger woman. He was reported missing in March 2002 after being seen paddling out to sea in a kayak off Seaton Carew, close to where the couple lived in County Durham. A huge search operation was launched and the wreckage of his kayak was later found, leading to fears he had drowned in the North Sea. While presumed dead, Darwin lived for a while in a bed sit next door to the family home and in February 2003 actually moved back in with his wife while his death certificate was issued allowing Ms Darwin to claim his 250,000 life insurance. John Darwin is seen shortly after he re-surfaced following his disappearance. The image was taken by his children, who at the time believed he really did have amnesia The couple flew to Panama in 2006 - with Mr Darwin using a fake passport under the alias John Jones - and bought a two-bedroom apartment and later a 200,000 tropical estate, which they planned to turn into a hotel resort and run canoe holidays. But a change in Panama's visa laws meant the Darwins indetities would have to be verified by UK police in order for them to receive now-required Panamanian 'investors' visas'. Knowing that his 'John Jones' alias would not pass this level of security, Darwin decided to return to the UK under his real name and fake amnesia. He walked into a central London police station in December 2007, claiming to have no memory of the past five years. His wife who had sold up her British properties and moved to Panama three months before his re-appearanceexpressed surprise, joy and elation at the return of her missing husband. However a police investigation into his disappearance had already been set up following a tip from one of Ms Darwin's colleagues connecting her claim on her husband's life insurance and her subsequent emigration to Panama. John and Anne Darwin are seen left in a family photograph with their sons Mark and Anthony. The couple deceived their sons when they colluded to gain life insurance and pensions payouts. Right photo: Anthony (left) and Mark Darwin leave Teesside Crown Court after giving evidence against their mother at her 2008 trial Their story unravelled further after a photo appeared showing them together in an estate agents office in Panama the previous year. Darwin was arrested at his son's house in Basingstoke, Hampshire while his wife was later held at Manchester Airport as she returned to Britain from Panama. Darwin was was found guilty on deception charges and jailed for six years and three months while his wife was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for fraud and money-laundering charges. During their time in prison, the couple divorced with Darwin citing 'unreasonable behaviour' as a reason for the split. He moved to Manila and remarried after the divorce to 48-year-old Filipino woman Mercy Mae Avila Darwin. The couple live outside Manila, with Darwin continuing to receive the UK state pension while his new wife runs a clothes stall. After her release from prison, Ms Darwin started work for the RSPCA after getting IT and business qualifications while in prison. Their incredible story is told in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, starring Eddie Marsan as John and Monica Dolan as Anne. It's based on an unpublished manuscript by the journalist David Leigh, who was the first reporter to interview Anne and break the story. 'Press your spotty legs against my flea bites': The smutty emails between Canoe Man John Darwin as he hid out in Panama and his 'sexy beast' wife Anne that landed them in jail over fake death conspiracy At her trial, the wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin had insisted that she was coerced into the 680,000 fraud plot that saw her 'domineering' husband fake his own death. But emails exchanged between the pair revealed how Anne Darwin was in fact fully embroiled in the scam that duped insurers into paying out so they could start a new life in Panama. Darwin, a prison officer who was mired in debt, made it look as though he had died after going out to sea in his canoe near the home he shared with his wife and two sons in Seaton Carew, County Durham, in 2002. A large-scale search involving the scouring of 62 square miles of coastline looked to have confirmed the worst, as only a single paddle and then the wreckage of his kayak was discovered. But five years later, a bedraggled Darwin turned up at a police station in London, claiming to have no memory of anything that had happened to him. Very quickly, it emerged that Darwin and Anne had engaged in a web of deceit that included lying to sons Mark and Anthony that he was dead so they could buy a flat in Panama. They were ultimately convicted of fraud and sentenced to more than six years each in prison, but both were released in 2011 after serving half their terms. After her conviction in July 2008, emails sent between Anne and Darwin showed the extent of their collusion. In one, sent four days before she flew out to Panama, Anne bombarded her husband with typed out kisses as she spoke of her excitement and said she loved him. In another, she told her husband she was 'missing' him already, just hours after he had left her in Panama to fly back to England and dramatically claim to police that he had lost his memory. Meanwhile, Darwin's emails to his wife were often filled with innuendo and lewd depictions. In one, he called her a 'sexy beast' and said he was typing 'in the nudy' on the balcony in the Panama flat. In another, he moaned about his problems sleeping and said he was 'sure' he had 'fleas', adding that he wanted his wife to 'press your spotty legs against my flea bites nd [sic] we can squash the buggers, we might even enjoy it'. At her trial, the wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin had insisted that she was coerced into the 680,000 fraud plot that saw her 'domineering' husband fake his own death. But emails exchanged between the pair revealed how Anne Darwin was in fact fully embroiled in the scam that duped insurers into paying out so they could start a new life in Panama In one, sent four days before she flew out to Panama, Anne bombarded her husband with typed out kisses as she spoke of her excitement and said she loved him Meanwhile, Darwin's emails to his wife were often filled with innuendo and lewd depictions. In one, he called her a 'sexy beast' and said he was typing 'in the nudy' on the balcony in the Panama flat In a third email sent by Anne to her husband, where she revealed she had sold the family home to help fund their new life in Panama, she included smiley faces. And in a 3,200-word message home to family, the supposedly coerced wife spoke of her wonderful new life - minus the fact that her husband was secretly with her. 'I got up early this morning had breakfast on the terrace and then set about a bit of housework (in my bikini),' she wrote. She also drew a contrast between the 'pigeons' back in Seaton Carew and the humming bird that she said 'flies over the terrace', before adding that 'it's the same every day in paradise'. The Darwins' plot was exposed after a photo emerged online of them in the office of an estate agent in Panama, where they had gone to run an eco-resort as well as live. For much of Darwin's missing five years, he had been living in secret in his own home in the seaside resort of Seaton Carew, where he shared a bed with his wife. John and Anne Darwin are seen in a family photograph with their sons Mark and Anthony. The couple deceived their sons when they colluded to gain life insurance and pensions payouts For much of Darwin's missing five years, he had been living in secret in his own home (pictured), where he shared a bed with his wife. And when family and friends visited and his sons returned from the inquest into his alleged death Darwin hid in a bedsit next door that was accessed through a passageway hidden behind the door of a fake cupboard John Darwin is seen pictured left shortly after he re-surfaced following his disappearance. Right: The now 71-year-old his seen with his second wife Mercy Mae Avila Darwin Mrs Darwin is pictured left in 2007, after she had been arrested following her return to Britain. Right: The mother-of-two is seen in March And when family and friends visited and his sons returned from the inquest that ruled he had died at sea Darwin hid in a bedsit in the property next door that he and his wife also owned. Darwin later admitted that he would carry out DIY on the front of his family home and even walked around his area disguised as an old man even as his two now grown-up sons Anthony and Mark continued to grieve for him thinking he was dead. At her trial, Anne used the defence of 'marital coercion', claiming that she had been bullied into cooperating with her husband. By contrast, her husband pleaded guilty. She had claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail after her and her husband's plot had been exposed that she had truly believed he had died in a canoeing accident and was shocked and amazed when he turned up on her doorstep a year later. In fact, as she later revealed in her 2016 book, Anne had met Darwin at the beach after he had hatched his plot to make it appear as though he had been swept away by waves and his canoe had been smashed to pieces. She then drove him to Durham railway station, before he went on to Newcastle and then Carlisle, before she picked him up from Cumbria three weeks later and brought him back to the family home. As she also recounted in her book, in 2004 Anne even took her sons to the spot where her husband pretended to go missing so that the family could throw floral tributes into the sea, two years on from his 'death'. Anne was ultimately given three months longer in prison than her husband because of her not guilty plea. She was described by police at the time as a 'compulsive liar'. In a third email sent by Anne to her husband, where she revealed she had sold the family home to help fund their new life in Panama, she included smiley faces Shortly before Anne joins her husband in Panama, he tells her of his struggles with speaking Spanish and pleads for her to come and join him In another email, Darwin moaned about his problems sleeping and said he was 'sure' he had 'fleas', adding that he wanted his wife to 'press your spotty legs against my flea bites nd [sic] we can squash the buggers, we might even enjoy it' In a 3,200-word message home to family, the supposedly coerced wife spoke of her wonderful new life - minus the fact that her husband was secretly with her. 'I got up early this morning had breakfast on the terrace and then set about a bit of housework (in my bikini),' she wrote In another email, Anne told her husband she was 'missing' him already, just hours after he had left her in Panama to fly back to England and dramatically claim to police that he had lost his memory Her not guilty plea also led to the prosecution calling her own sons to give evidence against her. Mark branded her a 'hideous, lying b****' in an interview with the Mail on Sunday. 'I hadn't even considered that my children would be called by the prosecution,' she said in her book. 'I will never, ever forgive myself for making my sons give evidence against their own mother. It is a decision I bitterly regret.' When he gave evidence against his mother, Anthony told how he had at first presumed that the photograph of his parents in Panama must have been doctored, before he realised he had been duped. 'It's bewildering,' said Anthony. 'They're as bad as each other. Dad told one nasty lie and disappeared and said he was dead, but she lied for six years, she was the face of the lies, she kept on lying even when the evidence was so overwhelmingly against her. 'She dragged us through hell by forcing a court case.' Anne's trial lasted nine days and she was found guilty of deception and money laundering. Imposing what he called 'a particularly severe sentence', the judge pointed to the duration of the offending, and in particular the grief inflicted over the years to those who, in truth, were the real victims, your own sons'. Undated handout photo issued by Cleveland Police of CCTV from Hartlepool Police station when Anne Darwin was taken into custody Undated handout photo issued by Cleveland Police of CCTV from Kirkleatham Police station when John Darwin was taken into custody Canoe fraudster John Darwin leaves Teesside Crown Court in 2014. A judge previously ordered he should repay 679,073 Despite the incredible extent of her deceit, both Mark and Anthony eventually forgave their mother. They visited her in prison and remained in her life afterwards. Anne and Darwin got divorced while they were in prison and the pair were both released on licence in early 2011, halfway through their sentences. Darwin, now 71, lives with his 48-year-old second wife Mercy Mae in her native Manila. Anne initially moved to sheltered housing in York and had a part-time job with the RSPCA. She now lives in a village outside Middlesbrough but did not wish to comment when she was tracked down by MailOnline. The pair both refused to cooperate with the making of new ITV series The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which stars Eddie Marsan as Darwin and Monica Dolan. Sunday's episode of the four-part series depicted the moment that Anne told her sons she was selling the family homes and moving to Panama. She was seen showing them some of her husband's remaining possessions and telling them they could keep what they wished. Mark chose a book that had been printed in 2003, after his father had supposedly died. Anne said he only noticed this damning fact later. Dolan's character is seen telling her sons: 'Take whatever you want, or take nothing at all if it doesn't feel right. It is entirely up to you.' The camera then shows a trove of possessions on the table, including three books, a tape recorder, a watch and Darwin's original passport. A drama about John and Anne Darwin's fraud, titled The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, is currently airing on ITV. It stars Eddie Marsan and Monica Dolan (both pictured) Unbeknown to her sons, she had already set up home with Darwin in a flat they had bought and had had the picture taken that would expose their fraud. Writing of the moment that she told her sons she was emigrating to the country, Anne Darwin said in her book: 'Though shocked that I supposedly a widow was contemplating moving halfway across the world to a place in which I'd never expressed the slightest interest, Anthony and Mark both supported my decision. 'It was just another of the wicked lies I told them, which I will regret to my dying day. 'Before I left for good, I asked the boys if they would like a keepsake from their father's possessions. 'Mark chose a pair of black onyx cufflinks and his wristwatch, while Anthony opted for his pocket watch, wedding ring and passport. 'He also selected some books, one of which he later realised had been printed in 2003, long after his dad had supposedly 'died'. 'Another had an American sticker on it, and Anthony realised that it must have been bought while his supposedly deceased dad was on his travels.' How Canoe Man's ruse was nearly rumbled by his SON: Grieving child discovered book amongst his father's personal effects that was dated AFTER his supposed death... revealing his secret globe-trotting From the moment that 'Canoe Man' John Darwin disappeared from his home in County Durham in 2002, his two sons Mark and Anthony had believed the worst. But five years later, a bedraggled Darwin turned up at a police station in London, claiming to have no memory of anything that had happened to him. Very quickly, it emerged that the former prison officer had engaged in a web of deceit with his wife Anne to carry out a 680,000 fraud that ultimately saw the couple live together in Panama. The couple had told no one of their plot and had even made their sons believe that the worst had happened. In her 2016 memoir, penned after her release from prison, Anne recounted how, when she told them she was emigrating to the South American country and was selling the family homes, her two sons had selected possessions of their father's to keep in memory of him. But the couple's plot was nearly exposed when Anthony chose a book that had been printed in 2003, the year after his father had supposedly died. Incredibly, Mrs Darwin said Anthony only noticed this fact later. The Darwins' cruel collusion tore their sons' lives apart, with one of them branding their mother a 'hideous, lying b***h' and testifying against her in court at her trial. John and Anne Darwin are seen in a family photograph with their sons Mark and Anthony. The couple deceived their sons when they colluded to gain life insurance and pensions payouts When father-of-two John Darwin (pictured left in Panama with his wife Anne) went missing in his canoe in the sea outside his home in County Durham in 2002, his own sons believed he was dead. Five years later, a bedraggled Darwin turned up at a police station in London, claiming to have amnesia. Very quickly, it emerged that the he had carried out a 680,000 fraud with his wife Anne that ultimately saw the couple live together in Panama. Right: How Darwin looked after faking his death The moment that the Darwins' sons selected possessions to keep was depicted in last night's episode of ITV Drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which retells the saga. It stars Eddie Marsan as Darwin and Monica Dolan as his wife. Dolan's character is seen telling her sons: 'Take whatever you want, or take nothing at all if it doesn't feel right. It is entirely up to you.' The camera then shows a trove of possessions on the table, including three books, a tape recorder, a watch and Darwin's original passport. Darwin told her sons she was moving to Panama after she had received thousands of pounds in life insurance and pension money. It enabled her to pay off the debts that she and her husband had accrued. Whilst her sons believed she was going there alone, she had in fact already set up home with Darwin in a flat in Panama and had had a picture taken with him that would later expose the pair's giant fraud. Writing of the moment that she told her sons she was emigrating to the country, Anne Darwin said in her book: 'Though shocked that I supposedly a widow was contemplating moving halfway across the world to a place in which I'd never expressed the slightest interest, Anthony and Mark both supported my decision. 'It was just another of the wicked lies I told them, which I will regret to my dying day. 'Before I left for good, I asked the boys if they would like a keepsake from their father's possessions. 'Mark chose a pair of black onyx cufflinks and his wristwatch, while Anthony opted for his pocket watch, wedding ring and passport. 'He also selected some books, one of which he later realised had been printed in 2003, long after his dad had supposedly 'died'. 'Another had an American sticker on it, and Anthony realised that it must have been bought while his supposedly deceased dad was on his travels.' The scenes of them selecting possessions to keep were depicted in last night's episode of ITV Drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which retells the saga. It stars Eddie Marsan as Darwin and Monica Dolan (pictured) as his wife. Above: Darwin showing her two boys into a room containing their father's possessions The camera then shows a trove of possessions on the table, including three books, a tape recorder, a watch and Darwin's original passport The two brothers are also seen smiling at they look at their father's original passport, totally unaware that he is still alive An ITV drama about John and Anne Darwin's fraud, titled The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, airs in April. Pictured: Eddie Marsan as Darwin and Monica Dolan as his wife For much of Darwin's missing five years, he had been living in secret in his own home (pictured), where he shared a bed with his wife. And when family and friends visited and his sons returned from the inquest into his alleged death Darwin hid in a bedsit next door that was accessed through a passageway hidden behind the door of a fake cupboard John Darwin is seen pictured left shortly after he re-surfaced following his disappearance. Right: The now 71-year-old his seen with his second wife Mercy Mae Avila Darwin Canoe fraudster John Darwin leaves Teesside Crown Court in 2014. A judge previously ordered he should repay 679,073 Mrs Darwin is pictured left in 2007, after she had been arrested following her return to Britain. Right: The mother-of-two is seen in March Mrs Darwin said her sons were 'grief-stricken' at the time of the handover. She added that it was 'very emotional' for her to see the pair's reactions. 'I was happy that they had something of John's but I felt awful because I was, yet again, deceiving them,' she said. The Darwins' plot was exposed after a photo emerged online of them in the office of an estate agent in Panama. For much of Darwin's missing five years, he had been living in secret in his own home in the seaside resort of Seaton Carew, where he shared a bed with his wife. And when family and friends visited and his sons returned from the inquest into his alleged death Darwin hid in a bedsit the couple owned next door that was accessed through a passageway that linked the two properties. Darwin later admitted that he would carry out DIY on the front of his family home and even walked around his area disguised as an old man even as his two now grown-up sons Anthony and Mark continued to grieve for him. After they had served half of the six-year jail sentences they were handed for their crimes, the couple divorced - with Darwin remarrying and moving to the Philippines. After her release from prison, Anne Darwin moved to a village near York and was able to get a new job with the RSPCA thanks to qualifications she gained in prison. She was also able to reconcile with her two sons. She claimed in her memoir that, a week after her husband had 'disappeared' - in what was their first conversation since the plot was hatched - she pleaded with him to let her tell their sons that he was alive. Darwin refused and instead callously told her: 'They'll get over it. The police will stop looking and everyone will go home and get back to normal. Trust me.' Mrs Darwin also recounted in her book the moment that Mark and Anthony discovered their father was alive. The fraudster opted to return to the UK from Panama when the South American country's government changed its visa rules, meaning that to get permanent residency he needed a letter from his local police force in Britain testifying to his 'good character'. Mark Darwin arrives at Teesside Crown Court during his mother's fraud trial in 2008. Anne Darwin became alienated from her sons after her and her husband's fraud was exposed In a statement in December 2007, after their parents' lies had been uncovered, Mark and Anthony Darwin said: 'How could our mam continue to let us believe our dad had died when he was very much in alive?' Pictured: Anthony Darwin in 2007 Anthony (right) and Mark Darwin leave Teeside Crown court after their parents Anne and John Darwin were sentenced to over six years in prison each on July 23, 2008 Brothers Anthony Darwin (front right) and Mark Darwin (rear left) leave Teeside Crown Court after their mother Anne Darwin was jailed for six and a half years and their father John Darwin was jailed for six years and three months This wouldn't be possible using his fake identity of John Jones, which he had stolen from a dead baby. Darwin walked into a police station in December 2007 and said he thought he was a 'missing person' but said he could not remember anything that had happened in the past five years. Mark received a call from Hartlepool police telling him that someone claiming to be their father had turned up and immediately began shaking. 'My whole world stopped,' he said later. 'My heart was pumping. I couldn't believe it. I was overjoyed.' Anthony was told when he was at his home with his wife, Louise, in Hampshire. 'It was as though everything was stopped in the room,' said Mark. 'I remember us looking at each other as he walked in and I said: 'I didn't believe it was you.'' Anthony later told his mother of the moment he was reunited with his father: 'When I first saw him, he called my name and we hugged. I just sat and stared at him for about ten minutes and didn't say a word. I felt overwhelming joy that he was there.' The Darwins also had to pretend to be astonished when they 'reunited' in front of their sons. Mrs Darwin said that her husband told her: 'Hello Anne, is that really you, are you all right?' The couple's fraud was exposed when the photo of them in Panama was found online and came to the attention of police. In a statement in December 2007, after their parents' lies had been uncovered, Mark and Anthony Darwin said: 'How could our mam continue to let us believe our dad had died when he was very much in alive? 'We have not spoken to either of our parents since our dads arrest and at this present time we want no further contact with them'. Mrs Darwin said in a 2016 interview hat deceiving her sons was 'unforgiveable'. 'I was totally shocked by how dark and full of anger they were. To see that was absolutely horrendous. It jolted me. I could easily have buckled then and there,' she said. However, she said she is now reconciled with both of her sons and has been on holidays with them and their families. Asked if her sons were in touch with their father, she said 'that's a private matter for them'. In March, Mrs Darwin was tracked down by MailOnline to a village near Middlesbrough, where she lives quietly. The 70-year-old has reverted to her maiden name and lives where few of her neighbours are aware of her past. Anne moved to the sheltered housing six months ago having previously lived in York where she had a part time 10 an hour job with the RSPCA. Ukraine is set to reward Britain's contribution to the war effort by naming a street after Boris Johnson. The council of Fontanka, near Odessa, hailed Mr Johnson as 'one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion', in a statement announcing plans to turn Mayakovsky Street into Boris Johnson Street. A council official said the proposals were made to celebrate Ukraine's 'new heroes', The Sun reports. The street was initially named after Vladimir Mayakovsky, a famous Russian poet and playwright. The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a social media campaign to drum up global support for increased arms shipments to Ukraine to help defeat Russian invaders in Donbas. Mr Johnson has revealed that Britain would be answering the call and sending heavy weapons worth 100million to Ukraine, and would be working to get more tanks to Kyiv in the face of Russian war crimes. The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a social media campaign to drum up global support for increased arms shipments to Ukraine to help defeat Russian invaders in Donbas. Mr Johnson has revealed that Britain would be answering the call and sending heavy weapons worth 100million to Ukraine, and would be working to get more tanks to Kyiv in the face of Russian war crimes The council of Fontanka, near Odessa, hailed Mr Johnson as 'one of the most principled opponents of the Russian invasion', in a statement announcing the proposal to turn Mayakovsky Street into Boris Johnson Street 'They need support with more artillery, that is what we will be giving them,' Johnson told Parliament. He pledged high-tech supplies including more Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank rockets and drones as he hosted a joint press conference with German chancellor Olaf Scholz. A council official said the proposal was made to celebrate Ukraine's 'new heroes' The mass killing of civilians in Bucha, near Kyiv, have been widely condemned by the West as war crimes with piles of bodies showing signs of torture and execution pictured after it had been recaptured by Ukrainian forces. In Berlin, German Chancellor Scholz said Germany would provide finance to Ukraine which it could use to buy anti-tank weapons and ammunition from German arms manufacturers. Scholz's claim came amid criticism that Germany had delayed sending arms to Ukraine and even blocked other countries from sending German-supplied arms from their own reserves earlier in the war, while still purchasing huge quantities of Russian oil and gas. Elsewhere, the Czech Republic said it would launch a engineering and repair campaign to help restore Ukrainian tanks and armoured vehicles damaged in combat for redeployment to the front lines. Advertisement Cabinet ministers are being urged to 'do their duty' to the country and force out Boris Johnson by a senior Conservative MP. Steve Baker - who is renowned as a leading Brexiteer and an influential Tory backbench organiser - today withdrew his support for Mr Johnson in the latest blow to the Prime Minister over the Partygate row. In the House of Commons, the Wycombe MP said that Mr Johnson 'should be long gone'. And, speaking later to MailOnline, Mr Baker said it was up to Cabinet ministers to tell the PM 'it's over'. Mr Johnson, who is more than 4,000 miles away from Westminster on a trip to India, is now also facing another damaging Partygate investigation - a third probe after the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation and the inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray. MPs this afternoon approved the setting up of a parliamentary probe - without a formal vote - into claims Mr Johnson misled the Commons with his past denials of Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street. It came after the PM dramatically surrendered to rebel Tories and scrapped an attempt to oppose the Labour plan and kick a Privileges Committee investigation into the long grass. Mr Baker played a key part in the Leave campaign that led to David Cameron's downfall. He also rallied Tory MPs to hold out against Theresa May's Brexit deal that caused her own departure from Number 10. But he told MailOnline today he was not now gunning for a hat-trick of deposed premiers on his record. Mr Baker said he'd had enough of being 'the lieutenant in the trenches doing all the s*** jobs' and called on Cabinet ministers to instead 'rise to this moment' and topple Mr Johnson. 'This is not who I want to be or where I want to be,' he told MailOnline. 'I absolutely do not want to be organising against another prime minister. Im not willing to do it. 'Apart from any other factor, there are members of the Cabinet who really ought to rise to this moment. 'Members of the Cabinet who for years have been quite happy to sit in their ivory towers with their big private offices and the levers of power in their hands - and they know who they are. 'Theyve been quite happy to enjoy their Cabinet careers while relying on me - with a nod and a wink and nudge and a thanks very much Steve - to be the lieutenant in the trenches doing all the s*** jobs and Ive had enough. 'Those people in the Cabinet who allowed me to do their work for a long time, saying oh, I didnt really want to vote for Theresa Mays deal Steve, well done for stopping it. Oh yeah, but you kept your job in Cabinet. 'Its their turn to sort out doing the hard thing, not mine. Its their job, not mine because they owe it to the nation to actually rise to the positions that they hold. 'They are Cabinet members of the UK Government and if they do not rise to this moment, they are failing in their duty.' Mr Baker suggested a Cabinet revolt against Mr Johnson would be a 'better way' to depose of the PM over Partygate and would avoid MPs having to force a confidence vote in his leadership. 'Formally, the only way to remove the Prime Minister is for 54 MPs to put no confidence letters in and for us to have a vote of no confidence and remove him,' he added. 'A better way might be for the Cabinet to say to him Prime Minister, its over - we cant go on like this, its over. Youve done a great job, thanks for getting us out the EU, thanks for beating Jeremy Corbyn, youve done an amazing job with Ukraine, it may have been very difficult but you did get this country through Covid".' He suggested Cabinet ministers tell the PM to 'bank your successes and go before you lead us to defeat'. Mr Baker said he was 'filled with sorrow' over calling for Mr Johnson to go, but admitted he 'cannot avoid this moment any longer' 'The problem weve got right now is that again and again and again, individually and collectively, Conservative politicians are being dragged through the gutter. It cant go on,' he added. Mr Baker described a private meeting of Conservative MPs on Tuesday night - where the PM addressed backbenchers after his 'wholehearted apology' to the Commons - as the tipping point in his decision to publicly withdraw his support for Mr Johnson. 'I went to the 1922 executive where it was the usual orgy of adulation, festival of bombast,' he said. 'And I felt the prime minister, much as hed been contrite throughout his ordeal in the Commons, it felt like that was all forgotten.' Boris Johnson is more than 4,000 miles away from Westminster on a trip to India as he suffered a series of fresh blows in the Partygate scandal that is threatening his political future Steve Baker said he'd had enough of being 'the lieutenant in the trenches doing all the s*** jobs' and called on Cabinet ministers to instead 'rise to this moment' and topple the PM Cabinet ministers were told by Mr Baker that 'if they do not rise to this moment, they are failing in their duty'. He told them to tell the PM to 'bank your successes and go before you lead us to defeat' Mr Johnson told the Commons last December that no Covid lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street during the pandemic. But Scotland Yard has since handed out dozens of fines, including to the PM, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak. The PM came out this morning to insist that the vote on allowing the Privileges Committee to examine the truth of his remarks should be pushed back to 'let the police do their stuff' first. The Government had tabled a motion to this effect last night. But within hours he had U-turned and agreed to give Tory MPs a free vote today on the original Labour proposal, after it became apparent that quietly furious backbenchers were refusing to obey whips' orders. MPs subsequently approved the setting up of the investigation this afternoon without a formal Commons vote, as further pressure was heaped on the PM's future as leader of the country and the Conservative Party. Speaking to Channel 4 News from India, Mr Johnson seemed to welcome a fresh Partygate probe but said he didn't want the row 'to go on and on and on'. 'Look, what I dont want is for this thing to just go on and on and on, Ill be honest with you,' he said. 'Weve had one inquiry, weve had a police inquiry, I think theres got to be a way of drawing a line under it. 'But if colleagues want to have more scrutiny of this, if thats what the Opposition want, then thats fine, lets do that.' Speaking after the motion to refer the PM to the Privileges Committee was approved, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Boris Johnson has lost the trust of the public over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown. 'Now its clear he has lost the confidence of his MPs. Todays humiliating climb-down showed that they know they can no longer defend the indefensible.' During the earlier debate in the Commons, Tory backbencher William Wragg confirmed he would vote for the investigation and repeated his call for Mr Johnson to quit. The chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee told MPs: 'I care deeply about my colleagues. I know that a number are struggling at the moment. We have been working in a toxic atmosphere. The parliamentary party bears the scars of misjudgments of leadership. 'There can be few colleagues on this side of the House I would contend who are truly enjoying being Members of Parliament at the moment. It is utterly depressing to be asked to defend the indefensible. Each time part of us withers.' Mr Baker also publicly withdrew his support in the Commons. He used the debate to accuse Mr Johnson of being contrite 'as long as it took to get out of the headmaster's study'. He added: 'I have to say I'm sorry, that for not obeying the letter and spirit - and I think we have heard that the Prime Minister did know what the letter was - the Prime Minister now should be long gone. I'll certainly vote for this motion. But really, the Prime Minister should just know the gig's up. Mr Johnson this afternoon said current scrutiny surrounding Partygate was 'not very useful'. Speaking to BBC News at the Akshardham Temple in Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister said Mr Baker calling for his resignation was not 'the right thing to do' He added: 'What voters will want to see is the conclusion of the investigation and then I think the House of Commons can decide what to do. 'I will then come back as I've said and explain what happened, give a fuller account than I've been able to do so far, we will get Sue Gray's final words on that matter and then I think people will be able to make a judgment. 'But until then, I have to say, I think a lot of this is not very useful. 'There's not a lot more I can say and what I want to do is focus on the things that I think are a massive long-term benefit to this country.' No further updates on Partygate fines will be issued by the Metropolitan Police until after May's local elections. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Whilst the investigation will continue during the pre-election period, due to the restrictions around communicating before the May local elections, we will not provide further updates until after 5 May.' Mr Johnson said today that he wanted to 'let the investigators (the police) do their stuff' before a parliamentary probe was started. Hours later his Government U-turned Boris Johnson vowed last night to lead the Tories into the next election as he arrived in India on a trade mission During the debate, Tory backbencher William Wragg confirmed he would vote for the investigation and repeated his call for Mr Johnson to quit. Brexiteer Steve Baker also withdrew his support, pledged after the PM's apology earlier in the week. The High Wycombe MP accused Mr Johnson of being contrite 'as long as it took to get out of the headmaster's study' Opening today's Partygate debate in the Commons, Labour leader Keir Starmer attacked Tory loyalist who have defended the PM. He said: 'Many...dismiss its importance, they say there are worse crimes, he didn't rob a bank, he only broke the rules for 10 minutes, it was all a long time ago. Every time one of these arguments is trotted out the status of this House is eroded.' Mr Johnson used his trip to India to visit a factory owned by JCB - which is run by millionaire Tory donor Lord Bamford While the Prime Minister is 4,000 miles away on a two-day visit to India, opposition parties will attempt to launch an inquiry into whether he misled the Commons over raucous drinking events in Downing Street. Mr Johnson went on to having a turban placed on his head at Gujarat Bio Technology University as he pressed the flesh in India Boris Johnson has refused to resign over Partygate, and was forced to abandon plans to delay a new investigation into his actions last night Sunak says sorry for Partygate fine Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said he is 'extremely and sincerely sorry' for the hurt he caused by his attendance at a Downing Street birthday gathering for Boris Johnson during lockdown. Mr Sunak, in Washington for the spring meeting of the IMF, said he respected the decision of the police to issue him with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) but added he had never considered resigning over the issue. Mr Sunak was among a tranche of 30 people including the PM and his wife Carrie who were handed a fine last month. The Chancellor was censured for attending the PM's 56th birthday party in No10 in June 2020. 'I fully respect the decision that the police have reached,' he told the BBC. 'I paid the FPN notice straightaway and I am extremely and sincerely sorry for the hurt and the anger that this has caused so many people. 'I have always acted, I believe, in good faith in regard to what I said to Parliament.' Asked if he had considered resigning, Mr Sunak said: 'No. I am focused on getting on with the job I have got to do.' Advertisement Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall later added his name to the list of Tory rebels, telling the Commons he cannot forgive the Prime Minister for 'misleading the House'. The MP for Totnes said: 'Every day that I see issues and rules broken in this place only reaffirms my belief that we have to stand up in this place and make it clear that dishonesty, that inaction and misleading of the House cannot be tolerated from anyone.' Speaking to broadcasters from a JCB factory in Gujarat this morning, Mr Johnson said: 'I'm very keen for every possible form of scrutiny and the House of Commons can do whatever it wants to do,' he told reporters in India. 'But all I would say is I don't think that should happen until the investigation is completed.' But afterwards a senior Government source said: 'The Prime Minister has always been clear that he's happy to face whatever inquiries Parliament sees fit and is happy for the House to decide how it wishes to proceed today and therefore will not be whipping Conservative MPs. 'They are free to vote according to how they believe we should move forward on this. 'We tabled an amendment last night because we wanted to be explicit about ensuring Sue Gray is able to complete and publish her report without any further delay, as well as allow the Metropolitan Police to conclude their investigations. 'We now recognise that - in practice - this is almost certainly likely to be the case and therefore we are happy for the Labour motion to go through, if that is the will of the House.' Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: 'This is humiliating for Conservative MPs who were being pressured to vote for the Government's cover-up amendment. 'The Government knew they couldn't win this, the Prime Minister is bang to rights. 'Tory MPs should do the right thing, respect the sacrifices that their constituents made during the pandemic, and vote in the national interest.' Labour had organised a vote due this afternoon on referring Mr Johnson to the privileges committee over allegations he misled the Commons over raucous drinking events in Downing Street. It has powers to request private information and determine whether the PM was lying when he told MPs no rules were broken. Rules may be eased for Indian migrants to fill UK's IT job shortage Boris Johnson opened the door last night to easing immigration rules with India, saying that the UK is short of 'hundreds of thousands' of IT experts. The Government is aiming to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with India by the end of 2022 and the PM signalled a relaxation of immigration rules could be part of it. 'We are aiming for an FTA by the end of the year,' Mr Johnson said. 'On immigration I've always been in favour of having people coming to this country. 'We have a massive shortage in the UK, not least in experts in IT and programmers. We need to have a professional approach but it has to be controlled.' He made the comments as he flew to India, where he will today hail a new era in the UK and India's trade relationship. He will confirm more than 1billion in new investments and export deals, creating 11,000 jobs across the UK. Advertisement He was among dozens of people handed 50 fines last week after having been found by police to have broken lockdown laws. But late last night No10 launched a wrecking amendment, promising MPs a vote on an investigation but attempting to delay it until after the police probe has ended. While many Tory MPs have publicly backed Mr Johnson this week, reports suggested whips were worried that enough quiet critics on the backbenches could abstain in the main vote to allow it to pass. The amendment was covered by a three-line whip, meaning Tories face disciplinary action if they refuse to back it. Has it succeeded in kicking the can down the road, it would also also rob Labour and the Liberal Democrats of ammunition before the local elections on May 5, when they were planning to highlight MPs' support for a lawbreaking Prime Minister. However, it risked the Government having to hold a potentially difficult vote some weeks or months down the line when Mr Johnson may have received further fines and face more criticism over issues like the cost-of-living crisis. Opening today's Partygate debate in the Commons, Labour leader Keir Starmer attacked Tory loyalist who have defended the PM. He said: 'Many...dismiss its importance, they say there are worse crimes, he didn't rob a bank, he only broke the rules for 10 minutes, it was all a long time ago. Every time one of these arguments is trotted out the status of this House is eroded.' Mr Johnson last night mounted a bullish defence of his actions. Speaking to reporters on a flight to India, he said he would 'of course' lead the Tories into the next general election, expected in 2024. He also suggested voters now wanted politicians to focus on 'the issues that matter' such as the economy.' Pressed on whether there were no circumstances under which he would consider resigning, Mr Johnson said: 'Not a lot that spring to mind at the moment. Speaking to reporters on the flight to India, he said he would 'of course' contest the national poll in 2024 and suggested voters now wanted politicians to focus on 'the issues that matter' such as the economy' Boris Johnson fears Ukraine peace talks are doomed Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are doomed, Boris Johnson warned reporters in India last night. The Prime Minister said it is 'very hard' to see how Kyiv can negotiate with President Vladimir Putin given his 'lack of good faith'. 'How can you negotiate with a crocodile when it's got your leg in its jaws?' Mr Johnson asked. Talks between Ukraine and Russia have stalled with each side blaming the other for the breakdown. Kyiv and Moscow have not held face-to-face talks since March 29, and Ukraine's lead negotiator said this week it was hard to predict when they would resume because of Russia's siege of Mariupol. Tonight Mr Johnson also expressed his fears that there will not be a negotiated resolution to the conflict. Speaking to reporters as he flew to India for a two-day diplomatic trip, he said: 'It's very hard to see how they can negotiate with Putin now given his manifest lack of good faith.' Advertisement 'But if you want to sketch some out I'm sure you could entertain your viewers with some imaginary circumstances in which I might have to resign, but I don't propose to go into them, I can't think of them right now. 'What the people of this country want is for the Conservative Government to get on with the job, and in particular get on with attracting jobs to this country.' Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi said he expected Tory MPs to support the Government amendment to delay a decision on whether to launch a Privileges Committee inquiry into Boris Johnson's conduct. The Education Secretary told Sky News that 'due process' had to be followed, allowing the police investigation to conclude and senior official Sue Gray's report to be released before MPs consider whether to refer Mr Johnson to the committee. He said: 'If you want to play politics with this, the shenanigans that Labour are attempting today is the route. If you want to follow due process then you allow the police to do their investigation, you allow the Sue Gray report to be published and then the Privileges Committee can look at that.' Mr Zahawi added: 'Most of my colleagues who are fair minded, who believe in due process, will vote for the amendment because it is the right thing to do.' Mr Johnson's aides are braced for him to receive multiple fixed penalty notices, having already been handed one for the gathering for his 56th birthday. He is thought to have been at six of the 12 events under investigation by Scotland Yard. When MPs vote on Thursday, Conservatives will be urged to back the amendment to delay making a decision on whether to launch an inquiry until all other investigations finish. Mr Johnson sought to justify the position, which comes after Tory MP Craig Whittaker called for him to refer himself to an investigation to end the saga. Asked why he will not submit himself to an inquiry if he has nothing to hide, Mr Johnson said: 'I think the best thing is if the investigation is concluded. Prime Minister Boris Johnson (second left) in the House of Commons where he made a statement to MPs following the announcement that he is among the 50-plus people fined so far as part of the Metropolitan Police probe into Covid breaches in Government 'There's a police investigation that has not concluded. We have to wait for that and then for Sue Gray to have her final say.' Pressed if he would back one after that point, he said: 'I think we need to wait and see where it gets.' A Labour source said: 'Tory whips obviously knew that they couldn't vote this down. 'They clearly haven't learnt a thing from the mess they got into over Owen Paterson. 'Boris Johnson is trying to rig the rules to deflect from his own law breaking. Any Tory MP who votes for (the amendment) is voting for a cover up.' Former Conservative minister Andrew Mitchell suggested on Wednesday evening that the PM could be referred to the Privileges Committee without a vote. He told ITV's Peston programme: 'I don't think there will be a vote tomorrow. I think the House of Commons will agree to refer it to the Privileges Committee. 'I shan't be there - quite a lot of my colleagues are heading off either tonight or tomorrow morning to their constituency. We expect this matter to be referred to the Privileges Committee, and I think the Government will go along with it. 'After all, if you look down the years, references to the Privileges Committee have normally gone through on the nod.' A Labour source claimed that any Conservative supporting the amendment would be 'voting for a cover up'. Mr Johnson told MPs an alleged party to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings (pictured) was actually a meeting to find his replacement The Prime Minister could receive a second fine from police over the event which was held when Mr Cummings quite after losing a power struggle with Mr Johnson's wife, Carrie (pictured) A Government spokeswoman said: 'The Government has tabled an amendment to Labour's motion which says that consideration of this matter should take place after the conclusion of the police investigation, and the publication of the Cabinet Office report, allowing MPs to have all the facts at their disposal.' Tories were facing pressure to back the opposition bid for a parliamentary investigation after Mr Johnson was fined by police over a birthday event in 2020. The intervention came as it emerged he has told Tory MPs that an alleged party to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings was actually a 'council of war' to discuss his replacement. An event in Mr Johnson's Downing St flat on November 13, 2020 - the day Mr Cummings quit after losing a power struggle with Mr Johnson's wife Carrie - is one of 12 under investigation. Mrs Johnson is said to have held a 'victory party' to celebrate the chief aide's departure. Officials are reported to have told Miss Gray that music and dancing were heard from the Prime Minister's flat. But Tory sources said Mr Johnson described the gathering as a 'work event' when answering questions from Tory MPs behind closed doors. Relatives of Covid victims accused him of trying to 'cash in' on pandemic, with the book bring in 100,000 Rumours of book emerged last year and credits Mr Hancock with stopping 'tsunami of death and deprivation' He said people will 'have to wait for the book to see the full details of what happened' in GB News interview Matt Hancock is writing a book that will set out 'what it looked like' as Health Secretary during the pandemic Advertisement Social media users today mercilessly mocked disgraced ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock after he confirmed that he is writing a book about his experiences during the Covid pandemic. Britons tweeted joke titles for his tell-all diary, including 'the adulterer's guide to social distancing' and 'saving lives, s***ging wives'. Mr Hancock revealed he was writing a book during a heated interview last night with MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton on GB News. He has promised the book will disclose 'what actually happened' following heavy criticism about his handling of the crisis, including telling young people 'don't kill gran' and failing to shield care homes. It is expected to brag about his role in the vaccine rollout, despite claims responsibility for jabs was taken from him by the Prime Minister due to other Covid mishandlings. The book, which will be released by Biteback Publishing in October, is bound to touch on Mr Hancock's secret affair with a married aide which broke his own social distancing rules and ultimately forced the politician to resign. Relatives have accused Mr Hancock of trying to 'cash in' on the pandemic, with sales expected to earn him up to 100,000. But the royalties will reportedly be donated to NHS charities. Mr Hancock oversaw a policy that allowed untested hospital patients to be discharged into care homes at the height of the first wave seen as the defining factor behind the huge death toll in the sector. He was also accused of fuelling fear by telling young people they could kill their grandparents if they got too complacent with social distancing rules in September 2020. Mr Hancock resigned as Health Secretary in June 2021 after video emerged of the married MP groping and kissing Gina Coladangelo inside the Department of Health months earlier when he advised people not to hug relatives. It comes after MailOnline yesterday revealed Mr Hancock has welcomed seven Ukrainian refugees and four of their dogs into his Suffolk home which he now shares with Gina after leaving his wife and their three children. Mr Hancock revealed he is writing a book that will set out 'what it looked like' from his role during the Covid crisis and all the intricacies of 'what actually happened at the time' He told MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton on GB News: 'I am writing a book about the experience, what it looked like, from being health secretary, what actually happened at the time to make sure that we set the whole set of details out, absolutely to cover important questions like this and also the broad piece because you've got to look at all of this' Rumours of the book, which will reportedly earn Mr Hancock up to 100,000, emerged at the end of last year and will claim he stopped Covid from causing a 'tsunami of death and deprivation' that would have destroyed the NHS and led the race to rollout the vaccine across the UK and worldwide. It is not clear whether it will touch on his affair with Gina Coladangelo (pictured) Britons took to social media to share ideas in response to a TalkTV tweet which asked what the title of his book should be. Sandy Tregent suggested 'The adulterer's guide to social distancing', while a Twitter-user Jane recommended 'Saving lives, s***ging wives'. 'Sex, Drugs and Coughs 'n' Colds', was proposed by Flossy Moris and 'How I single-handedly save the world and got the girl' was put forward by Dave Johns. And 'How I screwed the country... and another bloke's wife', along with 'S***ging and blagging: The Pandemic Years', were also suggested by Twitter-users David Perry and Sully. Asked about whether he ensured there was a 'protective ring' around care homes during last night's interview, Mr Hancock accepted residents should have been better protected. He said: 'I think it's very important, especially given the role that I've had, that I both answer these questions but also set out the whole piece. 'I am writing a book about the experience, what it looked like, from being health secretary, what actually happened at the time to make sure that we set the whole set of details out, absolutely to cover important questions like this and also the broad piece because you've got to look at all of this.' On whether he regretted telling young people in September 2020 'don't kill your gran' by breaching social distancing rules when they could be infected, he said the Government had to 'communicate as effectively as possible' to drive down transmission. MATT HANCOCK: A TIMELINE OF THE FORMER HEALTH SECRETARY'S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC MARCH 26 2020 Matt Hancock was warned by the Care Home Alliance to test all care home residents discharged from hospital APRIL 11 2020 Mr Hancock blames distribution issues for a PPE shortage that left NHS frontline workers without protective equipment The Royal College of Nursing said some staff had 'no protection at all' APRIL 16 2020 The Health Secretary makes it compulsory for all hospital patients returning to care homes to be tested before being discharged JUNE 17 2020 Mr Hancock apologises for slapping a colleague on the back in the Commons, breaching social distancing rules OCTOBER 11 2020 The Health Secretary denies he broke Covid rules by drinking in the Commons bar later than 10pm when a curfew was in place FEBRUARY 19 2021 Mr Hancock was found to have 'breached his legal obligation to publish contract award notices' MAY 26 2021 Dominic Cummings, the PM's former aid, tells MPs that Matt Hancock told Boris Johnson all hospitalised care home residents would be tested before returning to their home Mr Cummings said he told Mr Johnson to sack the Health Secretary MAY 28 2021 Mr Hancock was found to have committed a 'minor' breach of ministerial code by not declaring that a company he had shares in was given an NHS contract JUNE 11 2021 Mr Hancock gives evidence to the parliamentary inquiry into the Covid crisis, denying there was ever a PPE shortage and claiming there is no evidence NHS workers died due to a lack of protective equipment JUNE 26 2021 CCTV of Mr Hancock and his Parliamentary aide Gina Coladangelo was published on the front page of The Sun newspaper, along with the revelation that he had broken strict Covid restrictions in place at the time The footage was taken inside the Department of Health on May 6 Mr Hancock subsequently ended his 15-year marriage with his with Martha JUNE 27 2021 Mr Hancock quits as Health Secretary, saying in a video posted to Twitter that 'those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them and that's why I have got to resign' DECEMBER 17 2021 A synopsis of Mr Hancock's upcoming book claims he stopped Covid from causing a 'tsunami of death and deprivation' that would have destroyed the NHS and 'led the race to deploy a vaccine on mass scale across Britain and the world' Advertisement He added: 'The thing is Dan, and you'll have to wait for the book to see the full details of what happened, the thing is we were saving lives. 'And we were working incredibly hard to do that. And the scale of deaths from Covid without action would have been very significant.' In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Hancock defended discharging elderly Covid patients back into care homes without a swab to confirm whether they were still infected. He said the UK did not have 'the tests or testing regime we needed' in March 2020 and those available had to be 'clinically prioritised. 'We didn't have enough tests available to be able to do that without removing tests from other people whom they were a life saving matter,' he said. The Care Provider Alliance, which represents Britain's care homes, previously revealed it warned the Department of Health at the outset of the pandemic that without testing care home residents 'there is no way of knowing whether they are going to infect others'. Mr Hancock didn't make testing for hospital discharges compulsory until mid-April, 2020, months after the first cases were detected in the UK. The Prime Minister's former aide Dominic Cummings accused Mr Hancock of telling Boris Johnson at the start of the pandemic that everyone would be tested before returning to care homes. More than 66,000 deaths involving Covid have been logged in care homes since the start of the crisis, with a fifth of these occurring in the first three months of the pandemic, official figures show. He said: 'In a situation like a pandemic, where you have a limited capacity for testing and we needed a bigger capacity and we were building that bigger capacity, you've then got to decide how we use these tests. 'And as the politician in that environment, you've got to follow the clinical advice on what use of test is most likely to save lives. 'There has been an analysis done on how the virus was most likely to get into care homes. And the proportion of infections that got in from discharges, according to the evidence, is around two per cent. Because actually people who work in care homes live in the community.' Mr Hancock pointed to rules he introduced in summer 2020 that stopped staff working between different care homes which he said ensured care homes were better protected during the second wave. The former Health Secretary was also quizzed on whether he withheld information from the Prime Minister on how effective the Covid jabs were against the virus. The Daily Telegraph reported last June that Mr Hancock did not share Public Health England data showing the vaccines were effective against Delta during a meeting on whether Freedom Day should be postponed. Mr Hancock said: 'I don't recognise that at all. I certainly didn't withhold data. I can be categoric about that. 'My approach was to use all the data we possibly could to make decisions. The critical point about lockdown is that it was necessary until the vaccine could make us safe. 'In this case there was no question of withholding data, but I will look into it for you and make sure that I have a look at that report and what actually happened and what led to it being written. 'You'll have to wait for the book on that one because I don't know anything about it.' He also dismissed the idea that the Government's flu pandemic plan from 2011 could have been followed to avoid lockdowns. Mr Hancock said that while some parts of the plans were 'incredibly helpful', it was written 'for a different disease' and ministers had to make decisions around a new coronavirus that was 'unprecedented', noting that there was a 'fog of uncertainty' due to a lack of data. He said: 'The problem wasn't the forecasts; it was that the forecasts were coming true. That was the fundamental challenge. 'You have to look at not only the economic costs in terms of mental health and the cost in terms of people not being able to access other types of treatment and the costs of inaction and we could see that the costs of inaction were going to be absolutely enormous.' He also defended closing schools during lockdowns as necessary to 'stop the growth of the pandemic which otherwise was going to overwhelm the NHS and kill many more people'. Mr Hancock was at the centre of controversies throughout his time as Health Secretary. He was forced to defend a lack of PPE for front line workers during the first wave and the failure to test elderly hospitalised Covid patients before they were sent back to care homes The MP said: 'We had to communicate as effectively as possible the implications of stopping this disease from spreading and killing more people. 'We were struggling to save lives and we were working incredibly hard to do that. 'The scale of deaths from Covid without action would have been astronomical. 'The total number of excess deaths for a normal year in the UK in 2020 was no higher than, and on some measures lower than, the average.' During Mr Hancock's time in charge he was accused by Mr Cummings of permitting Covid to spread 'like wildfire' in care homes after only introducing compulsory testing for hospital patients going back to care homes in April 2020. He oversaw the distribution of vital PPE to frontline workers which health bosses warned left some social care and NHS staff with 'no protection at all'. He later provoked outrage by denying there was ever a PPE shortage and claiming there is no evidence NHS workers died due to a lack of protective equipment. Mr Hancock resigned from the cabinet in June last year after details of his affair with Parliamentary aide Gina Coladangelo were revealed. CCTV of them kissing was published on the front page of The Sun newspaper, along with the revelation that he had broken strict Covid restrictions in place at the time. He previously apologised in June 2020 for breaching social distancing rules by slapping a colleague on the back in the Commons. But he denied breaking Covid curbs by staying late in the Commons bar when a 10pm curfew was in place. A trendy pay-as-you-feel restaurant chain allegedly traded while insolvent for years and underpaid employees by nearly $400,000. Lentil as Anything, a popular group of eateries in Sydney and Melbourne that lets customers choose what they pay, survived the pandemic thanks to nearly $400k in GoFundMe donations but an accounting firm alleged it went under a year earlier. Worrells sent a recent report to creditors detailing the mismanagement of the company, which alleged Lentil as Anything was 'likely insolvent' as far back as June, 2019, the Syndey Morning Herald reported. 'It is our preliminary position that the company was likely insolvent from at least 30 June, 2019, and likely earlier,' the Worrells report said. Lentil as Anything collapsed in February 2022 - but a report from an accounting firm alleged it may have been operating while insolvent for as long as three years Shanaka Fernando, who founded the company, referred to himself as an 'elder' on staff emails and an 'aesthetics consultant' on unsigned employment contracts The social enterprise was celebrated for its ingenuity and charity, with founder and former banker Shanaka Fernando claiming just 30 per cent of its meals were paid for. 'Our restaurants have no set prices. Everyone is welcome to come for a meal and pay-as-they-feel: through a financial contribution or volunteering,' the company's mantra reads. 'All leave with the feeling that they are part of an inclusive community.' The accounting firm say employees were owed at least $110,000 when Lentil as Anything crashed, with a further $258,491 in superannuation. It said creditors were owed up to $600,000 - but said there is little chance they will see the money. Trading while insolvent can be a civil or criminal offence. The social enterprise was celebrated for its ingenuity and charity, with founder and former banker Shanaka Fernando claiming just 30 per cent of its meals were paid for (pictured: A worker) Employees were owed $110,000 when Lentil as Anything crashed, with a further $258,491 in superannuation The report found 'material deficiencies' in record keeping which 'render the books and records in their current state insufficient to enable true and fair financial statements to be prepared and audited.' This is also a possible offence. The Australian Tax Office and Fair Work Ombudsman took action against Lentil as Anything in 2020, before it ended operations in February this year. Its eccentric owner said at its peak it served more than 1million meals per year through stores in Sydney's Newtown, and Brunswick and St Kilda in Melbourne. A court has ordered a Japanese railway company to return 33p to a driver whose wages were docked because he was a minute late after his recent passing. The family of Hirofumi Wada, who was in his 50s and died of natural causes, received a posthumous award of the money from West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Last June he was scheduled to transport an empty train to Okayama Station, in the south of the country, but arrived at the wrong platform when taking over from another driver. The family of Hirofumi Wada, who was in his 50s, received a posthumous award of the money from West Japan Railway Company (file photo used) Speaking in court earlier this month, The Times reports Mr Wada said: 'I never meant to be lazy. Cutting pay despite the fact that I was working is against the labour standards law.' The court had also rejected a claim for more than 2.2million yen (13,200) - for emotional distress - according to the newspaper. According to NHK, Okayama District Court Judge Toshinori Okuno said: 'The plaintiff notices the mistake and heads to the correct boarding place and can claim wages because he is working to realize the instructed work.' After arriving at the wrong place in 2020, Mr Wada had hurried to the correct platform but the error meant the train's departure and arrival to the depot were both delayed by one minute - leading JR West to deduct 85 yen (51p) from his July paypacket. JR West argued that during the two-minute delay, 'no labor was performed', justifying a deduction in wages. The driver took the matter to the Okayama Labor Standards Inspection Office, leading JR West to reduce the delay time to one minute, and the penalty to just 43 yen (33p). But the employee refused to accept the deduction, arguing that the delay caused no disruption to the timetables given that the train was empty. He decided to take his case to the Okayama District Court last March and sought compensation of 43 yen (33p) for the one-minute delay penalty, 13 yen (0.078p) in overtime created by the delay and some 2.2 million yen (13,200) for 'mental anguish', reported SoraNews24. JR West cited its 'no work, no pay principle' as the motivation behind the pay cut, which it said is applied to anyone who arrives late or doesn't show up to work. The driver accused the company of 'using wage cuts as "sanctions" for human error', adding that a small mistake shouldn't be deemed a breach of contract. Japan's railways are some of the most punctual in the world and it is extremely rare for a train to depart at a different time to the one scheduled. In 2017, one train company apologised for the 'severe inconvenience' caused when a service departed 20 seconds early. Last June Mr Wada was scheduled to transport an empty train to Okayama Station but arrived at the wrong platform when taking over from another driver (file photo used) The train on the Tokyo-area Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company's Tsukuba Express was meant to leave at 9.44am. But the train instead left at 9:43:40, prompting an official apology on the company's website. It read: 'On November 14, at approximately 9:44 a.m., a northbound Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company (main office in Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, President & CEO Koichi Yugi) train left Minami Nagareyama Station roughly 20 seconds earlier than the time indicated on the timetable. 'We deeply apologise for the severe inconvenience imposed upon our customers.' The company blamed the crew for failing to 'sufficiently check the departure time and perform the departure operation'. No customers had complained about the early departure from Minami Nagareyama Station, which is just north of Tokyo, the company explained. 'We taught the crew so that the basic actions to prevent recurrence are thoroughly carried out,' the statement read before ending: 'That's all.' Russia's war hawk foreign minister Sergei Lavrov went on an official trip to Japan in the company of his 'mistress' and a Russian 'escort' famed for her nude pictures, a bombshell expose has claimed. Vladimir Putin's attack dog was pictured alongside long-term mistress Svetlana Polyakova and Ekaterina Lobanova, an X-rated model who goes by the name 'Lizzy Sex Relax' on one adult site, on the 2018 government trip. Lobanova was with the billionaire oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a personal friend of the 71-year-old foreign minister, who she is pictured next to outside the Tokyo restaurant. Lavrov took the official trip in the weeks following Russia's poisoning of Sergei Skripal as he pleaded with Japan to help locate the spy, according to the new investigation by The Insider and New Lines. Also seen in the photo is to the former owner of a strip club chain turned oil executive Gennady Rovner, Angelo Koo, a Taiwanese businessman even though Russia has no formal relations with the nation, and Lavrov's official interpreter. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (back, third from right) is pictured next to his alleged mistress Svetlana Polyakova (third from left), an 'escort' Ekaterina Lobanova (second right), oligarch Oleg Deripaska (back right) and strip club owner Gennady Rovner (bottom middle) on a 2018 Kremlin trip to Japan. Angelo Koo (second back left) and his official translator (back left) are also seen in the picture Lobanova is an X-rated model who goes by the name 'Lizzy Sex Relax' on one adult site, on the 2018 government trip The alleged escort (pictured) was at the time partnering sanctioned Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska Facial recognition software confirmed that Lobanova 'and the person in the photo with Lavrov and Deripaska are one and the same person', said the report. On one adult site, 'Lizzy Sex Relax' has amassed 183,000 'likes'. The newly-emerged photo bolsters jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny's claim that Lavrov regularly took 'mistress' Polyakova on official Kremlin trips, often at the expense of his billionaire friend Deripaska, who has been sanctioned by the West. The actress and restaurateur has held a position in the Russian Foreign Ministry since 2014 and has a 'long-standing and very close' relationship with Lavrov. She accompanies Lavrov on every foreign trip and has been on an official aircraft more than 60 times, according to the FBK, the anti-corruption foundation run by Navalny. Property records show that she and her family own real estate in Russia and Great Britain worth about 1 billion rubles. Polyakova's daughter Polina Kovaleva - seen as Lavrov's stepdaughter - was recently sanctioned by Britain over a 4.4million luxury apartment in London which she bought at the age of 21. Polyakova is often known as Svetlana Lavrova, even though the foreign minister's wife is Maria Lavrova. Svetlana Polyakova, 51, has allegedly been in a relationship with Lavrov since the early 2000s and is said to be his unofficial wife Little is known about Sergei Lavrov's 'official' wife Maria (left) and daughter Ekaterina (centre) She is a foreign ministry employee but is described as 'no ordinary bureaucrat'. An earlier investigation by the team of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny disclosed the close ties between Lavrov and tycoon Deripaska. 'The photo of Lavrov and Deripaska confirms the Navalny team's investigation, which found that the Russian Foreign Minister and his mistress Svetlana Polyakova, along with her mother and daughter, have been flying on Deripaska's planes, sailing on his yachts and living in his homes since at least 2014,' stated the new report. 'In particular, Lavrov's relatives have used the oligarch's planes to fly to Montenegro, Austria, Germany, Norway, and other countries. 'Polina, the foreign minister's stepdaughter, has repeatedly posted photos from homes owned by Deripaska. Imperial College graduate Polina Kovaleva, a jet-setting 26-year-old who has enjoyed exotic holidays and a first-class education in Britain, was identified as the daughter of the Russian Foreign Secretary's lover by allies of Alexei Navalny Polina lives in a stunning 4million home in Kensington, west London, allegedly bought 'in cash' when she was 21 'For example, she vacationed at the oligarch's villa in Montenegro and celebrated her 22nd birthday at his villa in Sardinia. 'At the same time, Polina calls Deripaska's real estate her 'second home'.' She is said to enjoy a lavish lifestyle described as like a 'non-stop holiday'. Deripaska owns the 50million Knightsbridge mansion which was taken over by squatters shortly after Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin-linked businessman has a multimillion-pound property portfolio in the UK which includes the house at 5 Belgrave Square, according to a 2007 High Court judgment. Deripaskal, a former business partner of Roman Abramovich, has intimate links with the British establishment, with Peter Mandelson and George Osborne previously visiting his 80million superyacht in Corfu. The oligarch, who is a grandson by marriage to the late leader of the Soviet Union Boris Yeltsin, has been sanctioned by the US since 2018 over alleged links to the Russian government, including allegations of cyber-attacks and election meddling. He was also added to the British sanctions list following the invasion. In a bitter 650million legal battle at the High Court in 2012, he was alleged to have ties to brutal organised crime gangs which emerged after the collapse of Communism in the former Soviet Union. He vehemently denied the allegations revealed in legal papers filed as part of the case and counter-claimed that he was the victim of an 'old-fashioned protection racket' run by the Mafia-style gangs. Deripaska, who was once Russia's richest man, was sanctioned by the British government in March He owns the 50million Knightsbridge mansion which was taken over by squatters shortly after Putin's invasion of Ukraine An intriguing web of connections links Deripaska - an energy and aluminium mogul with almost 3billion - both to Lavrov and his boss Putin, but also to Paul Manafort, chairman of Donald Trump's campaign staff and a lobbyist for the toppled government of pro-Russian Ukrainian former president Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort was convicted in the US in 2018 of tax evasion, bank fraud, failure to disclose a hidden account at a foreign bank and conspiracy with foreign authorities. He was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, but pardoned by Trump in December 2020. Lavrov is sanctioned by Britain and the EU and is seen as an apologist for Putin's bloody invasion. The OCCRP report last year stated: 'Polyakova's daughter Polina, 26, studied at the Imperial College Business School in London.' She has been called Lavrov's 'stepdaughter'. 'She owns a company in the British capital, PPK Investments Ltd, which is registered at a house in Kensington, one of the city's most expensive districts,' said the report. 'The company's principal activity is buying and selling real estate. 'In 2016, Polina leased an apartment in the same building for 999 years, a common form of indirect real estate ownership in the United Kingdom. 'She paid 4.4 million ($6.2 million) for the lease. 'At the time, she was just 21-years-old.' The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will supply the weapons demanded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a series of rants scathing against Germany for not following the example of the other bloc members. Berlin does not want to prolong and escalate the Ukrainian conflict that could lead to World War 3. The presence of the Neo-Nazi Azov battalion and white supremacists make the transfer of these weapons dangerous though the US and EU are pressuring Scholz. German Not To Send Weapons To Ukraine A German MP stated the Chancellor said the weapons demanded by Kyiv are not to be trusted with weapons that could lead to a widespread war, reported the Express UK. Berlin has been under intense pressure, including from members of the Chancellor's ruling coalition, to increase military assistance to Kyiv. In supplying heavy weapons, including tanks, a key figure among Germany's Greens urged the Bundestag to halt sending aid. Despite the Chancellor's promise to organize more military shipments to Ukrainians to assure the ability to fight off Russia's invasion, national and international discontent with his war leadership is mounting, noted Reuters. Green MP Anton Hofreiter, the chair of the Bundestag's European Affairs Committee, said Germany's position is risky, as reluctance to take a stronger stand in the fight might extend the battle and lead to invasions of other countries. The problem is German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on a TV program that putting the brakes on penalties and weaponry supply as asked by Zelensky, and there is a risk that the war may drag on indefinitely, cited the Head Topics. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? One main argument why Scholz should allow the shipments according to the green MP; was that if they didn't, it would be an extended de facto Third World War. His comments come on Germany's declaration that it will equip Ukraine with heavy artillery ammunition and training. A senior government official remarked the training and ammunition are for the PzH 2000, a self-propelled, rapid-fire artillery system that the Netherlands supplies. The person, who did not want to be mentioned, told Bloomberg that the training might take place in Poland or Germany, but not in Ukraine, due to current Russian attacks. Germany's Reluctance Is Dangerous During a trip to Riga, Latvia, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who has led calls for heavy armament for Ukraine, announced on Wednesday. Adding Germany will assist with training and maintenance if partners deliver artillery that we can no longer deliver. Furthermore, rather than training people, Hofreiter thinks Berlin could hand over tanks it does not require and replace them with new ones from the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. Moreover, the Green politician rejected the argument, among others, that Germany's armaments supply options have been limited because the Ukrainian army lacked modern weapons technology training. Hofreiter's feelings about Scholz's government are well-known. The issue is that the Chancellor supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons is a priority. He is speculating why stopping the transfer of weapons, speaking to the media. According to him, the Chancellor is not only damaging Ukraine's situation but is also undermining Germany's reputation in Europe and around the world. Related Article: German Dependence on Russian Gas Blamed for Upcoming Economic Downturn Due to Increased Pressure To Agree With EU Embargo @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Anthony Albanese has tested positive to Covid one day after his first election debate with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, despite Labor making extreme efforts to prevent him becoming infected while campaigning. The Labor leader said on Thursday evening he had been struck down with the virus and would spend the next seven days isolating in Sydney. Mr Albanese's positive result has thrown his election campaign plans into disarray, but the PM hopeful is expected to keep Labor in voters' minds by doing radio, TV and online interviews from his home. Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles is understood to be earmarked to step in to replace Mr Albanese at key events. 'While at home I will continue my responsibilities as alternative Prime Minister and will be fighting for a better future for Australians,' Mr Albanese said after revealing his positive result. 'I am grateful to know that I will have access to the world's best health care if I need it, because of Medicare. 'I am feeling fine so far - and thank everyone for their well wishes.' Anthony Albanese (pictured) has tested positive to Covid as the election campaign heats up The Labor leader said on Thursday evening he had been struck down with the virus and would spend the next seven days isolating in Sydney Mr Albanese had been at Bluesfest in Byron Bay on Sunday, attended by more then 100,000 people, with northern NSW seeing a spike in Covid infections this week. Two monthly highs of 631 cases on Wednesday and 719 infections on Thursday have been recorded - around double the daily cases average over the past two weeks. Some areas in northern NSW are also lagging in vaccination rates. Mr Albanese said he'd been testing regularly during his time on the election campaign, and had taken a PCR test ahead of a scheduled trip to Western Australia. The man vying for Australia's top job has been out and about campaigning in the community in recent days, meeting voters and shaking hands with the election just weeks away. His party's formal launch is set for May 1 in Perth. On Wednesday night he went head-to-head with Mr Morrison for Sky News and The Courier Mail's People's Forum. The PM tested positive to the virus himself in early March. Mr Morrison tweeted on Thursday evening saying he wished Mr Albanese all the best in his recovery. 'Everyone's experience with Covid is different and as Labor's campaign continues, I hope he does not experience any serious symptoms,' the PM said. Mr Morrison is not considered a close contact and it's understood he has personally reached out to Mr Albanese. Labor had put in strong measures to try prevent any spread of Covid after members of the party recently tested positive. Mr Albanese and Mr Morrison are seen shaking hands during the first election debate on Wednesday Mr Albanese is seen campaigning in NSW's South Coast on Thursday before testing positive He spent Thursday campaigning in NSW's South Coast for the seat of Gilmore where he visited a distillery and an aged care assisted living facility Media joining Mr Albanese on the campaign trail must be triple vaccinated, wear an N95 mask in most settings and take rapid tests every three days. Thursday's result is the first time Mr Albanese has tested positive to Covid, with his team reportedly meeting on Thursday night to decide on a contingency plan. Senior shadow ministers like Penny Wong, Jim Chalmers and Mark Butler are also expected to step up in his absence. Mr Albanese had been in Brisbane from Monday to Wednesday this week. He spent Thursday campaigning in NSW's South Coast for the seat of Gilmore where he visited a distillery and a retirement village. He also posed for photos with locals at a cafe in Ryde in Sydney's north. Mr Albanese and Mr Morrison clashed on Wednesday night during the first debate in front of a room of 100 undecided voters. The PM sensationally accused Mr Albanese of 'siding with China' following the Communist country's security pact with the Solomon Islands. Mr Albanese is seen posing for photos with locals in Ryde in Sydney on Thursday The Labor leader is seen speaking with reporters at a shopping centre in Ryde today Mr Albanese's positive result is a major roadblock in his campaign trail (pictured in Bomaderry, NSW on Thursday) The Prime Minister said the deal between China and one of Australia's closest neighbours came after years of Chinese interference in the region and Australia wasn't to blame. He then questioned why Labor had criticised the country's response as the 'worst foreign policy failure' since World War II. 'Why would you take China's side?' Mr Morrison said. Mr Albanese erupted at the question, saying: 'That's an outrageous slur from the prime minister - national security shouldn't be the subject of that sort of slur'. 'This is a Pacific stuff up, not step up. We should have been on top of this issue.' Tensions also rose between the pair when discussing housing affordability, with Mr Albanese taking a swipe at the PM's suggestion to those struggling to afford rent to consider buying a house. Josef Fritzl is set to be released from a psychiatric detention facility and moved to a regular prison to serve the rest of his sentence for imprisoning and raping his daughter for 24 years. A court ruled that the notorious Austrian, who fathered seven of his daughter's children, should be moved. Fritzl - who changed his name to Mayrhoff - will remain where he is while an appeal by prosecutors is under consideration. Fritzl's crime was revealed in 2008. He was sentenced in 2009 to life imprisonment for incest, rape, coercion, false imprisonment, enslavement and for the negligent homicide of one of his infant sons. A three-judge state court panel ruled that he now should be moved from psychiatric detention on the basis of a new assessment, court spokesman Ferdinand Schuster told the Austria Press Agency on Wednesday. The panel at the state court in Krems set a 10-year probation period and other conditions. The court decision, which needs approval in Vienna, is based on a psychiatric report, according to which the inmate no longer poses any danger. Josef Fritzl is set to be released from a psychiatric detention facility and moved to a regular prison to serve the rest of his sentence for imprisoning and raping his daughter for 24 years. Pictured: Fritzl is shown in the yard of a prison (file photo) A court ruled that the notorious Austrian (pictured in a mugshot in 2008), who fathered seven of his daughter's children, should be moved. Fritzl - who changed his name to Mayrhoff - will remain where he is while an appeal by prosecutors is under consideration Prosecutors appealed, sending the case to a higher court in Vienna. Fritzl, 87, will remain in a psychiatric facility while that court considers the appeal. The decision is not legally binding until the higher court in the Austrian capital rules on the matter. If approved in Vienna, this would make Fritzl eligible for early release next year, in 2023, as- under Austrian law - he has already served 15 years of his sentence. While unlikely, a 2023 release would mean he spent less time in jail than the time he kept his daughter locked up in the basement he built under their home. A previous decision to move Fritzl to a normal prison, based on a psychiatric assessment that he no longer posed a danger, was issued in Krems in September and overturned on appeal. The higher court sent the case back to Krems in November, arguing that the state court provided insufficient reasoning for its decision. The Krems court is legally obliged to review regularly whether holding Fritzl in a psychiatric facility remains justified. Fritzl's daughter disappeared in 1984 at age 18, re-emerging in 2008 from the dungeon-like basement chamber in the town of Amstetten where her father had kept her captive. Fritzl built the basement himself. The abuse resulted in the birth of seven children - three of which remained in captivity with their mother. One died at the hands of Fritzl, a matter of days after being born. His disposed of the body in an incinerator. The other three were brought up Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie. Fritzl's crime was revealed in 2008 - 24 years after his daughter (pictured in a school photo) went missing. He was sentenced in 2009 to life imprisonment for incest, rape, coercion, false imprisonment, enslavement and for the negligent homicide of one of his infant sons A photo taken by a forensic team and released by the Austrian police with permission of Austria's prosecution office on April 28, 2008 shows a view into a hidden room in a house in Amstetten, Austria Josef Fritzl is seen at the County Court of St. Poelten in Austria for his trial, March 19, 2009 It was reported in 2019 that Fritzl, then 84, was exhibiting signs of dementia and that his mental health was deteriorating. He was said to be extremely unpopular with other inmates at the Krems-Stein prison and spent much of his time in solitary confinement. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Fritzl has not had any contact with her father since he was jailed and lives under a new alias in an unknown part of Austria with the children conceived during the decades her own father brutally raped her. Fritzl's horrific crimes were only discovered when one of the children, Kerstin, slipped into a coma and he took her to hospital where doctors noted her malnourished condition and rotting teeth. When Elisabeth, now 55, was given permission to finally leave the dungeon to visit Kerstin in hospital, she was arrested and subsequently told the police about the horrific crimes her father had committed. Fritzl said during his trial that he 'actually meant well' before being jailed. Boris Johnson today doubled down in his row with the Church over his plan to fly thousands of migrants to Rwanda, branding the scheme 'morally right'. The Prime Minister has this week become embroiled in a war-of-words with top clergymen about the 120m agreement struck with the African country. Under the new policy, migrants who enter Britain illegally will be sent 4,000 miles away for processing. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have slammed the proposed scheme to send some aslyum seekers on a one-way trip. They have spoken out on 'moral and ethical grounds' against the plans. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, used his Easter Sunday address to claim the policy cannot 'stand the judgment of God'. The row deepened when Mr Johnson told Conservative MPs at a private meeting that Church leaders had 'misconstrued the policy'. The PM was also said to have suggested senior clergymen had been 'less vociferous' in their condemnation of Vladimir Putin's barbaric assault on Ukraine than about his new migration plans. Mr Johnson defended his remarks to MPs and the Rwanda plan as he spoke to journalists on his trip to India. 'I have a very good relationship with the Archbishop,' he said. 'All I was saying was I think we have an excellent policy to try to stop people drowning at sea, in the Channel, and I was surprised to find it criticised. 'I think it's the morally right thing to do, to stop criminal, cynical gangs from exploiting people and sending them to a watery grave. I think it's a sensible, brave and original policy.' Speaking on his visit to India, Boris Johnson said his plan to send some migrants to Rwanda was the 'morally right thing to do' The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, used his Easter Sunday address to claim the new migration policy cannot 'stand the judgment of God' The PM denied claims that he had also used the private meeting to blast the BBC's coverage of his Rwanda scheme. 'What I said was, and I was very mild, I'm surprised this has engaged such a response,' he added. 'All I said is I thought the policy had been misconstrued on the BBC and by some parts of the clergy, that's what I said.' It was today revealed that Home Secretary Priti Patel is facing an internal mutiny over the Rwanda asylum deal with some staff threatening to strike. Certain Home Office employees branded the policy 'totally unethical' and asked if they can refuse to work on the scheme. Yesterday, the Archbishop of Canterbury refused to back down in his row with the PM and lashed out at Mr Johnson. Lambeth Palace said both the Archbishops of Canterbury and York had 'condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an act of great evil and spoken out repeatedly against it'. A spokesman said the pair remained 'gravely concerned' by the Rwanda proposals' and added they would 'continue to speak out against these plans on moral and ethical grounds'. A fresh row over the Government's Rwanda plans also erupted today after Conservatives put the issue at the heart of their campaigning ahead of next month's local elections. In a series of adverts, the Tories targeted Labour MPs and claimed they had 'voted to keep illegal migrants in Britain'. The Tories have targeted Labour MPs - such as Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynoldsa - and claimed they had 'voted to keep illegal migrants in Britain' The Conservative attack adverts against Labour MPs come ahead of next month's local elections In response to the adverts, a Labour source attacked Home Secretary Priti Patel's record on illegal migration across the Channel Last night, Labour voted against the Government on its Nationality and Borders Bill, which would allow the UK to send asylum seekers to a 'safe third country'. Shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock said Labour does not support the Rwanda plan and described the bill as 'profoundly inadequate and mean-spirited'. In their adverts, the Tories have targeted senior Labour frontbenchers such as shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds. One read: 'Your MP voted AGAINST the Borders Bill - which takes back control of our borders, allows us to remove those here illegally, and tackles Channel crossings.' A Labour source branded the adverts as 'yet another lie from the Tories' and attacked Ms Patel's record on illegal migration across the Channel. They added: 'Labour wants stronger action against trafficking gangs but under Priti Patel small boat crossings have soared and this unworkable bill makes it worse. 'No one believes a word she or Boris Johnson say.' Advertisement Showing off his toned abs and tanned skin, a young Sir David Attenborough is seen fronting his first documentary series - nearly 70 years ago. The much-loved broadcaster first presented the BBC's Zoo Quest in 1954, with the initial series filmed in Sierra Leone. The naturalist, who only stepped in as presenter when zoologist Jack Lester fell ill, was pictured meeting the residents of a village, who were amazed when he played back recordings to them. In the show's second series, in 1956, Sir David, now aged 30, was seen shirtless and clutching a bottle of water as he sailed in Borneo in search of the Komodo dragon. The places and animals that he encountered were entirely unfamiliar to the Britons watching back in the UK and the show made him a household name. Sir David went on to front dozens of nature programmes on the BBC over the course of six decades and was today rewarded for his efforts by the United Nations, who named him a 'Champion of the Earth'. Sir David Attenborough fronted his first nature programme with Zoo Quest, the first series of which aired on the BBC in 1954. Above: Sir David is seen shirtless on a boat near Borneo in the show's second series in 1956 Sir David is seen shortly after crossing a river during filming for Zoo Quest. The broadcaster was wearing an open white shirt Whilst it was initially believed that the Zoo Quest series' had been shot in black and white - because that was how they aired on British screens - it later emerged that they had been filmed in colour. The BBC then unearthed the original colour footage in 2015. Above: Sir David in the programme The naturalist, who only stepped in as presenter when zoologist Jack Lester fell ill, was seen meeting the residents of a village in Sierra Leone in the first series in 1954. The locals were amazed when he played back recordings to them Sir David, who was knighted in 1985, went to Sierra Leone in 1954 as a producer on Zoo Quest. The intention of the programme was to film Lester and his fellow zoologist Alfred Woods as they collected animals for London Zoo. He then stepped in when Lester fell ill with an unknown tropical illness. The zoologist died from his mysterious ailment in 1956. The footage was shot in the wild by cameraman Charles Lagus. As well as the trips to Sierra Leone and Borneo, the Zoo Quest team also travelled to Guiana, Paraguay and Madagascar. Whilst it was initially believed that the Zoo Quest series' had been shot in black and white - because that was how they aired on British screens - it later emerged that they had been filmed in colour. The original colour footage was discovered by the BBC in 2015 and was shown the following year to mark Sir David's 90th birthday. Sir David (pictured last year) was today rewarded for his efforts by the United Nations, who gave him a lifetime achievement award Sir David is seen with a chimp named Jane after returning with her from his expedition to Sierra Leone in 1954, where scenes were filmed for the first Zoo Quest series Sir David said he was 'astonished' when he was told about the existence of the colour film and said he had believed it was 'impossible' because 'we shot in black and white'. Zoo Quest made sir David a star and he went on to become the controller of BBC2, where he oversaw the introduction of colour television. He then realised his ambition to make a major natural history programme using latest cutting edge technology. What followed was the 13-part Life on Earth series, which began in 1979. Sir David is also known for shows including The Living Planet, The Life of Birds, Blue Planet, and, most recently, Extinction: The Facts. This week, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP). Upon receiving the honour, Sir David urged action to prevent further destruction of the planet. 'The world has to get together. These problems cannot be solved by one nation no matter how big that single nation is,' he said. Sir David is seen with recording equipment as cameraman Charles Lagus films behind him for Zoo Quest 'We know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action. 'Fifty years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide. Then people got together and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen. 'If we act together, we can solve these problems.' Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, said: 'Sir David Attenborough has devoted his life to documenting the love story between humans and nature, and broadcasting it to the world. Sir David is seen introducing the Zoo Quest programme from a studio in the UK Prince Charles with his sister Princess Anne meet David Attenborough and Cocky, the cockatoo brought back from his last Zoo Quest expedition, at the BBC Television Studios in Lime Grove, London, 1958 'If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, its because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television. 'Sir Davids work will continue to inspire people of all ages to care for nature and to become the restoration generation.' The UN Environment Programme's 'Champions of the Earth' honours individuals, groups, and organisations whose actions have had a transformative impact on the environment. The annual Champions of the Earth Award is the UNs highest environmental honour, and recognises outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector. Advertisement Prince Harry could have been referring to the Queen's private secretary Sir Edward Young or her dresser Angela Kelly when he spoke about ensuring his grandmother has 'the right people around her', it has been claimed. The Duke of Sussex appeared to make a swipe at royal household staff during his interview with NBC which aired yesterday, including the so-called 'men in grey suits' who advise the Queen - and possibly even his own family. But Harry did not elaborate on whether he was referring to royal aides or members of his own family. Speaking of meeting his grandmother at Windsor Castle last Thursday, the Duke said: 'It was great. It was really nice to see her in some element of privacy. Being with her it was great, it was just so nice to see her, she's on great form. 'She's always got a great sense of humour with me and I'm just making sure that she's protected and got the right people around her. Both Meghan and I had tea with her, so it was really nice to catch up with her. We have a really special relationship, we talk about things that she can't talk about with anybody else.' Royal author Tom Bower told MailOnline that he believed the comment by Harry was directed at Sir Edward in addition to the Duke's father Prince Charles and brother Prince William with whom he has an ongoing feud. Mr Bower, who wrote the 2018 book 'Rebel Prince' about Charles, told MailOnline: 'On 'protecting' the Queen, he is not only targeting Charles and William but also Edward Young her private secretary. Harry's full demands have been rebuffed and he is hitting out at those standing in the way of promoting the Sussex's self-promotion. 'To enhance his credibility in America and for Netflix he needs to pretend that he has a special relationship with the Queen. I don't believe the British public would tolerate Harry and Meghan on the balcony. Allowing them there would be self-destructive for the monarchy. That's why I don't believe they will come.' There were also some less serious suggestions, with the Telegraph's royal expert Camilla Tominey saying a palace observer joked Harry might think the 'right kind of people' would be his friends Oprah Winfrey as the 'new press secretary', Ellen DeGeneres as 'head of personal protection' and Sir Elton John as the new 'Mistress of the Robes'. The Duke of Sussex appeared to issue a veiled warning to those closest to the Queen during the interview shown on NBC yesterday, saying he wanted to make sure his grandmother was 'protected' and had 'the right people around her' Prince Harry could have been referring to the Queen's private secretary Sir Edward Young (left) or her dresser Angela Kelly (right) when he spoke about ensuring his grandmother has 'the right people around her', it has been claimed The Queen stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony in London in July 2018 along with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle The Queen is seen leaving Wood Farm near Sandringham in Norfolk today in a Range Rover on what is her 96th birthday It comes after Harry told Oprah Winfrey during his bombshell CBS interview in March 2021 that Sir Edward had given the Queen some 'really bad' advice ahead of him stepping down as a senior royal along with Meghan. The Duke had claimed in the chat that the Queen invited him along with Meghan to talk and stay overnight at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk following the decision to end their official royal duties in January 2020. Six of the Queen's most trusted friends & advisors Sir Edward Young: The Queen's private secretary is one of the most important members of the Royal Household, having joined in 2004 and is the official 'channel of communication between the head of state and the government' according to Buckingham Palace. Angela Kelly: The Queen's dresser, aide and confidante who has spent 20 years in service to the monarch and was permitted to write a memoir of her time at the palace. She was allegedly involved in the Tiaragate affair involving Meghan Markle's wedding tiara in 2018. Princess Alexandra of Kent: The Queen's cousin is a working royal who was one of her bridesmaids at her wedding. She is 57th in line to the throne, having been born in sixth position in 1936, and has represented the Queen both in Britain and abroad. Susan Rhodes: Part of HMS Bubble who protected the Queen at Windsor Castle at the height of the pandemic, and become one of her ladies-in-waiting in 2017. She is married to Simon Rhodes, son of the Queen's cousin Margaret Rhodes. Lady Susan Hussey: As one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, she has been with the monarch since 1960 and was dubbed 'number one Head Girl'. She was also in HMS Bubble and travelled with the Queen to St George's Chapel for Prince Philip's funeral in 2021. Lady Sarah Chatto: Lady Sarah is the daughter of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon and has previously been described as the Queen's 'absolute favourite younger royal'. She is a successful artist and is 28th in line to the throne. Advertisement But Harry said that Sir Edward then got in touch with him to say the Queen was 'busy all week'. The Duke added that he then phoned his grandmother who confirmed that her diary was now full. Speaking in an excerpt of the interview that did not form part of the original broadcast on CBS in the US but was shown the morning after when Oprah appeared on the network's This Morning, Harry said: 'I didn't want to push because I kind of knew what was going on.' Oprah replied: 'Doesn't the Queen get to do what the Queen wants to do?' But Harry said: 'No, when you are head of The Firm there's people around you that give you advice and what has also made me really sad is that some of that advice has been really bad.' There have also been suggestions from style expert Hilary Rose in The Times that Harry could have been referring to Ms Kelly, who is the Queen's dresser as well as one of her closest aides and personal advisers. It has been claimed that the infamous Tiaragate affair in 2018 involving Meghan's choice of wedding tiara centred around a conversation between Ms Kelly and Harry in which he allegedly shouted at her: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' Ms Kelly - the daughter of a Liverpool dockworker - wrote the book 'The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe' about working with the monarch, which was published in October 2019 with an updated edition set to come out next month. The book is expected to reveal how Ms Kelly helped to remove the Queen's coat following the funeral of her late husband Prince Philip in April 2021, and looked on as the monarch entered her private sitting room to mourn privately. Harry, who is in the Netherlands hosting his Invictus Games, was also asked on NBC whether he missed the Prince of Wales or Duke of Cambridge, but side-stepped the question and said he was focused on the competitors and their families. His comments are likely to deepen the rifts between the duke and the institution of the monarchy and his family, who until a few years ago appeared to have his backing. Harry also said he did not know if he will return to the UK to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, saying there are 'security issues and everything else'. And he appeared to commit his immediate future to the US, saying: 'Home for me now is, you know, for the time being, it's in the States, and it feels that way as well.' The royal family have rallied round the Queen since her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, died in April, and she has been supported by a smaller and closer-knit group from her household during the lockdowns of the past two years. Harry and Meghan left for a new life in North America just before the pandemic struck and so have watched developments in the UK from afar, but during that time they laid bare their experiences of life in the royal family in the devastating Oprah interview. The couple accused an un-named member of the royal family - not the Queen or Philip - of racism and painted the monarchy as an uncaring institution. The duke has commented in the past about his rift with Charles and how he and William are on 'different paths' and have good and bad days in their relationship. Asked by Hoda Kotb, co-presenter of the NBC News morning show Today, if he missed his father or brother, Harry replied: 'For me at the moment I'm here focused on these guys and giving everything I can 120 per cent to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey during their bombshell chat on CBS in March 2021 Meghan Markle is friends with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and appeared on her programme in California last November Harry is also friends with Sir Elton John. They are pictured together during the Aids 2018 summit in Amsterdam in July 2018 When asked by NBC's Hoda Kotb if he missed the Prince of Wales or Duke of Cambridge, Harry, who is in the Netherlands hosting his Invictus Games, side-stepped the question and said he was focused on the competitors and their families Harry said during the NBC chat that he did not know if he will return to the UK to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee A new portrait of the Queen released by The Royal Windsor Horse Show to mark the occasion of her 96th birthday today 'That's my focus here and when I leave here, I go back and my focus is my family, who I miss massively.' Prince Harry on secret Queen trip, how America is 'home' and whether he misses William & Charles On visiting the Queen : 'Being with her, it was great. It was just so nice to see her. You know, she's on great form. She has always got a great sense of humour with me and I'm just making sure she's protected and has got the right people around her.' : 'Being with her, it was great. It was just so nice to see her. You know, she's on great form. She has always got a great sense of humour with me and I'm just making sure she's protected and has got the right people around her.' On the best thing about the Queen : 'Her sense of humour and her ability to see the humour in so many different things. We have a really special relationship. We talk about things that she can't talk about with anybody else, so that is always a nice peace to her. But I think she's... I think after a certain age you get bored of birthdays.' : 'Her sense of humour and her ability to see the humour in so many different things. We have a really special relationship. We talk about things that she can't talk about with anybody else, so that is always a nice peace to her. But I think she's... I think after a certain age you get bored of birthdays.' On whether he misses William and Charles : 'Look I mean, for me at the moment, I'm here focused on these guys and these families and giving everything that I can, 120 per cent to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime. That's my focus here. And when I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family who I miss massively.' : 'Look I mean, for me at the moment, I'm here focused on these guys and these families and giving everything that I can, 120 per cent to them to make sure they have the experience of a lifetime. That's my focus here. And when I leave here, I get back and my focus is on my family who I miss massively.' On whether he will attend the Platinum Jubilee celebrations : 'I don't know yet. There's lots of things with security issues and everything else. This is what I'm trying to do, trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet her.' : 'I don't know yet. There's lots of things with security issues and everything else. This is what I'm trying to do, trying to make it possible that I can get my kids to meet her.' On Archie : 'He's into the why stage. Why this? Why that? Why that? And instead of just trying to move it on, I give him the most honest answer I can. And then it goes on and on and on until he's satisfied. And then that's it. It's done. Otherwise it ends up with - because the world is round and that it is the way life is.' : 'He's into the why stage. Why this? Why that? Why that? And instead of just trying to move it on, I give him the most honest answer I can. And then it goes on and on and on until he's satisfied. And then that's it. It's done. Otherwise it ends up with - because the world is round and that it is the way life is.' On America being his new home : 'Home for me now is, you know, for the time being, it's in the States. And it feels that way as well.' : 'Home for me now is, you know, for the time being, it's in the States. And it feels that way as well.' On his late mother Princess Diana : 'It is almost as though she's done her bit with my brother and now she's very much, like, helping me. Got him set up. And now she's helping me set up. That's what it feels like, you know? He's got his kids. I've got my kids, you know the circumstances are obviously different. But now, I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now. But definitely more so in the last two years than ever before. Without question. So she's watching over us.' Advertisement Harry and his wife Meghan had tea with the Queen last week when they stopped off in the UK on their way to the Invictus Games. There has been speculation about whether Harry will make a balcony appearance with the Queen during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. When asked about returning to the UK for the event with his grandmother he replied: 'I don't know yet, there's lots of things - security issues and everything else. So this is what I'm trying to do, trying to make it possible that, you know, I can get my kids to meet her.' Harry is bringing a legal claim against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself. The duke wants to bring his children to visit from the US, but he and his family are 'unable to return to his home' because it is too dangerous, a representative previously said. Harry also suggested his grandmother, who turned 96 today, may find the anniversary a bit underwhelming. Asked to name the best thing about the Queen, Harry replied it was her sense of humour, adding: 'But I think after a certain age you get bored of birthdays.' He was questioned about his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, and Harry said: 'It's almost as though she's done her bit with my brother and now she's very much helping me.' The duke added: 'I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now. But definitely more so in the last 10 years then ever before.' And her memory was being shared with son Archie: '(We) tell him all the stuff that happened...'this is Grandam Diana' and we've got a couple of photos up in the house.' The couple moved to Montecito, California, following their decision to step down as senior royals in 2020, saying they wanted a new life of personal and financial freedom. The duke gave a glimpse into their life, saying: 'This whole working from home stuff is not all it's cracked up to be, certainly post Covid. 'Because it's really hard when your kids and you are in the same place, it's really hard to separate the work from them because they kind of overlap. 'Archie spends more time interrupting our Zoom calls then anybody else.' Boris Johnson brushed aside criticism of India's relationship with Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine today as he outlined hopes of security a trade deal with New Delhi by the autumn. The Prime Minister landed in Gujarat today for a two-day visit designed to strengthen economic relations with the Modi government. But it comes as Mr Modi faces criticism for failing to join Western condemnation of Vladimir Putin over his bloody war of aggression against Kyiv. India imports defence equipment and oil from Russia and has continued to do so despite embargoes imposed elsewhere. Mr Johnson said he would raise the issue but appeared to downplay the difference, saying: 'India and Russia have, historically, a very different relationship, perhaps than Russia and the UK have had over the last couple of decades. 'We have to reflect that reality but clearly I'll be talking about it to Narendra Modi.' He added that he hopes to broker a post-Brexit free trade deal with India within months in an apparent hastening of his ambition. The Prime Minister landed in Gujarat today for a two-day visit designed to strengthen economic relations with the Modi government. Mr Johnson said he would raise the issue but appeared to downplay the difference, saying: 'India and Russia have, historically, a very different relationship, perhaps than Russia and the UK have had over the last couple of decades.' It comes as Mr Modi faces criticism for failing to join Western condemnation of Vladimir Putin over his bloody war of aggression against Kyiv. The Prime Minister has indicated that a deal will include accepting Delhi's demands for an increase in migration to the UK. Mr Johnson had earlier put his target for a deal as being by the end of the year but appeared to shorten the timeframe during an interview in Gujarat. He last night opened the door last night to easing immigration rules with India, saying that the UK is short of 'hundreds of thousands' of IT experts. 'On immigration I've always been in favour of having people coming to this country,' he said. 'We have a massive shortage in the UK, not least in experts in IT and programmers. We need to have a professional approach but it has to be controlled.' Ahead of his trip to India, Mr Johnson promised to use the visit to continue his push for countries to cut their economic ties - including imports of oil and gas - with Russia. The PM has been a key player in Western efforts to starve Vladimir Putin of cash to fund his brutal invasion of Ukraine. Concerns have been expressed that India's failure to wholeheartedly condemn Russia for the conflict in Ukraine are due to the country's economic, diplomatic and military links with Moscow. 'India and the UK both share anxieties about autocracies around the world. We're both democracies, and we want to stick together,' Mr Johnson added today, stressing the need to move away from relying on foreign hydrocarbons. 'One of the things that we're talking about is what we can do to build partnerships on hydrogen, on electric vehicles, on offshore wind... there's also the opportunity for us to deepen our security and defence partnership.' Earlier Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi suggested that India had been 'neutral' over the conflict. He told Sky News: 'Around 65 percent of the Indian military hardware is Russian. 'We want to change that, we want to see India be looking at buying western defence weapons and other weaponry in the trade deal.' Advertisement The bodies of more than 1,000 innocent Ukrainian civilians are being stored in morgues near Kyiv after Russian troops abandoned their savage campaign to take the capital. More and more corpses are continuing to pile up after the Kremlin withdrawal from central Ukraine revealed the scale of horrors in towns such as Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka, after they were recaptured. Many bodies were dumped in mass graves or left rotting on the street showing signs of torture. '1,020 bodies (of) civilians, only civilians, in the areas of all the Kyiv region,' were discovered, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, told AFP in Borodyanka. 'These are only civilians collected from buildings, but also on the streets,' she said, adding the bodies date back to the beginning of the savage invasion. Zena Laboonska weeps as she places her hand over the body of her son Sergey Sydorchuk, age 31, who was killed in Borodyanka Bodies waiting to be identified by their families, are seen outside the morgue amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Bucha The Kyiv suburb was heavily damaged in fighting between invading Russian forces and Ukrainian troops weeks before Natalia Maznichenko, 57, stands beside the coffin of her husband Vasyl Maznichenko, 61, in Bucha today amid scenes of grief across Ukraine Maznichenko, 57, holds a photograph of her husband Vasyl Maznichenko, 61, who according to her was killed during Russian shelling on their home Her comments came after police in the Kyiv region said they had discovered the remains of nine civilians in Borodyanka, some 34 miles from the capital, buried in communal graves. Oleksandr Pavliuk, the Kyiv regional governor, said the dead were 'either killed or tortured to death during the hostilities.' 'Forensic experts are now examining the bodies, but what we saw was hands tied behind the back, their legs tied and shot through the limbs, and in the back of the head,' he added. Head of the police in the Kyiv region Andriy Niebytov added: 'These people were killed by the occupiers and some show signs of torture. I want to emphasise that these people were civilians. 'The Russian military knowingly shot civilians who did not put up any resistance.' Ludmilla mourns her father-in-law at the service in Bucha today on the outskirts of Kyiv where Russia is accused of carrying out war crimes Volodymyr Chaika, 55, reacts after looking through a refrigerator truck outside a morgue as he has been trying find his brother-in-law Andrew Voznenko, 43, for three days Workers take a break next to body bags as they exam the bodies of victims at a morgue in Bucha where Russian troops are accused of carrying out war crimes The horrors started with discoveries in Bucha that have led Ukrainian officials to accuse Russia of genocide Bodies waiting to be identified by their families, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are seen outside the morgue in Bucha Natalia hugs her son as she mourns the death of her husband in the Ukrainian town of horrors where hundreds of civilians were slaughtered Niebytov said police had discovered two graves around Borodyanka. In one grave, three people - including a 15-year-old girl - were discovered and a second grave held the bodies of six people, he said. All of them were locals, he added. The withdrawal of Russian forces left a horrific trail of civilian deaths in a senseless onslaught by Putin's troops now they have completely given up on Ukraine's major cities and focused instead on the Donbas. The horrors started with discoveries in Bucha that have led Ukrainian officials to accuse Russia of genocide. At the beginning of April, prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova told journalists that Ukraine had recovered 410 civilian bodies from areas it retook from the Russian army in the wider Kyiv region. The bodies of four people who died during the Russian occupation await burial during funerals in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv Irpin suffered huge civilian casualties after weeks under Russian occupation, with horrific accounts of deliberate killings of civilians carried out by Putin's men (pictured, newly-dug graves on the outskirts of the city) A woman weeps over the coffin of a dead loved one as Ukrainian civilians bury their dead in a huge graveyard on the outskirts of Irpin, near Kyiv, which was previously occupied by Russian troops Since being liberated, numerous Russian atrocities have also come to light in Irpin, and a vast graveyard has been growing by the day as more bodies of civilians and soldiers killed by Russian forces are discovered. Such scenes have become all-too-common across Ukraine since Russian forces began their barbaric invasion on February 24, when they entered Ukraine and began besieging towns and cities on Putin's orders. Irpin - along with the neighbouring of Bucha - is one of many sites across the country where Russian forces are accused of carrying out war crimes, indiscriminately attacking and executing civilians. Russia denies targeting civilians and has dismissed allegations its troops committed war crimes in occupied areas of Ukraine - despite mounting evidence against them. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation against Russia, with chief prosecutor Karim Khan QC visiting Irpin's neighbouring town Bucha last week - where hundreds more bodies have been found. Ukrainian officials fear the worst of the horrors still lie waiting in Mariupol which Putin claimed today has been finally captured by his forces. Instead of launching a final assault on the Azovstal steel plant - the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the devastated coastal city - he said he wanted his forces to completely block off the complex instead, 'so even a fly cannot escape'. President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the Russian military to cancel plans to storm a Mariupol steelworks. Pictured: Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media A service member of pro-Russian troops is seen on an armoured personnel carrier as evacuees board buses to leave the city during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port of Mariupol, Ukraine April 20, 2022 Local resident Tamara, 71, cries in front of an apartment building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Putin gave the order to Sergei Shoigu, his defence minister, who had previously told his boss more than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters were still holed up in the vast plant, which has a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels underneath it. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,' Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. 'I order you to cancel it.' After Shoigu told him Moscow controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - Putin hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol. He said his decision not to storm the steelworks was motivated by the desire to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers. 'There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities,' he said. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through.' Shoigu confirmed the plant was 'securely blocked.' Putin also called on the remaining Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal who had not yet surrendered to lay down their arms, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured. Leaving the plant in Ukrainian hands, however, robs the Russians of the ability to declare complete victory in Mariupol. The city's capture has both strategic and symbolic importance, boosting Putin's hopes to demonstrate major success by Russia's Victory Day on May 9, with operations set to ramp up, the British MoD said today. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point, and its definitive fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. Thousands of civilians are believed to have died in the city, which was besieged by Russian troops for over a month, with little access to food, water and with no electricity. Putin's order adds to fears that those inside the plant could starve. A British mother is being held in jail in Pakistan after allegedly ordering her young lover to murder her wealthy husband and dispose of his body in a burning car, so they could start a new life together in England. Yasmeen Kausar, 65, is suspected of having husband Mohammad Farooq, also 65, killed by a 30-year-old handyman she had promised to bring back to Britain. Ms Kausar was arrested by police earlier this month and charged with getting two men to kill Mr Farooq - her husband of more than 20 years. Police believe the victim, from Headingley, Leeds, was strangled at the family's Pakistan home in a town near Rawalpindi in the Punjab. His body was then put in a car and driven to a rubbish dump around 27 miles away where the vehicle was set alight. His charred boy was found at the dump at Morgah, near Islamabad, on April 1. He is believed to have travelled to Pakistan earlier this year following the death of his younger brother. His wife, who followed him out to the country, is alleged to have lured him to meet her on March 31 before he was strangled and killed by two men, according to local newspaper reports. Ms Kausar and two acquaintances - named as Waheed and Idrees by Pakistani publication The Express Tribune - were dragged before a court accused of killing the hotel owner, and held in prison. Yasmin Kausar (left), 65, was arrested after the body of Mohammad Farooq (right), also 65, was recovered from the burnt-out wreckage of his car earlier this month in Morgah, a town in the Rawalpindi district near Pakistan's capital Islamabad Pakistan-based lawyer Malik Shahnwar-Noon, who is representing Mr Farooq's family, said Mrs Kausar told the handyman her relationship with her husband had deteriorated. He claims she hatched a plot to kill Mr Farooq to gain access to his finances and property in Pakistan. According to the Tribune, Ms Kausar is believed to have wanted to marry the 30-year-old Waheed and sell the De Mall Hotel in Rawalpindi Saddar, before fleeing the country to settle down together in Britain. Mr Shahnwar-Noon said: 'This was a pre-planned, brutal murder. Police have gathered a lot of evidence, CCTV footage and have them remanded in jail. 'Mr Farooq's wife elicited a relationship with a maintenance worker at their home. They developed a relationship and she planned the murder with him. 'She wanted money and property in Pakistan. They strangled Mr Farooq and they set fire to the dead body, the body was found in the burnt car. 'She called Mr Farooq and asked him to come to her home. He left his home at 5 o'clock and when he was driving he was on the phone to Yasmeen. 'As soon as he entered the home, he was strangled with a bed sheet. When he was near to death they put his body in the car and set the fire.' He said Mr Farooq's three daughters and two sons were left devastated by his death, adding: 'Mr Farooq was a very kind person was loved by all his friends and family, it is a very difficult time for everyone. 'The family is very upset, it is obviously a very big incident and has caused a big trauma.' Pictured: The burnt out car where Mohammad Farooq's body was allegedly found Mr Farooq's body was put in the car and driven to a rubbish dump around 27 miles away from the family home, where the vehicle was set alight, according to police in Pakistan Investigating officer Abdul Wahab confirmed that police suspected Ms Kausar was having an affair with the worker and 'was in constant contact with him' prior to the murder. Mrs Kausar insists she is innocent and denies plotting her husband's murder. She is currently being held in prison in the country as she awaits trial. A court hearing is expected to take place on April 30 where it is thought she will enter a plea. The Foreign Office has confirmed it is in contact with local authorities about the detention of a British woman in the country. A spokesman said: 'We are in contact with the local authorities in Pakistan following the death of a British man and are providing consular support to his family.' Mr Farooq and Mrs Kausar - his second wife - are believed to hold British and Pakistani passports and have a sprawling 1.5m home in Leeds, West Yorks. The businessman is the director of a British property firm and has other interests including a hotel in Leeds and one in Rawalpindi in Pakistan which is owned by his family. A friend of Mr Farooq's family - who did not wish to be named - paid tribute, saying: 'He was a very nice, very humble person. He was a great guy and a great human being. He did a lot for charity, he was very kind, considerate and humble. 'He was always joking, he was full of life and had a great sense of humour. To be murdered in such a brutal was is just terrible. 'It hurts so much that he's been take away in this way. She promised him a new life in England and said if you do this for me, I will give you a new life in England.' Mohammad Farooq's home in Headingly, Leeds. He is said to have gone to Pakistan earlier this year following the death of his brother. His wife, who followed him out to the country, is alleged to have lured him to meet her on March 31 before he was strangled and killed by two men, according to local newspaper reports Since the charge, her UK-based family has launched a petition calling on the British government to request her release, saying that she has been wrongfully accused. The petition, that was posted to Change.org last week by Ms Kausar's son Sajid Bashir, says that the woman suffers from Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. At the time of posting, it said she had been held in prison for 11 days. Mr Bashir wrote: 'We are requesting that everybody signs this petition on behalf of my mother Yasmin Kausar. 'My mum is 65 years of age and suffers from Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. She is currently being held in a prison in Pakistan. My mother is being falsely accused of the murder of her husband Mohammed Farooq Hussain. 'We are just requesting that the British government contact the relevant authorities in Pakistan and that they just check on her physical and mental health and that she is being afforded her legal and human rights. 'Her legal representative have informed us, the courts and the British embassy in Pakistan of the physical and mental abuse she has had to endure. We are obviously very concerned with what we are hearing as to her treatment so far. 'We are not requesting that we should interfere with the legal process in another country, just that the relevant parties in this country can make inquiries to make sure she is being afforded her legal and human rights and is not being mistreated in anyway. 'She is clearly a vulnerable person and who is isolated from her immediate family.' Britain's controversial decision to extend the Covid vaccine dosing gap to 12 weeks last year boosted people's immunity, new research suggests. The UK was considered 'internationally isolated' when it extended the waiting time from three weeks to ensure more people got their first doses in February 2021. Other countries, including the US and Israel, continued to offer second doses within the original dosing regimen recommended by Pfizer and BioNTech. But Government scientists have now found that an interval of more than 10 weeks generates up to nine times more antibodies. The study of nearly 6,000 healthcare workers suggested the effect was especially felt in younger age groups. Experts said the research 'strongly supports the decision' made by No10 and the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to extend the gap. British Government researchers found having a dosage interval of more than 10 weeks can generate nine times more antibodies than having them less than four weeks apart. Graph shows: Covid antibody levels for different age groups who had never had the virus after receiving a second dose across four dosage gaps The UK was considered 'internationally isolated' when it extended the waiting time to ensure people got their first doses quicker in February 2021 Pictured: Keith Frank receiving his fourth booster shot of the Covid vaccine at Overdene House care home in Winsford, Cheshire UK's official Covid cases plunge another 40% and dip below 20k for first time since last June Britain's Covid cases have reached their lowest daily total since June 2021, official data showed today. Just 19,482 new positive tests were recorded by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) over the last 24 hours, down 40 per cent on the 32,608 recorded last Thursday. It is the lowest daily figure recorded since June 27, when 14,876 official cases were recorded. But the metric has become much less reliable now that free tests have been scrapped for the majority of Brits. Despite the fall in cases, a recording backlog saw the number of deaths recorded today jump by 85 per cent in a week to 646. Fatalities have been fluctuating daily because of delays in reporting. The number of people dying within 28 days of a positive test on average has been falling week-on-week for the last four days. Experts have warned the constant stream of daily figures are now almost meaningless because they rely on people coming forward for tests, which has reduced massively since the end of free testing. There is now clamour among many scientists for their publication to be scrapped entirely. Separate UKHSA figures today showed Covid hospital admissions fell last week from 19.94 to 16.17 per 100,000 in England. Advertisement Third booster doses were introduced in October and accelerated in November to top-up people's immunity during the Omicron wave - so long as six months had passed after their second. And Britons aged 75 and over and the clinically vulnerable have now started receiving their fourth doses if it has been at least three months since their third jab. The new research, presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases in Lisbon, tracked antibody levels in 5,871 vaccinated people. Participants were mainly women (82 per cent) and were spread across the four nations of the UK. The data came from the Government-backed SIREN study the world's largest antibody study of blood samples to detect levels of virus-fighting proteins. Using statistical analysis, researchers found those who received a second jab at least 10 weeks after their first had a nine-fold increase in antibodies compared to those who received them after three weeks. Higher antibodies were seen across all age groups who had a longer gap. Under-25s saw the biggest difference, with nearly 14 times the amount of antibodies after 10 weeks compared to three weeks. But only one person in the age group had a second dose within three weeks which may skew results. Lead author Dr Ashley Otter, a molecular microbiologist at the UKHSA, said: 'This study shows that a longer time between vaccine dose 1 and dose 2 results in higher antibody responses in naive participants. '[It] strongly supports the decision by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the UK Government to lengthen the interval between vaccine doses. 'We've also shown that in those with previous infection, timing between exposure and vaccination plays a critical role in post-vaccination antibody responses. 'However, further research is needed to determine whether these higher antibody levels provide greater protection against Covid and how this longer dosing interval may affect booster responses.' The study only tracked antibody levels, which are just part of the immune response to viruses and do not show a patient's entire protection against them. Britain faced international backlash last year when it announced it would increase the dose gap to 12 weeks. Pfizer and vaccine partner BioNTech said there was no data to back up the move and the British Medical Association (BMA) warned it made the UK 'internationally isolated'. Vladimir Putin's state TV stooges have been caught out using a picture of a Russian resort to show how life was apparently 'returning to normal' in an occupied Ukrainian city. The NTV channel has been accused of 'lies' over its report into the 'normality' of life in Kherson after it misleadingly illustrated its report with a picture of a totally different place - Yeysk in Russia, some 400 miles away. The staunchly pro-Kremlin channel claimed that Kherson, held by Putin's invaders, is calm and peaceful despite the war raging in Ukraine. In reality, Russian troops were greeted with raging protests when they invaded the city while pictures show how parts of the city have been reduced to rubble. Russian TV channel NTV used these happy scenes from Yeysk in Russia as it tried to claim that the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson was 'returning to normal' Ukrainians protest against Russian troops in Kherson, Ukraine. Russian TV boasted that life in a Ukrainian city now occupied by Vladimir Putin's forces is coming 'back to normal' A Ukrainian soldier stands outside a school hit by Russian rockets in the southern Ukraine village of Zelenyi Hai between Kherson and Mykolaiv earlier this month 'In general, life in Kherson, after the nationalist militants left, gradually comes back to normal,' boasted the NTV presenter. 'Mums with pushchairs walk in parks, children play in playgroundsShops, petrol stations and markets work normally.' The only problem was that the channel highlighted its report with an image of Yeysk, a resort town on the Azov Sea in Russia. This provoked fury from Ukrainians in the occupied city where there have been protests about the Russian takeover. A post read: 'Well, what would you, Putinoids, say to this? 'In today's news, Yeysk is on the photo, but it's passed off as Kherson. 'Residents of Yeysk, show this video to your elderly grandmas, grandpas, and parents who swallowed Putin's lies. Footage still shows Kherson, Ukraine, filmed on April 20, 2022. The staunchly pro-Kremlin channel claimed that Kherson, held by Putin's invaders, is calm and peaceful 'This person who's been sitting on the throne for 22 years with mass rigged [elections], cannot be the president. 'This is a dictator with unlimited power, and there have been no good dictators in all human history... ' NTV is owned by Gazprom Media, part of the Russian energy behemoth. Other reports indicate that Kherson is far from the paradise NTV imagines. Some petrol stations remain closed and there were queues at others. If migration skyrockets as expected once Title 42 is lifted next month, immigration services may run out of money by the middle of the summer. According to administration insiders, President Joe Biden is prepared to ask Congress for extra funding to address a projected deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars. Internal forecasts indicate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activities will be fully depleted by mid-July. ICE, CBP Might Run Out of Funds by July 2022 The month of July 2021 had the most southern border crossings, with CBP apprehending 213,593 migrants in that month alone. That previous peak was only surpassed last month, as March 2022 data revealed a two-decade high encounter rate of 221,303, up from 165,894 the month before. According to Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, Border Patrol has decided to begin returning migrants arriving from the Northern Triangle back to their home countries rather than to Mexico. During the pandemic, Title 42 was utilized to assist reduce illegal crossings by sending individuals back to Mexico although the authority employed by immigration agents is normally found under Title 8. The difficulty with Title 8's asylum procedure, according to Judd, is that "everyone understands how to manipulate the system," Daily Mail reported. Read Also: UK Court Approves Extradition of Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange To Face US Trial Democrats Sound Alarmed With End of Title 42 More migrants are anticipated to flock to the US-Mexico border before Title 42 expires, leading a rising chorus of centrist Democrats to join Republicans in calling for an extension. Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, both Democrats from Arizona, have questioned whether the Biden administration is adequately prepared to ease the limitations. According to Axios, Biden's inner circle has discussed postponing the repeal due to pressure from Democratic incumbents up for reelection who are warning that a surge of migrants attempting to cross the border may be terrible in the November midterm elections. However, a repeal might enrage progressive Democrats who have criticized the use of Title 42 in the past. Authorities stopped migrants 221,303 instances along the Southwest border in March, up 33% from February, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In March, 159,900 distinct persons were encountered around the country, up 37% over the previous month. Expulsions under Title 42, on the other hand, are a major element in a large number of encounters since migrants are turned back without facing any legal repercussions, leading to many attempts to cross many times. Some analysts believe that repealing Title 42 will have minimal impact on the number of migrants crossing the border into the United States. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that the Department of Homeland Security has a thorough strategy in place to deal with any rise in the number of migrants at the border once Title 42 is removed, according to Newsweek via MSN. The White House is exploring methods to purchase time to avert a major migrant inflow that would exacerbate already-historic border numbers. This puts Democratic incumbents in places where the Senate majority might be decided in November in jeopardy. Under previous President Trump, the CDC's Title 42 directive was first issued in March 2020. It utilized the outbreak as an excuse to send back refugees seeking to reach the United States without the opportunity to apply for asylum. Biden has benefited from the border restrictions, but he has resisted overruling the CDC during the pandemic - and he is unlikely to do so now. Officials in the Biden administration have argued to their Democratic partners that maintaining Title 42 allows for less immigration enforcement. The White House has received significant backlash from vulnerable Democrats in the House and Senate. They've publicly questioned whether the administration has a strategy in place to deal with the inflow of migrants that eliminating Title 42 is projected to bring. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus meeting on Monday will serve as a warning to Biden that if he changes course and extends Title 42, a significant portion of his party's base would be dissatisfied, as per Axios. Related Article: Democrats Question Biden Administration's Decision To Lift Trump-Era Immigration Rule; ICE Set To Release 600K Immigrants by September @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A gunman convicted of murdering three people in Darwin and killing another during a drug-fuelled rampage says he was bullied into confessing and he wants to change his guilty plea. Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann pleaded guilty mid-trial in November to intentionally killing Hassan Baydoun, 33, Michael Sisois, 57, and Rob Courtney, 52 and the manslaughter of 75-year-old Nigel Hellings on June 4, 2019. He's due to be sentenced on May 27 but on Thursday the 48-year-old announced he wasn't guilty of the killings and his first legal team had pressured and bullied him into admitting them. Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann (pictured) claims he was bullied into confessing the murders of four people he shot dead on June 4, 2019 in Darwin. The gunman was convicted of the killings but now wants to change his guilty plea 'I need to change my pleas to not guilty for a medical sentence as I am mentally ill and impaired. I need a fair trial. I'm asking for a retrial,' he told the Supreme Court in Darwin. 'By no means do I want to be seen unremorseful or disrespectful [but] I'm not this mass murderer everyone is making me out to be. I was given the gun 20 minutes before the incident. 'I have medical evidence from Dr Eagle saying I have an underlying condition of paranoid personality disorder.' Hoffmann told the court he was being given 410mg of anti-psychotic medication per day 'for voice and visions'. He said he was suffering a psychotic episode when he killed the men and didn't know what was happening. 'I want to get better. I need a custodial supervision order. I need professional medical treatment,' he said. 'I am asking for a retrial. I am frightened of not getting the help I need. I don't want to deteriorate anymore. My doses are going up and I don't want to get to the point of no return.' Hoffman claims he was suffering a psychotic episode when he killed the four men in 2019 and didn't know what was happening. Pictured: Hoffman covered in blood and holding a shotgun during the night of his rampage) The gunman told the Supreme Court on Thursday that he's mentally ill and impaired' and wants a retrial. He added that he's 'not this mass murderer everyone is making me out to be'. (Pictured being apprehended by police after the killings) The court also heard Hoffmann's legal aid funding to pay his lawyers had been terminated after he sacked his second legal team. Hoffmann made a series of allegations in court against lawyers Bruce Levet and Alex Tees, including that the pair were bullying a junior lawyer Patricia Petersen. 'I don't know these two, nor have they talked to me or done anything for me. I find they are a hindrance. I have sacked both of them,' he said of the second team. He said he only wanted Dr Petersen to represent him but Justice John Burns said it wasn't possible because she wasn't experienced enough to handle such a serious case. Justice Burns said Hoffmann would need to retain one of the sacked senior lawyers to supervise Dr Petersen. She agreed. 'The situation you now find yourself in is that the lawyer you want to represent you cannot do so and you currently don't have any other legal representation,' Justice Burns told Hoffmann. 'The reason you are without legal representation is your own fault.' Hoffman is due to be sentenced on May 27 but the 48-year-old says he wasn't guilty of the killings and his first legal team had pressured him into admitting them. (Pictured being released from hospital after his arrest) He said the matter would proceed to sentence on May 27 unless an application was made to the court with evidence to prevent it. 'In the material you have read to me you say you are not guilty and that you want to change your plea,' he said. 'I will not take that as being an application to withdraw your pleas of guilty at this time.' Justice Burns instead listed the matter for mention on May 5, saying it was possible Hoffmann may resolve his issues with his lawyers and applications would need to be made before this date. He also said there had been no evidence of any misconduct by any of Hoffmann's lawyers. Hoffmann sacked his first legal team comprised of Jon Tippett QC, Peter Maley and Catherine Voumard in November, saying he had lost confidence in them and was in a crisis. Jacinda Ardern has defended New Zealand's 'mature relationship' with China despite the Communist nation's recent attempts to destabilise the region. Beijing announced on Tuesday it had agreed a landmark security deal with the Solomon Islands that could see military bases built within 2,000kilometres of Australian shores. In an extensive interview with the BBC, Ms Ardern echoed concerns from her ANZAC counterparts but wants the countries to work on 'natural mutual interest'. 'One of the reasons we've expressed this disappointment [is]... Australia and New Zealand both have heeded the call of the Solomons for support during recent disruption,' she said. 'And we've again highlighted that should any extended need exist, we are there to help and support. So what gap remains that requires such an agreement with China?' Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand have a 'mature relationship' with China despite the Communist nation's recent attempts to destabilise the region (pictured with Xi Jinping) She continually underlined her 'disappointment' tthat the deal had taken place, referring to the Pacific Islands' 'Biketawa' declaration that sees members protect each other as a region. Ms Ardern has been criticised for her lack of public opposition to China's recent aggression, which experts believe is because New Zealand relies heavily on the country as an economic partner. The Kiwi PM admitted she did not 'necessarily agree' with many of Beijing's policies but said there was a need to remain 'mature'. 'China is a very important trading partner for us, but it's also a mature relationship for us,' she told the BBC. 'Where there are areas we can work together, we will - but there will always be areas in which we will not necessarily agree and when those areas arise, we are very forthright and clear on our position.' Beijing announced they had agreed a landmark security deal with the Solomon Islands that could see military bases built within 2,000kilometres of Australian shores Ms Ardern also dismissed the idea of joining AUKUS alongside Australia, the United Kingdom and United States despite the growing influence of China, but admitted she wants America to better prioritise her country. 'Our call on AUKUS is simply that yes, it is to our benefit when we have greater engagement,' she said. 'We've asked the US to take an interest in the economic architecture of our region, it can't just be about defence and security arrangements. 'It should be about the wellbeing of the region as a whole. And you're starting to see a response from the US on that front.' China's security agreement with the Solomon Islands could see military bases built by Beijing within 2,000kilometres of Australia A spokesman for the Communist country's foreign ministry said both nations have signed off on a framework for the deal, just two days before an American contingency arrive to warn the Solomons against signing the agreement. 'The purpose of China-Solomon security co-operation is to promote social stability and long-term peace and security in Solomon Islands, which is in line with the common interests of Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region,' foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday. China have released no details about the agreement, nor when it was agreed, but a statement from the Solomon Islands confirmed the deal had been 'initialled' on March 31 and would be confirmed later. Australia and the US fear China will attempt to build bases throughout the Pacific, with Minister for the Pacific Zed Seselja urging Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare to abandon the deal last week. Mr Sogavare instead described America's criticism of the agreement as 'insulting'. China said the deal was 'public, transparent, open and inclusive, not directed at any third party, and is parallel to and complementary to the existing bilateral and multilateral security co-operation mechanisms in Solomon Islands' - but US officials believes it 'leaves the door open' for Chinese aggression in the Pacific. This is the moment two members of an international cocaine gang meet to exchange cash in busy London street, while unsuspecting bystanders walk by. Footage shows a woman money launderer trying to hand over a bag of money to an associate in broad daylight, just before the group - run by a drugs kingpin from his jail cell - were brought down and jailed for a total of 71 years. Heading up the gang was Darryl Tawiah, 42, who was described as one of London's 'top tier' drug dealers when he was locked up for 18 years in 2013. Despite nearly a decade behind bars, he still managed to carry on his empire from the comfort of his cell, using phones smuggled into jail to contact a convicted coke supplier based in Holland. Tawiah controlled a number of people on the outside including 59-year-old Rosemond Agyemang - the woman in the video - a courier handling the cash side of the operation, and helped to launder it through bank accounts. She also made various cash payments to the Dutch supplier's people in the UK. She was arrested outside Oval station in south London in July 2019 after she was caught carrying thousands of pounds in cash. Agyemang was making her way to meet Dorian Vaciulis, 34 - who also appears in the clip - who was working for the Dutch supplier and responsible for collecting both cash and drugs. Vaciulis had been in regular contact with Ali Reza Shokrolahi, 31, who worked as a lorry driver for Tawiah's organised crime group (OCG). He was linked to at least 30 kilograms of cocaine seized at the UK border. Also under Tawiah's control was 37-year-old Steven Johnson, who took delivery of the drugs on the kingpin's instructions and distributed them across London. Rosemond Agyemang, 59, was a courier handling the cash side of the operation, and helped to launder it through bank accounts. She also made various cash payments to the Dutch supplier's people in the UK Footage released by the National Crime Agency shows a meeting in London where Agyemang offers to give Vaciulis a bag of cash, which he declines Darryl Tawiah, 42, was described as one of London's 'top tier' drug dealers when he was locked up for 18 years in 2013 Conversations Tawiah and his Dutch supplier showed the drug lord was sourcing cocaine wholesale and arranging their onward distribution and sale. The OCG is believed to have been behind the importations of at least two tonnes of the class A drug into the UK for sale across London and the South East. In one conversation the Dutch supplier told Tawiah: 'I want you to move 50 [kilos] a week, don't talk to me about one', to which Tawiah replied, 'No problem Bro...now that it is good, everybody is calling.....I need to get more money in...' Further conversations showed Tawiah talking about buying cocaine at bulk prices and that he had a desire to sell 'coffee' when he left prison - slang for heroin. He also asked the supplier if he had ever heard of '2C' because 'everybody's asking for it in the West End, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Chelsea...'. The court heard 2C was a reference to liquid GHB, which has been used in instances of 'date rape'. Tawiah, Vaciulis, Johnson, Agyemang and other gang members were arrested in March last year and charged with various offences relating to Class A drugs and money laundering. Faisal Guled, 34, a Dutch national living in Camden, worked for the Dutch supplier and was operating a county line selling drugs across London and Northampton. Tawiah, Johnson, Vaciulis and Guled were all sentenced to a total of 70 years in prison after pleading guilty at Wood Green Crown Court. Shokrolahi absconded while on bail and was not present at the hearing. Tawiah, formerly of Derby before he was locked up in HMP Coldingley, Surrey, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering. He was jailed for 25 years Vaciulis, of Feltham, west London, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 18 years. Johnson, of Roehampton, southwest London, admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin, he was jailed for 16 years. Shokrolahi, formerly of Farlington Place, Roehampton, was convicted of onspiracy to import cocaine. He was sentenced to 16 year jail in his absence after he absconded. Guled, of Camden, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was jailed for 11 years. Agyemang, of Peckham, admitted money laundering and was jailed for 12 months. Agyemang was making her way to meet Dorian Vaciulis, 34, who was working for the Dutch supplier and responsible for collecting both cash and drugs Vaciulis had been in regular contact with Ali Reza Shokrolahi, 31, who worked as a lorry driver for the OCG Faisal Guled, 34 (left), a Dutch national living in Camden, worked for the Dutch supplier and was operating a county line selling drugs across London and Northampton. Steven Johnson (right) took delivery of the drugs on Tawiah's instructions and distributed them across London Tawiah was busted nine years ago when he was stopped by police driving a Bentley convertible with a personalised number plate in Enfield, north London. Police then found the keys to a safe house in Enfield which they raided in March 2013. Officers from Scotland Yard's Projects Team recovered cocaine and crack cocaine, along with a Sterling sub-machinegun, ammunition and magazines. Tawiah's life of luxury and holidays in the Caribbean came to an end when he was jailed at the Old Bailey, but he simply carried on his empire from the comfort of his cell. Jason Hulme, Operations Manager at the NCA, said: 'This three-year investigation took apart an established criminal enterprise which had imported tonnes of cocaine to the UK, where its trade fuels addiction, violence and exploitation. 'Tawiah operated a network outside that did his dirty work for him, with all taking a slice of the profits. 'Thanks to the diligence of our officers and partners, the Dutch police and Criminal Assets Bureau in Dublin, we secured today's convictions and hope any would-be drug traffickers are reminded of our continued pursuit of serious and organised criminals. 'One of the men sentenced today remains wanted. We would appeal to anyone who thinks they may have information on the whereabouts of Ali Reza Shokrolahi to contact the NCA directly on 0370 496 7622 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.' This week, Boris Johnson apologised after he was given a 50 fixed-penalty notice for attending a birthday party in Downing Street at the height of the coronavirus lockdown. The Prime Minister said sorry with 'full humility' in an address in the House of Commons. But Mr Johnson did not show the same contrition over dozens of parking tickets that he received when he was a student at Oxford. He boasted in his 2007 book, Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars, about how he had let fines pile up when he parked his Fiat 128 on double yellow lines. The then MP for Henley wrote: 'I parked all over the place, my favourite spot in Oxford being the yellow lines by the squash courts in Jowett Walk. 'Sometimes, it is true, I got a ticket, but what did I care? I had Belgian number plates. 'I let them pile in drifts against the windscreen until in the days before they were sheathed in plastic the fines just disintegrated in the rain.' Boris Johnson was blase about the parking tickets he received when he was a student at Oxford. Pictured: The future Prime Minister with his sister in 1985 Mr Johnson boasted in his 2007 book, Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars, about how he had let fines pile up when he parked his Fiat 128 on double yellow lines Mr Johnson's more recent car, a Toyota people carrier, was pictured in 2020 parked outside his future wife Carrie Symonds' flat with unpaid tickets fixed to the windscreen. Amid the row about Mr Johnson's partygate fine, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis mentioned how ministers have previously gotten away with receiving parking tickets. Mr Johnson arrived at Oxford from the world-famous Eton school in late 1983. Studying Classics at Balliol College, his contemporaries included fellow Old Etonian David Cameron, along with other Conservative colleagues William Hague, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt and the journalist Toby Young. Both Mr Johnson and fellow future PM Mr Cameron were also members of the infamous Bullingdon Club drinking society, which gained its notoriety for various alleged acts of vandalism. Mr Johnson's more recent car, a Toyota people carrier, was pictured in 2020 parked outside his future wife Carrie Symonds' flat with unpaid tickets fixed to the windscreen Mr Johnson was previously criticised by his former Eton schoolmaster for an alleged belief that he did not need to follow rules observed by others. The 1982 letter to his father Stanley, written by the then headmaster Martin Hammond, read: 'I think he honestly believes that it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation that binds everyone else.' Along with his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Mr Johnson was fined by the Met over a gathering in Downing Street's cabinet room on June 19, 2020. No 10 has insisted the Prime Minister was only in attendance at the gathering, for his 56th birthday in June 2020, for less than ten minutes. But government sources have said the event lasted for half an hour. In his Commons apology on Tuesday, Mr Johnson said: 'It did not occur to me then or subsequently that a gathering in the Cabinet Room just before a vital meeting on Covid strategy could amount to a breach of the rules.' The PM was branded a 'joke' by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer after he made the short admission of guilt before giving a more lengthy address on events in Ukraine But it comes after Britain has already lost 5,000 High Street banks in a decade, sparking access to cash fears Bank bosses say move is in response to customer trends, with usage 50 per cent down since start of Covid Spanish-owned British bank will shut its sites at 3pm from July, instead of normal weekday time of 4.30pm Santander, which operates total of 450 branches in UK, will cut its opening hours on weekday afternoons Advertisement Britons already struggling to access high street banks due to a wave of branch closures across the UK are now facing a fresh setback, with Santander set to slash their weekday opening hours. The Spanish-owned bank, which operates 450 branches across the UK, says it will cut opening hours at its sites by an hour and a half each day during the week. The changes, set to come in July, means Santander's branches will operate from 9.30am to 3pm on weekdays, instead of until 4.30pm. The firm will also slash Saturday opening hours at 316 branches across the UK. Instead of being open from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturdays, the branches will operate a half-day service, closing at 12.30pm. Santander says the move is due to 'long term trends in customer behaviour'. The bank says the number of customers using its branches declined by a third prior to the pandemic and a further 50 per cent in 2020. However the move will be a major blow to those hoping to access their local branches at weekends and weekend afternoons. It also comes after figures revealed last month how Britain had lost more than 5,000 High Street banks in a decade. Santander said it remains actively committed to the wider access to cash movement. It also said it had representation on several industry working groups and participation in the Cash Action Group's shared hub initiative. Richard Owen, head of branches at Santander, said: 'These changes will enable us to maintain our existing branch network while providing significant additional capacity to help customers who want to talk to us by phone. 'We have seen a continuing reduction in branch usage over several years, both before and since the peak of the pandemic, with many customers preferring to transact digitally or contact us by phone. The Spanish owned bank, which operates more than 450 branches across the UK, says it will cut opening hours at its sites by an hour and a half each day Below is the interactive map by Which? showing the percentage decrease of bank branches in each Parliamentary constituency between 2016 and 2022. Scroll over your constituency or use the search function to find your area. The biggest decline in terms of branches in the Big Six banks meanwhile has been at Barclays. Once the largest bank in Britain in terms of the number of branches, it shut nearly 800 branches between 2014 and 2022. It now has less than Lloyds and a similar level to Natwest England has seen the biggest decline - of around 4,000 banks -while Scotland and Wales have all seen small decreases. Northern Ireland has lost 10 bank branches in the last 10 years, a three per cent decline 'We want to make sure we have the right mix of channels to help our customers however they choose to bank with us.' The bank said branch staff will still be available for pre-booked face-to-face appointments between 3pm and 5pm, if customers need support that cannot be provided through alternative channels or earlier in the day. A handful of branches situated in shopping centres will be excluded from the changes. These include the Gateshead Metro branch, which will open Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm; the Sheffield Meadowhall branch will open on weekdays from 10.30am to 7.30pm; and the Basingstoke branch will be open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 7pm. Which areas have seen the biggest decline in banking numbers in the last decade? North East: Branches in 2012: 450. Branches in 2021: 320. Change: -130. Percentage Change: -29% North West: Branches in 2012: 1,460. Branches in 2021: 905. Change: -555. Percentage Change: -38% Yorkshire & the Humber: Branches in 2012: Branches in 2021: 655. Change: -365. Percentage Change: -36% East Midlands: Branches in 2012: Branches in 2021: 555 Change: -275. Percentage Change: -33% West Midlands: Branches in 2012: 1,085. Branches in 2021: 730. Change: -355 Percentage Change: -33% East: Branches in 2012: 1,120. Branches in 2021: 735. Change:-385. Percentage change: -34% London: Branches in 2012: 2,190. Branches in 2021: 1,440. Change: -750. Percentage change: -34% South East: Branches: 1,740. Branches in 2021: 1,155. Change: -585. Percentage change:-34% South West: Branches in 2012: Branches in 2021: 710. Change:-480. Percentage change: -40% Wales: Branches in 2012: 695 Branches in 2021: 445. Change: -250. Percentage Change: -36% Scotland: Branches in 2012: 1,190. Branches in 2021: 790. Change: -400. Percentage Change: -34% Northern Ireland: Branches in 2012: 375. Branches in 2021: 365. Change: -10. Percentage Change: -3% UK: Branches in 2012: 13,345. Branches in 2021: 8,810. Change: -4,535. Percentage Change: -34% *Figures from House of Commons Library - rounded to the nearest 5 Advertisement The Work Cafe in Leeds will also be open on weekdays between 9am and 4.30pm, Santander said. The bank said the number of customers using its branches fell by a third (33%) over the two years before the coronavirus pandemic, and a further 50% in 2020 and 12% in 2021. The changes will take place from July 18 and Santander said there will be no compulsory redundancies or a reduction of employee working hours as a result. The bank plans to beef up its telephone support for customers and said branch staff will be trained to help on the phone alongside their current face-to-face roles. The shake-up will also see 316 branches move from being open from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturdays to operating a half-day service, closing at 12.30pm. Face-to-face appointments can still be made at these branches until 4pm. Meanwhile, 76 branches will retain their current half-day opening hours on a Saturday, and 58 sites will remain closed on a Saturday. There will be no branch closures as part of the changes, Santander said, adding that all of its 450 sites will remain open every weekday. There will be also be no change in the number of branches open on a Saturday, with 87% sites operating from 9.30am to 12.30pm. The bank said the changes reflect a thorough review of when customers use its branches. It comes after data analysed by MailOnline showed how Britain has lost nearly 5,000 High Street banks in a decade, sparking fears that the elderly, vulnerable and those living in rural areas are effectively being 'cut adrift' from face-to-face banking. Figures show there were more than 13,300 banks in cities, towns and villages across the UK in 2012 - down from 20,583 in 1988. But by the end of last year that figure had dropped even further to just 8,810 - a staggering 34 per cent decrease in less than a decade. Yesterday, in the latest cull of High Street banks, HSBC announced plans to axe 69 more branches across the UK. The banking giant, which closed 82 sites last year as part of its 'transformation programme', said the move was in response to a shift towards online banking. With thousands of banks now gone from High Streets up and down the UK, groups such as the Post Office have stepped in to provide every-day over-the-counter banking services for people in rural communities. But campaigners and charities for the elderly say the decision to close village and town centre banks is proving 'extremely damaging' for local communities and a 'serious blow' for millions of older Britons. Banking experts meanwhile have warned that while previous cuts have been to small rural branches, banks are now increasingly shutting sites in medium-sized towns. And there are fears even some large towns of 100,000 people or more may be left without any dedicated branches within a decade. Business chiefs have warned also about the perils of the UK moving completely cashless, saying the Russia-Ukraine conflict has exposed the potential pitfalls of relying on online banking. The extent of the bank branch issue has been revealed in a new map by Which?, whose own research focuses on the most commonly used retail banks and puts the total number of High Street banks left in the UK at just 5,154, down from 9,807 in 2015. Figures show more than 12,000 bank branches existed in towns and villages across the UK in 2015 - down from 20,583 in 1988. But by the end of last year that figure had dropped to just 8,810. Other figures from consumer group Which? - whose research focuses on the most commonly used retail banks - puts the the total at just 5,154, down from 9,807 in 2014 Britain has lost nearly 5,000 High Street banks in seven years, sparking fears that the elderly, vulnerable and those living in rural areas are effectively being 'cut adrift' from face-to-face banking. Pictured: Library image of a NatWest bank Figures show more than 12,000 bank branches existed in towns and villages across the UK in 2015 - down from 20,583 in 1988. Pictured: Library image of a Lloyds Bank Yesterday, in the latest cull of High Street banks, HSBC announced plans to axe 69 more branches across the UK. The banking giant, which closed 82 sites last year as part of its 'transformation programme', said the move was in response to a shift towards online banking. Library image of an HSBC branch The map, compiled by the consumer group through its own research, highlights how some areas of the UK lost all their remaining banks between 2016 and 2022. According to Which?, the small Parliamentary constituency of Wentworth and Dearne, South Yorkshire, lost 100 per cent of its banks over the last six years. Nearby Sheffield Hallam has also lost all of its banks since 2016, according to Which?. Areas such as the rural constituency of Arundel and the South Downs, in West Sussex, has also lost most of its banks since 2016. The upmarket market town, home to Arundel castle, the seat of the Duke of Norfolk, lost its last bank, a Lloyds branch, six years ago. However the nearby town of Storrington, which is in the same constituency, maintains a HSBC branch. But this issue is not just a rural one. The constituency of Erith and Thamesmead in East London has also lost all of its remaining banks in the past six years. Barclays pulled the last bank in the constituency in February last year. According to Which?, other areas to suffer big losses in bank branches in the last six years include South Devon, a large, mostly rural, constituency, which has lost 87.5 per cent of its banks in the last six years. Other areas to feature high on the list by Which? include the Wirral West (87.5 per cent decline since 2016) and nearby Liverpool West Derby (100 per cent decline since 2016). But while rural areas and those in the north-west were among the biggest losers in terms of bank branch losses, city areas and upmarket towns saw the smallest decline. Walthamstow in London lost just 11 per cent of its banks according to Which?, while Carshalton and Wallington saw a 14.3 per cent decline. Outside of cities, Banbury in Oxfordshire saw a 10.5 per cent decline, while Sittingbourne and Sheppey, in Kent, saw a decline of just 7.7 per cent. But West Bromwich East, in the Midlands, was the only constituency not to see any decline. The area still has branches of all of the major banks, including Halifax, Santander, Lloyds, Natwest, TSB, Barclays and HSBC. In Emsworth, in Hampshire, it is a different story. The small coastal town, which sits on the border of West Sussex, had four banks in 2013. But three banks quit the town in a space of 12 months in 2014. And in 2017, Natwest, the last bank in town, also left. Now residents in the town only have the Post Office where they can complete face-to-face banking, otherwise they face a three mile drive to nearby Havant, which has a Natwest, Barclays, Halifax and a Lloyds. According to figures on the House of Commons Library, there were 20,583 bank branches and building societies in the UK in 1988. But by 2017 that figure had fallen to 9,690. Similar figures from the House of Commons Library show the total number of bank and building society branches fell by 11,078 or 51 per cent, from 1986 to 2014. Since then, the biggest decline, according to that same report, has been in the south west of England, where the number of banks fell by 40 per cent from 2012 to 2021. Behind the south west was the north west (-38 per cent), Wales (-36 per cent) and Yorkshire and Humberside (36 per cent). London was in line with the UK average of -36 per cent, while Northern Ireland (-3 per cent), the north east (-23 per cent) and the west Midlands (-33 per cent) saw the smallest declines. This means that Northern Ireland now had the highest number of bank and building society branches per 10,000 population in 2021, with 1.9 banks per 10,000. London meanwhile had 1.6 banks for every 10,000 people, while Scotland and Wales both had 1.4 banks per 10,000 people - above the UK average of 1.3. The east Midlands had the lowest bank-to-person density, with just 1.1 banks per 10,000 people, followed by the east of England, Yorkshire, the west Midlands and the north west, which had 1.2 banks per 10,000 people. According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, the UK had an average of 2.3 branches per 10,000 inhabitants in 2012. Five years later, this had decreased to 1.47, a drop of 27 per cent. And this, the FCA says, had an impact on customers, who now have to travel longer distance in order to get to their nearest branch. According to the FCA, in 2015 the average consumer had to travel 2.5 miles to their nearest branch (4.8 for those living in rural areas, 1.8 in urban areas). By 2017, this had increased to 2.6 miles (5.1 in rural areas, 1.9 in urban areas). The biggest decline in terms of branches in the Big Six banks meanwhile has been at Barclays. Once the largest bank in Britain in terms of the number of branches, it shut nearly 800 branches between 2014 and 2022. It now has less than Lloyds and a similar level to Natwest. According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, the UK had an average of 2.3 branches per 10,000 inhabitants in 2012. Five years later, this had decreased to 1.47, a drop of 27 per cent The biggest decline, according to that same report, has been in the south west of England, where the number of banks fell by 40 per cent from 2012 to 2021. Behind the south west was the north west (-38 per cent), Wales (-36 per cent) and Yorkshire and Humberside (36 per cent). London was in line with the UK average of -36 per cent, while Northern Ireland (-3 per cent), the north east (-23 per cent) and the west Midlands (-33 per cent) saw the smallest declines London meanwhile has 1.6 banks for every 10,000 people, while Scotland and Wales both had 1.4 banks per 10,000 people - above the UK average of 1.3. The east Midlands had the lowest bank-to-person density, with just 1.1 banks per 10,000 people, followed by the east of England, Yorkshire, the west Midlands and the north west, which had 1.2 banks per 10,000 people Meanwhile, Natwest shut nearly 400 banks between 2016 and 2017. It had more than 1,200 banks in 2014, but now has just 600. It means Lloyds are now the biggest bank in terms of branches. But they too have shut more than 400 branches in the last eight years. TSB and RBS, the smaller banks of the Big Six, have similarly reduced the number of branches, from around 600 in 2014 to around 200 in 2022. HSBC have steadily pulled back on the number of branches. The British multinational had more than 1,000 branches across the UK in 2014 and now has almost 400. Earlier this week the bank announced plans to cut 69 of its branches across the UK in a shift towards online banking. So what exactly is driving the dash to ditch cash? For millions of Britons access to cash is still a vital part of day-to-day life. But the decline in its use has been staggering in recent years - and has only fallen further since the start of the pandemic. Even before Covid struck, forcing many businesses and banks to close, cash use was on the decline. According to the House of Commons Library, there were 17billion cash payments made in the UK in 2015. But that was dwarfed by other types of payments, such as card and online, which were used 21billion times in the UK. Even before Covid struck, forcing many businesses and banks to close, cash use was on the decline. According to the House of Commons Library, there were 17billion cash payments made in the UK in 2015. But that was dwarfed by other types of payments, such as card and online, which were used 21billion times in the UK And, according to the figures, the use of cash payments has declined by two billion each year since 2015, falling to 9billion payments by 2019. At the same time online payments have been on the rise, with 31billion payments from methods other than cash in 2019. Meanwhile, the use of online banking is growing, according to industry bosses. UK Finance, which represents banks in Britain, says nearly 90 per cent of UK adults used online banking, mobile banking or telephone banking in 2020, up from 81 per cent in 2019. And bank branches can be costly for firms, with experts estimating each branch costing around 350,000-a-year. However even UK Finance say the represent the need for face-to-face banking services: 'Technology is not for everyone and bank branches continue to play an important role in the life of local communities, meaning decisions to close them are never taken lightly,' a UK Finance spokesperson told MailOnline. 'Ensuring there is continued access for those who need it, both now and in the future, is something the banking and finance industry has publicly committed to delivering.' Meanwhile, John Howells, who is the CEO of a pilot scheme by cash machine firm LINK to provide banking 'hubs' for communities set to lose bank branches, also said the banking landscape had changed in recent years. He said six in 10 payments were made in cash a decade ago, but this had declined to just three in 10 prior to the pandemic. 'Since Covid that has dropped to around one in 10 payments. But we are not ready as a country to be a cashless society. 'But it's not just about access for the elderly and vulnerable people. 'The situation between Russia and Ukraine has highlighted the issues of what can happen with online banking systems. 'And in Sweden they have an emergency campaign which lists items people should keep in the house in case of an invasion - one of those is cash.' LINK's pilot scheme, which is being done in conjunction with the Cash Action Group (CAG), involves the setting up of banking 'Hubs'. The CAG comprises of all major banks, Nationwide, the Post Office, along with the Federation of Small Business, Age UK and Toynbee Hall. Under the scheme, which is currently voluntary, banks tell LINK about their plans to close branches. LINK then make an assessment of the area's needs and will then decide if it needs a banking hub. These hubs are then created, allowing people to have access to day-to-day banking services throughout the week, which can be used by customers from any bank. On top of this, each bank will then have its own counter day, depending on size and customer base in the area, where customers can engage in more advanced face-to-face services. Currently two hubs exist, in Rochford, Essex, and Cambuslang, on the outskirts of Glasgow, both of which CAG's Natalie Ceeley described as a 'success'. Five more 'bank hubs' will be set up across the UK next year, in Acton (West London), Brixham (Devon), Carnoustie (Angus), Knaresborough (North Yorks) and Syston (Leicestershire). Meanwhile, the Post Office has also announced that it will install 'dedicated cash services' in 30 branches over the next 12 months which could include banking counters and self-service machines. While the scheme is currently based on towns set to lose banks in the future, bosses behind the pilot hope to expand it to backdate the scheme to areas that have already lost many or all of their branches. Ms Ceeney, who has campaigned on the issue for several years, told MailOnline: 'This is not just an issue for people, but one for smaller businesses as well, that rely on local banking services.' Ms Ceeney has called for the scheme, which is currently a voluntary one, to be properly legislated by the Government. 'We are laying the foundations, but we will struggle without legislation. It is a volunteer scheme at the moment, but banks have to be made to do this in order to make sure it is a success.' Advertisement Company chiefs vowed to 'try to replace' the affected branches with other banking services, such as new ATMs and pop-up banks. HSBC also insisted it would retain a network of more than 440 branches and will not close any branches where they are the last bank in town. Bosses said the the move is in response to a shift towards online banking - which it says has been 'accelerated' during the Covid pandemic. HSBC's head of UK branch network Jackie Uhi said: 'The way people bank is changing - something the pandemic has accelerated. 'Our branches continue to support people with their more complex banking needs, but the way we can do this has also evolved, with the addition of banking hubs, community pop ups and continued use of the Post Office network. 'Rather than a one-size fits all branch approach, it's an approach built around the way different customers are choosing to bank in different areas.' The bank, which has 7,500 offices in more than 80 countries around the world, and its headquarters in Birmingham, says the move comes due to an 'acceleration' towards customers using online banking. It says less than 50 per cent of its bank's customers now 'actively use' a branch network and that average footfall has declined by over 50 per cent since 2017. HSBC also says it has seen an 'increase preference' for online and mobile banking during the pandemic. However the move will spark fears for elderly and less tech-savvy customers. HSBC admits the move will increase the average travel distance to its branches by 0.3 miles for customers. It means customers now have to travel, on average, four miles to get to a HSBC bank. But HSBC says customers will also be able to use the Post Office, within 1.5 miles of each closing branch, to carry out day-to-day transactions. Charities warn that this could have a negative impact on customers, particularly those who are elderly. Caroline Abrahams, Age UK Charity Director, said: 'Many older people value the services provided by bank branches, in particular the human touch that a counter service can provide, so it's a concern that more and more local bank branches are not only closing, but also restricting opening hours for customers. 'The scale of the bank branch cull over recent years has been extremely damaging for so many local communities nationwide and a serious blow for the millions of older people who rely on them, particularly those who are not online or confident with mobile banking. 'It's well known that a rapid move towards online banking over the past few years has caused significant problems for many older customers, particularly those with visual impairments and dexterity problems. 'These problems are exacerbated when branch closures coincide with poor public transport locally, a lack of ATMs, substandard internet service and mobile black spots, making it increasingly difficult for customers to access their money. 'The recent announcement by the banks about how they will protect cash through shared banking hubs, Post Offices and community cashback is welcome. However, some customers are still at risk of being cut adrift and the banks should do everything they can to ensure the continued provision of essential banking services for years to come.' Meanwhile Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said: 'The rapid decline of the bank branch network is hugely concerning for the millions of people that still rely on banks for vital face-to-face services and to withdraw cash to pay for everyday essentials. 'Initiatives put forward by the banking industry such as shared banking hubs are welcome and have the potential to play a key role in preserving local access to cash and in-person banking services. 'However, it is important that proposals are of sufficient scale to plug gaps which emerge when banks close their branches and are tailored to address the different challenges faced by local areas. 'Underpinning those proposals must be long-promised and much-needed government legislation to protect access to cash for as long as it is needed.' While thousands of bank branches have closed across the UK in the last twenty years, the Post Office has picked up much of the slack in rural communities who now no longer have dedicated branches. The Post Office already has an agreement with many banks that allows customers to do their everyday banking over its counters. But while customers can complete day-to-day transactions at the Post Office, more complex actions still require customers to go into branch. And with branch closures, the average distance customers need to travel to get to their bank has increased, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to access their banks. But groups representing the industry say the move is due to the change in banking habits among Britons, with more and more people now choosing online or mobile banking. A spokesperson for UK Finance, a trade association for the UK banking and financial services sector, told MailOnline: 'Growing numbers of customers are opting to use new technologies to manage their money with nearly 90 per cent of UK adults using online banking, mobile banking or telephone banking services in 2020, up from 81 per cent in 2019. 'But technology is not for everyone and bank branches continue to play an important role in the life of local communities, meaning decisions to close them are never taken lightly. 'Ensuring there is continued access for those who need it, both now and in the future, is something the banking and finance industry has publicly committed to delivering. 'As part of this, the Access to Cash Action Group, chaired by Natalie Ceeney, recently set out plans on how the industry will deliver on commitments to preserve access to cash and banking services. This includes shared bank hubs alongside free ATMs and cashback without purchase.' Experts meanwhile have told MailOnline how banks are now increasingly looking to close branches in medium-sized towns, having previously targeted smaller more rural locations such as larger villages. Derek French, a former high-ranking boss at Natwest, who launched the Campaign for Community Banking Services group, said towns of between 40,000-50,000 in population were now increasingly at risk of losing their branches. He told MailOnline: 'If you look at the HSBC closures they are in medium sized towns. They are much larger than the previous areas, but they are often not the first banks to go in these towns.' Mr French, who has 30 years experience in the industry, and who is calling for more legislation to ensure customers still had access to over-the-counter services, said that although the move to digital banking had been a key driver, cost was also an element. 'It costs around 350,000 to run a branch in an average town for a year,' Mr French said. 'Most of the banks are aiming to get down to the magic number of around 400 branches each, and you see HSBC in their recent announcement is now nearing that number. They (the banks) are saving a huge amount of money (by cutting back on branches).' Meanwhile campaigners warn how High Street banks could disappear from all but the biggest towns and cities in a decade. An evaluation by Ask Traders, based on Which? research, earlier this year found communities of 100,000 or more are already facing a future without physical banks. Nigel Frith, a senior financial analyst at AskTraders, called on the government to act to protect access to cash: 'With 50 million people in the UK still reliant on using cash, the need for security around high street banks is clear to see. 'While high streets and banking groups must continue to evolve, millions of people still rely on the services physical bank branches provide. Online banking should certainly be embraced but not at the expense of branches on the high street which meet the nuanced needs of individuals. 'It's really important the government delivers on its promise to protect access to cash.' So what is being done to combat the issue? John Howells is the CEO of a pilot scheme by cash machine firm LINK to provide banking 'hubs' for communities set to lose bank branches. He also said the banking landscape had changed in recent years. Five more 'bank hubs' will be set up across the UK next year, in Acton (West London), Brixham (Devon), Carnoustie (Angus), Knaresborough (North Yorks) and Syston (Leicestershire). Pictured: The Post Office Bank Hub in Rochford Meanwhile, John Howells, who is the CEO of a pilot scheme by cash machine firm LINK to provide banking 'hubs' for communities set to lose bank branches, also said the banking landscape had changed in recent years He said six in 10 payments were made in cash a decade ago, but this had declined to just three in 10 prior to the pandemic. 'Since Covid that has dropped to around one in 10 payments. But we are not ready as a country to be a cashless society. But it's not just about access for the elderly and vulnerable people. 'The situation between Russia and Ukraine has highlighted the issues of what can happen with online banking systems. 'And in Sweden they have an emergency campaign which lists items people should keep in the house in case of an invasion - one of those is cash.' But he said he was hopeful the pilot scheme could help plug some of the gaps left behind. The pilot scheme, which is being done in conjunction with the Cash Action Group (CAG), involves the setting up of banking 'Hubs'. The CAG comprises of all major banks, Nationwide, the Post Office, along with the Federation of Small Business, Age UK and Toynbee Hall. Ms Ceeney has called for the Banking Hub scheme, which is currently a voluntary one, to be properly legislated by the Government Under the scheme, which is currently voluntary, banks tell LINK about their plans to close branches. LINK then make an assessment of the area's needs and will then decide if it needs a banking hub. These hubs are then created, allowing people to have access to day-to-day banking services throughout the week, which can be used by customers from any bank. On top of this, each bank will then have its own counter day, depending on size and customer base in the area, where customers can engage in more advanced face-to-face services. Currently two hubs exist, in Rochford, Essex, and Cambuslang, on the outskirts of Glasgow, both of which CAG's Natalie Ceeley described as a 'success'. Five more 'bank hubs' will be set up across the UK next year, in Acton (West London), Brixham (Devon), Carnoustie (Angus), Knaresborough (North Yorks) and Syston (Leicestershire). Meanwhile, the Post Office has also announced that it will install 'dedicated cash services' in 30 branches over the next 12 months which could include banking counters and self-service machines. While the scheme is currently based on towns set to lose banks in the future, bosses behind the pilot hope to expand it to backdate the scheme to areas that have already lost many or all of their branches. Ms Ceeney, who has campaigned on the issue for several years, told MailOnline: 'This is not just an issue for people, but one for smaller businesses as well, that rely on local banking services.' Ms Ceeney has called for the scheme, which is currently a voluntary one, to be properly legislated by the Government. 'We are laying the foundations, but we will struggle without legislation. It is a volunteer scheme at the moment, but banks have to be made to do this in order to make sure it is a success.' An HM Treasury spokesperson said: 'We know that cash remains vital for millions of people and we are committed to protecting access to cash across the UK. 'That's why we published a consultation on proposals 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.' Britain has announced new sanctions against Vladimir Putin's 'war leaders', including the colonel who oversaw the horrifying mass murder of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha. The move will target those 'commanding the front line' to commit 'heinous' acts in Ukraine, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The list includes Lt Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, a commanding officer in the Russian army with involvement in the 'Bucha massacre'; Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, commander of airborne forces; Major General Valery Flyustikov, commander of special operations forces; and Colonel General Nikolay Bogdanovsky, first deputy chief of the general staff, the FCDO said. Omurbekov earned the nickname of the 'Butcher of Bucha' for commanding the Russian unit that is believed to be behind the civilian massacre in the Ukrainian town. The commander of the 64th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade - who is thought to be around 40 - was once given a medal for outstanding service in 2014 by Dmitry Bulgakov, the deputy Russian Defence Minister. He now stands accused of organising the rape, pillage and murder of hundreds of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha, a commuter town on the outskirts of Kyiv, during Russia's month-long occupation throughout March. The latests sanctions list includes Lt Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov (pictured, file photo), who earned the nickname of the 'Butcher of Bucha' for commanding the Russian unit that is believed to be behind the civilian massacre in the Ukrainian town. Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov (left), commander of airborne forces; Major General Valery Flyustikov, commander of special operations forces; and Colonel General Nikolay Bogdanovsky (right), first deputy chief of the general staff, were also on the list Since Russian forces were pushed back from the region, hundreds of bodies of civilians have been found, the majority of which were discovered with gunshot wounds. Some had their hands tied behind their backs, and had been tortured. Serdyukov, meanwhile, is one of Russia's six senior commanders who are responsible for overseeing the various military districts involved in the invasion of Ukraine. He was also at the head of the Russian operation that annexed Crimea in 2014. lyustikov is the Commander of Russia's Special Operations Forces, while Bogdanovsk is the First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Russia's armies. Omurbekov and the others were subject to a travel ban and asset freeze by Britain. 'Key leaders in Russia's army' are being targeted as part of a new wave of 26 sanctions, the FCDO said in a press release of Thursday. The UK is also taking action against individuals outside of Vladimir Putin's military, who are 'actively supporting his illegal invasion of Ukraine', it said. These include Oleg Belozyorov, the chief executive and chairman of vital logistics company Russian Railways, and Ilya Kiva, the defecting and expelled Ukrainian MP who has publicly supported Russia's actions in Ukraine, the department said. Another senior figure on the sanctions list was Sergei Borisovich Korolyov, the First Deputy Director of Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). In the past, he has been accused of orchestrating contract killings and kidnappings for the Russian state. 'The depravity of Russia's assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see,' Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement. 'They are deliberately targeting hospitals, schools, and transport hubs in Mariupol and beyond - just as they did in Chechnya and Syria. 'The UK is unyielding in our support for Ukraine and in holding Putin and his regime to account. Today's new wave of sanctions hits the generals and defence companies that have blood on their hands.' Pictured: Bodies are exhumed and removed from the mass grave near the St. Andrew and All Saints Church in Bucha city of Kyiv area, Ukraine, 13 April 2022 'The depravity of Russia's assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see,' Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement, announcing the latest wave of sanctions In the wider press release, the FCDO said: Since March 10, Russian bombers have repeatedly dropped munitions on civilian infrastructure, including civil government buildings, hospitals, schools and transportation nodes. 'The UK government conclusion is that this is intentional targeting based on the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes, volume of munitions and the repeated targeting of the same locations on consecutive days.' The FCDO also said it was fast tracking a further 19 individuals and organisations 'entities in alignment with global partners from the G7 and the EU' that are linked to Russia's military and defence capabilities - including Korolyov. A number of the individuals were accused by Britain of 'undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine by supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.' Ilya Kiva, expelled Ukrainian MP, is on the list, as is Oleg Belozyorov, CEO and Board Chairman of Russian Railways. The FCDO said Russian Railways has been vital to Moscow to transport its military equipment to Ukraine. A number of companies were also named on the list, including: GTLK, Russia's largest leasing company; Jsc Arz Machinebuilding Plant, part of a Military Industrial Company; JSC Kalashnikov Concern, a Russian developer; and manufacturer of army Russian equipment and Llc Military Industrial Company, a major arms and military equipment provider. All were included on the list for providing key services to the Russian army. Three dug graves are ready for the next funerals at the cemetery in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Ukraine and most major western countries have accused Russia of war crimes in Bucha during the several weeks when the northern town was under Russian occupation. Pictures of dead civilians that emerged after Russian forces withdrew sparked an international uproar and led to further sanctions on Russia by the United States, Britain and the European Union. Russia has denied allegations that it killed civilians in Bucha, calling footage and photographs of dead bodies a 'staged performance' by Kyiv. Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it has concluded that Russian attacks on Ukrainian government buildings, schools and hospitals since March 10 were intentional based on, among other things, the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes and volume of munitions used. Earlier in the week, Ukraine said the second phase of the war had begun with the 'Battle of Donbas' in the country's east, after failing to capture the capital Kyiv and being forced to withdraw from the north. Russia calls its incursion a 'special military operation' to demilitarise and 'denazify' Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext for an illegal war of aggression. Meanwhile, the bodies of more than 1,000 innocent Ukrainian civilians are being stored in morgues near Kyiv after Russian troops abandoned their savage campaign to take the capital. More and more corpses are continuing to pile up after the Kremlin withdrawal from central Ukraine revealed the scale of horrors in towns such as Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka, after they were recaptured. Many bodies were dumped in mass graves or left rotting on the street showing signs of torture. '1,020 bodies (of) civilians, only civilians, in the areas of all the Kyiv region,' were discovered, Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, told AFP in Borodyanka. 'These are only civilians collected from buildings, but also on the streets,' she said, adding the bodies date back to the beginning of the savage invasion. United Airlines' CEO says he doesn't think the federal mask mandate will ever return - and revealed passengers kicked off for refusing to wear one may now be welcomed back on-board. Although United CEO Jack Kirby acknowledged that the pandemic was ongoing, he said airports were now much safer and will be able to carry on without many of the restrictions previously put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. 'I think it's very unlikely that a mask mandate is going to come back anytime in the foreseeable future,' Kirby told the Today Show on Thursday. 'We're getting back to living life as normal.' United Airlines CEO Jack Kirby (above) predicted that mask mandates will not return to airports after the restriction was struck down by a U.S. district judge on Monday Kirby said passengers were still free to wear face masks on flights and that customers who were banned for previously refusing to wear masks would be allowed back. People are pictured on an American Airlines flight from LAX to Denver on April 19 shortly after the mask mandate was lifted The White House and TSA, which manages passengers at airports, said they would not challenge the Monday's ruling, bringing an end to mandatory masking on planes and airports. Denver airport is pictured on Monday after the mandate was lifted EXCLUSIVE: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby joins us to talk about the mask mandate ruling, where the heated battle will go ahead of the busy travel season, staffing and more. pic.twitter.com/A9LDlqsYzO TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 21, 2022 The mask mandates were lifted on Monday after a U.S. district judge stuck down the order, saying the CDC had overstepped its authority, and that enforcement of the mandate was illegal. The White House announced on Tuesday that it will challenge the ruling to reinstate mandatory masking on planes. Kirby praised the decision, adding that employees and customers are still free to wear masks and that the airline would help accommodate the immunocompromised who may not feel safe traveling without the mandate in place. He said they'd either be offered a credit for future flights, or if they were adamant that they never wanted to return to the skies again, a refund. The CEO noted that while some customers have been banned for life for bad behavior during the pandemic, those who were kicked-off flights for simply refusing to wear a mask will be allowed back. 'We have talked to them individually, and many of them have assured us that now that the mask mandate is up, everything is going to be fine, and I trust that the vast majority of them will be,' Kirby told Today. United said it banned about 1,000 customers for failing to comply with the mask mandate as dozens of viral videos surfaced since the pandemic began of maskless passengers clashing with flight attendants over COVID restrictions. One such case involved Adam Jenne, 38, of Cape Coral, Florida, who was kicked off a flight in December for wearing women's underwear as a mask. Video footage shows United Airlines staff confront Adam Jenne, pictured, with underwear covering his nose and mouth, onboard a flight from Fort Lauderale to Washington DC Pictured: Jenne exiting his seat after being kicked off of a United Airlines flight for not complying with the face mask rule, despite wearing underwear on his face Jenne told Fox 4 that wearing the underwear as a face mask was intended to show the absurdity of masking on a plane until it reaches cruising altitude, when passengers are then allowed to remove their masks to eat and drink. 'There's nothing more absurd than having to wear a mask until I get to cruising altitude so that I can order Tito's by the double and snack on pretzels, and illustrating that absurdity by wearing women's underwear on my face sounds perfect,' he said. Moments after Jenne was kicked off, the video shows several other passengers also exiting in a show of support. United did not say whether Jenne would be among the customers allowed back but said banned customers will return on a case-by-case scenario. DailyMail.com has contacted the airline and Jenne himself for further information. Delta Airlines, with banned about 2,000 people for refusing to wear masks, has also opted to allow the banned customers back after reviewing each case. 'With masks now optional, Delta will restore flight privileges for customers on the mask non-compliance no-fly list only after each case is reviewed and each customer demonstrates an understanding of their expected behavior when flying with us,' Delta said in a statement. The airline, however, noted that customers who disregard future safety policies will be placed on a permanent 'no-fly list.' 'Customers who demonstrated egregious behavior and are already on the permanent no-fly list remain barred from flying with Delta.' The lifting of the mask mandates on planes come as COVID-19 cases continue to drop in the U.S. The nation recorded 68,781 new cases in the past day, with 877 new deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 66 percent of those eligible for the vaccine are full protected against COVID-19, and more than 82 percent have gotten at least one jab. Boris Johnson risked a backlash after he posed at a JCB factory in India today - at the same time as a row rages over bulldozers being used to raze Muslim-owned properties in New Delhi. On the first day of his two-day trip to India, the Prime Minister met with JCB owner Lord Bamford, who has made huge donations to both the Conservative Party and Mr Johnson personally, at the company's factory in Vadodara, Gujarat. Mr Johnson clambered aboard one of the firm's vehicles for a photo opportunity. But he soon attracted criticism as it was highlighted how JCB-branded machines had been used to raze a number of Muslim-owned shops in India's capital just a day earlier. On Wednesday morning, bulldozers demolished a string of shops in New Delhi's north-west Jahangirpuri neighbourhood. Local authorities used the vehicles to raze the buildings before India's Supreme Court halted the demolitions. It came days after communal violence shook New Delhi and saw dozens arrested. Boris Johnson posed in a JCB vehicle as he met with the firm's chairman, Lord Bamford, during a visit to the company's factory in Vadodara, Gujarat Lord Bamford has donated huge sums both to the Conservative Party and to the Prime Minister personally in recent years A JCB-branded bulldozer is pictured dismantling structures outside a mosque in New Delhi's Jahangirpuri neighbourhood Local authorities used vehicles to raze buildings before India's Supreme Court halted the demolitions 21/04/2022. Gujarat, India. Prime Minister Boris Johnson-India Tour Day One Gujarat, India. Prime Minister Boris Johnson having a Turban fitted while visiting India For nearly an hour after the Supreme Court order, officials continued to demolish structures, including the outer entrance and stairs leading into a mosque. They stopped the bulldozers just outside the entrance of a Hindu temple, about 50 metres (160ft) from the mosque, and began to retreat. This spurred outrage from Muslim residents who said they were being targeted. Anti-Muslim sentiment and attacks have risen across India in the past 10 days, including stone throwing between Hindu and Muslim groups during religious processions. There have also been demolitions of a number of properties, many belonging to Muslims, in another state last week. Police have arrested at least 24 suspects since communal violence broke out on Saturday during a Hindu religious procession in Jahangirpuri. Campaign group Amnesty International India accused the PM of being 'ignorant' by visiting a JCB factory during his two-visit to the country Asked about bulldozers being used to raze the properties of Muslims in India - as well as concerns about press freedom and protection of minorities in the country - Mr Johnson indicated he would bring up those issues during his talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi tomorrow. 'We always raise the difficult issues, of course we do, but the fact is that India is a country of 1.35 billion people and it is democratic, it's the world's largest democracy,' the PM said. Indian TV station News24 today featured coverage of Mr Johnson's JCB visit between its reporting on the use of bulldozers in Jahangirpuri. Prime Minister Boris Johnson having a Turban fitted while visiting Indi Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Gandhi Ashram on the first day of his official visit to India Prime Minister Boris Johnson on an Indian Air Force Chinook while on an official visit to India Campaign group Amnesty International India accused the PM of being 'ignorant' by visiting a JCB factory today. They said: 'In the backdrop of Municipal Corporation of Delhi using JCB bulldozers to raze down shops of Muslims in Northwest Delhis Jahangirpuri yesterday, UK Prime Minister's inauguration of a JCB factory in Gujarat is not only ignorant but his silence on the incident is deafening. 'As Indian authorities clamp down on human rights daily, the UK Government must not remain a mute bystander. It must bring human rights to the discussion table. India cannot wait another day for justice. 'The demolition continued despite and in defiance of an order by the Supreme Court of India asking the authorities to stay the demolition exercise. 'The residents of Jahangirpuri were not even given an opportunity to salvage their possessions.' Hasan Patel, a former BBC journalist who now works as a communications specialist, posted on Twitter: 'Bl**** Hell! JCBs are being used to wipe out Muslim neighbourhoods in India and Boris Johnson has just endorsed them by this photo shoot - are his people so stupid and dense?' Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has requested to meet with investigators about a January 6 rally, but only if he's granted immunity. The Infowars host, 48, has sent a letter to convey 'his desire to speak to federal prosecutors' about the January 6 rally at the Capitol, according to The New York Times. Jones, a key player in the pro-Trump Stop the Steal Movement, has reportedly requested an immunity deal with the Justice Department in return for discussing his role. His lawyer Norm Pattis has continuously said Jones didn't commit any 'criminal wrongdoings,' only chanted 1776 slogans and helped lead the crowd in a march as the Capitol erupted in violence. 'He distrusts the government,' Pattis also said. His request comes two weeks after Ali Alexander - organizer of Stop the Steal and a close confidant to Jones - was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury that is seeking information from rally planners, Congress members, and those close to Trump who had connections to events that lead up to the riot. Alexander, who marched alongside Jones, revealed he would comply with the subpoena. Alex Jones, 48, has requested to speak to the Justice Department about January 6 in return for immunity His lawyer Norm Pattis has continuously said Jones didn't commit any 'criminal wrongdoings,' only chanted 1776 slogans and helped lead the crowd in a march as the Capitol erupted in violence. The House's special committee has acknowledged that Jones told the group to not participate in the violence, but also accused him of knowing the riot was going to happen Jones reportedly attended several pro-Trump events between November 14 and December 12, 2020, and has ties to Trump-supporting circles, including former aides and advisors. He also allegedly worked closely with rally organizers, speakers, and far-right groups, such as the Oath Keepers. In addition, one of Infowars' top people Owen Shroyer was also reportedly at the forefront of the mob that stormed the Capitol. Shroyer was arrested in August and faces misdemeanor charges. Previously, Jones had appeared in front of a House of Representatives select committee to discuss the rally and later said on his show that he invoked his Fifth Amendment 'almost 100 times' while being interviewed. However, he also revealed the committee had accessed text messages between him and Cindy Chafian, who played a key role in organizing Trump rallies after President Joe Biden's win. Chafian has also been subpoenaed by the House committee and was reportedly among those who had brought in shadowy paramilitary groups, such as the 1st Amendment Praetorian, to serve as security at events, The New York Times reported. The Inforwars host's request comes two weeks after Stop the Steal organizer Ali Alexander (left) revealed he was subpoenaed by the House's special committee. Alexander has said he will comply with the subpoena Jones and Alexander (pictured together, left) were seen marching together before the January 6 riot The 1st Amendment Praetorian allegedly has ties to Michael Flynn, Trump's former security advisor. The group also provided security at Stop the Steal rallies, in addition to the Oath Keepers. An Oath Keeper, who has been charged with sedition, recently released internal messages from the group that revealed leader Stewart Rhodes had said he enjoyed working with the paramilitary group and had name-dropped Jones, saying it a 'great feather in our cap' to protect the Infowars host. In addition, the House investigated Jones' relationship with Caroline Wren, a former Trump aide, who had helped arrange for the former president to speak at the Ellipse. Trump did speak at a rally prior to the riot starting. It is unclear if Jones was in attendance when Trump spoke. On Infowars, Jones revealed he had he and Wren were among the group that was led 'to the back of the stage so we could then go and get around the crowd and go lead the march.' Alexander reportedly had a permit for a rally, according to The New York Times. The House did, however, say when they subpoenaed the conspiracy theorist that he told the group he was with not to be violent and to only gather on the east side of the building, where Alexander's rally permit was for. However, they did not overlook that he had reportedly met with Publix heiress Julie Fancelli to provide '80 percent of the funding' for the Ellipse rally, alongside Wren and that Jones had previously promoted Trump's lies and had 'made statements implying that you had knowledge about the plans of President Trump with respect to the rally,' they said in a November letter. The Justice Department has also recently hired a Maryland federal prosecutor Thomas Windom to help investigate the riot and events surrounding it, sources told The New York Times. He had reportedly been working with national security and criminal divisions officials to research any criminal activity related to the riot. Windom's work will help two prosecution teams, one focusing on charging rioters and the other looking into conspiracy cases stemming from the riot. Windom is also dealing with Alexander's subpoena, bringing the case closer to Jones. Jones was reportedly leading a group to the east side of the Capitol, where former president Donald Trump was scheduled to speak at the Ellipse The high-profile, aggressive prosecutor has previously worked on cases that led to convictions of violent white supremacist group The Base, which wanted to start a race war. He has also convicted Christopher Hasson, a white nationalist and former member of the US Coast Guard, who planned to kill journalists, politicians, and Supreme Court justices, among others. He has also worked on domestic and international terrorism cases, as well as, national security. 'Thomas is a thorough and creative investigator and an experienced trial attorney,' former US attorney Robert Hur told The New York Times. 'Hes calm under pressure and accustomed to building and trying complex, high-stakes cases. Having tried two cases with him, I know his considerable skill before judges and juries.' In addition to January 6, Jones and three companies associated with him have filed for a Chapter 11 protection order for the losses he faced in Texas and Connecticut cases involving the Sandy Hook shooting, which he claimed was a hoax. Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee on Wednesday denied advocating for the 2020 presidential election results to be overturned, finally breaking his silence after recently-revealed text messages reportedly show his efforts searching for legal avenues to upend Joe Biden's victory. Last week, CNN revealed dozens of texts sent by Lee to ex-Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about Trump's search for a way to overturn the 2020 results. The timeline of messages between November 7, 2020 and up until days before the Capitol riot show the conservative senator first advocating for and then turning against the plans. He ended up being in the majority of GOP senators that voted to certify Biden's White House victory. In his first interview since the damning messages were released, Lee told Deseret News they had been 'leaked' for 'political motives.' Utah's primary election is coming up on June 28, and Lee along with two of his Republican challengers have already qualified for the ballot. He complained of being taken out of context. And he claimed that messages to Meadows like 'Please tell me what I should be saying,' reportedly sent November 20, were not meant to indicate he was ready to do the White House's 'bidding.' 'He knows that when I said things like "Tell me what we ought to be saying," what I was just trying to figure out was "What is your message?" He knows me well enough to know that that doesnt mean I will do your bidding, whatever it is,' the lawmaker said. 'Conversations I had with him at the time on the phone and in person, he knew that. He knew I was not there to do his bidding.' Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee (right) broke his silence in his first interview since CNN revealed dozens of text messages between him and former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows (left) linked to the former president's efforts to over turn the 2020 election Lee dismissed early messages that indicated his support for the White House's search for a legal avenue to overturn the election, stating: 'There were a million theories circulating at any given moment.' In a November 7 message Lee offered Meadows his 'unequivocal support for you to exhaust every legal and constitutional remedy at your disposal to restore Americans faith in our elections.' The senator also further distanced himself from pro-Trump 'Kraken' lawyer Sidney Powell -- despite praising her as a 'straight shooter' days after Americans cast their ballots and passing her contact information to Meadows because she 'need[ed] to get in to see the president.' Lee on Wednesday denied knowing Powell or remembering how he met her. He also denied introducing her to Trump's team. He suggested her wild press conferences concerned him because 'the things she said didn't make a lot of sense to me.' The messages show Lee going from supporting the idea of finding a legal avenue to overturn the election to souring on it in the span of several weeks between November 7 and January 4 The Utah Republican appeared to sour on the controversial attorney after her infamous November 19 press conference in which she, side-by-side with Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, spouted wild conspiracy theories about how the 2020 election was supposedly 'rigged' against Trump. Those included accusations that Dominion Voting Systems' machines played a role in switching votes from Trump to Biden. Giuliani and Powell are facing $1.3 billion defamation lawsuits from the company. A text message from Lee to Meadows the day of the news conference read, 'The potential defamation liability for the president is significant here. For the campaign and for the president personally. Unless Powell can back up everything she said, which I kind of doubt she can.' Meadows said, 'I agree. Very concerned.' Lee told Deseret News he 'became alarmed' by January 2, when he received lawyer John Eastman's infamous memo claiming seven states could send 'dueling slates of electors' that would effectively allow then-Vice President Mike Pence to throw out the votes from that state. 'Thats when I became alarmed. Honestly, by Jan. 2, I started to think this had blown over and maybe they were not going to try this stunt that I think could be dangerous,' he told the outlet. He said to Meadows the day after, according to CNN: 'I know only this will end badly for the president unless we have the Constitution on our side. And unless these states submit new slates of Trump electors pursuant to state law, we do not.' Of Eastman's actual theory about Pence overturning the election, Lee claimed it had been 'common knowledge' in the halls of Congress. 'I dont know when I first quote-unquote learned about it,' he said Wednesday. But on January 4 he even appeared to show more support for the idea, claiming to have called multiple state legislatures to discuss it. 'Apparently she has a strategy to keep things alive and put several states back in play. Can you help get her in?' Lee wrote of lawyer Sidney Powell. In the Wednesday interview, he claimed to have not known her personally or remember how he got in touch with her 'We need something from state legislatures to make this legitimate and to have any hope of winning. Even if they cant convene, it might be enough if a majority of them are willing to sign a statement indicating how they would vote,' he texted Meadows that day. He said in the new interview: 'At no point in any of those was I engaging in advocacy.' 'I wasnt in any way encouraging them to do that. I just asked them a yes or no question,' Lee claimed. The senator went on to say he actually counseled Trump against going along with Eastman's theory. 'You cannot do this. You cant treat the Congress as having the authority to undo the certified electoral votes of any state,' he recalled saying. Lee instead blamed an 'ever-changing plate of facts' for any doubts on his role in the situation, insisting he approached the matter like his other legislative duties. 'You research, read, talk it through with your colleagues, you follow the Constitution,' Lee explained. 'This one proved to be a lot more trickier than most because it involved an ever-changing plate of facts. That made it more difficult than it should have been.' The public is demanding answers after a video showing policemen in Syracuse, New York, placing a crying 8-year-old Black boy in the back of a police cruiser, went viral. A boy weeps while being arrested in a viral video. Meanwhile, Kenneth Jackson, the citizen who is filming the incident, summons the cops. The authorities, on the other hand, stepped up their response to the situation. Viral Video Shows a Boy Wailing While Being Detained Meanwhile, Kenneth Jackson, the citizen who is filming the incident, summons the cops. The authorities, on the other hand, escalated their response, referring to the 8-year-old as a thief. In the footage, which has received over 5 million views on social media in only a few days, one officer can be seen detaining the youngster with both arms before placing him in a police van. Off-camera, another cop informs onlookers who are criticizing their conduct that the youngster has been caught shoplifting. In reaction to the chip-theft charge, another little child jumps up and defends the arrested 8-year-old, saying "it wasn't him." The cameraperson offers to pay for the supposedly stolen Doritos as the cops accuse the youngster of breaching the law. According to Today, the officials keep the youngster in the backseat and the footage ends soon after. The recording was quickly shared on social media, and news outlets began to cover the story. As you can expect, there was widespread public indignation with many condemning the cops for going too far. The Syracuse Police Department (SPD) issued a statement on Instagram in reaction to the situation. The mayor of Syracuse, Ben Walsh, also issued a statement, confirming that the officer recognized the boy from earlier contacts and that he was taken home without charges. Read Also: Maria Sharapova Pregnant: Who's the Father of Sharapova's First Child? Syracuse, New York, Police Face Backlash After Detaining a Boy The child was accused of stealing from a business on the city's northside, but no charges were brought against him, according to police. Officers took him home and talked with the child's father, according to the statement. Anthony Weah, the boy's father, spoke out about the incident, criticizing the SPD's handling of his 8-year-old kid. "We also admitted that, while his kid taking chips is not acceptable, he has concerns about how the officers handled the situation," Yahoo News reported. Kenneth Jackson, who videotaped the event, told the publication that he was grateful for it. Jackson believes the matter was handled incorrectly by the police. "I felt his terror and decided to intervene," he said. "There's a way that the police need to interact with kids, and what they did that day was completely unacceptable." The child was accused of stealing from a business on the city's northside, but no charges were brought against him, according to police. Officers took him home and talked with the child's father, according to the statement. During a speech in the city, New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the footage as "heartbreaking," as per USA Today. New York City Mayor Eric Adams remarked days after the subway shooting in Brooklyn that the current surge in crime is a "national issue," citing several news stories in recent months about violent offenders who were released after prosecutors declined to imprison them returning to criminal conduct. Prosecutors should review cases to determine which culprits need to be removed from society to protect the public and which do not. The answer isn't blanket non-prosecution measures that don't safeguard the public, according to Washington Examiner via MSN. Related Article: Patrick Lyoya Killing: Autopsy Confirms Instant Death After Gunshot to the Back of the Head @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An eye surgeon who hired his Cam-girl model patient before allegedly trying to grope her has been cleared of sexual misconduct by a medical tribunal - salvaging his 36-year career. Dr Mark Hulbert, 59, was accused of trying to kiss and inappropriately touch the webcam porn actress - known only as Patient A - after he hired her to work for him as a property agent following a 700 cataract procedure. The woman also accused Dr Hulbert of bombarding her with sexually suggestive and 'misogynistic' messages, in which he called her 'good girl', 'girlie' and 'gorgeous woman'. She also filed a complaint to the private healthcare organisation BMI, claiming the doctor had asked her out for dinner during a consultation and rubbed her thigh ahead of her Phacoemulsification operation. Hulbert's practising privileges were initially suspended following Patient A's complaint before being reinstated two months later. At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service this week, Dr Hulbert, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, was cleared of sexually motivated misconduct following a four-year probe which began in 2018. Investigators said Patient A's testimony was 'evasive' and unreliable. They also analysed the text messages between Dr Hulbert and Patient A and discovered 'the vast majority were initiated by Patient A', who also first began signing off with an 'x'. In messages posted under her Cam-girl alter-ego Twitter account, she had said she found Dr Hulbert 'sexy', saying he left her 'tongue-tied' and that she wanted to 'jump him.' Meanwhile, the complaints were mostly after she was hired as a self-employed property manager and were therefore not tied to Mr Hulbert's role as a medical practitioner. Dr Mark Hulbert (pictured), 59, was accused of trying to kiss and inappropriately touch the webcam porn actress - known only as Patient A - after he hired her to work for him as a property agent following a 700 cataract procedure. During the two week hearing in Manchester, a disciplinary panel in was shown a series of Twitter messages posted by the woman on the day she had surgery with Hulbert saying: 'In the hospital, waiting for my op and I gotta be honest. My Dr in scrubs really turns me on.' The posts sent under her Cam-girl alter ego page added: 'He actually kinda leaves me tongue tied. Which is how I know I want to jump him lol. I made sure he saw them. They're good legs. With Calvin Klein boxers for girls & nothing else but the sexy hospital gown.' The investigation began after the woman known as Patient A went for a private consultation with Hulbert who works as Consultant Ophthalmologist at the BMI Cavell Hospital in Enfield, North London, and in the St Albans Medical Centre. In a series of statement the model said at an initial meeting with Hulbert in November 2017, she had disclosed her occupation as a 'Cam-girl' but he had 'smiled at her in such a way as to suggest to her that he liked her.' She added: 'It was the kind of smile a guy gives you when he likes you. He asked me to go for dinner with him. 'He said he didn't have time to do so that evening but we should go for dinner sometime. 'I don't think I really said yes or no, I sort of just went with the flow. He touched my face and swept my hair from my eyes.' After the Phacoemulsification procedure, the woman claimed Hulbert told her: 'The doctor's appointment has ended and this is now a job interview', before he asked Patient A to meet him the following day at a block of serviced apartments he owned in the area. He asked her to work for him on a self employed basis, phoning corporate clients and generating business. In her statement Patient A claimed in one incident Hulbert kissed on the lips and said he 'wanted to end things' with his girlfriend. She said he subsequently offered to go to Patient A's flat 'to look at her eyes' and when she said she was in her pajamas he replied: 'It's ok, you can wear less if you like.' At the Medical Practioners Tribunal Service this week, Dr Hulbert (pictured), of St Albans, Hertfordshire, was cleared of sexually motivated misconduct following a four-year probe which began in 2018 She further alleged Hulbert went to her flat for a drink after finishing work, moved close to her on the sofa and stroked her arm. It was also claimed he asked Patient A if he could 'see what she did as a Cam-girl.' In one statement she said: 'I also recall a further occasion when Mark came to my flat. 'We both sat on the sofa, when Mark started to get closer to me I knocked my drink over just to get away from him.' The hearing was showed a series of texts praising Patient A's work helping get bookings for his rental apartments. In them Hulbert told the woman: 'Music to my ears, you gorgeous woman, sleep well, good idea, well done my girl, be a good girl! and absolutely fantastic news girlie.' One other message he sent whilst he was out with a friend read: 'Carry on chillin'. I'll carry on drinking.' Hulbert denied any sexual impropriety and denied showing an unhealthy interest in Patient A's work as a webcam model. He said during the consultation, he had had asked what a 'Cam-girl' was only to be embarrassed and he did not take the subject any further. He said he had been having 'serious issues' with the management of his apartments and said the text messages to Patient A arose out of him being 'pleased' that she had had property sector skills and was able to work for him. His lawyer Mr Mark Harries QC said: 'Although Mr Hulbert has admitted the relevant text messages were inappropriate, this was as a result of them being old fashioned and ill judged, as opposed to being chauvinistic or misogynistic. 'Although he has plainly let himself down, he had not been dishonest and this simply amounted to good faith failing.' In clearing Hulbert, MPTS chairman Damian Cooper said: 'The Tribunal had concerns about Patient A's oral evidence and found her to be evasive in her answers. 'On numerous occasions she had to be asked to stop, to allow the question to be asked and to focus on providing her answer to the question rather than volunteering an extensive amount of additional information. 'Her answers often sought to attribute blame elsewhere and overall, the Tribunal had grave concerns about the reliability of Patient A's evidence concerning the allegations of sexual motivation on the part of Mr Hulbert. 'It was clear to the Tribunal that Mr Hulbert's property development venture was exercising him significantly at the time that he met Patient A. 'He made it clear as to why he might have been so pleased that someone with appropriate property skills had crossed his path and the reasons why he might have been so amenable at that time to engaging such a person. 'The Tribunal could find no reason to question the credibility of Mr Hulbert's account in relation to whether his conduct towards Patient A had been sexually motivated.' Mr Cooper added: 'The Tribunal noted that, with the benefit of hindsight, Mr Hulbert recognised that it was unwise to engage in a dual relationship of this kind and has, as a consequence, changed his practice. In messages posted under her Cam-girl alter-ego Twitter account, Patient A said she found Dr Hulbert (pictured) 'sexy', saying he left her 'tongue-tied' and that she wanted to 'jump him.' 'The Tribunal was in agreement with this sentiment that Mr Hulbert could have managed the situation more carefully. 'When looking at all of the messages exchanged between Patient A and Mr Hulbert, the vast majority were initiated by Patient A and there appeared to be a significant number more from Patient A than those sent by Mr Hulbert. 'She sent the very first message in their correspondence and that she included the first 'x'. 'This appeared to be a closing feature, used to sign off messages and there were very few texts that related to Patient A as a patient. 'The relevant text messages were all sent in the context of Patient A providing Mr Hulbert with information in relation to the property business. 'Mr Hulbert acknowledged the inappropriateness of their contexts in that they were gender specific and patronising. 'The Tribunal considered that the text messages, were unwise, contained outdated language, and were not appropriate in a modern work context. 'But the text messages in were sent in response to business information and updates sent to Mr Hulbert by Patient A and not in response to medical or clinical questions posed by her. 'The Tribunal could not identify a breach of Mr Hulbert's professional standards as a doctor.' A California woman plunged head-first into a filthy vault toilet at a national forest after dropping her phone in, then falling as she tried to retrieve it. The unidentified woman lost her handset while visiting Mount Walker in Washington Tuesday during a trip to the Olympic National Forest. She then decided to fashion a makeshift harness out of a dog leash to try lowering herself into the toilet, only for it to collapse under her weight - and send her flying head-first into the hole filled with human waste. After 20 minutes, the woman managed to retrieve her device, then used it to call 911 to summon help. The stomach-churning incident was detailed in a Facebook post by the Brinnon Fire Department, with two firefighters snapped posing outside the toilets in the wake of the rescue. Scroll down for video Pictured: members of the Brinnon Fire Department in front of the vault toilet on Tuesday, where a woman was rescued after falling into it while trying to retrieve her cell phone Vault toilets are outdoor bathroom facilities housed in permanent structures, which don't flush or utilize water, and are sometimes referred to as pit toilets due to the underground tank that holds the waste. The waste is removed when a truck comes to pump it out and transport it to a water treatment facility. Meanwhile, rescue crews were eventually able to free the woman from the toilet after making a 'cribbing platform' that was lowered down for the woman to stand on. After being pulled to safety, she was then washed down and given a Tyvek hazmat suit to wear, according to the Brinnon Fire Department. The woman told rescue crews that she was uninjured, and refused medical attention despite being strongly encouraged to after being exposed to human waste, which can cause infections. 'The patient was extremely fortunate not to be overcome by toxic gases or sustain injury,' the Brinnon Fire Department said. The woman thanked the first responders and continued on her journey back to California, the Facebook post went on to say. The rescue occurred at the a vault toilet located at the top of an Olympic National Forest hiking trail in Washington State In 2013, an elderly man similarly plummeted five feet into a toilet pit filled with human waste before he was rescued more than an hour later, authorities said at the time. The unidentified man was inappropriately standing atop one of the toilets at Carters Lake in northwest Georgia when he slipped and fell in, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen. The man landed inside the refuse pit where the waste is collected from the above toilets before allowed to naturally decompose, park officials said. Lisa Parker, a spokeswoman for the US Army Corps of Engineers, says the man was trapped for about 70 minutes before help arrived. 'Weve had these type of toilet facilities for 10 to 15 years, and he just mis-used the toilet, unfortunately,' she told the Dalton Daily Citizen. She described him as 'covered in mess and scraped up.' Exposure to such human waste can result in cholera and typhoid fever if left untreated. Advertisement Two women were filmed brawling while a man was recorded beating a woman in Hyde Park as several fights broke out between cannabis-smoking youngsters at yesterday's 420 event. Marijuana lovers unite for the Hyde Park rally every year on April 20 to demand the drug is decriminalised. However, yesterday's event appeared to be a bad-tempered affair with several fights breaking out. Footage showed two women brawling on the floor before being separated and detained by police officers. However, onlookers hit out at the officers after one of the brawlers, a black woman, was seemingly arrested, while the other, a white woman, was not. Meanwhile, a second video showed two men fighting with two women, with one of the men delivering several punches to his opponent as they rolled around the floor. Police said 10 people were arrested yesterday for a range of offences, including possession of class A drugs, possession of class B drugs, possession with intent to supply, offensive weapons, affray and assaulting police. One clip showed two men and two women rolling around the floor at Hyde Park as they traded blows yesterday afternoon The shocking footage appeared to show a man repeatedly striking a woman in the face as they brawled in Hyde Park The Met Police has been contacted over the claims of racism. Another clip from yesterday, showed dozens of officers using dogs to disperse attendees who had left Hyde Park at around 9pm, with one detective saying some were 'involved in assaults' with a 'machete seen'. One clip appeared to show a German Shepherd nipping at a man's leg, causing him to fall to the ground as screams and car horns could be heard blaring in the background. Superintendent Dan Ivey wrote on Twitter: 'This was a proportionate response to a large crowd leaving the park, some involved in assaults, with a machete seen, one knife recovered, along with a knuckle duster. All is now calm. Ten arrests made.' Earlier in the day, clouds of smoke rose above large groups and music boomed from sound systems as attendees took over London's Hyde Park and Woodhouse Moor in Leeds. One attendee could be spotted grilling meat on a barbecue while a number of stalls were set up selling smoking paraphernalia such as bongs. And another person claimed to have spent 650 on a huge joint, saying: 'It took me six hours just to grind up. It cost between 650 and 700. I split it with my mate, we just bought it straight out.' Growing, possessing or distributing the Class B drug is against the law, but some councils in the UK don't pursue those who use cannabis for 'personal use'. While police usually turn a blind eye to the gathering - as long as people remain calm and good-natured - the law states that anyone caught with cannabis can be issued a warning or an on-the-spot fine of 90. The annual '420' tradition is said to have started in America because April 20 in the U.S. date format reads as 4/20. There are many stories behind the significance of the number in stoner culture, but the most common is that 4.20pm is touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic. There are drug and cannabis-related rallies worldwide, but Hyde Park is known as the largest in the UK. Last year - when outdoor gatherings were only permitted for groups of up to six people - cannabis fans flocked to the park despite police warning that 200 fines would be issued for those flouting lockdown rules. In 2017, 12 people were detained by police at the rally. And the 2015 pro-cannabis rally saw more than 50 people arrested, despite claims from organisers that the event was peaceful. The term 420 is thought to have been created by a group of high school students looking to arrange a time to meet up, smoke marijuana and search for plot of land grow more of the cannabis plant. Footage (still above) captured dozens of officers using dogs to disperse attendees who had left Hyde Park at around 9pm, with one detective saying some were 'involved in assaults' with a 'machete seen' People attend a demonstration to mark '420' day in Hyde Park, central London, on Wednesday afternoon. Clouds of smoke was seen rising above large groups and music heard blaring from sound systems A man was seen being arrested (above) after refusing to throw away his stash and 'reacting angrily' to Met Police officers, reports MyLondon. Anyone caught with cannabis can be issued a warning or an on-the-spot fine of 90 A woman smokes during a demonstration to mark '420' day in Hyde Park, London. A number of stalls were set up selling smoking paraphernalia such as bongs A man smokes a joint during a rally to mark '420', the unofficial cannabis holiday, in Hyde Park, central London, on Wednesday A man smokes a joint during a demonstration to mark the informal cannabis holiday in Hyde Park, London, on Wednesday According to High Times, the cannabis magazine, in 1971 five students at the San Rafael High School in California decided to meet every day at 4.20pm to smoke marijuana by the schools statue of Louis Pasteur. The password for the meeting was 420 Louis. The five students called themselves the Waldos. The magazine then says the term faded into obscurity only to gloriously be brought back by a connection to the Grateful Dead band, at whose shows mysterious 420 flyers began popping up. The Waldos insist on their website that they weren't stereotypical stoners, and shouldn't be confused with Spicoli from the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High or comedy duo Cheech and Chong. It wasn't long before High Times got wind of 420 and started using it in the magazine, officially declaring the Waldos as the true creators of the term in 1988, 'I started incorporating it into everything we were doing,' High Times editor Steve Hager told the Huffington Post. 'I started doing all these big events the World Hemp Expo Extravaganza and the Cannabis Cup and we built everything around 420. 'The publicity that High Times gave it is what made it an international thing,' he added. Until then, it was relatively confined to the Grateful Dead subculture. But we blew it out into an international phenomenon.' For decades now, the term 420 has been used in festivals and events, merchandise, store names, and even roommate listings and dating profiles. And of course, April 20 written 4/20 by Americans became an unofficial stoner holiday. In 2017, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Veteran actor and Mad Men star Robert Morse has died at the age of 90. Morse's son Charlie confirmed his father's death to ABC7 on Wednesday, and declined to reveal a cause of death. He died in Los Angeles, where he owned a $1.8 million three-bed, three-bath bungalow situated in the leafy Sherman Oaks neighborhood that Morse bought in 1992. The actor's talent agent, David Shaul, told Entertainment Weekly that the actor died 'peacefully at home yesterday after a short illness.' Rich Sommer, who played Harry Crane on Mad Men, was among the first to pay tribute. He tweeted: 'Just about every person working at MM came down to watch him do this. 'We were all a mess. It was beautiful and strange, and so was he. RIP Bobby.' Sommer had attached a video showing Morse singing and dancing to The Best Things in Life are Free during his final appearance on the show. Morse's acting career spanned six decades on stage and screen. Born on May 18, 1931 in Newton, Massachusetts to father Charles, who managed a chain of movie theaters and mother May, a pianist. While in high school Morse spent a summer with the performing art theater Peterborough Players in New Hampshire and after four years in the Navy moved to New York, enrolling at the American Theater Wing, the New York Times reported. The actor landed his break out role in the 1961 Broadway production of 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' based on Shepherd Mead's best-selling novel, for which he won a Tony Award for best actor in a musical. Morse starred as Bertram Cooper in the mega-hit AMC series 'Mad Men alongside Jon Hamm (pictured together) Rich Sommer, who played Harry Crane on Mad Men, was among the first to pay tribute. He tweeted: 'Just about every person working at MM came down to watch him do this. 'We were all a mess. It was beautiful and strange, and so was he. RIP Bobby' For his final episode as Cooper, Morse tapped into his Broadway roots and performed a memorable musical number set to the classic song The Best Things in Life Are Free In 2011 Morse won an outstanding ensemble in a drama series Screen Actor's Guild Award for his role on the show Morse, pictured in 1967, the year he reprised his role in 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' for film Morse died in LA, where he owned this $1.8million 3-bed, 3-bathroom home in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood He would reprise his award-winning role in the 1967 film version of the play. After multiple guest spot gigs on television throughout the 1970s Morse returned to Broadway in 1972 for the musical Sugar, followed by the 1976 musical So Long, 174th Street, which received harsh reviews and was canned within a matter of weeks, the Times reported. Following So Long, roles were scarce and Morse battled depression and substance abuse, he told the Times in 1989. But things soon looked up and he would go on to win another Tony for best actor in a play for his role as author Truman Capote in the 1990 play Tru and an Emmy for leading actor in a limited series for the same role in 1993. But Morse's most notable role came decades after his broadways debut when he was as Bertram Cooper in the mega-hit AMC series 'Mad Men' which premiered in 2007. His role as the ad agency founder earned Morse at total five Emmy nominations for outstanding guest actor in a drama series. In 2011 Morse won an outstanding ensemble in a drama series Screen Actor's Guild Award for his role on the show. Morse landed his break out role in the 1961 Broadway production of 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' He would reprise his award-winning role in the 1967 film version of the play (pictured) His role as the ad agency founder Bertram Cooper earned Morse at total five Emmy nominations for outstanding guest actor in a drama series Following his role on Mad Men, Morse made a triumphant return to Broadway, starring alongside Nathan Lane in the 2016 revival of The Front Page After multiple guest spot gigs on television throughout the 1970s Morse returned to Broadway in 1972 for the musical Sugar, followed by the 1976 musical So Long, 174th Street Morse (pictured) was born on May 18, 1931 in Newton, Massachusetts to father Charles, who managed a chain of movie theaters and mother May, a pianist For his final appearance as Cooper in the Spring of 2014, Morse tapped into his Broadway roots and performed a memorable fantasy musical number set to the classic song The Best Things in Life Are Free. 'What a send-off!' Morse said of the whimsical number. 'The opportunity to shine in the spotlight that Matt Weiner gave me it was an absolute love letter. Christmas and New Year's, all rolled into one.' Following his role on Mad Men, Morse made a triumphant return to Broadway, starring alongside Nathan Lane in the 2016 revival of The Front Page. Morse is survived by his wife Elizabeth Roberts and his five children- Charlie Morse, Robin Morse, Hilary Morse, Andrea Doven and Allyn Morse. Tributes have begun rolling in for the beloved actor, including from Larry Karaszewski, the writer/producer and VP on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 'My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90,' Karaszewski tweeted. 'A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn. Had so much fun hanging with Bobby over the years filming People v OJ & hosting so many screenings (How To Succeed, Loved One, That's Life).' Broadway composer David Krane posted a throwback photo alongside a touching tribute that read: 'He had those cool, clear eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth. Wishing that eternal boy eternal peace in his new forever home. He succeeded without really trying.' Morse is survived by his wife Elizabeth Roberts and his five children- Charlie Morse, Robin Morse, Hilary Morse, Andrea Doven and Allyn Morse Advertisement 'Canoe Man' John Darwin's sombre police confession after his fake death scam was finally exposed has reemerged once more ahead of tonight's documentary. The trick, carried out by Darwin and his wife Anne in order to claim his life insurance, made headlines around the world before they were both jailed for fraud. The couple even hid the secret from their two sons, Mark and Anthony, before finally admitting their lies as police evidence began to stack up. After a four-part drama series, The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, ran earlier this week on ITV, tonight sees the airing of The Real Story, a documentary about the staggering deception. Featured in the film is footage of the couple's interviews with police, in which Darwin says: 'I took the canoe out and paddled out to sea. Basically I had made my wife... basically told her that if we were doing things then she had to agree and she'd pick me up. I just pushed [the canoe] out to sea.' His wife also confessed, telling officers: 'I knew the day that John had gone missing that he had gone missing and that he'd planned it. I got a telephone call from him at work on that afternoon to say that he was going to go out in the canoe and he wanted me to get home by 7 o'clock that evening to pick him up and help him make his getaway. 'He'd asked me to pick him up in the car park at North Gare. He wanted me to pick him up about 7. He wasn't actually there, I had to sit and wait a while. Eventually he came towards the car and he said he had everything with him that he needed.' Ms Darwin was jailed for six years in 2008, along with her former husband, for fraud after he faked his death in a canoeing accident and disappeared so they could claim his life insurance Their incredible story is told in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, starring Eddie Marsan as John and Monica Dolan as Anne It comes as neighbours of Ms Darwin told MailOnline today how she has taken up hiking to 'clear her head' amid the renewed discussion around her criminal past. The 69-year-old regularly embarks on long solitary walks around the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills, those living in the area revealed. She lives a quiet life by herself in a small one-bedroom bungalow in a pretty village in North Yorkshire. Avoiding the village shops, tearoom and pub, she instead seeks solace in the surrounding countryside. Her former husband, meanwhile, has been pictured shopping for his new Filipina wife, as thousands of viewers have tuned in to see their extraordinary story told once again. The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe has aired every night since Sunday and a documentary, titled The Real Story, is broadcast tonight at 9pm. Ms Darwin, who moved into the bungalow just over a year and a half ago, keeps a low profile and has not been seen since the show hit television screens. Neighbour Sally Scott told MailOnline: 'She's not been around for the last couple of days, her car isn't in the usual spot and hasn't been since before Easter. 'I think she's gone away somewhere because she knew this new TV drama was starting at the weekend and it would bring up her past.' The neighbour added: 'I speak to her fairly regularly and she's lovely. To me she comes across as a nice genuine lady who has fitted in to our little community very well. 'A lot of people are unaware that she is the former wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin, she's certainly never mentioned it to me, but a few of us know. 'She's moved into the bungalow where my father used to live, that's how I actually got speaking to her. 'She's become really interested in hiking. The first thing she asked me was where was good to walk, and if it was far to Captain Cook's Monument because she wanted to 'explore the local area'. Anne Darwin, the former wife of 'Canoe Man' John Darwin, has taken up hiking near her home in a village in North Yorkshire, to 'clear her head' as a new TV drama rakes up her criminal past Ms Darwin and her former husband divorced when they were both in prison. Darwin has since re-married and moved to Manila in the Philippines. He is seen above shopping in the busy area of Antipolo in Manila Ms Darwin, who moved into her bungalow just over a year and a half ago, keeps a low profile and has not been seen since the drama, named The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, began airing on Sunday evening. Ms Darwin is played by Monica Dolan (right), while her ex-husband is portrayed by Eddie Marsan (left) 'I see her quite a lot of the time with hiking boots on. She goes for hours, always on her own. It's good for her mental health, I think, a way of clearing her head, particularly with this new ITV miniseries starting and what it might stir up again.' Ms Darwin has reconciled with one of her sons, believed to be Mark, who now visits his mother with his wife and two children having previously cut her out of his life. Both of the boys were unaware their father was still alive and in hiding and had grieved for him. But the neighbour added: 'One of her sons helped her move in. She had the grandkids with her at the time. 'They come and visit now and again. She's always really pleased to see them because she lives in the bungalow by herself.' Another local, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked to know that her near neighbour was part of such a notorious con and was the inspiration for The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, which first aired over the weekend and is back on screens again tonight. She said: 'I watched the opening episode on Sunday and cannot believe it's about the woman who lives barely 50-metres from my front door. 'I've only ever spoken to her twice when I've passed her on her doorstep. It was just a nod and a 'hello'. She's almost like a recluse, you'll never see her in the village, at the shops or at the pub or cafe. Undated handout photo issued by Cleveland Police of CCTV from Hartlepool Police station when Anne Darwin was taken into custody Mrs Darwin is pictured in December 2007, after she had been arrested following her return to Britain. Right: The mother-of-two is seen in March 'The only time I ever see her leave her home is to go out walking. She's very quiet, I don't think she knows many people here at all and very few would be aware of what she's done.' Ms Darwin's former husband John, who she split with while in prison, now lives in the Philippines with a younger woman. He was reported missing in March 2002 after being seen paddling out to sea in a kayak off Seaton Carew, close to where the couple lived in County Durham. A huge search operation was launched and the wreckage of his kayak was later found, leading to fears he had drowned in the North Sea. While presumed dead, Darwin lived for a while in a bed sit next door to the family home and in February 2003 actually moved back in with his wife while his death certificate was issued allowing Ms Darwin to claim his 250,000 life insurance. John Darwin is seen shortly after he re-surfaced following his disappearance. The image was taken by his children, who at the time believed he really did have amnesia The couple flew to Panama in 2006 - with Mr Darwin using a fake passport under the alias John Jones - and bought a two-bedroom apartment and later a 200,000 tropical estate, which they planned to turn into a hotel resort and run canoe holidays. But a change in Panama's visa laws meant the Darwins indetities would have to be verified by UK police in order for them to receive now-required Panamanian 'investors' visas'. Knowing that his 'John Jones' alias would not pass this level of security, Darwin decided to return to the UK under his real name and fake amnesia. He walked into a central London police station in December 2007, claiming to have no memory of the past five years. His wife who had sold up her British properties and moved to Panama three months before his re-appearanceexpressed surprise, joy and elation at the return of her missing husband. However a police investigation into his disappearance had already been set up following a tip from one of Ms Darwin's colleagues connecting her claim on her husband's life insurance and her subsequent emigration to Panama. John and Anne Darwin are seen left in a family photograph with their sons Mark and Anthony. The couple deceived their sons when they colluded to gain life insurance and pensions payouts. Right photo: Anthony (left) and Mark Darwin leave Teesside Crown Court after giving evidence against their mother at her 2008 trial Their story unravelled further after a photo appeared showing them together in an estate agents office in Panama the previous year. Darwin was arrested at his son's house in Basingstoke, Hampshire while his wife was later held at Manchester Airport as she returned to Britain from Panama. Darwin was was found guilty on deception charges and jailed for six years and three months while his wife was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail for fraud and money-laundering charges. During their time in prison, the couple divorced with Darwin citing 'unreasonable behaviour' as a reason for the split. He moved to Manila and remarried after the divorce to 48-year-old Filipino woman Mercy Mae Avila Darwin. The couple live outside Manila, with Darwin continuing to receive the UK state pension while his new wife runs a clothes stall. After her release from prison, Ms Darwin started work for the RSPCA after getting IT and business qualifications while in prison. Their incredible story is told in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, starring Eddie Marsan as John and Monica Dolan as Anne. It's based on an unpublished manuscript by the journalist David Leigh, who was the first reporter to interview Anne and break the story. President Joe Biden announced 'Uniting for Ukraine' program to accept 100,000 refugees that starts on April 25th President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a new program for Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum in the United States that will also end entry for those trying to come in via the southern border with Mexico. 'This program will be fast, it will be streamlined and it will ensure the United States honors its commitment to go through the people Ukraine and need not go through our southern border,' Biden said in remarks at the White House. The 'Uniting for Ukraine' program is designed to handle the additional 100,000 Ukrainians the president pledged to accept from their war-torn country. Vladimir Putin's invasion has forced millions of Ukrainians from their homes and five million have escaped to countries around Europe and the rest of the world. 'We have seen a terrible human cost of Putin's ambition for conquest and control - approximately two thirds -two thirds - of all Ukrainian children have been displaced in their homes,' Biden said. Families gather in a Ukrainian refugee camp at the Unidad Deportiva Benito Juarez, in Tijuana, Mexico. Once Biden's 'Uniting for Ukraine' program opens up on April 25, Ukrainians arriving at the Southern US border will be turned away under Title 42 Pictured are a family of Ukrainian refugees from Luhansk - Andrey Artemov, his wife Miroslava, son Artem, 5, and daughter Anita, 1 A mother and her two children arrive at the Unidad Deportiva Benito Juarez in Tijuana after they reached the Tijuana International Airport, where an army of volunteers are helping displaced Ukrainians through the last leg of their long voyage to the U.S. The 'Uniting for Ukraine ' program is designed to handle the additional 100,000 Ukrainians the president pledged to accept from their war-torn country. Pictured are children playing as families gather at the Unidad Deportiva Benito Juarez refugee center in Tijuana Vladimir Putin 's invasion has forced millions of Ukrainians from their homes and five million have escaped to countries around Europe and the rest of the world. A group of Ukrainians are pictured at the Tijuana International Airport on Thursday after fleeing their country and flying in from a neighboring territory Five million Ukrainians have escaped the Russian invasion of their country to other countries around Europe and the rest of the world. Spare clothing and comforts are pictured piled on bleachers at the Unidad Deportiva Benito Juarez refugee camp in Tijuana Ukrainian refugees, from Luhansk, Andrey Artemov, his wife Miroslava, son Artem, 5, and daughter Anita, 1, and others wait to board a bus to a temporary refugee center from Tijuana International Airport Ukrainian refugees sit in a makeshift waiting area in Tijuana as they wait for further transport. Thus far, many, if not most Ukrainians at the southern border, have been released into the United States via humanitarian parole, which allows people to stay temporarily Olga and her dog Oscar wait for further transport at a Ukrainian refugee camp in Tijuana Refugees from Vinnytsia and Rivne are pictured waiting for transport in Tijuana on Thursday Ukrainian children work on arts and crafts projects at a temporary refugee camp in Tijuana as they wait for further transport to the U.S. Biden announced 'Uniting for Ukraine' program to accept 100,000 refugees on Thursday To help the humanitarian crisis, the largest since World War II, Biden announced in March, during his trip to NATO headquarters in Brussels, that the U.S. would accept 100,000 refugees. But, without direction from the White House on how to enter the U.S., many Ukrainians figured it out for themselves: arriving via tourist visa, or flying to Mexico to enter via the Southern border. Andrey Artemov, from Luhansk, is pictured with her one-year-old daughter Anita in Tijuana on Thursday Many, if not most of those at the southern border, have been released into the United States via humanitarian parole, which allows people to stay temporarily. However, once the 'Uniting for Ukraine' program begins on April 25th, any Ukrainian trying to enter via the U.S.-Mexico border will be refused under Title 42, the public health order that the Department of Homeland Security uses to turn away refugees, Biden administrational officials said. 'As of April 25, Ukrainians who do seek to enter the United States at a land border without a visa or without completing the "Uniting for Ukraine" process may be refused entry under our existing laws,' a DHS official said on a briefing call with reporters on Thursday morning ahead of Biden remarks. 'We are continuing to enforce public health authority under Title 42 at the land border until May 23 and that will be the case for all nationalities at the border,' the official noted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the use of Title 42, which has been used to turn away more than 1.7 million people, is set to end May 23. A swath of Republicans and some Democrats have urged Biden to delay the lifting of Title 42 over fears it will cause a surge in migrant crossings at the southern border. Without direction from the White House on how to enter the U.S., many Ukrainians figured it out for themselves: arriving via tourist visa, or flying to Mexico to enter via the Southern border. Ukrainians are pictured in Tijuana on Thursday A mother comforts her son on Thursday as they wait at the Tijuana border to enter the U.S. Ukrainian refugees are pictured boarding a van to transport them to their next stop on their long trip to the United States To help the humanitarian crisis, the largest since World War II, Biden announced in March, during his trip to NATO headquarters in Brussels, that the U.S. would accept 100,000 refugees. Ukrainians are pictured on Thursday in Tijuana Ukrainian children are pictured playing in Tijuana as their parents watch and rest, tired from their long journey. Starting on April 25, Ukrainians who do not complete the online 'Uniting for Ukraine' process will be turned away at the southern border under Title 42 Once new program opens up, any Ukrainian trying to enter U.S. at southern border will be turned away via Title 42 - the public health requirement - above Ukrainians seeking asylum in the United States cross the El Chaparral port of entry into the U.S. in Tijuana To date, mainly through the border with Mexico, the United States has received about 15,000 Ukrainian refugees. Others have been stopped. In March, U.S. border officials detained 5,000 Ukrainians trying to enter via land, sea and air. As for the Ukrainians who will be turned away at the southern border. they can apply for asylum through the 'Uniting for Ukraine' program but officials warn it could be hard for them to meet the vaccination requirement if they try to enter via Mexico. 'This program is clearly oriented on Ukrainians who have been displaced in Europe, it may be available for Ukrainians in Mexico, but access to some of the required vaccinations in Mexico will likely be a little more difficult in Mexico. We will not be helping to facilitate those vaccinations in Mexico,' an administration official said. 'Traveling to Mexico will get an offer no advantage for Ukrainian nationals under this new process,' the official noted. Over 5 million refugees have left Ukraine since Russia invaded in February, while an estimated 7.1 million people have been displaced within the country, humanitarian groups estimate. Many of those stayed in the border countries around Ukraine with Poland taking most of them. The U.S. has offered more than $1 billion in financial assistance to the displaced. American officials noted many Ukrainians will want to stay in Europe to be near family fighting in the Ukraine and in the hopes they can one day return to their homeland. 'I think in many ways, the program will be self selecting,' an official noted on the call. Applicants for the 'Uniting for Ukraine' program can apply via an online portal that opens on April 25th. Applicants must have been a resident in Ukraine as of February, have a sponsor in the United States, and be vaccinated against covid. Once an application is made through the portal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will vet the applicants to ensure the sponsors are not going engage in exploitation or other forms of abuse that they are who they say they are. According to data released Monday, more than 5,000 Ukrainian refugees were detained by U.S. officials while trying to cross the border to flee Russia's invasion of their homeland in March. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)'s recently released March numbers show 5,071 Ukrainians have tried to enter the U.S. illegally by land, air or sea. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is also extending temporary protected status for Ukrainians for 18 months, it announced on Monday, allowing those eligible to stay and work in the country. A bodybuilder, gym owner and mother-of-two has died suddenly at the young age of 31. The cause of Stacey Cummings' death on Wednesday is unknown at this point. Cummings was a beloved leader in the world of female bodybuilding, and the shocking news of her death was met with an outpouring of support and affection from those she touched. Born in Florida, Cummings started bodybuilding in 2013, earning her certification as an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness professional just three years later in 2016. Stacey Cummings posted this photo of herself on Instagram on Wednesday, the same day she died at the age of 31. The cause of her death is not yet known Cummings was a mother of two children, both pictured here in an Easter post from April She competed in the bikini division of the 2021 IFBB Texas Pro, and co-owned Flex Fitness 24/7 gym in McKinney, Texas, with her husband, fellow bodybuilding professional Bryant Fought. Cummings and Fought had two children together. Cummings was active on her Instagram the day she died, posting a picture of herself flexing in a silver bikini alongside the caption 'Just over here trying to remind myself what I'm capable of....' The sudden news shocked the bodybuilding world and those close to Cummings. 'It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unfortunate and untimely passing of IFBB Pro Stacey Cummings,' The National Physique Committee's Texas branch said in a statement. Kelly Lynn, bodybuilding professional and friend of Cummings, posted a moving tribute on her Facebook after she learned of the news. Cummings' death was met with an outpouring of support from the bodybuilding community. Fellow bodybuilder Kelly Lynn posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook on Wednesday Cummings and her husband, bodybuilder Bryant Fought, were co-owners of the Flex Fitness 24/7 gym in McKinney, Texas 'What a beautiful woman. I can't believe it,' Lynn wrote above pictures of Cummings smiling and posing on stage, 'We did 3 shows together in 2020 and I was at Nationals when she turned pro. How crazy. Just 31 years old.' 'She also has 2 kids. Heartbreaking.' Lynn wrote that she did not yet know the cause of Cummings death, but noted that she had beaten back a troubled past to achieve what she had. 'I don't know her full story as to what happened, I just know she overcame many demons in her past. This one hit home.' Exactly what those demons were and if they have any relation to her death is unknown at this point. Cummings' unexpected death comes just a week after Cedric McMillan, 2017 Arnold Classic champ (above right) died of a heart attack at 44 years-old while running on a treadmill The news of Cummings' loss is only the latest in a slew of high-profile premature deaths that have rocked the bodybuilding world in the past 12 months. Just last week, 2017 Arnold Classic champ Cedric McMillan died of a heart attack at the age of 44 while running on a treadmill. In February, retired bodybuilder Tom Prince died at 52 from cancer, mere days after 37 year-old star Ashley Gearhart died from undisclosed causes. In November, the winner of the 2018 Mr. Olympia competition died of a heart attack at the age of 46, Chuck Kirkendall, 46, announced he had recently survived a heart attack, and in August 49-year old star John Meadows was struck down by a blood clot. Advertisement Queens mother Orsolya Gaal and her lover had been having an on-off affair for two years before he murdered her with a kitchen knife in her basement last week while her 13-year-old son was upstairs. David Bonola, 44, was arrested on Thursday in the early hours of the morning. He was spotted by police on Wednesday night and brought in for questioning then confessed to murdering Gaal in her home on April 16 shortly before 1am. As he was put in a police car on Thursday in front of journalists asking why he killed her, he screamed: 'F**k you motherf****r!' The pair started seeing each other in 2020 after he worked in the family home where Gaal lived with her husband Howard and two sons. It was an on-off relationship which they rekindled in April, but which had recently ended again. According to the NYPD, Bonola had gone over to the home in an attempt to resurrect the affair. On Friday night, not long after midnight, Gaal let Bonola into her home. It's unclear if she had invited him over, or if he showed up unannounced. They went inside and down to the basement because her youngest son, Leo, was upstairs at the time. Her husband Howard and oldest son Jamie were out of town looking at colleges. At some point, the pair started arguing and Bonola stabbed her 58 times using a knife that he found inside the house. It is not clear what the argument was specifically about. He then retrieved her son's hockey bag and waited until 4am, then wheeled her body out of the home and dumped it less than half a mile away. He also sent a text to Howard Klein, Gaal's husband, claiming to have been someone she once sent to jail in a failed attempt to throw police off his scent. Bonola then walked to his own home, through Forest Park. The next day, he went to hospital for treatment for wounds on his hands. On Wednesday night, as police officers were canvassing the area in Queens for video footage, they spotted Bonola and approached him. They knew about the affair and wanted to question him so brought him in for questioning at the 112th Precinct, where he confessed to the entire murder. At a press conference on Thursday, NYPD detectives revealed he had worked in Gaal's family home and was 'known to the family.' It's unclear if Gaal's husband Howard Klein was aware of her affair. David Bonola is shown on Thursday being marched out of the 112th Precinct in Queens for the murder of his girlfriend, married mother-of-two Orsolya Gaal Bonola, 44, was arrested on Thursday in the early hours of the morning. He was spotted by police on Wednesday night and brought in for questioning then confessed to murdering Gaal in her home on April 16 shortly before 1am The handyman is shown on Thursday. He confessed to the murder once in custody on Wednesday night The kitchen knife used by handyman David Bonola to stab Orsolya Gaal 58 times in the basement of her home. Police think he took it from the house David Bonola, 44, was arrested on Thursday in the early hours of the morning. He was spotted by police on Wednesday night and brought in for questioning then confessed to murdering Gaal in her home on April 16 shortly before 1am. 'They had been off and on and they had broken up prior but had reunited early in the month of April and their relationship was considered at an end,' NYPD Detective Julie Morrill said. Bonola is originally from Mexico but moved here in his early 20s. He is from Richmond Hill, a neighborhood in Queens that is a stone's throw from where Gaal lived with her family. Gaal had spent Friday night at a show at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan with girlfriends. She then returned to Queens sometime before 11pm, stopping in for a drink at the Forest Hills Station House, where she had a Moscow Mule. She then walked home to Juno Street. It's unclear if her killer was already inside the home or if she let him in afterwards but at 12.40am, she was stabbed 58 times in the neck, torso and arm. Her 13-year-old son Leo was upstairs in the house at the time but did not hear anything. We believe Mr. Bonola arrives between 12.30am and 12.40am. He is a handyman who is employed by Mrs Gaal. They had been having an intimate affair for 2 years. Bonola is either let in voluntarily or he uses a key that he knows is kept in the barbecue. A heated argument in the basement ensues and then a violent struggle before Bonola ruthlessly and brutally stabs Mrs Gaal in excess of 55 times, causing her demise. Bonola then retrieved a hockey bag belonging to the son After disposing of the body, Mr. Bonola fled through Forest Park, where investigators discovered the jacket worn by him. Gaal with her sons, 17-yearold Jamie and 13-year-old Leo, and husband Howard Klein on Christmas Eve in 2021 Bonola commented on these photos of Orsolya Gaal telling her she had the look of love, left, and was 'the most beautiful woman David Bonola, 44, was charged on Thursday with murder, criminal tampering and criminal possession of a weapon. He made a full confession to killing Orsolya Gaal after being arrested Bonola lives in this building in Richmond Hill, Queens. The building was taped off on Thursday Clothes outside the home of the killer on Thursday. Police seized his blood-soaked boots and t-shirt he was wearing when he committed the crime On Saturday, he received treatment at a local area hospital for wounds on his hands. At this time, he has no (prior) arrests that we know of. There are no outstanding suspects,' Chief of Detectives, James Gessig, said at a press briefing. Gaal's body was found the next morning by a dog walker who called police. Cops then followed a trail of blood left by the dragged bag back to Gaal's home. They found Leo inside unscathed and took him in for questioning, putting him in handcuffs, before letting him go later that day. Gaal's husband Howard and her older son Jamie, who had been on the West Coast, rushed back. They have not been seen or heard from since. This is believed to be Orsolya Gaal's killer, dragging her body along the sidewalk after stabbing her nearly 60 times in her basement in Queens on Saturday At a press conference on Thursday, NYPD detectives revealed the pair had a two-year, on-off romance A pastor's wife faces life in jail after she was convicted of hiring a hitman who's said to be her toyboy lover - to kill her husband after tiring of his demands for orgies. Kristie Evans, 48, admitted the March 2021 first-degree murder of her husband David Evans at a court in Ada, Oklahoma, on Monday. The killer - who has a grown-up daughter with her late husband - will be sentenced in August. Evans was arrested in March 2021 along with Kahlil Square, 26. Square had threesomes with Evans and her late husband David, 50, at David's behest. David, the late pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Ada, is said to have branded his wife a 'frigid bitch' for her inability to match his voracious appetites for group sex. Evans allegedly asked Square to shoot David dead to free her from the domestic violence she says he'd inflicted. She and Square had their own affair behind David's back. Square has denied charges filed against him, with his lawyer saying there are no plans to amend the plea until Evans is sentenced. Murder suspect Kristie Evans, 48 (right), was found guilty for orchestrating the murder of her pastor husband, David (left), who she claims had subjected her to years of psychological and verbal abuse Kristie is now at risk of facing a maximum sentence of life incarceration but her lawyer, Joi Miskel, said on Monday that the mother-of-two 'understands there has to be accountability for her actions' but that she also 'wants the court and the public to know the reasons behind her actions.' She added that Kristie 'at least now has some control and say so in her life that she didn't have before as twisted as that may sound.' Square's lawyer, Tony Coleman, also said on Monday that his client was still pleading not guilty to a murder charge. Pontotoc County prosecutor Tara Portillo, overseeing the case, said Kristie was not allowed to share her abuse claims until after sentencing. Kristie (left) and her lover, 26-year-old Kahlil Square (right), were arrested in March on first-degree murder charges in connection with the pastor's killing. The pair often had threesomes with the pasto, who was shot in his bed by Square In previous interviews, the convicted mother-of-three told news outlets from jail that her husband would systematically abuse her psychologically as well as verbally for years, and pressure her to participate in threesomes. Private Facebook messages exchanged between the couple, investigated by NBC News for the last four years, and shared by their grown daughter, show that at the start of 2017, David had been pressuring Kristie to bring additional people into their relationship to make things more 'fun' for him in the bedroom and even called her a 'frigid b****.' Kristie also said David practiced 'coercive control' on her - a form of domestic abuse with behavioral patterns used to intimidate, humiliate, surveil and control another person, ultimately robbing victims of autonomy. Additionally, he would financially restrict her, as well as allegedly abuse her physically, often without having 'left a mark' on her. Kristie's father, Ed Armer, once told NBC News that his daughter was trapped in an abusive relationship with no way out. 'She seized an opportunity to escape from her personal hell,' Armer said. Kristie (right) and David (left) had been in a relationship since 1991 and had three children together Family relatives, as well as the couple's kids, claimed Pastor David (left) isolated Kristie (right) from her friends, kept a tight control on her spending and physically abused them On March 22, 2021, Square entered the Evans family's home while David and Kristie were sleeping and shot the pastor dead in his bed, according to police. Square then fled the scene and Kristie called 911, claiming an intruder had broken in and killed her husband. Four days later, she allegedly confessed to her daughter, Brittney Long, that she had 'begged' her lover to kill her father. She then went to the police and turned herself in. According to charging documents, Kristie told detectives she had given Square the gun, a box of bullets and left the backdoor of her home open for him to enter through. Long, the pastor's daughter, and one of their two sons, 28-year-old Zachary Evans, also described their father as physically abusive. According to the siblings, he would slam the children's heads together, lift them off the floor by their hair, and make them clean the house at night while berating them. The abuse escalated to a point when in April 2010, the three children were placed with their maternal grandparents after reporting their father's behavior to the police. Kristie revealed that her husband once held a pillow to her face while pinning down her arms, but she never reported it to anyone because of the lack of physical evidence. Brittney Long, the Evans' daughter, said her mother felt hopeless in her marriage and 'begged' her lover to shoot her father in their bed Over the course of their marriage, David allegedly isolated his wife from her friends. He would also place ads on Craigslist seeking sexual partners and harangue his wife about inviting a co-worker over to their home for a threesome. Kristie also said her husband threatened to commit suicide if she did not go along with his sexual demands. At one point, she said her husband aimed a .357 revolver at his chin as she spoke on the phone with their daughter, reassuring her that she and her dad were fine. David's mother, Jean Richardson, defended her son, saying that he was not as controlling as Kristie and her family made him out to be, evidenced by the fact that her daughter-in-law had a job outside the home, drove a car and had a credit card. Richardson also argued that if the relationship had been as troubled as Kristie claimed, she could have left her husband, or sought help, instead of passing a 'death sentence' on her son. Long, Kristie's daughter, who is now married and has a young child of her own, said she does not know what ultimately prompted her mother to take matters into her own hands, but she speculated that it might have been a feeling of hopelessness. 'My mom didnt see an end to it,' she told the outlet. 'I dont think she had it in her to continue living that way.' Kristie's sentencing hearing, where Miskel said relatives are expected to come forward as witnesses about the abuse claims, is scheduled for August 9 and 10. President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that the U.S. will provide an additional $800 million security assistance package for Ukraine, as he disputed Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim to have 'liberated' the besieged city of Mariupol. 'He will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine. That will not happen,' Biden vowed. He announced some details on the latest aid package including 'dozens' of howitzers, 144,000 rounds of ammunition for the heavy weapons, and tactical drones, even as he said some of the efforts by the US and allies would be shrouded. 'We won't always be able to advertise everything that our partners are doing. Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin,' Biden joked, paraphrasing President Teddy Roosevelt. Russian President Vladimir Putin 'will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine. That will not happen,' President Joe Biden vowed Thursday. He announced a new $800 million military aid package for Ukraine He was referencing the anti-aircraft weapons the U.S. has poured into Ukraine, following a series of confusing signals about whether allies were providing fighter jets to the Ukrainians. Biden spoke from the Roosevelt Room of the White House, which is named for the president who touted 'big stick' diplomacy. Biden said the new aid was designed for use escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. He noted the new phase of the war will be different 'topographically,' with more open spaces and fewer mountains, after the Ukrainian military shocked the world by taking out Russian armor with small groups of fighters who were able to slip away. Biden said the war would be 'more limited in terms of geography, but not in terms of brutality' by Russia's forces. The new $800 million package comes after an $800 million package Biden announced last week Biden disputed Russian President Putin's claim that Russia now controlled all of Mariupol, after the Russian leader staged a meeting with his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez (unseen), and Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen (unseen), visit the city of Borodyanka, in Ukraine, 21 April 2022. Biden said the U.S. and allies must maintain unity on Ukraine Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media. Putin announced that Russian forces would surround the facility rather than attacking it The new arms package will be roughly the same size as an $800 million one announced last week. Further details were not immediately available. U.S. officials have said Ukraine needs heavy artillery, long-range rocket systems and anti-ship missiles. Biden said he has nearly exhausted the 'drawdown authority' he has to provide critical arms to Ukraine, and said he would be sending a new Supplemental Appropriations request to lawmakers. Asked for a total figure, Biden told reporters it wasn't settled yet. 'That's being decided now. I'm asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need,' Biden said. His latest request comes on top of $2.6 billion in military aid already out the door, bringing the total above $3 billion. The weapons have helped the government in Kiev to remain in place and pushed Russian forces back from around the capital. But the human toll of the war continues to rise. Biden said more than two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been displaced, with 5 million refugees fleeing the country. 'It's an absolute outrage,' he said. Included are so-called 'Ghost' drones that were rapidly developed by the U.S. Air Force for Kyiv and have similar capabilities as armed 'Switchblade' drones, the Pentagon said on Thursday. 'This was rapidly developed by the Air Force in response specifically to Ukrainian requirements,' Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. Biden also spoke of additional measures, including banning Russian vessels from U.S. ports in the latest escalation of economic sanctions. 'Today, I'm announcing that the United States will ban Russian affiliated ships from our ports, as they did in Europe. That means no ship no ship [that] sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by Russian [entity], will be allowed to dock in the United States port or access our shores. None,' he said. And he announced a new immigration program to bring Ukrainian refugees directly from Europe to the U.S. Biden spoke after meeting with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the White House. He spoke before setting off on a trip to the West Coast for public events and fundraisers. His speech comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory and proclaimed the port city of Mariupol 'liberated' after nearly two months of siege, despite leaving hundreds of defenders still holed up inside a giant steel works. Much have the city has been leveled by the Russian bombardment. In a televised meeting staged with Defense minister Sergei Shoigu, Putin rejected the idea of storming the steel works as 'impractical.' 'You successfully completed the combat effort to liberate Mariupol. Let me congratulate you on this occasion, and please convey my congratulations to the troops,' he told his defense minister. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary. I order you to cancel it,' he continued. 'There's no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities ... Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through.' The order to safeguard lives of his troops come after Ukraine claims the invasion has resulted the deaths of thousands of Russian troops taking part in the invasion. Ukrainian military leaders there have pleaded for aid and a humanitarian corridor, saying fighters and civilians are running short on food and water. The United States will also provide an additional $500 million in financial assistance to Ukraine to help it sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs, a Treasury official said. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. A senior U.S. defense official said training of Ukrainian personnel on American 155mm howitzers has begun in a European country outside Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday lauded U.S. military officials for 'exceptional' work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation's military brass for their first in-person White House group meeting of his presidency. Opening the meeting, Biden touted the toughness of the Ukrainian military and said that NATO's unity had shocked Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia has said it has entered a new stage of its operation and is methodically seeking to 'liberate' the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Western allies anticipate Russia's campaign could last many months, grind to a stalemate and test the battlefield capabilities of Ukrainian fighters. Russia says it launched what it calls a 'special military operation' on Feb. 24 to demilitarize and 'denazify' Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext. U.S. forces are not fighting in Ukraine but are indirectly engaged, arming, training and financing its forces. The U.S. aid announced last week included artillery systems, artillery rounds, armored personnel carriers and unmanned coastal defense boats, broadening the scope of materiel sent to Kyiv to include new types of heavy equipment. If this week's aid package is as large as expected, it would bring total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in to well over $3 billion. After Biden's announcement, he is to fly to the Pacific Northwest on a two-day trip to promote his domestic agenda. (Reporting by Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle and Idrees Ali Editing by Robert Birsel and Chizu Nomiyama) Johnny Depp deacribed ex-wife Amber Heard as a turbulent spouse who mistreated and demeaned him. The actor, 58, has filed a lawsuit against Amber Heard over an article she wrote in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic violence. Johnny Depp has denied any wrongdoing. Heard, 35, has responded by filing a $100 million complaint against him. Johnny Depp testified that he sensed "absolute hate" from Heard. After two days of testifying, her attorneys began cross-examination on Wednesday. Johnny Depp Explains Why He Stayed in Marriage With Amber Heard On Thursday, his testimony will continue for a third day. According to BBC, Amber Heard frequently issued a "sarcastic, demeaning, aggressive, violent, toxic spew," and the two clashed frequently after their first year together worsened. Heard confessed that she "did initiate a physical fight" based on the recording of the former couple which was handed to the jury on Wednesday. Depp also spoke about his now-famous episode with his ex-wife, in which he discovered "human feces" on his side of the bed at the flat he shared with Heard. She has disputed that she or any of her companions left human excrement on the bed, calling the concept "extremely filthy" during Depp's defamation trial in the UK in 2018. In the highly watched civil trial in Virginia, jurors have heard two very different tales of Depp and Heard's relationship. Johnny Depp's lawyers have worked hard to depict Depp as a physically and sexually violent partner who is prone to drug and alcohol binges, according to Heard's lawyers. On Wednesday, Depp addressed his drug and alcohol addiction, stating he became hooked to prescription opioids after being prescribed Roxycodone for a back injury. Heard withheld medicine that would have reduced withdrawal symptoms from the actor while he was detoxing from the drugs, according to the actor. She claimed it was not time for the next dose. The actor claimed he cried and pleaded as he rolled around on the floor. "I hate having to admit it, but that was perhaps the lowest point of my life." Depp stepped up and acted out a violent altercation in which Heard said he broke her nose, recounting another occurrence. Depp denied headbutting and said the collision was unintentional, Daily Mail reported. Read Also: Flash Actor Ezra Miller Arrested for the Second Time in Less than 4 Weeks After Throwing Chair to a Woman Johnny Depp Says He Has Lost "Nothing Less Than Everything" The 'Pirates of the Carribean' actor said Heard had shown him a bloody tissue, but when he went to throw it away, he discovered it was nail paint. Depp alleged that Heard threw a can at his head while he was on his island in the Bahamas with his daughter Lily-Rose in December 2015. He informed the court that Heard broke their divorce agreement by saying she would send her $7 million settlement to the ACLU and Children's Hospital Los Angeles although she wasn't permitted to reveal where the money was going. When Depp reacted by paying the first of the settlement payments directly to both charities, he said, "She got into a rant about how I should should be charged double the $7 million, I should be charged $14 million because she felt I was seeking for a tax benefit." Depp claimed the accusations cost him "nothing less than everything" when describing the effect. Moreover, the 'Edward Scissorhands' star told the jury his finger was cut when Amber Heard threw a handle of vodka at him in 2015. The pair was on their way to Australia to shoot the fifth movie of the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise when Depp claims Heard threw two bottles of vodka at him, the second of which caused the wound that required surgery. Spectators in court were appalled by photos of Depp's severed digit, with one commenting, "Ew yuck." One participant, who had spent the whole morning knitting green yarn socks, only halted when Depp described the horrific details, as per NY Post. Being with Amber Heard reminded Johnny Depp of his childhood when he was abused by his mother. Depp said that Heard threatened to commit herself "several times" after they got into heated disagreements, claiming that it provoked him because his mother committed suicide after his father abandoned her. Related Article: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard Libel Trial: Nurse Recalls Searching Actor's Severed Finger Injured During Fight with Ex-Wife @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Biden administration will continue to require non-US citizens who enter the country from Mexico and Canada using land or ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The rule will apply to any legal, non-citizen visitor coming in through the borders with Mexico and Canada. It will also apply to those coming in by sea through ferry terminals. Travelers, including those entering the country for essential or non-essential reasons, will not need to get tested for COVID-19 to enter. International travelers flying into the United States by air must also continue to show proof of vaccination and a recent negative COVID test result. The 'temporary' extension is likely to anger those who regularly travel between the US and Canada for work and who view any continuation of rules as an unnecessary inconvenience. 'Freedom convoy' protesters left the Canadian capital of Ottawa at a standstill in February and March as they took to the streets in protest of vaccine mandates. Another group of truckers drove from California to Washington, D.C. for a similar but smaller protest in the US last month. Unlike U.S. citizens, foreigners who fly into the country are still required to have a full course of vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires all travelers coming into the U.S. from abroad to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has said it will consider an appeal the recent court ruling that put an end to the air travel mask mandate. The Biden administration will continue to require a full course of vaccination for non-US citizens traveling into the country by ferry or land for any reason. Above, cargo trucks waiting at the U.S.-Mexico border at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa crossing point 'Freedom convoy' protesters left the Canadian capital of Ottawa at a standstill in February and March as they took to the streets in protest of vaccine mandates. Above, a truck at Canada's Coutt's border crossing during the 'Freedom Convoy' protests Biden's Justice Department, lead by Attorney General Merrick Garland (above) announced that, pending CDC review, it will appeal Monday's court ruling to ditch the president's requirement for masking to continue on airplanes RULES FOR NON-U.S. TRAVELERS ENTERING THE COUNTRY Non-U.S. travelers entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or non-essential reasons, must continue to: Verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status Provide, upon request, proof of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination Present a valid Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document, such as a valid passport, Trusted Traveler Program card, or Enhanced Tribal Card Be prepared to present any other relevant documents requested by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during a border inspection COVID-19 testing is not required to enter the United States via a land port of entry or ferry terminal. Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security announced the full vaccination requirement for land and ferry travelers on Thursday. The department says vaccines remain the 'most effective public health measure to protect people from severe illness or death.' 'The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to protecting public health while facilitating lawful trade and travel, which is essential to our economic security,' said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas in a statement on Thursday. 'That is why, after consulting with CDC and other federal agencies, DHS will continue to require non-US individuals entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.' DHS said it will continue to closely monitor the effects of extending the requirement and that the agency may choose to amend or rescind the order if necessary. 'In determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place,' DHS said in a statement. It's the Biden administration's latest attempt to keep COVID-19 restrictions in place after US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled that the in-flight mask mandate is unlawful because it exceeded the authority of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People are pictured on an American Airlines flight from LAX to Denver on April 19 shortly after the mask mandate was lifted. The White House vows to reinstate the mandate The Department of Justice, however, said that it will be appealing only if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concludes that it is necessary for the order to remain in place for the sake of public health. The White House was quick to say that the masks should still be worn. 'We're continuing to recommend people wear masks,' said Press Secretary Jen Psaki soon after the ruling came out. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit and JetBlue all now say masks are optional on their services, with Delta and United adding that passengers who had been banned for previously refusing to wear masks will be allowed back on a case-by-case scenario. On Tuesday, Psaki said it was up to the Department of Justice to decide whether to appeal the ruling. 'I'm not gonna get ahead of the Department of Justice,' she told reporters aboard Air Force One. 'We'll let them make any decisions or announcements.' The mandate had been due to expire on Monday before the CDC said was extending the rule until May 3 to allow for the study of the BA.2 omicron variant which is causing the majority of cases across the nation. The lifting of the mask mandates on planes come as COVID-19 cases continue to drop in the U.S. The nation recorded 68,781 new cases in the past day, with 877 new deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 66 percent of those eligible for the vaccine are full protected against COVID-19, and more than 82 percent have gotten at least one jab. Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sent Sen. Mitt Romney a cease and desist letter after he accused her of 'treasonous lies' for peddling claims of U.S.-funded Ukrainian biolabs. 'When powerful, influential people make baseless accusations of treason, a crime punishable by death, in order to intimidate, silence and censor those who speak the truth, it has a chilling effect on our democracy. This cannot go unchecked,' the Hawaii Democrat wrote on Twitter. The letter accused Romney of 'false and defamatory statements' and called on the former congresswoman and presidential candidate to enter into a settlement before she takes him to court for defamation. Gabbard said on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight that she wants Romney to say publicly that he 'understands how serious this crime of treason is' and apologize. 'If Mitt Romney is serious, seriously believes that I have committed treason, why hasn't he brought any evidence or brought charges? He clearly doesn't care that there are any consequences or as I mentioned he's just trying to intimidate and bully me and others into silence,' Gabbard said. Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sent Sen. Mitt Romney a cease and desist letter after he accused her of 'treasonous lies' for peddling claims of U.S.-funded Ukrainian biolab Gabbard said she had also sent a cease and desist order to commentator Keith Olbermann, who called Gabbard and Carlson 'Russian assets.' 'There's a case for detaining them militarily,' he wrote on Twitter on March 14. On March 13 Romney tweeted: 'Tulsi Gabbard is parroting false Russian propaganda. Her treasonous lies may well cost lives.' The Utah Republican did not specify what he was referring to, but his tweet came just after Gabbard about why the US funded labs in Ukraine that work with biological pathogens, some of which were once destined for Soviet-era bioweapons. Gabbard claimed in a tweet that there are '25 to 30 U.S. funded bio labs in Ukraine.' 'According to the U.S government, these bio labs are conducting research on dangerous pathogens,' she said in the video. 'These pathogens know no borders, if they are inadvertently or purposely breached or compromised, they will quickly spread all throughout Europe, the United States and the rest of the world causing untold suffering and death.' Gabbard said 'these labs need to be shut down immediately and the pathogens that they hold need to be destroyed.' Both the American and Ukrainian governments have denied the existence of bioweapons facilities in Ukraine. But the United States has for decades worked with scientists in Ukraine to transform their Soviet-era facilities, some of which were once used for bioweapons, into public health and research sites. A Pentagon program meant to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction across 46 Ukrainian laboratories has helped fuel a propaganda war with the Kremlin accusing the US of funding bioweapons research with some Russia proxies using the labs to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Romney, a former Republican presidential nominee, has strongly criticized Gabbard for her remarks, which he saw as unpatriotic and supporting the Russian narrative Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sought to clarify her comments, and said she is not convinced there are 'biological weapons' labs in Ukraine State Department official Victoria Nuland testified last month that 'Ukraine has biological research facilities which, in fact, we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of.' 'So we are working with the Ukrainians on how they can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach,' she said under questioning by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R). She referred to Russia's latest charges as the 'classic Russian technique to blame the other guy what they're planning to do themselves.' The Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Ukraine 'operates a little over a dozen' biolabs for biodefence and public health response. She said the US has, at least in the past, 'provided assistance' to the labs 'in the context of biosafety'. 'Which is something we have done with a variety of different countries,' she added. She said the labs were not being used to develop weapons. 'We do not assess that Ukraine is pursuing either biological weapons or nuclear weapons. This influence campaign is consistent with long-standing Russian efforts to accuse the United States of sponsoring bioweapons. ... This is a classic move by the Russians.' The Pentagon says it has invested $200 million in Ukraine since 2005 through its Biological Threat Reduction Program an offshoot of the Nunn-Lugar program enacted after the end of the Cold War - and now works on research projects based on birds carrying viruses and the spread of swine flu. The program has 'improved Ukraine's biological safety, security and surveillance for both human and animal health,' according to the Pentagon, including by reducing the risk of the Soviet Union's biological weapons program. The relationship began as part of a U.S. effort to lock down unsecured biological materials after the fall of the Soviet Union, working directly with Russia and former republics. There is little known about the location of the labs, but reports in the past have suggested they have been equipped to work with deadly pathogens such as anthrax. But the U.S. has been open about the labs and on March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that they too had advised Ukraine to destroy high-threat pathogens housed in the country's public health laboratories to prevent 'any potential spills' that would spread disease among the population. Russia already illegally took possession of two such labs in 2014 and 'continues to deny Ukrainian access to these facilities,' according to the Defense Department. 'After Russia launched its unlawful invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health responsibly ordered the safe and secure disposal of samples,' according to the fact sheet. 'These actions limit the danger of an accidental release of pathogens should Russia's military attack laboratories, a real concern since they have attacked Ukraine's nuclear power plants and research facilities.' A U.S. National Academy of Sciences report in 2012 stated that the Ukrainian facilities had been upgraded to work with some of the most dangerous substances in the world, including anthrax, which prompted the renewed fears of a spill. A tenured economics professor in Canada was fired for saying Black Lives Matter destroyed her university to such an extent she 'doesn't recognize it anymore'. Frances Widdowson, who also taught justice and policy studies, was sacked from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada last year. The academic is now calling for an open arbitration hearing with the school to have it out with the institution next January - but bosses are yet to agree. Widdowson was fired in December for saying BLM had destroyed the college to such an extent she 'doesn't recognize it anymore'. Activists rounded on her and called her a racist for claiming Canada's residential school program offered Indigenous children chances 'they wouldn't have received'. But the lecturer launched her fightback this week as she pledged to take university bosses to an arbitration. Meanwhile the institution refused to be drawn on any hearing, adding it 'will not be providing specific details on this personnel matter'. Frances Widdowson (pictured), who also taught justice and policy studies, has proposed a date for the case against Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada The academic confirmed she wanted to have it out with the institution next January - but bosses were still to agree to it. Pictured: The university Activists also rounded on her for claiming Canada's residential school program offered Indigenous children chances 'they wouldn't have received' Widdowson called for it to be held from January 16 to January 27 next year in which she can air her issues with her treatment, Fox News reports. She told The College Fix in an interview recently: 'All of my grievances are going forward together at this time.' The associate professor, who studied indigenization for 20 years, said she wanted it to be open so journalists could attend and report on the case. She added: 'Without upholding academic freedom, we have no ability to explore ideas and pursue the truth.' Widdowson is being supported by the free speech group the Society for Academic Freedom, which claimed some of her old colleagues also backed her. Widdowson called for it to be held from January 16 to January 27 next year in which she can air her issues with her treatment, Fox News reports The academic was unceremoniously dumped from her job at the end of last year over her comments about race. She had claimed BLM had 'destroyed MRU' to such an extent that she 'doesn't recognize the institution anymore'. She told the Western Standard Online at the time: 'You're supposed to be teaching. That's your job. 'You can go on strike to protest police brutality but what does it have to do with you? A 'woke' faculty is now in charge. This isn't going to be good.' She also found herself in hot water over comments about Canada's controversial residential school program. She claimed it offered Indigenous children the chance 'to get an education that normally they wouldn't have received'. But she said it at a time of heightened tension after unmarked graves were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia. Her comments saw students and activists round on the professor as they called for her to be sacked. One petition, which was hoping for 7,500 signatories but only got just over 6,000, branded her a racist. It said: 'Frances Widdowson is a racist professor who works at Mount Royal University. 'This is a call to demand that the university condemns Widdowson's hateful actions against the BIPOC community and that she is terminated for her racist remarks.' It added: 'In ignoring the racist actions of people in power, we directly contribute to the systemic racism within our society.' One petition, which was hoping for 7,500 signatories but only got just over 6,000, branded her a racist The university shot back that it 'unequivocally supports academic debate' but 'academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination' In January Widdowson signaled her intension to fight her dismissal, telling CBC: 'I was generally criticizing 'woke' ideas. 'Basically, identity politics that has become totalitarian, and is imposing itself on the university, and preventing people from openly discussing ideas.' But the university shot back that it 'unequivocally supports academic debate' but 'academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination'. A spokesman told DailyMail.com: 'Mount Royal University can confirm that Frances Widdowson is no longer a faculty member and we will not be providing specific details on this personnel matter. 'MRU is committed to fostering expression and free speech, and strives to be a model for allowing opposing viewpoints to co-exist. 'The university unequivocally supports academic debate and will always defend the rights of faculty related to academic freedom. 'However, academic freedom does not justify harassment or discrimination. Mount Royal employees have the right to work in an environment that is respectful and free from harassment. 'The collective agreement and MRU policies outline a process for resolving issues of workplace conduct, and decisions are always made following rigorous due process. 'The MRU community is committed to a learning environment free from harassment and discrimination for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and the broader community.' Controversial MP Bob Katter has erupted over the Australian government's lack of guns and missiles following the 'concerning' security pact between China and the Solomon Islands. There are fears the deal between the two countries will mean China could build a military base less than 2,000km from Australian shores. The issue was brought up on the ABC's Q&A panel on Thursday night when an audience member asked if Australians 'had much to fear' about the agreement. Liberal MP Keith Pitt said the government was 'concerned' about the decision which was 'incredibly disappointing' and not something Australia agreed with. Mr Pitt then referenced comments made by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce who said Australia needed to be as strong as possible. A visibly frustrated Mr Katter then cut in before unleashing a tirade where he accused the government of failing to develop enough arms to defend Australia against any potential Chinese threats. Controversial MP Bob Katter has erupted over the Australian government's lack of guns and missiles following the 'concerning' security pact between China and the Solomon Islands 'In four and a half years you haven't built a rifle, you haven't built a machine gun, you've stupidly built patrol boats that have got one machine gun on them,' he said. 'Jeez, that'll terrify the Chinese, having that machine gun on those patrol boats. $60 million for a patrol boat that has a machine gun on it. It should have had 40 missiles on it. 'There is danger here, very serious danger.' Mr Katter said he believed the Solomons would be a base for China and those who disagreed with him were 'very, very naive'. The outspoken politician earlier called for high school students to be given guns to protect Australia from an 'existential threat' from China 'If you want to defend this country you build a missile fortress wall around it,' he continued. 'If you make it through that missile fortress wall then waiting for you is five million rifles.' It's not the first time the maverick MP has spoken of his desire for Australians to be armed. The outspoken politician earlier called for high school students to be given guns to protect Australia from an 'existential threat' from China. Mr Katter said under his plan 13-year-olds would be trained to use rifles and schools across the country would have armoury buildings where weapons are stored. He added that he was taught to use a rifle 'as big as he was' when he was in his early teens. Prime Minister Scott Mr Morrison has said the Solomon Islands government had stated it would not allow any Chinese naval bases under the deal. China said the deal with the Solomons was 'public, transparent, open and inclusive, not directed at any third party' but Western officials believe the opposite (pictured Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (second from left), Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele (seated at left), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (second from right) and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (seated, right, in 2019) China's security agreement with the Solomon Islands could see military bases built by Beijing within 2,000km of Australia But Mr Joyce didn't rule out the possibility of a Chinese base in the Solomons. '(It's) dual-purpose, which means China is able, if they follow through, to set up a military base there,' he said. 'That's a very bad day for Australia. We don't want our own little Cuba off our coast.' Ms Payne in a joint statement with Pacific minister Zed Seselja said they were 'deeply disappointed' by the deal. 'We are concerned about the lack of transparency with which this agreement has been developed, noting its potential to undermine stability in our region,' the statement read. 'We continue to seek further clarity on the terms of the agreement, and its consequences for the Pacific region. China said the deal was 'public, transparent, open and inclusive, not directed at any third party, and is parallel to and complementary to the existing bilateral and multilateral security co-operation mechanisms in Solomon Islands' - but US officials believes it 'leaves the door open' for Chinese aggression in the Pacific. A Florida GOP prosecutor's hardline stance on crime has seen murder rates plunge in a year - while offenses continue to spiral in woke cities. Melissa Nelson, a state attorney who prosecutes cases in-and-around Jacksonville, has been credited with a 30 per cent drop in murder rates, and 17 per cent drop in shootings. DailyMail.com has contacted Nelson's office for further details on the data. The prosecutor's tactics have included seeking out felons filmed flaunting weapons illegally on social media videos, and hitting them with charges. Nelson has also sought stiffer sentences for those convicted of gun crimes, and cracked down hard on gang members. In addition, she has made it easier for prosecutors to obtain warrants, with that red-tape slashing credited with helping get dangerous repeat-offenders off the streets quickly. And that has been met with warm approval from the National Police Association, who say the statistics show that Nelson's policies are working. Florida Prosecutor Melissa Nelson aggressive plan to crackdown on known violent criminals and seek stiffer penalties for the worst offenders, has significantly reduced crime in her city of Jacksonville, compared to Democratic led cities, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago Spokeswoman Betsy Brantner Smith said: 'When she decided last year that she was going to really be aggressive about gun crimes, she got mocked, and one of her detractors was going on and on about, this never works, putting people away and throwing away the key. 'And now, look, since she's been doing it, it's been working.' Brantner Smith added that Nelson's focus on gun criminals has reaped dividends, because anyone bold enough to carry one will likely have committed previous crimes, but gotten away with them. She explained: 'Generally speaking, these are not legally held firearms. 'When youre dealing with people who are willing to use a firearm to commit a crime, youre dealing with really serious offenders.' Nelson's crimefighting stands in marked contrast to Democrat-run cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Portland. In LA, woke DA George Gascon faces a recall after murders spiked by 53 per cent in two years, and shooting spiraled by 54 per cent over the same period. He proposed limiting sentencing enhancements - which see judges banned from adding extra time to prison terms for crimes in addition to the most serious one they've been convicted of. Over in LA, woke Democrat DA George Gascon's soft-on-crime policies have been blamed for historic spikes in murders and shootings. Gascon is pictured above in December 2021 Gascon has now begun to row back on his policies as they've been blamed for emboldening criminals, and leading to brand new crimes such as terrifying 'follow-home' robberies, which have hit the cities wealthiest and most influential residents. New York City's new DA Alvin Bragg has faced similar fury, with New York state governor Kathy Hochul also hobbling woke bail reform laws blamed for a crime spike. Portland has also been embarrassed with an all-time record murder rate in 2021, which it is already on course to beat in 2022. A spokesman for the Fourth Circuit State Attorney's Office, which Nelson heads, said: 'In 2021, Jacksonvilles murders were down 30% and overall shootings down 17% from the year prior, according to [Jacksonville Sheriffs Office] data for non-domestic shooting incidents. 'Given last years downturn, our numbers to date arent far off the mark and thankfully have not spiked like other cities. Chicago has experienced a slight decrease in the amount of homicides this year compared to last, despite other crimes are on the rise A Republican Florida prosecutor's aggressive plan to crackdown on known violent criminals and seek stiffer penalties for the worst offenders, has significantly reduced crime in her city of Jacksonville, compared to her Democratic led cities. The figures are staggering in a city that has been dubbed the 'gun-murder capitol.' 'In 2021, Jacksonville's murders were down 30% and overall shootings down 17% from the year prior, according to [Jacksonville Sheriff's Office] data for non-domestic shooting incidents,' David Chapman, a spokesperson for the Fourth Circuit State Attorney's Office, told Fox News Digital. 'Given last year's downturn, our numbers to date aren't far off the mark and thankfully have not spiked like other cities.' The areas that show the biggest decline include Clay, Nassau and Duval counties in the city of Jacksonville led by Florida Attorney Melissa Nelson. Nelson's innovative approach has proved fruitful compared to other big cities, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, run by Democrat district attorney's, who follow progressive criminal reforms and as a result are seeing skyrocketing crime rates. An advocate for 'Crime Gun Intelligence,' that include catching shooters before they commit more crimes, additional strategies in her pursuit to reduce crime include: pursue firearm charges in connection with guns presented in music videos, seek known violent criminals, especially gang members and investigate those wrongfully convicted and get innocent people out of prison. So far, this year has shown a continued drop in homicides, despite shootings, which have remained the same as last year's at the start of the month, a report said. Nelson told Fox News Digital that presently they remain 'on par' with last year's numbers and added that improving public safety and fighting violent crimes remains a priority. 'After experiencing a substantial downturn in violent gun crime in 2021, we continue to work together to combat violent crime and hope this trend continues,' Nelson said. A senior adviser to Youngkin's new PAC said the governor is 'excited' to help fellow Republicans 'flip blue states red' in a statement to DailyMail.com Barely six months into his first term as governor of Virginia, Republican Glenn Youngkin is already generating buzz over whether his winning strategy in the Commonwealth can translate into a successful White House run in 2024, a Thursday report suggests. Youngkin, who beat former governor and Democrat powerhouse Terry McAuliffe last year in his first-ever political campaign, is wading into national political territory with two new groups aimed at furthering Republicans' agenda. One is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization called America's Spirit that isn't required to disclose donors but will have rules in place for how it spends its cash, Politico reports. The other is a more traditional political action committee known as Spirit of Virginia. Such PACs, classified under the Internal Revenue Service's 527 code, are tax-exempt and aimed at influencing the 'selection, nomination, election, appointment, or defeat of candidates for federal, state, or local public office.' A senior adviser to Youngkin's PAC told DailyMail.com that the governor is looking to help Republicans 'flip blue states to red' and continue the 'movement' started by his successful and nationally-watched campaign. 'Governor Youngkin started a movement around kitchen table issues in Virginia last year, adn that movement has sparked in states around the country -- just recall Democrat governors following Governor Youngkin's lead to remove masks from schools,' Spirit of Virginia and Youngkin senior adviser Kristin Davison said. 'He is excited to grow that movement and keep the momentum going to help others win, especially those who will flip blue states to red, just as he did in Virginia last year.' Spirit of Virginia was behind a 30-second ad that aired on local TV screens in late March calling on the state legislature to pass Youngkin's budget proposal. 'Were going into overtime in Virginias Capitol,' Youngkin said in the March Madness-themed $150,000 ad. 'And weve gotta make this last shot.' The PAC, Spirit of Virginia, released a March Madness-themed ad starring Youngkin that urged legislators in the Commonwealth to pass his budget proposal, around the same time he called a special session to put pressure on state officials to get it done Thursday's report notes that Youngkin could use his new political groups to extend influence in governor's races across the country -- 36 are set to be underway in November. More than half of those states currently have Republican governors. He could also reportedly use the cash raised to help federal GOP lawmakers in neighboring Washington, DC in their efforts to unseat two House Democrats in this year's midterms. Youngkin, who was a private equity executive before taking the helm of Virginia's government, is apparently looking at bolstering other candidates through both cash donations and hosting events on their behalf, people familiar with his thinking told Politico. The governor could also use his two groups to help state politicians flip Virginia's state Senate red in the 2023 elections, which would give Republicans full control over the Commonwealth for the second half of Youngkin's term. Top Republicans who have been floated as possible 2024 White House contenders have similarly started their own fundraising operations. That includes three former Trump administration officials, ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and ex-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, as well as former Vice President Mike Pence. Pence's nonprofit group regularly hits at the Biden administration's policy shortcomings. Like the others, Youngkin would not say whether he plans to seek higher office in the future. He's never publicly been open to the idea, either. Youngkin's successful strategy involved campaigning on 'kitchen table issues' that won over Independents and suburban voters who felt left behind by Democrats but were also wary of Donald Trump's bombastic brand of politics Virginia's constitution prevents him from seeking a second consecutive term as governor, forcing him to wait at least four years before running again. He said during an April 15 interview on CNBC, 'Ive got a new job in Virginia, and Im extremely excited to be doing it.' Youngkin also vowed to support Donald Trump if he ran for the White House in 2024, which the ex-president has teased on numerous occasions. However he specifically told NBC host Chuck Todd, when pressed at a September gubernatorial debate, that he would support Trump 'if he was the Republican nominee' -- leaving the door open to backing a primary challenger. Youngkin's campaign for governor is widely seen as a roadmap for how the GOP can navigate a post-Trump era. For months on the trail, the successful candidate kept Trump's name out of his outreach efforts in favor of focusing on more local issues like education and COVID-19 pandemic health mandates. Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (third from left) by contrast ran a largely national campaign that saw prominent figures like President Joe Biden campaign alongside the former political powerhouse And he's stayed true to his pledges on those issues, banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory and ending school mask mandates among a slew of executive orders signed on his first day in office. The strategy managed to win over Independent voters and people in the DC suburbs who felt alienated by Trump's bombastic rhetoric but were also unhappy with how Democrats were running the government. The relatively localized campaign is also a stark contrast to the one run by McAuliffe, who invited a marquee of national Democrat names to descend on Virginia. Rather than addressing kitchen table issues, the former governor's primary run focused on tying Youngkin as closely to Trump as possible in the hopes of setting up another 2020 race. He got help from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at a time when their poll numbers were sinking rapidly. And despite rarely discussing him during the heated race, Youngkin had managed to clinch Trump's endorsement after beating out a primary challenger for the GOP nomination. To some, it is just a fun fairytale to lure tourists - whilst others wholeheartedly believe that at least some of the hundreds of sightings are genuine. The existence of the Loch Ness Monster - in the body of water of the same name near Inverness, is a conundrum that has never been solved definitively either way. But a 1936 sketch of the rumoured beast once convinced a 'staggered' expert, who accepted the chubby rendering as being a plausible depiction of the creature. The drawing showed a beast that was supposed to have come ashore near the village of Drumnadrochit in September 1936. It was seen both facing forwards and side-on, with its rolls of fat around its midriff standing out. The drawing features in a cache of previously confidential documents dubbed the 'Monster Files' that was recently publicised by the National Museums of Scotland. The tranche contains dozens of pieces of correspondence from people who claimed to have seen the monster. The sketch was produced three years after a report in local newspaper the Inverness Courier had brought the possible existence of the monster to the world's attention. A local couple claimed in the article to have seen 'an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface' of the loch. To some, it is just a fun fairytale to lure tourists - whilst others wholeheartedly believe that at least some of the hundreds of sightings are genuine. But a 1936 sketch (above) of the rumoured beast once convinced a 'staggered' expert, who accepted the chubby rendering as being a plausible depiction of the creature Man who has been hunting Nessie for 31 YEARS Steve Feltham began searching for the legendary Loch Ness monster in 1991. Now aged 59, the devoted hunter spends every day at the body of water near Inverness in the hope of catching a glimpse of the creature. In 2014, he claimed that he spotted the monster after just two years of searching - but did not have his camera to hand. The experience prompted him to spend nearly all of his time close to the loch for fear of missing another appearance. Steve Feltham began searching for the legendary Loch Ness monster in 1991 Advertisement This report sparked a cascade of sightings that have continued to this day, with the total now numbering more than 1,000. Another famous claimed sighting is a photograph taken in 1934 by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson. It was later exposed as a hoax by one of the participants, Chris Spurling, who, on his deathbed, revealed that the pictures were staged. In 1969, government minister Lord Hughes of Hawkshill was mocked by his colleagues in the House of Lords for suggesting that the monster might be real. He was responding to a comment by a fellow peer, who had branded the creature's existence a 'myth' that pulled in 'gullible tourists'. Lord Hughes retorted: 'I do not know on what scientific ground my noble friend says that the monster is a myth.' Then, in 1975, a person sent expert Ian HJ Lyster, of the Royal Scottish Museum, the 1936 drawing. Expressing his shock, the natural historian said its appearance explained previous descriptions and photographs, including one famous image taken by Lachlan Stuart in 1951. The photo showed three humps poking out of the surface of the loch. The natural historian wrote of the sketch: 'I was quite staggered when I first saw the sketch. 'My first reaction was that such a creature would explain a lot of the apparently odd descriptions of the Loch Ness Monster and also such photographs as the three humps taken by Lachlan Stuart in 1951. Colonel Wilson, a surgeon by trade, took this famous picture (the 'surgeon's photograph') of the 'monster' in Loch Ness in 1934, which appears to show its neck and head. It was later exposed as a hoax A Daily Mail report about the beast, from 1933 'The odd fleshy lobes hanging from the head have also been variously described by witnesses.' Lyster believed that the monster's appearance meant it could be an older creature, with younger ones likely being thinner. 'I suspect that younger specimens may not have the floppy fins or the dewlaps and that it is the younger, more agile ones which are occasionally seen ashore,' he wrote. Dewlaps refer to the flaps of loose skin seen in the sketch, which was reported to have been produced by local workman Alastair Dallas. Lyster told the sender of the sketch to send him a 'specimen' but otherwise said he had to retreat behind a 'smokescreen of scientific caution'. Another expert - botanist John Dennis - said the drawing looked like a 'Walt Disney caricature'. However, he said the depiction and others like it were the 'most reliable' he had seen, and claimed that hoaxers would not go to 'all the trouble'. In March, it emerged that Scottish school children will be taught that the story of the Loch Ness Monster reinforces negative stereotypes and bias about the Scots. A 17-page social studies lesson plan revealed how pupils would be told that class structure had a role in the creation of the legend. It added that stories about the creature relate to debate on Scottish Independence and even the Cold War. Campaigners criticised the classes as 'nationalist, anti-British propaganda' that was aimed at 'brainwashing' pupils. Ian HJ Lyster, of the Royal Scottish Museum, said the appearance of the monster in the 1936 drawing explained previous descriptions and photographs, including one famous image (above) taken by Lachlan Stuart in 1951 The Loch Ness monster is believed to resemble a prehistoric swimming reptile such as the plesiosaur (illustrated here) J.D. Vance is pulling away from his rivals for the Republican Ohio Senate nomination after he won the endorsement of Donald Trump last week, according to polling data published on Thursday. The Hillbilly Elegy author had trailed Josh Mandel and Mike Gibbons throughout the race. Friday's endorsement triggered questions about Trump's strategy coming after several of his picks have struggled to build momentum. But in Ohio it triggered a cash influx and a surge in support for Vance, according to polling conducted by a Super PAC supporting his run. Of 800 Republican voters, it found Vance had the support of 25 percent (up from 18 percent in March, while Mandel is on 18 percent (18 percent) and Gibbons on 13 percent (down from 18 percent.' 'We found that President Trump's recent endorsement of J.D. Vance in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate has significantly improved Mr. Vance's position in the race after only a few days putting him into first place overall,' said a polling memo written for Protect Ohio Values 'There is further room to grow that lead as awareness of Trump's endorsement is far from ubiquitous among the GOP electorate.' Trump is due to appear in Ohio on Saturday to build support for his pick. And his son Don Jr. turned out at a fundraiser and rally on Wednesday in Independence, just outside Cleveland. Former President Donald Trump has officially endorsed J.D. Vance in the Republican primary in the Ohio Senate race. The Hillbilly Elegy authored earned the prized endorsement in a crowded field in what is expected to be a hotly contested race In a statement on Friday, Trump said: 'MAGA patriots from across the nation are set to deliver an election landslide for Republicans that will serve as a devastating rebuke of the failures of Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats' Some Trump insiders have opposed the endorsement, pointing out that Vance was once an outspoken critic of the former president. Trump himself addressed the issue in his endorsement. 'Like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not so great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades,' he said in a statement. 'He is our best chance for victory in what could be a very tough race.' And Trump has also been under fire after being force to drop his endorsement of Mo Brooks in Alabama, who failed to make headway in polls. Don Jr. explained how his father's had made his decision during his visit to the state, explaining how Trump had expressed disgust at the way Gibbons and Mandel almost came to blows during a debate. 'You know, he makes up his own decisions, as you've seen over the years. He is a sort of a professional contrarian and I think that's served him very well,' Don Jr told reporters after appearing alongside Vance. 'On the policies, this was a no brainer.' But he said a widely ridiculed debate clash between Mandel's leading opponents was key. 'I go, you saw those things, he goes, 'Yeah, that was that was pretty ugly.' Video of the debate clash between Mike Gibbons, 69, a businessman, and Josh Mandel, 44, a veteran, went viral after they almost came to blows. J.D. Vance has all the momentum in the race for the Republican nomination in Ohio's Senate battle, after he was endorsed by former President Donald Trump on Friday Don Jr. joined Vance at a town hall in Independence, Ohio, on Wednesday, where he told reporters his father was influenced by an 'ugly' debate last month Mike Gibbons (L) and Josh Mandel exchange heated arguments at the FreedomWorks Forum for Ohio's Republican Senate Candidates on March 18, 2022 in Columbus Mandel started attacking the businessman over his assets in China, saying : 'You filed that with the federal elections committee for stock in Chinese petro.' Gibbons - who has assets anywhere from $83 million to $286 million, according to his Senate campaign's financial disclosure - retorted: 'I personally didn't buy the stock.' But Mandel, former Ohio Treasurer who has disclosed assets of at least $2.2 million, wouldn't let the businessman and investment banker off so easily, firing back from his seat on the stage: 'But you made millions off it, sir.' Gibbons brushed it off, turning back to the stage as if he was going to continue his speech, saying: 'I don't think I made millions off of anything. I'd loved to have made millions off of Chinese petro.' Things deteriorated from there, and the two men went chest to chest as they slung insults. A third person came into shot in an effort to separate them, rather like an episode of Jerry Springer. At on point Mandel told Gibbons: 'You back off.' Gibbons replied: 'Watch, watch, you've squared it away with the wrong dude.' On Wednesday Vance said he had been taken by surprise when Trump called him to say he was getting the endorsement. 'I was having a cookies and cream milkshake with my kid on Friday,' he said, when the former president telephoned. 'I really think that a few things helped me. The debate performance has helped me. I think substantively the president saw even from the beginning that I was the most one the actual agenda. 'And I think the president started to see like a real pathway for me in this race, especially with his support.' The endorsement was followed this week by a massive cash injection from Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. He is donating $3.5 million to Protect Ohio Values, a super PAC backing Vance. It helps bring Vance's war chest into line with that of his biggest rival, former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is backed by the conservative group Club for Growth. Vance's campaign launched a push on Monday to promote the endorsement and the supportive super PAC made a seven-figure ad buy. But it has also come with attacks, leveled by Trump supporters eager to remind voters that Vance was an early critic of the former president. In his endorsement on Friday, Trump acknowledged that he and Vance had not always been fellow travelers. 'Like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not so great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades,' he said in a statement. 'He is our best chance for victory in what could be a very tough race.' A source familiar with Trump's decision said Vance had powerful backers. Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, Sen. Josh Hawley and Donald Trump Jr. all lobbied the president to plump for Vance. And Trump ultimately decided that Vance, a 37-year-old Marine veteran, had the best chance of winning and will serve as a 'devastating rebuke of the 'failures of Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats'. It is the second big endorsement Trump has made in the last seven days after backing Dr. Oz in the Pennsylvania Senate race. Vance celebrated Trump's backing in a tweet: 'I'm incredibly honored to have President Trump's support. 'He was an incredible fighter for hard working Americans in the White House, he will be again, and I'll fight for the America First Agenda in the Senate.' The winner of the nomination will likely face face a stiff test in the form of Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in the November election. With his endorsement, Trump signaled that he believes Vance is not only closely aligned with his own thinking, but is best place to win. 'The Democrats will be spending many millions of dollars, but the good news is that they have a defective candidate who ran for president and garnered exactly zero percent in the polls,' said Trump. 'The bottom line is, we must have a Republican victory in Ohio.' Senate hopefuls Mike Gibbons, 69, (left, standing) and Josh Mandel, 44, (right) came toe-to-toe at a primary debate last month after Mandel attacked the father-of-five's financial assets in China, claiming he 'made millions' there. The clash lost them the chance of Trump's endorsement according to a source familiar with the former president's thinking Gibbons went on to say that former Marine 'didn't know squat' because he's never worked in private sector, to which Mandel replied that he had served two tours in Iraq and told the businessman: 'Don't tell me I haven't worked.' At one point someone had to tried to break the two men up as they argued about money and life experiences 'This is not an easy endorsement for me to make because I like and respect some of the other candidates in the racethey've said great things about "Trump" and, like me, they love Ohio and love our Country. 'I've studied this race closely and I think J.D. is the most likely to take out the weak, but dangerous, Democrat opponentdangerous because they will have so much money to spend. 'However, J.D. will destroy him in the debates and will fight for the MAGA Movement in the Senate. 'He's strong on the border, tough on crime, understands how to use taxes and tariffs to hold China accountable, will fight to break up Big Tech, and has been a warrior on the rigged and stolen presidential election. J.D. is a Marine who served in the Iraq War, a graduate of The Ohio State University, and earned a law degree from Yalea great student. 'With J.D. Vance, Ohio gets both brains and brawn. Ohio has been good to me, I won it twice, really bIG, and I have likewise been GREAT for Ohio. Lets keep it going! 'It is time for the entire MAGA movement, the greatest in the history of our Country, to unite behind J.D.s campaign because, unlike so many other pretenders and wannabes, he will put America First. In other words, J.D. Vance has my Complete and Total Endorsement. He will not let you down.' It came a day after Politico reported that more than three dozen GOP chairs and state party central committee members signed a letter asking Trump not to endorse Vance, pointing out to the ex-president that the author 'referred to your supporters as "racists" and proudly voted for Evan McMullin in 2016.' One of the Republican officials whose name appeared on the letter, Putnam County GOP's Chairman Tony Schroeder later came out and said he didn't agree to put his name on the document, which was leaked to Politico. Additionally, Politico reported that a pro-Mandel polling firm, Remington Research, circulated a memo pegging Vance as a loser - even with Trump's nudge. 'J.D. Vance will still lose even with President Trump's endorsement,' the memo, authored by Remington's President Titus Bond, said. 'J.D. Vance is widely known by Republican Primary voters for his Never-Trumper comments and his calling Trump supporters "racists."' 'Since he is already known to Ohioans as a self-proclaimed "Never Trumper" and voters will forcefully be reminded of that, Vance will still lose even with President Trump's endorsement,' Bond said. The memo said that even with the Trump bump, Vance would come in fourth in the primary, at around 15 per cent. Vance thanked Trump for his in endorsement. He tweeted: 'I'm incredibly honored to have President Trump's support. He was an incredible fighter for hard working Americans in the White House, he will be again, and I'll fight for the America First Agenda in the Senate' Mandel had shared a clip of Vance in August, in which the author said that some of Trump's supporters are racist. The clip cuts off before Vance then says that most of them are not. 'I always resist the idea that the real thing driving most Trump voters was racial anxiety or racial animus, partially because I didnt see it. I mean, the thing that really motivated people to vote for Trump first in the primary and then in the general election was three words: jobs, jobs, jobs,' Vance said at a University of Chicago Institute of Politics event in 2017. Vance, Mandel and Timken haven't even historically been the leaders of the race, with the polling edge until recently going to Republican businessman Mike Gibbons. However Gibbons 'is not on his radar,' one source close to Trump told Politico. A Trafalgar Group poll released Friday morning showed Mandel and Vance had leapfrogged Gibbons in the latest survey, coming in first and second, respectively. Russian state TV hosts giggled uncontrollably as they discussed nuking New York City with one of Vladimir Putin's new intercontinental ballistic missile. The television hosts laughed as they talked about striking the US city of eight million people with the Sarmat missile, also known as Satan 2. A presenter laughed on a state-owned Russian television channel Russia 1 as he spoke of how New York would be 'completely gone' if Moscow decided to launch the nuclear weapon. The disturbing comments come after Russia reported the first successful test launch of the Satan 2 on Wednesday. The Kremlin claims the unmatched 16,000mph missile, which has been in development for years, could destroy the UK, hit any target on earth and carry 12 nuclear warheads. Putin said the launch will provide 'food for thought for those who try to threaten Russia' and will make his enemies 'think twice'. The television hosts laughed as they talked about striking the US city of eight million people with the Sarmat missile, also known as Satan 2 Russian state TV hosts giggled uncontrollably as they discussed nuking New York City with one of Vladimir Putin's new intercontinental ballistic missile Russia has test launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile, its Defence Ministry announced on Wednesday On Russia-1, the anchor said: 'Americans don't have these kind of rockets and never had them.' 'What is attractive about the South Pole,' he said before being interrupted by another presenter who quipped: 'We know right away where to send it via the north pole or the south pole. We only have one target.' The anchor responded: 'The continental territory of the US.' When asked about the size of the territory the Satan 2 would be able to destroy, the presenter said whilst laughing: 'If 7.5 megatons will be delivered to the territory of our so-called partners - the word "partner" is very important - then objects like the city of New York, a good city but it would be gone.' 'Completely gone, with one rocket. Completely, I mean completely,' the presenter said whilst smiling. 'So it's better we don't. Americans always feared our heavy rockets,' he said, prompting laughter from those in the studio. According to the nuclear bomb simulator site Nuke Map, a nuclear blast hitting New York City would kill more than 4 million people and injure up to 5 million. But Russians could fire its 12 individual warheads, which would cover a huge area of the east coast and injure tens of millions of people. A presenter laughed on a state-owned Russian television channel Russia-1 as he spoke of how New York would be 'completely gone' if Moscow decided to launch the nuclear weapon According to the nuclear bomb simulator site Nuke Map, a nuclear blast hitting New York City would kill more than 4 million people and injure up to 5 million The first launch of the Satan 2 missile was carried out on Wednesday from an underground silo at the Plesetsk spaceport in northern Russia at a moment of heightened tensions after Putin threatened the use of nuclear weapons in response to perceived Western provocation. It is among Russia's next-generation missiles that Putin has called 'invincible,' and which also include the Kinzhal and Avangard hypersonic missiles. The launch comes as a growing number of senior Kremlin insiders are said to be fearing the Russian strongman could resort to using nuclear weapons as Moscow's position worsens. They said Putin is dismissing all criticism by officials who warn of the damaging political and economic cost of his war plan, which they fear could set Russia back for years amid growing military losses and crippling Western sanctions. Moscow suffered another devastating blow today after its force's death toll rose to 21,000, according to Kyiv estimates, after weeks of having their assaults on cities thwarted at every turn by battling Ukrainian troops. The insiders warned Russia will be left with a crippled economy and limited global influence. They also voiced fears that Putin could turn to the drastic measure of using nuclear weapons against his enemies if his invasion of Ukraine fails. Putin was shown on TV being briefed by the military that the missile, expected to go into service this year, had been launched from the country's northwest and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east. He told the army: 'I congratulate you on the successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. 'This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure the security of Russia from external threats and make those who, in the heat of aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice.' Vladimir Putin watches the test launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile from Moscow Last month, Russia said it used Kinzhal for the first time in warfare to strike a target in Ukraine. Putin added yesterday: 'The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defence. It has no analogues in the world and won't have for a long time to come. 'This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia's security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country.' Russian state media added: 'Sarmat is the most powerful missile with the longest range of destruction of targets in the world, which will significantly increase the combat power of our country's strategic nuclear forces.' Satan-2 is believed to be the biggest beast in Russia's nuclear arsenal. with an estimated 11,000-mile range and a 10-tonne payload. It is designed to elude anti-missile defence systems with a short initial boost phase, giving enemy surveillance systems a tiny window to track. Weighing more than 200 tonnes and able to transport multiple warheads, Putin says the missile can hit any target on Earth. Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday said Russia is not considering using nuclear weapons 'at this stage' of its invasion. In an interview in which he parroted Putin's propaganda over Moscow's brutal military actions, Lavrov blamed the US, the West and NATO expansion for his country's so-called 'special operation'. When asked by India Today whether Russia had any intention of using nuclear weapons, Lavrov said: 'At this stage, we are considering the option of conventional weapons only,' according to Russia's RIA state news agency. Lavrov, a long-time Kremlin mouthpiece and staunch ally of Putin, said in late January that Russia would not invade its neighbour. On February 24, less a month after his comments, Putin ordered Moscow's troops into Ukraine. Days after, Putin put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert, and threatened NATO allies with 'consequences greater than any you have faced in history' should they intervene in the Ukraine conflict. This raised fears that the Russian leader would be prepared to use nuclear weapons in the conflict, something no country has done since the Second World. A 30-year-old American woman is under arrest in Colombia for attempting to board one of her return flights to the United States with a gun and ammunition. Malaika Robinson was taken into custody Sunday at Rafael Nunez International Airport in Cartagena, the Office of the Attorney General said in a statement. Authorities made the discovery while she was going through the airport security screening prior to boarding her flight to Bogota, where she was going to connect to the second leg of her flight segment to the U.S. Cops confiscated her 9mm gun, two ammunition clips and 24 bullets inside her carry-on bag. Malaika Robinson was arrested on weapons charges at an airport in Cartagena, Colombia, on Sunday moments before she was set to board the first leg of her connecting flight to the United States Malaika Robinson told the police she was not aware that she needed a special permit to carry her 9mm weapon in Colombia Robinson told the police that she had been in the country for a week and that she was not aware that she needed a special permit to carry the weapon in Colombia. She also confessed to carrying the weapon while she partied, went to beach outings and visited tourist attractions in the region. Robinson revealed she purchased her gun legally during a Black Friday sale and said it was normal for her to carry her gun everywhere she went. She was unable to provide proof of ownership of the gun and was charged with the trafficking and possession of a firearm. Robinson will not be allowed to leave the country. She will be required to wear a GPS ankle monitor and will stay at the home of a family member in Cartagena while her legal process plays out. With Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in June - plus her official birthday this month - this is a huge year for royal celebrations. The Trooping the Colour military parade will celebrate the yearly occasion, with various members of the royal family in attendance. The different parade tickets may be purchased in advance. Queen Elizabeth's Traditional Birthday Celebration The Queen's birthday is April 21, 1926. Official celebrations are frequently moved to a period of better British weather, according to her great-grandfather Edward VII's custom. Although the parade has been canceled for the previous two years owing to the pandemic and Prince Phillip's death, it will return this year in all of its ceremonial splendor. The annual parade will bring together around 1,400 marching troops, 200 horses, and 400 musicians to commemorate The Queen's formal birthday. It will be held on June 2 this year, Evening Standard via MSN reported. The march will be accompanied by members of the Royal Family on horseback and in carriages from Buckingham Palace to The Mall and Horse Guard's Parade. The Queen and members of the Royal Family will witness an RAF fly-past from the Buckingham Palace balcony as the ceremonial march comes to an end. Since the beginning of King George IV's reign, the event has been staged almost every year in London to commemorate the sovereign's official birthday. Its origins may be traced back to battles when companies would fall in and march before and after conflict, showing their colors. The celebrations begin at 10 a.m., with the flyover following at 1 p.m. Read Also: Johnny Depp Details Amber Heard's Shocking Abuse, 'Need for Violence' During Marriage Queen Elizabeth's Private Celebration With Family, Friends The Queen will be joined by family and friends at Sandringham to celebrate her 96th birthday. As part of the momentous event, an image of the Queen with two ponies was posted, as per STV News. Ahead of The Queens 96th Birthday tomorrow, @windsorhorse have released a new photograph of Her Majesty. Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Queen is pictured with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. Happy Birthday Your Majesty! pic.twitter.com/8m46e3SvpX The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 20, 2022 The photo was shot at Windsor Castle, which is where Queen Elizabeth currently spends the most of her time. This year, Britain's longest-serving monarch celebrates her 70th year on the throne. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer both sent her birthday greetings. Mattel, the company that created the Barbie doll, has unveiled an honorary doll in her image. The Queen Elizabeth II Barbie is dressed in a beautiful white gown with a blue ribbon embellished with royal ornaments. There will also be a tiara inspired by Queen Mary's fringe tiara, which she wore on her wedding day. Harrods, Hamleys, Selfridges, John Lewis, and Amazon will all be selling the doll. Why Does Queen Elizabeth Have 2 Birthdays? Per Yorkshire Live via MSN, Her Majesty was just 25 years old when she ascended the throne, making her the sixth woman in British history to become queen. Queen Elizabeth II has been in power for 70 years. Official birthday celebrations for a King or Queen have been conducted on days other than their actual birthday throughout history. The Queen usually celebrates her birthday with her family, but the Trooping the Colour procession, which takes place on the second Saturday in June, is her official birthday. The parade has marked the official birthday of the British monarch for more than 260 years. On her actual birthday, the occasion is still marked publicly via gun salutes in central London at midday. For more than 260 years, the procession has honored the official birthday of the British monarch. The occasion is still commemorated in public on her actual birthday, with gun salutes at midday in central London. Some Commonwealth countries have varied dates for the Queen's birthday. The second Monday in June is a public holiday in much of Australia, where she is the head of state. Western Australia celebrates in September or October whereas New Zealand celebrates on the first Monday in June. Related Article: Queen Elizabeth II Reveals How She Copes up with Prince Philip's Death, Talks About Lingering COVID-19 Symptoms the Monarch Experiences @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A gay man has sued a West Virginia party store claiming a worker branded him a 'f****t' and chased him bare-chested for trying to return a 'gender-fluid' Halloween outfit. Trevor Anderson, from Charleston in West Virginia, says he remains a shell of himself following the October 2021 incident at his local Spirit party store. Anderson claims he has turned to cigarettes to cope with the stress, and says boyfriend Jonathan Pereira has threatened to dump him over the marked change in his behavior. The drama began after Anderson purchased a plaid mini-skirt and a belly shirt for his Halloween costume, a gender-fluid interpretation of the Clue character Mr. Green. Green was a closeted gay man in the 1985 film adaptation of the board game and was played by actor Michael McKean. But parts of Anderson's costume attire didn't fit, and he returned to the store to request a refund or credit. He says that's when a store manager, identified in the lawsuit as Thelmon Penn, 33, confronted Anderson while refusing to refund him for the purchases. 'Maybe you just shouldn't be trying on women's clothing,' Penn reportedly said according to court documents. Things escalated when Anderson asked Penn for his name and number to file a formal complaint, to which the store manager responded with a series of gay slurs. Scroll down for video Anderson, pictured, asked store manager Thelmon Penn for his name and number to file a formal complaint, to which Penn responded with a series of gay slurs Trevor Anderson, left, his partner, Jonathan Pereira, alongside Anderson's attorney Ben Salango, who filed a lawsuit against the store on Wednesday A Spirit Halloween store is pictured. Anderson says he was homophobically-abused after trying to return a gender-fluid outfit to a West Virginia location (file photo) 'Im not giving my number to a f*****,' Anderson recalled Penn saying in an interview with the Daily Beast. Anderson said Penn then chased him out of the store screaming 'get out, get out, f****** f*****' before trying to fight him in the parking lot. Anderson then called his partner, Jonathan Pereira, who had also been present during the incident, and the pair made their way to their car. A shirtless Penn began charging at him from across the parking lot as the two got into their vehicle, and reportedly banged his fist on their trunk while screaming obscenities and slurs as they narrowly escaped, it is alleged. The Daily Beast reported that Pereira was so paralyzed with fear that Anderson had to start the car himself from the passengers seat before pushing Pereiras foot down and pulling back the gear shift as they fled from Penn. Not much information was available on Penn, however a restraining order was issued against him weeks prior to this incident in West Virginia's Family Court of Jackson County, according to online records. Pereira, pictured, was so paralyzed with fear that Anderson had to start the car himself from the passengers seat before pushing Pereiras foot down as a shirtless Penn chased after them The incident has since left Anderson's life in ruins, he told the Daily Beast. 'Its ruining my life,' he told the outlet. 'Its ruining my friendships. Its ruining my relationships. Im not Trevor anymore. I cant believe that one man has completely changed my life, to where I dont even recognize my feelings and my mind.' Anderson filed a lawsuit with the support through Fairness West Virginia, with his lawyer stating no action has been taken against Penn by Spirit Halloween in the five months since the incident occurred. 'People in the LGBTQ community have faced harassment and discrimination,' Anderson's attorney Ben Salango told the West Virginia Gazette-Mail. 'It's well past the time for that to end. Spirit Halloween has known for five months that its manager did this to Trevor, and in five months - no apology, no acknowledgement, to my knowledge, no reprimand or discipline of its manager. Anderson is alleging one count of assault and one count of inflicting emotional distress in a lawsuit, pictured, filed on Wednesday by Fairness West Virginia To Salango's knowledge, Penn is still employed by the store, the outlet reported. Anderson is alleging one count of assault and one count of inflicting emotional distress in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by Fairness West Virginia, West Virginia is one of 18 states that doesn't offer anti-LGBT discrimination protection. In 2017, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the word 'sex' as defined in the state's hate crime law, did not cover crimes committed against people based on their sexual orientations. And the West Virginia Human Rights Act does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on one's sexual orientation or gender identity. In recent years, the state's legislature has failed to advance a bill called the Fairness Act, which would add language to the Human Rights act that would provide such protections for the state's LGBTQ community. This is the moment a group of tenants were attacked outside a south London estate agent on Thursday following a tense meeting over their 'illegal eviction and unlawful fines'. In a video shared online, a group of young people are seen being ushered out of the Eaton Green branch in Denmark Hill. As they are exiting, one of the tenants shouts 'well done, w****r', prompting a man from inside the shop to run out and throw a kick at one of the youngsters. He can then be seeing picking up a sandwich board and attempting to hurl it at the group while two younger men in suits - believed to be estate agents - calm him down. A young tenant is attacked outside the Eaton Green estate agents in Denmark Hill Thursday Moment man picks up a sandwich board in attempt to use it against group of tenants The tenants can be heard shouting: 'What the f**k are you doing?', before the man squares up to the woman recording (moment pictured), telling her: 'I will see you in...', but he walks away before finishing his sentence It is not clear if the older man, dressed in casual clothes, is an employee of Eaton Green or the group's landlord. (Pictured: Man led away by another man in a suit, believed to be an estate agent) The tenants can be heard shouting: 'What the f**k are you doing?', before the man squares up to the woman recording, telling her: 'I will see you in...', but he walks away before finishing his sentence. It is not clear if the older man, dressed in casual clothes, is an employee of Eaton Green or the group's landlord. The woman recording tells him: 'Don't you dare hit me... would you hit a woman?' She then adds: 'Oh he's f****d himself now', as he is taken back inside the estate agents. The video was shared online by a Twitter user named Sarah Warsama, 21, who describes herself as a socialist. She wrote: 'My estate agents attacking us this morning after we tried to negotiate with them against an illegal eviction.' MailOnline has contacted Ms Warsama for comment. The clip was then shared by the London Renters Union, who called for their 16,000-plus followers to 'show solidarity'. The video was shared online by a Twitter user named Sarah Warsama, 21, with the caption: 'My estate agents attacking us this morning after we tried to negotiate with them against an illegal eviction.' Moment estate agent pulls man away from the tenants after he appeared to throw a kick at one of them A man believed to be an Eaton Green employee stands between the tenants and the man who became physical as he is led back inside the store The clip was shared by the London Renters Union, who called for their 16,000-plus followers to 'show solidarity' The union wrote: 'Today several LRU members went to the office of Eaton estate agents in Camberwell to demand a stop to a campaign of harassment which has seen them threatened with illegal eviction and unlawful fines. 'This was their response.' The Eaton Green twitter account had replied: 'In the spirit of clarity, 7 people entered the office led by an individual named Kane making loud and aggressive demands. 'Within minutes we asked them to calm down, but it was clear their intention was to intimidate and started hurling abuse and profanity. 'Several attempts were made for the individuals to calm down however it was plainly obvious there intentions were to disrupt in an extremely aggressive manor and were asked to leave.' The Eaton Green Twitter account has since been taken down and the company did not answer when called by MailOnline. An email address was not immediately available. It is not yet known if police have been called over the incident. MailOnline has contact the Met for comment. President Joe Biden on Thursday had to clean up his remarks on Title 42 and the federal face mask mandate after he appeared to confuse the two. Biden indicated he would not extend the use of Title 42 at the border but also appeared to confuse the issue with Justice Department's decision to appeal a court ruling that drops federal mask requirements on public transportation. The White House put out statement clarifying the president's remarks due the confusion and questions about what he really meant. Biden is under political pressure from vulnerable Democrats - particularly those running for re-election this year in border states - about the expected surge in migration expected to come after Title 42 is lifted on May 23. Republicans also have heavily criticized the president on the issue. And when asked if he was considering a delay in lifting Title 42, Biden said. 'No.' But then he appeared to confuse Title 42 with the Justice Department's decision to a appeal a ruling that struck down the federal mask mandate on planes, trains and transit systems. 'No, what I'm considering is continuing to hear from my - first of all, there's going to be an appeal by the Justice Department because as a matter of principle, we want to be able to be in a position where if in fact, it is strongly concluded by the scientists that we need Title 42 that we'd be able to do that. But there has been no decision on extending Title 42,' he said. After Biden's remarks, the White House put out a statement from the president clarifying what he said. 'I want to clarify that, in comments at the conclusion of my remarks this morning, I was referring to the CDC's mask mandate and there is no Department of Justice action on Title 42,' Biden said in the statement. Biden and his administration has come under fire for mixed messaging on covid precautions, particularly as the case rate drops in parts of the country. President Joe Biden insisted he is not considering extending the use of Title 42 at the border but also appeared to confuse the issue with Justice Department's decision to appeal a court ruling that drops federal mask requirements on public transportation People congregate near the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested the DoJ appeal ruling that ended the federal mask mandate on public transportation. It was also the CDC that said the use of Title 42, which has been used to turn away more than 1.7 million people at the border, is set to end May 23. Title 42 is a Trump-era order that allowed US border officials to turn migrants back to Mexico or their home countries immediately because of the covid pandemic. 'Right now we are planning and preparing for the end of Title 42 enforcement on May 23rd,' White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday. She noted that President Biden wants to reform the immigration system and that some lawmakers favored a delay of Title 42 implementation while others oppose it. 'This would all require congressional action. We're happy to have that conversation with them,' she said. And White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday the administration has taken a 'range of steps' to prepare for a surge in migrants at the border, including moving around agents, more effectively process migrants and provide COVID vaccines. 'There are a range of steps in this comprehensive plan that we have to be ready to go by by May 23,' she said. Democrats fret that May 23nd is not enough time for the administration to come up with a plan to handle the expected flood of migrants. And Republicans have turned it into a campaign issue ahead of November's midterm election, which will decide which party controls Congress. The White House has been dealing with anxious lawmakers as Democrats fret about keeping control of Congress. Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema has led a bipartisan group of senators in proposing legislation to prevent Title 42 from being lifted without a plan in place to stop an expected surge of migrants at the border. Her home state of Arizona sits on the border. She has called on the administration to extend the order. 'The administration's extension of public health emergency authorities proves the need to delay lifting Title 42 to protect the health and safety of Arizona communities and migrants. I'll keep pushing for transparency and accountability from the administration to help secure the border, keep Arizona communities safe and ensure migrants are treated fairly and humanely,' she said in a statement last week. Her fellow Democratic Senator from Arizona, Mark Kelly, also voiced concern about lifting the order - particularly without a plan to combat the expectant increase in migrants. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who is facing one of the toughest re-election campaigns, visited the border to see the situation for herself and promptly called on the administration to extend the order. 'My trip to the southern border reinforced my concerns about the administration preemptively ending Title 42,' Hassan said. 'Border agents were very clear with me that the end of Title 42 will lead to a steep increase of attempted crossings that they will not be able to effectively handle because they don't have enough resources.' US Customs and Border Protection had 221,303 encounters at the US-Mexico border in March, which marked yet another jump in arrests along the southern border. CBP has already apprehended more than 1 million people this fiscal year, which began on October 1. Meanwhile, the CDC this week asked the Biden administration to appeal a Florida judge's ruling against the mask mandate for travelers setting up a legal battle after days of confusing signals on government policy. 'It is CDC's continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health,' the CDC said in a Wednesday statement. 'CDC believes this is a lawful order, well within CDC's legal authority to protect public health.' It said it would continue to monitor public health conditions which have seen a rise in coronavirus infections and called it 'well within CDCs legal authority to protect public health,' despite the judge's ruling otherwise. Pictured passenger a mask less Casey Phillips age 40 from Alexandria, VA is served a cup of champagne from a mask less Delta Flight attendant on a flight heading to Atlanta, Georgia from Reagan National Airport on April 19th, 2022 Biden is under political pressure from some Democrats who worry about the surge in migration expected after Title 42 is lifted - above a migrant carvan The DoJ is handling the appeal but has not asked the appeals court to block the judge's order that lifted the federal mask mandate on transit systems, meaning passengers will be able to continue traveling maskless while the decision is litigated. The flurry of activity came after Donald Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Florida ruled against the policy triggering the administration to stop enforcing it and airlines to roll back their own enforcement. The appeal will send the legal fight to the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, where there are seven Republican-appointed judges and four appointed by Democrats. The feds filed a notice of appeal in federal court in Tampa. The battle could end up in the Supreme Court, which earlier this year struck down a vaccine mandate for large private businesses in a 6-3 ruling. The father of a two-week-old baby who died in a residential home has been charged with her murder - and will make his first court appearance later today. Darin Harvey, 25, is accused of killing 'beautiful' Felicity-May Harvey, who passed away in hospital on January 11, last year. Ambulance teams rushed to her address in Heywood, Greater Manchester, following concerns about her welfare on January 8, 2021. However, despite the best efforts of doctors, she died three days later. Her injuries or cause of death are unclear. Police confirmed that Harvey has been remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court this afternoon. Felicity-May Harvey, from Heywood, Greater Manchester, died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital on January 11 last year Ambulance teams rushed to her address in Heywood, Greater Manchester, following concerns about her welfare on January 8, 2021. But she died three days later Following Felicity-May's death, her family had paid tribute to their 'precious baby girl', who they said had 'melted' the hearts of everyone who met her A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: 'The father of a two-week old baby girl who died in Heywood last year has been charged with her murder. 'Darin Harvey, 25, of Birch Road, Wardle, has been remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court later today (Thursday 21 April). 'He will stand accused of the murder of his daughter Felicity-May Harvey who sadly passed away in hospital on Monday 11 January 2021 after we were called to a report of concern for her welfare.' Following Felicity-May's death, her family had paid tribute to their 'precious baby girl', who they said had 'melted' the hearts of everyone who met her. They said: 'Our hearts are broken after losing our precious baby girl, Felicity-May. 'She was a gorgeous baby and always so alert, looking around with her big blue eyes. 'She was absolutely beautiful and incredibly brave and she melted the hearts of everyone who met her. 'What made her extra special was her cleft lip and palate and, despite the challenges of this, she was the most happy and content little girl. 'She was and always will be loved by her mum, sisters and family and there is a huge void in all our hearts and lives now that she has been taken from us. 'She was our special star, and it is not fair that she shone brightly for only a short time. 'When we look up at the sky, we will look through the clouds and know that the brightest star shining is our Felicity-May. 'Rest in peace baby girl. Sleep tight. Until we meet again, our precious angel.' Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation against a student from Zambia for dancing in front of a war memorial. The woman, identified by local media as Rebecca Ziba, 21, posted a clip of herself 'shaking a**' next to the Memorial of Glory in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk. She is now suspected of committing a crime under Part 4 of Article 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation which 'provides for the responsibility for the rehabilitation of Nazism'. In a video shared by the Russian Investigative Committee for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, she said: 'I want to apologise to everyone for the video that I posted on April 16' The woman, identified by local media as Rebecca Ziba, 21, posted a clip of herself 'shaking a**' next to the Memorial of Glory in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk While the original Instagram post seems to have been taken down, a clip on Twitter suggests that it was captioned: 'Shaking a** for the dead, (I'm) sure they are sleeping (well) tonight.' Ms Ziba, who appeared to be twerking in the post, was detained and has profusely apologised to Russian authorities. In a video shared by the Russian Investigative Committee for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, she said: 'I want to apologise to everyone for the video that I posted on April 16. 'I posted...without knowledge of what it actually meant and knowing who it's going to hurt or upset. 'I posted a video of me dancing on a monument and I did not mean to be...the video that I posted, I didn't intend for it to be offensive. Ms Ziba added that she 'didn't mean to offend anyone or to be disreseptful to 'those people that died'. 'And I because I did not know exactly what it meant and I never thought it would be this big,' she said. The woman, identified by local media as Rebecca Ziba, 21, posted a clip of herself 'shaking a**' next to the Memorial of Glory in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk 'I'm very very very sorry to everyone. I didn't know. And if I knew, I was never going to post it. I hope I'm understood and forgiven.' Ms Ziba faces up to three years in a jail and a fine of up to 3 million rubles (28,888) if she is found guilty, Euronews reports. A statement from officials said: 'The Khanty-Mansiysk Interdistrict Investigation Department of the Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra initiated a criminal case against a 21-year-old citizen of a foreign state. 'She is suspected of committing a crime under Part 4 of Art. 354.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (desecration of the symbol of military glory of Russia). Ms Ziba faces up to three years in a jail and a fine of up to 3 million rubles (28,888) if she is found guilty, Euronews reports 'According to the investigation, on April 16, 2022, the suspect, while in the Victory Park of the city of Khanty-Mansiysk at the Memorial of Glory to the soldiers of the district who died during the Great Patriotic War, performed an obscene dance against the backdrop of the Eternal Flame, a video of which she posted on her page in one of the social networks, accompanied by an offensive inscription. 'The day before, the suspect was detained with the participation of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, and interrogated by the investigator on the circumstances of the incident, during the interrogation she repented and apologized for her actions. 'A complex of investigative actions aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident is being carried out in the criminal case. The investigation is ongoing.' The conditions Ms Ziba is being detained in are not clear. MailOnline has reached out to the Zambian Embassy in Moscow for more information. A Black Lives Matter activist has slammed New York City's black mayor for his alleged failure to combat the city's skyrocketing crime rates. 'Let's get back to Eric Adams. This mayor who's a Democrat but he spews conservative and Republican talking points,' Hawk Newsome, co-founder of BLM Greater New York, told Fox News Thursday morning. 'At the end of the day, we have a name for someone like this, and this is someone we call a c**n.' 'He's a white man in black face, and a very conservative minded white man, at that.' Newsome blasted Adams' efforts to combat crime in NYC, alleging the mayor's new policing model was a 'monumental failure' and accused him of 'deflecting' by questioning BLM's role in condemning bloodshed. 'What we have is a man with hundreds of people on the city's payroll, billions of dollars in budget and 40,000 police officers. He has 10 victims in one night. The night before he had 16 shooting victims on the train,' the activist said. '[He's asked] rd what are you going to do about policing and he says, "what about BLM?" Is America not smart enough to see him deflecting?' Adams last week slammed BLM for failing to act after a series of shootings ripped across NYC, leaving two dead and 13 injured. All the victims were black. 'We can't be hypocrites,' Adams told NY1 with Ruschell Boone last Wednesday. 'Where are all those who stated ''Black Lives Matter?"' Hawk Newsome, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York, called NYC Mayor Eric Adams a 'white man in black face' and a 'c**n' with 'no plan' for the city during Fox News interview Thursday morning 'Do an analysis of who was killed or shot last night. I was up all night speaking to my commanders in the Bronx, in Brooklyn. The victims were black,' the mayor said. 'If black lives matter, then the thousand of people I saw on the street when [George] Floyd was murdered should be on the street right now. 'The lives of these black children that are dying every night matter. We can't be hypocrites.' Newsome hit back Thursday, accusing Adams of failing to improve public safety, which was a major component of his mayoral campaign. 'What we elected him for, the city of New York, was to keep the city safe,' the BLM leader said. 'This city is a war zone and he can't stop it so with all his power he turns to BLM and says what are you going to do?' The activist argued that Adams 'gives great press statements' and puts on a convincing show for the public, while not actually addressing the issues he preaches about. 'Don't listen to what Eric Adams says. He gives great press statements. He is a master of the press conference. Some kid dies he hugs their mother. He's holding up sneakers and he is crying,' Newsome stated. 'But the problem is, iIn four months his new unit has arrested 126 people, as of last week. Only 30 had weapons. The rest were petty charges that the DA's gave violations out [for]. His new strategic policing model is a monumental failure.' Newsome (pictured at a BLM protest in 2020) blasted Adams' efforts to combat crime in NYC, alleging the mayor's new policing model was a 'monumental failure,' and accused him of 'deflecting' by questioning BLM's role in condemning bloodshed Adams (pictured in Chicago in March 2022) slammed BLM last week for failing to act after a series of shootings ripped across NYC, leaving two dead and 13 injured. All 15 victims were black. 'Where are all those who stated ''Black Lives Matter?"' Adams questioned Newsome has not shied from publicly voicing his criticisms of Adams. Last November, shortly after Adams had been elected, the activist warned NYC would face 'riots' if the mayor-elect made good on his pledge to revive undercover anti-gun efforts. NYPD cops blasted back, alleging Newsome 'should be denounced by every politician because he is threatening to harm the citizens of New York.' 'The FBI should investigate him as a domestic terrorist and look into where he is getting his money. The people funding him should also be investigated,' an NYPD official told The New York Post at the time. 'He is threatening to overthrow the government, cause physical harm and property damage.' The BLM revisited the official's claims Thursday, saying he wasn't trying to induce terror, but instead reiterate that Adams was unprepared to handle the crisis. 'They were calling me a terrorist when I say: "These cops kill someone there be riots and bloodshed,"' Newsome told Fox. 'When I told people that they called me a terrorist. But, what I was saying was this man has no plan.' Newsome answered the mayor's question, saying that BLM was going to help black New Yorkers but through means of community outreach. Newsome is pictured leading a BLM march He also answered the mayor's question, saying that BLM was going to help black New Yorkers but through means of community outreach. 'We're going to organize people in our communities to go out and preach a message of love and unification in the streets. We are going to take control of our cities because the government has failed us for decades,' he said. 'Even when crime is low, we're still dying. And we have to fix this problem ourselves because we believe that poverty is the mother of crime.' Newsome added: 'Until we fix that, there will never be a decrease in crime. We'll help our people while we build them up and empower them ourselves.' 'Here is the problem - because the cops are not the answer. Poor people commit crimes out of desperation. Address the poverty.' Adams was elected last year after vowing to fight the Big Apple's growing crime problem. However, crime in New York City is up 44.26 percent from this time last year and 27 percent from this time in 2020. Similarly, shooting victims have risen by 9.3 percent from April 2021 and 70.4 percent from April 2020. Adams, a former cop, has instituted a number of policies to curb crime - one of his main promises during the campaign. He announced a plan to move more officers from behind the desk and onto the streets earlier this year. He fulfilled his promise to reinstate the NYPD's controversial anti-crime unit, and has deployed 1,000 more officers to the subways, but gruesome crimes continue to pile up. Adams was elected last year after vowing to fight the Big Apple's growing crime problem. However, crime in New York City is up 44.26 percent from this time last year and 27 percent from this time in 2020. Rapes in the city are up 17.4 percent compared to the same time last year, and felony assaults are up 19.6 percent, according to NYPD data. Burglaries and robberies are also up, 31.7 and 48.4 percent, respectively, while grand larcenies have doubled from April of last year and grand larcenies from automobiles are up a whopping 77.2 percent - from 175 reported at this time in 2021 to 248 reported so far in 2022. Shooting incidents are also up 8.4 percent, with 9.3 percent more victims. Adams has also been pushing for state lawmakers to allow judges to consider the 'dangerousness' of defendants before deciding to release them under the state's woke bail reform laws. Those have been blamed for repeatedly freeing serial criminals onto the street to commit further offenses - including multiple murders. State Democratic leadership has repeatedly resisted the mayor's request, and said they will not act on changing the law, according to the New York Post. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signaled plans to toughen up the act as part of her latest budget, although victims' advocates say she should go even further. Adams has 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. A Ukrainian mayor who was 'psychologically tortured' by Russian forces for six days after he was kidnapped said his life and the lives of civilians was 'worth zero' to Vladimir Putin's men. Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol which is now under Russian control, said that Russian soldiers had 'assumed they would be welcomed in Ukraine' when they invaded but instead they were met with strong resistance, which made them 'very angry'. Fedorov was abducted on March 11 after Russian forces seized Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine and kept for six days before he was released in a prisoner exchange on March 16, Kyiv said. 'It was a dangerous six days because I understood that for Russians my life and the lives of civilians were worth zero,' Fedorov said in Rome where he visited Pope Francis. Ivan Fedorov (pictured), the mayor of Melitopol, which is now under Russian control, said that Russian soldiers had 'assumed they would be welcomed in Ukraine' when they invaded but instead they were met with strong resistance, which made them 'very angry' A woman holds a child inside an evacuee bus as people flee from Melitopol and Mariupol Describing his detention by Russian forces in Melitopol's police department, Fedorov said: 'They came to me at night with five or seven soldiers and spoke for about four or five hours, hard dialogue.' 'They wanted to make an example of me about what would happen if we did not agree to what the Russians wanted,' the mayor told Reuters and the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, saying he had faced 'psychological' but not physical torture. 'Russian soldiers assumed that they would be welcomed but they were not... and that is why the Russians were very, very angry,' he said. 'There is no food in my city. There is no pharmacy. Half of my city is wrecked. More than 200 people have been kidnapped. It is not safe to walk the streets,' he said. Chilling CCTV footage showed the moment Fedorov had a plastic bag placed over his head as he was escorted out of a building and across Melitopol's Victory Square by 10 armed men. Dozens of heroic Ukrainian residents went out to protest against the mayor's kidnapping in Melitopol last month, with video showing the civilians brawling with Russian troops. Video posted online shows a Russian soldier forcefully shoving one protester back into the crowd of demonstrators chanting anti-Moscow slogans. The soldier first pushes the protester back with his hand before using his weapon to scare off other demonstrators who step forward to attack the Russian. Dozens of heroic Ukrainian residents went out to protest against the mayor's kidnapping in Melitopol last month, with video showing the civilians brawling with Russian troops Fedorov, who met the pontiff and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday before attending an Easter eve service, said he had asked the Vatican to intercede with Russian President Vladimir Putin to guarantee humanitarian corridors for Mariupol, which has faced devastating bombardment Fedorov, who said he remained in regular contact with the people of Melitopol, said he had invited the pope to visit Ukraine because 'maybe he can stop this war'. Fedorov, who met the pontiff and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday before attending an Easter eve service, said he had asked the Vatican to intercede with Russian President Vladimir Putin to guarantee humanitarian corridors for Mariupol, which has faced devastating bombardment. Thousands of civilians now face starving to death in captured Mariupol after Putin ordered his troops to seal shut the Azovstal steelworks. The complex was the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the port city but Putin has ordered his forces to completely block it off, 'so even a fly cannot escape'. Soldiers and civilians trapped inside have no food or water and Ukraine's foreign ministry is desperately appealing for an evacuation route to get them to safety. They said in a statement: 'Hundreds of civilians, children, injured Ukrainian defenders are trapped in plant's shelters. They have almost no food, water, essential medicine. 'An urgent humanitarian corridor is needed from the Azovstal plant with guarantees people will be safe.' The city's capture has both strategic and symbolic importance, boosting Putin's hopes to demonstrate major success by Russia's Victory Day on May 9, with operations set to ramp up to coincide with the celebrations, the British MoD said today. Putin gave the Avozstal order to Sergei Shoigu, his defence minister, who had previously told his boss more than 2,000 Ukrainian fighters were still holed up in the vast plant, which has a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels underneath it. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,' Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. 'I order you to cancel it.' After Shoigu told him Moscow controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - Putin hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol. He said his decision not to storm the steelworks was motivated by the desire to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers. 'There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities,' he said. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through.' Shoigu confirmed the plant was 'securely blocked.' Putin also called on the remaining Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal who had not yet surrendered to lay down their arms, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured. Leaving the plant in Ukrainian hands, however, robs the Russians of the ability to declare complete victory in Mariupol. The scale of suffering there has made it a worldwide focal point, and its definitive fall would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, complete a land bridge between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd claimed on-air Wednesday that if Jesus Christ were alive today, he would be called a 'groomer.' The former Bush campaign advisor made the statement on 'Deadline: White House' during a discussion about 'groomer' accusations against a Michigan state senator. 'I have said this before, and I'll say it again: If Jesus Christ was alive today, he would be called a groomer, he would be called woke, and he would be called a socialist if he was alive today.' The discussion turned to faith after host Nicolle Wallace played a clip of Michigan Democrat state Sen. Mallory McMorrow addressing the accusations against her on 'Morning Joe.' McMorrow has been accused by Republican state Sen. Lana Theis of wanting to 'groom' and 'sexualize' children in schools and teach them about critical race theory, FOX News reported. Dowd, who recently ran for Lt. Governor of Texas as a Democrat, praised McMorrow for 'fighting' for children by advocating for teaching controversial topics in schools. He said that the country is facing a 'culture war' against Republicans, and that Democrats would lose elections if they didn't step up and speak out for 'marginalized' communities. MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd claimed on-air Wednesday that if Jesus Christ were still alive today, he would be called a 'groomer,' 'woke,' and a 'socialist' 'This is something that I have tried to talk about: Being a Christian, having grown up Catholic, having been an altar boy and all of that how the faith has been captured by a small segment of our society who have tried to define it in a way that Jesus never had defined it, and actually the opposite way of Jesus,' Dowd said. 'The entire message of the gospels of the Easter holidays was love one another,' he added. 'And I have said this before, and I'll say it again: If Jesus Christ was alive today, he would be called a groomer, he would be called woke, and he would be called a socialist if he was alive today.' 'If he was speaking the message He spoke in the gospels today about treating everybody with dignity Jesus Christ hung around with prostitutes and tax collectors,' he said. 'He was nailed to a cross because he spoke on behalf of the most marginalized people in the Middle East.' MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace and analyst Matthew Dowd discuss grooming accusations against Democratic Michigan state senator on 'Deadline: White House' Democratic Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow appears on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' Wednesday morning to address grooming accusations This isn't the first time Dowd has made claims about how he believes Jesus would act if he were alive today. Last year, Dowd tweeted that Jesus would be accused of being 'woke.' 'As I sat in church today I was thinking that if Jesus were here today he would be accused of being woke. 'How about we just say it is human decency to treat all with respect and dignity and that it is constitutional to say all men and women are equal.' Dowd tweeted in November: 'If Jesus were here today he would be accused of being woke' Former Bush campaign adviser Matthew Dowd (pictured) was announced as the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor of Texas in September Republican Arkansas Senator Jason Rapert, 49, referenced Proverbs 6:16 to 19 as he chastised Dowd. He wrote on Twitter: 'I have news for you @matthewjdowd - Jesus wasn't woke and he isn't pro-choice either. 'Stop redefining Jesus and the Bible. Proverbs 6:16-19.' The passage he referred to says: 'There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.' Republican Arkansas Senator Jason Rapert (pictured) hit out at Dowd's claims. He said: 'Jesus wasn't woke... stop redefining the Bible' The Senator quoted a passage from the Bible that said God hates people who lie and stir up conflict Conservative journalist Curt Mills said Dowd's comment showed him to be 'maybe the most shameless figure in politics' Meanwhile, conservative journalist Curt Mills said Dowd's comment showed him to be 'maybe the most shameless figure in politics'. 'It's almost impressive,' he added. It's not the first time Dowd has been in hot water over a tweet. In 2020, he suggested Bernie Sanders was sexist for running against Hilary Clinton in 2016. He wrote of Sanders on Twitter: 'You know one clear way to demonstrate that you believe a woman can and should be running President? 'Don't try to defeat a woman running for President.' Dowd was previously chastised for suggesting Bernie Sanders was sexist for running against Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election A spokesman for Matthew Dowd previously told DailyMail.com: 'Politics aside, common sense, common decency, and serving the common good are perfectly compatible with the Gospels. 'Central in our campaign is treating everyone with respect and dignity.' Advertisement Britain's Covid cases have reached their lowest daily total since June 2021, official data showed today. Just 19,482 new positive tests were recorded by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) over the last 24 hours, down 40 per cent on the 32,608 recorded last Thursday. It is the lowest daily figure recorded since June 27, when 14,876 official cases were recorded. But the metric has become much less reliable now that free tests have been scrapped for the majority of Brits. Despite the fall in cases, a recording backlog saw the number of deaths recorded today jump by 85 per cent in a week to 646. Fatalities have been fluctuating daily because of delays in reporting. The number of people dying within 28 days of a positive test on average has been falling week-on-week for the last four days. Experts have warned the constant stream of daily figures are now almost meaningless because they rely on people coming forward for tests, which has reduced massively since the end of free testing. There is now clamour among many scientists for their publication to be scrapped entirely. Separate UKHSA figures today showed Covid hospital admissions fell last week from 19.94 to 16.17 per 100,000 in England. Top Chinese scientist is censored after slamming Zero Covid strategy One of China's top scientists has been censored after publishing a paper in which he called for an end to the country's draconian Zero Covid policy. Dr Zhong Nanshan, former president of the Chinese Medical Association, said China has to move away from lockdown cycles in order to 'normalise' the economy and society. Writing in the editorial, titled 'Strategies for reopening in the forthcoming Covid-19 era in China', he warned Zero Covid 'cannot be pursued in the long run'. It was published in English in the National Science Review journal on April 6 and translated to Chinese this week - but that version was quickly taken down by censors. China as recently as last month insisted that its Covid elimination strategy is the best way to protect people, despite China resorting to brutal shutdowns and military force to try to contain the super-infectious Omicron variants. Protests have broken out in Shanghai where millions have been confined to their homes for a month and forced to rely on state-provided food deliveries. 'The dynamic zeroing policy has been adopted for maintaining effective disease prevention and control,' Dr Nanshan wrote. 'However, China needs to reopen so as to normalize socio-economic development and adapt to global reopening. Prolonged dynamic zeroing cannot be pursued in the long run.' Advertisement Dr Mary Ramsay, director of clinical programmes at the UKHSA, said: 'It is encouraging that Covid hospital admissions and acute respiratory infections continue to fall this week. 'We should all take action to keep driving this downward trend. Vaccination provides the greatest protection against severe illness. Please ensure you are up-to-date with your latest jabs. 'If you have any symptoms of a respiratory infection, and a high temperature or feel unwell, try to stay at home or away from others especially those who are elderly or vulnerable.' UKHSA data show 18,275 people received a booster third vaccine dose yesterday, the latest date data is available for. It takes the total number fully vaccinated up to 39.1million. Meanwhile 53.1m 92.3 per cent of the eligible population have now had a first vaccine dose and 49.7million (86.3 per cent) have had their second. The figures comes after social media users today mercilessly mocked disgraced ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock after he confirmed that he is writing a book about his experiences during the Covid pandemic. Britons tweeted joke titles for his tell-all diary, including 'the adulterer's guide to social distancing' and 'saving lives, s***ging wives'. Mr Hancock revealed he was writing a book during a heated interview last night with MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton on GB News. He has promised the book will disclose 'what actually happened' following heavy criticism about his handling of the crisis, including telling young people 'don't kill gran' and failing to shield care homes. It is expected to brag about his role in the vaccine rollout, despite claims responsibility for jabs was taken from him by the Prime Minister due to other Covid mishandlings. The book, which will be released by Biteback Publishing in October, is bound to touch on Mr Hancock's secret affair with a married aide which broke his own social distancing rules and ultimately forced the politician to resign. Relatives have accused Mr Hancock of trying to 'cash in' on the pandemic, with sales expected to earn him up to 100,000. But the royalties will reportedly be donated to NHS charities. Mr Hancock oversaw a policy that allowed untested hospital patients to be discharged into care homes at the height of the first wave seen as the defining factor behind the huge death toll in the sector. He was also accused of fuelling fear by telling young people they could kill their grandparents if they got too complacent with social distancing rules in September 2020. Mr Hancock resigned as Health Secretary in June 2021 after video emerged of the married MP groping and kissing Gina Coladangelo inside the Department of Health months earlier when he advised people not to hug relatives. Mr Hancock revealed he is writing a book that will set out 'what it looked like' from his role during the Covid crisis and all the intricacies of 'what actually happened at the time' He told MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton on GB News: 'I am writing a book about the experience, what it looked like, from being health secretary, what actually happened at the time to make sure that we set the whole set of details out, absolutely to cover important questions like this and also the broad piece because you've got to look at all of this' Rumours of the book, which will reportedly earn Mr Hancock up to 100,000, emerged at the end of last year and will claim he stopped Covid from causing a 'tsunami of death and deprivation' that would have destroyed the NHS and led the race to rollout the vaccine across the UK and worldwide. It is not clear whether it will touch on his affair with Gina Coladangelo (pictured) Britons took to social media to share ideas in response to a TalkTV tweet which asked what the title of his book should be. Sandy Tregent suggested 'The adulterer's guide to social distancing', while a Twitter-user Jane recommended 'Saving lives, s***ging wives'. 'Sex, Drugs and Coughs 'n' Colds', was proposed by Flossy Moris and 'How I single-handedly save the world and got the girl' was put forward by Dave Johns. And 'How I screwed the country... and another bloke's wife', along with 'S***ging and blagging: The Pandemic Years', were also suggested by Twitter-users David Perry and Sully. Asked about whether he ensured there was a 'protective ring' around care homes during last night's interview, Mr Hancock accepted residents should have been better protected. He said: 'I think it's very important, especially given the role that I've had, that I both answer these questions but also set out the whole piece. 'I am writing a book about the experience, what it looked like, from being health secretary, what actually happened at the time to make sure that we set the whole set of details out, absolutely to cover important questions like this and also the broad piece because you've got to look at all of this.' NYC mayor Eric Adams announced an experimental program to install large sealed trash receptacles in neighborhoods throughout the city as a means of curbing rat infestations on Wednesday. The program, called 'Clean Curbs,' has already begun with two bins currently operating in Times Square. Officials say that they will be testing the program in all five boroughs, with bins expected to be installed in Brooklyn over the summer. Speaking at a Times Square press conference alongside one of the bins, Adams announced what he characterized as a new and long-overdue age in NYC sanitation. NYC mayor Eric Adams announced the beginning of the Clean Curbs pilot program from Times Square during a press conference on Wednesday Adams was flanked by before and after photos - on the left images of trash strewn streets, on the right an of one of the Clean Curb bins surrounded by sparkling sidewalk There are currently two bins operating in Times Square, and officials say they plan to install them across the 5 boroughs. They expect to have bins in Brooklyn over the summer 'For decades, New Yorkers have normalized the sight of black trash bags on our city's sidewalks,' Adams said, 'With the launch of 'Clean Curbs,' the Adams administration is transforming what is containing trash across the five boroughs.' 'Clean streets are vital to vibrant neighborhoods and to New York City's economic comeback. We need to stop dodging black garbage bags and instead fund and test container models throughout the city that will make our streets cleaner and more inviting for both New Yorkers and visitors.' According to the Department of Sanitation, business improvement districts - neighborhood organizations that manage localized initiatives throughout the city - commercial property owners, and residential associations are already able to apply for the installation of bins. Rather than piling up mountain ranges of rubbish along their sidewalks, properties and neighborhoods will put their garbage in the sealed bins, thus containing the smell, spillage, and sight of the trash, and hopefully curbing the vermin which have been flourishing from exposed trash for years. 'These sealed containers are in a spot where bags of litter basket waste used to sit on the curb for hours, providing a free, all-you-can-eat buffet for rats,' Sanitation Commissioner Jessie Tisch said at the press conference, 'We've talked about wanting to change this for years and now we're announcing new funds to test our clean curbs containers for all five boroughs.' The plan aims to clear unsightly and unsanitary piles of trash from the city streets. Piles of trash standing human-head-high are currently commonplace in New York City Neighborhood associations which currently monitor local waste baskets would be able to pile garbage into the large receptacles instead of watching it overflow onto the sidewalk The bins in Times Square appear to be approximately five feet tall, five feet deep, and ten feet long, though the NYC Department of Sanitation told DailyMail.com that sizes will vary based on the individual needs of each neighborhood. Officials announce that the program is expected to receive about $1.3 million per year. Clean Curbs was initially set to be rolled out in March of 2020, but was waylayed immediately by the coronavirus lockdown which struck the city the same month. Since the pandemic started New York's rodent problem has exploded, with one report from as early August 2020 showing a 60% increase in rat sightings. 'These rats have the run of New York City,' then-New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said at the time, 'These rats are walking around waiting for a table at outdoor seating.' The rat population has soared in New York City since the pandemic lockdown began. By sealing trash off from the outside Clean Curbs hopes to send city rats packing in the summer of 2020 NYC officials reported a 60% increase in rat sightings. This heat map of the city's most offending areas shows much of Manhattan and Brooklyn covered News of the pilot program is sure to be a devastating blow for Pizza Rat and his collogues, none of whom responded to DailyMail.com requests for comment. Former United States President Donald Trump's spokesman released an audio recording that suggests the Republican businessman, contrary to a recent advert, did not walk out of his interview with Piers Morgan on the latter's new television program. The recording claims to show that Trump and Morgan thanked each other and laughed at the conclusion of the interview for Talk TV, which is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The show is scheduled to debut on Monday and was teased to be "the most explosive interview of the year." Trump and Morgan In a video summary dramatized with cinematic music, former President Trump can be seen frustrated about Morgan's questions, specifically about the former's claims of voter fraud during the 2020 election. At the end of the advert, Trump could be heard telling the crew to turn their cameras off and shows him standing up from his chair. However, the audio released by Trump's spokesman appears to tell a completely different story where the two men laughed and thanked each other for their time. The recording did not show any signs of the former president storming off the set, as per NBC News. Morgan was seen pressing Trump about repeated claims of voter fraud that the Republican businessman argues cost him the presidency against Joe Biden. The former president responded by calling the host a "fool" and claimed that he himself was more honest than the columnist. Read Also: Hillary Clinton Urges To Dismiss Donald Trump's 'Russiagate' Lawsuit Over 2016 Election Later on in the interview, the host told Trump that the 2020 election was "free and fair," prompting disagreement with the Republican businessman. Morgan added that after more than a year since the end of the elections, Trump and his colleagues have yet to produce the hard evidence that supported his claims. According to the Daily Beast, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich's released audio recording shows Trump agreeing that they had a great interview. A spokesperson for News Corp said that the company did not have any comments to relay beyond the public information that was already available. Audio Recording The 7.5-minute audio clip recorded Morgan thanking Trump before the former president asked the crew to turn the camera off. A man who was identified to be Budowich could be heard telling Morgan that he was allowed to ask the Republican businessman one last question before they concluded their interview, prompting the host to ask several more. The Trump spokesman then blasts Morgan for asking several questions despite saying he was only going to ask one more. Budowich then says that he felt the TV personality was basically lying at that point, with Trump saying that Morgan was "very dishonest." Budowich accused the show's producers of deceptively editing promotional clips to suggest that the former president angrily stormed off the interview set amid questions about the claims of voter fraud during the 2020 election. The Trump spokesperson added that the Republican businessman expected the interview would last roughly 20 minutes. However, the shooting dragged on for more than an hour. One representative for Morgan did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the matter, Business Insider reported. Related Article: Donald Trump Blasts Piers Morgan While Walking Out of Interview: "Very Dishonest!" @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Brazilian judge has instructed Apple to pay a customer damages that were caused for the purchase of an iPhone that came without a power adapter. Judge Vanderlei Caires Pinheiro, of the Goiania 6th Special Civil Court, ruled Monday that the technology company must pay the consumer 5,000 Brazilia reais, or $1,081. Apple must also provide the customer a new charger. DailyMail.com reached out to Apple for comment. Caires Pinheiro wrote that Apple forced into a tie-in sale where 'consumer to purchase a second product of its exclusive manufacture which without the main product does not serve the purpose for which it is manufactured (and) intended.' Apple was given 10 days to comply with the judge's order. Failing to do so will carry a daily penalty of 100 reais, or $21.63, until the matter is resolved. A Brazilian court in Brazil ordered Apple on Monday to pay a customer $1,081 for the moral damages that the company caused for the purchase of an iPhone without a charger adapter. Judge Vanderlei Caires Pinheiro of the Goiania 6th Special Civil Court found Apple committed an 'abusive and illegal commercial practice' by forcing the consumer to buy the adapter in addition to the phone With the release of the iPhone 12 in October 2020 and other subsequent models, Apple is no longer including charging adapters with the devices that are sold Apple does provide the lightning cable but without the charging adapter in iPhone 12 devices and other subsequent model that have been released since October 2020 when the company announced it was halting the inclusion of adapters and headphones as part of its plan to protect the planet by reducing waste and carbon emissions Apple announced in October 2020 that it was going to stop including the adapter and headphones with its devices ahead of the iPhone 12 model's release as part of its plan to protect the planet by reducing waste and carbon emissions. The company argued that the phones do come with a lightning cable that functions adapters that are sold by other mobile phone accessory makers. However, Judge Caires Pinheiro rejected Apple's stance. Apple was fined $2.2 million by the Sao Paulo consumer protection agency in March for selling iPhones without the adapter that is required to charge iPhones A Sao Paulo consumer protection agency imposed a $2.2 million fine on Apple in March for selling iPhones without chargers. Apple is thought to have sold 190 million iPhones worldwide since the move, which was applauded by environmentalists. Total gains from removing chargers and earphones, plus reduced shipping costs, could be as high as $6.5 billion, with an additional estimated $293 million from the sale of accessories. 'It is not appropriate that such a measure seeks to reduce environmental impacts, since, in all evidence, the defendant continues to manufacture such an essential accessory, but now sells it separately,' Caires Pinheiro said. This is the moment a Russian tank is blown to smithereens by a Ukrainian anti-tank guided missile fired from almost three miles away. Footage obtained today from the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade - a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces - shows how the tank is caught in the missile system's crosshairs before the projectile soars through the air and meets its target. The brigade titled the video (in Ukrainian): 'Stugna against T-72: attackers of the 128th brigade destroyed a Russian tank with a Ukrainian missile from a distance of 4.5 km'. It comes as separate footage emerged of a Russian Ka-53 attack helicopter being blown out of the sky over Zaporizhzhia by another Ukrainian man-portable missile system. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported earlier today that the Russian military death toll had reached 21,000 personnel, with thousands of Putin's tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters also scuppered. This is the moment a Russian tank is blown to smithereens by a Ukrainian anti-tank guided missile fired from almost three miles away (R). Footage obtained today from the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces shows how the tank is caught in the missile system's crosshairs (L) before it is destroyed The missile blew the Soviet era T-72 tank to pieces, adding to the huge losses already sustained by Putin's armed forces (A man jumps from a Russian T-72 tank destroyed during Russia's invasion, in the village of Yahidne, Ukraine April 20, 2022) A Ukrainian service member stands next to a damaged Russian tank T-72 BV, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Donetsk region The Stugna-P is a Ukrainian anti-tank guided missile system developed by the Luch Design Bureau, located in Kyiv. It can attack from both long range - up to three miles in the daytime, depending on the type of missile - and close range - 100 yards. The brigade said that it took the missile just 21 seconds to travel almost three miles before obliterating the invaders' armour. 'The missile from the Stugna anti-aircraft missile system flies at a speed of 200-220 metres per second, so the enemy tank was at a distance of about 4.5 kilometres,' the brigade's statement read. '(The tank) did not stand still, it moved, but this did not prevent the ATGM [anti-tank guided missile] operator from hitting him.' The brigade added: 'Neither the Swedish-British anti-tank complex NLAW, nor the American Javelin work at such long distances. 'And our Stugna destroyed a moving tank 4.5 kilometres away.' NLAWs have a typical maximum firing range of roughly half a mile (800-1000m), while the Javelin is effective at distances of over a mile (2-2.5km). The brigade did not specify where in Ukraine the strike took place. However, fighting has recently been most intense along a 300-mile front in the country's eastern Donbas region. The T-72 referred to by the brigade is a family of Soviet main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. They are currently operated by over 40 countries, including both Russia and Ukraine, though the latter has retired most in favour of the earlier T-64. Meanwhile in Zaporizhzhia, drone footage showed a Russian attack helicopter blown out of the sky by a Ukrainian 9K38 Igla man portable air defence system (MANPADS). The footage, shared by Ukrainian telegram channel Unian and later distributed on Twitter, showed the Russian Ka-53 hovering over farmland and lakes, before the missile streaked through the air and engulfed the chopper in a huge fireball Ukrainian soldiers with (left to right) American "FIM-92 Stinger", Soviet "Igla-1" and Polish "Piorun MANPADS" on a rooftop The Igla, or 'needle', is a Soviet-era anti-aircraft missile launcher which was first deployed in the early 1980s, but has proven incredibly effective in Ukrainian hands against Russian choppers. The footage, shared by Ukrainian telegram channel Unian and later distributed on Twitter, showed the Russian Ka-53 hovering over farmland and lakes, before the missile streaked through the air and engulfed the chopper in a huge fireball. Though Russia's armed forces outnumber their Ukrainian counterparts and have more equipment and machinery at their disposal, poor tactical decisions have been preyed upon by Ukrainian fighters, who have used their anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry to great effect. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported earlier today that the Russian military death toll had reached 21,000 personnel. The AFU also informed that Russia had lost 829 main battle tanks, 2,118 armoured fighting vehicles, 393 artillery systems, 136 multiple rocket launchers, 67 air defence systems, 172 warplanes, 151 helicopters, 1,508 vehicles, eight vessels, 76 fuel tankers, 166 tactical drones, 27 units of special equipment and four tactical missile launchers. Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a 'special military operation' to 'demilitarise and denazify' the country. The invasion is now in its 57th day, with Russia 'most likely' to intensify attacks in Ukraine before its 9th May Victory Day celebrations, according to UK intelligence. Advertisement A guest at a Florida wedding where the food was secretly laced with marijuana says she was so high and anxiety-ridden that she thought she was going to die and wrote herself a message on her phone in case she 'didn't make it.' Miranda Cady, 38, attended the February 19 wedding as a guest of bride Danya Shea Glenny Svoboda. The picturesque outdoor ceremony took place in a gated community in Longwood, a suburb of Orlando. Videos obtained by DailyMail.com show Svoboda crying at the altar and guests cheering with glee after she and her partner were officially pronounced husband and wife. Those feelings gave way to confusion, terror and stupor after the nearly 70 guests - including elderly couples on medication - were served bread, pasta and desserts laced with marijuana. At least eight people were taken to the hospital, according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. The bride, 42, and caterer Joycelyn Montrinice Bryant, 31, have been charged with delivering marijuana, tampering with guests' food and misdemeanor culpable negligence after guests fell ill from the drugged dinner. The tampering charge alone carries a maximum punishment of up to 30 years in prison. 'It all hit everyone pretty instantaneously,' Cady told DailyMail.com. 'We were all fine and then we were all not.' Speaking to WFTV, she added, 'I actually text myself, at one time, a message just in case I didn't make it through the night.' A scared guest asked best man Matthew Svodoba what was going on. But Matthew, who works for the Department of Justice, appeared 'incoherent and could not answer a question,' according to an arrest warrant obtained by Law and Crime. The bride and caterer turned themselves in. They've since been released and are scheduled for arraignment on June 7. Artist Miranda Cady, 38, attended the February 19 wedding near Orlando as a guest of bride Danya Shea Glenny Svoboda Svoboda cried at the altar and guests cheered with glee after she and her partner Andrew were officially pronounced husband and wife. He would later be too stoned to answer officers' questions The wedding featured about 60 to 70 happy guests, with many of them traveling down to Florida all the way from Michigan and enjoying some of Orlando's famous attractions, namely Walt Disney World Guests watched in awe as the bride, clad in a lovely white lace dress with a floor-length veil, walked out of the clubhouse and down the outdoor 'aisle' The joy gave way to confusion, terror and stupor after the nearly 70 guests - including elderly couples on medication - were served bread, pasta and desserts laced with marijuana. Miranda's place-setting is seen here The outdoor wedding took place at a clubhouse in a gated community in Longwood, a suburb of Orlando. Cady says she first noticed something was off when no one got up to dance Bride Danya Shea Glenny Svoboda, 42, (left and Joycelyn Montrinice Bryant, 31, (right) were charged on April 18 with delivering marijuana, tampering with guests' food and misdemeanor culpable negligence after allegedly dosing wedding guests with weed - without warning them first Cady, an artist, met Svoboda through mutual friends in Orlando's small business scene. 'We're all at events and gatherings regularly,' she said. 'Crossing paths monthly, quarterly is a regular thing in this town.' The bride has 'a great energy and vivacious personality,' Cady said. 'It was pretty traumatic - emotionally traumatic. I'm the type of person to walk into a room and everyone's my friend. 'To be violated this way from someone you like and trust is really hurtful. I didn't have an option or say. Even if people avoided things like the olive oil, it was still in the bread, in the pasta.' Guests watched in awe as the bride, clad in a lovely white lace dress with a floor-length veil, walked out of the clubhouse and down the outdoor 'aisle.' The teary ceremony was briefly interrupted by a tender moment when a child ran to the alter to hug the groom. They were then served a feast of bread with olive oil and a choice of two different pastas: cheese tortellini and lasagna. The food 'took forever' to arrive, Cady said, but the energy in the room shifted soon after guests cleared their plates. People weren't getting up to dance. 'Everyone was kind of sitting on the sidelines. That was kind of the first red flag. "What's happening at this wedding?" 'Around that time, we started looking around and everyone's giggling. Someone had said, "Are we stoned?" Absolutely, we were out of our minds.' Even recreational cannabis smokers said the normal-looking meal 'hit them like a truck.' 'You can only imagine the rest of us with no tolerance. We thought we were dying,' Cady explained. The artist says there were elderly parents and grandparents in attendance, including some who are on sensitive heart medications that should not be mixed with marijuana. One woman took her mom inside the clubhouse for a glass of water, according to an arrest warrant. A kitchen staff member said they didn't have any water, but asked if it was her stomach that was bothering her. When the daughter said it was, the staffer replied, 'Well, there's cannabis in the food.' Children sat at a different table so it's unclear if they were served different food. The teary ceremony was briefly interrupted by a tender moment when a child ran to the alter to hug the groom. Kids were seated in a different section and may have been served different food that was not cooked with drugs Some of the invitees had spent thousands to fly in and stop at nearby Disney World. The guests included elderly grandparents on medications that shouldn't have been mixed with weed It remains unclear why the bride or the caterer served their guests marijuana without telling them. One woman 'didn't notice anyone else getting sick as she was on her hands and knees throwing up,' according to an arrest affidavit Many family members at the wedding had traveled from Michigan, saving up thousands of dollars to take their children to Disney World and attend a memorable family gathering. 'The memory their children get to take back is their parents stoned out of their minds in their bed,' she added. 'It definitely wasn't OK that that happened.' Cady says she was so intoxicated she couldn't even use her phone to order an Uber. Instead, she rode out the high in her car in the venue's parking lot. The bride's friend still doesn't know why the food was tampered with. She told DailyMail.com: 'I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt. But I really have no idea.' After police asked groom Andrew Svodoba if the guests had consented to the marijuana-laced food, he allegedly 'stared at Deputy Donald Schwaezman with a blank expression for a few moments before replying, "No"' The wedding was supposed to be a fun family affair for the relatives who flew down to Florida from Michigan. 'The memory their children get to take back is their parents stoned out of their minds in their bed,' said guest Miranda Cady About 60 to 70 guest attended the February 19 wedding reception at The Springs Clubhouse in Longwood, which became a weed-fueled disaster. One guest told police that he'd texted the groom asking whether the food had been drugged after his wife fell ill and was taken to South Seminole Hospital - Andrew Svoboda allegedly told that guest that he didn't know. When police asked whether guests had requested or consented to the food offerings, Andrew allegedly 'stared at Deputy Donald Schwaezman with a blank expression for a few moments before replying, "No,"' according to an arrest warrant for his now-wife. Deputies took samples of food and silverware for testing, including a bowl, several glasses, a plate and a 'handful of lasagna [that] was taken directly from a large container of lasagna that was place out during the event.' One woman told police she felt 'numb, helpless and her mind was playing strange things in her head.' She believed that her son-in-law had died and her family hadn't told her, and described seeing 'the side of a house.' About 60 to 70 guest attended the outdoor February 19 wedding reception at The Springs Clubhouse in Longwood, Florida By the time police arrived, employees of Bryant's catering service, 'Joycelyn's Southern Kitchen,' were fleeing into their vehicles and away from the venue. Bryant is pictured here in a promotional photo Later, at the hospital, police wrote she was 'loud and unruly and had to be given something to calm down.' Another guest, who traveled to the Florida wedding from Michigan, told deputies that after drinking three glasses of white wine and eating two meatballs, Caesar salad, tortellini, and 'bread with an olive oil and herb dip,' he 'felt tingly, his heart started to race, and [he] was having crazy thoughts.' A third guest vomited profusely, police said. A woman identified as Melissa Stout said she also came in from Michigan. After feeling buzzed from a couple of drinks, she ate some food to stop herself from becoming too intoxicated. She had Caesar salad, a pasta with white sauce and bread with herb dip, according to authorities. 'After eating the food, she felt much worse,' deputies say. She 'didn't notice anyone else getting sick as she was on her hands and knees throwing up.' Every guest tested for cannabis showed positive results, according to the arrest warrant, and none who were interviewed by police said they knew their food had been laced with marijuana. Each said they would prosecute whoever tampered with the menu. By the time police arrived, employees of Bryant's catering service, 'Joycelyn's Southern Kitchen,' were fleeing into their vehicles and away from the venue. One woman told police that she saw Bryant, pictured, removing a 'green substance' from a punch bowl, placing it into ramekins and mixing it with olive oil They learned that Bryant was the caterer by questioning security staff. Bryant, the caterer, allegedly told Cady about the food's secret ingredient. Cady told police that she thought Bryant was joking, and ate anyway. She told police that she saw Bryant removing a 'green substance' from a punch bowl, placing it into ramekins and mixing it with olive oil. 'It should be noted what [Cady] was referring to what is commonly referred to as marijuana 'shake,' which is the small scraps that fall off larger amounts of marijuana, the affidavit read. After she snacked on the bread and oil, Cady 'felt stoned.' Then, Svoboda told her that there was marijuana in the food, 'acting like [Cady] should have been excited as though she were being given a gift.' Cady told police she 'felt like her heart was going to stop' and went to lay down in her car, where she 'sent a text to herself so if she died in her car someone would know what happened to her.' Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen said that a European ban on Russian energy imports could do more harm than good as it could send Europe's economy into a tailspin while doing little damage to Vladimir Putin. During a press conference Thursday, Yellen said that Europe did need to reduce its dependence on Russian oil but an outright ban, as the US has enacted, would be more damaging to Europe than Russia. 'That would clearly raise global oil prices, it would have a damaging impact on Europe and on other parts of the world, and, counterintuitively, it could actually have very little negative impact on Russia, because although Russia might export less, the price it gets for its exports would go up,' Yellen said. Russia provided roughly 27 percent of crude oil, 47 percent of coal and 41 percent of natural gas imported by the E.U. in 2019, according to the European Commission. Last month under intense pressure, President Biden announced the U.S. would cease Russian oil imports. The U.S. gets only 5 percent of its oil from Russia but gasoline prices skyrocketed in March. During a press conference Thursday, Yellen said that Europe did need to reduce its dependence on Russian oil but an outright ban, as the US has enacted, would be more damaging to Europe than Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Western sanctions have 'failed' and 'backfired' The current price of a gallon of gas is $4.12, down from $4.25 a month ago but up from $2.87 a year ago. 'Europe clearly needs to reduce its dependence on Russia with respect to energy, but we need to be careful when we think about a complete European ban on, say, oil imports,' Yellen said. The U.S. has held off on calling on Europe to ban Russian energy imports despite pressure from lawmakers and Ukraine. The United Kingdom said it would 'phase out' Russian oil imports amid Putin's invasion, while other nations like Germany said it was not feasible for them to stop consuming Russian fuel. Sanctions so far have done little to deter Putin from killing indiscriminately in Ukraine and furthering his campaign to take over its neighboring nation and refashion the former Soviet Union. But Russian citizens are spending around 40 per cent of their disposable income on food, twice as much as they did before the Russia-Ukraine war, in a sign that the economic penalties are beginning to bite. The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced fresh sanctions on dozens of people and entities, including a Russian commercial bank and a virtual currency mining company in an attempt to target Moscow's evasion of existing sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House announced new sanctions earlier this month targeting Russia's top public and private banks and two daughters of Putin after the bloody horror Russia inflicted on Bucha, Ukraine came to light. Putin said this week that Western sanctions have failed and instead led to a 'deterioration of the economy in the West.' Still, Putin acknowledged a sharp rise in prices, with costs up 17.5 percent year-over-year. The World Bank has said it expects Russia's economy to shrink by 11 percent this year. A 29 year-old Navy explosives expert died during a training event at a Marine Corps base in Hawaii in what military bosses have dubbed a 'training accident.' Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaron Fowler, 29, who had been assigned to a San Diego-based explosive ordnance disposal unit, was pronounced dead after becoming unresponsive during training at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kanehoe Bay, according to a statement by the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Public Affairs. Further details of how exactly he ended up unresponsive have yet to emerge. 'Our deepest sympathies go out to Aarons family and friends, and we join them in remembering and mourning this brave warrior,' Rear Adm. Joseph Diguardo Jr., commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, said in the release. 'His decision to join this elite special operations community was a testament to the dedicated and selfless character he embodied and his legacy will endure in our ranks through those he inspired by his service.' Pictured: Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaron Fowler, 29, who was pronounced dead after becoming unresponsive during training at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kanehoe Bay An aerial view of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, where Fowler died during a training event Fowler joined the Navy in 2012 and became a commissioned officer after graduating from the Naval Academy in May 2018. He reported to the Navys Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit in January 2022. It is still unclear as to what Fowler was doing at the time he became unresponsive during the training event, but there is no evidence of foul play. However, Fowler's Navy unit 'explosive hazards to provide access to denied areas,' and secures 'the undersea domain for freedom of maneuver, building and fostering relationships with capable partners and protecting' the US, according to the press release. An investigation into Fowler's death is ongoing. In February, a New Jersey man and Navy SEAL candidate died following the completion of 'Hell Week,' a rigorous exercise involving 20 hours a day of physical training. Derek Lovelace, 21, (right) died in 2016 during SEAL training after he became unconscious during the pool exercise and drowned. Commander Brian Bourgeois, 43, (left) died after he fast-roped down from a helicopter. He died several days later from his injuries Kyle Mullen, a 24-year-old from Manalapan, New Jersey, was taken to Sharp Coronado Hospital in Coronado, California, after displaying 'symptoms' following his completion of the brutal training. His cause of death was not released. Mullen was not actively training at the time of his death, according to a spokesperson for the Navy. The cause of his death is currently unknown and an investigation is underway. 'We extend our deepest sympathies to Seaman Mullen's family for their loss,' Rear Adm. H.W. Howard III, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command said at the time. 'We are extending every form of support we can to the Mullen family and Kyle's BUD/S classmates.' The last big known case was Derek Lovelace in 2016, who drowned during the pool exercise. He was struggling to tread water in full gear and was reportedly pushed underwater at least twice. He lost consciousness and died. Russian President Vladimir Putin's government sanctioned 29 more prominent Americans after the autocrat claims to have successfully tested an ICBM dubbed 'Satan 2' Russia is sanctioning 29 more prominent Americans on Thursday including Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over their alleged roles in pushing a 'Russophobic agenda.' The Kremlin announced it was hitting back at President Joe Biden's 'constantly widening' net of sanctions against Russian officials, their families, businessmen and cultural figures by adding more than two dozen American public figures to its own 'stop list.' In addition to Harris and Emhoff, Russia is targeting U.S. officials including Biden's Chief of Staff Ron Klain, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks and State Department spokesman Ned Price. Vladimir Putin is also sanctioning Biden health official Admiral Rachel Levine. Levine, who is transgender, was listed under her pre and post transition names as 'Richard/Rachel Levine.' Journalists like ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos and CNN's Bianna Golodryga -- who was born in the former Soviet Union -- are also on the list. Golodryga invoked her Eastern European roots when she found out about the sanctions, writing on Twitter: 'When my parents and I left the Soviet Union as refugees in 1980, we were told that our feet will never touch Soviet soil again. I guess the Kremlin waited more than four decades (and an unprovoked war against a former member state) to make it this official?' The CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank Of America have also been blacklisted by Moscow, in addition to a slate of technology and aerospace company leaders. During a State Department news briefing on Thursday, Price said it was an 'accolade to have earned the ire of a government that lies to its own people' in response to his own sanctions. But Kremlin officials who put the list together appear to have made multiple mistakes. In sanctioning Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Power Studies head David Deptula, the Foreign Ministry's sanctions list drops a letter from his surname to read 'Deptua.' And it appears Russian officials have confused two different Edward Acevedos -- sanctioning the 'former member of the Illinois legislative assembly' and 'expert of the Wilson Center' as one person. Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are the highest-profile government officials on the Kremlin's new blacklist It also includes Biden health official Rachel Levine (left), who the Kremlin listed under both her pre- and post-transition names 'Richard/Rachel Levine,' and journalists like ABC's George Stephanopoulos The former, ex-Illinois state Rep. Eddie Acevedo, was sentenced to six months in prison for tax fraud charges last month. Eddy Acevedo, who the Kremlin likely meant to sanction, is the chief of staff and senior adviser to the president of policy think tank the Wilson Center. It comes after the U.S. Treasury Department unveiled another round of sanctions against Russia, after already cracking down on its top financial institutions and officials up to Putin himself. The U.S. and its western allies have imposed several rounds of economic restrictions on Moscow since Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Wednesday's American sanctions targeted a commercial Russian bank and a bitcoin mining company, in an effort to crack down on Moscow's ability to evade sanctions using cryptocurrency. Russia's crypto mining industry is reportedly the third-largest in the world. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was also sanctioned in addition to the CEOs of LinkedIn and Bank of America, among others Sanctions also hit more than 40 people and entities linked to previously-blacklisted Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev. Biden's Justice Department brought charges against Malofeyev, a pro-Kremlin media mogul, earlier this month after he was accused of violating sanctions levied over Russia's invasion. 'Our message to those who continue to enable the Russian regime through their criminal conduct is this: It does not matter how far you sail your yacht. It does not matter how well you conceal your assets,' Attorney General Merrick Garland said during an April 6 press conference announcing the charges. 'It does not matter how cleverly you write your malware or hide your online activity. The Justice Department will use every available tool to find you, disrupt your plots, and hold you accountable.' Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at the time, 'We have our eyes on every dollar and jet. We have our eyes on every piece of art and real estate, purchased with dirty money and on every bitcoin wallet filled with proceeds of theft, and other crimes.' She accused Malofeyev of 'flagrantly and repeatedly' violating sanctions while attempting to start media outlets that would 'spread pro-Kremlin misinformation.' Americans sanctioned by Moscow on Thursday join a lengthy list including the president, his son Hunter Biden, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and others -- including nearly every member of the United States House of Representatives. And on Wednesday, Putin announced his military conducted a successful missile test -- with a rocket that could carry a nuclear warhead. The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has been dubbed 'Satan 2' by NATO and is considered to be Russia's most powerful such weapon. The Pentagon, however, dismissed concerns that day that the ICBM poses a threat to the U.S. or allied nations. Advertisement Fresh satellite footage has revealed the extent of the carnage wrought by Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces in the besieged city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine as hundreds of civilians are left to starve underground. The imagery, obtained by Maxar Technologies, appears to show a dramatic expansion of mass graves which were dug on the edge of the port city in March to accommodate the victims of Russia's indiscriminate bombing campaigns. Analysis of a series of images taken from mid-March to mid-April suggests the site, which lies just 12 miles from the centre of Mariupol, now contains more than 200 new graves, according to Maxar. The city, which was a bustling metropolis home to some 400,000 people prior to Russia's invasion in late February, has been utterly obliterated by eight weeks of constant bombardment. Now, all that remains of Ukraine's resistance there is a small contingent of fighters and civilians sheltering in the Azovstal steel plant, which remains surrounded by invading soldiers. 'Hundreds of civilians, children, injured Ukrainian defenders are trapped in plant's shelters. They have almost no food, water, essential medicine,' a Ukrainian foreign ministry statement said this morning. 'An urgent humanitarian corridor is needed from the Azovstal plant with guarantees people will be safe.' But Putin today cruelly instructed his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to command troops to seal off all routes out of the plant - effectively condemning those trapped within to a slow and painful death from thirst, hunger and exhaustion. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through,' the Russian President told Shoigu, before declaring the city 'successfully liberated'. Slide me The first satellite image, taken on March 19, 2022, shows a cemetery on the outskirts of Mariupol. A large empty field can be seen nearby the graves on the right. But the second image, taken on April 3, clearly shows several rows of freshly-dug mass graves running along the length of the field by the cemetery. Thousands of civilians are believed to have died in Mariupol after eight weeks of constant Russian bombardment This image, taken on March 26, shows the expansion of the mass grave site in progress. Weeks before the horrors of Bucha and other towns north of Kyiv were discovered when Russian forces withdrew in early April, the citizens of Mariupol had already been forced to excavate vast swathes of land to clear their streets of the bodies A local resident pushes a dog in a pram past a building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Emergency management specialists transport the body of a person killed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 21, 2022 Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022, as people cannot bury their dead because of heavy shelling by Russian forces Putin today cruelly instructed his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to command troops to seal off all routes out of the Azovstal steel plant - effectively condemning the Ukrainian fighters and civilians trapped within to a slow and painful death from thirst, hunger and exhaustion A satellite image taken on March 19 shows a large field on the outskirts of Mariupol completely bare, yet just one week later on March 26, several graves appear to have been dug. A third picture, taken on April 3, shows several rows of freshly-dug graves stretching across the length of the field, symbolising the brutality of Russia's war in Ukraine and the sheer extent of the civilian casualties. Weeks before the horrors of Bucha and other towns north of Kyiv were discovered when Russian forces withdrew in early April, the citizens of Mariupol had already been forced to excavate vast swathes of land to clear their streets of the bodies. Russia launched a savage campaign of air and missile attacks on Mariupol just days after the invasion began - a tactic its forces have continued without reprieve ever since. The port's strategic significance meant it quickly became a high priority target for Russia in the early days of the war. Mariupol is the biggest Ukrainian city on the Sea of Azov and the main port serving the industries and agriculture of eastern Ukraine. On the eve of the war, it was the biggest city still held by Ukrainian authorities in Luhansk or Donetsk, the two eastern provinces known as the Donbas that Moscow has demanded Ukraine cede to pro-Russian separatists. Control of Mariupol means Russia commands the entire coastline of the Sea of Azov, and has a secure overland route linking the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized and annexed in 2014, with mainland Russia and the parts of eastern Ukraine held by separatists. It links up two of the main axes of Russia's invasion, and frees Russian forces to join the main offensive being waged against the bulk of Ukraine's army in the east. The city's capture has both strategic and symbolic importance, boosting Putin's hopes to demonstrate major success by Russia's Victory Day on May 9, with operations set to ramp up to coincide with the celebrations, the British MoD said today. But if Putin's forces eventually erase all resistance in the port and claim it as their own, they will be left with a smouldering shell of a city. Mariupol's mayor Vadym Boychenko said earlier this month that more than 90 per cent of the urban centre's infrastructure has been damaged, with more than 40 per cent 'unrecoverable'. Boychenko also said more than 10,000 civilians are believed to have died in the Russian attacks. Investigations are on-going into war crimes in the city, with two attacks - one on a maternity ward and another on a theatre where hundreds of civilians were taking shelter at the time - of particular focus. The final Ukrainian holdout in Mariupol is located in the Azovstal steel works by the harbour, where hundreds if not thousands of Ukrainian fighters and civilians are trapped. Chechen warlord and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov yesterday declared the plant would be in Russian hands 'by lunchtime', but Putin today ordered his military not to seize the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance. Rather than sending his troops into the plant, which has a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels underneath it, Putin instead chose to have his forces seal off all entries and exits to and from the plant, effectively creating a tomb from which the sheltering Ukrainians cannot escape. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,' Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. 'I order you to cancel it.' He said his decision not to storm the steelworks was motivated by the desire to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers. 'There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities,' he said. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through.' Shoigu confirmed the plant was 'securely blocked', leading Putin to deliver a final message to Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal who had not yet surrendered. He asked them to lay down their arms, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured. But the message was met with incredulity from Ukrainian authorities, who say Russia has time and again launched attacks upon previously agreed 'humanitarian corridors', preventing many civilians from escaping the city to safety. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today announced a new raft of sanctions targeting individuals and companies believed to be aiding Russia's war effort, citing the brutality in Mariupol as clear evidence of Russia's crimes in Ukraine. 'We are relentless in support of Ukraine,' Truss said. 'The depravity of Russia's assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see. 'They are deliberately targeting hospitals, schools and transport hubs in Mariupol and beyond just as they did in Chechnya and Syria.' In a statement the FCDO said: 'Since March 10 2022, Russian bombers have repeatedly dropped munitions on civilian infrastructure, including civil government buildings, hospitals, schools and transportation nodes. 'The UK Government conclusion is that this is intentional targeting based on the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes, volume of munitions and the repeated targeting of the same locations on consecutive days.' Russia launched a savage campaign of air and missile attacks on Mariupol just days after the invasion began - a tactic its forces have continued without reprieve ever since After Defence Minister Shoigu (pictured right today) told Vladimir Putin (pictured left) that Russia's forces controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - the Russian president hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the Russian military to cancel plans to storm a Mariupol steelworks. Pictured: Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media On Wedensday, a Ukrainian marine believed to be holed up in the steel plant posted a Facebook video urging world leaders to help evacuation efforts. The man, who identified himself as Serhiy Volyn of the 36th Marine Brigade, said: 'We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children. This may be our last appeal, we may have only a few days or hours left.' The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, Putin's troops were ordered to shoot civilians in the city if they do not wear white ribbons on their clothes. Russia was accused of forcing civilians to wear the white ribbons, a symbol of the Russian army, so that they become 'bait' for Ukrainian snipers - and in turn help Putin's men find out where the snipers are hidden. Petro Andriushchenko, the advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, said on Telegram: 'The occupiers no longer 'mildly' propose that civilians wear white ribbons to mark themselves out - they have turned to direct threats to open fire on anyone seen on the street without such ribbons. 'Russians are gradually turning the city into a true ghetto for Ukrainians, at the same time using civilians as bait to detect hotspots.' The disturbing development came as Zelensky said he was ready to swap Russian prisoners of war in exchange for the safe passage of civilians and Ukrainian troops who remain in Mariupol. More than 100,000 people overall were believed trapped in Mariupol with little if any food, water, medicine or heat. The city's pre-war population was 400,000. A Zelensky adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without conditions to save the lives of trapped Mariupol defenders and civilians. There was no immediate response from Russia. The mother of a toddler allegedly murdered by his father found her son covered in blood and blue in the face, a court has been told. Lukasz Czapla is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh accused of murdering his son Julius at a property in Muirhouse in the city on November 20 or 21, 2020. The 15-strong jury on Thursday heard the statement Patrycja Szczesniak gave to police about the moment she found her son dead. She said when she entered Julius's bedroom, he was covered in blood and his face was blue. Julius Czapla, pictured, two, was found dead in his bedroom in Muirhouse, Edinburgh by his mother, Patrycja Szczesniak, the city's High Court has heard Police attended the scene in Muirhouse, Edinburgh in November 2020 before launching a murder investigation 'I knew he was dead,' she added. Earlier, Czapla's neighbour Tracy Stirling told the court she, Ms Szczesniak and fellow neighbour Joanne Gorrie had been at the door of the defendant's home moments before the boy was found dead. Ms Stirling said that when the door was opened, Czapla 'had blood around his nose'. She added: 'I could smell alcohol. I don't know if he was maybe drunk. His eyes looked like they were rolling a bit.' Ms Stirling said that after Ms Szczesniak and Czapla had a discussion in their native Polish, the door was pushed shut before it was reopened moments later. The witness told the court: 'Patrycja was at the door asking me to come in. I didn't go right in, just put my foot in the door so Lukasz couldn't shut the door again. 'She goes walking to the bottom of the hall, turns right, and lets out a big scream like she knew there was something wrong. 'Then next thing she comes out saying "he's killed my baby, he's killed my baby".' Czapla denies murder and his QC, Iain McSporran, called for a special defence which stated his client was suffering from diminished responsibility at the time of his son's death. Pathologists at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital found wounds inflicted by an air gun, with steel ball bearings recovered from his body The court has been shown photographs of inside the house, with the bath full of water and a knife on the corner. Another knife was on the closed toilet seat lid, and a black handgun was on the floor. As a joint minute detailing Julius's injuries was read out to court by Alan Cameron, prosecuting, Czapla, 41, sat in the dock with his head in his hands. The court was told that at 9.32am on November 21, 2020, emergency services received several calls about the incident, and at 9.45am paramedics declared the boy dead. Pathologists at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital found wounds inflicted by an air gun, with steel ball bearings recovered from his body. They also found a 9cm stab wound to his body, alongside a number of other injuries. They said it was not possible to work out in which order the injuries were inflicted. The court heard Ms Szczesniak told officers she and Czapla had split amicably, and she later started a new relationship with a man she met online. The hairdresser said: 'After he found out I met (her new partner), I still tried to keep on good form with Lukasz, but quite regularly make comments about life not being worth it and things like that.' The court heard he would try to get information on her new partner in messages exchanged between the two. He asked her about her sex life in graphic terms, which she did not reply to. 'I felt they were very rude and I didn't see any need to engage in what appeared a stupid conversation,' she said. The court heard Czapla had lost his father at a young age and had no brothers or sisters. In the early hours of November 21, the court was told, Ms Szczesniak got a text from Czapla. She said of the message: 'He doesn't want Julius to have same life he did. That he was going to leave and take Julius with him.' The court heard that later on November 21, officers pulled over Czapla's Lexus on the A90. Pc John Morgan said Czapla appeared 'lucid' and was 'slightly unsteady on his feet', with blood around his mouth and on his T-shirt. Pc Anthony Keating told the court Czapla 'appeared under the influence of either drugs or alcohol' and had 'glazed' eyes. He told the jury the accused provided a positive test for alcohol and, at the police station, provided a reading of 33mg in 100ml of blood. The court heard Czapla's defence argues the reading would not 'represent someone who is very drunk', which Pc Keating agreed with. Jurors were told there were two boxes of antidepressant tablets found in the kitchen, with empty blister packs found inside the property. Detective Constable Joanne Robertson told jurors Czapla had 'taken them all'. She added he said he did it 'because he didn't want to be here'. Mr McSporran said his client actually said he had taken the whole box and contested her telling the court he appeared 'nonchalant'. Czapla offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide but it was not accepted by the Crown. He faces nine other charges against him, including drink-driving, drug possession, and having an air weapon. He denies all charges. The trial, before Lord Beckett, continues. A blaze broke out at Russia's largest chemical plant just hours after a huge fire at a military facility killed seven people. Huge plumes of smoke were seen enveloping the Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant late this afternoon. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Almost 150 plant workers were reportedly evacuated. The facility in Kineshma, east of Moscow produces more industrial solvents than any other in Russia. It is less than 1,000km from the border with Ukraine. The Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant erupted into flames this afternoon after another similar fire Anti-Putin racecar driver Igor Sushko tweeted footage of the latest fire and wrote: 'This is the largest Russian manufacturer of chemical solvents. Located 250 miles EAST of Moscow. 'We are beginning to see a pattern develop.' The Dmitrievsky blaze follows a deadly fire around lunchtime at a top secret Ministry of Defence research facility in Tver, west of the Russian capital. The Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant east of Moscow is Russia's biggest industrial solvents supplier Seven were killed and 25 were injured after the mysterious fire caused the roof to fall in. Four military scientists were forced to jump out of windows from the burning institute in Tver which develops new space and weapons systems. The cause was not clear but there were reports of 'poisonous bluish-black smoke' at the plant which produces Iskander missiles. It was unclear if there were chemical releases before the fire or as a result of the raging inferno. Iskander missiles have a range of 300 miles and are designed to confound missile defences by flying on a low trajectory. A huge fire erupted earlier at the Russian military research facility, killing seven and injuring 25 Scientists were spotted jumping out of windows from the burning research institute in Tver The cause of the first fire remains unclear but there were reports of poisonous 'bluish-black smoke' Earlier this week, Russia said its forces destroyed four arms and military equipment depots in Ukraine overnight with the missiles in one overnight strike. Video shows the fire at the defence ministry facility, which comes as Russia is engaged in a lengthy and unsuccessful invasion of Ukraine. The first blaze was at the Second Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. It reportedly broke out on the building's second floor and spread rapidly via the facility's wooden floors. Rep. Ilhan Omar drew the ire of India for visiting the disputed Kashmir region on a trip to Pakistan where she discussed Islamophobia with the nation's rulers. Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India, sworn enemies, have been warring over the Kashmir territory for decades. The region is now made up of territories control by Pakistan, India and China. Both India and Pakistan claim rights to the territory in full. India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said of Omar's visit in a press conference Thursday: 'We have noted that US Representative Ilhan Omar has visited a part of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan. If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable.' 'I don't believe that it (Kashmir) is being talked about to the extent it needs to in Congress but also with the administration,' Omar told reporters after visiting the de facto border dividing the disputed territory between Pakistan and India. Earlier this month Omar, one of two Muslim members of Congress, questioned US hesitancy to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on alleged human rights abuses in the Kashmir region. On Wednesday Omar visited with recently ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan Ilhan Omar, along with the President of Azaz Kashmir Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, speaks to the media during her visit to Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administrated Kashmir, Pakistan Pakistan and India have long fought over the Kashmir region 'What does Modi need to do to India's Muslim population before we will stop considering them a partner in peace?' Omar said. Days later Sec of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was monitoring 'concerning developments' in human rights abuses by Indian government, police and prison officials. Since Modi and his Hindu nationalist party came to power in 2014, right-wing Hindu groups have reportedly launched attacks on Muslim Indians in order to prevent religious conversions. Some Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws and in 2019, the government passed a citizenship law that barred Muslim migrants from obtaining citizenship. The law was meant to grant Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before 2015. Also in 2019 Modi's government revoked a law granting Kashmir special status in a bid to integrate the Muslim-majority region in with the rest of India. Modi sent police forces to the territory claimed by Pakistan and locked up Kashmir political leaders to keep a lid on protests. Pterosaurs, a species of ancient and majestic flying reptiles during the age of the dinosaurs, ruled the skies, but scientists have long debated whether or not these massive creatures actually had feathers. However, a new study suggests that not only did these dinosaurs have feathers covering their bodies; they were also able to change their colors at a cellular level. These creatures were capable of creating multi-colored plumage in a way that was similar to what experts observe in modern birds. Pterosaurs' Color-Changing Feathers Researchers speculate that the color patterns, which are determined by melanin pigments, could have been used as a way for the flying dinosaurs to communicate with each other. The study that analyzed the findings was published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The scientists in charge of the study analyzed the fossilized head crest of a Tupandactylus imperator, which is a pterosaur that lived roughly 115 million years ago in what is now known as Brazil. Paleontologists, upon closer inspection, realized that the bottom part of the massive head crest was rimmed with two kinds of feathers, short, wiry ones that were similar to hair and fluffier ones that branch like bird feathers, as per CNN. A paleontologist at University College Cork in the United Kingdom, Maria McNamara, who is also the lead author of the new paper, said in a video call that the biggest implication of the ability to change feather color was most likely present in the common ancestor of birds and pterosaurs, which lived side by side with dinosaurs between 230 to 66 million years ago all across the world. Read Also: Climate Change Influences Human Evolution Since the Days of the First Hominid Until the Existence of Modern Man Among all fossils found, the species of pterosaur is most recognizable due to its massive head crest. The T. imperator is part of a pterosaur group known as tapejarids that are medium-sized dinosaurs. They are known for the sail-shaped soft tissue crests that are commonly preserved in fossils found in Brazil's Crato Formation. According to Gizmodo, McNamara added that the recent fossil found by the researchers had melanosomes in its crest but did not detail or provide an analysis of the structures in their paper. They instead focused on the two types of feathers found on the back of the dinosaur's head. Remarkable Discovery A co-lead author of the study, paleontologist Dr. Aude Cincotta, said that the team of researchers was not expecting to find such information with the fossil. The team used high-powered electron microscopes to study the feathers. With the combined efforts of the Belgian and Brazilian scientists and authorities who were working with the help of a private donor, the specimen was repatriated to Brazil. Dr. Pascal Godefroit from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences said that it was of utmost importance for the fossils to be returned to their countries of origin and safely conserved for posterity. Godefroit said this was done to allow other scientists to gain access to the specimen and conduct further studies and could also inspire future generations of scientists through public exhibitions that celebrate our natural heritage, SciTechDaily reported. Related Article: Tiny Arms of the T. Rex Helps Avoid Having Them Bitten Off in a Feeding Frenzy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is the moment a dozy thief fell asleep inside a car he intended to steal in the West Midlands. The man broke into the Audi A7 on Friday, April 15 while it was parked on the driveway of a home in Sutton Coldfield. The thief ransacked the car, stealing cash, headphones and personal items before falling asleep in the luxury SUV. This is the moment a 42-year-old man from Tamworth, Stafforshire, broke into a Audi Q7 in Sutton Coldfield on April 15 while its owners were asleep in bed The man, pictured inside the car, searched the SUV for valuables before he fell asleep The thief was still asleep when the car's owner Zoe Reed and her husband Simon called the police The following morning, the car owner's 12-year-old son spotted the thief inside the Audi. Zoe Reed, 46, told The Sun: 'We didnt know whether to laugh or cry. 'It was scary to see the man who had broken in, but funny that he made himself comfy and dozed off.' A local WhatsApp group had warned residents about the prowler, but Ms Reed and her husband Simon, 51, were asleep and were unaware of the threat until they woke up. Ms Reed said she looked out the window and saw her car was still in the driveway - unaware the man was sleeping inside. West Midlands Police arrested a 42-year-old man at the scene. He was charged on suspicion of theft and vehicle interference She said her two sons were first to notice the man. She said: 'It was so bizarre seeing him fast asleep. And very odd not wanting to wake him in case he fled. Our golden cocker spaniel dog Archie had slept through the whole thing in the front room, and we made sure he didnt bark until the police came and arrested the fool.' Ms Reed added: 'The first thing the intruder said was, "You cant arrest me for theft because I havent left with anything".' Ms Reed said her sons found it 'terribly exciting' seeing the police arrive. Footage of the incident showed the man forcing his way into the car having failed to break into several other nearby vehicles. Ms Reed claimed she was a victim of 'Britain's laziest burglar'. West Midlands Police said a 42-year-old man from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was arrested and charged on suspicion of theft from a car and vehicle interference. Two of the three U.S. Navy sailors who died on the USS George Washington in less than a week, died by suicide, Navy officials revealed, adding that the tragedies do not appear to be linked. Retail Services Specialist 3rd Class Mika'il Sharp and Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Natasha Huffman, who were both assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, died by suicide a day apart, the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday. Sharp, a 23-year-old newlywed who joined the Navy two years ago following in the footsteps of her great-grandfather, died off-base in Portsmouth, Virginia on April 9, officials said. On April 10, Huffman, who was also 23, died off-base in Hampton, Virginia. Five days after Huffman's death, a third sailor was found unresponsive aboard the aircraft carrier they were all assigned to. The sailor's identity and cause of death haven't been released. 'The sailor was treated by the medical team on board before being transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News where the service member passed away,' a Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesperson said in a statement. A Navy spokeswoman previously said that the 'tragic events' do not appear to be linked, but the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are investigating all three deaths. No additional information was released Wednesday. Retail Services Specialist 3rd Class Mika'il Rayshawn Sharp, 23, died by suicide off-base in Portsmouth, Virginia, on April 9 Sharp is one of three US Navy sailors to die while aboard the USS George Washington The Navy sent a Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Team to the ship to provide mental health therapy to sailors shaken by the deaths. All died while the USS George Washington was docked in Newport News, Virginia, where it has been undergoing refurbishments since 2017. Sharp enlisted in the Navy in June 2020 and Huffman enlisted in July 2018, according to Navy records obtained by PEOPLE. Sharpe, who joined the Navy following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather and other relatives had just gotten married and had plans to buy a house and start a family of his own, his mother Natalie Jefferson told NBC News. Jefferson told the outlet that it never dawned on her that son was struggling. 'He was the life of the party,' Jefferson said. 'I would have never thought that it would hit so close to home like this.' There has been an outpouring of grief on social media by the sailors' distraught friends and family. 'Word of my daughter, Natasha Huffman's death has been spreading rapidly,' Huffman's mother, Kathleen Krull, posted on Facebook. 'She had a heart of gold and always stood up for the underdog. She was fiercely protective of people she loved. It still doesn't seem real to me that my baby girl is gone.' The heartbroken mom said that she is working with the Navy on funeral arrangements. Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Natasha Huffman, who was assigned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, died by suicide on April 10 Huffman, photographed here in civilian clothes, was a fierce defender of the people she loved, her mother said on Facebook Huffman, pictured in the center, was sworn into the Navy in Chicago Huffman's boyfriend, Will Maher, called her 'my best friend and my soulmate' also posted a message thanking friends for their support. 'I don't think Tasha realized how many lives she'd touched. I know that she would have loved to see everyone's kind words,' Maher said. He also asked for donations to support her funeral service. Friends credited Maher with lifting her spirits. 'I remember how much happier she was after she met you, and how happy I was that she met someone she loved so much. Thank you so much for loving her,' Namomi SC posted. Three sailors assigned to the USS George Washington, pictured here, died within a week earlier this month in what the Navy has said were unrelated incidents The USS George Washington, which First Lady Barbara Bush christened in 1990, was commissioned in 1992. The Nimitz-class ship was deployed in the first Gulf War and has seen duty in Japan, Korean, the Caribbean and South America. In 2008, a fire broke out in her air-conditioning and refrigeration system while it was on tour in the Pacific, injuring 37 sailors. No one died in the blaze, but it took 12 hours to bring the flames under control. The ship, which has an estimated 50-year service life, is currently undergoing a massive mid-career refit in Newport News. It was supposed to be completed, but as the Navy Times reported in March, work is behind schedule on the refurbishment. The work is expected to be complete in December of 2022. The Pentagon announced that the U.S. is putting a new weapon in Ukraine's arsenal as it pushes back against Russia's relentless attacks: previously classified Phoenix Ghost drones that have been specially tailored for the conflict. Little information was available about the weapons system, which President Joe Biden only referenced briefly in remarks announcing the latest $800 million aid package. The package includes 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, according to the Pentagon, which says they have capabilities similar to the 'Switchblade' drones the U.S. included in the previous military aid package. Those drones can take out tanks and other armor, get launched from a tube, then guide themselves into the target for a single-use. The new $800 million military aid package President Biden announced for Ukraine includes 121 Ghost Phoenix drones 'This was rapidly developed by the Air Force in response specifically to Ukrainian requirements,' said Defense Secretary Admiral John Kirby. Pentagon officials were vague in their descriptions of the newly designed drone, without exactly stating its capabilities or how it works. 'It provides the same sort of tactical capability that a Switchblade [drone] does,' the official said. '[The] Switchblade is a one-way drone, and it clearly is designed to deliver a punch.' a Defense official told Stars & Stripes. That indicates that it, too, is likely a single-use weapon that is relatively cheap to produce and is able to circle above a target and then take it out on command. The official who briefed reporters declined to give more information on scope and capability dues to its level of classification. The US is delivering another $800 million aid package to Ukraine, this one including more howitzers, artillery shells, and tactical drones. Here Ukrainian soldiers stand next to their armoured personnel carrier (APC), not far from the front-line with Russian troops, in Izyum district, Kharkiv region on April 18, 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin 'will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine. That will not happen,' President Joe Biden vowed Thursday. He announced a new $800 million military aid package for Ukraine Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media. Putin announced that Russian forces would surround the facility rather than attacking it The US is already providing 'Switchblade' drones. The Pentagon describes the Pheonix Ghost drones as having similar capabilities The Ukrainians have successfully targeted Russian armor with Turkish-made drones FILE - A Ukrainian soldier walks past a Russian tank after recent battles at the village of Moshchun close to Kyiv, Ukraine, April 19, 2022. Drones are capable of taking out Russian armor Ukranian soldiers walk near Ivankiv, Kyiv Oblast. The Ukrainian forces retook the town in early April. The Russian occupation has caused great devastation of properties and made food supply to countryside areas difficult The drones are manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace, but no photos were immediately available 'It provides the same sort of tactical capability that a Switchblade [drone] does,' the official said. '[The] Switchblade is a one-way drone, and it clearly is designed to deliver a punch,' the official added. Contents of the latest $800 million U.S. military aid package for Ukraine 72 155mm Howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds; 72 Tactical Vehicles to tow 155mm Howitzers; More than 121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems; and Field equipment and spare parts. Source: Department of Defense Advertisement They are a part of an aid package that also includes 90 howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition form them. (Eighteen of them were provided in the aid package announced last week. The drones are manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace, but no photos were immediately available. The California-based firm declined an opportunity to comment to DailyMail.com. The firm calls itself an 'a recognized leader in full-spectrum airborne intelligence solutions.' Its website features articles on 'selecting the right LiDAR systems for your drone,' with a detailed description of the use of the laser-driven guidance system. The Switchblade drones were already included in last week's $800 million aid package, and are part of a range of defensive capabilities the U.S. provided. Biden said the U.S. has provided 10 anti-tank weapons for every Russian tank in the field in Ukraine. The Pentagon said it would continue to try to do more, and Biden said Thursday military leaders were developing a new supplemental appropriations request for Congress. 'This commitment, together with the 18 155mm howitzers announced on April 13, provides enough artillery systems to equip five battalions. The United States has now committed more than $4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $3.4 billion since the beginning of Russias unprovoked invasion on February 24,' Kirby said in a statement. 'The United States also continues to work with its Allies and partners to identify and provide Ukraine with additional capabilities. The United States will continue to utilize all available tools to support Ukraines Armed Forces in the face of Russian aggression,' he added. If charges are not brought before May 3, there is a reduced chance of conviction due to period since crime Portugal has a statute of limitations for serious crimes after 15 years of incident that shocked the world The convicted rapist, 44, has been made an 'arguido' or 'suspect' by Portugal, on the eve of 15th anniversary Christian Brueckner is now an 'official suspect' in the abduction of British child Madeleine McCann, then three Advertisement Convicted German rapist and paedophile Christian Brueckner has sensationally been made an 'official suspect' in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann - on the eve of the 15th anniversary of her disappearance. Brueckner, 44, who has been linked to four other child murders across Europe since 1996, was sensationally named by German prosecutors as the man 'responsible' for Madeleine's kidnap and murder in June 2020. But since then no charges have been brought. Last night respected German daily Bild claimed he has had been made an 'arguido' - an official suspect in the case by police in Portugal, which is usually the precursor to charges. It brings new hope that one of the world's most harrowing unsolved crimes could still be closed. Brueckner, a convicted paedophile, is currently languishing in a German prison for the rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal just 18 months before Madeleine was abducted. He was known to break into Algarve hotel rooms and apartments to supplement his income from drug dealing, and left the south of Portugal suddenly in 2007 - the year Maddie vanished - after more than a decade living there. He is alleged to have admitted abducting Madeleine to a friend in a bar - and German investigators are said to firmly believe he killed the three-year-old - but do not have the evidence to charge him with Scotland Yard said to believe that officers in Europe may be relying on an unreliable witness. Maddie's parents Gerry and Kate are yet to comment on the decision to make Brueckner an 'arguido' - but they have never given up hope their daughter, who would now be 18, is still alive. Last night there was confusion as news agency AFP reported that a person had been 'charged' by German authorities over the crime at the request of Portuguese police. Brueckner's lawyer Friedrich Fulscher denied to MailOnline he had been charged, and late on Thursday AFP corrected their story to say a person had been made a suspect in the case. But making Brueckner an arguido is still a significant development in the mystery that began with Maddie's abduction on May 3, 2007, with senior officers who worked on the case predicting that a murder charge could follow. Police in Portugal are thought to have acted in the last few days after it emerged that he could avoid charges due to Portugal's statute of limitations which kicks in for serious crimes after 15 years. The move by Portuguese authorities last night could now allow Brueckner to be transferred to the Algarve for formal questioning. But Bild reported that Brueckner's lawyer, Friedrich Fuelscher, believes the Portuguese decision appeared to be a 'procedural trick'. Convicted rapist Brueckner, 44, was identified by German police in June 2020 with prosecutors saying they believed he had murdered Madeleine McCann. He has now been named an official suspect Officers are hoping to nail Christian Brueckner (pictured left) A man matching his description was seen outside the McCann's apartment in the four days before (efit right). A phone call also links him to the area What do we know about Maddie murder suspect Christian Brueckner and his criminal past? 1976: Christian Brueckner (pictured) is born in Wurzburg under a different name, believed to be Fischer. He was adopted by the Brueckner family and took their surname. 1992: Christian Brueckner is arrested on suspicion of burglary in his hometown of Wurzburg, Bavaria. 1994: He is given a two-year youth jail sentence for 'abusing a child' and 'performing sex acts in front of a child'. 1995: Brueckner arrives in Portugal as an 18-year-old backpacker and begins working in catering in the seaside resorts of Lagos and Praia da Luz. But friends say he became involved with a criminal syndicate trafficking drugs into the Algarve. September 2005: He dons a mask and breaks into an apartment where he rapes a 72-year-old American tourist. The victim was bound, gagged, blindfolded and whipped with a metal cane before being raped for 15 minutes. She said afterwards that he had clearly enjoyed 'torturing' her before the rape. April 2007: He moves out of a farmhouse and into a campervan now linked to the crime. The farmhouse is cleaned and a bag of wigs and 'exotic clothes' is found. May 3, 2007: Madeleine McCann is snatched at around 10pm from her bed as her parents eat tapas with friends yards away. Brueckner's mobile phone places him in the area that night. He returns to his native Germany shortly after that. October 2011: He is sentenced to 21 months for 'dealing narcotics' in Niebull, in northern Germany. In 2013 police released a photofit of a man seen lurking near the McCann apartment and Scotland Yard said that suspect last night had not yet been ruled out of the probe 2014: He moves to Braunschweig where he starts running a town-centre kiosk. He then goes back to Portugal with a girlfriend. 2016: He is back in Germany. He is given 15 months in prison for 'sexual abuse of a child in the act of creating and possessing child pornographic material'. May 3, 2017: Brueckner is said to be in a bar with a friend when a ten-year anniversary appeal following Madeleine's disappearance is shown on German television. He is said to have told him in a bar that he 'knew all about' what happened to her. He then showed his friend a video of him raping a woman. MailOnline understands the friend went to police shortly afterwards. June 2017: He heads back to Portugal and extradited again to Germany. The reason was a sentencing of the Braunschweig district court to 15 months' imprisonment for the sexual abuse of a child. August 2018: After his release from prison he lives on the streets. But he was jailed again for drug offences. First Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters addresses the media during a press conference on the Madeleine McCann case at the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig September 2018: Brueckner is arrested in Milan, Italy and extradited to Germany and put on trial for raping the American tourist in 2007 after a DNA match to hair found at the crime scene. July 2019: He is jailed for 21 months for drug dealing in the northern German resort of Sylt. August 2019: Brueckner is charged with the rape of the American tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005. December 2019: He is convicted of rape of extortion of the tourist based on DNA evidence. He is given a seven year sentence, but this has not been imposed pending an appeal. June 3, 2020: Scotland Yard and the German police reveal that that they have identified a suspect in the Maddie McCann case June 4, 2020: Prosecutors in Braunschweig, where he lives, say they believe Madeleine McCann has been murdered, says spokesman Hans Christian Wolters. He is named in the German press as the prime suspect. May 4, 2021: Kate and Gerry McCann post a statement on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign website saying they still cling to the hope of seeing their daughter again as they prepare to mark her 18th birthday on May 12. April 21, 2022: Christian Brueckner, now 44, is made an 'arguido', a formal suspect, by Portuguese authorities. But he has not been charged. Advertisement One well-placed source said: 'The legal grounds for making Brueckner an arguido include the fact that he allegedly confessed to a friend he had snatched Madeleine and mobile phone records placed him in Praia da Luz the night she vanished. 'But it is obviously linked to the fact that the Portuguese authorities want to keep their options open with the 15-year deadline looming.' Jim Gamble, the former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) who worked on the investigation into the child's disappearance, told BBC Breakfast: 'Well, this breakthrough could mean everything or it could mean nothing. 'My own gut feeling on it - from the moment the Germans began to release information two years ago - was that this was the best fit. 'You have proximity, you have opportunity, and you have a profile with regards to an offender that absolutely fits in a way that no others have.' He added: 'This is all positive. And from my own position, and I wouldn't be surprised if charges did follow.' On Thursday evening Portuguese sources said Brueckner had been informed of his new 'arguido' status in Oldenburg Prison in northern Germany where he is serving seven years for raping an American pensioner in 2005 in Praia da Luz. It gives Portuguese authorities the ability to charge him further down the line by effectively 'stopping the clock' on the time limitation for bringing a prosecution if German prosecutors decide they haven't got enough evidence to charge the paedophile they regard as their prime suspect. A written statement issued by the Portimao section of the Faro Department of Criminal Investigation and Prosecution (DIAP) late last night, titled: 'Maddie case. Constitution of an Arguido', and said: 'As part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007, a person was made an arguido on Wednesday. 'The man was made an arguido by the German authorities in execution of a request for international judicial cooperation issued by the Public Ministry of Portugal. 'The inquiry is led by the Portimao section of the DIAP in Faro with the assistance of the Policia Judiciaria police. 'The investigation has been carried out with the cooperation of the English and German authorities.' The country's PJ police force has yet to officially comment. Next month will be the 15th anniversary of then three-year-old Madeleine's disappearance from the Portuguese Algarve resort of Praia da Luz where she was on holiday with parents Kate and Gerry on May 3, 2007. Portuguese police would have had to charge him by the anniversary of her disappearance on May 3 in less than two weeks or face a seriously reduced risk of convicting him. According to Portuguese law, crimes punishable by more than 10 years in jail, which covers kidnap and murder must be heard within 15 years. Shortly after she disappeared Kate and Gerry, from Rothkey, Leicestershire, were also made arguidos in the case and questioned at length several times before they were cleared of any involvement. Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral who led the initial investigation and ordered the couple to be made official suspects was later taken off the case. Bild quoted Brueckner's lawyer Friedrich Fulscher saying: 'The step taken by the Portuguese authorities should not be overrated. 'Without knowing the Portuguese legal situation in detail, I assume that this measure is a procedural artifice to stop the statute of limitations threatening in a few days.' Brueckner stayed silent after being informed he had been made an arguido and declined to be questioned as part of the Portuguese criminal procedure. It is not yet clear who told him he was being given arguido status but it happened after a formal international letter of request issued by Portuguese authorities to their German counterparts. The Portuguese move paves the way for him to be flown from Germany to the Algarve for formal questioning but there are not thought to be any immediate plans to try to quiz him in Portugal. It is understood German investigators are currently focusing their efforts on forensic work on the VW camper van Brueckner used while he lived on the Algarve which featured in a police appeal about the convicted rapist's vehicles. Last week Brueckner wrote exclusively to MailOnline revealing he still had not been officially questioned by German investigators about Madeleine's disappearance. He is currently serving seven years in Oldenburg prison, northern Germany, after being convicted of raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005 in the Portuguese report of Praia da Luz, from where Madeline vanished two years later. In his letter the first to a British media organisation - he said:' I haven't been questioned on any allegations as required by German law, but it is obvious the German authorities and especially the Department of Justice, are providing the media with information about me that is likely to make me appear contemptible. 'This also applies to the authorities at the correctional facility in which I am currently being held.' Then taking a swipe at the investigators he said: 'By now it should be most obvious to anyone with halfway reasonable thinking that the German authorities are trying by all means necessary to cover up the mistakes that have been made. 'By 'mistakes' I mean blatant violations of German criminal law and international human rights. This statement on my part has so far only been laughed at as 'wailing' which gives me an approximate insight into the hopeless situation of the Jews, or in general, of the minorities in the Second World War.' In his letter Brueckner makes no direct mention of Madeleine but highlights how he is constantly hearing he is being investigated for various sex crimes but that no one from the police has interviewed him about any of them. Besides the McCann investigation, Brueckner is also being probed over the 2004 rape of Irish tour rep Hazel Behan, who has waived her anonymity, and a sex assault on a ten-year-old girl at Praia da Luz just a month before then three-year-old Madeleine vanished. German authorities are adamant they have the right man, although Scotland Yard, who last month announced they were winding down their 11-year investigation into Madeleine's disappearance codenamed Operation Grange. Privately they are said to be dubious of any charges against Brueckner, as the only evidence against him appears to be circumstantial and from unreliable witnesses. However German prosecutors have insisted they will continue their investigation even though they admit they have no idea if it will end with him being charged. Parents Kate and Gerry McCann. Scotland Yard announced they were winding down their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance The last photograph taken of Madeleine shows her smiling next to her little sister Amelie and their father Gerry at 1.30pm on May 3, 2007 in Portugal, the day she went missing Madeleine McCann would have turned 18 last year. In 2012, five years after her disappearance, her family issued an age progression efit photo to show what Madeleine may have looked like aged nine (right) It is suspected that Brueckner received a telephone call shortly before three year old Maddie was abducted from her ground floor apartment. Pictured: The Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine disappeared during a family holiday in 2007 On May 3, 2007 Kate and Gerry McCann went to a small tapas bar metres away from their apartment to dine with friends. But when Kate returned to do a routine check on their children, she found that Madeleine had disappeared Brueckner lived in the farmhouse above Praia da Luz (pictured) on the Algarve in Portugal and is said to have seldom mixed with his neighbours and allowed the property to fall into disrepair The farmhouse where the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance lived was located just two miles from where she went missing from her family's holiday apartment The suspect, who is in prison in Germany for rape, has been linked to an early 1980s camper van - with a white upper body and yellow skirting, registered in Portugal - which is seen here on the Algarve in 2007. Police believe it may have been used in the crime but they have not found the DNA evidence needed to charge him Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect YEARS ago Christian Brueckner was flagged as a key Madeleine McCann kidnap and murder suspect years ago by police but the report was ignored by German authorities. According to German magazine Spiegel, police in Braunschweig sent a report about him being a prime suspect to the Federal Criminal Office (BKA) in 2013, two years before Inga Gehricke, 'Germany's Maddie McCann', disappeared. It was ignored. Braunschweig police were monitoring the 43-year-old around the clock at the time. The report was triggered after an appeal from British police on a German unsolved crime show, on which the news about Brueckner was also broadcast this week. Spiegel went on: 'One person did submit a tip about Brueckner but the resulting report from police in Braunschweig to the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation was apparently not acted upon, much to the consternation of the local investigators.' Brueckner was born to a woman named Fischer but given over to youth authorities at an early age. Between 1992 - when he was 16 - and 1994 he lived in a facility for young people with learning difficulties. A neighbour told German newspaper BILD: 'There were only bad young people there.' He was involved in crime across Europe after that. Advertisement The German drifter, who spent several years living on the Algarve and completed a nine-month prison sentence on the Algarve for petrol theft five months before the British youngster disappeared, stayed silent after being informed he was now a formal suspect in Portugal. Fears the opportunity to get justice for Maddie and her parents could be dealt a hammer blow in a fortnight's time despite a continuing Portuguese probe into the unsolved crime had already been raised. Madeleine McCann's family's lawyer Rogerio Alves warned in July 2020 Portugal's 15-year limit on prosecutions meant there was less than two years left to take action against Brueckner, who German authorities were treating as their chief suspect. And Portuguese legal experts admitted at the start of the month the chances of putting anyone behind bars over Madeleine's disappearance would be 'greatly reduced' after the day Kate and Gerry McCann remember their eldest daughter exactly a decade and a half on from the holiday mystery. Lawyer Spencer Dohner, of MDM Legal, said: 'I think the likeliest scenario with the information we have right now is that it all falls after 15 years. 'Portugal has a statute of limitations which means the authors of crimes punishable by a maximum prison sentence of more than 10 years cannot generally be prosecuted once 15 years has passed. 'This of course means the ability to prosecute in Portugal in the Madeleine McCann case after May 3 this year could be terminated. 'If she were found alive and had been the victim of sex crimes as a minor, legal proceedings could take place until she was 23. 'But if Madeleine is dead as the German authorities believe and was murdered in Portugal around the time she vanished, the cut-off point for prosecution would be the 15th anniversary of her disappearance under normal circumstances barring any technical issues that could potentially pause the time limit like the Covid pandemic. 'There are some arguments that could be debated but my perception and understanding of the law is that it's 15 years and that's it. 'If we had a situation where a body was found and we had reasons to believe it was murder and the authorities here had a person to accuse, we would have a limitation of those 15 years.' Another Lisbon-based lawyer, who asked not to be named, added: 'Police and prosecutors in Portugal will be acutely aware of the time limits hanging over the Maddie case. 'Our statute of limitations brings with it the probability that within a matter of weeks, the person responsible for her disappearance may never be brought to justice in the country where she vanished even with an arrest and confession.' Earlier this year German police revisited every major witness in an attempt to ramp up their probe. Hans Christian Wolters, a prosecutor in the German McCann investigation, insisted that Scotland Yard's decision would have no bearing on their work. He told MailOnline: 'Our investigations are independent of the British ones. 'We have no time limit. Therefore, we have the time to investigate as long as we have investigative approaches. 'At this moment I cannot say when the investigations will be completed but we are confident they will, and he is still seen as a prime suspect in the case.' Portugal's Attorney General agreed to reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance in October 2013, more than five years after it was archived, following a formal request from the Policia Judiciaria. PJ chief Helena Monteiro is still heading an ongoing Portuguese police 'cold case' review from the northern city of Porto. In October 2013 she quizzed the widow of a former worker at the tourist complex where Madeleine's parents were staying when she vanished. Serial thief Euclides Lopes Monteiro, who died in a tractor accident in August 2009, has never been publicly ruled out as a suspect despite calls from his family for police to confirm his innocence. It emerged last June police homed in on Brueckner in the Madeleine McCann case after he told a friend in a pub: 'I snatched her.' He allegedly confessed to kidnapping the youngster while sitting in a German bar on the 10th anniversary of her abduction. Reports at the time said he and a friend were watching a TV news report on the case in 2017 when he said he knew what had happened to her. He is also said to have boasted that he had 'snatched her.' A woke TikTok mob forced a young adult fiction author to change her published debut novel after she failed to provide a trigger warning regarding a transgender pedophile character. Author Brandi Szeker is facing intense backlash from 'BookTok'- the subcommunity on the app TikTok focused on books and literature- over her latest novel The Pawn and the Puppet over claims it is transphobic. Readers were outraged by a transgender character called Charlotte who pays to hire a child sex slave, who later turns out to be her own son. The book, published this April by Red Oak Publishing, LLC, was written by Szeker, a popular BookTok content creator herself, and is listed as an 'adult dystopian romance set in an asylum.' The book, intended for readers ages 18 and older, contains a lengthy trigger warning which includes gratuitous violence, depression, suicide, torture, domestic violence, eating disorders, hallucinations, misogyny, poisoning, sexual assault, mention of pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, death of a loved one, child abuse, decapitation, female oppression, hostage situation, body shaming, panic attacks, mention of incest. But there was no mention of transphobia - and the woke mob were quick to attack. Szeker has since posted a groveling apology and says the book will be revised to remove the 'offensive' content. She also announced plans to work with 'sensitivity readers' - woke publishing house staff employed to remove supposedly offensive content from books - for the remaining books in the series. Critics have hit back at the mob online, claiming that they have no right to curtail Szeker's imagination when creating fictional characters. The book remains very highly rated, with an average score of 4.2 out of 5 among close to 3,000 reviewers on GoodReads, suggesting Szeker may have kotowed too easily to an outspoken minority. Scroll Down For Video: The book, published this April by Red Oak Publishing, LLC, was written by Szeker (pictured) and is listed as an 'adult dystopian romance set in an asylum' Author Brandi Szeker is facing intense backlash from 'BookTok'- the subcommunity on the app TikTok focused on books and literature, over her novel The Pawn and the Puppet (pictured) The book has rubbed some readers and BookTokers the wrong way over the lack of trigger warnings for things such as grooming of minors, racism and incest, as well as the supposed transphobic representation of a trans character named Charlotte. BookToker bookdrunkinlove posted a TikTok where she called the book's characterization of Charlotte, who in the book engages in pedophilia with her own child, 'harmful.' 'The only characterization we have of a trans woman in this book is someone who purchases their own child, has sex with their own child, and then gives them money,' she says. She took issue with the fact that Charlotte, who is written as a woman with male private parts, has a negative storyline and said she was worried about how it would be perceived considering the current conversation surrounding trans issues. 'I think that this is extremely harmful, especially since they're the only person in the entire book that is in the LGBTQ community, especially with the current climate going on against trans people,' the BookToker posted. In response to the backlash Szeker posted a series of TikToks profusely apologizing for the characterization of Charlette and lack of trigger warnings. Szeker said it was never her intention to offend the trans community and that she would be amending the book and adding a more specific trigger warning The book contains a lengthy trigger warning but BookTokers have complained over the lack of trigger warnings for things such as grooming of minors, racism and incest Szeker said it was never her intention to offend the trans community and that she would be amending the book and adding a more specific trigger warning. 'First of all, I wanted to apologize to everyone who was negatively hurt and affected by the traumatic scene regarding a transgender woman,' she started off her apology. 'I swear, harming a community was never my intention and I am deeply ashamed that it did. I also regret not being even more thorough with my trigger warnings. That was naive and short sighted error of mine. I have spent some time with sensitivity readers who are helping me pick apart offensive content in book one as well as in the rest of the series,' she added. 'This is just to make sure that this never, ever happens again,' she continued. 'A revised version of this book will be up soon, as well as a new list of trigger warnings that is far more specific. I do understand that many people believe that these mistakes are a reflection of my own personal beliefs and I assure you that they are not, at all.' 'I am an advocate of the LGBTQ community, as well as a liberal with all the according views. I truly hope that you can forgive this short sightedness, this complete arrogance,' Szeker said. A B-1B Lancer bomber erupted into a massive fireball at the Dyess Air Force Base in Texas on Wednesday during a routine engine check, injuring two people. The $316m aircraft was parked on the flightline before the fiery explosion that took place around 10 pm. It is believed to have gone up during refueling, although further details about exactly what happened have yet to emerge. Footage posted on Facebook showed the jet ablaze. The entire fleet was withdrawn from service last year due to faults with its fueling process. The two people that were injured were transported to Hendrick Medical Center South suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and have since been released. A close-up of the fiery blast that erupted on Wednesday night around 10 pm at the Dyess Air Force based located in Abilene, Texas during a routine maintenance on the B 1-B Bomber The B1-B Lancer, pictured here, is similar to the aircraft that caught on fire at the Texas air base on Wednesday night. The fire started during routine maintenance work. Two military personnel involved in the blast were transported to Hendrick Medical Center South with non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released. The chart picture here shows the location of Dyess Air Force in Abilene, Texas Airman First Class Josiah Brown told DailyMail.com that they do not yet know the cause of the fire and if the aircraft is recoverable. 'We don't know if the aircraft is beyond repair. There is an investigation,' Brown said, who explained that 14,000 military personnel and families live on the base located in Abilene, Texas. On the same day, a dramatic video captured the fiery explosion that was posted to the Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) and Non-Commissioned Officer's (NCO) Facebook page. The caption reads: 'Dyess AFB B-1 engine blew up.' The wing is looking into the recording's authenticity. $200M bomber was developed for Cold War Primary Function: Long-range, multi-role, heavy bomber Contractor: Boeing, North America (formerly Rockwell International, North American Aircraft) Offensive avionics, Boeing Military Airplane; Defensive Avionics, EDO Corporation Power plant: Four General Electric F101-GE-102 turbofan engine with afterburner Thrust: 30,000-plus pounds with afterburner, per engine Wingspan: 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet (24.1 meters) swept aft Length: 146 feet (44.5 meters)Height: 34 feet (10.4 meters)Weight: approximately 190,000 pounds (86,183 kilograms) Maximum Takeoff Weight: 477,000 pounds (216,634 kilograms) Fuel Capacity: 265,274 pounds (120,326 kilograms) Payload: 75,000 pounds (34,019 kilograms) Speed: 900-plus mph (Mach 1.2 at sea level) Range: Intercontinental Ceiling: More than 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) Crew: Four (aircraft commander, copilot, and two combat systems officers) Unit Cost: $317 million Initial operating capability: October 1986 Inventory: Active force, 62 (test, 2); ANG, 0; Reserve, 0 (Source: US Airforce) Advertisement It is unclear if the B-1B Lancer was being deployed for a mission, Sgt. Holly Cook, Media Relations and 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs Office at Dyess Air Force told DailyMail.com. 'The plane hasn't moved,' Cook said. The B-1 is a highly versatile, multi-mission weapon system. The B-1B's synthetic aperture radar is capable of tracking, targeting and engaging moving vehicles as well as self-targeting and terrain-following modes, according to the Dyess website. 'We have the operational and testing side here at Dyess,' Cook said. 'We have the largest bomb squadron in the air force and the largest flying squadron and global strike command.' After Wednesday's incident Dyess Air force issued a statement stating that the 'safety and welfare of all their Airmen and members of Team Dyess is the top priority at America's Lift and Strike base.' 'We are so grateful that all members of Team Dyess involved have been treated and are now safely back at home,' said Col. Joseph Kramer, 7th Bomb Wing commander 'Thank you to our first responders who arrived immediately on scene and executed a real-world emergency response with the same level of professionalism and proficiency as they do in training.' Col. Kramer added: 'Our B-1 fleet and warfighters remain ready to execute any long-range strike mission.' Cleanup operations have begun, and base officials ask for all personnel's cooperation to remain out of the affected area until complete, the department said. One year ago, the Air Force grounded its entire B-1B fleet to investigate problems with its fuel system, the Air Force Times reported. According to the news outlet, the USAF has halted flight for all of its Lancers multiple times in the past few years for various safety issues. . Three more Democrats have formally asked President Biden to reconsider rescinding Title 42 amid a growing surge of migrants that could overwhelm border resources once the public health directive is no longer in place. Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin, Mich., and Abigail Spanberger, Va., both faced with competitive reelection races, wrote a letter to Sec. of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas, Sec. of State Antony Blinken and domestic policy advisor Susan Rice urging them to delay lifting Title 42 until they have a comprehensive plan to deal with immigration. Late Wednesday Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak sent his own letter to Biden warning Biden that rolling back Title 42 without a proper plan in place could 'create chaos.' President Biden announced that Title 42, the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) public health order that allows border agents to immediately expel migrants, would expire on May 23. DHS revealed that it was expecting up to 18,000 encounters per day on the southern border once the policy is lifted - more than double the current rate of 7,000 and more than triple the DHS' operational capacity of 5,000 per day. 'While the administration gave itself two months to prepare, what has been shared with us to date seems like too little, too late - especially when the removal of Title 42 will occur at the same time that a spike in seasonal migration occurs,' the lawmakers wrote. They called on the Biden administration to not only delay lifting Title 42 but to 'think creatively' about increasing legal migration. Slotkin and Spanberger said that departments like State and Commerce need to work together to expand in-country processing so migrants are not making the dangerous trek to the southern border and issuing more work visas. Two more Democrats have formally asked President Biden to reconsider rescinding Title 42 amid a growing surge of migrants that could overwhelm border resources once the public health directive is no longer in place Late Wednesday Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak sent a letter to Biden warning Biden that rolling back Title 42 without a proper plan in place could 'create chaos' They also urged Biden's team to come up with a long-term plan to fix the immigration system they say has been 'broken' throughout many administrations. Both lawmakers have a background in national security - Slotkin as CIA analyst and Department of Defense official and Spanberger as a CIA officer. It came as Biden's administration promised to appeal a decision striking down the CDC's mask mandate on public transit, while still seeking to end its Covid emergency policy at the border. Biden himself seemed to confuse Title 42 with the mask mandate. Asked by a reporter if he'd consider extending Title 41, Biden said: 'No ... first of all, there's going to be an appeal by the Justice Department. Because as a matter of principle, we want to be able to be in a position where if, in fact, it is strongly concluded by the scientists that we need Title 42 that we be able to do that. But there has been no decision on extending Title 42.' The president later clarified: 'I want to clarify that, in comments at the conclusion of my remarks this morning, I was referring to the CDC's mask mandate and there is no Department of Justice action on Title 42.' Axios reported Tuesday that the White House is indeed mulling a pause on plans to end Title 42 amid blowback. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki this week urged people to keep in mind that Title 42 is 'is not an immigration authority' or 'an immigration plan.' She said that DHS did have a plan to tackle the migration surge, and extending Title 42 would require congressional action. 'We've proposed a plan, so that's a plan that is being implemented,' Psaki stated. 'In terms of any ideas to address immigration, including any delay of Title 42, that would require congressional action.' Border agents rely on the Trump-era policy to turn away a majority of migrants who arrive at the border each month. In an April 1 statement, Mayorkas said that the administration had a 'whole-of-government strategy' to address any increase in migration after Title 42 and said that migrants would be processed under Title 8 once Title 42 is lifted. 'We will increase personnel and resources as needed and have already redeployed more than 600 law enforcement officers to the border,' he said. On Monday Michigan Sen. Gary Peters joined the growing chorus of Democrats who are working to stop the Biden administration from ending Title 42 as migrant crossings have already soared to the highest in two decades. The Michigan Democrat, who chairs both the Homeland Security committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told The Hill that he has privately raised concerns with Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas and other administration officials. Peters told a group of reporters he wants to give the Biden administration time to detail a plan for handling the impending onslaught an end to Title 42 is expected to bring, but said they should rethink the decision to end the pandemic immigration restriction absent an adequate plan. 'Unless we have a well thought out plan, I think it is something that should be revisited and perhaps delayed. I'm going to defer judgment on that until I give the administration the opportunity to fully articulate what that plan is. But I share concerns of some of my colleagues.' Michigan Sen. Gary Peters joined a growing chorus of Democrats who are working to stop the Biden administration from ending Title 42 as migrant crossings have already soared to the highest in two decades Mayorkas put out a statement on April 1 saying that once Title 42 expires migrants will be processed under Title 8, and said DHS was pursuing a 'whole-of-government' approach to deal with a potential surge, including increasing resources and officers at the border. Meanwhile five Democrats - Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly of Arizona; Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire; Jon Tester of Montana; and Joe Manchin of West Virginia - co-sponsored a bill with Republicans earlier this month to temporarily block the Biden administration's plan to end Title 42. The amendment is expected to be tacked on to a new Covid-19 relief package. In addition to those five, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., who are all up for re-election in competitive races, have come out against ending Title 42. Kelly and Hassan even traveled to the border last week, using public appearances at the U.S-Mexico line to question the Biden administration's plan. 'Right now this administration does not have a plan. And it's going to be, to be honest, it's going to be a crisis on top of a crisis,' Kelly told reporters. Thousands of migrants are camped out in Mexico near the U.S. border waiting for Title 42 to end on May 23 Migrants of different nationalities walk peacefully through the main avenues, in the city of Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico, 16 April Department of Homeland Security officials are expecting up to 18,000 migrants per day once Title 42 is lifted Hassan released a statement after the trip saying she would 'keep pressing the administration for a comprehensive plan to strengthen border security and deliver additional resources to the border, which is especially important given its recent announcement to end Title 42.' Immigration is sure to be a front-and-center political cudgel in the upcoming midterm elections as Republicans look to take back control in Congress. At the same time Biden was under intense pressure from progressives to end the policy they see as inhumane. Peters, who is in charge of strategizing ways for Democrats to maintain power, said he hoped to hear from the secretary on Title 42 'in the near future' and defended his liberal colleagues' right to 'raise questions' over the policy undoing. 'This is a very serious issue. They need to ask questions. I'm asking those questions as well and we'll look forward to hearing directly from the secretary in the near term,' he said. A total of 21 states are suing the Biden administration over the planned rollback of Title 42, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said it is currently bracing for up to 18,000 migrant encounters a day as caravans make their way northward to storm the border when the policy is lifted. The number of migrant crossings at the Mexican border surged to the highest number in over two decades last month, surpassing 200,000 for the third time of the Biden administration. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) submitted figures to a court revealing that 221,303 migrants attempted to enter the country unlawfully last month, before the expected onslaught triggered by the end of Title 42. The newly revealed March figures show the highest number of crossings in a single month since President Biden took office. The last time border agents encountered more migrants was in February and March of 2000. In March 200, 220,063 There were nearly 60,000 more encounters in March than February, when 165,000 tried to cross. The Biden administration announced that Title 42, the pandemic-era restriction under which most migrants are currently expelled. In March, about half, 109,549 migrant apprehensions, were expelled under Title 42. About 111,000 migrants were allowed to request asylum under regular immigration procedures. Those who are not expelled are detained, deported under the expedited removal process or released with a notice to appear before a judge. The figure does not represent the total number of migrants but rather the number of apprehensions. Many migrants try to cross again after they've been expelled. It also does not account for the number of people who evade detection and successfully cross into the U.S. Migrant families traveling with minors are not usually processed under Title 42 and are generally released with court notices, and sometimes tracking devices. Recently it was revealed that the Biden administration was giving migrants smartphones with tracking software inside upon their release. In March 65,771 were either released with a court date or granted humanitarian parole. Just over 24,000 migrants were sent to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, and roughly 9,000 remained in ICE detention as of April 3. A Labor branch at the heart of Anthony Albanese's electorate has been posting anti-semitic and misogynistic memes about Liberal party figures to its Facebook page. Balmain Labor made a series of posts attacking members such as prime minister Scott Morrison, treasurer Josh Frydenberg and defence minister Peter Dutton. The memes range from referencing Nazism, to misogynistic slurs and attacks on religious faith. In a post made on March 4, Mr Frydenberg was photoshopped into a Nazi uniform. A Labor branch has been posting anti-semitic and misogynistic memes about Liberal party figures to its Facebook page The prime minister is photographed reaching his hand towards the ceiling during a church service under the caption, 'Help me Sky Daddy, I f*cked up again' 'Bogan's Heroes', the caption read. Mr Frydenberg's family has a direct connection to the Holocaust with his mother a survivor and several of his relatives victims of death camps. The treasurer wrote an opinion piece for The Australian in 2015, detailing the traumatic experiences of his family. 'Two of my great grandparents and three great aunts were killed by the Nazis as they came off the transport trains at Auschwitz,' he wrote. 'My wifes grandmother, who survived Auschwitz, lost her parents and nine siblings. 'Her grandfather, who was also in Auschwitz, lost his mother and eight siblings, all in the Nazi camps. 'With this history in mind, it was with great trepidation that I visited Auschwitz for the first time.' In another Facebook post made on January 16, Mr Morrison is bashed for his Pentecostal faith. The prime minister is photographed reaching his hand towards the ceiling during a church service under the caption, 'Help me Sky Daddy, I f***ed up again'. In a post made on April 3, Tony Abbott's former chief of staff is likened to a witch. A photo of old stick brooms is placed under the caption, 'Peta Credlin's garage'. In a post made on April 3, Tony Abbott's former chief of staff is likened to a witch Peter Dutton, Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds are depicted alongside Scott Morrison in another tasteless Facebook post The meme refers to the famous photograph taken of Mr Abbott next to a 'ditch the witch' placard outside Parliament House in 2011. Labor frequently used the photograph to attack misogynistic behaviour within Liberal ranks. Another Facebook post depicts Peter Dutton, Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds in German uniform. The trio are photoshopped beneath Mr Morrison and share a speech bubble that says, 'He knows nothing'. Balmain Labor described itself on its Facebook page as 'the official page of the Australian Labor Party Balmain Branch'. The social media page has since been taken down. The branch was slammed as the home of the far-left and 'Balmain basket weavers' by ex-prime minister Paul Keating in the 1980s. Balmain Labor described itself on its Facebook page as 'the official page of the Australian Labor Party Balmain Branch' (pictured, Anthony Albanese) Balmain Labor is led by Mr Albanese's former advisor and friend Larry Hand. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Hand made the Facebook posts. Mr Hand appeared in the Rats in the Ranks, a 1996 documentary that tracked his bid to win a fourth term as Mayor of Leichhardt. A NSW Labor spokesman said individual branches are not directly connected to the Labor party. 'This is not an official Australian Labor Party page and its content is not authorised or endorsed by Labor,' he said. 'The images should not have been posted.' Advertisement The Royal Family was said to be 'wearied' by the never-ending soap opera surrounding Prince Harry yesterday but determined to put on a business as usual front as they marked the Queen's 96th birthday. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were working in London, where they had to dodge questions about the embittered prince's latest claims from broadcasters, the monarch enjoyed a low-key day at Sandringham. She was seen being driven round her beloved 20,000-acre Norfolk estate in sunglasses and a scarf with her dogs in the back of the car, enjoying the spring sunshine. It was a typically low-key day for the head of state who, like her late husband, Prince Philip, shies away from any great fuss or celebrations. Significantly her closest aide, Angela Kelly, was seen driving on to the estate to join her in what some might see as a pointed gesture of defiance to Harry. In yet another controversial interview with a US broadcaster, the Duke of Sussex claimed on Wednesday one reason he flew to the UK last week to see his grandmother for a supposedly private meeting was because he wanted to make sure 'she's protected and got the right people around her'. His controversial comment caused not just derision that it came from a man who has spent much of the last two-and-a-half years abroad and has caused his grandmother so much heartache, but also speculation as to who he could be referring to. Prince Harry opened up to NBC about his private relationship with the Queen a day before her 96th birthday The Queen happily chatted as she went for a drive on her 96th birthday, which she is celebrating at Sandringham today William and Kate declined to answer a question about Prince Harry's comments about his need to 'protect' the Queen as they left the Disaster Emergency Committee in north London (pictured) Kate is tipped to replace Prince Andrew as the next Colonel of the Grenadier Guards The Duchess pictured on March 17 The Duchess of Cambridge is tipped to be the next Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, replacing Prince Andrew who was stripped of his military titles in January. Kate, 40, would be the first female colonel of the regiment in 80 years since the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, held the role in 1942. The royal colonel will typically be present at medal parades, events in the presence of the Queen and regimental gatherings, dinners and galas. The revelation comes as the Duchess is lined up to stand in for the Queen at the Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. A senior royal source confirmed: 'It's being seriously considered.' Advertisement Harry is known to have a historical hatred for the so-called 'men in grey suits', the senior courtiers who advise the Queen. But the Queen is also surrounded by a tight-knit and intensely devoted circle of mostly long-standing servants. They are led by Miss Kelly, a former dresser promoted to the position of 'personal assistant, adviser and curator' to the Queen. Harry famously fell out with the Liverpool docker's daughter over Meghan's choice of tiara for their wedding. He accused her of being deliberately obstructive to his fiancee, while supporters of Miss Kelly say Harry was rude and short-tempered, effectively telling her: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' Miss Kelly is rarely photographed, which led to many a wry smile in the royal household yesterday after she was seen in a car going to see the Queen on her birthday, hours after her grandson's remarks. All three royal households were united yesterday in determination not to be dragged into a public slanging match. They believe it is pointless and undignified and want to help keep lines of communication open with him for his grandmother's sake. Charles is said by some to be 'weary' of the constant wranglings but buoyed by the fact he got to see his son last week. Clarence House said it would 'not be drawn into commenting on a private meeting' but one source said Charles and Camilla had appeared 'pleased' after getting to see Harry and Meghan at Windsor. William and Kate were forced to avoid questions on Harry's comment as they visited the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in London. As they left, a broadcaster called to William: 'Sir, does the Queen need protecting?' The couple did not stop or respond. William is likely to be irritated at being put in that position as he and his wife were highlighting the generosity of the British people to the DEC Ukraine appeal, which has raised more than 300million so far. The Queen's close friend and confidante Angela Kelly arrives at Wood Farm, Sandringham, for Her Majesty's birthday today Prince Charles is said by some to be 'weary' of the constant wranglings but buoyed by the fact he got to see his son last week. Pictured, Prince Charles last week at the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor A new portrait of the Queen which has been released by The Royal Windsor Horse Show to mark the occasion of her 96th birthday today. The monarch is in Sandringham today Yesterday Harry was in the Netherlands watching events at his Invictus Games. The Queen was praised yesterday as an 'inspiration' to so many in the UK and Commonwealth while gun salutes rang out across the capital in honour of her anniversary. Yesterday it was announced that a 70ft 'Tree of Trees' sculpture featuring 350 British native trees will be created outside Buckingham Palace as a centrepiece of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. The Queen's Green Canopy initiative has been planting trees in the UK to create a living tribute to the monarch. Prince Edward and Sophie fly today to the Caribbean for a Platinum Jubilee tour. But the couple have had to cancel their visit to the island of Grenada. Aides offered no explanation, but it is understood there is sensitivity after republican protests during William and Kate's recent tour to the region. The inconvenient truth about Prince Harry and the Queen: Her Majesty has always avoided any accusations of favouritism when it comes to her grandchildren... but insiders insist if there was a 'special one' it would be Peter Phillips, writes RICHARD KAY By Richard Kay for the Daily Mail On the face of it the clutch of family photographs released to mark the Queen's 96th birthday are just as they should be, a touching and heart-warming celebration of the monarch as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. From a slideshow of images issued by Prince Charles showing him and his mother down the years, to more recent snapshots of the Queen surrounded by the Royal Family's newest and youngest generation, they are formal and informal, in colour and in black and white. And all have one thing in common our Queen of 70 years is wreathed in smiles. But it is the one shared by Prince William on Twitter that perhaps bears the most scrutiny. The picture taken by the Duchess of Cambridge in 2018 shows William's grandmother and late grandfather Prince Philip crowded together on a comfy sofa at Balmoral Castle with seven of their great-grandchildren. In a week when Prince Harry has made a none too subtle attempt to carve out an aura of exclusivity in his own relationship with the Queen, it is a powerful and poignant rejoinder to set the record straight. In a week when Prince Harry has made a none too subtle attempt to carve out an aura of exclusivity in his own relationship with the Queen This is not the first time William appears to have subtly used images to do so there was a similar pictorial rebuttal not so long ago concerning Harry's apparent appropriation of their late mother. For several years, through a combination of natural diffidence and an unwillingness to make relations with his brother even worse than they already are, William had silently watched as Harry cloaked himself ever more firmly in Princess Diana's legacy. Harry was at it again this week in his latest U.S. TV interview, making remarks which even the most neutral of royal observers found provocative. Asked if he felt his 'mum's presence', he told NBC's Hoda Kotb: 'For me it is constant. It has been over the last two years. More so than ever before.' He went on to say: 'It is almost as though she's done her bit with my brother and now she's very much, like, helping me. Got him set up and now she's helping me set up.' A year ago, Harry used much of his Oprah Winfrey interview to make frequent claims about his mother. On that occasion, he spoke of his belief that she would have been angry at the way he and Meghan had been treated. At one stage he boldly stated of their departure from royal life: 'I think she saw it coming.' It may, of course, have been mere coincidence, but exactly a week after that broadcast, William publicised the hand-drawn cards his children, George, Charlotte and Louis, had made for Mothering Sunday. There was a twist, however: the cards were not for Kate but for Diana, William's mother. A year ago, Harry used much of his Oprah Winfrey interview to make frequent claims about his mother. On that occasion, he spoke of his belief that she would have been angry at the way he and Meghan had been treated Inside were expressions of love and loss for the grandmother they never knew. But the cards communicated a wider message Diana was the mother of two sons. If this was designed to halt the torrent of comparisons between the wronged Diana and the son who believes he, too, has been the victim of an uncaring institution, William must have been bitterly disappointed. Harry has barely drawn breath since, frequently invoking his mother's name with regard to the frustrations he and Meghan have faced, and drawing comparisons between their own unhappiness with royal life and Diana's. (Although it is worth pointing out that, unlike Harry, Diana, for all her difficulties, did not abandon her country and continued to serve the monarchy.) And now, the Prince has taken his suggestion of his exceptional place in the family to a new level with the audacious claim this week that he and the Queen enjoyed a unique relationship. 'We talk about things that she can't talk about with anybody else,' he boasted to NBC. Of all his recent utterances, it is certainly one of the most breathtaking. Not only does it ask us to put aside the controversy generated by his inflammatory remarks about racism within the Royal Family, it also invites us to believe that of all the Queen's eight grandchildren, he occupies a distinctive position as her favourite. As one of the Queen's longstanding staff told me: 'No longer content to claim a special status with his mother, he now seems to be mythologising his relationship with his grandmother. Would she recognise this description? I very much doubt it.' Harry has barely drawn breath since, frequently invoking his mother's name with regard to the frustrations he and Meghan have faced, and drawing comparisons between their own unhappiness with royal life and Diana's The Queen has always been scrupulous to avoid any accusations of favouritism when it comes to her grandchildren, but insiders insist that if there was a 'special one' it would be not Harry but Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, 44, her first grandson. 'She has always been close to Peter and admires the way he and his sister Zara handled themselves as grandchildren of the monarch but without royal titles,' says an old friend of the Queen. 'Like William and Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Peter and Zara were children of broken homes, but were somehow more exposed because of Anne's decision that they should not have titles. She thinks Peter especially has inherited the resilience that is so characteristic of Anne. She sees him as dependable.' Prince Philip shared this affection and regarded Peter, outdoorsy and sporty, as the most sensible and level-headed of all his grandchildren. It was into Peter's care that the grieving William and Harry were entrusted in the days after news of their mother's death reached them at Balmoral. At Gordonstoun, the tough Scottish school where Peter was head boy or 'guardian', as it was called, he wore his royal connections lightly. As Anne famously remarked of Peter and Zara: 'They're not royal. The Queen just happens to be their grandmother.' Even when Anne's marriage to Peter's father, Captain Mark Phillips, was disintegrating, home life at Gatcombe continued relatively untroubled. Indeed, its informality was such that as young boys William and Harry liked nothing more than escaping the iciness of Highgrove and their parents' rows for relaxed Gatcombe and the company of their cousins. Harry was at it again this week in his latest U.S. TV interview, making remarks which even the most neutral of royal observers found provocative Even the Queen fell in with this easygoing mood. When they came into her presence, Peter was made to bow and Zara to curtsy. After that show of respect, however, the Queen was treated very much as any grandmother would be. One afternoon when she was being cuddled on her grandmother's knee, 18-month-old Zara took hold of the Queen's necklace and broke the string, scattering the priceless pearls over the carpet. 'Granny' voiced no complaint other than a grunt of exasperation, then got down on her hands and knees and, with Peter helping her, picked them up. Not even the break-up of Peter's marriage to Canadian Autumn Kelly, which ended last year after 13 years and two children, dented the special relationship between grandmother and first grandchild. And you certainly won't find Peter Phillips giving credential-burnishing interviews about his relationship with his grandmother. So what then of the bond between Harry and the Queen? Harry was right about one thing in the interview, recorded during the Invictus Games in The Hague: 'She has always got a great sense of humour with me,' he declared. And there is no doubt their ability to laugh at the same things has underpinned the relationship. But the fact is there has been precious little laughter since Harry and Meghan began releasing their 'truth bombs' on the Royal Family from cossetted exile in California. Presenter Hoda Kotb places her arm on Prince Harry's shoulder during their chat at the Invictus Games in The Hague As a small boy, Harry's misbehaviour often exasperated the Queen, who assumed neither Charles nor Diana nor their nannies were firm enough with him. In his broadcast, Harry suggested an intimacy with his grandmother that some close to the royals are questioning. 'She certainly used to worry about Harry, what with his moods and his scrapes, but because, like Prince Andrew, he fought for his country, she has always been enormously proud of him,' a close figure tells me. 'She also was always very conscious of his status as second in line to William, just as Princess Margaret was to her. But this didn't confer any favouritism and after all she has hardly seen him in the last two years.' The grandson she sees the most is 14-year-old James, Prince Edward's son who lives nearby. A figure familiar with the relationship between Harry and the Queen tells me: 'A wariness has crept in in recent times, just as it did with Princess Diana.' What then are the things they talk about that, as Harry claimed, 'she can't talk about with anybody else'? According to sources, her favourite topic is news of her great-grandson Archie and Lilibet, the great-granddaughter named after her and whom she has yet to meet. 'She's also interested in their lives in California.' According to a Windsor aide, the meeting last week went well. 'The Sussexes were in a good mood and so too was the Queen, she was pleased to see them.' Insiders insist that if there was a 'special one' it would be not Harry but Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, 44, her first grandson Which makes Harry's other remarks about the Queen's security all the more puzzling. His extraordinary claim that he was 'just making sure she's protected and has got the right people around her', sparked fury. Insiders believe he was referring to figures such as the Queen's private secretary Sir Edward Young and Angela Kelly, his grandmother's personal assistant and dresser. Harry has had issues with both of them. Two years ago, ahead of his acrimonious departure from Britain, he blamed senior courtiers, including Sir Edward, for cancelling a lunch he and Meghan were due to have with the Queen at Sandringham where they had been invited to discuss their plans to step back from royal duties. And in 2018 he was reported to have rowed with Liverpool-born Ms Kelly over the choice of Meghan's wedding day tiara. Coincidence or not, but the redoubtable Ms Kelly was photographed in a car with the Queen at Sandringham yesterday. The NBC interview was remarkable for Harry's absence of warm words for anyone but the Queen. Asked outright whether he missed his father and brother, he dodged the question. Just as he did on Oprah, Harry sought to make a distinction between the Queen and the institution of monarchy. This has infuriated other royal figures who are understandably suspicious of Harry and Meghan for praising the Queen while attacking other family members. It explains why Harry's meeting with Prince Charles was both shorter and more fraught than that with the Queen. Nor did it help that, according to an aide, Harry and Meghan were not on time, and the Prince, who hates unpunctuality, had to leave to prepare for the Maundy Thursday service at St George's chapel after 15 minutes. When this latest furore calms, it will be remembered not for Harry's failure to show fellow-feeling for his father and brother, but for the way he aggrandised his relationship with his 96-year-old grandmother. At such a venerable age, doesn't she deserve better? Advertisement The extraordinary week-long manhunt for crazed gunman Raoul Moat - who shot his ex-girlfriend in the stomach and murdered her new lover before he killed himself after he was cornered by armed police during a tense standoff - has been recreated for a new ITV drama. Actor Matt Stokoe, 33, was yesterday pictured sitting on the grass with a sawn-off shotgun playing Moat in his final moments before he took his own life. Spurned former bouncer Moat, 37, had just been released from Durham Prison following an 18-week sentence for assault when he began his vindictive campaign of murder early on July 3, 2010 - first by killing ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart's karate instructor lover Chris Brown, then shooting her in the stomach through a house window in Birtley, Gateshead. He then declared war on police while on the run for murder and attempted murder, and blasted PC David Rathband in the face when he found the officer parked up in a patrol car on a roundabout in Newcastle. Rathband was blinded in the senseless attack and went on to take his own life in February 2012 because he couldn't cope with his disability, a coroner ruled. Moat took refuge with a pair of accomplices in Rothbury, Northumberland, but his actions triggered one of the nation's most notorious manhunts. Armed police were drafted in from around the country, survival expert Ray Mears was brought in to advise on where Moat could be fleeing, and RAF jets with heat-seeking cameras were deployed to canvas the north east of England in search for the killer. The thug was eventually cornered by armed police before a six-hour stand-off began - during which footballer Paul Gascoigne famously turned up at the site of the police stand-off with a fishing rod and chicken dinner to try and talk 'Moaty' round. As negotiators tried to get Moat to put down his weapon, the crazed killer shot himself in the head. Stokoe, famous for roles in the Channel 4 series Misfits, the BBC series Bodyguard and Sky's Jamestown, has assumed the lead role of Moat, while Sally Messham (Doc Martin) and Josef Davies (Chernobyl) will play Moat's ex-lover Stobbart and murder victim Brown. Left, Raoul Moat, who was 37 at the time of a shooting spree in 2010. Right, Matt Stokoe, who will play him in a new drama Raoul Moat holds a shotgun to his head after being confronted by armed police in Rothbury Sitting on the grass with a sawn-off shotgun, actor Matt Stokoe, 33, was yesterday pictured playing the killer Raoul Moat in his final moments before he took his own life The ITV drama, which will tell the story of one of the most notorious manhunts in the UK, filmed the gripping scenes in Yorkshire with Stokoe in the lead role. Actors posing as police officers are pictured during filming this week Police pictured in July 2010, during their confrontation with fugitive Raoul Moat Stokoe, the partner of actress Sophie Rundle, was spotted holding a replica sawn off shotgun to mimic the standoff Moat, lying down, holds a shotgun to his head as armed police look on Lee Ingleby is pictured filming the scene of the notorious standoff from 2010 for the ITV drama Stokoe is pictured behind the scenes of a new ITV drama about the horrific shooting spree in 2010 Stokoe is pictured sitting on the grass on the left as armed police try to persuade him to drop his weapon Raoul Moat's horrific final days before dramatic six-hour stand off Thursday, July 1, 2010: Released from Durham prison after serving a short time for assault Saturday, July 3, 2010: Moat shoots dead Chris Brown, who is the new partner of his ex girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, who he also tried to shoot twice through the window of a property Sunday, July 4, 2010: Moat shoots PC David Rathband and the public are urged not to approach him Monday, July 5, 2010: Cleveland, Humberside, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Cumbria Police join up with Northumberland Police to help them with the search for Moat Tuesday, July 6, 2010: Moat declares war on the police. Police also investigate an armed robbery from the day before as the description matches Moat's Wednesday, July 7, 2010: Police offer 10,000 reward for information leading to his capture Thursday, July 8, 2010: Police urge public to be vigilant as they release new images of Moat Friday, July 9, 2010: Moat located in Rothbury with witnesses saying he is on the floor with a gun to his head near the riverbank Saturday, July 10, 2010: Moat shoots himself after a six-hour stand off with police Advertisement The drama will also star The A Word's Lee Ingleby as Northumbria Police Officer Neil Adamson, who was among the main police officers searching for Moat while he evaded capture. Sonya Cassidy (The Last Kingdom) and Vineeta Rishi (Holby City) have also been announced as cast members. It is not clear if Gascoigne will feature in the show. The series has been titled 'The Hunt for Raoul Moat', though a release date is yet to be confirmed. Born in 1973, Moat was bought up by his grandmother in Newcastle's deprived West End - just a few doors down from his parents, Josephine and stepfather Brian Healey. Moat was widely regarded as a man with an explosive temper; a muscle-bound bodybuilder addicted to steroids and anti-depressants who could flip at a moment's notice. Samantha told Newcastle Crown Court in 2011 after the shooting spree that Moat had a 'Jekyll and Hyde split personality', and was prone towards violent behaviour. At the time of his death Moat had been on the run for a week after being released from Durham prison following an 18-week sentence for assault. Just two days after his release the 37-year-old shot dead Chris Brown and wounded his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart on July 3. Just hours later he left PC David Rathband blind, he took his own life two years later. Just days before the stand off with police, officers released new images of Moat and urged the public to stay away from him. Pictures were also released by police showing the equipment Moat was using to hide in his woodland lair. On Friday 9 July officers located three of Moat's mobile phones. One, used to make the two 999 calls to police before and after PC David Rathband was shot. Moat was later cornered into a riverbank and had a shot gun to his head. Moat's friend Tony Laidler was escorted into the police cordon and food and water items were also bought in as the stand off continued. 'He had a Jekyll and Hyde split personality': What Samantha Stobbart told a 2011 court after Moat's deadly rampage Raoul Moat's ex girlfriend Samantha Stobbart arriving at Newcastle Crown Court in March 2011 Moat's ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart told a court in 2011 that the crazed gunman 'had a Jekyll and Hyde split personality' as she told of the horrifying moment the killer attacked her and her lover. Moat had just shot her karate instructor boyfriend Chris Brown in the neck and chest before 'calmly executing' him with a final shot to the head, a trial heard. Miss Stobbart wept as she told a jury at Newcastle Crown Court how Moat 'just appeared' and started shooting on July 3 last year. She said the killer had a 'Jekyll and Hyde split personality' and could be violent and unpredictable. Miss Stobbart said: 'Chris went down to the grass and I followed him. I remember Raoul was shouting. I don't know what. Shouting. He pointed the gun at my legs and I ran into the house. 'I could not see anybody. I was panicking because my daughter was upstairs and I was running about the house looking for the keys and I did not know what they looked like. 'I heard two shots. When I looked out the window it was done. I didn't see Raoul come towards the house, I was concentrating on Chris. I just heard shouting and before I knew it I got shot.' Advertisement In the early hours of Saturday morning a gunshot was heard, Moat shot himself and no shots were fired by police. He was taken to hospital for treatment but died just hours later. In a bizarre twist to the police stand-off with the killer in Rothbury, which was widely reported at the time, former England footballer Paul Gascoigne showed up to try to talk Moat down. Speaking in the years following the manhunt, Gascoigne told the Mirror: 'I thought that I could take Raoul Moat fishing because he was near a river. I told the taxi driver 'head for the airport' and then when we got to Newcastle airport I said 'head for Rothbury'. 'The taxi driver said 'you are not going where I think you are going?' And I said 'yes I am'.' He said he went on to tell the taxi driver that he could 'save Moat' because he had been through so much himself during his struggles with addiction and alcoholism. When Gascoigne got out of the taxi he said he headed straight for the field where Moat was surrounded by police. He asked police 'where's Moaty', and one officer asked if he knew him personally, to which Gascoigne denied. He said rumours then started to circulate as to how he knew Moat with some saying they had been friends. They had never met, but as the situation around Moat intensified, Gascoigne found himself on TV screens and linked with the chain of events ever since. In the years since, several members of Moat's family have expressed the pain they still feel as a result of their son's actions and the abuse they are subject to. Moat's ex-girlfriend Samantha was rushed to Queen Elizabeth hospital in Gateshead, where she was left fighting for her life, after she was shot. On July 5, Samantha was declared to no longer be in a critical condition following the attack, and left hospital on July 17. That same day she issued a direct appeal to Moat, who had gone on the run, and said: 'Please give yourself up. If you still loved me and our baby you would not be doing this.' Miss Stobbart told a court in 2011 that the crazed gunman 'had a Jekyll and Hyde split personality' as she told of the horrifying moment the killer attacked her and her lover. Moat had just shot her karate instructor boyfriend Chris Brown in the neck and chest before 'calmly executing' him with a final shot to the head, a trial heard. Miss Stobbart wept as she told a jury at Newcastle Crown Court how Moat 'just appeared' and started shooting on July 3 last year. 'Chris went down to the grass and I followed him. I remember Raoul was shouting. I don't know what. Shouting. He pointed the gun at my legs and I ran into the house,' she said. 'I could not see anybody. I was panicking because my daughter was upstairs and I was running about the house looking for the keys and I did not know what they looked like. Moat was widely regarded as a man with an explosive temper; a muscle-bound bodybuilder addicted to steroids and anti-depressants who could flip at a moment's notice Sally Messham, pictured right, has signed on to play Moat's ex-lover Samantha Stobbart, who sustained severe injuries after being shot in the stomach by the crazed gunman PC David Rathband, 44, a policeman who was left blind when Raoul Moat shot him in 2010, was found hanged in his home in Blyth, Northumberland, in 2012 Pictured left to right: Stepfather Brian Healey, mother Josephine Healey, Raoul Moat, aged 13, and brother Angus Moat on Josephine Moat and Brian Healey's wedding day in 1986 Moat's daughter Katelaine Fitzpatrick (pictured in 2010 with her mother), said in 2020: 'I'm so sorry to the people he has hurt' What WAS Gazza doing at the standoff? Paul Gascoigne arriving in Rothbury, Northumberland to 'talk Raoul Moat around' In a bizarre twist to the police stand-off with the killer in Rothbury, which was widely reported at the time, former England footballer Paul Gascoigne showed up to try to talk Moat down. Speaking in the years following the manhunt, Gascoigne told the Mirror: 'I thought that I could take Raoul Moat fishing because he was near a river. I told the taxi driver 'head for the airport' and then when we got to Newcastle airport I said 'head for Rothbury'. 'The taxi driver said 'you are not going where I think you are going?' And I said 'yes I am'.' He said he went on to tell the taxi driver that he could 'save Moat' because he had been through so much himself during his struggles with addiction and alcoholism. When Gascoigne got out of the taxi he said he headed straight for the field where Moat was surrounded by police. He asked police 'where's Moaty', and one officer asked if he knew him personally, to which Gascoigne denied. He said rumours then started to circulate as to how he knew Moat with some saying they had been friends. Advertisement 'I heard two shots. When I looked out the window it was done. I didn't see Raoul come towards the house, I was concentrating on Chris. I just heard shouting and before I knew it I got shot.' She later told the News of The World of the terrifying moment that Moat appeared at the window and started to shoot. 'There was nothing I could do against a madman with a gun,' she said. 'I had to get back to the house to make sure my baby daughter Chanel was safe. I saw the sparks flying off Raoul's gun as he shot me. 'Then I was on the floor with blood pumping out everywhere.' She added that 'there was no emotion' in Moat's eyes as he carried out the attack. Speaking out for the first time in 2020 - a decade on from her father's killing spree - Katelaine Fitzpatrick told The Mirror about her lasting feelings of shame, disgust and abandonment. 'I'm so sorry to the people he has hurt. If I had the chance to meet the victims and their families and say I'm so sorry for what my dad did, and show that I care, I would,' Katelaine, who was 11 at the time of her father's rampage, said. 'Being his flesh and blood sickens me at times, it's hard to believe who I am. I can't believe I come from that man. 'I'm so glad I didn't know him, and that I became the person I am today despite all I have been through,' Katelaine added. Moat had always turned down opportunities to meet his daughter and had never spoken to her prior to the attacks. Katelaine also said she became a victim during her school years as a result of other children bullying her with cruel taunts because of Moat's actions. Just months prior to Katelaine's first-ever interview, Moat's mother Josephine Healey gave her first statement to the press. 'He is not my son,' Healey told the Mirror in April 2020. She added that the incident still caused 'a lot of trouble for me' and said abusive messages are posted through her letterbox to this day. At the time of Moat's standoff with officers, when he threatened to kill any policeman who crossed his path, Mrs Healey spoke at length about her son's dramatic change. She said her gentle son disappeared at the age of 19, replaced by a snarling man who hated everything - and everyone. He returned to her home after a lengthy absence in 2007 and, standing on the doorstep, made a gun gesture with his fingers before threatening to kill her. 'Why would he do that?' she asked on the penultimate day of Moat's standoff. 'It was like he was not my real son.' 'He now has a totally different character, attitude and manner,' she added. 'Every last detail.' Chinese Language Day celebrated in UNESCO Xinhua) 08:32, April 21, 2022 PARIS, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Permanent Delegation of China to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO held events on Wednesday at the headquarters of UNESCO to celebrate the 2022 United Nations (UN) Chinese Language Day. In his speech, the president of the 41st UNESCO General Conference Santiago Mourao said that Chinese is the most ancient script still in use. "When we celebrate the Chinese language, we also celebrate its contribution to cultural diversity, to intercultural dialogue, to lasting peace," he added. Tamara Siamashvili, chairperson of the Executive Board of UNESCO, said that Chinese is not only "one of the six official languages of the United Nations, but also a contributor to "the world culture." Representatives from some 80 permanent delegations to UNESCO and the Chinese staff of UNESCO participated in the celebration co-organized with China Media Group. Since 2010, the United Nations has marked Chinese Language Day on April 20 over the language's contribution to the world while encouraging more people to learn it. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) French President Emmanuel Macron and opponent Marine Le Pen will go back to the campaign trail on Thursday following an intense TV debate between the two final presidential candidates ahead of Sunday's second-round run-off elections, According to an Elabe poll for BFM TV, viewers of the only debate between the two remaining contenders on Wednesday evening thought a combative Macron was arrogant but also regarded him as more compelling and ready to be president, per Reuters report. The study found that Le Pen, who concentrated on expressing empathy for those she said had "suffered" since Macron's election in 2017, was marginally more in step with voters' worries, but her far-right ideologies were still seen as far more concerning. During the face-off, Macron attacked Le Pen's connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration, as well as her economic proposals and European Union policy. French Presidential Debate Impact With the election just four days away, a snap survey for BFM TV indicated that 59 percent of viewers deemed Macron to be the most persuasive in the discussion, implying that the nearly three-hour confrontation would not change the outcome of the race, with Macron leading in all previous polls. Since the first round on April 10, polls have shown a widening of Macron's margin over Le Pen to as much as 56% to 44 %, and observers predicted the debate was unlikely to sway voting preferences in Le Pen's favor, as per a Yahoo! News report. Though the incumbent French president's lead is growing in the surveys, current numbers are much narrower than five years ago, when he won over Le Pen by garnering 66.1% of the vote. "Although Macron's roughly 10-point lead in the polls is well ahead of any conceivable margin of error, recent history is littered with shock election results," said Dean Turner, Chief Eurozone and UK Economist at UBS Global Wealth Management's Chief Investment Officer. He added that it is "naive" to assume that Le Pen will not be able to pull off a "surprise" victory. Read Also: Joe Biden Slaps Russia With New Sanctions Amid War; More Help Coming for Ukraine Crucial Campaign Stretch On Thursday, Macron will campaign in the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, a critical battleground for both candidates because voters in the area overwhelmingly voted for hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon in the first round. Le Pen will travel to northern France, where she will host an evening rally in Arras, a town that voted marginally more for Macron in an otherwise far-right-dominated region. It's uncertain whether the final two days of campaigning will affect the outcome of the election. BBC reported that Macron's stringent Covid measures turned off many voters, and he was criticized for functioning as a "president for the rich." He is more popular in the big cities, but his pro-EU liberal and global stance have won him backing from other mainstream left and right parties. Le Pen toned down her nationalist, anti-EU rhetoric during the campaign, but her goal remains to renegotiate France's relationship with the European Union, as she emphasized in the debate. Whoever wins on Sunday will have achieved so only after a difficult, divided campaign, which could jeopardize their ability to secure a parliamentary majority and execute changes. If Macron wins, as polls predict, he would face a challenging second term, with voters of all colors expected to protest his desire to pursue his pro-business initiatives. If Le Pen wins, France's domestic and foreign policy are likely to shift dramatically, and street protests could start soon. Related Article: Fears Rise Over Russia's Potential Use of Tactical Nukes in Ukraine; Vladimir Putin's Aide Says New ICBM Test Is a Gift to NATO, Kyiv Sponsors @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Donald Trump reportedly dumped on the president of the Club for Growth on Thursday, after the conservative group bought more airtime for anti-J.D. Vance adverts in Ohio despite the former president endorsing the Hillbilly Elegy author. The conservative group is backing Josh Mandel in an increasingly bitter fight for the Republican Senate nomination in the state, with 13 days left in the primary. And on Thursday, it reupped an ad composed of some of Vance's past anti-Trump comments. The result was a furious text message sent by a Trump aide to David McIntosh, the group's president. 'Hi Mr. McIntosh,' it said, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. 'The president shares this message with you: Go f*** yourself.' Trump announced his endorsement on Friday, upending a race that had seen Vance, a former Marine, trailing in third or fourth place. But internal polling on Thursday suggested he had leapt into a commanding lead at the same time as a surge in fundraising. The Ohio Senate race pits Donald Trump, who has endorsed J.D. Vance, and the head of the Club for Growth David McIntosh, who is backing Josh Mandel, in an increasingly bitter fight Trump's endorsement has pushed J.D. Vance into the lead for the Republican nomination for Senate in Ohio. A poll on Thursday gave him a seven-point lead The Club for Growth ad shows Vance criticizing Trump in 2016 and 2017, before he made a pivot to become a Trump support - winning his endorsement on Friday The ad picks over old interviews and tweets in an effort to discredit Vance In other states, Trump and the Club for Growth have combined to push candidates into commanding positions - McIntosh appeared at this month's Trump rally in Selma, North Carolina, where the former president called him 'a very powerful man' - but in Ohio they are working against each other. The group's ad reheats Vance's well-known history as a former Trump critic. 'Im a Never Trump guy,' he said in a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose, a comment that appears in the 30-second advert. 'I never liked him.' And it features a Vance tweet from just before the 2016 election when he wrote, 'My god what an idiot,' in reference to Trump. A spokesman for Club for Growth declined to discuss any private communications between Trump and McIntosh. 'We are in the process of increasing our ad buy in the Ohio Senate race,' he told DailyMail.com. Trump's son Don Jr, who appeared alongside Vance on Wednesday, also weighed in. He posted a tweet introducing Mandel as 'The Club for Chinese Growth backed establishment candidate,' with clips of him appearing alongside Never Trumpers such as Mitt Romney, John McCain and John Kasich. It marked the latest salvo in a long running effort by the two candidates to out-Trump each other. Vance's anti-Trump history has been a constant feature of an often bad-tempered Republican primary, as his opponents tried to embarrass him and stop the former president endorsing him. The ad includes a string of anti-Trump tweets sent by Vance before he became a supporter Mandel on Thursday said he was still confident of winning the Republican nomination and beating the likely Democratic runner Tim Ryan in the November general election Mandel, also a Marine veteran, said he was still expecting to win despite the setback. 'I'm confident we're going to win this primary on May 3, and I'm looking forward to working with President Trump to beat Tim Ryan in November,' he told reporters at a campaign stop in Cortland. He was there to address supporters gathered in the Top Notch diner, alongside Mike Flynn, who was briefly Trump's National Security Adviser. 'I'm so grateful to have the people's general here with me,' he said. 'I call him the people's general, because besides for Donald Trump, there is no one the media, the deep state and the politicians went after with more with more force and aggressiveness.' Flynn declined to discuss Trump's endorsement but described why he was backing the former Ohio treasurer. 'The number one reason is Josh's exactly the type of leader that we need in Washington DC right now,' he said. 'I think I think the people of Ohio hands down are going to elect him in a very, very serious way here on not only on May 3, but during the general election. 'What we need in Washington is we need people who are who are values based who have very, very strong leadership and confidence in their abilities.' In a statement on Friday, Trump endorsed Vance and said: 'MAGA patriots from across the nation are set to deliver an election landslide for Republicans that will serve as a devastating rebuke of the failures of Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats' Trump's endorsement has already had an impact on the race, according to polling conducted by a Super PAC supporting Vance's run. Of 800 Republican voters, it found Vance had the support of 25 percent (up from 18 percent in March, while Mandel is on 18 percent (18 percent) and Gibbons on 13 percent (down from 18 percent.' 'We found that President Trump's recent endorsement of J.D. Vance in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate has significantly improved Mr. Vance's position in the race after only a few days putting him into first place overall,' said a polling memo written for Protect Ohio Values 'There is further room to grow that lead as awareness of Trump's endorsement is far from ubiquitous among the GOP electorate.' Trump is due to appear in Ohio on Saturday to build support for his pick. And his son Don Jr. turned out at a fundraiser and rally on Wednesday in Independence, just outside Cleveland. Some Trump insiders have opposed the endorsement, pointing out that Vance was once an outspoken critic of the former president. Trump himself addressed the issue in his endorsement. 'Like some others, J.D. Vance may have said some not so great things about me in the past, but he gets it now, and I have seen that in spades,' he said in a statement. 'He is our best chance for victory in what could be a very tough race.' Vladimir Putin was accused of trying to exterminate the Ukrainians last night after wiping out food stocks in a key city sheltering thousands. Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces were deliberately attempting to strangle the flow of supplies. Missiles have rained down on the city of Sievierodonetsk for days, destroying all food depots, markets and shops as the Kremlin aims to capture the entire region. The citys 100,000 population has now dwindled to about 17,000 and they face an uncertain future without urgent humanitarian aid. Those left behind, unable or unwilling to flee, have so little left they have resorted to cooking in the street, not knowing when the next bombardment will come. Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine, is one of the first destinations for emergency food boxes sent by the Mail Force charity. In a joint mission with the Ukrainian embassy in London, the Mail Force consignment is making its way through the war-torn country to reach desperately hungry families. Those left behind, unable or unwilling to flee, have so little left they have resorted to cooking in the street, not knowing when the next bombardment will come Yesterday the governor said: There is no single food warehouse left in Sievierodonetsk. The Russians have destroyed them all. The purpose of the invaders is obvious. They want to create a humanitarian catastrophe in the Luhansk region. The Russians are destroying all buildings that can contain food. Putins goal is to exterminate the Ukrainians. Mr Haidai added: We are sincerely grateful to those who have extended a helping hand to Ukraine in this difficult time Every resident of the Luhansk region thanks you for your kind hearts. The first delivery of more than 2,400 boxes of food aid paid for by Mail readers arrived in Ukraine yesterday. It is the first batch among 500,000 boxes bought with such money. Each food box has 14 items including pasta, porridge, tinned meat, fish and vegetables and contains enough calories to feed an adult for a week. The ambitious scheme is costing 8million, with half coming from Mail Force and the other half from the Ukrainian embassy. But Mr Haidai, the leader of the pro-Kyiv regional administration, warned deliveries are extremely dangerous because Russia deliberately fires on volunteers and humanitarian supplies. A senior Ukraine government source said: The Russians are targeting food queues. They are looking for gatherings of people trying to get food and using them as the place to target their weapons. It is despicable. These are not military targets, they are civilians who are hungry. Svetlana Popova, senior aide to Mr Haidai, said: There is not a single food shop left in Sievierodonetsk. The last one was bombed overnight. People get their food only and solely from humanitarian aid. Missiles have rained down on the city of Sievierodonetsk for days, destroying all food depots, markets and shops as the Kremlin aims to capture the entire region. A bombed out market is pictured above We deliver it to bomb shelters, basements and other hideaways, and there are already volunteers killed while delivering the humanitarian aid. A female volunteer was killed while on [the] way to deliver food in Lysychansk weeks ago. Last week a man and wife who both volunteered for residents were hit by shelling right when they brought the food. The man died, his wife is still fighting for life in intensive care. The head of Popasna administration went under shelling right when he was delivering the aid in his car. He suffered concussion, but survived. Last week Russian troops deliberately aimed at bread-delivering cars, three of them caught fire. The actions of the Russian Army confirm their task is to destroy all communications, and starve local residents. It is clear Putin aims to bring us into true Holodomor [Great Famine]. Mr Popova added: We stopped reporting on what we repaired, because as soon as we do, literally within less than an hour, they shoot at exactly what we have just repaired. The Russian Army is creating a humanitarian catastrophe. We are doing everything in our power to help people survive which is why we are so incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to this particular humanitarian aid. What your Mail readers, and other contributors have done, is incredible. You are saving people, saving lives. The record-breaking Mail Force Ukraine Appeal which has now raised more than 11million has been praised by Boris Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky. Donations have already gone to help Ukrainians refugees who have fled the conflict, or those who are still in their homeland under the constant threat of bombardment from the Russian invaders. The appeal was started with a 500,000 donation from the papers parent company DMGT at the request of chairman Lord Rothermere and Lady Rothermere. The citys 100,000 population has now dwindled to about 17,000 and they face an uncertain future without urgent humanitarian aid Deliberate attacks on food supplies and aid convoys by Russia would be a war crime under the Geneva Convention. The UN and the EU in recent days have hit out at the Kremlin for trying to use hunger as a weapon of war. The term will evoke the terrible horrors of Ukraines Holodomor in which Joseph Stalin starved millions to death. He seized food supplies between 1932 and 1933 in his brutal enforcement of collective farming. Ukraine has been described as the worlds breadbasket because it is a major global exporter of cereals such as maize and wheat, causing food prices to spike worldwide. Yesterday the United Nations warned many Ukrainians could die without urgent assistance to tackle the grave humanitarian crisis. But one top official praised kind-hearted Mail readers. Saviano Abreu from the UNs humanitarian agency said: Any support is more than welcome. We have to thank the generosity of the people everywhere in the world who are trying to support the people in Ukraine. Additional reporting: Will Stewart Boris Johnson will promise to sell more arms to India when he meets Narendra Modi for crunch talks in New Delhi today. But the Prime Minister yesterday came under fire after posing at a JCB plant while its bulldozers were used to clear Muslim slums. Human rights campaigners branded Mr Johnsons visit as ignorant amid plans to reduce Indian reliance on Russian military equipment. The UK will make it easier to export defence kit by issuing an Open General Export Licence (Ogel) to India to reduce bureaucracy and shorten delivery times the first Ogel in the Indo-Pacific. Boris Johnson posed on a JCB tractor in Vadodara next to chairman Lord Bamford (lower right) The prime minister, pictured with Hindu holymen in Gandhinagar, is conducting a two-day trip Mr Johnson will discuss defence and security collaboration with the Indian prime minister today but is set to take a soft stance on the countrys failure to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. And he will make the case that what (Vladimir) Putin is doing is totally against the interests of stability but is not expected to press India to condemn the Russian president in stronger terms. Mr Johnson told ITV last night: I had a conversation with Narendra Modi many weeks ago, in which I made the point to him that India is a massive influence in the world, one of the worlds great powers... I will certainly be making the case that what Putin is doing is totally against the interests of stability. The PM also announced that dozens of Ukrainians are being trained in Britain to use armoured vehicles, while Ukrainians in Poland are learning anti-aircraft defence. Personnel will be trained on combat vehicle reconnaissance and protective mobility vehicles. Mr Johnson provoked controversy when he met with Lord Bamford a day after JCB trucks were used by the Indian government to clear Muslim slums Mr Johnson was met with a carnival-like welcome when he landed in India yesterday morning. In Ahmedabad, in the western state of Gujarat, hundreds lined streets adorned with billboards welcoming him to the city. At the inauguration of a new JCB factory in the Gujarati city of Vadodara, he was shown around by the companys owner Lord Bamford, a major Tory donor. But his photo op came as the Indian Supreme Court stepped in to stop bulldozers which demolished illegal shops and walls around a mosque in a predominantly Muslim area of New Delhi on Wednesday. Clashes in several parts of India have been followed by demolition drives, which critics say are an attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to intimidate Indias 200 million Muslims. Last night the Indian branch of Amnesty International branded the PMs visit ignorant and said his silence on the incident is deafening. Mr Johnson suggested he would raise the issue with Mr Modi, who is accused of whipping up anti-Muslim sentiment. The Prime Minister said: We always raise the difficult issues, of course we do, but the fact is that India is a country of 1.35 billion people and it is democratic, its the worlds largest democracy. Downing Street last night defended the visit, saying it was a matter for the Indian authorities and JCB is a great example of a UK company that has invested heavily in India. The Prime Minister also repeated a suggestion that he was willing to offer more visas to Indian workers and students, saying India could help fill a massive shortage in IT workers in Britain, as well as providing staff for the NHS. Mr Johnson said a great deal was there to be made. So can Boris break the ties that made India Putin's ally? Commentary by Kapil Komireda, author of Malevolent Republic: A Short History of the New India Boris Johnson is no stranger to India. His ex-wife, Marina Wheeler, is the daughter of a prominent Indian socialite and Johnson was once a familiar figure in Mumbai and Delhi. This attachment means that, unlike some of his predecessors, he is keenly alert to the sensibilities of his hosts who yesterday gave him a lavish welcome in Gujarat. The PM has been warmly received during the visit. He arrived in New Delhi yesterday He is the first British PM to visit the state a smart move diplomatically, given that Gujarat is the home state of Indias PM, Narendra Modi, while many Gujaratis have made their homes in the UK. Post-Brexit trade deals are the focus: two previous visits were cancelled because of the pandemic and the pressure is now on. But there is an unexpectedly awkward obstacle in the way: the war in Ukraine. This has emerged as a major source of contention in diplomatic relations between India and the West. The worlds largest democracy has historic links to Britain and is its key trading partner. India has also become a close partner of the US, courted by Washington as a democratic counterweight to China. And yet India has consistently refused to condemn Moscows invasion. In early March, the US state department went so far as to issue a memo accusing India of belonging in Russias camp although it was quickly recalled. Boris tried to push Delhi to take sides by dispatching Foreign Secretary Liz Truss with no obvious success. But he does understand that Britain has more to lose than gain by appearing to pressure India to abandon Moscow. Mr Johnson will try to convince Indian officials to reduce reliance on Moscow-made weapons Delhi has been Russias closest Asian partner for over five decades. Theirs is a relationship forged during the Cold War, when the US sought to isolate India, struck an entente cordiale with China, and patronised Pakistan with weapons and aid. In parallel, Moscow deployed its veto power to shield India at meetings of the UN Security Council when necessary, maintained a vital trade relationship and also supplied essential military hardware. The Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev once told Indians that if you ever call us from the mountain tops we will appear at your side. In 1971, India made that call when Pakistans military junta, backed by the US, perpetrated a genocide in what is today Bangladesh, slaughtering three million Bengalis and displacing ten million people. When India authorised military action after Pakistans pre-emptive strikes on Indian airfields, the US and Britain dispatched naval fleets to the Bay of Bengal to intimidate India. Moscow sent a rival fleet to defend it. Bangladesh was liberated in days, but that experience, in which fellow democracies lined up behind a genocidal regime, served to shape the worldview of a generation of Indians. India still depends on Moscow for the majority of its defence needs. And given its geographic curse positioned between two hostile nuclear adversaries, Pakistan and China, who have both waged wars against it it can scarcely afford to antagonise its principal military supplier. All of this explains why Boris Johnson will refrain from overt hectoring of Delhi on its Moscow ties, although he is likely to promote Britains expertise in the defence industry as an alternative to Russian weaponry. His goal, however, is to secure an ambitious deal with India to eradicate barriers to free trade. India is already the second-largest source of foreign direct investment into Britain. Between 2020 and 2021, Indian companies invested in 100 British projects and created nearly 5,000 jobs. On the other side of the ledger, British investment into India, the third largest, is responsible for one in 20 jobs in the private sector. The PMs first act in India was to announce trade deals covering health and software which will create 11,000 jobs in Britain. A free trade deal has thus far proved difficult, in part because India, due to its colonial past, is highly protective of its market. The US and the EU do not have bilateral free trade deals with India. While he may struggle to change Indias stance on Russia, Johnson is confident of achieving, before the end of 2022, what has long eluded his predecessors at home and his peers in the West. The Duchess of Cambridge is tipped to be the next Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, replacing Prince Andrew who was stripped of his military titles in January. Kate, 40, would be the first female colonel of the regiment in 80 years since the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, held the role in 1942. The royal colonel will typically be present at medal parades, events in the presence of the Queen and regimental gatherings, dinners and galas. The revelation comes as the Duchess is lined up to stand in for the Queen at the Sovereigns Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. A senior royal source confirmed: 'It's being seriously considered.' The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured on March 17), 40, is tipped to be the next Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, replacing Prince Andrew who was stripped of his military titles in January Andrew (pictured making an inspection during a parade by the Grenadier Guards in March 2019) inherited the honorary role with the Grenadier Guards from his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, when he retired from public life in 2017 Catherine taking the salute at one of the two remaining passing-out parades this year would be a fitting tribute for the Queens Platinum Jubilee, and would have personal significance for the Duchess, as Prince William graduated from the celebrated military academy as an officer in 2006. The Queen, who is head of the Armed Forces, took that parade, and the Duchess attended as Williams then girlfriend. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also attended the event. Kate has attended military functions with Prince William, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, and she accompanies him to medal parades and regimental events for the Irish Guards, handing out traditional St Patricks Day shamrocks. She has also taken the salute at the Household Divisions Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade in London. Many members of the Royal Family have military experience, but its not required to be appointed colonel of a regiment. The Sandhurst role would be a strong indication that Kate will soon be handed an honorary military role, such as colonel-in-chief of a regiment. The Queen is involved in selecting colonels. Andrew inherited the honorary role with the Grenadier Guards from his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, when he retired from public life in 2017. The revelation comes as the Duchess is lined up to stand in for the Queen at the Sovereigns Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Pictured: The Queen inspecting soldiers at the parade in Surrey in December 2006 It was one of the positions that he clung to when he first stepped back from official duties in 2019. But Andrew lost his honorary role when he was stripped of his military titles amid a sex assault lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre in the United States. The Queen, 96, took on Andrew's role by default. Formed by King Charles II 366 years ago, the Grenadier Guards have fought in almost every major campaign of the British Army, including the Napoleonic, Crimean, Boer, First and Second World Wars. Family summer holidays face a new threat after British Airways axed hundreds of flights up until September - with fears other airlines could follow suit. BA slashed flights on some routes to the US and the Far East, affecting thousands of travellers after it had already cancelled more than 1,000 flights in little more than three weeks. Routes affected have included from London to Berlin, Dublin, Geneva, Paris, Stockholm, Athens and Prague. The flagship carrier axed another 200-plus flights over yesterday and on Wednesday, affecting an estimated 20,000 passengers. BA boss Sean Doyle originally told staff in an internal message that flights would be cancelled until the end of next month, partly due to staff shortages. There are fears that other carriers could also be hit with issues after easyJet cancelled hundreds of flights over Easter. The transport chaos over Easter saw flights to destinations into Europe and the US cancelled by BA and easyJet as they were hit by Covid absences, lack of staff and a surge in demand for travel as restrictions were lifted. Industry experts have also pointed the finger at security checks for issues with staff numbers, with vetting for new staff taking up to twice as long as the 14 weeks it is supposed to. They also believe that loss of thousands of experienced staff who were laid off during the pandemic has had an impact, with many not returning after finding jobs elsewhere. At the World Travel and Tourism Council's summit in Manila in the Philippines yesterday, Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, suggested disruption could last many months. 'Covid travel restrictions have brought about a destruction of talent through job losses,' he said. He also told the Telegraph: 'In the short-term you have got Covid [absence] which is becoming less of an issue, but in the longer term, there are still complications over recruiting enough staff. 'BA is only recruiting staff who already have security passes. The airline's planners obviously believe there is a maximum number of people they feel they will recruit, therefore it has to cut back on frequency now based on its expected level of recruitment. 'It is readjusting in order to give as much notice as it can before it's inevitable that they have to cancel those flights anyway. It is responding to concerns expressed by their customers and Government ministers about the lack of notice given to consumers.' BA boss Sean Doyle's future is uncertain as the airline announced it was planning to cancel hundreds of flights between now and December during the busiest time of the year The airline has already cancelled thousands of flights, causing misery to the travelling public More than 1,140 flights were grounded at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham during the Easter getaway with EasyJet and British Airways both cutting 60 and 98 flights respectively in a single day. Yesterday, it emerged that BA is cancelling half of flights between Heathrow and Miami, reducing them to one each way a day from June 4 until September 7. BA said the cancelled daily flight to and from Miami would be picked up by American Airlines. In an email to customers the airline apologised and said: 'We'll do everything we can to get you where you need to be.' BA has already halted flights to Hong Kong and Tokyo and yesterday it said there would be no flights to Hong Kong until September and to Tokyo until October. It is not yet clear how many other BA flights will be axed over the summer. Passengers who have their flight cancelled are entitled to a full cash refund or the airline should book them on another flight with a take-off time as close to the cancelled flight as possible. The airline slashed thousands of jobs during the pandemic. Some easyJet and Ryanair customers have also taken to social media to report their flights being cancelled. One wrote: 'Could @easyJet make it any more difficult to get in touch with them? The cancelled my flight there but won't let me cancel the return flight back?' A second said: '@easyJet AWFUL - can you please explain why my outbound flight to Cagliari on the 10/05/22 has been cancelled with less than a months notice? Would appreciate a response as this is the third tweet I have sent and have been ignored.' While a third added: ' @Ryanair Hi I need a solution to the cancelation of my flight to Venice. Twice you have cancelled (22 and 23 of April) without a solution. We don't have options now to go and we are costing all the extras expenses.' Despite the social media furore, easyJet told MailOnline in a statement: 'We are planning to operate our normal summer schedule which is on average around 1700 flights a day this summer.' Mr Charles also previously said: 'Airlines are certainly seeing a high level of demand to fly, but are simply unable to cope with that demand due to a lack of resources. It's a nightmare situation for airlines and airports at the moment.' Martin Chalk, general secretary of the pilots' union Balpa, also told The Telegraph: 'The chaos witnessed at British airports may well be repeated throughout the summer because airlines, laden with debt have not yet rehired enough staff.' The rise in bookings is overtaking the number of airline staff being hired, which is being further exacerbated by security checks. An industry source further blamed the vetting process, saying it can take up to six months before someone is able to come in and do a job at an airport. But a spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) contended the 'aviation industry is responsible for resourcing at airports', adding: 'They manage their staff absences, although we want to see minimal disruption for passengers during the Easter period. 'The requirement for Counter Terrorist Checks for aviation security staff is important for the protection of the travelling public and the Government continues to process these security clearances in a timely manner.' Speaking at a global industry summit in Manila in the Philippines yesterday, Julia Simpson, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), acknowledged 'that there are concerns' about BA's recent performance. But the former BA executive and Downing Street advisor added: 'I think these are more wrinkles as we pull out of the pandemic and rebuild. 'BA remains a great airline. It's one of the greatest airlines in the world and I think they're just facing issues as they come back post-pandemic. Not all the issues are of their own making.' She said airline staff shortages, behind much of the disruption, had been exacerbated by delays to security and anti-terror checks. These must be carried out by Government officials for every new aviation sector recruit but are currently taking longer than usual following a spike in applications. Russian troops are being 'ritually humiliated' in Ukraine but they are still in a position to win the war, Western officials cautioned last night. In their bleakest assessment of the campaign since the very first days, they admitted that Vladimir Putin's forces were gaining territory and presently outnumber the defenders by three soldiers to one. Moscow's troops failed in their initial invasion objectives, with Ukraine inflicting a series of humiliating defeats on them. The turnaround has come after a general known as 'The Butcher', who is a veteran of the Syrian campaign, overhauled the performance of the Russian advance. Western officials credited the reversal in Russia's fortunes to General Aleksandr Dvornikov, who was made overall commander a fortnight ago. His takeover followed Russia's failure to seize any major cities, its retreat from Kyiv, and the loss of 30,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft and tanks. Since then its use of drones, rocket systems and electronic warfare has been transformed potentially providing Putin with a platform to claim victory. 'This is a new chapter of the campaign and, despite his previous failures, Putin is still in a position to win,' an official said. 'Russia has concentrated sufficient force that if they use it intelligently they should be able to destroy a large part of Ukraine's forces.' Officials now believe that with such a numerical advantage, and more effective leadership, the Russians will be difficult to dislodge from the territory they have won. But they said that many of the Russian units now targeting the east of Ukraine and the Donbas region had not had time to properly reconstitute after receiving a mauling in the failed advance on Kyiv. As a result, they were being fed into the new phase of the war in a 'piecemeal' fashion with limited impact, taking 'relatively small amounts of terrain'. Damaged market's pavilions after shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 21 April 2022 Ukrainian servicemen fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues Western officials credited the reversal in Russia's fortunes to General Aleksandr Dvornikov, who was made overall commander a fortnight ago. His takeover followed Russia's failure to seize any major cities, its retreat from Kyiv, and the loss of 30,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft and tanks A Ukrainian serviceman works with a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system One official said it may be driven by a desire by the Kremlin to secure a tangible success in time for the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 marking the defeat of the Nazis in the Second World War. 'If President Putin is going to stand at the Victory Day parade, he will want to do so on the back of Russian forces not being ritually humiliated in Ukraine which has pretty much been happening so far,' the official said. 'I think that may have been a factor in their decision to commit their forces into the Donbas ahead of that force being entirely prepared.' The warning came as Russian forces launched a blitzkrieg on Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, where one million remain trapped. Rockets struck a neighborhood of Kharkiv on Thursday, and at least two civilians were burned to death in their car. A school and a residential building were also hit, and firefighters tried to put out a blaze and search for anyone trapped. In a televised address its mayor, Ihor Terekhov, described 'huge blasts' and said the city in north-eastern Ukraine was 'being furiously bombed', with many men, women and children feared dead. But Ukrainian servicemen in the Kharkiv region fought back using weapons such as the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system. In a boost to the Ukrainians, its troops reportedly destroyed at least two Russian fighter jets and an attack helicopter yesterday over eastern Ukraine. They may have been involved in the attack on Kharkiv. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagons assessment, said the Ukrainians were hindering the Russian effort to push south from Kharkiv and Izyum. In the light of the latest Russian offensive in the Donbas, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged an additional $1.3 billion Thursday for new weapons and economic assistance to help Ukraine. He promised to seek much more from Congress to keep the guns, ammunition and cash flowing. The latest military aid, Biden said, will be sent 'directly to the front lines of freedom.' 'Putin is banking on us losing interest,' Biden said. The Russian president is betting that 'Western unity will crack... and once again we're going to prove him wrong.' Firefighters battle a fire at a warehouse after a Russian bombardment in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, April 21, 2022 The city of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest, has witnessed repeated airstrikes from Russian forces President Joe Biden walks to board Air Force One, Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., en route to Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) A damaged Russian tank near a road in Zalisia village not far from Kyiv. Some cities and villages had recently been recaptured by the Ukrainian army from Russian forces The new package includes $800 million in military aid for much-needed heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It builds on roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance that Biden previously approved. Theres also a fresh $500 million in direct economic assistance t o Ukraine for government salaries, pensions and other programs. That raises the total U.S. economic support to $1 billion since Russias invasion began nearly two months ago. A little stamp of defiance Ukrainians have flocked to buy a stamp commemorating soldiers who told a Russian warship to 'go f*** yourself'. A run of one million stamps has sold out at Kyiv's main post office. The image of a soldier sticking his middle finger up at the ship is now a symbol of defiance. It honours 13 Snake Island heroes who stood up to the Russian navy in February when they were ordered to surrender. The Ukrainian border guards were initially reported to have been killed in a missile attack, but it was later revealed some had survived and been captured. Advertisement Biden sought to make clear to Russians that plenty more military assistance for Ukraine would be coming. 'Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large Javelin, because were sending a lot of those,' Biden said, paraphrasing Theodore Roosevelt and referring to an anti-tank missile system. The new U.S. military assistance is to include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, 72 vehicles used to tow to the howitzers onto battlefields, and over 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, as well as field equipment and spare parts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the United States in his nightly address in Ukraine, saying the military aid was 'just what we were waiting for.' Earlier in a virtual address to the World Bank meeting in Washington, he said his nation will also need up to $7 billion each month to make up for economic losses. Putin claimed victory Thursday in the battle for Mariupol despite an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters still holed up at a giant steel mill, ordering his troops not to storm the stronghold but to seal it off 'so that not even a fly comes through.' Putin expressed concern for the lives of Russian troops in deciding against sending them in to clear out the sprawling Azovstal plant, where the die-hard defenders were hiding in a maze of underground passageways. Putins comments came as satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released photos showing more than 200 of what it called new mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery shows long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol. Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of 'hiding their military crimes' by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush. As many as 9,000 civilians could be buried in mass graves in Manhush, the Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Boychenko labeled Russian actions in the city as 'the new Babi Yar,' a reference to the site of multiple Nazi massacres in which nearly 34,000 Ukrainian Jews were killed in 1941. All told, more than 100,000 people were believed trapped with little or no food, water, heat or medicine in Mariupol, which had a prewar population of about 400,000. Over 20,000 people have been killed in the siege, according to Ukrainian authorities. The British Ministry of Defence said that Russia probably wants to demonstrate significant successes ahead of Victory Day on May 9, the proudest day on the Russian calendar, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. 'This could affect how quickly and forcefully they attempt to conduct operations in the run-up to this date,' the ministry said. In other developments, Zelensky warned Ukrainians living in areas of southern Ukraine under Russian control not to provide Russians with their IDs, which he said could be used 'to falsify a so-called referendum on our land' to create a Moscow-friendly government. 'This is a real possibility,' he said in his nightly video address to the nation. 'Beware.' In the continuing war of sanctions and countersanctions between Russia and the West, Moscow announced it has barred U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and 27 other prominent Americans, including foreign affairs commentators, from entering Russia. The move was a response to 'ever-widening anti-Russian sanctions' by the Biden administration, the ministry said in a statement, and targeted people it said were shaping a 'Russophobic narrative.' UK hands 72,000 visas to refugees Almost 72,000 UK visas have now been issued to Ukrainian refugees, figures showed yesterday, but fewer than a third have arrived so far. Official data showed more than 107,000 people applied for visas under two schemes, including 66,000 through the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship programme. It means there is still a backlog of more than 35,000 applications to process. The sponsorship scheme which allows British hosts to open their homes to Ukrainian evacuees has issued 39,300 visas after painful start. Only 6,600 of those refugees have arrived in the UK so far. And under the family scheme for Ukrainians with existing links to the UK 32,500 visas have been issued, of whom 15,000 have arrived. Officials believe some people applied for visas so they have the option of coming to the UK but are choosing to stay in countries bordering Ukraine so they can return home sooner. Others may have applied but then changed their minds, deciding to travel elsewhere. And some will be waiting for everyone in their family to receive permission to travel letters or visas before they depart for the UK. Advertisement Mass graves for the thousands of Mariupol victims 'liberated' by Russia: Satellite images show extent of Putin's carnage as he orders troops to seal civilians in steelworks and starve them to death The images, taken between March 19 - April 3, show new mass grave sites The March 19 image shows an empty field next to a cemetery on the city's edge But by April 3, there were several rows of fresh grave sites visible along the field Well over 10,000 civilians are believed to have been killed in Mariupol Putin meanwhile declared today the city had been 'successfully liberated' He ordered his military to seal off the Azovstal steel plant, trapping thousands of Ukrainians inside with no access to food, water or other supplies Fresh satellite footage has revealed the extent of the carnage wrought by Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces in the besieged city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine as hundreds of civilians are left to starve underground. The imagery, obtained by Maxar Technologies, appears to show a dramatic expansion of mass graves which were dug on the edge of the port city in March to accommodate the victims of Russia's indiscriminate bombing campaigns. Analysis of a series of images taken from mid-March to mid-April suggests the site, which lies just 12 miles from the centre of Mariupol, now contains more than 200 new graves, according to Maxar. The city, which was a bustling metropolis home to some 400,000 people prior to Russia's invasion in late February, has been utterly obliterated by eight weeks of constant bombardment. Now, all that remains of Ukraine's resistance there is a small contingent of fighters and civilians sheltering in the Azovstal steel plant, which remains surrounded by invading soldiers. 'Hundreds of civilians, children, injured Ukrainian defenders are trapped in plant's shelters. They have almost no food, water, essential medicine,' a Ukrainian foreign ministry statement said this morning. 'An urgent humanitarian corridor is needed from the Azovstal plant with guarantees people will be safe.' But Putin today cruelly instructed his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to command troops to seal off all routes out of the plant - effectively condemning those trapped within to a slow and painful death from thirst, hunger and exhaustion. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through,' the Russian President told Shoigu, before declaring the city 'successfully liberated'. Slide me The first satellite image, taken on March 19, 2022, shows a cemetery on the outskirts of Mariupol. A large empty field can be seen nearby the graves on the right. But the second image, taken on April 3, clearly shows several rows of freshly-dug mass graves running along the length of the field by the cemetery. Thousands of civilians are believed to have died in Mariupol after eight weeks of constant Russian bombardment This image, taken on March 26, shows the expansion of the mass grave site in progress. Weeks before the horrors of Bucha and other towns north of Kyiv were discovered when Russian forces withdrew in early April, the citizens of Mariupol had already been forced to excavate vast swathes of land to clear their streets of the bodies A local resident pushes a dog in a pram past a building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022 Emergency management specialists transport the body of a person killed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 21, 2022 Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine, Wednesday, March 9, 2022, as people cannot bury their dead because of heavy shelling by Russian forces Putin today cruelly instructed his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to command troops to seal off all routes out of the Azovstal steel plant - effectively condemning the Ukrainian fighters and civilians trapped within to a slow and painful death from thirst, hunger and exhaustion A satellite image taken on March 19 shows a large field on the outskirts of Mariupol completely bare, yet just one week later on March 26, several graves appear to have been dug. A third picture, taken on April 3, shows several rows of freshly-dug graves stretching across the length of the field, symbolising the brutality of Russia's war in Ukraine and the sheer extent of the civilian casualties. Weeks before the horrors of Bucha and other towns north of Kyiv were discovered when Russian forces withdrew in early April, the citizens of Mariupol had already been forced to excavate vast swathes of land to clear their streets of the bodies. Russia launched a savage campaign of air and missile attacks on Mariupol just days after the invasion began - a tactic its forces have continued without reprieve ever since. The port's strategic significance meant it quickly became a high priority target for Russia in the early days of the war. Mariupol is the biggest Ukrainian city on the Sea of Azov and the main port serving the industries and agriculture of eastern Ukraine. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Left to starve in their tomb: Putin orders troops to seal... Mystery as multi-millionaire Russian gas executive is found... Share this article Share On the eve of the war, it was the biggest city still held by Ukrainian authorities in Luhansk or Donetsk, the two eastern provinces known as the Donbas that Moscow has demanded Ukraine cede to pro-Russian separatists. Control of Mariupol means Russia commands the entire coastline of the Sea of Azov, and has a secure overland route linking the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized and annexed in 2014, with mainland Russia and the parts of eastern Ukraine held by separatists. It links up two of the main axes of Russia's invasion, and frees Russian forces to join the main offensive being waged against the bulk of Ukraine's army in the east. The city's capture has both strategic and symbolic importance, boosting Putin's hopes to demonstrate major success by Russia's Victory Day on May 9, with operations set to ramp up to coincide with the celebrations, the British MoD said today. But if Putin's forces eventually erase all resistance in the port and claim it as their own, they will be left with a smouldering shell of a city. Mariupol's mayor Vadym Boychenko said earlier this month that more than 90 per cent of the urban centre's infrastructure has been damaged, with more than 40 per cent 'unrecoverable'. Boychenko also said more than 10,000 civilians are believed to have died in the Russian attacks. Investigations are on-going into war crimes in the city, with two attacks - one on a maternity ward and another on a theatre where hundreds of civilians were taking shelter at the time - of particular focus. The final Ukrainian holdout in Mariupol is located in the Azovstal steel works by the harbour, where hundreds if not thousands of Ukrainian fighters and civilians are trapped. Chechen warlord and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov yesterday declared the plant would be in Russian hands 'by lunchtime', but Putin today ordered his military not to seize the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance. Rather than sending his troops into the plant, which has a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels underneath it, Putin instead chose to have his forces seal off all entries and exits to and from the plant, effectively creating a tomb from which the sheltering Ukrainians cannot escape. 'I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,' Putin told Shoigu in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. 'I order you to cancel it.' He said his decision not to storm the steelworks was motivated by the desire to safeguard the lives of Russian soldiers. 'There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities,' he said. 'Block off this industrial area so that a fly cannot not pass through.' Shoigu confirmed the plant was 'securely blocked', leading Putin to deliver a final message to Ukrainian fighters in Azovstal who had not yet surrendered. He asked them to lay down their arms, saying Russia would treat them with respect and would provide medical assistance to those injured. But the message was met with incredulity from Ukrainian authorities, who say Russia has time and again launched attacks upon previously agreed 'humanitarian corridors', preventing many civilians from escaping the city to safety. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss today announced a new raft of sanctions targeting individuals and companies believed to be aiding Russia's war effort, citing the brutality in Mariupol as clear evidence of Russia's crimes in Ukraine. 'We are relentless in support of Ukraine,' Truss said. 'The depravity of Russia's assault on the people of Ukraine is plain for all to see. 'They are deliberately targeting hospitals, schools and transport hubs in Mariupol and beyond just as they did in Chechnya and Syria.' In a statement the FCDO said: 'Since March 10 2022, Russian bombers have repeatedly dropped munitions on civilian infrastructure, including civil government buildings, hospitals, schools and transportation nodes. 'The UK Government conclusion is that this is intentional targeting based on the types of civilian targets struck, frequency of strikes, volume of munitions and the repeated targeting of the same locations on consecutive days.' Russia launched a savage campaign of air and missile attacks on Mariupol just days after the invasion began - a tactic its forces have continued without reprieve ever since After Defence Minister Shoigu (pictured right today) told Vladimir Putin (pictured left) that Russia's forces controlled the city - apart from the Azovstal steel plant - the Russian president hailed the 'successful liberation' of Mariupol President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the Russian military to cancel plans to storm a Mariupol steelworks. Pictured: Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a recent drone video posted on social media On Wedensday, a Ukrainian marine believed to be holed up in the steel plant posted a Facebook video urging world leaders to help evacuation efforts. The man, who identified himself as Serhiy Volyn of the 36th Marine Brigade, said: 'We have more than 500 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians with us, including women and children. This may be our last appeal, we may have only a few days or hours left.' The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, Putin's troops were ordered to shoot civilians in the city if they do not wear white ribbons on their clothes. Russia was accused of forcing civilians to wear the white ribbons, a symbol of the Russian army, so that they become 'bait' for Ukrainian snipers - and in turn help Putin's men find out where the snipers are hidden. Petro Andriushchenko, the advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol, said on Telegram: 'The occupiers no longer 'mildly' propose that civilians wear white ribbons to mark themselves out - they have turned to direct threats to open fire on anyone seen on the street without such ribbons. 'Russians are gradually turning the city into a true ghetto for Ukrainians, at the same time using civilians as bait to detect hotspots.' The disturbing development came as Zelensky said he was ready to swap Russian prisoners of war in exchange for the safe passage of civilians and Ukrainian troops who remain in Mariupol. More than 100,000 people overall were believed trapped in Mariupol with little if any food, water, medicine or heat. The city's pre-war population was 400,000. A Zelensky adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said on Twitter that he and other Ukrainian negotiators were ready to hold talks without conditions to save the lives of trapped Mariupol defenders and civilians. There was no immediate response from Russia. By David Averre For Mailonline A Florida dentist has been arrested on charges that he hired hitmen eight years ago to kill his sister's ex-husband, a prominent law professor, to resolve a bitter custody dispute over the estranged couple's two children. Charles Adelson, 45, faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder after newly enhanced audio recordings implicated him in the slaying. Adelson was being held on Thursday without bond at the Broward County jail after being arrested at his home by U.S. marshals. He is awaiting transfer to Tallahassee. Adelson and other members of his family have long been cited by prosecutors and investigators as potential suspects in the July 18, 2014, killing of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel at his Tallahassee home. Markel, 41, had been married to Adelson's sister Wendi, who had been unable to return to South Florida because Markel had joint custody of their young children after a highly contentious divorce. Markel was gunned down in his garage by two men, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, who prosecutors say were hired through Katherine Magbanua, a former girlfriend and employee of Adelson and the mother of Garcia's two children. Charles Adelson, 45, was being held without bond on Thursday Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel was gunned down at his Tallahassee home on July 18, 2014. He had gone through a contentious divorce with Adelson's sister Wendi Adelson (pictured) and her family have continued to maintain their innocence in Markel's death. Her brother's arrest marks the first charges against a member of the family Markel was gunned down in his garage by two men, Sigfredo Garcia (left) and Luis Rivera (right), who prosecutors say were hired through Adelson's ex-girlfriend Garcia is serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2019. Rivera is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against Garcia and Magbanua. Magbanua is facing a retrial on a first-degree murder charge next month after a hung jury at her first trial in 2019. Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell said in a statement that Adelson was indicted by a grand jury after technicians were able to enhance the sound on a 2016 video recording made secretly of him talking to Magbanua inside a noisy South Florida restaurant, La Dolce Vita. The Adelson family had been under surveillance by investigators trying to solve Markel's killing. 'This recording includes statements by Charles Adelson which can be heard clearly for the first time,' Campbell said. He did not say specifically what the recording says. David Markus, Adelson's attorney, said his client is innocent and tied the arrest to Magbanua's retrial. 'Prosecutors have no new information that led to this arrest. The timing sure does stink, doesnt it? On the eve of a long-awaited trial of (Magbanua), this move has the smell of desperation,' Markus said in an emailed statement. Prosecutors said at their trial that Magbanua enlisted Garcia to take part in a $100,000 hit financed by Markels in-laws, which they have denied. Garcia then enlisted Rivera, a childhood friend, to help. Prosecutors said the two men drove from South Florida to Tallahassee to execute the plan, stalking Markel on the morning of the shooting as he dropped off his children at day care and stopped at the gym. When Markel returned home, Garcia shot him as he sat in his car talking on his cellphone. Wendi Adelson had told authorities her brother joked about hiring a hit man as a divorce present but had decided instead to buy her a television. Katherine Magbanua, a former girlfriend and employee of Adelson and the mother of Garcia's two children, faces a new trial next month for her alleged role hiring the hitmen Prosecutors say that a tangled web connected the victim, the shooters, and the alleged masterminds who hired them to kill Markel The victim Markel, 41, had been married to Adelson's sister Wendi, who had been unable to return to South Florida because Markel had joint custody of their young children Markel, a world-renowned legal professor, was found dead from a single gunshot wound to the head behind the wheel of his car outside his home (above) in July 2014 Police say a light-colored Prius was tailing Markel the day he was killed, from the time he dropped his children off at daycare until he left the gym and returned home Meanwhile, Magbanua's second trial is supposed to start next month, after repeated delays related to disputes over secret FBI recordings. FBI agents surreptitiously recorded a conversation between Magbanua and Charlie Adelson at the La Dolce Vita restaurant in Miami in 2016. There had been contentious legal debate over the admissibility of the recording because parts of the conversation were inaudible, but the newly enhanced version will now likely be presented by prosecutors. Magbanua was not only in a romantic relationship with Charlie Adelson. She also had two children with Sigfredo Garcia, one of the convicted hit men who killed Markel. Tallahassee police have long alleged that the motive for the murder was the bitter divorce between Markel and Adelson. Adelson's family were desperate to have their daughter and the couple's two children move closer to them in south Florida, but Markel had successfully fought his ex-wife's attempt to relocate with the children. An affidavit for Magbanua's arrest alleged she had deposited over $50,000 in cash into her bank account in the 16 months after the murder. Magbanua (left) was not only in a romantic relationship with Charlie Adelson (right). She also had two children with Sigfredo Garcia, one of the convicted hit men In 2016, video footage was aired showing an undercover agent who posed as Rivera's brother confronting Markel's former mother-in-law, Donna Adelson as part of a sting operation. The agent approached Donna on the street and said that his brother was in need of money, and asked her for $5,000 to help out the man. 'I wanted to let you know that my brother he helped your family with this problem your family had up north,' the man tells Donna. 'Hes going through some rough times and I want to make sure that you take care of what hes going through.' Donna appears shocked and taken aback in video of the interaction, which was revealed for the first time on an episode of 20/20, but not as shocked as authorities were after they saw what happened next. Soon after Donna met the agent claiming to be Rivera's brother, her son Charles called his then-girlfriend Magbanua, according to police documents. 'You better kill him, because hes going to be a big problem,' he allegedly told her. 'If you can't do it, I'll have someone else do it.' Katherine Magbanua shares with the courtroom her past relationship with Sigfredo Garcia during her 2019 trial in Tallahassee. The jury was hung on the charges against her Sigfredo Garcia prepares to hear the closing arguments at his 2019 trial. He was convicted Wendi Adelson, the ex-wife Florida State law professor Dan Markel who was shot and killed in 2014, testifies at an earlier trial Magbanua also reached out to Garcia after the sting, according to police. Earlier in September, police released probable cause affidavits that revealed Garcia called Magbanua an astonishing 2,700 times in the three months before Markel's murder. There were also a number of phones calls on July 1, 2014, 17 days before Markel was killed, between Adelson, Magbanua, Garcia and a phone registered to Harvey Adelson, Markel's former father-in-law, the affidavit states. A number of phone calls also occurred between midnight and 1am among Adelson, his mother Donna, Magbanua and Garcia on July 18, the day Markel was murdered. A probable cause affidavit also reveals that in the days and months after the murder Garcia purchased a new car and motorcycle, according to WCTV. Records show Rivera also purchased a motorcycle within 10 days of the murder. Meanwhile, Magbanua began receiving checks from Adelson and his father's dental practice, the Adelson Institute, from September 2014 to January 2016. FSU Law Professor Dan Markel is seen with Wendi Adelson prior to their acrimonious divorce In the year prior to Markel's murder, Magbanua was making cash deposits that totaled $15,000. In the months after the murder she was making deposits totaling $44,000, the affidavit states. The affidavit also revealed that one of Wendi Adelson's ex-boyfriends told police she had revealed her brother was looking into hiring a hitman that would cost $15,000. Wendi Adelson and several of her family members said in a statement earlier this month that speculation they had a role in Markel's murder is 'categorically false'. Kamala Harris' chief of staff Tina Flournoy is leaving the vice president's staff, making her the most senior member of staff exodus that has been taking place for months. The news comes just weeks after it was revealed that her deputy chief of staff is also leaving. Harris' office has already seen the departure of high profile figures including her former senior advisor Symone Sanders. Tina Flournoy Kamala Harris' Chief of Staff, is leaving her post, it was revealed Thursday Flournoy is a longtime Democratic operative who served as Bill Clinton's chief of staff when he left the White House, and traveling chief of staff for 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman. Her successor, Lorraine Voles, also has deep Clinton ties, and was an advisor to 2008 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during her campaign. She joined the Harris team last summer. Flournoy is the 12th member of Harris' staff to depart, after a series of reports about internal conflicts. The list of those leaving now includes her deputy chief of staff, her speechwriter, her chief spokeswoman, her security advisor, and other figures in her staff. 'Tina has been a valued advisor and confidant to me and tremendous leader for the office,' Harris said in a written release. 'Tina is the consummate public servant and I will continue to rely on her advice, counsel and friendship.' The 12 staffers who have left or are leaving Harris' office since June Tina Flournoy, chief of staff Michael Fuchs, deputy chief of staff Nancy McEldowney, National Security Adviser Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary Kate Childs Graham, head speechwriter Symone Sanders, senior adviser and chief spokesperson Ashley Etienne, communications director Peter Velz, director of press operations Vince Evans, senior aide Karly Satkowiak, director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi, deputy director of advance Rajan Kaur, director of digital strategies Advertisement The struggles continue to cause headaches for Harris. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki fielded yet another question from a Fox News correspondent about how Harris' designated effort to address 'root causes' of migration, even as illegal immigration continues at the southern border. She was asked if Biden still had 'confidence' in Harris, given her role. 'He absolutely does and is grateful for her work in doing exactly that,' Psaki responded. The Washington Post reported on Flournoy's departure, just weeks after it was revealed that deputy chief of staff Michael Fuchs is set to leave the administration in May. Fuchs has advised Harris on domestic and international issues, helped manage staff and accompanied her on foreign trips, and had ties to both Bill Clinton and former President Barack Obama. It all comes at a time of increased scrutiny on the White House ahead of 2024, following a report that Biden told Obama he plans to run again. Both Biden and Harris have low public approval ratings. The news broke on a day when Harris is on the West Coast, with events in San Francisco including a speech on the maternal health crisis at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay before returning home to Los Angeles. Staffers in the vice president's office have been jumping ship after a year full of messaging blunders and a barrage of personal attacks on the VP, combined with viral rumors of toxicity within the office and tensions between Harris's and President Biden's offices. Kirsten Allen has joined Harris staff as her new press secretary, moving over from the Department of Health and Human services (HHS) after three high-profile departures in the VP's press shop. Jamal Simmons joined Harris' staff as communications director. The announcement of Allen's hiring came just after juicy details of tension and chaos in the VP's office have trickled out in leaked excerpts of 'This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future,' by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns. News of the latest staff departure comes as Harris had events in California Lorraine Voles is a longtime Democratic operative who will succeed Flournoy as chief of staff Harris' office kicked up a fuss over a Vogue cover that pictured the vice president in sneakers before being told to back down by President Biden's office who said concerns over the cover were 'first world problems,' according to the book. Harris reportedly sent out her chief of staff to scold Biden's staffers for not standing up when she entered the room, the way they do for the president, and her some in her office complained about Biden's 'all-white inner circle.' They complained about Harris being assigned to work on immigration with Northern Triangle countries, and the VP herself hissed at Biden for calling her 'border czar,' insisting she was focused on the 'root causes,' according to the book. There has been a stream of more than 10 departures since June. The vice president's office could employ up to around 50 staffers at any given time. Some turnover is ordinary in any administration, including after the first year or so. A school bus with five special needs students and two adults crashed through a guardrail and flipped over into a ditch in Virginia, injuring everyone inside. All seven passengers sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital but are expected to recover, the Chesterfield Fire Department said. The accident happened when a county school bus ran off Hull Street Road after being sideswiped by a pickup truck around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The vehicle flipped over on its side and landed at the bottom of a ravine. The fire department said the children transported are special needs students. All of them received medical treatment. Good Samaritans at the scene of the wreck assisted the driver and some children who were still buckled in, and aided them out of the wrecked vehicle. 'We pulled over to the side of the road and we all just started kind of running towards the bus,' witness Coby Anderson told ABC8 News. 'We didn't know who was in there or what kind of age group the children were. By the time I got there, there were already two people on top of the bus.' Five special needs students and two adults sustained injuries after a school bus crashed through a guardrail and flipped over into a ditch in Virginia. Good Samaritans at the scene of the wreck assisted the driver and some children who were still buckled in, and aided them out of the wrecked vehicle 'We pulled over to the side of the road and we all just started kind of running towards the bus,' witness Coby Anderson said The Virginia Department of Transportation closed all westbound lanes in the area after the crash. Before the firefighters arrived at the scene, passersby climbed on top of the bus to help the children and adults out. The fire department has since confirmed that another vehicle, described only as a dark-colored pickup truck, was also involved. Several ambulances, first responders and witnesses could be seen at the scene after the crash. All seven people on the bus were hurt but the degree of their injuries is unknown. Authorities have said they are all expected to recover after receiving treatment at an area hospital. The accident happened when a county school bus ran off Hull Street Road after being sideswiped by a pickup truck around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The vehicle flipped over on its side and landed at the bottom of a ravine Several ambulances, first responders and witnesses could be seen at the scene after the crash The fire department has since confirmed that another vehicle, described only as a dark-colored pickup truck, was also involved All but one children were transported in ambulances. One child was driven to the hospital by a family member. A spokesperson for Chesterfield County Schools also confirmed the crash. 'A Chesterfield school bus was involved in an accident late this afternoon. The school division has been and remains in direct contact with the families of students who were involved.,' the spokesperson told abc. 'We are sincerely appreciative of the work of Chesterfield County emergency personnel and everyone who assisted on the scene.' It is unclear whether an investigation has been launched into the pickup truck's tole in the crash. DailyMail.com has reached out to the Chesterfield County Police Department for comment. Police blunders allowed a teenager who killed a six-year-old boy in a sexually motivated murder to remain at large for almost 30 years during which time it is feared he committed more sick offences. James Watson was just 13 when he lured Rikki Neave into woods and strangled him, before leaving his naked body posed in a star shape. But detectives who investigated the November 1994 Peterborough murder became fixated on the theory the killer was the victims mother Ruth then a 28-year-old drug addict with an interest in the occult. James Watson wasn't the first person charged with Rikki Neave's murder - and first walked free. Sketched during his trial at the Old Bailey, where deliberations lasted just 36 hours She was charged with murder and subsequently acquitted but remained the chief suspect. Rikki Neave's killer James Watson, now 41, was jailed 28 years after he should have been Watson, now 41, should have been the prime suspect from the start, despite his young age the case came a year after the murder of toddler James Bulger by two ten-year-olds. Witnesses saw him leading Rikki to the woods an hour before the schoolboy was killed. The teenage tearaway had his DNA taken for the first time in February 1995 after his arrest for a burglary. But it was more than 20 years before advances in technology meant his DNA was matched to Rikkis clothes. The persistent truant had been reported months earlier for sexually assaulting a five-year-old classmate of Rikkis. And days before the murder he spoke to his mother about an imagined radio report of a two-year-old child being abducted, strangled and left in a dyke. The troubled teen hoarded catalogues featuring youngsters in underwear and jurors heard he had a grotesque interest in child murder. Watson, who now has more than 50 known offences to his name, also had a cruel streak, killing animals for fun information that came from a 14-year-old girl who revealed he liked to throttle her while having sex in woods. She fell pregnant with his child. Poor Rikki (pictured in school photo) was strangled and left naked in the woods by his killer Cambridgeshire police (pictured in 1994) became fixated with Rikki's mother Ruth as a suspect And the killers half-brother, Andrew Bailey, recalled Watson regularly visited Rikkis home contradicting the defendants claim hed never met the boy. The evidence failed to lead detectives in the right direction, however. Two reviews in 2013 and 2014 failed to examine unidentified DNA on Rikkis clothes. It was only when former Assistant Chief Constable for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Police, Paul Fullwood, launched a third review and had the DNA entered on the national database that the billion-to-one match was made. But, even then, the Crown Prosecution Service ruled in 2016 there was insufficient evidence, and another four years were to go by before Watson was charged and only after Rikkis mother appealed. Mr Fullwood told the Daily Mail: We dont think hes responsible for other murders but I have no doubt there will be other victims from other offences. We would be naive to think he has not committed any other offences. We have an open mind. Rikki's killing remained unsolved for 28 years despite Watson's guilt quickly becoming clear If other people come forward, of course we will investigate. Rikkis mother called her sons murderer a monster after yesterdays conviction and criticised police and social services who totally ruined mine and my daughters lives. She added: I wonder what Rikki would be like today married, children? Who knows? But this monster has taken all that away from me and my daughters. One of his sisters, Rebecca Harvey, added: Nothing will bring Rikki back but Rikki has finally received some justice today. Mrs Neave was acquitted of his murder in October 1996 but was jailed for seven years after admitting cruelty towards her son and two of his sisters. Suspicions about her remained, however. Disappointed by that verdict, Detective Keith Chamberlain told reporters at the time: It would be improper for me to comment on the verdict other than to say that if any other new evidence is presented, it will be thoroughly investigated. Mr Fullwood described the theory about Mrs Neave as fanciful. The Peterborough six-year-old was strangled and dumped in the sexually motivated crime And during Watsons murder trial at the Old Bailey in London, prosecutor John Price QC told the jury: This fundamental error deflected the focus of attention of the investigation. Watsons attitude to authority was laid bare during the trial when he claimed his fascination with police was due to his father, a former Cambridgeshire police officer who lost his job after turning to crime. In fact, his father was a sex offender jailed in 1996 for gross indecency with girls, having previously assaulted his own son, which led to Watson going into care. Watson was also helped by the fact that much of the forensic evidence and original case papers had been lost after a police station fire. The key exhibit in the case, Rikkis clothing, was handed back to his mother who destroyed it years later. All that remained was the sticky tape used to lift DNA from the clothes. Without it, insiders admit a conviction would have been almost impossible. Father-of-one Watson was finally charged in February 2020. Rikki's clothing (jacket pictured) was a crucial clue to finally catching killer James Watson Astonishingly, he was able to further thumb his nose at police by absconding abroad that year when first arrested and released on bail. The jury took 36 hours to reach their guilty verdict yesterday. Mr Justice McGowan adjourned sentencing until next month. He warned there was an automatic life sentence but said the minimum term would be determined largely by the age [Watson] was at the time of the offence. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the subscription tiers Netflix offers, now is the time to get excited. Netflix Co-CEO Reed Hastings mentioned in the company's latest quarterly investors' earnings interview that it could feature ad-supported subscription tiers in the future, per CNET. It is unknown when Netflix will announce more details about its plans at the time of this article's publication. Netflix Ad-Supported Subscription Tiers Details According to CNET's report, Netflix, as a company, is looking at ways to offset the recent price increase made to its subscription fees so users could choose a cheaper alternative should they feel like the increase is too much. Although Hastings admits that he was against the idea of bringing in advertisers since the beginning, he now changed his perspective in favor of consumer choice, adding that competitors embracing ad-supported subscription tiers played a role in changing his mind, per Hollywood Reporter. He said that allowing consumers who would be tolerant of the advertisements that come with the plans and would like to avail of Netflix's streaming services at a lower price "makes a lot of sense." Read More: Exploding Kittens to Get a Netflix Games App, Animated TV Series When Will They Be Released? "One way to increase the price spread is advertising on low-end plans, Hastings said during the latest quarterly investors' interview. "Think of us as quite open to offering even lower prices with advertising as a consumer choice. Hastings also added that when Netflix does launch ad-supported subscription tiers, it would do so as a publisher and without the data tracking and ad-matching some companies do. Unfortunately, Hastings didn't go into detail about its plans on creating ad-supported subscription tiers for users. Whether we'll see ad-supported subscriptions versions of its basic, standard, and premium subscription plans or not is uncertain until the company officially announces these ad-supported subscription tiers. What Ad-Supported Subscription Tiers mean To Netflix Engadget believes that ad-supported subscription tiers could make sense for the company as it recently lost around 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022. Netflix credited most of these losses to stiffer competition and the company's inability to expand in some territories due to technological limitations and account sharing. You may remember that the company recently launched two new features in its platform but are still being tested and only released in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru. These features, which allow Netflix account holders to add an extra member or transfer profile information to a new account or an extra member sub-account, made it simpler for people who live together to share a Netflix account. The fee for extra members is priced at 2,380 CLP in Chile, 2.99 USD in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN in Peru. The company also increased prices starting March 30, according to a separate report from The Verge. The company's subscription fee for its basic plan now costs $9.99 per month, while its standard and premium tier now has a price tag of $15.49 and $19.99 per month, respectively, per Netflix's price matrix. Related Article: Netflix Issues Extra Charges for Password Sharing Beyond Household A man has died after being struck by a reversing forklift at a workplace in south-east Sydney. Emergency services rushed to a container terminal at Banksmeadow on Thursday night. The man was treated on scene by NSW Ambulance, before he was taken to St George Hospital in a critical condition. The man was struck by a forklift at a container terminal in south-east Sydney He died in hospital. NSW Police established a crime scene and have launched an investigation, as has Safework NSW. A report will be prepared for the Coroner. Natalie Barr has questioned Scott Morrison's support for a Liberal candidate who criticised the transgender community during a fiery live interview. The Sunrise host asked the Prime Minister why he hadn't disendorsed federal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves who was recently slammed for a series of 'transphobic' social media posts. Mr Morrison pointed to the fact Ms Deves was raising three daughters of her own, had a law degree and that she continued to advocate for women and girls in sport. 'There are comments she's made in the past that she's been very clear about were insensitive and that's not how she would seek to continue to pursue those issues, to stand up for women and girls in sport,' he told the host on Friday morning. Mr Morrison said Liberal candidate for Warringah Katherine Deves had made it 'very clear' she understood her comments made about the transgender community were 'insensitive' 'And lots of people have trolled over her old posts and all of those things, she's made it very clear that she believes that they are insensitive. 'I think she should be given the opportunity to be heard on her own merits now as she's putting herself forward as a Liberal candidate there in Warringah.' Mr Morrison said Ms Deves knew that now she was standing for public office she needed to be more sensitive when speaking on such issues. 'For what particular purpose mostly? So it doesn't detract from the big point she's making which is about having common sense when it comes to women and girls playing sport in this country and getting a fair go,' the prime minister said. 'We can't be running around all the time walking on eggshells on everything, it's been quite a pile on as you've seen. 'I'm not joining that pile on, and she has said that's not how she wants to pursue it.' Barr agreed that people made mistakes and sometimes said the wrong thing but suggested Ms Deves' comments pointed to her beliefs, which was different. Sunrise host Natalie Barr agreed that people made mistakes and sometimes said the wrong thing but suggested Ms Deves' comments pointed to her beliefs, which was different 'This is a practical issue of women and girls in sport and trying to get some common sense arrangements so girls and women get a fair go,' Mr Morrison responded. 'That's what it's actually about at the end of the day. Now, those who disagree with her on that, I suspect they're the ones who've been travelling over all her old comments and all of that for one simple purpose, so that they could take her out of the debate. 'Now, I'm not going to allow that to happen. I think a lot of Australians feel sometimes that they haven't expressed things well in the past. 'And so they walk around on eggshells in the office, they walk around on eggshells in their community and feel that they just can't, you know, be themselves. 'And we all have to be sensitive about these things. But at the end of the day, this election is not about any of those issues. This election, frankly, is about the economy and what it means for Australians in the economy that we're living about.' Katherine Deves (pictured) has since issued public apologies over her choice of language but Mr Morrison is standing by the embattled candidate The fiery clash comes just hours after Mr Morrison said he would prefer for his two daughters to not compete with transgender athletes while engaging in sport. The prime minister faced questioning over the highly-contentious debate currently raging in Australian politics as he fronted reporters in Brisbane on Thursday. Asked whether he would feel comfortable with his children Abbey, 13, and Lily, 11, going up against transgender girls, the PM said he believes athletes should stick to their biological cohort. 'Well, sports will make their decisions, but my preference is for girls to play girls, for women to play women, boys to play boys, and men to play men,' he said. 'I don't think it is a terribly remarkable statement. I think it is common sense.' However, the PM said he wants 'those who are trans to participate in sport as well'. 'I want them to have opportunities for inclusion in sport,' Mr Morrison explained. But we've also got to have some common sense here. It's pretty straight forward.' The fiery clash comes just hours after Mr Morrison said he would prefer for his two daughters (pictured with his wife Jenny) to not compete with transgender athletes while playing sport Ms Deves previously compared her organisation, designed to exclude trans people from sport, to the French resistance groups during the Nazi occupation. The would-be MP claimed athletes who are born male have biological advantages and should not be allowed to compete against biological women - a notion which has sparked heated debate across the world. A series of now-deleted tweets resurfaced from April 2021 where Ms Deves described transgender kids as 'surgically mutilated and sterilised' after undergoing 'top surgery' to remove their breasts. The Liberal candidate has since apologised and said her language was 'not acceptable' - while doubling-down on her belief that transgender women should not compete in women's sports. Her views were slammed by her main political rival and current MP in the seat, Zali Steggall, a former Olympic bronze medallist and Austalia's best-ever Alpine skier. Ms Deves has also been bombarded with hundreds of rape and death threats about her views and said she had been bullied 'in the most vile way'. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean last week said he believed Ms Deves should be disendorsed, saying there was no place in mainstream political parties for bigotry. 'Political leaders should be condemning the persecution of people based on their gender, not participating in it,' the treasurer said. Mr Kean stood by his comments on Wednesday, telling News Corp the language she had used was inappropriate. 'Invoking the Holocaust, one of the worst atrocities in human history, is offensive to those who lost loved ones,' he said. A series of now-deleted tweets (pictured) resurfaced from April 2021 where Ms Deves described transgender kids as 'surgically mutilated and sterilised' after undergoing surgery Labor leader Chris Minns was asked on 2GB this week if he believed transgender people, born male, might have an advantage during sporting competitions. 'Look I think it's a complicated issue, but the simple fact is ... when young male adolescents go through puberty, they have a large amount of a natural chemical called testosterone,' he said. 'It's a powerful, natural, anabolic steroid and there's simply not enough preparation training, dieting or natural skill for female athletes to overcome that competitive advantage. 'It's no one's fault, it's just a problem of biology.' Swimming legend Dawn is the latest name in sport to weigh in on the contentious debate which continues to linger at the forefront of election debates. The four-time Olympic gold medal winner said she agreed with decorated champion Emma McKeon that biological men shouldn't be allowed to race against women. An estranged husband has been found guilty of murdering his ex-wife and then trying to make her death look like a suicide. Adrian Basham, 44, looked in total disbelief when the jury delivered its guilty verdict at the Supreme Court of Victoria on Thursday afternoon over the death of his estranged wife Samantha Fraser. Basham had long denied murdering Ms Fraser in her fortified Phillip Island home on July 23, 2018. Adrian Basham has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife Samantha Fraser Samantha Fraser was a loving mum who would never have taken ger own life, a court heard Basham makes his getaway after murdering the mother of his children and making it look like she had suicided It took the jury a little over a day to find Basham guilty of the calculated murder. Basham, who claimed Ms Fraser was alive after he assaulted her and must have committed suicide after he left, had pleaded not guilty. He shook his head and appeared to gasp for air through his blue mask upon learning his fate. At one point her appeared close to tears as the reality sank in that he would be spending decades behind bars. He had strutted into Court 11 with the same bravado day after day during the epic trial, which began back in early March. Ms Fraser's bloody and bruised dead body was found by police with a rope tied around her neck and a step ladder kicked over beside her. Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC told the jury that Basham had menacingly warned his estranged ex about how she could be killed in a home invasion. 'The accused had said she would never know when the Apex gang would come, which she Samantha Fraser took as a threat. She said these threats had prompted her to contact the police,' Ms Rogers said. The Apex gang had been responsible for a series of car-jackings, home invasions and smash-and-grab burglaries across Melbourne in the years before Ms Fraser's alleged murder. Although Basham had no real links to the crime gang, Ms Rogers claimed he had repeated similar threats to Ms Fraser leading up to her death. The jury heard Basham had repeatedly threatened harm against his ex-wife, allegedly telling Ms Fraser 'If I can't have you no one will'. Ms Fraser was so worried about Basham in the months before her death she had moved in with her parents at Seagrove Way on Phillip Island - south east of Melbourne. It was there, in her parents' garage, that she died while they were away on a trip to the United States. Samantha Fraser fought hard for her life, but could not overpower the hulking beast who murdered her Police had alleged Basham had snuck into the garage as Ms Fraser returned home after meeting with friends. She had been due to pick-up her kids from school that afternoon but never turned up. DNA evidence shows that Basham's biological material was found under both fingernails of Ms Fraser's hands, the jury heard. 'Which is indicative, we say, of her actively struggling with and defending herself against the accused,' Ms Rogers said. Samantha Fraser told her new boyfriend in a text message the night before her death that she had been looking forward to her future The jury heard a forensic expert found deep bruising to the left and right fingers and hands of Ms Fraser, which suggested punches being thrown by her. When done, prosecutors claimed Basham attempted to clean up the bloody crime scene. 'Adrian Basham also wet Samantha Fraser's hair ... he wet her hair to remove what he could of her blood. He may well have used her white top to do this, but her hair was wet, and it shouldn't have been,' Ms Rogers said. Adrian Basham is accused of killing Samantha Fraser (pictured) inside her Phillip Island home in 2018 The court heard Ms Fraser Samantha weighed just 57kgs and was considerably smaller in height than Basham. 'She fought desperately for her life. There was deep bruising to her hands and wrists, consistent with being restrained and she managed to scratch his nose and or arm,' Ms Rogers said. 'She suffered rotational force and velocity applied to her head when she was assaulted, and her head was spun round.' Ms Rogers urged the jury to reject any notion Ms Fraser could have tied the complex knot used to hang her from the garage door, branding the defence 'absolute rubbish'. 'This was not a suicide. Samantha Fraser did not kill herself after being assaulted so extensively by the accused. It was a cold and brutal murder, and it was Adrian Basham who did it,' she said. Samantha Fraser had been expected to pick-up her children from school, but never arrived In closing the defence case, Basham's barrister Ashley Halphen told the jury they ought have a reasonable doubt in the case against him, because Ms Fraser may have killed herself. 'We submit Mr Basham left the garage at Seagrove Way when Samantha Fraser was still alive. Nothing has changed since this was raised when we first addressed you way back when,' he said. 'It is a possibility, that we submit is reasonable, and cannot be excluded on the evidence. 'The only possible explanation then for the death of Samantha Fraser is suicide.' Adrian Basham bashed and murdered his wife before attempting to make it look like a suicide The court heard Basham had been sighted on Phillip Island in the days leading up to the alleged murder. The home where Ms Fraser was staying has been described as a 'fortress', the jury heard. 'This house was fortified, for want of a better word,' Ms Rogers said. 'There was no means of access at all to the house by the would-be burglar, fortified by the pieces of timber in the window tracks and door tracks.' The Cowes home where Samantha Fraser was allegedly murdered in 2018 Ms Fraser was certain Basham had been tracking her phone. Although Basham had an active intervention order out on him, she feared it would not stop him from doing her harm. While Basham had been upset about pending court proceedings involving his ex-wife, the jury heard he had another motive to kill. 'There is a third and lesser motive that the Crown says, for why he killed Samantha Fraser, and it's jealousy,' Ms Rogers said. Basham was captured on CCTV lurking around the home where his ex-wife was living Ms Rogers told the jury there was 'no way on earth' she would have committed suicide and abandoned her young children. 'She was a loving mother, loved and devoted to her children,' she said. 'This was a staged suicide by the accused with the nice touch of the knocked over step ladder, very close to the hanging body,' she said. Mr Halphen admitted his client had caused his ex-wife some 'nasty injuries'. 'There is no doubting that Mr Basham conducted himself poorly from time to time and on a number of occasions,' he said last week. 'Take for instance the fact that by his very own admission, he assaulted Ms Fraser.' Mr Halphen told the jury Basham was not to be judged on his alleged bad behaviour leading up to Ms Fraser's death. 'Members of the jury, you don't have to like Mr Basham. That is not what this case is about,' he said. 'You might think, Samantha Fraser was a very nice person, and that's understandable. But keep that thought (out) of the equation, you must judge with your heads and not your hearts.' Mr Halphen said Ms Fraser had spoken to her new boyfriend about having suicidal thoughts back in 2017. 'The fact that she considered taking her own life in 2017 should not be lost in the overall equation or the possibility of suicide at another time, in this case one year later,' he said. He dismissed Basham's various threats made after the breakdown of his marriage. 'We submit that his bark is without bite,' Mr Halphen said. He told the jury there was no evidence indicating Basham made a threat to Ms Fraser in 2018. 'In the context of the intervention order proceedings, he has never admitted to behaving towards Samantha Fraser in any improper way and there has never been a court finding of wrongdoing,' Mr Halphen said. Basham will return to court for a pre-sentence plea hearing in September. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Forget the cost-of-living crisis - a parking spot in one of the most expensive parts of the country is for sale with a price tag of 350,000. The area measures just 3.18 by 6.30 metres, or 10 ft 4 inches by 20 ft by 6 inches. It is pictured for sale with a large Mercedes occupying the space, with a wire fencing wrapped around the boundary. The parking spot is for sale with a large price tag of 350,000, which is more than the average price of a home in Britain The parking spot is part of a large underground car park and sits alongside several other vehicles It is perhaps of no surprise that the parking spot is in London. Indeed, it is on one of the most expensive areas of the capital, in affluent Knightsbridge, where properties sell for thousands of pounds per square foot. Garages in prime central London are often sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds, especially if they have the potential to be converted into a home and then sold on for a hefty profit, although there is no chance of that with this purchase. They can also be in high demand among car owners with valuable vehicles that need protecting from theft. This particular parking spot for sale doesn't occupy its own garage. Instead, it is part of a large underground car park housing many vehicles. The parking space is part of the Kingston House South estate, which is in the heart of affluent Knightsbridge The entrance to the car park is on ground level and slops down underground to the parking space There is some security in place on site, which includes a daily garage porter and CCTV The property listed for sale is pictured with a large Mercedes occupying the space, and a wire fencing wrapped around the boundary The parking space is leasehold and has a long lease. It also has some security in place with a daily garage porter and CCTV. The parking space is on the Kingston House South estate, close to Regent's Park to the north, with Harrods to the east. A flat in the block pictured above the underground car park is not included in the sale. The only thing included in the price is the leasehold parking space. And if central traffic congestion becomes too much, there is good access to public transport nearby, with South Kensington and Knightsbridge Underground stations around half a mile away. It isn't just flats that can be leasehold: The parking space for sale is also leasehold and has a long lease The expensive property provides a lock up and leave facility for a vehicle in the heart of the capital The parking space is for sale via estate agents Nicolas Van Patrick The asking price of the parking space is more than the average value of a home sold in Britain during the past 12 months, which currently stands at 329,407, according to property website Zoopla. However, property prices in Knightsbridge are considerably more, with the average price of a sold home in the past year at 3,100,000. The parking space is for sale via estate agents Nicolas Van Patrick. David Johnson, of independent property consultants INHOUS, said: 'There is a premium to be paid for peace of mind, which you get if you have a private, secure, parking space. 'Sadly, the rate of car theft in the capital is high, so it's worth paying for somewhere safe to keep your car. This is particularly the case if it has a high value, making it a potential target for thieves. 'These car spaces tend to hold their value, if not go up over time, depending on their location. Our clients often request them.' NASA astronauts John Young, Charles Duke and Thomas Mattingly landed on the moon 50 years ago today, and to mark the anniversary, iconic images from the penultimate lunar landing have been remastered. Apollo 16 was the second of NASA's three 'J-missions', designed to have a primarily science focus, rather than exploration or publicity as with earlier missions, launching on April 16, 1972 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 16, Andy Saunders, an imaging specialist and author of the upcoming book Apollo Remastered, carefully restored and improved images taken by the crew during their 11 day mission. Among them are pictures showing the lunar horizon, Earthrise, family portraits of astronauts sitting in lunar regolith, and John Young's 'giant leap'. The book Apollo Remastered is due to be released in September, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the final mission, Apollo 17, in December this year. Charlie Duke, 86, Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 16, said of the remastered images: '[They] are so clear and real that they're the next best thing to being there.' He still has fond memories of his lunar mission, saying: 'I mean, 'I'm on the moon!' I can't believe it. Even today it's an exciting thought.' Charlie Duke takes in the breathtaking view across the Descartes Highlands during Apollo 16, 50 years ago this week. Five remastered images stitched into a panorama The mission launched two years after NASA declared there would be no new lunar landing missions after Apollo 17 - so the crew launched knowing time was limited. It included the Lunar Rover and more time out on the lunar surface to explore than was the case in earlier trips. The crew effectively lived and worked on the Moon for three days out of the 11 day mission duration - the rest spent travelling. It can be said that some of the problems they encountered actually facilitated some incredible photographs, according to Sanders, who shares some of the images he has re-mastered to social media under the username AndySaunders_1. The CSM with Mattingly on board above the lunar horizon as Earth rises beyond. Remastered from the original flight film Apollo 16's mission wasn't without its problems. After arriving in lunar orbit, and the Lunar Module (LM) had separated from the Command and Service Module (CSM), Command Module Pilot Mattingly noticed an issue with the SPS engine. APOLLO 16: THE PENULTIMATE MOON LANDING Apollo 16 (April 1627, 1972) was the tenth crewed mission in the NASA Apollo space program. It saw the fifth and penultimate human landing on the surface of the moon. It was the second of Apollo's 'J missions', with an extended stay on the lunar surface, a focus on science, and the use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). The mission was crewed by Commander John Young, Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke and Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly. It launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 16, 1972. Advertisement The SPS engine is the main engine on the Command Service Module, that would be required to fire perfectly to get them home after the trip to the surface. In the four hours it took for Mission Control to assess the problem and decide whether to abort the landing, Mattingly in the CSM, and John Young and Charlie Duke in the LM had to visually station-keep. This meant that they had to work to maintain a safe, constant distance from each other in lunar orbit, but not lose contact. This led to an extraordinary photograph - showing the CSM flying above the lunar surface at the moment a perfect, blue Earth rises above the rugged lunar horizon. 'It just perfectly conveys the awe-inspiring enormity of what's actually happening,' Saunders said of the image. 'Two men in a spacecraft, evidently flying over the Moon, take a photograph of another spacecraft with another man on board, and there, adjacent to it, a quarter of a million miles away, is Earth - the place from which the Moon's human visitors came from and where their strange, shiny flying machines were built.' While researching Apollo Remastered, Duke told Saunders that he was the one that took the incredible photograph. 'Mission Control had just informed us to rendezvous, so John [Young] was busy with that. It was such a unique opportunity I could not pass up,' Duke said. The Duke family portrait on the lunar surface. Remastered from original flight film The small copy of the same Duke family photograph that will return to the Moon later this year Saunders has previously shared images of earlier Apollo missions, as well as from the capsule of John Glenn's historic first orbit of the Earth. 'In reading the transcripts of the recorded voice transmissions and conversations during these moments we are also reminded that these guys really were out there around the Moon actually flying these spacecraft,' said Saunders. 'It required their piloting skills and appears such a risky endeavour - it was just so raw back then - a far cry from modern day rockets and spacecraft that can fly themselves and make pinpoint automated landings on a platform in the ocean. 'In fact, to time the engine cut-off during the lunar landing, Commander Young adopted a rather interesting technique - as soon as he saw the blue 'contact light' , he counted 'one potato' then shut the engine down.' Produced by stacking multiple frames of the 16mm movie film - The lunar rover's rooster tails are seen during the 'Grand Prix' along with the astronaut's 'house' on the Moon - the Lunar Module Orion When Mattingly encountered the problem with the engine on the far side of the Moon they were out of contact with Earth, but the two spacecraft could communicate with each other. WHO HAS BEEN TO THE MOON? In total twelve people have walked on the moon. 1 + 2. Apollo 11 - July 21, 1969 Neil Armstrong made history by becoming the first person to set foot on the moon. Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong on to the surface of the moon. His popular nickname gave itself to the animated characte Buzz Lightyear. 3 + 4. Apollo 12 - November 19 and 20, 1969 Pete Conrad and Alan Bean were the moon walkers on the Apollo 12 mission. The Apollo 12 crew experienced two lightning strikes just after their Saturn V rocket launched. 5 + 6. Apollo 14 - February 5, 1971 Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell who were part of the Apollo 14 mission. They launched on January 31, 1971, and landed in the Fra Mauro region of the moon, the original destination for Apollo 13. 7 + 8. Apollo 15 - July 31, 1971 David Scott and James Irwin landed on the moon and stayed for three days, until August 2nd. 9 + 10. Apollo 16 - April 21 1972 John Young and Charles Duke were the next men to walk on the moon. When the crew reached lunar orbit, the mission almost had to be aborted because of a problem with Command/Service Module's main engine. 11 + 12. Apollo 17 - December 11, 1972 The final people to walk on the moon were Eugene (Gene) Cernan and Harrison (Jack) Schmitt. Before he left the moon, Cernan scratched the initials of his daughter Tracy into the lunar regolith. Since the moon does not experience weather conditions like wind or rain to erode anything away, her initials should stay there for a very long time. Advertisement That wasn't the end of the problem, as the crew then struggled to get their radar to lock-on - causing them to manage station keeping visually. Three and a half hours after recognizing the engine problem, the crew were finally where they needed to be, with Young saying 'I can see the whites of your eyes.' Minutes later Young and Duke received the news they'd hoped for from Mission Control - they were a GO for powered descent to the lunar surface. As the 5th lunar landing, Apollo 16 was the mission which demonstrated just how confident the astronauts were becoming, living and working in a 1/6th- Earth gravity. They felt comfortable enough to try leaping as high as possible, entirely unnecessarily of course - one such moment was captured in a classic photograph as Commander John Young performed a 'jump salute' for his portrait with the U.S. flag and Lunar Module. The crew however were quickly reminded of the dangers when LMP Duke attempted his own giant leap whilst fooling around during a very brief 'mini olympics'. He lost balance mid-leap and landed hard, partly on his life support backpack. Young dryly commented: 'That wasn't very smart, Charlie.' Duke was fully aware that damaging his backpack or the suit splitting would have cost him his life. Another example of pushing the envelope of manoeuvrability and of their equipment on the Moon was during a no-holds-barred test of the Lunar Rover. Unlike the 'mini olympics', this was a planned exercise and was referred to as the 'Lunar Grand Prix' - a test of the capabilities of the rover, by putting it through a series of high speed manoeuvres and tight turns over the cratered landing site. Apollo astronauts, understandably, were generally not known for their outward displays of emotion. They were trained to subdue emotion, to remain focussed - they were cold, hard-nosed, steely-eyed fighter pilots, test pilots and engineers; the best of the best. As such, there were few real human moments during the Apollo missions. At the end of this mission, however, Charlie Duke provided one. When he and Commander John Young were back in the vicinity of the Lunar Module, after their third and final EVA (Extravehicular Activity), Duke found an appropriate area to place a portrait of his family on the lunar surface and photograph it. It shows Charlie, wife Dotty and children Charles and Tom, then seven and five, in the backyard of their home. On the back of the photograph was written 'This is the family of Astronaut Duke from Planet Earth. Landed on the Moon, April 1972.' Commander John Young's 'giant leap' in 1/6th-G. Remastered from original flight film Retired NASA astronaut Charlie Duke, 86, discusses the 50th anniversary of his trip to the moon aboard Apollo 16 in Huntsville, Ala., on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. The capsule is housed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, located near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center 'In researching my book, Duke told me it was rather an emotional moment leaving his family portrait on the Moon,' said Saunders. 'Sadly it will have quickly curled up and faded in the extreme temperature and radiation environment. 'He is therefore delighted that I'm sending a small copy of that same photograph back to the Moon at the end of this year on the uncrewed Astrobotic Peregrine lander, along with family photographs of winners of a competition I organised last year. 'It will be held in a small capsule and should therefore last much longer than the original.' Duke said on the 50th anniversary: ''The moon was really a beautiful environment. Desolate, but yet it had beauty about it.' 'The different contrasts, the mountains that we saw. The blackness of space on the surface of the moon and shades of gray. It just was very captivating.' The book, Apollo Remastered, is available for pre-order, and is released in September in the UK and US. He has long been considered one of the UK's national treasures. Now Sir David Attenborough, 95, has been awarded a 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP), in recognition of his dedication to the natural world and climate change. Attenboroughs career as a broadcaster, natural historian, author, and environmental advocate spans over seven decades. He is most famous for his work with the BBCs Natural History Unit, including documentaries such as Life on Earth, the Living Planet, Our Planet and Our Blue Planet. 'Sir David Attenborough has devoted his life to documenting the love story between humans and nature, and broadcasting it to the world, said said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director. 'If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, its because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television. 'Sir Davids work will continue to inspire people of all ages to care for nature and to become the restoration generation.' The UN's Environment Programme (UNEP) has named Sir David Attenborough a Champion of the Earth Fossil of a frog-legged beetle named 'Attenborough's beauty' after the famous naturalist A new species of frog-legged beetle that lived nearly 49 million years ago in what is now Garfield County, Colorado, has been named after iconic naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Pulchritudo attenboroughi, or 'Attenborough's beauty,' was announced in August 2021 in the journal Papers in Palaeontology, though a fossil of the prehistoric creature has been on display in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science since 1995. Advertisement The UN Environment Programmes 'Champions of the Earth' honours individuals, groups, and organisations whose actions have had a transformative impact on the environment. The annual Champions of the Earth Award is the UNs highest environmental honour, and recognises outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector. Previous recipients of the award include environmental justice advocate Robert Bullard, Barbados prime minister Mia Mottley and charity SeaWomen of Melanesia. Upon receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Sir David urged action to prevent further destruction of the planet. 'The world has to get together. These problems cannot be solved by one nation no matter how big that single nation is,' he said. 'We know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action. 'Fifty years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide. Then people got together and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen. 'If we act together, we can solve these problems.' Sir David Attenborough, pictured here in the Maasai Mara in Kenya while filming David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet Sir David began working on natural history programmes in the 1950s. His documentaries, filmed in far-flung parts of the world, are still immensely popular particularly with children and teenagers worried about climate change. Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has said that meeting the broadcaster was 'indescribable' and that everyone should strive to be like him. In the past four years, however, his warnings about the damage that climate change is causing the planet and humans have become increasingly stark. Sir David has been a long-time and staunch supporter of environmental multilateralism. In 1982, during the 10th meeting of UNEPs Governing Council, he told UN Member States: 'What you and I and other ordinary people around the world can do will not by itself save the natural world. 'The great decisions, the great disasters that face us, can only be dealt with by governments and that is why this organisation is so important.' Ahead of last year's Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow, he called for 'bold action' and support for local communities and landowners so they can create connected wild places on land and at sea to protect humanity. Nature documentaries including David Attenborough's Dynasties come under fire for presenting animals' lives as 'soap operas' Nature documentaries including the BBC series Dynasties show animals' lives as 'soap operas', a new study claims. UK researchers argue that the portrayal of animals in nature shows, while entertaining, risks spreading 'misconceptions' about species in the wild. In their research paper, they're largely critical of Dynasties, which was broadcast in 2018 and narrated by the legendary British and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The study authors claim Dynasties which is returning for a second series in 2022 was pieced together with footage to form a dramatic, scripted narrative, just like a drama starring human actors. They believe nature documentaries may have become a little too focused on drama and tension, rather than giving an accurate depiction of life in the wild. Portraying wild animals as 'soap opera-style characters' in this way is 'neither honest nor helpful', they say in their paper, and can distort public understanding of matters like conservation. Advertisement David Attenborough's (surprisingly dishy) TV debut: Fascinating photos show the national treasure as a tanned shirtless 30-year-old on his FIRST BBC documentary series in the 1950s Showing off his toned abs and tanned skin, a young Sir David Attenborough is seen fronting his first documentary series - nearly 70 years ago. The much-loved broadcaster first presented the BBC's Zoo Quest in 1954, with the initial series filmed in Sierra Leone. The naturalist, who only stepped in as presenter when zoologist Jack Lester fell ill, was pictured meeting the residents of a village, who were amazed when he played back recordings to them. In the show's second series, in 1956, Sir David, now aged 30, was seen shirtless and clutching a bottle of water as he sailed in Borneo in search of the Komodo dragon. The places and animals that he encountered were entirely unfamiliar to the Britons watching back in the UK and the show made him a household name. Sir David went on to front dozens of nature programmes on the BBC over the course of six decades and was today rewarded for his efforts by the United Nations, who named him a 'Champion of the Earth'. Sir David Attenborough fronted his first nature programme with Zoo Quest, the first series of which aired on the BBC in 1954. Above: Sir David is seen shirtless on a boat near Borneo in the show's second series in 1956 The naturalist, who only stepped in as presenter when zoologist Jack Lester fell ill, was seen meeting the residents of a village in Sierra Leone in the first series in 1954. The locals were amazed when he played back recordings to them Sir David, who was knighted in 1985, went to Sierra Leone in 1954 as a producer on Zoo Quest. The intention of the programme was to film Lester and his fellow zoologist Alfred Woods as they collected animals for London Zoo. He then stepped in when Lester fell ill with an unknown tropical illness. The zoologist died from his mysterious ailment in 1956. The footage was shot in the wild by cameraman Charles Lagus. As well as the trips to Sierra Leone and Borneo, the Zoo Quest team also travelled to Guiana, Paraguay and Madagascar. Whilst it was initially believed that the Zoo Quest series' had been shot in black and white - because that was how they aired on British screens - it later emerged that they had been filmed in colour. The original colour footage was discovered by the BBC in 2015 and was shown the following year to mark Sir David's 90th birthday. Sir David (pictured last year) was today rewarded for his efforts by the United Nations, who gave him a lifetime achievement award Sir David is seen with a chimp named Jane after returning with her from his expedition to Sierra Leone in 1954, where scenes were filmed for the first Zoo Quest series Sir David said he was 'astonished' when he was told about the existence of the colour film and said he had believed it was 'impossible' because 'we shot in black and white'. Zoo Quest made sir David a star and he went on to become the controller of BBC2, where he oversaw the introduction of colour television. He then realised his ambition to make a major natural history programme using latest cutting edge technology. What followed was the 13-part Life on Earth series, which began in 1979. Sir David is also known for shows including The Living Planet, The Life of Birds, Blue Planet, and, most recently, Extinction: The Facts. This week, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP). Upon receiving the honour, Sir David urged action to prevent further destruction of the planet. 'The world has to get together. These problems cannot be solved by one nation no matter how big that single nation is,' he said. Sir David is seen with recording equipment as cameraman Charles Lagus films behind him for Zoo Quest A 28-year-old Sir David is seen covered in mud as he leans on a Land Rover during the filming of Zoo Quest 'We know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action. 'Fifty years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide. Then people got together and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen. 'If we act together, we can solve these problems.' Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, said: 'Sir David Attenborough has devoted his life to documenting the love story between humans and nature, and broadcasting it to the world. Sir David is seen introducing the Zoo Quest programme from a studio in the UK Whilst it was initially believed that the Zoo Quest series' had been shot in black and white - because that was how they aired on British screens - it later emerged that they had been filmed in colour. The BBC then unearthed the original colour footage in 2015. Above: Sir David in the programme Sir David is seen shortly after crossing a river during filming for Zoo Quest. The broadcaster was wearing an open white shirt Prince Charles with his sister Princess Anne meet David Attenborough and Cocky, the cockatoo brought back from his last Zoo Quest expedition, at the BBC Television Studios in Lime Grove, London, 1958 'If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, its because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television. 'Sir Davids work will continue to inspire people of all ages to care for nature and to become the restoration generation.' The UN Environment Programme's 'Champions of the Earth' honours individuals, groups, and organisations whose actions have had a transformative impact on the environment. The annual Champions of the Earth Award is the UNs highest environmental honour, and recognises outstanding leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector. If you've splurged on a new designer item, you may be tempted to wear it into the office. But a new study suggests that flaunting luxury brands at work could a bad idea. Researchers from the University of Michigan found that people who display luxury brands and other signals of status are more likely to be seen as uncooperative. 'It is generally assumed that signalling status can strategically benefit people who want to appear high class why else would people pay a premium for products with luxury logos that have no other functional benefits?' said Dr Shalena Srna, lead author of the study. 'But it can also backfire by making them seem more self-interested.' Researchers from the University of Michigan found that people who display luxury brands and other signals of status are more likely to be seen as uncooperative (stock image) Just Do It! Men who wear large logos on their shirts are seen as more PROMISCUOUS Men who conspicuously wear large luxury product logos on their shirts are seen as being more promiscuous and less trustworthy and reliable, a study concluded. A US psychologist set out to see whether in the manner of peacock feathers ostentatious, blingy clothing made men appear more attractive to women. The theory was that such 'audacious displays of wealth' are enticing because they signal a man's economic power and ability to invest in their offspring's futures. However, the results of the study suggest that, in humans, luxury displays are seen more as an indicator of one's investment in mating than in reproduction. Read more Advertisement Previous studies have shown that people who appear to be wealthy tend to be seen as more intelligent, disciplined and competent. However, in the new study, the team set out to understand whether showing off your wealth also affects people's perception of your willingness to collaborate. In the study, the team carried out six experiments involving a total of more than 2,800 participants. In one experiment, 395 participants were asked to evaluate a range of social media profiles to find people who they thought were cooperative, selfless and generous to join their community. The profiles either had neutral posts, such as 'I saw the cutest puppy today! #goldenretrievers', or posts signalling a high social status, such as 'Heading to Madrid! #firstclass #luxury'. The results revealed that participants were less likely to recommend a profile to join their community if they had posts signalling high social status. They also rated these profiles as wealthier, more concerned with status, and less likely to care about others. In another experiment, 1,345 participants were asked to imagine they were creating their own social media profile, and needed to choose what to wear for their profile picture. Participants were told they were being selected for an online group. However, only half were told that the group they were hoping to join was looking for a cooperative person. Clothing options included luxury brands such as Prada or Gucci, non-luxury brands such Sketchers, or unbranded clothing. The results revealed that participants who were trying to appear as a cooperative team player were much less likely to choose luxury clothes for their profile picture. However, paritcipants were equally likely to choose to wear a non-luxury brand, whether cooperation was emphasised or not. People who wear more modest clothing in the office (stock image) are more likely to be seen as cooperative Fair-skinned people suit BLUE clothes If you struggle to decide what to wear, a new study suggests you should look to your complexion for inspiration. Researchers in Scotland found fair-skinned people best suit blue clothing, while people with tanned complexions are go best with 'warm' orange and red hues. Fashion stylists tend to advise clothing colours to complement a customer's personal appearance, such as a blue dress for someone with pale skin. Now, the study finally offers scientific evidence to show doing so is indeed deemed fetching in the eyes of observers. Read more Advertisement 'This experiment shows that people are attuned to when the value of luxury logos switches from positive to negative,' Dr Srna said. 'Not only are people strategic about when to signal status, they are also strategic about modesty.' While modesty appears to be key when cooperation is essential, the researchers emphasise that luxury brands may be beneficial when selecting group members based on other traits. For example, participants were more likely to choose a person signalling their wealth when looking for a competitive team member. The findings suggest that people may change how they present themselves depending on their social goal. 'Posting about your luxury purchases and expensive vacations on Instagram or TikTok may help you to persuade others, intimidate competitors and succeed on the dating market - at least for men. 'But it could also signal to potential friends or future employers that you are unlikely to think about the needs of others,' Dr Srna said. 'This becomes a tricky balancing act for people who may want to impress others while also demonstrating that they can be a "team player".' Every year, more than 600,000 dogs enter UK animal shelters, including many pups with behavioural or medical issues. Now, a new study has revealed how weeks in shelters can lead to chronic stress in dogs. Researchers from Utrecth University analysed hair samples to assess dogs' levels of cortisol the primary stress hormone. The results show that dogs who spend just six weeks in a shelter have significantly higher levels of cortisol than at the start of their stay. The findings suggest that hair sampling could be a useful tool in monitoring dog welfare, according to the researchers. 'To improve canine welfare, hair cortisol concentration (HCC) analysis can be a reliable and feasible non-invasive method to evaluate cortisol levels in shelter dogs, especially when comparing HCC levels over longer periods within dogs,' the researchers wrote in their study, published in Scientific Reports. Dogs who spend just six weeks in a shelter have significantly higher levels of cortisol than at the start of their stay Signs of stress in dogs Leaning away whilst lip-licking Yawning (unrelated to tiredness), leaning away Ears back, lip-licking (unrelated to expectation of food) Pausing with ears back, tail lowered, paw lifted Leaning back with tail tucked, ears back Lowered body posture, tail tucked Approaching with low, wagging tail and ears back Teeth exposed in smile shape, ears back, eyes squinted/ shut tightly Panting, pacing Advertisement Previous studies have tested for stress in shelter dogs by measuring cortisol in blood or urine. However, these methods can be invasive and only indicate immediate stress levels. Instead, the researchers set out to investigate whether hair samples could provide a non-invasive and more accurate way to assess long-term cortisol levels. 'For dogs, collecting a single sample of hair instead of multiple samples of saliva, urine or feces is feasible for practitioners, veterinarians, and researchers interested in long-term cortisol levels, as this method is non-invasive, and the sample is easy to collect and store at any time,' the researchers said. In their study, the team measured HCC in 52 dogs admitted to an animal shelter in the Netherlands between October 2018 and August 2019. Hair samples were taken four times during admittance to the shelter, after six weeks in the shelter, six weeks after adoption, and six months after adoption. A single hair sample was also taken from 20 non-shelter pet dogs as a control, while urine samples were also taken for comparison. The results revealed that there were no significant differences in HCC between shelter dogs on admittance and the control dogs. However, after six weeks in the shelter, the shelter dogs' HCC levels were significantly higher with female dogs experiencing even higher levels than male dogs. Thankfully, once the shelter dogs had been adopted, their HCC levels swiftly returned to normal levels. The findings suggest that hair sampling could be a useful tool in monitoring dog welfare, according to the researchers (stock image) 'This implies that cortisol levels in the shelter were higher and thus dogs appear more stressed during the first shelter period,' the researchers said. Overall, the findings suggest that testing HCC levels in shelter dogs could provide a quick and easy way to test their stress levels. 'HCC in shelter dogs is highly promising to provide information on cortisol responses retrospectively and in the long-term,' the researchers concluded. 'HCC can be a "stable" measure for evaluating these responses of dogs during their lives, for example to evaluate lifestyles and personality traits in dogs.' NASA's next generation lunar backpack could give astronauts the ability to create a 3D map of the surface of the moon, as they walk across the regolith. The Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK) is a mobile lidar scanner, worn as a backpack that uses light and lasers to measure range. NASA researchers and industry partners developed the device that can not only aid astronauts in the airless wastelands of the Lunar South Pole, but also on the Earth. One suggested use is for a mountaineering expedition in an unchartered environment. The hikers can create a real-time map for others in the party, as well as other hikers that might come after them - all from a simple backpack. Using KNaCK during rover excursions on the moon, as well as when traveling on foot, astronauts could precisely map the topography of the landscape, including deep ravines, mountains, and caves. They can even tag important sites for follow-up. The first woman and first person of color will land on the moon in 2025, as part of the NASA Artemis program, that will eventually land humans on the surface of Mars. NASA's next generation lunar backpack could give astronauts the ability to create a 3D map of the surface of the moon, as they walk across the regolith Donned like a hiker's backpack, KNaCK makes use of an innovative type of lidar called frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) lidar in order to provide Doppler velocity and range for millions of measurement points per second. These measurement points instantly create a real-time navigation system, delivering to the explorer a 3D 'point cloud' or high-resolution map of the surrounding terrain. It is like a super powered version of laser range finders that are used by surveyors, or a highly sensitive proximity alarm that lets smart cars avoid collisions. Planetary scientist Dr Michael Zanetti, who leads the KNaCK project, said the sensor is a surveying tool for navigation and science mapping over unusual terrains. '[It is] able to create ultra-high-resolution 3D maps at centimeter-level precision and give them a rich scientific context,' Zanetti said. 'It also will help ensure the safety of astronauts and rover vehicles in a GPS-denied environment such as the Moon, identifying actual distances to far-off landmarks and showing explorers in real time how far they've come and how far is left to go to reach their destination.' The Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK) is a mobile lidar scanner, worn as a backpack that uses light and lasers to measure range LiDAR remote sensing technology allows archaeologists to hunt for sites of interest from a distance LiDAR (light detection and ranging) is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by shooting a laser at a target and analysing the light that is reflected back. The technology was developed in the early 1960s and uses laser imaging with radar technology that can calculate distances. It was first used in meteorology to measure clouds by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The term lidar is a portmanteau of 'light and 'radar.' Lidar uses ultraviolet, visible, or near infrared light to image objects and can be used with a wide range of targets, including non-metallic objects, rocks, rain, chemical compounds, aerosols, clouds and even single molecules. A narrow laser beam can be used to map physical features with very high resolution. This new technique allowed researchers to map outlines of what they describe as dozens of newly discovered Maya cities hidden under thick jungle foliage centuries after they were abandoned by their original inhabitants. Aircraft with a Lidar scanner produced three-dimensional maps of the surface by using light in the form of pulsed laser linked to a GPS system. The technology helped researchers discover sites much faster than using traditional archaeological methods. Advertisement That's a key challenge as Artemis-era explorers prepare to undertake the first modern missions to the Moon, and the first ever to its South Pole. The Sun never rises more than 3 degrees above the lunar horizon in that region, leaving much of the terrain in deep shadow. That makes distances to various points of interest difficult to eyeball - requiring maps and data to help astronauts as they plan future bases. Initiated in 2020 with funding by NASA's Early Career Initiative, the KNaCK project has partnered with Torch Technologies of Huntsville to develop the backpack prototype and associated navigation algorithms. These algorithms will permit accurate mapping across a planet without GPS. Lidar even works in pitch blackness, relieving astronauts of the need to haul cumbersome lighting rigs everywhere they go. 'As human beings, we tend to orient ourselves based on landmarks a specific building, a grove of trees,' Zanetti said. 'Those things don't exist on the Moon. KNaCK will continuously enable explorers traversing the surface to determine their movement, direction, and orientation to distant peaks or to their base of operations. 'They can even mark specific sites where they found some unique mineral or rock formation, so others can easily return for further study.' This is vital for astronauts who will be working to a tight deadline, with excursions limited by the oxygen supply in their suits. KNaCK's ultra-high-resolution precision an order of magnitude greater than conventional lunar topography maps and elevation models makes it a vital resource for conducting science and mission operations, said Zanetti. The hardware will get another major field test in late April at NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) in Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico. The team previously put the KNaCK system through its paces at that ancient volcanic crater estimated to be 25,000-80,000 years old in November 2021. They also used it recently to conduct a 3D reconstruction of the 6-mile-long sea barrier dunes at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA researchers and industry partners developed the device that can not only aid astronauts in the airless wastelands of the Lunar South Pole, but also on the Earth One suggested use is for a mountaineering expedition in an unchartered environment. The hikers can create a real-time map for others in the party, as well as other hikers that might come after them - all from a simple backpack Kennedy and Marshall engineers will continue to use KNaCK to assess the impact of storms on dune erosion, ensuring the safety of future flight missions as they further refine the system. Next, the KNaCK team will work to miniaturize the hardware the backpack prototype weighs about 40 pounds and harden the sensitive electronics against the punishing effects of microgravity and solar radiation. 'Taking advantage of the latest advancements in lidar technology from Aeva, our next-generation space-hardened unit with support from Torch Technologies will be about the size of a soda can and could enable lunar surface operations like never before,' Zanetti said. He envisions mounting it on a rover or on the side of an astronaut's helmet which should leave plenty of room in future lunar mountaineers' all-purpose backpacks. Advertisement Some holidaymakers appear to be planning the trip of a lifetime amid a surge in currency sales, according to the Post Office. It's seeing signs of 'pent-up demand', potentially reflecting people gearing up to travel abroad for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Its latest travel money holiday index showed sales growth in a range of currencies in the first three months of 2022 compared with the first quarter of 2020. Strong growth in purchases of currencies for Croatia and the Caribbean islands suggests these are set to be the destinations of choice, the Post Office said. Strong growth in purchases of currencies for Croatia and the Caribbean islands suggests these are set to be the destinations of choice, the Post Office said. Pictured is Hvar in Croatia Purchases of the Croatian kuna are up by 137 per cent. Table courtesy of the Post Office It said sales for most currencies have been accelerating since the start of the year, with purchases of the Croatian kuna up by 137 per cent during the first quarter of this year compared with two years earlier. Caribbean currencies have also seen high levels of growth most notably the Barbados dollar and Jamaican dollar, the Post Office said. Big rises have also been charted by the Mexican peso and East Caribbean dollar. Nick Boden, Post Office head of travel money, said: 'We are used to seeing a spring surge in sales of the Croatian kuna, but the rise in March was unprecedented, indicating that Croatia is set to have another highly successful year. 'We have also seen an extraordinary rise in sales of Caribbean and Central American currencies in 2022. It suggests that pent-up demand is resulting in many Britons planning holidays of a lifetime to some of the world's most aspirational destinations.' In addition to measuring exchange rate movements and foreign currency sales trends, the Post Office index also reported on the cost of meals and drinks in destinations whose currency sales have grown most over the past two years and found a wide disparity of costs. Prices in Marmaris, Turkey, are far lower than in any other destination because of the weak lira, with the other 10 resorts surveyed varying dramatically in price. This table by the Post Office shows how the cost of meals and drinks varies across 11 top destinations, with Marmaris in Turkey the cheapest and Bridgetown in Barbados the most expensive The cost of a three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine and a range of four drinks is 133.70 in Barbados (pictured), compared to 55 in Orlando Prices have fallen by 13 per cent since 2020 in Orlando, Florida, and the 55.62 cost of a three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine and a range of four drinks (coffee, beer, cola and wine) is less than half the price than it is in Barbados (133.70). Mr Boden added: 'Holidaymakers who are still considering where to book should take resort costs into account because our research found big variations in the cost of meals and drinks. 'Turkey is cheapest by far but, across the Atlantic, price falls in Orlando make it an attractive choice especially for families - and summer sun bargain hunters are likely to find Costa Rica and Jamaica the best value at less than half the cost of Barbados. Travelling east, Mauritius also looks great value.' DuckDuckGo is now blocking Google AMP in its search engine service shortly after its rival privacy app, the Brave web browser, released its De-AMP feature. That said, both DuckDuckGo and Brave, which are primarily focused on one thing - privacy, are now bypassing Google AMP, the publishing framework of the tech giant. As per a news story by The Register, the two privacy focused services, Brave and DuckDuckGo, are now unplugging Google's AMP, redirecting their users to the original webpage of the sites they are visiting. DuckDuckGo vs. Google AMP The privacy-focused search engine, which offers its services as an alternative to Google search, announced that it is now "protecting" its users from AMP. DuckDuckGo assured its users that both its app, which includes its clients for Android, iOS, and Mac, as well as its extensions for both Google Chrome and Firefox, now bypass Google AMP. Instead of using the Google mobile pages tool, users of the privacy search engine will be redirected straight from the websites of the publisher they are attempting to read. According to a recent report by Tech Radar, the latest move of the privacy app, DuckDuckGo, comes shortly after Brave released a similar feature against Google AMP. However, it is worth noting that DuckDuckGo has yet to give more details about how its anti-Google AMP feature for both its app and extension works. Despite that, the privacy-focused service went on to claim in its tweet that "AMP technology is bad for privacy because it enables Google to track users even more (which is already a ton)." Like other critics, DuckDuckGo took a swipe against Google's alleged monopoly involving its AMP feature. In addition to that, the privacy-focused software also claimed that Google prioritizes AMP links in its search results, which in turn forces publishers to use it. Brave's De-AMP Feature On the other hand, Brave also released a new feature that blocks Google AMP on its web browser before DuckDuckGo's move. Brave aptly calls the new function De-AMP, which bypasses Google AMP for its users, bringing them to the original site of its source. The privacy-heavy web browser says that the DE-AMP feature prevents Google from tracking their browsing activities. Like DuckDuckGo, Brave says that the Google AMP is harmful. The privacy-focused app further added in its announcement that "AMP helps Google further monopolize and control the direction of the web." Read Also: Goodbye, Chrome Browser? New Browser Promises to Be Safer, Faster vs. Chrome Google AMP On the flip side, Register said in the same report that Google claims that AMP provides a more seamless experience as it loads pages faster as it runs directly on its servers. Google has been consistently telling its critics that AMP is here to make web browsing a better overall experience, noting that it is a partnership between their engineers and other publishers. Related Article: DuckDuckGo Now Won't Allow You To Become a Pirate - Say Goodbye to Torrents, Free Movies, YouTube-dl Experts say we're on the brink of a recession, and even the better-off among us are looking to tighten their belts as the cost of living crisis begins to bite. But not everyone is beholden to rising prices... Residents of Slab City, in California, don't pay bills, Nor do they have rules. Now, Channel 5 is set to uncover the mystery behind America's 'last free place', offering exclusive access to life in Slab City, in the eye-opening new documentary, Ben Fogle & The Lost City. In this fascinating documentary, Ben Fogle becomes the first presenter ever to be granted access to Slab City - a complex, extraordinary, charming, but edgy, community of people. Taking on one of his most unusual tasks to date, Ben uncovers exactly why they choose to live in a community where there is no access to a power grid, no access to refuse disposal services, and for all intents and purposes - no laws. From social outcasts and squatters to bohemians, Slab City provides a home for people from all walks of life. The residents of Slab City live completely off-grid in California's Sonoran Desert, shunning modern amenities in order to enjoy an alternative and bill-free lifestyle. Slab City has served as a safe space for thousands of transients, migrants and retirees since the 1940s, yet little is known about what exactly goes on in the commune. Inside America's lost city: Watch Ben Fogle & The Lost City as the explorer exclusively accesses Slab City - where residents live off-grid in the USA's 'last free place' Airing on Thursday April 21, Ben Fogle & The Lost City uncovers a side of Slab City that was previously a mystery to the outside world. In opting to live a life without mundane rituals and the responsibility of paying property taxes or utility bills, slabbers forfeit luxuries the western world often takes for granted, such as functioning power lines and running water. Mystery: Slab City has served as a safe space to thousands of transients, migrants and retirees since the 1940s, yet little is known about what exactly goes on in the commune Taking its name from the concrete slabs that remained after the World War II Marine Corps Camp was torn down, Slab City attracts those who want to live outside of mainstream society, with a variety of colourful characters setting up home in the middle of the barren waste land. Residents make do with a basic style of living, working together to power items through solar energy and to transport water into the camp. Many have swapped their lives in big cities filled with skyscrapers to make their new humble homes in tents, trailers, and broken-down vans. Yet while they may live without basic amenities, Ben soon learns that the slabbers haven't shunned all aspects of traditional life, throwing their own proms, weddings and birthday parties. Unique: Taking its name from the concrete slabs that remained after the World War II Marine Corps Camp was torn down, Slab City houses those who want to leave mainstream society Ben Fogle meets Peter, a resident of Slab City One resident tells Ben that Slab City is a place where you get to 'live your fantasy', yet living bill-free and without the constraints of modern society doesn't come without consequences. As well as spending time embracing the slabbers' unusual lifestyle, Ben explores Slab City's dark side. Living in the sweltering desert, the residents endure 50c heat in the summer months, resulting in 17 people dying from heat exposure last year. And in a city without laws, mob rule often prevails, with residents taking the role of judge, jury and executioner into their own hands. One slabber informs Ben of the community's unusual punishment methods when their members act up - whether it be they are run out of town, beaten, or in one instance, punished by having the rest of the community publicly urinate on them. Highs and lows: As well as spending time embracing the slabbers' unusual lifestyle, Ben explores Slab City's dark side Ben with members of the LGBTQIA Flamingo Camp neighbourhood Despite spending his career meeting with unconventional characters, Ben is left admitting 'I don't think I've ever felt so normal in all my life', as he meets with the commune's colourful residents. From a bisexual woman with severe depression and an identity crisis who wants to find her sense of purpose, to a Texan ex-convict who was unable to rehabilitate in his conservative hometown, there's a place for everyone in Slab City. While united in their desire to want to live off-grid, there are many different souls who make up Slab City, with residents dividing themselves into neighbourhoods, such as Pirate Camp or the LGBTQIA Flamingo Camp. And Slab City doesn't just attract people from the States, with people flying in from around the world to live in the commune, including a European vet that now treats Slab City's animals. In this unique melting pot of cultures and backgrounds, the slabbers are able to build their own family units away from strict mainstream values. Struggling to describe the enigma that is Slab City, Ben muses: 'It is a wilderness but it isn't as there's so much humanity here.' As Ben is given an unique insight into life in Slab City, the residents are wary that in the future the state of California could sell the land the community sits on to private companies. Yet despite living under a cloud of uncertainty and without the basic amenities that many take for granted, for the slabbers, the benefits far outweigh the cons. For now, in this unique commune, the residents are proudly settled in 'the last free place in America.' Andrew Scott was in good spirits on the set of Ripley in Rome on Wednesday as he filmed scenes for the upcoming Showtime series. The actor, 45, wore a grey suit as he walked about on set and chatted to members of the crew while holding a plastic face shield to protect himself and others from the ongoing threat of coronavirus. Irish star Andrew, wore his white shirt undone and his suit jacket done up only by the top button. Screen star: Andrew Scott, 45, was in good spirits on the set of Ripley in Rome on Wednesday as he filmed scenes for the upcoming Showtime series The star was seen with a member of the crew walking alongside him as they held an umbrella up to shelter the pair from the rain. They were seen smiling as they walked across the street, with typical Italian architecture visible in the background. Later, Andrew was seen sitting alongside a canal as he filmed scenes for the show. Ready for work: The actor wore a grey suit as he walked about on set and chatted to members of the crew Stepping out: Irish star Andrew, wore his white shirt undone and his suit jacket done up only by the top button Safety first: The star was seen holding a plastic face shield to protect himself and others from coronavirus On location: The star was seen with a member of the crew walking alongside him as they spent the day on location When in Rome: They were seen smiling as they walked across the street, with typical Italian architecture visible in the background Undercover: The member of the crew held an umbrella up to shelter the pair from the rain while on set Andrew plays the iconic Tom Ripley - the arch conman and serial killer previously played to aplomb by Matt Damon in hit 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley - in the new Showtime series while Dakota Fanning portrays Marge Sherwood. The character was created by late novelist Patricia Highsmith and played a defining role through five of her novels and several subsequent film adaptations. In the new series, set in the 1960s, Ripley is hired by a wealthy New Yorker to travel to Italy to convince his wayward son Dickie Greenleaf to return home. Fame game: Andrew plays the iconic Tom Ripley in the new Showtime series while Dakota Fanning portrays Marge Sherwood Telling the tale: The character of Tom Ripley was created by late novelist Patricia Highsmith and played a defining role through five of her novels and several subsequent film adaptations Setting the scene: In the new series, set in the 1960s, Ripley is hired by a wealthy New Yorker to travel to Italy to convince his wayward son Dickie Greenleaf to return home Trouble: Along the way, he starts to weave a complex web of deceit with murderous consequences Rework: The drama is being adapted from Highsmith's novels by Schindler's List writer Steve Zaillan But along the way, he starts to weave a complex web of deceit with murderous consequences. Dickie's Venice based American girlfriend - played by Dakota - will slowly suspect Ripley's motives when he shows up looking for him. The drama is being adapted from Highsmith's novels by Schindler's List writer Steve Zaillan. The 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, directed by the late Anthony Minghella, starred Matt Damon as Tom Ripley with Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge and Jude Law as doomed jazz musician Dickie. Ripley's US release date in the USA is confirmed to be 2022. A UK release is to be announced. Advertisement Production of the new Bridgerton prequel was well underway on Wednesday as Golda Rosheuvel filmed some of her first scenes as Queen Charlotte. It was announced last year that a spin-off series charting the younger years of the flamboyant and gossip-hungry monarch would be in the works, with the show written and produced by Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes. As first look pictures show, filming has already gathered pace as a plethora of cast and crew gathered on set to film what appeared to be a funeral. Breaking news from the ton! Production of the new Bridgerton prequel was well underway on Wednesday as Golda Rosheuvel filmed some of her first scenes as Queen Charlotte Taking centre stage was actress Golda, 52, who's character led the mourning but still looked as fabulous as ever in an elaborate bluish-grey wig topped off with a dazzling crown. She was also seen to don dark navy robes, with the outfit finished off with sparkling diamond and emerald drop earrings. Golda was seen getting stuck into her role, sporting her character's signature scowl as she gazed out of the window of her horse-drawn carriage. Though at some points she appeared to break character as she playfully pulled a number of expressions. New: It was announced last year that a spin-off series charting the younger years of the flamboyant and gossip-hungry monarch would be in the works, with the show written and produced by Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes Also present during filming was actor Hugh Sachs, 58, who plays Queen Charlotte's bumbling right hand man Brimsley. He was seen dressed in all his finery as his character led the Queen's ladies in waiting amid a large body of troops and horses. Like the sovereign, the ladies in waiting also donned dark capes and elaborate wigs, with the women cutting solemn figures as they walked. Not present in scenes was actress, India Ria Amarteifio, who is set to play the young Queen. While the likes of the Bridgerton, Sharma and Featherington families were also missing. Sad day: As first look pictures show, filming has already gathered pace as a plethora of cast and crew gathered on set to film what appeared to be a funeral Regal: Taking centre stage was actress Golda, 52, who's character led the mourning but still looked as fabulous as ever in an elaborate bluish-grey wig topped off with a dazzling crown In character: She was also seen to don dark navy robes, with the outfit finished off with sparkling diamond and emerald drop earrings There she is: Golda was seen getting stuck into her role, sporting her character's signature scowl as she gazed out of the window of her horse-drawn carriage Set in the mid 18th Century, the prequel examines the young life of Charlotte, the daughter of German royalty who wed British Monarch George III, played in the Netflix drama by Corey Mylchreest, in 1761, when she was 17. The marriage lasted 57 years and produced 15 children. Miss Amarteifio, 21, who played DCI Roz Huntleys daughter Sophie in the fourth season of BBC drama Line Of Duty, has also starred in Dr Who and ITVs Unforgotten. It will also include the origins of other characters featured in Bridgerton, namely Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury. Meanwhile, following rumbles that the second series of Bridgerton didnt live up to the raunchy heights of the first, it looks as if the producers have taken note, with the spin-off prequel to the Netflix drama, Queen Charlotte, being spiced up to keep viewing figures high. Her carriage awaits: Golda was seen sitting in the back of a black horse-drawn carriage in new scenes Is one amused? Though at some points she appeared to break character as she playfully pulled a number of expressions Drama: Set in the mid 18th Century, the prequel examines the young life of Charlotte, the daughter of German royalty who wed British Monarch George III, played in the Netflix drama by Corey Mylchreest, in 1761, when she was 17 Filming: A slew of extras in costume could be seen bowing to the Queen as the carried rolled by Bow down: Camera crew and production members milled about as cast members playing the Queen's subjects bowed down in front of the carriage It's all go: Filming is well underway for the new Netflix spin-off series about Queen Charlotte For one scene, a source says, a wall was reinforced. In another scene viewers will see banging headboards. According to a source, there were fears that one energetic love-making scene featuring the young monarch, played by India Ria Amarteifio, might be so energetic that it could literally bring the house down. There is a young cast for the prequel and the sex scenes feature them, said the insider. It is definitely going to satisfy those Bridgerton fans who are complaining that there are no sex scenes in the second series. In one storyline there will be a headboard banging hard against a wall. It will be more racy than anything from the first series. The show's writers are also keen to address criticism that Bridgerton avoided same sex relationships and has a gay problem. One scene will see Brimsley, one of Charlottes aides and played by Sam Clemmett, having sex with another male character, called Reynolds. The series will be inclusive of homosexual people and not frightened of exploring gay relationships, the source added. It is something that is important to Netflix too, to make sure that viewers can recognise themselves on their programmes. Hopefully it will solve what has become known as the gay problem. What a spectacle: A procession of troops and members of the Royal household were seen marching down the street Leading the way: Also present during filming was actor Hugh Sachs, 58, who plays Queen Charlotte's bumbling right hand man Brimsley Walk this way: He was seen dressed in all his finery as his character led the Queen's ladies in waiting amid a large body of troops and horses Finery: Like the sovereign, the ladies in waiting also donned dark capes and elaborate wigs, with the women cutting solemn figures as they walked Roles: Not present in scenes was actress, India Ria Amarteifio, who is set to play the young Queen. While the likes of the Bridgerton, Sharma and Featherington families were also missing A look back: As well as Charlotte, it will also include the origins of other characters featured in Bridgerton, namely Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury It is understood that Lizzy Talbot, the intimacy co-ordinator who worked on Bridgerton, has been hired to help with sex scenes in Queen Charlotte many of which will be filmed on a closed set where the number of cast and crew is kept to a minimum. It is something that is important to Netflix too, to make sure that viewers can recognise themselves on their programmes. Hopefully it will solve what has become known as the gay problem. It is understood that Lizzy Talbot, the intimacy co-ordinator who worked on Bridgerton, has been hired to help with sex scenes in Queen Charlotte many of which will be filmed on a closed set where the number of cast and crew is kept to a minimum. Elsewhere, the second season of Bridgerton hit number one in 92 countries and amassing 193million hours of viewing time in its premiere weekend, the highest for any English-language Netflix series in its first three days. Adapted from The Viscount Who Loved Me, the new season focused on Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and his search to find a wife. Just this month, it was announced that the cult hit had been renewed for a third and fourth seasons. Pomp and pageantry: The scenes made for quite the spectacular sight Ooh I say: Meanwhile, following rumbles that the second series of Bridgerton didnt live up to the raunchy heights of the first, it looks as if the producers have taken note, with the spin-off prequel to the Netflix drama, Queen Charlotte, being spiced up to keep viewing figures high Spicing it up: For one scene, a source says, a wall was reinforced. In another scene viewers will see banging headboards Hot stuff: There is a young cast for the prequel and the sex scenes feature them, said the insider. It is definitely going to satisfy those Bridgerton fans who are complaining that there are no sex scenes in the second series' Married At First Sight bride Selin Mengu regularly glammed up to film the show's high-octane dinner parties. But the 33-year-old went completely makeup free on Wednesday after paying a visit to a skin clinic in Sydney's inner west. Selin looked fresh faced as she made a swift exit from INJXU Cosmetics in Five Dock following a non-surgical skin treatment. All natural: Married At First Sight's Selin Mengu went completely makeup free on Wednesday after paying a visit to a skin clinic in Sydney's inner west The mother of one cut a casual figure in a long-sleeved ribbed top and high-waisted jeans. Selin, who is an executive assistant for an investment management company, swept her brunette hair into a high ponytail. She completed her laid-back look with black boots. Youthful: The 33-year-old looked fresh faced as she made a swift exit from INJXU Cosmetics in Five Dock following a non-surgical skin treatment Stylish: The mother of one cut a casual figure in a long-sleeved ribbed top and high-waisted jeans, and swept her brunette hair into a high ponytail After returning to her car, she noticed fellow MAFS bride Holly Greenstein arriving for her appointment at the same clinic. Holly, 37, looked cheerful as she walked over to greet her former co-star. The cinema manager couldn't wipe the smile off her face during their brief catch-up. What are the chances! After returning to her car, Selin noticed fellow bride Holly Greenstein arriving for her appointment at the same clinic Hello there! Holly, 37, looked cheerful as she walked over to greet her former co-star Holly showcased her youthful complexion by opting for minimal makeup, wearing just a slick of nude lipstick. The brunette dressed casually in a long-sleeved grey top with a matching skirt. She completed her ensemble with brown boots and a designer handbag. Reunited: The pair chatted for several minutes before Holly made her way inside the clinic Natural: Holly showcased her youthful complexion by opting for minimal makeup, wearing just a slick of nude lipstick Following her appointment, Holly was seen leaving in a $60,000 Ford Mustang. The sighting comes just days after Holly announced she had found love again following her disastrous 'marriage' to Texan Andrew Davis. She posted a photo on Instagram of the couple in an elevator, but her boyfriend's face was covered with a mask to conceal his identity. Fancy! Following her appointment, Holly was seen leaving in a $60,000 Ford Mustang The Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby announced on Tuesday that she and husband Michael Darby are separating, after more than seven years of marriage. And now, a source tells People that the split between the reality TV star, 33, and her spouse, 62, was due to 'inconsistencies within the relationship' and 'trust issues.' 'They've been having serious problems for about a year now. There's been a visceral disconnect between them as a couple. For Ashley, the inconsistencies within the relationship and trust issues led to the split,' the insider revealed. Trust issues: The Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby, 33, and Michael Darby, 62, are divorcing due to 'inconsistencies within the relationship' and 'trust issues,' sources told People; pictured in July The source added that Michael has moved out of the home the couple share 'a while ago.' 'Michael is a real estate developer and owns the building where the family lives. He moved out a while ago.' The source also stated that Ashley is ready to give love another shot, and has been asking friends to set her up. The Maryland-born beauty has reportedly been telling her friends 'that she considers herself single and has been asking to be set up on dates.' Issues: 'They've been having serious problems for about a year now. There's been a visceral disconnect between them as a couple,' a source said; pictured in 2017 'She's been done and is clearly ready to move on,' the insider added. The separated couple, who wed in May of 2014, are parents to sons Dean Michael Darby, two, and Dylan Matthew Darby, one. The star released a statement Tuesday to The Daily Dish confirming that she and Michael had parted ways. 'Almost eight years ago, when Michael and I said "I do," we anticipated sharing every single day together from that moment forward,' Ashley said. 'Unfortunately, that is not our current reality. We have decided to separate.' Parents of two: The separated couple, who wed in May of 2014, are parents to sons Dean Michael Darby, two, and Dylan Matthew Darby, one 'We are aware that there will be many speculative views as to why we have made this decision. People will be quick to assume that the causes were too much intrusion by reality TV into the most personal parts of our lives, age gap issues, cultural problems, or child-rearing differences. 'We are now both at very different stages in our lives and have different goals for our futures. We both want the other to achieve true happiness and fulfillment and feel that we cannot do this together,' she went on. 'While our romantic bond is broken, we will always love and respect each other,' Ashley said. 'We also know that true happiness can only be achieved by continuing to work together and putting our hearts and souls into raising our two beautiful boys, Dean and Dylan.' Ready to mingle: The beauty who announced her divorce on Tuesday has reportedly been telling her friends 'that she considers herself single and has been asking to be set up on dates'; pictured in 2021 'They will always feel loved and supported, for they were truly created out of love. As this is a personal matter for us, we appreciate everyone who has been a part of our journey and ask for your continued support by respecting us as we go through this emotional situation.' The pair initially met 11 years ago when she was working at the L2 Lounge in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and she asked him about exploring an internship at his company, she told Bravo in 2016. She eventually asked him out when she got a position with his company and they were engaged less than a year later. Michael, who is in the restaurant and real estate business, in September of 2018 was suspended from the Bravo show after he was accused by a cameraman of groping him. He was charged in connection with felony assault and misdemeanor improper sexual conduct, but the charges were later dropped as result of a lack of evidence. Jackie van Beek and Damon Herriman co-star in the hilarious new Stan Original film Nude Tuesday. They play a married couple who are gifted a trip to a New Age retreat which they hope will save their ailing marriage. The cast also includes Jemaine Clement, who plays a guru at the retreat where guests seek a higher spiritual connection with the help of tantric dance, sexual freedom and emotional support animals. New film: Jackie van Beek and Damon Herriman play a desperate couple trying to save their marriage at a New Age retreat in Stan Original comedy Nude Tuesday The film is quite unlike any other because the actors speak in a made-up language that sounds like total gibberish, but is translated with English subtitles. There is also a Stan-exclusive subtitled version courtesy of Aussie comedians Celia Pacquola and Julia Davis. In one scene, the main characters arrive at the retreat and are greeted by the confronting sounds of an orgy. Unique: The film is quite unlike any other because the actors speak in a made-up language that sounds like total gibberish, but is translated with English subtitles 'I'm a horny cobra!' Jemaine says during a group dalliance. Jackie, 45, is known for her work in the romantic comedy The Breaker Upperers, which also starred Jemaine. The New Zealand native also starred in the vampire comedy series What We Do in the Shadows, which was co-written by Jemaine and Thor director Taika Waititi. Familiar face: The cast also includes Jemaine Clement, who plays a guru at the retreat where guests seek a higher spiritual connection with the help of tantric dance, sexual freedom and emotional support animals Damon, 52, is known for his work in Stan show The Tourist, which also stars Jamie Dornan, and political drama Secret City. Jemaine is best known for being one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, and also voiced a character in Disney's animated film Moana. The Stan Original film Nude Tuesday premieres July 7 on Stan Shia LaBeouf was spotted rocking a massive bandholz beard on a Wednesday outing in Pasadena, California. The Transformers star, 35, made his way to Shake Shack to grab lunch, and looked casual cool for the outing, wearing a blue Los Angeles Rams T-shirt and mid-thigh grey shorts. The actor recently became a first-time dad, after his on-again-off-again partner Mia Goth, 28, gave birth to their child sometime in March. impressive beard: Shia LaBeouf, 35, was spotted rocking a massive beard on a Wednesday while grabbing lunch from Shake Shack in Pasadena, California The Honey Boy star finalized his look with a pair of well-worn black Nike sneakers and matching socks. At one point the actor's shirt rode up, revealing a multitude of tattoos on his stomach and ribs. The Los Angeles native later put on a black hoodie featuring a 'Pasadena Lancers' logo in yellow letters. Tatted up: At one point the actor's blue shirt rode up, revealing a multitude of tattoos on his stomach and ribs Shia and Mia have opted to keep her pregnancy low key, and neither announced the recent birth. The High Life actress was seen late in March without the baby bump she has sported in recent months, and she was spotted just a day later with the baby, confirming that she had given birth. The couple also haven't announced an engagement, but they have been rumored to be engaged after Mia was photographed in late December sporting what appeared to be a ring on her left ring finger, and she was seen again earlier in January where what appeared to be the same sparkler. The couple originally met after they appeared together in Lars Von Trier's controversial and sexually explicit two-part film Nymphomaniac in 2012. Casual look: The Transformers star later put on a black hoodie featuring a 'Pasadena Lancers' logo in yellow letters They were seen having a dramatic argument in Germany in 2015 during which Shia was caught on a video obtained by ET saying, 'If I'd have stayed there, I would have killed her.' But the following year the two appeared to have been married by an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas. The union was short-lived, though, and LaBeouf filed for divorce in 2018, but it's unclear if the marriage was ever fully dissolved, or if it was even legal to begin with. The name of Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's baby daughter has finally been revealed. According to the birth certificate obtained by TMZ, the couple named their little girl Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. Nick and Priyanka welcomed Malti Marie via surrogate on January 15 just after 8PM at a hospital in San Diego, California, the certificate also revealed. Revealed: The name of Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra's baby daughter has finally been revealed. According to the birth certificate obtained by TMZ , the couple named their little girl Malti Marie Chopra Jonas; the couple pictured in 2020 Shortly after her arrival, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Malti Marie was born at just 27 weeks, which was 12 weeks earlier than her April due date. The baby was to remain in hospital until she was healthy enough to return home with her parents, a source close to the couple said. It is unclear whether or not Malti Marie has been officially released from hospital. 'Malti' is considered a popular girls name in the Hindu community and has several meanings, including a 'small fragrant flower' or 'jasmine flower' and 'moonlight.' Growing family: Nick and Priyanka welcomed Malti Marie via surrogate on January 15 just after 8PM at a hospital in San Diego, California, the certificate also revealed; Nick and Priyanka pictured in 2019 Priyanka, who was born and raised in India, is a practicing Hindu, while Nick belongs to the Christian faith. Nick, 29, and Priyanka, 39, who tied the knot in 2018, surprised fans with news of their growing family in a statement shared on social media on Friday, January 21. 'We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via surrogate. We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family. Thank you so much (heart emoji),' the pair wrote. They did not reveal further details about the sex or name of their daughter at the time. Announcement: Nick, 29, and Priyanka, 39, who tied the knot in 2018, surprised fans with news of their growing family in a statement shared on social media on Friday, January 21 DailyMail.com's insider dished in January that the A-list couple had been wanting to have a baby together for 'quite sometime,' but their schedules had gotten in the way of their family planning. They eventually contacted an agency to explore their options and were connected with a woman in SoCal who they believed was a good match. 'Priyanka doesn't have any fertility issues preventing her from having a baby, but she is 39 now so it's not getting any easier,' the source said. 'Their busy work schedules also mean that it's difficult for them to physically be together to conceive when she is ovulating, so some time ago they went down the surrogacy route. Prepared: Priyanka gave a peek at their baby's nursery in an image shared to Instagram in February Premature: Shortly after her arrival, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Malti Marie was born at just 27 weeks, which was 12 weeks earlier than her scheduled due date. She was to remain in hospital until she was healthy enough to return home with her parents, a source close to the couple said; Priyanka and Nick pictured in 2021 'This is the woman's fifth surrogacy. They met her and really liked her. The baby had been due in April but the surrogate ended up giving birth on Sunday, so she was very premature,' the insider added. Nick and Priyanka waited for the baby to be healthy enough to move to a hospital in Los Angeles. The source continued: 'Priyanka had been trying to get her filming all done before the baby was due in April - but obviously this has completely thrown her plans. Goal: DailyMail.com's insider dished in January that the A-list couple had been wanting to have a baby together for 'quite sometime,' but their schedules had gotten in the way of their family planning; the pair pictured Sunday 'There were rumors and speculation that the marriage was in trouble and that they might divorce, but that's total nonsense. Nick and Priyanka are very happy together.' After the birth of their daughter was revealed, People reported that the couple spent 'months renovating' and baby proofing their Los Angeles home in the Encino neighborhood ahead of Malti Marie's arrival. 'When they bought the house together, they had children in mind,' an insider told the outlet at the time. 'They were hoping to have kids and needed a place with a lot of outdoor space and greenery.' Advertisement While the profit isn't quite as much as he had hoped for, Logan Paul is still in the black, after selling his Encino estate. The 27-year-old YouTube sensation originally listed the home in November for $8.995 million, after revealing his plans to leave America for Puerto Rico. The social media star-turned-boxer ultimately sold the home for $7.405 million, a steep discount from the original asking price but still netting a profit of roughly $800K. Logal sells: While the profit isn't quite as much as he had hoped for, Logan Paul is still in the black, after selling his Encino estate Paul purchased the home in 2017 for $6.6 million and put a considerable amount of work into it, so it's not ultimately clear how much that cut into the profits. Still, the deal was finalized Wednesday for the 7-bedroom, 6-bathroom, 7,667-square-foot home that was built in 1976. The home, described as an, 'ultra private contemporary compound,' is set on a tree-lined street in the exclusive Rancho Estates gated community. Listed: The 27-year-old YouTube sensation originally listed the home in November for $8.995 million, after revealing his plans to leave America for Puerto Rico Sold: Paul purchased the home in 2017 for $6.6 million and put a considerable amount of work into it, so it's not ultimately clear how much that cut into the profits Home: Still, the deal was finalized Wednesday for the 7-bedroom, 6-bathroom, 7,667-square-foot home that was built in 1976 Dynamic duo: The listing is held by Million Dollar Listing stars Josh and Matt Altman of Douglas Elliman Renovated: Josh and Matt describe the home as 'completely remastered and remodeled' The listing - held by Million Dollar Listing stars Josh and Matt Altman of Douglas Elliman - also describes the home as 'completely remastered and remodeled.' The amenities include a living room, family room, custom bar and office, plus a 'fully equipped chef's kitchen' and both formal and informal dining rooms.' The master suite features views of the outdoor space along with a 'spa-like bathroom' and a 'large walk-in closet.' Kitchen: The amenities include a living room, family room, custom bar and office Additions: This is also a 'fully equipped chef's kitchen' and both formal and informal dining rooms' Cozy: One of the home's seven bedrooms has wood floors and an overall cozy vibes suitable for a guest room Bathroom: The master suite features views of the outdoor space along with a 'spa-like bathroom' and a 'large walk-in closet' Office space: Logan transformed one of the rooms into a chic office space The home also features wood siding, vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors and marble counter tops with Italian finishes, and said to be, 'a true architectural masterpiece.' The outdoor grounds features a large pool and 'ample lounge/entertaining space' and a large grass area. There is also an outdoor Grotto Kitchen and a detached guest house with a full bedroom, bathroom, and complete view of the property. Hardwood: The home also features wood siding, vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors and marble counter tops with Italian finishes Masterpiece: The home is said to be 'a true architectural masterpiece' Entertaining: The outdoor grounds features a large pool and 'ample lounge/entertaining space' and a large grass area Outdoor: There is also an outdoor Grotto Kitchen and a detached guest house with a full bedroom, bathroom, and complete view of the property Wine cellar: Perfect for entertaining, the home has a full wine cellar Paul reportedly moved to Puerto Rico in June 2021, living in a $13 million mansion, citing California's high taxes as the reason for the move. He recently made headlines by returning to the WWE universe, as it was revealed in February that he would be The Miz's tag team partner at Wrestlemania. He and The Mix ultimately beat Rey Mysterio and Dominick Mysterio, though after the match, The Miz attacked Paul. Detached: There is also an outdoor Grotto Kitchen and a detached guest house with a full bedroom, bathroom, and complete view of the property Big move: Paul reportedly moved to Puerto Rico in June 2021, living in a $13 million mansion, citing California's high taxes as the reason for the move (not pictured) Nicolas Cage's new film The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is set to make its premiere in theaters across the U.S. on Friday. Already engulfed in the promotional push, the leading man had his pregnant wife Riko Shibata by his side as he made his way for an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday. The couple, who celebrated their first wedding anniversary in February, were greeted by some excited and enthusiastic fans, who were snapping photo after photo and clamoring for him to stop to autograph movie posters. Lovey dovey: Nicolas Cage, 58, and his wife Rika Shibata, 28, packed on the PDA when they arrived for arrived his guest spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola), 58, came dressed to impress for the guest spot decked out in a shimmering gray suit that was paired up with an equally shiny off-blue shirt. He also donned a pair of black dress shoes, and had has his dark brown hair cut short with a part on the left. Shibata, 28, looked stylish in blue extra-baggy pants, which almost resembled a dress due to the loose design, and a black jacket. The actress also wore a pair of black leather boots and had her long raven tresses styled long and straight, past the middle of her back, with a part in the middle. Unique style: Cage (born Nicolas Kim Coppola), 58, came dressed to impress in a shimmering gray suit that was paired up with an equally shiny off-blue shirt and black dress shoes Excited: The couple were greeted by enthusiastic fans who were snapping photos and clamoring for him to stop to autograph movie posters The couple first met in Japan in 2020 when Cage was filming Sion Sono's Prisoners Of Ghostland. Cage would go on and make Shibata his fifth wife in a small and intimate wedding on Las Vegas in February 2021. They have since confirmed they're expecting their first child together, which will be Cage's third. The Academy Award-winning actor has two sons from previous relationships: Weston, 31, from his romance with Christina Fulton, and Kal-El, 16, whose mother was Cage's third wife Alice Kim. Stylin': Shibata, 28, looked stylish in blue extra-baggy pants, which almost resembled a dress due to the loose design, a black jacket and black leather boots In The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, Cage plays a down-on-his-luck version of himself in Tom Gormican's action-comedy. Cage was honest about the fact that he was somewhat offended by the premise of the film, which depicts his fictionalized self as egocentric and in desperate need of a break or two, in the form of jobs and paydays. In fact, Cage went as far as to confess he 'wanted no part' of the movie and turned it down three or four times. Nic playing Nic: Nicolas Cage plays a plays a down-on-his-luck version of himself in The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent; he's pictured with co-star Pedro Pascal But then Gormican reached out to him in the form of a letter to explain his ideas. 'I thought, "OK, he's not just trying to mock so-called Nick Cage; there is a real interest in some of the earlier work."' he told The Hollywood Reporter, adding, 'His tone was more of a celebration of some of [classic onscreen moments] like being at the bottom of the pool in Leaving Las Vegas or [using] the gold guns in Face/Off.' In the film, a somewhat desperate Nicolas Cage accepts a $1 million offer from a wealthy fan (Pedro Pascal) to attend a party in Spain, which then sets sets off an action-adventure that's chock full of references to his past roles. Lapsus$ hack on Okta system only lasted for 25 minutes but it compromised the trust of the identity and access management firm's customers. Okta confirmed that the hacker group Lapsus$ accessed a support engineer's system at Sitel, a third-party Okta service provider, during the January 16-21 breach. According to the official statement posted in the website of Okta, Chief Security Officer David Bradbury said that after a thorough analysis, they have concluded that only a small percentage of customers, have potentially been impacted and whose data may have been viewed or acted upon. Bradbury said that they have identified the customers and already reached out directly by email. Lapsus$ Breach Impact is Significantly Smaller Than Expected BleepingComputer reported that based on the final forensic report, the attacker only accessed the two active customer tenants after gaining control of a single workstation used by an engineer working for Sitel. "During that limited window of time, the threat actor accessed two active customer tenants within the SuperUser application (whom we have separately notified), and viewed limited additional information in certain other applications like Slack and Jira that cannot be used to perform actions in Okta customer tenants," Bradbury relayed in a statement made on Tuesday. He added that the threat actor was unable to successfully perform any configuration changes, MFA or password resets, or customer support 'impersonation' events. Okta said that they would ensure that their services providers comply with new security requirements, including adopting Zero Trust security architecture and authenticating via Okta's IDAM solution for all workplace apps, as per the BleepingComputer report. Okta admitted that they made a mistake of delaying the disclosure of the January breach because they are not yet aware of the extent of the incident and its impact on customers. The identity and access management firm began investigating claims of a breach after Lapsus$ shared screenshots in a Telegram channel implying they had hacked Okta's customer networks. Read Also: Lapsus$ Not Yet Dead as Software Company Globant Becomes Latest Victim Okta Provides Customers With Final Forensic Report After Okta reached the conclusion of their investigation, they have provided the Okta customers who were impacted with the hack with the final forensic report. This was prepared for Okta by a globally recognized cybersecurity forensic firm. According to Okta's statement in their website, they also provided the Okta Security Action Plan, which outlines Okta's short and long term steps to strengthen the security of our third-party processors with access to customer support systems. Okta responded with transparency when they first became aware that the threat actor on March 21, 2022. They shared what they knew at the time. "On March 22, 2022, they began notifying the maximum number of potentially impacted customers, which we scoped by examining all of the access performed by all Sitel employees to the SuperUser application during the 5-day window." Okta said. They held meetings that included Okta Security staff to help customers understand their log data, and they shared logs from the SuperUser app with each of these customers. "We have done this to demonstrate our commitment to rebuilding their trust and to working alongside them to reaffirm the security of their Okta service." Okta explained. Related Article: Okta Confirms 'Small Percentage of Customers' Possibly Affected by LAPSUS$ Hack After Initially Denying Breach Wednesday afternoon was a fine time for a motorcycle ride, as Keanu Reeves learned in Malibu. The 57-year-old actor was spotted in Malibu with a number of his biker friends, and one of his personal Arch Motorcycles. Reeves co-founded Arch Motorcycles in 2011 with Gard Hollinger, where they produce high-ended custom-built motorcycles. Bike ride: Wednesday afternoon was a fine time for a motorcycle ride, as Keanu Reeves learned in Malibu Reeves was spotted wearing a black Alpine Stars coat with a while and red backpack strapped to his back. The Matrix star sported his traditional long black hair along with black sunglasses and blue jeans for the outing. He completed his look with a pair of light brown work boots as he conversed with a number of other bikers. Keanu's look: Reeves was spotted wearing a black Alpine Stars coat with a while and red backpack strapped to his back Reeves made headlines in late March when he was spotted browsing rings at the Irene Neuwirth jewelry store on Melrose in West Hollywood. The action icon has been dating Alexandra Grant, for the past four years, though there's no indication he has, or will be, popping the question. It's possible he was shopping for a birthday gift, since Grant turned 49 years old in early April. Headlines: Reeves made headlines in late March when he was spotted browsing rings at the Irene Neuwirth jewelry store on Melrose in West Hollywood Dating: The action icon has been dating Alexandra Grant, for the past four years, though there's no indication he has, or will be, popping the question The actor also made headlines last month when his movies were suddenly removed from steaming services in China. At least 19 of the actor's movies - including The Matrix and John Wick franchises - were removed after he participated in a Tibet-related concert. The concert had been organized by a non-profit organization founded by the Dalai Lama. Headlines: The actor also made headlines last month when his movies were suddenly removed from steaming services in China Movies: At least 19 of the actor's movies - including The Matrix and John Wick franchises - were removed after he participated in a Tibet-related concert Reeves is coming off the critically-acclaimed The Matrix Resurrections for Warner Bros., which debuted in theaters and on HBO Max in December. He also has John Wick 4 in post-production, expected to be released in theaters in 2023, with a fifth movie in the bone-crunching franchise in pre-production. Recent: Reeves is coming off the critically-acclaimed The Matrix Resurrections for Warner Bros., which debuted in theaters and on HBO Max in December Former Today show weatherman Steve Jacobs had his Instagram account hacked while he was hosting live TV on Thursday morning. He was filling in for Tristan MacManus on Studio 10 when his profile was accessed by fraudsters, who spammed his feed with cryptocurrency scams. Steve, 55, who was hosting the show with Sarah Harris, was unaware his account had been compromised until he was alerted by Daily Mail Australia. Bad timing! Former Today show weatherman Steve Jacobs (right) had his Instagram account hacked while he was co-hosting Studio 10 with Sarah Harris (left) live on Thursday morning His reunion with Sarah, with whom he had previously hosted Nine's Weekend Day in 2013, was soured by the social media breach. As he anchored the show from Channel 10's Pyrmont studios, hackers shared posts claiming he'd made $60,000 from a $6,000 investment in Bitcoin. They uploaded doctored screenshots of ANZ bank statements purporting to show a deposit of $60,000, alongside the text, 'Another profit made today with an investment of $6,000,' adding a link to a Bitcoin trader's account. Cryptocurrency scams: As Steve anchored the show from Channel 10's Pyrmont studios, hackers shared posts claiming he'd made $60,000 from a $6,000 investment in Bitcoin Elsewhere on Thursday's program, Sarah and Steve joked about the fact they'd both got divorced since they last hosted breakfast TV together in 2013. 'Look at us now: we are at a new network and both divorced,' Sarah, 40, said. 'Thank goodness we are all back and everything is fine nowadays. What are you up to for dinner?' Steve jokingly replied. 'I'm wide open, mate, let me tell you,' she quipped as they both burst into laughter. A lot has changed! Elsewhere on Thursday's program, Sarah and Steve joked about the fact they'd both got divorced since they last hosted breakfast TV together in 2013 Sarah confirmed her split from husband-of-seven-years Tom Ward in March last year, and Steve separated from his ex-wife Rosie Jacobs in 2018. The Jacobs had relocated to Vanuatu with their children in mid-2017 in what friends said was a 'last-ditch attempt' to save their marriage. However, things fell apart within a few months. Over: In March last year, Sarah confirmed her split from husband-of-seven-years Tom Ward She recently returned to Australia after a brief trip to the U.S. And Rebel Wilson showed off her slimmed-down physique as she stepped out in her home city of Sydney on Wednesday. The Hollywood actress, 42, flaunted her 35kg weight loss in skintight shorts and a T-shirt as she visited a Thai massage shop in Balmain. Out and about: Rebel Wilson showed off her 35kg weight loss in skintight shorts and a T-shirt as she visited a Thai massage shop in Balmain, Sydney, on Wednesday Rebel completed her casual look with white shoes and a cap with the slogan 'Rebel Island' stitched on the front. She accessorised with aviator sunglasses and tied her blonde hair in a low ponytail. Rebel has spent a lot of time overseas recently. She hosted the BAFTAs in London in March, then jetted to Los Angeles for the Oscars and to film a secret project. Finishing touches: Rebel completed her casual look with white shoes and a cap with the slogan 'Rebel Island' stitched on the front Details: She accessorised with aviator sunglasses and tied her blonde hair in a low ponytail Her comedy film Senior Year, about a woman who wakes from a 20-year coma determined to complete her last year of high school, will be released on Netflix on May 13. Rebel has lost more than 35kg (77lbs or 5.5st) in the last 18 months, which she attributes to healthy eating and daily walks. She told Apple Fitness+ in January that walking, rather than high-intensity workouts, had actually been her secret weapon for weight loss. Jet-setter: Rebel has spent a lot of time overseas recently. She hosted the BAFTAs in London in March, then jetted to Los Angeles for the Oscars and to film a secret project Transformation: Rebel has lost more than 35kg (77lbs or 5.5st) in the last 18 months, which she attributes to healthy eating and daily walks 'The doctor said to me, "Rebel, the best way for you to lose unwanted body fat is just simply walking,"' she explained. 'Doesn't have to be high-intensity, doesn't have to be uphill, just moderate walking an hour a day. And if you can do that, for you, for your body type, it's, like, the best way to lose unwanted body fat.' To keep her walks interesting, Rebel said she often listens to podcasts. They are notoriously private when it comes to their relationship. And Sam and Lara Worthington made a very rare red carpet appearance at the premiere of his new miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The couple held hands as they posed for photos against the media wall. There they are! Sam and Lara Worthington made a rare red carpet appearance together as they attended the premiere of his new series Under the Banner of Heaven in Los Angeles on Wednesday The Avatar actor, 45, looked uncomfortable in the spotlight and barely raised a smile for the cameras. Sam looked dapper in the black slimline suit and added an AC/DC T-shirt to his look to give it an edge. Meanwhile, model Lara was glamorous in a figure-skimming slinky black dress which featured cut-out detailing at the sides. Cheer up chap! The Avatar actor, 45, looked uncomfortable in the spotlight and could barely raise a smile for the cameras She also added a grungy twist to her ensemble by pairing the frock with some chunky combat boots. The 34-year-old was glowing in minimal makeup and wore her blonde locks in a smooth straight style. Andrew Garfield, 37, and fellow Brit Daisy Edgar-Jones, 23, also star in the FX on Hulu limited series. Stunning: Model Lara looked glamorous in a figure-skimming slinky black dress which featured cut-out detailing at the sides Edgy: Sam looked dapper in the black slimline suit and added an AC/DC T-shirt to his look to give it an edge Based on the 2003 book of the same name by Jon Krakauer, it's been adapted by Oscar-winning American screenwriter Lance Dustin Black and is directed by British filmmaker David Mackenzie, whose credits include Hell Or High water. The series, set among the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints in Utah, follows Garfield's devout detective as he investigates the brutal murder of a young Mormon woman, Brenda Lafferty, played by Edgar-Jones. Sam plays the role Ron Lafferty, a self-professed prophet, who along with his brother Dan Lafferty are responsible for her brutal murder. Co-star: Andrew Garfield, 37, also stars in the FX on Hulu limited series and arrived at the premiere in a sleek navy suit The investigation leads Garfield to encounter the esteemed Utah family who are characterised by their fundamentalist LDS faith and deep mistrust of the government. The investigation causes Garfield's character to begin to doubt his own beliefs and his church's teachings as he learns more about the murderer. The story is a passion project for Lance Black who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for 2008 biopic Milk. Unique: Meanwhile, Daisy Edgar-Jones wore a quirky black dress with fur trim Lara and Sam tied the knot in December 2014 in a low-key ceremony, saying 'I do' in front of just 10 people at a private house in Melbourne. At the time Lara was six months pregnant with their son Rocket. 'It was very intimate, we just popped in to Melbourne where Sam's family is from. It was just our families, less than 10 people,' she told KIISFM's The Kyle and Jackie O show. 'We wrote the whole celebration, we wrote all our vows. I was pregnant as well.' Describing her wedding-day look, Lara added: 'It was super chilled. Just before the wedding I was in London, it was really cold at the time and finding a dress at six months pregnant was difficult. 'I found something at Louis Vuitton, it was white.' The couple share three children - Rocket, six, Racer, four, and River, one. Say cheese! The cast cuddled up as they posed for a group photo Kourtney Kardashian posted a variety of fun snaps with fiance Travis Barker and their children on Wednesday night as she looked back on her 43rd birthday. The entrepreneur posed up with future stepchildren Atiana De La Hoya, 23, Landon Barker, 18, and Alabama Barker, 16, and her son Reign Disick, seven, as well as Travis, 46. She wrote: 'Grateful for all of the blessings God has given me on my 43rd year of life,' she said. 'Heart full.' Reflective: Kourtney Kardashian posted fun snaps as she looked back on her 43rd birthday (pictured L-R with Travis, Alabama Barker, 16, Reign Disick, 7, Landon Barker, 18, and Atiana De La Hoya, 23) The post quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of likes from the media personality's 171 million followers. At Disneyland the mother-of-three was joined by her future stepchildren Atiana De La Hoya, 23, Landon Barker, 18, and Alabama Barker, 16, and her son Reign Disick, seven. The group took several photos together at the theme park, posing against a blue and beige wall with mouse ears on their heads. They all wore black outfits, with Atiana being the only one who complemented her black shirt with light wash jeans. Sweet: The entrepreneur shared multiple photos from her trip to Disneyland with fiance Travis Barker and their kids Message: 'Grateful for all of the blessings God has given me on my 43rd year of life,' she said. 'Heart full' Kourtney was dressed in a black t-shirt with a colorful graphic print on the front and a pair of black cargo pants. She added a pair of black boots with a chunky platform heel, as well as a pair of dark sunglasses. She showed her festive spirit with a pair of Minnie Mouse ears that had white polka dots and a gold bow. Joining her with their own mouse ears were Landon and Reign, with the former sporting a button-up black shirt and black skinny jeans. Crew: At Disneyland the mother-of-three was joined by her future stepchildren Atiana De La Hoya, 23, Landon Barker, 18, and Alabama Barker, 16, and her son Reign Disick, seven Cool and casual: Kourtney was dressed in a black t-shirt with a colorful graphic print on the front and a pair of black cargo pants In one snapshot the birthday girl held up a peace sign as her partner Travis did as well - using the hand gesture behind Alabama's head to give her 'bunny ears.' The teenager wore black leggings with an oversized zip-up black hoodie with red lettering across the front. She parted her platinum blonde hair down the middle and pulled the locks back. Alabama accessorized with rectangular-shaped black sunglasses and a pair of hoop earrings. Cutie pie: Mason looked adorable in a pair of black overalls and a brown and white striped shirt underneath Yum! Kourtney also shared a Minnie Mouse-themed birthday cake in her roundup of images Kourtney also shared a Minnie Mouse-themed birthday cake in her roundup of images. The baked good was expertly created with a red base and black silhouettes of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. It read 'Happy Birthday Kourtney' in white icing around the bottom of the sweet treat. The family-of-six enjoyed the amusement park's offerings from day to night. Sweet tooth: Kourtney snacked on a mouse-shaped funnel cake with powdered sugar Beautiful: In her Instagram Stories Kardashian shared video clips of her scanning her sprawling mansion as she showed off heaps of flowers from her beau In her Instagram Stories Kardashian shared video clips of her scanning her sprawling mansion as she showed off heaps of flowers from her beau. The colorful floral arrangements brightened up her neutral-colored foyer. She even placed a bouquet outside on her patio. The POOSH founder made sure to tag her man in the content, adding a burning red heart emoji next to his Instagram handle. Refresher: The colorful floral arrangements brightened up her neutral-colored foyer. She even placed a bouquet outside on her patio Advertisement Zendaya, Alexa Demie and Sydney Sweeney led the glammed up stars in attendance at HBO Max's For Your Consideration event for their hit series Euphoria on Wednesday night. It was held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles and featured a live panel discussion with the cast, as well as a screening of an episode from Euphoria season two. A third season of the hit show has been confirmed but no release date has been announced yet. Zendaya hit the red carpet in an ultra chic grey suit featuring an oversized blazer jacket and high-waisted tapered trousers. Arrivals: Zendaya, Alexa Demie and Sydney Sweeney led the glammed up stars in attendance at HBO Max's FYC event for their hit series Euphoria on Wednesday night The 25-year-old actress tucked a matching grey blouse into the waistband of her pants and slipped her feet into a pair of stiletto heels. Her brunette hair was slicked back and styled into a faux bob that sat at the nape of her neck. The Disney Channel alum rocked a smokey black and grey eyeshadow look while dousing her plump pout in clear lip gloss. Zendaya accessorized with dazzling jewels, including a number of sparkly rings on her fingers and a pair of diamond studs in her ears. Ultra chic: Zendaya hit the red carpet in an ultra chic grey suit featuring an oversized blazer jacket and high-waisted tapered trousers Impeccably styled: The 25-year-old actress tucked a matching grey blouse into the waistband of her pants and slipped her feet into a pair of stiletto heels Effortless: She looked effortlessly cool as she posed for photos on the red carpet She looked effortlessly cool as she posed for photos with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and HBO & HBO Max's CCO Casey Bloys. The Shake It Up star let her silly side shine while mingling with her castmates on the red carpet ahead of the screening, including actor Colman Domingo. She also looked fierce while striking poses beside renown photographer Law Roach, who cut a fashion-forward figure in complimentary neutral tones and a metallic Chanel tote. Sleek: Her brunette hair was slicked back and styled into a faux bob that sat at the nape of her neck Smokey: The Disney Channel alum rocked a smokey black and grey eyeshadow look while dousing her plump pout in clear lip gloss Main character: Zendaya plays Euphoria's main protagonist Rue, an addiction-plagued teen struggling to keep her head above water and her lies straight Big moment: The role earned the actress the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series during the 72nd Emmy Awards in 2020 Zendaya plays Euphoria's main protagonist Rue, an addiction-plagued teen struggling to keep her head above water and her lies straight. The role earned the actress the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series during the 72nd Emmy Awards in 2020. Alexa Demie smoldered in a sheer black floor-length gown with a glimmering gold sheen. Smoldering: Alexa Demie smoldered in a sheer black floor-length gown with a glimmering gold sheen Curve-clinging: The 31-year-old actress' curve-clinging dress featured a high neckline and elegant bishop sleeves. It also had an open back and a modest leg slit Rivals: Alexa and Sydney Sweeney play rivaling BFFs on the hit TV series The 31-year-old actress' curve-clinging dress featured a high neckline and elegant bishop sleeves. It also had an open back and a modest leg slit. Her raven tresses were slicked back and her fringe was modeled into dramatic curls that perfectly framed her face. Alexa - who plays the ruthless Queen Bee of East Highland High School, Maddy Perez - channeled 90s glamour by rocking skinny brows, a wash of gold shadow on the eyelids and a nude lip with dark lip liner. 90s glam: Alexa - who plays the ruthless Queen Bee of East Highland High School, Maddy Perez - channeled 90s glamour by rocking skinny brows, a wash of gold shadow on the eyelids and a nude lip with dark lip liner; Alexa pictured with Sydney Sweeney Busty: Sydney Sweeney put her ample bust front and center by going topless beneath a fitted black blazer Color coordinated: The 24-year-old starlet - who plays Maddy's conflicted BFF, Cassie Howard - styled the chic outwear with a pair of matching flared trousers She was completely devoid of accessories, but she did show off her dramatic, claw-like manicure for the cameras on the red carpet. Sydney Sweeney put her ample bust front and center by going topless beneath a fitted black blazer with sexy jeweled, mesh paneling. The 24-year-old starlet - who plays Maddy's conflicted BFF, Cassie Howard - styled the chic outwear with a pair of matching flared trousers. Sydney's bright blonde hair was parted down the middle and styled in loose waves that cascaded down her chest. Runway-ready: Hunter looked runway-ready as she arrived in a bubbled black mini dress with batwing sleeves Platform perfection: The 23-year-old model paired her dress with some chunky leather knee-high boots Edgy: It had a gathered neckline and an edgy raw hem Beaming beauties! Alexa Demie, Hunter Schafer and Sydney Sweeney gathered for a shot Y2K style: Hunter's blonde hair was styled in a bun with several pieces left out towards the front to create a Y2K-inspired look She rocked a sultry black eyeshadow look while keeping her complexion products to a minimum and opting for clear lip gloss. The White Lotus actress looked excited to reunite with her co-stars Alexa Demie and Hunter Schafer on the red carpet. Hunter looked runway-ready as she arrived in a bubbled black mini dress with batwing sleeves. It had a gathered neckline and an edgy raw hem. Preppy: Maude Apatow cut a preppy figure by stepping out for the evening in pink, green and black houndstooth mini dress Cut it out! The eye-catching garment was cut-out at the stomach with golden boning in place to highlight her trim waistline Boosted: The 24-year-old actress - who plays Cassie's ambitious, but often overshadowed sister Lexi Howard - slipped into a pair of platform Mary Jane heels Classic: Barbie Ferreira wowed in a black asymmetrical slip dress with lace trim along the waist and hem Natural beauty: She let her undeniable natural beauty shine by wearing minimal makeup. Her auburn tresses were worn in straightened strands The 23-year-old model paired her dress with some chunky leather knee-high boots. Hunter's blonde hair was styled in a bun with several pieces left out towards the front to create a Y2K-inspired look. Maude Apatow cut a preppy figure by stepping out for the evening in pink, green and black houndstooth mini dress. The eye-catching garment was cut-out at the stomach with golden boning in place to highlight her trim waistline. Bigwigs: Zendaya looked effortlessly cool as she posed for photos with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and HBO & HBO Max's CCO Casey Bloys Season two: The highly-anticipated second season of Euphoria premiered in January. It consisted of eight hour-long episodes, with the finale airing on February 27; (L-R) Alexa Demie, Sydney Sweeney, Maude Apatow, Zendaya Coleman, Barbie Ferreira and Hunter Schafer pictured Fierce: Zendaya also looked fierce while striking poses beside renown photographer Law Roach, who cut a fashion-forward figure in complimentary neutral tones and a metallic Chanel tote Reunited: The Shake It Up star let her silly side shine while mingling with her castmates on the red carpet ahead of the screening, including actor Colman Domingo, who wore an ensemble from Zegna The 24-year-old actress - who plays Cassie's ambitious, but often overshadowed sister Lexi Howard - wore her hair up in a bun and slipped into a pair of platform Mary Jane heels. Barbie Ferreira wowed in a black asymmetrical slip dress with lace trim along the waist and hem. The model/actress styled her understated dress with some trendy black leather boots. She let her undeniable natural beauty shine by wearing minimal makeup. Her auburn tresses were worn in straightened strands. Gang's all here! Alexa Demie, Sydney Sweeney, Eric Dane, Maude Apatow, Zendaya Coleman, Barbie Ferreira, Hunter Schafer and Colman Domingo pose together on the red carpet ahead of the screening and Q&A Heartthrob: Jacob Elordi looked every bit the heartthrob as he arrived to the event in a stylish black suede Prada jacket layered over a white tee Sexy: Jacob's onscreen dad Eric Dane, who oozed sex appeal in a fitted black suit and a crisp white dress shirt Jacob Elordi looked every bit the heartthrob as he arrived to the event in a stylish black suede Prada jacket layered over a white tee. He completed the look with some loose fitting black slacks and a pair of black patent leather dress shoes. The Australian hunk - who plays the brooding, short fuse, Nate Jacobs - had a bit of fun on the red carpet by making several silly poses for the cameras. Jacob's onscreen dad Eric Dane, who oozed sex appeal in a fitted black suit and a crisp white dress shirt. Blue: Colman Domingo had all eyes on him in a stylish powder blue Zegna suit consisting of an oversized, raw hem jacket and baggy trousers The adults of Euphoria: Domingo plays the role of Rue's sponsor Ali in the hit TV series, while Alanna Ubach plays Cassie and Lexi's distracted, wine-guzzling mother Suze Neon peach: Alanna showcased her enviably toned legs in a pair of neon peach shorts with a matching blazer The Grey's Anatomy star has earned critical acclaim for his role as Nate's father Cal Jacobs, whose repressed homosexuality comes to the surface as his nuclear family begins to crumble. Colman Domingo, who plays the role of Rue's sponsor Ali in the hit TV series, had all eyes on him in a stylish powder blue Zegna suit consisting of an oversized, raw hem jacket and baggy trousers. Alanna Ubach, who plays Cassie and Lexi's distracted, wine-guzzling mother Suze, showcased her enviably toned legs in a pair of neon peach shorts with a matching blazer. Chloe Cherry beamed for shutterbugs while donning a silky blue slip dress with a matching lime green lace-lined cape. All smiles: Chloe Cherry beamed for shutterbugs while donning a silky blue slip dress with a matching lime green lace-lined cape So cute: The actress/adult entertainer carried her essentials in a pink beaded bag Exciting: Sydney and Maude were captured arriving to the event's venue just moments before the red carpet commenced Giggly: The girls were chatting and giggling as they made their way towards the carpet together The actress/adult entertainer carried her essentials in a pink beaded bag and slipped on some trendy chunky white sandals. The highly-anticipated second season of Euphoria premiered in January. It consisted of eight hour-long episodes, with the finale airing on February 27. Wednesday's event was hosted and presented by HBO Max and held at the David Geffen Theater, which is located within the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA. Euphoric night: Wednesday's event was hosted and presented by HBO Max and held at the David Geffen Theater; Alexa Demie (left) and Sydney Sweeney (right) Exclusive: It was exclusively for Television Academy members, with doors opening at 6PM PST; Jacob Elordi pictured It was exclusively for Television Academy members, with doors opening at 6PM PST. The fifth episode of the second season, titled Stand Still Like the Hummingbird, was promptly screened at 7PM. The cast discussion panel took place directly after the screening and was moderated by Euphoria star Colman Domingo. Euphoria debuted its very first season in August 2019. The series follows a group of high school student as they attempt to navigate the good and bad of teenage life. Special selection: The fifth episode of the second season, titled Stand Still Like the Hummingbird, was promptly screened at 7PM; Sydney Sweeney pictured Open convo: The cast discussion panel took place directly after the screening and was moderated by Euphoria star Colman Domingo; Alexa Demie pictured Natalie Gruzlewski has revealed what viewers can expect when the upcoming season of Farmer Wants A Wife returns later in the year. In an interview with The Morning Show on Thursday, the 45-year-old TV host spoke about this year's season featuring a female farmer. Natalie said having Paige - a 27-year-old sheep and cattle farmer from Cassilis in NSW - had been 'really fun'. Coming soon: Natalie Gruzlewski (pictured) has revealed what viewers can expect when the upcoming season of Farmer Wants A Wife returns later in the year 'This time around we have a female farmer [named] Paige who is absolutely delightful,' she said. 'She's a first-generation farmer, so she's made the move from the city to the country. She fell in love with farming when she was 15, so it's really fun to have Paige on board this year as she's looking for a husband.' It was first revealed back in November that Paige would be joining the usually all-male line-up of farmers in search of a romantic partner. Mixing it up: In an interview with The Morning Show on Thursday, the 45-year-old TV host spoke about this year's season featuring a female farmer (left) According to her bio, she's looking for a partner who is 'honest, driven and shares similar interests like horse riding and campdrafting'. Paige will be joining farmers Benjamin, 33, James, 28, Ben, 27, Harry, 23, and Will, 26, on this year's series. The show previously featured a female farmer during the 2008 season, with farmer Jenny Geppert (nee Blake) enjoying a short-lived romance with contestant Owen. Looking for love: Natalie said having Paige - a 27-year-old sheep and cattle farmer from Cassilis in NSW - had been 'really fun' Fans of the show have already expressed their excitement at Paige's appearance on the series, after a teaser video with her was shared on Instagram back in November. 'Do I apply or not,' commented one fan, while another wrote, 'Major Grace McLeod vibes. Get it girl!' Added another: 'I like her already, she will do well.' Deborra-Lee Furness has spoken about how she met her husband of 26 years Hugh Jackman. The 66-year-old revealed on Gus Worland's Not an Overnight Success podcast, she was living in Hollywood when a psychic told her she should return to Australia. The actress travelled back to her home country, where she landed a role on TV mini series Correlli alongside Hugh. Fate: Deborra-Lee Furness has revealed the bizarre moment that led her to meeting husband Hugh Jackman 'I would travel between Australia and Hollywood a lot. I'd had enough of Hollywood and I saw a psychic and she said "you have to go back to Australia",' she said. 'So I came back and literally everything the psychic said came true. I got this show Corelli and [Hugh] was my co-star.' She continued: 'I didn't know him but we had an incredible connection... And the rest is history'. Sign: The 66-year-old revealed on Gus Worland's Not an Overnight Success podcast, she was living in Hollywood when a psychic told her she should return to Australia Hugh and Deborra-Lee got married on April 11, 1996, just one year after meeting. The pair met on set of Australian drama Corelli, with Hugh saying he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life with Deborra-Lee after just two weeks. They have two children: Oscar Maximilian Jackman, 20, and Ava Eliot Jackman, 15. In 2020, Hugh told People that the secret to their happy marriage was 'making time for each other and 'always learning' from one another. 'So I came back and literally everything the psychic said came true. I got this show Corelli and [Hugh] was my co-star. I didn't know him but we had an incredible connection... And the rest is history,' she said He said they consciously 'reset' their marriage from time to time, which means they don't grow apart like many longtime couples do. 'We're always learning and humans change so you have to, even though we've been together 25 years, you gotta reset all the time,' he said. 'I'm always reeling in how funny she is and how amazing she is and how smart she is. The longer it goes on the better it gets.' Colin Morgan was seen shooting a gun as he filmed dramatic scenes for IRA thriller Borderland in Glasgow on Wednesday. The Northern Irish actor, 36, looked furious as he fired a gun pointed at his co-star Mark Strong as they shot tense outdoor scenes for the fictional thriller on the city's streets. He cut a smart figure in grey trousers and a white shirt, which he wore underneath a beige trench coat. Tension: Colin Morgan was seen shooting a gun as he filmed dramatic scenes for IRA thriller Borderland in Glasgow on Wednesday Drama: The Northern Irish actor, 36, appeared disheveled as he wore his brown locks in untidy curls which fell across his face, while he sported trimmed facial hair Colin appeared disheveled as he wore his brown locks in untidy curls which fell across his face, while he sported trimmed facial hair. Meanwhile, his co-star Mark - who looked almost unrecognisable - was seen doubling over as Colin fired the shot. Mark, 58, looked dapper in a dark green suit, which he paired with a brown striped tie and matching shoes as he kept warm underneath a blue raincoat between takes. He appeared strikingly different from his normal bald look as he sported a slicked back head of hair and a moustache. Action: Meanwhile, his co-star Mark Strong - who looked almost unrecognisable - was seen doubling over as Colin fired the shot New look: Mark,58, appeared strikingly different from his normal bald look as he sported a slicked back head of hair and a moustache Serious: Colin looked furious as he fired a gun pointed at his co-star Mark Strong as they shot tense outdoor scenes on the city's streets In other snaps, Colin was spotted in the driver's sear of a dark green vehicle where he was surrounded by crew members. The Northern Irish star looked tense during the scene where a camera was strapped to the front of the car as he drove through the city centre. Colin's character in the film is not known but he was previously seen firing a gun during another outdoor shoot earlier this month. Gun shot: Mark was seen reacting as Colin fired a shot at him in tense scenes for the IRA drama Plot: Colin's character in the film is not known but he was previously seen firing a gun during another outdoor shoot earlier this month The actor most recently appeared in Belfast opposite Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe. According to Deadline, Borderland follows an Irish paramilitary named Michael (Jack Reynor) who witnesses the death of his pregnant wife at the hands of SAS agent Tempest. Tempest is sent back to London to lead a counter-terrorist operation while Michael joins an active service unit wrecking havoc in the city. Career: The actor most recently appeared in Belfast opposite Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe Filming: In other snaps, Colin was spotted in the driver's sear of a dark green vehicle where he was surrounded by crew members On location: Colin Morgan wraped up warm in a beige coat as he filmed a car scene for IRA thriller Borderland in Glasgow on Wednesday Michael aims to hunt down Tempest to avenge his wife's death. The film will also star The Theory of Everything actress Felicity Jones and Queen Sugar star Jodie Turner-Smith. The screenplay was written by Felicity's husband Charles Guard and his brother Thomas. The pair said: 'Borderland is a vengeance fueled chase movie, fusing some pulse ticking action with a powerful message for our times. Filming: . The actor, 36, was spotted in the driver's sear of a dark green vehicle where he was surrounded by crew members Crew: The Northern Irish star looked tense during the scene where a camera was strapped to the front of the car as he drove through the city centre Thriller: Colin's character in the film is not known but he was previously seen firing a gun during another outdoor shoot earlier this month 'We're thrilled that the script, driven as much by character as it is by plot, has attracted such a first rate cast.' Producer Chris Coen added: 'It's been a pleasure working with Rocket Science putting the film together and I couldn't be more excited to get this prodigious project into production later this year. 'The Guard Brothers make for a terrific team who are assembling a formidable cast and crew.' Kate Moss looked typically chic as she cosied up to a dapper Edward Enninful at a book launch party in London on Wednesday night. The model, 48, showed off her sophisticated sense of style in a black blazer and cropped jeans for an event to mark the release of fashion book i-D: Wink + Smile! The First Forty Years at at Dover Street Market. She competed her look with black tights and heels and toted a quilted black bag while posing with the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, 50. Firm friends: Kate Moss looked typically chic as she cosied up to a dapper Edward Enninful at a book launch party in London on Wednesday night Kate wore her blonde tresses in her classic poker straight style and opted for a natural makeup look to show off her pretty features. Meanwhile Edward looked smart in a long black coat, crisp white shirt and comfortable trainers. Kate and Edward have enjoyed a close relationship over the years, with Edward making Kate one of Vogue's contributing editors in 2017. Chic: The model, 48, showed off her sophisticated sense of style in a black blazer and cropped jeans for an event to mark the release of fashion book i-D: Wink + Smile! The First Forty Years It comes after it was reported that Kate had a secret feud with her sister Lottie Moss, 24. It has been claimed she was 'mortified' by her behaviour, which has seen her continue to post scantily-clad photos and joke about drugs after being admitted to rehab in the US. Last month, the OnlyFans star revealed she was in rehab for substance abuse issues last month and was thought to be receiving treatment at a facility in Arizona. Style: She competed her look with black tights and heels and toted a quilted black bag while posing with the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, 50 Glowing: Kate wore her blonde tresses in her classic poker straight style and opted for a natural makeup look to show off her pretty features Her superstar sibling has reportedly 'fallen in and out of sympathy' for her and has been left with her 'head in her hands' due to Lottie's questionable career choices. Page Six claimed a family source told how even Kate's daughter Lila, 19, 'won't have anything to do with Lottie' due to her antics with the wrong crowd. The insider said: 'During lockdown, Kate invited Lottie to come and live with her in the Cotswolds at her country house. Lila point-blank refused to have anything to do with Lottie on social media.' The catwalk veteran, who was pictured alongside lines of a mysterious white powder in 2005, also allegedly finds it difficult to be around people who abuse cocaine and alcohol. Actor Bae Doo-na in a scene from the film "Next Sohee" / Courtesy of Twinplus Partners By Kwak Yeon-soo The upcoming detective drama "Next Sohee," starring Bae Doo-na and directed by Jung July, has been chosen as the closing film of the Cannes International Film Festival's parallel sidebar Critics' Week, according to production house Twinplus Partners, Thursday. The Critics' Week program, which was introduced in 1962, is dedicated to filmmakers' first and second features from all around the world. A total of 11 Korean films have been invited so far, including Hur Jin-ho's "Christmas in August" (1998), Jung Ji-woo's "Happy End" (1999) and Han Jun-hee's "Coin Locker Girl" (2015). "Next Sohee" is Jung's second film, following the 2014 detective drama "The Girl at My Door," which was invited to the "Un Certain Regard" selection of the 67th Cannes Film Festival that year. It revolves around Sohee (Kim Si-eun), a high school student who starts training for a subcontracted position at a call center. Sohee cannot bear the highly stressful work culture, and a mysterious incident leads to her death. Detective Oh Yu-jin (Bae) starts to investigate Sohee's death. This film marks a reunion for Jung and Bae, who collaborated on "A Girl at My Door." "I am grateful that we can present the film on a brilliant spring day. All the cast and crew worked hard last winter, and I hereby proudly introduce our jewel-like actors to audiences around the world," Jung said. Bae said, "From the moment I first read the script of 'Next Sohee,' I was convinced that it would resonate with international audiences. I'm very happy that our film will premiere at such an honorable place. I love this film as much as I love director Jung. I would like to congratulate her on getting the film to premiere during Critics' Week at Cannes." Huh Moon-young, director of the Busan International Film Festival / Courtesy of BIFF Katie Price is selling her stained designer heels for a total of 350 and has sold old swimsuits for as little as 7 on Depop. The former glamour model, 42, - who was declared bankrupt in 2019 - has sold 154 items on Depop over the last two months, raking in 1,779. Her Christian Louboutin heels are priced at 175 each on her Depop page with one having dark marks on the front and inside. Extra cash: Katie Price is selling her stained designer heels for a total of 350 and has sold old swimsuits for as little as 7 on Depop Alongside the post, Katie wrote: 'Christian Louboutin heels. Worn with marks as shown. No refunds/returns.' The fashion conscious mum-of-five had some supermarket owned brand clothing in her collection which she is getting rid of. Three-times married Katie is also looking to rake in 1,815 selling another 84 bits of clobber on the second hand selling app. Among the clothing she has already sold is a red topped and leopard print bottomed JYY swimsuit. Bargain: Among the clothing she has already sold is a red topped and leopard print bottomed JYY swimsuit for 7 Selling: Katie is asking for a total of 350 for two pairs of marked Christian Louboutin heels which have stains on the sides Katie listed it on Depop as 'size small, worn' but in 'excellent' condition and it was bought for 7. The cheapest bit of clothing she flogged were used pairs of Girl in the Mirror leggings. One in grey and another in black both went for just 3. Katie - once worth 45million through her modeling, clothing, perfume and book empire - offloaded a size 8 Topshop pink bodysuit for a fiver which she described as 'pre-loved.' No returns: Another pair of heels she is selling have stains on the toes and the inside She also sold a Gold and silver TU burnt orange jumper with Pearl detail - which is Sainsbury's clothes. Katie admitted: 'One pearl missing and two loose as shown in pics.' But it still sold for 4. She also got 5 for an unbranded Black zip crop jumper.' Among the budget items Katie currently has for sale are a 5 pair of black and white shorts. The mother-of-five was declared bankrupt in 2019. She vowed to pay back 12,000 a month to creditors of the firm through an individual voluntary arrangement. Cash: Three-times married Katie is also looking to rake in 1,815 selling another 84 bits of clobber on the second hand selling app The bankruptcy meant Katie, once worth a reported 45million, faced losing her 2million 11-bedroom mansion. She took out a second mortgage on the property in 2015, but faced monthly payments of 12,300. Katie was hit with a repossession order on the property in November last year. Sources told The Sun at the time that she has failed to repay a debt of more than 500,000 on the property. Following years of incomplete renovations, the house was nicknamed the 'mucky mansion' with Katie even showcasing the extent of the mess on her reality series My Crazy Life. Finances: The mother-of-five was declared bankrupt in 2019. She vowed to pay back 12,000 a month to creditors of the firm through an individual voluntary arrangement In January, Katie was handed a 16-week suspended sentence and two-year driving ban for flipping her uninsured BMW X5 into a hedge while disqualified and under the influence on a country lane near her home in West Sussex on September 28. Katie was handed a suspended prison sentence because she complied with a requirement to attend the 6,800-a-week rehab centre. Following her court appearance, Katie released a statement saying she was 'incredibly sorry' and 'sincerely grateful nobody was hurt'. Drink-driving campaigners said they were 'gobsmacked' by the 'unbelievable' sentence, but the judge said Price would avoid going to jail because she completed a stint at celebrity rehab clinic The Priory and had stayed out of trouble. Speaking on Good Morning Britain after her sentencing, the mother-of-five said she was 'dealing with it'. She said: 'The events were really traumatic. It's been traumatic after, so I'm not ready to talk about it yet. 'But what I will say is that I went to the Priory and I've made the decision finally to see a therapist every week, forever, to deal with the traumatic events that led me to getting into that car. 'I'm very good at hiding things but when I'm ready to talk about it then I will come on to talk. There's reasons why I got in that car and my mental state but when I'm ready I will. 'I feel ashamed about it all. There are reasons that I am still dealing with now. It's a new year but I'm still dealing with it, people shouldn't judge people, there's always reasons for things.' Greer Grammer looked sensational as she stepped out to attend the premiere of the upcoming TV miniseries The Offer at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The daughter of legendary Frasier actor Kelsey Grammer, who does not in the show, slipped into a plunging leather mini dress for her appearance. Former beauty queen Greer, 30, showed off her incredibly toned figure as she posed up a storm on the red carpet. Sensational: Kelsey Grammer's daughter Greer, 30, put on a leggy display in a plunging leather mini dress at the LA premiere of TV miniseries The Offer at Paramount Studios on Wednesday Family: Greer's father is Frasier star Kelsey Grammer, picture in March 2020 The black textured number wrapped around her waist and tied in a knot at the side with an asymmetric hem to finish. She added height to her frame with a pair of suede nude stiletto heels and opted not to accessorise her ensemble. Her long blonde locks were styled in a sleek blow dry with a hint of a curl through the ends and added lashings of mascara to complete her look. Glowing: Her long blonde locks were styled in a sleek blow dry with a hint of a curl through the ends and added lashings of mascara to complete her look Radiant: The black textured number wrapped around her waist and tied at the side in a knot with an asymmetric hem to finish Fun day out: Greer pictured with her famous father in May 2008 Family: Greer's mother is makeup artist Barrie Buckner, (pictured in 2015) The biographical drama focuses on the development and production of Francis Ford Coppola's iconic gangster film, The Godfather, for Paramount Pictures. Greer's mother is makeup artist Barrie Buckner, who her father had a relationship with following his divorce from his first wife Doreen Alderman in 1990. She rose to fame as the star of Netflix's new thriller Deadly Illusions, but confused viewers have slammed the film, branding it the 'worst' thing they've ever seen. The actress plays Grace, a seemingly innocent nanny hired by Mary (Kristin Davis), a best-selling novelist suffering from writer's block, and her husband Tom (Dermot Mulroney). Big role: She rose to fame as the star of Netflix 's new thriller Deadly Illusions, but confused viewers have slammed the film, branding it the 'worst' thing they've ever seen The film has been dominating Netflix's Top 10 charts since it debuted last month, and after quickly rising the ranks, it is now the number one movie on the streaming platform. However, with its off-the-wall plot and gratuitous sex scenes, some viewers are taking to Twitter to call it a waste of time. 'Deadly Illusions [is] probably the WORST s**t Netflix ever came out with,' one woman tweeted, while another replied: 'I was watching like... did @netflix really spend any money on this film... should have been on Lifetime.' Oh dear: However, with its off-the-wall plot and gratuitous sex scenes, some viewers are taking to Twitter to call it a waste of time 'I just watched Deadly Illusions on Netflix... I honestly might cancel my subscription all together,' someone else wrote. While there were a number of harsh reviews from viewers they also admitted that they're not even entirely sure what happened at the end of the film. 'Just finished watching Deadly illusions on Netflix, and all I can say is what the hell was that,' one Twitter user commented. 'NONE OF IT MAKES SENSE SO ANNOYING,' someone else griped. A raging Nick Knowles has slammed 'abusive' trolls who 'attacked' his girlfriend over their 28-year age gap. The DIY SOS star, 59, enjoyed a romantic meal in Mayfair with mother-of-two and sex toy business owner Katie Dadzie, 31, over the Easter weekend where they were pictured enjoying a steamy smooch. But Nick took to his Twitter on Wednesday to call out trolls who pointed out their age difference and implied she might be a gold digger, saying that Katie was 'wealthier and more successful' than him. Upset: A raging Nick Knowles has slammed 'abusive' trolls who 'attacked' his girlfriend over their 28-year age gap, after pictures emerged of them kissing over the weekend He wrote on social media: 'I'm raging. The woman I was out to dinner with when we were papped is 32, has degrees in two subjects, runs 3 businesses. 'She is wealthier & more successful than me and is intelligent and independent, unlike the abusive trolls attacking her. 'What happened to #bekind?' It isn't clear where the abuse took place or if he was messaged privately with it. Katie runs two businesses according to her Instagram bio, one called Boa Boa which sells lingerie and sex toys, and other called Boobbix which flogs 'lactation products for breastfeeding mums'. Nick, who split from his wife Jessica Rose Moor in 2016, made his first appearance with girlfriend Katie in September 2021, after ending his romance with PR guru Emily Hallinan, 27, in February 2020. Sad: Nick took to his Twitter to call out trolls who pointed out their age difference and implied she might be a gold digger, saying that Katie was 'wealthier and more successful' than him Love: The DIY SOS star, 59, enjoyed a romantic meal in Mayfair with mother-of-two Katie, 31, over the Easter weekend where they were pictured enjoying a steamy smooch Together: Nick, who split from his wife Jessica Rose Moor in 2016, made his first appearance with girlfriend Katie (pictured) in September 2021, During their night out on Saturday Nick cut a dapper figure in a smart navy blue blazer and jeans as he left Hakasan restaurant with girlfriend Katie on his arm. The pair were seen leaning in for a kiss as they took a cigarette break before jumping into a waiting car. Katie, who reportedly met Nick at a playgroup, put on a leggy display in a sparkly pale pink mini dress as she joined the broadcaster for a dinner date. It comes after Nick revealed in February 2020 that he was single again after splitting from his girlfriend, PR guru Emily, insisting at the time it 'wasn't the end of the world' and announcing the news on Valentine's Day. Busy: Katie runs two businesses according to her Instagram bio, one called Boa Boa which sells lingerie and sex toys, and other called Boobbix which flogs 'lactation products for breastfeeding mums' Having made something of a reputation for himself with his love of younger ladies, Nick was also romantically involved with TOWIE star and stuntwoman Pascal Craymer, 34, back in 2017. According to The Sun, Nick and Katie made their public debut as a couple at a restaurant in Bath last year, after being friends for several years. The presenter allegedly met his new girlfriend at a playgroup attended by his youngest son Eddie, seven. A source said: 'Nick and Katie have known each other for a couple of years, but it's always been platonic. 'They actually met through their youngest offspring and went on a few playdates as pals, before romance blossomed. Katie is a beautiful woman, fiercely independent and just Nick's type. Old flame: It comes after Nick revealed that he was single again after splitting from his girlfriend, PR guru Emily Hallinan, 27, insisting at the time it 'wasn't the end of the world (Nick and Emily pictured in 2019) 'They've met one another's friends and, although it's early days, everyone is hopeful this might be for keeps.' MailOnline contacted representatives for Nick Knowles for comment at the time. In February 2020 Nick confirmed that he was single again following his split from girlfriend Emily. He wrote on Instagram: 'Happy Valentine's. And if you're single like me don't worry, we don't have to join in everything every year. I missed national prune day too. Because it's not the end of the world to be single for a while.' The pair reportedly began dating in 2019, after exchanging a series of messages about a work opportunity on Twitter, with Nick telling Emily to get in touch. They had been spotted together several times since, once in London's West End where they went to see musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie, days after Nick was pictured kissing a mystery blonde in the back of a black cab. A source told The Sun at the time that the pair looked cosy during the West End show, saying: 'They arrived pretty incognito but were definitely on a date inside. 'She was cosying up to him during the show and they shared a couple of tender moments during the emotional parts.' The source added: 'It didn't appear to be a serious relationship but it's clear that they were into each other.' Prior to his romance with Emily, he was reported to have dated Pascal. Things turned sour however, when model Pascal claimed she blocked Nick after he reportedly bragged about his 'revolving' bed' and 'dating younger women'. Shock: Prior to his romance with Emily, he was reported to have dated TOWIE star Pascal Craymer (pictured in 2017) She alleged that the twice-married DIY SOS host was 'desperate to get his leg over' when they went on a few of lavish dates in 2017. He tried to kiss her before the starters during a 600 meal and embarrassed her with his 'dad dancing' in a nightclub. Nick later hit back - branding the one-time TOWIE star a 'sad fame-hungry nobody', with his pals issuing a scathing statement about the brunette beauty, who later hit back. Pascal strongly denied the claims, saying: 'I dont take too kindly being referred to as a sad fame-hungry nobody.' She insisted the allegations were incorrect. Prior to his Pascal fling, Nick and Jessica's romance and marriage was also widely publicised, with emphasis on their age gap. Nick began dating Jessica in 2009 before they tied the knot in 2012 and welcomed their son Eddie in 2014. They split in 2016 - initially amicably, as he supported her through her battle with cervical cancer. Despite a bitter divorce battle surrounding the custody of their then three-year-old son Eddie, the pair are now back on good terms with one another, with Nick recently admitting he still cared about his former wife. Speaking to The Mirror in 2018 Nick said: 'It took me a while to figure stuff out. I'm really proud of the fact that Jess and I are really good. 'She's a great mother. Coming out of a marriage is hard, so I just want to make sure it stays respectful. I really care about my ex. She's got a new chap and I'm really pleased. They seem really happy.' It was revealed at the time that Jessica asked for 48,000 a year from him in light of their bitter divorce battle. Ex: Nick began dating now ex-wife Jessica in 2009 before they tied the knot in 2012 and welcomed their son Eddie in 2014 (Nick and Jessica, pictured in 2016) According to The Sun, Jessica who was receiving 4,000 a month as part of their settlement, is demanding an extra 2,000 a month in order to fund their three-year-old son Eddie's education. 'Nick is distraught that Jessica has made these claims. She already gets 4,000 a month from him and hes funded her life for years,' a source told the publication. It came after Jessica posted an 'open letter about my divorce' in which she alleged 'years of emotional cruelty, physical abuse' by her husband as well as reportedly withdrawing their son Eddie from private education. However, sources close to the DIY SOS presenter denied the allegations - saying he 'only wants the best for his son'. In a statement on the micro-blogging site, she denounced his denials of 'cruelty' and continued to suggest that he has withdrawn his financial support for their son. In the equally emotional letter captioned: 'In response', Jessica responded to Nick's apparent shock at the 'horrendous' allegations made, saying: 'Nick may be intelligent but he is not smart. He is now denying that he withdrew his promise to send Eddie to private school but it was sent by his solicitor to mine. 'He as also denied years of cruelty but I do have diaries and photographic proof'. Jessica then alleged that the presenter 'abandoned' her with young son Eddie in Spain for a 'string of girlfriends', and that she wants Nick to 'keep his promises' or she may publish 'witness statements' that could confirm her allegations. Cuba Gooding Jr. has been seen for the first time since pleading guilty to one count of forcible touching as he spoke to a friend in a hotel in New York City on Tuesday. The criminal case accused the Oscar-winning star of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019. The actor, 54, cut a casual figure on the outing as he sported a blue denim jacket wich he wore over a black hoodie. Outing: Cuba Gooding Jr. has been seen for the first time since pleading guilty to one count of forcible touching as he spoke to a friend in a hotel in New York City on Tuesday The film star also wore a pair of camo trousers on the low-key outing. It comes after an attorney representing an alleged sexual assault victim of the actor said she will proceed with an ongoing $6million civil lawsuit because 'justice was not achieved' when Gooding Jr. got a no-jail plea deal in a separate criminal case. Famed women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred, 80, issued a statement decrying a New York State Supreme Court judge's decision not to allow 19 alleged victims, two of whom she represented, to testify against Gooding Jr. during pre-trial hearings for admissibility of evidence. 'Unfortunately, however, the judge refused to allow the testimony of any of the Molineux witnesses, which the prosecutor wanted to be able to call as witnesses if this case went to trial. That was a significant setback for the prosecution,' Allred said, according to Deadline. Low-key: The actor, 54, cut a casual figure on the outing as he sported a blue denim jacket wich he wore over a black hoodie The actor, whose net worth is approximately $12million, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible touching of a 29-year-old victim, and entered a no-jail plea deal. He also admitted to subjecting two other women to non-consensual physical contact in October 2018 and June 2019. The self-proclaimed feminist lawyer said that her client, a Jane Doe who accused Gooding Jr. of raping her at a hotel room in SoHo in 2013, will proceed with a pending $6million civil lawsuit filed in 2020. 'Justice was significantly delayed in this case for many reasons, and I do not feel that justice was achieved today with the entry of this plea, although I do understand why under the circumstances that the prosecution offered a plea,' the statement added. 'My law firm ... will continue to litigate our civil case against Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Federal court in New York on behalf of our brave client.' Allred, who has handled numerous high-profile cases and represented Jeffrey Epstein's and Bill Cosby's victims, said she hopes the civil case yields a just result after criminal proceedings against the Hollywood star proved to be unsatisfactory. Statement: Famed women's rights lawyer Gloria Allred, 80, issued a statement decrying a New York State Supreme Court judge's decision not to allow 19 alleged victims to testify against Gooding Jr, during pre-trial hearings for admissibility of evidence Case: Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday, April 13, 2022, to one count of forcible touching in a protracted criminal case accusing the Oscar-winning star of violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019 Arrest: The single guilty plea came nearly three years after Gooding's arrest in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get the charges reduced or dismissed Lawsuit: The self-proclaimed feminist lawyer said that her client, a Jane Doe who accused Gooding of raping her at a hotel room in SoHo in 2013, will proceed with a pending $6million civil lawsuit filed in 2020 Gooding Jr. admitted to violating three different women at various Manhattan night spots in 2018 and 2019. The single guilty plea came nearly three years after Gooding Jr.'s arrest in the case that saw several delays as his lawyers sought to get the charges reduced or dismissed. The actor also admitted to subjecting two other women to non-consensual physical contact in October 2018 and June 2019. He must continue alcohol and behavior modification treatment he started in 2019 for six more months and have no new arrests. 'I apologize for ever making anybody feel inappropriately touched,' he said in court, according to The New York Times. Allred has represented at least three of the 19 women who were willing to testify against Gooding Jr. during pre-trial hearings for the criminal case. Case: Gooding also admitted to subjecting two other women to non-consensual physical contact in October 2018 and June 2019 One of her clients, known in court papers by the pseudonym Jane Doe, filed the $6million civil lawsuit against Gooding Jr. in August 2020, Reuters reported. Doe said she was raped twice in August 2013 at a hotel room in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, soon after she met the actor in a Greenwich Village restaurant and lounge. In January, Gooding Jr. asked a Manhattan judge to dismiss the civil lawsuit, saying she took too long to sue by waiting nearly seven years. Gooding's lawyers said laws allowing rape accusers to sue their alleged perpetrators after many years applied to victims who had suppressed traumatic rapes or did not initially realize they had been raped, and did not apply to Doe. They said letting Doe invoke the seven-year statute of limitations under a New York City law protecting victims of gender-motivated violence violated Gooding's due process rights under the U.S. and New York state constitutions. 'No exceptional circumstances forced her to wait,' Gooding's lawyers said in January. 'Plaintiff choosing to sue Mr. Gooding, Jr almost seven years later will not rectify any serious injustice; the opposite is true.' Accusations: Gooding Jr was also accused of pinching a server's buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown in 2018. The TAO victim won a default judgment against Gooding last year after he failed to respond to her lawsuit for over a year. The judgment will allow the victim to seek monetary damages Doe's lawyers argued the seven-year statute of limitations applies in this case, and have also rejected a defense request that their client reveal her name, saying the case involved 'matters of a highly sensitive and personal nature.' The criminal case has been scheduled to go to trial at least twice, with an April 2020 trial date scuttled as coronavirus cases surged in New York and the state shut down most court matters due to the pandemic. Gooding was arrested in June 2019 after a 29-year-old woman told police he squeezed her breast without her consent at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge near Times Square. A few months later, he was charged in two additional cases as more women came forward to accuse him of abuse. The charges alleged he pinched a server's buttocks after making a sexually suggestive remark to her at TAO Downtown and forcibly touched a woman inappropriately at the LAVO New York nightclub, both in 2018. Surveillance footage emerged in 2019 of one of the alleged groping incidents. The video does not show him clearly grabbing her buttocks but it does show him reaching out toward her back and rear. The TAO victim won a default judgment against Gooding last year after he failed to respond to her lawsuit for over a year. The judgment will allow the victim to seek monetary damages. Gooding Jr. pleaded guilty to the LAVO nightclub allegation. He had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing. Behaviour: The actor avoids jail time as part of the plea but must continue alcohol and behavior modification treatment he began in 2019 for six more months and have no new arrests He said in court: 'I apologize for ever making anybody feel inappropriately touched' Denial: Gooding had previously pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts and denied all allegations of wrongdoing His lawyers have argued that overzealous prosecutors, caught up in the fervor of the #MeToo movement, are trying to turn 'commonplace gestures' or misunderstandings into crimes. This reared its head during one of the victim impact statements, in which Gooding's defense attorney called one of the victims 'delusional' and frequently interrupted her, according to the New York Daily News. The judge had ruled that if the Gooding case went to trial, prosecutors could have called two additional women to testify about their allegations that Gooding also violated them. Those women, whose claims did not result in criminal charges, were among 19 other accusers whom prosecutors were seeking to call as witnesses. Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic got fans talking with her villainous behaviour on the reality show. And the bombshell courted attention yet again on Wednesday as she stripped down to a leopard print bikini on Instagram. The Gold Coast socialite was every inch the blonde bombshell as she posed in the swimwear while perching on the back of her couch. Wild thing! Married At First Sight star Tamara Djordjevic, 29, (pictured) proved to be every inch the the blonde bombshell in a leopard print bikini when she shared a racy selfie to Instagram Tamara's eye-popping cleavage and svelte physique were on display in the barely-there number. She wore minimal makeup and wore her blonde tresses down in loose, natural waves. 'Beach hair don't care,' she captioned the post. Flying under the radar: Tamara has been largely out of the spotlight for the last few weeks since the reunion episode of Married At First Sight was filmed Tamara has been largely out of the spotlight for the last few weeks since the reunion episode of Married At First Sight was filmed. During the reunion show, relationship expert Alessandra Rampolla questioned Tamara about a phone call Mitch was rumoured to have made to her the night before. 'Mitch was really drunk and called me at 2am. He said, 'I know I shouldn't be calling you right now but I'm thinking about you,'' Tamara explained. Rare sighting: Tamara is seen here following filming of the reunion in January A stunned Mitch, 27, interrupted, 'Bulls**t! That's crazy. You were not the only person I called,' before denying he ever said he was 'thinking about her'. Mitch's 'wife' Ella Ding, 28, as well as Selin Mengu and Domenica Calarco, then questioned Tamara's intentions by bringing this up in front of the experts. 'It should have been brought up last night [at the reunion dinner party]. It feels like it's just ammunition,' Ella said. Drama: Alessandra Rampolla questioned Tamara about a phone call Mitch Eynaud (pictured) during the reunion 'Can I leave? I've had enough. I just don't want to listen to it anymore,' a frustrated Tamara said, before storming out of the room. She sobbed in the hallway while being comforted by a co-star and didn't return to the couch. It comes after Ella accused Tamara of sabotaging her relationship by sliding into Mitch's DMs before their final vows. 'It just feels like ammunition': Mitch's 'wife' Ella Ding (left) questioned Tamara's intentions The beautician told radio hosts Mike E and Emma that Tamara had invited Mitch out to dinner just days before he dumped her. 'Yes she did reach out [to him], before final vows,' she said. 'She wanted to grab dinner with him and Sam [co-star Samantha Moitzi] and another mutual friend they had - a guy. 'The intentions behind it all [are] pretty grey to be honest.' Elizabeth Olsen looked sensational as she joined her co-star Benedict Cumberbatch at a photocall for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness in Berlin on Thursday. The actors play the leading roles of Dr Stephen Strange and Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel film, which serves as a sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange. Elizabeth, 33, effortlessly turned heads in a light blue metallic top which she wore with a plunging vest top with a sequinned detail. Stars: Elizabeth Olsen looked sensational in a blue metallic outfit as she joined her co-star Benedict Cumberbatch at a photocall for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness in Berlin on Thursday The actress added to her look with blue trousers with a floral print while she added height to her frame with open toed heels. Styling her blonde locks into a bob, she competed her look with a pair of blue earrings. Benedict, 45, looked suave as he posed on the red carpet in a blue blazer and a matching pair of trousers. The film star also sported a white T-shirt along with a gold scarf and a pair of navy trousers. Film: The actors play the leading roles of Dr Stephen Strange and Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel film, which serves as a sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange The movie is about the further adventures of Dr Stephen Strange and his research on the Time Stone. He also is amazed by the chaos that is caused by the Multiverse as he faces off with Dark Strange. This fall the film underwent six weeks of reshoots, with cast and crew working for six days a week in Los Angeles. One source, played down the reshoots, telling The Hollywood Reporter: 'Even while in the middle of production, Marvel is scheduling you for more shooting.' Another added: 'We've had bigger reshoots on other MCU movies.' However, some insiders believe the scale of the reshoots is significant, explaining: 'They're here until the end of the year. That's like a whole other movie.' Style: Elizabeth effortlessly turned heads in a light blue metallic top which she wore with a plunging vest top with a sequinned detail Fashion: The actress added to her look with blue trousers with a floral print while she added height to her frame with open toed heels Smart: Benedict looked suave as he posed on the red carpet in a blue blazer and a matching pair of trousers Dapper: The film star also sported a white T-shirt along with a gold scarf and a pair of navy trousers Speaking about the reshoots on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', recently, Cumberbatch said: 'Like everything with Marvel, it comes in fresh, pretty much, most mornings. It's really exciting and the film is shaping up to be something special.' Meanwhile, Benedict, 45, previously revealed he wants his acting projects to be able to justify spending time away from his wife Sophie Hunter and their sons Christopher Carlton, six, Hal Auden, four, and Finn, two. Speaking to Esquire magazine, he added: 'I mean... I like a challenge. I really enjoy my work. Plot: The movie is about the further adventures of Dr Stephen Strange and his research on the Time Stone 'When I do work, I want to work hard. It has to be worth leaving my family and home for. To make them... Oh, this sounds weird but I guess to validate me not being there. 'And if I can get away with a new skill and call it work, lucky me, you know? That saves me a few night classes or, you know, time I don't have.' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is released on Friday, May 6. Kellie Bright looked tense as she filmed dramatic scenes for EastEnders with her on-screen daughter Maddy Hill in Hertfordshire on Thursday. The soap opera star, 45, cut a casual figure in black leggings and a grey patterned T-shirt as she shot outdoor scenes. She added a pop of colour to her ensemble with a fuchsia collared jacket, while she gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of black stilettos. Tense: Kellie Bright looked tense as she filmed dramatic scenes for EastEnders with her on-screen daughter Maddy Hill in Hertfordshire on Thursday Family: The actress appeared concerned as she filmed tense scenes with Maddy, 32, who plays her on-screen daughter Nancy Carter Kellie, who plays Linda Carter in the soap, accentuated her features with a touch of mascara while she styled her golden locks in a half-up half-down style with a pink scrunchie. The actress appeared concerned as she filmed tense scenes with Maddy, 32, who plays her on-screen daughter Nancy Carter. Maddy looked chic in distressed black jeans and a teal T-shirt, which she wore underneath a brown plaid shirt and a blue denim jacket. She swept her curly locks into a loose high ponytail, while she was seen walking with a large green backpack as they filmed scenes. Fallout: In the tense scenes, Kellie's character Linda could be seen trying to get her daughter Nancy to return to the car as she walked off Drama: Soap opera star Kellie, 45, cut a casual figure in black leggings and a grey patterned T-shirt as she shot outdoor scenes Baby: Another actress was seen carrying Annie Carter, who is the biological daughter of Linda and Max Branning Another actress was seen carrying Annie Carter, who is the biological daughter of Linda and Max Branning. In the tense scenes, Kellie's character Linda could be seen trying to get her daughter Nancy to return to the car as she walked off. But Linda was unable to chase her as newborn baby Annie remained in the back of their silver car. Linda returned to Albert Square for Tina's funeral but was previously rejected by Nancy and even argued with Mick (Danny Dyer) before the service. Style: Kellie, who plays Linda Carter in the soap, accentuated her features with a touch of mascara while she styled her golden locks in a half-up half-down style with a pink scrunchie Break time: Linda and Kellie could be seen grabbing a quick snack and chatting in between takes Casual: Maddy looked chic in distressed black jeans and a teal T-shirt, which she wore underneath a brown plaid shirt and a blue denim jacket Fans saw Mick break down in tears and become overwhelmed with grief as he took to the stand to speak. Janine jumped to Mick's aid to comfort him leaving his ex-wife Linda furious as she stormed out embarrassed. The family was left devastated by Tina's tragic death, and had come together to bid farewell. Tina, portrayed by Luisa Bradshaw-White, was brutally murdered over a year ago on the show by Gray (Toby-Alexander Smith). Annoyance: Kellie appeared tense as she shot scenes as the infamous Linda Carter Tension: Kellie, playing Linda, could be seen running as newborn baby Annie remained in the car Busy: Kellie embodied the character of Linda as she got out of the car with her on-screen daughter After the funeral, Linda also came to blows with Janine Butcher in the pub following the service. Entangled in an ongoing love triangle, the dramatic scene - which aired on Tuesday - saw Linda confront Janine (Charlie Brooks) as the pair fought in front of Mick. Elsewhere, Albert Square is set to be rocked by more drama after Sam Mitchell joined forces with rivals Sharon Watts and Kat Slater for a tense meeting with a sinister business associate of Phil's. The character, played by Kim Medcalf, made her explosive return to Walford this week, drafted in by big brother Phil (Steve McFadden) to run his business empire while he languishes in prison. Hard times: Linda returned to Albert Square for Tina's funeral but was previously rejected by Nancy All is not well: Kellie was seen yelling as she shot scenes following her dramatic return to the soap opera Busy day: Kellie was seen holding a folder and opening the car boot as she shot scenes Looking good: Maddy swept her curly locks into a loose high ponytail as she sat in the car alongside her on-screen mother And while she immediately clashed with Phil's ex Sharon (Letitia Dean) and his current girlfriend Kat (Jessie Wallace) upon her return, the ladies put on a united front to deal with 'serious player' Jonah. Sam had been brought back into the family fold as Phil didn't think son Ben (Max Bowden) was up running his businesses amid his recent turmoil over the hate crime attack against him and husband Callum Highway (Tony Clay). Scenes on Tuesday saw Sharon and Sam clash as Sharon wondered just why Sam had set foot back in Albert Square after six years. Drama! After returning to Albert Square for the funeral, Linda also came to blows with Janine Butcher in the pub following the service Bad day: Entangled in an ongoing love triangle, the dramatic scene - which aired on Tuesday - saw Linda confront Janine (Charlie Brooks) as the pair fought in front of Mick And it was then that Sam revealed that she'd been tasked with meeting up with Phil's contact Jonah, with Sharon - knowing what Jonah is capable of - noted that it was Ben who always dealt with him. But as Sam revelled in reminding her former sister-in-law that she was in charge, Sharon became unnerved that Sam has been trusted to deal with someone like Jonah. EastEnders continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on BBC1 Danniella Westbrook denied she has split from her jailbird fiance David as she flashed her sparkling engagement ring in a new video on Thursday. The former EastEnders actress, 48, took to her Instagram Story to show off the jewellery and told how her and her beau were 'well and truly still on'. Later on her social media she also hinted she had found her perfect wedding dress as she shared a snap of a lace gown and wrote 'everything' in the caption. Having her say: Danniella Westbrook denied she has split from her jailbird fiance David as she flashed her sparkling engagement ring in a new video on Thursday Her 28-year-old jailbird lover is serving time in prison for counterfeit goods and engaging in a 'fight with someone', by her own admission. Speaking in her split denial video she said: 'I've just popped on quickly to say... I have not split up from my fella. 'As you can see we are well and truly still on and life is good', before flashing her engagement ring-clad hand closer to the camera. It comes after the star sparked split rumours herself on Monday as she shared a cryptic post about heartbreak. Nuptials: Later on her social media she also hinted she had found her perfect wedding dress as she shared a snap of a lace gown and wrote 'everything' in the caption Danniella had shared the rhyme: 'Roses are flowers, pebbles are stones, here's a big shout out to those on their own. 'Think yourself lucky and try not to sob, look on the bright side youre not a k**b!' It came after Danniella detailed her relationship with her convict boyfriend and their future X-rated plans together. She kept quiet on her romance until recently, when she denied dating the father of former The Only Way Is Essex star Grace Andrews and instead revealed her mystery man is behind bars - and on Thursday she admitted he had proposed from prison. Candid: The former EastEnders actress, 48, took to her Instagram Story to show off the jewellery and told how her and her beau were 'well and truly still on' With less than a year until David is a free man, the actress is already planning some risque business for the pair of them. And while she has never released a picture of him or talked about his crimes, she has said she won't marry him until he it a free man. After revealing they had already slept together in Spain, Danniella confessed to the Daily Star: 'There's nothing like that going on now though, they listen in to all your phone calls and screen the emails and photocopy all of the letters so we can't risk anything rude on there as all the screws will see it first. 'But there will be many sleepless nights on my gorgeous new bed once he's out.' Honesty: Speaking in her split denial video she said: 'I've just popped on quickly to say... I have not split up from my fella A smitten Danniella has insisted she will wait until David has been released to tie the knot but they have discussed the prospect of a Maldives wedding as early as next year. She said: 'I've got a big ring that was made for me, and I wore it into the jail and David said, "it was lovely but it's not big enough", so there is a bigger one coming. 'He has asked me to marry him but I told him to wait until he gets home. He asks me all the time, he even asked me at the jail. He didn't get down on one knee or anything but he's like, "we are getting married you know."' Liverpudlian David is 20 years her junior and the pair were previously in a 'tumultuous' relationship after meeting each other other in Spain five years ago. What does it mean? It comes after the star sparked split rumours herself on Monday as she shared a cryptic post about heartbreak (pictured) Yet despite their 'up-and-down' romance, Danniella explained: 'We just stayed in touch and he went to jail early 2019 and he got 9 years 9 months. He's home next year though, he's got 11 months to go.' It could be third time lucky for the former Celebrity Big Brother housemate, who has been married twice before. Her first marriage was to van driver Ben Morgan in 1998, but they divorced nine months later. In 2001, the star married businessman Kevin Jenkins, almost four months after the birth of their daughter Jodie. They divorced in 2020. The Living Room presenter Barry Du Bois has pulled out of the race for federal parliament. Du Bois, 61, who has been fighting a battle with cancer, told the Daily Telegraph on Thursday 'my family and my health needed to come first'. 'None of us know how much time weve got left here and ultimately, Im a father first and an individual second,' he told the newspaper. Gone: The Living Room presenter Barry Du Bois (pictured) has pulled out of the race for federal parliament Barry admitted he couldn't make the changes he wanted to make politically while still caring for himself and his family. The co-host of Network 10's lifestyle program The Living Room was running as an independent NSW seat in the Senate in the upcoming federal election. The father-of-two's motivation to enter politics stemmed from how 'petrified' he was for his children's future and how Australia was 'heading in the wrong direction.' 'I want to leave a legacy': The 61-year-old previously revealed why he is entering politics even though he only has a 'two years' to live. Pictured with his children Arabella and Bennett 'I believe if I was there, I could hold my children, even when they're a man and a woman, and protect them and fight for them, and I just don't believe that's the future,' said Barry in an interview with TV week last year. The designer acknowledged that he only has 'two years left' due to his incurable cancer diagnosis, after a five-year prediction from his doctor in 2017. 'If I don't do this, I have failed the 63 years of my life,' he continued. 'To honour my life and the experiences it has given me, I need to do this. I want to leave a legacy.' Motive: The father-of-two's motivation to enter politics stemmed from how 'petrified' he was for his children's future and how Australia was 'heading in the wrong direction Barry believes Australians are not looking out for one another like they used to, and wanted to change that mindset from within the Senate. The TV host had planned to work on The Living Room con-currently as a Senator. His co-hosts enthusiastically supported his political aspirations. 'I'm sure we can work around it. Miguel has said, 'Let's make The Living Room great again!'' he recalled. New chapter: The TV host still planned to work on The Living Room concurrently as a Senator. His co-hosts enthusiastically supported his political aspirations. Pictured with the cast of The Living Room - Amanda Keller, Dr Chris Brown, Miguel Maestre Barry has previously knocked back offers from both the Labor and Liberal Party to run as an independent. He was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow (plasmacytoma myeloma) in 2011, after battling chronic neck pain. He underwent surgery and radiotherapy, which proved to be successful. However, the cancer returned as a multiple myeloma in 2017, requiring him to undergo chemotherapy. His cancer is not curable. Luke Evans has shared photos from hospital as he receives treatment for a mystery ailment. The actor, 43, posed up in a hospital gown and gave the thumbs up in the photos, while assuring his fans it was 'nothing serious.' He wrote: 'Rocking some Hospital fashion pieces today. Dont worry, nothing serious. I mainly came for the gowns. Hospital: Luke Evans has shared photos from hospital as he receives treatment for a mystery ailment He also posed in bed with a face mask pulled down as fans wished him well in his recovery and expressed concern. Earlier this week Luke appeared to be having the time of his life as he hit the slopes with Phillip Schofield and interior designer Kelly Hoppen. Another snap saw Phillip taking time out for a drink as he gave his three million fans a glimpse of the stunning mountainous backdrop in the background. Luke also took to social media to share a series of snaps, posing alongside the presenter and all of his friends on the getaway in a bar on the mountain. What's happened? The actor, 43, posed up in a hospital gown and gave the thumbs up in the photos, while assuring his fans it was 'nothing serious' Comment: He also posed in bed with a face mask pulled down as fans wished him well in his recovery and expressed concern The actor celebrated his 43rd birthday and had a cake made by the group during an evening in the chalet. The Hollywood star posed alongside Kelly and penned: 'What a very special few days Ive had. With some truly brilliant human beings. 'Thank you for making my 43rd birthday go off with a bang! Especially @kellybell_red and Big John for being the most epic of hosts, and for @justinhornechef making me a tasty AF birthday cake! 'Its been wonderful. I blew out the candles Delta Force styleapparently!!' The Welsh actor confirmed earlier last year to The Times that he and his boyfriend Rafael Olarra had gone their separate ways. 'Now they're taking the p***': Earlier this week Luke appeared to be having the time of his life as he hit the slopes with Phillip Schofield Group pic: Phillip was joined by Luke and Kelly (centre) for their time on the slopes. Also joining them were pals Fran Tomas, Ben de Lisi, Yasmin Mills and Justin Horne Holiday: Phillip shared a snap of the group piling into a van at the end of their trip Speculation began in October 2020 that the two had split after Evans unfollowed Olarra on Instagram. In the same interview, he indicated that he was considering starting a family after he was asked if he was interested in having children. 'I thought about it many times,' he admitted, 'and as I get older Im thinking maybe I should get on and do it.' 'I dont want to be an old dad but I would like to be a dad,' he continued. 'Theres a lot of satisfaction to passing on your experiences and rearing a strong, open-minded, kind, respectful human being who can go out in the world and do something good.' Pals: Phillip shared a snap of himself having lunch with Luke on the trip Celebration: Luke also took to social media to share a series of snaps as he celebrated his 43rd birthday on the lavish trip Evans' recent bulking up appears to be have been for the filming of his Apple TV+ action thriller series Echo 3. The series, which is set in South America, is set off when a young American scientist goes missing at the ColombiaVenezuela border. Evans stars as her brother Bambi, who joins forces with her husband both of whom have military experience to search for her. The Export-Import Bank of Korea's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul / Korea Times file CEO Bang aims to strengthen foothold in Southeast Asia By Yi Whan-woo The Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) will reopen its office in Singapore in the form of a corporate entity by June at the latest, after it shut down its operation in the city state during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the state-run lender said on Thursday. The envisioned office, KEXIM Global (Singapore) Ltd., will come as multiple global businesses have been exiting Hong Kong in recent years due to China's interference in the city's decades-long autonomy. Export-Import Bank of Korea CEO Bang Moon-kyu / Korea Times file She has been proudly flaunting her incredible figure all week across her social media from an unknown location. And Abbey Clancy treated her followers to yet another sizzling shot on Thursday as she put on a busty display in her latest Instagram post. The 36-year-old model showed off her ample cleavage in a striped bikini top from Tesco's clothing range F&F. Pose: Abbey Clancy, 36, puts on a busty display in a striped bikini as she took to Instagram on Thursday to share more snaps from her latest beach shoot Abbey smouldered as she posed up a storm in the steamy shot which also brought attention to her seriously toned torso. She let her voluminous locks fall over her face in a fuss-free tousled style. The catwalk queen has been keeping her fans up to date by sharing a slew of sultry snaps all week. Close up: The model donned a beige snakeskin patterned triangle bikini whilst she posed for the perfect shot On Saturday the former WAG took to Instagram to share more images from her latest beach shoot. The fashionista donned a beige snakeskin patterned triangle bikini whilst she posed for the perfect shot. She accessorised with black out sunglasses and chunky gold bangles. The Britain's Next Top Model star treated her 518,000 followers to a post on her Instagram Stories showing off her bust. Pose: Abbey proudly flaunted her incredible figure as she took to Instagram on Saturday to share more snaps from her latest beach shoot Shoot days: On Friday Abbey made fans green with envy as she showed off her toned abs and slim figure whilst eating delicious pizza She appeared radiant as her golden locks were in salty textured waves after posing for the beachside images. Abbey captioned the post with a simple sun emoji. On Friday she made fans green with envy as she showed off her toned abs and slim figure whilst eating delicious pizza. The carb loaded treat was a post-photoshoot treat after a gruelling modelling session in the hot sun. Snack time: The meal was a post-photoshoot treat after a gruelling modelling session in the hot sunshine She wore a leopard print bikini with an oversized cropped hoody as she posed on the sand dunes. Earlier in the day Abbey shared another cleavage shot to her followers as she donned a stripped bikini top in a moody black and white photo. These posts come after a recent family vacation to Dubai with her children and husband Peter Crouch, 41. They have been a happily married couple for over four years. And Vincent Cassel and his wife Tina Kunakey put on a loved-up display during a romantic trip to Venice on Thursday, with the pair cosying up on a water taxi before stepping out together later in the evening. The actor, 55, and the model, 24, took in the sights of the Italian city as they travelled through the famous canals, before Tina changed into a bright red Valentino mini-dress as the couple stepped out on Thursday night. Cute: Vincent Cassel, 55, and his wife Tina Kunakey, 24, put on a loved-up display during a romantic trip to Venice on Thursday The couple are in Venice with Valentino as the brand sponsors the Italian Pavilion at the 59th international art exhibition. Tina looked casually chic in a pale trench coat which she wore over her puff dress, holding Vincent's hand as they stepped off the boat. She wore a pair of beige heels with the straps wrapping up and around her legs. Out and about: The pair cosying up on a water taxi before stepping out together later in the evening Fashion focus: Tina changed into a bright red Valentino mini-dress as the couple stepped out on Thursday night In style: Tina looked casually chic in a pale trench coat which she wore over her puff dress, holding Vincent's hand as they stepped off the boat All aboard: Vincent was seen wearing a black coat as he stoop up to get off the boat in Venice for his evening out Meanwhile Vincent opted for an all-black ensemble from the Italian fashion house, in a smart coat and trousers while also donning sunglasses, the same outfit he was wearing earlier in the day. He continued his look with a pair of charcoal Valentino Garavani trainers from the Spring 2022 collection. Earlier, Tina wore a white jumper and blue shirt from Valentino, and had on dark shades - also from the brand - while putting her arm around her man. The couple welcomed their daughter Amazonie in April 2019, less than a year after their fairytale wedding. Cassel also shares daughters Deva, 16, and Leonie, 10 with his ex-wife Monica Bellucci. Vincent and Tina married in a private ceremony at the city hall in Bidart, south-west France, in August 2018. Close: The actor, 55, and the model, 24, cosied up on a water taxi as they took in the sights of the Italian city, before enjoying a stroll Style: Tina looked casually chic in a pale trench coat, white jumper and blue shirt and wore dark Valentino shades while putting her arm around her man Dapper: Meanwhile Vincent opted for an all-black ensemble, in a smart coat and trousers while also donning sunglasses Culture: The pair are in Venice for the The 59th Venice Biennale and looked in great spirits while out and about Couple: Tina and Vincent welcomed their daughter Amazonie in April 2019, less than a year after their fairytale wedding Love life: Cassel also shares daughters Deva, 16, and Leonie, 10 with his ex-wife Monica Bellucci Stylish duo: The pair both rocked stylish but casual ensembles for their day out in Venice They were first linked back in July 2016 when Tina, then 19, shared a social media snap of herself cuddling up to the then 49-year-old actor while smoking a cigarette. Previously, he was married Italian actress Monica, 56, for 14 years, after first meeting on the set of their 1996 film The Apartment. The 59th Venice Biennale is an upcoming international contemporary art exhibition to be held between April and November 2022. Comfy: Tina teamed her jeans with white trainers and later carried her trench coat over her arm Romance: Vincent and Tina married in a private ceremony at the city hall in Bidart, south-west France, in August 2018 The start: They were first linked back in July 2016 when Tina, then 19, shared a social media snap of herself cuddling up to the then 49-year-old actor while smoking a cigarette The past: Previously, he was married Italian actress Monica, 56, for 14 years, after first meeting on the set of their 1996 film The Apartment Exciting: The 59th Venice Biennale is an upcoming international contemporary art exhibition to be held between April and November 2022 Cruising: They looked like they were having a great time as they checked out the views from their boat Star: With award-winning roles in the Ocean's movie franchise, A Dangerous Method and Black Swan, Vincent Cassel is one of France's biggest actors Jimmy Kimmel has shared a birthday tribute to his son Billy on his fifth birthday years after famously tearing up on his talk show when revealing the boy had open heart surgery just hours after birth in May 2017. The 54-year-old chat show host shared a cute snap of his son staring at the birthday candles on his butter cake with a sweet caption thanking the doctors and nurses who have saved his life. He wrote: 'Happy 5th birthday to our little nut. We are eternally grateful to the brilliant doctors and nurses at @ChildrensLA & @CedarsSinai for saving Billy's life and to those of you whose donations, prayers and positive thoughts meant everything.' 'Happy 5th birthday to our little nut': Jimmy Kimmel has shared a birthday tribute to his son Billy on his fifth birthday Sad: This came years after famously tearing up on his talk show when revealing the boy had open heart surgery just hours after birth in May 2017 Kimmel has been outspoken in trying to raise funds for children who are in need of medical assistance as he ended the post by encouraging his 2.5million followers to donate to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He concluded: 'Please support families who need medical care. Link in bio.' Back in May 2017, the star opened up Jimmy Kimmel Live with news that his wife Molly McNearney, now 44 , had given birth to their second child, William 'Billy' Kimmel, on April 21, 2017 in Los Angeles. Reveal: Back in May 2017, the star opened up Jimmy Kimmel Live with news that his wife Molly McNearney, now 44 , had given birth to their second child, William 'Billy' Kimmel, on April 21, 2017 in Los Angeles 'It is a scary story... but it has a happy ending': He quickly broke down as he detailed the terrifying health troubles Billy had endured and that he had successfully undergone risky heart surgery after he was born He quickly broke down as he detailed the terrifying health troubles Billy had endured and that he had successfully undergone risky heart surgery after he was born. 'It is a scary story... but it has a happy ending,' he said as he began a teary 15-minute opening monologue. Kimmel, his wife, their two-year-old daughter Jane and Billy were in the recovery room three hours later at Cedars Sinai Medical Center when a nurse noticed a murmur in the newborn's heart. 'He appeared a normal healthy baby,' he said. 'He appeared a normal healthy baby': Kimmel, his wife, their two-year-old daughter Jane and Billy were in the recovery room three hours later at Cedars Sinai Medical Center when a nurse noticed a murmur in the newborn's heart Kimmel said the congenital heart disease meant his son had a 'hole in the wall of the left and right side of his heart' 'My wife was in bed relaxing, a very attentive nurse at Cedars-Sinai heard a murmur in his heart and noticed he was a bit purple, which is not common. '(The doctors) determined he wasn't getting enough oxygen in his blood, either in his heart or lungs. They did an x-ray and his lungs were fine, which meant his heart wasn't. It's a terrifying thing.' 'They found that Billy was born with a heart disease.' Kimmel said the congenital heart disease meant his son had a 'hole in the wall of the left and right side of his heart'. Sad: Kimmel is seen with Billy hours after his birth in April 2017 Billy was rushed to Children's Hospital Los Angeles for emergency heart surgery which was a success. The child was diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and has had treatment ever since. His heart condition would lead to over 60 doctors appointments and three heart surgeries, one of them at just three-days-old, as of October 2020. Advertisement Ewan McGregor put on an affectionate display with girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Los Angeles on Wednesday as the couple were seen for the first time since their reported surprise engagement. The Scottish actor, 51, could be seen linking arms with his Fargo co-star, 37, as they spent time with his parents ahead of their wedding, which is said to be taking place on Friday. The pair looked happy and relaxed with Mary flashing a glimpse of her huge vintage engagement ring as she got to know her future in-laws better during the casual day out. Betrothed? Ewan McGregor put on an affectionate display with girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Los Angeles on Wednesday as the couple were seen for the first time since their reported surprise engagement Ewan and Mary are said to have given his parents a tour of Topanga Canyon, stopping to visit the Canyon Gourmet Market, Kinship Station, The Well Refill home store, before heading to lunch at The Topanga Living Cafe. Carol and James McGregor appeared in good spirits and were joined by their two dogs, after having allegedly flown in for their son's big day. Star Wars favourite Ewan dressed down for the occasion, sipping into a tan shirt, white T-shirt and blue jeans. He finished off his look with white lace-up trainers and black sunglasses. Family time: The Scottish actor, 51, could be seen linking arms with his Fargo co-star, 37, as they spent time with his parents ahead of their wedding, which is said to be taking place on Friday His supposed wife-to-be meanwhile looked lovely in a cream cardigan, beneath which she wore a red and white striped top. She finished things off with jeans, brown boots and of course her sparkling diamond engagement ring. The group happily chatted as they walked around the area, with Mary holding one dog, while Ewan's mum Carol took the lead of the other. The outing appears to be the first time Mary has been seen with Ewan's parents. Meanwhile, the pair's eco-canyon hideaway has been spotted being prepared for their big day, with the couple covering their pool with chairs for 60 guests, indicating an intimate affair. Trucks and other vehicles could be seen in the drive while workmen are pictured carrying tables to the property. A number of other tables are seen dotted around, while strings of fairy lights are hung up and outdoor heaters set up, suggesting the couple have opted for an outdoor reception with celebrations heading into the night. Couple: The pair looked happy and relaxed with Mary flashing a glimpse of her huge vintage engagement ring as she got to know her future in-laws better during the casual day out Bride-to-be? Mary flashed a dazzling smile as well as her stunning ring ahead of her alleged wedding day on Friday Day out: Ewan and Mary are said to have given his parents a tour of Topanga Canyon, stopping to visit the Canyon Gourmet Market, Kinship Station, The Well Refill home store, before heading to lunch at The Topanga Living Cafe All together now: The family were perhaps making some last minute wedding plans ahead of the alleged nuptials this week Preparations: Meanwhile, the pair's eco-canyon hideaway has been spotted being prepared for their big day, with the couple covering their pool with chairs for 60 guests It's been reported that Ewan and Mary, who've been together since 2017, are set to tie the knot at an LA ceremony this week. Not having announced an engagement, the actor will allegedly exchange vows with his Fargo co-star on Friday, after they played a couple in the FX show's 2016 series. A source told Page Six, 'They are more in love than ever and having their first child together last year just strengthened their bond.' Representatives for Ewan and Mary have been contacted for comment by MailOnline. Happy occasion: Carol and James McGregor appeared in good spirits and were joined by their two dogs, after having allegedly flown in for their son's big day Nervous: Both Ewan and Mary appeared relaxed in spite of their alleged wedding on Friday My girl: The Star Wars actor kept close to his reported fiancee as they strolled in the sunshine Walk this way: The duo were enjoying some downtime as they prepared to tie the knot ahead of the weekend Her time to shine: The 'bide-to-be' looked simply radiant as she bonded with her 'future in-laws' during the day out Good times: The Scott Pilgrim vs. The World star looked relaxed as she spent time with Ewan's parents He shares daughters Clara, 26, Esther, 21, Jamyan, 20, and Anouk, 11, with ex-wife Eve Mavrakis. They split in 2017 after 22 years of marriage and their divorce was finalised in August 2020. The couple, who met on the set of the TV crime drama Kavanagh QC, first confirmed their split in 2017 amid claims Ewan had been seen kissing Mary in a London restaurant. Eve was pictured without her wedding ring at around the same time. The Star Wars actor who blamed 'irreconcilable differences' for the split then began dating Mary. The couple welcomed son Laurie into the world in June. Chilled: Star Wars favourite Ewan dressed down for the occasion, sipping into a tan shirt, white T-shirt and blue jeans Style: He finished off his look with white lace-up trainers and black sunglasses No sweat: The actor seemed relaxed as he readied himself to walk down the aisle for a second time, as reports suggest Looking good: His supposed wife-to-be meanwhile looked lovely in a cream cardigan, beneath which she wore a red and white striped top Bling bling: She finished things off with jeans, brown boots and of course her sparkling diamond engagement ring Couple style: The pair both dressed down in jeans for the casual outing Fashionista: The mother-of-one showed off her trim figure in form-fitting jeans amid the low-key outing Getting to know you: The outing appears to be the first time Mary has been seen with Ewan's parents The couple, who never revealed they were expecting, had their baby news announced by Ewan's daughter Clara on Instagram. Clara, whose mother is Eve, shared a heartwarming snap of herself cradling her brother in her arms as she congratulated her father and Mary Elizabeth. She wrote: 'Welcome to the world little brother congratulations to my Dad & Mary - this is the greatest gift'. Esther also shared pictures cradling the newborn as she gushed: 'Met my little brother looking like a pirate. I recommend! Welcome to the family little Laurie'. Setting up: Trucks and other vehicles could be seen in the drive while workmen are pictured carrying tables to the property Exciting: A number of other tables are seen dotted around, while strings of fairy lights are hung up and outdoor heaters set up, suggesting the couple have opted for an outdoor reception with celebrations heading into the night Out and about: The pair enjoyed time with the dogs and Ewan's parents as their property was being prepped for their 'wedding' Exciting times: The duo looked relaxed as they enjoyed a day in the sunshine in Los Angeles Walk this way: The happy couple led the way during the cheerful dog walk Trip: The movie star's parents were said to have flown to the US especially for the wedding Family time: The Perth-born star looked chuffed to have his loved ones with him Despite Clara's well-wishes for the couple, she previously slammed Mary amid her blossoming relationship with Ewan following his spit from Eve. She described the actress as 'a piece of trash' on Instagram in 2018, which accompanied a photograph of her father and Mary kissing at the Vanity Fair Oscars party. In the post's caption, the fan had referred to Mary as 'the most beautiful and talented woman on earth' - something Clara was more than ready to refute. 'Most beautiful and talented woman on earth??? Oh man y'all are delusional. The girl is a piece of trash :),' wrote Clara in the post's comment section. Going well? Mary looked at ease and smiled as she enjoyed quality time with her 'future in-laws' That's my boy: Ewan shared a moment with his mother during the day out Quality time: The group certainly appeared to be enjoying their relaxed day The face of his future: The hunk gave a longing look to his love ahead of their reported wedding day Besotted: The couple were more in love than ever following five years together Lovely stuff: Not having announced an engagement, the actor will allegedly exchange vows with his Fargo co-star on Friday, after they played a couple in the FX show's 2016 series Devoted: A source told Page Six , 'They are more in love than ever and having their first child together last year just strengthened their bond' Big day pending: The happy couple were all smiles as they counted down the hours until their 'wedding' Soon after her reply, another Winstead fan urged her to 'say it to [Mary Elizabeth's] face not [on] social media.' They added: 'It took TWO to undo this marriage. If a man OR woman is happy w/ their marriage no outside interference can destroy that!' To the fan's surprise, Clara firmly agrees with their assessment. 'Yup it took two!! Mary & my father :),' she wrote. Fill her up: The next day, Ewan was spotted pumping gas into Vintage Porsche with his mum riding shotgun Focused: The actor was full of concentration as he filled up his car ahead of his 'wedding day' Busy bee: Meanwhile, Mary was spotted picking up breakfast and coffee while out at Topanga Canyon Fashion: The actress opted for a smart-casual look, donning a black blazer and white trainers, which she teamed with terracotta trousers Exciting times ahead: Mary stared off into the distance ahead of her big day the following day In an interview with The Times in August that year, Clara openly acknowledged the immaturity of her Instagram banter, but claimed that her rage was justified. 'It wasn't the most mature way to go about things, but I was angry and upset.' According to Clara, there were things going on behind-the-scenes that became 'a lot to deal with' and eventually sent her over the edge. Couple: Ewan and Mary Elizabeth Winstead have been together since 2017 after they met on the set of Fargo (pictured in 2017) Ex factor: Ewan split from ex-wife Eve Mavrakis in 2017 and their divorce was finalised in August 2020 (pictured in 2012) 'There had been a lot building up to it and a lot to deal with - not to make excuses or anything - but, yeah, it wasn't my finest moment,' she admitted. She also explained that she kept 'being tagged in the photograph' and was 'seeing negative things about [her] mom.' 'I said how I felt and I didn't want to apologise for it. It wasn't the right way to go about things, but it's a hard thing to wrap your head around when you feel you had this idea of what the family unit is and then to have that shift. It's very weird.' Shocking: Following her parent's split, Ewan's eldest daughter Clara described Mary as 'a piece of trash' on Instagram in 2018, which accompanied a photograph of her father and Mary kissing at the Vanity Fair Oscars party Award-winning musician and actor Janelle Monae has come out as nonbinary. The 36-year-old artist appeared on Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk on episode released on Facebook Watch on Wednesday as they made the revelation. Janelle - who was joined by mother Janet - said: 'I'm nonbinary, so I just dont see myself as a woman solely. I feel all of my energy. Scroll down for video 'I just don't see myself as a woman solely' Award-winning musician and actor Janelle Monae has come out as nonbinary during an appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk on episode released on Facebook Watch on Wednesday 'I feel like God is so much bigger than the "he" or the "she." And if I am from God, I am everything. I am everything. But I will always, always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women. But I just see everything that I am. Beyond the binary.' Monae is no stranger to being open publicly regarding their gender identity as the artist came out as pansexual in an interview with Rolling Stone back in April 2018. 'Being a queer black woman in America someone who has been in relationships with both men and women I consider myself to be a free-ass motherf****r,' they said. The 36-year-old artist said: 'I feel like God is so much bigger than the "he" or the "she." And if I am from God, I am everything. I am everything. But I will always, always stand with women. I will always stand with Black women. But I just see everything that I am. Beyond the binary' Bond: They were joined by mother Janet on the show 'I consider myself to be a free-ass motherf****r': Monae (seen last month at the Vanity Fair Oscars party) is no stranger to being open publicly regarding their gender identity as the artist came out as pansexual in an interview with Rolling Stone back in April 2018 While the Wondaland Arts Society CEO initially identified as bisexual, they discovered a more apt term through further research. A personal who is bisexual is someone who is sexually attracted to both men and women, however pansexuality is more open and diverse; someone who is pansexual does not limit their sexual choices based on gender, gender identity, or biological sex. What does nonbinary mean? Nonbinary is an umbrella term. Nonbinary is a word used by people who experience their gender identity and/or gender expression as falling outside the binary gender categories of "man" and "woman." Many nonbinary people also call themselves transgender and consider themselves part of the transgender community. Others do not. Nonbinary is an umbrella term that encompasses many different ways to understand one's gender. Some nonbinary people may also use words like agender, bigender, demigender, pangender, etc. to describe the specific way in which they are nonbinary. Always ask people what words they use to describe themselves. Nonbinary is sometimes shortened to enby. Do not use NB, as that is often shorthand for non-Black. Nonbinary may also be written as non-binary. Both forms are commonly used within the community and both are acceptable. (Source: GLAAD) Advertisement 'Later I read about pansexuality and was like, "Oh, these are things that I identify with too,"' Monae said. 'I'm open to learning more about who I am.' Her massive on-and-off stage persona had been created due in part to protect the petite songstress. 'It had to do with the fear of being judged,' they said. 'All I saw was that I was supposed to look a certain way coming into this industry, and I felt like I [didn't] look like a stereotypical black female artist.' In January 2020, Monae had tweeted out the hashtag #IAmNonbinary which lead fans to believe they were coming out as nonbinary, however, they later clarified to The Cut at the time that it was just a show of support to the community to bring awareness and visibility. Monae explained at the time: 'I tweeted the #IAmNonbinary hashtag in support of Nonbinary Day and to bring more awareness to the community. 'I retweeted the Steven Universe meme "Are you a boy or a girl? Im an experience" because it resonated with me, especially as someone who has pushed boundaries of gender since the beginning of my career. I feel my feminine energy, my masculine energy, and energy I cant even explain.' The episode of Red Table Talk kicked off with host Jada mentioning the now infamous incident involving her husband Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at The Oscars and though she did not elaborate much further she did promise that it will be addressed some time on the chat show in the future. The 50-year-old media personality did not speak on the matter but did release a written statement at the beginning of the first episode of season five her Facebook Watch series which released on Wednesday. It read: 'Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focusing on deep healing. 'Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls. Until thenthe table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest.' Interesting: The episode of Red Table Talk kicked off with host Jada mentioning the now infamous incident involving her husband Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at The Oscars and though she did not elaborate much further she did promise that it will be addressed some time on the chat show in the future Infamous: Her husband Will Smith famously slapped Chris Rock at The Oscars last month 'The Smith family has been focusing on healing': The 50-year-old media personality did not speak on the matter but did release a written statement at the beginning of the first episode of season five her Facebook Watch series which released on Wednesday It still remains unclear how candid Jada will be about her own life. Though she has opened up about personal matters in the past including affairs the trailer makes no mention of how her husband slapped Chris Rock during the live Oscars broadcast last month after the comedian made a joke about her buzzcut. Jada has been open in the past about her struggles with alopecia. After the slap, Will returned to his seat and screamed 'keep my wife's name out of your f*****g mouth' twice. She continued by saying: 'Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls' It concluded: 'Until thenthe table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest' The slap divided Hollywood and the public, with some insisting he should be stripped of his Oscar and not be rewarded for violence while others said dismissed it and mocked it on social media. Jada has not directly addressed the slap, though she did share an Instagram post that hinted at her approval. 'This is a season for healing. And I'm here for it,' she wrote. But while Jada has remained relatively silent on the controversial incident, the moment sparked outrage the world over and led to Will being banned from attending the Oscars for ten years. But as candid as the guests will be this season, its unclear how candid Jada will be about drama in her own life - specifically, the Oscars slap The trailer released on Tuesday had made no mention of how her husband slapped Chris Rock during the live Oscars broadcast last month after the comedian made a joke about her buzzcut Two weeks after this year's ceremony, where Will claimed the Best Actor award, minutes after his assault on Chris, the Academy issued the actor with a ten-year ban from all of its events, while issuing a statement blasting his 'unacceptable' and 'harmful' behavior. 'During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry,' the Academy's statement read. 'This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short unprepared for the unprecedented. 'The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards. 'We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances. We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.' In a statement on Friday afternoon after the decision was reached, Will told Deadline: 'I accept and respect the Academys decision.' The actor had already resigned from the Academy when the ban was issued. Red Table Talk streams every Wednesday on Facebook Watch at 9am PST. They sent shockwaves through Hollywood when they first announced their split in 2012 then again in 2017 after a reconciliation for a total of 35 years. And Rhea Perlman has reflected on her relationship with Danny Devito. The 74-year-old actress was candid as ever in an interview with People magazine release Thursday as she reflected on their split and said she occasionally wishes she was still with the 77-year-old actor whom she married in 1982 The two stars had never filed for divorce but do share three children together: Lucy, 39, Grace, 37, and Jack, 34. Scroll down for video Lots of respect: Rhea Perlman and Danny Devito (seen in December 2019) sent shockwaves through Hollywood when they first announced their split in 2012 after 30 years of marriage then again in 2017 after a reconciliation Sweet: The 74-year-old actress (seen in May 2019) was candid as ever in an interview with People magazine release Thursday as she reflected on their split and said she occasionally wishes she was still with the 77-year-old actor whom she married in 1982 Rhea told the publication that 'it's probably worked out for the best' with Danny but does admit that she does get that nostalgic feeling of being in a romantic relationship with the It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia star. She told the weekly: 'Sometimes I wish we were still together because those were the glory days, but these are other kinds of glory days.' The two veteran stars had never officially filed for divorce when they split in both 2012 and 2017 as they have maintained a close relationship as spend plenty of time with their children together. Bonded: Rhea told the publication that 'it's probably worked out for the best' with Danny but does admit that she does miss being in a romantic relationship with the It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia star, the former couple are seen in November 2000 'Family is everything': The two stars share three children together: Lucy, 39, Grace, 37, and Jack, 34 as the family are seen in 2011 Rhea explained: 'We're still separated, but we see each other often, and we're still a family. 'We can do things together, we can do things separately. I'm really, really glad that Danny and I were able to navigate some rough days to be able to have this different kind of relationship. I think it's pretty rare, but we agree on so many things that it makes sense.' Danny and Rhea met back in 1971 when the actress saw him perform in the stage production of The Shrinking Bride. A whirlwind romance followed which saw the duo move in together just two weeks after meeting. They went on to marry on January 28, 1982 before having three children together. Of her relationship with Danny (seen earlier this month) told the weekly: 'Sometimes I wish we were still together because those were the glory days, but these are other kinds of glory days' The power couple are seen at the 73rd annual Academy Awards ceremony in 2001 in Los Angeles as of their current dynamic Rhea explained: 'We're still separated, but we see each other often, and we're still a family' The two have also shared the screen together as they had a few scenes in classic sitcom Taxi together - which aired from 1978 to 1983 - and played a married couple Harry and Zinnia Wormwood on the big screen in 1996 film Matilda. They also founded production company Jersey Films in 1992 and produced several critically acclaimed films including Pulp Fiction, Erin Brockovich and Garden State. The Hollywood couple shocked fan when they first announced their split in October 2012 after 30 years of marriage and over 40 years together. Later, the pair reconciled in March 2013 before going their separate ways again in March 2017. Chemistry: The two have also shared the screen together as they had a few scenes in sitcom Taxi together - which aired from 1978 to 1983; she played his love interest in this 1980 scene Fun times: They also played a married couple Harry and Zinnia Wormwood on the big screen in 1996 film Matilda Perlman famously played head waitress Carla in iconic sitcom Cheers from 1982 to 1983 and though she created lifelong bonds with several of her castmates, it is her relationship with her children that is paramount for her. She said: 'Cheers might have been everything in the beginning of my career, but family is everything, everything. 'If my relationships with my children were strained, I would be beside myself.' Rhea can soon be seen in comedy film Marvelous And The Black Hole which is set for limited release tomorrow. Tammy Hembrow spent the day soaking up the sun at the beach before dining out at a fancy restaurant in the Maldives on the eve of her 28th birthday on Thursday. The influencer, who is 32 weeks pregnant with her third child, is holidaying at the tourist hotspot with her son Wolf, six, daughter Saskia, five, and fiance Matt Poole. She documented her laid-back beach day on Instagram, sharing a gallery of photos of herself sunbathing, sipping coconut water and playing with her children. Wish you were here? Tammy Hembrow spent the day soaking up the sun at the beach before dining out at a fancy restaurant in the Maldives on the eve of her 28th birthday on Thursday The Saski Collection founder looked ready to pop as she flaunted her huge baby bump in a skimpy multi-coloured two-piece. Tammy then slipped into an orange bikini while posing for a mirror selfie in her suite. A few hours later, she donned a green silk dress and pink heels for a night out on the town with former Ironman Matt, 32. The couple, who live on the Gold Coast, dined at a restaurant overlooking the beach, and ordered burrata, salmon and steak. Idyllic: The influencer, who is 32 weeks pregnant with her third child, is holidaying at the tourist hotspot with her son Wolf, six, daughter Saskia, five, and fiance Matt Poole Stylish: The Saski Collection founder, who documented her laid-back beach day on Instagram, looked ready to pop as she flaunted her huge baby bump in a skimpy multi-coloured two-piece Selfie: Tammy then slipped into an orange bikini while posing for a mirror selfie in her suite Dressing up: A few hours later, she donned a green silk dress and pink heels for a night out on the town with former Ironman Matt, 32 Yum! They dined at a restaurant overlooking the beach, and ordered burrata, salmon and steak It comes after Tammy Hembrow was forced to defend herself after she was criticised for jetting off to the Maldives for a 'babymoon' holiday while 32 weeks pregnant. The businesswoman flew business class with Singapore Airlines over the weekend, joined by her children and fiance. While the airline permits women with an 'uncomplicated single pregnancy' to fly at 32 weeks with a medical certificate, some of Tammy's Instagram followers were quick to criticise her decision in the comments section of her holiday album. Criticism: It comes after Tammy was forced to defend herself after she was criticised for jetting to the Maldives for a 'babymoon' while 32 weeks pregnant. (Pictured on the flight over) 'Wow, you're game to fly that pregnant... there was no way I would risk having a baby overseas or on a plane,' one follower wrote. Tammy responded, 'I'm only 32 weeks haha not about to have this baby on a plane,' to which the fan replied: 'Problem is, it's not always planned. 'Mine came at 33 weeks without warning. It's so unpredictable with birth and we don't know how good the healthcare is overseas... your life your choice though, I'm more of a worry wort than most.' 'Flying this pregnant,' another critic wrote, adding: 'She could develop a blood clot, go into labour mid-flight, have labour complications and not have proper medical treatment, etc. There are tons of reasons not to fly in your third trimester.' Not long now! Tammy showed off her huge baby bump while on holiday on Tuesday evening Critique: While the airline permits women with an 'uncomplicated single pregnancy' to fly at 32 weeks with a medical certificate, some of Tammy's Instagram followers were quick to criticise her decision in the comments section of her holiday album Tammy responded: 'Midwife said it's perfectly fine. Fit and healthy and so is bub.' One follower commented: 'I personally wouldn't fly anywhere after 20 weeks into pregnancy because no one knows when the baby will be born. 'And if you're overseas and your baby is born prematurely, you'll need a lot of money and not sure if travel insurance would cover things like that.' 'Travelling in third trimester is very risky,' another agreed. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tammy Hembrow for further comment. Air travel is permitted on Singapore Airlines until 36 weeks for an uncomplicated single pregnancy, and until 32 weeks for an uncomplicated multiple pregnancy. Babymoon in paradise: Tammy is enjoying a lavish babymoon in the Maldives with her son Wolf, six, daughter Saskia, five, and fiance Matt Poole, 32, No medical certificate is required for women who are in their 28th week of pregnancy or earlier. For between 29 and 36 weeks, a medical certificate is required stating the woman is fit to travel, as well as the estimated date of delivery and number of weeks of pregnancy. The 'certificate must be dated within ten days of the first flight after 28 weeks of pregnancy', the Singapore Airlines website states. No expense spared! On Monday, Tammy gave her followers a guided tour of her lodgings An average flight time from Tammy's home in the Gold Coast to the Maldives is approximately 17 hours. On Monday, Tammy gave her 14.5 million followers a guided tour of her lodgings, which included a private jetty, panoramic views of the ocean, an infinity pool, a freestanding bathtub and chic furnishings. She also posted a clip of Saskia and Wolf jumping off the jetty, as Matt attempted to catch them from the water below. Yummy mummy! Tammy also shared several photos of herself swanning around in a $1,400 knitted dress by Roberta Einer, and a pair of blue heels Stunning: Tammy's videos showed panoramic views of the ocean, an infinity pool, a freestanding bathtub and chic furnishings 'I'm just making a bath... and look these three,' she wrote, filming her children as they frolicked in the water with their stepfather. Tammy revealed her pregnancy back in December, just two weeks after she and Matt announced their engagement. 'Our hearts are so full,' she wrote on Instagram at the time. Cheers! Matt also documented the family getaway on Instagram, uploading a video of himself and Tammy sipping drinks by the water Family dinner: Tammy and Matt later documented their visit to a fine-dining restaurant In a video thanking fans for their well-wishes in February, Tammy confessed it was 'so weird being pregnant again after so long'. She has since kept fans updated on her pregnancy on Instagram, regularly showing off her burgeoning baby bump in belly-baring photos. Tammy shares Saskia and Wolf with her ex-fiance Reece Hawkins. Reece currently lives in the U.S. with his new wife London Goheen and their baby son Stone. Jessica Plummer put on a glamorous display as she attended the British Academy Television Craft Awards Nominees Party in London on Thursday. The ex-EastEnders star, 29, wowed in a satin black slip dress, while boosting her height in a pair of pink heels. The actress, who played Chantelle Atkins in the BBC soap, looked the picture of confidence as she posed for photographs at the star-studded event. Stunning: Jessica Plummer put on a glamorous display as she attended the British Academy Television Craft Awards Nominees Party in London on Thursday Jessica accessorised with dainty gold jewellery - including a bracelet, rings and hoop earrings. Her brunette locks were styled in her signature curls with a side parting and she opted for a full face of glamorous makeup with a red lip. BAFTA recently announced the nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards. These awards recognise and celebrate the very best in television craft and television programmes broadcast in the UK in 2021, with acclaimed programmes from the past 12 months, including It's A Sin and Help leading the nods. The Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards ceremony takes place at London's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 8 May while the Craft Awards take place two weeks earlier on April 24. Glamorous: The ex-EastEnders star, 29, wowed in a satin black slip dress, while boosting her height in a pair of pink heels Work it: The actress, who played Chantelle Atkins in the BBC soap, looked the picture of confidence as she posed for photographs at the star-studded event It comes after Ex-Eastenders stars Jessica and Ben Hardy confirmed their new romance as they shared a sweet kiss during a night out in London recently. The pair, who sparked romance rumours in the summer and star together in new BBC drama The Girl Before, looked happier than ever as they embraced and kissed in the street - before Jessica, 28 climbed into a taxi. Ben was seen wrapping a tender arm around Jessica as they shared a moment in the street, staring into one another's eyes. Wow! Her brunette locks were styled in her signature curls with a side parting and she opted for a full face of glamorous makeup with a red lip Eagle-eyed fans have also been quick to notice that the pair have been liking each other's photos on Instagram for weeks. According to The Sun Jessica and Ben were said to have 'grown close' since appearing as a couple in the new programme, and they have been spending more time together off-screen since June. It comes after it was reported that Ben had split from his girlfriend Olivia Cooke earlier this year, with sources claiming at the time their romance 'fizzled out.' Craft awards: These awards recognise and celebrate the very best in television craft and television programmes broadcast in the UK in 2021, with acclaimed programmes from the past 12 months, including It's A Sin and Help leading the nods New couple: It comes after Ex-Eastenders stars Jessica and Ben Hardy confirmed their new romance as they shared a sweet kiss during a night out in London recently Romance: According to The Sun Jessica and Ben were said to have 'grown close' since appearing as a couple in the new programme, and they have been spending more time together off-screen since June Ben - who played Ian Beale's son Peter in the soap - has starred in Hollywood films such as Bohemian Rhapsody and X-Men: Apocalypse since his departure from the show. Meanwhile Jessica played the embattled Chantelle Atkins, who came to a tragic end when she was killed by her abusive husband Gray. The two of them never starred in the soap at the same time, with Ben leaving in 2015 and Jessica only starring in it for a year before being killed off in 2020, and their paths have only just crossed. Crossed paths at last: Jessica, who played Chantelle Atkins on the soap (pictured), did not star in EastEnders alongside Ben, because he left the soap in 2015 Jessica came seventh in 2020's I'm A Celebrity, and shares a daughter, Noa, six, with her former boyfriend. Ben was with his girlfriend Olivia earlier this year before calling it quits, with an insider telling The Sun that their intense romance simply faded away. The insider stated that Ben and his ex were at pivotal points of their acting career and the relationship ceased to work. The pair's series will see Jessica take on the role of Emma who becomes enamoured with a minimalist house before finding out a woman has been killed in the house before. Ben will star as the husband of Jessica's character in the four-part series. Filming continues to be underway in Bristol for the HBO Max and BBC series, and is set to be released later in 2021. Advertisement Brianne Howey and her onscreen daughter Antonia Gentry were seen sitting in a horse-drawn carriage in all-white ensembles as they filmed a wedding scene for Netflix's Ginny & Georgia in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday. As the duo arrived to a venue adorned with beautiful floral arches via a white horse-drawn carriage, the 32-year-old actress smiled as she held onto a bouquet of white roses and eucalyptus leaves with her hair in a sleek bun. For her character's big day, the Batwoman star, who plays single mother Georgia Miller on the hit comedy-drama television series created by Sarah Lampert, wore a gorgeous white cape over a baby blue gown with laters of ruffle detailing. Radiant: Brianne Howey and her onscreen daughter Antonia Gentry were seen sitting in a horse-drawn carriage in all-white ensembles as they filmed a wedding scene for Netflix's Ginny & Georgia in Toronto, Canada on Wednesday The blushing bride's look was completed with a sparkly diamond broach, a pair of matching sparkly earrings, shiny silver pumps and flowers tucked into her romantic updo. Howey, who got engaged to Mayor Paul Randolph (Scott Porter) last season, was grinning from ear-to-ear during the scene as Gentry, 24, sat by her side rocking a long cream jacket over a matching jumpsuit and chunky red shoes. The Emory University grad stuck by Howey's side as they exited the horse-drawn carriage to a second location for a highly-anticipated episode of the second season of Ginny & Georgia, which was first released in February, 2021. Blushing bride: As the duo arrived to a venue adorned with beautiful floral arches via a white horse-drawn carriage, the 32-year-old actress smiled as she held onto a bouquet of white roses and eucalyptus leaves with her hair in a romantic bun For her character's big day, the Batwoman star, who plays single mother Georgia Miller on the hit comedy-drama television series created by Sarah Lampert, wore a gorgeous white cape over a baby blue gown with laters of ruffle detailing Ready to walk down the aisle: The blushing bride's look was completed with a sparkly diamond broach, a pair of matching sparkly earrings, shiny silver pumps and flowers tucked into her romantic updo More than 52 million subscribers tuned in for the melodrama, which was renewed last April for 10 all-new episodes on the streaming network. Season one of the young adult drama made headlines when Taylor Swift slammed the show for a 'deeply sexist' joke about her dating history. The sophomore season of Ginny & Georgia will be produced in Toronto with the same all-female creative team behind season one, Deadline reported. By her side: The Emory University grad stuck by Howey's side as they exited the horse-drawn carriage to a second location for a highly-anticipated episode of the second season of Ginny & Georgia, which was first released in February, 2021 Hit series: More than 52 million subscribers tuned in for the melodrama, which was renewed last April for 10 all-new episodes on the streaming network No date was given for when production will resume or when fans can expect to see new episodes roll out on Netflix. 'We are so appreciative of the incredible response and love you all have shown Ginny & Georgia. We're especially grateful to Brianne and Toni, who set the highest bar every step of the way. We can't wait to return to Wellsbury for season two,' said showrunner Debra J. Fisher and creator Sarah Lampert in a statement. The series follows teenaged Ginny and her 30-year-old mom Georgia as they start anew in the posh suburban town of Wellsbury. Controversy: Season one of the young adult drama made headlines when Taylor Swift slammed the show for a 'deeply sexist' joke about her dating history They're back! The sophomore season of Ginny & Georgia is being produced in Toronto with the same all-female creative team behind season one, Deadline reported last year Lots of drama: The series follows teenaged Ginny and her 30-year-old mom Georgia as they start anew in the posh suburban town of Wellsbury In season one, Ginny finds herself in a complicated love triangle at her new high school - made even messier by the fact that she has the hots for her new best friend's brother who also happens to be her next door neighbor. Meanwhile her bombshell of a southern belle mom, Georgia, tries to outrun her checkered past while establishing herself in town - and with the hunky, single mayor ... who is also her boss. The series debuted on February 24 and joined the likes of 2021 Netflix juggernauts like Brigerton and Lupin, being watched by an astounding 52 million subscribers in its first 28 days. In season one, Ginny finds herself in a complicated love triangle at her new high school - made even messier by the fact that she has the hots for her new best friend's brother who also happens to be her next door neighbor Uh oh: Meanwhile her bombshell of a southern belle mom, Georgia, tries to outrun her checkered past while establishing herself in town - and with the hunky, single mayor ... who is also her boss Season one ended with Ginny and Georgia at odds and the teenager running away with her little brother Austin. The finale also contained a throw-away joke about Taylor Swift's long list of exes that, in todays climate, didn't sit well with the superstar. The 31-year-old Grammy-winner took to her considerable Twitter platform to hit out at Netflix for airing what she referred to at the time as a 'deeply sexist' and 'degrading' joke. Taylor tweeted: 'Hey Ginny & Georgia, 2010 called and it wants its lazy, deeply sexist joke back,' Taylor wrote. 'How about we stop degrading hard working women by defining this horse s*** as FuNnY.' Impressive: The series debuted on February 24 and joined the likes of 2021 Netflix juggernauts like Brigerton and Lupin, being watched by an astounding 52 million subscribers in its first 28 days Cliff-hanger: Season one ended with Ginny and Georgia at odds and the teenager running away with her little brother Austin Waiting game: It has not been announced when Netflix will release the second season of Ginny and Georgia just yet She went on to take a swipe at Netflix, pointing out: 'Also, @netflix after Miss Americana this outfit doesn't look cute on you,' before adding a broken-heart emoji, and noting the irony that the controversy was kicking off on the first day of Women's History Month. In the episode, teenager Ginny Miller (Antonia Gentry) makes an off-the-cuff comment about Taylor's dating life while arguing with her mother Georgia about her relationships. After Georgia questions her daughter about whether she has had sex with someone, Ginny yells back: 'What do you care? You go through men faster than Taylor Swift.' Iconic: Antonia Gentry, 23, and Brianne Howey, 31, will return to Wellsbury as mother-daughter duo Ginny and Georgia, respectively, in 10 all-new episodes on the streaming network Drama: Season one of the young adult drama made headlines when Taylor Swift slammed the show for a 'deeply sexist' joke about her dating history Following Taylor's criticism, Antonia shared lengthy statement expressing her gratitude for fans support: 'Thank you for the love and support you have shown me and our show, Ginny and Georgia, over the last week. 'I never would have imagined something like this as a young girl -- that is, having a voice capable of impact. 'It is so meaningful to see the hundreds of messages from fans in my inbox who feel seen, heard and understood because of the show and its characters. It has also been fun to hear from those who were just happy to be along for an entertaining ride. Adding in part: 'As someone who grew up feeling voiceless and unimportant, and who did not see herself reflected on screen, Ginny Miller was finally a reprieve.' Taylor took issue with this joke: 'What do you care? You go through men faster than Taylor Swift' (seen in 2019) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) visits the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in India Thursday touting job-creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia. Johnson arrived in Gujarat -- Modi's home state and the ancestral home to half of the United Kingdom's British Indians -- where he is meeting business leaders and taking a cultural tour of the historic Ahmedabad city. He will leave for New Delhi to meet his Indian counterpart on Friday, providing Johnson some respite from the "partygate" controversy over his criminal violation of pandemic lockdown rules. Johnson will miss a parliamentary vote on Thursday into whether he deliberately misled the House of Commons in previously denying any Downing Street rule-breaking -- normally a resigning matter. The India trip has been twice postponed because of Covid-19 flare-ups in each country, and was briefly in doubt again this week when the vote was announced, with opposition leaders insisting Johnson stand down. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Gujarat on Thursday and New Delhi on Friday But UK sources said it was seen as too important to put off again. Downing Street said it would seal two-way investment deals worth more than 1 billion ($1.3 billion), creating almost 11,000 jobs in Britain. "What we're focusing on today is the incredible opportunities to deepen this partnership," Johnson told reporters while visiting a factory in Gujarat. Johnson's visit began with a trip to Sabarmati ashram, once the home of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, where he was invited to sit cross-legged and work a wooden spinning wheel. The tool was once vital to the local textile industry and championed by Gandhi as a symbol of resistance to Britain's colonial rule of India. - No lectures - Downing Street said the visit would yield new partnerships on defence, artificial intelligence and green energy, along with investment deals in areas including robotics, electric vehicles and satellite launches. But London acknowledges that it is some way off clinching a post-Brexit trade deal with Modi's government, which wants more visas for Indians to work or study in the UK. During his trip, Johnson will hold talks with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi India meanwhile has refused openly to condemn the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine, reliant as it is on Russian imports of energy, agricultural goods and military hardware. "India and Russia have historically a very different relationship, perhaps than Russia and the UK have had over the last couple of decades," Johnson said. "We have to reflect that reality, but clearly I'll be talking about it to Narendra Modi." Foreign Secretary Liz Truss came away from New Delhi empty-handed last month when she pressed the Indians to do more against Russia, and Modi has also given short shrift to appeals from US President Joe Biden. Johnson will tout the benefits of India moving more quickly towards renewables -- a pertinent strategic issue as countries attempt to pivot away from Russian energy. "Both our countries are excessively reliant on foreign hydrocarbons. And we need to move away from that together," Johnson said. "One of the things that we're talking about is what we can do to build partnerships on hydrogen, on electric vehicles, on offshore wind, on all the ways that you can reduce the cost of energy for people with green technology." Downing Street has denied that, given the Ukraine war's impact on energy supplies, it is soft-pedalling its commitment to net-zero carbon emissions -- after India joined with China to torpedo a stronger accord at the COP26 climate summit held in Scotland last year. The UK also has a sizeable Sikh community, and its leaders have been demanding that Johnson raise the case of Scotsman Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained without trial in India for more than four years. The headquarters of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) located on Yeouido, Seoul / Yonhap By Anna J. Park The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it would look into recent private information leakages by Samsung Securities and KB Kookmin Card, vowing to hold them fully responsible for the accidents. The financial regulator said on Thursday afternoon that once it grasps how the information leakage accidents took place at the two firms, they will be ordered to swiftly compensate any customer who suffers damages from the accidents. It would also direct the two companies to immediately overhaul their systems in order to prevent any more accidents of a similar nature from happening. "The FSS will strengthen its checkups on mobile-based financial platforms, such as program tests as well as objective qualification procedures. If a major violation of related regulations is confirmed, the financial authority plans to make companies that committed violations take full responsibility, according to the law and principles," an official from the FSS said. According to Samsung Securities, the private information including account numbers, deposits, as well as rates of return of 344 customers were exposed to those who used Samsung's newly-launched "Monimo" app for 15 hours from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning. The application is a joint mobile-based platform developed for the customers of Samsung Group's four financial companies: Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Samsung Life, Samsung Card and Samsung Securities. The brokerage company of Samsung Group said it took necessary measures on Tuesday morning. The company explained that the leakage happened due to a computerized error during the firm's system upgrading process. "Even though there hasn't been any damage related to the incident, we are deeply sorry about the private information leakage," the company's statement reads. On a similar note, a customer of KB Kookmin Card said she could browse through someone else's detailed card payment information as well as personal information, including their address, when she logged onto her card app earlier this week. The case became known to the public on Wednesday with the report by a local news media outlet. KB Kookmin Card said that the accident was attributed to a temporary error resulting from a technological issue, and that it seems to be the only such case. The company vowed to do an overall checkup of its mobile application system. Bangka boats, water vehicles with outriggers designed for island expedition, are anchored along the Puka beach on the northern side of Boracay Island, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin Philippines' scenic resort island set to welcome Korean tourists back with resumption of direct flights By Lee Hae-rin BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines The excitement was everywhere on the Philippines' scenic resort island of Boracay on Tuesday amid news reports that flights between Korea and the Southeast Asian country will resume soon to end the bleak days of the pandemic that have continued for over two years. On this island, once teeming with Korean tourists before the pandemic, hearing greetings in Korean is no surprise at all. One of the greetings Koreans would hear most is "Annyeonghasaeyo!" Most of the island's 40,000 residents who work in the tourism industry know surprisingly diverse Korean phrases. "Hana, dul, set" (counting one, two, three), "Meori tta" (get your hair braided), "Yeppuda" (you look pretty), and "Nakhasan ta" (get a parachute ride, to mean a water parachute ride) are a few of the many Korean phrases heard around the island. Some hotels even present kimchi and japchae, a traditional Korean glass noodle, in their breakfast menus and display not only English but also Korean on signage on doors, restrooms and crossroads. Along its signature white beach, some of the many Bangka boats, a native water vehicle flanked by two bamboo outriggers, even have the island's name and greeting written big and blue in Korean. A signpost with Korean instruction stands along the trail of Crystal Cove, a tourist attraction in Boracay Island, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin Heavily reliant on tourism, the locals said the pandemic has been a life-changing experience. Mark Jhune, a local vendor at the island's Puka beach, said that he remembers seeing at least 50 packs, or 200 Korean tourists a day in his business area before the pandemic. These days, Jhune said, he's lucky if he sees three to four Koreans a week; other vendors around him agreed and nodded along. Kennyday Precy Cabangnon, an employee at a cruise company who has been in the island's tourism business for 10 years, recalled the good old days for the islanders before the pandemic. "We even had a separate calendar for Korean tourists, where we save reservations for Koreans only on dates with odd numbers," Cabangnon said, emphasizing the large share of the local economy Korean travelers accounted for. Since the Philippines reopened to international travel this month, this journalist is the second Korean she has met on the island, she said. Mark Jhune, a local vendor at Puka beach, Boracay, speaks about the sharp drop of Korean tourists since the COIVD-19 pandemic. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin Including Jhune and Cabangnon, locals working at hotels and restaurants have unanimously expressed their longing for Korean visitors to return. Many of them appealed their grown understanding and love for Korean culture by watching K-dramas and listening to K-pop during the pandemic. Meanwhile, a hotel employee with 18 years of experience in the island's tourism industry mentioned on condition of anonymity that Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat came back with news of the direct flight resumption between the two countries from her visit to Korea in March. "We (Boracay locals) are encouraged since the opening of the borders between the two countries and look forward to the resumption of flights in the coming months," she said. Air Seoul, one of Korea's airlines that serviced Incheon-Kalibo direct flights before the pandemic for tourists to Boracay, confirmed during a phone interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday, that the airline will resume direct flights on June 17, after two years and three months of pause. "Boracay has been one of the major vacation routes for the airline and has always showed a high boarding rate," the official said. "We are resuming international routes with high demand with priorities on vacation spots, and Boracay is one of them." Air Seoul opened four flights a week, which is thus far smaller compared to seven before the pandemic. Although the airline hasn't offered any promotions or bargain prices yet, it already sees a steady increase in reservations for Boracay. Among other tourist destinations, Boracay is a beloved place for Korean holidaymakers. Koreans were allowed to travel abroad freely without restrictions starting in the late 1980s. The Philippines and especially the scenic island of Boracay had been rising as top vacation destinations for Koreans, said the Philippines tourism office in Seoul. According to Sho Jae-pil, the editor and publisher of domestic travel journal Travel Press who has been covering tourism for 42 years after leaving The Korea Times in 1972, Koreans' fascination for the Philippines and its islands is derived from their regular exhaustion from cold winters and quick tempers, which encourages them to discover new destinations. A tourist couple walks along the trail of Crystal Cove in Boracay Island, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin "Korean travelers rarely stick to one destination for more than 10 years," Sho said, explaining the shifting trend from other Asian locations such as Thailand in the past decade. Also, Sho believes the Philippines have great potential as a Korean vacation destination, as it features over 7,000 islands, most of which are yet unintroduced to travelers, and is one of the most reachable Southeast Asian countries with tropical weather. According to the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT), almost a quarter of foreign visitors over 2 million out of 8.26 million were Koreans in 2019, when foreign tourism in the country reached its peak. The PDOT office in Seoul confirmed that 38.6 percent of over 1 million foreign visitors to the island that year were Korean. Korean travelers' acute preference for Boracay stems from its natural resources. The tropical island features shores with white powdery sand from its unique coral mixture and creates a vivid color contrast to the crystal-clear, azure waters. The island is also famous for its stunning crimson sunsets. A sunset scene at the Punta Bunga beach on the west coast of Boracay Island. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin People have a picnic at Yeouido Han River Park in Seoul, April 17. Yonhap Picnics and beer drinking are back in the parks along Seoul's Han River after the lifting of social distancing requirements. Starting this week, all COVID-19 social distancing requirements, except the mask mandate, were lifted, including a curfew on operating hours of restaurants, cafes and other small businesses, as well as the cap on the size of private gatherings. About a dozen parks on the river banks are now free of any gathering restrictions. Groups of people were picnicking in the sunny afternoon Wednesday at Banpo Han River Park near the southern namesake district while convenience stores were abuzz with people purchasing canned beers and snacks for a refreshing break along the river, a common scene before COVID-19. "Since the COVID-19 outbreak, I hadn't come here due to worries and infection prevention rules. I came here today to enjoy myself, my first visit to Han River in about two-and-a-half years," Jeong Ji-eun, a 29-year-old office worker from Suwon just outside of Seoul, told Yonhap News Agency. She took a day off from work to enjoy the Han River on a less crowded weekday. "I like it very much. It's as if the previous normalcy has finally returned." Kim Min-sang, a 23-year-old student, was having a light drinking session with nine friends under a tent. "I hardly came here for the past year. After finishing the mid-term exam, I came here today to have fun with friends, and I am so delighted," he said. Other citizens also came out to stroll along the river or walk their dogs. "I saw on social media that the rainbow fountain of the Banpo Bridge (across the Han River) will return soon, and I will be busy this season visiting that place too," said 24-year-old Shin Ludia who was walking her dog in the park. A Seoul city government official said the city is also reviewing whether to resume the food truck festival known as "Bamdokkaebi" night market, which it had operated before the pandemic, in line with the country's gradual return to pre-pandemic normalcy. (Yonhap) Hyderabad: The governments decision to repeal GO 111 would delay the finalisation of the master plan for the Hyderabad Metropol-itan Region by another year. Though Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had asked the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to prepare a master plan for the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region three years ago, the work has not taken off yet. Officials say that they could prepare the master plan within three months as per the direction of the Chief Minister, but no meeting was convened by ASCI with stakeholders like health, education, po-wer and industries departments to understand their expectations from the comprehensive master plan. Municipal administration and urban development authorities, however, say that the comprehensive master plan was put on hold as the government intended to revoke GO 111. Now that the government has taken a decision on the revocation of GO 111, the officials claim the draft master plan will be ready within 18 months. The master plan will divide the city into three parts areas within ORR, beyond ORR and outside a five km radius of the proposed regional ring road. Assessment will also be made for drinking water, drainage, sewage, traffic, transport and power lines in the metropolitan area. According to sources, as per the draft master plan, all polluting industries from the city would be shifted out and industrial estates which are not in use due to closure will be converted into green areas. While handing over the job to draft the master plan from Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to ASCI, the Chief Minister had said that instead of depending on a small body like HMDA for the implementation of the master plan, for the comprehensive development of the city, there shall be a larger body consisting of experts drawn from various fields like sewerage, drinking water, power lines, traffic and environment. Funds need to be mobilised not just from GHMC coffers but from various other sources. An official said that the state government has also asked ASCI to prepare two draft master plans one taking into consideration the curbs imposed by GO 111 around areas surrounding Osmansagar Lake and Himayatsagar Lake, and another envisaging the successful of revocation of GO 111 curbs. The MA&UD officials, however, said that ASCI is yet to hold a meeting with the stakeholders. They said ASCI has prepared a draft plan for areas lying outside the 5 km radius of RRR. But now that the state government has decided to revoke GO 111, ASCI has to prepare multiple plans, which is a time-consuming task. Telangana State government on Wednesday issued an order to remove restrictions pertaining to government order (G.O.) 111, dated March 8, 1996. (DC file photo) Hyderabad: The Telangana State government on Wednesday issued an order to remove restrictions pertaining to a government order (G.O.) 111, dated March 8, 1996. The restrictions were removed, subject to the condition that the water quality of these Osmansagar and Himayatsagar, would not be impacted in any manner. The TRS-led government had earlier on April 12 released another GO, numbered 69, which would be applicable for 84 villages (1.32 lakh acres), which are under the purview of GO 111. The state government, in its new order today, said that considering the fact that Hyderabad citys drinking water requirements were no longer dependent on Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, which was the underlying reason for the issuance of GO 111, it was no longer relevant. The government said that the GO 111, dated March 8, 1996, was issued to prohibit polluting industries, major hotels, residential colonies and other establishments that generate pollution in the catchment area of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, up to 10 kms from the full rank level (FTL), covering 84 villages with an area of nearly 1.32 lakh acres. This was done with an objective of protecting the catchment area of these two reservoirs which were the main source of drinking water to Hyderabad city at that time. However, as per the details furnished by the HMWSSB, these two reservoirs are now accounting for 27.59 per cent of installed capacity of drinking water, when the GO 111 was issued. However, since the total installed capacity of drinking water for Hyderabad has grown up from 145 Mgd to 602 Mgd, and an additional 344 million gallons a day (MGD) is also under execution, as a result drawals dependability of these reservoirs is less than 1.25 per cent. These two reservoirs are no longer the source of drinking water supply to Hyderabad city. Citing this as the reason, the government removed the restrictions on GO 111. With the restrictions removed, the government would now be able to take up installation of a decentralised sewerage treatments plants (STPs) at various locations. The government can also undertake the construction of diversion channels for carrying treated water, without letting it into these two reservoirs, as long as it can maintain groundwater quality, minimise pollution through agricultural surface run-off into these two reservoirs and any other measures as deemed appropriate to ensure the quality of water. The government has constituted a committee, headed by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and special chief secretary Arvind Kumar, special chief secretary (finance) K. Ramakrishna Rao, special chief secretary (I&CAD) Rajat Kumar, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) and others. The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committee are to suggest measures for protection and preventions of pollution to these two reservoirs, to suggest broad guidelines for zoning including earmarking of green zones. The panel will also suggest modalities for development of trunk infrastructure in this area, and suggest means to mobilise resources for taking up trunk infrastructure i.e., roads, major drains, STPs, diversion drains etc., among others. Taking these factors into consideration, the government has asked the committee to submit a report at the earliest. The Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam Endowment Scheme was started by the TTD on April 6, 1985, with serving of free food to 2,000 pilgrims per day at Tirumala. (Photo:DC) TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has started another donors counter at Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex in Tirumala on Wednesday. Donors can donate in small amounts starting from Rs 100 at the newly-opened counter. TTD Additional EO A.V. Dharma Reddy inaugurated the counter. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the devotee donors could contribute small amounts of even Rs 100 and above at the counter operated by the Union Bank of India in the complex. The Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam Endowment Scheme was started by the TTD on April 6, 1985, with serving of free food to 2,000 pilgrims per day at Tirumala. Subsequently, the scheme was transformed into an independent organisation called Sri Venkateswara Nitya Annadanam Trust '', with effect from April 1, 1994. The name of the trust was changed to Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam trust on April 1, 2014. This trust is being run with donations received from devotees/donors from all over the world. The trust deposited all the donations in nationalised banks and the interest accrued on it is being utilised to meet the expenditure of the trust. During the pre-Covid days, every day 10,000 litres of milk was procured and served in Vaikuntam queue complexes-I&II for pilgrims waiting in compartments and also in other complexes. Every day, 10 to 12 tonnes of rice was used at Tirumala and 1.75 tonnes of rice was used at Tirupati. Around 6.5 to 7.5 tonnes of vegetables were used at all annaprasadam canteens at Tirumala and were received on donation basis. Way back in 1959 when the worlds first elected Communist government led by E.M.S. Namboothiripad in Kerala was dismissed, purportedly on the recommendation of then governor Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, DMK founder C.N. Annadurai questioned the need for the post of one in a democracy. He equated it with that of a goats stubble, saying, in Tamil, Aatukku thaadium nattukku governorum thevaiillai (a state does not need a governor just as a goat has no use of a beard), setting the tone for the DMK and its breakaway party, the AIADMKs, subsequent opposition to governors. The scene has not changed much though as a democracy India has strengthened its institutions and stabilised them over the decades. Governors continue to exert undue influence over the decisions of elected governments even though high courts and the Supreme Court have intervened several times to assert the primacy of the council of ministers in matters of governance. Often they act as agents of the Union government, especially in states which are run by political dispensations opposed to that in the Centre, and frustrate the state governments plans. In Telangana, the governor says it is difficult to work with the chief minister; in West Bengal, the two top constitutional functionaries spar in public and in Maharashtra, the governor comes out criticising the state government over which he presides. Keralas governor is known for throwing tantrums at will. The latest stand-off in Tamil Nadu, however, has spilled on to the streets with public protests against the governor sitting on bills passed by the state Assembly. The DMK which criticised the interference of the earlier incumbent of the gubernatorial post, Banwarilal Purohit, in public affairs even as an Opposition party in 2017, did not take kindly to the appointment of R.N. Ravi, a former intelligence officer, as governor in 2021. Though the ruling party did not openly express resentment, the DMKs alliance partners went out all guns blazing against Mr Ravi, anticipating trouble for the elected government. The governor, too, lived up to the apprehension by being a stumbling block for the government in the implementation of its schemes. As of now, the allegation is that he has put 19 bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly in cold storage. One of them is the bill seeking exemption of the state from NEET for admission to medical colleges run by the state government with a view to enabling poor and rural students from disadvantaged sections of the society to realise their dream of becoming doctors on the basis of their marks in the school final examinations, a criteria that had produced generations of medical professionals in the state. Another bill relates to the restructuring of cooperative bodies in the state. The state government is anxious over the bill being held back for 210 days, despite it being passed for the second time after the governor first returned it to the Assembly for reconsideration since medical admissions are round the corner and poor and rural students might miss out on their opportunities for one more year. The Constitution makers envisaged no critical role for the governor; least of all, on sitting in judgment over the wisdom of the legislature, elected by the people. The governors would do well to stick to constitutional propriety instead of seeking a role outside it. An Indian national was killed and seven others were injured on Thursday in an explosion at an oxygen plant in an industrial area in Lalitpur district near Kathmandu. The explosion occurred at the Sagarmatha Oxygen Plant inside the Patan industrial estate on Thursday morning while workers were filling in the gas in a cylinder, police said. The explosion also destroyed the zinc roof of the oxygen plant and broke windows of adjacent buildings. In the explosion, one Indian national identified as Brij Kumar Mahato died while another Indian and six Nepalese nationals were injured, police said. The injured have been admitted to B and B Hospital in Lalitpur. The condition of the injured Indian national is said to be critical, according to Superintendent of Police Siddha Bikram Shah of the Lalitpur Metropolitan Police Range. Home Minister Balkrishna Khand has instructed the police to immediately carry out rescue works and investigate the accident. Check out DH's latest videos Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez was extradited to the United States Thursday to stand trial for allegedly aiding the smuggling of hundreds of tons of cocaine to America. The 53-year-old, whose 2014-2022 stint as president was plagued by allegations of corruption, risks spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted. AFP witnessed Hernandez's departure from an air force base in Tegucigalpa on a Drug Enforcement Administration plane destined for the United States. Hernandez is accused of having facilitated the smuggling of some 500 tons of cocaine -- mainly from Colombia and Venezuela -- to the United States via Honduras since 2004, starting long before his presidency. In turn, he allegedly received "millions of dollars in bribes... from multiple narcotrafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico and other places," according to a US Embassy document. Not even three weeks after leaving office following elections, a warrant was issued for Hernandez's arrest at Washington's request, and he surrendered to police on February 15. He was then held at a police special forces prison in the capital Tegucigalpa. Hernandez portrayed himself as an ally of the US war on drugs during his tenure, helping to extradite several narcotics kingpins. Washington even supported his re-election in 2017 despite a constitutional one-term limit and accusations of voting fraud. But several drug traffickers since told US prosecutors they had paid bribes to the president's inner circle, and by the time he left office, US drug enforcers were ready to move against Hernandez. US prosecutors say the former president turned Honduras into a "narco-state" by involving the military, police and civilians in drug trafficking to the United States. An alleged Hernandez associate, Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, was sentenced in the United States in February to life in prison and a fine of $151.7 million for smuggling tons of cocaine with the ex-president's aid, according to prosecutors. And his brother, ex-congressman Tony Hernandez, was given a life sentence in the United States in March 2021 for drug trafficking crimes in which Juan Orlando Hernandez was said to have been a co-conspirator. This month, a judge authorized the extradition to the United States of former national police chief Juan Carlos Bonilla, accused of running drug trafficking operations for Hernandez. The former president denies the allegations against him. Hernandez left office on January 27 when leftist Xiomara Castro became president of this country, which has a poverty rate of at least 60 percent among its 10 million inhabitants. On March 28, the 15-member Supreme Court of Honduras -- all judges appointed during Hernandez's first term -- ratified his extradition. In a statement, the former president's family protested his "innocence" and said he was a "victim of revenge by the drug traffickers he himself had extradited or forced to flee to the United States." These had told lies about Hernandez in a bid to have their own sentences reduced, the relatives said. Watch latest videos by DH here: A military helicopter flies over U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, April 18, during joint exercises with South Korea. Yonhap North Korean propaganda organs slammed the annual combined military exercises between South Korea and the United States, Thursday, labeling them as preparation for war, while the Kim Jong-un regime has made no formal response yet. Earlier this week, South Korea and the United States kicked off their combined springtime military training that does not include any troop maneuvers. It is to run through next Thursday. "This is a reckless, dangerous play with fires of war and a clear exercise for the invasion of the North, driving the Korean Peninsula's political situation that is already unstable to an extreme," Uriminzokkiri, a North Korean propaganda outlet, said in a commentary posted on its website. It added that inter-Korean relations and the political situation on the peninsula have been thrown into "the worst state." It took issue with the exercises as well as remarks by South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and Defense Minister Suh Wook on the potential option of a "preemptive strike" against the North if inevitable for national security. Another propaganda website Meari also lambasted the drills, arguing that their true objectives were perfecting plans for an invasion of the North. "The confrontational madness of the South Korean military has reached an extreme," it said. "The provocative military action being carried out by the South Korean military and the United States could lead to a tragic situation that no one could predict." (Yonhap) Continuing its 'hilsa diplomacy', Bangladesh is likely to export the prized silver fish to India during this year's Durga Puja as well. Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told PTI that his country's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a special exemption for India in the last couple of years from the blanket export ban on hilsa sale, which helps in conserving the fish and keeps prices from spiralling in the home market. "Our prime minister made a special exemption during the Durga Puja festivities for India because we know the fish is special during that season," said Munshi, who hails from Gopalganj -- known for its hilsa catch. Besides the high demand during the festive season, many 'Shakt' believers also make a sacrificial offering of hilsa to Goddess Durga. Bangladesh exported about 2,500 tons of the fish during the last Durga Puja to India, most of which were snapped up in Kolkata's markets. Munshi, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier this week during his trip to Kolkata, said she raised the issue of hilsa exports, pointing out that the Bangladeshi reception to her demand has always been positive. "Mamata-di told me, 'Hasina-ji ke ilish pathate bolben' (tell Sheikh Hasina to send hilsa -- this year too)," Munshi said, indicating that the Bangladeshi response would be considered in a positive spirit, given the good relations. About 86 per cent of the global hilsa catch is found in Bangladesh waters. The fish, which travels upstream from the sea to breed, is a prized catch because of its taste. Connoisseurs consider the hilsa from the Padma river, a distributary of the Ganges that courses mostly through Bangladesh, to be the tastiest. Hasina has used exports and gifts of hilsa as part of her diplomacy toolkit with India since 1996 when she first became the prime minister of Bangladesh. Her first gift of hilsa was to Jyoti Basu, the then chief minister of West Bengal in what many saw as part of sweeteners to hasten the Farakka water-sharing agreement. In 2013, when the then Indian President Pranab Mukherjee went to an official dinner during his trip to Dhaka, she laid out a large banquet where hilsa was the main offering, knowing fully well 'Pranab-da's' love for the fish. In 2016, ahead of Mamata Banerjee's swearing in ceremony, a gift of 20 kg of the prized fish was specially flown in for her table as part of the congratulatory message. P Watch the latest DH Videos here: Foreign Minister of Oman Sayyid Badr Hamad Hamood Al Busaidi will be on a two-day visit to India starting Wednesday during which he will hold talks with his counterpart S Jaishankar and undertake a comprehensive review of the progress made in bilateral strategic partnership. The ministers will meet on March 23 evening. They will also exchange views on recent regional and international developments, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. This will be the first visit of Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi to India in his capacity as the foreign minister of Oman, it said. India and Oman have continued close cooperation during the Covid pandemic and have maintained high-level contacts, the MEA said. India is among Oman's top trading partners and bilateral trade for the current financial year (FY 2021-2022) so far is almost $7.5 billion. People-to-people ties is another important facet of the bilateral relationship as Oman is home to approximately 6,20,000 Indian nationals, the statement said. Check out DH's latest videos: The recent 2+2 ministerial talks between India and the United States have underscored persistent divergences in their positions on global issues and niggling problems that can be expected to prevent more meaningful co-operation. As expected, the Ukraine crisis cast its long shadow over the talks. India has not sided with western countries against Russia on the Ukraine crisis. Rather, it has adopted a seemingly neutral but carefully nuanced position, keeping in mind its own interests and vulnerabilities. Given its decades-old military ties with Moscow and its dependence on Russian military hardware and spares, it has avoided criticising Russia on the Ukraine crisis. India also continues to trade with Russia, which has irked the Biden administration. Additionally, the Biden administration has made the promotion of democratic values a centrepiece of its foreign policy and has taken to hectoring India on its human rights record. At a joint news conference after the talks, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US was monitoring developments of concern in India including a rise in human rights abuses. A day later, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said that India too had its views on the human rights situation in other countries, including the US. Despite the continuing military tensions with the Chinese along the disputed border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be participating in the upcoming BRICS summit that China will host. Only a few weeks ago, India had cold-shouldered Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to New Delhi. It did seem then that India would snub Beijing by staying away from the BRICS summit. Has the Ukraine crisis, and what Delhi sees as American and western hypocrisy on issues ranging from their dealings with Russia to Indias internal affairs, triggered a rethink in Delhi about the value of its much-hailed strategic partnership with the US? India-Russia defence cooperation is not just about accessing Russian weapon systems. The cooperation has expanded to joint production of weapon systems. This is not the case with the US. America has offered to help India overcome dependence on Russia for military equipment. How far and fast is it willing to go? Jaishankars remark shows that there is now not the smoothness in the India-US relationship that had been built over the last 30 years and had existed so far. The tone and tenor of the public utterances show that there is friction in the relationship, especially as Delhi remains touchy and defiant on issues of democracy. That could stall progress in the bilateral relationship in many areas, as well as Indias own rise economically and technologically, and that will only benefit China. Released: April 21, 2022 Delaware County Elections continues preparations for the May 17, 2022 Primary Election. Final polling site assignments, ballot preparations, ballot mailings, and equipment testing are proceeding, and staff and volunteer training activities are well under way in anticipation of increased voter requests for services and information during the final weeks before Election Day. The deadline to register to votefor first time voters in Delaware County and for voters who have already registered but need to update their address, name, or party affiliationis Monday, May 2. The deadline for voters to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot (either a no-excuse mail-in ballot or a traditional absentee ballot) is Tuesday, May 10. Election Day itself is Tuesday, May 17, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (which is also the cut-off for the County to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots). The last day for the County to receive Military and Overseas Absentee Ballots is Tuesday, May 24. Voters are reminded that Pennsylvania has closed primaries. This means that under Pennsylvania law, voters who are registered as independents or with a third party will not be eligible to cast ballots at this primary. Because the May 17 ballots include only Democratic and Republican candidateswith no referenda questions or amendmentsonly voters registered with the Democratic or Republican parties will be able to receive a ballot and vote. Voters who wish to vote for a candidate in the May 17 Primary Election have until May 2 to update their registrationswith a change in party affiliation either to Democratic or Republican. Sample ballots and a final list of candidates are available on the Delco Votes! website at delcopa.gov/sample. Easy-to-use polling place resources, including an interactive map, downloadable list, and a lookup tool, will be finalized shortly and can be accessed at delcopa.gov/polls. Based on COVID-19 community-transmission data, wearing a mask is encouraged but optional for both voters and poll workers. Social distancing is encouraged when possible. Voter Registration In order to vote in Delaware County, an individual must be a US citizen, at least 18 years of age and have been a resident of their precinct at least 30 days before Election Day. Qualified voters may register online at delcopa.gov/register2vote, by mail (forms are available at delcopa.gov/registerbymail), or in-person at the Voter Service Center on the first floor of the Government Center Building at 201 W. Front Street in Media. In-person registrations are due by 4:30 p.m. May 2 and on-line registrations must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on May 2. Voters who are unsure of their registration status may check their registration through the States Votes PA website at delcopa.gov/regstatus. Vote-by-Mail Ballots The bulk of Delaware County vote-by-mail ballots requested to-date will be mailed by Mon., April 25. Vote-by-Mail ballots are sent only to those voters who have completed and signed an application in 2022 to vote-by-mail during the 2022 calendar year, which must include valid ID. Voters who have not yet applied for a vote-by-mail ballot must complete the application process by Tuesday, May 10 at 5 p.m. Vote-by-Mail applications may be submitted on the Votes PA website accessible at delcopa.gov/vbm-app. Secure Ballot Drop Boxes Delaware County Elections maintains more than 40 safe, secure, ADA-compliant ballot drop boxes, operated under 24/7 video surveillance. The drop boxes are located in the majority of municipalities across the County, andunlike the requirement that in-person voters must vote at a specific polling placethe drop boxes can be used by any Delaware County voter regardless of their place of residence. Ballot drop boxes are scheduled to open May 2. Before May 2, voters may use the drop box in the Government Center in Media, located inside Orange Street entrance. Most drop boxes are open 24/7; however, a few sites have limited hours. For a complete list of sites and hours of operation, visit the Delco Votes! website at delcopa.gov/dropbox. Additional Resources: The Election Hotline, Voter Service Center and the Delco Votes! website Delaware County voters have several resources available to help simplify the voting process. The Delaware County Election Hotline (610-891-VOTE) is available Mon. through Fri., 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. The Delaware County Voter Service Center provides a variety of in-person voter services and is available Mon. through Fri., 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Wednesdays through 8 p.m.), Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon, and on Election Day only, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Delaware Countys election website Delco Votes! provides news, sample ballots, ballot drop box locations, polling location information, access to downloadable and online forms, livestreams and recordings of Board of Elections meetings, and more at delcopa.gov/vote. Minister of Transport Eamon Ryan today announced that the Department of Transport and National Transport Authority (NTA) will provide emergency public transport services to Ukrainian refugees placed in rural locations. The Department and the NTA will accelerate a series of network improvements identified through the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan public consultation to support increased overall demand for public transport services. Improvements include additional stops, route modifications, and more services with the aim to increase connectivity for those based outside of bigger towns and cities. This acceleration serves a dual purpose by catering for both existing demand as well as responding to the increased pressures on services where the local population has grown in response to the humanitarian crisis. In addition, to support Ukrainian refugees housed away from existing public transport services, the NTA will provide supplementary transport connections to local centres. This will enable better access to a range of amenities and to onward public transport connections to larger centres where they may have friends and family. Minister Ryan said: We want to be a welcoming country and an accessible country to our Ukrainian guests. My Department and the National Transport Authority are working closely with TFI Local Link offices in rural Ireland to mobilise all available resources to strengthen our existing public transport services. We are doing this practically and quickly by adding extra stops and routes where a need has been identified. We want to ensure that passengers have access to essential services such as shopping centres, places of employment, and medical centres. Minister Ryan added: As we continue to welcome individuals and families arriving in Ireland from Ukraine, a once-off Community Transport Fund will also be established to support occasional social travel requests. It is vital that our guests do not feel isolated while they are with us and that they are supported with public transport to join in the many activities that are available in our towns, in particular activities focused on youth, integration, culture and education. The accelerated bus services coming on stream are part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, a major national public transport initiative to increase public transport connectivity, particularly for people living outside the major cities and towns on a phased basis from 2022 to 2025. Connecting Ireland is funded by the Department of Transport and managed by the NTA. Princeton Digital Group (PDG), a leading developer and operator of internet infrastructure headquartered in Singapore, and the Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association (APJII), which supports internet development in Indonesia, have announced a collaboration to boost Indonesia's internet infrastructure. This strategic partnership will, the two groups say, help APJII members in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Pekanbaru to have easy access to the Indonesia Internet Exchange (IIX) and strengthen internet connectivity infrastructure in Indonesia. This collaboration will also include PDG's 22MW Jakarta Cibitung 2 (JC2), a new greenfield development launched recently. With an internet penetration rate of 73.7% in 2021 and 95% of the population in the country accessing the internet via smartphones, Indonesia is poised to be a hyperscale market for data centres. However, the Indonesian market is highly fragmented. Many internet service and content providers are trying to get access to IIX. This partnership opens up more options in terms of location. In particular it will help members of APJII, a long-established association with over 700 internet providers and over 3,000 corporate members, to reach more digital content by leveraging PDG's expanded footprint in the market. The move will also enable content providers to collocate with PDG to garner easy access to IIX. At the same time, APJII says it will be able to expand its community and provide broader internet services for Indonesians. STC, Nokia and MediaTek have revealed a joint effort to verify 3 Component Carrier Aggregation (3CC-CA) in a 5G standalone network for the first time in the Middle East, a method to optimally combine spectrum assets to enhance 5G experiences. The test was conducted in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Nokia explained in a statement, that carrier aggregation enables operators to achieve higher throughputs by combining the use of Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum. This enables the enhancement of the 5G user experience and will allow STC to deliver leading 5G experiences and faster launches to the market of new 5G products. For the test, the companies used 20MHz of FDD carrier and two TDD carriers to create 180MHz of spectrum using FDD-TDD CA technology. Nokia provided its AirScale Baseband, massive MIMO and RRH products, powered by its Reefshark chipset on STCs live network. MediaTek provided its 5G mobile platform featuring its Release-16 ready, M80 modem. A notable benefit of carrier aggregation is it will reduce the consumption of batteries in user devices on STCs network. STC infrastructure sector VP Bader Allhieb said: This crucial, region-first trial of 3CC-CA in 5G SA mode reiterates our commitment to provide a world-class experience to our subscribers. Nokia's carrier aggregation solution gives us a competitive edge by providing best-in-class speed, capacity and coverage to our subscribers. We look forward to continuing our engagement with Nokia to enhance our 5G capabilities and efficiencies. Nokia Head of STC customer business team Khalid Hussain added: Carrier aggregation allows service providers to make optimal use of spectrum without impacting the network performance. UN investigators question 3-week-old Mali military operation that claimed 200-plus lives Xinhua) 08:36, April 21, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Mali officials block human rights representatives from investigating a three-week-old military operation that claimed 200-plus lives amid reports most victims were civilians, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday. "Our human rights colleagues are telling us that they are extremely concerned that the authorities in the country have still not granted UN human rights investigators access to the village of Moura," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. During an operation more than three weeks ago, Malian Armed Forces, reportedly accompanied by foreign military personnel, allegedly carried out summary executions and multiple other serious rights violations, Dujarric told reporters at a regular briefing. "Our colleagues tell us that the exact death toll is still unclear, the Malian army has acknowledged that it killed 203 fighters from 'armed terrorist groups' and arrested 51 people in what they say was a 'large-scale' military operation in the area," he said. "The Office for Human Rights says that preliminary information suggests that most victims were actually civilians." UN human rights representatives reported that the Malian transitional authorities had opened an investigation into the operation, the spokesman said. He added that the humanitarians call on the transitional authorities to ensure the inquiry is timely, thorough, independent, and impartial. The rights office stressed the need for investigators to provide prompt, safe and unhindered access to the area. The UN Human Rights Office said an independent on-the-ground investigation is critical and that time is of the essence to ensure accountability and prompt and effective justice for the victims. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) North Korea holds an expanded plenary meeting of its Cabinet via video link, April 20. Yonhap North Korea held a Cabinet meeting to assess its economic performance for the first three months of the year and urged officials to make utmost efforts to achieve their goals "at all costs," state media reported Thursday. At the expanded plenary meeting of the Cabinet held via video link the previous day, Vice Premier Pak Jong-gun made a report analyzing the country's economic weaknesses and flaws that dragged down the country's performance for the first quarter, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). During the session, Pak called on officials to "wage a stronger battle against undesirable phenomena, including formalism and self-protectionism, in the process of implementing economic policies." "The meeting stressed that all officials should wage a bold battle to implement the national economic plan in the first half of the year at all costs, keeping in mind that the national economic plan is an order from the party and the law of our nation," the KCNA said. During the North's eighth Workers' Party congress in January last year, its leader Kim Jong-un admitted that his five-year economic plan failed to meet its target and unveiled a new one focusing on self-reliance amid crippling global sanctions and a protracted border closure due to COVID-19. (Yonhap) Motorola Dubai is rumoured to be launched in May 2022 & is expected to run on Android 11 OS. The Smartphone is expected to be made available only in one color i.e. Black & will have a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. The phone will come with 128 GB of internal storage. A 8 GB of RAM will help phone run smoothly even the most memory intensive applications without showing any signs of lag. The phone in all probability will come with a powerful 5000 mAh battery to support it's 6.7 inch screen, having a resolution of 1080 X 2400. Motorola Dubai is speculated to boast of dual primary camera of 30 + 5 + 2 megapixel and 20 megapixel front Camera. Motorola Rhode is rumoured to be launched in May 2022 & is expected to run on Android 11 OS. The Smartphone is expected to be made available only in one color i.e. Black & will have a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. The phone will come with 128 GB of internal storage. A 8 GB of RAM will help phone run smoothly even the most memory intensive applications without showing any signs of lag. The phone in all probability will come with a powerful 5000 mAh battery to support it's 6.5 inch screen, having a resolution of 1080 X 2400. Motorola Rhode is speculated to boast of dual primary camera of 64 + 8 + 2 megapixel and 20 megapixel front Camera. Here are the leaked specifications of the upcoming OnePlus 10 The OnePlus 10 is expected to launch sometime later this year as the successor to the OnePlus 9 from 2021. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 10 Pro (review) has already made its way to the Indian shores packed with top-of-the-line features and second-generation Hasselblad colour calibration. Today, we at Digit are bringing some exclusive details about the specifications and features of the vanilla OnePlus 10 in partnership with popular tipster OnLeaks. So... Today, I can confirm that the vanilla #OnePlus10 is definitely coming and guess what... I have its complete specs sheet to share with you... #FutureSquad This exclusive comes on behalf of @digitindia -> https://t.co/AdZHiDO9EC pic.twitter.com/SKTFRsrvV1 Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) April 21, 2022 The OnePlus 10 follows the OnePlus 9 which offered solid specs for its asking price including features like a high refresh rate AMOLED display, flagship Snapdragon 888 chip, and triple camera setup backed by Hasselblad and fast wired/wireless charging. This year, the OnePlus 10 aims to one-up the OnePlus 9 and here is what you can expect from the upcoming OnePlus flagship. OnePlus 10 leaked specifications OnePlus 9 camera module As per the leaked specifications of the OnePlus 10 that we have managed to get our hands on courtesy of OnLeaks, OnePlus is currently testing two prototype variants, one powered by a Qualcomm chip and the other with a MediaTek SoC. The company doesnt seem to have locked on the exact variant that will be mass-produced as the OnePlus 10 yet. But one thing is clear OnePlus is currently in the early stages of testing and its likely we will see the OnePlus 10 launching in the second half of 2022. The OnePlus 10 features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display that offers support for a 120Hz refresh rate. In all likelihood, the vanilla OnePlus 10 will also feature LTPO 2.0 backplane technology which can adapt the refresh rate between 1Hz to 120Hz depending on the kind of content being played on the screen. OnePlus is currently testing two chipsets for its vanilla flagship: the next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC (likely Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+) and the MediaTek 9000 chipset. Its currently unclear which chipset will end up powering the OnePlus 10, but well know for sure once we near the official launch date. The chipset will be paired with 8GB/12GB RAM and 128GB/256GB storage options to choose from. It will likely run on the latest version of OxygenOS 12 which is based on Android 12. As for the cameras, the OnePlus 10 has a 50MP primary camera followed by a 16MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. And on the front, there is an upgraded 32MP selfie camera. In comparison, the OnePlus 9 brought with it a 48MP main camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP monochrome sensor. It did not offer support for OIS but its cameras were given the same Hasselblad colour calibration as the OnePlus 9 Pro and we expect the OnePlus 10 to follow suit. OnePlus has almost always been at the top of the fast charging game and with the OnePlus 10, we are getting a whopping 150W fast charging support. The battery capacity is rated at 4,800mAh. Incidentally, the OnePlus 10 is expected to be the first flagship OnePlus phone to not carry the iconic alert slider that has become synonymous with the OnePlus flagships. Is this the OnePlus 10? Alleged OnePlus 10 design (credit: LetsGoDigital) While there is no information on how the OnePlus 10 looks, there is a leak from March which allegedly spoiled how the back panel of the OnePlus 10 may look like. However, since there is no confirmation that it is infact the OnePlus 10, we'll advise our readers to take this with a pinch of salt. As per a photo received by LetsGoDigital from user Shadow_Leak on Weibo, the OnePlus 10 could look very different from the OnePlus 10 Pro. The phone is showcased in two colours: Black and White with a vertical camera module like on the OnePlus 9 series. There was no other information like specs attached with the image that LetsGoDigital received. That said, we will know more about the OnePlus 10 in the heads up to the launch which is expected sometime later this year. The FIDO (Fast Identify Online) Alliance is preparing a feature in Google Accounts where the users can sync their weak passwords with their Google Accounts too. The Android and Google Readying Support have introduced 'Passkeys' after 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) so you can use your weak passwords or reuse them. Passkeys will majorly help you when you are not in touch with your google accounts or passwords.If this feature is adopted, you will not have to enter a password to sign in to a website, rather it will be cryptographic keys given by FIDO. This also includes the passwords that are auto-filled as they do in many websites and browsers. FIDO Alliance says, "During registration to any website, the Android device will automatically form a key pair. This way the authentication will be done when the user proves possession of a private key given to him.So instead of passwords, we will have passkeys that will be in sync with our device. This feature will also be used by Apple devices via password manager. You still have to remember your actual google account and password when you want to switch to a new device but you must enter your passkey on the online pages only after the feature is activated.FIDO stated, "The OS platform will sync passkeys just like a password manager and the cryptographic key will be used in all devices. This means the privacy and security of the user lie on the user's platform of use. This will also help in regenerating access to the devices when they are lost. Passkeys are all about authentication." FIDO is making its top priority to keep the authentic users with their verified accounts and passwords. Using Passkeys will help in more security and privacy as every user will have his own passkey that he will use whenever he can.Apple Users are also up to use this feature and it is all mentioned in new strings by Google Play Services. Unfortunately, this feature isn't available in Play Services but soon it will be up for use. The main reason is that they need third party adoption too to make all this work. Google will encourage the users to use this feature and will begin a campaign with the slogan "Hello Passkeys, Goodbye Passwords" to start all this.H/T: 9To5G Read next: Android 13 May Soon Get A Feature That Slows Down The Killing Of Apps In The Future Weve been seeing Google immerse itself into carrying out tests for air quality reports for quite some time now Therefore, it was only expected that the search engine giant would soon be rolling out air quality reports for more regions including US. And yes, thats exactly what were here to talk about.While the company is yet to officially confirm the news through a public announcement, one thing is for sure. US users (along with India and Australia) can benefit from obtaining the reports through a simple web search. 9to5Google showed us how you just need to type in air quality' and follow that up with your designated city or any other location. Simply pin the coordinates through the map where the appropriate sensor is situated and thats it.Right towards the bottom of the map, you can find one whole list that pertains to your surroundings and the respective sensors, not to mention the all-important Air Quality Index too.In case youre wondering where Google actually gets its information from, well, theyve outlined two reliable sources like AirNow and PurpleAir. The former is headed by a number of leading institutions in the US like NASA, EPA, NOAA, and the Centers for Disease and Control.The first time that the company rolled out the feature was last November when its target was India. But at that time, it is believed that they happened to be testing the same thing via smart display screens in the US too.At the moment, its still unclear as to when the company plans on launching the new rollout, which is expected to feature alongside the classic weather reports on the interface.Remember, while climate change in the US may be underestimated, recent reports have proven how the US is getting harsher wildfire incidents due to poor air quality. And that is what leads to an increase in both smoke and other dust particles across the nation. Hence, this necessitates the use of air quality reports now more than ever.Read next: A Majority of People in Europe Now Google Their Illnesses Instead of Going to a Doctor Subscriber content preview By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press SEATTLE A surge in robberies at licensed cannabis shops including a pistol-whipping, gunshots and killings in Washington state last month is helping fuel a renewed push for federal banking reforms that would make the cash-dependent stores a less appealing target. It makes absolutely no sense that legal businesses are being forced to operate entirely in cash, and it's dangerous and sometimes even fatal for employees behind the register, Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. . . . Subscriber content preview Streams new site is a short walk to the light rail station; its larger future neighbor, the planned Seritage (aka Heritage Place), will add hundreds more residents, a hotel, offices, retail and restaurants. A Bank of America branch, at 15075 N.E. 24th St. in the Overlake area of Redmond, sold this week for over $3.2 million, according to King County records. The buyer was Brook VI LLC, which is associated with developer Stream Real Estate. Public records indicate a loan from Umpqua Bank. . . . Subscriber content preview TUKWILA A Walgreens at 3716 S. 144th St. in Tukwila sold for almost $6.8 million, according to King County records. The seller was RW WG Tukwila LLC, which acquired the property in 2010 for almost $5.7 million. . . . Foreign Minister nominee Park Jin, left, talks with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim during their meeting at Park's temporary office in Seoul, April 20. Yonhap U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim met with key members of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's foreign policy team Thursday to coordinate on North Korea policy, officials said. Kim, who is on a five-day visit to the country, had a breakfast meeting with Kim Sung-han, chief of the Yoon transition team's foreign policy subcommittee, followed by a separate meeting with unification minister nominee Kwon Young-se. During the meetings, the two sides are likely to have discussed the allies' response to North Korean threats amid concern the communist regime could stage major provocations, such as a nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missile test, ahead of Yoon's inauguration next month. Won Il-hee, a transition team spokesperson, confirmed the meetings took place but declined to provide details, citing their confidential nature. Kim Sung-han is considered Yoon's likely pick for national security adviser. He is also Yoon's childhood friend and foreign policy mentor as well as a former vice foreign minister. Meanwhile, the U.S. envoy has held wide-ranging meetings in Seoul, including with foreign minister nominee Park Jin, Wednesday, and a private dinner with Yoon and others, Tuesday. (Yonhap) When he started this project, the goal was to take it to 30 cities, the artist tells Domus. Now they dont seem enough, he comments during a chat after the presentation at the Biennale. This is because the basic concept of Beyond Walls is to find solutions to problems together. But the post-pandemic world is more divided than Saype, born in 1989, knew. Even in Switzerland, a country that is usually extremely peaceful, he explains, conflicts over mandatory vaccination have been felt. And then, of course, there are the international tensions, the war in Ukraine. Im scared, he admits. But he is so in his own, optimistic way, of someone who believes - precisely - that we can still seek union, indeed that above all we must do so now, and quotes Portuguese thinker Miguel Torga, the universal is the local minus the walls. A man has died after being seriously assaulted in Sligo. The incident happened in Rockwood Parade on Tuesday evening. Emergency services attended the scene and treated the man, in his late 30s, for an apparent head injury. He was rushed to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin but later died. A post-mortem examination will be carried out, the results of which will direct the further course of the investigation, gardai said. Investigating gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward. They have appealed to anyone who was in the area on Tuesday evening from 5pm to 6.15pm and also anyone who may have camera footage or dashcam footage from the location at the time of the incident to make it available to them. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sligo Garda Station on (071) 915 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station. Mass accommodation for Ukrainian refugees is going to become a larger part of the Irish response to the crisis, a Cabinet minister has said. Minister Roderic OGorman, whose department is leading efforts to house refugees fleeing the war-torn country, admitted the Government is facing challenges with around 25,000 Ukrainians having already arrived in Ireland. He confirmed the Millstreet Arena in Co Cork is now being used to house 70 refugees. The accommodation there is indoor, he said. It is not tented, its all indoor. Mr OGorman said such accommodation is not the preference but he expects refugees to be there for a number of weeks. He added: Its not the gold standard. Its not what we would like to see everybody living in, but we are in a crisis situation. Were in a European-wide war, and we are doing our very best to provide shelter and provide safety to Ukrainians. He indicated the limit had been reached on the use of hotel accommodation, as the busy summer tourist season approaches. The Department of Integration, he said, is now trying to find other accommodation. He told RTE radio the Government is speaking to universities and colleges. Accommodation like Millstreet, that kind of grouped accommodation, is going to become a larger feature of how we provide for people, the minister said. We have to be upfront about that. Its whats been used in many European countries from very early on in this crisis. Mr OGorman said he is aware of calls from various organisations for a national director to co-ordinate the countrys response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. However, he did not indicate whether such a proposal is being considered. Speaking on the same programme, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland admitted she has concerns about the use of emergency accommodation. Larysa Gerasko said: Its not the best accommodation, even temporarily, but I fully understand that Ireland is facing a challenge, a housing challenge. Also, Ireland is a small country. A pledge by the Irish Government to make stalking a standalone criminal offence has been welcomed by victims. Una Ring and Eve McDowell, backed by Fianna Fail senator Lisa Chambers, have led calls to make stalking a standalone crime under Irish law. Both women have spoken publicly about their experience and were at Government Buildings on Thursday as Justice Minister Helen McEntee said she hopes legislation on stalking and non-fatal strangulation will be passed by autumn at the latest. But campaigners say legislation is only the first step in tackling the issue, calling for more training for gardai. The man who stalked Ms Ring, a work colleague, was sentenced to seven years in prison, with two suspended, for attempted burglary with intent to commit rape after stalking her for months. Ms McDowell said a man who attended her university stalked her before he broke into her home and attacked her housemate with a hammer. He was charged with aggravated burglary and harassment and was sentenced to seven years in prison, with the final two years suspended. Ms McEntee said the planned legislation is very much part of mine and Governments goal of zero tolerance on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. She added: What is really important is that we have clear and strong laws and it has always been a priority of mine that victims know they can come forward and that they will be supported and that the law will be there to protect them. Under the planned changes to the law, courts will be empowered to issue orders restraining stalking behaviour without a criminal prosecution, while procedural protections for victims of stalking during the court process will be strengthened. The Department of Justice said stalking can cover everything from following or communicating with victims to interfering with property or pets. An offence can also be committed by a single act, with no persistent or repeated behaviour required for a prosecution. Ms McDowell said she believes such legislation could have helped avert her experience of stalking. I believe action could have been taken before what actually happened, she said. Maybe it wouldnt have culminated in a break-in, my housemate being attacked, I would have had a lot less trauma to deal with. That earlier intervention could have made a world of difference to my life, my friends lives, my familys lives. When I went to the guards initially about this, they hadnt heard of many cases, I wasnt able to get a civil protection or restraining order. Ms Ring said it had taken a lot of hard work and determination over the last year to get to this point, but she praised the reception the campaign had received from the Department of Justice. Lisa Chambers was instrumental, her determination in getting us where we are today, Ms Ring said. I do believe if it was any other Minister for Justice, bar Helen, we wouldnt be where we are today. But she stressed new training for gardai would be crucial in investigating and prosecuting offences. I know a lot of cases, the guards just didnt know how to react to somebody, how to handle somebody, made inappropriate comments, stuff like that. Just basically how to talk to people and how to handle people. Ms Chambers praised the work of Ms Ring and Ms McDowell. She added: It is not every day you get to change the law. It is not every day you get these successes. Unification minister nominee Kwon Young-se, right, shakes hands with U.S. special envoy for North Korea Sung Kim during the latter's visit to Kwon's office in Jongno District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification Unification minister nominee reacts negatively about resumption of Mount Geumgang tourism By Nam Hyun-woo Unification minister nominee Kwon Young-se and U.S. special envoy for North Korea Sung Kim shared the common view that stronger Seoul-Washington relations will provide "room" for South Korea to resolve aggravating relations with the North. According to the ministry, Kwon and Kim had a meeting on Thursday and shared their opinions on the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's North Korea policies. "There has been a common understanding between me and Kim that South Korea can secure greater room in addressing North Korea's denuclearization or other issues when the relations between Seoul and Washington become stronger," Kwon told reporters after the meeting. "We also shared common views that the unification ministry can cooperate with other (South Korean) government arms based on the room." According to the ministry, Kwon also told Kim that North Korea is not interested in improving its relations with any other countries, but there can be a breakthrough in the current stalemate when Seoul offers talks with Pyongyang after finding out what the North truly wants. He stated that humanitarian aid, such as COVID-19 vaccines or food, as possible tools for resuming talks with the North, but added that "the problem is that Pyongyang refuses to accept such aid." According to Yoon's aides, special envoy Kim on Thursday also had a breakfast meeting with Korea University professor Kim Sung-han, who is the foreign affairs and national security subcommittee head of Yoon's presidential transition committee and is anticipated to be the national security advisor for the president-elect. During the closed-door meeting, the two reportedly shared their opinions on the incoming Yoon government's North Korea policy directions, amid the North's escalating missile and nuclear threats. North Korea has carried out 13 missile tests so far this year, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which Washington has set as an unofficial "red line" against the North's saber-rattling. U.S. envoy Kim arrived in Seoul on Monday and will leave on Friday. During his stay, he met key South Korean diplomatic and North Korea policy officials, including his counterpart Noh Kyu-duk, foreign minister nominee Park Jin, President-elect Yoon, unification minister nominee Kwon and Prof. Kim. During those meetings, the American envoy stressed the Biden administration's high expectations for close coordination with the Yoon government in North Korea policy, which some read as implying hope that the two countries' cooperation in dealing with North Korea's threats will be stronger under Yoon's presidency, compared to that of the current Moon Jae-in administration. Yoon has been stressing the importance of a stronger Seoul-Washington alliance since his presidential campaign, saying South Korea should use the alliance as "a deterrence" against North Korea's threats. Foreign minister nominee Park told reporters on Monday that the Moon administration's Korean Peninsula peace initiative has reached its "limit" despite its good cause. "The current appeasement policies cannot stop North Korea from escalating tensions, and it is time to make practical changes to North Korea policies," Park said. The unification minister nominee reacted negatively about the resumption of Mount Geumgang tourism, noting that suspension of tourism is part of the sanctions South Korea imposed on the North. "In the case of Mount Geumgang tourism, I think resuming it is not a good idea at the moment," he told reporters. "North Korea has continued its provocations and shown no signs of stopping its nuclear program. Considering this, the resumption of tourism is not easy." His remarks signaled a policy shift of the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The outgoing Moon Jae-in administration has continued to make efforts to resume inter-Korean tourism, saying that it is not part of the sanctions. Sinn Fein councillor Antoin Watters has reacted angrily to proposed legislation by the British Government that will require international travellers to have additional documentation to cross the border from North Louth into South Down and is seeking clarification on how that would affect the Narrow Water Bridge crossing. Cllr Watters said: "We are trying to build a bridge to connect South Down and North Louth and enhance tourism in the area by selling Carlingford and the Mournes as a single tourist area. "Connectivity is central to that and is one of the core selling points of the Narrow Water Bridge project. "The Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Louth County Council and the Newry, Mourne and Down District Councils is all about promoting the economic development of the whole region. "They are now going to be working with their hands tied behind their backs. The UK government, once again having no regard for Ireland at all, are legislating to tighten up their borders and are insisting international travellers going from South to North will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and yet on the other hand are denying that there will be further checks at the border. "We all know how far we can trust a British MP. According to the British Immigration Minister, Kevin Foster MP, this legislation, although not finalised yet, will be in force by 2025. Cllr Watters wants clarification as to where will that leave us regarding any cross border greenways, cycle paths or the Narrow Water Bridge? "When the area is being sold to international travellers do we tell them, well you can only go so far and visit half of the area unless you have extra authorisation to travel? "The whole border is a farce and the couldnt care less attitude of the British government is tiresome and damaging to this area. Cllr Watters says he will be seeking clarification on the issue and is urging the Irish Government to do likewise. We cannot allow tourism in this part of the world to suffer anymore or have anything jeopardising the Narrow Water Bridge project because of the border and the consequences of having a government in Britain that has a complete lack of understanding of and an even worse attitude towards the Irish people. Louth senator, Erin McGreehan, has welcomed moves by Government who have approved the Department of Justice to draft legislation to make stalking and non-fatal strangulation standalone offences. In a statement today, Senator McGreehan says that the introduction of these new offences of stalking and non-fatal strangulation, "form part of the Governments zero tolerance approach to domestic, sexual and gender based violence, and will be key actions in the Third National Strategy". Fianna Fail Senator Lisa Chambers first brought forward legislation to make stalking a criminal offence in the Seanad last year. Senator McGreehan co-signed the bill with her party colleague Senator Chambers. Senator McGreehan commented, As one of the signatures of the Bill I am very proud to have been part of this major change in Department of Justice policy. Stalking is an extremely serious and intrusive crime that can cause devastating psychological distress. It may also be a precursor to acts of physical violence. Evidence suggests that having a specific offence leads to greater public awareness and to an increase in the number of cases being reported and prosecuted. Senator McGreehan added, Strangulation is highly prevalent in domestic abuse and frequently used as a tool of coercion, often accompanied by threats to kill. While choking and strangling are already illegal, it is hoped that creating this new offence will encourage victims to come forward and report what has happened to them. A fire was detected at the now suspended Kaesong industrial complex, an inter-Korean factory park inside North Korea, on Thursday afternoon and was put out an hour later, the unification ministry said. South Korea detected the fire at around 2 p.m. at one plant in the industrial complex located in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. The fire was extinguished at around 2:50 p.m., the Ministry of Unification said in a text message to reporters. "The government will make efforts to figure out how much damage the fire caused to the plant and nearby facilities, and share the situation with companies that have plants in the Kaesong industrial zone," it said. In 2016, South Korea pulled out of the complex in response to the North's nuclear and missile tests, ending more than a decade of cooperation in the joint venture. (Yonhap) U.S. President Joe Biden walks to his vehicle upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, April 19. Biden is likely to visit Seoul from May 20 to 22 for his first-ever summit with incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol. AFP-Yonhap U.S. President Joe Biden is likely to visit Seoul from May 20 to 22 for his first-ever summit with incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol, sources said Thursday. Biden has widely been expected to visit Korea before or after he travels to Japan to attend a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue meeting around May 24. The sources said May 20 to 22 emerged as the likely dates of his visit during talks between officials in Seoul and Washington. "I believe the U.S. is planning the visit with the aim of newly strengthening the alliance relationship with Korea," one source said. Spent nuclear fuel completely removed from reactors at the Ignalina NPP Major decommissioning milestone for the EBRD-managed IIDSF Support from the EU and 14 European governments International efforts to assist Lithuania with the decommissioning of its only nuclear power plant (NPP) have reached an important milestone today, with the last of the spent fuel being removed from the reactors at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). The European Union and 14 European governments have supported the work through the Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund (IIDSF), which is managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The final cask the special container used to store spent nuclear fuel safely and securely was transferred to the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSF), bringing the total number of casks stored there to 190, loaded with 15,555 spent fuel assemblies from the INPP reactors and storage ponds. All Lithuanian safety requirements are being met, as are EU standards and recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Completion of this stage is a key development in the overall decommissioning programme for Ignalina reactors 1 and 2. Welcoming the achievement, EBRD Director of Nuclear Safety, Balthasar Lindauer, commented: This milestone is a testament to the longstanding collaboration between the EBRD, Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and the government of Lithuania. Our partnership, delivered in close collaboration with the European Union as a major donor to the IIDSF, has supported the construction and implementation of a range of complex decommissioning facilities. We look forward to maintaining this unique partnership to ensure the long-term aims of final decommissioning can be achieved safely and on time. Lithuania closed the Soviet RBMK-1500, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors at the INPP in 2004 and 2009 as part of its commitments to EU accession. The ISFSF was opened in October 2016 and is administered through the IIDSF. The EBRD-managed IIDSF is supported by the European Union, which has provided 96 per cent of the contributions, and Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Efforts are underway to prepare accommodation for 320 Ukrainian refugees at Millstreets Green Glens Arena. The accommodation is being prepared at the sites indoor facility which has previously hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, political rallies, concerts and conferences. The Millstreet arena is perhaps best known for its equestrian events and it is poised to welcome riders, owners and spectators back for its horse trials event from June 1-5. Pic: Larry Cummins The Millstreet arena is perhaps best known for its equestrian events and it is poised to welcome riders, owners and spectators back for its horse trials event from June 1-5. In a statement, Millstreet Green Glens Arena said: The horse world has been united in trying to help the Ukrainian effort, but Millstreet is thought to be the only equestrian centre to house refugees. Millstreet director Thomas Duggan said: We have the space and we very much want to help so we offered the use of our facilities to the Irish Government. We are very happy to provide shelter to those so desperately in need." Reports today suggest that in the region of 70 Ukrainian refugees will arrive at the centre this evening, with the facility expected to have reached capacity by later this week. Seen above is the defense ministry compound in Yongsan District, Seoul. The building, center left is the Ministry of National Defense Convention, which is anticipated to be the venue for a summit between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo With a summit between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden anticipated to take place in May, the presidential committee and Yoon's aides are deliberating over the summit's venue. According to Yoon's aides, Thursday, they are exploring possible venues for the Yoon-Biden summit and the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Convention building in the defense ministry compound is emerging as a likely place. MND Convention is a convention center located in the front of the defense ministry compound near Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, Seoul. It is equipped with 10 banquet halls and is mostly used for wedding ceremonies for military officers and other officials. Yoon plans to leave the current presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno District, Seoul, and set up a new one in the defense ministry compound. Since Cheong Wa Dae will be open to the public after Yoon's inauguration on May 10, the current state guest house in Cheong Wa Dae will not likely be used. If MND Convention is selected as the venue for the Yoon-Biden summit, however, a number of setbacks are expected. The building is located in the middle of the downtown areas of Yongsan, Itaewon and Samgakji, where traffic is heavily congested. If the traffic routes are closed in the neighborhoods mentioned during Biden's stay, serious public inconvenience is expected. An announcement banner posted on the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Convention website. It reads "Wedding ceremonies will be held as scheduled, regardless of the presidential office relocation." Captured from MND Convention website Meat exporters from Brazil face difficulties shipping to Shanghai, China Brazil's meat lobby group ABPA, which represents major pork and chicken processors such as JBS SA and BRF SA, said its member companies are facing difficulties shipping meat to the Port of Shanghai, China due to a COVID-19 lockdown there, Reuters reported. ABPA said cargos are forwarded to other ports like Yantian, in Shenzhen, Guangdong, adding that there are no suspension of sales. Strict lockdown measures have been imposed in Shanghai following a COVID-19 outbreak in March, affecting 25 million residents, businesses, and circulation of goods. Frozen food containers are backed up at the airport since the lockdown was imposed, with inspection completely stopped for incoming meat. Brazilian meat imports usually ship to Shanghai. Reuters said one shipping line operator has stopped exporting Brazilian meat to Shanghai, and offered clients to ship to Xingang and Ningbo instead. - Reuters Police appeal to find wanted man Police are appealing for help in locating a wanted man. Officers are searching for Craig Anderson and have directly appealed to present himself at Police Headquarters. Isle of Man Constabulary has not given any details on why Mr Anderson is wanted. Anyone with information is asked to contact 631212 quoting investigation reference 97/17776/22. Alternatively please contact Isle of Man Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Although Amazon's main European business saw an increase in sales to around $55 billion last year, the company avoided paying income tax. It posted a loss of 1.16 billion euros ($1.26 billion) and it even received 1 billion in tax credits. According to filings obtained by Bloomberg , the credit was mainly due to the use of net losses carried forward in accordance with the tax consolidation system. The Amazon EU Sarl unit is based in Luxembourg and reports revenue from its divisions in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands. Its sales increased by 17 percent in 2021. Across Europe, we pay corporate tax amounting to hundreds of millions of euros, an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg. They said revenue, profit and tax are reported to local authorities in each country. The company said it posted a loss after opening more than 50 new sites across the continent last year. Elon Musk's The Boring Company (TBC) is now worth up to $5.7 billion after a funding round that saw it raise $675 million, TechCrunch reported. The company plans to use the funds to "significantly increase hiring across engineering, operations and production to build and scale Loop projects," it wrote in a press release. TBC believes it could mine 600 miles of tunnels per year in the near term using its current Prufrock-2 machines that can dig up to a mile of tunnels per week. That would increase significantly with Prufrock-3, a next-gen machine that will supposedly be able to handle 7 miles per day. "As a point of reference, less than 20 miles of underground subway tunnel has been constructed in the United States in the last 20 years," the company noted. The Boring Company It will also use the money to "build and scale Loop projects, including Vegas Loop and others," though it didn't list any other projects by name. The company is targeting "throughput of up to 57,000 passengers per hour" on the 29-mile, 51 station Vegas Loop, calling it the "largest subsurface transportation project in the United States." That's still far in the future, though, and TBC has a list of announced projects that never went anywhere. In 2017, Elon Musk tweeted that the company had a permit in Washington DC, but officials said no such thing had been issued. A preliminary digging permit was issued later, but the Boring Company no longer lists the project on its website. Others in Chicago and Los Angeles were quietly cancelled or also removed from TBC's website. On November 21st, Trevor Jacob's single-engine airplane fell out of the sky a harrowing experience that the YouTuber just so happened to catch on film and upload to social media. In January, aviation experts began investigating the incident (as they are wont to do in the event of most every aviation crash) and, on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration formally accused Jacob of staging the entire incident and intentionally crashing his 1940 Taylorcraft for online clout. At the time, Jacob, a former Olympic snowboarder, claimed that his plane had malfunctioned, forcing him to bail out and parachute to safely while the aircraft crashed into the Los Padres National Forest in Southern California. However, in a letter dated April 11th, the FAA informed him that he had operated his plane in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another, a violation of aviation regulations. The FAA also revoked his pilot's license effective immediately. When reached by the New York Times this week, Jacob claimed to not be aware of the April 11th letter but declined to comment, on advice of his attorney. Although the FAA can't actually prosecute anybody for violating regulations, should Jacob fail to surrender his pilot's license he can be held liable for "further legal enforcement action" and fined up to $1,644 a day until he does. French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort speaks during a forum on maritime security cooperation co-hosted by the Embassy of France in Korea, the EU delegation in Korea and the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy at a hotel in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Embassy of France in Korea By Kwon Mee-yoo The Indo-Pacific region has a growing focus in international geopolitics as the GDP of the countries in the region occupies 60 percent of that of the entire world. Yet, despite its economic and strategic importance, there has been more competition and conflict than co-prosperity through cooperation among the countries in the region. The Embassy of France in Korea, the EU delegation in Korea and the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy (KIMS) co-organized a forum exploring various ways to enhance understanding on maritime security, centering on the Indo-Pacific region. French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort introduced the EU and France's maritime strategies and its importance during his welcoming remarks. "Our oceans are subject to increasing changes such as strategic competition, questioning the freedom of navigation, crime, pollution and erosion of biodiversity. The European Union has been aware of these challenges for a long time since the adoption of its maritime security strategy in 2014," Lefort said. "In this regard, the Republic of Korea appears to be an indispensable partner for the European Union and its member states and we already do a lot together. But I'm convinced that we can go even further from now." KIMS chairman Chung Eui-Sung noted that the significance of the Indo Indo-Pacific Oceans cannot be sufficiently emphasized. "According to the IMO (International Maritime Organization) report, over 90 percent of world trade is carried by sea and more than 50 percent of the world's trade passes through the Indo-Pacific Oceans. The peace and prosperity of both South Korea and the European Union deeply rely on the Indo-Pacific region. It is therefore crucial that we cherish and protect our two oceans," Chung said. "I believe that this is one of the reasons why last year the European Union released a strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and expressed the desire to work with like-minded partners in the region. Likewise, the South Korean president-elect has last month disclosed his intention to send a special envoy to the European Union. Both South Korea and the European Union have thus expressed shared interest and determination to work closely together in the maritime domain in this vital part of the world." Rear Admiral Jurgen Ehle, Senior Military Advisor to the Managing Director for CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) and Crisis Response, European External Action Service, delivered a keynote speech on the EU's maritime security, highlighting why the security of seas and oceans is a priority for the EU and its member states since it is a prerequisite for all types of maritime activities and also allows them to take measures to safeguard the marine environment. "The EU maritime security strategy and its action plan seek to protect the EU's global maritime interests and promote the EU as a strong contributor to global maritime security by strengthening the link between internal and external security and combining European security with international maritime governance," he said. The EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific offers seven priority areas to advance cooperation with partners Sustainable and inclusive prosperity; Green transition; Ocean governance; Digital governance and partnerships; Connectivity; Security and defense; and Human security. "I would like to underline that the EU Indo-Pacific Strategy is inclusive. This inclusivity is inclusive of all partners in the region, wishing to cooperate with us when our interests coincide. At the same time, and working with international partners who share similar concerns, the EU will continue to protect its essential interests and promote its values, namely democracy, human rights and the rule of law," Ehle said. Vice Admiral Jeong Seung-kyun, chief of Korea's Naval Education and Training Command, briefed on how Korea and the EU can cooperate on maritime security. "There are three major risks of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. First, the natural disasters such as COVID-19, earthquake and tsunami. Second, transnational and conventional threats such as piracy and terrorism. Lastly, the expansion of challenges against the rules-based maritime order," Jeong said. "We do have common interests and that is why a free, open rules-based order needs to be established in this region through cooperation. And as responsible actors of the international community, we should also work together and pay more attention to maintaining the regional stability and free, open rules-based order." In the first session titled "Enhancing Mutual Understanding of Each Actor," a variety of missions and operations were introduced, from the Republic of Korea Navy and its missions and the French Navy and its missions in Asia-Pacific to the EU's Operation Atlanta, the European-led operation in the Strait of Hormuz and the EU-coordinated maritime presence concept. The second session discussed ways to enhance cooperation in maritime security capacity building. South Korea and the EU presented their respective perspectives on maritime capacity building as well as examples of capacity building activities of the Netherlands and Czech's approach to the Indo-Pacific region. NASA has picked SpaceX, Amazon and four other American companies to develop the next generation of near-Earth space communication services meant to support its future missions. The agency started looking for partners under the Communication Services Project (CSP) in mid-2021, explaining that the use of commercially provided SATCOM will reduce costs and allow it to focus its efforts on deep space exploration and science missions. "Adopting commercial SATCOM capabilities will empower missions to leverage private sector investment that far exceeds what government can do," NASA wrote in the official project page. By using technology developed by commercial companies, the agency will have continued access to any innovation they incorporate into the system. At the moment, NASA relies on its Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system for near-Earth space communications. Many of its satellites were launched in the 80's and 90's, though, and it's set to be decommissioned in the coming years. The funded agreements under NASA's Communication Services Project has a combined value of $278.5 million, with SpaceX getting the highest cut. NASA expects the companies to match and exceed its contribution during the five-year development period. SpaceX, which proposed a "commercial optical low-Earth orbiting relay network for high-rate SATCOM services," has been awarded $69.95 million. Amazon's Project Kuiper is getting the second-highest cut and has been awarded $67 million, while Viasat Incorporated has been awarded $53.3 million. The other three awardees are Telesat US Services ($30.65 million), SES Government Solutions ($28.96 million) and Inmarsat Government Inc. ($28.6 million). All the participants are expected to be able to conduct in-space demonstrations by 2025 and show that their technology is capable of "new high-rate and high-capacity two-way communications." NASA will sign multiple long-term contracts with the companies that succeed in developing effective communication technologies for near-Earth operations by 2030. Meta is reportedly investigating whether Sheryl Sandberg broke company rules in her dealings with a publication that was reporting on Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, who she was dating at the time. According to a new report in The Wall Street Journal, the Meta COO used company resources to help kill negative reporting about Kotick. Meta is now reportedly conducting a "review" of her actions and whether she violated the companys rules. According to the report, the British tabloid MailOnline was pursuing a story based on allegations made by a former girlfriend of Koticks, and a temporary restraining order she had received against him. But Sandberg and Kotick worked together on two separate occasions, in 2016 and in 2019, to strategize on how to persuade the Daily Mail not to report on the restraining order. The report states that Facebook and Activision staff were both directly involved in the effort, and that there was concern internally at Facebook that the story would reflect negatively on her reputation as an advocate for women. The Wall Street Journal report also questions whether Sandberg inappropriately wielded her influence as Facebook COO in her dealings with the MailOnline management. One of the papers unnamed sources states that Kotick told people that Ms. Sandberg threatened the Mail in 2016 by saying that such an article, if published, could damage the news organizations business relationship with Facebook. In a statement, a Meta spokesperson denied Sandberg had threatened MailOnline. Sheryl Sandberg never threatened the MailOnlines business relationship with Facebook in order to influence an editorial decision, the spokesperson said. This story attempts to make connections that dont exist. Kotick told The Journal he never said anything like that. The MailOnline never published its story on Kotick, who has recently faced scrutiny over his handling of allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct at Activision. The company was acquired by Microsoft for $68.7 billion in January. In a statement, Activision's board of directors said that it had done a "thorough investigation" into "an incident in 2014," and that they have "full confidence in Mr. Kotick's leadership." "The Board has been aware of the circumstances reported involving an incident in 2014. Around the time of the incident in 2014 , Mr. Kotick notified the senior Independent Director of the Board, has subsequently updated the full Board and has been fully transparent with the Board. The Board, through its counsel Skadden Arps, has done a thorough examination of the facts and circumstances of the events, satisfied itself that there was no merit to the allegations, and notes that they concern a personal relationship that has nothing to do with the business of the Company. The Board continues to have full confidence in Mr. Kotick's leadership and his ability to run the Company. US Congress was evacuated yesterday after Capitol Police said it was "tracking an aircraft that poses a possible threat to the Capitol Complex," CBS News reported. Everyone stood down a short time later when it turned out to be a parachute demonstration, but the incident caused a lot of ire. "The Federal Aviation Administrations apparent failure to notify Capitol Police of the pre-planned flyover [at] Nationals Stadium is outrageous and inexcusable," wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The plane belonged to the Army Golden Knights parachuting team, dropping parachutists into the stadium for Military Appreciation Day. The pilot reportedly avoided flying over the restricted airspace over the Capitol Building and was coordinating with the control tower, but may not have had proper clearance, according to The Associated Press. FlightRadar24 The FAA acknowledged the incident and promised an "expeditious" review. "We know our actions affect others, especially in our nation's capital region, and we must communicate early and often with our law enforcement partners," it said in a statement. The plane's entire voyage was tracked by FlightRadar24 (above). The incident demonstrates the level of coordination needed between FAA, law enforcement and other interested parties, particularly near restricted areas. As such, it may be an example of why the agency has been so careful in permitting passenger or delivery drones to operate in populated or sensitive areas. Such incidents are rare nowadays, but things could get chaotic with thousands of new drones plying the skies if the government doesn't have a comprehensive plan. The Pound Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate has fluctuated today as political uncertainty in the UK causes some turbulence for the Pound (GBP). Nevertheless, Sterling has managed to gain ground overall as a pullback in materials prices weighs on the commodity-linked Australian Dollar (AUD). Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Rocked by Political Instability amid Partygate Row The Pound experienced volatility today, wavering against most of its rivals, as political instability rocks the UK currency. Prime Minister Boris Johnson once again finds himself embroiled in the partygate scandal after receiving a police fine for attending a lockdown-law-breaking party. The PM is facing renewed calls to resign from opposition MPs and from some within his own party. Today, MPs voted on whether or not parliament should launch an inquiry into whether Boris Johnson deliberately misled MPs about the scandal. When evidence of illegal gatherings first emerged, Johnson assured the House of Commons that there were no parties and that government ministers and civil servants followed Covid guidance at all times. This is now seen to be untrue. But whether or not Johnson deliberately misled MPs remains to be seen. If the PM did intentionally lie to parliament, then this would likely be the end of his premiership. The possibility of a leadership contest is troubling for GBP investors who would prefer political certainty, particularly during the current cost-of-living crisis and Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, investors are also concerned that the scandal may be hampering the governments ability to run the country effectively. Despite this, GBP has managed to strengthen against the 'Aussie Dollar today overall, though it remains down from the weeks opening. The upside in GBP/AUD seems to be primarily coming from the weakness in AUD. Australian Dollar (AUD) Exchange Rates Dip on China Concerns and Pullback in Commodities Prices Meanwhile, the Australian Dollar has been on the defensive today after wavering lower overnight. During the Asian trading hours, a gloomy market mood caused the risk-sensitive Aussie to wobble lower. The risk-averse impulse was evident in equity markets, with the Shanghai Composite falling by 2.28% and Hong Kongs Hang Seng falling by 1.31%. AUD is also often traded as a proxy for the Chinese economy, so the poor performance in stocks in China weighed particularly heavily on the Aussie. A pullback in materials prices has also affected the commodity-linked currency. The prices of iron and gold two of Australias key exports have slipped today. AUD investors were particularly troubled by news that China would cut steel production in 2022. Of course, steel production relies on iron and China is Australias biggest trading partner, meaning the move could significantly dent Aussie export revenues. GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Forecast: PMIs in Focus for Friday Tomorrow the S&P Global PMIs are in focus. Australias PMIs come out at midnight, while the UKs are due at 9:30 BST. Economists expect both the Australian and UK surveys to show slowing business activity in the manufacturing and services sectors. If there are any surprise results, it could cause significant movement. For instance, will the UKs cost-of-living crisis see a larger-than-expected decline in business activity? UK retail sales are also due out tomorrow. Consensus estimates see domestic UK sales declining by 0.3% for the second consecutive month. If the report prints as expected, this could drag GBP lower. Meanwhile, the UKs political instability could continue to weigh on and cause volatility for GBP exchange rates. Risk sentiment could also play a part in the Pound Australian Dollar exchange rate. Sentiment in Asian markets will have a greater effect on the Aussie. Jasper, IndianaKevin Schewe won a BEST FEATURE SCRIPT award for Bad Love Tigers, his original screenplay based on his second book, at Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards in Rome, Italy. "The history between Rome and Hollywood is truly amazing, so many classic movies were made in Europe with Italian partners, it is truly exciting to be a part of that tradition," Kevin Schewe commented. The definition of Hollywood on the Tiber was born in the early 1950s, when the American majors decided to play for the first time several films in Europe, choosing Rome as the new capital of film production. The idea was a winning one! Two cultures were able to merge thanks to the magic of the cinema, proving that the seventh art knew no cultural barriers. Today, with this Award, they want to affirm once again that cinema is not only poetry, culture and fun, but also an extraordinary tool to give people the opportunity to know each other. See and Hear Kevin Schewe's Instagram Post at https://www.instagram.com/tv/CcEaErQOXdq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin L. Schewe, MD (@realkevinschewe) Bad Love Tigers has now won 25 awards including BEST SCRIPT OF THE MONTH at the Watch Out International Film Festival in Philadelphia, OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT award at the Tagore International Film Festival (TIFF) in West Bengal, India, BEST SCRIPT at the New Wave Short Film Festival in Munich, Germany, Best Screenwriter in a Feature Film at Onyko Film Awards in Ukraine, two screenplay awards at the Golden Wings International Film Awards, BEST THRILLER FEATURE SCREENPLAY and BEST SCREENPLAY OF THE MONTH, Best Feature Screenplay at the Sea of Art International Film Festival in Plock, Poland, Best Feature Screenwriting at the NYCinternational Film Festival, Best Feature Screenwriting at the Medusa Film Festival, Special Achievement Award at World Film Carnival-Singapore, Best Sci-Fi Screenplay at the Open Window International Film Challenge in India, Best Plot Award at the Beyond Earth Film Festival, Best Sci-Fi Feature Screenplay at the Karukrit International Film Festival in India, Best Script for Feature Film at the San Antonio Independent Film Festival in Ecuador, South America, Best Feature Film Screenplay at the Five Continents International Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the Naples Film Awards, Best Feature Script at the Cineville Calcutta Global Cinefest in India, Best Feature Screenplay at the Mumbai International Film Festival, Best Feature Screenplay and Best-Sci-Fi Screenplay at the Oniros Film Awards in New York City, Best Sci-Fi Screenplay at the New York International Film Awards, Best Feature Screenplay in London at the BIFF International Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay at the Rome International Movie Awards and Best Feature Screenplay Honorable Mention at the Florence Film Awards. Bad Love Tigers, book two of twelve planned in the best-selling Bad Love Book Series, is about a dynamic group of young adventurers, known as the Bad Love Gang, who use a time machine to travel back to the World War II era, meet with President Roosevelt and embark on a perilous secret mission to protect an alien spaceship and defeat the Japanese in combat. Keeping America's deepest secret safe at Area-51 hinges on the success of their quest. The Bad Love Tigers Screenplay was just released to the international screenplay circuit at the end of February 2022 and has already won 25 International Awards. It is a feel good, action-adventure, sci-fi blend of Stand by Me meets Raiders of the Lost Ark or Back to the Future meets Goonies. The strong international interest and accolades that it is generating shows its blockbuster potential to attract a global audience of all ages to the big screen. Schewe's screenplay adapted from the first book, Bad Love Strikes, has won 14 International Awards at prestigious film festivals all over the world. In Bad Love Strikes, the Gang of teens from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, accidently discovers The White Hole Project, a WWII era time machine created by Albert Einstein at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt in case the atomic bomb Manhattan Project failed. They learn how to use the White Hole Project and then design a time-travel mission back to WWII, Nazi-controlled Poland to save a group of Holocaust victims from certain death. The accurate history and edge-of-your-seat action has you rooting for this unlikely gang of misfit teenagers turned heroes! Bad Love Strikes screenplay awards: Best Sci-Fi Screenplay at the Los Angeles Film Awards; Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival Best Screenplay; Best Script at the Rotterdam Independent Film Festival; Best Script in a Feature Film at the Hollywood International Golden Age Film Festival; New York Tri-State Film Festival Best Sci-Fi Screenplay; Florida Shorts Film Festival Best Unproduced Script; Tokyo's Genre Celebration Festival Best Feature Screenplay; Madrid Arthouse Film Festival Best Unproduced Feature Script; Madrid International Short Film Festival Best Script; the Seoul International Short Film Festival in Korea Best Script; and in Munich, Germany at the New Wave Short Film Festival, where it was chosen as a Special Jury Screenplay Selection. It also garnered a Prix Royal Paris Silver Screenplay Award; the South Florida International Film Festival for Best Original Screenplay for Young Adults, and a Gold Script Writing Award for Sci-Fi Adventure from the Depth of Field International Film Festival. Bad Love Strikes screenplay has also finished as a Finalist and Semi-Finalist at 23 other international film festivals. The recently published fourth installment in the Bad Love Book series, Bad Love Medicine, has just garnered its fourth book award and is available on Amazon's Audible. The popular series, which is time travel sci-fi mixed with science fact and accurate history is now available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and Audible formats. Watch the book trailer for Bad Love Tigers at https://bit.ly/BadLoveTigers_Trailer Each of the Bad Love series audio books are narrated by Alan Carlson, an award-winning narrator with credits in non-fiction, academic, romance fiction and many other categories. You can purchase the audio book at Amazon's Audible. The entire four book set is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Love-Collection-Sci-Fi-Adventure-ebook/dp/B09LPPDBMM/ or www.jancarolpublishing.com. "If history was taught this way in school, everyone would be a scholar and educating ourselves not only about our accomplishments but the horrors of the past that should awaken and give insight to the path of a better future. A rare gem!" David Holladay, MD, 5-Stars Watch the book trailer from Bad Love Strikes at https://bit.ly/BadLoveStrikes-Trailer U.S. Army Col. William E. Weber / Yonhap Veterans Affairs Minister Hwang Ki-chul will attend the funeral of retired U.S. Army Col. William E. Weber, a decorated Korean War veteran, in Maryland later this week, his office said Thursday. Hwang is set to attend the funeral Friday (local time) to deliver a condolence message from President Moon Jae-in to the bereaved family and console them on behalf of the Seoul government, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. "From his participation in the war to the last moment of his life, Col. Weber has given everything to the efforts to honor and remember the sacrifice and devotion of war veterans," Hwang was quoted as saying. "Our government will not forget his wishes and make all efforts to ensure the Korea-U.S. alliance forged in blood will continue into future generations," he added. During the 1950-53 conflict, Weber served as a member of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team and joined key missions, including the Incheon Landing Operation, to repel North Korean invaders. He lost his right arm and right leg in a battle in Wonju, 132 kilometers east of Seoul, in 1951. After retirement, Weber devoted his life to ensuring the world never forgets the Korean War. He has advocated for establishing monuments honoring Korean War veterans, including the Wall of Remembrance in Washington that carries the names of American servicemen and Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army who lost their lives in the war. More than 1.78 million U.S. service members fought alongside Korean troops under the U.N. banner in the war, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap) Thursday, April 21, 2022 The Information Ghost Guns The public/private partnerships 21st century communicationefforts to win the heart & minds of the citizenry, domestically andinternationally, has taken a quantum leap in sophistication from the days whenradio, television, print media dominated the information highway. The internet has provided an unprecedented global immediacy of truth& lies to anyone and everyone who owns a mobile device. Todays agendas arefar removed from the simplistic perspectives of the government and the people,rather from every political shade through every sliver of their respective sub-groups. Utilizing cutting-edge communication witchcraft through AI-generateddeep fake language and imagery, like a funhouse mirror, any entity or savvy individual,often under the cloak of anonymity, can now contort the so-called truth totheir truth as the only truth. Furthermore, the gatekeepers of information flow which includedemocratic governments and tech & social media giants, can shutdown variousroutes of the information highway and redefine free speech. Context is the skeletal infrastructure that supports the truth. Nowadaysthe context of an event or issue has been melted down leaving a glob of factsto be reconfigured and then poured into the mold of ones customized creation. Thisnewly formed and disseminated abomination represents the information ghost gun of 21stcentury with immediate global impacts. To be fair, pre-pandemic, democratic and autocratic governmentcommunication practices obfuscated the truth to maintain public order otherwiselives would have been unnecessarily jeopardized during an emergency. Nowadays, whetherby design or default, government and corporate credibility has sufferedgreatly. Suppression vs. Expression The Russo-Ukraine conflict is the first large-scale war between twosovereign countries in the 21st century in which the world relies on the internetfor information. Its predecessor was the Hong Kong protests, a non-lethal de factocivil war in which savvy, technical tactics were utilized by protestors toelude government censors and law enforcement in organizing protests. The new technology forcibly places private industry and tech companiesin the uncomfortable middle gray zone between the governments need forunquestioned compliance, pandemic related or not, and the citizenrys right to openlyquestion and debate these mandates. Finally, theres a considerably difference with respect to personalrisks in aggressively seeking the truth, or at least compelling counterpointnon-official perspectives, in a democracy vs an autocracy. Disinformation, Misinformation and Damned Statistics Since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war many Russian citizens haveactively sought alternative news information besides the Kremlins limited menuof news. Of course this doesnt mean that the western media projects, sometimesunabashedly aggressive, its own biases and political agenda, rather there aremore diverse and independent news sources from which western citizens can legallyaccess. To achieve diverse perspectives many Russians have had to circumvent theKremlins cyber-barricades especially those who, for various reasons, prefer toremain in Russia. For this reason this struggle has turned into a 21stcentury cat & mouse game in a world of AI and electronic surveillance thathas forever replaced the vintage hidden mini-printing press and mimeographmachines. The Russo Cyber-Landscape The following series of charts provide a sequential overview of measures& counter-measures as the Russian public attempts to access alternative,non-government information while the Kremlin attempts to block such access andprovide their official version of the news. The Russian pre-war, social media scene in 2021 is indicated on thefollowing chart entitled RussiasMost Popular Social Media Networks provided by Statista GlobalConsumer Survey. The following chart entitled GrowingDemand for Messaging Security in Ukraine and Russia providedby Sensor Tower, a private digital intelligence firm, present the explosivegrowth in encrypted apps before and after the Russo-Ukrainian war began. Furthermore, to disguise the user and his location, there was a dramaticsurge by Russian and Ukrainian internet users for Virtual Private Network (VPN)services as indicated in the following chart entitled VPN UseSurges in Ukraine and Russia, provided by Top 10 VPN, aservice that reviews the quality of various VPN services. An itemized list of downloaded apps a plethora of VPN services - byRussian citizens to elude the Russian governments attempts to block oridentify users and locations is presented in the following chart entitled RussiasMost Downloaded Apps in March provided by Sensor Tower via Quartz. Russias Cyber-Bear Hug The Kremlin is fervently battling Russian user attempts to reachalternative sources of information that go against the official governmentnarrative. The following chart entitled RussianAttempts to Censor the Internet Skyrocket provided by GoggleTransparency Report compares their efforts against other countries. With respect to actual Russian government internet shutdowns, thefollowing chart entitled InternetShutdowns Spike in Russia provided by Top10VPN presents a comparisonwith other countries. At the start of the war the Russian government engaged in aggressivecyber counter-measures on the first day of the war (February 24, 2022) with ablitzkrieg of new Twitter accounts promoting pro-Russian sentiments in thefollowing chart entitled SuspiciousActivity on Twitter as Russia Invaded Ukraine by Indiana UniversityObservatory on Social Media (oSoMe). With respect to the economic cost of these shutdowns through March 22,2022 is indicated in the following chart The Costof Internet Shutdowns provided by Top10VPN. The following chart entitled WhereGovernments Have the Tightest Grip on the Internet providedby Freedom House presents a 21st century trend of autocratic andilliberal control of social media and the internet. Conclusion In every society ranging from full-fledged democracies to totalitarianregimes and every version in-between, government control over information andits citizens attempt to seek alternative news has reached new sophisticated levelsof control over how events are perceived, and ultimately which party hascontrol of the narrative. In the midst of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Kremlins battle to controlnews flow amongst its citizens is a microcosm of what could evolve elsewhere regardlessthe crisis, the limits of control and how effective will it be on thecitizenry. With the possible exception of North Korea, total government communicationscontrol of the narrative is impossible. Instead they seek to control thecommunication critical pathways with credible influencers, just as they didduring the pandemic so that the citizenry willingly complies and submit, with ahint of menace for flavor, to government and corporate agendas. The trick forthis public/private cabal is to convince the public that they are protectingthe citizens from themselves for the public good. Copyright 2022 Cerulean Council LLC The Cerulean Council is a NYC-based think-tank that provides prescient,beyond-the-horizon, contrarian perspectives and risk assessments ongeopolitical dynamics and global urban security. Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies " (Nicholas Brealey) Corporate executives who are concerned about the impact of the continuing Great Resignation trend on their organizations should consider adding this to the list of reasons why employees might decide to leave: they find it hard to work with their colleagues. Personality differences or clashes between employees can lead to low morale, reduced productivity and other crises for companies and organizationsand management headaches for business leaders. The results of a new survey by CapRelo, an international relocation company, found that one in four respondents said that a coworker was the reason they left a position. People cited the passive aggressiveness of colleagues (33.7%) as their most offensive trait. Other Disagreeable Behaviors Other disagreeable behaviors that employees said they could do without from co-workers were: Making excuses (18.4%) Entitlement (15%) Gossiping (14.6%) Being a control freak (14.4%) The survey of 2,000 Americans was conducted at the end of November 2021. In contrast to the personality traits that turn off co-workers, survey respondents listed the characteristics they think make for great colleagues. Heading the list was collaboration (35.9%), followed by honesty (22.1%), adaptability (14.6%) and being communicative (10.3%). Advice For Business Leaders The Role Of HR Professionals According to the website of the Society for Human Resource Management, "HR professionals can play an integral role in providing guidance and training to managers with difficult employees. HR should adopt the role of business partner and help managers look at the presenting issue and uncover the underlying issue. "A critical step is getting the manager to recognize that a problem exists. Managers often avoid dealing with interpersonal issues because these problems can be very difficult to resolve." "HR professionals can assist managers in identifying problems and strategizing possible solutions. Employers should ensure that conflicts are resolved early on as part of an overall organizational strategy to prevent workplace violence from occurring." Hindering Long-Term Growth Employment attorney Nance L. Schick is the chief resolution officer for the Third Ear Conflict Resolution company. She said, "Employees who are unable or unwilling to work with their colleagues must be freed to work somewhere else. "No matter how good their results are in the short term, they will ultimately hinder long-term growth. When they are siloed, they are not part of the team and send the wrong messages about working together. When they are allowed to run amok, good employees who could surpass their success will leave," Schick commented. "That has probably been as much a cause of the Great Resignation as low pay, long hours, and others," she concluded. ### In San Antonio on Wednesday, a White House official urged the private sector to partner with government to build a cybersecurity foundation to protect solar power sources from cyberattacks. This clean energy transition is nothing less than a vital issue of national security, said Harry Krejsa, the assistant national cyber director, during the first-ever Secure Renewables conference at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Solar power makes up about 4 percent of the nations electricity. President Joe Biden is pushing to increase that share to 30 percent by 2030. Last month, Biden warned that intelligence indicated the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyber- attacks including against energy infrastructure. Texas is the second largest solar market in the U.S. So far this year, solar has contributed a record 5 percent of the states electricity. In the first three months of this year, Texas solar farms generated 85 percent more power than in the same period last year. In March alone, solar panels in the state produced twice as much electricity as they generated in all of 2016. Texas is one of the largest states in the country for utility-scaled solar, and its grown so rapidly in the last few years, said Abigail Ross Hopper, the president and CEO of the trade group Solar Energy Industries Association, one of the events sponsors. Just like the oil and gas industry spent a lot of time making sure their assets were physically secure, similarly we need to make sure no one can infiltrate solar systems. Krejsa said Wednesday that Texans have a front row seat to both the high potential of renewable energy infrastructure and its shortcomings. The promise of renewable energy is that this transition will not only allow us to make a decarbonized energy infrastructure but also a more defensible, resilient and secure one thats also more affordable to Texan consumers, Krejsa said in an interview. With San Antonio being a major hub in cybersecurity work, theres a lot of opportunity for a lot of synergy between the clean energy transition and the work thats going on here in Cyber City, he said. Chris Inglis, the national cyber director, and Krejsa co-wrote a Foreign Affairs article earlier this year urging the government and big tech companies to shoulder cybersecurity responsibilities for small and medium-sized firms, schools and local government. The private sector must prioritize long-term investments in a digital ecosystem that equitably distributes the burden of cyberdefense, they wrote. Government, in turn, must provide more timely and comprehensive threat information while simultaneously treating industry as a vital partner. Inglis office was created by Congress last year. In 2020, Russian hackers attacked the Austin-based information technology company Solar Wind, gaining access to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency the arm of the Homeland Security Department responsible for protecting federal computer systems. In May, Russian-speaking hackers shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which carries gasoline and jet fuel between Houston and the U.S. Southeast and New York areas. eric.killelea@express-news.net H-E-B tightened its grip on the San Antonio areas $8 billion grocery market last year as the coronavirus pandemic continued changing shopping habits. With 57 stores and about $4.2 billion in sales, the San Antonio-based retailer claimed 52.4 percent of the local market in 2021, according to the latest report by industry publication Chain Store Guide. Thats up from 51 percent in 2020, when H-E-Bs slice of the market had dipped from 52.1 percent in 2019. The company regained that share last year, but its slice of the pie is still down from 56.1 percent in 2018. On ExpressNews.com: Even as H-E-B invests in pickup, delivery, stores, a report shows it lost ground in S.A. H-E-B did not open any new stores in the area last year. Its most recent addition was a 112,000-square-foot store at Texas 211 and Potranco Road on the booming Far West Side, which was completed in fall 2020. It did continue making routine upgrades to stores and investing in curbside pickup and delivery services in 2021, however, as more shoppers sought those services. Last spring, it dropped its $4.95 fee for pickup orders of at least $35. As H-E-B gained, its chief rival, national behemoth Walmart, lost some ground in San Antonio. Walmart and its Sams Club chain captured 28 percent of the market in 2021 with 34 stores and about $2.3 billion in sales. Its market share was down from 29 percent in 2020 but up from 27.6 percent in 2019 and 23.7 percent in 2018. The retailers with the next-biggest shares were Target, with 5 percent of the market across 13 stores, and Costco, with 4.8 percent of the market across three stores. Costco opened a store at 191 W. Loop 1604 S. last fall. Whats on the horizon for San Antonio shoppers? On ExpressNews.com: Four things you should know about Kroger as it returns to San Antonio this year H-E-B, which declined to comment on the new report, plans to open a new store later this month to replace its nearly 20-year-old location at Interstate 35 and Walnut Avenue in New Braunfels. It will include the companys first two-story True Texas BBQ restaurant. The company also plans to build a store at Lemon Creek Ranch, a 118-acre mixed-use development near Fair Oaks Ranch heading toward Boerne. Kroger is returning to San Antonio, but not with a brick-and-mortar store. The national chain plans to build a spoke facility on the Northeast Side to store groceries and other items for delivery, which will work with a fulfillment center in Dallas. Kroger anticipates delivery service will be up and running by the end of this year. The company shuttered its 15 local stores in 1993 over a labor dispute and left the market. madison.iszler@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thomas J. Henry and his San Antonio law firm are defendants in a federal lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by a director hired to work on a film commissioned by the flamboyant lawyer. The New York woman says the alleged assault occurred in the course of her work chronicling Austin Elevates, a two-day art and music festival presented by Henry in 2019. The event benefited various charities. She alleges Henry, Thomas J. Henry Law and film company Gray Picture failed to adequately supervise director Robert Bobby T. Herrera of St. Louis, Mo., and didnt provide a safe working environment for her. The woman, whom the Express-News is not identifying because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault, seeks more than $75,000 in damages. Jason Davis, a San Antonio lawyer representing Henry and his firm in the litigation, said Henry doesnt know the woman and had nothing to do with the alleged incident. Davis said the allegations against his clients are entirely frivolous. Henry advised the womans lawyers that the claims against him and his firm were baseless and likely subject to sanctions under federal court rules, Davis said in an email Thursday. Plaintiffs attorneys apparently attempting to intimidate an extremely successful lawyer and looking for a deep pocket from whom they could extract a settlement nonetheless persisted in these demonstrably false claims, Davis said. Henry and his firm are confident they will be vindicated, Davis added. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio lawyer Thomas J. Henry can no longer advertise $1.25 billion court judgment Herrera, who also is a defendant, denied the allegations against him, said his lawyer, Tanner Rolfes of St. Louis. The lawsuit is a clear attempt to damage my client and his family, both professionally and personally, Rolfes said in an email. We will take appropriate legal action regarding the distribution of these defamatory statements. Herrera is the brother of Ruben Herrera, executive vice president of marketing and public relations at Henrys firm, the suit says. Robert Herrera is not an employee of the firm, Rolfes said. The suit describes the director as the de facto house filmmaker for Thomas J. Henry. Herrera has filmed footage for advertisements and directed Hangin with Los Henrys, a one-time YouTube series that featured Henry, his then-wife and their two children. The woman, who was 27 at the time of the alleged assault and is now 29, reported the incident to the Austin Police Department. It produced a lengthy police report that said the woman submitted to a sexual assault forensic exam. Herrera was never arrested or charged, Rolfes said, though the suit says Herrera was arrested. The Travis County district attorneys office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this year, the city settled a lawsuit brought by 15 sexual assault victims who alleged the police department and the district attorneys office mishandled their cases, which spanned from 2006 to 2019. The city agreed to pay a total of $825,000 to the women. The city said it instituted various reforms for handling such cases as a result of the womens allegations. The woman suing Henry and Herrera was not part of that settlement. Henrys Austin Elevates included a concert that featured performances by Canadian hip-hop duo 88Glam and rappers DaBaby and Daddy Yankee. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox The plaintiff, who was a fledgling actor, alleges she was lured to Texas by Herrera with promises of pay and experience working on state-of-the-art cameras used to film the lavish production. During negotiations on the terms of her employment, the suit says, Herrera indicated he was having difficulty arranging a hotel room for her. Despite the top-dollar budget Henry lavished on the rest of his festival and film production, (the plaintiff) was told that there was no money to cover her lodging and travel expenses to work on the festivals film crew, her complaint alleges. Herrera prevailed upon her to further save money in the budget by canceling the Airbnb she had reserved and staying in the spare room of his hotel suite. After a day of filming on Nov. 6, 2019, Gray Pictures crew went out to celebrate in downtown Austin. Henry is believed to have picked up the tab, the suit says. Herrera ordered the plaintiff numerous drinks, leading her to eventually say, Im so drunk. I never drink this much, the suit says. They returned to Herreras hotel room where he suggested the plaintiff sleep in his bed rather than on a sleeper sofa. She got into the bed fully clothed, wearing jeans and a tank top, the complaint. She later awoke to Herrera pulling her pants down and assaulting her, the lawsuit says. She froze in shock and fear and then told him she did not want to have sex, the complaint adds. Herrera replied, Im in love with you and have been since I met you. If I met you five years earlier, my whole life would be different, the lawsuit says. The plaintiff texted her mother and friends in New York, who advised her to grab her things and run, the suit says. Mr. Henry certainly was not present for or aware of any alleged inappropriate behavior, said Davis, his attorney. Whatever may or may not have occurred between Plaintiff and Mr. Herrera after 2:30 a.m. when the two were reportedly alone in an Austin hotel room has nothing to do with Mr. Henry or the Firm who should never have been included in this suit. The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly The plaintiff contacted authorities and underwent an examination by a nurse with the the Safe Alliance, an agency serving survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and exploitation. Johnny Nunez, Contributor / Getty Images for Lawlor Media Group inc. The Safe Alliance was one of the nonprofits Henrys event helped raise money for, the suit says. Henry is known for generously helping organizations that support abuse victims, Davis said. The woman was supposed to be paid $125 a day as a production assistant or assistant camera operator but she never received any pay, the suit says. The alleged assault ended the womans acting career just as it was beginning to gain momentum, the suit says. She began having frequent anxiety attacks and anxiety that caused her to either cancel auditions or to instruct her agent not to send her out for auditions. The woman is set to take pre-med undergraduate courses starting in the fall with plans to become a doctor. The woman like other actors and young people working on film projects, has a right to be safe and free from sexual assault and harassment, said one of her lawyers, Holt Lackey of Austin. Our lawsuit seeks to vindicate that right. The suit was filed last week in Austin federal court. She is suing all of the defendants for negligence, failure to maintain a safe workplace and violations of a law that protects trafficking victims. Her claims against Herrera include assault with infliction of bodily injury. Henry, his law firm and Gray Picture also are accused of negligent hiring and supervision. pdanner@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Theres this thing that chef Robbie Nowlin does on his @chef_driven Instagram feed. In frame after frame, hes hoisting up people in his arms in front of the kitchen pass at Allora, the new Italian restaurant at the Pearl where hes the executive chef. In one, its chef Jason Dady, for whom Nowlin worked at The Lodge in San Antonio. In another, its Bistr09 chef and co-owner Lisa Astorga Watel, whos married to another of Nowlins former bosses, chef Damien Watel from the Chez Vatel Bistro days. Friends from old jobs, local celebrities, superfans. Large and small, he lifts them all. In the process, the shots of this beast of burden in chefs whites and clogs have become a metaphor for the weight of massive expectations. Robbie Nowlin, the prodigal San Antonio chef, returning from his adventures in California at The French Laundry and beyond, ready to lift up the highest-profile opening at the Pearl since Brasserie Mon Chou Chou in 2020. Mike Sutter / Staff Alloras been the biggest deal in town since Nowlin himself started the social media whispers a year ago, a project from serial restaurateur Peter Selig of Maverick Texas Brasserie, Acenar, Biga on the Banks and Alloras casual sister restaurant Arrosta, also at the Pearl. Set in the vaulted chambers of the ground floor at the Credit Human Building, Allora opened March 2 with a menu of antipasti small plates, raw fish crudi inspired by the Italian coast, handmade pastas and entrees ranging from a roast chicken to tomahawk rib-eyes that weigh in close to $250. On ExpressNews.com: Review: Brasserie Mon Chou Chou at the Pearl rates a near-perfect French restaurant experience Its big and loud and buzzy, the kind of place Hollywood picks for a romantic comedy. The patios in bloom with umbrellas bright as sunflowers, the walls glow tangerine and white, the staff swirls through the space in electric yellow vests and nightclub-level sound caroms off cathedral-size windows on a busy Friday night. Service is sharp and steady, the wine list speaks Italian in short bursts and the cocktails try hard with touches of amaro, aperol and grappa. But when the breathlessness finally catches its breath, Alloras just a chef, standing in front of a kitchen, hoping youll love him. Mike Sutter / Staff Love Allora for ahi tuna crudi with silky cuts of rosy with bright accents of orange and capers. Love it for a surprising roasted cauliflower side dish with the gravitas of an entree, layered with brown butter, caramelized onions and dried sultana grapes. And love it for one of the best grilled octopus dishes in the city, a rowdy plate of red pepper romesco and potatoes fried to a shaggy crisp around well-trimmed octopus with a clean, firm bite. Love at first sight gave way to charming, from a light chicken liver mousse with sweet-tart cherry jam and stout sourdough toast, then gnocchi done the right way, with a soft bite that accentuated the potato pastas ability to complement and coexist with tangy, sweet and lush elements like apple, lardons and verjus. Mike Sutter / Staff And going eye-to-eye with a whole fried red snapper coiled around a ramekin of rich pistachio pesto butter, it was hard not to be charmed by opaline meat with a light battered crunch that pulled away in carefully cross-hatched slices, even if that spectacle rang up at $95. But with any new love, there are red flags, and Alloras red flags went up with a dull and bitter rabbit leg confit hard and splintery at its core, as well as a pork chop trimmed away from the bone and then overcooked in a smothering, salty smoked ham bordelaise sauce. There was also the schmaltzy taste of a dull, beige Bolognese over otherwise well-executed tagliatelle pasta, and I couldnt justify $14 for side plates of wholly ordinary asparagus and an undisciplined splatter-plate of tough-skinned butternut squash. On ExpressNews.com: Review: Tardifs American Brasserie struggles to find its footing Mostly, Alloras a study in well-intentioned likeability. The cutters working with the intensity and precision of sushi chefs at the raw bar turned out oil-rich flounder tartare with the balancing acidity of lime aguachile and clever cubes of Parmesan panna cotta, while a a crudi of striped bass was content to shine with pistachio and mint as fresh as an ocean breeze. Mike Sutter / Staff Small plates demonstrated the kitchens nimble range with handmade pasta, including little ears of orecchiette pasta with pistachio pesto; translucent ravioli balancing the flavors of spinach, tomato and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; and lithe, ribbonlike spaghetti alla chitarra with a time-honored cacio e pepe dress of cheese and butter. Thats all fine. We like likeability in that same way that we like those cookie-cutter rom-coms with Jennifer Lopez or Julia Roberts or Channing Tatum being all dreamy and vulnerable. But theyre not towering works of cinema. More Information Allora * * * 403 Pearl Parkway at the Credit Human Building at the Pearl, 210-979-9950, allorapearl.com Quick bite: High-end coastal Italian restaurant at the Pearl featuring chef Robbie Nowlin Hit: Ahi tuna crudi, grilled octopus, gnocchi Miss: Tagliatelle Bolognese, rabbit leg confit, pork chop Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday; 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; lunch and brunch hours coming soon Price range: Appetizers, $12-$24; raw fish crudi, $18-$24; pasta, $16-$24; sides, $10-$14; entrees, $27-$95 (up to $250 or more for the priced-per-pound tomahawk steak); desserts, $9-$11 Alcohol: Wine, cocktails and beer ***** Excellent, an almost perfect experience **** Good, among the best in the city *** Average, with a few standouts ** Poor, with a redeeming factor or two * Bad, nothing to recommend Express-News dining critics pay for all meals. See More Collapse And so the question arises whether that enduring likeable quality will be enough to shoulder the burden Nowlins been asked to bear at Allora. The name itself evokes the Italian conversational expression for ... and then, implying an urgent sense of whats next. In a city forever hoping to be swept off its feet, the clock is ticking. msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalking SAN MARCOS Sad-eyed dogs rest quietly in crates stacked one atop the other before the front desk in the animal shelters adoption wing. Theres Vivian, a one-eyed, German shepherd mix with heartworms who curls up in the back of her crate and watches people pass by. Her crate neighbor an 8-pound, black dog with no name sits as close to the door of the crate as she can without spilling out of the slats. The dogs are in the lobby of the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter because theres simply no space for them in the kennel wings. On this particular Tuesday in April, the shelter has 132 dogs in its facility, which houses only 93 kennels, and 74 cats in its cat room, some of them doubling or tripling up in their crates. The shelter is bursting at the seams, thanks in large part to spring breeding season and a lack of spaying and neutering of the animals roaming free in Hays County. Hill Country Headlines: Get top stories from the region sent to your inbox But shelter overcrowding is nothing new in Hays County nor in the Hill Country at large. From San Antonio to Austin, explosive population growth along the Interstate 35 corridor has meant that many animal shelters built decades ago when communities were much smaller are overflowing with unwanted animals. Its putting the few animal advocates who work to save them under enormous pressure. The current animal shelter that we have is just not sustainable with the rise in the human population, said Christie Banduch, animal services manager for the city of San Marcos. Its not sustainable in the long term without expanding. In San Marcos, the shelter on River Road is the only open-intake animal shelter for all of Hays County. Smaller, private shelters and animal rescue groups exist in places like Buda and Kyle, but the 93-kennel San Marcos shelter is the only taxpayer-funded facility that is required to take in any and all dogs, cats and other critters from anywhere in the county. On ExpressNews.com: Puppy mills fuel discussion of San Marcos ban on dog, cat sales at commercial pet stores Some county officials and animal advocates are teaming up to change that. In October, Hays County commissioners approved funding a feasibility study for proposals and planning of a centralized, no-kill animal shelter that would relieve some of the pressure on the San Marcos facility. Next week, a group from animal advocacy organization Team Shelter USA and Animal Arts, which designs shelters, will come to Hays County to conduct that feasibility study, as well as a field operations assessment, to determine how to proceed. Hays County needs its own animal services division for the growing population, said Sharri Boyett, the countys officially appointed animal advocate. Also, the new shelter would need to be located in a more central part of the county, she said, because pets who are lost are often not reclaimed because people dont know their pets were taken all across this county. Embrace The Suck San Marcos isnt alone: Other fast-growing Hill Country communities are grappling with shelter overcrowding as well. In Kerr County, voters will go to the polls in late November to vote on a bond that, if approved, will fund a new animal control facility. The new shelter would replace the existing facility in Kerrville, which is the only open-intake shelter for the entire county. The existing Kerr County shelter is woefully inadequate, said Karen Guerriero, president of Kerrville Pets Alive. Her nonprofit formed to assist the animal control facility. Our county is growing like crazy, and that shelter is not able to really keep up with the influx of people, she said. Shelters in Comal, Guadalupe, Llano and Burnet counties also are feeling the squeeze of surging animal intakes, and discussions are underway on how to best meet the challenge. On ExpressNews.com: The wiener race: Short-legged stallions return after 2-year COVID hiatus Still, even with promising initiatives on the horizon, the day in, day out struggles of taking care of the communitys unwanted animals takes a toll on people like Banduch. She said she sounds like a broken record most of the time when she tells people the importance of getting their pet fixed and treating it as a lifelong commitment. In early March, the shelter had to take in 36 semi-feral dogs that were being hoarded, and they took over one of the facilitys three rescue buildings. Some were sent to rescue groups, but many had to be euthanized since they had serious medical or behavioral problems and little hope for rehabilitation. We have to consider those dogs mental health and suffering as well, Banduch said. That was a tough one. Banduch has a tattoo of a paw print on her left wrist with the words Embrace The Suck over it, to remind her to keep her chin up even when things seem hopeless. Thats most days. Lately for every dog that leaves the shelter for a happy home, three more come in needing a kennel. Its a constant slog, she said. She has to remind herself constantly that nobody else would care for the animals if she and other rescue workers didnt. These guys need somewhere to go, she said. If not us, then who? Annie Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Drugmaker Endo Pharmaceuticals has agreed to pay the city of San Francisco $10 million over its role in selling prescription opioids in the city. City Attorney David Chiu announced the settlement Wednesday, five days before a trial is to begin of the city's claims against other companies in the opioid industry. Chiu said Endo, the maker of the prescription painkiller Percocet, is to pay $5 million this year and another $5 million over the next decade, with the money being used to fight the opioid epidemic. The Malvern, Pennsylvania-based company has agreed to nearly $300 million worth of settlements of opioid claims with U.S. government entities since 2019, according to an Associated Press tally. One of them, for $25 million, came just this week with Alabama; that was announced along with about $250 million in agreements between the state and other companies. An Endo spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The San Francisco trial is scheduled to open in U.S. District Court on Monday with claims involving the drugmakers Allergan and Teva, distribution company Anda and pharmacy chain Walgreens. Lawyers for the city are expected to delve into the toll on San Francisco. Last year, Mayor London Breed launched an initiative intended to bring down violence and overdoses in the city's Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, where about two people a day were dying from overdoses. One-fourth of the emergency room visits at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital are opioid-related, Chiu said Wednesday. The companies will likely contend that the opioids they shipped and sold were prescribed legally. It's among the first wave of federal cases chosen for trial from about 3,000 that were consolidated before a federal judge in Cleveland. Some companies have reached nationwide settlements, but cases involving others are going to trial in courts across the country. Opioid trials are currently being held in state courts in Florida and West Virginia. Closing arguments in a Washington state case scheduled for this month were recently moved to July. And parties are awaiting a judge's ruling in another West Virginia trial held last year. Overdoses from prescription and illicit opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. in the last two decades. In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building, the two top Republicans in Congress, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Mitch McConnell, told associates they believed President Donald Trump was responsible for inciting the deadly riot and vowed to drive him from politics. McCarthy went so far as to say he would push Trump to resign immediately: Ive had it with this guy, he told a group of Republican leaders. But within weeks both men backed off an all-out fight with Trump because they feared retribution from him and his political movement. Their drive to act faded fast as it became clear it would mean difficult votes that would put them at odds with most of their colleagues. I didnt get to be leader by voting with five people in the conference, McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, told a friend. The confidential expressions of outrage from McCarthy and McConnell, which have not been previously reported, illustrate the immense gulf between what Republican leaders say privately about Trump and their public deference to a man whose hold on the party has gone virtually unchallenged for half a decade. The leaders swift retreat in January 2021 represented a capitulation at a moment of extraordinary political weakness for Trump perhaps the last and best chance for mainstream Republicans to reclaim control of their party from a leader who had stoked an insurrection against American democracy itself. This account of the private discussions among Republican leaders in the days after the Jan. 6 attack is adapted from a new book, This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for Americas Future, which draws on hundreds of interviews with lawmakers and officials, and contemporaneous records of pivotal moments in the 2020 presidential campaign. McConnells office declined to comment. Mark Bednar, a spokesman for McCarthy, denied that the Republican leader told colleagues he would push Trump to leave office. McCarthy never said hed call Trump to say he should resign, Bednar said. No one embodies the stark accommodation to Trump more than McCarthy, a 57-year-old Californian who has long had his sights set on becoming speaker of the House. In public after Jan. 6, McCarthy issued a careful rebuke of Trump, saying that he bears responsibility for the mob that tried to stop Congress from officially certifying the presidents loss. But he declined to condemn him in sterner language. In private, McCarthy went much further. Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post On a phone call with several other top House Republicans on Jan. 8, McCarthy said Trumps conduct on Jan. 6 had been atrocious and totally wrong. He faulted the president for inciting people to attack the Capitol, saying that Trumps remarks at a rally on the National Mall that day were not right by any shape or any form. During that conversation, McCarthy inquired about the mechanism for invoking the 25th Amendment the process whereby the vice president and members of the Cabinet can remove a president from office before concluding that was not a viable option. McCarthy, who was among those who objected to the election results, was uncertain and indecisive, fretting that the Democratic drive to impeach Trump would put more fuel on the fire of the countrys divisions. But McCarthys resolve seemed to harden as the gravity of the attack and the potential political fallout for his party sank in. Two members of Trumps Cabinet had quit their posts after the attack and several moderate Republican governors had called for the presidents resignation. Video clips of the riot kept surfacing online, making the raw brutality of the attack ever more vivid in the public mind. On Jan. 10, McCarthy spoke again with the leadership team and this time he had a plan in mind. The Democrats were driving hard at an impeachment resolution, McCarthy said, and they would have the votes to pass it. Now he planned to call Trump and tell him it was time for him to go. What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that and nobody should defend it, he told the group. McCarthy said he would tell Trump of the impeachment resolution: I think this will pass, and it would be my recommendation you should resign. He acknowledged it was unlikely Trump would follow that suggestion. McCarthy spent the four years of Trumps presidency as one of the White Houses most obedient supporters in Congress. Since Trumps defeat, McCarthy has appeased far-right members of the House, some of whom are close to the former president. McCarthy may need their support to become speaker, a vote that could come as soon as next year if the GOP claims the House in November. But in a brief window after the storming of the Capitol, McCarthy contemplated a total break with Trump and his most extreme supporters. During the same Jan. 10 conversation when he said he would call on Trump to resign, McCarthy told other GOP leaders he wished the big tech companies would strip some Republican lawmakers of their social media accounts, as Twitter and Facebook had done with Trump. Members such as Lauren Boebert of Colorado had done so much to stoke paranoia about the 2020 election and made offensive comments online about the Capitol attack. We cant put up with that, McCarthy said, adding, Cant they take their Twitter accounts away, too? McCarthy never said that particular members should be removed from Twitter, Bednar said. Other Republican leaders in the House agreed with McCarthy that the presidents behavior deserved swift punishment. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the second-ranking House Republican, said on one call that it was time for the GOP to contemplate a post-Trump Republican House, while Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the head of the partys House campaign committee, suggested censuring Trump. Yet none of the men followed through on their tough talk in those private conversations. In the following days, McCarthy heard from some Republican lawmakers who advised against confronting Trump. In one group conversation, Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio cautioned that conservative voters back home go ballistic in response to criticism of Trump, demanding that Republicans instead train their denunciations on Democrats, such as Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden. Im just telling you that thats the kind of thing that were dealing with, with our base, Johnson said. When only 10 House Republicans joined with Democrats to support impeaching Trump on Jan. 13, the message to McCarthy was clear. By the end of the month, he was pursuing a rapprochement with Trump, visiting him at Mar-a-Lago and posing for a photograph. (I didnt know they were going to take a picture, McCarthy said, somewhat apologetically, to one frustrated lawmaker.) McCarthy has never repeated his denunciations of Trump, instead offering a tortured claim that the real responsibility for Jan. 6 lies with security officials and Democratic legislative leaders for inadequately defending the Capitol complex. In the Senate, McConnells reversal was no less revealing. Late on the night of Jan. 6, McConnell predicted to associates that his party would soon break sharply with Trump and his acolytes; the Republican leader even asked a reporter in the Capitol for information about whether the Cabinet might really pursue the 25th Amendment. When that did not materialize, McConnells thoughts turned to impeachment. On Monday, Jan. 11, McConnell met over lunch in Kentucky with two longtime advisers, Terry Carmack and Scott Jennings. Feasting on Chick-fil-A in Jennings Louisville office, the Senate Republican leader predicted Trumps imminent political demise. The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us, McConnell said, referring to the imminent impeachment vote in the House. Once the House impeached Trump, it would take a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict him. That would require the votes of all 50 Democrats and at least 17 Republicans in the Senate a tall order, given that Trumps first impeachment trial in 2020 had ended with just one Republican senator, Mitt Romney of Utah, voting in favor of conviction. But McConnell knew the Senate math as well as anyone and he told his advisers he expected a robust bipartisan vote for conviction. After that, Congress could then bar Trump from ever holding public office again. The presidents behavior on Jan. 6 had been utterly beyond the pale, McConnell said. If this isnt impeachable, I dont know what is, he said. In private, at least, McConnell sounded as if he might be among the Republicans who would vote to convict. Several senior Republicans, including John Thune of South Dakota and Rob Portman of Ohio, told confidants that McConnell was leaning that way. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, privately told the leaders of several liberal advocacy groups that he believed his Republican counterpart was angry enough to go to war with Trump. I dont trust him, and I would not count on it, Schumer said of McConnell. But you never know. Schumer was right to be skeptical: Once the proceedings against Trump moved from the House to the Senate, McConnell took the measure of Republican senators and concluded that there was little appetite for open battle with a man who remained much to McConnells surprise the most popular Republican in the country. After Trump left office, a new legal argument emerged among Senate Republicans, offering them an escape hatch from a conflict few of them wanted: It was inappropriate to proceed with impeachment against a former president, they said. When Sen. Rand Paul, a fellow Kentuckian, proposed a resolution laying out the argument, McConnell voted in favor of it along with the vast majority of Senate Republicans. He didnt ascend to power by siding with the minority, he explained to a friend. In February, McConnell voted to acquit Trump even as seven other Senate Republicans joined with Democrats to muster the largest bipartisan vote ever in favor of conviction in a presidential impeachment trial. Anxious not to be seen as surrendering to Trump, McConnell went to the Senate floor after the vote to deliver a scorching speech against the former president. But McConnell went mostly silent about Trump after that point. He avoids reporters questions about the former president and only rarely speaks about Jan. 6. In a Fox News interview in late February 2021, McConnell was asked whether he would support Trump in 2024 if the former president again became the GOP nominee for the presidency. McConnell answered: Absolutely. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. WASHINGTON - In Stamford, Conn., a 46-year-old resident pleaded guilty after putting a portion of $4 million in coronavirus aid toward the purchase of a Porsche. And a Mercedes. And a BMW. In Somerset, N.J., a 51-year-old woman allegedly invented employees, inflated wages and fabricated entire tax filings to collect $1 million in loans. And in St. Petersburg, Fla., a federal judge sentenced to prison a 63-year-old man who obtained $800,000 on behalf of businesses that did not exist. The cases and charges, each announced over the past month, count among hundreds involving a slew of programs enacted by Congress in the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic - money dispatched with an urgency at the time that it is now putting Washington's watchdogs to the test. Roughly two years after lawmakers approved their first tranche of rescue funds, the U.S. government is grappling with an unprecedented challenge: how to oversee its own historic stimulus effort. Totaling nearly $6 trillion, the loans, grants, direct checks and other emergency assistance summed to more than entire federal budget in the fiscal year before the coronavirus arrived, creating a unique and long-term sxtrain on the nation's policymakers to ensure the funds have been put to good use. Policymakers and economics widely agree that the investments helped rescue the U.S. economy from the worst crisis since the Great Depression, aiding out-of-work Americans and saving businesses from shuttering for good. But the money remains hard to track. There are lingering questions as to whether it benefited those who needed it the most. And the aid continues to be a ripe target for criminals nationwide, the full extent of which is only beginning to come to light. "There is no question that the immense fraud that took place at the crush of the pandemic in 2020, particularly in small business loans and unemployment insurance, is the largest oversight challenge the Biden administration inherited," said Gene Sperling, the president's chief coordinator for stimulus spending, stressing that the administration is taking "significant steps to strengthen anti-fraud controls." Nowhere was the promise and peril more evident than at the Small Business Administration. The normally lumbering SBA moved at lightning speed to disburse roughly $1 trillion to cash-strapped firms, hoping to stanch the bleeding at a time when many companies were laying off workers in droves. But the agency's approach, particularly during the Trump administration, also carried a steep cost, as the SBA did not put in place a wide array of policies that might have prevented significant waste, fraud and abuse. The troubles are laid bare in stinging federal oversight reports issued over the past year. Across the agency's two key emergency initiatives, investigators have questioned nearly every aspect of SBA's spending, flagging billions of dollars in suspect loans and grants, overpayments to those who should not have received them and in some cases outright fraud. One effort meant to help businesses in economic distress may even be rife with identity theft: Watchdogs said they had received more than 845,000 applications for aid that are now suspected of having come from individuals using stolen identities - some of which were funded anyway. Meanwhile, the calls to the SBA's tip line for criminal activity spiked by more than 37,000% over an 18-month period earlier in the outbreak. The agency's top watchdog issued numerous warnings about its management of more recent stimulus programs adopted under President Joe Biden, including multibillion-dollar funding for restaurants and performance spaces. And only last month, the SBA received another blow: A panel of pandemic watchdogs highlighted more than five dozen criminal cases that might have been prevented if only the SBA had been more diligent earlier in the pandemic. The troubles may represent just the tip of the iceberg, according to federal officials and outside experts, who together warn the U.S. government could face years of expensive and intricate sleuthing work. The agency's own inspector general, Hannibal "Mike" Ware, long has cautioned in that the SBA faces a daunting future, telling Congress in January it is still "realizing the true scope of fraud" that occurred under its watch. "Managing COVID-19 stimulus lending is the greatest overall challenge facing SBA," he stressed in written testimony, "and it may likely continue to be for many years as the agency grapples with fraud in the programs." The SBA declined to make officials available for an interview or answer specific questions. Han Nguyen, an agency spokesman, stressed in a statement that the Biden administration has been "working since its outset to address fraud concerns we inherited from the Trump Administration and to ensure the sound administration of pandemic relief programs." A spokesman for the agency's inspector general declined comment. - - - The troubles now plaguing the U.S. government reflect the crucial question facing policymakers at the start of the pandemic: Should they act fast to save the economy from collapse or slow down in the face of a crisis to safeguard every dollar from potential misuse? Amid the tumult of spring 2020, the federal government opted for haste, embarking on an all-out blitz to blunt the pandemic's immediate physical and financial toll. Federal leaders stood up massive programs to float easy loans to businesses, pump hospitals full of funds, sustain local governments' finances, purchase protective equipment and send checks to Americans, all at a time when about 1 million workers were losing their jobs each day. Those stimulus checks reached more than 175 million Americans in the latest round last year, while other aid benefited more than 6 million small businesses over the fuller course of the pandemic, federal data show. The scope of spending over the two-year period touched virtually every part of modern society - and rivaled anything Washington had ever executed in the past. It also sparked early fears about fraud, prompting lawmakers to set up a slew of oversight efforts to ensure their emergency measures did not become a windfall for criminals. Lawmakers poured resources into the nation's inspectors general, who oversee key federal agencies involved in disbursing stimulus money. They commissioned two special panels on Capitol Hill and created two additional federal bodies within the executive branch to oversee the aid. The Justice Department, for its part, set up a special task force to investigate wrongdoing. And with the passage of the most recent, $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan last year, Biden tapped Sperling, a top economic adviser, to serve as a federal traffic cop for the law. The efforts resulted in some early successes: Federal law enforcement over the past two years brought numerous cases against fraudsters who improperly tried to collect unemployment benefits, for example, while federal scrutiny has helped ensure the more efficient delivery of tens of billions of dollars in assistance. That included money set aside to help Americans pay their rents, which had been slowed dramatically by federal bureaucracy. But the vigilance at times has lagged. Congress has not always held the grueling, vigorous hearings that helped lawmakers spotlight misspent sums during the financial collapse in 2009. And Democrats and Republicans have earmarked only about $478 million for oversight over the course of five major rescue packages since March 2020, according to a review of federal data and figures provided by the White House. That equates to about $1 in new oversight money for more than $12,000 in coronavirus stimulus spending, an analysis of the data shows. "It's all coming down to our [inspector general] offices essentially," said Sean Moulton, a senior policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight, an ethics watchdog. "We gave them money, we gave them a certain amount of capacity increases, but not nearly enough." Moulton said he recalled numerous conversations with the inspectors general, which he praised as "active" in their work. But he also said they acknowledged "in these meetings that they have to focus on the larger awards" and not the scores of smaller loans, grants, checks and other benefits that taken together could amount to substantial fraud. "You just know that means these smaller awards are getting almost a free pass," he said. One of the newer federal watchdogs, a collection of inspectors general known as the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), immediately set about after spring 2020 to create a public-facing hub for tracking stimulus spending. It stood up in a matter of weeks a transparency portal that mimicked the tools created to document spending authorized in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Nearly two years later, however, the stimulus data is voluminous yet vexing - for the public and the government alike. The spending portal does not offer a real-time, detailed view as to the way cities, states, schools, hospitals and others actually have deployed broad swaths of the cash they received. In education, for example, federal records show more than $81 billion set aside for school districts in response to the pandemic. Yet the information is 90 days old in some cases and offers no insight as to what those communities actually did once they obtained the grants. The trouble dates to the earliest days of the pandemic, when independent auditors documented significant data "gaps," some resulting from the Trump administration and others from the way the first major stimulus law, known as the Cares Act, had been written. Investigators at the time recommended substantial changes to the way the government collected information, some of which may have required action from Congress. By 2021, Biden's top aides intensified the work to improve the oversight process, particularly after the passage of the American Rescue Plan last March. Yet the efforts failed to satisfy lawmakers, federal watchdogs, health professionals and ethics experts, a dozen of whom said in interviews that they have struggled to answer the most basic questions - including how much money has been spent, and how, in critical areas such as testing. "There are huge voids, and more comprehensive data is step one for our ability to watchdog," said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, an ethics-in-government nonprofit organization. Michael Horowitz, the chairman of the PRAC who also serves as the inspector general for the Justice Department, said the organization had worked diligently to stand up its public portal and retain an entire analytics team to monitor the data. In some cases, he said, the commission tapped its own funds to help the government build reporting tools that otherwise did not exist - as was the case with an earlier, $150 billion program to help state and local governments cover the costs of pandemic response. But Horowitz acknowledged in an interview that the data still might be "gibberish to most people." And he explained that watchdogs only have so much power: "That's because the agencies aren't collecting data that would help us provide even greater transparency." "If Congress wanted us to do more, if the administration wanted us to do more, we would have to get the funding to do it," Horowitz later added. Elsewhere, federal oversight bodies have been neglected or are newly at risk of becoming defunct - even before their mission is complete. A congressional panel chartered in 2020 to oversee the Federal Reserve's lending programs, for example, never even reached full strength after Democrats and Republicans could not agree on a chairperson. The commission now consists solely of two GOP lawmakers. At times, it has struggled to obtain detailed data from the government concerning about $735 million in remaining loans for cash-strapped companies whose survival matters to national security, according to Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., one of its members. "We've made strong criticisms of those," he said, "and we will be making some strong recommendations for future Congresses." A second governmental body, tasked to oversee some of the Treasury Department's loans, spent months warring within the Biden administration in an attempt to expand the scope of its own authorities. Last month, the leader of the entity, known as the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, raised another concern: It informed Congress it could run out of money as soon as this summer, potentially threatening to shut down its efforts to oversee more than $22 billion in outstanding loans. "The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and Congress's unprecedented investment in the American economy has been prey to unprecedented levels of crime and fraud," warned Brian D. Miller, the special inspector general, in a Jan. 31 report to lawmakers. - - - But the most potent challenge facing federal watchdogs may still be on the horizon, as Washington begins to grapple with the decisions that allowed it to disburse trillions in aid with such haste in the first place. After all, the loans the government made must be forgiven or repaid, meaning the worst might be yet to come. "It's hard to chase the money after it's gone out the door," said Glenn Fine, a nonresident fellow with the governance studies program at the Brookings Institution who previously served as an inspector general at DOJ. "It will be a long-term challenge to recover the fraudulent money, and that's not going to go away." Under the Trump administration, the SBA mounted in a matter of weeks two primary initiatives - the Paycheck Protection Program, which helped companies maintain their payrolls, and a souped-up version of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which expanded existing federal offerings to help businesses weather hardship. Facing a hemorrhaging economy, the SBA moved at lightning speed to implement the efforts: In just one 14-day period early in the pandemic, it dispatched 1.7 million loans through PPP totaling more than $343 billion, federal officials said in a review published in January. That burst amounted to 14 years' worth of lending activity for the agency. But the SBA doled out the money without properly verifying applicants and checking them in some cases against long-standing federal blacklists for fraud, investigators would discover in a series of blistering reports and audits soon to come. "Managing COVID 19 stimulus is the greatest overall challenge facing SBA currently," Ware, the agency's inspector general, warned in October 2020. With PPP, for example, a report last January from the SBA's inspector general found roughly 55,000 PPP loans worth more than $7 billion had gone to "potentially ineligible businesses." That ultimately "placed taxpayer funds at risk of financial loss and delayed the amount of critical program capital available for eligible businesses" at the time. About two months later, Ware and other watchdogs estimated the fuller range of potential fraud across PPP and the SBA's economic stimulus programs came closer to $80 billion, telling lawmakers in written testimony at the time that he had grown concerned that agency remains "susceptible to significant fraud risks." The sheer extent of those long-known vulnerabilities later became apparent in a series of recent federal enforcement actions. Just this month, for example, a federal court in Rhode Island sentenced two locals in Warwick after they tried to deceive the SBA over roughly $500,000 in PPP loans. They claimed they had dozens of employees earning wages at their businesses when, in fact, they had no workers at all, federal authorities had alleged. (Before being charged, one of the suspects sought unsuccessfully to stage his own suicide.) In a separate case, a man in Virginia pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in connection with more than $900,000 in SBA funds. In that case, the suspect never even had a business in the first place, the government claimed. In other instances, some of the suspect applicants submitted fake documents or registered as corporations only after they had applied for funds. They filed dozens of applications, sometimes from the same Internet address. And still more applied under stolen or questionable names, addresses and bank account numbers, which the SBA funded. The sheer scope of malicious activity, documented in a raft of federal oversight reports, also has led some experts outside Washington to estimate the extent of PPP fraud is far greater than what the U.S. government acknowledges. One report from academics at the University of Texas at Austin revised at the end of last year pegged the amount of questionable loans made under the program alone at closer to $68.9 billion. The EIDL program has fared similarly: In a series of reports, dating back to spring 2021, the agency's inspector general affirmed that widespread lapses meant that the SBA had funded applications for aid made possible by identity theft. The report showed the SBA had referred roughly 845,000 complaints about identify theft involving EIDL for the OIG to investigate. SBA may have disbursed more than $6 billion in loans and nearly $500,000 in grants to thousands of those questionable entities, according to the review, which said the cases involved bank account numbers that had been switched at the last minute - "an additional indicator of potential fraud." The troubles didn't stop there. By the end of 2021, the inspector general had unearthed roughly $4.5 billion that SBA appeared to overpay in grants to self-employed workers and others, who may not have been eligible to claim the funds since they did not have additional employees. And the inspector general also found about $3.9 billion paid out under EIDL to entities already appearing on the Treasury Department's so-called "Do Not Pay" anti-fraud list. (Some of the potentially fraudulent recipients had already been flagged in other federal reports.) Even the most basic tasks appeared at times to confound the agency. That included a roughly $18 million grant SBA awarded to help set up an informational and training hub for small businesses trying to adapt to the coronavirus. Reviewing the program in January, the inspector general questioned most of its costs. It found "less than 1 percent of the 30 million small businesses it was intended to help" had even used the portal. And the watchdog discovered only 62 of approximately 14,000 counselors had received training on it. Entering the Biden administration, the SBA under its new leader, Isabel Guzman, began to act on some of the issues raised by the agency's own watchdogs. The SBA improved its vetting systems to better target later rounds of stimulus aid and compare its data with that amassed by other agencies. The SBA also started reviewing random samples of loans, 10,000 at a time, to root out potential fraud, its spokesman said in a statement, adding it had "referred $1.7 billion to our inspector general for further investigation" on potential fraud. And the White House launched a broader, government-wide effort to take aim at identity theft to aid the SBA and other federal agencies now grappling with the problem. In a statement, Sperling said that SBA had funded "the very large majority who were honorable small businesses in need of and deserving pandemic relief." But he also acknowledged that was "a second small bucket who argue they met the letter of the law but clearly abused the spirit of the law and the values of most Americans, and a third group that committed outright fraud." The remedies nonetheless drew early praise from Ware, who told lawmakers in January that the SBA had made key strides in addressing the lapses raised by his team. "Many of our recommendations . . . have been put in place," he said. But the damage in some ways had been done. With loans, grants and other benefits already in the hands of criminals, federal officials still were left to acknowledge that they faced a gargantuan task in pursuing sums that never should have left Washington. Ware, for one, described the months ahead to Congress as "where the rubber meets the road," particularly in chasing down further fraud. Some of the money might be difficult or impossible now to recover. In January, GAO estimated that the SBA had already fully extended forgiveness to roughly $550 billion in loans made under the generous rules that Congress created for PPP. Citing other auditor data, though, the watchdog added that the government had paid lenders $49 billion to forgive PPP loans, despite the fact they were "still being reviewed by SBA to address alerts and flags indicative of eligibility concerns." "Unless the government moves quickly, the chance to shut off an easy channel to hold people's feet to the fire for fraudulent loans may be lost," said John Griffin, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business who had put together the earlier study of fraud in the program. The GAO has said it plans to further scrutinize the federal forgiveness process, while the SBA's inspector general has included the issue as one of dozens on its target list for oversight in 2022. In the meantime, though, the risks across the agency have continued to grow. In April, for example, the inspector general issued an alert about "serious concerns" in the government's work to keep watch over $15 billion in newly authorized money to aid shuttered stages and other venues. And still another report, issued this January from the federal advisory body known as the PRAC, raised the possibility that another recent SBA program targeting restaurants may suffer from the same problems that had plagued PPP. In one potentially telling case, a dentist in Oregon who had been turned away from other government aid programs allegedly managed to obtain $8 million in restaurant assistance, relying on "fictitious business entities" to deceive the SBA. The Justice Department announced the criminal complaint in December. The White House, meanwhile, is exploring how to further tighten the reins on federal spending, potentially in seeking new money to aid law enforcement, according to a senior official. Sperling, for one, said they had launched regular meetings with the inspectors general to improve oversight, including efforts to better monitor eligibility and improve reporting requirements. "We have been consistently supportive and remain supportive of ensuring the oversight community has the resources to detect, prevent and punish fraud," Sperling said. Only in November, though, congressional lawmakers raided some of those very oversight funds - to help pay for their $1 trillion package to improve the nation's infrastructure. In rescinding unused dollars from EIDL, one of the loan-and-grant initiatives at the SBA, Democrats and Republicans essentially cut into some of the money that the agency's inspector general had planned to devote toward oversight. The issue loomed large over Ware when he appeared before the House Small Business Committee last month. As Washington struggled to grasp the "true scope of fraud in these programs," he told lawmakers they needed to work on "right sizing us to match the fraud landscape." Defense Minister Suh Wook poses with Ghana's top envoy in South Korea Charis Obetsebi-Lamptey Zwennes in Seoul, April 21. Yonhap Defense Minister Suh Wook held talks with Ghana's top envoy in Seoul, Thursday, to discuss bilateral maritime security cooperation and other issues, his ministry said. During the talks with Ambassador Charis Obetsebi-Lamptey Zwennes, Suh recalled the two countries' security cooperation in waters off West Africa last year, saying that opened a "new chapter" in their collaboration. He was apparently referring to the operation led by Korea's anti-piracy Cheonghae unit to rescue four Korean sailors kidnapped in the waters in June last year. Suh and Zwennes vowed to continue such maritime security cooperation in the piracy-prone waters. Suh invited Ghana to participate in the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual vice-ministerial security forum hosted by his ministry. It is slated to take place in September this year. Zwennes said in turn that Ghana would "actively" consider sending a high-level official to the forum. (Yonhap) Steven Hotze, the far-right activist who funded a private investigation into voter fraud that ended with the investigator pointing a gun at an innocent air conditioning repairman, has been indicted for his role in the episode. A Harris County grand jury indicted Hotze on charges of unlawful restraint and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to his attorney, Gary Polland. The former police officer whom Hotze hired, Mark Aguirre, was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon late last year. Attorney Terry Yates, who represents Aguirre, said his client has been re-indicted on the same charges as Hotze. It happened in 2020, so theyve had a lot of time to ruminate over this, Yates said of prosecutors. This is a political prosecution that is utterly baseless in fact or law. Hotze previously has said the charges against Aguirre were bogus and that he was not worried about being legally implicated for paying for the work. Polland argued that Hotze was not there at the time of the armed encounter and cannot be held responsible for Aguirres alleged actions. Dr. Hotze was not around, and he was not aware of the events until he saw it on the news, Polland said. Through a group called Liberty Center for God and Country, Hotze funded a private investigation into a conspiracy theory that Democrats had collected hundreds of thousands of fraudulent ballots, prosecutors have alleged. The group paid Aguirre, a disgraced former Houston police captain, $266,400 to investigate the claims. Before 6 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2020, Aguirre allegedly slammed his black SUV into the back of the repairmans truck and drew a pistol. He ordered the repairman to the ground and put a knee on his back, prosecutors have said. Aguirre thought the repairman had hundreds of thousands of ballots in his truck. Instead, there were only air conditioning parts and tools, prosecutors said. Aguirre later told police he had followed the repairman for four days. The majority of the money from Hotzes group, $211,400, arrived to Aguirre one day after the alleged assault, previous grand jury subpoenas showed. The Harris County District Attorney's office has not responded to requests for comment. Hotze also is facing a civil lawsuit filed by the repairman, David Lopez, who is seeking more than $1 million for bodily injury, physical pain, past and future mental anguish, exemplary damages and attorney fees, according to the suit. Even after Aguirres indictment, the organization has sought donations for more investigations. Hotze hosted a Freedom Gala fundraiser April 2 in Houston with Attorney General Ken Paxton and Mike Lindell, the MyPillow executive who has pushed former President Donald Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen. Invites for the event said any money raised would be used to investigate voter fraud in Harris County and Texas, recruit poll watchers, and pay for the legal defense and offensive efforts to stop voter fraud. Jared Woodfill, a former county GOP chair who also is involved with Liberty Center for God and Country, suggested that event spurred the new indictments. He said the district attorney's office is sending a "clear message" because they hosted what he called a successful event to help investigate fraud in upcoming elections. The new indictment documents were not yet available on the district clerk's system late Wednesday afternoon. They are not made public until a suspect is in custody or under bond. dylan.mcguinness@chron.com The man known to friends and coworkers as a jet-setting bon vivant named Erik shuffled into a federal courtroom Thursday in olive green garb and shackles. But the senior United flight attendant who pleaded guilty Thursday to a decades-long passport fraud scheme was never named Erik. That, in fact, is the totality of his crime. Ricardo Cesar Guedes, 49, originally of Sao Paulo, Brazil, admitted in court Thursday that he had obtained a Social Security card, a passport, a job, a loan, a home near Lake Houston, a BMW, a marriage certificate and that he had given hundreds of safety demonstrations for United passengers all with the name William Ericson Ladd. Hed also sponsored his husbands U.S. residency under the name Ladd. Officials caught on to the scam last fall more than 20 years later. Guedes was detained for months following his arrest since a magistrate determined he is a flight risk based on the allegations he knows how to obtain fake documents. RELATED: Veteran flight attendant's arrest at IAH reveals complex details of passport scams Guedes is among several defendants who have admitted to playing the long game, constructing a fake identity over years to reap the benefits of U.S. citizenship, based on a pile of real documents that belong to someone else. U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, an arm of the State Department, has pursued about 2,000 passport fraud cases yearly working with law enforcement in 15 countries. These prosecutions reveal the complexities and cruelties of passport fraud, a crime that has become far more difficult to pull off as official IDs become increasingly high tech. But Guedes said it was his childhood dream of becoming a flight attendant that drove him. He didnt assume the identity of another person to defraud anyone, breach security or set out to harm anyone; he did it to pursue the career hed chosen. He told the judge he was truly sorry for what he did and he knew it was not right. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. said he believed Guedes was truly anxious and remorseful about his conduct. He said he considered Guedes a good man who basically made a very tragic mistake to fulfill his dream. Guedes pleaded guilty to making a false statement on a passport application and impersonating a U.S. citizen. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop an additional charge of entering a secure airport area with fake documents. Hanks sentenced Guedes to time served, which was one day short of seven months, and a year of supervised release, after which he is likely to be deported. The judge also ordered mandatory mental health treatment and said Guedes must take any medication these doctors prescribe. Part of the reason for the judges leniency was that Guedes maintained stable work for all the years he was in the U.S. and had no criminal record. Public defender Victoria Gilcrease-Garcia told the court her client was unlikely to commit a crime again. She said Guedes was an only child who grew up poor after his parents marriage faltered and the family bakeries went under. He suffered from depression and bipolar disorder and felt ostracized as a gay youth in a culture that did not welcome his sexuality in the 80s, Gilcrease-Garcia told the court. She noted that her client didnt turn to drugs or alcohol, he poured his heart into becoming a flight attendant. He learned English, Spanish, German, Dutch and Arabic. But the Brazilian airlines rejected him, Guedes told the judge, because he was too old and not classically handsome. After overstaying a tourist visa in the U.S., he rekindled the idea of trying to be a flight attendant in the U.S., which was more accepting of gay men. His supervisor at a pizza joint he was working at told Guedes he could help him get the papers he needed to pursue a job with an airline. Guedes obtained a Social Security card using the name of a Georgia boy who died decades earlier. He went on to acquire a pile of official documents in Ladds name. As his lawyer put it, the entire endeavor was a crime of desperation, but Guedes never used the ID to steal from or harm others. The accounts in the many letters friends and family sent to the judge portrayed a kind, gentle man who helped an elderly passenger find her son upon arrival, volunteered on a flight full of Afghan refugees and sponsored a child in Ghana for the entirety of his schooling. None of them knew he was not Erik. According to court documents, the real William Ericson Ladd, of Georgia, died a month before his fifth birthday in a car accident. Guedes used Ladds name and his birth certificate which listed his living parents' names to obtain a passport. Forty-two years later on what would have been the boys 47th birthday, a flight attendant with that same name on his ID was stopped by customs officials at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Ladds most recent passport renewal application had raised red flags for consular officials. The man going by Ladd had obtained his Social Security number 22 years after Ladd was born, which was unusually late. A death certificate showed William Ericson Ladd died in 1979. The birth date on Ladds death certificate matched the birth date in Ladds passport renewal application.. RELATED: Fake wedding albums in scheme paired immigrants from Vietnam with U.S. citizens Officials used the fingerprints Guedes gave on his United background check to determine that the man serving drinks and instructing passengers to take their seats on flights to the Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru to check out whether he was really Ladd. Those prints matched the birth records of a son born to the Guedes family in 1972, according to court documents. Social media posts of the man posing as Ladd showed him with family in Brazil, where about half his flights as an a United employee had been. A woman linked to those images, Maria Auxiliadora Duarte Guedes, told federal agents from the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service in Brazil that she didnt know anyone named William Ericson Ladd. But she did have a son born in Brazil. The final piece of the puzzle were the fingerprints on Guedes ID card in Brazil. They matched the United employees passport application for Ladd. At Bush Airport in September, Guedes identified himself as William Ericson Ladd. An official warned him it was a federal crime to lie to him. Guedes said he was born in the United States but was raised by his missionary parents in Brazil. When the official notified him the government had a death certificate for William Ericson Ladd, Guedes became silent, according to court documents. The flight attendant ultimately signed a new fingerprint sheet using the name Ricardo Guedes. As his scam fell apart, Guedes referenced his lifelong goal aloud. He told officials, I had a dream, and the dream is over. Now I have to face reality. He indicated in court he intended to go back to Brazil and care for his parents who are in their 70s. Before adjourning, the judge addressed Guedes saying, Good luck to you, sir. I know you have a difficult road ahead and Im sure that I will never see you and you will never be in court again. Guedes smiled at the kindness and responded: Youre right. gabrielle.banks@chron.com Molly Livesay was a rambunctious child, so her mother signed her up for local theater clubs, hoping to find an outlet for her energy. It was sort of just like daycare, not serious acting, but that is where I learned I liked performing, Livesay said. I didnt even understand, then, the concept of acting. I was just given lines and (would) just have fun. As a high school senior, she still has fun with it and as the first semi-finalist from San Antonio in the English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition set for Monday on Zoom, she has a chance to win $1,000 if enough people vote for her video turn as Lady Macbeth in the Peoples Choice part of it. Its not for the faint of heart, but anyone can view Livesays chilling performance from MacBeth, Act 1, Scene 7, online in which the ruthless wife of the title character tries to nerve her husband to kill his friend, the king, by describing how she would kill her own baby if she had to. (Bonus: She also recites Sonnet 138.) And anyone can vote for Livesay by texting NSC3 to 1-212-818-1200 before midnight Friday. As she grew up, Livesay gradually learned there are actual ways to go about acting and practicing it, she said. Her appreciation for Shakespeare started with Romeo and Juliet in her freshman English class at Great Hearts Monte Vista North, a charter school located on the campus of Trinity Baptist Church. That affinity is what carried her so far in the prestigious national competition, said Helen Potter, the theater teacher at Great Hearts. Livesay is the first San Antonio student to become a semi-finalist. Molly just really loves Shakespeare in a way that not a lot of young kids can really appreciate Shakespeare, or tend to, Potter said. And that love comes across in her performance. You really get the sense that shes not taking something that is foreign to her and trying to deal with it in an awkward, I dont know what this is way. She really understands what that character is going through. Livesay said she can recognize Shakespearean origins in the plot lines of modern-day movies and plays. Sam Owens, Staff Photographer / San Antonio Express-News It is fun if you give it the chance, Livesay said. A lot of people dismiss it, they say, Oh it is confusing so Im not going to try. Well, then, it is not going to be fun. She chose her contest role because she tends to be type cast as the clown in drama class. To Livesay, thats a compliment, because it means people find her funny, but she wanted to challenge herself to step into a different role and Lady Macbeth is anything but funny. I wanted to take on this really mean and twisted person, because I dont think Im like that in real life, Livesay said. This monologue caught my attention because the way she is performing it is this perfect balance of manipulating her husband, so she has to be kind, but there is also like a malicious look behind her eye the whole time. Sam Owens, Staff Photographer / San Antonio Express-News She won the Austin branch of the ESU contest in February, but didnt make the final cut of 12 national finalists. If Livesay wins the Peoples Choice award second place is worth $500 and third place wins $250, but the competition is tough the prize money will help her attend the American Shakespeare Center theater camp this summer. She went last year and it was probably the best summer of my life, she said. Livesay will be attending Loyola University Chicago in the fall and will minor in Shakespeare studies. Shes not exactly sure yet about her acting career, but she is confident that she wants Shakespeare to be a passion and a big part of her college experience. claire.bryan@express-news.net Henry G. Cisneros served four terms as the mayor of San Antonio. Elected in 1981, the San Antonio native rose to national prominence as President Clintons Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. But in 1950, Mr. Cisneros was two years-old, living with his parents George and Elvira Cisneros on Monterey Street on the West Side of San Antonio. This record is one of millions from the 1950 census. In April of that year, nearly 600 census takers fanned out across the city of San Antonio on a mission to count the more than 400,000 residents of Bexar County. By the end of the month, these so-called enumerators interviewed people in 593 enumeration districts and produced tabulation sheets with information on street addresses, neighbors names, job titles and education levels. Now, 72-years later, those unredacted and personally-identifiable Census responses are available for all to see and search through. On April 1 of this year, the National Archives made digital images of every response from the 1950 Census available on their website more than 165 terabytes of data. Unlike other Census data products, the 72-year releases provide a more personal look at the American people and life in the post-war era. They arent statistical summaries or demographic analyses but details about individual lives that can now serve as an entry points into research on family histories and social inequalities. National Archive National Archive And unlike other 72-year releases, this one is notable for the speed with which many of the records were indexed, or made searchable by computers. Using techniques such as optical character recognition, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), the National Archives was able to turn millions of handwritten census responses into searchable text by the day the records were released. For past releases, this kind of text processing took months of work, financial and technological investments from private companies like Ancestry, and the cooperative efforts of thousands of volunteers. This new technological approach by the National Archives, the legal custodian of the records, will speed up the research process and make records more widely accessible to the public than at any time in the past. But the technology isnt perfect. Sloppy handwriting, spelling errors, and obscured letters make it difficult for the AI to produce accurate results for all entries. Until a full name index can be completed sometime this summer, finding the right record will still require some amateur detective work. Family Research Tonia Wood, Senior Reference Archivist for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), advises researchers to begin with everything they already know about their families. Write down details you recall and speak with family members to fill in gaps, Wood said. Websites like FamilySearch and Find A Grave can confirm or narrow down names, important dates, and general locations where the family lived, all helpful when approaching research. Libraries in the area of interest may have more local collections and can help with research strategies and information that may not be readily available online. The San Antonio Genealogical & Historical Society is one such library. Laura Grover, librarian with the Society, says city directories are useful in pairing a name with an address. We have city directories for 48 Texas cities and towns, and a few outside of Texas. The Society, a non-profit organization located in the Greater Harmony Hills, offers an extensive collection of materials and educational programs to improve members research skills and help them learn more about their family backgrounds. Interest in genealogy has grown steadily in recent years. Wood credits the increased availability of online resources like the National Archives and TSLAC. As more resources are digitized and made available online by libraries and archives like visiting a physical library isnt as necessary when remote access options are available. Online resources can empower individuals to research their family histories whenever they have a free moment, Wood added. Barbara Holmes, Assistant Chairperson for Education for SAGHS, cautioned against relying on online resources as the only way to get a full picture one ones family history. "What is digitized is only the tip of the iceberg, said Holmes. There is so much stuff that is not digitized and may never be digitized. So coming to libraries and archives and courthouses is still important. People can't just sit at home and use their computer." Social Research In addition to providing residents with new ways to find people both familiar and famous, the 72-year Census data provide scientists and researchers with opportunities to understand communities in a detailed way that few other datasets provide. Cathy Fitch, Associate Director of the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota, said the big benefit is that these data are a total count of everyone, not just an estimate based on a sample of the population. With the full enumeration, new ways of looking at neighborhoods and places become possible and enable a deep dive analysis of small-scale geographies that a one-percent sample of the population doesnt allow. Fitch says that having names related to addresses will allow researchers to focus in on location-based health outcomes. "I think people will start to look at air pollution and proximity to roads and freeways and things like that," Lead levels in drinking water and the effects that can have on the residents of a neighborhood will be another important subject researchers may start digging into.. "Looking at the pH level in water reserves, assuming all pipes are lead, you can guess places that would have had more or less lead leaching into the water. Fitch said these data allow researchers to investigate the connections between exposure to lead and later life outcomes such as educational attainment and income. Past 72-year Census releases have been used by researchers to study topics such as racial segregation in residential neighborhoods and infant mortality in immigrant populations. Step-by-Step Instructions Finding a specific person in the 1950 Census is slightly more complicated than doing a simple Google search. To assist readers in their searches for family (or the famous), weve created this step-by-step visual guide to help you find the right name. To begin, go to 1950census.archives.gov and click Begin Search. National Archive Select the State and the city and/or county youre searching in and then type in a name. The website will search for the names independently, so if you look for John Smith it will return listings for both John and Smith. Unique names will be easier to find than common ones, although misspellings and sloppy handwriting that make the form difficult to read will present problems for the machine transcribing the written form into searchable text. National Archive The more information you have, the better. And the most reliable piece of information you can have is a street address. But the website doesnt have an address search feature. For that, youll need to know the enumeration district that contains the address youre looking for. An Enumeration District was an area an enumerator could completely cover within a set period of time: two weeks in cities and four weeks in rural areas. They were created using existing maps that provided block by block detail such as postal route maps, soil survey maps, maps produced by government offices or commercial printers maps. Census officials then drew the enumeration district boundaries and numbers on these base maps in orange crayon. Scans of these maps are available by clicking on the ED Maps link on the website. National Archive From this button youll get a window with the maps of the selected city and county. Choose one and zoom in to find the approximate location of the subject address. National Archive National Archive If you dont have an address, fear not! Identifying characteristics such as the names of other people in the household could aid in finding the right entry. But patience is necessary when it comes to sorting through scans of hand-written responses. This is not an exact science. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A man pleaded guilty to fatally gunning down two people at a South Side apartment, ending his capital murder trial on its fourth day. Thursdays proceedings against Jonathan Winston Johnson included testimony from Cynthia Hernandez, a survivor of the deadly shooting and mother of one of those killed, who recounted the attack. But the trial came to a stop when Johnson pleaded guilty to a downgraded charge of murder as part of a deal for a 40-year prison sentence with the possibility of parole. He will be eligible for parole after serving half of his prison time. Jurors were about to see evidence of what was on Johnsons phone, including a screenshot of a TV news station article regarding his arrest two days after the deadly shooting. On ExpressNews.com: Bloody gunfire that killed 2 teens in San Antonio described at capital murder trial Johnson also pleaded guilty to assault of a public servant. State District Judge Velia Meza issued a punishment of five years in prison to run concurrent with the 40-year sentence, with credit for time served. No fine was assessed for either conviction. Hernandez testified that on Feb. 5, 2019, she went to the apartment of her daughter, Angelica Rangel, because her phone had died and she wanted to warn her about a verbal threat against her made by a friend. At about 8 p.m. at the Robins Nest Apartments, 538 Hot Wells Blvd., Hernandez, her daughter, her son Andres Luis Rangel, his girlfriend and two of Hernandezs grandchildren were about to eat dinner when a noise came from the front door. Andres Rangel, 19, went to see what it was, but the door was kicked open a man later identified as Johnson began shooting at the family. Rangel and his girlfriend, Katrina Marie Casarez, 18, both died at the scene. In a bedroom, Hernandez was struck four times twice in the upper right shoulder, and in the leg and hip. She fell and pushed her 5-year-old grandson under a bed, telling him to stay quiet. Angelica Rangel placed a blanket over her daughter. Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News I told her (the girl) not to make a noise, Hernandez said. I just remember shooting. Angelica Rangel also was shot. Hernandez fell unconscious. A month of recovery followed, including surgery on her colon, blood transfusions, dialysis treatments and infections. San Antonio Police Department Det. Mark Morales testified Thursday that one victim told him the attack was sparked by a disagreement over phones. Hernandez told jurors that she believed Johnson was sent by someone else, a friend of Angelica Rangel. On ExpressNews.com: Thomas J. Henry, law firm among defendants in lawsuit filed by alleged sexual assault victim On Wednesday, a Fire Department captain testified he heard Johnson say after his arrest that he was a just a drug dealer and that he didnt mean to hurt anyone. Morales said he considered the statement an admission of guilt. During Morales testimony, jurors also heard the 911 calls made by Angelica Rangel, who, panicked and breathing heavily, could be heard asking police to hurry to the apartment because a man was shooting her brother and his girlfriend. Angelica Rangel testified on Tuesday that she had met Johnson earlier, recognized him and asked, Why are you doing this? before being shot herself. In her second call to 911, she sounded like she was in quiet shock as she told the dispatcher: Everybodys dead. Children could be heard whimpering in the background. With the sudden guilty plea and sentencing, Hernandez made a victim impact statement, saying her son had just started working as a plumber and his girlfriend wanted to go to school to be a teacher. In a statement read by prosecutors, Casarezs mother said she thought about her every day and will never get to see her again because of Johnson. She said she hated that Johnson can walk on earth while her daughter is in heaven. Johnson sat silent, staring ahead from behind his light blue mask as the family members spoke. I will never forgive you for taking my baby away, Hernandez said. I hope God will, because I wont. jbeltran@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO It took a federal judge, the head of the U.S. General Services Administration and two federal lawmakers several snips with giant scissors to cut the stubborn ceremonial ribbon, but not even that minor snag stood in the way of finally opening San Antonios new federal courthouse. More than 400 people many of them local, state and federal dignitaries, judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers gathered for Wednesdays dedication inside the 235,000-square-foot building at West Nueva and Santa Rosa streets. The grand opening also included 15 immigrants taking the oath of U.S. citizenship. By the end of the ceremony, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez the judiciarys point person on the building smiled as he was given a standing ovation for his efforts over nearly 20 years in trying to get the courthouse project done. For two decades, judges had been seeking a new building to replace the aging John H. Wood federal courthouse, a midcentury landmark that was originally the Confluence Theatre for HemisFair 68. Besides housing eight courtrooms and judicial offices, the new courthouse also serves as the headquarters for the U.S. Marshals Service, Probation, Pretrial Services and Court Clerk for the Western District of Texas. It also has offices for the GSA, the federal governments landlord, and the U.S. Attorneys Office and Office of the Federal Public Defender. Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News This is one of those once-in-a-generation investments that you are sitting in the middle of, GSA administrator Robin Carnahan, whose agency was a key player in the project, told the crowd. She added that that there are $30 billion more in projects to come to Texas under the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including border crossing improvements in Brownsville and El Paso. Carnahan and Rodriguez joined Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-San Antonio; and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, in recognizing several people who were involved in the courthouse project over the years. In 2008, the GSA approved a 305,000-square-foot facility as judges and the GSA worked out a land-swap deal with the city for the current site. But Congress failed to fund the new courthouse. In 2015, local media outlets detailed the condition of the Wood courthouse high levels of lead in the drinking water, flea infestations, security issues, mold, fire hazards, a crumbling foundation, heating and cooling problems, flooding and other issues. San Antonios congressional delegation, including Cuellar, pursued funding in the House for the building. A delegation of city leaders traveled to Washington to meet with Cornyn for help in the Senate. By that time, the Administrative Office of the Courts had dropped the San Antonio courthouse from No. 3 to No. 8 on a five-year plan that ranks courthouses based on a perceived need. Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News We didnt just have to move a mountain, we had to move a whole mountain range, Cornyn said. Cornyn lobbied Senate colleagues in important appropriations posts, and brought one of them to tour the Wood courthouse. What we saw that day was dangerous and more than a little bit embarrassing, in terms of the facilities we expect our judges to work in, the marshals, the jurors everybody associated with the courthouse, Cornyn said. The efforts led to $144 million being earmarked for the project about $117.5 million for construction and the rest for site acquisition. Cuellar said the effort also helped fund the federal courthouse projects for the other seven cities ahead of San Antonio on that list. But even after funding was secured, Austin-based White Construction Co., the original construction manager, determined that building a 305,000-square-foot courthouse would cost close to $180 million about $60 million more than the $117.5 million budgeted. White left the project and the 305,000-square-foot facility was scaled down to its current size. A new builder, Brasfield & Gorrie of Birmingham, Ala., was chosen to build the renditions of architects Munoz & Co. and Lake | Flato Architects, both of San Antonio. Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News In an interview, Carnahan detailed finishes of the building, which include local stone and native plants to complement its setting along San Pedro Creek. She also noted about $400,000 was used through the GSA Art in Architecture Program to commission the artwork of Laredo-born artist Thomas Glassford. His vibrant abstract mural called Riparian Nexus hangs on a wall in the courthouse atrium that incorporates elements of San Antonios landscape, as well as traditional justice symbols in a work that depicts that justice should flow freely. Glassford also created a long, bulbous glass sculpture that hangs from the atrium ceiling and a separate metal sculpture that adorns the exterior of the courthouses western end. They are abstract representations of the scales of justice, officials said. Carnahan also stressed an important feature of the building it is designed to save 30 percent in electricity, saving taxpayers money. She lauded that the courthouse came in under budget at about $132 million and on time, despite supply chain issues and the pandemic. When you get something like this on time and under budget in this kind of environment, its something to be really proud of, Carnahan said. The building is called the United States Courthouse, and renaming it would required an act of Congress. A niche on the third floor contains a plaque and the judicial robe of Judge Wood, who was killed in a murder-for-hire plot in May 1979, to honor his legacy. The city has not disclosed plans for the old Wood building. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Toysha Zuniga, 23, left her native Nicaragua in early February, determined to reunite with a sister along the Texas coast. Two months later, on April 3, she had crossed the Rio Grande and turned herself in to a Border Patrol officer in Brownsville. On Friday, the weary-eyed woman who had been through a kidnapping along the way in southern Mexico was delivered from Dilley by a government-contracted shuttle with more than a dozen other women to the Greyhound station in downtown San Antonio. I made it, she said, rubbing her eyes. It was hard, but in my country, its harder. An hour later, a white bus parked near the station, and 60 to 70 migrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and elsewhere poured out. Some had manila envelopes or bundles of Mexican pesos in hand, asking immigrant advocates and other bystanders where they could exchange the money for dollars or buy cards for cellphone minutes. Some sought transportation to the airport to make flights leaving later that day for the Midwest and East Coast. Ernesto Sosa, 31, clad in bright yellow clothes and baseball cap, raised his hands to the sky, exultant that his two-and-a-half month trip from Cuba finally paid off after he, too, gave himself up to the Border Patrol. Finally! he exclaimed. I feel good because Ive made it to the land of happiness! The immigrants are among hundreds who passed through San Antonio this week after being processed for their initial asylum requests by Border Patrol agents at the Texas border. For some, their destination was San Antonio, but for many more, it was farther inland: North Carolina, Tampa, Fla., Miami, San Francisco, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Cleveland and other cities. The numbers of migrants were so high a month ago that Mayor Ron Nirenberg expressed his concern in a letter to federal officials that San Antonio was seeing an unsustainable increase in migrants and needed more funding to help shelter and feed them. City figures show that from January to April, the city served 55,068 migrants transitioning through San Antonio. Over 10 days in March, an average of 628 people were staying in local shelters, parks or at the airport, according to the letter, which the city released to CNN. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursed San Antonio $434,377 for migrant services through last September, with around $706,000 in additional reimbursements pending for the final three months of last year, city records show. The city said in a statement that it expects to spend $8.5 million this year to continue serving migrants. Nirenberg refused to be interviewed for this story. There might be some who are eager to politicize a change in federal policy, but in San Antonio we just want to ensure that the migrants passing through our city are treated as humanely as possible while guaranteeing that our local partners and resources are not stretched beyond their limits, a spokesman for Nirenberg told the San Antonio Express-News. As the Biden administration prepares to end a border policy called Title 42, the city and nongovernmental agencies have been quietly working behind the scenes to prepare for what could be a flood of many more immigrants in San Antonio. The scene could lead to a repeat of 2019, when 32,000 asylum-seeking immigrants from Central America passed through San Antonio and the city put up a welcome center across the street from the Greyhound bus station from March to October of that year. The citys Human Services Department operated the center, in coordination with other city departments, the San Antonio Food Bank, the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, Travis Park Church, Catholic Charities, and other nonprofits and community volunteers. The city said Friday that it has decentralized its migrant support this year and is partnering with the nonprofits at multiple locations. Title 42 policy was enacted under former President Donald Trump, allowing immigration authorities to turn away migrants, even those seeking asylum, at the border. It is named for a 1944 public health law to prevent the spread of communicable disease. With COVID-19 numbers down in the first quarter of the year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave notice that it is ending Title 42 on May 23. Since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, his administration has quickly deported hundreds of thousands of migrants under the public health law. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration on Friday, arguing that it lacked authority to end Title 42. The Interfaith Welcome Coalition said it saw more than 300 immigrants daily at the Greyhound bus station in March, almost twice as many as the 150 to 200 it is seeing each day this month. At the airport, there were 300 to 500 a day. With those numbers, local nonprofits that help immigrants will be pressed because some are in need of volunteers. In March, we saw this humongous amount of people, said Tori Salas, coordinating director with the coalition, a nonprofit that assists asylum-seekers, refugees and other immigrants. We didnt understand where the rush was coming from. But we are in need of volunteers. Even before Title 42 comes to an end, she said, the Border Patrol has been processing some immigrants and some are ending up at Travis Park, near the bus station. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat whose district includes a portion of San Antonio, said he spoke with Homeland Security Department officials in Washington this week and asked if they were estimating 18,000 immigrants (coming in) once Title 42 goes away. They said, Well, its a little lower, its going to be only 10 (thousand) to 12 thousand people a day, Cuellar said. Whatever number it is, I mean, those are large numbers. And look, this used to be a border issue, but talk to your mayor. I talked to him. I saw the letter. Youve seen people being dropped off from Uvalde, from Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo down here at the Greyhound station and hanging around Travis Park or at the airport itself. Cuellar said that through a program he and Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas started in 2014 and remodeled in 2017, the federal government reimburses cities, counties and nonprofits for help housing immigrants who are permitted stays in the United States while seeking asylum. Recently, a supplemental funding bill added $150 million to that fund, Cuellar said. San Antonio gets money for reimbursements because otherwise they drop them off at the Greyhound station and theyre around Travis Park, Cuellar said. If the numbers come in the way we expect them, $150 million for the entire nation is not going to be enough. Cornyn said: The bottom line is that the federal government needs to do its job and step up, enforcing current laws and improving the laws that need to be fixed, like our broken asylum system, Cornyn said. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland A San Antonio doctor has been charged with illegally dispensing tens of thousands of painkiller pills that authorities believe contributed to the opioid epidemic. Court records show Paul M. Silva could not authorize medications because his medical license in Texas has been temporarily suspended. He allegedly continued to issue more than 500 prescriptions to himself, family members, dead people and fake patients for oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol and other controlled medications. A criminal complaint affidavit said Silva had diverted more than 40,000 dosage units before federal agents arrested him at the St. Anthony Hotel downtown on Friday. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing next week. Silva did his internship and residency at Harvard Medical School in internal medicine before working for medical facilities in San Antonio, according to Texas Medical Board records and his LinkedIn profile. Most recently, he ran Libertad Internal Medicine Group on Thousand Oaks Drive, according to the medical board and court records. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and San Antonio police had been investigating the case for several months. The affidavit said the prescriptions were issued between August and the end of March. People are paying more attention to the regulations, so its harder to get away with that, said retired DEA Special Agent Dante Sorianello, who ran the San Antonio DEA office for several years. Most physicians are good, ethical people who follow the (rules). These cases are a very, very small percentage. In a memorandum issued March 18 ordering the temporary suspension of Silvas medical license, the medical board said Silva has two investigations and legal cases for failure to respond to subpoenas and other requests for information; failure to keep his address on file with the board and failure to inform patients that his practice was closed or closing so they could obtain their medical records. Based on the evidence presented...the panel determines that respondents continuation in the practice of medicine would constitute a continuing threat to the public welfare, the board wrote in its suspension memo. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland Details of a bloody crime scene and the wounds of two teens killed in a 2019 home invasion were laid before jurors Wednesday at the capital murder trial of Jonathan Winston Johnson, 28. Authorities say Johnson, then 25, opened fire after kicking down the door of a ground-level residence at the Robin's Nest Apartments, 538 Hot Wells Blvd., around 8 p.m. on Feb. 5. Andres Luis Rangel, 19, and Katrina Marie Casarez, 18, were struck multiple times and died at the scene. Two women were wounded in the attack and treated at area hospitals, police said. One of them was Rangels sister, Angela Rangel, who testified Tuesday. She recounted the moment Johnson started shooting, when she told children who were present at the apartment to run to a bedroom and hide. They were unhurt. Angela Rangel said Johnson was holding a bandana over his face while shooting with his other hand, and dropped the mask when the shooting stopped. Rangel said she recognized him and asked, Why are you doing this? William Luther, Staff Johnson shot her in response, and she fell to the floor, telling herself that she needed to play dead, Rangel testified. After Johnson left, survivors called 911, but the first to arrive was a neighbor, who hurriedly removed the children while calling 911 himself, Rangel said. Johnson was arrested two days later. On Wednesday, jurors heard from detectives and Bexar County Crime Lab experts who have analyzed evidence in the case. Related: Suspect in double homicide arrested, swallowed unknown substance during interview Chief Medical Examiner Kimberly Molina identified the four gunshot wounds that led to Rangels death, and two which caused the death of Casarez. One investigator testified that there was blood found throughout the apartment, including in a master bedroom. A firearms expert said 13 bullets found at the scene were all fired from the same pistol. William Luther, Staff Johnson appeared slimmer than at the time of his arrest more than three years ago. He sat with a light-blue face mask covering his mouth, wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks. On the day Johnson was arrested, he had to be taken to an area hospital for a medical emergency after swallowing an unknown substance, police said at the time. Captain Roger Moreno, with the San Antonio Fire Department, told the jury he heard Johnson mumble, I just sell drugs, I didnt mean to hurt anybody. A second survivor of the shooting is expected to testify Thursday when the trial continues in 226th District Court. Jacob.Beltran@express-news.net Henry Cuellars political life is in jeopardy. His legal status may also be in jeopardy. The first concern, however, is the most urgent one. In 3 weeks, early voting begins for a Democratic primary runoff in which the Laredo-based congressman (whose district takes in part of San Antonio) is defending the seat he has held for nine terms. Cuellar, 66, faces a tough challenge from Jessica Cisneros, a progressive immigration attorney from Laredo, who he outpolled by only 2 percentage points in a three-candidate primary last month. Cuellar might have escaped without a runoff if not for an FBI search of his home and campaign office in January. The resulting cloud of suspicion damaged Cuellars primary campaign and threatens to undermine his runoff prospects. Thats what we need to keep in mind when we consider a statement Joshua Berman, Cuellars attorney, made to Fox News last week. Over the last several weeks, the Justice Department, in a conversation I had with the prosecutor, let me know that Congressman Cuellar is not a target of this investigation, Berman said. The wording of the statement was odd, with its suggestion that Berman and the prosecutor held a single conversation over a period of weeks. Its intent, however, was unmistakable: to defuse the drama around the FBI raid and provide voters with a sense of reassurance that theres nothing to see here. Of course, an announcement from an attorney on Cuellars payroll is not the same thing as a public exoneration by the Justice Department. Its important to remember that the prosecutor Berman referred to has made no statements to back up Bermans declaration. I had some questions for Berman about his supposed interactions with the prosecutor, but the D.C. attorney did not respond to my interview request. It could very well be that Cuellar is in the clear. Keep in mind, however, that Team Cuellars top priority right now is to survive an election. The legal ramifications of the FBI raid might not be known for months or years. If the congressman has to deal with anything on that front, he can grapple with it later. But the runoff and the fate of Cuellars political career is on the line right now. Whether or not Cuellar actually got a clean bill of health from the feds, its in his best political interests to make District 28 voters think so before they go to the polls. There are some context clues that raise doubts about the narrative scripted by the congressmans team. For one thing, its very rare for the Justice Department to initiate this kind of raid against a political candidate in the heat of an election campaign. Although some Cuellar advocates interpret the unusual timing of the search as evidence that the Justice Department is performing a political hit on him, that argument makes no sense. Cuellar is an incumbent Democrat in a district that Republicans have at least a shot at flipping in November. This is shaping up to be a tough election cycle for Democrats, and many pundits believe theyll lose control of the U.S. House to the GOP. All the more reason that District 28 is precious cargo for Democrats at the moment. Most political observers would tell you that the GOPs chances of swinging this socially conservative district are better against Cisneros, a young acolyte of democratic socialist Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Its true that Cuellar is more conservative than most of his fellow House Democrats, particularly on abortion and immigration. But he also has had the consistent backing of Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the party establishment. If anything, the timing of the raid suggests a concern that waiting could have resulted in the destruction of crucial evidence. This kind of politically sensitive move almost certainly would have required the approval of someone at the top level of the Justice Department. Investigators were searching for records connected to the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, including three companies with ties to Cuellars wife, Imelda, according to subpoenas obtained by ABC News. Cuellars own connections to Azerbaijan are undeniable. He co-chairs the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, has traveled to Azerbaijan and has facilitated trips to the oil-rich country by students at Texas A&M International University in Laredo. Cuellar also has ties to a Houston-based businessman, Kemal Oksuz, who was convicted of lying to Congress about Azerbaijans role in funding a 2013 congressional trip to the country. These facts dont prove that hes guilty of anything. But reassuring statements from his attorney dont prove anything either. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 The Supreme Court struck down guilty verdicts for two male soldiers charged with engaging in homosexual intercourse at an off-base housing facility, saying Thursday that the encounter was consensual and took place in a private space. The two, a first lieutenant and a master sergeant, were charged with having sex during off-duty hours in 2016 in violation of Article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act that calls for punishment of up to two years in prison for those who engage in "anal intercourse" or any other "indecent act." The top court said "anal intercourse or similar sexual activities carried out under voluntary consent in a private space" cannot be seen as violating the military's culture and discipline and that the law should not be applied in such cases. It also said the idea that homosexual activity arouses sexual humiliation or disgust among average people has become hard to accept by society's current standards. The case was sent back to the military high court for a rehearing. The case was launched after the Army began a probe into sexual minorities inside the military using illegal methods in 2017. Some 10 soldiers were indicted following the investigation. (Yonhap) San Antonios elected leaders, fielding complaints from constituents about exploding property appraisals, are trying to educate residents on their rights as homeowners, while pointing to Austin as the only place where significant relief can be found. All of us are at a breaking point, said Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, who has been hearing from residents for years that the state needs to give homeowners a break from rising taxes. Homeowners generally dread the annual ritual of receiving the spring appraisal notices as population growth has driven a voracious demand for single-family homes. Michael Amezquita, chief appraiser for the Bexar County Appraisal District, said this years average increase of 23.2 percent in home values is the highest hes seen in his 18 years in the job. While city and county officials are thinking of ways to give homeowners some relief, they emphasized that most of the tax burden comes from funding school districts and changing that requires action on a statewide level. Calvert blames Republican leaders in Austin for shortchanging public schools, which typically absorb more than half of the average homeowners tax bill, compared with about 17 percent for city taxes and 12 percent collected by Bexar County. The Legislature, in 2019, capped year-to-year increases in local tax collections at 3.5 percent for cities and counties and 2.5 percent for school districts. But Calvert said that hasnt done enough to reduce public schools reliance on property taxes as their main funding source. Until the target is right on the lieutenant governor and governor and the Legislature, youre going to have these appraisals continue, Calvert said. From a county perspective, the policy that we have to pass in our intergovernmental affairs is in the Legislature. Thats where the pain is created. Until we get that story out, were never going to solve the problem. And its a big problem. San Antonio property taxes fund multiple layers of government: the county, the city, the local school district, the San Antonio River Authority, the Alamo Colleges District and others. Each takes a cut of your property tax payment, with the school district getting the lions share. And each level of government grants or doesnt grant exemptions from full taxation for seniors, disabled veterans and surviving spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty, among other categories. The homestead exemption is just one of many, and when, say, the city establishes or increases the exemption, it applies only to the citys portion of your tax bill. Proposition 2, a constitutional amendment on the May 7 ballot, would give homeowners some relief by raising the state homestead exemption for school districts from $25,000 to $40,000. Everybodys clamoring for tax relief, said Councilman Clayton Perry, who represents District 10 on the Northeast Side. Emails and calls are pouring into San Antonio City Council offices as appraisal notices land in constituents mailboxes, in many cases showing a steep increase in taxable value. In 2019, Perry pushed to establish the citys first homestead exemption for property taxes. The homestead exemption applies to an individual or familys primary residence, and it reduces very slightly the value subject to the citys property tax. The exemption currently stands at 0.01 percent of appraised value, with a $5,000 minimum. North Side Councilman John Courage, representing District 9, said the citys homestead exemption should be increased to 20 percent the maximum allowed by state law. Hed also like to see a flat $100,000 exemption for people with disabilities. That city exemption currently shaves $12,500 off the value of a home. Texas requires property appraisals every three years, but the appraisal district does them yearly. Courage suggested conducting appraisals every three years to provide stability, allow more time for property owners to prepare for an increased tax bill and, if necessary, save up cash. The way appraisals are conducted doesnt always make sense for communities with mixed housing stock, said Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, representing District 2 on the East Side. His constituents are increasingly worried about the cost of living, and property appraisals have a big impact in fast-changing neighborhoods, McKee-Rodriguez said. Houses are popping up, and its a difference between a gentrified house versus the properties that have existed there for decades, as-is, with no improvements, McKee-Rodriguez said. Yet his support for an increased homestead exemption is tentative. Hes worried about city estimates that show an exemption of around 5 or 10 percent of a propertys value will lead to only minimal savings for those whose homes are valued at around $100,000. If were going to do a homestead exemption, I think we should go all out if thats possible, McKee-Rodriguez said. But hes also worried that elevating the exemption to 20 percent, as suggested by Courage, could require cuts in the city budget and in city services. Perry, for his part, thinks the city should move incrementally to a 20 percent homestead exemption. But if my colleagues want to go to 20 percent, then I will say yes. We can afford it, Perry said. Anything that saves a property owner money, Im for it. Under a proposal pushed by Bexar County Commissioner Marialyn Barnard, the county in March approved its first homestead exemption of $5,000 per property, generating a roughly $15 savings on annual tax bills. For property owners who already have a homestead exemption, the new one will be applied automatically each year. Those who havent already secured the homestead exemption must apply by April 30 by going online at http://www.bcad.org or by calling 210-224-2432. Thomas Marks, chief of staff for Barnard, noted that the county trimmed its property tax rate slightly in September, saving about $4 on the average tax bill. He said a further reduction was among ideas on the table for further tax relief. So is the idea of establishing a homestead exemption for University Health, the countys public hospital system, which collects a small cut of property taxes. In Barnards North Side precinct, property owners are familiar with the trend of rising appraisals, Marks said. Many know its the school districts that make up the largest percentage of the tax bill, he said. To that end, Calvert said the Legislature should revisit ideas to increase state support for schools so that districts could reduce their property tax rates. Possibilities include setting aside at least $1 billion from the states rainy day fund for public schools and allocating more to schools from the states general fund. Sticker shock over rising appraisals already is helping to shape the campaign for a new county judge to replace Nelson Wolff, who has held the countys top elected post for 21 years. Former Bexar County District Judge Peter Sakai, who faces State Rep. Ina Minjarez in a May 24 runoff for the Democratic nomination, has said hell make creation of a fair system of appraisals a priority. Minjarez has said shes ready, if elected, to get to work analyzing data to support appraisal reform. Former Commissioner Trish DeBerry, the Republican nominee for county judge, also is spotlighting the issue. Shes sponsoring a Property Tax Town Hall and Livestream set for 6 p.m. April 28 that will be shown live on The BrockCast, hosted by former councilman and mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse. The two-hour program will feature advice from Michael Berlanga, a consultant who helps property owners contest their appraisals. shuddleston@express-news.net After a series of fires began in Dignowity Hill and Denver Heights in mid-March, some residents believed they knew the kind of person whod started the blazes: someone outraged by soaring costs and rapid development in the neighborhoods. The San Antonio Fire Department is investigating fires that damaged or destroyed homes sitting empty, homes under construction and the soon-to-be-redeveloped Friedrich complex between mid-March and early April. However, fire officials say they dont think the fires are the work of a serial arsonist. At a public meeting April 4 at the Ella Austin Community Center, residents worried that homes under construction seemed to be targeted. In a neighborhood Facebook group, people have speculated that vandals started the fires or someone angry about gentrification potentially overtaking Dignowity Hill and Denver Heights. I think because of the proximity and the intensity and the short nature in which these fires occurred, it put people on edge, said Eddie Martinez, president of the Dignowity Hill Neighborhood Association. I think sometimes we project kind of our own beliefs into what we think the actuality is. The downsides of living in fast-changing neighborhoods weigh on homeowners and renters. Prices and rents are surging. The median home price in Dignowity Hill was $310,000 in 2021, up 620 percent from 2011, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors. In Denver Heights, it rose 600 percent to $210,000 during the same period. As a result of the sharp increases, property values and tax bills also are accelerating. Theres tension over house-flipping, short-term rentals, and the density and architecture of homes being built. Big investment groups are snapping up properties. Wealthier residents are moving in to live closer to downtown and the Pearl. At the same time, residents say theyre still living with problems that often plague older neighborhoods near the inner city crime, crumbling sidewalks, boarded-up properties and stray dogs. The fires definitely brought it back to the forefront, Martinez said. Whatever people thought before, there was an angle for them to continue to express their concerns about development. As residents discussed the fires, Martinez said he was troubled by some of the comments he saw online, prompting him to post a statement on Facebook. The insinuations and intimations that these types of incidents are laughable, warranted, or are somehow acceptable retribution to a changing neighborhood are grotesque and reprehensible, he wrote. Putting aside the property damage, the danger to human life that these fires posed is quite real. At the community meeting, Fire Chief Charles Hood said 39 structures have burned in District 2 on the East Side since October, which is essentially flat from the same time period last year. Eight have been deemed incendiary, or intentionally set, and two may be linked, Hood said. None of the fires some of which occurred late at night, others early in the morning resulted in deaths or injuries. Citywide, fires are up about 26 percent this fiscal year. The Express-News counted seven fires on the near East Side between March 15 and April 2. That includes fires at two homes Terramark Urban Homes was building and at the Friedrich complex on East Commerce Street, most of which is set to be demolished to make way for apartments. SAFD spokesman Joe Arrington said not all seven of those fires appear to have been intentionally set. He told a reporter to file an open records request to obtain the locations of the fires Hood cited April 4. It is imperative that we stress that there is not a serial arsonist on the loose, he said. Spiking taxes The proximity of the fires, over the span of just a few weeks, alarmed residents especially the blazes that destroyed the two Terramark homes under construction. It got our attention right away and scared the crap out of everybody, said Scott Albert, a Dignowity Hill resident. Residents are relieved the fires seemed to have stopped. It seems like we dont dwell on problems for long before we get right back to our routine, Albert said. When he bought his house in the neighborhood in 2016, it was surrounded by several vacant houses and lots. Now, those properties are mostly full. Albert said he and other empty-nesters in their 50s are worried about whether they will be able to afford their property taxes when they want to retire. For residents wanting to pass down their homes, the tax bills make it increasingly unfeasible unless their relatives have the financial wherewithal to pay them. Neither of my kids could afford my house if I were to die tomorrow, Albert said. Building and renovating homes in Dignowity Hill is more difficult because of the requirements that come with historic designation, which affects the pace of change, he said. In Denver Heights, its happening quickly. Whole blocks are just different all of a sudden, he said. The median value of a home in historic Dignowity Hill jumped from $43,080 in 2011 to $200,000 last year, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. In Denver Heights, which is not designated historic, it rose from $40,985 to $138,920 during the same period. Josie Norris / San Antonio Express-News Dignowity Hill is teeming with developers, homebuyers and renters. But Albert is also frustrated by the problems that existed long before the neighborhood became a hot housing market: crime, damaged sidewalks, strays and the lack of speed bumps. Dignowity Hill is a mix of old and newly built homes occupied by owners or used as short-term rentals; businesses; properties that were recently renovated; San Antonio Housing Authority complexes; and boarded-up buildings. Some houses, held by absentee owners, have been neglected. Others are occupied by elderly residents who dont have the money or physical capacity to make extensive repairs, said Liz Franklin, whos lived in the area for more than a decade. Terramark Urban Homes is perhaps the most prolific infill builder constructing new homes on vacant or undeveloped land on the near East Side. The company started with 12 town homes in the mid-2010s near the Hays Street Bridge, around the time that Alamo Beer Co. opened. Since then, its built dozens of town houses from Government Hill to Denver Heights, including many constructed with the help of tax breaks or other city-funded inducements or in partnership with SAHA. Terramarks offices are also in the area. Depending on the project, prices typically start around $275,000, and Terramarks sweet spot is about $400,000, said Chief Operating Officer John Cooley. Im of a firm conviction that this is a supply and demand issue, he said. The more people that build, the more housing we can produce, then the more opportunity there is for somebody to find the house at the price point that works for them. With the recent fires, the houses under construction at Center and Swiss streets were about 90 days from being completed. One of the buyers terminated their contract, and the other is willing to wait for Terramark to rebuild, Cooley said. The company is looking at beefing up security at its construction sites. Im hopeful that weve seen the last of it, he said of the fires. Shifting demographics The Census Bureaus American Community Survey five-year estimates show how the near East Side is changing racially and economically. The San Antonio Express-News looked at the 2011 and 2019 surveys, which include 60 months of data. Data for the latter was collected between 2015 and 2019. Josie Norris / San Antonio Express-News In both the 78202 ZIP code, which includes Dignowity Hill, and the 78210 ZIP code which stretches from King William to South Side Lions Park and from Denver Heights south to Mission Concepcion the number of Hispanic and Black residents decreased as the white population increased. The median household income rose an estimated 24.5 percent to $28,130 in the former ZIP code, and 15.5 percent to $38,248 in the latter. When you first moved in here, you would not see a Tesla, said Carsten Griffin, who bought a house in Dignowity Hill in 2015. Now, you see a couple driving down the street every hour. Griffin loves the neighborhoods proximity to downtown, and theres less traffic than in other parts of the city. But property taxes are getting steeper. He and his wife, Kayla, have increased their income during the coronavirus pandemic, which has helped them pay the taxes, he said. But some of their neighbors are struggling. Some have moved because they couldnt afford the tax burden. It almost feels like a little bit of a luxury tax. Were paying for the fact that everythings a 10-minute drive and we never have to worry about traffic, Griffin said. But you still have to pay it at the end of the day. Vanessa Shelton moved to the area from the far North Side in 2020. She was overjoyed to find an older home with a lot of character for a lower price than similar properties in other urban neighborhoods. Some friends, though, questioned her decision. Josie Norris / San Antonio Express-News As a Black woman (who) moved here, Ive had my Black girlfriends say, Why would you go to the East Side? Because they all tried to move out they see it as a step backwards, Shelton said. But I see it as especially from a real estate perspective youre going to get the most return on your investment here. Shelton describes it as a tight-knit community where people look after each other, and shes a member of the neighborhood associations board. But she, too, is frustrated with unfixed roads and strays. She said some residents feel like the redheaded stepchild compared to other historic neighborhoods around downtown. Houses that continue to sit unoccupied amid a citywide shortage of inventory are also worrisome. Shelton is relieved that the recent fires seem to have stopped, but there are two dilapidated houses next to hers and a new house under construction nearby. Now its kind of like youre on high alert, she said. madison.iszler@express-news.net Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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! Ukrainian president thanks EU for support amid conflict with Russia Xinhua) 08:43, April 21, 2022 KIEV, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday met with European Council President Charles Michel, appreciating the European Union (EU) for the support of Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, Zelensky's press service reported. "European partners have made a significant contribution to our military capabilities," Zelensky said. In particular, he thanked the EU for allocating 1.5 billion euros (some 1.63 billion U.S. dollars) within the European Peace Fund to finance the military needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Besides, Zelensky appreciated the EU for imposing sanctions on Russia and called for strengthening the restrictive measures by imposing a full energy embargo on Russia, including oil and gas imports. For his part, Michel said the EU adopted a decision to provide military support to Ukraine, including equipment and weapons, in the first days of the conflict. In addition, EU member states provided assistance at the bilateral level at the request of the Ukrainian state, Michel said. "We will do everything we can for Ukraine to win, because we want the victory of Ukraine," said the president of the European Council. Later in the day, Michel tweeted that the EU will create a Solidarity Trust Fund to help Ukraine in post-conflict recovery. Michel arrived in Kiev earlier in the day. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The conservative People Power Party (PPP) said Thursday that it has nominated candidates for South Chungcheong and North Chungcheong governors as well as Daejeon mayor for the June 1 local elections. Rep. Kim Tae-heum, a three-term lawmaker, was nominated as candidate for South Chungcheong governorship, while former four-term lawmaker Kim Young-hwan was nominated as candidate for the North Chungcheong governorship. The nomination for Daejeon mayor went to former two-term lawmaker Lee Jang-woo. (Yonhap) Chef Akanksha Dean picks five great Italian restaurants in the capital that will transport you to Roma The capitals Italian restaurant scene is as varied as the foodie city itself. From the best handmade pastas to trattoria-style seating, youll find authentic Italian food at these five restaurants La Piazza Hyatt Regency Delhi The driving force behind La Piazzas enduring success has always been its commitment to introduce Delhi to the authentic flavours of Italy. It is the first Italian trattoria-style restaurant in the city with a live kitchen, as well as the first to introduce customers to lesser-known Italian wines, and the countrys first espresso and tiramisu. Its innovative dishes such as Pizza La Piazza, Truffle Oil Ricotta Tortellini, and the freshly-baked focaccia bread with olive tapenade make it unique among the handful of Italian restaurants in the city. The focus of the restaurant has been on the show kitchen, which features a classic wood-burning pizza oven that lends a typical flavour to pizzas, as well as a counter displaying herbs and other food items from the land of this popular cuisine, and, of course, the action of the chefs as they cook pasta dishes and pizzas. The food is served pre-plated, except for lunch, when a buffet of antipasti and desserts is offered along with a choice of a pre-plated main course. Pizza La Piazza (above) the restaurants signature pizza, attracts food enthusiasts from across the city in droves. The crust is thin and crisp, and guests can taste the unique flavour of the wood fired oven. It comes topped with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh and zingy basil pesto, creamy goat cheese, and garlic. Must-tries: Pizza La Piazza, Pizza Vegetariana, Spinach Ricotta Ravioli, Spaghetti Aglio Olio, Spinach Lasagne Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Rep. Yang Hyang-ja of the Democratic Party of Korea delivers remarks on economy-related issues at a plenary meeting of the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, on April 20, 2021. Korea Times file By Jung Da-min An independent lawmaker, who had once been a member of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), explained the reason behind the DPK's push for a prosecutorial reform bill that aims to separate the prosecution's powers to lead investigations and indict suspects, despite opposition from the main opposition People Power Party and prosecutors. "A hardcore DPK member encouraged me to vote for their reform bill. There was another person who said that 'some 20 Cheong Wa Dae officials of the Moon administration would be sent to jail,'" Rep. Yang Hyang-ja said in an interview with Korean daily Chosun Ilbo published Thursday. Earlier, Yang, a member of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, made it clear in a social media post that she is against the DPK's prosecutorial reform bill. "I decided to oppose the party's reform bill in order to follow my conscience, which may cost me my political career," she said, adding that the DPK leadership tried to persuade her to help pass the prosecutorial reform bill at the committee. The independent lawmaker's opposition to the reform bill puts the DPK in a difficult position. When parties disagree on certain bills, the committee is supposed to form a task-force subcommittee consisting of six members from the ruling and main opposition parties as well as independent lawmakers. Three of them should come from the ruling party, two from the main opposition party and one should be an independent lawmaker. The subcommittee can deliberate on bills in question for up to 90 days so as to reach an agreement and table it at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. If two-thirds of the members of the subcommittee agree, the bill can be sent immediately to a standing committee for review. The DPK aims to pass the bill by late April so that President Moon Jae-in can sign it into law on May 3 at his last Cabinet meeting. The ruling party initially encouraged Yang, who was previously a DPK member, to side with them in the bill, which she rejected. The DPK then encouraged another DPK member, Rep. Min Hyung-bae, to leave the party and become an independent to make their plan work. Min did exactly that and as an independent lawmaker, the DPK was able to meet the two-thirds majority condition to table the bill with the standing committee. Yang said that DPK floor leader Rep. Park Hong-keun told her that there were two reasons behind the DPK's push of the prosecutorial reform bill. "He said one reason is that the DPK should not lose its supporters (which it would if it were to fail to implement its prosecutorial reform plans), and the other reason is that it (prosecutorial reform) might not happen if the bill isn't passed this time," she said. Yang added that there was nobody within the ruling party questioning why the reform bill had to be passed before President Moon leaves office. She also said she was astonished by the idea of making a lawmaker leave the party. Her remarks implied that Min, who left the party to implement the DPK's prosecutorial reform, has been determined to pass the reform bill since joining the judiciary committee. Yang said she was told she would be able to regain her membership in the DPK, but the situation has changed and the future of her political career has become uncertain. Ayushmann Khurrana has been in the industry for a decade and has appeared in several hit films. Ayushmann is currently making headlines for his upcoming film Anek, directed by Anubhav Sinha. Recently, the Bala star opened up about his character in Anek, revealing that he will play an undercover cop in the film. When asked about his character, Ayushmann stated that this is his first time playing such a role on screen and that he is very excited to play Joshua in Anek. Joshua in Anek is street smart and intelligent. He knows his way around people and can fight bad guys not only in a physical capacity but also with his great intellect, He continued. Ayushmann also stated that Joshua compelled him to do things he had never done before. Furthermore, the Vicky Donor actor discussed his preparation for the role of Joshua, stating that he had to work hard on both his physical and mental abilities. Right from his observation skills to his ability to combat the enemy, the character's journey keeps one intrigued and gripped throughout. Also, the action sequences had to look real and raw to fit into the world of Anek and to portray what Anubhav had envisioned, I was inscribed with the right amount of guidance and training, Ayushmann said. Meanwhile, Anubhav can't stop praising Ayushmann for his ability to inhabit the role of Joshua, saying that no one could have done it better. Anek is a political action thriller set in the North East of India. The film is scheduled to be released on May 27. LONDON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Inbeeo has been honoured with a Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade. Inbeeo is one of 226 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise. Announced today (Thursday 21 April), Inbeeo has been recognised for its excellence in International Trade. Inbeeo was set up in 2018 in London and helps leading life science companies create more value from their innovative products. By enabling its clients to define the right value strategy and the right price for their products, Inbeeo contributes to improving health, one severe disease at a time. At the recent World Evidence Pricing and Access conference in Amsterdam, Inbeeo paved to way to fairer pharmaceutical pricing by offering a new perspective on international payers' frameworks. "I am so proud of what our incredibly talented team has achieved over the last few years" says Herve Lilliu, Founder and CEO. Since our company inception, we have helped countless patients in the UK and overseas get faster access to breakthrough therapies in a wide range of severe diseases including COVID-19, cancer, and rare conditions". Now in its 56th year, the Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen's Awards Emblem for the next five years. Applications for Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2023 open on the 1stMay 2022. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise. Contact: pippa.macnair@inbeeo.com 07870 631096 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1801061/QA_logo_categories_2022_international_trade_Logo.jpg JAKARTA, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Princeton Digital Group, Asia's leading data center provider, and The Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association (APJII) announced a collaboration to further elevate Indonesia's internet infrastructure.This strategic partnership will help APJII members in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Pekanbaru to have easy access to the Indonesia Internet Exchange (IIX) and strengthen the internet connectivity infrastructure in Indonesia. This collaboration will also include PDG's 22MW Jakarta Cibitung 2 (JC2), a new greenfield development that PDG launched recently.APJII is a long-established association with over 700 internet providers and over 3,000 corporate members. The association provides members with several strategic services, including access to IIX, assistance, seminars and training, and industry-related insights. These services are provided to support its members in providing quality Internet services for Indonesians, in line with the Indonesian government's program to strive towards digital transformation through building the country's digital and internet infrastructure inclusion to expand connectivity across the archipelago.With an internet penetration rate of 73.7% in 2021, an increase from over 64.8% in 2018, and 95% of the population in the country accessing the internet via smartphones, Indonesia is poised to be a hyperscale market for data centers. According to Structure Research, the data center colocation market in Jakarta is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23.7% through 2020 to 2025, indicating massive growth ahead.Chairperson of APJII, Muhammad Arif, said, "As the Internet penetration rate continues to grow, APJII must anticipate the needs of the internet infrastructure, including internet xchange nodes and data center, in terms of capacity, reliability, and efficiency. APJII commits to support Indonesia's vision to become the largest digital economy power in the region and strengthen internet sovereignty."However, the Indonesian market is highly fragmented. Many Internet Service and Content Providers try to get access to IIX. With this partnership, PDG opens more options in terms of location. This will help by facilitating members of APJII to reach more digital content by leveraging PDG's expanded footprint in the market. The move will enable the content providers to collocate with PDG to garner easy access to IIX. At the same time, APJII is able to expand its community and provide broader Internet services for Indonesians."To build a stronger digital infrastructure in Indonesia and contribute to the nation's upliftment at large is at the core of PDG. Being at the center of explosive economic growth and rapid digitalization by the government sector in Indonesia, PDG is well-poised to serve global cloud companies, domestic internet companies, and enterprises with unmatched scalability, connectivity, and reliability," said Stephanus Tumbelaka, Managing Director of Indonesia, Princeton Digital Group.About PDGPrinceton Digital Group (PDG) is a leading developer and operator of Internet infrastructure. Headquartered in Singapore with presence and operations in China, Singapore, India, Indonesia, and Japan, its portfolio of data centers powers the expansion of hyperscalers and enterprises in the fastest-growing digital economies across Asia. For more information, visit www.princetondg.com or follow us on LinkedIn.About APJIIThe Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers, known as APJII, was formed at the First National Conference in Jakarta on May 15, 1996. APJII is a well-known association that supports Internet development in Indonesia. As the association that is the organization of internet service providers, APJII is also the "operator" of the Indonesia Internet Exchange (IIX). APJII is a society-based organization that regulates IIX on a non-profit basis to support an efficient interconnection amongst internet service providers who hold internet service operating licenses in Indonesia. The presence of IIX, which APJII owns and manages, has effectively increased the speed of internet access for the people of Indonesia.Media ContactsPrinceton Digital GroupGrace ChenPR@princetondg.comPRecious Communications for Princeton Digital GroupPDG@preciouscomms.comSource: APJIIPrinceton Digital GroupCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. YB Karim officially launched the Borneo Jazz 2022 festival, which will be in hybrid format at Miri International Airport today. YB Karim (centre) at the official launch of Borneo Jazz 2022 festival. With him are Sharzede (3rd from left), YB Dennis (2nd left), YB Sebastian (4th from right), Capt Nasaruddin (3rd right), Mr. Hii (2nd right) and others. YB Karim (3rd from right) during the unveiling of "Sarawak More to Discover" display on MASwings' luggage compartment for the ATR 72-500 aircraft, showcasing elements of Sarawak's Culture, Nature, Adventure Food and Festival (CANFF). With him are (R-L) Mr. Hii, YB Sebastian, Sharzede, YB Dennis and others. SARAWAK, Malaysia, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - One of Southeast Asia's longest running international jazz festivals - Borneo Jazz festival (BJ) - is back once again, bringing musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds together to celebrate jazz music and empower the local community.Themed "Jazz in The Jungle", the Borneo Jazz festival will be held from 24 to 26 June 2022 in a hybrid format to reach out to the greater jazz-loving community worldwide. The physical concert will take place at Coco Cabana, Miri while viewers will also be able to livestream one-hour blocks of their performances from home.With musical content curated by No Black Tie Presents, Malaysia's foremost jazz promoter, music lovers can expect a spectacular mix of jazz and hip-hop, tribal vibes, world beats and electro-jazz grooves during the 17th edition of the Borneo Jazz festival.Watch out for an eclectic mix of jazz musicians, rappers and DJs from USA, Hungary, Singapore, France, Malaysia and more lighting up the Borneo Jazz stage to celebrate cultural diversity, tradition and innovation.Sarawak Arts Council's band Sarawak Symphony Orchestra (SONS) will also be taking to the Borneo Jazz stage for the first time in a continued collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board, with the aim to lift Sarawak's local music scene.The announcement on the highly anticipated annual event was made today by Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts along with Yang Berhormat Datuk Sebastian Ting Chew Yew, Deputy Minister of Tourism Sarawak, Yang Berhormat Mr. Dennis Ngau, Chairman of Sarawak Tourism Board, Mr. Hii Chang Kee, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board, Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar, Chief Operating Officer of MASwings representing Malaysia Aviation Group and Stephanie Kuan representing artistic director No Black Tie Presents.During his speech, Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts said, "With the theme "Jazz in the Jungle", this year's Borneo Jazz is about rejuvenating the jazz scene while being surrounded by the wonders of nature that are in abundance in Miri, the gateway to Northern Sarawak. As we all know, artistes and musicians have all been affected by the lockdowns, so Borneo Jazz festival serves as the perfect platform to rejuvenate, rediscover, rekindle and rebuild the jazz connection that was interrupted for the past two years.""The hybrid concert is the best way to go this year based on the positive response we have received from the Borneo Jazz Virtual Experience last year in 2021. For the record, the Borneo Jazz Virtual Experience 2021 three-day journey garnered 244,637 online viewers from 43 countries. This year, we hope to have a wider outreach to international audiences encompassing more countries."Chief Executive Officer of Sarawak Tourism Board, Puan Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor said, "We are pleased to once again bring music lovers in Malaysia and around the world physically back to Borneo Jazz festival in Miri, the northern gateway of Sarawak""Last year, the music festival reached a broader audience given the virtual format, and we hope to continue this traction once again this year. Our goal is to provide our Sarawakian artists with an even bigger platform for their artistry to be recognised around the world."Chief Operating Officer of MASwings, Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar said, "We are delighted to support and celebrate the world's culture through music by transporting travellers from all over the globe to Borneo Jazz festival this year. Travellers will be able to experience Malaysia's proud history of its warm hospitality the moment they step onboard through our service and offerings that embody Malaysia's incredible facility, capturing its rich traditions, culture and cuisines throughout their journey with us."The announcement was followed by the unveiling of Sarawak Tourism's 'More to Discover' livery on three (3) MASwings ATR 72-500 aircraft as part of the one-year collaboration with the Sarawak Tourism Board. The interior of the aircraft is also painted with visuals of Sarawak's tourist attractions such as events, food and culture and ecotourism destinations.Captain Nasa who expressed his pleasure for MASwings to be the airline bearing the special livery added, "We are pleased to work together with Sarawak Tourism on the campaign which is expected to provide great visibility to promote Sarawak to the domestic market. Being the Pulse of Borneo, MASwings serves a specialised market, meeting tourists' travel needs in terms of connectivity and affordable transportation. With the launch of Sarawak Tourism's 'More to Discover' campaign on our turboprops, we trust that it will certainly help fulfil the government's agenda to stimulate growth in tourist visits through tourism."Building up a sustainable musical tourism in Sarawak"Our focus apart from positioning Borneo Jazz as a top-notch Jazz Festival in the region, is to empower and raise cultural awareness through Borneo Jazz Talent Search and Borneo Jazz FAB LAB platform, providing performance and networking opportunities, giving awards and recognition, as we strongly believe in promoting sustainability in the growth of arts & culture within the local community, and the importance of cultural exchange in fostering greater understanding between people of different cultural backgrounds which aligns with the STB's and the state's sustainable journey," said Evelyn Hii, Artistic Director of Borneo Jazz festival 2022.Borneo Jazz will feature performances by the winners of the nationwide Borneo Jazz Talent Search launched on April 1 for DJ, Jazz and Open categories. Together with Borneo Jazz Festival FAB Lab 2022, aspiring musicians will be given the chance to grow their musical talent alongside renowned local and international artistes while also contributing to the growth of Miri as the region's jazz centre.Additional activities around the Borneo Jazz festival will be the Eco Drum and Eco Art projects, both aimed to raise awareness towards creating a more eco-friendly and sustainable city.Bundled deals and significant savings with Malaysia AirlinesTo drive visitors and inbound traffic to Sarawak, Malaysia Airlines, the national carrier under Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), has been named the official airline partner of the Borneo Jazz Music Festival.As the official airline partner for Borneo Jazz festival, Malaysia Airlines and supported by its sister company Firefly will offer attractive deals of up to 15% discount on flights from Peninsular Malaysia, London, Australia and some ASEAN destinations to cities in Sarawak. Firefly will fly passengers from Penang to Kuching via its jet operations.To enjoy the discount, music lovers joining the Borneo Jazz festival must insert a unique promo code (BORNEO22) between 25 April 2022 and 15 May 2022 for travels between 1 and 30 June 2022 to enjoy significant savings. These deals are available exclusively for those who purchase the normal pass to Borneo Jazz festival through the airline's respective websites.Borneo Jazz ticket pricesJazz music lovers can start purchasing tickets for BJ starting 22nd April 2022 from the website jazzborneo.com. For the public category, 1 Day Pass is priced at RM128 per ticket, 2 Day Pass is RM228 per ticket and 3 Day Pass is RM338 per ticketAs for students and senior citizens, 1 Day Pass is priced at RM88 per ticket ,2 Day Pass is RM128 per ticket and 3 Day Pass is RM188 per ticket.For those who want to enjoy BJ virtually, tickets are priced at RM25 per one-hour block. For more information on Borneo Jazz festival 2022, log on to BJ's official website at jazzborneo.com.Karim also unveiled the "Sarawak More to Discover" display on MASwings' luggage compartment for the ATR 72-500 aircraft. Sarawak's visibility, which can be seen in three aircrafts, showcases elements of the five pillars of Sarawak tourism - Culture, Nature, Adventure Food and Festival (CANFF).About SarawakA kaleidoscope of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals: is the best description for Sarawak. Sarawak comprises 28 ethnic tribes with their own unique traditions, lifestyles, music and food, while sharing their warm hospitality. Malaysia's largest state, Sarawak, endowed with some of the oldest rainforests on Earth. Its vast landscape spans over 120,000 sq kms, with towering mountains and cool highlands, jagged limestone formations and mysterious cave systems, winding rivers and quiet beaches; where adventures are waiting to happen. Festivals are hosted throughout the year celebrate the eclectic blend of modern and traditional culture, food, music and religious practices that can be found nowhere else. In Sarawak, there is always 'More to Discover'.About Sarawak Tourism BoardSarawak Tourism Board is the key promoter for Sarawak. STB is a winner of the Asia Pacific Excellence Awards 2016 by Asia-Pacific Association of Communications Directors (APACD) and has received the ASEAN PR Excellence Award 2015 Gold Award. The Rainforest World Music Festival is a five-time Top 25 Best International Festivals recognised by Songlines World Music Magazine (2011 - 2015). Meanwhile, the Rainforest World Music Festival and Borneo Jazz Festival Virtual Experiences were recognised by World Responsible Tourism Awards 2021 as 'Ones to Watch' under Destinations Building Back Better Post-Covid. Sarawak Tourism Board also won the Golden City Gate 2019 five-star award and Marketing Excellence Awards 2021 for Excellence in Mobile Marketing (bronze).Source: Sarawak Tourism BoardCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. TOKYO, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Colt Technology Services has today announced that it can now support Colt On Demand cloud connectivity to AWS Direct Connect Hosted services, with speeds of up to 10 Gbps, for customers in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.10 Gbps connectivity was previously only available on AWS Direct Connect Dedicated services, but with this enhancement, customers can now connect directly to AWS Direct Connect Hosted services without having to use cross-connects, reducing their Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and increasing speed of delivery. Customers can also make use of different AWS virtual interfaces (private, public, transit).Initially launched in Europe last year, with this announcement, Colt is now offering the service in Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore), with high bandwidth of up to 10Gbps, in a fully flexible connectivity solution with Colt On Demand.The recent increase in hybrid working has also increased the need for flexible traffic control. Colt On Demand enables rapid network deployment to take full advantage of the flexibility of the cloud. In addition, bandwidth can be adjusted in real-time, according to the ratio of office workers and those working remotely, enabling the cost effective creation of a high perfomance cloud computing environment.Masato Hoshino, President and Asia Representative at Colt, said: "We have built a strong relationship with AWS and, as an AWS Partner, Colt has provided AWS connectivity to a large number of customers across all industries in Asia. This announcement highlights our continued investment in APAC and our commitment to provide our customers with agile, flexible, and secure cloud connectivity services to meet their high bandwidth needs and help them to take advantage of everything the cloud has to offer."Recognised as a Visionary in the Gartner 2021 Magic Quadrant for Network Services, Colt also received Frost & Sullivan's 2021 European Customer Value Leadership Award. The company has industry-leading Net Promotor Scores (NPS), reflecting Colt employees' high motivation.About ColtColt strives to transform the way the world works through the power of connectivity. The Colt IQ Network connects 900+ data centres across Europe, Asia and North America's largest business hubs, with over 29,000 on net buildings and growing.Colt understands business connectivity requirements and provides high performance and high bandwidth solutions to enable customers' success, with Colt's vision centering on being the most customer oriented business in the industry. Customers include data intensive organisations spanning over 210 cities in more than 30 countries. Colt is a recognised innovator and pioneer in Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV). Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in its industry and able to provide the best customer experience at a competitive price. For more information, please visit www.colt.net.Press Contact:Nola Pocock - VP Global Communications+447917714377nola.pocock@colt.netRitsuko Onodera+81345607147Ritsuko.Onodera@colt.netSource: ColtCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. The World Retail Banking Report 2022 found that 95% of executives believe their current outdated legacy systems and technological capabilities are unable to fully optimize their data for customer-centric growth strategies Retail banks are currently lagging in their ability to offer true omnichannel experiences, as customers pivot to competitors that offer more personalized experiences, according to the World Retail Banking Report 2022 (WRBR) published today by Capgemini and Efma. 75% of customers surveyed are attracted to FinTechs' cost-effective and seamless services, significantly raising their digital banking expectations. However, traditional banks are struggling to deliver, with 70% of banking executives concerned they lack sufficient data analysis capabilities. Therefore, with customers now able to switch providers at the tap of a screen, it is critical banks better leverage data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tailor the experience, create stronger connections and maximize customer value. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220420005725/en/ The recent surge of FinTechs within the industry has caused a paradigm shift in what consumers now expect from their banking experience, challenging the revenue and relevancy of many traditional providers. In the report's 'Voice of the Customer' survey, about 75% of respondents said they are attracted to these new agile competitors as they offer fast, easy-to-use products and experiences that are readily available while remaining low in cost. On the other hand, nearly half of respondents said their current banking relationships were neither rewarding (49%) nor emotionally connected (48%). 52% said banking was not "fun." To keep pace with these rivals, retail banks will need to rethink their business models and focus on driving greater customer engagement. Customers want rewarding, engaging experiences that are easy and approachable With enhanced data governance models, banks can collect proprietary customer insights to improve the competitiveness of their digital marketing capabilities. Combining this with AI and Machine Learning (ML) will unlock new possibilities in identifying, retaining and engaging customers with real-time experiences. However, many of these benefits are lost to traditional banks who currently lack the capabilities to process the sheer volume of customer data. In the report's executive survey, 95% of top global banking executives said outdated legacy systems and core banking platforms inhibit efforts to optimize data and customer-centric growth strategies, while 70% said they lacked resources to process and analyze data. "The formula for growth sounds simple. Customers want to be provided with personalized experiences, regardless of wherever they may be on their own digital journey. The challenge, however, remains in execution," says Nilesh Vaidya, Global Industry Head, Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Capgemini's Financial Services Strategic Business Unit. "Retail banks must rethink their wider business models, restructuring to focus on providing the same personalized, lifestyle-enabled ecosystem journeys that customers have come to expect from their digital interactions. Without addressing the disparity and striking inconsistency between a customer's digital and physical banking experiences, traditional banks risk losing customer value to their more agile FinTech counterparts." Banks must leverage platform-based models to optimize growth According to the survey, more than 70% of banking executives cited that traditional banks lack data and analytics capabilities. As incumbent banks race to keep pace with the nimble FinTechs, many providers are meshing traditional offerings with nonfinancial lifestyle products. Others are offering Banking as a Service (BaaS) and embedded banking solutions via the ecosystems of non-financial third parties. Platform models can help collect data for personalization, making them well-positioned to mine data ecosystems and derive real-time insights. However, while platform-based models are not new for banks, many players are still struggling with their execution. In the executive survey, 78% of respondents worried about cannibalizing products through ecosystem partners, and 72% were concerned about preventing brand dilution. According to the report, the challenges must be faced to deliver the personalized, omnichannel experiences and ecosystem journeys that customers want, which will rely on embracing new technologies and tearing down internal silos. "To thrive in this fiercely competitive environment, with digitally native FinTechs continuing to capture a rising amount of market value, we're seeing retail banks finally embracing innovative technologies and platform-based models to optimize this data-driven growth," says John Berry, CEO of Efma. "While this has evolved within many of these incumbents' digital channels, customers still expect branches to be experience centers, filled with self-service options and financial advice. By strengthening their ability to collect and analyze data, providers can identify what customers want, which ultimately is consistent omnichannel banking experiences." Positioning Banking CMOs as customer strategists and chief engagement officers to deliver a true omnichannel experience In tackling the data- and technology-driven challenge of strengthening customer relations and personalizing their banking experiences, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) need to step up and play a pivotal role in this evolution. According to the survey, 75% of global banking CMOs said they have direct responsibility for brand building (25% said it was a shared responsibility with other C-Suite executives), and 63% for new products' development and launch, demonstrating how these leaders are expected to own the customer lifecycle and manage each facet of customer engagement. However, many of these CMOs are ill-equipped to guide the transition from product- to customer-centric marketing, cites the report, largely because the data needed to pursue those customer-based strategies is poor, siloed and focuses only on internal data, missing the external data sources. For example, only 22% of CMOs reported that they directly manage end-to-end customer experiences or have access to complete customer profiles needed to effectively tailor their product or service. However, through engaging with this critical data, CMOs can deliver a true omnichannel experience by anticipating customer needs and creating personalized offerings. To achieve this, CMOs will have to take a page of out the FinTech's book to curate targeted content, upgrading the banking experience with continual process improvements and establishing an effective, data-driven value loop which prioritizes engagement and long-term relationships. In doing so, retail banks will be able to create, realize and capture long-lasting customer value. Report Methodology The World Retail Banking Report 2022 draws on insights from two primary sources the Global Voice of the Customer survey 2022 with 8,051 respondents, and the Executive surveys and interviews 2022 with 142 banking executives. Together, these primary research sources cover insights from 29 markets: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, and US. For more information, please visit www.worldretailbankingreport.com. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 325,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong 55-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2021 global revenues of 18 billion. Get The Future You Want www.capgemini.com About Efma A global non-profit organization established in 1971 by banks and insurance companies, Efma facilitates networking between financial services decision-makers. It provides quality insights to help banks and insurance companies make the right decisions to foster innovation and drive their transformation. 120+ financial groups in more than 130 countries are Efma members. Headquartered in Paris. Offices in London, Brussels, Andorra, Milan, Bratislava, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul. Learn more: www.efma.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220420005725/en/ Contacts: Capgemini Press Contacts: Mary Sacchi (North America) WE Communications for Capgemini Tel.: +1 (212) 551 4818 E-mail: msacchi@we-worldwide.com Josh Graham (EMEA) WE Communications for Capgemini Tel.: +44 (0)7518 799 630 E-mail: jgraham@we-worldwide.com Efma Press Contact: Jana Lednarova Tel.: +421 915 225611 E-mail: jana@efma.com Cle de Peau Beaute will donate a portion of the global sales of The Serum to champion girls' STEM education as a key to unlocking a better world TOKYO, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cle de Peau Beaute, global luxury skincare and makeup brand, is proud to partner with UNICEF[1] for a third year by supporting the Global Gender Equality Program which supports every child's right to an equal future. Cle de Peau Beaute believes that unlocking the power of girls' boundless potential through education and knowledge will lead to a better future for all. As the partnership enters its third year, UNICEF and Cle de Peau Beaute aim to continue removing barriers that young girls may face by improving their access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and relevant skills - to empower them with the tools to achieve a positive impact on their communities and the world. Cle de Peau Beaute will donate a portion of The Serum's global sales to support UNICEF's efforts in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, and Niger amongst other regions to educate and empower girls. The initiative will run in stores from May through June and online from May through December 2022[2]. As the world begins to emerge from the COVID pandemic and looks forward to a brighter tomorrow, we recognize the legacy from the past two years and its impact on how the future will be shaped. We've seen an increased trust in science and scientists across the world and new technologies become essential to daily life - leading to a collective understanding that scientific and technical solutions will be the key to many current and future global challenges. With an increased focus on STEM subjects, Cle de Peau Beaute believes it's more important than ever to arm the next generation of girls with the STEM education and tools they need to create a better future for themselves and for society as a whole. Funds raised for UNICEF from last year's sales of The Serum pushed forward initiatives to support girls around the world, enabling them to overcome barriers to education and skills development. Achievements include: Bangladesh: Strengthening Education for Adolescents Program to make it Gender Responsive Cle de Peau Beaute is supporting UNICEF's programs in Bangladesh to promote gender equity in the education system, alleviating gender-related barriers to education and reducing gender-based violence. to promote gender equity in the education system, alleviating gender-related barriers to education and reducing gender-based violence. In partnership with the Government of Bangladesh , UNICEF is following a systematic approach to strengthen gender equity in the education system by providing technical support to develop a skill-based curriculum, which has been approved by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh . , UNICEF is following a systematic approach to strengthen gender equity in the education system by providing technical support to develop a skill-based curriculum, which has been approved by the Prime Minister of . UNICEF has implemented an Alternative Learning Program in Bangladesh , for the most vulnerable out of school adolescent girls, linking them to apprenticeships and job training with theoretical and foundational skills. 1,100 girls have enrolled. Kyrgyzstan: Building 21st Century Skills for Girls Cle de Peau Beaute is supporting UNICEF's STEM4Girls programs in Kyrgyzstan to empower girls to pursue a professional education and careers in STEM and beyond in order to address existing gender disparities - inclusive of high unemployment rates among women and a prevalence of child marriage. to empower girls to pursue a professional education and careers in STEM and beyond in order to address existing gender disparities - inclusive of high unemployment rates among women and a prevalence of child marriage. 621 girls have been trained to be role models and peer educators for younger girls in their communities. These peer educators have successfully reached over 16k peers - leading to 81 percent of participants reporting that sessions helped them identify their professional choice in STEM. peers - leading to 81 percent of participants reporting that sessions helped them identify their professional choice in STEM. 155 girls entered University to study STEM, 39 percent with a tuition grant. Niger: Promoting Girls' Empowerment Cle de Peau Beaute is supporting UNICEF's programs in Niger , where more than 1.3 million girls are not in school, to promote new opportunities for adolescent girls by helping them to develop relevant competencies and skills. , where more than 1.3 million girls are not in school, to promote new opportunities for adolescent girls by helping them to develop relevant competencies and skills. The partnership supported 900 secondary school girls in mentoring groups to strengthen their basic skills in mathematics and French. About a third of these girls had dropped out of school but were successfully brought back to school through the mentoring program. 24,956 girls and women benefited from a campaign and workshop on overcoming gender stereotypes and promoting their wellbeing. "The pandemic has highlighted the importance of science and technology in solving many problems the world faces. With support from our partnership with Cle de Peau Beaute, UNICEF is investing in skills-building initiatives in STEM, digital technologies, and social entrepreneurship. UNICEF supports efforts that make sure girls lead empowered lives, equipped with the right resources and opportunities. Through this program we hope to inspire and provide the necessary tools for the next generation of female leaders," said Ms. Carla Haddad Mardini, Director, Private Fundraising and Partnerships, UNICEF. "At Cle de Peau Beaute, we believe the key to a better world lies in unlocking the power of girls through STEM education. We have therefore committed to apportioning a percentage of sales from The Serum, one of our most coveted products, to educate and empower young women around the world. The past two years have been a meaningful journey as we sought to make a real difference, and it has been particularly special to receive such enthusiastic participation from our customers. We are honored to know that through UNICEF, our contributions are able to make the most necessary and meaningful impact," said Ms. Mizuki Hashimoto, Chief Brand Officer of Cle de Peau Beaute. Cle de Peau Beaute aims to empower girls through education - the first step to unlocking girls' potential and innate intelligence, leading to a better future for all. For every purchase of The Serum, a donation will be made to UNICEF to support the education and empowerment of girls around the world during a time when learning STEM subjects is more crucial for our future than ever before. Together, a more radiant, positive tomorrow is in reach. Note to Editors UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service. About Cle de Peau Beaute Cle de Peau Beaute, the global luxury brand from Shiseido Co., Ltd., was founded in 1982 as the ultimate expression of elegance and science. Cle de Peau Beaute means the key to skin's beauty. The philosophy of the brand is to unlock the power of a woman's radiance by harnessing makeup technologies and advanced skincare from around the world. Forever guided by an exquisite aesthetic sensibility and intelligence, Cle de Peau Beaute has instilled its products with modernity, enchantment, and dynamism to emerge as an industry leader in delivering radiance so remarkable, it emanates from within. Available in 23 countries and regions worldwide[3]. Cle de Peau Beaute Official Website: www.cledepeau-beaute.com Cle de Peau Beaute Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cledepeaubeaute/ The Serum Campaign Landing Page: https://www.cledepeau-beaute.com/int/unlockthepowerofgirls.html KeyToABetterWorld [1] UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product, or service. [2] Specific dates for the initiative will vary market-by-market. Please check with local stores to confirm timing. [3] As of April 2022. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1796448/CPB_22ss_UNICEF_CRM_Key_Visual.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1740205/cpb_logo_set_bold_Logo.jpg ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SAN DIEGO, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SkylineDx presents new data showing that their Merlin Test was able to prospectively reduce >37% of surgeries in a non-interventional study for newly diagnosed melanoma patients2. The Merlin Test identifies melanoma patients that have a low risk for nodal metastasis and therefore can safely forgo a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) surgery. This is an invasive surgical procedure used to determine metastatic spread of the cancer for staging purposes. In approximately 80% of the surgeries, the biopsy comes back negative for metastasis and does not further impact the patient pathway. The Merlin Test provides a more personalized insight on the metastatic propensity of the tumor, patients with a low-risk tumor could avoid the surgery3. Four melanoma medical centers from the Netherlands led this prospective multicenter innovative study which is currently still ongoing. The study was initiated during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic to allow for surgical triage on SLNB and to evaluate the implementation of Merlin Test in clinical practice. Results of this prospective trial confirm the performance of previously published European and US retrospective validation studies, in real world practice2. The abstract publication is a designated oral presentation during the 18th Congres of the European Association of Dermato-oncology (EADO) in Sevilla, Spain (April 21st-23rd 2022). "EADO 2022 will be the first European conference that we attend together with our collaboration partner Biocartis," comments Dharminder Chahal, CEO SkylineDx. "It is exciting that in our first collective outreach we are able to show new prospective data that further strengthens the scientific solidity and clinical relevance of our Merlin Test." About Merlin Test The Merlin Test uses the CP-GEP model, a powerful algorithm that calculates the risk of metastasis in a patient's sentinel lymph nodes3. The model is able to calculate risk on an individual basis through a combination analysis of 8 genes from the patient's primary tumor, the tumor thickness and the patient's age; and has been independently validated in several cohorts. Further clinical research and validation studies on the predictive use of the CP-GEP model is the main focus of the Merlin Study Initiative, developed under the wings of the Falcon R&D Program. More information (including references) on www.falconprogram.com. About SkylineDx SkylineDx is a biotechnology company, focused on research & development of molecular diagnostics in oncology and inflammatory diseases. The company is headquartered in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) and complemented with a field medical and scientific affairs team in the USA and a CAP/CLIA certified laboratory in San Diego (California). SkylineDx uses its expertise to bridge the gap between academically discovered gene expression signatures and commercially available diagnostic products with high clinical utility, assisting healthcare professionals in accurately determining the type or status of disease or predict a patient's response to treatment. Based on test results, healthcare professionals can tailor the treatment approach to the individual patient. To learn more about SkylineDx, please visit www.skylinedx.com. Footnotes 1 Link to this press release on website SkylineDx (click here). 2 Stassen et al., Use of CP-GEP to identify primary cutaneous melanoma patients with a low risk for SN metastasis in a prospective multicenter Dutch study during COVID-19. Oral presentation at EADO 2022, on April 23rd9.30AM CEST in room 4 during Free Communication 3: Basic research, genetics and epidemiology of skin cancer (link to abstract). 3 Bellomo et al., Model combining tumor molecular and clinicopathologic risk factors predicts sentinel lymph node metastasis in primary cutaneous melanoma. JCO Precision Oncology (2020). https://doi.org/10.1200/PO.19.00206 DGAP-News: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. / Key word(s): Annual Results Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. to Report Full Year 2021 Financial Results and Operational Progress on April 28, 2022 21.04.2022 / 07:00 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. to Report Full Year 2021 Financial Results and Operational Progress on April 28, 2022 Halle (Saale) / Munich, Germany, April 21, 2022 - Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: VVY; NL00150002Q7) (Vivoryon), a clinical stage company focused on discovery and development of small molecule medicines to modulate the activity and stability of pathologically altered proteins, today announced that it will publish its financial results for the full year 2021 and provide a corporate update on Thursday, April 28, 2022. The Company will host a conference call and webcast open to the public. The report will be available for download on the Company's website (https://www.vivoryon.com/investors-news/financial-information/). Conference call details Date: April 28, 2022 Time: 3:00 pm CEST / 09:00 am EDT Access Code: 84537239# From Germany: +49 69 201 744 220 From The Netherlands: +31 207 168 020 From UK: +44 20 30 092 470 From USA: +1 8 774 230 830 A live webcast and accompanying slides will be made available at: https://www.vivoryon.com/investors-news/news-and-events/presentations-webcasts/ ### About Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Vivoryon is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative small molecule-based medicines. Driven by our passion for ground-breaking science and innovation, we strive to change the lives of patients in need suffering from severe diseases. We leverage our in-depth expertise in understanding post-translational modifications to develop medicines that modulate the activity and stability of proteins which are altered in disease settings. Beyond our lead program, varoglutamstat, which is in Phase 2 clinical development to treat Alzheimer's disease, we have established a solid pipeline of orally available small molecule inhibitors for various indications including cancer, inflammatory diseases and fibrosis. www.vivoryon.com Vivoryon Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding the business strategy, management plans and objectives for future operations of the Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (the "Company"), estimates and projections with respect to the market for the Company's products and forecasts and statements as to when the Company's products may be available. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance; rather they are based on the Management's current expectations and assumptions about future events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. The forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties and other factors could materially adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements and from expectations. As a result, no undue reliance should be placed on such forward-looking statements. This press release does not contain risk factors. Certain risk factors that may affect the Company's future financial results are discussed in the published annual financial statements of the Company. This press release, including any forward-looking statements, speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any information or forward-looking statements contained herein, save for any information required to be disclosed by law. For more information, please contact: Investor Contact Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Dr. Manuela Bader, Director IR & Communication Tel: +49 (0)345 555 99 30 Email: IR@vivoryon.com Media Contact Trophic Communications Valeria Fisher Tel: +49 175 8041816 Email: vivoryon@trophic.eu 21.04.2022 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 Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea declares his bid to run in the Seoul mayoral election on April 17 in Hongdae, Mapo District. Yonhap By Kang Hyun-kyung The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Thursday, reversed its selection committee's decision earlier in the week to rule out Rep. Song Young-gil as a candidate for the Seoul mayoral election. DPK spokesman Ko Yong-jin said on Thursday that the ruling party will choose its candidate for the mayoral election through a primary and give all candidates equal opportunity to compete. If necessary, he went on to say that a runoff vote will be held. All candidates will be invited for a TV debate, which will be held at least once, he said. Rep. Song welcomed the decision. "Through the primary, we will create a 'one-team DPK' and surely win the Seoul mayoral race," he wrote on Facebook. Members of the ruling party's interim committee met for a luncheon on Thursday, a day after they failed to reach a consensus about the selection committee's decision to eliminate DPK former Chairman Song as a candidate to run in the Seoul mayoral election. During the two-hour lunch meeting, they agreed to hold a primary, so as to give all candidates the opportunity to compete in an internal competition to select the final, single candidate for Seoul mayor. Citizens will vote to elect the DPK candidate. "Without excluding either former Chairman Song Young-gil or Rep. Park Ju-min, we decided to recruit additional candidates by the 22nd, including them, and from there, include an appropriate number in the primary to determine the final candidate," the DPK spokesman said. "In the end, what was said is that it would be better to go forward without excluding any candidates, considering the current realistic problems and the competitiveness of our candidates," Ko said. As of Thursday, six DPK members, including Reps. Song and Park Ju-min, had submitted their applications for the internal primary. The American country trio have recently released their five song EP Sights and Sounds which features unique tracks and artists such as the Gatlin Brothers and the McCrary Sisters. Bon Aqua, Tennessee--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Chad, Dennijo, and Andy Sitze have continually focused on dropping sounds that are fresh and unique and that's exactly what they've done through their collaboration with the gospel music quartet The McCrary Sisters as well. When asked about the collaboration, Chad responded with, "Their daddy was a founding member of the Fairfield Four who we used to listen to and learned songs from when we had our family band. It only made sense to reach out to them and pitch the idea about singing with us on a song I wrote called 'Shining Through My Window.' Luckily, they also said yes!" Prior to launching Flat River Band, the members of the band who are also brothers, toured as a bluegrass gospel family band, The Sitze Family. The band has performed at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, and Dollywood in East Tennessee and opened for Natalie Maines from The Chicks, Rhoda Vincent, Alison Kruass, and Ricky Skaggs among many others. However, the trio rose to fame after their release of the 1977 Gatlin Brothers hit "I Wish You Were Someone I Love". As soon as the Flat River Band recorded the track, it was shared with the Gaitlin Brothers, upon the suggestion of a friend, who then agreed to adding vocals to the song and featuring in the music video. The band has since then released five independent records with Sights and Sounds being their most recent collection, for which tracks are still being released, with the most recent being 'Shining Through My Window'. About Flat River Band The Flat River Band is an Americana Country Music Band that was formed in 2006 consisting of Chad, Denillo, and Andy Sitze. They've spent a major part of their lives in the music industry. Prior to moving to Nashville in 2004, they toured as The Sitze Family, a Bluegrass Gospel family band. They have topped the Bluegrass Gospel Charts several times over the years and have been featured on a number of platforms. In 2018, the Christmas film "The Least of These - A Christmas Story" starring Deborah Allen, Tayla Lynn, and Duane Allen, featured three of their songs. About The McCrary Sisters Influenced by Americana, blues, R&B, and classic soul, the band has a unique style of gospel. Consisting of all daughters of a former Baptist preacher and Reverend, the sisters have faith at the core of their music and have worked on a number of widely successful tracks and collaborated with a list of musicians. Media Contact: Flat River Band PO Box 207 Bon Aqua TN 37025 Contact: Denny Sitze Cell: 615.430.8430 Email: frbdates@gmail.com www.flatriverband.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/120937 M&P's working interest production in Q1 2022: 25,646 boepd In Tanzania, continued strong performance, with a new quarterly record for M&P's working interest gas production of 47.3 mmcfd In Gabon, M&P's working interest oil production on the Ezanga permit down sharply to 14,222 bopd after various issues on well and equipment, as announced in March during the presentation of the 2021 annual results; situation gradually improving thanks to remediation efforts, with M&P's working interest production back above 15,200 bopd by mid-April Valued production of $165 million in Q1 2022, up 8% from Q4 2021 due to higher crude prices Average sale price of oil $94.2/bbl, up 13% from Q4 2021 ($83.1/bbl) Sales of $130 million after deduction of $35 million related to the restatement of lifting imbalances and inventory revaluation for the quarter (only one lifting in Gabon in January) Continuing deleveraging and refinancing to be completed shortly M&P's cash position at 31 March 2022 was $187 million (versus $196 million at 31 December 2021), after a $50-million debt repayment in Q1 2022 The Term Loan refinancing process is nearing completion and should be finalised by mid-May Regulatory News: Maurel Prom (Paris:MAU): Key indicators for the first quarter of 2022 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021 Q1 2022 Change Q1 2022 vs. Q1 2021 Q4 2021 M&P working interest production Gabon (oil) bopd 15,120 15,256 15,104 16,668 14,222 -6% -15% Angola (oil) bopd 3,333 3,786 3,698 2,848 3,536 +6% -24% Tanzania (gas) mmcfd 40.7 36.5 35.6 44.0 47.3 +16% +8% Total boepd 25,240 25,124 24,738 26,847 25,646 +2% -4% Average sale price Oil $/bbl 57.3 68.5 73.5 83.1 94.2 +64% +13% Gas $/mmBtu 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.35 3.49 +5% +4% Sales Gabon $mm 77 87 92 113 124 +62% +10% Angola $mm 12 16 17 23 24 +101% +6% Tanzania $mm 13 12 11 16 16 +27% +3% Valued production $mm 96 108 113 152 165 +62% +8% Drilling activities $mm 0 0 1 1 1 Restatement for lifting imbalances and inventory revaluation $mm -17 -13 -8 46 -35 Consolidated sales $mm 85 102 113 199 130 +53% -34% M&P's working interest production in Q1 2022 was 25,646 boepd. The average sale price of oil was $94,2/bbl for the period, up 13% from Q4 2021 ($83.1/bbl). The Group's valued production (income from production activities, excluding lifting imbalances and inventory revaluation) in Q1 2022 was $165 million. The restatement of lifting imbalances, net of inventory revaluation, resulted in a negative impact for the quarter of $35 million. This was because the Group's lifting schedule included only one lifting in Gabon in January. Consolidated sales for Q1 2022 therefore totalled $130 million. Production activities Gabon M&P's working interest oil production (80%) on the Ezanga permit in Q1 2022 was 14,222 bopd (gross production: 17,777 bopd). As announced on 18 March during the presentation of the Group's 2021 results, there were a number of equipment issues in the first quarter, causing extended interruptions to production on certain wells. Work to restart production is now well under way, and by mid-April M&P's working interest production was back to over 15,200 bopd (gross production: 19,000 bopd). Efforts to further increase production are continuing, with the ongoing development drilling campaign, well intervention and optimised water injection on the various fields. Tanzania M&P's working interest gas production (48.06%) on the Mnazi Bay permit in Tanzania in Q1 2022 was 47.3 mmcfd (gross production: 98.5 mmcfd), up 16% from Q1 2021 and up 8% from Q4 2021. It was a new quarterly production record for Mnazi Bay. Angola M&P's working interest production (20%) on Block 3/05 in Q1 2022 was 3,536 bopd (gross production: 17,680 bopd). Unfortunately, the workover carried out on Block 3/05A between the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 was not successful and production on the permit was unable to resume. Drilling activities In March 2022, M&P acquired a new drilling rig, the C18, which will be operated by its drilling subsidiary, Caroil. The acquisition, for a consideration of $11 million (of which $2.5 million was paid in March), should give the Group the ability to ramp up its activity in Gabon. The technical specifications of the C18 will provide clients with improved drilling performances upon arrival in Gabon, which is expected by the end of 2022. The rig is currently in Canada where it is in the final stages of construction and adaptation before shipping. As a reminder, Caroil currently operates the C3, which is being used in M&P's development drilling campaign on the Ezanga permit. The C16 is also expected to resume operations in Gabon this summer. Financial position The cash position as of 31 March 2022 was $187 million, versus $196 million at 31 December 2021, after a $50-million debt repayment in Q1 2022 ($44 million for the Term Loan and $6 million for the Shareholder Loan). Gross debt now stands at $489 million, with net debt amounting to $302 million (versus $343 million at 31 December 2021). The Term Loan and Shareholder Loan refinancing process is nearing completion. The banking pool is now in place and the transaction is expected to be completed by mid-May 2022. As announced previously, and subject to the refinancing agreements being signed before the ex-dividend date of 1 July 2022, the dividend will be doubled from 0.07 to 0.14 per share, taking the total amount paid out to $30 million. Francais Anglais pieds cubes pc cf cubic feet millions de pieds cubes par jour Mpc/j mmcfd million cubic feet per day milliards de pieds cubes Gpc bcf billion cubic feet baril B bbl barrel barils d'huile par jour b/j bopd barrels of oil per day millions de barils Mb mmbbls million barrels barils equivalent petrole bep boe barrels of oil equivalent barils equivalent petrole par jour bep/j boepd barrels of oil equivalent per day millions de barils equivalent petrole Mbep mmboe million barrels of oil equivalent For more information, visit www.maureletprom.fr/en/ This document may contain forward-looking statements regarding the financial position, results, business activities and industrial strategy of Maurel Prom. By nature, forward-looking statements contain risks and uncertainties to the extent that they are based on events or circumstances that may or may not happen in the future. These projections are based on assumptions we believe to be reasonable, but which may prove to be incorrect and which depend on a number of risk factors, such as fluctuations in crude oil prices, changes in exchange rates, uncertainties related to the valuation of our oil reserves, actual rates of oil production and the related costs, operational problems, political stability, legislative or regulatory reforms, or even wars, terrorism and sabotage. Maurel Prom is listed for trading on Euronext Paris CAC All-Tradable CAC Small CAC Mid Small Eligible PEA-PME and SRD Isin FR0000051070/Bloomberg MAU.FP/Reuters MAUP.PA View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220420006021/en/ Contacts: Maurel Prom Press, shareholder and investor relations Tel: +33 (0)1 53 83 16 45 ir@maureletprom.fr NewCap Financial communications and investor relations/Media relations Louis-Victor Delouvrier/Nicolas Merigeau Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 98 53/+33 (0)1 44 71 94 98 maureletprom@newcap.eu Sustained demand of LUMEVOQ ATUs in France generating 3.1 million revenues in Q1 2022 ATUs in France generating 3.1 million revenues in Q1 2022 36.0 million of cash as of March 31, 2022; runway confirmed to early Q1 2023 Regulatory News: GenSight Biologics (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today reported its cash position and revenues as of March 31, 2022. "The sustained demand for ATUs illustrates the confidence that the medical community has in LUMEVOQ and in the treatment benefits it brings to LHON patients. Additionally, the safety and efficacy data we have generated in our clinical trials remain impressive, and we continue to demonstrate the sustainability of these results even after long-term follow-up with patients," commented Bernard Gilly, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GenSight Biologics. "The team at GenSight is working tirelessly to ensure that LUMEVOQ is reliably and consistently produced at the scale needed for the upcoming commercial launch. These measures are part of our commitment to providing LHON patients with access to our innovative treatment as soon as possible." Cash position as of March 31, 2022 GenSight Biologics' cash and cash equivalents totaled 36.0 million as of March 31, 2022, compared to 44.3 million as of December 31, 2021. The operating cash burn in the first quarter of 2022 mainly reflected the final pharmaceutical development steps for LUMEVOQ supporting the Marketing Authorisation Application currently being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These were mainly preparatory activities to ensure manufacturing readiness to commercialize under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and notably the production of validation batches. In addition, the Company continued to conduct the REFLECT and RESTORE (long-term follow-up of REVERSE and RESCUE patients) Phase III clinical trials of LUMEVOQ in the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, as well as the PIONEER Phase I/II trial of GS030 in the treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa. "Addressing our manufacturing challenges is our absolute priority in 2022, and this is where we will focus our efforts and resources in the coming months," commented Thomas Gidoin, Chief Financial Officer of GenSight Biologics. "With a current cash runway to early Q1 2023, we are assessing several financing options, non or as little dilutive as possible, to ensure a successful European commercial launch of LUMEVOQ in 2023." Temporary Authorization for Use (ATU) of LUMEVOQ in France Additional patients were granted early access to treatment with LUMEVOQ in the first quarter of 2022 under a Temporary Authorization for Use (ATU) approved by the French National Drug Safety Agency (Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament or ANSM). LUMEVOQ treatments will now only resume in early 2023 once PPQ batches become available. In the first quarter of 2022, the Company recorded revenues from the sale of LUMEVOQ under an ATU in France amounting to 3.1 million compared to 3.9 million in the same period in 2021. The retroactive application as of July 1st, 2021, of mandatory discounts fixed by the new Decree on Early Access to Treatment in France, as well as the periodic revision in 2021 of the variable consideration in accordance with IFRS15, have reduced the net price that the Company is using for revenue recognition purposes1,2. As a result, the recorded revenues were higher in Q1 2021 although the number of patients treated was the same over the same period in 2022. Number of outstanding shares As of March 31, 2022, GenSight Biologics' number of outstanding shares was 46,335,591 ordinary shares. GenSight will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on May 25, 2022, at the Company's headquarters offices in Paris. The meeting will also be broadcast live on GenSight Biologics' website. GenSight Biologics will report its interim financial statements and cash position as of June 30, 2022, on July 28, 2022. About GenSight Biologics GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics' pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics' lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010; lenadogene nolparvovec), has been submitted for marketing approval in Europe for the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease affecting primarily teens and young adults that leads to irreversible blindness. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics' product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery. ___________________________ 1 The Company elected to account for a variable consideration in accordance with IFRS15 to reflect the uncertainty of the actual net commercial price that will be obtained after negotiation with the French public payer. Any difference with the initial ATU price would then have to be repaid. The variable consideration is assessed by using an expected value method based on a range of probability-weighted net prices and discounted at market rate. Further detail is provided in sections 7 and 18 of the 2020 Universal Registration Document. 2 The Article 78 of the French Social Security Budget for 2021 ("Loi de Financement de la Securite Sociale", or LFSS) came into force as of July 1, 2021, following application of the Decree 2021-869 in France. The purpose was to reform and simplify the various existing protocols for early access to treatment. Temporary Authorizations for Use ("Autorisations Temporaires d'Utilisation", or ATUs) are now replaced by Authorizations for Early Access ("Autorisations d'Acces Precoce"). One of the main changes impacting the Company's financial statements is the implementation of mandatory discounts set by law according to a progressive scale based on revenues. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220420006065/en/ Contacts: GenSight Biologics Corporate Communications Director Clothilde Caillet ccaillet@gensight-biologics.com RooneyPartners Media Relations Jeanene Timberlake jtimberlake@rooneypartners.com +1 646-770-8858 LifeSci Advisors Investor Relations Guillaume van Renterghem gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +41 (0)76 735 01 31 Orpheon Finance Retail Investors James Palmer j.palmer@orpheonfinance.com +33 (0)7 60 92 77 74 Stockholm / Los Angeles, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Planhat, the next-generation customer platform, has raised $50 million in Series A funding led by Sprints Capital. Bootstrapped to over 100 employees, this is the first-ever funding for Planhat. Blending powerful enterprise architecture with flexible design, Planhat's customer platform is built to solve the complex and data-intensive challenges of customer management in a recurring world. "In the recurring economy there are new challenges facing companies that traditional CRMs were not built to solve," said Planhat CEO and co-founder, Kaveh Rostampor. "We see a way to center your business around your customers, recognizing that the customer journey may begin with freemium, a direct sale or a hybrid, might last forever and will likely go through a range of growth cycles, each designed to maximize customer lifetime value and customer value realization." Today over 300 market-leading companies such as Rubrik, Redis, Consensys, and Softcat manage millions of customers in Planhat, as they put their customers first and focus on long-term customer success and growth. Rubrik CCO Giri Iyer said, "We are building Rubrik around our customers. To do that we needed technology powerful enough to handle the vast amounts of data we process, flexible enough to adapt to our use cases, and intuitive enough for broad adoption. We found that in Planhat". Learn more about Planhat's vision and story at www.planhat.com/aboutus. About Planhat Planhat is a next-generation customer platform helping companies manage long-term relationships with their customers. Users across all departments use Planhat to take action on customer data, and build flexible processes to maximize customer lifetime value. Founded as a remote-first company in 2015, Planhat has hubs in Stockholm, London, Los Angeles, and New York. About Sprints Capital Sprints Capital is a London-based, independent growth equity firm that invests in technology-enabled companies with proven business models, strong and durable market positions and excellent teams. Over the last two decades, the team behind Sprints Capital has invested over 2bn in more than 60 businesses, many of which have grown to become some of the largest tech-enabled companies in Europe and beyond. Category leading companies that the team has backed are marketplaces like Hemnet, Avito and Blocket as well as Saas companies such as Intercom, Teamtailor and Affinity. For more information on Sprints Capital, please visit the website: www.sprintscap.com. Attachments NAY PYI TAW, MM, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The Myanmar Government will accelerate development of hydrocarbon and renewable energy even as it repairs power lines damaged by terrorists while seeking to increase foreign investments despite the threat of fresh economic sanctions, the Ministry of Information (MOI) and Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations (MIFER) announced today.MOI Minister Mr Maung Maung Ohn and MIFER Minister Mr Aung Naing Oo issued the joint statement in response to recent media reports about energy shortages in the country and exits of some foreign energy companies, and fresh sanctions against Myanmar announced in recent months.Addressing Energy Shortages in MyanmarThe recent temporary shortage of power was caused by a surge of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a weaker kyat currency as well as terrorist actions linked to the People's Defensive Force (PDF). Apart from advocating a boycott of utility payments since 2021, PDF terrorists blew up power lines from the Lawpita hydroelectric plant in Kayah State. These actions contributed to outages which caused hardship to ordinary citizens and small businesses in particular.However, despite earlier civil unrest, the country has largely achieved national stability since the second half of 2021. Myanmar Government, under the direction of the State Administration Council (SAC) that was formed on 2 February 2021, is focusing efforts on various mitigating actions regarding the country's energy situation:i) With the relative stabilization of global energy prices, the Government is seeking to increase use of natural gas for local power generation.ii) The Government will step up repair of power infrastructure damaged by terrorists and increase security measures.iii) It will accelerate power generation in the country from oil and gas sources through new investments, partnerships and actions such as conversion to use of existing facilities:- the new Shwe Gas Pipeline was completed on 18 March 2022 and will generate about 330 MW of regular power.- Conversion of some fertilizer plants (which use gas as feedstock) for immediate generation of 30 MW of electricity and accelerating works on other gas-fired power generators or waste-heat projects. A total of about 100 MW of electricity has been generated in Kyaukphyu using 20 million cubic feet of gas currently. After pipeline maintenance, this will expand to 30 million cubic feet per day and generate 195 MW.iv) Major energy projects with ChinaAs its largest neighbour and economic partner, China will play an increasingly important role in energy-related developments in Myanmar.- With regard to the China-Myanmar pipeline project involving China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the gas pipeline portion was completed at the end of 2013 and the oil pipeline portion was completed in April 2017. The project, which also includes a crude oil terminal, is CNPC's largest investment in Myanmar, and a centerpiece of China's Belt and Road Initiative in the country.- 3 Chinese companies - Union Resources and Engineering Company (41%), Yunnan Energy Investment (39%) and Zhefu Holding Group (1%) - are partnering Myanmar's -Supreme Group (19%) to develop the 1,390MW Mee Lin Gyaing Project. This facility in Ayeyarwady region involves a LNG-fired power plant, a LNG terminal, a high voltage transmission line and gas pipelines to Yangon. It has been approved by the Myanmar Investment Commission. Currently in the early stages of design and construction, it is expected to start commercial operation in 2027.Myanmar Government is also proposing to include this high-priority energy project - with an estimated investment value of USD 2.5 billion - in the list of early harvest projects of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) to enhance bilateral cooperation so as to accelerate its progress.v) Increase investments in renewable energy- Solar Energy: More than half of the 40-MW Letpanhla and 30-MW Nyaungbin Gyi solar projects has been completed. To achieve national renewable energy goals, 13 solar power projects which will generate 370 MW have been launched.While three more solar power projects which will generate 390-megawatt are also planned. Special efforts are being made to promote floating solar projects, rooftop solar projects, and small and medium-sized projects wherever possible.Tenders are also being called for 18 solar power projects that can generate 635 MW. These are in addition to ongoing negotiations for 11 solar projects which will generate 300 MW that have been invited. Negotiations are underway to sign an agreement for one of them.- Hydroelectric Power - With more than 60 hydropower dams, hydroelectricity is a key source of energy in the country. The Government is negotiating to purchase about 120 MW of electricity from the Tapin (1) hydropower project soon. The Government will emphasise proper environmental and social impact assessments before approval. Project designs must address such impact and communicate plans and benefits to the relevant communities in order to allay future concerns.Myanmar plans to achieve national electrification by 2030 and generate 9% of electricity from renewable sources such as hydro and solar power.Reported Exits of Foreign Oil and Gas CompaniesThe Ministers said the withdrawal by France's TotalEnergies from the Yadana field and a related gas transportation project will be effective on 20 July 2022. The former's 31.24% stake has been allocated proportionately to the remaining partners in the joint venture.After the withdrawal of TotalEnergies, Thailand's PTTEP International Limited (PTTEPI) will hold 37.0842% participating interest while Unocal Myanmar Offshore Company Limited, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (Chevron) of the United States, will hold 41.1016%, the highest participating interest in the project. Since the first shipment in 1996 about 70% of production from this project, or about 768 million standard cubic feet per day currently, has been sold to Thailand with the rest designated for domestic power generation."As this is a change of ownership, operations are not affected. The Yadana field has the largest known Myanmar offshore hydrocarbon reserves. However, production there has declined since end-2021 following 20 years of post-plateau output. Production at this field to date has reached 85% of the recoverable reserves," the Ministers said. Total Energies is not seeking compensation for the withdrawal.The Ministers said that while Chevron had stated it would exit investments from Myanmar, the Government has to date not received any formal notification from the company.A third foreign energy company, Woodside Petroleum Ltd of Australia, has recently withdrawn from A6 Natural Gas Project in Rakhine State. Its stake has been taken over by its project partner the MPRL E&P Group of Companies. Operations are also not affected.Myanmar's Energy Sector Remains AttractiveDespite being one of the world's oldest oil producers (exports started in 1853), Myanmar's upstream sector is still in its infancy due to sanctions, opaque regulatory policy and insufficient investment."Although, proven energy reserves are still relatively modest, unofficial estimates are extremely promising. Such fields with potential which are also in proximity to large demand centres in Thailand and China have attracted the interest of several major players. Hence, the Government continues to speed up its reform and has held a number of successful international bids for such hydrocarbon fields," the Ministers said.Response to Fresh Economic Sanctions Against MyanmarThe Ministers said that external pressure and fresh economic sanctions by several Western countries in recent months may have raised concerns among some foreign investors."Economic sanctions may have more negative impact on private sectors than on the Government. Domestic and foreign businessmen and their enterprises, local workers, suppliers and consumers end up suffering the most.Some sizeable projects that had been approved have commenced construction. Due to the economic sanctions, promoters of some of these projects are now facing obstacles in transferring foreign currency. This has affected progress of the projects.Should these projects be terminated due to sanctions their investors must repay tax exemptions they enjoyed on top of project costs incurred. Otherwise, their investments will remain in the pending state. Hence, investors may end up leaving Myanmar not because of an unfavourable investment environment but because of external pressures.Myanmar is committed to providing a secure, accessible and conducive investment environment. We do not wish to see investment withdrawals.Although the international community publicly discourages economic cooperation with Myanmar, we continue to attract foreign investments. Many of our foreign partners choose to work quietly with us, away from the glare of external publicity, fully recognizing Myanmar's economic potential as well as its unique challenges," the Ministers said.Energy Sector Remains Priority For Total InvestmentsThe Ministers also gave an update on investments in Myanmar in the last 2 fiscal years. During fiscal 2020-2021 (12 months ended October) and fiscal 2021-2022 (interim budget of 6 months ended March) a total of 82 projects in 12 sectors with investments totaling USD 4.32 billion were approved (USD 3.79 billion in fiscal 2020-2021 and USD 530.775 million fiscal 2021-2022.)Manufacturing accounted for most projects among 12 sectors in fiscal 2020-2021. However, the Power sector received substantially higher amount of total approved investment of USD 3.12 billion for 6 projects during this period, underscoring the attractiveness of the sector.Foreign InvestmentsMost of the countries investing in Myanmar are Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea. In fiscal year 2020-2021, a total of 15 projects were from China, and 14 projects were from Singapore.In 2021-2022 FY, there are 18 projects from China and 6 were from Hong Kong.Domestic InvestmentsIn the last 2 fiscal years, a total of 93 domestic investment projects (61 in fiscal 2020-2021 and 32 in fiscal 2021-2022) in 12 sectors valued at 2,248.7 billion kyat (1,171.8 billion kyat in fiscal 2020-2021 and 1,076.9 billion kyat in fiscal 2021-2022, respectively) were approved.A total of 50 projects were from the Manufacturing sector, which is the leading domestic investment category, followed by the Services sector which recorded 14 approved projects while Hotel and Tourism sector was third with 11 projects.Issued by Ministry of Information and Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Union Government of Myanmar.For more information, please contact mediacontact@e-information.gov.mm or myintkyawmoi@gmail.comSource: Ministry of Information, Union Government of MyanmarCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. EASTLEIGH, UK / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / i3 Energy plc (AIM:I3E) (TSX:ITE), an independent oil and gas company with assets and operations in the UK and Canada, is pleased to provide the following update. Serenity Farmout Further to the Company's announcement of 2 March 2022, i3 confirms that it has executed the Farm-in Agreement ("FIA") with Europa Oil & Gas Limited ("Europa") (company number 03093716) following Europa's completion of its equity fundraising to fund its share of the upcoming Serenity appraisal well. Background Under the terms of the FIA, Europa will acquire a 25% non-operated working interest ("WI") in a sub-area of UKCS Licence P.2358 Block 13/23c containing the Serenity discovery (the "New Serenity Block") by funding a 46.25% paying interest for one appraisal well on the field, whereafter i3 will retain a 75% operated WI in the New Serenity Block. The well cost is estimated to be circa 14 million and Europa's 46.25% paying interest will be applied up to a capped gross well cost of 15 million. Any well costs exceeding 15 million will be paid by the companies in proportion to their respective working interests. Completion of the deal and transfer of the licence interest to Europa will be subject to the following principal conditions: 1. Europa funding an escrow account with their paying interest obligation. 2. Approval of the North Sea Transition Authority ("NSTA") to the creation of the New Serenity Block. 3. Consent of the NSTA to assignment of an interest in the Licence and New Serenity Block to Europa. 4. Approval of i3's Loan Note holders of the assignment of the Licence interest. Following this farm-out i3 will retain a 100% WI in the remainder of Block 13/23c which contains the Minos High prospect and Liberator discovery. Majid Shafiq, CEO of i3 Energy plc, commented: "i3 is delighted to announce the execution of the farm-in agreement with Europa and we will now commence the detailed planning and permitting process for the Serenity appraisal well, which we now expect to spud in late Q3 this year." END Qualified Person's Statement In accordance with the AIM Note for Mining and Oil and Gas Companies, i3 discloses that Majid Shafiq is the qualified person who has reviewed the technical information contained in this document. He has a Master's Degree in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot-Watt University and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Majid Shafiq consents to the inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it appears. Enquiries: i3 Energy plc Majid Shafiq (CEO) / Graham Heath (CFO) c/o Camarco Tel: +44 (0) 203 781 8331 WH Ireland Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker) James Joyce, Darshan Patel Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666 Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (Joint Broker) Ashton Clanfield, Callum Stewart Tel: +44 (0) 207 710 7600 Tennyson Securities (Joint Broker) Peter Krens Tel: +44 (0) 207 186 9030 Camarco Georgia Edmonds, James Crothers, Violet Wilson Tel: +44 (0) 203 757 4986 Notes to Editors: i3 Energy is an oil and gas Company with a low cost, diversified, growing production base in Canada's most prolific hydrocarbon region, the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and appraisal assets in the North Sea with significant upside. The Company is well positioned to deliver future growth through the optimisation of its existing 100% owned asset base and the acquisition of long life, low decline conventional production assets. i3 is dedicated to responsible corporate practices and the environment, and places high value n adhering to strong Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") practices. i3 is proud of its performance to date as a responsible steward of the environment, people, and capital management. The Company is committed to maintaining an ESG strategy, which has broader implications to long-term value creation, as these benefits extend beyond regulatory requirements. i3 Energy is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. For further information on i3 Energy please visit https://i3.energy/ The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: i3 Energy PLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698282/i3-Energy-PLC-Announces-Serenity-Farm-in-Agreement-Execution SELBYVILLE, Del., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the major players operating in the home sleep apnea testing devices industry are Compumedics Limited, Natus Medical Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., SOMNOmedics GmbH, and Resmed. The home sleep apnea testing devices market value is projected to reach USD 2.5 billion by 2028, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights Inc. Rising demand for portable, efficient, and superior will spur business landscape. The adoption rate of innovative home sleep apnea testing devices is rising at a significant pace owing to multiple advantages such as offering a sleep progress report to provide insights that meet AASM & CMS guidelines, clear diagnosis, etc. The surging prevalence of sleep disorders and related co-morbidities are projected to upsurge the demand for advanced home sleep apnea testing devices worldwide. To cater to this surging need for the management of sleep disorders globally, major market players are increasing investment for more efficient and superior devices development that results in novel product launches and extended availability. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/4439 Home sleep apnea testing devices market from type 2 device segment is expected to grow at 16.6% CAGR from 2022 to 2028. The surging prevalence of sleep disorders & related co-morbidities coupled with increasing demand for novel type 2 home sleep apnea testing devices in sleep diseases diagnosis will stimulate the market progression. Additionally, significant R&D activities by key industry players are anticipated to provide innovative type 2 home sleep apnea testing devices that would benefit the market value. Some major findings of the home sleep apnea testing devices market report include: Growing prevalence of sleep apnea and related co-morbidities will drive the market expansion. Increasing awareness regarding home sleep apnea tests will foster the market revenue. Competitors are focusing on strategic product launches, partnerships, and geographical expansion to gain significant business share and to cater to larger customer base. Browse key industry insights spread across 100 pages with 67 market data tables & 12 figures & charts from the report, "Home Sleep Apnea Testing Devices Market Forecasts By Test Type (Type 2, Type 3, Type 4), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2022 - 2028" in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/home-sleep-apnea-testing-devices-market China home sleep apnea testing devices market held around 34% revenue share in 2021 and is set to exceed USD 224 million by 2028. This is attributable to the rising prevalence of sleep disorders, increasing awareness pertaining to precise sleep health, rapidly aging population, etc. Elderly population is associated with increasing disease burden, due to high susceptibility of sleep disorders that require precise monitoring. The high-unmet needs related to the target disease along with constantly improving home healthcare services in the country are some of the prime variables propelling the regional market statistics. Some of the major players operating in the home sleep apnea testing devices industry are Compumedics Limited, Natus Medical Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., SOMNOmedics GmbH, and Resmed. Table of Contents (ToC) of the report Chapter 3 Home Sleep Apnea Testing Devices Industry Insights 3.1 Industry segmentation 3.2 Industry landscape 3.3 Industry impact forces 3.4 Growth potential analysis 3.5 COVID-19 impact analysis 3.6 Regulatory landscape 3.7 Reimbursement scenario 3.8 Technological landscape 3.9 Porter's analysis 3.10 Competitive landscape, 2021 3.11 PESTEL analysis Browse the Toc of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/home-sleep-apnea-testing-devices-market About Global Market Insights Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights Inc. Phone: 1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1801624/Home_Sleep_Apnea_Testing.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661916/GMI.jpg LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The Rank Group Plc (RNK.L), on Thursday, issued a trading update for the quarter to 31 March 2022, and said it now expects fiscal 2022 EBIT in the range of 47 million - 55 million versus the prior guidance range of 55 million - 65 million. Further, the company noted that the most recent comparable non-COVID-19 affected third quarter period is therefore the three months to 31 March 2019. Against that comparative period, Grosvenor venues NGR was down 14% and Mecca venues declined 25%. For both UK venues businesses there was a softness in visits at the end of the quarter consistent with the rise in new COVID-19 cases reported across the UK, the company said. Enracha venues performance continued to recover, with NGR down just 2% compared to the same quarter in 2018/19. UK digital NGR was down 1% year on year. Grosvenor digital grew NGR by 3%, as it continues to benefit from omni-channel players from the company's Grosvenor venues. Mecca digital NGR fell 11% due to the anticipated impact of its migration onto the RIDE platform in January. International digital was down 5%. John O'Reilly, CEO of Rank, said, 'The performance of our venues softened in March, and this has continued into the first few weeks of Q4, impacting our current expectations for our full year performance. We recognise the pressures on UK consumers but are confident that the improvements we are continuing to make to the customer proposition and the investments in our venues, alongside the gradually reducing impact of the pandemic and, with it, the return of overseas customers, position us well for the year ahead.' Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX RANK-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Estonia, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - CITIC Telecom CPC Estonia OU launches new service portfolio "DIA PROTECT" (DIA KAITSE), of which DIA DDoS Protect (DIA DDoS Kaitse) provides advanced networking and security in a single unified offering to organizations seeking to secure and enhance business operations. DIA DDoS Protect (DIA DDoS Kaitse) combines High-Speed Direct Internet Access (DIA) solution and industry-leading DDoS protection to deliver cost-effective connectivity and mitigate cyber risks. DIA DDoS Protect (DIA DDoS Kaitse) is built on the pay-as-you-go method: pay for the DDoS protection service only for the time being under attack. CITIC Telecom CPC offers an approach that is based on real need, the company only pays for the service when being under cyber attack. Service includes a default 15 minutes free of charge DDoS protection per month."According to the Republic of Estonia Information System Authority, the number of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks grew last year, newly coupled with blackmail. Unfortunately, DDoS as a service is available on the dark web and almost anybody can launch a DDoS attack against any company. This can paralyze any company's everyday work for hours, weeks, or months. Seeing, that the issue is continuously growing, and affects companies randomly, we decided to launch value-added service based on the pay-as-you-go model," says Serve Bunnik, the Deputy Director of CITIC Telecom CPC Europe operations.CITIC Telecom CPC's new service DIA DDoS Protect (DIA DDoS Kaitse) protects the Internet connection for the full range of DDoS attacks: providing ISO 3-7-layer protection, a globally distributed network of cleaning centers ensures effective mitigation of the DDoS attack, as close to the source as possible. Standard supported speed of the Internet connection is up to 1Gbps, which case by case basis can be extended to 10 Gbps. High speed, quality, global Internet connectivity is based on strong local and global Tier 1 and Tier 2 peering, including 8 public IP addresses (minimum) running up to 64 IP addresses, depending on Internet access speed. CITIC Telecom CPC has 24/7 excellent local support in Estonian, Russian or English languages. Service can be extended with optional Security Services to protect businesses from internal and external threats, keeping unauthorized traffic from entering the organization, based on next-generation firewall and anti-virus services.Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are among the most significant security concerns facing customers who rely on cloud-based applications, especially with a new normal business model today. CITIC Telecom CPC's DIA DDoS Protect (DIA DDoS Kaitse) with DDoS solution provides additional mitigation capabilities and features with network resources, with NO CAPEX and LOW OPEX per usage.Link to the product page https://www.citictel-cpc.com/en-eu/product-services/dia-protectAbout CITIC Telecom CPCCITIC Telecom CPC is the preferred intelligent technology-driven digitalization enabler with decades of vast ICT expertise and corporate values of constant innovation and end-to-end quality, offering sophisticated solutions to solve challenges intelligently, efficiently, and cost-effectively.Bringing with our Global-Local capabilities, we are committed to providing our customers with one-stop-shop ICT solutions with superior quality. Having a worldwide footprint across 160 countries, including Asia, Europe and America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, our global network resources connect over 160 points of presence (POPs), 19 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 24x7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). CITIC Telecom CPC's ICT capability spans the spectrum, including leveraging MPLS, SIEM, NFV, SDN, AI, Big Data, 5G, AR, VR, and other cutting-edge technologies in order to address business challenges. We are one of the first managed service providers to be multiple certified for ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO20000, ISO27001, and the IaaS provider to be certified for ISO27017.CITIC Telecom CPC delivers a range of innovative services, including TrueCONNECT ( https://www.citictel-cpc.com/en-hk/product-category/ip-networking ) - an advanced MPLS VPN service that employs state-of-the-art fully meshed network, TrustCSI ( https://www.citictel-cpc.com/en-hk/product-category/information-security ) - an integrated suite of information security solutions, DataHOUSE ( https://www.citictel-cpc.com/en-hk/product-category/internet-data-center ) - converged cloud solution and global unified management datacenter solutions, and SmartCLOUD ( https://www.citictel-cpc.com/en-hk/product-category/cloud-computing ) - smarter, better and high-performance cloud computing solutions which complement the company's managed network, managed security and managed cloud data center solutions.Media Contacts: Jaanika KaarstCITIC Telecom CPC(+372) 53 454 442Email: jaanika.kaarst@citictel-cpc.comSource: CITIC Telecom CPCCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. This year's 51-100 list includes bars spanning 24 cities Japan and Singapore lead with 9 bars each and lead with 9 bars each Hong Kong boasts 5 bars, with Bangkok , Seoul and Taipei close behind with 4 each boasts 5 bars, with , and close behind with 4 each Nepal marks its debut to the list with with Blackbird at No.96 You can view the 51-100 list here. LONDON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022, sponsored by Perrier, today reveals the bars voted onto the extended 51-100 list, ahead of the annual awards ceremony on Thursday, 28 April, in Bangkok, Thailand. The extended ranking is created from the Asia's 50 Best Bars voting process and aims to shine a spotlight on a greater number of establishments across the region. Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China collectively dominate the rankings with 11 bars total. Topping the extended list at No.51 is Taipei's Room by Le Kief, while Shanghai's Epic ranks No.52. Others from the region are Honky Tonks Tavern (No.55), Quality Goods Club (No.56), The Public House (No.68), Mesa (No.82), HiBoRu (No.86) and Moonrock (No.91). Japan has nine bars on the list led by Ark Lounge at No.67, while Singapore also secures nine spots led by D.Bespoke at No.58. Thailand and South Korea are tied with four bars each, including Bangkok's FindTheLockerRoom (No.78) and Soko (No.57) in Seoul. India boasts three new entries - PCO (No.54), The Living Room (No.73) and The Bombay Canteen (No.76). Similarly, Malaysia has three bars including Coley, which caps the list at No.100. Indonesia's two bars include Wishbone (No.93) and Bali's 40 Thieves (No.99). From the Philippines, The Curator is at No.62, and Vietnam is represented by Stir (No.84). Noteworthy is Kathmandu's Blackbird (No.96), which marks Nepal's first-ever presence on a 50 Best list. Mark Sansom, Director of Content for Asia's 50 Best Bars, says: "As countries open up and gastronomic travel resumes, it gives us great pleasure to recommend double the number of establishments that visitors should seek out and experience." The seventh edition of Asia's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced live on 28 April at 7.30pm in Bangkok (6pmIndia; 8.30pmSingapore/HK; 9.30pmJapan), culminating with winner of The Best Bar in Asia, sponsored by Perrier. The ceremony will be streamed live on the World's 50 Best Bars Facebook and 50 Best Bars TV YouTube Channel. For media centre access, please visit: https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1799887/Asia_50_Best_Bars_2022_Logo.jpg PDF - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1799886/ASIA_50_BEST.pdf Police officers try to drag members of SADD out of a railcar as the subway train is delayed by their protest during rush hour in Seoul, April 21. Yonhap H2X to supply the first of its hydrogen buses into Sweden to the Trelleborg Municipality through Trelleborg Energi. The new hydrogen fuel cell bus and waste truck is the next step for Trelleborg municipality and Trelleborg Energi on the journey to reduce the municipality's carbon footprint. The hydrogen bus and waste truck will be the first of 10 to join fleet in the Trelleborg Municipality's first steps to reach zero emission by 2045. This MOU is in line with Trelleborg Energi's aim to introduce hydrogen solutions in Trelleborg, as part of the company's development of local, sustainable energy solutions. SYDNEY, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --H2X & Trelleborg Municipality, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop the City's first ever hydrogen high floor buses and a waste truck in collaboration with local energy company Trelleborg Energi, marking another major step towards making the municipal fleet zero-emission and cleaning up the city & outer regions air. The new environmentally friendly bus will be the first of the proposed high floor buses and the first from H2X Global in Europe. The new buses will have both hydrogen fuel cells and super capacitors for the use as a school bus across the city and outer regions. The non-binding MOU between H2X and the Trelleborg Municipality creates additional jobs in Sweden as the production of commercial vehicles for Trelleborg will come from H2X's European HQ based in Sweden where the full production and Service is located increasing further volume to the recent awarded MoU with the City of Gothenburg. Head of Northern Europe - Peter Westh said: "H2X is paving the way for commercial vehicles across the Nordics and are especially pleased to have signed the MOU with Trelleborg Municipality in the form of a Joint Initiative for Hydrogen Buses for the school program. This on the back of our recent agreement with Gothenburg. This is a further step to connect our Zero emission powered vehicles along the European Hydrogen corridor." Magnus Sahlin CEO for Trelleborg Energi said: "This memorandum marks another leap forward in the zero carbon ambitions for the municipality. We want to show that sustainable energy and mobility solutions are not about the future, but about making changes today. The first hydrogen bus and waste truck prove how we take concrete steps towards zero emission transports in the region. With the first fueling station up and running in Trelleborg in January 2023, these initiatives are an amazing start in transforming the vehicle sector in this region." Stina Salomonsson, head of Education Administration, Trelleborg Municipality said: "For us locally, it is natural to take part in the transformation of the Swedish vehicle sector in order to reach the national goal of zero emission to 2045. Our new hydrogen vehicles are a part of this venture." CEO & Founder of H2X Global Brendan Norman said: "We are pleased that Trelleborg and Gothenburg have entered partnership with H2X where we both work together in delivering not only the vehicles tailored for their needs but the total solution for their vehicle management. He added: "Sweden has one of the most progressive Hydrogen strategies, projects and activities in Europe, but we need to continue to act now to tackle climate change to improve our cities air quality. Introducing hydrogen buses and commercial vehicles to authorities' fleet, by using the right technology for the varying operational requirements will help us all breathe cleaner air." About H2X H2X is an Australian based, global automotive and power unit company focused on absolute sustainability. The company is focused on harnessing the most efficient and effective technologies, with the onus on capturing free and renewable energy sources. A specialisation in hydrogen is the basis of H2X's growth, however with a strong platform as a maker of electrically powered professional hydrogen vehicles, the company has a versatile approach to finding the right vehicle for the right task. www.h2xglobal.com. H2X Global has operations in Australia, Malaysia, India, and Europe. About Trelleborgs Energi Trelleborgs Energi is a modern energy company with the future in mind. All our work evolves around sustainable and innovative solutions, connected to the local community. We aim to turn our customers into climate heroes, make our owners proud, and establish Trelleborg as the most climate smart city in Sweden. Read more on www.trelleborgsenergi.se Trelleborg Municipality Sweden's southern-most municipality strives to deliver a high life quality and a long-term sustainable development to its citizens. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1800585/H2X_BUS_FRONT_SWEDEN.jpg Media contact:bill.moss@h2xglobal.com Innovation award recognises STIMULAN Rapid Cure as the only calcium sulfate antibiotic carrier approved for use in bone and soft tissue International Trade award recognises Biocomposites' outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales KEELE, England, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocomposites, an international medical devices company that engineers, manufactures and markets world leading products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue, is delighted to have been honoured with two Queen's Awards for Enterprise for Innovation and International Trade. Biocomposites is one of only seven organisations nationally to achieve two Queen's Awards in 2022. The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is one of the world's most distinguished business awards, celebrating and recognising enterprise excellence in UK companies. Announced annually by Her Majesty the Queen, the awards follow a rigorous and highly competitive judging process and are only bestowed on organisations that maintain the highest levels of business excellence. Established in Staffordshire in 1997, Biocomposites now employs over 200 people and specialises in the development of innovative calcium compounds for surgical use, targeting infection risks across musculoskeletal infection, orthopaedics, trauma, spine, foot and ankle, and podiatry. Biocomposites has been recognised in the Innovation category for the innovative development of STIMULAN Rapid Cure, the first and only calcium sulfate antibiotic carrier that is approved for use in infected bone and soft tissue. STIMULAN was developed to meet the growing need to reduce infection rates in surgical procedures. Biocomposites has also been recognised in the International Trade category for outstanding continuous growth in overseas sales. Over the last six years, sales have grown by more than 200% from sales of its products into 40 countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, China, Canada and India. Michael Harris, Chief Executive Officer of Biocomposites, said: "The Queen's Awards are the most prestigious business awards in the UK and we are proud that Biocomposites has been honoured with two of them. It is very pleasing to see our relentless focus on research and development recognised with an innovation award for STIMULAN as well as recognition for our incredible growth in global markets. I would like to thank the entire team at Biocomposites whose dedication to innovation and helping patients has made this achievement possible." About Biocomposites Biocomposites is an international medical device company that engineers, manufactures and markets world leading products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue. Based in Keele, UK, it has global operations across Europe, USA, Canada, China and India. Biocomposites is a world leader in the development of innovative calcium compounds for surgical use. Its products regenerate bone and target a broad spectrum of infection risks across a variety of specialties, including musculoskeletal infection, orthopaedics, trauma, spine, foot and ankle and podiatry. Biocomposites products are now used in over 120,000 procedures per annum and sold in more than 40 countries around the world. Please visit biocomposites.com to learn more. About STIMULAN STIMULAN is the only calcium sulfate antibiotic carrier approved in the EU for use in bone and soft tissue. It can be mixed with antibiotics: vancomycin, gentamicin and tobramycin and enables surgeons to target high concentrations of antibiotic at the point of infection at levels unachievable systemically - which lowers rate of infection, saves costs and improves patient outcomes. In Canada, STIMULAN can be used to treat bacterial infection in soft tissue surrounding bone, making it the only calcium matrix approved to treat bacterial infection. In the USA, STIMULAN is cleared to be used at infected sites. The Nistor Badiceanu Association Will Use CYPHER LEARNING's Platform to Provide Teacher Training - with the Goal to Support Low-Income Students and Enable Them to Continue Their Education ORADEA, Romania, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CYPHER LEARNING , a leading provider of learning platforms for schools, universities and organizations around the world, today announced its support for the Nistor Badiceanu Association and its social economy project "Together we transform the school." This project aims to offer resources and create best practices for Romanian teachers and school administrators, helping them provide quality education to students, especially in low-income areas. The main activities of the Association are creating educational materials through a learning platform and allowing students to pursue and continue education regardless of the teaching environment (in-person or online). CYPHER LEARNING has provided the Association with MATRIX LMS, its intelligent learning platform for organizations, which will be used to create learning materials and train teachers on innovative teaching methods. The "Together we transform the school" project is funded by the European Union (EU), promoting innovative pedagogical approaches adapted to the learning needs of today's digital native students. One of the project's goals is to train a minimum of 400 teachers from 20 urban and rural schools from Bihor County, Romania, to use hybrid pedagogy methods (blending in-person and online instruction). For these teachers, participation in the program is free of charge. Program leaders will also use MATRIX to showcase outstanding e-learning lessons created by teachers, with the goal of sharing best practices with teachers all over the country. "Our project aims to help teachers better adapt their classroom instruction to the current, more digital learning needs of students," said Alin Badiceanu, founder of the Nistor Badiceanu Association. "The learning platform we chose can support both the professional development of teachers on the challenges of the hybrid classroom, as well as make learning more engaging for their students later on." Graham Glass, CEO of CYPHER LEARNING, said: "We are happy to work with the Nistor Badiceanu Association, so we can support teachers in providing the best education to their students. This is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to use learning platforms in their classes and encourage their students to continue learning." For more details about CYPHER LEARNING products, please visit www.cypherlearning.com or email info@cypherlearning.com . About CYPHER LEARNING CYPHER LEARNING provides an intelligent learning platform that empowers schools, businesses, and entrepreneurs to reimagine online education and deliver the best learning experiences. CYPHER LEARNING has solutions for all major e-learning sectors: NEO LMS for K-20, MATRIX LMS for Businesses, and INDIE LMS for Entrepreneurs. Relied on by millions of users, CYPHER LEARNING supports 40+ languages and has offices worldwide. For more information, please visit www.cypherlearning.com . About "Nistor Badiceanu" Association The "Nistor Badiceanu" Association aims to become a promoter of digital products based on the school curriculum, supporting students and teachers, and bringing innovative and efficient models to the Romanian online course market. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1800217/CYPHER_PR_Asociatia_nistor_badiceanu.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1651912/Cypher_Learning_logo_2020_Logo.jpg SLOUGH (dpa-AFX) - Segro Plc (SGRO.L), a UK Real Estate Investment Trust, Wednesday said it remains confident in the outlook for business in 2022 and beyond amid the ongoing geopolitical and macro-economic risks. In its trading update for the period from January 1 to April 20, the company reported that first-quarter total new headline rent signed grew to 25 million pounds from 18 million pounds a year ago. Pre-lets signed was flat at 11 million pounds. David Sleath, Chief Executive, said, 'Our business has had a strong start to the year with continued demand from a broad range of customers enabling us to capture further rental growth through rent reviews and the re-letting of space. We have significantly increased our largely pre-let development pipeline and have secured future opportunities for growth in some of our most supply-constrained urban markets through the acquisition of land, as well as income-producing assets with medium-term redevelopment potential.' The company plans to publish half year results on July 28. 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. LEVALLOIS-PERRET (dpa-AFX) - Alstom SA (ALS.L), a French rolling stock maker, said on Thursday that it has signed a 700 million euros contract with Department of Transport Victoria, Australia, to supply 100 Flexity low-floor Next Generation Trams or NGTs for urban tram network. The contract includes the supply of rolling stock and 15-year maintenance service for the biggest tram contract in Australia and in the Southern hemisphere. The delivery of the Flexity 2 light rail vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2025. The introduction of the low-floor NGT fleet will enable gradual retirement of further high-floor trams from the Melbourne network. . This order adds to the French firm's present major rolling stock fleet in Victoria which includes 141 Flexity and Citadis trams, 106 X'trapolis suburban trains, and 95 Vlocity regional trains. 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. The invitation only group represents a collective of companies at the forefront of ethical technological and business model innovation working on solutions to our world's most significant challenges BenevolentAI will be part of the global effort to ethically deploy the use of AI to create a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient world LONDON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BenevolentAI, a leading clinical-stage artificial intelligence (AI) enabled drug discovery company, today announced that it has joined the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Innovators Community, to help advance and scale governance and policies that support the responsible deployment of AI. BenevolentAI will join the world's most promising start-ups and scale-ups in a common effort to engage with public and private sector leaders and contribute to developing new solutions to pressing global challenges and build future resilience. Joanna Shields, CEO at BenevolentAI and Co-Chair of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), commented: "Billions of dollars are invested in drug development each year, yet persistently high failure rates and low efficacy are leaving too many patients without hope for a cure. It is critical we reinvent our approach to deliver on this pressing global health need. Our mission at BenevolentAI is to bring about a transformation in drug discovery by harnessing AI to better understand disease biology and ultimately improve patient outcomes. We are proud to collaborate with the World Economic Forum to help ensure AI is ethically deployed for the benefit of patients worldwide." As part of the Global Innovators Community, BenevolentAI will participate in the WEF's Annual Meeting, taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from Sunday the 22nd to Thursday the 26th of May, where CEO Joanna Shields will join two panels on "Unlocking the Power of Digital Health" and on the "Use of Responsible AI for Societal Gains." Topics on the agenda will also include the pandemic recovery and harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Being the first global in-person leadership event since the start of the pandemic, the Annual Meeting 2022 will be a crucial opportunity for members to reconnect and will be the starting point for a new era of global responsibility and cooperation. "The World Economic Forum is happy to have BenevolentAI join our Global Innovators community," said Kay Firth-Butterfield, Head of Artificial Intelligence & Machine learning at the World Economic Forum. "We are delighted to engage BenevolentAI in our platform's work to champion and demonstrate how responsible and trustworthy AI can help deliver on societal goals in critical areas like healthcare." About BenevolentAI BenevolentAI is a leading, clinical-stage AI drug discovery company. Through the combined capabilities of its AI platform, scientific expertise and wet-lab facilities, BenevolentAI is well-positioned to deliver novel drug candidates with a higher probability of clinical success than those developed using traditional methods. BenevolentAI has a consistently proven track record of scientifically validated discoveries. The BenevolentAI Platform powers a growing in-house pipeline of over 20 drug programmes, spanning from target discovery to clinical studies, and it maintains successful commercial collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies. BenevolentAI also identified Eli Lilly's baricitinib as a repurposing drug candidate for COVID-19, which has been authorised for emergency use by the FDA. BenevolentAI is headquartered in London, with a research facility in Cambridge (UK) and a further office in New York. About the World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1725546/Benevolent_Logo.jpg Econocom announces the acquisition, via TMF France, of SOFI Group, a leading industrial player in France's digital refurbishment market, with a view to breaking into the European refurbishment market. Econocom, Europe's leading global digital services company, announces the acquisition of a majority stake in SOFI Group, an industrial leader in "made-in-France" refurbishment of smartphones and tablets. The acquisition, conducted by the TMF (Technology Management & Financing) division, an independent leader in the financing of digital assets in France, fits into a shared strategy to conquer the digital refurbishment market in Europe. Based in Saint-Mathieu-de-Treviers near Montpellier (34), SOFI Group is a French specialist in refurbishing locally sourced multi-brand smartphones and tablets. A leading industrial group in its sector, SOFI Group is best known to the public through its SMAAART brand launched in 2017, which offers second-hand smartphones and tablets refurbished at the Group's own factory in Saint-Mathieu-de-Treviers. As a leading circular economy operator, the Group has been a societe a mission (mission-led company) since October 2021. This deal has been struck against the backdrop of a fast-growing market for refurbished smartphones in France (up 10% in 2020) and a steadily expanding global refurbishment market estimated at over 50 billion in 2020. In France, this growth is partly due to the enactment of the AGEC[1] Law and, more generally, to the aspirations of citizens and organisations seeking cheaper and more eco-friendly IT devices. The acquisition allows Econocom, the leading independent funder of digital assets through its TMF division, to address this growing market and expand its positioning throughout the life cycle of fixed and mobile IT equipment. SOFI Group's industrial plant and technical expertise is a way for TMF to bring in-house and significantly expand the volumes of hardware refurbished to meet growing demand for such devices among public and private organisations alike. Econocom already processes 200,000 assets annually in France and integrating these volumes will boost SOFI Group's development, particularly in its SMAAART brand. The Montpellier-based business will also benefit from the financial backing of Econocom, which has an ambitious strategy for growing its refurbishment business both in France and abroad. Samira Draoua, CEO of TMF, explains: "We are delighted to welcome SOFI group and all its employees to Econocom. Econocom's financing business, led by TMF, is pioneering the development of product ranges that have a positive environmental impact. This deal will strengthen this market leadership by giving TMF a cutting-edge industrial plant and unique French know-how. This means we can add to the value of our environmentally responsible range across the European market." Jean-Christophe Estoudre, Chairman and co-founder of SOFI Group and Marlene Taurines, CEO and co-founder, said: "We are proud to see SOFI Group join Econocom, a group that shares our values, particularly on social and environmental responsibility. This transaction marks a new phase in our company's development: backing from Econocom, a European-scale group specialising in digital technology and transformation, will allow us to scale up our operations over the coming years." ABOUT ECONOCOM Econocom is a digital general contractor (DGC). The group conceives, finances and facilitates the digital transformation of large firms and public organisations. It has forty-nine years' experience and is the only market player offering versatile expertise through a combination of project financing, equipment distribution and digital services. The group operates in sixteen countries, with over 8,200 employees. It made 2,505m in revenue in 2021. Econocom is listed on Euronext in Brussels, on the BEL Mid and Family Business indexes.. FOR MORE INFORMATION www.econocom.com Follow us on Twitter Investor and shareholder relations contact: nathalie.etzenbach@econocom.com Press relations contact: david.molins@econocom.com Agency contact: info@capvalue.fr Tel. +33 (0)1 80 81 50 01econocom@the-arcane.com [1] The AGEC Law (law against waste and for the circular economy) requires all public sector IT procurement contracts to include a "re-use" lot. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: lW2dkZZrlG7FnGyfZZ2YbGFmmW9jxJWZmWnIm2pwZ5ubaJpgxmaUmJuVZnBllWpu - 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-0-74058-cp_econocom_acquisition-sofi-group_en.pdf NEW YORK, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The data center market size is expected to increase at a CAGR of 5.1%, to $343.6 billion by 2030 from an estimated $220.0 billion in 2021, according to the market research report published by P&S Intelligence. The growth of the market is driven by the exponential increase in the volume of data, on account of the rising usage of mobile, analytics, social, and cloud services. Key players offering hardware, software, and construction services for the establishment of such facilities are Oracle Corporation, NTT Communications Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Equinix Inc., Amazon.Com Inc., IBM Corporation, and Alphabet Inc. Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/data-center-market/report-sample Key Findings of Data Center Market Report The U.K. government announced proposals in July 2021 to encourage its technology industry and protect customers, by boosting competition in the digital sector. Therefore, the role played by the government is one of the major drivers for the market advance as it will result in the establishment of data storage and management facilities. to encourage its technology industry and protect customers, by boosting competition in the digital sector. Therefore, the role played by the government is one of the major drivers for the market advance as it will result in the establishment of data storage and management facilities. Similarly, in February 2021 , for wider and faster internet connectivity, the government of Malaysia announced plans to spend more than RM 56 billion on infrastructure. The aim is to develop the country's digital economy, according to its 10-year plan. , for wider and faster internet connectivity, the government of announced plans to spend more than on infrastructure. The aim is to develop the country's digital economy, according to its 10-year plan. In 2021, the North American data center market was the largest, holding over 40% of the global share. There are over 2,600 data centers in the U.S., and many of them are located in northern California , where IT firms such as Uber, Twitter, Yelp, Google, and Facebook are headquartered. , where IT firms such as Uber, Twitter, Yelp, Google, and Facebook are headquartered. In April 2022 , PHISON Electronics Corp. and Seagate Technology Holdings plc declared plans to widen their solid-state drive (SSD) portfolio, to aid data centers in decreasing their total cost of ownership (TCO). , PHISON Electronics Corp. and Seagate Technology Holdings plc declared plans to widen their solid-state drive (SSD) portfolio, to aid data centers in decreasing their total cost of ownership (TCO). In 2020, data creation reached about 64.2 zettabytes, which was about 314% more than in 2015. Experts expect that in 2025, about 10 times more data will be created compared to 2017. Additionally, globally, approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are produced per day, which creates the need for ample storage space. IT infrastructure is dominating the market because it includes storage, network, and server components, which are essential to the functioning of such spaces. This infrastructure bifurcation will further advance in the near future with around 5% CAGR. Browse detailed report onData Center Market Size, Share, Top Manufactures, Regional Forecast Analysis 2030 In addition, in the coming years, it is predicted that the IT and telecom sector will dominate the global data center market. The fast adoption of new technologies, for instance, the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing, is leading to huge volumes of data creation. Since not everyone has ample space on their premises to store it, they are using the cloud storage provided by data management facilities. Moreover, the pandemic has resulted in a strong rise in the investments and initiatives in the data center market globally. As a result, the number of such facilities grew worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the usage of cloud services by government organizations and of contactless payments and online learning by the populace provided the market a boost. Data Center Market Segmentation Analysis By Infrastructure Type IT Infrastructure IT infrastructure Server Storage Network Electrical infrastructure UPS systems Generators Transfer switches & switchgear PDUs Others Mechanical infrastructure Cooling systems By system type CRAC & CRAH units Chiller units Cooling towers, condensers, & dry coolers Economizers & evaporative coolers Others By cooling technique Air-based Liquid-based Racks Others General construction Core & shell development Installation & commissioning Engineering & building design Fire detection & suppression Physical security DCIM/BMS solutions Support infrastructure By End User BFSI IT and Telecom Healthcare Government and Defense Others By Region North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France U.K. Netherlands Ireland Switzerland Italy Spain Belgium Luxembourg Portugal Denmark Norway Sweden Finland Iceland Poland Austria Asia-Pacific China Australia India Japan South Korea New Zealand Taiwan Latin America Brazil Mexico Chile Colombia Middle East and Africa and U.A.E. Saudi Arabia Turkey Israel Oman Qatar Kuwait Jordan Bahrain Browse More Related Reports Data Center Colocation Market Statistical Analysis, New Trends, Emerging Opportunities, And Top Key Players By 2030 Data Warehouse as a Service Market Statistical Analysis, New Trends, Emerging Opportunities, And Top Key Players By 2030 Data Center Infrastructure Management Market Statistical Analysis, New Trends, Emerging Opportunities, And Top Key Players By 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: enquiry@psmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1224988/P_and_S_Intelligence_Logo.jpg Recognition for Nintex channel partner program for the technology industry and Joe Peterson named a 2022 CRN Channel Chief LONDON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the global standard for process intelligence and automation, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognised the Nintex Partner Program with a 5-Star rating in the 2022 CRN Partner Program Guide, and named Joe Peterson, Nintex's Vice President of Channel Sales and Strategy, to CRN's Channel Chiefs list for 2022. To learn more about the Nintex Partner Program visit: https://partner.nintex.com/ The Nintex Partner Program is comprised of more than 1,000 consulting and ISV partners around the world with wide and deep expertise in process intelligence, workflow automation, robotic process automation and document automation. Nintex partners work with public and private sector organisations in every industry to discover, automate and optimise a wide range of business processes with the powerful and easy-to-use capabilities of the Nintex Process Platform. "Nintex partners are industry experts who play a critical role in helping customers achieve their business goals," said Ben Brewer,Nintex's President of Sales, Marketing & Customer Success. "I want to congratulate Joe Peterson and the entire Nintex Partner organisation for helping our global network of partners and technology specialists deliver modern digital business solutions to rapidly solve enterprise-wide process problems." Honoured for the fourth year in a row in 2022, Nintex's partner program offers comprehensive support and resources including pre-sales assistance, co-funded marketing campaigns, demonstration environments, technical training, sales training, referrals, an online partner portal, and more. Peterson was recognised as a 2022 CRN Channel Chief which identifies top IT channel vendor executives who continually demonstrate expertise, influence and innovation in channel leadership. The annual CRN Partner Program Guide provides a definitive list of the most notable partner programs from industry-leading technology vendors that provide innovative products and flexible services through the channel. The 5-star rating is achieved only by select vendors like Nintex that deliver the best of the best, going above and beyond in their partner programs to drive growth and positive change. "CRN's Partner Program Guide delves into the strengths of each organisation's partner program in order to honour those that consistently support and promote good change within the IT channel," said The Channel Company CEO Blaine Raddon. "As innovation fuels the speed and complexity of technology today, solution providers want partners that can keep up with and assist their growing business." Companies in the Partner Program Guide are scored based on their investments in program offerings, partner profitability, partner training, education and support, marketing programs and resources, sales support, and communication. A 5-star rating helps narrow the field to find the best fit, identifying the most rewarding partner programs and providing crucial insight into their strengths. The 2022 Partner Program Guide will be featured in the April 2022 issue of CRN and online at www.CRN.com/PPG. ### Media Contact Laetitia Smith Nintex laetitia.smith@nintex.com +64 21 154 7114 About Nintex Nintex is the global standard for process intelligence and automation. Today more than 10,000 public and private sector organisations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Process Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimising business processes. Learn more by visiting www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA). Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700078/Nintex_Logo.jpg Created by a Dutch group of companies and research institutions, the mobile solar system may also be combined with an electrolyzer for hydrogen generation. Two prototypes are currently being tested by a farmer and a research institute in the Netherlands.A Dutch consortium has developed a mobile agrivoltaic system that is claimed to improve soil quality and biodiversity of agricultural fields. Called H2arvester, the first prototype has been deployed on sugar beet land in Oude-Tonge, South Holland, and was inaugurated last week by Netherlands' Agriculture Minister, Henk Staghouwer. "The solar car ... 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. By Peter Roff An unlikely coalition of senators is backing Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar's bill to drastically overhaul the nation's antitrust laws. They may want to give her proposal another read, because there are things about it that might not be what they seem. Klobuchar wants to be president and is counting on this legislation, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, to establish the progressive bona fides she needs to leap to the front of the pack running for president the next time the Democratic presidential nomination is up for grabs. If she expects her effort to excite the people whose spines once tingled at the thought of President Bernie Sanders, she's off base. The Republicans who signed onto her bill generally did so in the belief it gives the government the power to ensure "Big Tech" plays fair with conservatives. It doesn't, and letting federal bureaucrats determine what to censor online would be worse. The legislation would also make life more difficult for social media companies the Democrats have allied with in pursuit of election victories. The framework her legislation would erect would take a big bite out of the hand that feeds her. The impact on Big Tech isn't the only reason politicians should be concerned. Those issues are largely political. The way some businesses are treated is not and has given rise to complaints favorable treatment is being extended to some kinds of firms because of what it doesn't address. What kind of crony capitalism may we be seeing? The Klobuchar bill overlooks because it's not included in the list of discriminatory conduct by "covered platform" the use of pharmacy benefit managers, also known as PBMs, that negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers and health insurers to set the price of prescription drugs. Proponents say these companies produce lower prices for consumers. Critics say the opposite, arguing they are too open to inducements from manufacturers to set prices higher than they need be in exchange for some kind of remuneration. Their involvement in the health care system is, for the moment, a political hot potato second only perhaps to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's continuing quest to impose a regulatory scheme to impose price controls on drugs. Currently, just three pharmacy benefit managers are responsible for about 80 percent of the insurance market: CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx. According to Health Industries Research Companies, CVS has the biggest share at 34 percent of total 2021 adjusted claims. Express Scripts is second at 25 percent and OptumRx has 21 percent. Now 80 percent control doesn't corner the market exactly, but progressives like Klobuchar used to argue it comes uncomfortably close. Critics were disappointed when members of the Federal Trade Commission voted along party lines back in February not to investigate allegations of anti-competitive behavior by these pharmacy benefit managers. Nonetheless, they keep trying to call on the heavy hand of government regulation to swipe them into line. Klobuchar cannot be unaware of this, yet for some reason, her bill (which also has the support of House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline of Rhode Island) doesn't mandate or include a mechanism triggering their scrutiny under the proposed new track taken by the proposed legislation. Has cronyism crept into the process? Some say yes, pointing to the fact UnitedHealth OptumRx, the number three firm, has its headquarters in Klobuchar's Minnesota. CVS, which has the largest single share of the market, is based in Rhode Island, just like Cicilline. UnitedHealth has given $154,820 in campaign contributions to Klobuchar while CVS gave $50,085 in political money to Cicilline, who also backed the company's proposed $69 billion merger with AETNA, one of the largest of the nation's health insurers. That's just the kind of business deal the legislation looks to stop because Klobuchar and friends believe mega-mergers are bad for consumers. Coincidence? Probably. Still, the taint of corruption touches so much of what Washington does these days it's hard to be sure. What is clear is that big is not necessarily bad and that the consumer welfare standard, which has been the prevailing justification for most antitrust actions taken for nearly five decades is a sound enough approach to dealing with legitimate antitrust issues when they arrive. Klobuchar's bill should be allowed to go no further. Peter Roff (RoffColumns@gmail.com) is a former UPI and U.S. News & World Report columnist who is now affiliated with several Washington, D.C.-based public policy organizations. His article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Renovated Mazda Museum HIROSHIMA, Japan, Apr 21, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's Mazda Museum, located in its Hiroshima headquarters, has undergone a full renovation. The museum showcases historic vehicles and exhibits of the company's history since its foundation.Due to open to the public on May 23 this year, the museum's spatial design and displays have seen a complete makeover with the aim to provide customers and people in the community with a space in which they can grow closer to Mazda, as well as to strengthen the Museum's role as a base for communication of the Mazda brand.Additionally, an online Mazda Museum* was launched today on our official website to allow many more visitors to browse through the museum's displays.With a monotone color scheme coupled with warm lighting and wood surfaces, the new Mazda Museum's interior and exterior were all designed in accordance with the latest Mazda brand design concept, providing an elegant yet cozy space for visitors.The museum has 10 different exhibit zones with decor and lighting that match each zone's theme. The entire museum has been designed to provide visitors with a narrative experience of Mazda's vision for the next century and the thoughts that have gone into all the vehicles that we have introduced to the world over the past 100 years.Furthermore, the entrance hall offers an area for visitors to relax and grow closer to our brand while enjoying the sight of our latest Mazda models on display. We will continue to offer the popular factory tours, during which visitors can observe real vehicle assembly lines in operation.As previously mentioned, we will be opening an online Mazda Museum that provides guided virtual tours with detailed explanations for each zone and immersive drone footage from inside the museum. Mazda Kids Channel* will also be available to provide easy-to-understand explanations for kids about the automotive industry and Mazda's car making.Mazda aims to become a brand that creates strong bonds with customers by focusing on the pure essence of cars -- the joy of driving -- and committing ourselves to preserve our beautiful earth, enrich people's lives and make a bountiful society that lifts everybody's spirits.Museum ExhibitsEntrance hall: Embodies Mazda brand style and showcases the latest Mazda modelsZone 1: 1920 - 1959: Origin of Monotsukuri (car making) spiritZone 2, 3: 1960+: Paving the way to becoming a diversified vehicles manufacturer (1)Zone 4: Motor sports: A global challenge for Mazda, its prestige and its technologyZone 5, 6 and 7: 1960+: Paving the way to becoming a diversified vehicles manufacturer (2)Zone 8: Technology: Mazda's human-centric MonotsukuriZone 9: Vehicle assembly line tourZone 10: Mazda's vision for the next 100 yearsOverview of Mazda MuseumOfficial website*:https://www.mazda.com/ja/about/museum/Tour booking:The tour is available only by advance reservation.Please book your tour below:https://www.mazda.com/ja/about/museum/reservations/Note: Reservations will be accepted from May 16.Language:Japanese (at 9:30 and 13:45)Note: English tours are not available for the time being.Entrance fee:Free of chargeClosed on:Saturdays, Sundays and Mazda company holidays (year end and new-year holidays, Golden Week, summer holidays, etc.)Contact us:Mazda Museume-mail: mazdamuseum@mazda.co.jpFax: 082-252-5654Source: MazdaCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. SYNALOGiK, a leading provider of data aggregation, automation and risk identification software solutions for compliance and fraud investigations, has been awarded a Queen's Award for Innovation the highest official UK award for British companies. The innovation award was given due to their data aggregation platform, Scout and its contribution to fighting financial crime and helping organisations with regulatory compliance across both the public and private sector. Since its creation in 2019, Scout has quickly gained clients across the gambling, insurance, banking, legal and public sector; including large multi nationals such as Entain Plc, Betway, NatWest Group and several large Government agencies. Gareth Mussell, CEO at Synalogik, said: "As former end users, we recognise the problems facing organisations today. As data becomes more readily available organisations need to harness the opportunity it provides to make intelligent decisions. Organisations need assistance to access, aggregate and analyse this data at scale. "Scout has been developed to overcome these challenges and we are really proud to see the hard work of our team and vision for the product independently validated with this award. The Queen's Award for Innovation follows our recent Series A investment which is allowing us to scale up more swiftly and bring new products to market in the coming months." Synalogik's solution, Scout, is a unique platform that enables organisations to automate data aggregation from multiple disparate sources, identify risk and report findings in seconds. Scout is the "Single Intelligence Environment"; permitting concurrent searches over multiple live data sources to be analysed. The system integrates internal, third party and open-source data into automated workflows so that teams no longer need to log in and out of different data silos before decisions can be made. The result is swifter and more rigorous decision making, whether you're looking for fraud, money laundering or Regulator-driven compliance checks. Now in its 56th year, the Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen's Awards Emblem for the next five years. It is an internationally recognised symbol of excellence. Winners have demonstrated outstanding success in their respective fields of innovation, international trade and sustainable development. About Synalogik: SYNALOGiK deliver innovative solutions that automate intelligence and investigation processes. Our aim is to revolutionise the way criminality, fraud risk is identified, investigated and detected, providing a financial and strategic advantage to our global client base. Our team at Synalogik are currently providing SaaS platforms and consultancy services into the following sectors: law enforcement, banking, gambling, insurance and legal, among others. Through workflow automation and bespoke risk scoring our clients report being up to 85% more efficient as compared with previous manual investigations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005506/en/ Contacts: Media Enquiries Sarah Blackburn Go Marketing T: 0034628499459 Developed by Canadian start-up Salient Energy, the zinc-ion battery has a rated capacity of 60 Ah, a nominal voltage of 1.3 V, and a volumetric energy density of 100 Wh/L. The device measures 26cmx24cmx1.2cm and weighs in at 1.3 kgCanada-based Salient Energy has developed a zinc-ion battery for stationary energy storage in residential applications. "The batteries are currently manufactured at our facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, with a capacity of 100 batteries per month," a spokesperson from the company told pv magazine. "Currently, we are in the process of ramping up production at ... 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. Seoul, Korea--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - INVITREE, a project that operates blockchain-based luxury invitation commerce and premium lounges in Korea, announced that it had signed a strategic partnership with Rolling Stone Korea Co., Ltd., a famous music magazine. INVITREE Signs Strategic Partnership with Rolling Stone To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8509/120857_310927efc472982f_001full.jpg Rolling Stone Magazine is a representative pop culture biweekly in the U.S. and has been run by Jan Wenner and music critic Ralph Gleeson since 1967, including new album reviews and charts, starting with rock band interviews, and has become a media in various fields. Rolling Stone Korea was founded in May 2021 and is receiving much attention and love from domestic and foreign fans, consistently recording best sellers in the domestic magazine field. It dealt with internationally famous stars such as BTS, Kang Daniel, Rain, CL, and Adele, and interviews with numerous artists such as Lim Young-Woong, Monsta X, Yoon Sang, YB, and Kim Wan-sun drew attention. "In this strategic partnership with Rolling Stone Korea, we decided to cooperate in planning and to produce high-quality NFT content. We will aim for the luxury market by utilizing solid networks such as the U.S., Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia" said Jaedu Sim, the CEO of INVITREE. The INVITREE project is currently listed on the BigOne and XT.com exchanges and is promoting projects such as NFT and Metaverse to continue expanding and expanding its business. Name: Jaedu Sim Email: invi@invitree.com Country: Republic of Korea City: Seoul Homepage: http://www.invitree.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/120857 LONDON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned global supplier of healthcare products, Unimed Procurement Services has won the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2022. The Leicestershire-based company is one of 141 national organisations to be recognised with the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise. Announced today (Thursday 21 April), Unimed Procurement Services has been recognised for its excellence in International Trade. The firm was set up in 2018 and focuses on working within the International Development space and currently supplies quality healthcare products to over 25 countries. Unimed's goal is simple; to make a difference. And the firm achieves this by working with organisations such as Her Majesties Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) , The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations. The supplier continues to assist governments and organisations by ensuring that each person receives the right medical product at the right price and for the right purpose, as well as supporting those in need during difficult times, such as the Haiti earthquake and floods in Germany. Of this success, Shameet Thakkar, Managing Director at Unimed said: "We are honoured to be presented with the most prestigious award for businesses in the UK. "We have experienced remarkable growth overseas since we established our business, and we continue to become a supplier of choice for many outstanding organisations that have global health and development at the forefront of their work. "I'm very proud that Unimed can represent Leicester and the Midlands by winning this award, uplifting businesses in the local community," he continued. Now in its 56th year, the Queen's Awards for Enterprise is amongst the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen's Awards emblem for the next five years. To find out more about Unimed Procurement Services, please visit: https://www.unimedps.com/ About UnimedProcurement Services Unimedis one of the UK's leadingsupplier of healthcare products across the world, supporting partners to secure and deliver quality products in an effective and timely manner. Having an international presence has been core to the growth of Unimed as they have direct access to high quality health products by working with local partners through operating offices in Dubai, South Africa, India and China. https://www.unimedps.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1801706/Shameet_Unimed.jpg The "Finland Cards and Payments Opportunities and Risks to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Finnish cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cards, credit transfers, cash, direct debits and cheques during the review-period (2017-21e) The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2021e-25f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes. This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Finnish cards and payments industry, including: Current and forecast values for each market in the Finnish cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards Detailed insights into payment instruments including cards, credit transfers, cash, direct debits and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments Ecommerce market analysis Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Finnish cards and payments industry Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit and credit cards Report Scope The rising adoption of contactless payments during the review period drove overall card payments. According to a survey commissioned by Finanssiala (the Finnish Association of Financial Services Providers) between February and March 2021, 97% of contactless card holders made contactless payments using their card. 45% of respondents made contactless payments daily while 43% did so on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, in November 2021, Hameenlinna Regional Public Transport Authority enabled open-loop contactless payments on the city's public transport system in collaboration with transit payment services provider Littlepay. Commuters can make payments by tapping their contactless payment card or mobile wallet on contactless readers installed on buses. Hameenlinna became the fourth city to enable open-loop contactless payments after Helsinki, Tampere, and Oulu The proliferation of digital-only banks will further support debit card market growth. In January 2022, Revolut launched its banking services in the country. It offers individual and business accounts along with a Mastercard-branded debit card. Meanwhile, digital-only bank SweepBank launched in Finland in September 2021. Customers receive a virtual Mastercard debit card immediately after opening the account. By the end of December 2021, over 30,000 Finnish consumers had opened an account with SweepBank The share of consumers who have a mobile wallet stood at 44.9% in 2021e, up from 37.0% in 2020. This indicates that Finnish consumers are gradually becoming more comfortable using mobile phones for payments, coupled with rising awareness of the benefits of mobile wallets. Banks such as Bank Norwegian and Aktia Bank launched their support for Google Pay in 2020. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, PayPal launched a QR code-based mobile payment service in May 2020. The mobile proximity payments market is expected to grow further, as a rising number of merchants are accepting mobile wallet solutions. In June 2021, MobilePay partnered with national alcoholic beverage retailer Alko to enable MobilePay acceptance at its online store and over 360 physical stores in the country Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary Market Overview Payment Instruments Card-Based Payments Ecommerce Payments Buy Now Pay Later Mobile Payments P2P Payments Bill Payments Alternative Payments Payment Innovations Job Analysis Payment Infrastructure and Regulation Companies Mentioned OP Bank S-Pankki Nordea Danske Bank Saastopankki Aktia Bank Handelsbanken Bank of Aland Visa Mastercard American Express Klarna AfterPay Divido PayPal MobilePay Google Pay Apple Pay Pivo paysafecard For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wwipyg About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005532/en/ Contacts: 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 The "Greece Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Greek construction industry grew by an estimated 15.2% in real terms in 2021, following an annual decline of 8.9% in 2020, owing to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. The industry's solid recovery in 2021 was supported by an improvement in wider economic activity. According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), the construction industry's value add, at seasonally-adjusted terms, grew by 32.2% year on year (YoY) in the third quarter of 2021, preceded by Y-o-Y growth rates of 10.2% in Q2 and 17.9% in Q1 2021. The publisher expects the country's construction industry to grow by 2.2% this year, and record an average growth rate of 2.7% over the remainder of the forecast period (2023-2026), supported by improving investor confidence and investments in transport, renewable energy, residential and commercial projects, as the global economy gradually shows signs of improvement. The government is focusing on the development of renewable energy projects, in line with its target to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix by 35% over the next 10 years. The plan involves a target of producing 7.7GW of solar PV and 7GW of wind capacity by 2030. The short-term outlook is buoyed by the recent increase in the building permits. According to the ELSTAT, the number of building permits issued in the country grew by 26.1% in the first 10 months of 2021, increasing from 15,343 in January-October 2020 to 19,352 in January-October 2021. In terms of segmentation, the permits approved for commercial buildings rose by 67.9%, while office buildings permits rose by 40.3%, hotels by 33.3%, manufacturing buildings by 64.7% and dwellings by 48.1% during the same period. This report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Greek construction industry, including: The Greek construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, as well as an analysis of key risks and opportunities in the Greek construction industry Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, focusing on development stages and participants, in addition to listings of major projects in the pipeline This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Greece. It provides: Historical (2017-2021) and forecast (2022-2026) valuations of the construction industry in Greece, featuring details of key growth drivers Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Construction Industry: At-A-Glance 3 Context 3.1 Economic Performance 3.2 Political Environment and Policy 3.3 Demographics 3.4 Covid-19 Status 3.5 Risk Profile 4 Construction Outlook 4.1 All Construction 4.2 Commercial Construction 4.3 Industrial Construction 4.4 Infrastructure Construction 4.5 Energy and Utilities Construction 4.6 Institutional Construction 4.7 Residential Construction 5 Key Industry Participants 5.1 Contractors 5.2 Consultants 6 Construction Market Data For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kngrb About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005535/en/ Contacts: 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 GOLDEN, CO / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Panacea Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB:PLSH), ("Panacea" or the "Company"), a Colorado, USA-based cannabinoid research and certified GMP manufacturing company has signed an exclusive product manufacturing agreement with Good Pharmaceutical Development Co. (Good Pharma) to produce their proprietary, highly concentrated line of Remei (formerly known as PainTX) CBD products for chronic pain. Good Pharma has developed a proprietary, patented delivery system that has been demonstrated to effectively deliver high concentrations of hemp-derived CBD to areas of pain without detectable levels of CBD in the serum. Thousands of patients have been successfully treated with this unique product which contains 2200mg of CBD per ounce, making it the highest concentration available in a topical CBD cream. Good Pharma was seeking a "full-service" CBD manufacturing operation that can provide premium CBD raw materials, manufacturing, R&D, and fulfillment services all under one roof. Panacea is but only a handful of CBD companies with the operational capacity and expertise to meet their needs in the industry. The new Remei line of products will utilize Panacea's PANA Pure CBD to upgrade and improve the efficacy and quality of their products, as well as Panacea's manufacturing and distribution services to increase sales and improve operational efficiencies. "I'm delighted to commence the new phase of product development and manufacturing of our award winning chronic pain relief cream with Panacea Life Sciences," said Dr. Larry Good, MD, founder and CEO of Good Pharmaceutical Development Co. "Panacea is years ahead in their industry knowledge and expertise in the CBD formulation space, and we felt very strongly that their management team and science-based operations would propel Remei to new heights." About Good Pharmaceutical Development Co, LLC. Good Pharmaceutical Development Co, LLC, was founded in 2015 with the mission to create topical non-systemic alternatives for the treatment of chronic pain. Our Board Members, Larry I. Good, MD, Mike Ferguson, and S. Andaz, MD have lifetimes of clinical experience, clinical and basic science research, and pharmaceutical development experience. About Panacea Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. Panacea Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. is a seed to sale cannabinoid manufacturer and research company that produces purposeful, natural medicine for consumers and pets. Panacea sells softgels, gummies, tinctures, sublingual tablets, cosmetics, and other topicals. If you would like more information about this topic or to learn more about Panacea and its products or our land-to-brand practices, please visit www.panacealife.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the effectiveness of CBD and other cannabinoids improving the lives of people and pets. You can identify forward-looking statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "explores," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intends," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks arising from supply chain disruptions on our ability to obtain raw materials as well as similar problems with our vendors, the impact of the pandemic including new variants on the national and global economy, the impact on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the global economy, lack of available funding at sufficient levels to meet our working capital needs, competition from third parties; intellectual property rights of third parties; regulatory constraints, including the need for FDA approval under certain circumstances; and changes in technology and methods of marketing; as well as those risks and uncertainties described by us in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 under the heading "Risk Factors". Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. CONTACT: Nick Cavarra Nick.Cavarra@panacealife.com SOURCE: Panacea Life Sciences, Inc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698261/Panacea-Life-Signs-Exclusive-Manufacturing-Agreement-with-Good-Pharmaceutical-Development-Co BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks rose sharply on Thursday, with a dip in U.S. Treasury yields offering some relief. Investors continued to pay attention to the situation in Ukraine, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin declaring that Ukraine's Mariupol has been 'successfully liberated'. In another development, finance ministers and heads of central banks of the G7 nations have pledged support to Ukraine of at least $24 billion for 2022 and beyond. U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to deliver an update on the Russian invasion later in the day. The German DAX jumped nearly 1 percent to 14,500 after rallying 1.5 percent the previous day. Among the gainers, banks and cyclicals such as automakers were broadly higher. 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. Istanbul, Turkey--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - ReaConverter is glad to start offering the file and image conversion service free of charge. Until now, the company has been providing the file conversion service only with a downloadable program. This new online tool now aims to reach much larger audiences. "At ReaConverter, we have a very loyal customer base. Our customers have been very satisfied with our services, but we got a lot of feedback from them that this kind of innovation would be more useful. After working with our team, we have launched our file conversion service online. This new service will both meet the demands of our customers and make a great contribution to our brand value." - ReaConverter Founder, Alexander Korostelev ReaConverter Founder To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/121162_6e5283f374ebfaa4_001full.jpg Extra Feature of the New Service With this new tool, multiple file formats can be converted at once. It also has an edit images tab as an additional feature. Thus; many arrangements such as resize, rotate, crop, color balance, and watermark can be done quickly thanks to this tool. To learn more visit: https://online.reaconverter.com/ "It was important to offer a free service online in this competitive industry. Although there are many companies that provide the same kind of service, our difference is that what we offer is more comprehensive than others. As ReaConverter we have a powerful format converter that can support more than 640 file extensions." - ReaConverter Founder, Alexander Korostelev Philosophy of Innovation ReaConverter has added different language options to its website to provide convenience to its customers outside the English market. The company, which has included Spanish, Russian, Turkish ,and Slovenian language options in its service in the past years, seems to continue with such innovations that make life easier. ReaConverter Logo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/121162_6e5283f374ebfaa4_002full.jpg Follow ReaConverter on Facebook and Twitter For more information please visit the website or contact directly : Contact: ReaConverter Founder, Alexander Korostelev Website: https://www.reaconverter.com/ Email: info@reasoft.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121162 LG H&H CEO Cha Suk-yong / Courtesy of LG H&H By Kim Jae-heun LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) is shifting its focus to the North American cosmetics market to diversify its business portfolio, while cutting its heavy reliance on the Chinese market, with which it grew explosively until last year, according to company officials, Thursday. The company said it acquired the U.S cosmetics brand The Creme Shop to target customers in their teens and 20s in the United States. The Creme Shop has averaged 30 percent growth with its cosmetics business in the last three years, riding on the popularity of K-beauty. The Creme Shop, a mid-priced cosmetics brand founded by a Korean American, gained popularity through its collaborative products with BTS, Hello Kitty and Disney characters. In May 2020, LG H&H also acquired a business license to sell Physiogel in North America and Asia. "LG H&H CEO Cha Suk-yong said in his New Year address this year that the company aims to become a global cosmetics firm by expanding its business in North America, the largest market where the trends are created," an official working at a local cosmetics firm said. "As local firms struggle to make a turnaround in the Chinese market, where so many local companies have been biting into their market shares, Cha decided to turn his eyes on the North America market." The Chinese market accounted for 16 percent of LG H&H's total sales. If the company adds revenue created by Chinese duty-free customers, the ratio increases to 38 percent. This has worried many industry watchers, who argued that LG H&H should cut its heavy reliance on the Chinese market. Since 2020, LG H&H has been watching its sales decline in China due to emerging new local brands that took away nearly 30 percent of the medium-low-priced cosmetics market there. Product lineup of LG H&H's premium cosmetics brand The History of Whoo / Courtesy of LG H&H The "Germany Tractor Market Industry Analysis Forecast 2022-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The German agriculture tractor market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.10% during 2022-2028 The study considers a detailed scenario of the present market and its market dynamics for 2022-2028. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. GERMANY TRACTOR MARKET SEGMENTATION Tractors are the most profitable segment of agricultural equipment in Germany, accounting for nearly 80% of total revenue. In addition, Germany is the leading tractor exporter in Europe in terms of unit sales. Tractors manufactured in Germany account for more than two-thirds of all tractors produced in Europe. VENDOR LANDSCAPE The key players in the Germany agriculture tractor market are John Deere, CNH Industrial, AGCO, TAFE, and Kubota. In terms of units sold, John Deere and Fendt are the market leaders which accounted for more than 40% of overall German agriculture tractors market in 2021, and in terms of exports, Fendt emerges as the largest exporter of tractors manufactured in Germany, it is the largest manufacturer and seller in Germany. KEY HIGHLIGHTS Germany Agriculture Tractor Market is expected to grow significantly at a CAGR of 5.10% (by Volume) during the forecast period 2021-2028. 2-Wheel-Drive segment accounted more than 85% from the overall tractor market. 50-100 HP segment accounted for the largest market share is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.04% (by Volume) during the forecast period. Germany is the Europe's largest tractors market. The two biggest agricultural tractor markets in Europe Germany and France, accounting for almost four agricultural tractors out of 10 registered in Europe. Agriculture tractors accounted for 93% of the overall German tractors market in 2021. With approximately 80% share, tractors are the largest segment of agriculture equipment in Germany in terms of revenue. In addition, in terms of unit sales, Germany is the largest exporter of tractors across Europe. The number of tractors manufactured in Germany accounts for over two-thirds of the total number of tractors manufactured in Europe. The German economy achieved excellent growth in 2021, and the growth rate is expected to sustain in 2023, supported by the rising employment rate and a monetary policy stance that will continue to support domestic demand. Consequently, 2022 is expected to witness a healthy increment of 4.5% in real GDP growth. The Government of Germany's schemes and initiatives to facilitate credit and improve agriculture-related operations are the major drivers that are contributing to the growth of the overall value chain in the German agricultural sector. Germany spent $1.4 billion of its official development assistance (ODA) on agriculture in 2021, making it the prime Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donor to agriculture in real terms. Agriculture was one of the strategic priorities of the former Development Minister of Germany, Gerd Muller, launched 'ONE WORLD No Hunger', a special initiative on food and nutrition security as well as rural development in 2014, which will most likely be carried forward in this legislative period (2021?2025) under the new Development Minister Svenja Schulze. KEY VENDORS John Deere CNH AGCO Kubota TAFE OTHER PROMINENT VENDORS SDF Action Construction Equipment (ACE) Iseki Deutz-Fahr Mahindra Mahindra Yanmar Escorts Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.1.1 Inclusions 4.1.2 Exclusions 4.1.3 Market Estimation Caveats 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of the Study 5 Report Assumptions Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.2 Germany's Agricultural Incentives 7.3 Foreign Direct Investment 7.4 Advantage Germany 7.5 Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) Eu Agricultural Expenditure 7.6 Cropping Intensity Land Holding Structures 7.7 Role of Tractors in German Agriculture Sector 7.8 Import Export Analysis 7.9 Technological Advancements 7.10 Impact of Covid-19 on German Agriculture Sector 8 Market Landscape 8.1 Market Overview 8.1.1 Major Labor Shortage in Agriculture Sector 8.1.2 Equipment Financing Structure 8.2 Market Size Forecast 9 Horsepower 9.1 Market Snapshot Growth Engine 9.2 Market Overview 9.3 Less Than 50 Hp 9.3.1 Market Overview 9.3.2 Market Size Forecast 9.3.3 Less Than 50 Hp Agriculture Tractor Market in Germany by Zones 9.4 50-100 Hp 9.5 101-150 Hp 9.6 151-200 Hp 9.7 201-300 Hp 9.8 301-400 Hp 9.9 Above 400 Hp 10 Drive Type 10.1 Market Snapshot Growth Engine 10.2 Market Overview 10.2.1 Market Size Forecast 10.3 2Wd Tractors 10.3.1 Market Overview 10.3.2 Market Size Forecast 10.3.3 2Wd Agriculture Tractor Market in Germany by Zones 10.4 4Wd Tractors 11 Zones 11.1 Market Snapshot Growth Engine 11.2 Market Overview 11.3 Zone I 11.3.1 Market Overview 11.3.2 Market Size Forecast 11.3.3 Zone I Agriculture Tractor Market by Hp 11.3.4 Zone I Agriculture Tractor Market by Wheel Drive 11.4 Zone II 11.5 Zone III 11.6 Zone IV 12 Market Opportunities Trends 12.1 Technological Advancements in Tractors 12.1.1 Self-Driving Tractors 12.1.2 GPS Technology 12.1.3 Growing Demand for Autonomous Tractors 12.2 Growing Farm Mechanization to Reduce Workforce 12.3 Increasing Use of Non-Conventional Fuel in Tractors 13 Market Growth Enablers 13.1 Financial Support to Farmers Through Loans Subsidies 13.2 Growth in Agricultural Productivity Exports 13.2.1 Agricultural Exports 13.3 Socio-Demographic Changes in Germany 13.4 Increasing Farmland Size 14 Market Restraints 14.1 Latest Type-Approval Regulations Hamper New Sales 14.2 Swelling Demand for Used Rental Tractors 14.3 Fluctuating Commodity Prices 15 Five Forces Analysis 15.1.1 Threat of New Entrants 15.1.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 15.1.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers 15.1.4 Threat of Substitutes 15.1.5 Competitive Rivalry 16 Competitive Landscape 16.1 Competition Overview 16.1.1 Brand Loyalty 16.1.2 Sales Exports For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/f5aibl View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005562/en/ Contacts: 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 Data also discussed in context of OVX836 clinical development update presentation at 2022 World Vaccine Congress Osivax, a biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines to protect against highly mutating infectious diseases, announced today that the Phase 2a results for its broad-spectrum influenza vaccine candidate, OVX836, have been published under the title "Randomized, Double-Blind, Reference-Controlled, Phase 2a Study Evaluating the Immunogenicity and Safety of OVX836, A Nucleoprotein-Based Influenza Vaccine" in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. Developed using Osivax' proprietary self-assembling nanoparticle technology, OVX836 targets an internal nucleoprotein (NP), a highly conserved antigen that is less susceptible to the constant mutations of surface antigens of the influenza virus. The study demonstrated that OVX836 induced a significant increase of NP-specific cellular immune responses, including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and initial efficacy signals while being safe and well-tolerated in 300 adult subjects. "The publication of the comprehensive data set in Frontiers in Immunology provides an overview of OVX836's ability to generate strong and persistent nucleoprotein-specific immune responses including T cells," commented Alexandre Le Vert, CEO and Co-Founder of Osivax. "In addition to meeting the primary endpoints of the trial, an important element of this study was the signal of efficacy demonstrated with a decrease in the number of symptomatic influenza-like illness thanks to OVX836 at 180g. Based on these results, we believe that the combination of our universal approach together with current seasonal vaccines can provide broader and more effective protection to influenza and we intend to test this concept as we continue the clinical development of OVX836." In the study, 300 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 enrolled in the randomized, monocenter, reference-controlled, parallel-group, double-blind Phase 2a clinical trial to receive a single administration of OVX836 at 90g, OVX836 at 180g or the quadrivalent seasonal influenza subunit vaccine Influvac Tetra. Results from the study indicate that vaccination with OVX836 at both dose levels was safe and well-tolerated, with signals and symptoms both locally and systemically similar to Influvac Tetra. Beyond the favorable safety profile, OVX836 was able to significantly increase NP-specific interferon-gamma (IFNg) spot forming cells (SFCs), NP-specific CD4+ T cells and anti-NP IgG responses, which indicates a protective effect and confirms the critical role that T cell mediated immune responses can play in preventing influenza viruses. The open access article is available via this link. Topline data from the Phase 2a study were announced previously in December of 2021 and also have been presented yesterday, April 20, at the 2022 World Vaccine Congress being held from April 18-21 in Washington DC. Osivax is currently conducting a Phase 2a dose optimization study (NCT05060887) to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of single administrations of OVX836 at 300g and 480g in comparison to OVX836 at 180g and against a placebo. The study in 138 healthy subjects between the ages of 18 and 55 is underway at the Center for Vaccinology at Ghent University (CEVAC). The trial is supported by Bpifrance and the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program. About OVX836 Osivax' influenza vaccine, OVX836 targets the nucleoprotein (NP), a highly conserved internal antigen. Unlike surface antigens, NP is much less likely to mutate, providing a broader and more universal immune response. Osivax' oligoDOM technology enables the design and production of recombinant version of the NP which self-assembles into a nanoparticle, thus triggering powerful T and B cell immune responses. OVX836 has shown promising safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy in preclinical and clinical trials (Phase 1 and Phase 2a). About Osivax Osivax is a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its novel, self-assembling nanoparticle platform technology, oligoDOM, to transform current and new vaccines by generating superior T cell responses in addition to strong and sustained B cell responses against highly mutating viruses. The company is establishing proof of concept with its highly validated lead influenza candidate, OVX836, which is currently in Phase 2 testing with over 500 subjects tested. Osivax' additional pipeline candidates include vaccine against coronaviruses and HPV. The company will expand into other infectious disease indications through combinations and collaborations worldwide. For further information: www.osivax.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005545/en/ Contacts: Alexandre LE VERT, CEO contact@osivax.com +33 (0)9 70 30 13 80 For Media Inquiries Trophic Communications Gretchen Schweitzer or Desmond James Osivax@trophic.eu +49 (0) 172 861 8540 +49 (0) 1516 7859086 NEW YORK, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on Electric Blankets Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-Impact and Global Analysis - By Size, Type, Distribution Channel, and Geography," the electric blankets market size is projected to reach US$ 1,294.62 million by 2028 from US$ 812.94 million in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028. The electric blankets market growth is attributed to an increasing consumer preference for comfort and premium bedding and increasing adoption in countries with extreme winters. Get Exclusive Sample Pages of Electric BlanketsMarketSize - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis with Strategic Insights at -https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00028383/ Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 812.94 million in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 1,294.62 million by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028. Forecast Period 2021- 2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 145 No. Tables 83 No. of Charts & Figures 80 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Size, Type, and Distribution Channel Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends Electric Blankets Market: Competitive Landscape A few key players operating in the electric blankets market include Beurer GmbH; Morphy Richards; Biddeford Blankets LLC; Slumberdown Company; Silentnight Group Limited; Glen Dimplex; Sunbeam Products, Inc.; Bedshe International Co., LTD; Shavel Associates Inc.; and Odessey. In 2020, North America accounted for the largest portion of the global electric blankets market share. The US is one of the key economies in North America, contributing significantly to the growth of the electric blankets market. Electric blankets are less expensive than heaters and are ideal for usage in a country with severe winters like the US. Further, one of the benefits of having a heated blanket is that they are energy-efficient and provide warmth without turning up the thermostat, especially during the winter. Furthermore, rising disposable income and an increasing surge in homeownership are fuelling the demand for electric blankets. Electric blankets are a great way to achieve cozy warmth and help save electricity bills generated from room heaters. In addition, to provide comfort, electric blankets ease muscle and joint pain and help the user fall asleep while in pain. Further, Sunbeam Products, Inc. offers a Wi-Fi-connected heated blanket in various sizes, such as twin, full, queen, and king, and can be controlled using the sunbeam app, voice assistants, or a wired digital controller. Inquiry Before Buying:https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPRE00028383/ Increasing Consumer Preference for Comfortable and Premium Bedding The global electric blankets market is primarily driven by improving living standards and inflating income. As a result, consumers have become inclined toward comfortable and premium bedding items, such as electric blankets. The increasing demand for electric blankets to help individuals suffering from pain-related ailments during low temperatures is aiding the market growth. An electric blanket contains an integrated circuit that provides a heating effect. Also, it provides a comfortable sleeping experience and is a good mood enhancer, thus providing great comfort to the consumer. Thus, the factors mentioned above are driving the electric blanket market growth. Furthermore, the growth of the residential and commercial sectors, including travel and hospitality, military and defense, and charity, are positively affecting market development. Further, the rising internet penetration and the increasing number of smartphone users positively impact the e-commerce sector, thereby propelling the online sales of electric blankets. Electric Blankets Market: Segmental Overview Based on size, the electric blankets market is segmented into single, double, and others. The single segment held the largest share of the market in 2020. Single electric blankets are available in 30 x 60 inches or 76 x 152 cms. Most of the products are 100% shock and waterproof and have an auto-cut function for overheat protection. It is available with low-wattage technology, which helps stay safe and warm. The single electric blankets consume approximately 70 Watts of energy. It offers heat and warmth to sore muscles and aches and helps reduce and alleviate discomfort. These blankets include overheat protection to prevent the blanket from overheating and are also waterproof, stain-resistant, battery-powered, lightweight, and mobile chargeable. Moreover, increasing awareness about the variety of electric blankets offered by the manufacturers through brick and mortar stores and online platforms is boosting the demand for electric blankets in the country. Based on type, the electric blankets market is segmented into electric under blankets and electric over blankets. The electric under blankets segment held a larger share of the market in 2020. An electric under blanket is positioned above the bed and under the lowest mattress sheet. They are available with various features such as a handy temperature controller, heat settings, auto shut off, and heavy-duty insulated cord. It is also featured with three warmness settings regulated to set the temperature. With the rapid urbanization, the growing consumer preference for luxurious, comfortable, and high-quality bedding is one of the key factors driving the growth of the electric blankets market. Speak to Research Analyst: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/speak-to-analyst/TIPRE00028383/ Based on distribution channel, the electric blankets market is segmented into supermarkets and hypermarkets, specialty stores, online retail, and others. The specialty stores segment held the largest share of the market in 2020. Specialty stores focus on the specific product category, have deep product assortments, offer value-added products to their customers, and focus on customer delight. Manufacturers are opening exclusive retail stores and specialty stores for the electric blankets market in developed and developing countries to reach a large customer base and offer specialized services. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Electric Blankets Market Growth The consumer goods industry during the COVID-19 pandemic faced unprecedented challenges due to the shortage in raw material supply, the shutdown of factories, labor shortage, and other operational difficulties under COVID-19 safety protocols. Initially, the shutdown of manufacturing units, difficulty in the procurement of raw materials, and restrictions on logistics created a negative impact on the electric blanket market. The electric blankets are mostly manufactured from polyester microfiber or fleece materials. Thus, the shutdown of manufacturing units negatively impacted the research and development of the electric blankets market. However, businesses are gaining ground as the governments of various countries eased out the previously imposed restrictions.Hence, the market is expected to recover in the coming years. Buy Premium Copy of Electric Blankets Market Size, Share, Revenue, Strategic Insights and Forecasts 2021-2028 Research Report at - https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00028383/ In 2020, North America accounted for the largest share of the global electric blankets market. Increasing investments on research and development to launch new products with multiple safety features such as overheating protection and wireless control have fueled the product demand in this region. Based on type, the electric under blankets segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. Under blankets, also known as heated mattress pads or electric fitted sheets, are heating pads that go over the mattress and underneath the bottom bed sheet to deliver heat from below. The increasing spending on comfortable and warm products is expected to boost the electric under blankets market. The key factor driving market expansion is the growing customer desire for luxury, comfortable, and premium bedding products fueled by increasing urbanization. In addition, the ever-increasing geriatric population, which is more vulnerable to harsh winter weather, is boosting market expansion. Other growth-inducing elements include product improvements such as introducing innovative water and stain-resistant, battery-powered blankets. Browse More Latest Related Reports - Beach Blanket Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Material (Nylon, Polyester, Microfiber, Others); Distribution Channel (Specialty stores, Online retail, Others) and Geography Blanket Warming Cabinets Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type ( Single Cavity, multiple cavity ); Application ( Medical Facilities, Veterinary Offices, Others ); End-User ( Hospital, Clinic, Others ) Luxury Bedding Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Bedsheets, Pillow Covers, Blankets and Quilts, Others); Material (Cotton, Wool, Satin, Linen, Others); Distribution Channel (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Online Retail, Others) and Geography Fireproof Ceramics Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product (Bulk, Blanket, Board, Paper, Module, Others); Application (Iron and Steel, Petrochemicals, Ceramics and Glass, Aluminum, Power Generation, Others) and Geography Electric Underfloor Heating Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Cables, Mats); Application (Residential, Commercial) and Geography About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Sameer Joshi E-mail: sales@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/electric-blankets-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1586348/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - LEUCROTTA EXPLORATION INC. (TSXV: LXE) ("Leucrotta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2021. All dollar figures are Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. HIGHLIGHTS Achieved production of 5,000 boe/d in late Q4/21 and exited December 31, 2021 with approximately 4,500 boe/d of production. Estimated production for Q1/22 average is approximately 4,300 boe/d. December 31, 2021 adjusted working capital (1) balance of $30.3 million. Increased adjusted funds flow (1) by 678% to $6.3 million in Q4 2021 from $0.8 million in Q4 2020. Entered into an arrangement agreement whereby Vermilion Energy Inc would acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Leucrotta ("Leucrotta Shares") in exchange for $1.73 cash per Leucrotta Share, 1.0 common share of a new Montney-focused exploration and production company ("ExploreCo"), and 0.1917 of an ExploreCo common share purchase warrant. Entered into gas processing and battery funding agreements with NorthRiver Midstream Inc. ("NRM") to provide 50 mmcf/d of firm processing capacity at NRM's West Doe gas processing facility and provide up to $55 million of capital funding that Leucrotta will use to construct a battery facility at Mica. FINANCIAL RESULTS Three Months Ended December 31 Year Ended December 31 ($000s, except per share amounts) 2021 2020 % Change 2021 2020 % Change Oil and natural gas sales 16,365 6,515 151 40,219 23,586 71 Cash flow from operating activities 4,367 212 1,960 9,509 1,187 701 Per share - basic and diluted (1) 0.02 - 100 0.04 0.01 300 Adjusted funds flow (1) 6,275 807 678 12,870 1,355 850 Per share - basic and diluted 0.03 - 100 0.05 0.01 400 Net earnings (loss) 28,892 (16,697 ) (273 ) 95,012 (110,855 ) (186 ) Per share - basic and diluted 0.12 (0.08 ) (250 ) 0.40 (0.55 ) (173 ) Capital expenditures and acquisitions (1) 21,452 395 5,331 39,667 13,716 189 Proceeds on sale of properties and equipment - - - 30,000 8,206 266 Adjusted working capital (deficiency) (1) 30,315 (5,807 ) (622 ) Common shares outstanding (000s) Weighted average - basic 247,704 200,525 24 235,729 200,525 18 Weighted average - diluted 248,803 200,525 24 235,884 200,525 18 End of period - basic 247,822 200,525 24 End of period - fully diluted 285,893 214,132 34 (1) See "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" section. Three Months Ended Year Ended OPERATING RESULTS (1) December 31 December 31 2021 2020 % Change 2021 2020 % Change Daily production (2) Oil and condensate (bbls/d) 1,087 551 97 567 624 (9 ) Other NGLs (bbls/d) 24 94 (74 ) 31 232 (87 ) Oil and NGLs (bbls/d) 1,111 645 72 598 856 (30 ) Natural gas (mcf/d) 13,074 13,508 (3 ) 11,403 13,903 (18 ) Oil equivalent (boe/d) 3,290 2,897 14 2,498 3,173 (21 ) Oil and natural gas sales Oil and condensate ($/bbl) 84.77 46.33 83 78.54 38.92 102 Other NGLs ($/bbl) 41.49 23.97 73 32.78 20.53 60 Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 83.83 43.06 95 76.13 33.94 124 Natural gas ($/mcf) 6.48 3.18 104 5.67 2.55 122 Oil equivalent ($/boe) 54.06 24.44 121 44.11 20.31 117 Royalties Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 17.25 3.09 458 12.88 1.79 620 Natural gas ($/mcf) 0.73 0.10 630 0.50 0.06 733 Oil equivalent ($/boe) 8.72 1.14 665 5.36 0.75 615 Net operating expenses (3) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 13.51 10.46 29 11.25 9.98 13 Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.10 1.06 4 0.94 1.01 (7 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe) 8.93 7.29 22 6.97 7.10 (2 ) Transportation and marketing expenses Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 0.19 0.37 (49 ) 0.51 0.75 (32 ) Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.05 1.37 (23 ) 1.30 1.51 (14 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe) 4.25 6.45 (34 ) 6.04 6.83 (12 ) Operating netback (3) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 52.88 29.14 81 51.49 21.42 140 Natural gas ($/mcf) 3.60 0.65 454 2.93 (0.03 ) (9,867 ) Oil equivalent ($/boe) 32.16 9.56 236 25.74 5.63 357 Depletion and depreciation ($/boe) (8.22 ) (7.41 ) 11 (8.03 ) (8.50 ) (6 ) Asset (impairment) reversal ($/boe) 78.38 (50.66 ) (255 ) 98.86 (87.31 ) (213 ) General and administrative expenses ($/boe) (5.88 ) (4.36 ) 35 (6.60 ) (3.90 ) 69 Share based compensation ($/boe) (1.01 ) (1.33 ) (24 ) (2.07 ) (0.54 ) 283 Gain on sale of assets ($/boe) - - - - 1.30 (100 ) Loss on onerous contract ($/boe) - (7.88 ) (100 ) - (1.81 ) (100 ) Finance expense ($/boe) (0.29 ) (1.14 ) (75 ) (0.48 ) (0.46 ) 4 Finance income ($/boe) 0.12 - 100 0.23 - 100 Other income ($/boe) 0.35 - 100 0.12 - 100 Realized loss on risk management contracts ($/boe) (5.38 ) - 100 (3.35 ) - 100 Unrealized gain (loss) on risk management contracts ($/boe) 5.20 0.55 845 (0.26 ) 0.13 (300 ) Deferred income tax recovery ($/boe) - - - 0.04 - 100 Net earnings (loss) ($/boe) 95.43 (62.67 ) (252 ) 104.20 (95.46 ) (209 ) (1) See "Oil and Gas Terms" section. (2) See "Product Types" section. (3) See "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" section. Selected financial and operational information outlined in this news release should be read in conjunction with Leucrotta's audited financial statements and related Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for year ended December 31, 2021, which are available for review under the Company's profile on The System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR") at www.sedar.com. UPDATE Gas Processing and Battery Funding Agreements On March 17, 2022, the Company has entered into a 10-year gas processing agreement with NorthRiver Midstream Inc. ("NRM") to provide 50 mmcf/d of firm processing capacity at NRM's West Doe gas processing facility. The agreement commences after the construction of the Mica Battery (see below) and is subject to a ramp-up period. Leucrotta will also hold certain rights to additional firm processing capacity that, along with Leucrotta's owned 25 mmcf/d processing facility at Doe, will allow Leucrotta to reach 25,000 boe/d in the Mica area. There is no commitment for the Company until it makes a final investment decision. Concurrent with this agreement, NRM has agreed to provide up to $55 million of capital funding that Leucrotta will use to construct a battery facility at Mica (the "Mica Battery"). The Mica Battery will consist of facilities for in-field processing of oil, gas and water and will deliver gas to NRM's West Doe gas processing facility. The Mica Battery will have an initial capacity of 60 mmcf/d expandable to 90 mmcf/d with added compression. Proposed Corporate Transaction On March 28, 2022, the Company announced that it had entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement") whereby Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion") would acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Leucrotta ("Leucrotta Shares") in exchange for $1.73 cash per Leucrotta Share, 1.0 common share of a new Montney-focused exploration and production company ("ExploreCo"), and 0.1917 of an ExploreCo common share purchase warrant (one whole warrant being an "ExploreCo Arrangement Warrant"). Each ExploreCo Arrangement Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one ExploreCo common share at an exercise price of $0.27 per share at any time on or before 30 days following the closing of the Arrangement. The Arrangement is expected to close late May 2022. Under the terms of the Arrangement, ExploreCo will receive approximately $43.5 million cash, net of transaction costs, and certain oil and gas properties in the Two Rivers, BC area. In addition, ExploreCo plans to raise net proceeds of up to $36.9 million through the exercise of the ExploreCo Arrangement Warrants and two private placement financings. The proceeds of the financings will be used to fund future capital projects. OIL AND GAS TERMS The Company uses the following frequently recurring oil and gas industry terms in the news release: Liquids bbls: Barrels Bbl/d: Barrels per day NGLs: Natural gas liquids (includes condensate, pentane, butane, propane, and ethane) Condensate: Pentane and heavier hydrocarbons Natural Gas Mcf: Thousands of cubic feet Mcf/d: Thousands of cubic feet per day MMbtu: Million of British thermal units MMbtu/d: Million of British thermal units per day Oil Equivalent Boe: Barrels of oil equivalent Boe/d: Barrels of oil equivalent per day Disclosure provided herein in respect of a boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent has been used for the calculation of boe amounts in the news release. This boe conversion rate is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. NON-GAAP AND OTHER FINANCIAL MEASURES This news release refers to certain measures that are not determined in accordance with IFRS (or "GAAP"). These non-GAAP and other financial measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. The non-GAAP and other financial measures should not be considered alternatives to, or more meaningful than, financial measures that are determined in accordance with IFRS as indicators of the Company's performance. Management believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP and other financial measures provides useful information to shareholders and investors in understanding and evaluating the Company's ongoing operating performance, and the measures provide increased transparency to better analyze the Company's performance against prior periods on a comparable basis. Adjusted funds flow Management uses adjusted funds flow to analyze performance and considers it a key measure as it demonstrates the Company's ability to generate the cash necessary to fund future capital investments and abandonment obligations and to repay debt, if any. Adjusted funds flow is a non-GAAP financial measure and has been defined by the Company as cash flow from operating activities excluding the change in non-cash working capital related to operating activities, expenditures on decommissioning obligations, and transaction costs on property disposition. Management believes the timing of collection, payment or incurrence of these items involves a high degree of discretion and as such may not be useful for evaluating the Company's cash flows. Adjusted funds flow is reconciled from cash flow from operating activities as follows: Three Months Ended December 31 Year Ended December 31 ($000s) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Cash flow from operating activities 4,367 212 9,509 1,187 Add (deduct): Decommissioning expenditures 156 39 207 144 Transaction costs on property disposition - - 750 - Change in non-cash working capital 1,752 556 2,404 24 Adjusted funds flow (non-GAAP) 6,275 807 12,870 1,355 Net operating expenses Net operating expenses is a non-GAAP financial measure, determined by deducting processing revenues primarily generated by processing third party volumes at processing facilities where the Company has an ownership interest. It is common in the industry to earn third party processing revenue on facilities where the entity has a working interest in the infrastructure asset. Where the Company has excess capacity at one of its facilities, it will look to process third party volumes as a means to reduce the cost of operating/owning the facility. As such, third party processing revenue is netted against operating expenses in the news release. Net operating expenses is calculated as follows: Three Months Ended December 31 Year Ended December 31 2021 2020 2021 2020 Oil and NGLs 1,381 621 2,454 3,125 Natural gas 1,454 1,486 4,718 5,601 Operating expenses 2,835 2,107 7,172 8,726 Less: processing revenue (132 ) (165 ) (815 ) (477 ) Net operating expenses (non-GAAP) 2,703 1,942 6,357 8,249 Operating netback Management considers operating netback an important measure as it demonstrates its profitability relative to current commodity prices. Operating netback is calculated as oil and natural gas sales less royalties, net operating expenses, and transportation and marketing expenses and is calculated as follows: Three Months Ended December 31 Year Ended December 31 2021 2020 2021 2020 Oil and natural gas sales 16,365 6,515 40,219 23,586 Royalties (2,639 ) (304 ) (4,884 ) (868 ) Net operating expenses (2,703 ) (1,942 ) (6,357 ) (8,249 ) Transportation and marketing expenses (1,285 ) (1,720 ) (5,508 ) (7,935 ) Operating netback (non-GAAP) 9,738 2,549 23,470 6,534 Capital expenditures and acquisitions Leucrotta utilizes capital expenditures and acquisitions as a measure of capital investment on property, plant, and equipment, exploration and evaluation assets and property acquisitions compared to its annual budgeted capital expenditures. Capital expenditures and acquisitions are calculated as follows: Three Months Ended December 31 Year Ended December 31 2021 2020 2021 2020 Capital expenditures - property, plant, and equipment 16,124 193 28,793 6,953 Capital expenditures - exploration and evaluation assets 4,720 202 10,266 6,763 Property acquisitions 608 - 608 - Capital expenditures and acquisitions 21,452 395 39,667 13,716 Capital Management Measures Adjusted working capital (deficiency) Management uses adjusted working capital (deficiency) as a measure to assess the Company's financial position. Adjusted working capital (deficiency) includes current assets less current liabilities excluding the effects of any current portion of risk management contracts. Adjusted working capital (deficiency) is reconciled to working capital (deficiency) in note 18 "Capital management" of the Company's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. Non-GAAP Financial Ratios Adjusted Funds Flow per Share Adjusted funds flow per share is a non-GAAP financial ratio, calculated using adjusted funds flow and the same weighted average basic and diluted shares used in calculating net earnings (loss) per share. Net operating expenses per boe The Company utilizes net operating expenses per boe to assess its operating efficiency of its petroleum and natural gas assets on a per unit of production basis. Net operating expense per boe is calculated as net operating expenses divided by total production for the applicable period. Operating netback per boe The Company utilizes operating netback per boe to assess the operating performance of its petroleum and natural gas assets on a per unit of production basis. Operating netback per boe is calculated as operating netback divided by total production for the applicable period. Supplementary Financial Measures The supplementary financial measures used in this news release (primarily average sales price per product type, and certain per boe and per share figures) are either a per unit disclosure of a corresponding GAAP measure, or a component of a corresponding GAAP measure, presented in the financial statements. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a per unit basis are calculated by dividing the aggregate GAAP measure (or component thereof) by the applicable unit for the period. Supplementary financial measures that are disclosed on a component basis of a corresponding GAAP measure are a granular representation of a financial statement line item and are determined in accordance with GAAP. PRODUCT TYPES The Company uses the following references to sales volumes in the news release: Natural gas refers to shale gas Oil and condensate refers to condensate, light and medium crude oil, and tight oil combined Other NGLs refers to butane, propane and ethane combined Oil and NGLs refers to light and medium crude oil, tight oil, and NGLs combined Oil equivalent refers to the total oil equivalent of shale gas, light and medium crude oil, tight oil, and NGLs combined, using the conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of shale gas to one barrel of oil equivalent as described above. The following is a complete breakdown of sales volumes for applicable periods by specific product types of shale gas, light and medium crude oil, tight oil, and NGLs: Sales Volumes by Product Type Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021 Year 2021 Condensate (bbls/d) 124 79 68 98 93 Other NGLs (bbls/d) 41 34 26 24 31 NGLs (bbls/d) 165 113 94 122 124 Light and medium crude oil (bbls/d) - - - - - Tight oil (bbls/d) 354 318 231 989 474 Condensate (bbls/d) 124 79 68 98 93 Oil and condensate (bbls/d) 478 397 299 1,087 567 Other NGLs (bbls/d) 41 34 26 24 31 Oil and NGLs (bbls/d) 519 431 325 1,111 598 Shale gas (mcf/d) 13,053 10,559 8,953 13,074 11,403 Natural gas (mcf/d) 13,053 10,559 8,953 13,074 11,403 Oil equivalent (boe/d) 2,695 2,191 1,817 3,290 2,498 Sales Volumes by Product Type Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Year 2020 Condensate (bbls/d) 144 166 145 125 145 Other NGLs (bbls/d) 271 317 248 94 232 NGLs (bbls/d) 415 483 393 219 377 Light and medium crude oil (bbls/d) 41 - - - 10 Tight oil (bbls/d) 406 645 397 426 469 Condensate (bbls/d) 144 166 145 125 145 Oil and condensate (bbls/d) 591 811 542 551 624 Other NGLs (bbls/d) 271 317 248 94 232 Oil and NGLs (bbls/d) 862 1,128 790 645 856 Shale gas (mcf/d) 12,354 16,019 13,739 13,508 13,903 Natural gas (mcf/d) 12,354 16,019 13,739 13,508 13,903 Oil equivalent (boe/d) 2,921 3,797 3,080 2,897 3,173 FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This document contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's risk management program, oil and condensate, other NGLs, and natural gas production, operating expenses, capital programs, and adjusted working capital. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs, and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty, and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation 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 law. Leucrotta is an oil and natural gas company, actively engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Further Information For additional information, please contact: Leucrotta Exploration Inc. Suite 2110, 530 - 8th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 3S8 Phone: (403) 705-4525 www.leucrotta.ca Mr. Robert J. Zakresky President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Nolan Chicoine Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer 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/121078 Continued strong results from infill drill program at the Serra Alta deposit and ongoing satellite exploration program New exploration target; Gogo da Onca, drilling underway Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Cerrado Gold Inc. (TSXV: CERT) ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional assay results from its current infill and exploration program at its Monte do Carmo Project located in Tocantins State, Brazil ("MDC"). The company is also pleased to announce that it has commenced initial exploration work on a new target named Gogo da Onca ("Gogo") which has many similarities to the Serra Alta deposit and is located just 450 metres ("m") north of the Serra Alta deposit. Reported assay results include drill holes completed between December 2021 and February 2022 (received by April 11th, 2022). These holes had three distinct objectives: infill drilling in support of resource conversion within the Serra Alta deposit; exploring extensional areas in Serra Alta; and targeting adjacent satellite deposits aiming to better define the district potential. Drill Hole Highlights (All composites are reported as true thickness): Sierra Alta (Infill) FSA-170 5.19m at 6.68 g/t Au, from 52.80m Including 1.05m at 19.22 g/t Au from 52.80m FSA-181 21.20 m at 2.99 g/t Au, from 47.64m Including 14.17m at 4.34 g/t Au from 54.67m FSA-182 13.34m at 1.76 g/t Au, from 466.96m Including 4.27 m at 3.63 g/t Au from 466.96m FSA-183 77.45m at 2.15 g/t Au, from 121.00m including 2.03m at 22.06 g/t Au from 143.09m FSA-185 29.62m at 1.99 g/t Au, from 62.40m FSA-186 43.09m at 3.49 g/t Au, from 37.91m including 6.34m at 17.23 g/t Au from 37.91m FSA-187 18.72m at 2.08 g/t Au, from 140.40m including 1.80m at 5.28 g/t Au from 149.00m Baru (Satellite) FBU-008 18.59m at 0.95 g/t Au, from 83.20m including 2.05m at 2.98 g/t Au from 98.38m Mark Brennan, CEO and Co-Chairman commented, "We are pleased with the ongoing drill results supporting the continuity and resource confidence at Serra Alta. While still in the early stages, initial Satellite target results continue to outline the greater district scale potential. Especially exciting is our new Gogo target where we see potential to increase the scale of the Monte Do Carmo resource base." As of April 11th 2022, the Company has received results from 11 new holes totaling 3,042m (980m completed in 2021) of a planned 23,000m infill campaign in Serra Alta and 16 new holes totaling 7,142 m from the exploration drill program completed between December 2021 and March 2022. The Company currently has 7 drills on site actively drilling, mostly focused on the infill, geotechnical and condemnation drilling to support a resource update and a feasibility study. Remaining drilling activities are focused on Satellite resources such as Baru, Capitao, Fartura and now Gogo (see tables 1 and 2, figure 1). The Company has completed 9,229m of drilling in 32 holes of the total 23,000m Infill and geotechnical campaign in Serra Alta planned for the new resource update. This is combined with a total of 5 holes and 1,360m drilled of the total 16,700m Satellite exploration program. Currently, six additional holes are in progress for infill and geotechnical purposes at Serra Alta and a seventh is actively drilling in the first hole at Gogo. Serra Alta Infill Drilling The 11 infill holes reported today intercepted the high-grade gold domain in the Serra Alta block model used by Micon to constrain the grade estimation in the current resource. These new intercepts confirm the general continuity of the domain both along strike and laterally. Drill holes FSA-166, FSA-176 and FSA-170 were collared at the northern edge of Pit Sul and successfully confirmed the strike length of the zone and high-grade domain. Notable interceptions include hole FSA-170 with 5.19m at 6.68 g/t Au, from 52.80m, including 1.05m at 19.22 g/t Au from 52.80m. Drill holes FSA-180, FSA-185 and FSA-186 were collared at the southern half of Pit Norte at shallow angles confirming the general attitude the Granite / Quartzite contact zone that effectively acts as a hard domain boundary. Notable results include FSA-186 with 43.09m at 3.49 g/t Au, from 37.91m, including 6.34m at 17.23 g/t Au from 37.91m. Drill hole FSA-178, FSA-181, FSA-182, FSA-183 and FSA-187 were collared in the East Zone and drilled through approximately 250m of strike length and more than 300m of lateral extent. The best results include FSA-181 with 21.20 3m at 2.99 g/t Au, from 47.64 m, including 14.17m at 4.34 g/t Au from 54.67m and FSA-183 with 77.45m at 2.15/t Au, from 121.00m, including 2.03m at 22.06 g/t Au from 143.09m. Four holes, FSA-163, FSA-174, FSA-175 and FSA-179 (Table 1, Figure 1) were drilled to evaluate possible lateral high-grade domains to the west of the Serra Alta deposit. These holes intersected mineralization, but it appears that the mineralization is restricted to discrete structures with a less consistent grade distribution. Satellite Exploration Gogo Target Area During February 2022, the Brazilian National Mining Agency ("ANM") granted full exploration rights to Cerrado for the Gogo de Onca claims, located immediately north of the current deposit outline. The Company immediately mobilized its field crew for groundwork including mapping, sampling, and trenching. Preliminary characterization of the Gogo target is very encouraging as all the main mineralization controls seen at the Serra Alta deposit are present including: mid grain texture granite; granite/Felsic Volcanic contact (presumed Cupola, as developed in the East Zone); outcropping quartz veins with sulphide stains; potassic alteration; and presence of artisanal historic working (Garimpos). The compelling results obtained in the groundwork prompted the company to mobilize an exploration rig to this zone and drilling started in late March. The Company plans an initial 4 hole campaign to define the scope and scale of any potential mineralization. The first hole (FGO-001) is in progress and was collared along the main Serra Alta strike direction, at approximately 450m north of the Existing Serra Alta Deposit (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 below). Figure 1. Reported and Ongoing Drill Hole Locations To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_002full.jpg Figure 2. Gogo de Onca plan view To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_003full.jpg Baru The Baru Target is located one kilometre ("km") to the west of the south pit at Serra Alta. To date, 12 holes have been completed totaling 3,278m. Hole FBU-008 was drilled in section with hole FBU-004 (discovery hole reported on December 15th, 2021) and confirmed mineralization in the immediate footwall of the Agua Suja fault. A relevant intercept of this hole includes 18.59m at 0.95 g/t Au from 83.20m. Integrated results warrant further investigation along strike, especially towards the south where the granitic host is exposed. Capitao Drilling The Capitao Target is located 6 km to the south of the Serra Alta deposit along the same granite complex. Including the 4 holes reported today, the Company has completed 14 drill holes and 5,115m of drilling at Capitao. Integrated results have notably expanded the footprint of the target previously constrained by historic drilling (Kinross 2007). After successful extensional step outs, a strike length of 500m with notable wide lateral extents up to 700m has been confirmed. Fartura Drilling The Fartura Target is located 2km to the northwest of Serra Alta, also sitting along the granite complex contact zone. Drill Holes FFA-007 and FFA-008 were drilled to test down dip extension of the projected mineralization previously intercepted at shallow levels. Both were successful in providing continuity: FFA-08 intercepted 5.07m at 0.79 g/t gold that can be correlated with the high-grade intercept from hole FFA-001 that included 5.35m at 1.85 g/t Au (see press release from December 15th, 2021). Current geological modelling confirms that the host rock of the shallow mineralization (mined informally on surface) in Fartura is a porphyritic felsic volcanic. The current known outline of mineralization at Fartura extends for over 200m in strike length and is open both to the north (under sedimentary volcanic) and to the south. Figure 3. Satellite targets location map To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_004full.jpg Table 1. Drill Hole locations Target Objective Hole Id Easting Northing Elevation Depth Dip Azimuth Serra Alta Infill FSA-166 820374 8809654 495 331.0 -25 115 FSA-170 820374 8809654 494 300.9 -23 85 FSA-173 820278 8809460 498 136.3 -49 113 FSA-176 820274 8809676 448 210.6 -36 111 FSA-180 820352 8809913 463 217.3 -44 108 FSA-181 820601 8810300 579 362.2 -27 110 FSA-182 820511 8810551 573 625.2 -20 110 FSA-183 820538 8810271 525 311.5 -22 105 FSA-185 820479 8809991 477 134.7 -40 103 FSA-186 820420 8809950 474 221.4 -35 111 FSA-187 820601 8810300 579 191.8 -20 121 Extension FSA-163 820110 8809648 407 219.0 -32 115 FSA-174 820139 8809960 416 100.2 -32 114 FSA-175 820202 8809650 418 170.9 -34 117 FSA-179 820099 8810207 457 165.0 -20 100 Baru Exploration FBU-007 818995 8809212 352 203.7 -32 90 FBU-008 819099 8809319 341 192.9 -50 91 FBU-009 819862 8810534 392 952.2 -45 281 FBU-010 819862 8810534 392 952.2 -75 101 FBU-011 818464 8808916 320 120.2 -32 99 FBU-012 818704 8808871 327 297.2 -19 100 Capitao Exploration FCP-011 821782 8805655 558 102.3 -31 90 FCP-012 821775 8805657 558 147.2 -33 90 Fartura Exploration FFA-005 817880 8810891 558 182.5 -25 45 FFA-006 817617 8810528 511 447.2 -80 98 FFA-007 817685 8810934 585 659.7 -71 101 FFA-008 817912 8810849 548 155.2 -65 106 *Collar coordinates by GNSS TP-20 UTM Coordinates, Datum: SAD69 / zone 22S. *Azimuth Set by compass *Dip and drill hole trajectory by DEVIFLEX Devico Table 2. Drill Hole Composites - Infill Drilling To view an enhanced version of Table 2 (part 1), please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_005full.jpg Table 2. Drill Hole Composites - Infill Drilling To view an enhanced version of Table 2 (part 2), please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_006full.jpg Table 2. Drill Hole Composites - Infill Drilling To view an enhanced version of Table 2 (part 3), please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_007full.jpg Table 3 Drill Hole Composites - Serra Alta Extension and Satellites To view an enhanced version of Table 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/121107_89130d70f4ff2963_008full.jpg Quality Assurance and Quality Control Analytical work was carried out by ALS international lab (ALS) and SGS Geosol International Lab (SGS). MDC sends half core samples for sample preparation to the lab. ALS sample preparation facilities are located in Goiania, Brazil 835 km from MDC and alternatively in Belo Horizonte, Brazil 1,110 Km from the MDC project. SGS sample preparation facilities are located in Belo Horizonte. ALS lab sends the prepared aliquots for analytical assay to their lab in Lima, Peru where the prepared samples are systematically analyzed for gold (ppm) by fire assay (Au-AA24) or gold (ppm) by metallic screen (Au-SCR24). Randomly the ICP (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is done for trace elements in 4 acids (hydrofluoric, perchloric, nitric and hydrochloric) digestion (ME-MS-61). SGS prepares samples at Belo Horizonte and at the same facility performs gold assays by fire assay (FAA505) or metallic screen (FAASCR_150_Au-Grav), the coarse fraction of metallic screen is assayed at Belo Horizonte and alternatively in Lima, Peru. Both labs, ALS and SGS, have routine quality control procedures which ensure that every batch of samples includes three sample repeats and at least two commercial standards and two blanks. Cerrado uses standard QA/QC procedures, inserting reference standards and blanks, for the drilling program. The Reference material used are from CDN Resource Laboratories Ltd. and ITAK (Instituto de Tecnologia August Kekule Ltda.). Review of Technical Information The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Sergio Gelcich., Vice President, Exploration for Cerrado Gold Inc., who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. For further information please contact Mark Brennan CEO and Co Chairman Tel: +1-647-796-0023 mbrennan@cerradogold.com Nicholas Campbell, CFA Director, Corporate Development Tel.: +1-905-630-0148 ncampbell@cerradogold.com About Cerrado Gold Cerrado Gold is a private gold production and exploration company with gold production derived from its 100% owned Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. The company is also undertaking exploration at its 100% owned Monte Do Carmo project located in Tocantins, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado Gold please visit our website at www.cerradogold.com Disclaimer 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. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado Gold. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado Gold has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to the Company's ability to increase the scale of the Monte Do Carmo resource base and the exploration potential of Gogo. Although Cerrado Gold believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado Gold disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121107 Engages Thrive Health, a Leading Digital Patient Care Platform to Streamline Care Programs and Data Collection OAKVILLE, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / NeonMind Biosciences Inc. (CSE:NEON)(OTCQB:NMDBD)(FRA:6UF) ("NeonMind' or the "Company"), announced today it has advanced its strategy to streamline access to treatments at its specialty mental health clinics with Thrive Health in preparation of opening its inaugural clinic located in Mississauga, Ontario. The recent inclusion of intravenous ketamine for mood and anxiety disorders (IV-Ket) in the Canadian guidelines as a recommended treatment is a testament to the value of this treatment, and a growing number of institutions are providing coverage for IV-Ket treatment, setting the precedent for further coverage. Using Thrive Health's robust care management platform to collect patient profiles, manage care programs, and measure treatment outcomes allows us to improve payment coverage for our treatments and better serve our patients. "We are seeing greater institutional coverage for IV-Ket treatment which is a testament to the treatment's value to the health system," said Rob Tessarolo, President & CEO of NeonMind. "Institutional reimbursement validates the treatment in Canada, and we are primed for increased demand for this treatment". Rob Tessarolo also added, "NeonMind is focused on improving treatment outcomes and being able to collect and analyze treatment data throughout our network of clinics will provide a more robust value story for adoption of our treatments and establishing payment coverage for our patients. Working with leading digital healthcare platforms such as Thrive Health enables us to deploy our strategies with scale." NeonMind will be working with Thrive Health, a trusted digital care platform used by many hospitals and clinics and selected as the official partner by Health Canada in the development of the Canada COVID-19 app. NeonMind's inaugural specialty mental health clinic is located at 89 Queensway West, Suite 604, Mississauga, Ontario, L5B 2V2. For more information related to NeonMind's specialty clinics, please email medicalinformation@neonmind.com. About Thrive Health Inc. Thrive Health was founded in 2016 by a diverse group of patients, clinicians, researchers, parents, and students who came together to help patients going through complex health journeys, working to put people at the center of their care. Thrive's platform powers health, wellness and care solutions for organizations by empowering individuals with compelling digital experiences. Thrive operates across North America, headquartered in Vancouver BC, and is on a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone. For more information about Thrive Health, visit https://welcome.thrive.health/ About NeonMind Biosciences Inc. NeonMind operates two divisions: (i) a pharmaceutical division engaged in drug development of psychedelic compounds with two lead psilocybin-based drug candidates targeting obesity; and (ii) a medical services division focused on launching specialty mental health clinics that integrate psychedelic therapeutics into traditional psychotherapy settings. In its pharmaceutical division, NeonMind has two distinct psilocybin drug development programs targeting obesity. NeonMind's lead candidate, NEO-001, employs psilocybin as an agonist at the serotonin 5- HT2A receptor, which is involved in the hallucinogenic effect of psychedelics. The Company's second drug candidate, NEO-002, employs low-dose psilocybin as an agonist at the 5-HT2C receptor, which controls appetite. NeonMind and its strategic partners are building NeonMind-branded specialty mental health clinics in Canada that incorporate evidence-backed innovative treatments to address a variety of mental health needs. For more information on NeonMind, visit www.NeonMindBiosciences.com. CONTACT: Rob Tessarolo, President & Chief Executive Officer, NeonMind Biosciences Inc. rob@neonmind.com Tel: 416-750-3101 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or NeonMind's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on NeonMind's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, NeonMind's drug development plans, its ability to retain key personnel, and its expectation as to the development of its intellectual property and other steps in its preclinical and clinical drug development constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. NeonMind disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: NeonMind Biosciences Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698255/NeonMind-To-Improve-Patient-Care-and-Data-Management-by-Adopting-Digital-Platform-for-Ketamine-Treatments-in-Preparation-of-Opening-Its-Inaugural-Specialty-Mental-Health-Clinic CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro moved up against its major counterparts in the European session on Thursday, following comments from European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos supporting a rate hike as early as July. Guindos said that there is no reason for not winding down the asset purchase program in July. 'For the first rate hike we will have to see our projections, the different scenarios,' but 'from today's perspective, July is possible and September, or later, is also possible.' Guindos stressed that a liftoff will depend on the data as the Ukraine-Russia conflict clouds the economic outlook. Guindos' comments, which came on the heels of hawkish remarks from ECB policy makers, namely Joachim Nagel, Pierre Wunsch and Martins Kazaks, boosted expectations for a rate hike by July. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will take part in a panel discussion together with Fed Chair Jerome Powell at the IMF-World Bank meeting later today. The euro jumped to 140.00 against the yen, its highest level in nearly 7 years. The euro may locate resistance around the 143.00 level. The euro climbed to a 10-day high of 0.8367 against the pound and a 2-week high of 1.0936 against the greenback, off its early lows of 0.8296 and 1.0824, respectively. The euro is seen finding resistance around 0.86 against the pound and 1.12 against the greenback. The euro touched 1.0371 against the franc, setting more than a 3-week high. On the upside, 1.05 is likely seen as the next resistance level for the currency. The euro rebounded to 1.3632 against the loonie, after touching 1.3519 in the Asian session, which was its lowest level since June 2015. If the currency rises further, 1.38 is possibly seen as its next resistance level. The euro climbed to a 2-day high of 1.4677 against the aussie and more than a 3-week high of 1.6090 against the kiwi, up from its prior 1-week low of 1.4548 and a 6-day low of 1.5915, respectively. The euro is likely to challenge resistance around 1.49 against the aussie and 1.62 against the kiwi. Looking ahead, U.S. weekly jobless claims for the week ended April 16 will be published in the New York session. At 10:00 am ET, Eurozone flash consumer sentiment index for April will be out. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX EZB-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de 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. SAN FRANCISCO, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global nerve repair and regeneration market size is expected to reach USD 20.5 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.16% from 2022 to 2030. Demand for neurological disorder therapies owing to the increasing incidence and rising awareness regarding the same will drive the market. Moreover, government funding and reimbursement policies and uninterrupted technological advances are projected to boost market growth. Key Insights & Findings from the report: In 2021, the neuromodulation and neurostimulation devices product segment led the market due to the increased cases of Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders and awareness regarding mental disorders and available treatments. The biomaterials product segment is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to technological advancements and the development of biodegradable polymers that can help enhance spinal stabilization and healing of fractures and reduce hospitalization. North America led the market in 2021 owing to technological advancements and the advent of new devices. Government initiatives and funding and increased cases of injured CNS, such as injuries to the spinal cord and brain, were some of the major reasons responsible for the regional market growth. led the market in 2021 owing to technological advancements and the advent of new devices. Government initiatives and funding and increased cases of injured CNS, such as injuries to the spinal cord and brain, were some of the major reasons responsible for the regional market growth. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing regional market during the forecast period. The growing geriatric population, technological advancements, and many unmet medical needs are some of the factors driving the regional market. is expected to be the fastest-growing regional market during the forecast period. The growing geriatric population, technological advancements, and many unmet medical needs are some of the factors driving the regional market. The combination of therapies including a cocktail of peptides, nerve stimulation techniques, injecting the brain with stem cells, and other techniques that were successful in bringing patients out of coma were to be used. Existing medical devices were combined with regenerative biological medicines with the objective to achieve such a complex initiative. Read 110-page market research report, "Nerve Repair And Regeneration Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Biomaterials, Neurostimulation & Neuromodulation Devices), By Surgery, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market Growth & Trends In January 2016, the EU Horizon 2020 program funded a research project 'Autostem', launched by the NUI Galway's Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), costing about USD 6.73 million. This project was to develop a robotic stem cell production factory, having an edge over the old traditional techniques. This technique offers prospects for new therapies for a range of diseases, such as cancers, diabetes, and arthritis. Increased R&D and investments by key companies in emerging countries are also driving the market. In July 2018, Stem Cells Australia (SCA) received USD 3 million for stem cell research from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). In addition, government and private funded organizations are conducting clinical trials to develop a safe and effective therapy for different neurological disorders, such as Stem Cells in Umbilical Blood Infusion for Cerebral Palsy (Phase II) and the usage of Polyethylene glycol (PEG) drug (Phase I) to promote axonal fusion technique to repair peripheral nerve injuries in humans. Furthermore, in October 2017, Stryker Corporation acquired VEXIM, a France-based medical device company. VEXIM's portfolio is complementary to Stryker's Interventional Spine (IVS) portfolio. With this acquisition, Stryker will strengthen its distribution channels in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. In January 2018, Boston Scientific Corporation received U.S. FDA approval for the first and only Spectra WaveWriter spinal cord stimulator system. This system is used for paresthesia-based therapy. Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global nerve repair and regeneration market on the basis of product, surgery, and region: Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market - Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Biomaterials Neurostimulation and Neuromodulation Devices Spinal Cord Stimulation Devices Deep Brain Stimulation Devices Sacral Nerve Stimulation Devices Vagus Nerve Stimulation Devices Gastric Electric Stimulation Devices Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market - Surgery Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) Direct Nerve Repair/Neurorrhaphy Nerve Grafting Stem Cell Therapy Neurostimulation and Neuromodulation Surgeries Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Colombia Middle East & Africa & UAE Saudi Arabia South Africa List of Key Players of Nerve Repair and Regeneration Market AxoGen, Inc. Stryker Corporation St. Jude Medical, Inc. Baxter International, Inc. Polyganics B.V. Boston Scientific, Inc. Integra Lifesciences Corporation Cyberonics, Inc. Medtronic plc. Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Sacral Nerve Stimulation Market - The global sacral nerve stimulation market size is anticipated to reach USD 2.39 billion by 2026 registering a CAGR of 13.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing incidence of urge incontinence and fecal incontinence is anticipated to boost the market growth. The global sacral nerve stimulation market size is anticipated to reach by 2026 registering a CAGR of 13.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing incidence of urge incontinence and fecal incontinence is anticipated to boost the market growth. Neurostimulation Devices Market - The global neurostimulation devices market size is expected to reach USD 14.8 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 12.8% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. by 2030, registering a CAGR of 12.8% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Nerve Monitoring Devices Market - The global nerve monitoring devices market is expected to reach USD 1.9 billion by 2022 according to a new study by Grand View Research Inc. Rising prevalence of neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, is a vital driver propelling market growth. Browse through Grand View Research's Medical Devices Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Grand View Pipeline Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg By Lee Kyung-min The government will invest 22.4 billion won ($18.1 million) to foster 2,233 skilled professionals in the automotive industry, as part of efforts to underpin a future growth driver in need of a stable supply of highly trained professionals with knowledge and experience in the field. The long-term, age-tailored program will encompass undergraduate students, current employees and retired former workers. They will be trained to develop high-tech, eco-friendly vehicles and set up and manage transport infrastructure. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it held a forum attended by automotive industry officials, academic experts and state-run and private research institutes at the Westin Josun Seoul. The 22.4 billion won figure is more than double the 10.5 billion won invested last year to train 1,100 automotive experts. The ministry plans to continue increasing the investment over the next few years to raise the number of skilled workers to 30,000 by 2030. The program participants will be able to get hands-on, on-site experience at car manufacturing plants. The government will help businesses reorganize their growth models and set up business models integrating manufacturing and other user services. The ultimate goal, the ministry said, is to help firms develop human resources programs that can meet market demands. "The program seeks to train not only young students but also senior workers to help advance the industry's transition," a ministry official said. "We will continue to establish programs in cooperation with research institutes and universities to help businesses find workers ready to make productive results." The ministry's move is in line with a similar program set up by the presidential transition committee to nurture highly skilled employees in the semiconductor industry, which is expected to be short 30,000 workers by 2030. Instant Brands, Vorwerk, and others invest in Fresco to establish the company as the neutral platform for the digital future DUBLIN, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresco , the leading smart kitchen platform, today announced that it has closed $20 million in financing led by three international appliance brands; Instant Brands, Vorwerk, and a third that will be announced later as part of a new partnership. All of the company's existing venture investors also participated. The funding will be used to build a world-leading experience for the connected kitchen. Smart kitchen appliance users are projected to reach 248 million worldwide by 2027, according to Statista . The Fresco KitchenOS platform is designed to facilitate the transition to that future for both appliance makers and users. Fresco connects any compatible appliance-across brands-so that cooks can focus on preparing meals. The company has adopted the "connects with Fresco" brand to certify appliances that can be controlled from smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, and smart home assistants. Consumers can use the Fresco app to guide their cooking to prepare better and more creative meals. "We know that every kitchen has appliances from different brands. Now through this Fresco platform, our partners are forming alliances across the whole kitchen, enabling the promise of the smart kitchen," said Fresco co-founder and CEO Ben Harris. "To our appliance partners, Fresco provides end-to-end solutions to make any appliance smart: firmware; IoT modules; cloud services, and apps that pull it all together. Combined with the Fresco app, our step-by-step smart recipes inspire and guide home cooks to perfect results." Future partners will also be given the opportunity to invest in Fresco. The first cohort of appliance partners to invest includes leading appliance brands: Instant Brands, maker of the iconic Instant Pot; Vorwerk, the company behind fan-favorite, all-in-one multicooker Thermomix TM6; and a third major appliance manufacturer to be announced later in the year. These preeminent appliance manufacturers are investing in the Fresco KitchenOS because they believe the company is positioned to make the promise of the smart kitchen a reality. "Instant Brands and Fresco are working together to develop innovative breakthroughs in the kitchen, and beyond," said Ben Gadbois, CEO and President of Instant Brands. "This investment deepens our partnership further and supercharges these initiatives." Fresco will use the investment proceeds for working capital to expand its workforce and invest in improvement in its digital platform and related applications. About Fresco Fresco is the only technology that seamlessly brings appliances, home cooks, and recipes together. Partnering with the world's biggest appliance makers like BOSCH, Electrolux, GE Appliances, Instant Brands, Kenwood, LG Electronics, Panasonic, and Thermomix, Fresco knows that almost no kitchen has appliances from a single brand. The KitchenOS combined with the Fresco app, is the seamless way consumers interact with their kitchen through whatever interface or appliance they choose. Founded in 2012, Fresco currently operates globally and has offices in Dublin, Ireland, and Zaragoza, Spain. To learn more visit: https://frescocooks.com/ . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1781060/Fresco.jpg New Customer Represents Leading-Edge Scientific Research AMSTERDAM, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LUMICKS, a leading life science tools company that develops instruments for dynamic single-molecule and cell avidity analysis, today announced that it has completed a new installation of its revolutionary z-Movi Cell Avidity Analyzer in the lab of Prof. Dirk Busch, Professor of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene at the School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM). The installation demonstrates the expanding interest in measuring cell avidity as a key biomarker in understanding immune oncology. The z-Movi instrument measures the avidity between immune cells and their targets, enabling researchers to identify the most potent immunotherapeutic effector cells. This new technology provides predictive, reproducible, and fast results at a single-cell resolution. LUMICKS' cell avidity solutions use acoustics to measure forces and interactions between cells, with the goal ofshortening the drug development cycle for adoptive cell therapies and other immunotherapies and reducing failure rates in clinical trials. First introduced in 2020, the z-Movi has found wide appeal in academic and industrial laboratories around the world, with a rapid uptake in sales in 2021. Prof. Busch and, Dr. Elvira D'Ippolito, a senior post-doctoral researcher at the Busch Lab, noted that, "A broad applicability of immunotherapy with T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells requires the fast identification of highly functional TCRs for diverse antigens. By measuring cellular avidity, we expect to select candidate TCRs for clinical application with unprecedented speed and precision." Added Gerrit Sitters, General Manager of LUMICKS Cell Avidity Business, "This new installation demonstrates the increased recognition by leading researchers of the valuable insights to be gained by using our LUMICKS technology. We are very pleased to contribute to a better scientific understanding of how measuring cell avidity can uncover critical biomarkers that help advance immune oncology efforts worldwide. We look forward to the insights and discoveries about immune system interactions that these two labs will produce in the future." About LUMICKS LUMICKS is a leading life science tools company that develops equipment for Dynamic Single-Molecule and Cell Avidity analysis, two rapidly emerging areas in biology research and immuno-oncology. LUMICKS' tools allow researchers to build the crucial and as yet unfinished bridge between structure and function at both a molecular and a cellular level. This is achieved by applying and measuring forces around biological interactions, enabling the detailed real-time analysis of underlying biological mechanisms. LUMICKS' C-Trap Optical Tweezers - Fluorescence & Label-free Microscopy, allows scientists to analyze complex biological processes in real-time. Similarly, the z-Movi Cell Avidity Analyzer enables the measurement and selection of immune cells based on their real-time interactions with target cells. For more information contact: Kassandra Barbetsea, media contact +31 (0) 63 482 09 48 PR@lumicks.com TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / HIRE Technologies Inc. (TSXV:HIRE.V)(OTCQB:HIRRF) ("HIRE" or the "Company"), a company focused on modernizing and digitizing human resources solutions, discusses the staffing trends towards prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion ("DEI") driven by both employees and employers. Leaders and Co., Consulting in Governance and Leadership Inc. ("Leaders"), HIRE's dedicated Indigenous and diversity practice with experts in Indigenous executive search, has met the growing demand of companies and candidates across Canada. Organizations are embracing DEI principles to create workplaces likely to attract top-tier talent and improve business outcomes. "To gain the benefits of different ideas, perspectives, and experiences at all levels of their organization, companies are doing more not only by increasing demand for Indigenous talent, but for all areas of diversity, including gender, age, and other characteristics," said Laurie Sterritt, Managing Director at Leaders. Leaders has also seen a shift within candidate pools: job candidates and employees are seeking more inclusive environments, and ones aligned with their values, when evaluating career opportunities. "We are seeing candidates take more time when evaluating company values and work-life balance," continued Ms. Sterritt. "The additional complexity that DEI requirements add to the hiring process has organizations calling upon our team to provide more support along the way, giving us an opportunity to build deeper, trusting relationships with our clients." HIRE's 2022 Human Resources Industry Outlook identified that employers are increasingly understanding the importance of DEI. Prioritizing those values, especially at the senior management level, has been found to boost productivity, profitability, and employee retention. "While diversity, equity, and inclusion needs have historically drawn clients to Leaders, it is now more important than ever that companies can show clients, partners, investors, and their community that they are following through on their commitments. Leaders provides that assurance," said Simon Dealy, CEO of HIRE. Leaders' Indigenous search practice and Indigenous board practice have earned the Gold PAR (Progressive Aboriginal Relations) certification from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), granting the firm preferred supplier status with other CCAB members and across Indigenous communities. For more information, visit leadersinternational.com. To learn more about how your company can benefit from these initiatives, contact Ms. Sterritt today at laurie@leadersinternational.com. About HIRE Technologies Inc. HIRE is investing in and shaping the future of human resource management with a technology-first focus, by consolidating and modernizing the staffing marketplace. The Company is a disciplined capital allocator due to its technology DNA and extensive experience in building and growing staffing and executive search companies, providing a shared services platform to create value for partners and shareholders. HIRE has a large recurring revenue base and helps clients manage change in the workplace in order to achieve success. For more information, visit hire.company. Contacts: Simon Dealy Chief Executive Officer (647) 264-9196 sdealy@hire.company Caroline Sawamoto Investor Relations (647) 556-4498 investors@hire.company Neither the TSXV 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. SOURCE: HIRE Technologies Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698225/HIRE-Technologies-Discusses-the-Staffing-Trends-Towards-Prioritizing-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion This Spring, Stop & Shop, The GIANT Company, and Woodman's Market will all introduce two refrigerated Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk flavors at their retail locations, adding 720 new points of distribution for the brand Planting Hope has engaged Juniper Partners to broker its brands into Target stores CHICAGO, IL and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSX-V:MYLK)(FRA:J94) ("Planting Hope" or the "Company"), a plant-based food and beverage company focused on producing the world's most nutritious and planet-friendly products, is pleased to announce that the Company has secured three new retail distributors for Hope and Sesame Non-GMO Verified Sesamemilk in 48 oz refrigerated bottles. The details of the three new distributors are as follows: Stop & Shop, a chain of supermarkets located in the northeastern United States, will begin carrying Hope and Sesame Unsweetened Vanilla and Unsweetened Original Sesamemilk by mid-May in more than 240 of its stores across New England. This agreement will add more than 480 total distribution points ("TDP"); the TDP is calculated as the number of retail doors multiplied by the number of SKUs. The GIANT Company, a chain of supermarkets located in the northeastern United States, will begin carrying Hope and Sesame Unsweetened Original and Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk by mid-May at 107 of its stores, adding 214 TDP. Woodman's Market, a regional supermarket chain based in Wisconsin, will begin carrying Hope and Sesame Unsweetened Vanilla and Unsweetened Original Sesamemilk by the end of April in 13 of their high-volume stores in Illinois and Wisconsin, adding 26 TDP. Across the United States, refrigerated Hope and Sesame is now at more than 1,600 TDP. "Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk is rapidly gaining distribution and retail points across the United States, in retail and in foodservice, continually building awareness and momentum," said Julia Stamberger, CEO and Co-founder of Planting Hope. "We see consumer demand and awareness rising for sesamemilk, especially given its strong nutrition profile and the planet-friendly sustainability of sesame. Wins like Stop & Shop's wide-scale adoption of Hope and Sesame are expected to drive sales by introducing more consumers to sesamemilk and meeting demand by making it more widely available." Planting Hope has also engaged with Juniper Partners - a division of Select Sales, Inc. - as broker representative for Target stores in the United States across all Planting Hope products. Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk - An Ultra-Nutritious, Sustainable Milk Alternative Vegan A good source of protein: 8g of complete protein per serving (complete protein = contains all nine of the essential amino acids that humans need to obtain from food sources) An excellent source of vitamin D and calcium Certified Gluten-Free Certified Kosher Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified by the Plant Based Foods Association Sesame - One of the Most Sustainable Crops on the Planet Requires little water to cultivate and thrives in drought conditions Bee-friendly and self-pollinates Selection and availability may vary by store. To find a participating store, use the locator tool on the Hope and Sesame website. About Hope and Sesame Hope and Sesame has cracked the code on unlocking the dense nutrition in tiny sesame seeds, creating an important new trend in plant milk: sesamemilk, both ultra-nutritious and highly planet-friendly. Sesame is sustainable, requiring very little water to cultivate, is naturally drought- and pest-resistant, and can self-pollinate. Sesamemilk is nutritionally comparable to dairy milk, delivering 8g of complete protein per serving (including all nine essential amino acids) - that's 8x the protein in most nut milks and 3x the protein in most oat milks! Specifically developed for and tested by top baristas, Hope and Sesame Barista Blend froths, steams, and foams like a dream, great for latte art, and delivers 4g of complete protein per 8 oz serving. Sesamemilk is an excellent source of Vitamin D and calcium and is upcycled from the byproduct of sesame oil extraction. Hope and Sesame Sesamilk creamers are free from saturated fat and only 40 calories per serving. All Hope and Sesame products are vegan, Certified Gluten-Free and Certified Kosher, free from soy and dairy, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Certified by the Plant Based Foods Association. Hope and Sesame was awarded Best Milk Alternative and Best Plant-Based Sustainability in FoodBev's 2021 World Plant-Based Food Awards and signature Chocolate Hazelnut flavor received the 2020 Sofi Award for Best New Product, Plant-Based Milk from the Specialty Food Association. About The Planting Hope Company Inc. Planting Hope develops, launches, and scales uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Planting Hope's award-winning and cutting-edge products fill key unmet needs in the skyrocketing plant-based food and beverage space. The Planting Hope brand family includes Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk and Sesamilk creamers, RightRice Veggie Rice, Mozaics Real Veggie Chips, and Veggicopia Veggie Snacks. Founded by experienced food industry entrepreneurs, Planting Hope is a women-managed and woman-led company focused on nutrition, sustainability, and diversity. For more information, visit: www.plantinghopecompany.com. Contacts Company Contact: Julia Stamberger CEO and Co-founder (773) 492-2243 julia@plantinghopecompany.com Media Contact: Rachel Kay Public Relations Becca Stonebraker (818) 383-3929 becca@rkpr.net Investor Relations Contact: Caroline Sawamoto Investor Relations (773) 492-2243 ir@plantinghopecompany.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 This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, including statements about the Company's business prospects, future trends, plans and strategies. In some cases, forward looking statements are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as "may", "will," "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "continues", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. In preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, the assumption that demand for the Company's product will be sustained or increase in accordance with management's projections, that the Company's current business objectives can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Although the management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements involve 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 such forward-looking statements. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company, as well as trends identified by the Company affecting its industry can be found in the Company's annual information form dated January 6, 2022, and the Company's continuous disclosure record available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Such cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements made in this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. SOURCE: The Planting Hope Company Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698284/Planting-Hope-Adds-More-Than-700-New-Distribution-Points-for-Refrigerated-Sesamemilk-Across-Three-Top-US-Grocery-Retailers Smart Donation Coin allows content makers to earn without a social network's partner programs and the audience to donate to bloggers without restrictions. Kyiv, Ukraine--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Smart Donation Coin has managed to change the narratives of content monetization through its exclusive platform. It implements a new concept of content monetization. SocialFi is the latest monetization method that combines social networks and finance, integrating them into a single decentralized ecosystem. One of the first projects that offered an implementation of the idea of SocialFi was the Smart Donation Coin service. In 2021, it was founded by a team of crypto enthusiasts who wanted to free bloggers and their audience from the monopoly of social networks. They have created a whole ecosystem on the Binance Smart Chain. Smart Donation Coin offers 3 ways to monetize content: An internal advertising exchanges A smart donation system A built-in NFT marketplace of unique tokens from bloggers The project allows content makers to earn on creativity without social network's partner programs and the audience to donate to bloggers without restrictions. SDC supports different social networks: YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and Tiktok. Other platforms will be integrated in the future. The platform itself looks for advertisers and publishes advertising tasks in a convenient interface. All that a blogger must do is complete the job they are interested in. Payment takes place in the native token of the SDS platform, which can then be converted into any cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Furthermore, there are no restrictions on monetization and withdrawal of funds in SDC since tokens are received immediately to the blogger's wallet (Trust Wallet or Metamask). The number of tokens accrued depends on the blogger's audience in a ratio of 1:10. For example, if a blogger has 10,000 subscribers, 1000 SDC tokens will be credited to his wallet. These tokens are frozen, i.e., users cannot exchange them for another asset. To unfreeze tokens, a blogger can perform simple advertising tasks. With each completed job, a predetermined number of tokens will be unfrozen, which means they can be exchanged for another cryptocurrency and converted to fiat currency. The donation system is the second tool for monetizing content on Smart Donation Coin. By connecting bloggers and the audience through a decentralized network, the service offers a safer alternative to supporting content makers. Potential users can send money to a blogger in Smart Donation Coin using the following ways: connect the cold wallet to SDC. use USDT to donate within the platform. an automatic exchanger converts USDT into an SDC token. the SDC token is sent directly to the blogger's wallet. Thanks to the advanced Binance Smart Chain blockchain, SDC developers achieved minimal commissions for transfers through the platform's donation system. At the same time, if the user wants to get up to a 15% discount on the commission, he can donate immediately in the SDC token. There are many ways to use the platform, and different people can benefit from joining the Smart Donation Coin ecosystem. It is a good option for: bloggers who want to try a new way of monetization. Subscribers who wish to donate with low service fees. Advertisers who are looking for new promotion solutions. Investors who are interested in the growth of the blogosphere. Passive investors who want to profit from staking. Users can learn more about the Smart Donation Coin project on the following links: Website | White Paper | Telegram | Twitter | Instagram Media Contact: Contact Person: Useinov Isliam Contact Person Title: CEO Company Email: info@smartdonation.app Website: https://smartdonation.app/ Socials (if any): https://instagram.com/sdc_coin/ | https://twitter.com/DonationSmart Disclaimer: The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency.) To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/120806 Highly-anticipated second version of Plugin comes amid rising demand for less coding requirements Reloadly, a Spain-based tech firm building payment APIs for developers and their brands, is gearing up to unveil the new version of its popular Plugin. The unveiling will take place at an online event entitled "More Engagement, Less Code," which will be live-streamed on social media platforms on April 28. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005496/en/ Amid Mounting Aversion to Coding, Reloadly to Unveil New V.2 Plugin (Photo: Business Wire) According to Gartner, global demand for technology allowing hyper automation will be $596.6 billion in 2022, while low-code is expected to account for more than 65% of application development operations by 2024. According to Reloadly Founder CEO Michel Francis, "The new Reloadly Web Plugin removes the complexities involved to go live fast with our solutions a task that typically requires deep engineering skills with API integrations." Enhanced User Experience, Cost-Effectiveness Ideal for small-to-mid-sized digital businesses with limited development resources, the new Plugin lets companies send airtime, data bundles and gift cards across the globe through their websites and mobile apps. Fully integrated with both Stripe and Flutterwave, it provides wider global coverage and new payment methods, creating novel means of navigating product offerings. It also makes possible the acceptance of payments in cryptocurrency. Product Manager Frankel Zambrano also comments "Our Web Plugin is meant to deliver a seamless low code experience for non-engineers looking to add airtime top ups and digital gift card capabilities for their users to consume". Reloadly will also unveil its new Webhook feature, in response to popular demand. Webhooks enable Reloadly to send events to an app based on processing that occurs at Reloadly's end. "All performance-focused software developers should be implementing webhooks in their applications," Reloadly Developer Advocate Mauro Chojrin says. 'More Engagement, Less Code' Both products will make their debut at an event to be live-streamed on Reloadly's social media channels. Entitled More Engagement, Less Code interactive event will showcase the products' many benefits. Improvements to Reloadly's demo development platform will also be discussed at the event. Businesses of every size and type have come to rely on Reloadly software to transfer mobile top-ups, data bundles, bill payments and gift cards. "Since launching in 2019, our mission remained the same," Francis says. "To help users across the globe optimize engagement with customers with a view to enhancing business performance." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005496/en/ Contacts: Corina Choucino, Head of Growth cchoucino@reloadly.com New capabilities support team development collaboration with the freedom to use existing tools to deliver applications for Kubernetes faster and with more confidence BOSTON, April 21, 2022, the cloud native developer experience leader, today announced the newest release of Ambassador Cloud . Built on leading open source Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) projects, including Emissary-ingress, Telepresence, and Argo, Ambassador Cloud includes new features that unlock the cloud native "paved path" developer experience. Teams now have the freedom to continue using the technologies and tools they already use in concert with accepted best practices across the full application lifecycle for Kubernetes. New Docker Extension for Telepresence, available now for private beta users, supports distributed team developer productivity and collaboration to code, debug, and deploy applications faster than ever before. "As more development teams take on full lifecycle ownership as part of their Kubernetes journey, it comes with an evolving ecosystem of technologies and tools that can add enormous complexity," said Richard Li, Founder and CEO at Ambassador Labs. "Ambassador Cloud simplifies the transition to cloud native development and new features like the Docker Extension for Telepresence empower millions of developers worldwide to continue using the toolchains they already love and trust as their teams adopt Kubernetes." Ambassador Cloud includes a number of new capabilities that connect the tools and technologies to foster team collaboration for successful full app lifecycle management. These include: Docker Extension for Telepresence for easy, scalable microservice testing. Docker recently announced a preview of Docker Extensions (https://www.docker.com/blog/docker-extensions-preview/) which now includes Telepresence. Docker Extension for Telepresence (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) supports a hybrid dev model that allows developers to create intercepts directly from Docker Desktop, empowering users to develop, test and debug Kubernetes services locally. Docker Extensions allow developers to easily discover and integrate new functionality and additional developer tools into Docker Desktop. Users can add debugging, testing, networking, security, and other tools to their Docker Desktop installation to support development workflows, improve productivity, and speed up innovation without having to learn new patterns. Docker Extensions are built with the developer experience in mind to give users convenience and flexibility to create workflows that meet individual development needs. Docker Extension for Telepresence is free to use and is available in private beta - request access here (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr). Docker recently announced a (https://www.docker.com/blog/docker-extensions-preview/) which now includes Telepresence. (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) supports a hybrid dev model that allows developers to create intercepts directly from Docker Desktop, empowering users to develop, test and debug Kubernetes services locally. Docker Extensions allow developers to easily discover and integrate new functionality and additional developer tools into Docker Desktop. Users can add debugging, testing, networking, security, and other tools to their Docker Desktop installation to support development workflows, improve productivity, and speed up innovation without having to learn new patterns. Docker Extensions are built with the developer experience in mind to give users convenience and flexibility to create workflows that meet individual development needs. Docker Extension for Telepresence is free to use and is available in private beta - (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr). Service Catalog v2 for unified view, deployment and management of services. An updated service catalog page makes it easy for users to manage services from a single-pane-of-glass view. Developers can view the real-time status of all services (both individual applications or groups of services) in the development, staging and production environments, and intercept a service or rollout to different environments with just a few clicks. An updated service catalog page makes it easy for users to manage services from a single-pane-of-glass view. Developers can view the real-time status of all services (both individual applications or groups of services) in the development, staging and production environments, and intercept a service or rollout to different environments with just a few clicks. Deployment Previews for full team collaboration. To support outer development loop success, Ambassador Cloud includes new automated Deployment Previews in each pull request to inform and empower distributed teams as they review features or changes in a common repository, GitHub. Built on top of the CI/CD tooling that the developer team is already using and Telepresence at its core, Deployment Previews allow each team member to be actively involved in building code with real-time visibility into feature implementations or changes made. Pricing and Availability Ambassador Cloud is available today and is free to get started, no credit card required. Enterprise Kubernetes Solutions For organizations with sophisticated requirements, Ambassador Labs now delivers enterprise Kubernetes solutions by combining access to technical expertise and tools to accelerate cloud native adoption. Our Enterprise Solutions team helps organizations implement cloud native best practices and confidently navigate complex architectural, governance, and security requirements. Learn more at getambassador.io/editions/enterprise . Additional Resources Read our announcement blog (https://blog.getambassador.io/ambassador-cloud-connects-your-toolchains-technologies-and-teams-to-supercharge-your-cloud-native-c9a0c07fb622/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) (https://blog.getambassador.io/ambassador-cloud-connects-your-toolchains-technologies-and-teams-to-supercharge-your-cloud-native-c9a0c07fb622/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) Request private beta access to the Docker Extension for Telepresence (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) (https://www.getambassador.io/telepresence-docker-beta-program/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) To learn more about Ambassador Cloud visit: https://www.getambassador.io/products/ambassador-cloud/ (https://www.getambassador.io/products/ambassador-cloud/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) (https://www.getambassador.io/products/ambassador-cloud/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) Join the Ambassador Developer Community on Slack: https://a8r.io/slack (https://a8r.io/slack) (https://a8r.io/slack) Join the Ambassador Labs team - see open positions: https://www.getambassador.io/about-us/careers/ (https://www.getambassador.io/about-us/careers/?utm_campaign=c2-22&utm_content=pr) About Ambassador Labs Ambassador Labs, the cloud native developer experience leader, enables developers to code, ship, and run applications faster and easier than ever. Maker of top Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Media Contact: Lisa Williams press@datawire.io (339) 788-0067 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Golden Lake Exploration Inc. (CSE:GLM) ("GLM" or the "Company") (GOLXF-OTC) is pleased to report it has intersected the "Red Zone", marked by the visual arsenic minerals orpiment and realgar, in hole JR-22-42DD, a follow up drill hole to hole JR-22-36DD (see PR dated March 23, 2022) located at the Hamburg Mine Target, on the Company's keystone Jewel Ridge project, located in the prolific Eureka gold district, Nevada. Hole JR-22-42DD was drilled at a -50 dip on an azimuth 265 to a depth of 183.5 metres (602 ft). "Hole JR-22-42DD was designed to test the strike of the Red Zone approximately 25 meters (75 ft) to the northwest. This is a very exciting development for shareholders of Golden Lake as it begins to give some orientation to the prospective Red Zone mineralization hosted in the Dunderberg Shale near the contact with the Hamburg Dolomite. Regionally, this shale-dolomite contact runs along a north - south corridor throughout the entire Jewel Ridge property." stated Mike England, CEO and President of Golden Lake. A link to a short video showing select sections of core from hole 42 can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srp6iNBtFME As previously reported, (March 23, 2022), hole JR-22-36DD returned 26.37 meters averaging 5.38 grams gold per tonne (g/t Au) from a shallow depth of 42.64 meters. The highest grade mineralization (8.56 metres averaging 10.72 g/t Au from a depth of 56.66 metres) occurred within the Dunderberg Shale horizons, associated with silicification and sulfidation, and with frequent and vivid arsenic sulfide minerals, orpiment and realgar. The Dunderberg Shale represents an attractive underexplored geologic target, in addition to the known oxide gold mineralization in the altered, oxidized dolomite breccias of the Hamburg Dolomite. The prospective Hamburg Dolomite - Dunderberg Shale contact is projected to extend the entire 3.5-kilometer length of the Jewel Ridge property. Hole JR-22-42DD fracture-controlled orpiment Orpiment cross-cutting and offsetting earlier pyrite vein Drilling Quality assurance and quality control statement Procedures have been implemented to assure QA/QC of drill hole assaying being done at an ISO accredited assay laboratory. All intervals of drill holes are being assayed and samples have been securely shipped and received by ALS Labs in Reno, Nevada, with chain-of-custody documentation through delivery. Mineralized commercial reference standards and coarse blank standards are inserted every 20th sample in sequence. All results will be analyzed for consistency. About the Jewel Ridge Property The Jewel Ridge property is located on the south end of Nevada's prolific Battle Mountain - Eureka trend, along strike and contiguous to I-80 Gold Corp.'s Archimedes/Ruby Hill gold mine to the north and Timberline Resources' advanced-stage Lookout Mountain project to the south. The property comprises 96 unpatented lode mining claims and 30 patented claims covering approximately 728 hectares (1,800 acres). The Jewel Ridge property contains several historic small gold mines. The Company's focus is on Carlin-style disseminated gold deposits, the primary focus in the area since the late 1970s. Nevada Carlin-type gold deposits (CTGD) have a combined endowment of more than 250 million ounces, which are concentrated (85 per cent) in only four trends or camps of deposits: Carlin, Cortez (Battle Mountain-Eureka), Getchell and Jerritt Canyon. The Company cautions that results on adjacent and/or nearby projects are not necessarily indicative of results on the Company's property. Qualified person Golden Lake Exploration's disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Garry Clark, P.Geo., who serves as a qualified person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101. About Golden Lake Exploration Inc. Golden Lake Exploration is a junior public mining exploration company engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to acquire, explore and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to aggressively advance its exploration program on the Jewel Ridge property. The Jewel Ridge property is located on the south end of Nevada's prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka trend, along strike and contiguous to I-80 Gold Corp.'s Archimedes/Ruby Hill gold mine to the north and Timberline Resources' advanced-stage Lookout Mountain project to the south. The Company also owns a large (37.814 hectare) early-stage property in south-central British Columbia, contiguous to Kodiak Copper Corp., and Gold Mountain Mining Inc., that is highly prospective for copper-gold porphyry and mesothermal gold-bearing quartz-vein mineralization. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Mike England" Mike England, CEO & DIRECTOR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Telephone: 1-604-683-3995 TollFree:1-888-945-4770 Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM). SOURCE: Golden Lake Exploration Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698301/Golden-Lake-Extends-The-Red-Zone-At-the-Hamburg-Mine-Zone-Jewel-Ridge-Project-Nevada WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - While reporting quarterly results on Thursday, American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) said, based on current trends, the company expects second-quarter capacity to be approximately 92% to 94% of what it was in the second quarter of 2019. American expects second-quarter total revenue to be 6% to 8% higher than the second quarter of 2019. The company expects to be profitable in the second quarter based on the current demand trends and fuel price forecast. The airline noted that it produced record sales in March, and it was the first month since the onset of the pandemic that total revenue was above 2019 levels. The company was profitable excluding net special items in March. First quarter net loss was $1.64 billion, or $2.52 per share compared to a loss of $1.25 billion, or $1.97 per share, prior year. Excluding items, American Airlines posted an adjusted loss of $1.51 billion or $2.32 per share for the period. Analysts on average had expected the company to post a loss of $2.40 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company's revenue for the quarter rose 121.9% to $8.90 billion from $4.01 billion last year. This included passenger revenues of $7.8 billion, and cargo revenues of $364 million. The company noted that its first-quarter revenue represented a recovery to 84% of comparable period revenue in 2019. Analysts on average had estimated $8.83 billion in revenue. American ended the first quarter with $15.5 billion of total available liquidity. The company said it remains on track to reduce overall debt levels by $15 billion by the end of 2025. 'Our priorities for this year are clear: Run a reliable operation and return to profitability,' said CEO Robert Isom. Shares of American Airlines were up 10% in pre-market trade on Thursday. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX AMERICAN AIRLINES-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Ampligen has demonstrated in pre-clinical and now human clinical studies a potential to enhance efficacy of PD-1 and/or PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors Ampligen's anti-tumor potential is demonstrated with checkpoint blockade therapies in human clinical studies for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and advanced recurrent ovarian cancer Based on a growing body of clinical data, the Company believes in the potential to expand Ampligen development into treatment of solid tumors OCALA, Fla., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE: American AIM) ("AIM" or the "Company"), an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, today provided a summary of clinical data that support the synergistic potential of Ampligen (rintatolimod) with checkpoint blockade therapies. Thomas Equels, Chief Executive Officer of AIM, commented, "We have amassed a growing body of encouraging Ampligen data to date through close collaborations with leading KOLs at preeminent institutions. These data have not only affirmed but significantly evolved our belief that Ampligen as a single agent therapy, as well as in combination with the latest powerful cancer therapies, has the potential to become a breakthrough therapy for some of the most difficult to treat and deadly cancers. We are going to continue working tirelessly to advance Ampligen towards approval and commercialization with the goal of bringing much needed hope to patients and solutions to treating physicians around the world." Ampligen is the Company's dsRNA drug currently being developed for globally important cancers. Ampligen has shown therapeutic synergy with checkpoint inhibitors, including increasing survival rates and efficacy, in the treatment of animal tumors when used in combination with checkpoint blockade therapies. The first detection of Ampligen's synergistic potential with checkpoint blockade therapeutics was witnessed in pre-clinical mouse models of melanoma and pancreatic cancers. Additionally, the Company now has data from two clinical studies - in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer and triple negative breast cancer - that indicate that the drug may have similar anti-tumor activity in humans. "Working with AIM, our Pancreatic Cancer R&D team at the Buffett Cancer Center did extensive pre-clinical research demonstrating in animal models that Ampligen had a significant therapeutic benefit in treating pancreatic cancer. This March, Prof. C.H.J. van Eijck and his team at Erasmus MC published data in the journal Cancersshowing Ampligen alone was associated with extended overall survival in late-stage pancreatic cancer of 19 months. Just last week, at AACR, publications of clinical data by UPMC's Dr. Bob Edwards in advanced recurrent ovarian cancer, and Roswell's Dr. Pawel Kalinski in both stage 4 triple negative breast cancerand stage 4 colorectal cancer, strongly supported the advance of Ampligen into human trials for patients in pancreatic and other cancers where checkpoint drugs are not effective," stated Michael (Tony) Hollingsworth, PhD, Associate Director, Basic Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Checkpoint drugs are powerful and important therapies, but only work on 'hot' tumors visible to the immune system, not 'cold' tumors that are immune-silent. Ampligen appears, from these data, to turn cold tumors into hot tumors and create significant therapeutic potential for a successful second round of Ampligen plus checkpoint therapy for those who do not respond to checkpoint therapy alone," added Robert Edwards, MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. "The two ongoing Roswell Park clinical trials we recently presented findings fromrepresent milestones in our 10-year-long NIH and DoD-funded research program aiming to convert immuno-resistant 'cold' tumors into 'hot' ones that would be more sensitive to immunotherapy. Seeing both studies successfully meet their predetermined efficacy endpoint - selective increase of cytotoxic T lymphocyte markers in tumor tissues - Roswell Park plans to move forward with critical studies assessing therapeutic efficacy of the combination of a rintatolimod-based chemokine-modulating regimen with PD-1 inhibitors, cancer vaccines and/or adoptive T cell therapies in solid tumors. Observations from our preclinical studies suggest that this multipronged strategy may benefit patients with multiple solid-tumor lesions, which are difficult to target individually," commented Pawel Kalinski, MD, PhD, Jacobs Family Endowed Chair of Immunology, Chief of the Division of Translational Immuno-Oncology and Senior Vice President for Team Science at, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03734692 The investigator-initiated, Phase 2, single-arm, efficacy/safety trial to evaluate the effectiveness of combining intensive locoregional intraperitoneal (IP) chemoimmunotherapy of cisplatin with IP Ampligen (TLR-3 agonist) and IV infusion of the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) (IVP) for patients with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer is being conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The Phase 2 trial is designed to enroll up to 45 subjects using Ampligen in combination with pembrolizumab to test the combinational activity of checkpoint blockade therapy where Ampligen is administered by injection in the peritoneal cavity where the tumor is located. The Company's recently announced positive interim results suggesting induction of T cell activation together with clinical responses may indicate prognostic evidence of tumor environment reprogramming that we do not see with chemotherapy alone and which may extend survival. A total of 17 patients have been enrolled and 13 were evaluable for response in the ongoing Phase 2 trial. The observed clinical responses were: 2 complete responses (15.4%), 3 partial responses (23.1%), 3 stable disease (23.1%), 5 progressions (38.4%) for a clinical benefit rate (CR+PR+SD) of 61.6%. From 13 patients, 77 IP wash samples were collected at serial time points. Measurements in IP washes revealed an acute increase in granzyme B (GZMB), perforin, TNF alpha, CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11 after treatment (p<0.05). Longitudinal data revealed a progressive increase in some biomarkers in the locoregional environment; CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, perforin and TNF alpha were all increased from baseline levels at cycle 1 to baseline of cycle 6 (p<0.05). CXCL12 was also increased acutely after treatment (p<0.05). The cytokine CXCL12 observed to increase acutely after treatment functions as a chemotactic for lymphocytes. The cytokines CXCL9-11 active in antitumor responses in modulation of the tumor microenvironmentreleased by cytoplasmic granules within cytotoxic T cellsand natural killer. Perforin is a protein, which creates tubules in the cell membrane allowing cell lysis. Perforin is a key effector molecule for T-cell- and natural killer-cell-mediated cytolysis. Triple Negative Breast Cancer: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03599453 A Phase 1 study was conducted at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer using chemokine modulation therapy, including AIM ImmunoTech Inc.'s drug candidate, Ampligen, as well as interferon a-2b and pembrolizumab. In the study, six evaluable patients (33-75 years) with mTNBC received 6 doses of Ampligen (200 mg i.v.), IFN a-2b (INTRON-A; 20MU/m2 i.v.) and COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib; 2 x 200 mg, p.o.) over 2 weeks, with tumor biopsies obtained before (within 6 days) and after (within 5 days) CKM. All patients received follow-up pembrolizumab (200 mg, i.v, Q3 weeks). Uniform increase of immune markers upon treatment was observed: CD8 mRNA (6.1-fold; p-0.034), GZMB mRNA (3.5-fold; p=0.058), ratios of CD8 /FOXP3 and GZMB/FOXP3 (5.7-fold; p=0.036, and 7.6-fold; p=0.024 respectively), thus successfully meeting the pre-determined primary endpoint in the study (increase in CD8 in TME). In addition, an increase in CTL attractants CXCL10 (2.6-fold; p=0.104) and CCL5 (3.3-fold; p=0.019) was observed. In contrast, Treg marker FOXP3 or Treg attractants CCL22 or CXCL12 were not enhanced. Three patients had stable disease lasting 2.4, 2.5 and 3.8 months, as of data cut off September 1, 2021. An additional patient (non-evaluable) had a partial response (breast tumor autoamputation) with massive tumor necrosis in the post-CKM biopsy. Results from this proof-of-concept study indicated that short-term systemic chemokine modulating regimen (CKM) followed by pembrolizumab is generally well tolerated and selectively enhances local cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME), providing rationale for concurrent CKM and PD1 blockade in prospective Phase 2 studies. Based on the pre-clinical and human clinical data seen to-date, the Company believes Ampligen has the potential to expand into treatment of solid tumors. About AIM ImmunoTech Inc. AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For more information, please visit www.aimimmuno.com. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA"). Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "plan," "anticipate" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Many of these forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among other things, for those statements, the Company claims the protection of safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Many of the studies discussed above were proof of concept and will require further studies. Studies and trials are subject to many factors including lack of regulatory approval(s), lack of study drug, or a change in priorities at the institutions sponsoring other trials. Significant additional testing and trials will be required to determine whether Ampligen will be an effective treatment of cancer or otherwise, and no assurance can be given that this will be the case. Investor Relations Contact JTC Team, LLC Jenene Thomas 833-475-8247 AIM@jtcir.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20756490-dc59-49a7-ba70-dc1c7a49605f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/85f64308-dfc1-485b-ba60-e75dfa63fe0d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a01c6c27-8414-40f0-b312-584f0c3b6184 Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) hold a rally in front of the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap Recognized as one of the front-runners in the 21st century database wars MariaDB Corporation today announced that its distributed SQL database MariaDB Xpand has won Foundry's (formerly IDG Communications) InfoWorld 2022 Technology of the Year Award. Winners of this annual award are selected by InfoWorld editors and reviewers, and are considered the most exceptional products in the areas of software development, devops, cloud computing, data analytics and machine learning. Databases are at the core of all applications and play a crucial role to allow businesses to dynamically scale to support growth. Legacy relational databases are notoriously complex and difficult to scale, while NoSQL databases scale with a significant risk to data consistency. Xpand is a new generation relational database capable of running at a previously impossible scale while maintaining strong consistency and absolute availability. It scales dynamically to support millions of users and millions of transactions per second with ease. Xpand outperforms other distributed SQL solutions with better price/performance. In a Sysbench read/write 90:10 test, Xpand reached 10x better throughput with lower latency compared to CockroachDB. The results show that our customers can handle far more workload with fewer resources at a much lower cost. Looking at price/performance, Xpand has a per operation cost roughly 355% less than CockroachDB on comparable cloud environments. Read the full results here. "We're honored to win Technology of the Year by InfoWorld," said Jon Bakke, head of global field operations, MariaDB Corporation. "Whether it is accessing data on your smartphone device, processing trillions of transactions a year, or connecting with a new person from the other side of the world, MariaDB Xpand helps users run their critical applications everywhere. We routinely beat other distributed SQL solutions, like CockroachDB, on throughput and latency and with better price/performance. This recognition from InfoWorld is a testament to the impact Xpand is having on our users." Start a trial of Xpand today, or for the easiest and fastest way to get started use Xpand in the cloud, available in Google Cloud and AWS. Additional Resources Get started with MariaDB Xpand in the cloud Read Evaluating MariaDB Xpand and CockroachDB with Sysbench Visit mariadb.com Follow @mariadb on Twitter Read MariaDB's blog Earlier this year MariaDB announced the intent to become a publicly traded company via combination with Angel Pond Holdings Corporation (NYSE:POND). To learn more, go to https://mariadb.com/IPO. About MariaDB Corporation MariaDB frees companies from the costs, cloud lock-in, constraints and complexity of proprietary databases, enabling them to reinvest in what matters most rapidly developing innovative, customer-facing applications. MariaDB uses pluggable, purpose-built storage engines to support workloads that previously required a variety of specialized databases. With complexity and constraints eliminated, enterprises can now depend on a single complete database for their needs, whether on commodity hardware or their cloud of choice. Deployed in minutes for transactional, analytical or hybrid use cases, MariaDB delivers unmatched operational agility without sacrificing key enterprise features, including real ACID compliance and full SQL. Trusted by organizations such as Bandwidth, DigiCert, InfoArmor, Oppenheimer, Samsung, SelectQuote, SpendHQ MariaDB meets the same core requirements as proprietary databases at a fraction of the cost. No wonder it's one of the fastest-growing database management systems companies. Real business relies on MariaDB. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005536/en/ Contacts: Jasmine Gray pr@mariadb.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Rural lifestyle retailer Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) on Thursday reported earnings of $187.23 million or $1.65 per share in the first quarter, higher than $181.35 million or $1.55 per share in the same quarter a year ago. Net sales for the quarter increased 8.3% to $3.024 billion from $2.792 billion last year. On average, 26 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $1.41 per share on revenue of $2.92 billion for the quarter. Comparable-store sales increased 5.2%, as compared to an increase of 38.6% in the prior year's first quarter. This was driven by comparable average ticket growth of 6.7% and a decline in comparable average transaction count of 1.4%. Looking forward, the company reiterated its full-year outlook for EPS in the range of $9.20 - $9.50 and net sales in the range of $13.6 billion - $13.8 billion. The consensus estimate for EPS stands at $9.41 and for revenue is at $13.79 billion. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. HYDERABAD, India, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Market Overview According to ReAnIn, the global anti-counterfeit packaging market was valued at USD 109.4 billion in the year 2021 and is projected to reach USD 224.3 billion by the year 2028, registering a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period. Growth in e-commerce, significant investment by manufacturing companies in brand protection, and technological advancements are leading drivers of this market. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), online retail sales' share of total retail sales increased from 16% in 2019 to 19% in 2020; and e-commerce accounted for US$ 26.7 trillion sales globally in 2019. COVID-19 induced movement restrictions caused the dramatic rise in e-commerce and counterfeiters are specifically targeting online channels to boost their sales. Therefore, the demand for anti-counterfeiting packaging is expected to grow with the growth of e-commerce. Download free sample: Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Growth, Share, Size, Trends and Forecast (2022 - 2028) Future of Anti-Counterfeit Technology: Blending the Physical and Digital Solutions Currently, the anti-counterfeit packaging market is dominated by conventional solutions such as holograms, barcodes, radio frequency identification (RFID), etc. However, these solutions have various limitations. For example, holograms can be easily imitated and hence, becomes ineffective in current times. According to a 2019 study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights (EUIPO), the value of counterfeit goods had reached USD 509 billion in the past three years, representing 3.3% of global trade. Furthermore, there is consensus among industry experts that product counterfeiting will only increase in the coming years. Therefore, the development of future-ready products with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain can be one of the effective ways in which industry can protect itself. An interesting and simple digital solution is Quick-response (QR) codes. These codes contain critical information such as serial numbers and can be detected by optical reading devices including smartphones. This QR code has two important advantages - first, no additional cost or device is required to authenticate; and second, it democratizes the whole process by giving greater power to consumers to authenticate their purchases. Few other digital options are smart labels, near field communication (NFC), AI, and blockchain-enabled solutions. Key Highlights of the Report: Mass encoding segment including barcodes, digital mass serialization, and encryption accounted for the highest market share in 2021. Moreover, the demand for low-price counterfeit technology is expected to grow significantly in the near future. Among regions, North America accounted for the highest market (36.7%) in 2021, while Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period (2022-2028) owing to increasing awareness among consumers. accounted for the highest market (36.7%) in 2021, while is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period (2022-2028) owing to increasing awareness among consumers. Anti-counterfeiting solutions will not be limited to only high-value goods; however, they will be increasingly used in low-value consumer goods to strengthen brand value and loyalty among consumers. Technologies such as QR code, NFC, AI, and Blockchain are expected to have a major impact on upcoming services/solutions in the market as these technologies have the potential to provide details about the entire supply chain from manufacturing to the consumer. Access the report description on: Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Market Segmentation: ReAnIn has segmented the global anti-counterfeit packaging market by: Technology Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Mass Encoding Holograms Forensic Markers Tamper-Evident Technology Others End-User Food & Beverage Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Consumer Electronics Apparel & Footwear Automotive Cosmetics & Personal Care Others Region North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Competitive Landscape Leading players in the anti-counterfeit packaging market include AlpVision S.A., Ampacet Corporation, Applied DNA Sciences, Authentix Limited, Avery Dennison Corporation, CCL Industries Inc., 3M Company, DuPont, PharmaSecure, Sato Holdings, Savi Technology, Sicpa Holding, Systech International, Uflex Limited and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Some of the leading startups offering innovative anti-counterfeiting solutions are Authentico (Italy), Responsible Gold (UK), LetsVeriFy (India), Laava (Australia, and SGNT (US). Know more about this report: Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market About ReAnIn ReAnIn provides end-to-end market research services which span across different support areas such as syndicated market research reports, custom market research reports, consulting, long-term engagement, and flash delivery. We are proud to have more than 100 Fortune 500 companies in our clientele. We are a client-first organization and we are known not just for meeting our client expectations but for exceeding them. Media Contact: Name: Deepak Kumar Email: press@reanin.com Phone: +1 469-730-0260 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1758008/Reanin_Logo.jpg NEW YORK, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on "FPSO Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Water Depth (Shallow Water, Deep Water, and Ultra-Deep Water), Hull (Single Hull and Double Hull), Mooring (Spread Mooring and Disconnectable Mooring), and Construction (Newly Built and Converted)", the global FPSO market was valued at $11.91 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $21.83 billion by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.0% from 2021 to 2028. The FPSO market growth is driven by the increasing oil and gas production in deep-water and ultra-deep-water drives the demand for the integration of FPSOs into the ships used to explore oil and gas, the advancements in subsea technology would increase the adoption of advanced oil & gas extraction and production processes. Get Exclusive Access to Sample Pages of FPSO Market Size - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis with Strategic Insights at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00027554/ Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 11.91 Billion in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 21.83 Billion by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 8.0% from 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021-2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 179 No. Tables 114 No. of Charts & Figures 75 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Water Depth, Hull, Mooring, and Construction Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends FPSO Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments MODEC, PETROBRAS, BUMI ARMADA, SBM OFFSHORE, CHINA NATIONAL OFFSHORE OIL, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL, EQUINOR ASA, TOTAL, EXXONMOBIL, and BW OFFSHORE are among the key players that are profiled during the FPSO market study. In addition, several other essential FPSO market players were studied and analyzed to get a holistic view of the global FPSO market and its ecosystem. In 2021, Petrobras signed contracts with the companies Yinson Bergenia Production B.V. and Yinson Bergenia Servicos de Operacao LTDA, both from Yinson Production PTE Ltd. Group, for the chartering and provision of services of Maria Quiteria FPSO for the Parque das Baleias Integrated Project, to be installed in the Jubarte Field, located in the north of Campos Basin. Place Your Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPRE00027554/ In 2021, MODEC, Inc. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. launched Shape Pte. Ltd., an advanced analytics and machine learning service startup, with the mission to transform data into substantial and sustainable business value through innovative digital solutions for heavy industries players. The FPSO market is stimulated by an expansion in offshore operations in deepwaters and ultra-deep seas due to increased investments in this area. According to Energy Information Administration (EIA), Brazil, the US, Angola, and Norway produce the bulk of oil & gas from deepwater and ultra-deepwater. Since the last decade, the share of crude oil output from deepwater or ultra-deepwater developments has grown in these countries. Moreover, according to the US Energy Information Association, in 2020, the US exported ~8.51 MMb/d and imported ~7.86 MMb/d of petroleum, making the US a yearly petroleum exporter since 1949. Also, in 2020, the US produced ~18.40 million barrels of petroleum per day (MMb/d) and consumed ~18.12 MMb/d. The growing oil imports and exports are propelling the demand for comprehensive FPSO units in North America. Growing industrialization and surging population propel the demand for oil in Europe. . As crude oil requires less refining and is less hazardous to the environment the adoption of crude oil is increasing rapidly. Moreover, owing to their availability and low cost, crude oil and petroleum are widely used in essential sectors such as transportation, medicine, agriculture, textiles, plastics, hygiene products, heating, road asphalt, and metallurgy. As a result of the increasing use of oil in the region, the FPSO market continues to grow. The rise in the development of marginal oil reserves in remote offshore areas is anticipated to fuel the market growth. For example, in 2018, an oil field with an estimated reserve of 170 million barrels of oil was discovered on newly developed Australia's Northwestern Shelf. Further, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that annual capital investment in Brazil's offshore oil & gas production activities will reach US$ 60 billion by 2040, which will drive to the FPSO market size. Moreover, technological advancements have made new areas accessible. According to Energy Information Administration (EIA), the technological innovation in drilling and production propelled the production of oil and natural gas in the US. Thus, the advancements in subsea technology would increase the adoption of advanced oil & gas extraction and production processes, which is expected to drive the FPSO market in the near future. Connect With Our Research Analyst On: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/speak-to-analyst/TIPRE00027554 Moreover, due to rising investments in oil & gas extraction and production across deep-sea locations, the demand for FPSO across offshore reserves is expected to increase significantly. Due to the rapid growth of the world's population, the rising energy requirements will increase technological demand over the forecast period and eventually drive the FPSO market. Furthermore, according to OPEC, China is the region's largest oil producer, producing 5 million barrels of oil per day. So, the increasing oil production in the region is further driving the FPSO market. In addition, the technological advancements in floating production storage and offloading over other production systems, such as digitalization of FPSO and penetration of IoT and automation in the oil & gas industry, increased focus of FPSO market players on R&D activities, and the development of new products would create trends for the FPSO market growth in the coming years. The COVID-19 outbreak across the globe has substantially impacted oil and gas industry, especially in Europe. The rapid industrialization and urbanization in the MEA region is projected to contribute to the FPSO market growth. Oil & gas production is one of the prominent businesses in the region. Libya, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Qatar are a few countries that have seen growth in the oil business. Despite the slowdown in economic growth and substantial macroeconomic imbalances from lower oil prices in the last few years, oil & gas producing countries in the MEA are boosting their oil & gas production by partnering with foreign firms to expand the huge onshore and offshore oil & gas fields, which is creating the demand for FPSO units. Moreover, due to the rising oil & gas extraction and production investment, the demand for FPSO across offshore reserves is expected to increase significantly. A converted FPSO is a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel created by modifying an existing transportation vessel, most commonly, a crude oil shuttle tanker. Shell developed the first FPSO in 1977, which was a repurposed oil ship. Oil & gas extraction was more complex and inefficient before the advent of FPSOs. Companies could only collect oil & gas from shallow fields with sea depths of less than 50 meters. In most circumstances, converting an existing tanker into an FPSO is less expensive and takes less time than establishing a new FPSO. Buy Premium Copy of FPSO Market Size, Share, Revenue, Strategic Insights and Forecasts 2021-2028 Research Report at: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00027554/ FPSO Market: Increasing Oil & Gas Production in Deep and Ultra-Deepwater The FPSO market share is stimulated by an expansion in offshore operations in deepwaters and ultra-deep seas due to increased investments in this area. According to EIA, Brazil, the US, Angola, and Norway produce the bulk of oil & gas from deepwater and ultra-deepwater. Since the last decade, the share of crude oil output from deepwater or ultra-deepwater developments has grown in these countries. Thus, the increasing oil & gas production in deepwater and ultra-deepwater is driving the demand for the integration of FPSO systems into the ships used to explore oil & gas, fueling the FPSO market size. Browse Adjoining Reports: Offshore Drilling Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Service Type (Contract Drilling, Directional Drilling, Logging While Drilling, Measurement While Drilling); Application (Shallow Water, Deep Water, Ultra-Deep Water) and Geography Offshore Mooring Systems Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Type, Anchorage, Application and Depth Offshore Wind Turbine Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Capacity (Upto 1 MW, 1 to 3 MW, 3 to 5 MW, 5 MW and Above); Application (Deep Water, Shallow Water) and Geography Floating Wind Turbine Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Foundation (Spar-buoy Foundation, Tension-leg Platform (TLP) Foundation, Semi-submersible Foundation, Others); Depth (Shallow Water, Deep Water) and Geography Hydrographic Survey Equipment Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Sensing System, Positioning System, Subsea Sensor, Others); Application (Hydrographic/Bathymetry Survey, Port and Harbor Management, Offshore Oil and Gas Survey, Cable/Pipeline Route Survey, Charting Application, Others); Platform (Surface Vessels, USVS and UUVS, Aircraft); End User (Commercial, Research, Defense); Depth (Shallow Water, Deep Water) and Geography Offshore Wind Energy Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Component (Turbine, Substructure, Electrical Infrastructure, Others); Location (Shallow Water, Transitional Water, Deep Water) and Geography Offshore Supply Vessel Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Type (Anchor handling Tug Vessel (AHTV), Seismic Vessel, Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), Multi-Purpose Supply Vessel (MPSV) and Others); and Application (Shallow Water and Deep Water) Mooring Inspection Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Type (Below Water Inspection (BWI), Above Water Inspection (AWI)); Technique (Close Visual Inspection, Magnetic Particle Inspection, Ultrasonic Testing, Electromagnetic Detection, Mooring Line Dimension Measurement, Others) and Geography Vibration Control System Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Active, Passive); Industry (Automotive and Transportation, Aerospace and Defense, Manufacturing, Electrical and Electronics, Healthcare, Oil and Gas, Mining, Others) and Geography Subsea Well Access System Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Rig-Based, Vessel Based); BOP Type (Annular BOP, RAM BOP); End user (Offshore, Onshore) and Geography Subsea Cables Installation Equipment Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Submarine Cable Ship, Joining and Testing Equipment, Submarine Optical Cable Burial Machine, Underwater Remotely Operating Vehicles , Others); End Users (Offshore Wind Power Generation, Inter-country and Island Connection , Offshore Oil Rigs) and Geography About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Sameer Joshi E-mail: sales@theinsightpartners.com Phone: +1-646-491-9876 Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/fpso-market Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1586348/The_Insight_Partners_Logo.jpg Rise in implementation of active electronically scanning array (AESA) technology, surge in accession of fighter jets for enhancing aerial strength, and increase in expenditure on military activities propel the growth of the global airborne fire control radar market. PORTLAND, Ore., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Airborne Fire Control Radar Market by Frequency Band (X-Band, L And S-Band, Ku/K/Ka-Band), by Platform (Fighter Jets, Combat Helicopters, Others), by Application (Air To Ground, Air To Sea, Air To Air): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030". According to the report, the global airborne fire control radar industry generated $2.5 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $4.4 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 6.2% from 2021 to 2030. Prime determinants of growth Growth in usage of active electronically scanning array (AESA) technology, rise in accession of fighter jets to improve aerial strength, and surge in military expenditure in numerous countries drive the growth of the global airborne fire control radar market. However, high maintenance cost hinders the market growth. On the other hand, technological advancements and upsurge in demand from emerging economies to address territorial conflicts present new opportunities in the coming years. Download Report (250 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures) at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/1712 Covid-19 Scenario The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the growth of the global airborne fire control radar market, owing to implementation of global lockdown which led to disruptions in the supply chain, temporary closure of manufacturing facilities, unavailability of labor force, and so on. However, the market is going to recover soon in 2022. Request for Customization at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/1712 The X-Band segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on frequency band, the X-Band segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for nearly half of the global airborne fire control radar market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. These types of radars are typically suitable for military applications such as interceptors, fighter jets, and helicopters, which in turn, is acting as a driving factor for the segment. Moreover, the Ku/K/Ka-Band segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2030. Increasing demand for high-resolution, and close-range targeting radars on military aircraft supports the growth of this segment. The air to ground segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on application, the air to ground segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the global airborne fire control radar market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is because developed nations such as the U.S. have started several research and development programs for evolution of technologies to develop advanced air to ground airborne fire control radar. However, the air to air segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 8.2% from 2021 to 2030, owing to increasing aerial threats, and military investments promoting the growth of air to air airborne fire control radar systems. Interested to Procure the Data with Actionable Strategy & Insights? Inquire here at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/1712 North America, to maintain its dominance by 2030 Based on region, North America, held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global airborne fire control radar market, owing to high adoption of technology, large number of market players, and high military spending. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period. Growth in security concerns, rising territorial conflicts, and increase in R&D activities supports the growth of this region. Leading Market Players Bharat Electronics Limited Hensoldt AG Israel Aerospace Industries Leonardo S.p.A. Lockheed Martin Corporation BAE Systems Plc Northrop Grumman Corporation Raytheon Technologies Corporation Saab AB Thales Group Buy Complete Report Now!https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/e4c4949dcd3a561a6cae127d248d0c40 Similar Reports We Have on Aerospace & Defense Industry: Airborne Collision Avoidance System Market by Type (ACAS I & TCAS I, ACAS II & TCAS II, Portable Collision Avoidance System, and FLARM), Platform (Fixed Wing, Rotary Wing, and UAV), and Component (Processor, Mode S & C Transponder, and Display Unit) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2030. Airborne SATCOM Market by Platform (Commercial Aircraft, Wide Body Aircraft, Narrow Body Aircraft, UAV, Military Aircraft, Business Jet, Helicopter and Regional Transport Aircraft), Component (Transceivers, Airborne Radio, Modems & Routers, SATCOM Randomes, SATCOM Terminals and Others), Application (Government & Defense and Commercial), Installation Type (New Installation and Upgradation), and Frequency (C-Band, L-Band, X-Band, Ka-Band, S-Band, Ku-Band and UHF-Band): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030. Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Market by Mode (Single Mode and Multi-Mode), Platform (Aircraft, Spacecraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)), Component (Antenna, Receiver and Transmitter), Frequency Band (X Band, L Band, C Band, S Band, K, Ku, Ka Band, VHF/UHF Band and Others), and Application (Defense, Commercial, Environmental Monitoring, Natural Resource Exploration, Public Safety and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030. Airborne ISR Market by Type (Unmanned Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance and Manned Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance) and Fuel (Battery Operated, Hydrogen Fuel-Cells, Alternate Fuel, Gas-Electric Hybrids, and Solar Powered): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030. Airborne Target Acquisition Systems Market by Sub System (Cameras, Scopes and Sights, Detecting and Locating Systems, Modules, Add On Systems, and Others), by Platform (Combat Aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and Aerostats), by End Use (Military, and Homeland Security), by Range (Short Range (0-8 Km), Medium Range (8-250 Km), Long Range (Above 250 Km)): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2030. About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Allied Market Research Blog: https://blog.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Mandeville Ventures Inc. (TSXV: MAND.P) ("Mandeville" or the "Company"), a capital pool company, is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed its initial public offering of 6,549,000 common shares at a price of $0.10 per share raising gross proceeds of $654,900 (the "Offering") pursuant to a prospectus dated January 31, 2022. Gravitas Securities Inc. acted as the sole lead agent for the Offering. The agents for the Offering received cash commission of $65,490, equal to 10% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, and 654,900 non-transferable agent's options, each of which entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of 24 months from the date of listing of the Company's common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. Concurrent with the closing of the Offering, the Company also granted options to acquire an aggregate of 654,900 common shares at an exercise price of $0.10 per common share to the directors and officers of the Company, which options expire ten years from the date of grant. The common shares are expected to be posted for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock symbol "MAND.P" at the opening of trading today. The net proceeds from Mandeville's initial public offering, together with net proceeds raised prior to the Offering (approximately $977,000), will be used to identify and evaluate assets and businesses with a view to completing a "Qualifying Transaction" in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange policies. Following completion of the initial public offering, Mandeville has 26,549,000 common shares issued and outstanding, of which 20,000,000 common shares are held in escrow pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. For more information contact: Dean Hanisch Chief Executive Officer Mandeville Ventures Inc. Tel: (613) 612-6060 E-mail: deanhanisch@hotmail.com Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, the Company's stated use of proceeds and its expectation as to the trading of the common shares on the Exchange constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statement made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. 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 news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121165 The company leads the inoculants market in South Africa and commercializes its products in eight other countries. It has consolidated its presence in the region through alliances with key players to reach growers and to open new markets. LAKE FOREST, Ill., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The African continent is home to 60% of the arable land on the entire planet; its productive potential is as great as the knowledge, infrastructure, and technology gaps experienced by its farmers. Rizobacter landed in this territory full of contrasts and opportunities, deploying a commercial strategy, plus an almost militant attitude, with the objective of introducing its sustainable technologies. The leading Argentine agricultural microbiology company arrived in South Africa with inoculants for soybeans over 12 years ago. It achieved a high degree of adherence to the practice and today it occupies 65% of the market share. "Unlike in other countries on the continent, in South Africa, growers have infrastructure, machinery, and access to good input technologies and knowledge; they value quality greatly. In the last two years, we have managed to occupy from 50 to 65% of the inoculant market. Our technologies and quality are highly recognized; there, we are leaders in seeds treatment with biologicals," says Ignacio Ardanaz, Africa Business Development Manager, in charge of a busy agenda that brings together trade agreements and multiple trials of new nutrition and protection technologies for a variety of crops such as soybean, corn, potato, bean, tomato, and peanut, among others. In the last two years, it has also gained a foothold in eight other African countries: Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. In these markets, however, the company found a different reality. Commercial farms are scarce, whereas small-scale farms, of just over one hectare, are predominant. Growers practice subsistence agriculture and lack specific training, quality seeds, and access to technology. In order to reach them, the company cooperates with local actors, such as distribution companies, and with public and non-governmental organizations that conduct technology transfer programs and support plans for small growers willing to update their family-run farms and improve their performance. "Our presence in these countries responds to a company strategy of reaching all farmers; not just those from the most developed markets. Our purpose is that small growers also benefit from the impact of our technologies," Ardanaz remarks. By incorporating inoculants into the seeds, Rizobacter offers them productivity gains and logistical benefits that have repercussions on both their economy and their sustainability practices for soil and crop care. Habitually, African smallholder producers resort to using urea for fertilization. This product has a high environmental impact because its production process, based on fossil fuels, emits polluting gases; it also causes a high economic cost that affects profitability. Transporting the heavy bags of nitrogen fertilizer to their plots is not an easy task either, since their usual means of transport are bicycles and motorbikes. Seed inoculation appears as a sustainable practice that covers the nitrogen needs for crop development through the natural process of biological fixation, with no negative impact on the environment. In addition, it helps farmers stabilize their yields in a way that is consistent with their economic possibilities (because of the benefit/cost ratio) and infrastructure, since the bladders can be easily transported in the vehicles at their disposal. Even though inoculants are the flagship products, biostimulants that favor phosphorus release in crops such as fruit trees, potato, wheat, and barley, are showing an excellent performance that is verified in higher yields and quality production. Alliances, the key to growth Ardanaz points out that "The demand for new technologies exists; what must be done is find the local partner to penetrate the market." Therefore, it is key to join forces with local actors and build a critical mass to institute a change in the traditional agriculture structure that dominates in the region. Local companies have their own distribution force, known as "foot soldiers." They are in charge of touring the villages and contacting the farmers. But their job is not limited to sales; they are also involved in training, a task in which Rizobacter also participates by organizing local demonstrations and talks on the impact of biotechnologies. Among the cooperation alliances maintained by the company, is the relationship with Warc, an organization dedicated to training with the mission of lifting African subsistence farmers out of poverty. It is also linked to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), which aims to solve hunger and poverty. In Africa, Rizobacter also has strong links with leading multinational companies such as Syngenta, with which it is expanding the commercial alliance to different regions of the continent. Together, they conduct joint testing of technologies that are associated with the treatment of seeds. It is also a strategic sponsor of the Soybean Innovation Lab initiative, a non-profit organization that brings together actors in the soybean value chain with the purpose of developing this crop in African soil. Through this participation, the company has reached more than 24 countries. "In Africa, agriculture is booming. It takes time, patience, and investment to reach farmers, and Rizobacter is willing to do so," said Ardanaz. His agenda has no rest. For this year, the company plans to reach nine more countries with various products, so as to become a strong player in the take-off of agriculture in a region that needs to expand its production frontier and improve its yields, by implementing a sustainable production system. Lionel Thomas Robinson International Marketing Manager at Rizobacter lthomas@rizobacter.com www.rizobacter.us VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. ("Naturally Splendid") (TSX-V:NSP) (OTC PINK:NSPDF) (Frankfurt:50N) is pleased to announce we will be presenting at the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) trade show on April 23 and April 24, 2022 at the Vancouver Convention Center, promoting the PlanteinTM line of plant-based entrees. CHFA NOW is Western Canada's largest natural, health and organics trade event. The 'NOW' in CHFA NOW, stands for; Natural; Organic; Wellness. CHFA NOW is considered the number one source for new products as well as education for retailers who are doing business in Western Canada. Most every major Canadian retailer will have representation at the CHFA NOW trade show, representing thousands of locations across Canada. Naturally Splendid will be featuring the PlanteinTM line of plant-based entrees at CHFA NOW to both retail and food service prospects. Our initial PlanteinTM launch focuses on eight (8) plant-based entrees including a plant-based; Burger; Crunchy Burger; Crumbed Tenders; Sweet Chili Tenders; Nuggets; Schnitzel (cutlet); Garlic Kiev; and a Phishy Fillet. In a previous news release (August 17,2021), Naturally Splendid announced executing a Definitive Agreement with Flexitarian Foods Pty. Ltd. (Flexitarian Foods), a division of Australia's largest plant-based manufacturer, to become the exclusive Canadian manufacturer and distributor for an extensive range of plant-based, meat alternative products. The exclusive manufacturing and distribution rights are for an initial 10-year term with a 10-year renewable term. More recently, on April 12, 2022, the Company announced an agreement with Flexitarian Foods for the exclusive use of the PlanteinTM trademark in Canada with a matching term to the exclusive manufacturing and distribution agreement. Naturally Splendid Vice President and co-founder Bryan Carson states, "We have developed a distribution network covering Canada coast to coast. This network of distributors provides access to thousands of clients across most every distribution channel, including chain and independent retail stores, chain restaurants and individual locations, of which many we will be meeting at the trade show. It has been a challenging time in the food service industry not being able to sample our plant-based entrees for prospective clients in our usual manner due to Covid restrictions. With restrictions relaxed now, we are most excited to be able to sample our entrees to prospective clients at CHFA NOW as there is no better way for us to promote the PlanteinTM brand other than to have consumers sample these delicious plant-based offerings.' About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. Naturally Splendid is a plant-based food manufacturing and technology company that produces and distributes nutritious and delicious plant-based commodity products. Founded in 2010, the Company operates a Safe Quality Food Level 2 certified food manufacturing facility located just outside Vancouver, BC in Canada, focusing on producing an extensive range of plant-based entrees. Naturally Splendid has an exclusive 10-year manufacturing and distribution agreement for Canada with a division of Australia's largest plant-based food manufacturer, Flexitarian Foods Pty. Ltd. In addition to producing the Company's own branded products, Naturally Splendid provides contract manufacturing services and private labeling for a variety of nutritional plant-based food products destined for multiple distribution channels. The Company has established healthy, functional foods under brands such as Natera Sport, Natera Hemp Foods, CHII, Elevate Me and Woods Wild Bar. The Company launched Natera Plant Based Foods, a line of delicious plant-based meat alternatives for the rapidly growing plant-based market segment. Naturally Splendid maintains a relationship Plasm Pharmaceutical, a company that has been approved for conducting a phase 2 clinical trial approved by Health Canada for the treatment of COVID-19. NSE has also developed proprietary technologies for the extraction of healthy omega 3 and 6 oils, as well as a protein concentrate from hemp. For more information e-mail info@naturallysplendid.com or call Investor Relations at 604-570-0902 x 101 On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. J. Craig Goodwin CEO, Director Contact Information Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. (NSP - TSX Venture; NSPDF - OTCQB; 50N Frankfurt) #108-19100 Airport Way Pitt Meadows, BC, V3Y 0E2 Office: (604) 570-0902 Fax: (604) 465-1128 E-mail: info@naturallysplendid.com Website: www.naturallysplendid.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Naturally Splendid cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Naturally Splendid's control including, Naturally Splendid's ability to compete with large food and beverage companies; sales of any potential products developed will be profitable; sales of shelled hemp seed will continue at existing rates or increase; the ability to complete the sales of all bulk hemp seed purchase orders; and the risk that any of the potential applications may not receive all required regulatory or legal approval. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Naturally Splendid undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. 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. SOURCE: Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698319/Naturally-Splendid-Launches-Plantein-Plant-Based-Entrees-At-Canadian-Health-Food-Tradeshow TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / PJX Resources Inc. ("PJX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that DLP Resources has commenced drilling to test Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical targets on the DD-Moby Dick-NZOU group of properties as part of DLP's option of PJX's DD Property, southwest of Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. Drilling will test Magnetotelluric (MT) anomalies on strike of hole DD21-02 that intersected 168m thickness of fragmentals and muds with anomalous zinc mineralization on PJX's DD Property during 2021. This thick sequence of muds and fragmentals is similar to what occurs in the sedimentary basin proximal to the Sullivan deposit located approximately 50 km northeast of the DD-Moby Dick-NZOU group of properties. MT geophysics identifies areas with potential conductive mineralization. Parts of the Sullivan deposit consist of massive sulphide mineralization that is conductive. The MT targets occur on the NZOU and Moby Dick properties adjacent to the DD Property (see Figure 1). Three to four drill holes totalling approximately 5400m are planned to test multiple large MT targets on strike of hole DD21-02 (see Figure 2). A low resistivity (strong conductive) anomaly extending from approximately 700m to beyond the targeted depth of 1500-1700m will be tested by the first hole DD22-01 (Figure 3). PJX is partner with DLP on the NZOU and Moby Dick Properties as part of DLP's option of the DD property (see Property Ownership below). John Keating, President of PJX commented: "The geological environment identified by drilling to date combined with the similarity in size of the MT anomalies to the Sullivan deposit size makes these targets very attractive to test. We are pleased that DLP has commenced to drill multiple holes to test the MT targets. PJX continues to focus exploration on Sullivan deposit type targets on the Vine Property, intrusive related gold and copper targets on the Dewdney Trail, Zinger and Eddy Properties, and orogenic type gold targets on the Zinger, Eddy, and Gold Shear Properties. Analytical results from drilling on the Gold Shear Property are pending with results to be announced when all the analyses have been received and compiled with geological data." DD, NZOU and Moby Dick Property Ownership DLP can earn a 50% interest in the DD Property by spending $4 million in exploration expenditures on the DD, Moby Dick and NZOU Properties and paying $250,000 cash to PJX by July 13, 2024. DLP can earn an additional 25% interest, to a total of 75% interest, in the DD Property by completing a Commercial Feasibility Study on the 3 properties by July 13, 2028. PJX (50%) and DLP (50%) jointly own 100% of the mineral rights to the Moby Dick Property and jointly have the right to own 100% interest in the NZOU Property through an option agreement between DLP and the NZOU Property owner. Exploration expenditures incurred by DLP on these two properties will be applied toward DLP's exploration expenditure requirements to earn an interest in the DD Property. Qualified Persons The geological disclosure and content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dave Pighin, P.Geo., and John Keating P.Geo. (qualified persons for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Pighin is the consulting geologist for PJX and DLP on the DD Property. Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX. Figure 1 - Simplified plan showing MT anomalies at 0m elevation on the DD-Moby Dick and NZOU Properties along with drill holes Pan-18-01EX, DD21-01, DD21-02 and historical holes Irish 05-01 and IR07-01. Figure 2 - Titan MT resistivity plan at 0m elevation with the main MT anomaly trending NE from DD21-02. Figure 3 - Titan MT resistivity section along Line 3N showing current drill hole MD22-01. Extension of Share Purchase Warrant Expiry Date The Company is pleased to announce that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, it has extended the term of 12,296,276 share purchase warrants, (the "Warrants"). The Warrants were issued pursuant to a private placement announced on May 1, 2018 and accepted for filing by the TSX Venture Exchange on May 17, 2018. The Warrants are due to expire on May 15, 2022 and are exercisable at $0.25 per share. The new expiration date of the Warrants is May 15, 2023. All other terms of the warrants, including the exercise price will remain unchanged. About PJX Resources Inc. PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver and base metals (zinc, lead, copper, nickel). PJX's primary properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia. Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer (416) 799-9205 info@pjxresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. This press release may use the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. 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. SOURCE: PJX Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698318/Sullivan-Mining-District--Drilling-Commences-to-Test-Sullivan-Type-Zinc-Lead-Silver-Targets-on-PJX-Resources-Dd-Moby-Dick-Nzou-Properties Canadian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, center, poses for a photo with other finance ministers after a G20 meeting in Washington, April 20, in this handout photograph released by the Canadian government. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen led a multi-nation walk out of a meeting Wednesday of finance officials from the world's richest countries when Russian officials spoke, to protest Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. AFP-Yonhap Top officials from Britain, the United States and Canada walked out on Russia's representatives at a Group of 20 meeting Wednesday and many members spoke to condemn Moscow's war in Ukraine, exposing deep divisions in the bloc of major economies. Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who chaired the meeting of G20 finance officials in Washington, acknowledged the body faced unprecedented challenges but called for cooperation to overcome headwinds slowing global growth. "This is an extraordinary situation," Indrawati told reporters after the daylong meeting. "It's not business as usual, a very dynamic and challenging one." The G20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine, as well as China, India, Indonesia and South Africa which have not joined Western-led sanctions against Russia over the conflict. Indrawati said many countries spoke out against the war at the meeting, although she did not identify them. "In order for us to be able to recover together ... we need more and even stronger cooperation," Indrawati told a briefing. "The G20 is still ... the premier forum for all of us to be able to discuss and talk about all the issues." U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told attendees she strongly disapproved of a senior Russian official's presence at the meeting before she walked out, two sources told Reuters. She was joined by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde. Ukrainian officials, in Washington seeking billions of dollars of additional funding, also walked out of the meeting, a source familiar with the meeting said. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov represented Moscow in person, while Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Russia's central bank governor joined virtually, a second source said. Over five million Ukrainians have fled abroad since Russia invaded Feb. 24, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945. The United States accuses Russia of committing war crimes in what Moscow calls a "special military operation." Russia denies the allegations. No 'business as usual' One source added that Yellen told participants there could be "no business-as-usual" for Russia in the global economy, a view echoed by Indrawati, whose government is heading the G20 group this year. British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said in a tweet: "We are united in our condemnation of Russia's war against Ukraine and will push for stronger international coordination to punish Russia." Russia's finance ministry did not mention the walkout in a statement issued after the meeting. It cited Siluanov as calling on the G20 not to politicize dialogue between members and stressing the grouping had always focused on the economy. He also complained about the damaging effect of Western sanctions, the statement said. "Another aspect of the current crisis is the undermining of confidence in the existing international monetary and financial system," it said. "The safety of international reserves and the possibility of free trade and financial transactions are no longer guaranteed." Lagarde urged Maksimov to convey to Moscow a clear message to end the war in Ukraine, one of the sources said. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met on the sidelines of a semi-annual conference held by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington, with the Ukraine war, food security and ongoing recovery from the coronavirus pandemic the key topics. Given the divisions, the group did not issue a communique. Instead, Indrawati read a statement summarizing the meeting and underscoring the importance of the body. Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent and has made impassioned pleas on behalf of the country, said she walked out of a G20 plenary meeting to protest against Russia's participation. "This week's meetings in Washington are about supporting the world economy and Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine is a grave threat to the global economy," she said on Twitter, adding that Russia should not be participating. Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva gives a press conference at the 2022 Spring Meetings at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, April 20. EPA-Yonhap Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - City View Green Holdings Inc. (CSE: CVGR) (OTCQB: CVGRF) ("City View" or the "Company"), a leading consumer packaged goods company focused on the development of cannabis-infused edibles is pleased to announce that it has received its Cannabis Research Licence under Health Canada's Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations. This licence permits City View to conduct controlled human sensory (taste) trials of cannabis infused products. Activities granted as per Health Canada include, 1) to possess cannabis for the purpose of research and 2) to produce cannabis for the purpose of research. As an essential part of new product development, taste tests will lead to City View bringing to market high quality edibles that are reflective of market trends and consumer preference. City View will now be able to partner with companies that would like to develop edible cannabis consumables, create innovative recipes, assess consumer experience, or explore the development process of launching a cannabis infused product. Rob Fia, CEO, commented: "Today cannabis consumers have more choice than ever but some of the choices in the marketplace do not achieve the flavour profile desired by consumers. Through this research licence City View will gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' taste preferences ahead of its competitors to produce popular, tasty products. City View and its clients and customers will 'create delicious together' ". Steve Naraine, Director of Discovery: "The rigorous structured collection of data, analysis and interpretation of people's response to gustation (taste) and olfactory (smell) stimuli will generate insights into market preference which will lead to consumer driven edibles that will satisfy the different flavour profiles." City View would also like to announce that it is currently preparing its sale amendment to its processing licence to allow the Company to bring products directly to market. For further information contact: City View Green Holdings Inc. Rob Fia, CEO & President Email: rob@cityviewgreen.ca Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cityviewgreen1 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About City View City View is a leading consumer packaged goods company focused on the development of cannabis-infused edibles. With the receipt of its Cannabis Act processing licence on April 30, 2021, City View will incorporate cannabis-infused food production at its Brantford, Ontario high-capacity facility. In addition, City View owns a 27.5% stake in Budd Hutt Inc. ("Budd Hutt"), a retail-focused cannabis company with access to cannabis cultivation and production licences in Alberta and other retail opportunities across Canada. Through its relationship with Budd Hutt, the Company anticipates securing shelf space, product placement, and distribution opportunities for our white label partner products. For more information visit: www.cityviewgreen.ca . Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements which are not composed of historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, among others, availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, delays in the development of projects, and ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, 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 FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121173 NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / KALO GOLD CORP. (TSXV:KALO) ("Kalo", "Kalo Gold" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that Mr. Terry L. Tucker, P. Geo, has joined the Company as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Fred Tejada has been appointed Executive Vice President, Exploration and Mr. Kevin Ma has been appointed Executive Vice President, Capital Markets. Both Mr. Tejada and Mr. Ma will remain Directors of Kalo. Mr. Terry L. Tucker, P.Geo. is a seasoned mining entrepreneur and professional geoscientist with over 30 years of experience in mineral exploration and development projects worldwide having acquired or discovered several gold deposits, of which three have advanced to production. Prior to moving to Switzerland in 2011, he was the CEO and Director of Nyota Minerals Limited (AIM, ASX) focused on an advanced stage gold project in Ethiopia. He was also President, CEO and Director of TSX listed StrataGold Corporation, where he successfully advanced the exploration and development of two gold projects in both Guyana and Canada before acquisition by Victoria Gold Corp (TSX-V: VIT) in June 2009. Previously, he was responsible for several exploration projects in northern Canada, including the co-discovery of the precious metal rich Wolverine Deposit. Terry is currently Executive Chairman and Director of Southstone Minerals Limited (TSX-V: SML), with a producing alluvial diamond mine in South Africa, a Director of Djado Gold PLC, a private United Kingdom gold exploration company and a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. Kevin Ma, Director of Kalo Gold comments, "On behalf of the Board and our Advisors, we would like to welcome Terry to the Company. We look forward to building out Kalo Gold and the Vatu Aurum Gold Project into a multi-million-ounce gold discovery. Kalo is exploring in some of the world's most prospective geology, in the heart of the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanic region, where several of the world's largest gold mines have been discovered. Kalo successfully completed the phase 2 drill program with results pending. We are excited to have Terry lead Kalo into the next phase and evolution of Kalo Gold Corp." Terry L. Tucker, P.Geo. CEO states, "Kalo Gold's district-scale property represents an outstanding exploration and development opportunity within the Ring of Fire where numerous giant gold mines have been found including the Vatukoula alkaline gold system, also located in the Republic of Fiji, where production exceeds 7 million ounces of gold and exploration, and production is ongoing. The opportunity to work with the Kalo team to advance the Company's highly prospective Vatu Aurum Gold Project, in the politically stable and mining friendly jurisdiction of Fiji, represents an excellent opportunity. It was important for me that the Company had acquired a large and highly prospective land package, owns its own drill rigs, and had assembled an outstanding geological, management, Board and Advisory team which are critical to successfully advancing both the Project and the Company. Kalo, and its land package in Fiji, represents a rare opportunity to make a new, potentially economic, gold discovery." About Kalo Gold Corp. Kalo Gold Corp. is a gold exploration company focused on the epithermal Vatu Aurum Gold Project on the island of Vanua Levu (North Island) in the Republic of Fiji. Kalo holds a 100% interest in two Special Prospecting Licenses, covering 36,691 hectares, located along what is known as the Pacific "Ring of Fire". The Ring of Fire hosts many of the largest gold deposits in the world. Historical exploration work includes over 9,000 meters (m) of diamond drilling, concentrated on the Qiriyaga Hill Gold Deposit and resulted in the estimation of a historical gold resource. Drilling at Qiriyaga Hill, located in the southern end of the 3.3-kilometer-long northeast trending Qiriyaga Zone, confirmed the presence of high-grade gold mineralization including those in KCD17 which intersected 8.75 m averaging 36.02 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) (61.25 m - 70.00 m) and 10.00 m averaging 27.18 g/t Au (76.00 m - 86.00 m) including 3.00 m averaging 69.03 g/t Au (80.00 m - 83.00 m). Outside of Qiriyaga Hill there are fourteen epithermal style gold targets, some with copper mineralization, located within or around calderas that are present in the property, that have been identified by Kalo Gold and previous operators. These targets, along with Qiriyaga Hill, will continue to be the focus of continued exploration work that is ongoing or will be conducted by Kalo. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release was reviewed by Fred Tejada, P.Geo, a director and officer of Kalo Gold, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kalo Gold Corp. Kevin Ma Director For more information contact, please contact Kevin Ma, Director, at info@kalogoldcorp.com or +1-604-363-0411. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which are statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including statements regarding the proposed drilling timeline and the proposed expansion of the exploration program, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filing statement dated February 9, 2021 and latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements herein may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities law. SOURCE: Kalo Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698215/Kalo-Gold-Corp-Appoints-Terry-L-Tucker-PGeo-as-President-and-Chief-Executive-Officer VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Frequency Exchange Corp. (TSXV:FREQ) (the "Company") announces that its wholly owned operating subsidiary FREmedica Technologies Inc. ("FREmedica") has agreed to the terms as of April 19th, 2022, as described in this news release (the "Terms") with the Frequency Warehouse Inc., a private Canadian corporation ("Warehouse"). The Terms sets out the terms and conditions pursuant to which FREmedica will expand its current frequency program to include a suite of new wellness and performance enhancement frequencies, new wearable hardware and a subscription model which will be the launch of FREmedica's new recurring revenue program. Proposed Business FREmedica intends to develop and deliver frequencies to people via annual memberships allowing them to access a variety of new wellness and performance frequencies to enhance body function. FREmedica intends to offer an increasing variety of frequencies to members as our membership grows. The frequencies will be built by the Warehouse and exclusively supplied to FREmedica for use exclusively through the Membership program. The Management Team of the Company believes that people will benefit from the Membership when they access and use frequencies designed to support their personal well-being. Currently, FREmedicais focused on exclusively selling the Wave 1 frequency emitter and Lyme-related frequencies to those who have been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. FREmedica is taking what it has learned in overcoming the impact of Lyme disease and is now applying this successful approach to general wellness and personal performance. CEO Stephen Davis commented, "The expanded library of frequencies will give us the opportunity to offer support to all consumers struggling with sleep issues, pain / inflammation, stress & anxiety, lack of energy, and gut health to name a few. We will be introducing 12 general wellness bundles of frequencies which will be offered through the Membership Program along with the new wearable hardware that will give many more people the opportunity to address both general wellness and performance enhancement." Terms of the Transaction Under the Terms, to which FREmedica will expand its current frequency program to include a suite of new wellness and performance enhancement frequencies, new wearable hardware and a subscription model which will be the launch of FREmedica's new recurring revenue program and in consideration of: i) the payment of a 10% gross revenue royalty pertaining to the sale of the Membership and any fees collected for additional frequency services being offered through the Membership, to the Warehouse; and ii) to the payment of a one-time fee of (CAN)$150,000 for R&D costs for the exclusive access to frequencies along with the wearable technology to deliver the frequencies which in combination will be used by FREmedica to launch its Membership Program and activate its recurring revenue model. (the "Consideration"). The Terms provides that FREmedica and Warehouse, will negotiate and enter into a definitive license agreement on or before June 1st, 2022. Further details of the transaction will follow in future news releases. Conditions of Closing Completion of the transaction will be subject to certain conditions, including but not limited to: (a) the receipt of all necessary approvals of the board of directors of the Company, FREmedica and Warehouse; (b) the receipt of all required consents and approvals, including without limitation, approval of the transaction by the TSX Venture Exchange(the "Exchange"). Closing of the transaction is expected to occur on or prior to June 1st, 2022, or such other date as may be agreed upon by the Company, FREmedica and Warehouse. The Terms may be altered or terminated by either party if (a) the Company, FREmedica and Warehouse mutually so agree prior to closing; (b) Exchange approval has not been received on or before June 1st, 2022 or such later date as the parties agree. About the FREmedica FREmedica is a British Columbia-based company focused on the development of a frequency based Membership Program which includes a wearable frequency emitter that delivers special frequencies designed for the consumer general wellness and performance enhancement market, specifically to target better sleep, less stress & anxiety, pain & inflammation to name a few. The Wave 1 is the third-generation frequency emitter released from FREmedica, specifically to deliver a Lyme Support Frequency Program to help clients with chronic Lyme disease. The new Wave 2 is the fourth- generation frequency device to be released by FREmedica. FREmedica has taken the benefits from the Lyme Support Program and have now applied this knowhow to deliver frequencies for general wellness and performance enhancement. The technology, combined with the Lyme Support Program and now the new Membership Program is the result of years of development and experimentation with the latest in bio-energetic technology. About Frequency Warehouse Warehouse creates frequencies for different industries to assist in improving performance in people, plants, and products. Warehouse captures frequencies, bundles several frequencies together creating unique formulations, securely stores frequencies on behalf of its clients, and delivers the frequencies through its frequency emitting wearable technology. The Warehouse provides solutions to the B-to-B market in both consumer and commercial applications. We license our wearable frequency emitters for companies to use in their specific applications. They may provide the frequencies required for their specific application or these frequencies may be developed, captured and deployed on behalf of the client by the Warehouse. Contact Information For further information, please contact Stephen Davis, CEO of the Company at 250 732-7170 or e-mail at Stephen@frequencyexchangecorp.com Cautionary Note The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Company's completion of the Offering as well as its future plans and intentions. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" "hope" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's ability to complete the proposed transaction; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Filing Statement dated Feb 7th, 2022 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. SOURCE: Frequency Exchange Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698265/Frequency-Exchange-Corp-Announces-Global-Business-Expansion-Into-General-Health-and-Wellness VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / CMC Metals Ltd. (TSXV:CMB)(Frankfurt:ZM5P)(CMCXF:OTC PINK) ("CMC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of C$3,151,780.18 from the sale of 13,761,998 non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a "NFT Unit") and the sale of 6,396,944 flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit"). Each FT and NFT Unit consists of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one half of one transferable share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Full Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.20 per Warrant Share on or before April 19, 2024. The FT, NFT and Warrant Shares will be subject to a hold period ending on August 20, 2022. The Flow Through proceeds from the Offering will be used to fund the Company's exploration programs at its silver-lead-zinc properties in the Rancheria Silver District (Yukon/British Columbia) and its polymetallic properties in Newfoundland. Proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act and "flow through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act. Such proceeds will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date not later than December 31, 2022, in the aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Shares. Key participants in this private placement included the Crescat Precious Metals Fund ("Crescat"), the Sprott Asset Management LP ("Sprott') and several long-time core investors. Crescat is a global macro asset management firm with Dr. Quinton Hennigh as a Member/Geological and Technical Director. Dr. Hennigh is a globally renowned exploration geologist with 30+ years of precious metals mining experience. Dr. Hennigh has played a key role in several major global discoveries. Sprott is a global asset manager that provides clients with access to highly-differentiated precious metals and real assets investment strategies. Sprott is a highly respected global leader and has partnered with numerous natural resource companies to help meet their capital needs through brokerage and resource lending activities. Mr. John Bossio, Chairman noted, "This financing is a pivotal event for the growth and development of our Company. We were especially pleased with the support provided by the Crescat team and Dr. Quinton Hennigh and funds managed by Sprott Asset Management LP." Kevin Brewer, President and CEO noted "I would like to thank the efforts of Mark Styles and the Red Cloud Securities team. Through Red Cloud we have for the last year or more been building critical relationships and linkages into the investment community which will help serve us well as we continue to grow and advance wealth generation for our shareholders." In connection with the Offering, the Company paid finders' fees of C$165,406.18 and issued a total of 523,217 non-transferable warrants (the "Finder's Warrants"), with each Finder's Warrant exercisable into one common share of the Company at a price of C$0.20 at any time on or before April 19, 2024 after the hold period ending on August 20, 2022. About CMC Metals Ltd. CMC Metals Ltd. is a growth stage exploration company focused on opportunities high graded polymetallic deposits in Yukon, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador. Our silver-lead-zinc prospects in the Rancheria Silver District include the Silver Hart Deposit and Blue Heaven claims (the "Silver Hart Project") in Yukon, and Rancheria South, Amy and Silverknife claims (the "Rancheria South Project") in British Columbia. Our polymetallic projects with potential for copper-silver-gold and other metals include Logjam (Yukon), Bridal Veil and Terra Nova (both in Newfoundland). US Securities Act The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. On behalf of the Board: "John Bossio" John Bossio, Chairman CMC METALS LTD. For Further Information and Investor Inquiries: Kevin Brewer, P. Geo., MBA, B.Sc.(Hons), Dip. Mine Eng. President, CEO and Director Tel: (604) 670-0019 kbrewer80@hotmail.com Suite 615-800 Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6C 2V6 To be added to CMC's news distribution list, please send an email to info@cmcmetals.ca or contact Mr. Kevin Brewer at 604-670-0019. 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. "This news release may contain certain statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law, including without limitation, statements that address the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles and exploitation activities and developments. In this release disclosure regarding the potential to undertake future exploration work comprise forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks, including the ability of the Company to raise the funds necessary to fund its projects, to carry out the work and, accordingly, may not occur as described herein or at all. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, the impact of the constantly evolving COVID-19 pandemic crisis and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are referred to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators for information on these and other risk factors, available at www.sedar.com. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation." SOURCE: CMC Metals Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698297/CMC-Metals-Ltd-Closes-C3151780-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement ZURICH, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For his decades-long commitment to research on sharks and their habitats, the internationally active species conservation organization Sharkproject awards its highest honor, the title "Shark Guardian", to the Mexican researcher Dr. Edgar Mauricio Hoyos Padilla. The reason for this is his scientific work to protect great white sharks and his international commitment to the study and conservation of shark habitats and migration routes. Hoyos Padilla's longstanding commitment to shark conservation "Hoyos Padilla is particularly deserving of the award. His decades of personal commitment, significant research results and publications merit recognition. In addition, he has proven to be a trustworthy cooperation partner for associates at national and international level", emphasizes Sharkproject President Alexander Smolinsky. Since 1998, sharks and their habitats have been the basis of Hoyos Padilla's research projects. As a member of the scientific committee of several marine protected areas in Mexico, he dedicates his research to subjects such as reproduction, shark ecology and behavior. Additionally, Hoyos Padilla is known as an internationally respected lecturer and high-profile ambassador for shark conservation. By now, he has given approximately 300 lectures to students and adults in Mexico and many other countries. "It is a great honor to receive this international award. It is due to my whole team and will bring further attention to the great nature and shark conservation in Mexico. There is a clear mandate to continue working, sharks are now more threatened with extinction than ever," said Hoyos Padilla, who is also director and co-founder of the non-profit marine conservation organization "Pelagios Kakunja" (https://www.pelagioskakunja.org/). Awards and scientific publications Throughout his career, Hoyos Padilla has received several awards. Including: "Mexican Leader", "Golden Diver", "Researcher of the Year" and "Sea Hero". He has also published 63 scientific articles, manuals of procedures in marine protected areas, and a book on great white sharks. He led the update of The Program of Action for the Conservation of the White Shark in Mexican waters. As a scientific consultant, Hoyos Padilla has supported several documentaries, including for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Japan Underwater Films, IMAX, Natural History New Zealand, and Mexican TV networks such as Canal 11 and Televisa. Worldwide consultant for shark research projects Mauricio Hoyos is a member of the Mexican governmental research council "Sistema Nacional de Investigadores". Based in the Mexican city La Paz, he has acted for many years as a contact and cooperation partner for national and international research projects (e.g., Guadalupe Island, Cedros Island, Natividad Island, Benitos Islands). The "Shark Guardian" award from Sharkproject Since 2004, Sharkproject has presented the "Shark Guardian" award. It honors individuals who have contributed to the protection of sharks and their habitats with internationally outstanding achievements. Renowned previous winners (https://www.sharkproject.org/protection/shark-awards/) include researcher Adi Barash (2019) and actor Leonardo DiCaprio (2015). In addition, Sharkproject also awards a negative award, the "Shark Enemy". It is used when individuals or companies pose a particular threat to international shark populations. In 2017, for example, the transport company FedEx was "awarded" the "Shark Enemy" to draw attention to the transport of shark fins by the company. The 2022 "Shark Enemy" will be announced in the fall of 2022. Picture is available at AP Images ( http://www.apimages.com ) About Sharkproject Founded in 2002, Sharkproject is a species conservation organization that advocates for sharks and the marine ecosystem. Sharkproject engages in national and international conservation efforts, promotes scientific projects, and educates about the importance of sharks and the marine habitat. For further information please visit https://www.sharkproject.org/en/. Enquiry reference: Press Office Sharkproject Jurgen H. Gangoly, The Skills Group gangoly@skills.at, +43 1 505 26 25 13 www.skills.at ALBANY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Advance Media New York will host a full-day conference on May 20 to help prospective cannabis business owners navigate the New York State cannabis landscape. AMNY is still searching for cannabis industry leaders to sponsor the event, which will provide essential advice and guidance to these entrepreneurs. NY Cannabis Insider Live, which serves as the state's premiere cannabis business conference, will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 20, at the Crowne Plaza in Albany, and will feature an impactful combination of general sessions, vendor exhibitions, and networking opportunities with sponsors and other cannabis insiders across the country. NY Cannabis Insider conferences bring to life the reliable, credible, and timely information of NY Cannabis Insider's digital industry subscription. Previous NY Cannabis Insider conferences covered critical topics including securing capital for cannabis businesses, understanding industry banking options, analyzing upcoming licensing options and more. Past speakers included Tremaine S. Wright, head of the NYS Cannabis Control Board, State Senator Jeremy Cooney, Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes and other cannabis industry thought leaders from New York State and beyond. To view our roster of previous speakers, please visit https://www.advancemediany.com/ny-cannabis-insider-live/ AMNY's virtual cannabis conference last year drew more than 400 online attendees from across NY, NJ, MA, PA, VT, CA, TX, IL and more. These gatherings attract cannabis industry entrepreneurs looking to start a New York State cannabis business, make connections with industry experts and build out a team of cannabis professionals. Ancillary cannabis business owners are also in attendance and represent legal, security, retail, banking, finance, construction, engineering, business consultation and medical expertise. Early bird tickets are $185 until April 20. Tickets purchased after that date are $225. To purchase tickets and find out how you can be a sponsor, visit https://www.cannabisinsiderevents.com/NYCImay2022 or email lmarlenga@advancemediany.com SOURCE: NY Cannabis Insider Live Virtual Conference View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698205/Advance-Media-New-York-Seeks-Sponsors-for-NY-Cannabis-Insider-Live TAG's first trade shows to introduce new TAGPod technology to Western Canada Attendees can experience an easy, fast, and safe shopping model that massively reduces single-use packaging from the bulk grocery supply chain process OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / The Aggressive Good, Inc. ("TAG"), a leader in zero waste supply chain solutions for the grocery industry, will be attending the Canadian Health Food Association Natural Organic Wellness Conference and Trade Show ("CHFA NOW") in Vancouver from April 23-24 at booth 1715 and The Grocery & Specialty Food West Exhibition ("GSFW") from April 25-26 at booth 1104. "We're excited to showcase TAGPod at CHFA NOW and GSFW, our first official trade shows," said Geoffrey MacKay, Co-Founder of TAG. "TAGPod is the perfect delivery and dispensing technology for organic food brands, better-for-you snacks, and other bulk grocery products, and we are eager for the opportunity to connect with like-minded businesses and investors to demonstrate how TAGPod works." CHFA NOW is the number one source for new products and education for retailers who are doing business in Western Canada.?The trade show and conference features over 900 companies and a highly qualified selection of speakers on matters such as incorporating sustainability practices into business operations. Grocery & Specialty Food West is Canada's premier western grocery trade show and conference, bringing together retailers and manufacturers from across the nation to discover new innovations, network, and build relationships within the grocery industry. GSFW is dedicated towards helping grow businesses and build relations with key retailers. The TAG team will be available for meetings during and post-conference. Please reach out to the investor relations team at alyssa@irlabs.ca to schedule a meeting. About TAGPod TAG's zero waste supply chain solutions were born from frustration at the amount of single-use packaging and food waste in current grocery distribution models and by listening to retailers and consumers who want to massively reduce the environmental impact of these solutions. TAGPod eliminates waste by replacing single use packaging with reusable and durable cartridges that can be repeatedly re-filled and distributed by food producers and retailers while securing food safety and freshness. With real-time data analytics collected by the TAGPod system, grocers and food suppliers benefit from the elimination of single use packaging cost, tighter inventory control, instant tracking of product, and providing their consumers with a convenient, zero-waste food buying option. For consumers, the TAGPod system includes a one-touch, user friendly interface that enables shoppers to easily customize the amount of product they wish to purchase. Consumers use their own reusable containers to collect the dispensed product they purchase. A kiosk tallies their purchase and prints out a receipt, and the bar code on the receipt is then scanned at the till. Cashiers no longer need to weigh and input individual bulk items. It's all on the receipt from the TAG kiosk. How TAGPod Works: Automatic dispensing & weighing technology : Scale built into the pod eliminates the need to manually tare & weigh containers, simplifying the purchase process. : Scale built into the pod eliminates the need to manually tare & weigh containers, simplifying the purchase process. Safe and hygienic : One-touch dispensing process and supplier-filled pods reduces the opportunity for contamination. : One-touch dispensing process and supplier-filled pods reduces the opportunity for contamination. Container agnostic : Customers can use any container to collect their food purchases without impacting suppliers' and retailers' access to important data : Customers can use any container to collect their food purchases without impacting suppliers' and retailers' access to important data Advanced technology integrations (in development): Data tracking via sensors gives manufacturers and retailers increased visibility and integration opportunities around product tracking, supply management, and consumer habits. About The Aggressive Good TAG is a cleantech company based in Ottawa designing and manufacturing products dedicated to optimizing an outdated supply chain in the grocery market. TAG designs and makes smart systems that carry, track, and dispense bulk goods, support the zero-waste model and advance the way the world buys and supplies products by making safe and sanitary sustainability rewarding for everyone. For more information, visit: https://aggressivegood.com/. Contacts Jennifer Look-Hong CEO/CFO 1.613.552.0027 jennifer@tagpods.com Alyssa Barry Media and Investor Relations 604.997.0965 alyssa@irlabs.ca SOURCE: The Aggressive Good View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698196/TAG-to-Present-Zero-Waste-TAGPodTM-Technology-at-CHFA-NOW-and-The-Grocery-Specialty-Food-West-Exhibition-in-Vancouver Greenland Resources Inc. (NEO: MOLY, FSE: 2LF) ("Greenland Resources" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that on 24 May, 2022, the Company will present at the EIT Raw Materials Summit in Berlin, Germany, the Malmbjerg molybdenum project located in central east Greenland and its product application to the world-leading European ultra-high-strength steels industry and the European Green Deal. The Company's Chairman, Dr. Ruben Shiffman, and the Company's Senior Technical Advisor, Dr. Hardy Mohrbacher will present the compelling story. The Raw Materials Summit program can be found at https://www.eitrmsummit.com/programme. The Malmbjerg project benefits from a NI 43-101 Definitive Feasibility Study completed by Tetra Tech in 2022, which concluded an expected Base case after-tax IRR of 22.4%, NPV6% of US$1.17 billion (1.02 billion) and a Levered pre-tax IRR of 40.4%, after tax IRR of 33.8% and payback of 2.4 years. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) RawMaterials, was initiated and funded by the European Union and has the overarching mandate to support securing the supply of critical and other strategically important raw materials to the European industry by driving innovation along the raw materials value chain. The European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA), was launched by the European Commission in 2020 as part of an action plan aiming to reduce Europe's raw materials' dependency on third countries, diversifying supply from both primary and secondary sources and improving resource efficiency and circularity while promoting responsible sourcing worldwide. ERMA is managed by EIT RawMaterials. Qualified Person Statement The news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Jim Steel, P.Geo., M.B.A. a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects". About Greenland Resources Inc. Greenland Resources is a Canadian public company with the Ontario Securities Commission as its principal regulator and is focused on the development of its 100% owned world-class Climax type pure molybdenum deposit located in central east Greenland. The Malmbjerg molybdenum project is an open pit operation with an environmentally friendly mine design focused on reduced CO2 emissions and water usage, with Proven and Probable Reserves of 245 million tonnes at 0.176% MoS2, for 571 million pounds of contained molybdenum metal. The Malmbjerg project benefits from a NI 43-101 Definitive Feasibility Study completed by Tetra Tech in 2022 and had a previous exploitation license granted in 2009. With offices in Toronto, the Company is led by a management team with an extensive track record in the mining industry and capital markets. For further details, please refer to our web site (www.greenlandresources.ca) and our Canadian regulatory filings on Greenland Resources' profile at www.sedar.com About Molybdenum and the European Union Molybdenum is a critical metal used mainly in steel and chemicals that is needed in all technologies in the upcoming green energy transition (World Bank, 2020; IEA, 2021). When added to steel and cast iron, it enhances strength, hardenability, weldability, toughness, temperature strength, and corrosion resistance. Based on data from the International Molybdenum Association and the European Commission Steel Report, the world produced around 576 million pounds of molybdenum in 2021 where the European Union ("EU") as the second largest steel producer in the world used approximately 25% of global molybdenum supply and has no domestic molybdenum production. To a greater degree, the EU steel dependent industries like the automotive, construction, and engineering, represent around 18% of the EU's US$16 trillion GDP. Greenland Resources strategically located Malmbjerg molybdenum project has the potential to supply in and for the EU approximately 25 million pounds per year, of environmentally friendly molybdenum from a responsible EU Associate member country, for decades to come. The high quality of the Malmbjerg ore, having low impurity content, makes it an ideal source of molybdenum for the world leading high performance steel industry in Europe. Forward Looking Statements CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking information" (also referred to as "forward looking statements"), which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "hopes", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative 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. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information in this news release relate to, among other things: the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, and their valuation, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include: our mineral reserve estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based, including geotechnical and metallurgical characteristics of rock confirming to sampled results and metallurgical performance; tonnage of ore to be mined and processed; ore grades and recoveries; assumptions and discount rates being appropriately applied to the technical studies; estimated valuation and probability of success of the Company's projects, including the Malmbjerg molybdenum project; prices for molybdenum remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; availability of funds for the Company's projects; capital decommissioning and reclamation estimates; mineral reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements and information include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the projected and actual effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus on the factors relevant to the business of the Corporation, including the effect on supply chains, labour market, currency and commodity prices and global and Canadian capital markets, fluctuations in molybdenum and commodity prices; fluctuations in prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar versus the Euro); operational risks and hazards inherent with the business of mining (including environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structure formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather); inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards; our ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner; changes in laws, regulations and government practices in Greenland, including environmental, export and import laws and regulations; legal restrictions relating to mining; risks relating to expropriation; increased competition in the mining industry for equipment and qualified personnel; the availability of additional capital; title matters and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com). Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required by applicable securities regulations, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking information. Neither the NEO Exchange Inc. nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005770/en/ Contacts: Ruben Shiffman, PhD, Chairman, President Keith Minty, P.Eng, MBA, Engineering and Project Management Jim Steel, P.Geo, MBA, Exploration and Mining Geology Nauja Bianco, M.Pol.Sci., Public and Community Relations Gary Anstey, Investor Relations Eric Grossman, CPA, CGA, Chief Financial Officer +1 647 273 9913 info@greenlandresourcesinc.com www.greenlandresources.ca NEW YORK, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As per Zion Market Research study, Cyber security industry accrued ROI of approximately around US$ 139 billion in 2021 and is set to gain income of almost US$ 210 billion in 2028. In addition to this, Cyber security Market is estimated to register highest gains of nearly 10.1% in period of 2022 to 2028. Moreover, Cyber security market is anticipated to gain traction over forthcoming years subject to rise in cyber-attacks with a view of damaging or stealing key information along with stalling business processes. With rise in cybercrimes, cyber terrorism, hacking, and online frauds, deployment of cyber security tools has become need of an hour for every small & big firm. Increase in infiltration of network infrastructure targets and surge in malware attacks as well as cyber wars have resulted in humungous demand for strong cyber security. This has driven expansion of Cyber security market. Strict data protection law enforcement by various firms and evolution of disruptive online systems prone to cyber-attacks has prompted need for cyber security, thereby boosting market growth. Key Industry Insights & Finding of the Cyber Security Market Reports: As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the Cyber Security Market is expected to grow annually at a CAGR of around 10.1% (2022-2028). (2022-2028). Through the primary research, it was established that the Cyber Security Market was valued approximately USD 139 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach to roughly USD 210 Billion by 2028. Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach to roughly Billion by 2028. North America over forecasting timeframe is subject to rise in high section security breaches leading to humungous demand for cloud application security solutions in countries such as Canada and the U.S. over forecasting timeframe is subject to rise in high section security breaches leading to humungous demand for cloud application security solutions in countries such as and the U.S. Rise in need for cloud security has resulted in massive necessity of cyber security technologies, thereby boosting cyber security market trends. Zion Market Research published the latest report titled as "Cyber Security Market - By Security Type (Network Security, Cloud Security, Wireless Security, And Others), By Solution (Identity And Access Management (IAM), Encryption, Risk And Compliance Management, Data Loss Prevention, Antivirus & Antimalware, Firewall, And Others), And By Vertical (Aerospace, Government, Financial Services, Telecommunication, Healthcare, And Others): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends And Forecast, 2022 - 2028." into their research database. Cyber Security Market: Overview Cyber security is the use of technologies, processes, and controls for protecting networks, devices, and confidential data from cyber-attacks. Furthermore, cyber security tools also protect computer system against theft, information disclosure, and software & hardware damage as well as disruption of electronic information in coded format. Moreover, there are various kinds of cyber threats including malware, formjacking, backdoors, cryptojacking, DNS poisoning attacks, and DDoS attacks. Hence, to counter such cyber-attacks, strong cyber security has become a need of the moment. Get a Free Sample Report with All Related Graphs & Charts (with COVID 19 Impact Analysis): https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/cyber-security-market Our Free Sample Report Includes: 2022 Updated Report Introduction, Overview, and In-depth industry analysis COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak Impact Analysis Included 174 + Pages Research Report (Inclusion of Updated Research) Provide Chapter-wise guidance on Request 2022 Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share & Trends Includes Updated List of tables & figures Updated Report Includes Top Market Players with their Business Strategy, Sales Volume, and Revenue Analysis Zion Market Research methodology Industry Dynamics: Cyber Security Market: Growth Dynamics Focusing on introducing robust security solutions for safeguarding industrial functions along with combating cyber terrorism. Rise in cybercrimes over last few years has led to massive financial losses for business, thereby boosting demand for cyber security systems. Additionally, rise in use of e-commerce tools and breakthroughs in disruptive technologies including AI and connected things has resulted in surge of cyber-crimes that can take undue advantage of weak cyber-security. Hence, need for strong cyber-security due to growing cyber security concerns will drive market trends. In addition to this, rise in need for cloud security has resulted in massive necessity of cyber security technologies, thereby boosting cyber security market trends. Furthermore, rapid expansion of security services in healthcare, manufacturing, and government sectors will proliferate size of cyber security market. In addition to this, key players are focusing on introducing robust security solutions for safeguarding industrial functions along with combating cyber terrorism. This will promulgate scope of cyber security market growth. Citing an instance, in December 2020, IBM Corporation introduced IBM security X-Force for determining cyber-attacks. Apart from this, the firm introduced phishing campaign across nearly six countries. Cyber Security Market: Segmentation Government Sector To Contribute Largest Share To Cyber security Market In 2022-2028 Segmental surge over forecasting time interval is due to massive cyber threats & cyber-attacks on government organizations & public utilities. Apart from this, new technologies, supply chain, and encrypted tools used by government agencies are also susceptible to cyber-attacks and hence has resulted in large-scale use of Cyber security systems in government organizations. Directly Purchase a Copy of the Report @ https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/cyber-security-market Cloud Security Segment To Record Highest CAGR In 2022-2028 Growth of cloud security segment in ensuing years is owing to rising acceptance of cloud-based security solutions by firms. Moreover, data leaks related to cloud services will further prompt segmental growth. Apart from this, increase in malware infiltration risks and data breach issues linked with use of cloud services will proliferate size of cloud security segment over years ahead. Additionally, massive requirement of increasing filtering of web traffic accessing media contents will proliferate expansion of cloud security segment in ensuing years. Get More Insight before Buying@: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/cyber-security-market List of Key Players of Cyber Security Market: McAfee Corp. Symantec Corporation Zscaler Inc. Microsoft Corporation Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation Sophos Ltd. IBM Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation Palo Alto Networks Inc. Broadcom Inc. Fortinet Inc. Cisco Systems Inc. Key questions answered in this report: What are the growth rate forecast and market size for Cyber Security Market ? What are the key driving factors propelling the Cyber Security Market forward? What are the most important companies in the Cyber Security Market Industry? What segments does the Cyber Security Market cover? How can I receive a free copy of the Cyber Security Market sample report and company profiles? Report Scope: Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2021 USD 139 Billion Revenue forecast in 2028 USD 210 Billion Growth Rate CAGR of almost 10.1% 2022-2028 Base Year 2020 Historic Years 2016 - 2021 Forecast Years 2022 - 2028 Segments Covered By Product Type, By Application, and By End Use Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2028 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, and Rest of World Countries Covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Companies Covered McAfee Corp., Symantec Corporation, Zscaler, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, Sophos Ltd., IBM Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Palo Alto Networks, Inc., Broadcom, Inc., Fortinet, Inc., and Cisco Systems, Inc. Report Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter's five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, market attractiveness analysis by segments and region, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis. Customization Scope Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/104 Free Brochure: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/cyber-security-market Regional Dominance: North America Cyber Security Market To Expand Leaps & Bounds By 2028 Growth of cyber security market in North America over forecasting timeframe is subject to rise in high section security breaches leading to humungous demand for cloud application security solutions in countries such as Canada and the U.S. Rise in online e-commerce tools will provide impetus to expansion of cyber security market in North America. Reportedly, regional government executes modern network security protocols for providing improved secured measures for firms. Global Cyber Security Market is segmented as follows: Cyber Security Market: By Security Type Outlook (2022-2028) Network Security Cloud Security Wireless Security Others Cyber Security Market: By Solution Outlook (2022-2028) Identity And Access Management (IAM) Encryption Risk And Compliance Management Data Loss Prevention Antivirus & Antimalware Firewall Others Cyber Security Market: By Vertical Outlook (2022-2028) Aerospace Government Financial Services Telecommunication Healthcare Others Cyber Security Market: By Region Outlook (2022-2028) North America The U.S. Canada Europe France The UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Southeast Asia Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Press Release For Cyber Security Market : https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/news/cyber-security-market Browse Other Related Research Reports from Zion Market Research Security and Surveillance Radar Market - Global Industry Analysis : The global security and surveillance radar market was worth around USD 8,329.70 million in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about USD 12,783.66 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.4 percent over the forecast period. The global security and surveillance radar market was worth around in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.4 percent over the forecast period. Data Center Colocation Market - Global Industry Analysis : The global Data Center Colocation market was worth around USD 56291.70 million in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about USD 1350315.73 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 15.7 percent over the forecast period. The global Data Center Colocation market was worth around in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 15.7 percent over the forecast period. Computer Aided Engineering Market - Global Industry Analysis: The global Computer Aided Engineering Market accrued earnings worth approximately 8.79(USD Billion) in 2021 and is predicted to gain revenue of about 16.20(USD Billion) by 2028, is set to record a CAGR of nearly 9.2% over the period from 2022 to 2028. Browse through Zion Market Research's coverage of the Global Technology & Media Industry Follow Us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook About Us Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to us-after all-if you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Contact Us: Zion Market Research 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N202 New York, 10001, United States Tel: +49-322 210 92714 USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651 Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.com Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/ Blog - https://zmrblog.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605489/Zion_Market_Research_Logo.jpg Oslo, 21April 2022: On the basis of the approval by the General Meeting on 21 April 2022 to authorize the Board of Directors of Ultimovacs ASA (the 'Company', OSE ticker "ULTI") to issue new shares to employees under a long-term incentive program, the Board of Directors has resolved to issue share options to employees in the Company. A total of 480,000 options for shares in the Company have been distributed amongst the employees. The number of options granted corresponds to 1.40% of the outstanding number of shares in the Company. Each option gives the right to acquire one share in the Company. The options are granted without consideration. Pursuant to the vesting schedule, 25% of the options will vest one year after the day of grant, 25% of the options will vest two years after the day of grant and the remaining 50% will vest three years after the day of grant (vesting is dependent on the option holder still being employed in the Company). The exercise price for the options granted is NOK 83.46 per share. Options that are not exercised within 7 years from the date of grant will lapse and become void. The option life of all previously granted options in 2019, 2020 and 2021 has also been extended from 5 to 7 years. No primary insiders in Ultimovacs, being board members and the CEO, received any option grant in 2022. For further information, please see www.ultimovacs.comor contact: Jonas Einarsson, Chair of the Board of Directors of Ultimovacs ASA Email: je@radforsk.no Phone: +47 480 96 355 Carlos de Sousa, CEO Email: carlos.desousa@ultimovacs.com Phone: +47 908 92507 Anne Worse, Head of IR & Communication Email: anne.worsoe@ultimovacs.com Phone: +47 906 86815 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of her Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, the Queen's Norfolk residence, in this Feb. 5 file photo. Queen Elizabeth II marked her 96th birthday privately, Thursday. AFP-Yonhap Queen Elizabeth II marked her 96th birthday privately Thursday, retreating to her Sandringham Estate in eastern England that offers the monarch, and previously her late husband Prince Philip, a refuge from the affairs of state. Elizabeth is expected to spend the day at the estate's Wood Farm cottage, a personal sanctuary where she also spent her first Christmas since Philip's death in April 2021. Philip loved the cottage, in part because it was close to the sea, she said in February when hosting a rare public event at Sandringham. ''I think the queen's approach to birthdays very much embodies her keep calm and carry on attitude,'' said Emily Nash, the royal editor at HELLO! magazine. ''She doesn't like a fuss.'' This birthday comes during the queen's platinum jubilee year, marking her 70 years on the throne. While Thursday will be low-key, public celebrations will take place from June 2 to 5, when four days of jubilee festivities have been scheduled to coincide with the monarch's official birthday. The day marks yet another milestone in a tumultuous period for the queen, who has sought to cement the future of the monarchy amid signs of her age and controversy in the family. After recovering from a bout of COVID-19 earlier this year, the queen's public appearances have been limited by unspecified ''mobility issues.'' Prince Andrew's multi-million pound settlement with a woman who accused him of sexual exploitation also caused unwanted headlines for the royal family. But the queen got an early birthday treat last week, when grandson Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, paid her a joint visit for the first time since they stepped away from frontline royal duties and moved to California in 2020. Harry, in an interview with NBC, said his grandmother was ''on great form,'' though he added that he wanted to make sure she was ''protected'' and had ''the right people around her.'' Britain's longest-serving monarch, Elizabeth has spent much of the past two years at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she took refuge during the pandemic. It's been a little over a year since the death of Philip, her spouse of more than 70 years. The queen said good-bye during a scaled down funeral in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Coronavirus restrictions in place at the time limited the service to 30 mourners and forced the monarch to sit alone a poignant reminder of how she would spend her remaining years. Last month, with the pandemic on the wane and restrictions eased, the queen shrugged off recent health issues to attend a service of thanksgiving for Philip at Westminster Abbey, entering the abbey on the arm of Andrew, her second son. Her choice of escorts was seen as a vote of support for Andrew following his legal settlement. But the in-person appearance was rare. The Queen has increasingly relied on Prince Charles to take on public engagements in the twilight of her reign, most recently offering alms to senior citizens at the Royal Maundy service at St. George's Chapel. Charles took on the traditional task of distributing specially minted coins to pensioners who were being recognized for their service to the church and the local community. This year, 96 men and 96 women received the coins, one for each year of the queen's life. ''She has a lot coming up in the next few months, so it absolutely makes sense that she enjoys her birthday quietly, privately at Sandringham," Nash said. ''But this is really someone whose focus is still on the future, even at the age of 96.'' (Yonhap) Boston, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gordon Brothers, the global advisory, restructuring and investment firm, has received $300 million in financing from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) through its subsidiary CPPIB Credit Investments Inc., increasing the firm's capital base to over $1 billion. This financing will fuel the continued rapid growth of the firm's capital offerings, which generated over $700 million in originations worldwide in 2021, building on billions of assets traded and financed in recent years. "This new investment marks an important milestone in Gordon Brothers' evolution and builds on our partnership with Stone Point Capital," said Ken Frieze, CEO of Gordon Brothers. "We look forward to welcoming CPP Investments as we accelerate the growth of our lending, sale leasebacks and investments globally." "We are impressed by how the Gordon Brothers' global platform uniquely leverages deep appraisal and disposition expertise combined with disciplined underwriting to support businesses undergoing transformation," said Andrew Edgell, Global Head of Credit Investments, CPP Investments. "This new relationship with Gordon Brothers broadens our access to the asset-based lending space as we continue to build a diversified portfolio of credit assets." Gordon Brothers provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. The firm lends against and invests in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. Gordon Brothers partners with management teams, private equity sponsors, strategic buyers and asset-based lenders globally to provide our expertise and additional capital in special situations. The firm's tailor-made solutions provide clients additional capital alongside traditional debt and equity, and its structures complement senior asset-based lending facilities and include credit and yield enhancements. About Gordon Brothers Since 1903, Gordon Brothers) has helped lenders, management teams, advisors and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four services areas: valuations, dispositions, financing and investment. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors to provide maximum liquidity, put assets to their highest and best use and mitigate liabilities. The firm conducts more than $70 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually and provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. Gordon Brothers lends against and invest in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. The firm is headquartered in Boston, with over 30 offices across five continents. About CPP Investments Canada Pension Plan Investment Boardor follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. All currencies are listed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Reed brings decades of technology and operations expertise as DSP Concepts meets accelerating demand for Audio of Things enablement DSP Concepts, Inc., the Audio of Things category leader and the creator of the Audio Weaver development platform, today announced Chris Reed as the company's Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new role, Reed will drive operational excellence, process streamlining, change management, and execution of go-to-market strategy. Reed joins DSP Concepts as the company moves to significantly expand customer engagements and partner collaboration in key markets including automotive, hearables, smart home, and home audio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005038/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) "The advent of the Audio of Things (AoT) and surging demand for voice control/communications, playback, and sensing solutions position DSP Concepts for a new phase of company expansion," said Chin Beckmann, CEO, DSP Concepts. "With a legacy of building and growing businesses across the globe, Chris Reed strengthens our executive leadership team across multiple disciplines and geographies." Among his previous leadership roles, Reed was most recently Vice President of New Products and Markets at Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, specializing in healthcare operations, data analytics and care services delivered across 150 countries. Reed was previously Head of Strategy and Innovation and a Group President at Equian, a leader in healthcare claims/payment integrity services prior to its acquisition by Optum. He began his career with insurance giant MetLife, where he headed its Corporate Solutions Business for the Middle East and Africa. Reed holds a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "DSP Concepts is positioned to achieve accelerating revenue growth as Audio Weaver becomes ubiquitous for AoT embedded implementations across an ever-widening breadth of sound and voice applications," said Chris Reed, COO, DSP Concepts. "I am honored by the opportunity to help DSP Concepts expand its market and geographic footprint as consumers' audio consumption continues to rise." For more information about DSP Concepts' products and services, please visit www.dspconcepts.com. About DSP Concepts, Inc. DSP Concepts is the Silicon Valley based leader in the Audio of Things (AoT) market and the creator of Audio Weaver, the audio experience design platform that makes audio innovation easy. DSP Concepts equips and supports engineers with real-time workflows to quickly stand up prototypes, collaborate and modify designs across teams, and deploy to the most popular chipsets from leading semiconductor companies including MediaTek, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, STMicroelectronics, Cadence Design Systems, Arm, Analog Devices, and others. DSP Concepts technologies are embedded in millions of automotive and consumer products, delivering remarkable audio experience solutions to prestigious brands including Bang Olufsen, BMW, Braun, Facebook, Garmin, GoPro, LG, Mercedes Benz, Panasonic, Peloton, Porsche, Samsung, Sennheiser, Spotify, Tesla, and many more. "Audio Weaver" is a registered trademark of DSP Concepts, Inc. DSP Concepts is a trademark of DSP Concepts, Inc. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005038/en/ Contacts: Adam Levenson alevenson@dspconcepts.com Rainier Communications dspconcepts@rainierco.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (OTCQB: FRERF) (FSE: FR2) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an exploration update relating to the Company's Cobb Creek project in Elko County Nevada and announce a proposed restructuring of the Company's capital structure. Highlights: The Cobb Creek project occurs at the northern end of the Independence Trend, one of the most important gold belts in northern Nevada. The Independence Trend hosts the Jerritt Canyon district, three other Carlin-type deposits, and a recently discovered epithermal gold deposit (Gravel Creek) 12 kilometres south of Cobb Creek Cobb Creek hosts a non-National Instrument 43-101 compliant, historical resource of 160,000 ounces of gold, named the McCall gold deposit1 The results from Fremont's recent geochemical soil survey reveal a number of important new gold-in-soil and pathfinder element anomalies. Several of these anomalies occur in areas that have never been tested by drilling and lie three to five kilometers southeast and east of the McCall gold deposit Eight proposed drill sites have been chosen and the Company has initiated the permitting process for a drill permit. A minimum five-hole diamond drill program is planned for late summer 2022 Fremont's Board of Directors has authorized a consolidation of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation share for every ten (10) pre-consolidation shares Proposed drill program at Cobb Creek Following from the successful geochemical soil sampling program, management has planned eight proposed drill sites at Cobb Creek and initiated the drill permit application process. Once permitting is in place, management intends to commence a minimum five-hole, 1,500-meter drill program in late summer 2022. Background Major gold deposits in Nevada are found within well-defined mineralized structural "trends". Cobb Creek is hosted within the Independence Trend, which includes the Jerritt Canyon, Big Springs, Doby George and Wood Gulch Carlin-type gold deposits, as well as the Gravel Creek epithermal gold-silver deposit (Figure 1). Figure 1. Location of Cobb Creek and major gold deposits within the Independence Trend To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/121168_de3c99a9b418c928_002full.jpg Figure 2 shows the geology of the project area, with mapped and inferred northwest-trending fault zones in blue with strong alteration and known gold mineralization commonly at the intersection with northeast-trending and north-northeast-trending fault zones. Mineralized zones from historical drilling are shown outlined in red in the following figures. Although the McCall deposit has historically been labeled orogenic, there is ample evidence of near-surface epithermal alteration, similar to Gravel Creek 12 km to the southeast. There is also potential for deeper Carlin-type mineralization along and beneath the Roberts Mountains thrust in lower-plate carbonate rocks which are locally strongly altered in the southern part of the claim block. Figure 2. Geology of the Cobb Creek area with historic gold resource at McCall, areas of mineralization defined in historic drilling, soil sample sites and proposed 2022 drill sites To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/121168_de3c99a9b418c928_003full.jpg Recent work Soil sampling, conducted in October 2021, consisted of 307 samples taken on 200 metre-spaced sites along east-west lines 600 meters apart. Figure 2 shows the sample sites with respect to the geology of the project area. Each soil sample was taken at depths of 0.5-1.0 meter, consistently at a change in coloration and induration, and analyzed by ALS's ME-MS41L method employing aqua regia digestion and analysis of 50 elements by ICP-MS. Figure 3 shows gold results from the survey which displays a strong gold-in-soil anomaly directly above the McCall gold deposit. In addition, several new strong gold-in-soil anomalies are evident to the southeast and east of the McCall gold deposit. These anomalies have never been tested by previous drilling and are priority targets in the upcoming drill program. Figure 3. Gold-in-soil geochemical results - Note anomalous zones with no or little previous drilling To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3169/121168_de3c99a9b418c928_004full.jpg Fremont VP of Exploration, Dr. Clay Newton, states: "The soil results in conjunction with structural interpretation have enabled the identification of exciting new drill targets to the east and southeast of the historical McCall resource. The data reveal significant anomalies in gold and pathfinder elements, both where historical drilling encountered anomalous gold values and where there has been no previous drilling. These anomalous zones likely overlie gold mineralization, and we intend to test them as soon as drill permits are in hand." Project Generation Developments Due to the increasingly high cost of project acquisition in Nevada, Fremont management has evaluated a number of notable gold-copper projects outside of North America. Company President & CEO, Dennis Moore, who has been responsible for grass-roots gold discoveries in excess of 3.5M ounces states: "Over the past year, my team and I have visited several of the world's most prolific mineral belts. It is amazing to me that one can still encounter large, mineralized-at-surface, hydrothermal systems that are barely explored, not drill-tested and open for staking. We have identified a number of these systems and are in the process of applying for the ground. It is exciting." Proposed Share Consolidation The Company is pleased to announce that it intends to consolidate its common shares on a ten (10) for one (1) basis (the "Consolidation"). The Company currently has 146,114,292 common shares issued and outstanding. Following the Consolidation, the Company will have approximately 14,611,429 common shares issued and outstanding, prior to rounding for fractional shares. The exercise price and number of common shares issuable upon the exercise of the Company's outstanding options and warrants will also be proportionally adjusted upon completion of the Consolidation. Completion of the Consolidation is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). Upon completion of the Consolidation, a letter of transmittal will be sent by mail to registered shareholders advising that the Consolidation has taken effect. The letter of transmittal will contain instructions on how registered shareholders can exchange their share certificates or DRS statements evidencing their pre-consolidated common shares for new share certificates or new DRS statements representing the number of post-consolidated common shares to which they are entitled. No action is required by non-registered shareholders (shareholders who hold their shares through an intermediary) to affect the Consolidation. The Company's common shares will begin trading on the TSXV on a post-Consolidation basis after the TSXV issues its final bulletin advising of the effective date. The Consolidation has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Board believes that the Consolidation will provide the Company with greater flexibility for the continued development of its business and the growth of the Company, including financing arrangements. The exercise price and number of common shares issuable upon the exercise of the Company's outstanding warrants and stock options will be proportionately adjusted upon completion of the Consolidation. Common shares issued pursuant to the exercise of warrants and stock options after the effective date of the Consolidation will be issued on a post-Consolidation basis. New warrant certificates reflecting the Consolidation are not required and will not be issued. Qualified person The content of this news release was reviewed by Dennis Moore, Fremont's President & CEO, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Fremont Fremont's mine-finding management team has assembled a portfolio of high-quality Nevada gold projects with the goal of making a new discovery. Besides Cobb Creek, Fremont's projects include Griffon, North Carlin and Hurricane. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Dennis Moore President & CEO Fremont Gold Ltd. For further information, contact: Corporate Information Fremont Gold Ltd. Dennis Moore Telephone: +351 9250 62196 www.fremontgold.net https://twitter.com/GoldFremont https://www.linkedin.com/company/fremont-gold/ Email: dennis@fremontgold.net 1 Pawlowski, M.R., 2004, Technical report on the Cobb Creek Property, McCall Area, Elko County, Nevada. 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 Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", "hope", "will be", "expected" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this and other press releases include but are not limited to the potential for the discovery of a Carlin-type deposit, and the number of metres and holes to be drilled. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Fremont undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121168 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - International Zeolite Corp. (TSXV: IZ) (OTC Pink: IZCFF) (FSE: ZEON) ("IZ" or the "Company"), creating innovative, environmentally friendly products and solutions utilizing zeolite minerals for the agricultural, industrial and consumer markets, is pleased to announce the results of voting at its Annual General & Special Meeting of shareholders which was held virtually on April 14, 2022 (the "Meeting"). At the Meeting, all five director nominees listed in the Company's information circular, dated February 28, 2022, were elected as directors of the Company - Raymon Paquette, CEO and Director (96.9% for), Mark Pearlman, President, COO and Director (96.2% for), Stephen Coates (97.1% for), Ron Schneider (98% for) and Dave Kepkay (98% for). In addition, at the meeting shareholders approved fixing the number of directors at five, the appointment of Clearhouse LLP as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and approval of the Company's rolling stock option plan. About International Zeolite International Zeolite's mission is to produce a line of high-value top-tier performance natural zeolite products and solutions. We believe that real change comes from the ground up. Our focused aim is to utilize the naturally occurring zeolite mineral to innovate commercial agriculture, industry and consumer practices that outperform their competition, and are better for the environment and world populations. Our purpose driven zeolite solutions represent a new era of earth conscious environmental science that will relentlessly seek to transform agriculture, industry, and households to safer, sustainable, superior means of operation. On Behalf of the Board "Ray Paquette" CEO +1 604.684.3301 For Investor Inquiries: Bill Mitoulas Investor Relations info@internationalzeolite.com + 1 416.479.9547 For further information, please visit www.internationalzeolite.com Forward-Looking Statements Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete contemplated work programs and the timing and amount of expenditures. International Zeolite does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121181 MCLEAN, VA / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Dr. Bajoghli of the Skin and Laser Surgery Center has been awarded the Top Doctor in Dermatology and MOHS Surgery for 2022, by Northern Virginia Magazine . Dr. Amir Bajoghli would like to thank Northern Virginia Magazine for this honor, which he has earned for the past two decades. This award is given to physicians and surgeons in Northern Virginia as an Official Recognition of Continued Commitment to Providing Nothing Short of Excellence. The Northern Virginia Magazine compiles the annual " Top Doctoboard-certifiers " list based on peer and panel recommendations. Nominations of doctors are based on internal evaluations, patient reviews, peer recognition, and an evaluation of the quality of care provided by the doctor. Given the number of competing physicians in the Northern Virginia area, being placed on this prestigious list reflects Dr. Amir Bajoghli's deep commitment to putting patients at the center of care. Dr. Bajoghli has been active in the field of dermatology, Mohs micrographic surgery, and cosmetic services for over twenty years. He regularly presents lectures to other physicians regionally and internationally, and teaches medical students and dermatology residents at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Amir Bajoghl i has been named Top Dermatologist and MOHS Surgeon in the Washington area by both the Washingtonian and Northern Virginia magazines in the past. Dr. Amir Bajoghli can be reached at either of his Virginia offices: McLean: 1359 Beverly Rd., 2nd Floor McLean, VA 22101 (703) 893-1114 Woodbridge: 2200 Opitz Blvd., Suite 100 Woodbridge, VA 22191 (703) 492-4140 SOURCE: Skin and Laser Dermatology Center View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/695714/Dr-Amir-Bajoghli-Receives-Top-Doctor-Award-2022-in-Dermatology-by-Northern-Virginia-Magazine Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Slave Lake Zinc Corp. (CSE: SLZ) ("Slave Lake" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that at its 2022 annual meeting of shareholders held on April 19, 2022, all items were approved. Jas Rai, Ritch Wigham, Glen Macdonald, Max Braden and Steven Zadka were re-elected to Slave Lake's board of directors. Mr. Rai continues as the Company's President, Mr. Wigham continues as the Company's CEO and Peter Cummings continues as the Company's CFO. About Slave Lake Zinc Slave Lake Zinc Corp. intends to develop the potential of its O'Connor Lake property, an historic zinc lead copper property located in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The property is located south of Great Slave Lake and to the east of Osisko Metals' Pine Point project. The property was initially developed after the Second World War and subsequently abandoned in 1952 when the prices of zinc and lead collapsed post war. Slave Lake Zinc Corp. believes that it is well positioned to advance this project and to expand significantly the historic potential of the property. For more information, please visit www.zinccorp.ca. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, Slave Lake Zinc Corp. Per: Ritch Wigham CEO & Director Phone: 604-396-5762 Email: rwigham@zinccorp.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release Forward-Looking Statement Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in both Slave Lake Zinc's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, potential development and production at the Company's O'Connor Lake project, future oriented events and other statements that are not facts. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Slave Lake Zinc operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in light of such factors. Although Slave Lake Zinc 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. 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. 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 news release, and Slave Lake Zinc disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and Slave Lake Zinc does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121184 Continued momentum in order intake in Q1 2022: 4.6 million Increase in order backlog1 to 10.1 million as of March 31, 2022, +10% Regulatory News: BALYO (Paris:BALYO) (FR0013258399, Ticker: BALYO, eligible for PEA-PME savings schemes), a technological leader in the design and development of innovative robotic solutions for material handling trucks, today announces its revenues for the first quarter of 2022. Pascal Rialland, CEO of BALYO, said: This first quarter of 2022 confirms the Company's commercial momentum, characterized by an increase in the order book. Quarterly revenues are perfectly in line with our expectations and clearly do not call into question BALYO's objective of returning to sustained growth in 2022. The development of direct sales, the acceleration of the commercial dynamic in the U.S. following the recruitments made and the commitment of orders from our partner Linde will drive BALYO's growth as of the next quarter. In thousands of euros Q1 2021 Q1 2022 Change EMEA region 3,815 3,380 -11% Americas region 475 382 -20% APAC region 26 111 +327% Reported sales revenue* 4,316 3,873 -10% * Unaudited data Q1 2022 activity in line with company's expectations BALYO recorded revenues of 3.9 million in Q1 2022, a 10% decrease compared to Q1 2021, which is mainly due to lower revenues with its partner LINDE MATERIAL HANDLING compared to last year, but which should be made up in the coming quarters, knowing that LINDE HANDLING MATERIAL has signed a 13.9 million annual commitment order contract with the Company for 2022. Increase in order book As in previous quarters, BALYO's differentiating positioning, in particular its technological leadership, allows it to pursue its commercial momentum. After integration of new orders for 4.6 million in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of +7% compared to the first quarter of 2021, the order backlog as of March 31, 2022 amounts to 10.1 million, an increase of +16% compared to March 31, 2021. Strategy and outlook Committed in an ambitious commercial plan aiming at a strong growth in order intake, particularly in direct sales, BALYO intends to step up in 2022 thanks to a unique positioning on the market of mobile robotics and pallet movement. Thanks to a recognized and unmatched product offering in high-rack storage, a technological leadership as well as the signing of many commercial partnerships, BALYO will also be able to rely on the expansion of its sales teams, particularly in the U.S. BALYO remains cautious about the supply of certain electronic components and the extended lead times in the current context. The increase in production costs for robotic kits, related to the rise in the raw materials and energy prices, as well as longer lead times for the supply of base truck for projects sold directly are also being closely monitored without the Company being able to assess their precise impact to date. BALYO has submitted today its Universal Registration Document to the AMF, including the 2021 annual financial report, which is available on its website: https://www.balyo.com/investors General Meeting of Shareholders: May, 31st 2022 The terms of participation will be communicated at a later date. Next financial release: sales for the first half of 2022 on July 21, 2022 About BALYO Humans around the World deserve enriching and creative jobs. At BALYO, we believe that pallet movements in DC and manufacturing sites should be left to fully autonomous robots. To execute this ambition, BALYO transforms standard forklifts into intelligent robots thanks to its breakthrough Driven by Balyo technology. Our leading geo guidance navigation system enables robots to locate their position and navigate autonomously inside buildings without the need for any additional infrastructure. To accelerate the material handling market conversion to autonomy, BALYO has entered into two global partnerships with KION (Fenwick-Linde's parent company) and Hyster-Yale Group. A full range of globally available robots has been developed for virtually all traditional warehousing applications; Tractor, Pallet, Stackers, Reach and VNA-robots. BALYO and its subsidiaries in Boston and Singapore serve clients in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The company has been listed on EURONEXT since 2017 and its sales revenue reached 21.8 million in 2021. For more information, visit www.balyo.com. 1 The backlog refers to all orders for projects received but not yet fulfilled. The backlog evolves every quarter following the taking into account of new orders, the revenue generated by projects during the period and the cancellation of orders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005720/en/ Contacts: BALYO Frank Chuffart investors@balyo.com NewCap Financial Communication and Investor Relations Thomas Grojean Louis-Victor Delouvrier Tel: +33 1 44 71 98 53 balyo@newcap.eu Following its 2021 restructuring, Company experiences stable U.S sales growth, including improved gross margin and anticipated reductions in operating losses Webinar april 21st 2022 at 7:00 pm https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KuWBx3iYSMyew6PkI3LfeA Regulatory News: Mauna Kea Technologies (Euronext: MKEA) (Paris:MKEA) (OTCQX:MKEAY), inventor of Cellvizio, the multidisciplinary probe and needle confocal laser endomicroscopy (p/nCLE) platform, today announced financial results (unaudited) for the year ended December 31, 2021, and its sales for the first quarter ended March 31, 20221 Nicolas Bouvier, interim CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies, declares "At the end of 2021, we made the difficult decision to transform the Company's commercial model in order to reduce operating expenses, improve capital efficiency and increase the pace of investment in our highest potential clinical applications. Our restrucring reflected, in part, our experience over the past 5+ years in which significant operating losses failed to produce adequate returns for our shareholders". Bouvier continued, "As we enter Q2, I am grateful for the resiliency of Mauna Kea's employees and equally pleased by the early evidence that legacy Cellvizio users continue to reply on our technology to provide superior clinical care to their patients. Finally, we are encouraged to see early returns on our renewed efforts to build an expanded portfolio of clinical partners and intellectual property, including a new collaboration with On Target Labs and a major regulatory approval from the FDA in the field of molecular imaging." Financial summary for the year 2021 2021 revenues of 7,700K, up by 1,174K, up +18% compared to 2020 Total revenues 2 in 2021 at 8,539K, up by 596K, up +8% compared to 2020 in 2021 at 8,539K, up by 596K, up +8% compared to 2020 Gross margin rate in 2021 significantly improved, at 74.2% compared to 67.1% in 2020 Current operating loss of 11,327K, reduced by 632K compared to 2020 Non-current expenses of 891K following the announcement of the restructuring plan, bringing the operating loss to 12,218K, compared to 11,816K in 2020 Net loss of 13,445k, down 654k from 2020 Cash position of 11.8 million at the end of 2021 and total long-term debt of 26,9 million, compared to 8.6 million in cash and 26.2 million in long-term debt, as of December 31, 2020. Estimated Consolidated financial results for the year 2021 (Unaudited) * (in K) IFRS 2021 2020 Var, Var, % Sales 7 700 6 526 1 174 18% Other revenues 839 1 416 ( 577) (41%) Total Revenues 8 539 7 942 596 8% Cost of Goods Sold ( 1 989) ( 2 148) 159 Gross Margin 5 711 4 378 1 333 30% Gross Margin rate (%) 74,2% 67,1% Research Development ( 3 310) ( 3 232) ( 78) 2% Sales Marketing ( 7 620) ( 8 120) 500 (6%) G&A ( 6 399) ( 5 785) ( 614) 11% Share-based payments (548) (616) 68 (11%) Total operating expenses ( 19 866) ( 19 901) 35 Current operational result ( 11 327) ( 11 959) 632 Non cururent operation result (891) 143 (1 033) Operational Result (12 218) (11 816) (402) Financial Result ( 1 227) (975) ( 252) Net Result ( 13 445) ( 12 791) ( 654) *Totals may not add up due to rounding In 2021, revenues amounted to 7,700K, an increase of 1,174K compared to the previous period, up +18%. This increase is mainly due to the increase in activity in the United States and in EMEA ROW, which grew by +17% and +66% respectively year-on-year, offsetting the -11% decline in sales in the Asia-Pacific market. Gross profit increased by 1,333K, or +30% year-on-year, to 5,711K from 4,378K in the previous period. The gross margin rate was 74.2%, compared to 67.1% in 2020. This improvement is mainly due to a favorable sales mix and to the increase in the selling price of new platforms with lower production costs in 2021. Total operating expenses in 2021, excluding cost of good sold, are stable at 17,877K compared to 17,753K in 2020. The decrease in Marketing and Sales expenses (-6%) is offset by an increase in general expenses (+11%), which are related to the payment of fees and to projects for the search for financing and other operations. In addition, the Company maintained its R&D expenses at 3,310K, a level similar to that of 2020, in order to pursue the projects carried out and in particular the commercialization of the new platform as of October 1, 2021. The operating loss for the year 2021 is thus reduced to 11,327K, compared to 11,959K for the year 2020. Operating result for 2021 is down slightly, by 402 K, or -3% compared to the previous year, to -12,218 K. This decrease is due to the recording of a non-current expense of 891 K following the announcement of the restructuring plan at the end of last year. After taking into account a financial result of -1,227 K, compared to -975 K in 2020, the net loss for the year 2021 amounts to 13,445 K, compared to 12,791 K in 2020. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a cash position of 11.8 million, with long-term debt of 26.9 million, compared with 8.6 million in cash and 26.2 million in long-term debt as of December 31, 2020. The change in cash and cash equivalents during 2021 is partly explained by the net proceeds of the 11.4 million capital increase completed in September 2021 with Johnson Johnson and the Armistice Master Fund Ltd. The purpose of this financing is to support the development of the Cellvizio platform, to continue clinical studies, to finance the restructuring plan initiated at the end of 2021 and to meet working capital requirements. The company benefits from an equity line of credit with Kepler Cheuvreux, which acts as a financial intermediary, and which should enable it to raise 2.0 million3 on the market over the next 12 months. As of December 31, 2021, the Company is in compliance with the contractual commitment under the terms of the documentation signed with the EIB, under which the Company must have at all times available cash of at least 4 million. The Company considers that it is able to meet its future operating requirements. Mauna Kea Technologies had 87 employees as of December 31, 2021, compared to 98 as of December 31, 2020. Post-closing highlights Strategic repositioning In January 2022, Mauna Kea Technologies announced a Board-approved expense reduction plan with the goal of focusing financial resources to support its new strategic direction. The plan calls for reducing consolidated operating expenses by approximately 40% in 2022. Operating expenses for the first quarter of 2022 have already been significantly reduced. On the commercial side, the Company has reduced its direct sales investments in the United States and optimized its marketing and sales activities. Collaboration with On Target Laboratories In March 2022 Mauna Kea Technologies announced a new clinical research and product development collaboration in the area of molecular imaging-guided interventions with On Target Laboratories, a privately held biotechnology company developing intraoperative molecular imaging agents to target and illuminate cancer during surgery. This collaboration was established to develop the combined clinical and technological knowledge of both companies, initially focusing on interventional pulmonology and lung cancer, with the possibility of expanding this collaboration to other indications. Major regulatory milestone reached for molecular imaging and precision medicine On April 12th, 2022, Mauna Kea Technologies received the first FDA 510(k) clearance for the use of Cellvizio in a new class of molecular imaging-guided endoscopic, laparoscopic and needle-based procedures with On Target Labs' Cytalux molecular marker. Covid-19 pandemic Despite the impact of the pandemic on the business, the Company was unable to benefit from government aid during the past fiscal year as it had in 2020. The health crisis continued to negatively impact the Company's business activity during the first quarter of 2022, particularly in the Asian markets. Conflict in Ukraine Mauna Kea Technologies indicates that it has no activity or business ties with Russia or Ukraine; however, the consequences of this conflict, direct or indirect, cannot be accurately quantified at this time. First Quarter 2022 sales by category : (in K) -IFRS Q1 22 Q1 21 Var, Var, % Systems 930 546 384 70% Consumables 633 719 -86 -12% Services 322 311 11 4% Sales total 1 886 1 576 310 20% *Totals may not add up due to rounding Revenues for the first quarter of 2022 amounted to 1,886K, up +20% compared to the previous year. First quarter sales benefited from the strong growth in systems sold, up by +70%. Sales of consumables and services were stable compared to the first quarter of 2021. First quarter 2022 sales by geographic area: (in K) -IFRS Q1 22 Q1 21 Var, Var, % United States 1 396 649 746 115% Asia Pacific 29 444 -415 -93% EMEA ROW 461 483 -22 -4% Total Sales 1 886 1 576 310 20% Totals may not add up due to rounding The evolution of sales by region for the first quarter of 2022 reflects a 115% increase in sales in the United States, including certain catch-ups from the end of 2021. In Asia, activity was strongly penalized by Covid-19 and the various confinements put in place in this zone. In Europe, sales momentum was slightly below that recorded in Q1 2021. First quarter 2022 unit sales: UNITS Q1 22 Q1 21 Var% NEW SYSTEMS SOLD 7 6 17% NEW SYSTEMS PLACED 0 7 -100% TOTAL SYSTEMS 7 13 -46% PROBES DELIVERED 91 146 38% Cellvizio system shipments declined 46% year-over-year to 7 units in Q1 2022, compared to 13 total shipments in the prior period. First quarter 2022 shipments include 7 new systems sold and no new system placements with U.S. customers. Deliveries of consumable probes declined 38% year-over-year in Q1 2022. Financial calendar: Second quarter 2022 sales, July 21, 2022 after market close. The 2021 annual financial report will be available before April 30, 2022 on the company's website. About Mauna Kea Technologies Mauna Kea Technologies is a global medical device company that manufactures and sells Cellvizio, the real-time in vivo cellular imaging platform. This technology uniquely delivers in vivo cellular visualization which enables physicians to monitor the progression of disease over time, assess point-in-time reactions as they happen in real time, classify indeterminate areas of concern, and guide surgical interventions. The Cellvizio platform is used globally across a wide range of medical specialties and is making a transformative change in the way physicians diagnose and treat patients. For more information, visit www.maunakeatech.com. Disclaimer Mauna Kea Technologies This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Mauna Kea Technologies and its activities. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding Mauna Kea Technologies' financial condition, business, strategies, plans and objectives of management for future operations are forward-looking statements. Such forward looking statements are based on assumptions that Mauna Kea Technologies considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the anticipated events contained in such forward-looking statements will occur. Forward- looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the risks set forth in Chapter 3 of the 2020 Universal Registration Document of Mauna Kea Technologies registered by the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des marches financiers (AMF)) on June 17, 2021 under number D-21-0566 and the amendment to the 2020 Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on September 17, 2021, which are both available on the Company's website (www.maunakeatech.com), and risks relating the economic situation, financial markets, and the markets in which Mauna Kea Technologies operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are also subject to risks unknown to Mauna Kea Technologies or that Mauna Kea Technologies does not consider material at this time. The realization of all or part of these risks could lead to actual results, financial conditions, performances or achievements by Mauna Kea Technologies that differ significantly from the results, financial conditions, performances or achievements expressed in such forward-looking statements. This press release and the information it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or to subscribe for, or a solicitation of an order to purchase or subscribe for, Mauna Kea Technologies shares in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The distribution of this document may, in certain jurisdictions, be restricted by local regulations. Persons who come into possession of this document are required to observe all applicable local regulations relating to this document. 1 This press release presents the results for the year ended December 31, 2021, based on the consolidated financial statements of Mauna Kea Technologies as of December 31, 2021 (unaudited). The audit procedures by the Statutory Auditors are in progress. The audited consolidated financial statements will be available before April 30 on the maunakeatech.com website. 2 Total revenue for 2021 includes 635,000 of research tax credit and 204,000 of RI PERSEE grant, compared to 711,000 of research tax credit and 615,000 of U.S. government grant in the prior period. 3 The shares will be issued on the basis of the volume-weighted average share price over the two trading days preceding each issue, less a maximum discount of 6.0%. These conditions allow Kepler Cheuvreux to guarantee the subscription of the shares over the duration of the contract. The estimated amount of 2 million is calculated with 3.6 million shares at 0.6, applying a 6% discount. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005790/en/ Contacts: NewCap Investor Relations Thomas Grojean +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 maunakea@newcap.eu YANTAI, China, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's the time of early spring in Yantai, the central city on the Shandong Peninsula. The trees are quietly stretching new branches and sprouting fresh green buds, spreading out the turquoise of cyan on the piece of the land. If you are looking forward to the color of cyan, you can re-encounter it in Kunyu Mount now, enjoying the mountains under emerald green in chirping of insects, twittering of birds and babbling of streams. Or, you can go to Tiangu Mount, pulling up to the wooden plank road a thousand meters high to view grotesque peaks standing in great numbers and the fairy mists filling the skywalk. Bathing in the breeze of the immense forest, you will feel the tranquility brought by "Xanadu" and appreciate the beauty of the "small Huangshan in north of the Yangtze River". When the clouds are swirling, Luoshan is as beautiful as an ink painting. Walking in such a "fairyland" is really intoxicating. For the cyan in Aishan Mount, the peaks are emerald and scattered with warm spring breeze blowing across the mountains and fields. Looking up, you can see the cyan everywhere and you can feel the comfort given by nature. For the cyan in Danya Mount, climbing up to the high-rise pavilion surrounded by clouds and fog and facing the sea in the wind, you will spontaneously have the feeling of "being an immortal of Penglai" in curling mist like a fairyland. For the cyan in Zhaohu Mount, you can see the green bamboo sea in the beautiful valley, and you can feel the breeze coming slowly and the green waves rolling. The cyan in Yangma Island---the oriental Hawaii---is as a piece of natural turquoise setting upon the boundless blue waves, and time of leisure quietly flowing in the "green". The cyan in the Long Island---the immortal hill on the sea---is a natural oxygen bar with an evergreen forest covering 60% of the land. The cyan around the Menlou Reservoir---the water source of the city---is like a mirror surrounded by turquoise, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, a picturesque scene of the inverted image of green trees and mountains. Yantai, the fairyland, is looking forward to your arrival. Contact Person: Zhao Xiangyang Tel: 0086535-6789710 E-mail: yt6789710@yt.shandong.cn Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1802021/City_of_Yantai_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1802022/City_of_Yantai_2.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1802020/City_of_Yantai_Logo.jpg Regulatory News: NOXXON Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNOX) (Paris:ALNOX), a biotechnology company focused on improving cancer treatments by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), announced today that it has drawn down additional financing tranches from its financing agreement with Atlas Special Opportunities, LLC (ASO), for a total consideration of 2,375,000, and issued 2,419 convertible bonds (including 44 convertible bonds issued in relation to the transaction fee) with a nominal value of EUR 1,000 each. Bryan Jennings, CFO of NOXXON, commented: "We are encouraged by the continued support from Atlas and pleased to secure additional financing for NOXXON's ongoing clinical activities. The challenging conditions in the capital markets at present have made financing difficult for many biotech companies. With declining liquidity in shares generally, and NOXXON shares specifically, we will continue to balance the need for additional financing with the ability of our capital structure to absorb ongoing conversions from the Atlas facility. Additionally, we are continually seeking other forms of equity capital to fund our operations as efficiently as possible." The characteristics, terms and conditions of the ASO financing may be found in the April 23, 2020 and October 14, 2020 press releases. The expansion of the financing capacity and the dilutive potential have been published in the press release on January 3, 2022. NOXXON maintains an updated summary table of issued convertible bonds in the Investors' section of its website. About NOXXON NOXXON's oncology-focused pipeline acts on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer immunity cycle by breaking the tumor protection barrier and blocking tumor repair. By neutralizing chemokines in the TME, NOXXON's approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to weaken tumor defenses against the immune system and enable greater therapeutic impact. NOXXON's lead program NOX-A12 has delivered final top-line data from a Keytruda combination trial in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients published at the ESMO conference in September 2020 and in July 2021 the company announced its Phase 2 study, OPTIMUS, to further evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in combination with Merck's Keytruda and two different chemotherapy regimens as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. NOXXON is also studying NOX-A12 in brain cancer in combination with radiotherapy which has been granted orphan drug status in the US and EU for the treatment of certain brain cancers. GLORIA, a trial of NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy in newly diagnosed brain cancer patients who will not benefit clinically from standard chemotherapy has delivered top-line data from all three dose-escalation cohorts showing consistent tumor reductions and objective tumor responses. Additionally, GLORIA has been expanded to assess the benefit of NOX-A12 with other treatment combinations, radiotherapy bevacizumab and radiotherapy pembrolizumab. The company's second clinical-stage asset NOX-E36 is a Phase 2 TME asset targeting the innate immune system. NOXXON plans to test NOX-E36 in patients with solid tumors. Further information can be found at: www.noxxon.com. Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. Visit NOXXON on LinkedIn and Twitter. About the GLORIA Study GLORIA (NCT04121455) is NOXXON's dose-escalation, phase 1/2 study of NOX-A12 in combination with irradiation in first-line partially resected or unresected glioblastoma (brain cancer) patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter (resistant to standard chemotherapy). GLORIA further evaluates safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 three additional arms combining NOX-A12 with: A. radiotherapy in patients with complete tumor resection; B. radiotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with incomplete tumor resection; and C. radiotherapy and pembrolizumab in patients with incomplete tumor resection. About the OPTIMUS Study OPTIMUS (NCT04901741) is NOXXON's open-label two-arm phase 2 study of NOX-A12 combined with pembrolizumab and nanoliposomal irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in microsatellite-stable metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. Disclaimer Translations of any press release into languages other than English are intended solely as a convenience to the non-English-reading audience. The company has attempted to provide an accurate translation of the original text in English, but due to the nuances in translating into another language, slight differences may exist. Certain statements in this communication contain formulations or terms referring to the future or future developments, as well as negations of such formulations or terms, or similar terminology. These are described as forward-looking statements. In addition, all information in this communication regarding planned or future results of business segments, financial indicators, developments of the financial situation or other financial or statistical data contains such forward-looking statements. The company cautions prospective investors not to rely on such forward-looking statements as certain prognoses of actual future events and developments. The company is neither responsible nor liable for updating such information, which only represents the state of affairs on the day of publication. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005556/en/ Contacts: For more information, please contact: NOXXON Pharma N.V. Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer Tel. +49 (0) 30 726247 0 amangasarian@noxxon.com Investor and Media Relations: LifeSci Advisors Guillaume van Renterghem Tel. +41 (0) 76 735 01 31 gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com NewCap Arthur Rouille Tel. +33 (0) 1 44 71 00 15 arouille@newcap.fr Hong Kong: 4th foreign affairs talk held The Civil Service College today held the fourth talk of a series on the country's foreign affairs jointly with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The talk, delivered via video conferencing by the ministry's Department of Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong, was on the topic of China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan, India and other neighbouring countries. About 280 civil servants in the directorate and senior ranks participated online. Addressing the event, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip said that Hong Kong, as a key link and the prime platform for the Belt & Road Initiative and with the central government's support, can capitalise on its unique advantages to connect the Mainland with other neighbouring countries in economic and trade co-operation so as to achieve win-win collaboration. Acquiring a better understanding of China's relations with major neighbouring countries and a more comprehensive grasp of the latest developments in the region is not only for civil servants to enhance their knowledge and broaden their horizons, but also for them to be equipped to act in better concert with the country's overall approach in handling the relevant areas of work and make more contributions to the country. This is what the college and the OCMFA aspire to achieve in a deeper sense in launching this series of talks on the country's foreign affairs, Mr Nip added. This story has been published on: 2022-04-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. UN chief asks Putin, Zelensky to meet with him in Moscow, Kiev Xinhua) 08:45, April 21, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, April 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to receive him to discuss steps to bring about peace following Russia's special military operation in its neighbor. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said on Wednesday in a statement that separate letters were sent Tuesday afternoon to the permanent missions of Russia and Ukraine to the UN, asking Vladimir Putin to receive Guterres in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky to receive him in Kiev. "The secretary-general said, at this time of great peril and consequence, he would like to discuss urgent steps to bring about peace in Ukraine and the future of multilateralism based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law," Dujarric said. "He noted that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation are founding members of the United Nations and have always been strong supporters of this organization," the spokesman added. The top UN official on Tuesday called for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting in Ukraine to allow for the opening of humanitarian aid corridors during the Orthodox Christian Holy Week. During the proposed pause, Guterres stated, civilians would be evacuated from "current or expected areas of confrontation" and humanitarian aid would be delivered to desperately in needy places such as Mariupol, Donetsk, Lugansk and Kherson. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) YouTube on Wednesday took down the campaign channel of Hong Kong's sole candidate to become its next leader, John Lee, citing compliance with U.S. sanctions imposed against the former No. 2 official. Lee had set up a Facebook page and a YouTube channel to promote his campaign, even though he is running uncontested in the election for chief executive on May 8, in which an Election Committee of about 1,500 people will select the city's leader. The committee is made up largely of pro-Beijing members, including legislators and representatives of different professions and industries in the city. Lee, who resigned as chief secretary earlier this month to run in the election, had been live-streaming his meetings with media and political figures in the city on both Facebook and YouTube prior to the termination of his YouTube channel. He is among a group of top Hong Kong and Beijing officials _ including current leader Carrie Lam _ who were sanctioned by the U.S. in 2020 for undermining the city's autonomy and restricting its freedoms following Beijing's imposition of a tough national security law on the semi-autonomous city. Google, YouTube's parent company, said in a statement that it "complies with applicable U.S. sanctions laws and enforces related policies under its Terms of Service." "After review and consistent with these policies, we terminated the Johnlee2022 YouTube channel," it said. A spokesperson for Facebook, now called Meta, said Lee will be allowed to "maintain a demonetized presence on Facebook and Instagram, and we have taken steps to prevent the use of payments services." His Facebook page remained accessible Wednesday evening. Local media reported that Tam Yiu-chung, Lee's campaign director and the city's sole delegate to China's top legislative body, said YouTube's decision was "completely unreasonable. (AP) TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Toronto-based CO2 GRO Inc. ("GROW" or the "Company") (TSX.V:GROW)(OTCQB:BLONF)(Frankfurt:4021) is pleased to announce CO2 GRO and their Mexico marketing and sales partner, Rancho Nexo will be exhibiting CO2 Delivery Solutionstechnology at the GreenTech Americas Conference hosted in Queretaro Centro de Congresos QRO, Mexico from April 27-29, 2022. This is the second edition of the GreenTech Americas Conference designed for all professionals involved in horticultural technology in Mexico and the Latin America region. The exhibition focuses on the front-end of the horticultural production chain. Representatives from CO2 GRO will participate with Rancho Nexo and assist with the installation of a Technology Trial that was announced on April 7, 2022 for Bresca Hortalizas S.P.R. de R.L. who operates a 4 Ha (10 acre) new greenhouse in the State of Puebla, Mexico. Aaron Archibald, VP Sales & Strategic Alliances commented, "We are delighted to be participating in the second GreenTech Americas Conference with our sales and marketing partner Rancho Nexo. The first Mexico ag tech conferences we participated in were very successful in facilitating introductions with several protected ag Mexican growers. At 6 billion square feet, Mexico is the second largest protected ag market globally and as such represents an enormous opportunity for CO2 GRO and Rancho Nexo. I will be attending the GreenTech Americas Conference with Rancho Nexo then we will be conducting site visits with some of the largest and most influential greenhouse operators in Mexico. Conferences focused on protected ag is a key tool the Company employs to develop sales opportunities with growers". For more information on the GreenTech Americas Conference, please visit GreenTech Americas Visit CO2Delivery?for more information on CO2 Delivery Solutions or ? watch this video . About Rancho Nexo Rancho Nexo Rancho Nexo, based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and Mexico City, is dedicated to connecting the world with the power of technology by bringing together innovators and global channel partners. Rancho Nexo was founded to help innovative tech companies reach broader markets in a shorter period of time. "We represent advanced technology firms in Latin American Markets and offer their innovative solutions to companies looking to revolutionize their performance". CO2 GRO Inc. CO2 GRO Inc. CO2 GRO's proprietary CO2 Delivery Solutions technology is revolutionizing the global estimated 800 billion square foot protected grower market. This is comprised of 600 billion square feet of fruits & vegetables (Cuesta Roble 2019), an estimated 100 billion square feet of floriculture and another estimated 100 billion square feet of crops such as medicinal plants, citrus tree seedlings and other non-food varieties. Dedication: CO2 GRO is dedicated to enhancing plant growth and productivity sustainably, while reducing our customers' ecological footprint with a focus on People, the Planet and Prosperity. Our Technology: CO2 Delivery Solutions creates a dissolved CO2 solution that is misted onto plants grown in greenhouses and protected grower facilities globally providing growers with multiple significant benefits. Value Proposition: Growers that cannot atmospherically enrich their facilities with CO2 (gassing) can now realize yield increases of up to 30% and up to a doubling of gross profits, while suppressing the development of micro-pathogens such as E.coli and powdery mildew leading to healthier crops. Greenhouses and indoor facilities that currently do employ CO2 gassing can save up to 90% on their CO2 consumption, thereby reducing their production costs and CO2 enrichment emissions. Patent Protection: CO2 GRO's CO2 Delivery Solutions technology is protected by a suite of patents and patents pending. Business Model: Our technology is sold to growers based on the cultivation area installed at prices that provide a high return on their investment and high margins for our shareholders. Global Expansion: CO2 GRO's management is rapidly expanding its international marketing partner relationships into Mexico, Spain, the EU, the UK, South Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia and Latin America as well as in its US and Canadian base. ESG: CO2 GRO is committed to good Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies and practices. We are an equal opportunity employer of choice and opportunity. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities. Forward- looking information is often identified by the words "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: statements regarding the future direction of the Company; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business and financial objectives; plans for expansion and the ability of the Company to obtain, develop and foster its business relationships; and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company's future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates that management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Such assumptions include but are not limited to: general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully execute its plans and intentions; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and technology offered by the Company's competitors; and that good relationships with business partners will be maintained. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; in particular, in the ability of the Company to raise debt and equity capital in the amounts and at the costs that it expects; adverse changes in applicable laws or adverse changes in the application or enforcement of current laws; the biotechnology industry and the greenhouse growers market are highly competitive, and technical advances in the industry will impact the success of the Company, and other risks described in the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com . Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. 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. For more information, please visit www.co2gro.ca or contact Michael O'Connor, Manager, and Investor Relations at 604-317-6197 or michael.oconnor@co2gro.ca . SOURCE: CO2 Gro Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698343/CO2-GRO-Inc-and-Mexico-Partner-Rancho-Nexo-to-Exhibit-at-GreenTech-Americas-in-Mexico-April-27-29-2022 Groupe Gorge posted revenues of 46 million in the first quarter 2022, essentially generated by the Drones & Systems division. This activity continues to accelerate, with strong revenue growth in the naval and maritime sector (+22% in Q1 2022), where the group benefits from its technological leadership. The commercial successes of the quarter in this division, which resulted in an order intake of 27 million (+98% compared with Q1 2021) enable the Group to consolidate its substantial backlog of nearly 490 million at the end of March 2022. The merger between ECA Group and iXblue will also enable Groupe Gorge to increase its capacity and prospects in these high-tech activities. Revenues by division (in million) Q1 2022 Q1 2021 Variation1(%) Drones & Systems 30.3 27.2 +11.1% Engineering & Protection systems 16.1 15.0 +7.0% Structure and intra-group eliminations -0.4 -0.2 n.s Consolidated revenues 46.0 42.1 +9.3% Backlog at the end of the period 543.7 570.9 -4.8% Drones & Systems (through ECA Group) Strong growth in the naval and maritime domain (c.70% of Drones & Systems revenues): +22% in Q1 2022 The increase in revenues in Q1 2022 reflects the strength of ECA Group's positioning in the naval and maritime domain, the result of 10 years of R&D efforts to develop a complete autonomous drone system. The flagship program with the Belgian and Dutch navies is proceeding according to plan and constitutes the main growth driver for Q1 2022. In total, this program is expected to contribute nearly 45 million in 2022. The inauguration of the new assembly site in Ostend, Belgium, will be another important step forward in this program in the second quarter 2022. In addition, sales of drones and integrated systems in this field have also contributed, particularly in the defense sector. These revenues are generated by a diversified client base in France and abroad. They include modernization programs for underwater mine-hunting (such as the program for the Latvian Navy), sales of equipment and services with high technological added value (piloting systems, energy conversion, naval architecture, etc.), as well as recurring revenues from the operational maintenance of all this equipment over the long term. On-board equipment and associated solutions for the aerospace sector (c.20% of Drones & Systems revenues): +8% The reliability and quality of the on-board equipment offered by ECA have enabled it to consolidate its leadership in the emergency beacons market. The group equips new aircrafts and also replaces beacons in existing fleets, with a customer base that continues to expand worldwide, particularly in Asia and the Americas. In addition, the group is benefiting from the expansion of the New Space industry, which contributed to the growth of this segment this quarter, with the sale of ground equipment for satellite communications. Other activities, notably industrial, which account for less than 10% of Drones & Systems revenues, are down -34%, particularly in connection with aeronautical production lines (maintenance equipment, production tooling, etc.). Engineering & Protection Systems: +7% growth This division accounted for 16m of revenues in Q1 2022, generated by two activities: fire protection and consulting in engineering and technology. Revenue growth is being driven by the continued development of the consulting in engineering, which is beginning to reach critical mass with nearly 200 consultants, mainly in the field of operational safety. Revenues from the fire protection business are relatively stable compared with Q1 2021, with good performance in active protection (sprinklers, water mist) offset by a slowdown in sales of passive protection (fire doors, etc.). As a reminder, the nuclear door business is now classified as discontinued operations and its contribution is restated from sales, including in the historical figures. Groupe Gorge had previously announced during the 2021 annual results that it plans to withdraw from this activity. Stable Drones & Systems backlog of nearly 490 million, thanks to a doubling of order intake The backlog is mainly driven by the Drones & Systems division, which represents nearly 490 million, relatively stable compared with the end of 2021. It includes in particular autonomous robotics equipment, such as the program with the Belgian and Dutch navies, whose last delivery is scheduled for 2027. Commercial activity in the first quarter of 2022 consolidated this backlog with 27 million in new orders, up 98% compared with the first quarter of 2021. This strong acceleration comes from several new diversified orders, notably in the Defense sector, and a favorable base effect. These orders include a significant portion related to underwater mine hunting and another portion related to the operational maintenance of drones and other high value-added systems. In the civil maritime sector, for example, ECA Group has obtained the first commercial success for its new R7 underwater drone. The latest addition to the ROV family (Remotely Operated Vehicle), the R7 is designed for oceanographers, hydrographers and operators of submerged structures for all their underwater missions up to a depth of 300 m. Outlook Update of the Australian robotic mine-hunting program schedule ECA Group is engaged in several mine countermeasures competitions, including the SEA 1905 program. This program was announced in April 2019 by the Australian Navy to acquire new mine countermeasures and maritime surveillance capabilities. Australia had initiated a Request for Information (RFI) process in 2021, after which ECA Group was selected, among other players, to participate in the tender. As a first step, Australia is looking to acquire an initial capability that would consist of drone systems associated with ships of opportunity or deployed from shore. The Australian Navy is about to launch the RFP (Request for Proposal) process: responses from bidders, including ECA Group, will be expected in the summer, with a view to a decision in late 2022 or early 2023. This first stage would represent an order of around 50 million to 150 million. A larger overall capacity is expected later, around 2024. Combination of ECA Group and iXblue expected in mid-2022 Groupe Gorge recently announced the operation of combination between ECA Group and iXblue to create a world-class player in advanced technologies for critical missions, including defense, space and maritime operations. A presentation of the operation took place in early April with the management teams of both companies to explain the strategy and growth prospects (link to the presentation). The closing of the transaction is expected in the third quarter of 2022, between July and September. About Groupe Gorge Groupe Gorge is a high-tech industrial group driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture. The Group is present in drones, engineering and protection systems. The Group generated revenue of 178 million in 2021. More information on www.groupe-gorge.com Groupe Gorge is listed on Euronext Paris Compartment B (GOE). Contacts Investor Relations Hugo Soussan Tel. +33 (0)1 44 77 94 86 h.soussan@groupe-gorge.com Claire Riffaud Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 79 criffaud@actus.fr Media Relations Manon Clairet Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73 mclairet@actus.fr 1 The organic change is equal to the change at current scope due to the application of IFRS 5 (discontinued activities) to the 3D printing business (Prodways Group) and the technical doors business for the nuclear sector (Baumert), whose contribution to revenues has been restated including in the historical figures. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: mJtyZ5ZqY5iUl2lpl8dqbGhjm2uTm5PKbWPImpJoaJ6UcHGVyGZobMaWZnBllWxp - 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-0-74073-cp_groupe-gorge_ca-t1-2022_en.pdf Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati met with World Bank Group President David Malpass at the G20's second meeting of the FMCBG in Washington D.C on Wednesday (April 20, 2022). Minister Indrawati and President Malpass discussed structural reforms and other steps toward a sustainable post-pandemic recovery. Washington, Apr 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - G20 members have urged the World Bank to immediately prepare for the establishment of the Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF), Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated. FIF should be formed immediately in the framework of pandemic preparedness and response (PPR) in the future, the minister emphasized."The (G20) presidency concluded that the World Bank should start exploring the process for developing and establishing FIF," Indrawati remarked at the second meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Banks Governors (FMCBG) press conference here on Thursday.G20 members view FIF as being the most effective choice for new financial mechanisms, especially in preparing for other potential pandemics in future. Indrawati believes this is because the establishment of FIF is viewed as being able to overcome the financing gap in the health sector as had occurred during the current COVID-19 pandemic."Most (G20) members agree on the need for a new financial mechanism dedicated to addressing the financing gap in PPR," she stated, explaining that G20 members hope that the establishment of FIF would mitigate the health financing needs in line with the World Health Organization's (WHO's) expectations.Moreover, G20 members called on the World Bank to explore discussions on the governance and operational regulations of FIF by involving the WHO. "There is widespread support for WHO and the World Bank regarding the assessment of significant financing gaps that need to be addressed," Indrawati remarked.Earlier, on April 1, the Indonesian finance and health ministries resumed the third G20 Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF). At the meeting, JFHTF co-chair Wempi Saputra invited G20 member countries to draw up a financing action plan for pandemic preparedness and response (PPR)."The third JFHTF meeting is an important step for all member countries in drafting the financing strategies for prevention, preparedness, and response to the pandemic or PPR," Saputra stated.Meanwhile, one of the main agendas of Indonesia's G20 Presidency is global health architecture.Written by Astrid H, Kenzu T, Editor: Suharto (c) ANTARA 2022Source: G20 IndonesiaCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. (All dollar amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise specified) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") announces that is has completed its acquisition (the "Acquisition") of a 100% interest in the Mercedes gold-silver Mine ("Mercedes"), located in Sonora, Mexico, from Equinox Gold Corp. ("Equinox Gold"), as previously announced in the Company's news releases on December 17, 2021, January 26, 2022, March 25, 2022 and April 14, 2022. "We are extremely pleased to have acquired a producing gold-silver mine with a strong operating team, underlying assets with a replacement cost exceeding our purchase price and what we believe to be exciting "blue sky" exploration potential," commented Anthony Hawkshaw, President and CEO. Mercedes was acquired pursuant to a share purchase agreement dated December 16, 2021 among the Company, Equinox Gold and Premier Gold Mines Limited, the Company acquired, directly and indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding shares of certain of Equinox Gold's indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries which in turn own a 100% interest in Mercedes, for total consideration payable to Equinox Gold of: A cash payment of $75 million (the "Cash Payment"); Issuance of 24,730,000 Bear Creek common shares (the "Consideration Shares"); A deferred cash payment of $25 million due within six months of the date hereof; and A 2% net smelter return payable on metal production from the Mercedes mining concessions. The Cash Payment was funded by $15 million from the Company's treasury and $60 million pursuant to a financing arrangement (the "Sandstorm Financing") with Sandstorm Gold Ltd. ("Sandstorm"). The Sandstorm Financing comprises: A previously announced gold purchase agreement (the "Gold Purchase Agreement") whereby Sandstorm advanced to the Company $37.5 million and in exchange Bear Creek agreed to sell to Sandstorm 600 ounces of refined gold per month for 42 months (a total of 25,200 ounces) at a price equal to 7.5% of the spot gold price at the time of delivery. Thereafter, the Company agreed to sell to Sandstorm 4.4% of gold produced by Mercedes at a price equal to 25% of the spot price at the time of delivery. Sandstorm was also granted a right of first refusal on any royalties, streams or similar transactions with respect to production from Mercedes; and A previously announced debt financing agreement whereby Sandstorm advanced to the Company $22.5 million (the "Principal Amount") to subscribe for a 6%, three-year convertible debenture (the "Convertible Debenture"). Interest will be paid quarterly on the outstanding Principal Amount. The Principal Amount is due on April 21, 2025. The Principal Amount is convertible, in whole or in part, into common shares of the Company at any time prior to maturity at a conversion price to be determined as the greater of a 35% premium to the closing price per common share of the Company on the date hereof, or C$1.51, pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The issuance of common shares upon conversion of the Convertible Debenture is subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Consideration Shares are subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Anthony Hawkshaw President and CEO For further information contact: Barbara Henderson - VP Corporate Communications Direct: 604-628-1111 Email: barb@bearcreekmining.com www.bearcreekmining.com Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding: the payment of the deferred cash payment of $25 million due within six months of the date hereof, the production at the Mercedes mine to meet the delivery obligations under the Gold Purchase Agreement, the quarterly payment of interest under the Convertible Debenture, the reduction of the Principal Amount by conversion into common shares, the price of conversion at which the Principal Amount may be converted into common shares of the Company, the Company's ability to pay the Principal Amount when due at maturity, the Company receiving final acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange for the common shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Debenture and other statements regarding future plans, expectations, exploration potential, guidance, projections, objectives, estimates and forecasts as well as the Company's expectations with respect to such matters. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release, or the effective date of the documents referred to in this news release, as applicable, and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to: that the common shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Debenture will receive final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange; that the documents, projections and models on which the Company has relied are accurate in all material respects; the economic and social impact of COVID-19 and the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, and the presence and impact of COVID-19 and COVID-19 related restrictions on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they change, would have on our business; the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our financial and operational results; the ability of the Company to continue with its operations, should the situation related to COVID-19 not be as anticipated; future anticipated prices for gold, silver and other metals and assumed foreign exchange rates; the timing and impact of planned capital expenditure projects at the Mercedes mine, including anticipated sustaining, project, and exploration expenditures; ore grades and recoveries; decommissioning and reclamation estimates; mineral reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are based; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions at the Mercedes mine; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations at the Mercedes mine are received in a timely manner; Bear Creek's ability to secure and maintain title and ownership to properties and the surface rights necessary for our operations; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but specifically include, without limitation, risks relating to general market conditions and the additional risks described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulatory 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/121176 RICHMOND, Va., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) will hold its 2022 shareholders meeting at Virginia Credit Union LIVE! at the Richmond Raceway, 900 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, Virginia on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, starting at 2:00 p.m. ET. After concluding the regular business session of the meeting, company leadership will provide a financial and strategic business update and host a question and answer session with attendees. In addition to the formal meeting, the company will host a series of panel discussions in the morning, including a C-Suite conversation with executives from Markel Ventures and other organizations, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET, moderated by Richard Coughlan, an award-winning educator and Associate Professor of Management at the University of Richmond's Robins School of Business, and a Robotti Value Live panel discussion, starting at 10:00 a.m. ET, with thought leaders discussing the challenges facing the investment world and opportunities for investing in today's marketplace. Commenting on the new approach for this year's shareholders meeting, Markel Co-Chief Executive Officer Richie Whitt said that, "We've expanded the events for this year's meeting to give shareholders, employees, and friends of Markel from around the world the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and learn new things." Markel Co-Chief Executive Officer Tom Gayner added: "Over the years, we've seen firsthand the power of the serendipitous moments that can happen when a group of smart people with shared values gets together. That's why we are thrilled to offer a full day of engaging events, and look forward to gathering with everyone afterwards to enjoy food trucks, drinks, and a band." Shareholders and others interested in attending the meeting as well as other events are encouraged to register in advance at https://www.markel.com/events. About Markel Corporation Markel Corporation is a diverse financial holding company serving a variety of niche markets. The Company's principal business markets and underwrites specialty insurance products. In each of the Company's businesses, it seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value. Visit Markel on the web at markel.com. Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/73238/markel_event_insurance_markel_logo.jpg Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - KGL Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KGL) ("KGL" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into releases and settlement agreements with former directors and officers to settle indebtedness claimed to be owing to such persons aggregating approximately $946,000 and to release the Company from all other claims. Subject to regulatory approval, it is proposed that an aggregate of 1,500,000 common shares be issued in connection with the settlements at a deemed price of $0.14 per share. All shares issued pursuant to the debt settlements will be subject to a 4 month hold period. The Company also announced today that, subject to regulatory approval, Mr. Philip Chen has been appointed to the board of directors of the Company. Mr. Chen replaces Michael Cooper on the board following his resignation. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Cooper for his service on the board. Mr. Chen is Managing Partner of Dynaco Capital Inc., a Toronto-based financial advisory firm. He has participated in several significant transactions between Chinese SOEs and TSX-listed mineral companies in the past two decades. Mr. Chen holds an EMBA degree (University of Hawaii), LL.M degree (East China University of Science and Technology) and B.Sc. degree (Shanghai Normal University). The Company further announced that it has received notice from the TSX Venture Exchange for the transfer of its listing to NEX for failure to meet Tier 2 Continued Listing Requirements. The Company has until June 21, 2022 to meet Tier 2 Continued Listing Requirements or its listing will be transferred to NEX. About KGL Resources KGL Resources Ltd. is a Canadian mineral exploration company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KGL" and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol '02K'. KGL Resources holds a 20% interest in a bid for mining rights to four iron ore concessions located in the Bamyan province of Afghanistan. For further information, please contact: Donat Madilo Interim Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 (416) 360-3406 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121238 From April 5 to 7, Peru was represented in Berlin at the latest edition of Fruit Logistica 2022, the world's leading fresh fruit and vegetable fair, reports the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (PROMPERU). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220416005003/en/ From April 5 to 7, Peru was represented in Berlin at the latest edition of Fruit Logistica 2022, the world's leading fresh fruit and vegetable fair, with the aim of positioning the Peruvian exportable supply in the European market, thus contributing to the sustainable and decentralized development of the country. (Photo: PROMPERU) "This time around, Peru's business objective at Fruit Logistica will be to achieve 200 million USD in prospective business for the next 12 months and to generate 6,000 business contacts with the Peruvian delegation, in addition to consolidating a diversified and quality exportable supply," stated the executive president of PROMPERU, Amora Carbajal. "The sustainability of the Peruvian exportable supply will be a differentiating element at the fair. This is a focus that has been developing within our society and within the business models of Peruvian agro-export companies, improving their competitiveness and reducing environmental impacts through responsible water management, efficient carbon footprint management and fair trade strategies," said the head of PROMPERU. Fruit Logistica 2022 made it possible to consolidate the position of the Super Food Peru, Pisco, Spirit of Peru and Cafes del Peru brands. The commercial promotion campaign included activations and sampling of exotic fruits and specialty coffees in the national pavilion, in addition to pisco tastings, and typical regional dances. The delegation led by PROMPERU was made up of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MIDAGRI), Sierra and Selva Exportadora, Agro Ideas, the Embassy of Peru in Germany, directors of unions and the Association of Agricultural Producer Unions of Peru (AGAP). Exports Peruvian food sector exports to the European Union in 2021 reached 3,432 billion USD, growing by more than 13%. The main exports include fresh and dried avocados (604 million USD +32.3%), unroasted coffee (422 million USD +23.9%), fresh blueberries (360 million USD +7.0%), fresh grapes (306 million USD +28.3%), fresh mangoes (175 million USD +0.7%), among other products. In addition, foreign sales of fruit and vegetables amounted to 2,103 billion USD in this same period, with a growth of more than 17%, due to the notable performance of the Netherlands (1,132 billion USD +19.6%), the United Kingdom (346 million USD +9.4%), Spain (324 million USD +22.5%) and Germany (56 million USD +24.5%). These markets make up 95% of the value exported to the European Union. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220416005003/en/ Contacts: Jose Carlos Collazos jcollazos@promperu.gob.pe Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - Earlier this week, homegrown Canadian crypto startup Steam Exchange released documentation surrounding their upcoming blockchain and mining pool. The Rails Network nomenclature plays ode to Steam Exchange's brand identity and continues to push the boundaries of innovation with their Hybrid 'Proof of Work by Authority' (PoWbA) consensus mechanism. Steam Exchange aims to make it as easy as possible for developers to use its network. The Rails Network has support for existing tools and DApps. This makes it accessible and convenient for developers to port their existing projects and add new projects to the Rails Network. One of the primary engineering goals of the Rails Network is to prevent malicious teams from hosting projects within our ecosystem - this is an issue that is currently impacting popular blockchains. The team aims to accomplish this through various instruments of the Rails Network and associated smart contracts. Detailed documentation on the upcoming blockchain can be found here - https://steam-exchange.gitbook.io/rails-network/ The Rails Network encourages utility, speed, and cost efficiency. The Rails Network smartchain/ blockchain will form the backbone of the Steam Exchange ecosystem. The Rails Network is developed with adaptability in mind, allowing for evolution across multiple streams and offers other functionality such as: gamification opportunities, launchpad services, and beyond. The Rails Network features a hybrid consensus mechanism known as Proof of Work by Authority (PoWbA) which comprises of a 'Proof of Work' (PoW) mining component as well as a 'Proof of Stake' (PoS) variant where instead of coins, permitted network participants add value to the overall ecosystem with their participation. With 'Proof by Authority' (PbA), individuals earn the right to become validators. This is considered more robust than 'Proof-of-Stake' (PoS). The private Rails Network blockchain, accompanied by it's unique PoWbA mechanism will allow for a select amount of highly vetted projects to launch off of the Rail's Network smartchain. The in-depth screening of business operations, team setup, and project longevity will mitigate risk to the Steam Exchange community and offer a safe space for credible projects to call home. The Rails Network is currently undergoing closed circuit ALPHA testing and load bearing exercises. Gary Bard, Founder and CEO of Steam Exchange, mentions, "We're pleased to have been able to share this development with our community and wider audience. After months of development, we're at our APLHA testing stage where we put the network through multiple stress tests under heavy load and volume, push it to it's testing limits and work out any issues that may arise. At Steam Exchange, innovation definitely stays front and center - we've oriented our Rails Network blockchain around a unique 'Proof-of-Work-by-Authority' (PoWbA) mechanism that features the best of both 'Proof-of-Work' and 'Proof-of-Stake' methodologies. Our team is steadfast and dedicated. We look forward to opening up testing to the community in our BETA phase. Our global community has been a source for constant inspiration and their support has been immensely valuable. We look forward to building and continuing to innovate, with all of you being a part of the journey." Steam Exchange mining pool initial interface To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8250/121241_9e6e011094e498e4_001full.jpg Speaking specifically to the Mining Pool, Gary also mentions, "Upon launch, we would be pleased to offer the opportunity for members of our community and beyond, to actively take part in maintaining and upholding the Rails Network integrity, with the help of the Steam Exchange Mining Pools. The barrier to entry in terms of technology will be minimal, allowing for a wide range of users to take part." Data & Reporting The Steam Exchange Mining Pool will provide analytical data and insights across a variety of metrics, allowing for constant status updates on the participants and wellbeing of the network. Providing insight, analytics, and detailed reporting metrics across the ecosystem remains a core UI/UX focus for the team. Steam Exchange is an upcoming Global, Hybrid Digital Asset Trading Platform and is a registered Canadian Corporation. This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to change. For all media inquiries, reach out to the Steam Exchange Marketing Team - marketing@steamexchange.ca Resources: Rails Network documentation - https://steamexchange.gitbook.io/steam-exchange-rails-network/ Steam Exchange whitepaper - https://docs.steamexchange.ca Steam Exchange website - https://steamexchange.ca Twitter - https://twitter.com/Steam_Exchange To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121241 RICHMOND HILL, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 21, 2022 / Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX:HBP) ("Helix" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing unique therapies in the field of immuno-oncology, based on its proprietary technological platform DOS47, today announces that it has closed a private placement financing for net proceeds of $2,002,000 from the issuance of 7,700,000 common shares at a price of $0.26 per common share. Mr. Jerzy Wilczewski ("Mr. Wilczewski"), an insider of the Company, subscribed for 7,700,000 common shares issued under the private placement. As a result of the closing of the private placement, Mr. Wilczewski owns or exercises control or direction over 31,167,153 common shares, representing approximately 19.85% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company on a non-diluted basis, or approximately 27.15% on a partially diluted basis, assuming the full exercise of the 15,739,500 common share purchase warrants that Mr. Wilczewski owns or exercises control or direction over. The purchase of common shares by Mr. Wilczewski is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). The Company relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of Mr. Wilczewski's purchase of common shares. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction less than 21 days prior to the closing of the private placement, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances so as to be able to avail itself of the proceeds of the private placement in an expeditious manner. "In the last few months, I have increased my investment by another 3M as I have great confidence and trust in the new team and their strategy," said Mr. Wilczewski. "We would like to thank Mr. Wilczewski for his strong support and confidence in Helix's revised strategy, execution plans and team. We look forward to continued efforts toward this exciting program" said Mr. Gabor, CEO of Helix. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the private placement for working capital and advancing the Company's L-DOS47 drug development program. About Helix BioPharma Corp. Helix BioPharma Corp. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing unique therapies in the field of immune-oncology for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on our proprietary technological platform DOS47. Helix is listed on the TSX under the symbol "HBP". For more information, please contact: Helix BioPharma Corp. 9120 Leslie Street, Suite 205 Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 3J9 Tel: 905-841-2300 x 233 Frank Michalargias, Chief Financial Officer ir@helixbiopharma.com Forward-Looking Statements and Risks and Uncertainties This news release contains forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements and information that are not historical facts but instead include financial projections and estimates, statements regarding plans, goals, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to the Company's future business, operations, research and development, including the Company's activities relating to DOS47. Forward-looking statements can further be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "ongoing", "estimates", "expects", or the negative thereof or any other variations thereon or comparable terminology referring to future events or results, or that events or conditions "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved, or comparable terminology referring to future events or results. Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that are also uncertain. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements, including financial outlooks, are intended to provide information about management's current plans and expectations regarding future operations, including without limitation, future financing requirements, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Certain material factors, estimates or assumptions have been applied in making forward-looking statements in this news release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including without limitation; the risk that the Company's assumptions may prove to be incorrect; the risk that additional financing may not be obtainable in a timely manner, or at all, and that clinical trials may not commence or complete within anticipated timelines or the anticipated budget or may fail; third party suppliers of necessary services or of drug product and other materials may fail to perform or be unwilling or unable to supply the Company, which could cause delay or cancellation of the Company's research and development activities; necessary regulatory approvals may not be granted or may be withdrawn; the Company may not be able to secure necessary strategic partner support; general economic conditions, intellectual property and insurance risks; changes in business strategy or plans; and other risks and uncertainties referred to elsewhere in this news release, any of which could cause actual results to vary materially from current results or the Company's anticipated future results. Certain of these risks and uncertainties, and others affecting the Company, are more fully described in the Company's annual management's discussion and analysis for the year ended July 31, 2021 under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" and Helix's Annual Information Form, in particular under the headings "Forward-looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", and other reports filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com from time to time. Forward-looking statements and information are based on the beliefs, assumptions, opinions and expectations of Helix's management on the date of this new release, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or information should those beliefs, assumptions, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances change, except as required by law. SOURCE: Helix BioPharma Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/698415/Helix-Biopharma-Corp-Closes-Private-Placement Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 21, 2022) - M3 Metals Corp. (TSXV: MT) (FSE: X0VP) ("M3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of G-South property (the "Property"), located in the Central Cariboo Region of South Central British Columbia. The Property covers an area of 929.68 Hectares of within the prolific Quesnel terrane, located approximately 30 kilometers north of Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. The Property is considered prospective for gold and has seen historical exploration beginning in the 1960's with the largest percentage of work completed in the mid to late 1980's. Historical drill intercepts on the Property include 38.13 grams per tonne gold over 0.9 metres (drill hole P-87-29, ARIS 17309) and 6.87 grams per tonne gold over 4.5 metres at the bottom of the one of the deepest holes ending at 94.5 metres (drill hole P-87-41, ARIS 17309). Additional historical drilling and trenching on the Property also encountered highly anomalous gold values and as such the Company plans to begin a detailed compilation and modeling program to better define the areas which have not been adequately followed and have only been tested with shallow (<100 meters) drilling. The regional geology consists of Upper Triassic Takla Group mafic to intermediate flows, pyroclastic volcanics and argillaceous sedimentary rocks. These are intruded by coeval plutonic rocks of the Naver Intrusive Suite. Locally the Property is underlain by augite porphyry, basaltic breccias and argillites which have been intruded by several rhyolite dikes. Sulphide mineralization occurs disseminated in the country rocks and in stockworks and breccia infillings with quartz, calcite, epidote, and chlorite. There are two main types of mineralization historically identified; disseminated and fracture-controlled pyrite, pyrrhotite and rare chalcopyrite in volcanics or along contacts with rhyolite dikes and; massive sulphide mineralization within gouge zones up to 1.9 meters wide consisting of pyrite, arsenopyrite and sphalerite and occasionally chalcopyrite and galena. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Vendor is to receive a total of Cdn$20,000 and 2,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Company Shares") as consideration for the purchase of 100% interest in the G-South property. In addition, the Company will pay a 2% Net Smelter Return royalty (the "NSR") to the Vendor on commencement of commercial production. The Company will have the right, at any time prior to the commencement of commercial production, to purchase 50% of the NSR for Cdn$1,000,000. The closing of the Agreement and the transactions contemplated in it are subject to the approval of the Company's filings with the TSX Venture Exchange. Disclosure The Qualified Person ("QP") for the Company has not verified the historical sample analytical data disclosed within this release. While the Company has obtained all historic records including analytical data from the previous owners of the Property and from various government databases, the Company has not independently verified the results of the historic sampling. Adrian Smith, P.Geo., is a QP as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the above-mentioned project. The QP is a member in good standing of the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC) and is a registered Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed above. ABOUT M3 METALS CORP. M3 Metals Corp. is a Canadian listed Company, focused on creating shareholder value through discoveries and strategic development of mineral properties in North America. For additional information please visit M3 Metals website at www.m3metalscorp.com. You may also email info@m3metalscorp.com or call investor relations at (604) 669-2279. M3 METALS CORP. "Adrian Smith" Adrian Smith, President 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. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, currency risks including the exchange rate of US$ for CDN$, changes in exploration costs and government royalties or taxes in Canada, the United States or other jurisdictions and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121244 Campspace, a Dutch booking platform for local sustainable stays in nature, raised 3m in funding. The round was led by VNV Global with participation from angel investors including former Booking.com board member David Vismans and former Booking.com director Andrea Carini. Campspace has also acquired German competitor Pop-Up Camps, taking on hundreds of new campsites and hosts in the process. The company intends to use the funds and the acquisition to expand its offering throughout Germany, France and the rest of Europe. Co-founded in 2017 by Alexander van Nimwegen, Hugo van Donselaar, Merijn Straathof and Jeroen Wielaards, Campspace is a platform that specializes in outdoor stays be they in a personal tent, campervan, or in a cosy treehouse, yurt or cabin. The platform already offers over 2,000 unique places to stay in over 30 countries. FinSMEs 21/04/2022 Everstage, a Wilmington, Delaware-based provider of a sales commission management platform, raised $13M in Series A funding. The round was led by Elevation Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by CEO Siva Rajamani and CTO Vivek Suriyamoorthy, Everstage is a modern sales commissions management platform for companies looking to automate their commissions process, with customers now across four continents. Sales reps also use Everstage to forecast potential earnings from their deals pipeline, thereby, helping companies drive sales performance and align on rep behavior. Everstage has added several novel features over the last year such as instant commissions on Slack, contract management and gamification of incentives. This follows a 6 months in which the company scaled the business with their revenue growing 5-fold while customer numbers have increased 6-fold. In August 2021, Everstage raised a $1.7M seed round from 3one4 Capital, who have doubled down on their investment in this round. Before starting Everstage, Rajamani served as the head of business SaaS provider Freshworks global revenue operations team, working closely with sales representatives. FinSMEs 20/04/2022 Influur, a Miami, Fl-based marketplace that connects stars, celebrities, and influencers with brands, raised $5M in Seed funding. The round was led by Point72 Ventures, with participation from Sofia Vergara, Luis Balaguer, Tommy Mottola, Thalia, Lex Borrero, Magma Partners, H20 Capital, LatinWe, and Loud and Live. Backers also included influencer investors like Evaluna Montaner, Juan Pablo Zurita, Danna Paola, Calle y Poche, Mario Ruiz, among others. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by CEO Alessandra Angelini, Influur is a marketplace platform that connects multiplatform stars, digital celebrities, and influencers with brands. Hard Rock Cafe, Paramount Latin America, Boxy Charm, and Warner Music Latina are some of the brands already activating campaigns. The company was founded by: Chief Executive Officer and former CNN journalist Alessandra Angelini; Chief Product Officer and data analyst Valeria Angelini; Chief Operating Officer and Emmy-nominated journalist Paula Coleman; and Chief Influencer Officer Fefi Oliveira, a Nickelodeon and Netflix actress, and influencer with more than 9 million followers across her platforms. FinSMEs 20/04/2022 Reify Health, a Boston, MA-based provider of solutions that empower the clinical trial ecosystem, raised $220M in Series D funding at a $4.8 Billion valuation. The round was co-led by Altimeter Capital and Coatue, joined by Dragoneer Investment Group and existing investors ICONIQ Growth, Adams Street, and Battery Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate efforts to improve diversity and representation in clinical trial participation. Led by Ralph Passarella, CEO, Reify Health operates StudyTeam and Care Access, to provide trial optimization software and transformative clinical trial infrastructure that delivers research directly to more healthcare providers, communities, and patients wherever they are through partnerships with top biopharma companies, thousands of research clinics worldwide, and healthcare & community organizations. Reify Health is launching BRIDGE (Bringing Representation, Inclusion, and Diversity to Global Enrollment), an initiative aimed at devoting the companys capabilities in partnership with like-minded organizations to achieve two primary objectives: Build a robust understanding, both qualitative and quantitative, of the barriers to underrepresented minority groups participating in clinical trials. Deliver solutions that overcome these barriers, so clinical trials are more representative of the patient populations they aim to treat. FinSMEs 21/04/2022 Wheelhouse, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of revenue management & financial intelligence software, raised $16M in funding. The round was led by NEA and Highgate Ventures with participation from Signalfire, Fifth Wall, Tishman Speyer, 01 Advisors, Certares, RXR, and PAR Capital, plus numerous CEOs & industry leaders from the short-term rental, real estate & prop-tech space. The company intends to use the funds to continue to invest in the tools & features to drive their core revenue management offering. Wheelhouse will focus development efforts on addressing the needs of larger clients and will expand investments into research & software that enables corporate & mid-length stay operators to maximize revenue from their portfolios. Spun out of parent company Lyric and led by CEO Andrew Kitchell, Wheelhouse is delivering pricing & financing intelligence software to empower professional operators in the short-term, flex, & mid-length rental categories to improve the revenue performance and scalability of their portfolios & businesses. Today, the platform empowers businesses that are building in new brands & businesses at the convergence of the accommodations ($1 trillion in annual revenue) and residential real estate space (a $265 trillionasset class). Wheelhouses customer base manages listings ranging from single-family homes, to resorts, to multi-family buildings & even boutique hotels, all of whom are addressing the needs of a growing traveler demo that seeks short & mid-length (1 100+ days) accommodations, in spacious, furnished & amenity rich spaces. In addition to its SMB & enterprise customers, Wheelhouse also now powers more than 12 software products via its pricing & demand-alert APIs. The funding news follows the recent launch of Wheelhouse Worldwide, a data & software initiative that expanded the companys presence from being available in major markets in 42 countries, to being available in any market, in 180+ countries. FinSMEs 20/04/2022 Positive experience on delivery Just thought Id share my experience taking delivery of my truck. I see lots of bad experiences or service, so I will share a positive one. I ordered it Aug. 28th, took delivery yesterday. I removed 5th wheel prep, bed cover and spray in liner to get my truck built. Surprisingly was scheduled three days after the items was removed. This was an x-plan purchase, and was worried the price increases between Aug and now was going to be a hassle. Not the case, they went through and adjusted the price to what I was quoted in Aug minus the options I deleted. Was in and out in 2 hours, the fastest and best car buying experience Ive ever had. No pressure on extended warranties or anything. Anybody buying a Ford in northern Indiana I would recommend Eby in Goshen. PRESS RELEASE WE CONDEMN THE AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN THE RWANDAN GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ABOUT THE ASYLUM SEEKERS TRANSFER IN RWANDA April 18, 2022 The Rwanda Bridge Builders (RBB), a coalition of Rwandan Opposition political parties and civil society organizations, condemns in the strongest terms the agreement reached between the government of Rwanda and the UK government on April 14, 2022; under this agreement certain asylum seekers and immigrants in the United Kingdom will be transferred to Rwanda in exchange of more than 158 million US dollars. This is a serious problem for these innocent people who would be victims of human trafficking, the Rwandan citizens who would be killed and replaced by these refugees, as well as the insecurity on the African continent. When they arrive in Rwanda, they are immediately trained in the army and become mercenaries who are then used by Rwanda to wage war in various African countries. This is according to the refugees who were sold to Rwanda from Libya, some of whom have now been deployed to fight in Mozambique to fight a war for the French company Total. The unfortunate agreement was signed between Rwanda and UK, under what is called Partnership for Economic Development and includes a project called "Migration and Economic Development" to sell and send immigrants and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. The agreement was signed between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda, honorable Vincent Biruta and Minister of Interior of the United Kingdom honorable Priti Patel, during a visit to Kigali (Rwanda) on Thursday, April 14, 2022. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's office, the UK have the capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people over the coming years, and the British government would make an initial phase contribution of 120 million pounds ($158 million). "Once the agreement is signed, Rwanda will have the capacity to host thousands of refugees over the coming years, and the UK government will provide a total of 120m (equivalent to 158m) in the core grant of this agreement," he says. The RBB, after reviewing the terms of this agreement between the UK and the government of Rwanda, concluded that it was a malicious and human trafficking scheme, based on the economic and political interests of a small group in the RPF government led by dictator President Paul Kagame. This shocking agreement hides a human trafficking scandal, may eventually cause the extermination of Rwandans, murder of dissidents and the continuous insecurity creation in many African countries; because these refugees are forced to join the RPF army and then sent to fight Kagames wars with little training in many African countries, such as Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and elsewhere. According to the United Nations and many other organizations that are aware of the Rwandan scheme and opposed to these nefarious plans of the Kigali government, the RBB is also strongly opposed to the signed agreement. In this regard, the RBB reiterates its call on all Rwandans and foreigners who love Rwanda, to deny and fight against this agreement because it contains lies and a fragrant violation of human rights and immigration international laws, and it brings insecurity and war to Africa. Unfortunately, the UK government, which is usually known for its global fight for democracy and the respect for human rights, now believes in such Rwandan lies, a country whose human rights record is the worse according to the same UK government own previous statements. How could the government of Rwanda that cant resolve the problem of its own hundreds of thousands of refugees, is now offering to take in refugees from all over the world from a more developed countries like UK? RBB appeals to all human right organizations, in collaboration with the United Nations, the African Union, and other organizations to carry out an urgent investigation into this act of trafficking the asylum seekers and immigrants between the Rwandan government and the UK; like what was proposed by the government of Israel to relocate refugees from Israel until it was condemned by many human rights organizations and international media. A typical example is the case of immigrants and refugees relocated from Libya and sent to Rwanda. Upon their arrival, they were immediately taken by force to military bases, where they were recruited for speedy military training and have now been transferred to Gashora, where they are getting ready to be sent to fight as mercenaries and the payment goes directly to President Kagame. RBB takes this opportunity to oppose the plan, urging the UK government to think twice about this scheme and cancel the deal, and inform the international community that the lies, atrocities, human right violations and selling of innocent refugees must stop immediately. The Rwandan government lead by dictator Paul Kagame does not care about the fate of those refugees, as it does not care about the fate of Rwandans. We are asking the Rwandan government to open the political space in Rwanda, to allow all Rwandan refugees to return home freely and to have equal rights to build their country before bringing additional refugees. This is not an understandable task given the size of an overpopulated small country of Rwanda. April 18, 2022 Rwanda Bridge Builders - RBB Coordinating Committee rbbnew2021@gmail.com A new coffee stand has the thumbs up from the Corvallis Planning Commission. The new Starbucks location sits in one of the citys bigger shopping centers near a traffic-heavy intersection in southwest Corvallis. The Planning Commission unanimously approved a permit with conditions for the project at its meeting Wednesday, April 20. Portland-based architect Dave Hardister applied in October for a permit allowing the owners of Sunset Shopping Center to build an about 1,800-square-foot Starbucks store in the plaza at the intersection of Highway 20/Southwest Philomath Boulevard and Southwest Technology Loop. This process has been very easy, I think, Hardister said, overall, cooperative and helpful through the whole process. Planning Commissioner Tanya Laird, who led the motion to approve, said the proposal seems to fit well with the development as a whole, and with the conditions for approval it meets all city requirements. I think it would be a good fit in that area, Laird said. The decision may be appealed to the Corvallis City Council within 12 days of signing off on the commission's decision, which was expected to take place Thursday. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. The proposed free-standing Starbucks would be sited in the plaza on what is currently about a .4-acre grass lot, west of a Valvoline oil change shop and south of storefronts including a Subway sandwich restaurant and a UPS Store location. Schematics show a drive-thru lane routing cars counterclockwise around the building from a private drive near Southwest Technology Loop and its intersection with Southwest Research Way. Pedestrian paths are planned between the site of the proposed Starbucks building and existing public sidewalks on Technology Loop and Philomath Boulevard. Planning Commissioner Paul Woods raised concerns about the pedestrian connections alignment to Technology Loop, asking if it could be reconfigured to run along the south edge of the shopping center driveway rather than the north. However, thats logistically difficult due to a transformer, water vault and Fire Department hookups in the way, according to the developer and city staff. The property changed hands for $24.9 million in 2013, according to Benton County records, when eight tax lots were purchased by Phillips Edison Grocery Center Operating Partnership, then believed to be one of the more expensive property transactions in the citys history. Doing business as Phillips Edison & Co., the Cincinnati-based commercial real estate investor on its website lists 288 properties anchored around grocery stores across the U.S. including shopping centers in three other Oregon cities: Gresham, Portland and Salem. Starbucks operates three stores in the Corvallis area, with another two kiosks inside Safeway stores, including the Sunset Shopping Center. Another three Starbucks stores and two kiosks are in Albany. Imagine Coffee Company and publicly-traded Dutch Bros. Coffee also operate coffee shops near the proposed new Starbucks. 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 1 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 2 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. Misty Rogers sat inside the Linn County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon holding a red box. Inside that red box were the remains of her father, Ronald Dennis Rogers, 61, of Scio. On Easter morning, Misty Rogers drove from California to Oregon after finding out her father had been killed in a car crash. He didnt have any family here, Misty said. The crash was just a few minutes from his home. According to a news release from the Linn County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to reports of a two-vehicle car crash in the 36300 block of Jefferson-Scio Drive, east of Jefferson and west of Scio in Linn County at around 8:44 p.m. April 16. Through investigation, authorities discovered Edward Gordon Miller, 58, was driving east in the westbound lane in a 2010 Subaru Forester when he allegedly struck a 1996 Toyota Tercel operated by Ronald Rogers head-on. Rogers was pronounced dead at the scene. Miller was transported to the Salem Hospital where he was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries, according to LCSO. Officers arrested him on suspicion of criminally negligent homicide, first-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving. More details Tested at the hospital, Millers blood alcohol content registered 0.320, according to a probable cause affidavit for the case. An agency deputy interviewed Miller following the crash. According to the affidavit, Miller could not remember any details of the crash. Miller reportedly said he was traveling from his home in Falls City to his brothers home, located on Highway 226 somewhere between Scio and Lyons, according to the affidavit. Miller told the deputy he had not consumed any alcohol, marijuana, controlled substances or prescription medications at any point during the day. The affidavit notes that Miller allegedly did not ask the officer what happened during the crash, what he hit, if anyone else was involved or if there were any injuries. 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. The arresting officer said he noticed Miller appeared overly relaxed on multiple occasions as the suspect leaned back in a chair with his feet up and laughed while having conversations with others in the hospital. Occasionally, according to the affidavit, Miller would have trouble thinking of the correct word to use in a sentence, according to the affidavit. Miller told the officer he had multiple arrests for DUIIs and had completed multiple victim impact panels and classes as a result of previous DUII convictions. According to Oregons online court database, Miller has two prior DUII convictions, both from 2011. Miller was booked into Linn County jail on April 17 and later released after posting bail. Security was set at $69,200 and Miller paid 10% of that to secure his release. But he wasnt out of custody for long. Appearing in court Misty Rogers wanted to make sure the judge as well as Miller would see her fathers remains in court. I dont want anyone else to go through what Im going through right now, she said. Miller was arraigned on charges of first-degree manslaughter, DUII and reckless driving. Linn County Circuit Court Judge Rachel Kittson-MaQatish presided over the hearing to determine what Millers new security should be. During the arraignment, Misty Rogers, her uncle Mark Rogers and Ronald Rogers' best friend Mike Nollen all gave brief statements. He was my brother, Mark Rogers said. He was the only sibling I had left. The state's prosecutor asked the judge to set security at $250,000. The prosecution also filed a note with the court explaining its intent to seek an enhanced sentence if Miller is convicted, due to his history of DUIIs. Kent Hickam stood in as defense attorney and asked the judge to set security at $50,000. Hickam said Miller was already in the process of obtaining a Salem-based defense attorney. Kittson-MaQatish decided to set security at $200,000, citing the publics safety as a reason for the amount. If Miller can post 10% of that amount, he is prohibited from consuming alcohol or driving while out of custody. His next court appearance in the matter is set for May 2. A grieving family Now that the arraignment is done, Misty Rogers said shes going to start cleaning up her dads place. Shell be heading back to California soon. She said the family is planning some sort of celebration of her fathers life. I just want justice, she said. 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_ Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 5 Angry 3 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. FRIDAY Music a la Carte: "Double-Reed Divas with Molly Myers," noon, lounge, Memorial Union, 2501 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis. The Double Reed Divas from Vancouver, Washington are a chamber ensemble of the Oregon Chamber Players. Performers are Victoria Racz, oboe/oboe d'amore/English horn; Ann van Bever, oboe/oboe damore/English horn; and Dagny Rask-Regan, oboe/English horn/bassoon/piano. This concert will include music ofFrancois Gossec, Amy Beach, Elizabeth Aitkens, Timoteus Racz and others. Joining the Divas for this performance will be Oregon State University music senior Molly Myers, playing a double-reed arrangement of Gustav Holsts Second Suite in F. Information: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. SATURDAY Wedding and Event Showcase, 1 to 4 p.m., Greater Jefferson Community Center, 107 N. Main St., Jefferson. Come get information on places to hold an event or a small wedding. Local vendors will be on hand, including photographers and wedding designers. Participants can also visit two sites: the 1854 Jacob Conser House and the historic Jefferson United Methodist Church. Information: 541-979-3652 or amybailey.jeffersonmuseum@gmail.com. SUNDAY Corvallis Youth Symphony Association spring concerts, LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St. Willamette Valley Junior Honors Symphony, 2:30 p.m.; Corvallis Youth Symphony, 4 p.m. The performances will include selections by Schubert, Sibelius and Mussorgsky, as well as the Wieniawksi Violin Concerto in D minor, performed by CYS concertmaster and young soloist Beatrice Lobscheid. Adult advance-sale tickets, $10; $12 at the door; available at cysassoc.org/tickets. Students through college and music educators will be admitted free of charge. Information: 541-766-4903 or cysassoc@peak.org. MONDAY Willamette Writers on the River-Corvallis Open Mic Night, 6:30 p.m. Zoom. All genres are welcome, but readings should be suitable for mixed audiences. Registration: www.willamettewriters.org/event. Items for this calendar are pulled from the user-generated calendar that runs on our websites. For further information, write to jane.stoltz@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 COVID-19 cases are climbing back up in Oregon, and fewer people wearing face masks is likely the cause, according to state public health officials. While the state is faring much better than other states, it is far from out of the woods, Deputy State Health Officer Tom Jeanne said at a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, April 20. At the moment, Oregon is seeing lower numbers of COVID-19-related hospitalizations. Fewer than 100 patients with COVID-19 are occupying hospital beds every day on average statewide in April, Jeanne said. That's down from the more than 1,100 hospitalizations Oregon saw during the case surge brought on by the delta variant of the virus in 2021 and this past winter. "This pandemic has been difficult, but where we are now is a better spot," Jeanne said. "Unfortunately, we're not done with COVID-19 yet, but we are closer to normality than ever." Hospitalization figures, however, lag behind case counts, and right now, daily case counts are seeing steady rises since their lows of 300 per day at the start of the month. The seven-day rolling average, Jeanne said, is now 600 cases per day as of Tuesday, April 19. Those numbers are higher than what Oregon saw when COVID-19 restrictions were last relaxed in July while also far short of January's case surge brought on by omicron variant of the disease. Why? Fewer people than ever are wearing face masks, according to Jeanne. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. It's been more than a month after Gov. Kate Brown lifted the statewide rule requiring businesses to enforce indoor masking. That's about the amount of time needed for increases in COVID transmission to show up in the state's caseload, Jeanne said. The Oregon Health Authority has no threshold for when it would reinstitute a statewide mask mandate, according to Jeanne, regardless of what COVID-19 case trends are signaling. "We hope that that kind of intervention will not be required," Jeanne said. Nevertheless, Jeanne described wearing a face mask as one of the simplest and least burdensome measures people can take to protect themselves and others. A variety of American cities, including New York and Philadelphia, have reinstated or amended their mask mandates in light of rising coronavirus cases. In the coming weeks, he said, public health officials expect hospitalizations to rise accordingly. Based on projections, the seventh wave of COVID cases the state is now enduring should be smaller than delta, according to Jeanne. Locally, Benton County is leading most of Oregon in COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people as the highly infectious BA.2 variant dominates the state's caseload. The last full week of data starting from April 10 recorded 147 cases, up 44% from 102 cases the previous week, April Holland, Benton County public health administrator, said at the Tuesday, April 19, meeting of the Board of Commissioners. She said the case rate has rose to 155 per 100,000 residents and testing positive increased from 5.3% to 8.3%. Jeanne speculated that the numbers are likely not accurate, erring on underreporting, given the ability for at-home testing. Holland agrees. Last year it was estimated that around 25% of cases were reported, and home testing has further lowered it to around 7% of cases being reported, she said. The OHA's current COVID-19 case models do not account for how the repeal of the federal mask mandate for public transit. He and infectious disease specialist Dr. Paul Cieslak both recommended Wednesday that unvaccinated Oregonians get their shots as soon as possible. Coronavirus vaccinations have proven to be the best means of avoiding severe illness, hospitalization and death brought on by COVID-19. "Even if you're not totally protected against COVID-19, you still have significant protection against getting hospitalized for it or being in the intensive care unit for it," Cieslak said. More than 83% of all adults in Oregon have been vaccinated and more than three in four adults have completed their vaccination series, according to OHA data. Staff writer Cody Mann contributed to this report. Love 0 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. Socialist Revolution, US section of the International Marxist Tendency, has actively followed the struggle of Starbucks workers in the US and Canada to form a union. At the time of publishing, hundreds of stores have either voted for establishing a union or are part of the ongoing organizing effort. We wholeheartedly support the campaign to force the Fortune 500 company to recognize the union and negotiate a union contract. The battle of Starbucks Workers United to organize the workers, win higher wages, and improve working conditions will not be easy, especially when confronting a giant that owns more than 9,000 stores. To beat an opponent like Starbucks, the workers will need the support of a large percentage of the 9,000-plus stores. Socialist Revolution believes that SEIU and the AFL-CIO should allocate serious resources to the Starbucks Workers United organizing campaign and put forward a national vision: every Starbucks a union store! If more than 70% of the stores could be organized, all Starbucks workers could win significant wage increases, starting with a $25 per hour minimum wage, more staffing, regular schedules, a guarantee of 20 hours minimum per week, and full benefits for all employees. Socialist Revolution correspondents Tim Noonan and Eric Norman interviewed Sara Mughal, who works at a Starbucks in Hopewell, New Jersey, and is part of the organizing committee at that location. The interview was conducted in early February. Since the interview, the Hopewell workers have won a court challenge filed by Starbucks to prevent them from voting as a single store. This was their last hurdle before an election could be held. We love to see it! Partners form the unionizing store in Hopewell, NJ just visited our Philly partners at 9th and South to support their union campaign! Solidarity pic.twitter.com/lEQNEkqqqr SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) February 1, 2022 Socialist Revolution: We wanted to start off with some questions about the store itself and the nature of the work. What is the employment situation like there? Do you know how many employees work at the Hopewell Starbucks? Sara: Including our manager, I believe its 24 or 25. What is the divide like between part-time and full-time among those workers? Theres not really a divide, honestly. The shift supervisors generally have a minimum of about 30 hours because were required to be in the stores for them to be open and running. With the workers themselves, Starbucks really tries to minimize the labor hours that they use in terms of cost efficiency, which is one of our struggles. So during the holidays, a lot of people work more hours, but right now, business has slowed down so people are down on hours. But as far as full-time and part-time, you dont really have much of a divide. So would you consider additional hours to be one of the demands here, or more consistent hours, perhaps? Probably more consistent hours, depending on what people want. Some people dont want 40 hours. Some people want a certain amount of hours. I know a lot of benefits like college and healthcare require 20 hours a week, so some people need that minimum. Its also not just about the total hours. Its about how many people we have working together on the floor. When we have fewer of us, each of us is doing a lot more work, and its really stressful and not fair to us. How long do people typically work there? Particularly with respect to the current staff. So, I worked there for a little over two years. When I started, we had a few partners that were there for three, four years. Some of them have since moved on, but when I worked with them, I was told that it used to be more of an environment where people would stay for long periods of time because the workplace was better. More recently, especially with Covid, it has become a revolving door. We have people training and leaving all the time. What are your wages like? Do you have any benefits? I know baristas are not even paid $15. Shift supervisors, like myself, get paid a little bit more. Benefits? We have health care. Its not the best healthcare. Its still pretty expensive, but it kicks in at 20 hours a week. There is ASU [Arizona State University] online college available for people. I think you have to have worked at Starbucks for a minimum of three or four months, or something like that, before youre eligible. But that is also a 20-hours-per-week benefit. We have other smaller benefits like food and drink, Spotify, and stuff like that. You said youre a shift supervisor. Have there been any questions of whether Starbucks might try to exclude you from the bargaining unit? Management does that in some circumstances. No, so they cant for shift supervisors, because they are trying to exclude assistant managers and were really not fighting that. Shift supervisors [unlike store managers and assistant managers] still are on the floor with Baristas all the time. Basically as a Shift Supervisor Im a barista plus cash handling responsibilities. Theres just no separating me from my team. It wouldnt make sense at all. I dont really touch the schedule. I dont do any sort of discipline. Im not involved in hiring and firing. So theres really nothing that would exclude me. Is that something that you talked about with the organizers? Thats precisely why management tries to do it, especially if they know that the first-line supervisorswho are really just regular workersare on board with the union effort, thats why they want to keep them out. And of course, when the situation is reversed, they do the opposite. Yeah, its weird. They have not tried that. They have tried to exclude assistant store managers. I dont really understand why they want them excluded. I feel like I cant imagine a situation in which an assistant store manager would be voting yes to a union. I dont know. But no, they have not tried it with shift supervisors as far as Im aware. Is the college fully covered for the workers with 20 hours and up per week? You have to pay tuition up front and then Starbucks would reimburse you. They changed it so that now it is paid up front. So, its covered for the most part. I think theres still textbooks and supplies and stuff like that you still have to cover. But for the most part, it is covered. [Editors note: The tuition program is linked to one university, Arizona State University, which has online courses.] Is this usually someones only job, or is it usually a second job or a student-worker situation? Most of the workers are students. There are some people for whom this is a second job. We have one worker whos been here 22 years. For the most part, it has become more so students. We have a lot of high-schoolers. For some people its their first job, for some people its their tenth job. Are workers supporting families with this job? Yeah, a lot of workers. We have one really young worker who is helping their family make home payments. We have another who is helping pay for their households groceries. Even though so many of our workers are so young, its a really important part of their households income. So, its obviously very important that this be a good job that can meet the needs of the people who are doing it. Honestly, most of them work so hard. They definitely work hard enough that they should be paid more. When did discussion of starting a union first start, and what got it started? Its hard to pinpoint exactly. Im sure youre familiar with the Buffalo, NY Starbuckss unionizing. Once that started getting news coverage, it started becoming more of a conversation in our store. Their struggles were all the same as ours, and as they got more support, and as our conditions mirrored theirs more and more, we started to take it more seriously and think that we could do that at our store. As a shift supervisor, Im someone who a lot of baristas feel comfortable talking to about workplace struggles and frustrations. All of them can so easily be addressed by a union. So for me, it was an easy decision and we kind of just started as a small organizing committee. Obviously we had to keep it very quiet and secret at first, until we had little conversations with people and then from there it grew and then we had a four-day period where we just did our entire card signing and then filed. Cortlin, a leader at the first unionized Starbucks store, on why he joined the movement pic.twitter.com/U8OwOWWkJR SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) March 1, 2022 You said that your conditions mirrored the Buffalo situation. Would you say that it was a slow burn, where the inciting incident was seeing Buffalo, but the conditions being addressed were pre-existing ones? Or was there any kind of change in the conditions that precipitated the union drive? I would say Buffalo was more so like a point where we saw it as a real attainable goal, but honestly, its kind of the opposite. The day for me that I decided to just seriously start trying to unionize our store was a good day. It was a day where we had a shift where we had enough people, and we were having a good day of coworkers getting along and getting everything doneand it was so frustrating that that could be every day, so easily, if we just were given what we need to succeed. How many of the workers are on board with this? We dont have a single no, honestly. We have some people who are obviously not as familiar, or informed. We have some people who are not as interested but, for the most part, we have strong support. Regardless of support, the solidarity is 100% of the store. Very good! You said you did the card signing, did everybody sign the cards? No. Everyone that we reached out to did sign those cards. When we were kind of strategizing we were accounting for if we had a couple NOs or Unsures, but we got all YESes. Every single one was a yes. I dont know that I should share exact numbers, just in terms of union-busting going on. I dont want to give them any sort of real numbers, but we had everyone that we approached sign a card. Workers United requested that we have at least 65% of the employees sign a union card. Obviously, you only need 30%, but they asked for 65% and we exceeded that by well above, I can say that. Do any of the workers have prior experience with unions? We have a couple of workers whose parents are in unions. So, obviously, they have parents who understand how much it has brought to their families. And then we have, I think one worker who worked in a grocery store nearby that was unionized as well. With respect to either of thosepeople with family union ties or the worker with actual union experiencewould you characterize the experiences as positive or negative? Absolutely positive. What concerns have been raised by workers about forming a union, if any? Honestly, when we were having these conversations, it wasnt so much concern as it was just that coworkers needed more information. They were asking how it worked, how we would go about doing this. I think a couple people did bring up the question of dues, which is obviously something that you hear a lot of negative information about, but it was really easy to just explain what the actual truth is. And obviously we are going to be negotiating our contract. So were not going to sign a contract where were paying more dues than were making. Of course, were in this to make more. So just issues like that were very easily explained in a way that they could see it would benefit them. Do you have any insight as to why the Starbucks union drive is happening now? More in terms of the broader national picture? I definitely think Covid exacerbated a lot of the issues that were already there and kind of made it clear to so many partners [Starbucks refers to the workers as partners] where corporates priorities lied, because our safety was not the priority and the priority was clearly customer comfortability, and profits obviously, so that kind of started it. And then I think it kind of snowballed. I think other stores, like ours, saw success with other stores and then had that inspiration. Starbucks Workers United has created so much of a support network. So its just become so much easier for stores to do it. Its so easy for a store to reach out to them and say I want to do this and they take their hand and walk them through it. Its really easy right now. Its really never been easier for a Starbucks to unionize. 111 years ago, 146 workers died in a preventable fire caused by corporate greed. Their deaths inspired their coworkers to organize and build the union that we as Starbucks partners are fighting to join today. pic.twitter.com/VuCDAdxJ6F SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) March 25, 2022 Would you characterize Starbucks as putting workers in danger with their Covid policies? Yes, 1000%. Particularly with Omicron, it just kind of ran through our store and they didnt add any sort of precaution. They had already relaxed them because of the numbers going down in the summer. So they got rid of plexiglass. They got rid of masks, except for workers, of course. They got rid of social distancing. They added cafe seating. There really were no restrictions in place, and then when numbers went up with Omicron, they just didnt add anything. There was no safety protocol and so many partners got it and it spread, and they basically just let it happen. Did you present the letter demanding recognition in person? No, our corporate headquarters and our manager found out at the same time the entire world did. We wanted to take them by surprise. And obviously we had to keep it really quiet up until the point that we actually filed. So then it was, lets see what their reaction is. You know, they were very much taken off guard. They did not expect it in Hopewell, New Jersey. I know what you mean. Hopewell. Not where you think its gonna happen. So, taking them by surprise and not submitting it before the official filing, is this a Starbucks Workers United tactic that they recommend doing? Or is it situational? They did say, if we wanted to, we could slowly get public support and have people join us. That is another way of doing it. But for us, it really just strategically made most sense to keep it really quiet. What has been the response of management? So, since theres so many stores filing, our case is obviously very different from Buffalo. They no longer have the resources to send in all of these random corporate people, so local management is really doing the brunt of the union busting. Our manager has been very hot and cold. One day shell try to be your best friend, the next shell be very rude to you. They have a lot of local managers, from the district store managers, just dropping in to say hi and hanging out in our cafe. Before, we saw them maybe once a month, whereas now we see them almost daily. They show up all the time. Our district manager would show up maybe once a month. Hes been in at least three times every week since we filed. We know that Starbucks has been holding meetings that theyre calling listening sessions at some of the unionizing locations. Have they had any listening sessions at Hopewell? If so, what are they like? What goes on? I think they actually were slower in their reaction in our store because again, we took them so much by surprise. It took them a long time to regroup. So we actually do not have our first listening sessionat our store theyre calling it a store meetinguntil this next week [this would have taken place in and around early February, 2022]. What have they said the meeting is going to be about? They didnt even mention it to most people. Most people are like, Why am I only scheduled for an hour on this day? and theyre like Oh, were having a store meeting. And people were asking What about? and our manager would just say, Oh, you know, general store stuff. Have you been thinking about what you want to do in that meeting? Is there a strategy? Well, theyve been doing this so many times with so many different stores so, obviously, were all in communication, like the national Starbucks partners. We know what theyre going to say, so we kind of just anticipate that and talk about what the actuality is, and ask the questions that we actually want to hear about in the store meetings. Like, why do we never have enough partners? Why are we paid so little? Why are you not taking Covid seriously? All of these things are things that we can just ask in this meeting. Has the union-busting behavior of management had any impact on the workers? And if so, what kind? As far as them trying to convince us with weird arguments? They have letters on the fridge that say, We dont think you need a union and Talk to us and well listen to your problems, and stuff like that. That is really not working. The other thing theyre doing is being rude to us, and that is really working against them because it just fires us up more. Were already angry. So why would you make us more angry? Fair point. I just might note thats always the two edged sword. One of the main reasons that union campaigns fail is because the management creates such a climate of hostility that people feel like I dont want it to be in this kind of situation. But if the workers are really together, and they know theyre together, then it can go in the other direction. Really, the anger is just directed toward management. As soon as they leave, we are all just talking and laughing about it. So its really not a hostile atmosphere unless they are there. So, what is the next step in the process? In every district where a store has filed, Starbucks has challenged the store in court by saying that this should be a district vote. The reason that theyre doing this is because if they won that in court, we obviously would have to redo our cards and start from scratch, and then they dont think that we could do that. So they basically think that they would just get rid of it. They did that with us, and a coworker and I had to testify in Zoom court today [February 3] about that. As far as our lawyer said, all of our testimony is in line with all of the other stores, and Starbucks has lost all of those cases. So, thats kind of where we are. I understand that there was a solidarity event today, February 3. How did that go? And do you think that had a positive impact? Absolutely! I really wanted to be there. Unfortunately, obviously I had court that really ran all day, so I could not make it. But I got so many messages from coworkers saying that it was going really well, and that everyone was being so positive and they were really excited about it. I saw so many social media posts. I think it really made the workers feel supported. Do you have any other actions planned for solidarity in the leadup to the election? Yeah, I think we want to do a weekly version of what we did today. People can stop in and show support. I think different union supporters are going, supporting organizations are going. We already have a bunch of groups that are asking to organize those. Have you begun planning a bargaining committee and thinking about the contract fight? Not in any concrete way. Its actually really exciting, because all these workers who are expressing their frustrations are now learning more about unionizing and coming to me and other organizers and saying, Is this something we could ask for in the contract? Is that something that could be addressed? and we can talk about it. So the conversations are starting, but we dont have actual demands yet. Can you highlight some of those issues that people are particularly talking about that maybe we havent touched on yet? Obviously the main ones were already addressed before we even filed, like, were not paid enough, we dont have enough people on the floor, that sort of thing. But its even smaller things, like, could we change the dress code? Could we receive tenure pay or seniority pay? I think theres going to be more discussion for more specific demands that our store would want, but we dont have them just yet. Has there been any sort of attempt to bring all the workers together to discuss that sort of issue? We are going to hold group meetings. We have one planned after our store meeting to decompress and discuss. So, I think going forward we are going to have more group meetings. How did you get linked up with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU)? So it was two ways. I applied on the Workers United website. They had a form that you can fill out to get in contact with an organizer. Also, I reached out to my sister and she had a contact that helped me get in touch with another person from Workers United. "Their struggles were all the same as ours, and as they got more support, and as our conditions mirrored theirs more and more, we started to take it more seriously and think that we could do that at our store" / Image: Wikimedia Commons Is there an existing union local youll be affiliating with if you win? No, we dont have that yet. It is a problem in some places where you have an industry that is represented by a whole bunch of different unions in an area, versus all the same union, and it becomes harder to bargain in concert. The fundamental strength of the union is its ability to threaten to withhold labor, which means that the more various subdivisions are involved, the weaker each units bargaining position is compared to if there was one fully united union. So, do you see this going in a direction where your store bargains for its own unique contract, separate from all the other stores that are currently undergoing union drives? Its honestly really hard to tell at this point. The first store started bargaining, I think this past week, I think it was Monday. So really depending on how that goes. I think well have to see. I honestly dont know. What kind of support has SBWU given you? If we need any advice as far as how we should go about doing something, they have that, theyre building a whole archive of stuff that we should keep an eye out for. Its really interesting, because Starbucks so far has very much been copy and pasting their union busting tactics. So SBWU will show us these flyers that were in other stores that then pop up in our stores, and theyre the exact same thing. Is the lawyer that you work with through SBWU? Yes. Are you getting directly linked up with other Starbucks workers versus union organizers, or some combination of the two? Were pretty autonomous. Workers United is not a huge organization and this expanded way more than I think they initially expected at such a quick rate. So we do have our own Workers United organizer who is working with us and other stores in the nearby region. I think hes more so someone that we reach out to when we need something specifically from him. He did more of the legal documents and that sort of thing. But we also do reach out to the Starbucks workers themselves for other things. So its really a combination of the two. And when youre reaching out to the other Starbucks workers, is that through social media, or is there some way that SBWU enables you to connect with them? Honestly in all different ways. Some people I talk to on Twitter, some people I talk to through email, some its texting, some its through Slack. Its really just a combination of all these different ways. Are you aware whether SBWU has an overarching strategy toward the goal of organizing all Starbucks workers? I think this is expanding so quickly that they dont have that vision just yet. Are you hoping to spread this campaign to other stores locally? I personally believe that every Starbucks should be unionized, and I will do whatever work I can do to accomplish that. Sometimes this is referred to in union lingo as hot shop organizing. There are people who are mad, and they see an opportunity and they take it, as opposed to having a long term campaign to organize. Starbucks is a giant chain and they dont need any particular store. They may be able to pit the union stores against the non-union stores, and offer different things to different people. Theres lots of stuff they could do. I was wondering whether you see some of that coming or whether there are concerns about that. What do we do about this, as it potentially unfolds? We have a very delicate balance because Starbucks in particular is a company that is entirely built on image and PR, and they have really mastered their PR. I cant think of another company that is a stronger marketing machine. So they are obviously very concerned about that in any sort of strategizing theyre doing right now, because were being very public about all of the things that theyre doing that are really just underhanded and not okay. So that works in our favor. There might be things you can win as just one store, but to win the real benefits that youre looking for, I think the more stores that are involved, the more you can winthinking about it from that perspective. That is part of the national strategy, obviously. Theres been a lot more stores lately. So the fact that every week theres more people filing their own petitions, I think works in our favor, and that was something that they did present to us when we were discussing our union petition. They were saying that obviously, your store filing is good for you, but its also good for the movement, because the more of us there are like you, the larger the threat of labor not cooperating. Have you actually discussed the possibility of going on strike and what that would mean? The first store that actually won did go on strike and already won stuff from our company. They went on strike during Omicron because the company policy was that unless you were showing symptoms of Covid, you were not paid to isolate, you still had to show up to your shift. And even if someone that you lived with tested positive, you still had to show up to your shift, unless you were showing actual symptoms. They did not feel safe, so they went on strike. And after that strike, Starbuckss policy changed so that if youve been exposed, even if youre vaccinated and youre not showing symptoms, you are still paid for an isolation. So, that is something that is on our minds. That question of potentially going on strike, is that something youve been discussing locally? How have people responded to it? We discussed it a little bit in our store. Again we have such different schedules, so I havent talked to everyone about it, but everyone seemed to understand, and its something that you need to do to win things you need. So no one was really upset by it. It is also just a very serious decision. Its what you need to do to win, but not to be taken lightly. SBWU is using the slogan treat partners like real partners, and trying to turn Starbucks corporate speak against them. Do you think its possible for Starbucks workers to be partners with management in a meaningful sense? Thats hard. I do think its possible. Not necessarily partners, in the sense that theres a mutual give and take, but more so in a way that you have to take us seriously. Its not really your decision anymore. Thats what it means. So how can other workers, union members, and socialists help your local effort and the Starbucks union campaign nationally? Its really going to be different for every store. For our store, were taking it one step at a time. As you saw, we started the community day today, because we were starting something difficult this week, our trial. As we face more challenges from them and their union busting and whatever theyre going to try with us, were going to have community support days and actions, and we will absolutely let people know how they can support us. But in the meantime, honestly, every time someone comes in and just tells us they support us or orders a drink under a union strong or something like that, and we get to call it out, that really is a positive moment in our day. It stands out. I suppose that if that is whats written on the cup, it is Starbucks policy that you read it out. Yes. We are very happy to do so very loudly. They havent changed that policy yet? As I said, their image is very important to them. So not just yet. Is there anything maybe that you would want to say to any Starbucks workers who may end up reading our article? Reach out to your local Starbucks thats trying to unionize. Theres people there that want to help you with yours too. Anything else you would want to add that we didnt cover and you think is important? It was really just an atmosphere of misery and frustration at work, and right after we filed for a union, its just so hopeful in our store, so its really nice. Originally published on 7 April at socialistrevolution.org | English Spanish MONTERREY, Mexico, April 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA or the Company) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSAUBD, FEMSAUB) announced today that Envoy Solutions (Envoy), FEMSAs specialized distribution subsidiary in the United States, reached an agreement to acquire Sigma Supply of North America Inc. (Sigma Supply), an independent specialized distribution company based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This transaction represents another important step in FEMSAs strategic path to build a leading national distribution platform in the United States. Sigma Supply will add significant capabilities in packaging materials distribution, solutions and services, and it will expand Envoys footprint to include the key state of Texas while enhancing its presence across the South to the Mid-Atlantic region. Sigma Supply operates 18 distribution centers, and this transaction will expand Envoys distribution network to include almost 70 facilities covering 34 states. Sigma Supplys revenues were approximately US$370 million in 2021. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2022. About FEMSA FEMSA is a company that creates economic and social value through companies and institutions and strives to be the best employer and neighbor to the communities in which it operates. It participates in the retail industry through a Proximity Division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, and OXXO Gas, a chain of retail service stations; through a Health Division, which includes drugstores and related activities; and through FEMSAs Digital Division, which includes Spin by OXXO and OXXO Premia, among other loyalty and digital financial services initiatives. In the beverage industry, it participates through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume; and in the beer industry, as the second largest shareholder of Heineken, one of the worlds leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. FEMSA also participates in the logistics and distribution industry through its Strategic Business Unit, which additionally provides point-of-sale refrigeration and plastic solutions to its business units and third-party clients. Across its business units, FEMSA has more than 320,000 employees in 13 countries. FEMSA is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance, the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and the Mexican Stock Exchange Sustainability Index, among other indexes that evaluate its sustainability performance. NEW YORK, April 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wall Street Reporter, the trusted name in financial news since 1843, is highlighting the latest CEO comments and news from companies recently presenting at its highly acclaimed NEXT SUPER STOCK investor conferences, which engage an estimated 12 million investors globally each year. This weeks momentum leaders with accelerating news flow include: DeepMarkit (OTC: MKTDF) (TSX.V: MKT), NexTech AR Solutions (OTC: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR), ORAGIN Foods (OTC: OGGFF) (TSX.V: OG), and Nova Mentis Life Sciences (OTC: NMLSF) (CSE: NOVA). Wall Street Reporters NEXT SUPER STOCK conferences feature disruptive innovation leaders with +10X upside potential. These emerging growth companies are pursuing multi-billion dollar market opportunities, and are at a key inflection point in their growth trajectory - with multiple catalysts in-place to drive transformational growth, and shareholder value. This selective focus on ultra high-potential leaders, has already delivered eight 10X-50X wins in the past 20 months. DeepMarkit (OTC: MKTDF) (TSX.V: MKT) CEO Ranjeet Sundher: Monetizing Carbon Credits On Blockchain is Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity DeepMarkit (OTC: MKTDF) (TSX.V: MKT) a featured presenter at Wall Street Reporters NEXT SUPER STOCK investors conference is monetizing the nearly trillion dollar market for carbon credits onto the blockchain, with its Mint Carbon platform. The value of traded global markets for carbon dioxide (CO2) permits grew by 164% to a record $851 billion in 2021 according to analysts at Refinitiv, and is viewed by institutional investors and hedge funds as the next hot asset asset class. This market is expected to surge ten-fold during this decade as more enterprise adopts net-zero carbon emissions. DeepMarkit (OTC: MKTDF) (TSX.V: MKT) is capitalizing on this megatrend by helping carbon credit holders monetize their credits via its Mint Carbon platform into tradeable NFTs on the Ethereum-powered, Polygon blockchain for liquid sale on the global market 24/7. MKTDF expects to onboard its first batch of 25 million credits in the coming weeks (worth about $250 million). MKTDF generates revenues by charging a 10% minting fee to carbon credit holders, and then generates recurring revenues of about 1% every time the NFTs trade. In his interview with Wall Street Reporter, MKTDF CEO Ranjeet Sundher shared that key milestones to watch in the coming weeks are new issuers joining the MintCarbon platform, and the first NFTs being minted. Sundher says that MKTDFs first-mover advantage in the carbon credit NFT space, combined with its deep pipeline of projects create the potential for significant revenue growth and valuation upside in coming months. Watch DeepMarkit (OTC: MKTDF) (TSX.V: MKT) Next Super Stock video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/03/16/deepmarkit-otc-mktdf-monetizing-trillion-dollar-carbon-credits-on-blockchain/ NexTech AR Solutions (OTC: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) CEO Evan Gappelberg: NexTech is On-Ramp to Metaverse & Web 3.0 for $5.5 Trillion E-Commerce Market NexTech AR (OTC: NEXCF), a featured presenter at Wall Street Reporter's "Next Super Stock" investor conference series, recently shared with investors how NEXCF is emerging as a key player in the $5.5 trillion global e-commerce market transition to web 3.0 and the metaverse. NEXCF Augmented Reality solutions enable to view products in lifelike 3D, in their own living room. This AR shopping experience bridges the gap between the physical world, and what was once a flat 2D online e-commerce experience. NEXCFs AR shopping experience is a game changer for the 5.5 trillion global e-commerce industry (source: Statisa 2022). Watch NEXT SUPER STOCK (OTC: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) Video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/04/06/next-super-stock-nextech-ar-otc-nexcf-cse-ntar-on-ramp-to-metaverse-web-3-0-for-5-trillion-e-commerce-market/ NEXCF AR solutions create billions of dollars in potential profitability and cost cost-savings for e-commerce leaders by driving +93% increases in click through rate, and -40% reductions in product returns. This value creation and ROI is driving growing demand and industry adoption of NEXCF AR solutions. Nearly 2 billion of the worlds population now shops online. Most importantly, over 72% of e-commerce is now done by mobile phone - a native platform for Augmented Reality apps like NEXCF. Global blue chip brands utilizing NexTech AR, include: Ford Mach EV, Kohls, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Pier 1, and Segway. NexTechs AR solutions are rapidly becoming a must-have for e-commerce leaders to succeed in todays hyper-competitive market, where even marginal improvements in metrics like click-though and return-rates can mean the difference of billions of dollars to a companys bottom lineWere at an inflection point now, where industry demand and adoption for NexTechs AR is accelerating and going mainstream. As E-Commerce shifts to Web 3.0 and the Metaverse, the demand for AR/3D product models becomes essential. NexTech is emerging as the on ramp to the Metaverse and Web 3.0 for the $5.5 trillion e-commerce industry. With over 200 million product SKUs in e-commerce worldwide - NexTech has a potential revenue pipeline worth billions of dollars in coming years. Watch NEXT SUPER STOCK (OTC: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) Video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/04/06/next-super-stock-nextech-ar-otc-nexcf-cse-ntar-on-ramp-to-metaverse-web-3-0-for-5-trillion-e-commerce-market/ April 14 - NEXCF launches Nextech Metaverse Suite. This Suite of Metaverse SaaS products unifies Nextechs entire technology stack of 3D and AR products and apps into one, end-to-end seamless and easy to use SaaS subscription based platform. Nextech views SaaS as a significant advancement of all its 3D modelling and augmented reality solutions. SaaS integration has enormous implications for scalability and the company's future revenue growth. With this SaaS rollout, the Company is moving away from its managed solutions and moving toward monthly recurring revenue (MRR), business scalability, and low to no-touch AR for ecommerce. April 12 - NEXCF launches Shopify freemium 3D model pricing, updating the Companys Shopify app , initially launched in January , allowing merchants to create 3D/AR models for their ecommerce site. NEXCF is also planning to integrate this same Freemium pricing with more ecommerce platforms, including BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento, and is targeting Q2 2022 for completion of these integrations. These integrations will collectively place Nextechs AI-powered 3D/AR model creation solution in front of millions of merchants globally. April 6 - NEXCF files four pivotal non-provisional utility patents with respect to its Aritize 3D and ARitize CAD products for 3D model making, further strengthening the Companys intellectual property position. Fenwick & West represented Nextech AR in the filings. The patents filed are as follows: THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) MODEL GENERATION FROM TWO- DIMENSIONAL (2D) IMAGES - Covers core AI algorithms for creating 3D models automatically from 2D photos and is the core of Threedy tech. THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) MODEL ASSEMBLY - Covers the virtual assembly line concept that helps scale 3D content creation from 2D photos. MATERIAL ESTIMATION FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) MODELING - Covers the AI/ML techniques for creating 3D textures and materials automatically from 2D reference photos. THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) MODEL GENERATION FROM CAD DATA - Describes the technology and process we have built to convert 3D CAD files and other solid designs into optimized 3D meshes suitable for real-time visualization on the Web and AR. NEXCF CEO Evan Gappelberg, commented: "These patents represent the future of our IP and is a huge step forward for Nextech. Since the founding of the company we have been very strategic in strengthening our intellectual property position as we look to cement ourselves as the worlds leading 3D model factory." He continues, "We are in the market and generating revenue with most of this technology today while we are building the groundbreaking, disruptive technology of tomorrow that is critical for 3D and AR experiences for the Metaverse. These patent applications are foundational as we lay the groundwork in preparation for the mass adoption of everything 3D. We are witnessing the 4th industrial revolution happen as the global demand for 3D/AR models is growing exponentially, and 3D technology is quickly transforming from a "nice to have '' to a "must have" for brands and businesses particularly in the 5 trillion dollar ecommerce industry." Watch NEXT SUPER STOCK (OTC: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) Video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/04/06/next-super-stock-nextech-ar-otc-nexcf-cse-ntar-on-ramp-to-metaverse-web-3-0-for-5-trillion-e-commerce-market/ ORAGIN Foods (OTC: OGGFF) (TSX.V: OG) CEO Matt Lurie: Ready to Scale with Plant-Based Brands and Next Gen Organic Retailing ORAGIN Foods (OTC: OGGFF) a featured presenter at Wall Street Reporters NEXT SUPER STOCK investor conference, is capitalizing on twin megatrends in the booming plant-based foods space and specialty organic retailing. In his recent presentation, OGGFF CEO Matt Lurie shared with investors how OGGFF is positioned for explosive growth in the coming months, as it scales its Organic Garage specialty retail stores and expands its portfolio of CPG brands focusing on the the plant-based and organic lifestyle. Watch ORAGIN Foods (OTC: OGGFF) (TSX: OG) Next Super Stock livestream video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/03/01/oragin-foods-otc-oggff-tsx-og-unleashes-30x-upside-potential/ OGGFFs Organic Garage specialty retail stores have built up a cult following among millennial shoppers in Toronto, Canada through a fun experiential retail concept and discount pricing - Healthier Food For Less. OGGFF currently has four stores generating over $30 million in revenue, at strong gross margins - and is now at an inflection point - ready to scale rapidly with new locations. In his interview with Wall Street Reporter, OGGFF CEO Matt Lurie discusses the possibilities for scaling the Organic Garage brand globally, whether through company owned stores, partnerships, and or franchises. CEO Matt Lurie is especially excited about the growth potential for OGGFFs branded CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) business focused on the $30 billion plant-based foods and lifestyle sector. OGGFF is leveraging its retailing domain expertise into the plant-based foods space. With a strong insight and data on what sells on retail shelves and what todays consumers want, OGGFF is developing a suite of plant-based CPG brands through acquisitions, and internal development with a significant focus on expansion in the US market. One of OGGFFs recently launched CPG brands Future of Cheese (targeting the $900 billion dairy alternatives market) is already gaining significant traction. Developed by the worlds leading cheese experts, Future of Cheese is rolling out a full line of cheese, butter and other exciting plant-based dairy products. The brand is a hit with consumers and products are selling out on shelves weekly. OGGFF is now expanding its product portfolio to 8-10 SKUs in coming months which will help drive market penetration with international retailers, and restaurants. OGGFF expects significant revenue growth potential as it further develops a diversified suite of synergistic CPG brands through acquisitions in coming months. Watch ORAGIN Foods (OTC: OGGFF) (TSX: OG) Next Super Stock livestream video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/03/01/oragin-foods-otc-oggff-tsx-og-unleashes-30x-upside-potential/ March 23 - OGGFF appoints Matthew Merson to the Companys Advisory Board to support growth and expansion of the Companys Consumer Packaged Goods ("CPG") division. Mr. Merson is an industry executive with over 30 years of leadership roles with some of the most recognized food and beverage brands including dairy giant Danone, Coca-Cola, Glaceau, sustainable water brand Boxed Water, leading coconut water brand ZICO, and most recently, plant-based poultry company Simulate, owner of the popular brand NUGGS. Under Mr. Mersons sales leadership, Simulate has obtained listings in over 10,000 U.S. stores including Walmart, Target, Safeway and Kroger. April 6 - OGGFF receives FDA registration, allowing the companys Future of Cheese CPG brands, to commence production and sales plans within the U.S. market. The U.S packaged foods industry is estimated at over $1 trillion in annual sales, according to GrandView Research. Nova Mentis Life Sciences (OTC: NMLSF) (CSE: NOVA) CMO Marvin Hausman, M.D.: Novas Psilocybin-based Therapeutics Showing Vast Potential for Autism and Other Neuroinflammatory Disorders Nova Mentis Life Sciences (OTC: NMLSF) (CSE: NOVA) a featured presenter at Wall Street Reporters NEXT SUPER STOCK investor conference is advancing psilocybin-based novel therapeutics, targeting autism spectrum disorders, an unmet medical need with multi-billion dollar market potential. NMLSF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marvin Hausman, M.D., has a decades-long track record of success advancing new drugs through the FDA regulatory pathways, into commercialization, generating billions of dollars in revenue. Dr. Hausman, is now bringing the same playbook to NMLSF for its psilocybin-based therapeutics targeting Fragile X, then potential expansion to treat other neuroinflammatory disorders, including alzheimers, and parkinsons. NMLSF plans to submit a clinical trial application to Health Canada for a Phase 2A study evaluating its psilocybin microdose therapy for Fragile X Syndrome, in the coming weeks. NMLSF is a global leader in first-in-class psilocybin-based therapeutics and complementary diagnostics for neuroinflammatory disorders. NMLSF is the first biotech company to achieve FDA Orphan Drug Designation in both the United States and European Union for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of FXS. In his interview, with Wall Street Reporter, Dr. Hausman explains his strategy for advancing NMLSFs drug pipeline through commercialization, as he has successfully accomplished with other novel drugs during his decades-long career. Watch NEXT SUPER STOCK Nova Mentis (OTC: NMLSF) (CSE: NOVA) Video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/03/25/next-super-stock-nova-mentis-life-sciences-otc-nmlsf-billions-opportunity-w-autism-psilocybin/ "The recently completed preclinical study of repeat low doses of our psilocybin drug - every other day for 2 weeks, showed clinical responses that greatly exceeded our expectations. We significantly modulated behavioural and cognitive defects, such as recognition memory, in FXS." NMLSF plans to submit a clinical trial application to Health Canada in the coming weeks for a Phase 2A study evaluating psilocybin microdose therapy for FXS. "Autism spectrum disorder ("ASD") and especially FXS, the largest genetic cause of ASD, continue to have unmet medical needs. Scientists at NOVA, over the past two years, have laid the groundwork for development of potential novel psilocybin-based microdose treatment of ASD," said NMLSF Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MD. April 8 - NMLSF contracts with Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology to formulate and manufacture psilocybin microdose capsules for its upcoming Canadian Phase 2A fragile X syndrome clinical study. NMLSF has already manufactured a large supply of >98% pure psilocybin for clinical studies and commercialization following drug approval. March 23 - NMLSF begins patient enrollment process for its North American Observational study: Establishing a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Index in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). NMLSFs Observational Study will study the neuroinflammatory mRNA genetic profile contained within cheek cells from ASD and FXS patients, as well as measure serotonin levels in patient saliva. The research objective is to develop a genetic neuroinflammatory and serotonin data bank that will help establish a "Diagnostic Index" an objective set of tools that helps to differentiate subtypes of ASD, as well as FXS, and to develop more accurate methods of diagnosis and treatment. Collected data will be analyzed using customized machine learning algorithms and used to guide design of upcoming clinical trials that will test the efficacy of psilocybin-based therapeutics in ASD and FXS. Patients enrolled in this Observational Study will have a high priority position to be enrolled in planned psilocybin microdose clinical trials in Canada and the United States. NOVA is aiming to recruit at least 300 qualifying participants; 200+ ASD/FSX patients and 100+ neurotypical controls. Patient enrollment information at: novamentis.ca/autismstudy "Families caring for patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and fragile X syndrome (FXS) deserve new scientific and therapeutic options to improve diagnosis, quality of care and treatment outcomes. The goal of our North American ASD and FXS Observational Study is to uncover novel and meaningful ways to diagnose and treat ASD and FXS, which is particularly relevant for statistical separation between the multitude of ASD subtypes, currently differentiated rather crudely, based on behavioural analysis," says NMLSF Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marvin S. Hausman MD. February 16 - NMLSF successfully completes an oral microdose psilocybin preclinical study, in the laboratory of Dr. Viviana Trezza, Rome Tre University, Rome, Italy. The results exceeded all expectations with the findings that a very low dose of the Company's proprietary psilocybin significantly modulated behavioural and cognitive defects, such as recognition memory, in a genetic model of fragile X syndrome (FXS). "The science team led by Dr. Hausman, together with Dr. Viviana Trezza from Roma Tre University, continues to deliver promising preclinical results. The recent oral microdose data set not only confirms but exceeds our original injectable formulation results," says Will Rascan, CEO of NOVA. "The clear positive data is critical as we prepare to submit our clinical trial application to Health Canada for a Phase 2A study evaluating psilocybin microdose therapy for fragile X syndrome." Watch NEXT SUPER STOCK Nova Mentis (OTC: NMLSF) (CSE: NOVA) Video: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2022/03/25/next-super-stock-nova-mentis-life-sciences-otc-nmlsf-billions-opportunity-w-autism-psilocybin/ WALL STREET REPORTER Wall Street Reporter (Est. 1843) is the leading financial news provider, focused on giving investors direct access to CEOs of promising, publicly-traded companies, and market experts. www.WallStreetReporter.com . Nothing in this news summary shall be construed as investment advice. Quotes/content may be edited for brevity and context. Full disclaimer, and relevant SEC 17B disclosures here: https://tinyurl.com/2x4eznd5 About Wall Street Reporters Next Super Stock conference: Wall Street Reporter's NEXT SUPER STOCK Live! conference is dedicated to featuring select companies that have near-term catalysts in place which can drive transformational growth (and stock appreciation) in the months ahead. Click here to join next livestream event: https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/next-superstock-online-investor-conference/ CONTACT: WALL STREET REPORTER (212) 871-2057 ext 7 SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hope for Haiti announced that Haitian-American celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet (of Bravo TV's 'Top Chef') will headline the organization's virtual cook-along celebration Monday, 4/25. The event is part of the organization's fourth-annual Hike for Haiti Challenge campaign, a feel-good global movement that helps fund Hope for Haiti's education and public health programs, and is supported by a number of brands and high-profile ambassadors. The cook-along will be hosted by culinary emcee and comedian, Billy Harris, and also features mixologist Vance Henderson, a special surprise guest, and a small live auction. "We are cooking one of my favorite dishes growing up, Chicken in Creole sauce and a delicious easy treat, Shaved Coconut Ice with Spiced Pineapple," said Gourdet. "We'll have a great time cooking together in support of Hope for Haiti and the Hike for Haiti initiative!" All of the funds raised during the dinner + auction will directly benefit Hope for Haiti's school rebuilding efforts in southern Haiti, the epicenter of last year's devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake. In February, Hope for Haiti completed construction on one of the first schools to be built in southern Haiti post-earthquake. "We're honored to have Chef Gregory Gourdet lead this virtual celebration of impact and hope in Haiti," said Hope for Haiti CEO Skyler Badenoch. Complimentary access to the event will be provided to all registered participants or donors to the Hike for Haiti Challenge. Tickets for the general public are available on a 'pay what you can' model here: http://give.hopeforhaiti.com/hikedinner. About Hope for Haiti: With experience running poverty alleviation programs in Haiti since 1989, Hope for Haiti has emerged as one of the most trusted non-profit organizations working to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people in southern Haiti. In the aftermath of the 2021 Earthquake, Hope for Haiti launched a $12 million Short-Term (August-October 2021) and Long-Term (November 2021-August 2023) Southern Haiti Support Plan to be implemented over a two-year period. Encompassing 17 key evaluation and action points, this initiative supports relief and recovery for 750,000 children, parents and grandparents in our impact area who are also coping with, from COVID-19, civil and political unrest, food and water shortages to infrastructure challenges. Hope for Haiti is a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator and is a participant at the Platinum Level through the GuideStar Exchange, two leading independent evaluators recognizing the organization's transparency and careful stewardship of donor resources. Hope for Haiti is also a winner of the 2021 Classy Awards in the Social Innovation category, and was recently named a 2022 Top 50 Finalist. To learn more: www.hopeforhaiti.com. Media Contact: Taylor Hebble Director of Marketing & Communications Ph. 239-603-6769 taylor@hopeforhaiti.com Related Images Image 1: Virtual Cook-Along Featuring Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The teams at P8FX Trading and Atomic Labs have brought to life a captivating project which addresses the real-life issue of ocean pollution. The Aqua Army NFT project tells the story of ocean destruction from the eyes of sea animals themselves. The characters have been humanised to ensure they are relatable and fun whilst its creators have partnered with charities to distribute donations in order to make a difference. The Aqua Army is an exclusive collection of 4,444 unique NFTs that submerge you into a world of deep-sea adventure, purpose and collectibles living on the Ethereum network. Excellently hand-drawn, these ocean conscious NFTs consist of 8 different characters with a vast collection of different costumes, moods and accessories. Not only will these NFTs have rarity traits, but theyll be able to be upgraded and transformed as the project continues. Ocean Pollution - The Plastic Facts Because there is so much trash at sea, enormous garbage patches have formed. There are five of them in the globe, with the biggest, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, covering an area twice the size of Texas and containing an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of rubbish. Every year, eight million metric tons of plastic is dumped into the oceans, that's around 17.6 billion pounds - the equivalent of nearly 57,000 blue whales. It is projected that ocean trash will outweigh all of the fish by 2050, according to conservation.org. The few facts listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. The world's oceans and seas are threatened not only by plastic but by oil, chemicals, fishing nets, face masks and the list can go on. All life on the planet is dependent on these vital ecosystems. Governments, the corporate community, and consumers must act quickly to mitigate the devastation to our world. This is why the Aqua Army NFT pledges to donate a percentage of all the proceeds from this project to 5 non-profit sea-based charities. The NFT world is up-and-coming, exciting and will only gain in popularity in the future. The Aqua Army team want to show this new, captivating audience that whilst owning one-of-a-kind pieces of digital art you are still able to give back, raise awareness and donate to brilliant charities at the same time. The evolution of Aqua Army Each character, background, clothing and accessories are hand-drawn and cleverly designed based on ideas from the Aqua Army team. The team brainstormed, researched and spent time developing the storyline, ensuring it reflected the reality of the animals and sea pollution. The story has fun twists and turns, following 8 sea creatures in their quest to establish an aqua army and fight back against pollution and the evil humans. All characters come with cool, quirky names and a full bio giving you an understanding of the animal itself, what food it likes and a brief insight into their personalities. The story doesnt end there and whilst the Aqua Army team dont want to give too much away it is expected that upgrades will be seen, elixirs will be dropped and hidden waters revealed. Minting Aqua Army NFTs The initial mint price has been set at a reasonable 0.09 ETH. By having a relatively low mint price, more people can be reached, giving this NFT and its charitable purpose the platform it deserves. Not only that but the team have created a leaderboard on their website to keep track of who owns the most Aqua Army NFTs and how many plastic bottles they have cleared up (based on estimates provided by The UOcean Project - who are an official partner of the Aqua Army NFT project). Charitable Donations Aqua Army NFT pledges to donate a percentage of all the proceeds from this project to 5 non-profit sea-based charities. The Aqua Army team will travel to their selected charities to give donations in person as they want to remain as transparent as possible. They believe that by contributing to and including charities in this project they can inspire more people to take the destruction of our oceans seriously. As technology and the art world evolve, they want to make it clear to all that together, everyone can make a difference, and have a positive impact on the earth. How to find out more? Make sure you take a look at the Aqua Army NFT website where you can read the story in full, see the road map, read the Whitepaper and meet the team behind this unique and exciting project. Not only that but of course, you can join them on Discord. The Aqua Army Discord Channe l has quickly grown in popularity and as we get closer to the mint date (TUESDAY 17th MAY 2022) the buzz will no doubt continue to grow and grow! Get involved straight away as all the latest information, release dates and launches plus sneak peeks are all available there. The community are engaging and chatting every day as the excitement builds around this NFT. You can join the channel here . Make sure you jump on that Whitelist as this collection could sell out fast! To learn more about Aqua Army NFT and P8FX Trading you can visit the following websites: The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) hosted virtual consultations with African government ministers, representatives of the African Union, government officials, and academics to gather views on the implementation of the Banks Skills for Employability and Productivity in Africa Action Plan for 2022-2025. The first session on 12 April focused on countries in East and Southern Africa. The second, on April 13, targeted countries in Central, North, and West Africa. The Bank is seeking regional member countries endorsement of the Action Plan and inputs on how the plan can support investment in higher education, in science and technology, as well as in technical and vocational education and training also known as TVET. Its another milestone in the Banks partnership with our regional member countries to forge partnership in equipping Africas labor force with in-demand skills African youth have the potential to become the worlds largest resource for productive and innovative labor, if they are equipped with quality and relevant skills, said Beth Dunford, Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. The Action Plan comes at a critical juncture, when Africa is ramping up efforts to enhance scientific and technological capabilities for a more productive and innovative society. Malawis Minister of Education, Agnes Nyalonje, said the Action Plan was in line with her countrys aspirations in education and skills development. We will benefit every inch of the way in the investments and focus that the Bank wants to bring to higher education and TVET, she said. The Skills for Employability and Productivity in Africa Action Plan is anchored in the Banks Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy (20162025), which seeks to create 25 million jobs and equip 50 million youth with relevant skills. Public financing of TVET and higher education across the continent has not kept pace with demand. Infrastructure gaps, like shortages of classrooms, libraries, and laboratories, are negatively impacting access, quality, and equity in the sector. Pascal Gatabazi, the chief technical advisor in Rwandas ministry of education, said: The government of Rwanda has put human capital development on the top of its [development] agenda, with technical and vocational education as a top priority. The government has been putting significant investment in TVET, and thats whywe have a dedicated ministry in charge of IT and TVET, he said. Martha Phiri, the Banks Director for Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development, said the Bank will leverage partnerships to boost investment in education infrastructure. This will result in substantial increases in the number of African graduates studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or pursuing technical and vocational education and training. Our Action Plan places special emphasis on digital skills, online learning and entrepreneurship, said Phiri. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Mount Juliet, April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mount Juliet, Tennessee - Pool Service HQ has recently launched their new website, a directory created specifically for the swimming pool industry, so homeowners and others with pools can easily search for pool service companies and other swimming pool related contractors in their local area. In addition to facilitating easy searching for the best professional pool contractors in any area, the new pool service directory website from Pool Service HQ makes it super simple for pool service companies, swimming pool builders, and pool supply stores to add their businesses to the directory, so they can be found in searches for their area. Currently, Pool Service HQ lists a number of hot tub, spa, and swimming pool related companies in the state of Texas, with most spanning the triangle between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas. Pool Service HQ is actively recruiting pool service companies across the country to join their directory of the best swimming pool contractors available. One great benefit of Pool Service HQ is that, when customers search Pool Service Near Me, they can get free quotes from three pool companies in their local area that can do the work that they need done. Whether a person is searching for a pool builder to design and build a swimming pool in their own backyard, contractors who can service, maintain or repair the pool they already have, or just need to find a store where they can pick up some supplies to maintain their pool themselves, Pool Service HQ can help them find great options of contractors near them, especially if they are in Texas. Pool Service HQ also has listings for hot tub companies, including companies that install hot tubs and spas, and companies that do hot tub and spa service, so people with hot tubs installed in their homes can easily find a professional to maintain their hot tub and or repair it if necessary. Just like with the pool service companies, hot tub or spa owners in need of service can get three free quotes from Pool Service HQ for the companies of their choice, to help them find the best hot tub and spa service company for their needs. For companies in the swimming pool industry, or that work with saunas and spas, it is very easy to add the information about their businesses to the Pool Service HQ directory. This is an excellent promotional opportunity, because it means their business information will appear to any potential customers in their area who use Pool Service HQ to search for Pool Service Company Near Me or another similar search. To get their information into the directory, pool company owners simply need to create an account on the Pool Service HQ website and select the button at the top of the page labeled Add Business, at which point they will be walked through the rest of the steps necessary to publish their business listing to the directory. Once they have input the information customers will need to decide if their business is the right pool service company for them, customers will be better able to find them and patronize their businesses. The directory is open to any company that works with any kinds of pools, whether they are experts in swimming pool installation, maintenance, or repairs. All companies that do work related to swimming pools could benefit from a listing on Pool Service HQs new directory. https://youtu.be/4OKLXT4mBIc The all new directory from Pool Service HQ is not limited to any one type of pool. Rather, the directory aims to be useful no matter what kind of pool a person is trying to search for. Whether they have an existing pool and need to find just the right specialist to repair or maintain it, or they are interested in installing a new pool and are curious about different swimming pool materials and styles, they can find a contractor who will work with them. Fiberglass, vinyl liner, or concrete pools are all covered by Pool Service HQs directory, and more. ### For more information about Pool Service HQ, contact the company here: Pool Service HQ Shane Atwell (833) 672-1700 poolservicehq@gmail.com Pool Service HQ United States LONDON, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market-leading RegTech provider FundApps today announced the launch of a new service to provide free Sanctions Data to Investment Managers. Recognising the frustration associated with navigating sanctions and the impact it can have on winning new mandates, FundApps have introduced an accurate, quick and budget-friendly method to check investments against sanctions. Unfortunately, for those without a solution in place, managing sanctions is no longer easy. Managers face everything from a geopolitical maelstrom to regulatory scrutiny to anxious investors. Sanctions data is tricky to match against investments and parsing complex sanctions lists can feel like decrypting the Rosetta Stone. Gone are the days of relying on counterparties for validation and manually checking sanctions data. FundApps now offers a free database of Entity Sanctions Data to enable managers to create the controls necessary to satisfy their investors and regulatory guidance. Say goodbye to significant costs, risk and time involved in the process; say hello to automation, renewed sanity and soaring investor confidence. In direct response to the Ukraine crisis, FundApps is offering open access to Entity Sanctions data. This service is free and available to all investors who require access. "It's a sensitive political landscape and there is a widespread focus on sanctions amongst investors. This is a crucial period where managers need to be proactive and provide assurance. Our product is free where others are expensive; we're offering an intuitive solution to a sticky manual process, with plans to grow iteratively." - Bethan Watson, Product Manager. Users of our Sanctions Data service can quickly and easily search for a sanctioned issuer and for those who require more automation. Sanctions Alerts brings positions data and rules together to proactively notify users of any sanctioned issuers. At FundApps, we want to make compliance simple. Reach out to us here and subscribe for Sanctions Data free today. About FundApps: Since 2010, FundApps has been committed to making compliance simple. With a vast rule library and a dedicated in-house legal and regulatory team, FundApps enables compliance teams to respond more efficiently to regulatory change, increase certainty and reduce complexity in the compliance process. With offices in London, New York and Singapore, the company monitors over US$14 trillion in client assets with 1000+ users from compliance teams at asset managers, hedge funds, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and banks around the world. To learn more, visit www.fundapps.co. Press Contact: Name: Liam Driscoll, Marketing Manager at FundApps Email: liam@fundapps.co Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment English Dutch PRESS RELEASE : 21 April 2022, 07:01 CEST Biocartis Announces Presentation of First Prospective Validation Study Data of Merlin Test by Partner SkylineDx at EADO 2022 Conference Mechelen, Belgium, 21 April 2022 Biocartis Group NV (the Company or Biocartis), an innovative molecular diagnostics company (Euronext Brussels: BCART), today announced that its partner SkylineDx will present new data showing that its Merlin Test was able to prospectively reduce more than 37% of surgeries in a non-interventional study for newly diagnosed melanoma patients1. The abstract publication receives a designated oral presentation during the 18th Congress of the European Association of Dermato-oncology (EADO) in Sevilla, Spain (21-23 April 2022). The Merlin Test identifies melanoma patients that have a low risk for nodal metastasis and therefore can safely forgo a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) surgery. This is an invasive surgical procedure used to determine metastatic spread of the cancer for staging purposes. In approximately 80% of the surgeries, the biopsy comes back negative for metastasis and does not further impact the patient pathway. The Merlin Test provides a more personalized insight on the metastatic propensity of the tumor, and how patients with a low-risk tumor could avoid the surgery2. Four melanoma medical centers from the Netherlands are leading this prospective multicenter study which is currently still ongoing. The study was initiated during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to allow for surgical triage on SLNB and to evaluate the implementation of the Merlin Test in clinical practice. Results of this prospective trial confirm the performance of previously published European and US retrospective validation studies in real world practice. On 22 April 2021, Biocartis and SkylineDx announced a partnership aimed at developing SkylineDx novel proprietary test, the Merlin Test, on Biocartis rapid and easy-to-use molecular diagnostics platform Idylla. In the US, the Merlin Test is already available as an internal Laboratory Developed Test in SkylineDx CAP/CLIA laboratory in San Diego (California, US). Under the terms of the partnership agreement, SkylineDx will lead the development of the Merlin Test on Idylla, while Biocartis will lead the commercialization in Europe through its growing Idylla network. Ahead of the launch of the Merlin Test on Idylla, Biocartis will already commercialize the test kit version of the Merlin Test for in vitro diagnostic use in Europe. Herman Verrelst, Chief Executive Officer of Biocartis, commented: Presenting this new prospective data at the EADO conference is a great way to initiate our joint commercial activities with SkylineDx, addressing mainly centralized expert laboratories in Europe. EADO 2022 will be the first European conference that we attend together with our collaboration partner Biocartis, comments Dharminder Chahal, CEO SkylineDx. It is exciting that in our first collective outreach we are able to show new prospective data that further strengthens the scientific solidity and clinical relevance of our Merlin Test. The commercial launch of the test kit version of the Merlin Test for in vitro diagnostic use in Europe is planned in the second half of 2022. --- END --- More information: Renate Degrave Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Biocartis e-mail rdegrave@biocartis.com tel +32 15 631 729 mobile +32 471 53 60 64 About Biocartis Biocartis (Euronext Brussels: BCART) is an innovative molecular diagnostics (MDx) company providing next generation diagnostic solutions aimed at improving clinical practice for the benefit of patients, clinicians, payers and industry. Biocartis' proprietary MDx Idylla platform is a fully automated sample-to-result, real-time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) system that offers accurate, highly reliable molecular information from virtually any biological sample in virtually any setting. Biocartis is developing and marketing a continuously expanding test menu addressing key unmet clinical needs, with a focus in oncology, which represents the fastest growing segment of the MDx market worldwide. Today, Biocartis offers tests supporting melanoma, colorectal and lung cancer, as well as for COVID-19, flu, RSV and sepsis. More information: www.biocartis.com. Follow us on Twitter: @Biocartis_. About the Merlin Test The Merlin Test uses the CP-GEP model, a powerful algorithm that calculates the risk of metastasis in a patients sentinel lymph nodes. The model is able to calculate risk on an individual basis through a combination analysis of 8 genes from the patients primary tumor, the tumor thickness and the patients age; and has been independently validated in several cohorts. Further clinical research and validation studies on the predictive use of the CP-GEP model is the main focus of the Merlin Study Initiative, developed under the wings of the Falcon R&D Program. More information (including references) on www.falconprogram.com. About SkylineDx SkylineDx is a biotechnology company, focused on research & development of molecular diagnostics in oncology and inflammatory diseases. The company is headquartered in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) and complemented with a field medical and scientific affairs team in the USA and a CAP/CLIA certified laboratory in San Diego (California). SkylineDx uses its expertise to bridge the gap between academically discovered gene expression signatures and commercially available diagnostic products with high clinical utility, assisting healthcare professionals in accurately determining the type or status of disease or predict a patients response to treatment. Based on test results, healthcare professionals can tailor the treatment approach to the individual patient. More information about SkylineDx on www.skylinedx.com. Biocartis and Idylla are registered trademarks in Europe, the United States and other countries. The Biocartis and Idylla trademark and logo are used trademarks owned by Biocartis. Please refer to the product labeling for applicable intended uses for each individual Biocartis product. This press release is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in any jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. Any persons reading this press release should inform themselves of and observe any such restrictions. Biocartis takes no responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities in any jurisdiction. No securities of Biocartis may be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Forward-looking statements Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company's or, as appropriate, the Company directors' or managements' current expectations and projections concerning future events such as the Company's results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, performance, prospects, growth, strategies and the industry in which the Company operates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities are not guarantees of future performance and should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. In addition, even if actual results or developments are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in future periods. No representations and warranties are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. 1 Stassen R.C. et al, Use of CP-GEP to identify primary cutaneous melanoma patients with a low risk for SN metastasis in a prospective multicenter Dutch study during COVID-19, first presented at EADO 2022, 21-23 April 2022 (Seville, Spain). Find the link here 2 Bellomo et al., Model combining tumor molecular and clinicopathologic risk factors predicts sentinel lymph node metastasis in primary cutaneous melanoma. JCO Precision Oncology (2020). Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Real Estate Software Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Deployment Type (Cloud and On-premise), By Type, By Application, By End-use, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2021-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Real Estate Software Market size is expected to reach $15.8 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 8.9% CAGR during the forecast period. Major providers of real estate software are adopting advanced technologies in order to provide more relevant products fulfilling the requirements of consumers. Various vendors are adopting Virtual Reality (VR) to save resources & time and expand the reach of long distance buyers & improve user engagement. In addition, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) enables businesses to automate time consuming tasks which results in increased return on investments (ROI). COVID-19 Impact Analysis The widespread of COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world brutally. Various restrictions over the movement of goods & people along with a complete lockdown imposed by the government of many countries in order to curb the effect of the novel coronavirus affected all the industries in one or other manner. The real estate industry is negatively impacted during the pandemic. The discontinuance of construction activities all over the world resulted in a decline in demand for real estate software in the market. Whereas, the market is anticipated to get back on the growth track post pandemic because of the rising demand for digitalization of the records & data of existing customers that may help the business organizations about the purchasing behaviour of customers. Also, the growing population and urbanization resulting in increased development of infrastructure with the smart solution are expected to contribute to the growth of the real estate software market post pandemic. Market Growth Factors: Create Integrated Marketing Solutions The real estate software serves with some marketing capabilities to support automation & email interaction. Also, the real estate software such as CRM when combined with the compatible market solution may improve the sales and marketing potential of business organizations. Various features of the CRM software help in building a much better customer profile. Moreover, insights on web activities, email campaign &social media interactions and other platforms where the real estate industry works are fed back at the real estate software, wherein users can analyze which channel is giving best results. In addition, the automated lead scoring feature of this type of software helps in prioritizing the sale. Easy access to the data at single platform collected from various resources help the organization to get better results. Better Data security The real estate industry deals with a lot of personal data which is required to be kept secured as to ensure the safety of client's information specially when the data is hosted at the cloud. This is because any unauthorized user can use the data leading to major losses for organization. The real estate software provides the feature of digital security. The customer relationship management (CRM) software provide role-based security that sets privileges for specific type of users, and record-based security which restricts the access of confidential information by unauthorized users. The cloud-based software providers are also adding external security features. Marketing Restraining Factor: High Cost The main disadvantage of the real estate software is the cost attached to it. The real estate software is expected to increase the IT budget. The adoption of real estate solution requires hardware and improved network infrastructure. Also, the organization is required to spend on the purchase of software, and house IT team for managing and monitoring the software. This is expected to require a lot of money to be spent. In addition, the more adoption of web-based CRM software is resulting in high cost of licensing contracts for its use. Along with this, the organizations using real estate software are required to train their workers to get the benefits associated with the use of these types of software which also arises the need to spend a lot in terms of money. Deployment Type Outlook Based on Deployment Type, the market is segmented into Cloud and On-premise. the on-premise segment acquired a substantial revenue share in the real estate software market. This software is hosted on a particular device and gives user complete ownership due to which, it is gaining immense popularity among the organizations who wanted to store their data locally. Type Outlook Based on Type, the market is segmented into Customer Relationship Management Software, Enterprise Resource Planning Software, Property Management Software, Contract Software, and Others. The enterprise resource planning software procured a significant revenue share in the real estate software market in 2020. The major factors driving the growth of enterprise resource planning software is the cost effectiveness offered by this type of software along with enhanced visibility and efficiency resulting in high adoption of ERP software. Application Outlook Based on Application, the market is segmented into Residential and Commercial. In 2020, the residential segment garnered the highest revenue share in the real estate software market. The increasing preference of homeownership & rising prices of residential property are resulting in high demand for purchasing self-owned property. Also, the building with modern infrastructure is increasing which is resulting in growth of real estate industry and further growing the demand for real estate software as well. End Use Outlook Based on End-use, the market is segmented into Architects & Engineers, Real Estate Agents, Project Managers, and Others. In 2020, the architects and engineers segment recorded the highest revenue share in the real estate software market in 2020. The increasing demands for residential as well as spaces is forcing the architects & engineers to spend more time in developing feasibility reports & new projects. This is rising the usage of real estate software by architects & engineers for quick generation of reports enabling them to core tasks. Regional Outlook Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific region garnered a significant revenue share in 2020. This is due to the presence of various developing countries in the region such as Japan, China, India and other Asian countries. Increased cooperation between the technological firms & real estate industry is rising the adoption of such big data, cloud computing and Internet of Things solutions in China is leading to the high demand for real estate software in Asia Pacific. Cardinal Matrix - Real Estate Software Market Competition Analysis The major strategies followed by the market participants are Product Launches. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Microsoft Corporation is the forerunners in the Real Estate Software Market. Companies such as CoStar Group, Inc., SAP SE, Altus Group Ltd. are some of the key innovators in the Market. Scope of the Study Market Segments Covered in the Report: By Deployment Type Cloud On-premise By Type Customer Relationship Management Software Enterprise Resource Planning Software Property Management Software Contract Software Others By Application Residential Commercial By End-use Architects & Engineers Real Estate Agents Project Managers Others By Geography North America US Canada Mexico Rest of North America Europe Germany UK France Russia Spain Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Singapore Malaysia Rest of Asia Pacific LAMEA Brazil Argentina UAE Saudi Arabia South Africa Nigeria Rest of LAMEA Company Profiles SAP SE Autodesk, Inc. Oracle Corporation Microsoft Corporation Altus Group Limited CoStar Group, Inc. MRI Software LLC RealPage, Inc. Yardi Systems, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/90cxjj Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Modified Starch Market by Raw Material (Corn, Cassava, Potato, Wheat), End-User (Food & Beverages, Feed, and Industrial), Form (Dry and Liquid), and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, Rest of the World) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global modified starch market is estimated to be valued at USD 13.7 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 15.9 billion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 3.1% during the forecast period. Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate that consists of a large number of glucose units. Modified starches are manufactured from native starches. Various processing methods such as physical, enzymatic, wet & dry chemical processes, drum drying, and extrusion are used to produce different types of modified starch products. These processes are used to change the properties of native starch, such as its freeze-thaw stability, acid or alkali resistance, and shear stability to meet industrial requirements. Modified starches are used for functions such as thickening, stabilizing, binding, and emulsification. Apart from food products, it is also used in a wide range of non-food applications and the animal feed industry. Asia Pacific is projected to witness a growth of 3.4% during the forecast period. The modified starch market in the Asia Pacific is growing at a CAGR of 3.4% due to the rising demand in large economies, such as China, India, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries. The industrial organization and technology of modified starch processing are changing rapidly in the Asia Pacific. Unlike other regions where starch is processed almost entirely by large companies, in the Asia Pacific, modified starch processing is done by small and medium-sized firms. Historically, native starch has been largely used for food products in the Asia Pacific region. The industrial applications and technologies involved in modified starch processing are changing rapidly in the Asia Pacific countries. Modified starch is increasingly being demanded by various industries in the region and these industries are incorporating modified raw material of starches in their manufacturing processes and products. The corn modified starch dominates the market with 60.5% of the total market share in terms of value. The corn modified starch dominates the market with 60.5% of total market share in terms of value in 2021. The North American modified starch market is dominated by corn starch due to its low price. Similarly, in Europe, the market is almost equally distributed among wheat, potato, and corn. In the Asia Pacific countries, however, the focus is on cassava, along with potato and corn. In some cases, the modified starch industry is likely to choose based on the cost factor of the starch over the quality or ingredient due to cost considerations. Modified starches are used to remove the constraints of food applications. In food, the aim of modified starches is to remove the constraints of food applications (for example, in cooking, freezing/thawing, canning, or sterilization) and make the ingredients compatible with modern food processing. Modified starches are used, for example in food products that need to be microwaved, freeze-dried, cooked at high temperatures, or baked and fried so that the texture of such foods does not change during the cooking process. Modified starches are used in chips, canned soups, cheese sauces, powder-coated foods (cocoa-dusted almonds), and candies. Starch is a binder used especially for sauces or soups, but it is not stable and releases water after long storage in the fridge. The common objective of most of these transformations is to limit the natural tendency of the starch to remove the water. During the cooking of soup, for example, the native starch is hydrated in contact with water. The starch granules expand and the viscosity of the solution increases, giving it a particular texture. Market Dynamics Drivers Rise in Demand for Convenience and Processed Food Functional Properties of Modified Starch and Their Ease of Incorporation in a Wide Range of Food Applications Growth in Demand for Adhesives in a Range of Industrial Applications Restraints Limited Sources and High Cost of Natural Additives Higher Demand for Gum Arabic Opportunities Potential Alternative Sources of Modified Starch Untapped Applications of Modified Starch Challenges Approval from the Different Regulatory Bodies Rise in Cost of Raw Materials Companies Mentioned Agrana Angel Starch & Food Pvt. Ltd. Archer Daniels Midland Company Avebe U.A. Beneo Cargill Emsland Group Everest Starch (India) Pvt. Ltd. Global Bio-Chem Technology Group Company Limited Grain Processing Corporation Gromotech Agrochem Pvt. Ltd. Ingredion Incorporated KMC Qingdao Cbh Co., Ltd. Roquette Freres Sanstar Bio-Polymers Ltd. Sheekharr Starch Pvt. Ltd. Shubham Starch Chem Pvt. Ltd. Sms Corporation Sonish Starch Technology Co. Ltd. Spac Starch Products (India) Ltd. Tate & Lyle Tereos Universal Biopolymers Venus Starch Suppliers For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yyun5w Attachment Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Aerosol Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Material (Steel, Aluminum), by Type (Bag-In-Valve, Standard), by Application (Personal Care, Household), by Region (EU, APAC), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global aerosol market size is anticipated to reach USD 131.9 billion by 2030 and is projected to register a CAGR of 6.6% The rising demand for aerosol products from various end-use industries, such as personal care, household, automotive and industrial, and medical, is anticipated to drive the growth. Aerosol paints are being increasingly used for automotive as well as architectural paint applications. Uniform propulsion, ease of application, and aesthetic appeal of aerosols are key factors driving their demand in architectural and automotive paint end-use industries. Furthermore, the rapidly expanding construction sector, especially in developing countries such as India, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, is expected to further fuel the product demand in paint application. Globally, the cases of respiratory diseases, such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), have considerably increased over the past several years, majorly due to the changing lifestyle and rising geriatric population. The growing cases of such respiratory diseases are principally driving the demand for aerosol-based inhalers. In addition, high demand for various pain relief sprays owing to their convenience of application is further anticipated to expand the market growth in the coming years. Asia Pacific is among the significant regional markets. The rising demand for personal care products from developing countries is anticipated to propel the demand for aerosol. In addition, increasing awareness regarding cleanliness and hygiene is boosting the growth of household products like cleaners, sanitizing agents, and air fresheners. The growing demand from Asia Pacific is encouraging aerosol manufacturers to increase their production. The global market is highly competitive with numerous players involved in acquisitions and expansions. In addition, they also conduct R&D for the emerging sectors, such as household and personal care. Aerosol Market Report Highlights The personal care application segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 due to extensive usage of aerosol in deodorants, hair mousses, hair sprays, and others due to its convenience, which contributed to the growth of this segment The automotive & industrial application segment is anticipated to grow at a steady CAGR from 2021 to 2030 due to increasing preference for aerosol-based greases and oils by the automobile service stations Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing regional market from 2021 to 2030 on account of the rising penetration of retail, growing construction activities, and increasing sales of automobiles The market in Europe is expected to witness sluggish growth in the coming years owing to the regulations regarding Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emissions imposed by the European Commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The global market is highly competitive owing to the presence of major players like Proctor & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, etc. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Aerosol Market Variables, Trends, & Scope 3.1. Market Outlook 3.1.1. Parent Market Outlook 3.1.2. Related Market Outlook 3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.3. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.4. Technology Overview 3.5. Regulatory Framework 3.6. Vendor Selection Criteria Analysis 3.7. Aerosol Market - Market dynamics 3.8. Business Environment Analysis: Aerosol Market 3.8.1. Industry Analysis - Porter's 3.8.2. PESTEL Analysis 3.8.3. Major Deals & Strategic Alliances Analysis 3.9. Market Entry Strategies Chapter 4. Aerosol Market: Material Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1. Aerosol: material movement analysis, 2021 & 2030 4.2. Steel 4.3. Aluminum Chapter 5. Aerosol Market: Type Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1. Aerosol: type movement analysis, 2021 & 2030 5.2. Bag-In-Valve 5.3. Standard Chapter 6. Aerosol Market: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis 6.1. Aerosol: application movement analysis, 2021 & 2030 6.2. Personal Care 6.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (Million Units) (USD Million) 6.2.2. Deodorants 6.2.3. Hair Mousse 6.2.4. Hair Spray 6.2.5. Shaving Mousse/Foam 6.2.6. Suncare 6.3. Household 6.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (Million Units) (USD Million) 6.3.2. Insecticides 6.3.3. Plant Protection 6.3.4. Air Fresheners 6.3.5. Furniture & Wax Polishes 6.3.6. Disinfectants 6.3.7. Surface care 6.4. Automotive & Industrial 6.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (Million Units) (USD Million) 6.4.2. Greases 6.4.3. Lubricants 6.4.4. Spray Oils 6.4.5. Cleaners 6.5. Food 6.5.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (Million Units) (USD Million) 6.5.2. Oils 6.5.3. Whipped Cream 6.5.4. Edible Mousse 6.5.5. Sprayable Flavors 6.6. Paints 6.6.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.2. Industrial 6.6.3. Consumer 6.7. Medical 6.7.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017-2030 (Million Units) (USD Million) 6.7.2. Inhaler 6.7.3. Topical Application Chapter 7. Aerosol: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis 7.1. SWOT Analysis 7.2. Aerosol Market Regional movement analysis, 2021 & 2030 Chapter 8. Aerosol Market: Competitive Analysis 8.1. Key Global Players, Their Initiatives, & Their Impact on the Market 8.2. Participant Categorization 8.3. Vendor Landscape 8.4. Public Companies 8.5. Private Companies Chapter 9. Company Profiles Henkel Reckitt Benckiser S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Procter and Gamble Unilever Crabtree & Evelyn Akzo Nobel N.V. Beiersdorf AG Estee Lauder Oriflame Cosmetics S.A. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fk492r Attachment New York, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Silicone Based Catheters Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Application, Usage, Tip, Product Type, Type, and End User" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270040/?utm_source=GNW The silicone based catheters market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of urinary incontinence and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the rising number of surgical procedures. However, the increasing chances of bacterial infection due to prolonged use of catheters hamper the growth of the market. Urinary incontinence (UI) is a major problem associated with many medical conditions.Urinary incontinence results from occasional or mild leaking to uncontrolled chronic urination. UI is the most common problem affecting a significant number of the global population. The chances of urinary incontinence are associated with numerous factors such as the increasing rates of obesity; the growing geriatric population; rising prevalence of various chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, prostate cancer, kidney diseases, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and stress-related incontinence due to changing lifestyles. According to the National Institutes of Health (2016), 617 million people globally are aged 65 and above.The elderly population is expected to grow significantly in Africa, followed by North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific. Urinary incontinence (UI) is a major and most common issue in the geriatric population associated with medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, prostate enlargement, and cancer.The burden of urinary incontinence grows with the growing elderly population across the globe. According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2014, nearly 44% of people aged 65 and above reported bladder incontinence in the US. Similarly, according to a report published by age UK in 2018, around 3.2 million people aged over 65 are suffering from urinary incontinence. Thus, the increasing prevalence of urinary incontinence propels the silicone based catheters market growth. The global silicone based catheters market, based on application, is segmented into urinary tract infection (UTI)/catheter acquired urinary tract infection (CAUTI), surgery on contiguous structures of the genitourinary tract, prostate gland surgery, spinal cord injury, and others.The urinary tract infection (UTI)/catheter acquired urinary tract infection (CAUTI) segment held the largest market share in 2021. However, the prostate gland surgery segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.The global silicone based catheters market, based on usage, is segmented into male, female, and pediatric. The female segment held the largest market share in 2021.Moreover, the same segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during 2021-2028. The global silicone based catheters market, based on tip, is bifurcated into Nelaton tip and Tiemann tip. The Nelaton tip segment held a larger market share in 2021. Moreover, the same segment is anticipated to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The global silicone based catheters market, based on product type, is segmented into short-term Foley catheters, long-term Foley catheters, and others. The short-term Foley catheters segment held the largest share of the market in 2021. Moreover, the same segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. The global silicone based catheters market, by type, is bifurcated into 2 way sizes: 6 to 26 Fr and 3 way sizes: 16 to 26 Fr. The 2 way sizes: 6 to 26 Fr segment held a larger market share in 2021. Moreover, the same segment is anticipated to register a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The global silicone based catheters market, based on end user, is segmented into hospitals, nursing homes and clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and others. The hospital segment held the largest market share in 2021. COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the silicone based catheters market.Before the pandemic, the rate of hospitalization was growing continuously. The rising number of urological procedures and other conditions that require catheterization was supporting the silicone based catheters market before the pandemic. For instance, as published by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the volume of ambulatory surgeries performed at US community hospitals was 19.2 million surgeries in 2018. The top 20 major ambulatory surgery categories constituted 10.0 million surgeries (64% of all major ambulatory surgeries) and accounted for 8.1 million major ambulatory surgery encounters. The increasing number of surgeries indicated the high demand for foley catheters that were being used during surgical procedures. However, the COVID-19 outbreak prompted institutions and governing bodies to postpone or cancel nonessential surgeries and procedures, which negatively impacted the overall healthcare system. As surgeries, diagnosis, and treatments were postponed during the pandemic, the overall catheters market was highly hampered. However, during the pandemic, self-catheterization was promoted and supported patients conditions in home care settings. Various organic and inorganic developments have been adopted by the companies in the silicone based catheters market.Many companies focus on organic strategies, such as product launches and product approvals. Inorganic growth strategies witnessed in the market are acquisitions, collaboration, and partnerships.These growth strategies have aided the market players in expanding their business, contributing toward the silicone based catheters market growth and enhancing their geographic presence. Additionally, growth strategies such as acquisitions and partnerships helped in strengthening their customer base and increasing the product portfolio. A few of the significant developments made by key players are listed below: In September 2019, ConvaTec Group Plc signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Southlake Medical Supplies, Inc., a Texas-based independent provider of catheter-related supplies. In March 2021, Bactiguard published, randomized, controlled multicenter study in India showed that urinary catheters with Bactiguards coating for infection prevention reduce the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) by 69 % compared to standard catheters. A few of the major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the silicone based catheters market are the National Center for Health Statistics (a department of the US Department of Health & Human Services), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270040/?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. __________________________ New York, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Organ Care Products Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Modality, Organ Type, and End User, and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270031/?utm_source=GNW However, the high cost of organ transplantation and cultural barriers hampers the market growth. Organ care products are medical devices designed to store donated organs for longer periods while still providing the organ with the necessary nutrients.This device uses to keep organs safe for a set amount of time. Organs must be kept in the best possible condition and be completely manageable before being transplanted. This technology preserves transplant/donor organs at a suitable temperature. "Heart in a box" is another name for this technique. This technology assists in monitoring organs such as kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs to ensure that they are functioning at their best. Organ care products contain one or more pump units, thermo units, and trolleys. There has been a constant increase in organ failure incidence across the globe, owing to various chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disorders (CVD), genetic conditions, and diabetes.As per Health Resources and Service Administration report 2020, 106,247 people, including men, women, and children, are on the national transplant waiting list. Every 9 minutes, another person is added to the transplant list in the US.Thus, the rising incidence of organ failure has created the demand for organ transplant procedures, which, in turn, will drive the organ care products market. Over the period, there has been a significant increase in organ donation, owing to rising awareness among people and rapidly developing health facilities globally. As per the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, ~129,681 organ transplantations were performed globally in 2020. On the other hand, timing, storage, and transportation have an important role in transplant procedures, especially in the case of circulatory death.Timely removal of organs, transportation, and implantation are expected to increase the success rates; this requires efficient organ care products to keep the organ safe until implantation. For this purpose, several market players such as TransMedics and OrganOx Limited have designed various systems with advanced technology to keep the organs safe, eliminating the use of organ transport cooler boxes. Thus, the increasing incidence of organ failure and growing number of people on the waiting list will drive the demand for organ care products. Based on organ type, the organ care products market is segmented into kidney, liver, heart, lungs, and others.The kidney segment held the largest share of the market in 2021. However, the lungs segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.More than 80 million people in the US are at substantial risk of kidney failure, as per the National Kidney Foundation. The people with kidney disease and transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. In 2020, coronavirus infection that exploits kidney patients became the number one cause of mortality in the U.S. The increasing incidence of kidney failure leads to a massive number of patients on waiting list. In 2020, nearly 91,099 patients required kidney transplants in the US, as per the data by Health Resources & Services Administration. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, about 661,000 Americans have kidney failure and 193,000 have undergone kidney transplantation. 22.8 kidney transplants procedures were carried out per million population in 2020 in Germany. Therefore, various organ care products were developed by market players in order to provide better care to the customers suffering from kidney failure and require transplantation. For instance, XVIVOs Kidney Assist, a dedicated device for pressure controlled, oxygenated, ex vivo perfusion of donor kidneys. The Kidney Assist Transport is a portable device that allows hypothermic perfusion of donor kidneys with oxygenated solution for up to 24 hours. Thus, this will augment the segment growth in terms of share. However, a variety of diseases and conditions leading to lungs failure, such as COPD and others will drive the transplant demand for this segment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with advanced stage COPD are highly exposed to the risk of lung failure requiring transplant. According to the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, the total number of lung transplantation operation in the world is increasing year on year. The major factors, such as adoption of bad habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and others, unhealthy lifestyle and lack of physical activities can also lead to organ failure in long term. TransMedics developed an organ care system and stated that the system could effectively improve the organs function even after the organ was removed from the donor body. Various actions were also taken by government to raise awareness among people about organ donation and make it mandatory in order to reduce the shortage of organs.For instance, in 2017, France joined the list of countries that made organ donation mandatory after the death of a person. The new presumed consent law assumed that the deceased person agrees to have their organs donated, even if the individuals immediate family is against it. A few of the key primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the organ care products market are the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Health Resources and Service Administration report, Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, and Global Burden of Disease (GBD). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270031/?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. __________________________ New York, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Military Rubber Tracks Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type and End Use" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270020/?utm_source=GNW In 2020, the US dominated the market in this region. These developed economies spend a considerable portion of their GDP on military expenditure. As per the World Bank collection of development indicators, obtained from officially recognized sources, military expenditure in the US reached ~3.74% of its GDP in 2020 from ~3.43% of GDP in 2019. As per the NPRan independent non-profit media organizationall the planes, tanks, and ships of the US military burn ~340,000 barrels of oil every day. The need to make tracked vehicles more eco-friendly and comfortable, and safer for the person sitting inside drives the adoption of the latest high-tech rubber tracks. Most of the tracked military vehicles in the region use tracks with metal plates, which are associated with considerable inconvenience due to severe vibrations. According to Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), rubber tracks can improve the fuel economy by ~33.33%, considering all the aspects such as wear & tear, transaction, vibration, and durability. To replace the fielded steel track system on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the US Army explored the concept of segmented composite rubber tracks in 2019. The military rubber tracks market is segmented on the basis of type, end use, and geography.Based on type, the military rubber tracks market is bifurcated into rubber pin track and rubber band track. The rubber pin track segment represented a larger share of the military rubber tracks market in 2020.By end use, the military rubber tracks market is segmented into main battle tank, IFV/AIFV, APC, and others. In 2020, the APC segment accounted for a substantial share of the military rubber tracks market.Based on geography, the military rubber tracks market is primarily segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South and Central America. North America held the largest military rubber tracks market share in 2020. Disruptions in raw material supply chains during the COVID-19 outbreak hampered the manufacturing of military rubber tracks in the first half of 2020.However, the rise in investment by the defense ministries in developed and a few developing countries to acquire segmented composite rubber tracks (SCRTs) in the production of military vehicles favored the market growth. For instance, in February 2021, Soucy was awarded a contract by the US Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) to manufacture and supply SCRT systems for their Platform Electrification and Mobility (PEM) project.Such factors marginally boosted the growth of the North America military rubber tracks market. The US is the largest military spender across the globe.It has the largest fleet size of armed vehiclesapproximately 45,193out of which ~6,612 and ~1,498 are main battle tanks and self-propelled artillery. Further, armed forces in North America are investing significantly in the procurement of advanced autonomous ground vehicles, which is another factor creating opportunities for the military rubber tracks market players in the region. A significant defense budget is allocated for advanced armored vehicles, including main battle tanks and armored infantry fighting vehicles.Moreover, the region has many armored vehicle manufacturers, including Rheinmetall AG, BAE Systems plc, Rostec, Nexter group KNDS, and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Furthermore, the presence of rubber military tracks market players such as Astrak UK Ltd, DST Defence Service Tracks GmbH, and GMT Rubber-Metal-Technic Ltd is fueling the market growth in Europe. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea are among the top military spenders and are increasing their defense budgets every year.Owing to these factors, the procurement of armored vehicles is increasing. For instance, in September 2021, the Indian government allocated US$ ~1.01 billion for the procurement of Arjuna Mk-1A 118 battle tanks. The elevating military spending is contributing to the military rubber tracks market growth Asia Pacific. The overall military rubber tracks market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. The process also serves the purpose of obtaining an overview and forecast for the military rubber tracks market with respect to all the segments.It also provides the overview and forecast for the market based on all the segmentation provided with respect to five major regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South America. Also, primary interviews were conducted with industry participants to validate data and gain more analytical insights into the topic.The participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, national sales managers, and external consultantsincluding valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leadersspecializing in the military rubber tracks market. The study also provides market analysis and insights of the military rubber tracks market, highlighting the market trends, growth rates, industry dynamics, and competitive analysis of major players in the industry. A few major players operating in the global military rubber tracks market are Astrak UK Limited., DST Defence Service Tracks GmbH, GMT Rubber-Metal-Technic Ltd, Mackay Consolidated Industries Pty Ltd, Martins Rubber Company Limited, Northern Plains Track, Northern Plains Track, Soucy, Ocean Rubber Factory LLC, and Hutchinson Industries Inc. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270020/?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. __________________________ TORONTO, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- White Gold Corp. (TSX.V: WGO, OTCQX: WHGOF, FRA: 29W) (the "Company") is pleased to report that soil geochemistry surveys carried out during the 2021 field season on its Hayes and Pilot properties have identified significant copper, gold, and other multi-element soil anomalies. The Hayes and Pilot properties are located within the southern portion of the Companys land package (Figure 1). The Hayes property is contiguous with the Companys Betty property and is located approximately 40 km east of Western Copper and Gold Corporations (TSX: WRN, NYSE American: WRN) Casino copper-gold porphyry deposit (M&I Resources of 14.5 Moz Gold and 7.6 Blb Copper and Inferred Resources of 6.6 Moz Gold and 3.3 Blb Copper)(4). The Pilot property is located 55 km south-southwest of Newmont Corporations (NYSE:NEM, TSX:NGT) Coffee gold deposit (M&I Resources of 2.17 Moz Gold and Inferred Resources of 0.50 Moz Gold) (3). This regional exploration work was part of the Companys fully funded 2021 exploration program backed by partners Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (TSX: AEM, NYSE: AEM) and Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX: K, NYSE: KGC) on its extensive land package in the emerging White Gold District, Yukon. Highlights Include: Significant new soil anomaly identified on Hayes property. Geochemical zonation and elemental distributions indicate the anomaly may represent the surface expression of a Copper-Molybdenum porphyry core surrounded by epithermal style Silver-Lead-Zinc mineralization. The anomaly is characterized by a Bismuth-Arsenic core with localized anomalous Copper-Molybdenum, and surrounding Silver-Lead-Zinc halo. The core of the Hayes anomaly covers a large area of 750m by 1,000m and remains open to the west and north. 3 large and geochemically distinct zones have been detailed on the Pilot by new infill soil sampling, including a 1,000m Gold-Arsenic zone, a 2,000m Copper zone and a Gold-Bismuth-Molybdenum zone. The Hayes and Pilot soil anomalies have not seen detailed exploration, trenching, or drill testing. Follow-up work is currently being planned. Details of the Companys fully funded 2022 exploration program focused on new discovery follow-up and continued regional evaluation to be announced in the coming weeks. Figures accompanying this news release can be found at: https://whitegoldcorp.ca/investors/exploration-highlights/. Terry Brace, VP Exploration, stated, Our regional exploration program normally constitutes a significant portion of our annual exploration budget and has continued to identify prospective new targets across our large district scale land package. Given the lack of rock outcrop and the unglaciated terrane in this part of the Yukon, soil sampling has proven to be an extremely effective early-stage exploration tool as demonstrated by these latest results. Our goal is to continually add new targets to our exploration pipeline and advance those of merit to the drill-ready stage. All of the significant grass roots discoveries in the White Gold District were initially identified through soil sampling. The discovery of these and other soil anomalies through our regional exploration program continues to highlight the prospectively of this underexplored district. We are encouraged by these results, especially with respect to their proximity to other significant deposits and new discoveries and are eager to follow up, stated David DOnofrio, Chief Executive Officer. Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d5d7c4f-2206-471b-beec-892084acb5f8 Summary of Results Hayes Property The Hayes property is contiguous with, and is located immediately east, of the Companys Betty property, where 2021 maiden diamond drilling at the Betty Ford target intersected significant near surface gold mineralization, including 3.46 g/t Au over 50.0m (see Company News Release dated Nov. 17, 2021). Newmont Corporations (NYSE:NEM, TSX:NGT) Coffee gold deposit (Measured and Indicated Resources of 2.17 Moz at 1.46 g/t Au, and Inferred Resources of 0.50 Moz at 1.32 g/t Au)(3) lies approximately 65 km to the west-northwest, Western Copper and Gold Corporations (TSX: WRN, NYSE American: WRN) Casino copper-gold porphyry deposit (Measured and Indicated Resources of 14.5 Moz Au and 7.6 Blb Cu and Inferred Resources of 6.6 Moz Au and 3.3 Blb Cu)(4) is 40 km to the west, and C2C Gold Corp.s Sonora Gulch project lies immediately south of the Hayes property. The geology of the Hayes property is known mainly from regional scale geological mapping by the Geological Survey of Canada and Yukon Geological Survey, aided by regional aeromagnetic interpretations. The oldest rocks occur in the southern part of the property and comprise metasedimentary rocks of the pre-Late Devonian age Snowcap assemblage. These are thrust over felsic to mafic granitoids and orthogneiss of the Mississippian Simpson Range suite along the Yukon River Thrust and underlie the northern portion of the property. In the southwestern part of the property, the Snowcap assemblage is intruded by Middle Cretaceous granitoids of the Dawson Range Batholith, and in the northern part of the property plugs of the Late Cretaceous Prospector Mountain suite intrude the Simpson Range suite. The oldest known fault structure is the west to west-northwest trending Yukon River Thrust which transects the central part of the property. Major east-west striking faults, including an eastern extension of the dextral strike-slip Coffee Creek Fault in the south, also cut through the property. The northwest-trending Big Creek Fault, a relatively late major regional strike-slip fault cuts the western part of the property and is recognized as a controlling structure to many important mineral deposits in the district. Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f044e3c-3ede-4ee5-ad61-dac10810ab9f The 2021 soil geochemistry program comprised sampling on 3 separate grid areas on the property, north, south and eastern grids (Figure 2). A total of 1,200 soil samples were collected at 50 m sample intervals on 100 m spaced survey lines. The most encouraging results were returned from the northern grid which measures 2 km east-west by 1.5 km north-south and lies approximately 5 km south of the Yukon River (Figure 3). The area was selected for gridded soils to follow up on isolated anomalous ridge and spur soil samples that formed part of a 2017 reconnaissance survey by the Company. The 2021 sampling identified a broad geochemically zoned multi-element soil anomaly with a central core measuring from 750 m to 1,000m in diameter and enriched in bismuth and arsenic, which is surrounded by a halo of anomalous silver, lead and zinc that is greater than 400 m wide. Anomalous copper occurs in the southern portion of the core, and a relatively small area of anomalous molybdenum occurs near the cores northern margin. Geologically the soil anomaly is associated with a plug of Late Cretaceous Prospector Mountain suite, which is known to be prospective for porphyry Cu-Au (Mo) and epithermal style mineralization. The soil anomaly overlies a magnetic high, and based on regional geological mapping and aeromagnetic results, similar intrusions occur in the immediate area and have not been covered by soil sampling. The anomaly remains completely open to the west, and currently additional soil sampling is being planned to outline the full extent of the anomaly. The geochemical zonation and elemental distributions indicate that the anomaly may represent the surface expression of a Cu-Mo porphyry core surrounded by epithermal style Ag-Pb-Zn mineralization. Figure 3 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fa7ad2f-312f-4e95-8ff3-fd59b406bc38 Pilot Property The Pilot property is located approximately 10 km west of the White River and 40 km northeast of Beaver Creek, a small town near the Yukon - Alaska border. The property comprises 260 quartz claims covering 5,435 hectares (54.35 km2). The geology of the Pilot property is known primarily from regional geological mapping by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Yukon Geological Survey. The western part of the property is underlain by the Late Devonian age and older Scottie Creek formation, a metasedimentary sequence comprising mainly quartzites and psammitic schists. The eastern part of the property is underlain by the Late Cretaceous age Katrina Creek suite which comprises granodiorite and monzogranite. At the southeastern corner of the property, the Katrina Creek suite intrudes older meta-intrusive orthogneiss of the Late Devonian Mount Baker Suite. Isolated units of the Upper Triassic Snag Creek suite, which comprises gabbro to diabase, occur within the Scottie Creek formation and Mount Baker suite. A northern portion of the current Pilot property was originally staked in 2000 by Teck Cominco Limited (now Teck Resources Limited) based on anomalous gold in regional stream silt samples and follow-up reconnaissance soil sampling which identified anomalous gold and arsenic values. Limited follow-up soil sampling (52 samples) by Teck in 2001 identified anomalous Au-As and Cu-Pb-Zn values, although anomalies were generally poorly defined due to the relatively small number of samples. Figure 4 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/787cd200-3c07-4a4b-9b64-0260b639f306 Since acquiring the Pilot property in 2016, White Gold Corp. has significantly expanded the soil sampling coverage with a total of 8,434 samples collected by the Company. This includes 1,015 infill soil samples taken in 2021 (Figure 4) on two separate grids which covered known soil anomalies, a larger northern grid (1,800 m by 2,250 m) and a smaller grid (400 m x 900 m) located in the central part of the property. Previous soil sample coverage consisted of 50 m spaced samples on 100 m spaced survey lines, and the new infill sampling now provides much better resolution with 25 m sample spacings. Figure 5 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80767aa0-f042-4711-b365-c832e97e13f3 Soil sampling has identified 3 geochemically distinct zones: 1) gold-arsenic zone; 2) copper zone; and 3) gold-bismuth-molybdenum zone (Figure 5). The Au-As zone comprises several subparallel N-S trending Au-As anomalies that appear to be structurally controlled and individual anomalies can be traced for over 1 km along strike. The copper zone is located approximately 1 km west of the Au-As zone and consists of an arcuate shaped 2 km long Cu anomaly. This arcuate shape is also mirrored in the westernmost Au-As anomaly and indicates that similar structural and/or stratigraphic controls may be present. The Au-Bi-Mo anomaly is located approximately 2 km to the south in the central portion of the property and is more circular in shape. The source of the soil anomalies is presently unknown due to a lack of detailed geological mapping and prospecting, and complete lack of trenching and/or drilling. Geologically the Au-As anomalies are underlain by metasediments of the Scottie Creek formation. Although no major fault structures have been mapped in the immediate area of the property, aeromagnetic surveys over the northern half of the property indicate the presence of north-south trending structures that may be controlling mineralization. Mapping and prospecting, and GT Probe and/or mechanical trenching is required to identify the bedrock source of the anomalies. If results of this work are encouraging, initial RAB drilling will test the anomalies to determine the general thickness and grade of mineralization. The Company is currently in the detailed planning stage of the 2022 exploration program, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks. Sampling Methods and Analysis All 2021 soil geochemistry surveys were contracted to GroundTruth Exploration Inc. of Dawson City, Yukon. Field technicians navigated to pre-planned sample sites using handheld GPS units and collected C-Horizon soil samples using an Eijklcamp brand hand auger at a depth of between 20cm and 110 cm. Typically, 400 to 500 g of soil is placed in a pre-labeled bag, and a field duplicate sample is taken once every 25 samples. The GPS location of the sample site is recorded with the GPS unit, and the waypoint location is labeled with the project name and the sample identification number. A weather-proof handheld device equipped with a barcode scanner is used in the field to record the descriptive attributes of the sample collected, including sample identification number, soil colour, soil horizon, slope, sample depth, ground and tree vegetation, sample quality, and any other relevant information. Analytical work for the 2021 soil geochemistry surveys was carried out at Bureau Veritas (BV) Canada, with preparation completed at their Whitehorse, YT facility and analysis at their hub laboratory located in Vancouver, BC. All soil samples were assayed for gold and a 37 multi-element suite using 0.25g aqua-regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis (Code AQ201). BV is an ISO 9001:2008 accredited facility, certificate number FM63007. About White Gold Corp. The Company owns a portfolio of 17,584 quartz claims across 30 properties covering approximately 350,000 hectares representing over 40% of the Yukons emerging White Gold District. The Companys flagship White Gold property hosts the Companys Golden Saddle and Arc deposits which have a mineral resource of 1,139,900 ounces Indicated at 2.28 g/t Au and 402,100 ounces Inferred at 1.39 g/t Au(1). Mineralization on the Golden Saddle and Arc is also known to extend beyond the limits of the current resource estimate. The Companys recently acquired VG Deposit also hosts an Inferred gold resource of 267,600 ounces at 1.62 g/t Au(2). Regional exploration work has also produced several other new discoveries and prospective targets on the Companys claim packages which border sizable gold discoveries including the Coffee project owned by Newmont Corporation with Measured and Indicated Resources of 2.17 Moz at 1.46 g/t Au, and Inferred Resources of 0.50 Moz at 1.32 g/t Au(3), and Western Copper and Gold Corporations Casino project which has Measured and Indicated Resources of 14.5 Moz Au and 7.6 Blb Cu and Inferred Resources of 6.6 Moz Au and 3.3 Blb Cu(4). For more information visit www.whitegoldcorp.ca. (1) See White Gold Corp. technical report titled Technical Report for the White Gold Project, Dawson Range, Yukon Canada, Effective Date May 15, 2020, Report Date July 10, 2020, prepared by Dr. Gilles Arseneau, P.Geo., and Andrew Hamilton, P.Geo., available on SEDAR. (2) See White Gold Corp. technical report titled Technical Report for the QV Project, Yukon, Canada, Effective Date October 15, 2021, Report Date November 15, 2021, available on SEDAR. (3) See Newmont Corporation news release titled Newmont Reports 2021 Mineral Reserves of 93 Million Gold Ounces and 65 Million Gold Equivalent Ounces, dated February 24, 2022: https://www.newmont.com/investors/news-release/default.aspx. (4) See Western Copper and Gold Corporation technical report titled Form 43-101F1 Technical Report Preliminary Economic Assessment, Effective Date June 22, 2021, Report Date August 2, 2021 , prepared by Daniel Roth, PE, P.Eng., Mike Hester, F Aus IMM, John M. Marek, P.E., Laurie M. Tahija, MMSA-QP, Carl Schulze, P.Geo., and Daniel Friedman, P.Eng., available on SEDAR. Qualified Person Terry Brace, P.Geo. and Vice President of Exploration for the Company is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", proposed, "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, the Companys objectives, goals and exploration activities conducted and proposed to be conducted at the Companys properties; future growth potential of the Company, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of the Companys properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs and financing availability. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the expected benefits to the Company relating to the exploration conducted and proposed to be conducted at the White Gold properties; the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals for the Offering; failure to identify any additional mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Companys properties; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; title to properties; ongoing uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; and those factors described under the heading "Risks Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated July 29, 2020 available on SEDAR. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. 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 news release. For Further Information, Please Contact: Contact Information: David DOnofrio Chief Executive Officer White Gold Corp. (647) 930-1880 ir@whitegoldcorp.ca To Book a Meeting with Management: https://whitegoldcorp.ca/contact/request-information/ frica.com in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company launched the Women Heads of State Initiative last month, and as part of the initiative they are delivering unprecedented, free, open-enrollment, virtual training for women, early in their careers as government civil servants in any of Africas 54 countries. Teresa Clarke, Chair of Africa.com said the goal of this training initiative is to empower female civil servants in their professional careers, while strengthening civil service in Africa. The first of these virtual training sessions, Unspoken Rules for Women Climbing the Public Service Ladder in Africa, will take place on Thursday, 28 April 2022, starting at 15:00 South Africa time. Patricia Obozuwa, Vice President for Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability in Africa for The Coca-Cola Company, will open the workshop with remarks on how to Kick-Start Your Career in Public Service. We are happy to be supporting this training workshop, which is an excellent opportunity for us to advance gender equality and build the capacity of thousands of emerging African leaders in the civil service. Women empowerment is one of the focus areas under our sustainability platform, JAMII where we commit to unlock economic opportunities for women across the continent, said Obozuwa. Next up is Christopher Stone, Professor of Practice of Public Integrity, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, on the topic: Advancing a Culture of Integrity. Professor Stone will talk with several women who are currently working in public service, about how they have successfully navigated their careers while maintaining integrity and their own personal value system. The final segment brings back to the Africa.com platform, Gorick Ng, Harvard Career Advisor and WSJ Best Selling Author. Gorick Ng delivered a phenomenal training session for women in the private sector last October as part of the Africa.com Women Leading Corporate Africa initiative. During this training session, Gorick will deliver an engaging and interactive presentation on How to Stand Out in Public Service. By equipping young women with practical skills to advance their careers, we believe that we can contribute to an increase in the number of women rising through the ranks of civil service in Africa, added Laura Joseph, Managing Director of Africa.com. The Women Heads of State Initiative Training Programme is intended to equip junior women with practical skills to excel in the civil service realm. The initiative lends itself best to focusing on pragmatic career advice topics that are universal across countries, and across all levels and functions of government. Africa.com expects to continue working with faculty of Harvard and Oxford in the development of specific training curriculum and the overall training initiative. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires English Danish At the Extraordinary General Meeting of Jyske Bank held today, the motions set out in the agenda were finally adopted. The motions about amendments to the Articles of Association proposed by the Supervisory Board under items a.1 a.7 of the agenda (possibility of electronic general meeting and electronic communication with shareholders) and the proposal under item b of the agenda concerning the authorisation of the general meeting to the Supervisory Board for registration of the Articles of Association were all adopted. The Danish Business Authority is subsequently requested to register the adopted motions. Yours faithfully, Jyske Bank Contact person: CFO, Birger Krgh Nielsen, phone +45 89 89 64 44. Attachment New York, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Handheld HVAC Monitoring Devices Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Device Type and Application" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270006/?utm_source=GNW The increase in construction activities and new product launches is fueling the demand for handheld HVAC monitoring devices.However, the high cost of HVAC monitoring devices is hampering the handheld HVAC monitoring devices market growth. HVAC monitoring devices are the type of control devices used to regulate air conditioning and heating systems operations.HVAC monitoring systems continuously track the energy usage and performance of a buildings heating, ventilation, and air conditioning devices, intending to alert operators to defects and inefficiencies. HVAC is a significant contributor to a propertys maintenance and energy-related operational costs. Without HVAC analytics, equipment issues may go undetected for weeks. The surge in the global population has led to an increase in construction activities to fulfil household demands. According to the United Nations (UN) report, the global population is expected to reach ~9.7 billion in 2050 from 7.7 billion in 2020. Additionally, the increase in urbanization and industrialization activities in developing economies has increased commercial projects supported by governments and investments in the construction industry. For instance, the government of China provided an affordable housing system to provide support to ~70% of urban families and middle-income households. Thus, an increase in construction, urbanization, and industrialization activities is likely to create the demand for an effective HVAC system, promoting the growth of handheld HVAC monitoring devices market. Additionally, a surge in automation activities in residential, commercial, and industrial segments has increased energy consumption on a large scale.Further, the increase in electricity-based HVAC systems has created pressure on electricity production plants and affected the environment globally. There has been an increase in environment-friendly approaches and inclination toward geothermal HVAC systems to overcome environmental problems. Moreover, increasing awareness about environmental conservation has fueled the demand for energy-efficient buildings, driving the handheld HVAC monitoring device market. Based on device type, the handheld HVAC monitoring devices market is segmented into temperature and humidity meters, gas detector, airflow meter, HVAC multimeter, and pressure gauge meter.The pressure gauge meter segment held the largest share of the market in 2021. However, the temperature and humidity meters segment are anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The key primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the handheld HVAC monitoring devices market include Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), International Energy Agency (IEA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA), and US Department of Energys Building Technologies.The overall handheld HVAC monitoring devices market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources. To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.The process also serves the purpose of obtaining an overview and forecast for the market with respect to all the segments. It also provides the overview and forecast for the global handheld HVAC monitoring devices market based on all the segmentation provided with respect to five major regionsNorth America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.Also, primary interviews were conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate data and gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the handheld HVAC monitoring devices market. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06270006/?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. __________________________ Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Air Freshener Market (2022-2027) by Product, Customers, Application, Distribution Channel, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Air Freshener Market is estimated to be USD 13.05 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 16.68 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.03%. Market Dynamics Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Air Freshener Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in Air Delights Inc., Airwick, Ambi Pur, Balev Corporation Ltd., Beaumont Products, Inc., Dabur India Ltd., Dr.Marcus International, Febreze, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of the 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 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 Air Freshener 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 Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Rise in Demand for Indoor Air Care 4.1.2 Change in Lifestyle and Spending Habits 4.1.3 Regular Bad Odor in Hospitals or Healthcare Centers 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Availability and Volatile Prices of Raw Material 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Rising Investments in R&D Activities 4.3.2 Technological Advancements in new product development 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 High Cost of Production 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Air Freshener Market, By Product 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Sprays/Aerosols 6.3 Electric Air Fresheners 6.4 Gels Air Fresheners 6.5 Candles Air Fresheners 6.6 Other Air Fresheners 7 Global Air Freshener Market, By Customers 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Individual Customers 7.3 Enterprise Customers 8 Global Air Freshener Market, By Application 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Households 8.3 Corporate 8.4 Automotive 8.5 Car 9 Global Air Freshener Market, By Distribution Channel 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Supermarkets/Hypermarkets 9.3 Convenience Stores 9.4 Pharmacies 9.5 Other Distribution Channels 10 Americas' Air Freshener Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Argentina 10.3 Brazil 10.4 Canada 10.5 Chile 10.6 Colombia 10.7 Mexico 10.8 Peru 10.9 United States 10.10 Rest of Americas 11 Europe's Air Freshener Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Austria 11.3 Belgium 11.4 Denmark 11.5 Finland 11.6 France 11.7 Germany 11.8 Italy 11.9 Netherlands 11.10 Norway 11.11 Poland 11.12 Russia 11.13 Spain 11.14 Sweden 11.15 Switzerland 11.16 United Kingdom 11.17 Rest of Europe 12 Middle East and Africa's Air Freshener Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Egypt 12.3 Israel 12.4 Qatar 12.5 Saudi Arabia 12.6 South Africa 12.7 United Arab Emirates 12.8 Rest of MEA 13 APAC's Air Freshener Market 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Australia 13.3 Bangladesh 13.4 China 13.5 India 13.6 Indonesia 13.7 Japan 13.8 Malaysia 13.9 Philippines 13.10 Singapore 13.11 South Korea 13.12 Sri Lanka 13.13 Thailand 13.14 Taiwan 13.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Competitive Quadrant 14.2 Market Share Analysis 14.3 Strategic Initiatives 14.3.1 M&A and Investments 14.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 14.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 15 Company Profiles 15.1 Air Delights Inc. 15.2 Airwick 15.3 Ambi Pur 15.4 Balev Corporation Ltd. 15.5 Beaumont Products, Inc. 15.6 Dabur India Ltd. 15.7 Dr.Marcus International 15.8 Febreze 15.9 Glade 15.10 Godrej 15.11 Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company 15.12 Jelly Belly UK 15.13 Mangalam CamPure 15.14 Odonil 15.15 Pinnacle Horizons Pty Ltd 15.16 Rexair LLC 15.17 Rubaru 15.18 Scott's Liquid Gold 15.19 Solimo 15.20 Vanesa 16 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mynr99 Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Water Ways Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WWT) (FRA: WWT) ("Water Ways" or the "Company"), a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers, announces that it has received a new purchase order to install a smart turnkey blueberries irrigation project in Mexico. The project is expected to be delivered and installed during Q3 of 2022. The total value of the order is approximately C$425,000. The order followed the successful implementation of several blueberries irrigation projects in China and Mexico. The Company expects to recognize revenues from the project during Q3 of 2022. Ohad Haber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "I am pleased to receive a second order for the Blueberries smart irrigation system in less than a year in Mexico. We are developing a reputation for being a leader in delivering irrigation systems that are tailor-made for enhancing yield and crop quality for high value crops. Blueberries irrigation is becoming a growth factor for our worldwide business and this is the fifth project we are delivering in the last two years." About Water Ways Technologies Inc. WWT through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers. WWT competes in the global irrigation water systems market with a focus on developing solutions with commercial applications in the micro and precision irrigation segments of the overall market. At present, WWTs main revenue streams are derived from the following business units: (i) Projects Business Unit; and (ii) Component and Equipment Sales Unit. WWT is capitalizing on the opportunities presented by micro and smart irrigation, while also making a positive mark on society by making these technologies more widely available, especially in developing markets such as Africa and Latin America and developed markets such as China and Canada. WWTs irrigation projects include vineyards, Cotton fields, Apple and Orange orchards, Blueberry, Medical Cannabis growers, fresh produce cooling rooms and more, in over fifteen countries. For more information, please contact Ronnie Jaegermann Dor Sneh Dr. Eva Reuter Director CFO Investor Relations - Germany T: +972-54-4202054 T: +972-54-6512500 +49 69 1532 5857 E:ronnie@waterwt.com E:dor@irri-altal.com E:e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu https://www.water-ways-technologies.com/ https://www.hg-wwt.com/ Twitter: @WaterWaysTechn1 Neither the 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. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to Water Ways Technologies Inc. (Water Ways). All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect Water Ways' current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to Water Ways, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. Should any factor affect Water Ways in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, Water Ways does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and Water Ways undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. Water Ways' results and forward-looking information and calculations may be affected by fluctuations in exchange rates and its own share prices. All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e79aa3e-b1c1-4c85-a484-14dbe77deeef BOSTON, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ambassador Labs , the cloud native developer experience leader, today announced the newest release of Ambassador Cloud . Built on leading open source Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) projects, including Emissary-ingress, Telepresence, and Argo, Ambassador Cloud includes new features that unlock the cloud native paved path developer experience. Teams now have the freedom to continue using the technologies and tools they already use in concert with accepted best practices across the full application lifecycle for Kubernetes. New Docker Extension for Telepresence, available now for private beta users, supports distributed team developer productivity and collaboration to code, debug, and deploy applications faster than ever before. As more development teams take on full lifecycle ownership as part of their Kubernetes journey, it comes with an evolving ecosystem of technologies and tools that can add enormous complexity, said Richard Li, Founder and CEO at Ambassador Labs. Ambassador Cloud simplifies the transition to cloud native development and new features like the Docker Extension for Telepresence empower millions of developers worldwide to continue using the toolchains they already love and trust as their teams adopt Kubernetes. Ambassador Cloud includes a number of new capabilities that connect the tools and technologies to foster team collaboration for successful full app lifecycle management. These include: Docker Extension for Telepresence for easy, scalable microservice testing. Docker recently announced a preview of Docker Extensions which now includes Telepresence. Docker Extension for Telepresence supports a hybrid dev model that allows developers to create intercepts directly from Docker Desktop, empowering users to develop, test and debug Kubernetes services locally. Docker Extensions allow developers to easily discover and integrate new functionality and additional developer tools into Docker Desktop. Users can add debugging, testing, networking, security, and other tools to their Docker Desktop installation to support development workflows, improve productivity, and speed up innovation without having to learn new patterns. Docker Extensions are built with the developer experience in mind to give users convenience and flexibility to create workflows that meet individual development needs. Docker Extension for Telepresence is free to use and is available in private beta - request access here . Docker recently announced a which now includes Telepresence. supports a hybrid dev model that allows developers to create intercepts directly from Docker Desktop, empowering users to develop, test and debug Kubernetes services locally. Docker Extensions allow developers to easily discover and integrate new functionality and additional developer tools into Docker Desktop. Users can add debugging, testing, networking, security, and other tools to their Docker Desktop installation to support development workflows, improve productivity, and speed up innovation without having to learn new patterns. Docker Extensions are built with the developer experience in mind to give users convenience and flexibility to create workflows that meet individual development needs. Docker Extension for Telepresence is free to use and is available in private beta - . Service Catalog v2 for unified view, deployment and management of services. An updated service catalog page makes it easy for users to manage services from a single-pane-of-glass view. Developers can view the real-time status of all services (both individual applications or groups of services) in the development, staging and production environments, and intercept a service or rollout to different environments with just a few clicks. An updated service catalog page makes it easy for users to manage services from a single-pane-of-glass view. Developers can view the real-time status of all services (both individual applications or groups of services) in the development, staging and production environments, and intercept a service or rollout to different environments with just a few clicks. Deployment Previews for full team collaboration. To support outer development loop success, Ambassador Cloud includes new automated Deployment Previews in each pull request to inform and empower distributed teams as they review features or changes in a common repository, GitHub. Built on top of the CI/CD tooling that the developer team is already using and Telepresence at its core, Deployment Previews allow each team member to be actively involved in building code with real-time visibility into feature implementations or changes made. Pricing and Availability Ambassador Cloud is available today and is free to get started, no credit card required. Enterprise Kubernetes Solutions For organizations with sophisticated requirements, Ambassador Labs now delivers enterprise Kubernetes solutions by combining access to technical expertise and tools to accelerate cloud native adoption. Our Enterprise Solutions team helps organizations implement cloud native best practices and confidently navigate complex architectural, governance, and security requirements. Learn more at getambassador.io/editions/enterprise . Additional Resources About Ambassador Labs Ambassador Labs, the cloud native developer experience leader, enables developers to code, ship, and run applications faster and easier than ever. Maker of top Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) open source projects, including Emissary-ingress and Telepresence, Ambassador Labs delivers a developer control plane for Kubernetes that integrates the development, deployment, and production infrastructure for developers and organizations worldwide including Microsoft, PTC, NVidia, and Ticketmaster. Ambassador Labs is backed by top investors including Insight Partners and Matrix Partners. Learn more and get started for free at www.getambassador.io . Media Contact: Lisa Williams press@datawire.io (339) 788-0067 Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Debt Collection Software Market (2022-2027) by Components, Deployment Type, Organisation Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Debt Collection Software Market is estimated to be USD 3.9 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 6.06 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.23%. Market Dynamics Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Debt Collection Software Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are Agreeya Solutions, Chetu Inc., Fico (Fair Isaac Corporation), Loxon Solutions, Quantrax Corp. Inc., Wincollect Pty. Ltd.,, 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 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. Ansoff Analysis The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Debt Collection Software Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses Global Debt Collection Software Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Debt Collection Software 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 Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Demand for Automation in The Accounts Receivable Process 4.1.2 Surge in The Multichannel Collection Service 4.1.3 Rise in The Need to Reduce Bad Debt and Maintaining an Accurate Borrower Profile 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Cost of Maintenance and Investment 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Specialised Applications of AI/ML 4.3.2 Growing Demand for Commercial and Consumer Debt Recovery Services 4.3.3 Rise in the Use of Analytics-Enabled Collections Models 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Insufficiency of Legacy System 4.4.2 Lack of Real-Time Collaboration Between the Borrower and Collector 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Debt Collection Software Market, By Components 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Software 6.3 Service 7 Global Debt Collection Software Market, By Deployment Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Cloud 7.3 On premises 8 Global Debt Collection Software Market, By Organisation Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Financial Institution 8.3 Collection Agencies 8.4 Healthcare 8.5 Government 8.6 Telecom and Utilities 8.7 Other 9 Americas' Debt Collection Software Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Argentina 9.3 Brazil 9.4 Canada 9.5 Chile 9.6 Colombia 9.7 Mexico 9.8 Peru 9.9 United States 9.10 Rest of Americas 10 Europe's Debt Collection Software Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Austria 10.3 Belgium 10.4 Denmark 10.5 Finland 10.6 France 10.7 Germany 10.8 Italy 10.9 Netherlands 10.10 Norway 10.11 Poland 10.12 Russia 10.13 Spain 10.14 Sweden 10.15 Switzerland 10.16 United Kingdom 10.17 Rest of Europe 11 Middle East and Africa's Debt Collection Software Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Egypt 11.3 Israel 11.4 Qatar 11.5 Saudi Arabia 11.6 South Africa 11.7 United Arab Emirates 11.8 Rest of MEA 12 APAC's Debt Collection Software Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Australia 12.3 Bangladesh 12.4 China 12.5 India 12.6 Indonesia 12.7 Japan 12.8 Malaysia 12.9 Philippines 12.10 Singapore 12.11 South Korea 12.12 Sri Lanka 12.13 Thailand 12.14 Taiwan 12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Competitive Quadrant 13.2 Market Share Analysis 13.3 Strategic Initiatives 13.3.1 M&A and Investments 13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 14 Company Profiles 14.1 Agreeya Solutions 14.2 Ameyo (Drishti-soft Solutions Pvt. Ltd.) 14.3 Astory Technology S.A. 14.4 Bertelsmann Se & Co. 14.5 CGI Inc. 14.6 Chetu Inc. 14.7 Coface (Arch Capital Group Ltd) 14.8 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. 14.9 Exus 14.10 Fico (Fair Isaac Corporation) 14.11 Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. 14.12 Intellect Design Arena LTD. 14.13 Katabat 14.14 Kuhlekt 14.15 Loxon Solutions 14.16 Nucleus Software LTD. 14.17 Pegasystems Inc. 14.18 Quantrax Corp. Inc. 14.19 Sopra Banking Software 14.20 Temenos AG 14.21 Tietoevry 14.22 Transunion LLC 14.23 Wincollect Pty. Ltd. 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/iqt0v5 Attachment Dublin, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Instant Water Heater Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global instant water heater market reached a value of US$ 3.13 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 4.92 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.20% 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. An instant water heater, or tankless water heater, is a device used to instantly heat cold water through gas or electrical heating unit. It consists of a hot water outlet, flue pipe, draft divider, pressure relief valves, dip tubes and tanks. It also includes a water flow sensor that starts automatically when it detects the water flow. The heated water is utilized for various purposes, such as cleaning, washing clothes, dishwashers, hot water showers, cooking, removing stains and relieving clogged drains. In comparison to traditional water heaters, instant water heaters are easy to install, cost-effective, convenient, compact and energy efficient. They also heat faster through a small-sized heating chamber. Instant Water Heater Market Trends: Significant growth in the hospitality industry across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. Instant water heaters are widely used in resorts and hotels for laundry, cleaning and supplying hot water in bathrooms, kitchens and swimming pools. Additionally, the widespread product adoption due to the increasing environmental concerns are favoring the market growth. Instant water heaters are energy efficient and produce lower carbon footprint and emissions. Moreover, the launch of instant water heaters in innovative designs and advanced features, such as mobile temperature control, leak protection alarms and power load control, are providing a thrust to the market growth. In line with this, the introduction of advanced water filtration and sterilization technologies to improve the overall filtration and purity of water is positively impacting the market growth. Other factors, including the widespread product utilization in the medical industry for bathing patients, along with the implementation of various government initiatives toward adoption of energy-efficient technologies, 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 instant water heater market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on product type, distribution channel and application. Breakup by Product Type: Gas Instant Water Heaters Electric Instant Water Heaters Breakup by Distribution Channel: Supermarkets and Hypermarkets Specialty Stores Convenience Stores Online Stores Breakup by Application: Commercial Residential Industrial 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 A. O. Smith Corporation, Bradford White, Ferroli S.p.A., Haier Group Corporation, Havells India Limited, Hubbell Incorporated, Nihon Itomic Co. Ltd., Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co. Ltd.), Rinnai Corporation, Vaillant Group and Whirlpool Corporation. Key Questions Answered in this Report: How has the global instant water heater market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global instant water heater market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the product 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 instant water heater 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 Instant Water Heater Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Product Type 6.1 Gas Instant Water Heaters 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Electric Instant Water Heaters 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel 7.1 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Specialty Stores 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Convenience Stores 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Online Stores 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Commercial 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Residential 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Industrial 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 10.1 Overview 10.2 Strengths 10.3 Weaknesses 10.4 Opportunities 10.5 Threats 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12.1 Overview 12.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers 12.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 12.4 Degree of Competition 12.5 Threat of New Entrants 12.6 Threat of Substitutes 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 A. O. Smith Corporation 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 Bradford White 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Ferroli S.p.A. 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 Haier Group Corporation 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.5 Havells India 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 Hubbell Incorporated 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 Nihon Itomic Co. Ltd. 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co. Ltd.) 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 Rinnai Corporation 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 Vaillant Group 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11 Whirlpool Corporation 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials 14.3.11.4 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4binu6 Attachment STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cadenza Innovation, the award-winning provider of safe, low-cost, high-performance lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and energy storage solutions, today announced that Founder and CEO Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud has been selected for one of Swedens most prestigious awards the Kings Medal. The internationally respected, 25-year battery industry thought leader and entrepreneur is being honored for her outstanding contribution to Swedish business. The award ceremony with His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia was held yesterday at Stockholm Castle. The press release announcing this years honorees can be found here. Instituted in the early 1800s, His Majesty the Kings Medal is awarded to Swedish and foreign citizens for special merits and also to executives at the Royal Courts of Justice. Previous recipients include Spotify Co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek, Hitachi Energy (formerly ABB) EVP Johan Soderstrom and iZettle (acquired by PayPal) Founder and CEO Jacob De Geer. Batteries have redefined almost every aspect of our lives, from powering mobile devices and EVs to enabling the transformation of our electric utilities. They also serve as a cornerstone in the battle against climate change the most crucial challenge facing our world today, said Dr. Lampe-Onnerud. Swedens commitment to education and the sciences makes it a world leader in these areas, she added. Ive benefitted from that foundation while working collaboratively with others in Sweden and around the world to fuel innovation that benefits our society. Im honored to receive this award from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and consider myself fortunate to be included among todays recipients and those whove come before us. Renowned for developing and commercializing Li-ion batteries, Dr. Lampe-Onnerud is an expert on topics ranging from energy storage, battery safety, climate change and cleantech to new financial and partnering models and women entrepreneurship. She holds more than 80 patents and has delivered multiple battery industry firsts across the portable electronics, electric vehicle (EV), utility and commercial/industrial sectors. Dr. Lampe-Onneruds work has earned her numerous awards, including recognition as a two-time Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. Honored as an Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year for the New England region and active in EYs Entrepreneurial Winning Women annual competition program and executive education program, she is featured among Inc.s inaugural list of Top 100 Female Founders. An MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 Award recipient, she is a member of MITs Visiting Committee. Born and raised in Sweden by a father whose inventions helped fuel the modern-day electrical grid and a mother who dedicated herself to teaching and education, Dr. Lampe-Onneruds love for science and the arts alike was instilled at an early age and she excelled at both. Ultimately choosing science as her career, she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Uppsala University, followed by post-doctorate work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From there, she embarked on a career that continues to take her around the world. A member of the highly respected Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and a recipient of the prestigious Woman of the Year award from the Swedish Womens Educational Association International (SWEA), Dr. Lampe-Onneruds Swedish heritage is a source of pride. She met her husband, Dr. Per Onnerud, as a teenager in Dalarna, where they were raised and for which she has been named an Honorary Ambassador. Today, he serves as chief technology officer at Cadenza Innovation and is also an internationally respected battery expert. The couple has two college-aged children, Anna-Maria and Mattias. About Cadenza Innovation, Inc. Founded in 2012 by lithium-ion battery experts with more than 125 patents, Cadenza Innovation is capitalizing on its intellectual property, field-proven operational and mass production expertise and partner network to establish itself as a leader in safe, low-cost and energy-dense storage solutions. Licensing its UL-registered technology for immediate access, company executives have held key roles at lithium-ion battery cell, pack and system provider Boston-Power, investment firm Bridgewater Associates, consulting firm Arthur D. Little and other globally respected organizations. Cadenza Innovation is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the states of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts, Golden Seeds, Rockwell Automation and private investors. The companys corporate headquarters and advanced technology development labs are based in Connecticut. For more information, visit www.cadenzainnovation.com. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. Contact: Bryan Grillo CHEN PR for Cadenza Innovation Cadenza@chenpr.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a95fefb-75e4-4d2d-9b9e-f3139899cd30 Pune, India, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global personal protective equipment market size was valued at USD 71.05 billion in 2021. The market is expected to grow from USD 80.38 billion in 2022 to USD 110.85 billion in 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. Growing concerns regarding workers safety and extensive adoption of recyclable and biodegradable materials boost the market growth. Fortune Business Insights provides this information in its report titled Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market, 2022-2029. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect users from workplace health and safety hazards. The rising concerns regarding workers safety concerns and the adoption of biodegradable and recyclable materials may propel the demand for PPE. These factors may propel the market development during the upcoming years. List of Key Players Profiled in the PPE Market Report: 3M (U.S.) Ansell Ltd. (Australia) Alpha ProTech (Canada) DuPont (U.S.) Avon Rubber p.l.c. (U.K.) Mallcom (India) Limited (India) Bullard (U.S.) Delta Plus Group (France) Supermax Corporation Berhad (Malaysia) MSA Safety (U.S.) Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.) Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. (U.S.) Uvex Group (Germany) COFRA S.r.l. (Italy) Lakeland Inc. (U.S.) Request a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-market-102015 COVID-19 Impact Supply Chain Constraints to Hinder Market Progress This market is expected to be negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic due to supply chain constraints. Rising COVID-19 cases led to restrictions on manufacturing, transport, and travel. Further, trade restrictions and import bans may lead to a lack of raw materials and stock shortage. Moreover, the lack of medical equipment may hinder the markets progress. However, the adoption of reduced capacities, automated production techniques, and part-time shifts may enhance market development during the pandemic. Segments Based on product, the market is classified into head protection, hearing protection, eye & face protection, protective clothing, protective footwear, respiratory protection, hand protection, fall protection, and others. As per end-use industry, it is classified into manufacturing, construction, automotive, oil & gas, healthcare, chemical, food, transportation, and others. Regionally, it is clubbed into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Report Coverage The report provides a detailed analysis of the top segments and the latest trends in the market. It comprehensively discusses the driving and restraining factors and the impact of COVID-19 on the market. Additionally, it examines the regional developments and the strategies undertaken by the market's key players. Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-market-102015 Drivers and Restraints Safety and Security Compliances to Propel Market Growth The increasing concerns regarding employees safety are expected to boost the adoption of the product from consumers. Further, the rising demand for personal protective equipment kits from hospitals, manufacturing facilities, construction, and other industries may boost the product adoption. Government implementation of safety and security compliances may facilitate the product adoption. Moreover, rising workplace hazards and fatality rates may increase consumers' personal protective equipment adoption. These factors may propel the personal protective equipment (PPE) market growth. However, inexpensive and low-quality product availability and sales may hinder the market progress. Regional Insights Rising Workplace Accidents to Fuel Market Growth in North America North America is expected to dominate the personal protective equipment (PPE) market share due to rising workplace incidents. The market in North America stood at USD 23.76 billion in 2021 and is expected to gain a huge portion of the global market share. Furthermore, rising government expenditures may enhance industry growth. In Europe, rising government investments in renewable energy are expected to boost the adoption of PPE. Further, the rising demand for safety gloves is expected to boost the development of PPE. In Asia Pacific, rapid industrialization and infrastructure spending may propel the adoption of personal protective equipment kits. Moreover, the development of the construction industry may enhance the markets progress. Competitive Landscape Prominent Players Announce Novel Products to Enhance Brand Image Major companies operating in the market devise novel product launches to boost their brand image globally. For example, Mallcom (India) Limited announced its PPE shoe cover and overalls in April 2020. This launch may boost its product line-up, and it may be available in 2 varieties alongside a shoe cover. This launch may enable the company to enhance its brand image. Further, companies adopt research and development, mergers, acquisitions, and expansions to boost their annual revenues and global market position. Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-market-102015 Detailed Table of Content: Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Market Trends Key Insights Key Emerging Trends For Major Countries Industry SWOT Analysis Regulatory Analysis Recent Industry Developments - Policies, Partnerships, New Product Launches, and Mergers & Acquisitions Qualitative Insights Impact of COVID-19 on Global Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Market Supply Chain Challenges Steps taken by Government/Companies to overcome this impact Potential opportunities due to the COVID-19 outbreak TOC Continued...! Speak to Our Expert: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-market-102015 Key Industry Development: April 2021- Honeywell completed the acquisition of Norcross Safety Products L.L.C. for USD 1.2 billion. It may provide the company with a platform in the global market. Have a Look at Related Research Insights: Protective Clothing Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product (Disposable and Durable), By Application (Flame Retardant Apparel, Chemical Defending Garment {Radiation Protection, Particulate Matter, and Others}, Clean Room Clothing, Mechanical Protective Clothing, and Others), By End-Use (Pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas, Chemical, Firefighters, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027 Protective Face Mask Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product (Medical Face Mask {Surgical & Procedure, N-95 Respirators, and Others}, Respirator, and Others), By Usage (Disposable, and Reusable), and By End-use Industry (Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Mining, Construction, Manufacturing, and Others) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 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. Address: 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 SAN FRANCISCO, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matthews Asia (the Firm) is pleased to announce its plans to offer the firms first actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Firm filed an initial registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 2022 to introduce three transparent active ETF strategies focused on global emerging markets, Asia and China. Recognizing that Emerging Markets, Asia and China continue to become core portfolio holdings for many investors, the filings are part of the Firms long-term plan to build a robust active ETF suite that delivers increased investment choices for investors. Matthews Asias active ETFs are expected to have portfolios that are similar to its established U.S. mutual funds and leverage the same portfolio management teams and investment process. William Hackett, CEO of Matthews Asia notes, We are excited to enter the ETF marketplace with the launch of transparent active ETFs that deliver our investment expertise in Asia and the emerging markets. Throughout our 30-plus year history we have offered clients differentiated investment solutions through a variety of vehicles that were designed to meet their specific needs. Adding active ETFs to our suite of emerging markets and Asia investment solutions continues that tradition. Jonathan Schuman, Global Head of Distribution of Matthews Asia notes, I am pleased that the launch of our active transparent ETFs will allow us to expand the range of vehicles available to clients in three established strategiesEmerging Markets, Asia and China. While we believe mutual funds will continue to provide benefits to many investors, we have seen a growing interest from financial intermediaries and end-investors who want to take advantage of the benefits active ETFs offer. We are committed to offering clients a choice in how they gain exposure to these important growth markets through actively managed portfolios that employ the same investment process as our mutual funds and that we believe can benefit from our stock-picking heritage. About Matthews Asia Since 1991, we have focused our efforts and expertise within the Asia and the emerging markets, investing through a variety of market environments. As an independent, privately owned firm, Matthews Asia is the largest dedicated Asia investment specialist in the United States. With approximately US$20.7 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022, Matthews Asia employs a bottom-up, fundamental investment philosophy, with a focus on long-term investment performance. For more information, please visit matthewsasia.com. Additional information The three active ETF strategies filed are: Emerging Markets Equity managed by John Paul Lech and Alex Zarechnak Asia Innovators managed by Michael Oh, CFA and Taizo Ishida China managed by Andrew Mattock, CFA, Winnie Chwang and Sherwood Zhang, CFA Active ETFs do not track a specific index but will be actively managed portfolios with investment decisions made by the Lead Managers who are supported by the broader investment team NOTE: INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SEC BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED. AN INDICATION OF INTEREST IN RESPONSE TO THIS ADVERTISMENT WILL INVOLVE NO OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT OF ANY KIND. BEFORE INVESTING YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER A FUNDS INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, RISKS, CHARGES, AND EXPENSES. THIS AND OTHER INFORMATION IS IN THE PROSPECTUS. A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS FOR EACH ETF MAY BE OBTAINED BY VISTING THE SECS WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. PLEASE READ THE PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU INVEST. Investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Emerging Market Equity ETF risks Investments in emerging and frontier securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Additionally, securities markets in emerging and frontier markets countries are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets. Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in the United States by Foreside Distributors LLC Asia Innovators ETF risks Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Investing in emerging and frontier markets involves different and greater risks, as these securities markets are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets. Sector funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of a concentration in a specific sector. The Fund's value may be affected by changes in the science and technology-related industries. China ETF risks Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. Investing in emerging markets involves different and greater risks, as these securities markets are substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in more developed markets. In addition, single-country funds may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of concentration in a specific country. Matthews Asia Funds are distributed in the United States by Foreside Distributors LLC Media Contact: Mitchell Altman KANTER +828 606 2217 China capable of ensuring grain security: experts Xinhua) 08:48, April 21, 2022 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China is capable of ensuring its grain security, agricultural officials and experts said on Wednesday at the China Agricultural Outlook Conference 2022. China has abundant grain stocks and its production and supply of major agricultural products are stable, Ma Youxiang, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said at the conference. He said China is confident in its ability to cope with uncertainties in the external environment. The country's grain output has exceeded 650 million tonnes for seven consecutive years, with its per capita grain output reaching 483 kg last year, Ma said, noting that there are also sufficient supplies of major agricultural products, including meat, eggs, milk, fish and vegetables. As a major producer and consumer of agricultural products from around the world, China has always given top priority to food security and ensuring the stable production and supply of agricultural products, said Wu Kongming, president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. China has always attached great importance to the role of science and technology in increasing agricultural production capacity, Wu said. He called for closer cooperation to ensure the country's food security and effective supply of major agricultural products amid uncertainties such as the pandemic and natural disasters. The China Agricultural Outlook Report (2022-2031) issued by the conference made projections on the trends of production, consumption, trade and prices for the next 10 years, and analyzed and discussed possible uncertainties. China's grain output is expected to maintain steady growth and reach 688 million tonnes in 2022. It will increase by 1.3 percent annually over the next decade, hitting 762 million tonnes in 2031, according to the report. The report also said that science and technology will play a greater role in increasing grain production, and that the grain yield per area unit will increase by 6.4 percent during the prospective period. Imports of most agricultural products showed a marked decline in the report, which also noted that China's grain self-sufficiency rate will increase to 88.1 percent by 2031. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Raipur, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratview Research, a leading market research firm has launched a report on the Ground Tactical Radio Market which provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, current and emerging trends, industry forecast, and competitive landscape. Click Here to get the free sample pdf: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/2779/ground-tactical-radio-market.html#form How does the report help? The report has a very high utility for the key decision-makers and strategists in terms of accurate market insights, future growth opportunities, and key success factors. Most importantly, the report analyses the possible impact of COVID-19 on the market dynamics which offers cushioning against the uncertain business environment and helps in streamlining the resources and investment decisions in a fruitful manner. What are the Top Market Drivers? There has been a rise in the production of lightweight tactical radios in recent years, which is expected to induce further demand in the overall market. For example, in 2018, Harris Corporation (now L3Harris Technologies, Inc.) launched the AN/PRC-163 Army Radio, an advanced two-channel handheld radio (for the transmission of voice and data to the army personnel), which would significantly fuel the market growth in the coming years. In addition, there have been several investments in the defense industry directed at ground tactical radios in recent years, which would boost the overall market. Some of them are: In September 2021, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. signed a five-year contract worth over US$ 200 million with the US Army, for the delivery of 100,000 multi-channel software-defined Falcon IV AN/PRC-163 handheld radios and 65,000 AN/PRC -158 manpack radios. In April 2021, the company had signed a contract worth around US$ 50 million with an Asian country, for the delivery of Falcon-III radios for dismounted soldiers, military ground vehicles, and base station applications. In December 2020, Elbit Systems Ltd. signed a six-year contract worth approximately US$ 338 million with the Swiss Armed Forces, to provide the army-wide tactical mobile software-defined radio (SDR) network. Ground Tactical Radio Market Segmentation: Stratview Research has segmented the market in the following ways which fulfill the market data needs of multiple stakeholders across the industry value chain. Device Type Ground- Ground Tactical Radio, and Ground Tactical Radio, and Ground- Air/Ship Tactical Radio. Product Type - (Fixed Radio and Deployed Radio [Man-Portable Radio {Handheld Radio and Manpack Radio} and Vehicle-Mounted Radio]) Frequency Type - (HF, VHF/UHF, and VHF/UHF with SATCOM), and Region North America - The USA, Canada, and Mexico, Europe - Germany, France, The UK, Russia, and the Rest of Europe, Asia-Pacific - China, Japan, India, South Korea, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World - Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Others. View the Report Scope and Table of Contents: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/2779/ground-tactical-radio-market.html Ground Tactical Radio Market Insights Based on the device type, the market is bifurcated into ground-ground radio and ground-air/ship radio. Among these radios, ground-ground radio is likely to remain the major demand generator in the foreseen future. Similarly, based on the product type, the market is classified as fixed and deployed tactical radios. The deployed tactical radios form the nucleus for all the defense industry stakeholders and are estimated to maintain their dominance throughout the forecast period. On the basis of frequency type, VHF/UHF is the most widely preferred frequency type for ground tactical radios. Several countries across the globe, invest in these radios as they are compact and have better data throughputs. Which region offers the best opportunity and growth? In terms of regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for ground tactical radios over the forecast period. This is largely attributed to the large focus on the development of soldier effectiveness and efficiency, through the smart soldier programs in the region. Also, the US Pentagon has devised to increase its funding for communications, sensors, and electronics by about 20% over the next two years. The US has also developed the Handheld, Manpack, and Small Form Fit (HMS) program that is aimed at procuring a family of software reprogrammable radios for tactical voice and data communications, which is likely to generate a huge demand in the forthcoming years. Moreover, the country is home to the global market leader, L3Harris Technologies, Inc., which is the prime contractor for the US Department of Defense (DoD). To know more about the covid-19 impact, get a free sample report, here: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/2779/ground-tactical-radio-market.html#form Who are the Top Market Players? The global market for ground tactical radios is characterized by the presence of many global-level, regional-level, and local companies. There have been some major mergers and acquisitions in the industry in recent years, which significantly influenced the competitive dynamics. For example, in June 2019, L3Harris Technologies, Inc. announced an all-stock merger of L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation. Below given is the list of key players mentioned in the report - L3Harris Technologies, Inc Elbit Systems Ltd BAE Systems Thales Group Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG What deliverables will you get in this report? In-depth analysis of the Ground Tactical Radio Market Detailed market segmentation. Competitive-landscape analysis. Historical, present, and future market size analysis. Industry trends, technologies, and advancements. Growth and operation strategies adopted by key players. Potential segments/regions offering promising growth. The geographical presence of the key players. Related reports which might be useful: - Tactical Radio Market, Size, and forecast. - Airborne Tactical Radio Market Size, Forecast. About us Stratview Research is a global market research firm that offers reliable market reports, market entry strategies, strategic growth consulting, and more. The market experts compile high-quality market information to help users obtain granular level clarity on current business trends and expected future developments. Stratview Research also offers customization of the reports. Reach out to the analysts to customize the given report according to your priority/requirement. Stratview Research has also launched 'Composights', an online portal that offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis, and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): WESTPORT, Conn., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMG Strategy, the Worlds #1 digital platform for enabling technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world, is excited to be hosting its 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit on May 3 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge. HMG Strategys highly interactive events bring together the worlds most distinguished and innovative security and business technology leaders to discuss the most pressing leadership, innovation, strategic, cultural, technology and career challenges and opportunities that they face today and into the future. The 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit will bring together the top technology executives from Arizona and the surrounding area who will share their recommendations for fostering the cultural change thats needed along with practical advice on how to act as a talent magnet to win the global war for talent. Technology executives have an incredible opportunity to act as enterprise change agents since they sit at the intersection of how technology can be leveraged to drive transformative change across the organization, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO at HMG Strategy. But in order to guide such dramatic changes across the organization, bold leadership is needed to execute on digital business opportunities and go-to-market strategies while fostering the cultural transformation thats needed to succeed. World-class CIOs, technology executives and industry experts who will be speaking at the 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit will include: Mike Anderson , Chief Digital and Information Officer, Netskope , Chief Digital and Information Officer, Netskope Renee Arrington , President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc. , President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc. Max Chan , CIO, Avnet , CIO, Avnet Jamey Cummings , Partner Cybersecurity and Technology, JM Search , Partner Cybersecurity and Technology, JM Search Gary Desai , CIO, Discount Tire , CIO, Discount Tire Gunjan Goel , CIO, ST Engineering , CIO, ST Engineering Frank Grimmelmann , Founder, President & CEO/Intelligent Liaison Officer, Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance , Founder, President & CEO/Intelligent Liaison Officer, Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance Jim Haskin , CIO, Flex Technology Group , CIO, Flex Technology Group Vishwa Hassan , Director Data and Analytics, USAA , Director Data and Analytics, USAA Laura Hemenway , Founder and Principal, Paradigm Solutions LLC , Founder and Principal, Paradigm Solutions LLC Scott Hicar , SVP & CIO, Benchmark Electronics , SVP & CIO, Benchmark Electronics Firasat Hussain , CTO, arrivia , CTO, arrivia John Iannarelli , Former FBI Special Agent and Senior Executive Advisor, FBI , Former FBI Special Agent and Senior Executive Advisor, FBI Mike Josephson , Senior Solutions Architect, OutSystems , Senior Solutions Architect, OutSystems Sheila Lehker , SVP, Cizek Associates, Inc. , SVP, Cizek Associates, Inc. Ralph Loura , SVP & CIO, Lumentum , SVP & CIO, Lumentum Michael McAndrews , Chief Technology and Security Officer, PacketWatch , Chief Technology and Security Officer, PacketWatch Mark Morawski , CTO, ZaloPay , CTO, ZaloPay Jon Relvas , Director, Business Development for Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Arizona State University , Director, Business Development for Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Arizona State University Dan Saltich , CIO, Shamrock Foods Company , CIO, Shamrock Foods Company Kris Singleton , President & CIO, Enseo , President & CIO, Enseo Diane Smigel , President and CEO, Palladium IT Advisors , President and CEO, Palladium IT Advisors Simon Taylor , President, SIM Arizona; EVP, PacketWatch , President, SIM Arizona; EVP, PacketWatch Hakan Yaren, CIO, APL Logistics Valued Partners for the 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit include Akamai, Apptio, BetterCloud, Centripetal, Darktrace, Fortinet, Globant, Moveworks, Netskope, Nutanix, OutSystems, Palo Alto Networks, ReliaQuest, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, Skybox Security, Strata, Tanium, Tonkean, Upwork, Zoom, and Zscaler. To learn more about the 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for the event, click here. HMG Strategy is also excited to be hosting its 2022 HMG Live! Global Women in Technology Summit on April 27. The 2022 HMG Live! Global Women in Technology Summit will bring together the top female technology leaders from around the world who will share their recommendations for making hybrid work environments more inclusive and equitable for employees. Global female tech executives will also discuss their hard-fought lessons scaling the ladder of success in a male-centric C-suite. Prominent global female technology leaders who will be speaking at the 2022 HMG Live! Global Women in Technology Summit will include: Diane K. Adams , Chief Culture and Talent Officer, Sprinklr , Chief Culture and Talent Officer, Sprinklr Renee Arrington , President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc. , President, COO & Director, Pearson Partners International, Inc. Dora Boussias , Transformational Leader, Data Strategy & Architecture , Transformational Leader, Data Strategy & Architecture Cindy Finkelman , Strategic Advisor, Mantissa Group LLC , Strategic Advisor, Mantissa Group LLC Kathleen Fitzpatrick , CIO, Russell Reynolds Associates , CIO, Russell Reynolds Associates Mamar Gelaye , VP Ops Tech IT, Amazon , VP Ops Tech IT, Amazon Daphne Jones , Board Member; Founder, Destiny Transformations Group , Board Member; Founder, Destiny Transformations Group Lori Lagares , VP of Customer Success, Nexthink , VP of Customer Success, Nexthink Lesley Ma , CIO and Chief Continuous Improvement Officer, NSF International , CIO and Chief Continuous Improvement Officer, NSF International Alexa Raad , Chief Policy and Regulatory Affairs Officer, HUMAN Security , Chief Policy and Regulatory Affairs Officer, HUMAN Security Sabina Schneider , Chief Solutions Officer, Globant , Chief Solutions Officer, Globant Rhonda Vetere , Author, C-suite Technology Executive & Global Leader , Author, C-suite Technology Executive & Global Leader Cindy Warner , Strategic Board Member, Michigan Economic Development Corporation , Strategic Board Member, Michigan Economic Development Corporation Kelley Watson , Director, Workplace Solutions, Southern Company , Director, Workplace Solutions, Southern Company Jennifer Wesson Greenman , CIO, Cancer Treatment Centers of America Global , CIO, Cancer Treatment Centers of America Global Gabrielle Wolfson , CIO & CDO, Quest Diagnostics , CIO & CDO, Quest Diagnostics Sigal Zarmi, Board Director, Senior Advisor, Morgan Stanley Valued Partners for the 2022 HMG Live! Global Women in Technology Summit include Akamai, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Fortinet, Globant, Nexthink, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, Skybox Security, Sprinklr, Strata, Tonkean, Upwork, Zoom, and Zscaler. To learn more about the 2022 HMG Live! Global Women in Technology Summit and to register for the event, click here. To learn about all of HMG Strategys Upcoming CIO & CISO Summits, click here . About HMG Strategy HMG Strategy is the world's leading digital platform for connecting technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world. The HMG Strategy global network consists of more than 400,000 CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, CDOs, senior business technology executives, search industry executives, venture capitalists, industry experts and world-class thought leaders. HMG Strategys global media model generates more than 1 million impressions per week, providing vast opportunities for business technology leaders and sponsor partners to promote themselves and their brands. HMG Strategy was founded in 2008 by Hunter Muller, a leadership expert who has worked side-by-side with Fortune 2000 executives with strategic planning and career ascent for the past 30+ years. HMG Strategys regional and virtual CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Series, authored books and Digital Resource Center deliver unique, peer-driven guidance from CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, CDOs and technology executives on leadership, innovation, transformation and career ascent. HMG Strategy offers a range of peer-led research services such as its CIO & CISO Executive Leadership Alliance (CELA) program which bring together the worlds top CIOs, CISOs and technology executives to brainstorm on the top opportunities and challenges facing them in their roles. HMG Strategys Global Peer Actionable Insights Services Stack is a unique set of research services that are designed to keep business technology executives up to speed on the latest leadership, business, technology and global geo-economic trends that are impacting businesses and industries. HMG Ventures is a venture capital unit thats designed to connect CIOs, CTOs, CISOs and other technology executives with innovative early-stage technology companies from Silicon Valley to Tel Aviv. HMG Ventures provides technology executives with a window into hot emerging technology companies that can help move the needle for their businesses while also offering these executives unparalleled personal investment opportunities. One early-stage investment in an enterprise-level AI-powered service management provider has generated a 100X return. HMG Strategy also produces the HMG Security Innovation Accelerator Panel, a new webinar series thats designed to connect enterprise technology and security leaders with the most innovative technology and cybersecurity companies from across the world. Dubai, UAE, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The $ADOGE project looks set to cause another major disruption in the crypto space as the BEP20 token officially launches. Described as The Arabian Doge, the token is created primarily to flip SHIB by leveraging a community of blockchain enthusiasts. The 100% decentralized and meme-utility token project looks to earn the attribute of the next big thing in the blockchain space, as it aims to seek and destroy Shiba. $ADoge rewards its holders with $DOGE Reflection. So, just by holding, believing and supporting the project, you automatically earn REAL DogeCoin Tokens. The blockchain space has undoubtedly expanded beyond imagination over the years, as a plethora of projects emerge from developers across the globe to meet the varying needs of crypto enthusiasts. The likes of Doge and Shiba practically shook the world, literally aiming for the moon in a relatively short duration. While SHIBA flipped DOGE and became the sought-after token in the digital currency market, ADOGE looks set to send shocking waves through the market by flipping SHIBA and surpassing the feat achieved by the BEP20 token with support from as many people as possible. Consequently, developers of the $ADOGE project have announced the launch of the $ADOGE token sale to enable as many people as possible to be a part of the revolution. Whats more in Arabian Doge: ArabianDoge are flying 2 investors out to Dubai Real-life nft utilities starting in Dubai Arabian Venture club for NFT holder $ADOGE will only be available for purchase from official links. Consequently, interested persons are advised to verify the correctness of the contract before making any purchase. Website: https://arabiandoge.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArabianDoge Telegram: https://t.me/ArabianDoge OWINGS MILLS and BOWIE, MD, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maryland Public Television (MPT) and Bowie State University today announced that Bowie State has signed on as a premier sponsor for two important original PBS documentaries Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom and Becoming Frederick Douglass that shed new light on the lives of a pair of iconic Marylanders who were towering figures in the struggle to end slavery. Created by Oscar-nominated and award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, the two films are co-productions of Firelight Films and MPT with an appropriation from the State of Maryland. The one-hour documentaries will premiere on MPT and nationally on PBS stations, PBS.org, and the PBS Video App in October 2022. Trailers and additional information about both films are available at tubmandouglassfilms.com. Bowie State Universitys financial commitment to support the production of these documentaries establishes it as the first historically black university to become a premier sponsor of a national PBS film. This support aligns with the history of the institution as the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) founded in Maryland in 1865. Since the first days of our founding in Baltimore with the mission to begin educating the newly emancipated citizens of Maryland, Bowie State University has been a trailblazer, said Bowie State University President Aminta H. Breaux. Building on that legacy, we are proud to boldly step up to partner with Maryland Public Television to help bring forward fresh perspectives on the influence of these two powerful champions of freedom that continue to resonate in todays dialogue on social justice. As part of the partnership, screenings of each film will be presented at Bowie State to campus and community audiences to draw insights from Douglass and Tubman and to spark discussions on the current crisis of racial and social injustice. Additionally, MPT is preparing a menu of educational materials based on both films that will be available online to students and educators in grades 4-12. It is critically important that we continue to preserve and elevate all aspects of African American history and its rich tapestry is woven into every aspect of American history, said Dr. Breaux. I commend MPT and public broadcasting stations across the country for their commitment to bring these stories to their diverse audiences. Were honored to partner with Bowie State University, the oldest HBCU in Maryland, to present important new films about these two American freedom fighters, said Travis Mitchell, MPT senior vice president and chief content officer. With its legacy of academic excellence and commitment to social justice, Bowie States distinction as the first HBCU to sponsor national documentary films on PBS is a partnership model for how public broadcasting and HBCUs can help the nation view and understand contemporary issues using a historic lens. In addition to Bowie State Universitys support, the two programs are also made possible by DIRECTV. Becoming Frederick Douglass is the inspiring story of how a man born into slavery became one of the most prominent statesmen and influential voices for democracy in American history. Born in 1818 on Marylands Eastern Shore, he escaped from slavery in 1838 and went on to become the most well-known leader of the abolitionist movement. A gifted writer and powerful, charismatic orator, it is estimated that more Americans heard Douglass speak than any other 19th-century figure Black or white. The documentary explores how Douglass controlled his own image and narrative, embracing photography as a tool for social justice, and the role he played in securing the right to freedom and equality for African Americans. Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom is a rich and nuanced portrait of the woman known as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, who repeatedly risked her own freedom and life to liberate others from slavery. Born in Dorchester County, Maryland, 200 years ago 2022 marks her bicentennial Tubman escaped north to Philadelphia in 1849, covering more than 100 miles alone. Once there, Tubman became involved in the abolitionist movement, and through the Underground Railroad, guided more than 70 enslaved people to freedom. The film goes beyond the legend of Tubman to explore what motivated her including divine inspiration to become one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nations history. Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning actor Alfre Woodard is the narrator of Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom and acclaimed actor Wendell Pierce is the voice of Frederick Douglass in both films. Becoming Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom are executive produced by Firelight founder Stanley Nelson (Attica, Freedom Riders, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution) and Lynne Robinson. The films are produced and directed by Stanley Nelson and Nicole London. Keith M. Brown and Michael English are the executives in charge of production. Becoming Frederick Douglass was written by Anne Seidlitz. Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom was written by Paul Taylor, Nicole London, and Marcia Smith. # # # About Bowie State University Bowie State University is Marylands oldest historically black university and a University System of Maryland institution committed to providing diverse students with access to a high-quality, affordable education in an environment that focuses on student success. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education and is a Maryland leader in producing minority graduates in science and technology fields. Inter-disciplinary programs in entrepreneurship and data analytics prepare every BSU student with the skills to lead in the evolving global marketplace. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu. About Maryland Public Television Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy awards. MPTs commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPTs year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org. Attachments The Annual General Meeting of BW Ideol AS (ticker : BWIDL) will be held on 13 May 2022 at 09:30 CEST. The Annual General Meeting will be held in the BW Ideol's offices at Drammensveien 151, Oslo, Norway. Shareholders who do not have the opportunity to participate physically will be given the possibility to follow the meeting, vote and raise questions digitally. Please see detailed information in the notice attached regarding digital participation. It is possible to vote by proxy and by advance voting prior to the Annual General Meeting. An investor presentation will also be held by the management of BW Ideol AS on 12 May 2022 in connection with the Companys first quarter 2022 operational update. Further details (time and webcast link) will be given in the next few days. For further information, please contact: Nicolas de Kerangal, Chief Financial & Partnerships Officer at BW Ideol, +33 (0)7 76 87 70 08, ir@bw-ideol.com . This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachment Detroit, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The DTE Energy Foundation today announced it has granted $1.48 million in vital funding to seven organizations supporting programs that enhance natural resources across Michigan. The grant will significantly bolster environmental programs across Michigan, including Traverse City, Ann Arbor, southeastern Michigan and Muskegon, in time for Earth Day on April 22. At the DTE Foundation, we know that a healthy environment is an essential ingredient for thriving communities, said Lynette Dowler, president, DTE Foundation. Through these grants and our valuable partnerships with dedicated nonprofits, we know people throughout Michigan will experience the benefits of this statewide support for years to come. The grants will fund many initiatives, including the expansion of the Conservation Resource Alliances (CRA) River Care program. They will bring the program into new regions with an emphasis on collaborative work with land conservancies, tribal communities, the United States Department of Agriculture and more. The grants build on DTE Foundations existing support for the successful River Care program. The DTE Foundations deep commitment to healthy environments is a cornerstone in CRAs River Care program, designed to completely restore northern Michigans waterways, from stem to stern, said Amy Beyer, director at Conservation Resource Alliance. When waterways function well, communities benefit, especially in terms of reducing costs and risks associated with water treatment, flooding, and catastrophic failure of structures like culverts and bridges, embankments, and dams. Other grant recipients: The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan will direct this support towards its Great Lakes Way program, which will promote access to the Great Lakes by people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, ethnicities and interests. Additionally, it will link residents and visitors to an impressive collection of world-class freshwater, wildlife and recreation assets. The Community Foundation facilitates permanent change in the seven counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair, and helps donors invest in organizations they care about nationwide will direct this support towards its Great Lakes Way program, which will promote access to the Great Lakes by people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, ethnicities and interests. Additionally, it will link residents and visitors to an impressive collection of world-class freshwater, wildlife and recreation assets. Conservation Resource Alliance plans to use this support for its River Care Program, helping to mitigate and address environmental issues that are present in Northern Michigan. The Conservation Resource Alliance was created in 1968 to maintain healthy ecosystems of land and water. With a service territory that spans 15 counties, four million acres, 700 miles of rivers, and 5,000 miles of tributaries, CRA with the help of local interest groups, local, state and federal governments, works to develop and implement locally driven solutions to natural resource and community issues. plans to use this support for its River Care Program, helping to mitigate and address environmental issues that are present in Northern Michigan. Huron River Watershed Council will use its grant to assist in the organizations mission to support environmental and sustainability leadership with an emphasis on rivers, wildlife and water quality. A portion of the grant will go to the DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow who will lead a range of the organizations projects, offering a comprehensive experience in watershed and ecosystem management. Huron River Watershed Council is a coalition of residents, businesses and local governments that protects and restores the river for healthy and vibrant communities. will use its grant to assist in the organizations mission to support environmental and sustainability leadership with an emphasis on rivers, wildlife and water quality. A portion of the grant will go to the DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow who will lead a range of the organizations projects, offering a comprehensive experience in watershed and ecosystem management. Michigan Department of Natural Resources will use its grant for the DTE Foundation Tree Planting Program, which will enhance the community tree canopy coverage, increase tree species diversity, and demonstrate proper tree planting and maintenance techniques for long-term health. Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. will use its grant for the DTE Foundation Tree Planting Program, which will enhance the community tree canopy coverage, increase tree species diversity, and demonstrate proper tree planting and maintenance techniques for long-term health. Muskegon River Watershed Assembly will use the funds to help preserve, protect, restore and sustain the Muskegon River. It will also promote the sustainable use of the Muskegon River and the land it supports through conservation and educational initiatives with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. A portion of the grant will be directed toward the DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow, who will assist with projects providing in-depth and real-life experiences in ecosystem management, specifically targeted at the Maple River Restoration project in underserved communities in Bridgeton and Cedar Creek Townships. Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is dedicated to the preservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of the Muskegon River, the land it drains, and the life it supports, through educational, scientific and conservation initiatives. will use the funds to help preserve, protect, restore and sustain the Muskegon River. It will also promote the sustainable use of the Muskegon River and the land it supports through conservation and educational initiatives with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. A portion of the grant will be directed toward the DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow, who will assist with projects providing in-depth and real-life experiences in ecosystem management, specifically targeted at the Maple River Restoration project in underserved communities in Bridgeton and Cedar Creek Townships. ReLeaf Michigan will direct this support towards planting trees in a variety of Michigan communities. The grant will also allow ReLeaf to host a DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow from an underrepresented group who will receive two years of work experience focused on fieldwork, project coordination and management in urban and rural forestry. ReLeaf Michigan is a statewide volunteer organization focused on tree planting and education. ReLeaf Michigan is Michigan's only statewide tree-planting non-profit organization, working with communities and organizations throughout Michigan to protect and restore our urban tree canopies. will direct this support towards planting trees in a variety of Michigan communities. The grant will also allow ReLeaf to host a DTE Foundation Environmental Fellow from an underrepresented group who will receive two years of work experience focused on fieldwork, project coordination and management in urban and rural forestry. Wildlife Habitat Council will use its grant to assist with the organizations day-to-day needs to preserve the states treasured natural habitats. Wildlife Habitat Council partners with corporations, their employees, fellow conservation organizations, government agencies and community members to recognize and encourage wildlife habitat projects for conservation and education. will use its grant to assist with the organizations day-to-day needs to preserve the states treasured natural habitats. ### 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. PRESS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION HYBRID SOFTWARE GROUP PLC REPORTS EXCELLENT RESULTS FOR 2021 WITH 48.6 MILLION REVENUE AND 12.2 MILLION EBITDA Cambridge (UK), 21 April 2022 (18:00 CEST): Hybrid Software Group PLC (Euronext: HYSG) announces that it has published its annual report and financial statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. The full document is available to download from the financial reports section of the Companys web site at: https://www.hybridsoftware.group/investors/financial-reports. Mike Rottenborn, CEO comments, 2021 was a remarkable year for Hybrid Software Group. Despite the shadow of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to successfully conclude two major acquisitions, rebrand the Group to reflect our focus on software for inkjet manufacturing, re-energise the core RIP business of Global Graphics Software, and more than double our revenue from 2020 largely due to the acquisition of HYBRID Software, while increasing our EBITDA to 25% and our cash position to more than 9 million. Our 275+ global employees are dedicated to the success of our customers through expert technical support and non-stop innovation. With another acquisition already under our belt in 2022, I look forward to the continued growth and success of Hybrid Software Group and all our customers worldwide. Executive chairman, Guido Van der Schueren adds, The acquisition of HYBRID Software in January 2021 broadened our focus from OEM component sales to high-margin enterprise software for both OEMs and end users, and we wasted no time integrating HYBRID Software into the Group. Despite the challenging business environment in 2021, we were able to grow revenues by nearly 25% and EBITDA by more than 20% when compared to the combined operating results of the previously separate entities in 2020. We have many plans for 2022 and beyond to leverage the power of the full Group and combine our OEM products with our end user products and sales channels to achieve further growth. With these results, we remain firmly on track to achieve our target of 100 million revenue and 35 million EBITDA in 2026. Financial highlights For the year ended 31 December In thousands of euros 2021 2020 Continuing operations Revenue 48,562 22,494 Operating profit 4,770 1,387 Profit before tax 4,565 1,693 Tax benefit 349 58 Profit from continuing operations 4,914 1,751 Discontinued operation Profit from discontinued operation, net of tax - 4,167 Profit for the year attributable to equity holders 4,914 5,918 EBITDA - continuing operations 12,211 4,711 Adjusted operating profit - continuing operations 7,308 2,355 Adjusted net profit - continuing operations 6,390 2,522 Basic earnings per share (euro) - continuing operations 0.15 0.15 Adjusted earnings per share (euro) - continuing operations 0.20 0.22 Available cash 9,234 6,855 The consolidated profit before tax for continuing operations was 4.57 million compared with a profit of 1.69 million in 2020. The increase in profitability of 2.88 million is due to: an increase in revenue of 26.07 million; an increase in cost of sales of 3.23 million; an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of 13.86 million; an increase in research and development expenses of 5.66 million; a decrease in other operating expenses of 0.03 million; an increase in other income of 0.03 million; an increase in net finance income of 0.55 million; and an increase in foreign exchange losses of 1.05 million. Revenue for the Printing Software segment (previously named Software) included sales by ColorLogic from November 2021 and totalled 13.84 million for the year (2020: 12.67 million). Revenue for the Printhead Solutions segment was 13.98 million for the year (2020: 9.82 million). Revenue for the Enterprise Software segment (a new segment in the year as a result of the acquisition of HYBRID Software in January 2021) was 20.74 million for the year. Gross profit for the period increased to 82.5% of revenue (2020: 76.7%), primarily due to the higher mix of software related sales during the year, particularly higher margin sales to end users by HYBRID Software. Included in selling, general and administrative expenses is amortisation of 0.84 million (2020: 0.59 million) related to intangible assets recognised as a result of acquisitions. Research and development expenses includes the capitalisation and amortisation of internally generated intangible assets and the amortisation of certain intangible assets recognised as a result of acquisitions. During the period there was a net capitalisation of development expenditure of 2.39 million (2020: 0.72) and amortisation of acquired intangible assets of 3.93 million (2020: 1.78 million). The exchange rate losses are primarily due to the revaluation of currency balances held at the balance sheet date and the change in exchange rates during the year. The Group presents EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) and adjusted profit when reporting its financial results to provide investors with an additional tool to evaluate the Groups results in a manner that focuses on what the Group believes to be its underlying business operations. The Groups management believes that the inclusion of adjusted financial results provides consistency and comparability with past reports. Additional commentary and analysis of the Group's consolidated results for the year ending 31 December 2021 can be found in the annual report and financial statements. Should you wish to receive a printed copy of the annual report, please send an e-mail to investor-relations@hybridsoftware.group or make your request in writing, for the attention of the Companys Chief Financial Officer, to 2030 Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6DW, UK. Annual General Meeting The Company will hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday 10 May 2022. The official notice of the meeting is available on the Companys website at https://www.hybridsoftware.group/investors/shareholders-annual-general-meeting. About Hybrid Software Group Through its operating subsidiaries, Hybrid Software Group PLC (Euronext: HYSG) is a leading developer of enterprise software for industrial print manufacturing. Customers include press manufacturers such as HP, Canon, Durst, Roland, Hymmen, and hundreds of packaging printers, trade shops, and converters worldwide. Hybrid Software Group PLC is headquartered in Cambridge UK. Its subsidiary companies are colour technology experts ColorLogic, printing software developers Global Graphics Software, enterprise software developer HYBRID Software, 3D design and modelling software developers iC3D, the industrial printhead driver solutions specialists, Meteor Inkjet and pre-press workflow developer Xitron. Contacts English French VAL D'OR, Quebec, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cartier Resources Inc. (TSX-V: ECR) (Cartier) is pleased to announce the closing of share purchase agreement with O3 Mining Inc. (O3 Mining) for the acquisition by Cartier of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Chalice Gold Mines (Quebec) Inc. (Chalice Quebec), which owns a 100% interest in the East Cadillac property contiguous with Cartiers Chimo Mine property in the Val-dOr Gold Camp, Quebec, Canada, (the Transaction). The purchase price paid by Cartier to O3 Mining for the acquisition of Chalice Quebec is 46,273,265 common shares of Cartier (the Cartier Shares), representing approximately 17.5% of the pro forma outstanding common shares of Cartier upon closing of the transaction. The shares issued under the Transaction are subject to a four month and one day hold period expiring on August 22, 2022. Philippe Cloutier, CEO of Cartier, commented: This acquisition propels Cartier to an enviable status with a larger resource base and substantial growth potential. Our new drill program will focus on finding additional ounces immediately adjacent to the infrastructure and gold resources of the Chimo Mine and proximal Nordeau West deposit. adding we are also progressing with parallel programs to update resource estimates and upgrade the ongoing work on the PEA. Transaction Highlights: Consolidation of Cartiers Chimo Mine property with O3 Minings East Cadillac property for a total land position of 29,754 hectares of highly prospective ground in the eastern part of the prolific Val-dOr gold camp (the Project), refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2. Advantages: Eliminates boundaries, increases resource and potential for additional ounces, Increased flexibility to strengthen project economics and favor project development and its construction: Cartier will hold 100% interest in largest land position east of Val-dOr: Immediate increase of the resource base to 714,400 oz in the indicated category and 1,527,400 oz of gold in the inferred category (refer to note 1 ); Initial budget designed to increase resources and explore additional potential; Significantly increases exploration territory and potential for new discoveries. Enhanced capital markets profile and exposure; Platform for further district consolidation; New partnership formed with O3 Mining. note 1: The resources are presented as described in the technical report titled NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chimo Mine Project, Quebec, Canada, Christine Beausoleil, P. Geo. and Claude Savard, P. Geo., InnovExplo Inc., March 2021 as well as in the Technical Report titled: 2019 Technical Report & Mineral Resources Estimate : East Cadillac Gold Project, Val-dOr, Quebec, John Langton, P. Geo., Vincent Jourdain, P. Eng., MRB & Associates, April 30th 2019. Summary of Financial information of Chalice Quebec as of December 31st, 2021. The financial information is based on unaudited and not reviewed financial statements of Chalice Quebec. The balance sheet reports total liabilities of $1,557,679. The liabilities consist exclusively of deferred and mining tax liabilities related to exploration expenditures incurred with flow-through shares financing which created an accounting deferred tax. The total assets are $15,220,471 and mainly comprised of $14,313,627 of Mining property and exploration assets. Additional Provisions Related to the Transaction. Cartier and O3 Mining have entered into an investor rights agreement (the Investor Rights Agreement) pursuant to which O3 Mining is entitled to designate one director for appointment to the board of directors of Cartier. The Investor Rights Agreement also includes, among other things, pre-emptive and top-up rights in favour of O3 Mining, a standstill provision for a period of 2 years and a share transfer restriction provision effective for a period of 3 years. As well, a technical committee will be formed and comprised of one (1) nominee of Cartier and one (1) nominee of O3 Mining to provide strategic advice and guidance to Cartier on exploration and development activities for the Project. O3 Mining Designated Director to the Board of Directors of Cartier. Myrzah Tavares Bello, M.Sc., M.Env, ICD.D: Ms. Bello currently serves as Vice President, Sustainable Development and Human Resources of O3 Mining Inc. Ms. Bello has over 20 years experience in sustainable development providing consulting services to mining, oil and gas and other sectors. She has facilitated various consultations with different stakeholders in several projects. Ms. Bello managed multi-disciplinary teams when she worked as Director at SNC-Lavalin. She held various roles including leading the climate change group of experts for over 6 years, and managed the environment division in Brazil for over 14 years. She holds a bachelors in business administration, a Masters in business delivered jointly by Sherbrooke University and ESC Poitiers in France and a Masters in Environment also from Sherbrooke University. She recently received the director designation ICD.D of the Institute de Corporate Directors. About Cartier Cartier Resources Inc., which was founded in 2006, is an exploration company based in Val-dOr. Cartiers projects are all located in Quebec, which regularly ranks among the best mining jurisdictions in the world. Cartier is advancing the development of its flagship Chimo Mine project and actively exploring its other projects. Cartier has a solid cash position exceeding $ 5.5M and significant corporate and institutional supports, notably with Agnico Eagle Mines, O3 Mining and the Quebec investment funds. Qualified Persons The scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared and reviewed by Mr. Gaetan Lavalliere, P.Geo., Ph.D, Cartiers Vice-President, and Mr. Ronan Deroff, P.Geo, M.Sc., Senior Geologist, Project Manager and Geomatician, both qualified persons as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Mr. Lavalliere approved the information contained in this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about Cartier completing the Transaction and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions, which could change materially in the future. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of Cartier at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the restart of operations; further steps that might be taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to Cartiers business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders; uncertainties and risk that have arisen and may arise in relation to travel, and other financial market and social impacts from COVID-19 and responses to COVID 19. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Cartier cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Cartier nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Cartier does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. For more information, please contact: Philippe Cloutier, P.Geo. President and CEO, Cartier Resources Telephone: 819 856-0512 philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com www.ressourcescartier.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulatory services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earthly Mist is excited to announce the grand opening of its first smart vending kratom kiosks in Adair County. This new location is located at 189 S, US-59, Watts, OK 74964 in West Siloam Springs - Next to Dollar General. This location is 20 feet from the Arkansas boarder. Kratom is an herbal extract that comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree (Mitragyna speciosa) grown mainly in Southeast Asia. The American Kratom Association (http://www.americankratom.org) is an organization that advocates for Kratom. The association estimates that 10-16 million people in the US use Kratom. People both eat the ground leaves or make them into tea. While Kratom is commonly used for withdrawals from heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs, (http://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1513/kratom), Earthy Mist customer Jason Baxter states, "Kratom has helped me significantly with chronic pain due to a herniated disk injury I sustained 10 years ago." Another customer, Kathy Lewis said, "Kratom has saved my life. I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. I have been using Kratom for 3 years and kratom has helped me wean off opioids. It helps me to move around better and get through the day. It also helps with my anxiety to keep me calm. Kratom has saved my life! Earthly Mist currently offers multiple strains of kratom based on three vein colors: Green Vein, Red Vein and White Vein, which can be purchased in powder or capsule form. Earthly Mist started its operation in 2014. Since opening, Earthly Mist has expanded, with stores in: -Tulsa, OK -Oklahoma City, OK Store Manager CJ Matt states, "Earthly Mist is not only here to provide kratom that's organic, clean, and healthy, but is also an informational hub for those that are looking to use kratom to enhance their lives in a positive way. Kratom is a great way to journey into the wonderful world of plant-based alternatives. Also, we're the only company that provides food grade Kratom, licensed by the Oklahoma Department of Health." Earthly Mist not only has food grade kratom, licensed by the state health department, but lab tests every batch for quality and safety, has UV lighting, and is still able to keep their kratom at $5 oz. Residents wanting kratom in Arkansas must drive to Oklahoma to get it. This can be expensive and sometimes, a long drive is hard to fit into one's schedule. Luckily Earthly Mist, in West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, has a self-service, 24/7 kratom location. Kratom at $5 oz helps with these gas prices and the 24/7 kratom location will help with their tight schedules, as they can visit the self-service store anytime they like. Self-service isn't for everyone but for those looking to save money and have access to kratom 24/7, it's a life saver. Also, the first time you visit a kratom self-service kiosk, there's a one-time set up process. This keeps under 18 kids out. This first-time process can take up to 10 minutes but there is 24/7 customer support that will assist you by phone. For some, this process can be a little frustrating, but most like the fact that even though Oklahoma has no law about kids using kratom (and many locations will sell to kids for a profit) Earthly Mist will not sacrifice health, safety, common sense and maturity for a buck! A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/66041868-5afd-4b1f-921f-6801e9752646 Kitchener, Ontario, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The adoption of novel medical technologies in Canada, especially those not supported by available funding models, is extremely challenging. This provincial investment is the first of its kind and aims to create opportunities to support the adoption and explore funding for new and innovative technologies in health care. Today, the Ontario Ministry of Health announced, to further support high-quality care in the region, the government is investing $1 million in a study at Grand River Hospital to evaluate the use of intraoperative surgical technology that could improve outcomes for patients who require hip replacement surgery. The study will inform the development of a new pathway to improve the adoption of new medical innovations that will innovate patient care in hospitals across the province. Intellijoint Surgical is proud that, as part of this announcement, Grand River Hospital will be adopting the use of Intellijoints intraoperative navigation solution for hip replacement, Intellijoint HIP, as part of a research study to understand the benefit of this new technology for patients, and identify any economic efficiencies that can be realized across the provincial health system as a result of its use. Grand River is excited to lead a comprehensive research study that will assess the clinical and economic merits of this technology," says Sven Byl, Vice President Digital, Insights, Improvement & Innovation at Grand River Hospital. "This research will enable us to make recommendations to the ministry regarding funding models that support the use of new and innovative tools and technology to improve the quality of care for patients, and provide economic benefits across the health system. We are also pleased to work with McMaster University who will be supporting us in the data analysis and dissemination of study results. Grand River performs over 400 THAs a year and will start its study of the Intellijoint HIP intraoperative navigation device in the summer of 2022. "This investment from the Ministry of Health is great news," says Dr. Matthew Snider orthopaedic surgeon at Grand River Hospital. "These funds will support our department to rigorously test this device with the hope that we can continue to improve our ability to provide world class care for our patients. This focus on leveraging innovation to provide the best patient experience is something that we truly value." Intellijoint HIP has been licensed by Health Canada since 2015 and provides real-time intraoperative measurements for accurate implant alignment, as well as leg length and offset restoration for total hip replacement surgery. Intellijoint HIP does not add any surgery time and has proven results with over 30,000 procedures performed around the world. With this investment from the Ministry of Health, Grand River Hospital will become the second public hospital in Canada to procure the Intellijoint HIP technology, and the first to perform a comprehensive study looking at health system benefits in addition to improvements in clinical outcomes. "Our team couldnt be more excited with this investment by the province in Grand River Hospital for the conduct of this study which could lead to broader adoption across the province. states Armen Bakirtzian, Co-founder and CEO of Intellijoint Surgical. Surgeons in our Region will finally have the opportunity to test a novel surgical technology that was invented, designed and developed right here in Kitchener-Waterloo. Intellijoint Surgical is the proud anchor resident of the Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX), a medical technology hub dedicated to supporting scaling Canadian MedTech companies achieve commercial success globally while retaining their headquarters in Kitchener-Waterloo. This achievement is celebrated by MIX, partnering MIX companies and the entire MedTech ecosystem. It is MIXs hope that this is just the first of many adoptions in the Ontario health system by MIX companies states Elliot Fung, Executive Director with MIX. About Intellijoint Surgical Intellijoint Surgical develops and commercializes surgical planning & navigation solutions for total hip and knee joint replacements, as well as digital patient engagement for all orthopaedic specialties. It is committed to improving patients lives by providing every surgeon with effective, easy-to-use technology to manage the entire episode of care. Intellijoints technology is used by top orthopaedic institutions and surgeons globally. For more information on Intellijoint Surgical visit www.intellijointsurgical.com. PR Contact Lisa Kawalez, Sr. Manager, Marketing Communications, Intellijoint Surgical l.kawalez@intellijointsurgical.com About MIX We provide Canadian scaling MedTech companies with what they need; relevant and industry specific mentorship and advice, and the tools to succeed. MIX isnt a typical technology hub. MIX is a network of like-minded, Canadian medical and health technology companies who share the same vision and purpose; to grow their business in their own backyard, support patients and clinicians with truly innovative solutions and pay-it-forward by helping other MedTech companies grow and succeed. PR Contact Elliot Fung, Executive Director, MIX elliot@medicalinnovationxchange.ca Escondido, CA, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- eWorld Companies, Inc. (OTC: EWRC) and its wholly owned subsidiary Angelini Trading Company have spent the past four months planning and prepping for an upcoming major marketing push to promote its highly anticipated Bitcoin Wine NFT project, which the company says will commence within the next 7 to 10 days. During that time the company has been busy previewing the project at prestigious art shows and other public and private events, preparing and submitting updated corporate filings, and lining up the appropriate marketing partners for the project. The Bitcoin Wine NFT project was introduced at a public event for the first time on December 5, 2021 during the internationally prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach Art Show. eWorld Companies CEO Pablo Gallardo Wagner explained the reason for the December soft launch date as follows, The Bitcoin Wine NFT launch was originally planned for early 2022, but the NFT was completed ahead of schedule, and when the opportunity arose to unveil it at such a prestigious international art event, it was simply too good to pass up. After being canceled in 2020, Art Basel Miami Beach returned in December 2021 with a newly found focus on NFTs, and as expected, NFTs played an oversized role in the event's return. Art Basel is an international art fair staged annually in Basel, Switzerland; Miami Beach; Hong Kong and beginning in 2022, Paris, France. Art Basel Miami Beach is North America's most comprehensive international contemporary art fair with over 250 galleries from 35 countries showcasing works by more than 4,000 artists and drawing more than 60,000 attendees, including art dealers, artists, collectors and aficionados. Art Basel refers to the singular fair held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, but the spirit of Art Basel lives in venues big and small throughout the city hosting satellite fairs, glittering parties and events in a week that's become known as Miami Art Week. On December 4th, Fluluv, the original visionary behind the Bitcoin Wine project, teamed up with the leaders behind another NFT project, Lil Bitcoin, to host a premier VIP event: Crypto Money: The Wolf of Miami. The event showcased art from some of the worlds top NFT artists including Beryl Bilici, first place winner of Art in Metaverse, a digital art contest with a total of 3,041 artworks from 52 countries, and Tillavision, the artist and designer of the Bitcoin Wine NFT, who is renowned for his impeccable digital animations for numerous high-profile celebrities, and who also displayed a newly minted NFT he had created specifically for Jordan Belfort, better known as The Wolf of Wall Street. Then on December 5th, the last day of NFT Art Basel Miami, Bitcoin Wine officially launched its highly anticipated Bitcoin Wine project by making it available on NFT Distribution Companys website for a 2-hour time period, during which sales were brisk and exceeded expectations. eWorld has been busy on the corporate side as well. The company recently posted its current financials at https://www.otcmarkets.com and will file the accompanying updated attorney opinion letter and meet all other OTC requirements within the next few days so that all corporate filings are compete and up to date. The company has also concluded its extensive search to locate and secure the most appropriate marketing team to promote Bitcoin Wine NFTs official hard launch and plans to release its final decision within the next week. More detailed information about the Bitcoin Wine NFT project will be released within the coming days. Meanwhile, the soft launch continues, and Bitcoin Wine NFT is available for purchase (minting) now to early adopters on the official Bitcoin Wine NFT website https://www.BitcoinWine.co , which is also replete with information and details about the project, including a transparent plan of action. Additional links to all important information concerning the Bitcoin Wine NFT project can also be found at the official Bitcoin Wine landing page https://www.solo.to/bitcoinwine , and interested persons are encouraged to join the Bitcoin Wine Discord at https://discord.com/invite/kv9baZMt7n so they can continue to receive up-to-date information and announcements. ABOUT EWORLD COMPANIES, INC. eWorld Companies, Inc. is the Parent Company of Angelini Trading Company, a Los Angeles area-based company that distributes 26 varieties of wine from five family-owned wineries, two handmade Italian pasta factories, a premier olive oil company that won the 2014 award for best olive oil in the world and other specialty food items seldom seen in the U.S. market. eWorlds top priorities are the rollout of Angelini Tradings line of Caponero and Benevento brand wines for the U.S. consumer market and the upcoming release of its exclusive Bitcoin Wine series. Wines have already been delivered and purchase orders received from the first 200 retail outlets, with many additional orders and deliveries expected to be announced soon. BITCOIN WINE NFT Bitcoin Wine is a limited edition NFT series featuring and showcasing fine wine. This exclusive Bitcoin Wine series will include a limited supply of 10,000 bottles of carefully selected and readily identifiable fine wine. Through use of blockchain technology, each Bitcoin Wine in the series will be comprised as a two-piece ensemble: (1) an identifiable and tangible bottle of Bitcoin Wine, i.e. a physical token that the owner can display in their home, and (2) a digital asset, also referred to as crypto art, that can be added to their online NFT gallery. The physical token and the digital asset are only available as this two-piece ensemble and each bottle of wine will have a unique QR code that when scanned will take the viewer directly to that specific digital asset. The official release date for the Bitcoin Wine NFT series has not yet been made public, but the company reports that it will be announced very soon. The official art for the Bitcoin Wine NFT was created by the highly regarded NFT artist and designer, Tillavision, into what many consider a masterpiece. The Bitcoin Wine art consists of an MP4 with a duration of 2 minutes and 30 seconds that includes an unreleased song by Lil Bitcoin, the first avatar artist to break into the music industry as an NFT. The art is immaculate and extremely creative, displaying a giant Bitcoin Wine bottle perched on a golden platter alongside two giant wine glasses filled with glowing wine. The NFT art is filled with a plentitude of creative details including money trees blowing in the wind, stacks of gold bitcoins, additional stacks of hundred-dollar bills, an airplane flying around the bottle and goats to signify the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.). The Bitcoin Wine NFT comes with additional perks as well. Bitcoin Wine NFT will act as a membership to an exclusive wine club where members and notable guests will be granted access to events and meet-ups that will be held periodically in different major cities in the United States. As the project evolves, the company also plans to offer members an opportunity to receive luxury imported Italian wines on quarterly basis. The company has also disclosed plans for an upcoming raffle that will award two winners (and their plus 1s) a 5-day all-inclusive trip to Italy including a private tour of the winery and vineyard where Bitcoin Wine is created. And as a special bonus, all purchasers of the Bitcoin Wine NFT will automatically be whitelisted for all future NFT releases from the companys marketing and distribution partner, NFT Distribution Company. ANGELINI TRADING COMPANY Angelini Trading Company was formed in 2012 by Richard Angelini and his cousin, Roberto Adamo, with the objective to source the highest-level products available from the Italian peninsula for export to the rest of the world, with primary focus on the U.S. market. The Angelini and Adamo families have been merchants and artists since the 1600's. Unfortunately, Richard Angelini passed away in 2017, but the company remains in family hands with his wife, Christina now serving as the companys President. For more information visit https://ewrcinc.com and/or https://angelinitrading.co . Safe Harbor Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements with respect to business operations and results of eWorld Companies, Inc., which involves risks and uncertainties. Actual future results could materially differ from those discussed. eWorld Companies, Inc. intends that all statements included herein, including those referring to future revenues and earnings, be subject to the "Safe Harbors" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Pablo Gallardo Wagner, CEO contact@ewrcinc.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire -- AREV Life Sciences Global Corp. (CSE: AREV) (OTC: AREVF) (AREV or the Company) announced today its initial research engagement with TransBIOTech. Created in 1999, TransBIOTech is a publicly supported preclinical research organization that works in partnership with and is supported by the Canadian government through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). TransBIOTech is also supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and by the Government of Quebec. TransBIOTech is a member of Tech-Access Canada, a national organization of Technology Access Centres (TACs), as well as a member of Synchronex, a network of Quebec province College Centres for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT). TransBIOTech laboratory facility utilizes more than $16 million in state-of-the-art equipment and offers an animal facility accredited by the Council on Animal Care of Canada (source: https://www.tbt.qc.ca/en/facilities/ ). TransBIOTech is a multi-sectional research facility with expertise in the life sciences sector, specializing in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, cell & molecular biology, and microbiology for pharmaceutical sciences. TransBIOTech has capabilities in various project stages including in vitro, in cellulo and in vivo functional assays (biomarkers, cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory properties and antimicrobial activity, as well as analysis of pharmacological properties of molecules including permeability, metabolic stability, ADME and toxicology). TransBIOTech is engaging with AREV in its initial research on cannabinoids and other early-stage commercial research programs. Our agreement with TransBIOTech signals the initiation of a robust clinical initiative with numerous collaborators to facilitate data on some of the more promising phytomedicinal therapeutics currently relevant to todays public health challenges, said AREV CEO Mike Withrow. Withrow also stated, AREV Life Sciences is determined to enhance our scientific acumen by partnering with dynamic programs that will facilitate breakthrough discoveries of therapeutic innovation relevant to contemporary pandemic infectious disease and human nutrition. By leveraging our proprietary extraction technologies paired with the discovery capacities of TransBIOTech and other well-respected research institutions, we are laying the groundwork for initial animal studies to identify data sets that will satisfy regulatory authorities. Recent preclinical studies have purported that CBD modulates anti-inflammatory effects. Clinical studies have verified that CBD lowers the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suppresses T-cell proliferation, creates T-cell apoptosis and lowers migration and adhesion of immune cells. It has also been discovered that this CBD-driven anti-inflammatory action displays itself to be antagonized by both a CB2 antagonist and a CB2 receptor agonist (source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017 .00144/full ). The TransBIOTech collaboration with AREV will also examine precise mechanisms of action attributed to the activation of CB2 as a novel therapeutic modality modulating inflammation characteristic of viral infections (source: https://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3005548/ ). The collaboration between AREV and TransBIOTech will facilitate further development of proprietary immune modulatory therapeutics derived from phytomedicinal research that addresses pandemic infectious disease affecting host responses to elevated cytokine expression. The initial studies will set the groundwork for advancing further research, allowing for distinctive understandings of AREVs new chemical entity development including initial toxicity, pharmacokinetics and metabolism modeling essential for human studies and eventual commercialization. The reduction of pathogen mediated inflammation and subsequent immune hyperactivation by the inhibition of the mTOR/S6K-signaling progression, which is affected by cannabinoids CB1 receptor, also prohibits Jurkat cells from expressing regulation of immune responses (source: https://www.nature.com /articles/4401660 ). In vivo studies have demonstrated mTOR expression affected by cannabinoid regulatory mechanisms leading to autophagy in cancer cell pathways necessary for the antitumor actions (source: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/37948 ). AREV, in conjunction with TransBIOTech, is also designing preclinical characterization studies to identify suspected therapeutic characteristics of other botanically derived compounds identified in peer-reviewed literature, including phytocannabinoids and Cucumaria frondosa, leading to small molecule candidates for human studies. Edouard Lauzer, of TransBioTech, stated, Our preclinical characterization research with TransBIOTech is an important step in AREVs efforts to deliver well-defined clinical insights into the multidimensional aspects of immune modulation associated with CBD and other compounds derived from phytomedicinal drug development. AREVs efforts with TransBIOTech will include characterizing the mechanism-of-action of CBD as well as analysis of the structure-activity relationships of secondary metabolites through fragment-based lead discovery and de novo drug design, utilizing high through-put screening to identify structural-functional relations of AREVs investigational compounds affecting pathogen-mediated inflammation and viral replication. The initial studies being designed by TransBIOTech, in collaboration with members of the AREV Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), will provide correspondence of the subsequent published results of these studies to public research programs, including The National Institute of Healths Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (NIH ACTIV), AIDS Clinical Trial Groups (NIAID ACTGs) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and President Bidens White House Cancer Cabinet. For further information, contact Mike Withrow, arevlifesciences@gmail.com or 778-929-6536, or visit www.arevlifesciences.com . On behalf of the Board, Mike Withrow CEO & Director ABOUT AREV Life Sciences Global Corp. AREV Life Sciences Global Corp. is a publicly traded, fully integrated, early-stage life science enterprise, with a U.S. subsidiary dedicated to delivering therapeutic interventions to public health through extraction of unique compounds, discovery, innovation and successful collaborations. The Companys leadership drives discovery programs for clinical complexities presented by malnutrition, viral infectious diseases and elevated inflammatory responses. AREV is invested in commercial innovations in phytomedicinal discoveries of small molecule antivirals and for related neglected chronic co-morbidities and innovations in human nutrition. In addition to its phytomedicinal discovery program, AREV is developing a next-generation Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). SUSTAINN is designed by AREV in collaboration with the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals at the University of Manitoba that demonstrates clinical attributes addressing serious acute malnutrition (SAM). AREV is dedicated to designing and delivering innovation in rational drug design, driven by presenting global epidemiological characteristics of multiple challenges to international human and animal health. AREV is a member of both BIOTECanada and The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements 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 statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. THE CSE HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. TORONTO, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sintana Energy Inc. (TSX-V: SEI) (Sintana or the Company) is pleased to announce the engagement of Harbor Access LLC, an Investor Relations firm with offices in the US and Canada. Harbor Access will provide Investor Relations support to the Company including enhancing Sintanas communications and investor outreach efforts. Having recently completed our strategic acquisition in Namibia with significant catalysts on the horizon there, and in Colombia, it is timely to refresh and increase our investor relations and communications efforts, said Robert Bose, President of Sintana. Given the prevailing interest in energy exploration and the opportunities for significant value creation at Sintana in the near-term, we look forward to working with the Harbor Access team to ensure that our story is broadly seen and heard by investors. The initial term of the engagement is for 12 months with a monthly retainer of $9,500/month. ABOUT HARBOR ACCESS Harbor Access represents and advises micro to mega cap companies. The Company has a measured approach to creating a capital markets communications program, which helps optimize their clients visibility. Harbor Access brings extensive global experience and professionalism to each client and customizes every solution to meet their clients goals. For more information about Harbor Access, please visit www.harbor-access.com ABOUT SINTANA ENERGY: The Company is engaged in petroleum and natural gas exploration and development activities in Colombias Magdalena Basin and five large, highly prospective, onshore and offshore petroleum exploration licenses in Namibia. Sintanas exploration strategy is to acquire, explore, develop and produce superior quality assets with substantial reserves potential. On behalf of Sintana Energy Inc., Douglas G, Manner Chief Executive Officer For additional information or to sign-up to receive periodic updates about Sintanas projects, and corporate activities, please visit the Companys website at www.sintanaenergy.com Corporate Contact: Corporate Contact: Douglas G. Manner Sean J. Austin Chief Executive Officer Vice President Tel: 832.279.4913 Tel: 713.825.9591 Forward-Looking Statements Certain information in this release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intensions for the future, and include, but not limited to, statements with respect to the stock option and restricted share unit grants and the prospective nature of the Companys property interests. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including, but not limited to risks relating to the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals, results of exploration activities, the ability to source joint venture partners and fund exploration, permitting and government approvals, and other risks identified in the Companys public disclosure documents from time to time. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update such information, except as may be required by law. 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. Wilmington, Del., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of Earth Day, Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today announced the companys increased support of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and will donate $25,000 dollars towards TNCs STEM youth engagement Nature Lab , and an additional $25,000 towards the organizations Plant a Billion Trees by 2030 forest restoration project. Details can be found here www.ashland.com/earthday2022 Nature Lab exemplifies Ashlands Responsible Solvers social philanthropic focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). TNCs hub for youth curriculum provides teachers, students, and families customizable, interactive lesson plans to explore and understand nature. The curriculum platform has 550 scientists helping students learn how nature works while inspiring young people and bringing greater equity to environmental education. Students from ages five through 18 can participate in virtual and hands-on learning. Nature Lab reaches more than 2.5 million users annually in 50 of the United States and dozens of countries. Through a partnership with an online learning platform, TNC offers interactive games for students to use alongside videos as well as a Spanish-language series. Future enhancements include the active participation of young learners to tackle climate change, protect lands and waters, provide food and water sustainably, and build healthy cities. Nature Lab is all about inspiring young people and bringing greater equity to environmental education, said Kate Ireland, director, youth engagement, The Nature Conservancy. We want every young person to be able to find their place in conservation and to have the tools they need to advocate for change in their own communities and beyond. Ashland is also continuing its support of The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees forest restoration effort. Ashlands donation ensures approximately 10,000 trees are planted in key regions where the company operates and there is need for reforestation and sustainable farming education. This includes Brazil, China, Mexico, and the United States. Separately, Ashland has committed to using certification standards set by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and/or Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). FSC and PEFC certified and controlled wood assures consumers that products can be traced back to responsibly managed sources. These programs embody Ashlands conscious decision to review and rethink its business practices with the goal to becoming a nature-positive company that positively impacts climate change, biodiversity and just social practices. There is no Planet B, said Guillermo Novo, chair and chief executive officer, Ashland. We are a vital part of an ecosystem that must be protected for future generations. We believe increasing the number of students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM careers is vital to the health of the planet and to our long-term success as a company. We will continue working with partners to broaden the participation of women and minorities because the more diverse the team, the better the problem solving. Responsibly solving for a better world means innovating while being nature positive. It means doing business in a way that protects and conserves nature, while also giving back to the planet. Novos comments underscore that for eight years, Ashland has been the title sponsor of the Delaware STEM Educators Awards which recognizes a teacher, or team of teachers at the elementary (K-5), middle (6-8), and high school (6-12) levels who demonstrate STEM innovation and excellence through teaching, academic collaboration, and student engagement. Previous educators have been recognized for programs in robotics, hyponic farming, mathematics and more. Recently some of the educators spoke about their work. To view the video and learn more, visit Ashland | STEM Support This month, Ashlands focused footprint approach is on display with the announcement of a sustainable guar farming program in Rajasthan, India with partner, SM Sehgal Foundation. Under the companys Responsible Solvers initiative, the program has increased farmers yield and income, lowered their production costs, expanded the local economy, and positively impacted the environment. Ashlands regional teams of solvers have many other initiatives underway, and those plans will be shared in the near future. Creative partnerships like these, focused on local needs in the communities where employees live and work are vital to Ashlands business success and reinforce its commitment to ESG. The same is true for Ashlands support for TNCs reforestation program. Mature trees can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, and once mature, the plantings supported by Ashland could result in up to 480,000 pounds of carbon dioxide offsets annually*. Nature is the most powerful, ready-made solution available to simultaneously tackle two of the greatest crises facing the planet today: climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Planting trees is one of many natural climate solutions that, when implemented alongside global emissions reductions from clean energy, will play a vital role in stabilizing our climate, said Bill Stanley, state director, The Nature Conservancy, Ohio. Previously Ashland announced it was aligning operations with the ambitious aim of the Paris Climate Accord to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C above preindustrial levels. The company is currently validating emissions data to ensure it sets accurate targets for approval. Ashland has also made the UN Global Compact and its principles part of the companys business strategy, culture, and day-to-day operations. We have three core goals when it comes to ESG. We use our focused footprint around the world to have a measurable impact on our communities, were conscious of our actions and how we can, with others, use cutting-edge problem solving to impact climate and social issues, and were investing in STEM programs and partnerships to create the next generation of Responsible Solvers, said Guillermo Novo, chair and chief executive officer, Ashland. When that strategy comes together, we can and will become a nature positive company helping others do the same. More than 1 billion people in 193 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. To learn more about Ashlands Earth Day activities, visit www.ashland.com/earthday2022 About Ashland Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ASH) is a global additives and specialty ingredients company with a conscious and proactive mindset for sustainability. The company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care and pharmaceuticals. Approximately 3,800 passionate, tenacious solvers from renowned scientists and research chemists to talented engineers and plant operators thrive on developing practical, innovative and elegant solutions to complex problems for customers in more than 100 countries. Visit ashland.com and ashland.com/sustainability to learn more. About The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. TNC is tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries and territories: 38 by direct conservation impact and 34 through partners, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org . * Tree Facts at arborday.org Trademark, Ashland or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Media Relations: Carolmarie C. Brown 302-995-3158 ccbrown@ashland.com Attachments LAS VEGAS, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Local marketing firm Las Vegas Premier Marketing (LVPM) ended last year with growth throughout the country a feat that would have been nearly impossible without the company's dedicated market managers. In January 2022, LVPM's very own branch manager, Lacia Stuart, decided she was ready to establish her own marketing firm, Evolve Management, in Las Vegas. As LVPM's market manager, Stuart is no stranger to the demands of maintaining new marketing firms, as she typically oversees the training of LVPM's newest market managers, which is why CEO Joey Ortiz felt she was the perfect partner in expanding LVPM's presence in Las Vegas. Her hard work and dedication to LVPM's success also gained her the support of her team in her own marketing firm endeavor. For years, Lacia Stuart has worked to provide local businesses with top-quality marketing services, as well as provide Nevadans with job opportunities. LVPM's dedication to the community has paid off, as the business has outgrown its original operation. With the opening of Evolve Management, the Las Vegas community can look forward to more job and career opportunities in 2022. Lacia Stuart has spent the first few months of the new year networking, creating relationships with new businesses in need of marketing services, and spreading the word that Evolve Management is up and running and ready for the community to join its team. Stuart has seized this opportunity to oversee her own marketing firm because it has been a lifelong goal of hers to be able to personally assist her community in its success. When people think of Las Vegas, too often are the city's residents overlooked. People think Las Vegas is a place of excess where people go to spend money and catch a show but, for thousands of other Nevadans, Las Vegas is home. It's a place where many, such as herself, raise families and seek successful careers. Stuart knows the importance of seeing value in Las Vegas' locals and is working diligently to help raise them to their fullest potential. In just the few short months that Evolve Management has been open and operating, she has already begun mentoring dozens of new team members, helping them to hone their craft, be successful, and essentially building the future of marketing in Las Vegas. "It is my belief that you have to be laser-beam focused on your goals and have a one-grind mentality. Nobody can do or say anything to keep you from achieving your goals because you know exactly where you are going and how you're going to get there," said Lacia Stuart. Connect with Evolve Management on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on all company events. Contact the firm at careers@evolvemanagementinc.com to join the team and start the career of a lifetime. Related Images Image 1: Evolve Management Team This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Bolivian micro-mobility and clean energy startup MOBI has partnered with American direct lithium extraction company Energy Exploration Technologies Inc. (EnergyX) (earlier post). Both companies will work towards creating a Bolivian domestic lithium battery supply chain to develop the regions electric mobility market. Bolivia is lithium-rich; the USGS estimates identified lithium reserves in the country to be 21 million tonsahead of Argentina and Chile, the other members of the lithium triangle. However, Bolivia is production-poor; Chile and Argentina are top global producers, but Bolivia has yet to produce the mineral in commercial quantities. (The Wilson Centers Latin American Program published a piece in February 2022 that provides an informative backgrounder on Bolivias travails in this area. The Wilson Center was chartered by Congress in 1968 as the official memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, and is a non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community.) MOBI, which closed the largest seed round for a startup in Bolivia at $1.38 million off a $5 million valuation, is developing a clean transport ecosystem with its fleet of electric scooters, bikes, mopeds and e-bikes. The company plans on being active throughout South America and identified EnergyX as a strategic partner capable of helping it enact its vision. EnergyX is integrated into the lithium industrys supply chains from brine to battery, and will provide MOBI work on developing a next-generation battery for MOBIs fleet. This partnership will see EnergyXs direct source of lithium and batteries help MOBI fleet and swap stations by creating a domestic brine-to-battery ecosystem within Bolivia. EnergyX was created in 2018 by entrepreneur Teague Egan. The company currently has more than 50 patents focused on creating more efficient and sustainable lithium extraction processes, as well as lithium batteries for electric vehicles and grid-scale renewable energy storage. EnergyX is currently building its Innovation Labs in Austin, Texas, and is actively scaling up its operations after a successful 2021 that saw them raise $20 million in funding and deploy their first LiTAS direct lithium extraction plants to Bolivias Salar de Uyuni. Masks will no longer be required on state-run public transportation in Connecticut, according to the Department of Transportation. In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, DOT said it lifted the mandate for CTTransit buses as well as Hartford Line and Shore Line East trains as well as their services and facilities in Connecticut. But masks are still required on Metro-North trains, under rules from New York State. Gov. Ned Lamont said at a press event Wednesday morning it was time to make masks optional for the states travelers. Youve got to keep it simple. Youve got to be clear. This judge out of Florida made it unsimple and unclear, Lamont said. I think in the interest of clarity its time to end the mask mandate for our piece of the transportation system. The decision followed a ruling by a federal judge in Florida on Monday evening that overturned the nationwide mask mandate to protect against COVID-19 on public transportation. On Tuesday, DOT said it was keeping the mask mandate in place in the state pending an appeal or overturning of the courts decision. But on Wednesday, the mandate was overturned statewide. For the last two years, our transit operators have provided masks to the public and enforced mask mandates on public transit, DOT Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said. Now that the federal mask mandate for public transit is no longer in effect, masking will no longer be enforced, but is still strongly encouraged per current CDC guidelines. DOT reminded residents, however, that masks are still required on Metro-North trains because the rail system is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York. The MTA, which also operates New York Citys subway system, still requires masks on public transit per the New York State Department of Public Health. The mask requirement on public transit in N.Y. remains in effect for now pursuant to a March 2, 2022, determination by the New York State Department of Health, MTA communications director Tim Minton said in a statement Tuesday. As of Tuesday, masks were no longer required at the airports in Connecticut, including Bradley and Tweed, the two largest. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden is set to announce plans Thursday to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine. The new package is expected to be similar in size to the $800 million package Biden announced last week. It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. A senior U.S. defense official on Wednesday said training of Ukrainian personnel on American 155mm howitzers has begun in a European country outside Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday lauded U.S. military officials for exceptional work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation's military brass for their first in-person group meeting at the White House of his presidency. It's an annual tradition that had been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic but is now being resurrected as the U.S. arms Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia's invasion. I dont know about you, but Ive been to Ukraine a number of times before the war ... and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: Theyre tougher and more proud than I thought, Biden told military commanders. "Im amazed at what theyre doing with your help. Biden brought together the Pentagons top civilian and uniformed officials amid the most serious fighting in Europe since World War II. Russias nearly two-month-old invasion of Ukraine was at the center of wide-ranging talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commanders. Biden also used the gathering to reflect on his administration's efforts to diversify Pentagon leadership. Hicks is the first Senate-confirmed woman to hold her role. Biden also chose Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost of the Air Force as commander of United States Transportation Command and Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson of the Army as commander of United States Southern Command. They are just the second and third women to lead combatant commands. Its an important milestone," Biden said. I think that speaks to how were harnessing the strength and diversity of our country. Following the meeting, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the military leaders and their spouses for dinner in the White House Blue Room. Such a gathering was last held in October 2019. Donald Trump was president at the time and was facing a House inquiry that would lead to his first impeachment, which centered on allegations that he withheld military assistance from Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to dig up dirt on Biden's adult son's business dealings in Ukraine. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Former photo-printing company CEO Jamie Darnow resigned from his job in January 2021 to build something he believes his community needs: a healthy spot for foodies. And Saturday, his vision comes to life when Island Fin Poke holds a pre-opening. I wanted to wake up every day with something I was excited about, and I brought together my three passions of fitness, food and business and landed here, he told the Greenwich Time. Island Fin Poke, a Hawaiian-themed franchise, allows customers to build their own poke bowls with proteins, like chicken, tofu and tuna, and toppings, such as avocado and edamame. Darnow said 99 percent of the menu is gluten free. Darnow, who learned about nutrition when he took up CrossFit in 2015, tried a poke bowl one day as a healthy option and started craving them. When he followed his desire to pursue a career in the restaurant business, it led him to a Florida-based franchise that specializes in the food he loves: Island Fin Poke. Im emulating (nutrition) career-wise with the food offering and doing something even better than just living it myself; Im trying to get others to live it, he said. To be able to deliver that and hopefully influence thousands of people in their eating habits is so appealing to me. An Old Greenwich resident of 17 years, Darnow saw an opportunity to bring something new to his hometown. He chose a space at 136 E. Putnam in Cos Cob to try to reach all of Greenwichs neighborhoods, he said. His restaurant is a fast-casual space, but he doesnt want customers to feel pressure to grab their food and leave. Those who eat in will receive the ohana treatment referencing the Hawaiian word that refers to a person's extended family. I thought if I could deliver this new form of food to the community, as well as unprecedented customer service, it can really be successful, Darnow said. Staff will help customers build a customized bite and bring the food to the table for diners and tidy up afterwards. Partway through the meal, they will get a complimentary sample of Dole whip, a gluten-and-dairy-free soft serve. In a space designed to look like Hawaiis tropical beauty, Darnow has thought about the restaurants impact on the ocean. He chose compostable bowls and utensils that breakdown more quickly than other plastics. He incorporated a grease interceptor into the grill, though he thought it was unnecessary for cooking pokes ingredients, because of the restaurants proximity to Long Island Sound. Darnow believes his conscious choices will appeal to a younger generation, one that is choosing food carefully. Its just the right food for the right market at the right time. Our kids are listening to us; theyre eating less fried chicken and pizza, and theyre gravitating to the acai bowls and things, he said. (Island Fin is located next to an acai spot.) The ingredients and a nutrition calculator are available at islandfinpoke.com. Island Fin will host a pre-opening from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday with free poke bowls and Dole whip samples. The restaurant will open its doors and stay open starting Monday. annelise.hanshaw@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) A series of explosions across Afghanistan on Thursday killed at least 10 people and wounded scores more, according to police and hospital officials. No one immediately took responsibility for the deadly explosions, but they mostly targeted the countrys minority Shiite Muslims and had all the hallmarks of a deadly Islamic State affiliate known as Islamic State in Khorasan Province, or IS-K. The worst of the three attacks occurred in northern Mazar-e-Sharif where at least 10 worshippers were killed as they knelt in prayer, said Dr. Ghawsuddin Anwari, head of the main hospital in northern Mazar-e-Sharif. Another 40 were injured. They were brought in ambulances and private cars. The explosion at the Sai Doken mosque in northern Mazar-e-Sharif occurred as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful fast from sunrise to sunset. Earlier Thursday in the capital, Kabul, a roadside bomb exploded and injured two children. That bomb also targeted the country's minority Shiites, striking in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Kabul, dominated by Afghanistan's minority Shiite Muslims. Two days earlier in the same area, multiple explosions targeting educational institutions killed at least six people, mostly children, and wounded 17 others. A third explosion Thursday, this one in northern Kunduz province, struck a vehicle carrying mechanics contracted by the ruling Taliban, according to Matiullah Rohani, head of information and culture in Kunduz province. Thursday's series of deadly explosions comes after months of relative calm in Afghanistan and after a crackdown against the IS-K by the country's Taliban rulers in the first months following their sweep to power. The IS affiliate, which has been operating in Afghanistan since 2014, is seen as the greatest security challenge facing the country's Taliban rulers. Following their August takeover, the Taliban launched a sweeping crackdown against the IS headquarters in eastern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, advocates for the minority Hazaras called for a stop to the killings. Hazaras, who make up around 9% of the population of Afghanistan's 36 million people, stand alone in being targeted because of their ethnicity distinct from the other ethnic groups, such as Tajik and Uzbek and the Pashtun majority and their religion. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, despised by Sunni Muslim radicals like the Islamic State group, and discriminated against by many in the Sunni-majority country. The Islamic State affiliate has previously targeted schools, particularly in the Shiite-dominated Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood. In May last year, months before the Taliban took power in Kabul, more than 60 children, mostly girls, were killed when two bombs were detonated outside their school, also in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood. Dasht-e-Barchi and other parts of western Kabul are houses to the Shiite minorities of Afghanistan which have mostly been targeted by the Islamic State affiliate loyalists, however, no one has claimed credit for the recent explosions. ____ Associated Press Writers Tameem Akhgar and Rahim Faiez in Islamabad contributed to this report This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SANTA FE N.M. (AP) U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan has mostly recovered from his January stroke, and said voters, not his health scare, will decide who represents New Mexico. Im feeling strong. Im still not 100% but I think Im over 90%, said Lujan, 49, on a Thursday tour of Santa Fe High School. He toured the campus in red Converse sneakers and, along with U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, talked with students in a closed meeting at the campus library and listened as they shared their struggles with mental health. New Mexico children lost caretakers at a higher rate during the pandemic than most other states, according to a December report from the Covid Collaborative. An estimated 1,600 children in the state lost a caregiver, and the rate was 10 times higher for Native American children. They suffered loss family members, friends and we need to make sure we reimagine our schools to be schools that provide a social-emotional support, Cardona said. Cardona said it was his 32nd state visit as Education Secretary for the Biden administration. He urged the states to prioritize mental health support with the $1 billion in funding directed at schools in New Mexico from federal pandemic relief. I know our rural communities are often dealing with different challenges. And I want to make sure that the funds through the American Rescue Plan meet them where they are, Cardona said. Lujans recovery from the stroke is a relief for Democrats who barely hold power in the evenly divided Senate, thanks only to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris. The White House agenda was thrown into peril when Lujans stroke was first revealed. Lujan credited hospital staff, prayer and a positive attitude for his quick recovery. After returning to Congress in March, he held his first public events in New Mexico this week, starting in Albuquerque on Tuesday. He said he's also been doing work at his family farm and walked to a church as part of an Easter pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayo, a historic church in the northern part of the state. Sen. Lujan doesnt face reelection until 2026. He said his health scare wont cause him to retire before his term is up. Im here as long as I have and earn the support of the people of New Mexico," Lujan said. "They will decide whos going to serve them in the U.S. Senate." ___ Cedar Attanasio contributed reporting from Santa Fe. Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter. Apple struck a deal with Chinese display maker BOE, industry insiders revealed. The contract is worth CNY50 million and is for 25% of OLED displays, designated for the vanilla iPhone 14 smartphone. BOE will provide only 6.1 panels, meaning the bigger iPhone 14 Max and the iPhone Pro duo will still exclusively use screens, manufactured by LG and Samsung. This is the first time BOE will be providing panels for current-generation iPhones, Chinese media sources pointed out. The display maker has been manufacturing replacement versions, as well as panels for previous-gen iPhones. This information comes only weeks after reports from South Korea that BOE is also preparing to supply OLED panels for future iPads and Macbooks. In order to meet Apples needs for future contracts, BOE will expand its B16 plant in Sichuan and will equip it with the appropriate power, needed to yield the required number of OLEDs panels. The report also reminded BOE had its best year since it started working on such panels. Annual results revealed BOE pushed nearly 60 million OLEDs, which is a 60% increase, boosting the company to the top spot in China, and second in the world after the undisputed leader Samsung. Source (in Chinese) Earlier on April 20, Verizon pushed an update to its LTE-variant of the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and Watch4 Classic. The online documentation that initially released with the update screenshots of the feature that enabled Google Assistant on the two Watch4 models. Assistant has been missing since the smartwatches launched despite running WearOS 3.0. Verizon's changelog originally included these screenshots of the Google Assistant feature. However, following the update, users were perplexed to find that the update would not bring Google Assistant. It was not until The Verge reached out to Google for clarification about the features absence. A Google spokesperson responded with the following statement. To confirm, Assistant is not rolling out to Gaalxy Watch 4 and we dont have an update on timing, Ivy Hunt, Google spokesperson. Verizons release notes have been updated to exclude the addition of Google Assistant. Other updates to the Galaxy Watch4 include Backup and Restore support with Smart Switch. It is also now possible to take a Body Composition measurement through the target notification. You can check out the full update notes on Verizons support site. Source Update (April 21): Samsung changed up the offer slightly. First, you can get up to $1,000 of trade-in credit for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, up from $850. An old S21 Ultra in good condition is worth that much, but keep in mind that the you can send up to two devices (smartphone, tablet and/or smartwatch) to get the credit. Phones with cracked screens are accepted too (at a lower valuation). The bigger change is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is now part of the deal as well and you can support the purchase by trading in up to two old devices for up to $1,000 of credit. The base price for the 256 GB model (unlocked) is $1,800, so the trade-in credit can cover most of the cost. This deal is available at the Samsung US store. The flagship foldable now also comes with $250 of instant Samsung Credit, quite a bit higher than the $100 that the S22 Ultra and S22+ get ($50 for the S22). This you can spend right after clicking Continue on various accessories and Samsung products. Some of those are discounted by 30-50%, so the Instant Credit can buy more than its dollar value. Especially with the Z Fold3's $250 worth of Instant Credit. You can get a Galaxy Tab S7 FE (128 GB, Wi-Fi) basically for free it is 56% off and costs $260. Same with a Galaxy Watch4 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth), which is 30% off and costs $266. One final note the Galaxy Z Fold3 comes with $100 of Google Play Store credit that you can spend on apps, games, movies and books. Also, both the Z Fold3 and the S22 Ultra come with 4 free months of YouTube Premium, 3 free months of Spotify Premium and 6 free months of SiriusXM Streaming. The original article continues below. During the pre-order period Samsung US was offering $50 discounts on the regular prices of the Galaxy S22 series those regular prices being $800 for the S22, $1,000 for the S22+ and $1,200 for the S22 Ultra (for the base memory configuration). Those prices haven't budged since then, however, the company has offered new ways to save some money almost every week. This week the offer is simple you get store credit with your purchase. The Galaxy S22 Ultra and Galaxy S22+ come with $100 of Samsung Credit attached, the Galaxy S22 with $50. Note that this offer only for US customers. You can get up to $100 instant Samsung Credit to spend on accessories, bundles and even tablets Using the credit is pretty straightforward after you pick out the phone configuration you like, you hit Continue and you are taken to a page where you can spend your credit. Keep in mind that a lot of accessories are 20% off this week, so a $100 go further than usual. You can keep it simple and just grab Samsung Care+ ($12/month), which covers accidental damage (drops, spills) and cheap screen repairs ($29). Alternatively, you can pick up an extra gadget or three. For example, the Galaxy Watch4 (44 mm, Bluetooth) is 30% off right now and costs $196. The Galaxy Buds2 have their own discount and are selling for $130. A fitness companion bundle gets you the watch and Buds2 for $300 (a bit less than if you get them separately). This is before you apply the Credit, of course, so the Watch4 can be yours for under a hundred bucks. One of the highest discounts is on the Galaxy Tab S7 FE the Wi-Fi models (64, 128 and 256 GB) are 40% off, so the slate starts at $318. Finally, dont forget that the Enhanced Trade-in program is still active. This means you can send up to 2 old devices, including phones (in good condition or with a cracked screen), tablets and smartwatches. Retired 1st Lt. Joseph H. Salas and Guam Museum curator Michael Bevacqua discuss the most recent donation to Guam Museum in Hagatna on May 3, 2022. Produce and local snacks are displayed at a Farmers Market stand during the Guam Museums Silebra I Kottura-ta yan i Hinanao-ta event at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna March 31, 2022. A federal appeals court this week voided a June 2020 ruling which had been described as a landmark legal victory for people with disabilities in Guam. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted the federal governments request to vacate the ruling after the plaintiff in the case, Katrina Schaller, died late last year, making her ongoing federal lawsuit moot. Schaller, a Guam resident with a disability, sued the Social Security Administration in December 2018, challenging the inability of Guam residents to receive support payments under the federal Supplemental Security Income program. Congress excluded Guam and other territories from program eligibility, and Schaller lost her monthly support payments when she relocated from the U.S. mainland to Guam. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood in June 2020 ruled the federal SSI policy is discriminatory and violated Schallers constitutional right to equal protection under the law. The Justice Department appealed Tydingco-Gatewoods decision to the Ninth Circuit, but the case was paused because the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a similar case related to a Puerto Rico resident who lost his SSI payments when he relocated from New York. The Justice Department asked the court to dismiss Schallers lawsuit and vacate the June 2020 ruling after Schaller died last November of complications related to her disability. According to the Justice Department, Schallers death made the case moot since she was suing for future SSI benefits. Schallers attorneys last month asked the court to preserve the June 2020 ruling, stating it decided a key question of equal protection for some of the most vulnerable citizens of this country. The appeals court this week rejected that request, stating the established practice in a civil case that has become moot is to reverse or vacate the judgment. The Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort in Tamuning was officially rebranded as the RIHGA Royal Laguna Guam Resort on Thursday. Nobuyuki Tsurui, the resorts general manager, said the contract with Marriott Hotels was set to expire on Wednesday, and the hotel did not plan to renew with the company. About six months to a year ago, our team in Tokyo was looking for a new brand to represent this hotel. It happens that we own one hotel under the RIHGA Royal brand in Okinawa, and they are known for good service and food, so our Tokyo office and I selected this brand, Tsurui said. He said this brand will be especially helpful once more tourists from Japan start returning to the island, since it is a name people from Japan are familiar with. The hotel has already started advertising on Guam and abroad to attract current and future guests. We just launched the Japanese website, and we intend to do the same in the Korean language as well as English. That is one of our ultimate weapons to get the word out there, Tsurui said. Depending on the global financial situation, some updates and changes to the building are being considered. We are looking at adding two outlets and doing some renovations in the guests rooms as well. We are thinking of renovating maybe 20% to 30% of the inventory of the rooms, he said. An idea for the outlets is to possibly have a branch of Guam Bakery located in the lobby, and a new bar for the infinity pool area. He said hotel management hopes to incorporate local businesses in the hotel. Since RIHGA Royal Hotel traces its roots to Osaka, Japan, since 1935, Tsurui said management is planning to incorporate cuisine from Osaka. Osaka is well known for its wheat-based dishes such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki. According to resort Director of Sales and Marketing Miyuki Rierson, management will remain the same. KD Arasons escape from the Department of Corrections appeared to be a continued effort to evade authorities as he was initially confined under suspicion of leading police on a chase after being accused of a stabbing early Wednesday morning. At about 1 a.m. Wednesday, police officers were investigating a stabbing incident in Dededo when they saw a 2020 White Mitsubishi Mirage slowly driving away from the crime scene with the headlights turned off. According to a magistrates complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam, the man who police were interviewing said Arason attacked him before driving away. Police then communicated via radio to conduct a traffic stop on Arason, who at one point stopped for a few seconds before speeding off toward Route 27. It was at this point Arason was seen trying to make a right turn onto Route 16 before he hit the right side of a sidewalk, swerved back onto Route 27 and struck a raised concrete median in front of Kings Restaurant in Harmon, the complaint stated. The car began sliding and drifting before hitting a utility power pole and catching on fire, according to the complaint. Police pulled Arason out of the car and placed him under arrest. Escape Arason was initially taken to DOCs Hagatna facility but after refusing to take a COVID-19 test, he was transported to Mangilao and placed in a quarantine facility, according to a release sent by DOC. According to the complaint, at about 8:27 a.m. a headcount at DOC discovered Arason was missing which resulted in a lockdown of the facility and a subsequent search. It was then reported to GPD that Arason was seen by a witness running into the jungle area by the Department of Agriculture across the street from Price Elementary School. Police eventually found Arason in the jungle area near Route 10 and Sgt. Francis Torre Street as he was crouched in thick foliage attempting to hide. When found, Arason attempted to flee and resisted arrest before being subdued by GPD and DOC officers at the scene, the complaint stated. Investigation Since Arason was recaptured Wednesday morning, DOC Director Robert Bob Camacho said there is an ongoing investigation into the escape. We are taking this matter very seriously and are actively looking at all areas of improvement for our facility. If there is officer negligence or misconduct, we will take the appropriate administrative action, Camacho said. Arason currently is confined in the Maximum Security Unit at DOC and Camacho adds his movement is severely restricted. Two University of Guam ROTC cadets shadowed the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense remote launcher to Rota last month, according to a news release from the university. Cadets Amber Pangelinan, a sophomore criminal justice major, and Enriquo Nedlic, a senior public administration major, joined 15 active-duty Army Air Defense Artillery personnel for the Armys part of the mission Operation Talon Lightning on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. UOG ROTC graduate 1st Lt. Maria Rosario Marinas, accompanied the cadets on the mission as part of the Guam Army National Guard Security Force contingent. The THAAD Remote Launch package, including a THAAD launcher and associated personnel and equipment, were sent to Rota International Airport. This operation was designed to allow the military to gather valuable data and inform future deployments of THAAD Remote Launch packages throughout the region, according to a news release from the Army. THAAD Remote Launch is a recently developed capability that allows a launcher to operate while geographically separated from its tactical fire control center and radar array. This can expand the amount of area a THAAD battery can defend and allows commanders greater flexibility in deploying the system, according to the Army. ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. Chinese FM holds phone talks with Azerbaijani counterpart on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties Xinhua) 08:51, April 21, 2022 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a phone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations, Wang noted. Standing together through thick and thin over the past 30 years, Wang said, the two countries have jointly burnished the golden banner of friendly and cooperative partnership. As Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pointed out, Azerbaijan and China are "true strategic partners," Wang said, adding China-Azerbaijan relations will have new bright prospects and will become more mature and enriched under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state. Wang said that China will, as always, respect Azerbaijan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and support the Azerbaijani people in choosing their own development path in light of their own national conditions. He said he believes the Azerbaijani side will continue to support China's legitimate position on issues involving China's core interests, always follow the one-China policy, and oppose any form of "Taiwan independence." China is ready to synergize its development strategies with Azerbaijan, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, consolidate the traditional friendship between the two peoples and cement the social foundation of China-Azerbaijan relations, Wang said, adding China welcomes Azerbaijan's active participation in the Global Development Initiative. Bayramov, for his part, congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Winter Olympics and thanked China for its valuable assistance in Azerbaijan's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that China's vaccine assistance has made Azerbaijan one of the first countries in the world to have COVID-19 vaccines. The two sides should celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in a grand manner and strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, said Bayramov, adding that Azerbaijan will continue to abide by the one-China principle. The minister also welcomes more Chinese-funded enterprises to invest in Azerbaijan, saying his country is also willing to strengthen cooperation with China under the framework of the Global Development Initiative. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) PREGNANT Zimbabwean women, who had resorted to using South African health facilities to get cheaper services, may need to find other alternatives as hospitals in the neighbouring country are allegedly hiking fees for foreigners. South Africas health institutions feel that foreigners are taking up too much space at their institutions. The Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, which has been one of the favourites for Zimbabwean women, has reportedly significantly hiked its fees. For a bed only, one now has to fork out over R2 300 a day and R8 542 for a normal delivery. If it is a Caesarean delivery, the fee is now a whooping R11 603. Last month, South African Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi expressed concern over an influx of illegal migrants at the countrys maternity hospitals. Motsoaledi sensationally claimed that at Musina Hospital in Limpopo province, 70% of women giving birth there were Zimbabwean nationals. If you go to Musina Hospital now, and to the labour ward, and I challenge you to do so, you will find that 70% of the women who are delivering there are from Zimbabwe nobody stops them. And, when we arrest people, we are not arresting them for coming to South Africa. We are saying they must come officially and I want to emphasise that, he said while addressing the media recently. Desperate Zimbabwean women cross into to the neighbouring country as local health facilities have fallen apart and have inadequate equipment and drugs. Newsday THE State yesterday said police were ready with Marry Mubaiwas docket on attempted murder charges and it was now perusing it with expectation of prosecuting her when she returns to court within the next month. Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti said they were hoping that they will be ready to prosecute Mubaiwa when she returns to court on June 21 this year. Mubaiwa is alleged to have attempted to take Vice President Constantino Chiwengas life by removing a medical intravenous set and a catheter when he was hospitalised in South Africa. The docket on attempted murder is now complete and we are now in its possession for perusal. We are hoping to furnish her with a trial date on that day, said Mr Mutsokoti. Mubaiwa, through lawyer Mr Doug Coltart, who was standing in for Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, agreed to return to court on June 21. She, however, placed the State on notice that she wishes to apply for refusal of further remand if she is not furnished with a trial date. It is the States allegations that Mubaiwa entered into the hospital where VP Chiwenga was admitted. The court heard that she then unlawfully removed the Vice Presidents medical Intra Venous Giving Set as well as the Central Venous Catheter from him, resulting in him bleeding profusely. It is further alleged that she forced him off the bed, held his hand, and moved him out of the ward. The State alleges that Mubaiwa was intercepted by the security personnel, she had initially locked out of the room prior to incident. Security personnel are said to have called the hospital staff to reconnect the medical equipment she had allegedly unlawfully removed. The Vice President was successfully resuscitated with Mubaiwa said to have disappeared from the hospital. It is the States case that VP Chiwenga, prior to his admission in hospital, Mubaiwa detained him at a top hotel in Pretoria and denying him medical attention. Her actions prompted security team to force their way into the hotel and took him to hospital. Upon his re-admission Chiwenga had the two medical instruments inserted and was placed under 24-hour monitoring by the doctors and his security personnel as he was helpless, the court heard. Mubaiwa is also charged with externalisation of US$1 million and money laundering of over US$900 000. She was recently convicted and fined $60 000 for lying that VP Chiwenga had consented to solemnise their wedding. Yesterday, Mubaiwa appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje. Herald (JTA) - With Allied forces swiftly approaching during the liberation of the concentration camps, Nazis barricaded Gerda Weissmann Klein and other Jewish survivors inside a barn, planting a time bomb outside. A sudden rainstorm disconnected the bomb's wiring, and American forces found the barn and unlocked the door. Weissmann Klein told the first rescuer she saw that she was Jewish. He responded that he was, too. Then he held the door open for her. A few years later, the two - the survivor and her liberator, U.S. intelligence officer Kurt Klein - were married. That was how Weissmann Klein... ZANU PF party is tightening its authoritarian capabilities ahead of the 2023 elections to prevent a humiliating electoral defeat to the opposition, a local non-governmental organisation has claimed. After the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) won 19 of the 28 contested Parliamentary seats in by-elections held two months after its formation, Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) says the ruling party was staring at the possibility of losing the general elections expected next year. CCC also garnered 75 out of the 122 local authority seats while Zanu PF won the remainder. ZDIs latest report titled: Deterrent of the Zambian Precedent in Zimbabwe suggests that the opposition victory in Zambias elections last year was a wake-up call for Zanu PF. The electoral defeat of the ruling party in Zambia in 2021 has triggered the Zanu PF elite to intensify the building and strengthening of authoritarian capability and resilience infrastructure. The current political economy has, therefore, been characterised by the deployment of strategies to deter the 2021 Zambian precedent and boost the Zanu PF regimes staying power beyond 2023, ZDI said. Zimbabwe is conceptualised as a competitive authoritarian regime that is neither in transition towards democratic breakthrough nor towards absolute autocracy. It is a deliberate mid-way regime with strong institutional safeguards to keep the system neither a democracy nor an absolute autocracy. ZDI said during its research, it established that the military was involved in the transition and electoral processes directly through deployment to suppress opposition mobilisation, deployment to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), and indirectly through Zanu PF. The centre of gravity in Zimbabwes competitive authoritarian regime is the military elite captured Zanu PF manipulating key democracy institutions, mainly Judiciary and Legislature, media and Zec. The capture of Zanu PF is historical and philosophical as it is heavily ring-fenced by four interrelated philosophical narratives that have made military involvement in electoral and transitional processes a practicable and inexorable culture in Zimbabwe. It said the feature of transition in Zimbabwe could not be thought of or conceptualised without paying attention to the role of the security forces in that transition, adding that Mnangagwas government had built its authoritarian resilience infrastructure. Yesterday while addressing the ordinary session of the Zanu PF politburo and the central committee, Mnangagwa said his party structures from the grassroots were strong enough to ensure electoral victory in 2023. The growth of our support base in urban areas is on the right track, let us deploy responsive and people-centred multi-pronged mobilisation strategies to endear the urbanites. The various strategies must translate to Zanu PF votes at the 2023 harmonised general elections, Mnangagwa said yesterday. Political analyst Prolific Mataruse said: The economy continues to cause headaches for policymakers in Zimbabwe and its correct for analysts to observe that the Zanu PF government is being restive, especially given a restless population. Another analyst Methuseli Moyo said: President Mnangagwa himself has said that what happened in Zambia could not happen here. That declaration means he is determined to prevent it from happening, which is not wrong by the way. What would be wrong is to use foul means to achieve that objective. Newsday Eytan Stibbe, the second Israeli astronaut to launch into space, seen during a press conference in Tel Aviv, May 5, 2021. (JTA) - An Israeli astronaut made a decidedly low-tech delivery to the International Space Station: handmade matzah. Eytan Stibbe, 64, is one of three astronauts who paid for the privilege of launching into space on April 8, in an initiative of Axiom Space, a private company based in Houston. Chabad of the Space and Treasure Coasts in Florida delivered Stibbe a Passover food package, noting that he would be on the space station when Passover started on the evening of April 15, Chabad.org reported. Stibbe explained the significance of the holiday in a Zoom press conference. "The seder, Passo... Members of Kibbutz Sdot Yam doing their laundry against the backdrop of ancient Caesarea in 1941. (ISRAEL21c) -This year, the theme of International Women's Day is #BreakTheBias. Which is terrific news, as women every where still face discrimination and prejudice in matters big and small. In hope for a gender-equal world, we'd like to take a moment to celebrate the women who helped turn Israel into a flourishing country. According to historian Prof. Margalit Shilo, women in pre-state Israel began their pioneering, gender-expectation-renouncing work in the early 20th century. One of the first examples was the Women's Farm established in 1911 on the shores of Lake Kinneret in northern I... (JNS) - Despite Israeli requests for an American-led preparation of a "Plan B" in case of failure of talks to lead to a new Iran nuclear agreement, Washington has yet to formulate such an alternative in a detailed manner, a leading Israeli expert on U.S.-Israeli relations has cautioned. Professor Eytan Gilboa of Bar-Ilan University, who is also a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, also said, however, that good ties between the Israeli and American defense establishments - and between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Ga... (JTA) - A new Boston-based foundation dedicated to Holocaust memory plans to build the city's first Holocaust museum. The Holocaust Legacy Foundation, which couple Jody Kipnis and Todd Ruderman founded after a 2018 March of the Living trip to Auschwitz, announced Thursday that it had purchased a 15,000-square-foot building near Boston Common, on the city's American Independence-themed series of historical markers known as the Freedom Trail. The couple intends to turn it into a museum devoted to the memory of the Holocaust. The cost was $11.5 million, according to the Associated Press. The m... (JNS) Iran is dangerously close to enriching uranium to 90 percent, or military-grade, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday. Addressing a policy forum hosted by the Washington Institute, Gantz said, As we know, Iran is continuing its uranium enrichment and expanding its capabilities and they are close to 90 percent enrichment, once they decide to reach it. I understand the need for an agreement, but if an agreement [is not] reached, we must activate Plan B immediately. On April 6, during an address to 80 ambassadors in Israel, Gantz defined Plan B as movi... (JNS) Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday that he is advancing a plan to grant work permits to tens of thousands of additional Palestinians. Currently, an estimated 100,000 Palestinians enter Israel legally to work after being screened by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and receiving an Israeli permit. Gantz said that the measure would be advanced alongside ongoing intensified intelligence, as well as offensive and defensive steps currently being taken by security forces to quash the recent wave of deadly terrorism. We are advancing solutions that will enable t... (JNS) The Abraham Accords have led to a host of programs to bring together Jews and Muslims. One new project, the Mukhayriq Initiative, is named after a Jewish rabbi who gave his life fighting to defend the Prophet Muhammad at the legendary Battle of Uhud in 625 C.E. The story of the rabbis sacrificeand his close friendship with Muhammedis known mainly to Islamic scholars, but the founders of the initiative say it reflects a positive, if suppressed, aspect of Muslim-Jewish history. To underscore the importance of the story, coming as it does at Islams start, the co-founders... Teacher Hanna Rabkin and three new immigrants from Ukraine attend class at Renanim Shuvu school in Nof Hagalil, Israel, March 23, 2022. NOF HAGALIL, Israel (JTA) - During Veronika Maidanova's first two days attending school in Israel, the 8-year-old felt completely lost. "Everyone spoke Hebrew and I didn't understand anything," she recalled, weeks after fleeing her native Ukraine for the safety, but unfamiliarity, of Israel. Then her mother heard about a school focused on new immigrants where 90 percent of students speak Russian. She quickly enrolled Veronica in the Shuvu Renanim school in Nof Hagalil, a city of 41,000 in the Galilee where an estimated 60 percent of families speak Russian at home. "She's really found her... It has been 77 years since World War II ended, yet the world will never forget the six million Jews and countless other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. While Jan. 27, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945, is recognized by the United Nations as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the people of Israel and Jewish individuals across the globe commemorate the victims annually on Yom HaShoah, the "Day of (Remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism." On Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m. ET, Jewish National Fund-USA will host a free vir... Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, You are a master of public relations, a Churchill for your country, a true patriot. I am a Jewess, the daughter of Holocaust survivors. Indeed, your country, Ukraine, has been invaded and the reality is grim. Technology has allowed you to appear in front of countries parliaments and on every TV channel and the plight is clear, the Ukrainians will fight for their freedom and sovereignty provided they can get the support and help from the outside world. Before I start, I need to remind you that if Israels prime minister would have had to appeal to the world wit... (JNS) It turns out that The Atlantic magazine did a better job explaining the problem of disinformation than even those planning its recent conference on the subject held at the University of Chicago could have hoped. The magazine modestly described the event, titled Disinformation and the Erosion of Democracy, as groundbreaking, and in one sense, it was. It was hosted by an institution that is one of the pillars of the liberal Washington establishment and had a list of speakers that was filled with well-known talking heads regularly seen on CNN and MSNBC, as well as p... Putins war against Ukraine is far from Tehran. But if the Biden administration hopes to deter Russia in Ukraine, and its growing alliance with China and Iran, it needs to move decisively against Irans nuclear assets now. The war in Europe and coming threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is confronting the U.S. with a stark reality: an emerging alliance of nuclear-armed states, including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, whose atomic umbrella will stretch from NATOs borders in Eastern Europe to the Asian Far East. The Biden Administration does not yet realize that the ground has shifte... (JNS) The year so far finds the Western alliance at a crossroads. Unable to comprehend the Axis assembled against the American-led world order, the Biden administration is actively empowering our adversaries and rendering a new world war vastly more likely. It is just as Winston Churchill said long ago an appeaser is someone who feeds his friends to the crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. For a moment after the shocking Russian assault on Ukraine, we almost forgot the Biden administrations reckless abandonment of the 20-year commitment to an Afghanistan that was not a terrori... THE LOCALLY INSPIRED MERCURE HIDA TAKAYAMA WILL BOAST 161 ROOMS. Accor, one of the world's leading international hotel operators, is set to welcome its first hotel in Takayama, Japan, with the signing of Mercure Hida Takayama. Inspired by the reinterpretation of Takayama's traditional handicrafts, the hotel brings warmth and tranquil touches, enriched with modern hotel experiences allowing travellers to fully immerse in the destination. The hotel is set to open in November 2022. Takayama is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. The famous Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are within convenient access by bus. Located in the heart of Takayama, the Sanmachi Historic District will transport travellers back to the Edo Period with its preserved wooden merchant houses and small museums. Local treats and original Sake breweries await to be discovered. The city is also famed for its biannual Takayama Festival, one of the most beautiful festivals to celebrate spring and fall. Located in the heart of the city within a four-minute walk from Takayama JR Station, Mercure Hida Takayama offers 161 beautifully designed guestrooms and two dining experiences. The highlight facilities include the indoor and outdoor onsens on the top floor, which allow guests to unwind while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Takayama. Mercure, one of the world's most expansive midscale brands, is locally inspired to reflect the distinct character and culture of each destination in which it resides, through design, dining and local experiences. Mercure believes that travel connects guests to the locality and people. Hotel website Orange County's largest property, Hilton Anaheim is proud to announce the promotion of chef Juan M. Lopez to executive chef. Building upon his 36-year tenure at the 1,572 room property, chef Lopez will continue to oversee all culinary operations for Hilton Anaheim's 3 restaurants and catering services. Chef Lopez specializes in creating dishes that are made from sustainable seafood and grass-fed animals such as beef and poultry. His love for the kitchen began when he was a young boy, watching his mother prepare dishes with farm-fresh ingredients, and her cooking style has influenced his culinary journey. In his new role, chef Lopez aims to build upon the property's use of sustainable sourcing while expanding the hotel's network of local purveyors. Drawing on his Mexican heritage, he plans to incorporate many of the styles, flavors, and techniques from his diverse culture including smoking and the creation of homestyle sauces into new menu items. Before joining Hilton Anaheim in 1985, chef Lopez began his culinary career in 1983 alongside European chefs, primarily in banquets, where he discovered his passion for culinary through large-scale meetings and events. During his career, he also taught California Cuisine in Switzerland in 2001 and most recently used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to launch a catering business further building on his passion for banquet food preparation. Chef Lopez's enhancements to the culinary offerings can be found at the property's fine dining establishment, MIX Restaurant, which offers guests a variety of imaginative dishes created from some of the finest organic and natural ingredients available in the region. Guests can also gather in the grand lobby to enjoy signature cocktails, a robust wine list, and a delectable menu of appetizers and plates at MIX Lounge. From May to September, the Pool Bar and Grill serves light snacks, burgers, and grilled selections in addition to fresh fruit and salads. This week Cycas welcomed Dean Rossilli as VP Operations, bringing 30 years of international hospitality experience in branded full-service hotels across the UK, US, Australia and Southeast Asia. Dean joins from ONYX Hospitality Group, where he was Area General Manager and had spent four years working for the operator in Malaysia. Prior to that Dean had accrued significant general manager experience across differing markets, spending six years with Pan Pacific Hotel Group in Indonesia and Singapore, three years with glh Hotels across Malaysia, four years working for Macdonald Hotels & Resorts in the UK, and seven years with Marriott International across England, Scotland and the USA. With extensive experience of opening new hotels, Dean's remit covers Cycas's London hotels, plus two new additions to the Cycas portfolio which will open across mainland Europe in late 2022. This includes the European debut of the Motto by Hilton urban lifestyle brand (Rotterdam). Travel to Europe this summer will soar 600% over last summer, according to travel insurance vendor Allianz Partners. "European destinations have made a significant effort to welcome Americans back, and our data shows tremendous pent-up demand for travel to the continent," said Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. Allianz analyzed more than 40,000 flight itineraries for trips of five to eight days this summer, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Three-quarters of Americans headed to Europe plan to spend seven days on vacation, while 11% are planning on eight days. The top destination, London, remains unchanged from last year and will capture 22% of all Europe bookings. Allianz suggested the queen's Platinum Jubilee festivities are part of the draw. Paris and Dublin switched spots this year, with Paris coming in at No. 2 and Dublin, No. 3. Iceland capital Reykjavik stayed in the fourth spot. Read the full article at travelweekly.com Thailands battered hotel sector is showing increased signs of fatigue as the global pandemic enters its third year. Nowhere is this more apparent than the resort island of Phuket, where over 73% per cent of new hotel developments either lay dormant or have been put in hold. According to data in the newly released Phuket Hotel Market Update 2022 from C9 Hotelworks hospitality consulting, the once robust island hotel pipeline has owners now suffering from fear factor as they continue to reel in the wake of a volatile marketplace and unclear future outlook. Negative sentiment and stressed liquidity have impacted development, which has seen an incoming supply of 33 hotels with 8,616 rooms facing an unknown future. Drilling down on the pipeline data, 55% of the hotel projects are mixed-use, or hotel residences with rental-based investment schemes that target individual investment buyers. In light of the economic climate C9 research indicates that some of these real estate-led hospitality projects are unlikely return to the pipeline. While glossy tourism campaigns that focus on quality vs. quantity are the new mantra across the country, reality bites hard on an island that went from hosting over 9 million passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport in 2019 to just over 900,000 in 2021. The sizable 90% decline, coupled with the fact there are already 1,786 registered tourism establishments and 92,604 hotel rooms in current supply mean empty beds that need tourists. Source: C9 Hotelworks Ltd. Speaking to the situation, C9 Hotelworks Managing Director Bill Barnett says over 40% of the islands international visitors two years ago were either from China or Eastern Europe including Russia. While Im asked daily about when will Phuket recover, the truth of the matter is we are pushing out our estimates of a cyclical return to 2025. The elephant in the room for the moment is China. The conundrum is that while I fully expect Phuket stabilized numbers to return given its favorable geographic location, tourism-oriented infrastructure and demonstrated airlift capacity but macro political and economic issues are clouding the short-term horizon. Phuket led all of Southeast Asia in a remarkable effort of widespread vaccinations and the pioneering Sandbox re-entry program. But a look at the current situation which has seen a return to seasonal trading and departure of winter snowbird travelers dissipate, now has the island looking for replacement markets. As other regional neighbors such as Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines roll out quarantine free travel, Thailand remains in an uncompetitive situation given its beleaguered Test & Go process. Hoteliers in Phuket have been quick to address damage control from the Ukraine Russia crisis, but most of the Russian market falls away in March historically. Three notable source markets that are ramping up airlift to Phuket are Australia, India and the Middle East, and these remain bright spots, though none have demonstrated traffic to match the mass Chinese market. While Phukets tourism-leveraged economy has survived the first two years of the pandemic largely intact, C9s Bill Barnett says the remainder of 2022 and beyond is already seeing a rapid escalation of hotels coming up for sale. Most of these are not at highly distressed levels but what it indicates is that legacy investment sentiment in hospitality assets is experiencing a changing of the guard." Source: C9 Hotelworks Ltd. The number of Thai hotel owners and also foreign investors that are retreating from the sector is expected to grow. C9s opinion of the slowdown in the pipeline and high activity in the transaction market is this is not an entirely bad thing and will likely reframe supply and demand over the medium term in a return to a more solid, rational and less speculative marketplace. Another change in attitude for island hotel owners has been a wave of conversions of independent properties to brands given that many of the highest performing properties during the Phuket Sandbox reopening and growth in domestic travelers was to branded hotels. While another outcome has also seen a number of internationally managed properties converted from management to franchises. This reality of owners operating under global brands and a new influx of white label management has been a trend that was coming anyway and has only been accelerated by the pandemic. Despite the bricks and mortar reality of Phukets tourism journey back to the future, the backstory of it has been a large-scale exodus of hospitality and service staff from the industry. Given the many stops and starts, opening and closings of hotels and businesses, the shine of tourisms Amazing Thailand byline has been lost on a generation of workers. While business levels have continued to grow at moderate levels, staff shortages continue to plague the industry and perhaps the greatest challenge that lies ahead for Phuket hotels is regaining its greatest asset hotel staff to serve tourists when they eventually return. That said, this same comment currently applies across all of Southeast Asia and the world, implying doing more with less staff will have to be the new tourism norm. Download C9 Hotelworks Phuket Hotel Market Update 2022 - CLICK About C9 Hotelworks C9 Hotelworks is led by founder and Managing Director Bill Barnett, who brings over 35 years' experience in the Asian hospitality and real estate sectors. Prior to founding C9 in 2003, Bill held senior executive roles in hotel operations, development and asset management. He is considered to be a leading global authority on hotel residences, and has sat at almost every seat around the hospitality and real estate table. Bill promotes industry insight through regular conference presentations at key events and contributes to numerous industry publications. For more information contact www.c9hotelworks.com. Bill Barnett Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks +66 (0)8 1956 1802 C9 Hotelworks Ltd. NEW YORK - MCR, a leading hotel investor and the third-largest hotel owner-operator in the United States, and Island Capital Group LLC (Island Capital), a leading international real estate merchant bank that controls a diverse group of real estate services companies engaged in fund management, principal investment, and financial advisory and consulting services, today announced that they have jointly acquired the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, an iconic 1,780-room hotel in the heart of midtown Manhattan and the unofficial Gateway to Times Square, for $373 million. The purchase price equates to $210,000 per guestroom, which is one of the lowest prices per guestroom paid for fee simple hotel real estate in Manhattan over the past 13 years. The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, located on Seventh Avenue between West 52nd and West 53rd Streets just seven blocks north of Times Square, is the third-largest hotel in New York City by room count. The property opened in 1962 as the Americana and became part of the Sheraton hotel brand in 1979. With 62,000 square feet of event space, it has hosted many of the Citys most coveted events and most recently hosted the New York Democratic Convention. The acquisition of the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel follows Island Capitals and MCRs successful joint venture acquisition of The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection, a historic 725-room hotel located on the corner of Lexington Avenue and East 48th Street in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Between The Lexington Hotel and the Sheraton New York Times Square, Island Capital and MCR have acquired more than 2,500 guestrooms in New York City together. On a standalone basis, MCR operates more than 5,000 rooms in the New York City area, which includes properties such as The TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, The High Line Hotel, Royalton New York, Ink48 Hotel and The New Yorker. The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel is a landmark property that we are committed to enhancing and modernizing over the coming months to make it a go-to destination when traveling for business or pleasure, said Andrew L. Farkas, Chief Executive Officer of Island Capital. We are excited to continue building our lodging and hospitality footprint in New York City alongside MCR, and we are confident that the Citys hospitality industry will continue to bounce back. We are delighted to be working with Marriott to position The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel as one of New York Citys premier destinations and one of the flagship hotels for the Sheraton brand in the United States and globally, said Tyler Morse, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MCR. The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel is the gateway to Times Square and a New York City icon. We believe in investing in New York, and we are proud to have kept our eight New York City area hotels open and the teams employed over the past two years. New York is open for business! The Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel will remain part of the Sheraton brand family under a new long-term franchise agreement and will be managed by MCR. Island Capital and MCR intend to invest more than $100 million in the hotels rooms, banquet areas and public spaces. About Island Capital Group LLC Island Capital Group LLC is a merchant bank headquartered in New York City with synergistic investing and advisory platforms specializing in real estate transactions. The company provides turnaround, restructuring, capital raising and other advisory services, with over 30 years of expertise in creating value across more than $250 billion of transactions. Island Capital has a diverse platform of commercial real estate services, from fund management to financial advisory and consulting. The platform includes C-III Capital Partners LLC, NAI Global, Island Global Yachting and The Planning & Zoning Resource Company LLC. The company is led by Andrew Farkas as CEO and is headquartered in New York, NY. For more information about Island Capital, please visit www.islandcapital.com. KHP Capital Partners, a leading real estate private equity firm focused on investments in full-service hotels and resorts with an emphasis on the lifestyle and independent segment, today announced the addition of four new leadership hires. Charlie Kim and Steve Reinstein were both appointed vice presidents in the investments group. Josefina Radcliffe and Mike Long will serve as vice presidents in the asset management group. Im thrilled to add these four new dynamic hospitality professionals to our best-in-class team, said Managing Partner Ben Rowe. The addition of Charlie, Josefina, Mike and Steve firmly positions KHP for growth as we continue to execute on a pipeline of interesting opportunities and deliver on our value-add investment strategies. Steve Reinstein joined KHP in April 2021 and focuses primarily on East Coast investment markets. Prior to joining KHP, Reinstein spent over ten years with DiamondRock Hospitality, most recently serving as Vice President of Investments & Asset Management. Charlie Kim returned to KHP in February 2022 to focus on West Coast investments following leadership roles at Linden Hospitality, Global Hospitality Investment Group and Cultivate Hospitality. Kim previously worked with the principals of KHP from 2014 to 2017. Both Kim and Reinstein will work closely with firm Managing Partner Joe Long and Chief Investment Officer Jeff Stulmaker on the sourcing and execution of KHP fund investments. Josefina Radcliffe joined KHPs Asset Management group in February 2022 and is focused on the firms East Coast assets. Radcliffes prior experience includes increasingly senior roles with McWhinney, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Sage Hospitality. Mike Long joined KHP in March 2022 to oversee the firms West Coast holdings after nearly six years with Geolo Capital, most recently serving as Vice President. Prior to Geolo, Long worked with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. Long and Radcliffe will work in tandem with Eric Moulton, Senior Vice President of Asset Management. Moulton has led the firms asset management initiatives since its inception. About KHP Capital Partners KHP Capital Partners (KHP) is a real estate private equity firm focused on investments in the hospitality space. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, the firm invests across the United States and Canada, generating superior risk-adjusted returns by focusing on disciplined acquisition criteria and implementing value-add investment strategies that capitalize on the firms deep experience in hotel operations and development. KHP is currently deploying KHP Fund V, a $361 million fully discretionary vehicle. Since 2004, the KHP founders have overseen the investment and management of five KHP Funds totaling over $1.1 billion of equity, which has been utilized to acquire and develop 39 hotels, totaling over $2.7 billion of total investment. For more information, please visit www.khpcapitalpartners.com. Expedia Group is dedicated to working within the travel industry to make travel more responsible. New research released today by Expedia Group Media Solutions, the global travel advertising platform connecting marketers with millions of travelers across Expedia Groups brands, reveals that although 90 % of consumers look for sustainable options when booking, 70% feel overwhelmed with navigating options and making the best choices to be a more sustainable traveler. In parallel to this increase in more mindful travel, Expedia Group is reaffirming its commitment to the planet by joining two initiatives focused on accelerating a more environmentally responsible tourism industry. Expedia Group has joined the Travalyst Coalition in support of its mission to empower travelers with better information and encourage travel providers to improve the sustainability of their offerings. Additionally, Expedia Group has become a proud signatory of the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, committing to deliver plans aligned with the pathways to support cutting emissions in half over the next decade and reach Net Zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050. As Expedia Group moves our sustainability strategy forward, we are committed to taking action to address climate change and working across our industry and with a range of partners to shape a more sustainable travel and tourism sector, said Aditi Mohapatra, Vice President of Global Social Impact and Sustainability, Expedia Group. Travelers are looking for ways to minimize their environmental footprint while traveling, and to make a positive impact on the destinations and communities they visit. And they are increasingly turning to our platform for inspiration and guidance to inform their decisions. By joining these two critical industry collaborations, the Travalyst Coalition and Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, Expedia Group is aligning our business towards a Net Zero future. Expedia Group is aligned with the Travalyst Coalitions goal for the industry to educate travelers about greener choices. The Travalyst Coalition is convening some of the worlds largest travel and tourism platforms and service providers, like Expedia Group, to collaboratively tackle one of the greatest challenges the industry faces how to provide robust yet accessible information on sustainability. Sally Davey, CEO, Travalyst, says We are thrilled to welcome Expedia Group to the Travalyst Coalition. Since its inception, Travalysts mission has been to transform travel into a wholly positive industry. Driven by data and the core belief that travel is a force for good, Expedia Groups commitment, platforms and data will enable Travalyst to help more travelers and travel providers make better choices for themselves and the planet. By becoming a signatory to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, Expedia Group commits to deliver and begin implementing its climate action plans within 12 months. The Declaration unites travel and tourism behind a common set of pathways for climate action, aligning the sector with global commitments and catalyzing collaborative solutions to the many challenges facing businesses and destinations globally. In support, Expedia Group will: Align plans with the five pathways of the Declaration (Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, Finance) to accelerate and coordinate climate action in tourism Report publicly on an annual basis on progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as on actions being taken, and Work in a collaborative spirit, sharing good practices and solutions, and disseminate information to encourage additional organizations to become signatories and support one another to reach targets as quickly as possible. Zurab Pololikasvili, Secretary-General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), says UNWTO is proud to welcome Expedia Group as a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration. As a major online travel platform, Expedia Group can play a key role in influencing both tourists and tourist service providers to change their behaviour for the better and scale up climate action across tourism." Expedia Group views collaboration like this as an effective way to have a multiplier effect across the travel industry. To better serve travelers and accelerate the travel industrys sustainability journey, Expedia Group powers its partners commitment to sustainable tourism by sharing insights, leveraging data solutions and forging partnerships, enabling relevant sustainability content across its platform. An example of how this is brought to life is Expedia Groups partnership with UNESCO on the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge to promote sustainable travel, community resilience and heritage conservation globally. To date, more than 9,000 properties across over 60 countries have become part of the UNESCO Pledge demonstrating that more and more travel businesses are willing to make concrete and transparent commitments to sustainability as the threat of climate change becomes more real by the day. Additional insights from the recently released Sustainable Travel study from Expedia Group Media Solutions: The Price of Sustainable Travel Nearly 70% of consumers are willing to sacrifice some element of convenience in order to travel more sustainably. Nearly 3 in 4 travelers would choose a destination, lodging, or transportation option that supports the local community and culture, even if it was more expensive. Opportunities in Sustainable Travel Half of travelers want to see more sustainability information from destinations, tourism boards, or visitor resource groups. Recommendations for locally owned businesses and restaurants and transportation options that have lower environmental impact is the leading type of sustainable travel information consumers want to see when planning a trip. Key Takeaways Travel brands should make sustainable travel information easier to understand and show the value and impact of responsible travel choices. Travelers want to know that travel brands are committed to sustainability, not just checking a box. For additional global insights on traveler attitudes, values, and motivations in making conscientious choices, download the full Sustainable Travel study and stay tuned for additional regional insights. Research Methodology: Conducted in partnership with Wakefield Research, the study included an online survey of 11,000 representative, general population adults ages 18+ in 11 global markets Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and U.S. fielded between February 11 and March 6, 2022. About Expedia Group Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) companies power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization is made up of four pillars: Expedia Services, focused on the group's platform and technical strategy; Expedia Marketplace, centered on product and technology offerings across the organization; Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; and Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem. The Expedia Group family of brands includes: Expedia, Hotels.com, Expedia Partner Solutions, Vrbo, trivago, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire, Wotif, ebookers, CheapTickets, Expedia Group Media Solutions, CarRentals.com, and Expedia Cruises. For more information, visit www.expediagroup.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Common slogan of the conference days is "Place Making Highlight: Gala dinner in the ballroom of the Vienna City Hall with presentation of the "Hospitality Innovation Award From November 27 to 29, a joint event of PKF hospitality group with Vienna Tourist Board and Museum Booster will take place in Vienna for the first time, positioning it as the leading European conference for hospitality, tourism and culture. The organizers, Michael Widmann (Global CEO PKF hospitality group), Norbert Kettner (Managing Director Vienna Tourist Board) and Sofia Widmann (Managing Director Museum Booster) are certain: "The convergence of our three events - 196+ forum Vienna of PKF hospitality group, Vienna Tourism Conference of Vienna Tourist Board and Museum Leadership Forum of Museum Booster - creates a common focus. The common slogan this year is "Place Making". The focus is on the exchange and interaction of all participants. During the three days, the events of the three initiators will take place, with the conference (196+ forum) bringing together participants and speakers from the hotel industry, tourism and culture. The highlight for all guests is the gala dinner in the ballroom of the Vienna City Hall. The "Hospitality Innovation Award" will be presented that evening. On the following day, curated tours of new hotels, visitor attractions, museums and restaurants will complete the program. "With our joint event, we will further strengthen Vienna's role as a leading global hotspot for hospitality and tourism," the organizers conclude. about PKF hotelexperts PKF hospitality group is an internationally recognised leader in hospitality and tourism consulting. With a team of 100 consultants in 20 offices (including Kyiv) on all continents and an experience of almost 100 years, PKF hospitality group offers focused consulting services in the environment of the hotel, serviced living, tourism, and leisure investments - including feasibility studies, valuations, operator search, project development, financing and investment consulting, asset management, research & benchmarking as well as strategic consulting. www.pkfhospitality.com Martina Rozok +49 30 40044681 PKF hospitality group Hotel History: Palmer House, Chicago, IL (1,639 rooms): The original Palmer House was built in 1871 by Potter Palmer who began his career as a bank clerk in upstate New York. He later became a dry-goods store owner in Chicago where he revolutionized the retail trade. He was the first to make big window displays, to use big advertising spaces, to send goods on approval to homes and to hold bargain sales. He became a brilliant hotel man as he applied his successful department store methods to the operation of his hotel. He saw no reason why clerks, chefs and head waiters should not be subject to the same discipline as floorwalkers and counter-jumpers. The Hotel Gazette said he could be seen at all hours in the lobby and corridors of the Palmer House watching and directing. There have been three different Palmer House hotels. The first, known as The Palmer, was built as a wedding gift from Potter Palmer to his bride Bertha Honore. It opened on September 26, 1871, but incredibly was destroyed by fire thirteen days later in the Great Chicago Fire. Palmer quickly rebuilt the Palmer House which reopened in 1875. It was advertised as The Worlds Only Fire-Proof Hotel and contained a grand lobby, ballrooms, elaborate parlors, bridal suites, cafes and restaurants. The hotel attracted well-to-do permanent residents who enjoyed the spacious quarters, master bedrooms, walk-in closets, multiple bathrooms, housekeeping and porter services. By 1925, Palmer erected a new 25-story hotel which was promoted as the largest hotel in the world. The architects were Holabird & Roche who were well known for their groundbreaking Chicago School of skyscrapers. They also designed the Stevens Hotel, the Cook County Courthouse, the Chicago City Hall and the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City. The new Palmer House was once remembered for the fact that 225 silver dollars were embedded in the checkerboard tile floor of the barbershop. They were put there by William S. Eaton, lessee of the shop, who cashed in on the idea within the next few years. Everyone wanted to see that floor out of sheer curiosity or to verify that a barber could thus display his money. As one of the longest-operating hotels in America, the Palmer House has an outstanding roster of famous guests including every president since Ulysses S. Grant, numerous world leaders, celebrities and Chicagos movers and shakers. The Empire Room at the Palmer House became the showplace in Chicago. During the Worlds Fair of 1933, an unknown ballroom dance team, Veloz and Yolanda won the hearts of the city and performed there for more than a year. They were followed by live entertainers including Guy Lombardo, Ted Lewis, Sophie Tucker, Eddie Duchin, Hildegarde, Carol Channing, Phyllis Diller, Bobby Darin, Jimmy Durante, Lou Rawls, Maurice Chevalier, Liberace, Louis Armstrong, Harry Belafonte, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. In 1945, Conrad Hilton went to Chicago to purchase the Stevens Hotel, the largest hotel in the world with three thousand rooms and three thousand baths. After a prolonged negotiation with Stephen A. Healy, the owner millionaire contractor and ex-bricklayer, Hilton acquired the Stevens. Later in that same year, Hilton bought the Palmer House from Potter Palmer for $19,385,000. Hilton hired the recently-discharged U.S. Army Air Force Colonel Joseph Binns who had the ability to manage both hotels. Hilton reported in his Be My Guest autobiography: I had gone to Chicago hoping to buy one gold mine and came home with two. In 1971, the Palmer House celebrated its 100th birthday. Octogenarian Conrad Hilton was present for the ceremonies. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daly said, Throughout the country and the world, there is no better known nor more highly esteemed hotel institution than the Palmer House. . People who have been in and out of our city think of the Palmer House when they think of Chicago. In 2005, the Palmer House was acquired by Thor Equities for $240 million. Joseph A. Sitt, president of Thor, embarked on a $170 million renovation that included upgrading 1,000 rooms (out of a total of 1,639), adding an underground parking garage, removing a series of fire escapes that marred the State Street facade and adding a new bar and restaurant to the hotels spectacular lobby. Perhaps the Palmer House Hilton promotional literature says it best: Situated just blocks from the Magnificent Mile and the downtown Chicago Theater District, the wedding gift from Potter Palmer continues to delight the weariest of travelers and the most demanding of hosts. The Palmer House Hilton is a member of the Historic Hotels of America program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It was Chicagos first hotel with elevators, and the first hotel with electric light bulbs and telephones in guest rooms. Although the hotel had been dubbed the longest continuously-operating hotel in North America, it closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and reopened on June 17, 2021. My Latest Book Great American Hotel Architects Volume 2 was published in 2020. All of my following books can be ordered from AuthorHouse by visiting www.stanleyturkel.com and clicking on the books title: Great American Hoteliers: Pioneers of the Hotel Industry (2009) Built To Last: 100+-Year-Old Hotels in New York (2011) Built To Last: 100+-Year-Old Hotels East of the Mississippi (2013) Hotel Mavens: Lucius M. Boomer, George C. Boldt, Oscar of the Waldorf (2014) Great American Hoteliers Volume 2: Pioneers of the Hotel Industry (2016) Built To Last: 100+-Year-Old Hotels West of the Mississippi (2017) Hotel Mavens Volume 2: Henry Morrison Flagler, Henry Bradley Plant, Carl Graham Fisher (2018) Great American Hotel Architects Volume I (2019) Hotel Mavens: Volume 3: Bob and Larry Tisch, Curt Strand, Ralph Hitz, Cesar Ritz, Raymond Orteig (2020) Great American Hotel Architects Volume 2 (2020) If You Need an Expert Witness : Stanley Turkel has served as an expert witness in more than 42 hotel-related cases. His extensive hotel operating experience is beneficial in cases involving: slip and fall accidents wrongful deaths fire and carbon monoxide injuries hotel security issues dram shop requirements hurricane damage and/or business interruption cases Feel free to call him at no charge on 917-628-8549 to discuss any hotel-related expert witness assignment. Stanley MHS, ISHC Turkel +1 917 628 8549 Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON A year ago, President Joe Biden was the hero of environmentalists. He rejoined the Paris agreement on climate change, canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, and undertook a laundry list of policy changes to make extracting fossil fuels more costly with the goal of cutting U.S. greenhouse emissions in half by 2030. But after a series of recent actions to expand oil supplies and stem the spike in gasoline prices, Biden has found himself at odds with those who once cheered him. After the Department of Interior announced late last week it was resuming lease sales on federal lands in the western United States following a court order to do so the jeers were furious. The Biden administrations claim that it must hold these lease sales is pure fiction and a reckless failure of climate leadership, said Randi Spivak, public lands director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Its as if theyre ignoring the horror of firestorms, floods and megadroughts, and accepting climate catastrophes as business as usual. The news was announced 4 p.m. Eastern on the Friday before Easter Sunday a time journalists like to call the Friday news dump suggesting that the Biden administration was hoping to minimize the negative news coverage and resulting political losses that might come. At a press conference Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki assured the media that the lease sale announcement, on the back of the largest crude release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in history, was a legal decision and did not indicate the administration was backing down on climate policy. The President remains committed, she said. Addressing the climate crisis is one of the four pillars that he ran on as President and he will continue to fight for. But the perception around Washington was the administration is struggling to marry its climate messaging with the short-term problem of high gasoline prices. Frank Maisano, a communications consultant at the law firm Bracewell, described the administrations environmental team as scrambling to deal with the fallout from the Friday announcement. My enviro friends were NOT amused as they blasted the Administration for breaking its campaign climate promises, he said in a note to reporters Monday. I understand why they would want to sneak it out a news blackhole, but why the administration would give enviro groups on Earth Week this climate/campaign promise news hook to bash them with seems a bit like a PR misstep. Biden is set to travel to Seattle on Friday for an Earth Day rally, at which Gov. Jay Inlsee, an ardent voice in the climate movement, is also scheduled to appear. The challenge facing Biden now is how to prove to environmentalists he is committed to fighting climate change while at the same time demonstrating to voters that he is at least trying to bring down gasoline prices. Those two goals are often in conflict, as former president Barack Obama found during his first six years in office when oil prices routinely rose over $100 per barrel and gasoline prices neared $4 a gallon. Despite committing to fighting climate change, in a 2012 speech he called for an all of the above energy strategy. Since President Obama took office, domestic oil and gas production has increased each year, the Obama administration said in a press release defending his energy record. Changes in attitude But attitudes have changed in the decade since. As scientists have uncovered evidence that climate change is already affecting life on this planet, the proportion of Americans concerned about global warming has grown from 52 percent in 2014 to 65 percent in 2021, according to a survey by Yale and George Mason universities. Corporations, including oil companies, have committed to reducing emissions. That will make it that much harder for Biden to defend his recent moves to increase oil supplies as short-term pragmatism that does not come at the expense of the planet. Asked Monday if the goal of reducing U.S. emissions by half in eight years was still feasible, Psaki said, We are continuing to pursue it, and we are going to continue to do everything we can to reach it. james.osborne@chron.com LyondellBasell, the multinational chemical company with headquarters in Houston, plans to close its Houston refinery and exit the refining industry, it said Thursday. Employees of the refinery one of the largest in the U.S. were informed Thursday of the companys plans to close the facility, the Netherlands-incorporated company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It plans to close the plant by by Dec. 31 of next year. The company announced in September it was considering selling the plant after scrapping plans to offload it in 2017. Lyondell will "continue to consider potential transactions and alternatives for the site," it said Thursday in a statement. RELATED: As demand for fuel soars, U.S. refineries reach capacity "After thoroughly analyzing our options, we have determined that exiting the refining business by the end of next year is the best strategic and financial path forward for the Company," said Ken Lane, the company's interim CEO. "These decisions are never easy and we understand this has a very real impact on our refinery employees, their families and the community. We are committed to supporting our people through this transition." Around 550 people work at the Houston Refinery, which is one of the largest in the United States. It is capable of refining 268,000 barrels of oil per day of crude into transportation fuels such as reformulated gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as products like lubricants and petroleum coke. The closure would be the latest in a series of major refineries to shutter since the start of the pandemic, which forced refiners to reckon with mounting costs and declining future prospects for gasoline as the energy transition accelerated. Refinery closings have stripped 1 million barrels per day from the U.S. market since January 2020, pushing remaining refineries to stretch to meet soaring demand as Russian supply slides from the global market. To be sure, the Houston refinery the only refinery in LyondellBasell's global portfolio of chemical and plastics plants has long been a burden for the company. It has reported losses on its refining operations there since at least 2016, when it first put it on the market. It reported a $696 million operating loss on the refinery in 2021, compared to a $1 billion loss in 2020. GOODBYE, GAS? The era of electric cars is coming faster than anyone thought. The energy transition is expected to drive up demand for electric vehicles a shift that could phase out demand for gasoline. LyondellBasell said closing the refinery advances its decarbonization goals, and the site's prime location gives us more options for advancing our future strategic objectives, including circularity." LyondellBasell has considered selling the Houston Refinery, which sits on 700 acres on the Houston Ship Channel, since at least 2015, when plunging gasoline prices weakened profit margins. In September, analysts at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. valued it at $500 million to $800 million. Lyondell took ownership of the refinery through a joint venture with Citgo Petroleum in 1993. Lyondell bought out Citgo's minority stake for more than $2 billion in 2006. amanda.drane@chron.com Rocambolesc, the soft-serve gelato and sorbet shop from famed Catalan pastry chef Jordi Roca, opens today at 4 p.m. in the Uptown Houston complex. I am so ready for it. I am a soft-serve fanatic, having grown up in Vermont, where the culture of what we call Cree-Mees runs deep and seasonal. As an adult, I cant help chasing soft-serve wherever I travel, from Kyoto to Barcelona where I had my first intriguing taste of Rocambolesc. The shop there is a cool glass corner sliver on La Rambla, the famous pedestrian street running past the Gothic Quarter. I popped in to try a cupful of coconut-and-violet sorbet one night, and the combination haunted me. So the next night I determined to try the simple chocolate cone, which twisted skyward like one of Gaudis turrets at the nearby Palau Guell. Superior stuff. So I was gleeful to hear that Jordi Roca would open the first Rocambolesc outside of Spain in Houston. Its only the fifth such store anywhere. There are two shops in Madrid and two in Girona, where Roca brothers Jordi, Joan and Josep operate their high-flying restaurant El Celler de Can Roca. The fine-dining Mecca has twice earned the number one spot on the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list. Alison Cook / Staff It made sense that Catalan chef Luis Roger and his business partner Ignacio Torras, of BCN and MAD here, were behind the Houston project. Both are Barcelona natives, and with the opening of their MAD restaurant in the River Oaks District, they conjured a jolt of the same Spanish modernism that animates the Roca brothers cuisine. More Information Rocambolesc 1101 Uptown Park, Suite 10, 281-501-3499 See More Collapse The Houston Rocambolesc sits between the restaurants Songkran and Etoile, across the plaza from Hugo Ortegas Urbe. Its considerably larger than the Barcelona shop, with indoor seating rather than strictly in-and-out counter service, plus a sleekly furnished patio. But I recognized the icy-white neon lettering and the whimsical candy cane striping. Theyre set in an eye-popping three-dimensional grid and fronted by counters clad in stripes and checkerboard patterns. A clear bubble dome at one end produces the impossibly filmy cotton candy that graces some of the elaborately composed ice cream cups for which the shop is known, the unusual house-made toppings matched with seasonal flavors. Think baked-apple gelato with caramelized apple, baked apple and butter cookies cut in oversize cubes; or make-your-own confections crowned with effervescent lime rocks, tiny candy stars, or hunks of guava jam. Alison Cook / Staff You can get the soft-serve gelato and sorbetto in a simple cornet, or cone; or as a cornet with toppings. Jordi Roca himself was in town for staff training when I popped by for a peek last week. I got a look inside the freezer case that holds the brands fanciful frozen pops the most famous of which is a replica of the majestic Roca family nose. I spotted the bars shaped like tiered birthday cakes, which come in a milk chocolate and spiced tea version, or a raspberry, white chocolate and yogurt flavor. I made a mental note to bring a little handbag-size cooler with me when I visit, and wondered whether the Houston shop would stock the deep-dark blueberry sorbetto pops molded in the shape of a helmeted Darth Vader. Not to mention the surrealist pop known as Columbus finger. Theres a Dada streak worthy of Catalan artist Salvador Dali in some of the Rocambolesc confections. Im eager to see what flavors and toppings the shop will open with. And Im hoping to try one of the famous panets, a hot-and-cold ice cream sandwich that seals buttery brioche dough around soft gelato or sorbetto. I want to see the bright red gears and pulleys on the shop wall spring into mechanized action, too; and to see my fellow Houstonians rocking in the bright circular swings that grace the patio. Everything about this new dessert shop looks like fun. alison.cook@houstonchronicle.com They come from all over Texas, with their period-correct clothing and accoutrements, to bring history to life at different battlefields throughout Texas. Saturday youll find reenactors at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte, as they re-create the Battle of San Jacinto. I think we consider ourselves historians first, reenactors second, said David Martin, 81, of Spring, who has been participating in reenactments for over 14 years. As home of the rollicking Wurstfest, the oldest German bakery in Texas and countless businesses with the word haus in their name, no place in Texas continues to honor its German heritage quite like New Braunfels. The town was founded in 1845 by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, who envisioned a colony that could one day become a New Germany. That legacy can be found in numerous restaurants, breweries and meat markets across the city, where German food traditions live on. If youre ready to step into your lederhosen and fire up a polka playlist, we have your guide to eight great spots in New Braunfels to get German food and beer. Alpine Haus Restaurant Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen /Staff (Left) Alpine Haus Restaurant (Right) Schnitzel (left) and sauerbraten from Alpine Haus Restaurant in New Braunfels (Paul Stephen / Staff) (Left) Alpine Haus Restaurant (Right) Schnitzel (left) and sauerbraten from Alpine Haus Restaurant in New Braunfels (Paul Stephen / Staff) With the sound of polka music or a waltz played by a lederhosen-clad accordionist carrying outside beyond the front the door, youll feel transported to the old country before you even walk into this cozy restaurant. The 150-year-old historic home houses a warren of small dining rooms bedecked in beer steins and alpine imagery the perfect backdrop for its menu of classic German cookery. This is old-school, rib-sticking fare designed for the chilly climate of the Alpine region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Schnitzels, made with thinly pounded pork, chicken or veal, are king here, coming in five different varieties. But dont miss out on German classics such as the sweet and tangy sauerbraten or the beefy rinder rouladen stuffed with pickle, bacon and mustard. The spatzle are a particularly delightful side dish, featuring rustic, doughy noodles fried just enough to develop a few crispy edges. Alpine Haus Restaurant, 251 S. Seguin Ave., 830-214-0205, alpine-haus.com, Facebook: @thealpinehaus Faust Hotel and Brewpub Billy Calzada /Staff photographer file photo Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen / Staff (Left) The Faust Hotel, 240 S. Seguin Ave. in New Braunfels, opened in 1929. It is said to be haunted. (Billy Calzada /Staff) (Top Right) A flight of beers from Faust Hotel and Brewpub. (Bottom Right) the Faust Wellington from Faust Hotel and Brewpub. (Paul Stephen / Staff) (Left) The Faust Hotel, 240 S. Seguin Ave. in New Braunfels, opened in 1929. It is said to be haunted. (Billy Calzada /Staff) (Top Right) A flight of beers from Faust Hotel and Brewpub. (Bottom Right) the Faust Wellington from Faust Hotel and Brewpub. (Paul Stephen / Staff) While the Faust Brewing Co. brewery is closed to the public because of the pandemic, its excellent beers are still available inside the allegedly haunted Faust Hotel. Fortunately, theres nothing spooky about the hotels bar, where throngs of pubgoers can be found watching a game and occasionally breaking out in German folk songs. HAUNTED FAUST HOTEL: Hauntings in the Hill Country: Faust Hotel, Devils Backbone in the Halloween spirit Two brews in particular pay tribute to the German heritage in New Braunfels. Start with the crisp and easy-sipping Alex Meixner Polka Pilsner Meixner is the Grammy-winning king of polka and a fixture at Wurstfest then move on to the Altered States, a dark, caramel brew made in the German altbier style. The bars pub grub also has a German flair, with pretzel bites, nachos topped with bratwurst, sauerkraut and beer cheese and the Faust Wellington featuring a bratwurst baked in puffed pastry. Faust Hotel and Brewpub, 240 S. Seguin Ave., 830-625-7791, fausthotel.com, Facebook: @faustbrewingcompany Granzins Meat Market Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff (Left) Customers shop at Granzins Meat Market, (Top Right) the display case of sausages and (Bottom Right) bratwurst (from left), wieners and weisswurst from Granzins Meat Market. (Paul Stephen /Staff) (Left) Customers shop at Granzins Meat Market, (Top Right) the display case of sausages and (Bottom Right) bratwurst (from left), wieners and weisswurst from Granzins Meat Market. (Paul Stephen /Staff) Theres no better spot in New Braunfels for fresh and cured sausages than this bustling meat market. The nicely spiced and seasoned weisswursts are a hard-to-find standout. If youre firing up the grill, dont pass up the snappy bratwursts or meaty wieners. Granzins also serves as a small grocery store, and its well-stocked with prepared foods, fresh produce and household items in addition to its dizzying 153-foot display case stuffed with fresh cuts of beef, pork, poultry, seafood and more. Granzins Meat Market, 1644 McQueeney Road, 830-625-3510, granzins.com, Facebook: @GranzinsMarket Guadalupe Brewing Co. Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen / Staff (Left) A cozy fire pit outside Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Top Right) A flight of beers from Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Bottom Right) Customers sit at the bar in Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Paul Stephen / Staff) (Left) A cozy fire pit outside Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Top Right) A flight of beers from Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Bottom Right) Customers sit at the bar in Guadalupe Brewing Co. (Paul Stephen / Staff) Perhaps the most relaxed place in New Braunfels to sit and sip a beer, this sprawling indoor and outdoor complex is the perfect spot to spend a lazy weekend. Expect low-key groups of friends, families and more than a few beer aficionados to be settled in at picnic tables or circled around a fire pit. And the beers are good, too. Four German-inspired sips stand out. The Solms Pilsner is a light, bright and refreshing lager, while the Dunkel is a more round, malty beer with a gorgeous ruddy color. If you prefer your beers on the tart side, then steer towards the Raspberry Lime Berliner Weiss or Watermelon Lemonade Berliner Weiss, both of which are sure to tame the effects of scorching Texas summers. Guadalupe Brewing Co., 1586 Wald Road, 512-878-9214, guadalupebrew.com, Facebook: @guadalupebrewingcompany Krauses Cafe Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer file photo Paul Stephen /Staff (Left) Patrons fill the beer hall at Krauses cafe. (Kin Man Hui /Staff) (Right) Schnitzel and the Wild Game Sausage Sampler from Krauses Cafe. (Paul Stephen /Staff) (Left) Patrons fill the beer hall at Krauses cafe. (Kin Man Hui /Staff) (Right) Schnitzel and the Wild Game Sausage Sampler from Krauses Cafe. (Paul Stephen /Staff) This downtown institution is probably the best spot in New Braunfels to get into a German party spirit. Occupying the better part of a city block, the restaurant features a massive biergarten where polka musicians regularly perform for a festive crowd. And you can expect a lot more of that music as famed polka musician Alex Meixner as partnered with Krauses to perform and book acts. POLKA IS KING: Polka king Alex Meixners move to New Braunfels may make the city a destination for squeezebox fans Krauses menu leans largely German with a few nods to Texas and Mexico. The jagerschnitzel is a heavy hitter, with a perfect, hand-breaded crust over a wafer-thin pork cutlet dressed with a deep and earthy mushroom-spiked gravy. The Wild Game Sausage Sampler is also worth a try, with uncommonly good links made from wild boar, venison, rabbit and antelope. Krauses Cafe, 148 S. Castell Ave., 830-625-2807, krausescafe.com, Facebook: @KrausesCafeNB Naegelins Bakery Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff (Left) Naegelins Bakery has been in business since 1868. (Right) Lebkuchen (clockwise from bottom left) springerle, pfeffernsse and German rye bread from Naegelins Bakery. (Paul Stephen /Staff) (Left) Naegelins Bakery has been in business since 1868. (Right) Lebkuchen (clockwise from bottom left) springerle, pfeffernsse and German rye bread from Naegelins Bakery. (Paul Stephen /Staff) This institution, the oldest operating bakery in Texas, opened its doors in 1868 and hasnt slowed down since. Theres always a large crowd and a long line, but Naegelins German-inspired treats are worth the wait. MORE ON NAEGELIN'S BAKERY: The oldest continuously operating bakery in Texas is Naegelins Bakery in New Braunfels On the sweet side you have traditional cookies and pastries such as the gingerbread-like lebkuchen, powdered sugar-coated pfeffernusse and springerle, a type of biscuit embossed with images. Delightfully flaky strudels come in apple, peach and cherry varieties. Youll also find spectacular loaves of German rye bread and pumpernickel the latter a style of bread very few bakeries attempt. Naegelins Bakery, 129 S. Seguin Ave., 830-625-5722, naegelins.com, Facebook: @NaegelinsBakery Uwes Bakery & Deli Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff Paul Stephen /Staff (Top Left) Uwes Bakery & Deli, (Bottom Left) the fleischkase is a unique take on meatloaf, (Top Right) two types of pretzel, peach danish and a cherry turnover and (Bottom Right) the pastry selection at Uwes Bakery & Deli (Paul Stephen /Staff) (Top Left) Uwes Bakery & Deli, (Bottom Left) the fleischkase is a unique take on meatloaf, (Top Right) two types of pretzel, peach danish and a cherry turnover and (Bottom Right) the pastry selection at Uwes Bakery & Deli (Paul Stephen /Staff) Dont be fooled by the unassuming exterior of this business housed in a strip mall next to a Little Caesars pizza. Once you step inside, youll be greeted by the wafting aromas of freshly baked bread and steaming bratwursts, and probably hear at least a customer or two chatting in German. Come to Uwes to stock up on baked goods, but stick around for lunch as well. Uwes bratwursts come in two styles: mild white brats and the more robustly spiced Thuringer brats, redolent of caraway, marjoram and garlic. If you like meatloaf, you must try the fleischkase. Its a uniquely German take on meatloaf with a deeply savory flavor that tastes more of pork than beef, and it is served on a roll with grainy mustard. Uwes Bakery & Deli, 1024 W. San Antonio St., 830-632-6585, uwesbakerydeli.com, Facebook: @uwesbakerydel Wurst in Gruene Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen / Staff Paul Stephen / Staff Wurst in Gruene is located inside The Gruene Grove. (Bottom Right) The German sausage from Wurst in Gruene features sauerkraut and curry ketchup over a bratwurst. (Paul Stephen / Staff) Wurst in Gruene is located inside The Gruene Grove. (Bottom Right) The German sausage from Wurst in Gruene features sauerkraut and curry ketchup over a bratwurst. (Paul Stephen / Staff) This food trailer can be found just outside New Braunfels proper in the idyllic village of Gruene. The business anchors a corner of the sprawling outdoor venue The Gruene Grove, which also houses two bars, an ice cream stand, live music stage and more. As the name suggests, sausages are the star at Wurst in Gruene. Theyre dressed up in several variations but start with the German. It features a juicy bratwurst tucked into a pretzel bun and dressed with bacon-spiked sauerkraut, sauteed onions and a generous drizzle of curry ketchup a widely popular condiment in Germany. Order it with a side of tangy German potato salad and a cold pilsner before you kick back and enjoy the band. Wurst in Gruene, 1263 Gruene Road, Gruene, wurstingruene.com, Facebook: Wurst in Gruene pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A retired military couple is investing in the Huffman community with the hopes of bringing good food, service, and hospitality beyond all others. Robert and Cassy Johns of Andrews, Texas recently signed a franchise agreement with Huddle House restaurant and will reopen the location formerly located at 24110 FM 2100 Rd., Ste. 100 in Huffman they hope within the next couple of weeks. Located some 534 miles from one city limit to the other, the 8-hour and 34-minute trek from the West Texas panhandle area to Houston by the couple can be a brutal commute, but the family has connections in the area to help them overcome the distance. The Johns already have a Huddle House location in Andrews and are ready to expand their portfolio. Whats the connection to Huffman to the Johns family? Robert and I were both raised in southeast Texas. I grew up in Livingston and graduated from there, Cassy said. On HoustonChronicle.com: Sola Gratia chorus dedicates concert to area charity Robert attended Galena Park and North Shore High School in his early years before moving to Dayton with his family where he graduated. I remember driving down Beltway 8 when it was a red dirt road, he said. The young graduate headed to the Marine Corps where he served the country as an infantryman. He was sitting in boot camp on September 11 when the terrorists bombed the Twin Towers. I spent the next 12 years in the Marine Corps infantry doing various different jobs from security forces to leading a platoon, he said. He spent three-and-a-half years in the combat zone. He got tired of carrying a gun for a living and left California to enroll in UT-Arlington to study mechanical engineering. I wanted to work for Chevron oil and gas company. They did some things for the Marine Corps when I was in Afghanistan that I thought if I ever left the military, Id want to work for a company like that, he said proudly. On HoustonChronicle.com: Kingwood BizCom meeting focuses on education, community development While taking classes, he put some feelers out for work and ended up getting recruited by Chevron without finishing his degree and thats what brought him to Andrews, Texas. For Cassy, growing up in Livingston, she took the military route following graduation and two weeks later, she left for basic training with the U. S. Army. She was stationed at the 10th Mountain Division, United States Army Garrison (USAG) in Fort Drum, New York. She did two combat tours in Iraq before she met Robert. At the time, Robert was stationed in Hawaii. We couldnt have been further apart from each other, she laughed. They met and married beginning their family in California before the move back home to Texas. Robert went to work for Chevron as their veteran hiring manager. On HoustonChronicle.com: CALENDAR: Partnership Lake Houston golf tournament, April 25 Im a field guy and it felt so good to get back out there, but he quickly discovered a negativehe wasnt home enough with his kids and wife so they started up a construction company. They began the company in 2018 and continue to build between 20 to 25 custom homes each year, including lite commercial work. Robert hired his dad who had 47 years of construction experience and moved him from Dayton to Andrews to assist him. In 2020, they were ready to invest some of the money they were making, especially with the volatility of the housing market, and liked what they saw in Huddle House franchises. We traveled out to Atlanta, Georgia and took a tour of Huddle House and just fell in love with their concept, Cassy said. I like that even though theyre a franchise, they are a small town, good ole boy type country breakfast place. She wasnt convinced at first until Robert brought the facts and the information. After about six months of research and comparing other franchise deals, the trip sealed the deal. Their excitement was dashed when the pandemic struck. We had to put our plans on hold for a bit, she said. They were finally able to open the restaurant last year on December 7. The opportunity for the Huffman location opened and they liked it because it was a lease deal, a great location, and it brought them back closer to their stomping grounds. The previous owner shut down the Huddle House in Huffman in March of 2020 when the pandemic hit and never reopened leaving a bad taste in the mouth of some in the community. The Johns run a much tighter ship. With our military background, we understand SOPs, standard operating procedures, and were used to delegating and following a chain of command, Robert said. The couple said they are more hands on and involved in their businesses. Theyve already moved into a nearby RV park and can also stay in his dads house in Dayton when necessary. Well never ask an employee to do anything were not willing to do ourselves, he said. Were not above anybody. They are ready to get involved in the community and give back once the business is up and running. We already have a give-back program going on in Andrews and we want to do the same here, he said. The new owners have already hired 28 people locally and hope to have a total of 46 jobs for area residents once they are at full staff. Once the fire marshal and the health department have signed off, the Johns said they will be ready to open. They anticipate being open seven days a week once theyre at full staff. They are a growing family with an 18, 15, 9 and 7-year-old girls and a two-year-old boy. We hope the community will come out and meet us and give us a try, they said. dtaylor@hcnonline.com DETROIT (AP) A group of Detroit corporate and community leaders has come together to provide support services to refugees from Afghanistan and other nations as they resettle in the city. Samaritas, a statewide health and human services organization that operates one of Michigans largest refugee resettlement programs, announced the launch of the Detroit Refugee Network on Wednesday. The network's formation comes at a key time, as refugee resettlement agencies and nonprofits nationwide gear up to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. They have already been hard at work trying to help tens of thousands of asylum-seeking Afghans who fled last years Taliban takeover. When world events started to occur, we knew we had to respond and respond boldly and quickly, Kelli Dobner, chief advancement officer for Samaritas and co-chair of the Detroit Refugee Network, said at a news conference in Detroit. The network will serve the clients of three resettlement agencies Samaritas, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan. It is working to raise more than $1 million to provide refugees in Detroit with a full range of services, including housing, education, transportation, legal support and utility assistance. Everyone wants opportunity. And in Detroit, we are here to help them and those who want to pursue that American dream," Dr. Sonia Hassan, the network's co-chair and wife of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, said at the event, which was held in the courtyard of an apartment complex that houses resettled Afghan refugees. More than 650 Afghan refugees have come to southeastern Michigan since 2021 via the three resettlement agencies, with more than 250 planning to settle in Detroit. Said Urahman, an Afghan who worked as a translator with the U.S. government, arrived in Detroit last year along with his wife, brother and two children. His wife and he since have added to their family a third child was born three weeks ago. The 31-year-old said it was a very difficult decision because he had to leave homeland, friends (and) family behind. Now, he works for the city government's human resources department and lives in the apartment complex. I'm taking it easy, step by step. And I'm already integrated in society, Urahman said. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) When the waves wash trash onto the beaches of front-line South Korean islands, Kang Dong Wan can often be found hunting for what he calls his treasure rubbish from North Korea that provides a peek into a place thats shut down to most outsiders. This can be very important material because we can learn what products are manufactured in North Korea and what goods people use there, Kang, 48, a professor at South Koreas Dong-A University, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. He was forced to turn to the delicate information-gathering method because COVID-19 has made it much harder for outsiders to find out whats going on inside North Korea, one of the worlds most cloistered nations even without pandemic border closures. The variety, amount and increasing sophistication of the trash, he believes, confirms North Korean state media reports that leader Kim Jong Un is pushing for the production of various kinds of consumer goods and a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demands of his people and improve their livelihoods. Kim, despite his authoritarian rule, cannot ignore the tastes of consumers who now buy products at capitalist-style markets because the countrys socialist public rationing system is broken and its economic woes have worsened during the pandemic. Current North Korean residents are a generation of people whove come to realize what the market and economy are. Kim cant win their support if he only suppresses and controls them while sticking to a nuclear development program, Kang said. He needs to show there are some changes in his era. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kang regularly visited Chinese border towns to meet North Koreans staying there. He also bought North Korean products and photographed North Korean villages across the river border. He cant go there anymore, however, because Chinas anti-virus restrictions limit foreign travelers. Since September 2020, Kang has visited five South Korean border islands off the countrys west coast and collected about 2,000 pieces of North Korean trash including snack bags, juice pouches, candy wrappers and drink bottles. Kang said he was amazed to see dozens of different kinds of colorful packaging materials, each for certain products like seasonings, ice cream bars, snack cakes and milk and yogurt products. Many carry a variety of graphic elements, cartoon characters and lettering fonts. Some still can seem out of date by Western standards and are apparent copycats of South Korean and Japanese designs. Kang recently published a book based on his work titled Picking up North Korean Trash on the Five West Sea Islands. He said hes now also started to scour eastern South Korean front-line beaches. Other experts study the diversity of goods and packaging designs in North Korea through state media broadcasts and publications, but Kangs trash collection allows a more thorough analysis, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea. Kangs work also opens up a fascinating window into North Korea. Ingredient information on some juice pouches, for instance, shows North Korea uses tree leaves as a sugar substitute. Kang suspects thats because of a lack of sugar and sugar-processing equipment. He said the discovery of more than 30 kinds of artificial flavor enhancer packets could mean that North Korean households cannot afford more expensive natural ingredients like meat and fish to cook Korean soups and stews. Many South Koreans have stopped using them at home over health concerns. Plastic bags for detergents have phrases like the friend of housewives or accommodating women. Because the assumption is that only women do such work, it could be a reflection of the low status of women in male-dominated North Korean society. Some wrappers display extremely exaggerated claims. One says that a walnut-flavored snack cake is a better source of protein than meat. Another says that collagen ice cream makes children grow taller and enhances skin elasticity. And yet another claims that a snack cake made with a certain kind of microalgae prevents diabetes, heart disease and aging. Kang has been unable to verify the quality of former contents inside his trash. North Korean snacks and cookies have generally become much softer and tastier in recent years, though their quality still lags behind that of South Koreas internationally competitive products, according to Jeon Young-sun, a research professor at Seouls Konkuk University. Noh Hyun-jeong, a North Korean defector, said she was ecstatic about the South Korean bread and cakes that she ate after her arrival here in 2007. She said the confectionaries and candies she had in the North were often bitter and as hard as a rock. Kang Mi-Jin, another defector who runs a company analyzing North Koreas economy, said that when she had South Koreans try new North Korean cookies and candies in blind taste tests, they thought they were South Korean. But Ahn, the website head, said the North Korean cookie he obtained in 2019 was tasteless. Kang said his trash collection is an attempt to better understand the North Korean people and study how to bridge the gap between the divided Koreas in the event of future unification. In 2019, Kang said he was denied entry at Shanghais airport, apparently because of his earlier, mostly unauthorized work along the China-North Korea border. During a previous period of inter-Korean detente that ended in 2008, Kang said he visited North Korea more than 10 times but could only buy limited goods that didnt help him understand the country. Picking up trash on the islands, about 4-20 kilometers (2.5-12 miles) from North Korean territory, is a tough job. He most often visits Yeonpyeong, an island shelled by North Korea in an attack that killed four South Koreans in 2010. On some trips, South Korean marines quizzed Kang because residents who saw him collecting trash thought he was doing something suspicious. He was sometimes stranded when ferry services were canceled because of bad weather. Kang said he occasionally cried in frustration on the beach when he failed to find North Korean trash or received calls from acquaintances jeering or doubting his work. But I was heartened after collecting more and more trash ... and I determined that I must find out how many goods are in a country where we cant go and what we can find from that trash, Kang said. When the wind blew and the waves ran high, something always washed ashore and I was so happy because I could find something new. BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) The University of California, Berkeley issued an all-clear more than four hours after ordering a campus-wide lockdown Thursday prompted by threats made by an individual against people at the university. The person who made the threats was located off-campus by university police who said the security situation had been addressed and the individual posed no immediate threat, said Dan Mogulof, a spokesperson for UC Berkeley. Mogulof said the person is affiliated with the university and had made credible threats of violence towards other, specific individuals who work or learn at the university. Mogulof said he couldn't say whether the person who made the threats was armed or had been arrested or whether those threatened were students, faculty, or university workers. We have consciously and specifically chosen not to provide any additional information about whether this individual is a student, staff member, or faculty and weve consciously decided not to provide any additional information about the individuals current status or location out of respect for the privacy of the individual involved, as well as others, he said. University police first learned of the threats Thursday morning and ordered the lockdown to search and secure the campus, Mogulof said. Police had said they were looking for a person trying to hurt specific people on campus but that it was not an active shooter situation. Police and school officials asked students to shelter indoors and stay away from doors and windows. In-person classes were canceled for the day, and libraries, cafeterias, parking garages and other university facilities were closed. The person was located several hours later and police lifted the lockdown and quickly followed it with an all-clear order. Those forced to shelter indoors and away from doors and windows were asked to leave campus in an orderly way. In-person classes will resume Friday but all university facilities had already reopened Thursday, Mogulof said. UC Berkeley, which is across the bay from San Francisco, has more than 60,000 students, staff and faculty. Some neighboring schools also closed their gates for a few hours, following the lockdown at UC Berkeley. Berkeley Unified School District said it had placed six schools on a soft lockdown out of an abundance of caution, because of their proximity to the college campus. A soft lockdown means that all gates and doors to a school are locked but students can move around freely inside school buildings, said Trish McDermott, spokeswoman for Berkeley Unified. A class of second graders on a field trip to the university campus when the lockdown was issued sheltered in place, McDermott said. They are safe and fine and weve reached out to parents and caregivers, she said. Masked gunmen appeared to be "hunting for their victim" before fatally shooting him outside an east Houston motel, police said. Police are investigating the shooting at Motel 6 at 10155 East Freeway, near Mercury Drive, where a 25-year-old man was shot multiple times early Wednesday. Police found about 25 shell casings at at the scene, HPD Lt. Ronnie Willkens said during a news briefing. More on HoustonChronicle.com: Ex-flight attendant from Houston sentenced after flying with United for decades under fake name Surveillance video showed three men getting out of a gray sedan at the motel, Willkens said. They were "running around" the motel in an apparent attempt to find the man. "It looks like they were hunting for their victim," Willkens said. The three men, wearing masks and hoodies, approached the man as he was walking back to his room with a woman who he was sharing it with, police said in a news release. They shot him several times, hitting him in the head and body. More from Joel Umanzor: Two people injured after HCSO pursuit ends in crash The shooting, Wilkens said, may have been prompted by an earlier incident. "From what we understand, most likely, it was some kind of altercation that happened at one of these businesses across the street," he said. "There are two clubs across the street." The Houston Fire Department took the man to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police added. His identity is pending verification from the Harris County medical examiner. The three gunmen described as males in their late-teens and early-20s also shot at a vehicle leaving the motel's parking lot but it is unknown if anyone inside that vehicle was hurt, authorities added. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477. No other information is available at this time. Joel.Umanzor@chron.com OnScene.Tv Two people were injured Wednesday night after a wanted man led Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies on a chase that ended in a crash in southwest Houston, authorities said. Deputies were notified around 11 p.m. about an armed man, wanted by Houston police, being in the area of the 13500 block of Bellaire Boulevard, authorities said. After deputies made contact with the man at the 12400 block of Bellaire, he fled, the sheriff's office said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A self-proclaimed conservative candidate running for the Fort Bend ISD school board is at the center of controversy after some parents raised concerns over insensitive social media comments and memes. Anna Lykoudis-Zafaris, a parent of two children in special education in Fort Bend ISD and a former Alief teacher, said she's "extremely concerned" after observing a pattern of "racist and divisive" rhetoric from David Hamilton, who is seeking the Position 7 seat on the school board in a district regarded as the most diverse in the state. She shared multiple screenshots to the Chronicle of tweets and Facebook posts allegedly linked to him from the last several months, including one where Hamilton apparently defended the use of the "Chinese virus," claiming that it is "neither racist nor anti-Asian." NEW LEADER AT FBISD: New Fort Bend ISD superintendent talks critical race theory, social media threats, COVID rules The Fort Bend ISD school board election is intended to be a nonpartisan contest. But Hamilton reportedly signaled his political ties in several other since-deleted posts where he specifically targeted Democrats along with the Walt Disney Co. and The Washington Post accusing them of trying to sexualize kindergarteners. The remark was in response to their opposition to Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill that forbids some schools from teaching sexual orientation and gender identity. In one of the tweets reportedly linked to him he referenced the "bed truder" meme also known as the "hide your kids, hide your wife" meme featuring a Black man being interviewed on television after a home invasion. The meme went viral in 2010 and sparked a race debate. James Dunn, Hamilton's campaign manager, said that some of the tweets were a result of Hamiltons Twitter account being hacked and that it was under investigation, but they cannot authenticate anything that is photocopied. The campaign shared a statement touting its multicultural staff and volunteers, and his commitment to equality and justice. "Mr. Hamilton enjoys support from a huge cross section of communities within Fort Bend County. He is a man of faith, father, businessman and community leader," the statement reads. "Our campaign staff and volunteers represent an array of religious denominations, ethnicities, social and economic backgrounds (and) are very sensitive to any suggestion of bias. David is committed, once he is elected, to uploading the values and principles embedded in our laws relating to equality and justice for all people." The posts have become a hot topic in a public Fort Bend ISD Facebook group for parents, where Hamilton is reportedly a member. "Its marginalizing, its offensive, its divisive and just hurtful. And for a nonpartisan election this is the last thing that anybody will expect," Lykoudis-Zafaris said. "I find it very frightening to have someone with that type of ideology representing our teachers, our kids and our community. This gentleman is absolutely unfit for the trusted position of a nonpartisan school board member." OnHoustonChronicle.com: Fort Bend ISD announces district wide rollout of UV-C disinfection devices A representative from the Fort Bend ISD school board declined to comment. While acknowledging the race as nonpartisan, Dunn also said that Hamilton's political views will not interfere with his role as a school board trustee. "These are non-partisan races but we live in a different age where everything is partisanship," he said Wednesday. "Our focus is on kids and their parents. All children of all races, all socioeconomic backgrounds. The notion that hes going to somehow pinpoint a particular demographic is ludicrous. Children are children. Theyre not Democrats or Republicans. Children know nothing about being conservative or liberal. The citizens can rest assured that David Hamilton is not going to represent any particular party but represent whats best for them." However some aren't convinced. "This is a knee jerk reaction candidate," wrote Tammy Spodeck Marino in the public Facebook group. "We need thoughtful, rational, levelheaded board members making decisions for our kids. He wont have the opportunity to back pedal after he casts votes that will impact our kids and staff every single day. He wont have the ability to say he was hacked and didnt mean to vote that way. He cant delete a vote once its happened." Dunn said they have been approached by some citizens supporting their opponents, but he welcomes those with concerns to contact them directly regardless if they vote for Hamilton or not. One of his opponents, Orjanel Lewis, told the Chronicle she find his statements "really sad and disturbing." "When people tell you who they are, you should believe them," Lewis said in a statement. "Unfortunately, a lot of these posts are my opponent telling us who he is. In person, I find him to be a really nice, energetic guy, but these statements, and many others, are all very disturbing. I think at this stage it would be really difficult for him to actually represent everyone in this District after being so hostile and offensive to so many groups of people he claims to want to represent (cognitively disabled, Democrats, transgender, people of color, etc.). Im running to advocate for EVERYONEs kids within this school district -- and thats exactly what Ill do if the voters give me their trust. Shell McClue is the third candidate running for School Board Trustee Position 7 in the elections on May 7. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If it seems like Crime Stoppers of Houston is everywhere these days, its because it is. In recent weeks its CEO warned Houstonians at a local Republicans lunch club about out-of-control crime. Its victims assistance director blasted a local judge on television. Its staff trained METRO police officers. Long known as one of the largest Crime Stoppers chapter in the United States, the organization boasts a spacious headquarters in Midtown, a high-profile CEO who earns nearly as much as Houstons police chief and a multi-million dollar budget. Crime victims and law enforcement leaders praise the organization, calling it an invaluable resource that has helped detectives solve perplexing cases. They have a role to hold a trusted line for tips, and I think they do that effectively, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. Detractors argue the organization has strayed from its core mission and criticize CEO Rania Mankarious for using the nonprofit as a personal launchpad. And as homicides have risen across the city, judges and criminal justice reform advocates say Crime Stoppers has taken a partisan turn and is engaging in misleading conversations about crime across the city. Gov. Greg Abbott's administration supported Crime Stoppers of Houston's expansion into schools across the state and reportedly backed the organization with a $4 million grant. The organization also enjoys close relations with Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who donated $500,000 to the non-profit which has a room in its headquarters named for the DAs Office. More Information To report this story, the Chronicle reviewed current and former law enforcement leaders; crime victims, elected officials, and community leaders. Barned-Smith reviewed hundreds of postings from the organization's social media accounts. The story is also based on an investigation of the organization's tax filings, news segments, and other documents. Houston Chronicle librarian Joyce Lee provided research for this story. See More Collapse Andy Kahan, its director of Victim Services and Advocacy, partnered with Fox 26 on a series called Breaking Bond. The segments follow a familiar script: Kahan describes elements of crimes in which defendants on bond commit additional violence, while Houston police union officials or members of the district attorneys office criticize the judges. Wheres the money?: Texas Crime Stoppers organizations are using cash once spent on anonymous tip rewards for lavish salaries, travel costs These issues werent as prevalent before 2018, Kahan said, when asked about the series. Thats why I started documenting these cases and felt that it was imperative to bring them to the public. But judges who spoke to the Chronicle said they are following the Texas Constitution, which does not allow most people charged with crimes (including those previously convicted of crimes) to be held without bail which is meant to ensure defendants show up for court appearances, not be used as punishment. And many judges highlighted on Breaking Bond are those who stopped giving the organization money, funneling probation funds to smaller organizations or others aimed at helping battered women. The organization has backed Abbott, politically, with press releases in support of his legislative agenda. Mankarious husband has donated more than $20,000 to the governor. Interviews with current and former Crime Stoppers employees and board members, law enforcement, judicial and municipal officials as well as advocates for criminal justice reform paint a picture of mission creep and accusations of partisanship. Theyve been a lot more active politically, political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said. Crime is one of the most potent political issues. Being able to navigate and direct that as an issue, is power. Mankarious said her organization works with community groups and political leaders of both parties, and said that as crime has risen in Houston, she has focused on preventing crime across the city and highlighting the toll caused by dangerous criminals. A simple idea The first Crime Stoppers organization was founded in 1976 in Albuquerque, N.M., by Greg MacAleese, a former reporter whod then become a police officer. The idea was simple: a nonprofit would raise donations while running a hotline that anonymous tipsters could call with information about unsolved crimes. The organization would pass the tips along to the police and pay tipsters if their information helped solve a case. The concept quickly spread, and arrived in Houston five years later. By the end of the year, Houston officials had credited Crime Stoppers tips with helping apprehend 388 suspects, dozens of stolen cars, more than $2 million in contraband and $700,000 worth of drugs. Ever since, the organization has routinely been acknowledged as one of the most productive across the United States. DA under fire: After a string of high-profile losses, Harris County DA Kim Ogg is left to battle critics on all sides The organization had broad support from the community this newspaper, for years, partnered with the organization and featured a Crime of the Week in its pages. University of Houston theater students re-enacted various crimes, which were then aired on ABC13 every Monday and Tuesday. Numerous radio stations also promoted a regular weekly crime segment. Over the years, it steadily expanded its portfolio. In 1997, the organization began promoting school safety, with a Safe School Institute. In a 2001 Chronicle story, then-executive director Kim Ogg said no other school safety program offers real steps to prevent crime. So many safety programs offer character building or education programs, she said. But when we say prevention, we mean literally. Now, the organization says it has made safety presentations to more than 1.2 million students on topics from active shooters to animal safety, bullying, human trafficking, mental health and prom safety. Mission expansion The organization has served as a launchpad for its leaders. Ogg, who is now the Harris County district attorney, led Crime Stoppers from 1999 to 2006. Katherine Cabaniss, who replaced Ogg, spent six years at the organization before Abbott appointed her to be the criminal judge overseeing Harris Countys 248th District Court. Both women declined to be interviewed for this story. Under the leadership of Mankarious, the organization shifted even more aggressively toward crime prevention, rather than focusing exclusively on helping police solve crimes. While the organization says it has helped solve 35,767 cases since 1980, the organizations annual reports show a sizeable drop in cases in recent years. In 2020 Crime Stoppers issued payments to 248 tipsters totaling $310,800. That same year, the organization paid Mankarious who supervises just over a dozen employees about $280,000. Thats about $8,000 less than that of Houston Police Chief Troy Finners (who supervises more than 5,000 officers) salary. Mankarious, a mother of three who grew up in Framingham (near Boston), began working at Crime Stoppers in 2006 and became CEO seven years later. The organization has expanded school and neighborhoods programs to include topics such as dating violence, human trafficking, cyber terrorism, animal cruelty, and self defense classes. Her strategy, she said, was to soften the organizations image, to make it more relatable to Houstonians of all types. That meant creating a fashion-focused podcast, Styling Social Justice, co-hosted with Houston socialite Donae Cangelosi Chramosta, and later, another one, called The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious, which hosted celebrities and government officials ranging from Matthew McConaughey to Gov. Abbott. Speeding in Texas?: New analysis reveals where police pulled over the most people She penned a column in The Buzz Magazines, a local media company that notes on its website that it serves residents from Houstons most affluent communities of Bellaire, Memorial, River Oaks, Tanglewood and West University. Mankarious wrote about topics ranging from preventing animal cruelty; highlighting the dangers of vaping, and tips for joggers, a review of her columns show. Crime Stoppers held fundraisers at local boutique designers featuring brunch and bubbles and created a young professionals group. She portrayed herself as a super mom, frequently talking on social media about her three children. She hired publicists, paid with the nonprofits funds, to nominate her for numerous awards across the region, according to interviews with former employees and other people formerly associated with the organization. Mankarious said the tactic was part of a strategy to make her and Crime Stoppers of Houston more visible across the region. Nobody knew me, Mankarious said. I was a Boston girl, and I needed to be connected as a nonprofit leader and the Houston language for that is being nominated for awards. And she wrote The Online World: What You Think You Know and What You Dont. Until last month, visitors to Crime Stoppers website were greeted by an immediate call for donations and then a pitch to buy the book. Mankarious said she wrote the book after the nonprofits advisers told her leaders like her typically have written books, and said Crime Stoppers receives a portion of proceeds from any book sales. After the Chronicle inquired about the appearance of self dealing, the organization removed that slide, changing it to one that said #STANDINGFORPUBLICSAFETY, with a request for visitors to the website to take a survey. Partisan stances If there is one decision that reflects how Crime Stoppers has evolved, it may be Mankarious move in 2018 to hire Andy Kahan. Kahan has spent the last 30 years representing crime victims first as an employee reporting to the mayor of Houston, then at the Houston Police Department and lastly at Crime Stoppers. A fixture on local news, Kahan has spent his career advocating for crime victims, battling against the sale of murderabilia, and fighting to keep sex offenders and other criminals locked up. Kahan, who received frequent praise for his advocacy for crime victims, made headlines in 2013 after reporters discovered HPD was investigating him for allegedly obtaining a prisoners confidential disciplinary record and using it to try to stop the man from getting paroled. His personnel file shows Kahan was ultimately suspended for several days after he admitted that he lied to a journalist about where he originally obtained the information. After Kahan was hired, Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, said he saw a significant shift. Most nonprofits of this type take great pains to steer clear of openly engaging in politics, said Wu, a local defense attorney. Crime Stoppers used to be like that. What has been slowly creeping in Theyve now taken very public stances on controversies, policy issues, and basically started campaigning against people. UNSOLVED: DNA testing puts cold cases in the spotlight. But in Houston, hundreds of the dead remain unidentified. Attacks have come as a new wave of judges have dramatically reduced money given to CrimeStoppers. Texas law provides three ways Crime Stoppers organizations can receive funds through the courts: A small portion of court costs all offenders must pay automatically flows to the Governors Crime Stoppers Assistance Fund. Local Crime Stoppers chapters can apply for grants. Crime Stoppers of Houston said has never received funding through this process. Local judges can order individual offenders to refund Crime Stoppers for any reward the organization paid for a tip used to solve his or her felony crime. Mankarious said the chapter had never received a reward reimbursement. Most commonly, judges require offenders to pay a fee typically $50 to the local Crime Stoppers chapter as a condition of probation. That funding has dropped dramatically in past years, from a high of about $630,000 in 2017 to a pandemic-suppressed low of $85,000 in 2020. Data show that drop appears to have come after a blue wave in 2018 brought in new Democratic judges, many of whom decided to do away with the court-ordered $50 to Crime Stoppers. Judges who spoke to the Chronicle said they directed court costs to other, smaller organizations, or to organizations dedicated to assisting victims of family violence. When court payments to Crime Stoppers dropped to just over $85,000 in 2020, Crime Stoppers announced it was running low on reward money. Soon after, Kahan spoke at Harris County Commissioners Court, seeking to have the county work with the organization to study the impact of bond reform on crime victims. Astroworld: Harris County officials dismiss Abbott Astroworld task force findings as blame game continues Judge Lina Hidalgo declined Kahans request, saying that the county should not partner with organizations that might have an ax to grind on the issue. Then, Kahan began appearing on Breaking Bond. As homicides rose across the region in 2020 and 2021 Harris County and Houston recorded a total of nearly 600 homicides last year Kahan and Crime Stoppers began to focus on cases in which people already on bond went on to allegedly commit additional violence. Kahan has so far identified about 170 defendants he says meet that criteria, or about eight percent of the homicides that occurred in Harris County during that time. Crime Stoppers denies any connection between the drop in funding and their more recent efforts. The courts are acting like a revolving door, Mankarious said. And the most violent defendants are coming in and were looking at repeat individuals and theyre going right back (out). And so, were looking at that, and I dont think its wrong, to look at outcomes. Houston Police Officers Union President Doug Griffith said Crime Stoppers of Houston has shined a light on the judges here in Harris County and their lack of any kind of motivation to do their actual job. Andy Kahan and Crime Stoppers have been on the forefront of helping victims of violent crime. Criminologists, however, say that data on pretrial bail policies have not shown any significant impact on crime rates, noting cities elsewhere across the US have weathered similar increases, even in states that have not enacted bond reform policies. Were really looking at a national phenomenon and so should be thinking about national problems and national solutions, said Ames Grawert, a criminologist at the Brennan Center for Justice. That makes it very complicated to blame any specific criminal justice reform or local issues. Or as Harris County Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin put it: Its really numbers vs. anecdotes. Of course every death is terrible. But you have to weigh it against whats really happening. Its not being looked at realistically. This story has been updated to more clearly describe Crime Stoppers of Houstons relationship with Gov. Greg Abbotts administration and District Attorney Kim Ogg. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Far-right activist Steven Hotze on Thursday made his first court appearance since being indicted on criminal charges after funding a private investigation into voter fraud that ended with the investigator pointing a gun at an innocent air conditioning repairman. State District Judge Maritza Antu set a combined bail at $18,500 on the two charges of aggravated assault and unlawful restraint, Hotzes attorney Jared Woodfill said after the court hearing. Hotze, 71, declined to comment after the hearing. Woodfill said Hotze could not comment due to pending litigation. Woodfill also said the bail was lower than what prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney's office sought, which he called a "victory" for his client. Prosecutors sought bail of $30,000 on the assault charge and $5,000 on the restraint charge, the agency said. Woodfill sought $10,000 on the assault charge on $3,000 on the restraint charge. A Harris County grand jury indicted Hotze on Wednesday on the two charges. The former police officer whom Hotze hired, 64-year-old Mark Aguirre, was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon late last year. He was reindicted on Wednesday on the same charges as Hotze. Antu on Thursday set bail for Aguirre at $30,000 for the assault charge and $5,000 for the restraint charge, according to court documents filed with the Harris County District Clerk's Office. Aguiree declined to comment after the hearing. In 2020, the former Houston Police Department officer allegedly slammed his black SUV into the back of the repairmans truck and drew a pistol. Prosecutors have said he ordered the repairman to the ground and put a knee on his back. Aguirre thought the repairman had hundreds of thousands of ballots in his truck. Instead, there were only air conditioning parts and tools, prosecutors said. Aguirre later told police he had followed the repairman for four days. A Harris County administrative judge on Wednesday recused a district judge overseeing the appeal of a child sexual abuse case, after prosecutors accused him of making sympathetic comments about the convicted man at the trials end, court records show. Judge Susan Brown of the 11th Administrative Judicial Region of Texas heard evidence presented by prosecutors and ruled 185th District Court Judge Jason Luong would have to recuse himself from the case involving defendant Phillip Recios appeal for a new trial. On April 1, Recios defense attorney Mike Monks filed a motion for a new trial in the interest of justice, stating he provided his client with ineffective assistance of counsel at trial, records show. Outside the court on Wednesday, Luong said he was unable to comment, citing the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct prohibiting him or any judge from issuing any response on matters pending in the court. His recusal comes as Luong faces a Harris County prosecutor, Andrea Beall, for the Democratic primary runoff on May 24. She currently works for the district attorney, State Bar of Texas records show. In an email to The Chronicle, Judge Brown wrote she could not comment about her decision to recuse Luong. Recio was accused of molesting his step-daughter from the ages of 9 to 12 and on March 4 was convicted of continued sexual abuse of a child, according to court records. He was sentenced to 25 years in the 185th district court a sentence that Luong later said was too harsh, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors stated the judge created an appearance of partiality in his chambers while providing feedback about the trial to Monks and two prosecutors. Luong questioned the victims credibility, according to court documents. In the recusal motion, prosecutor Tyler White accused Luong of equating child sexual abuse cases with the Salem witch trials because a mere outcry statement from a child is enough to put away a man for the rest of his life. Comments Luong made following a separate case involving the acquittal of a man accused of sexually assaulting his 10-year-old son were also cited in the recusal motion. Prosecutors said that Luong did not believe the 10-year-olds complaint, adding the case should have not been tried while referencing the stigma it causes men who have had sexual abuse allegations levied against them. Based on those conversations with the judge, White expressed concerns with Luongs ability to preside over sexual abuse cases, which depend heavily on a victims word. Monks filed a motion Monday on behalf of his client urging that Luong remain on the appeal. He said he did not believe that Luong showed hostility or prejudice towards either party or any attempt that he impinged on Recios rights. Although prosecutors identified Monks as having witnessed Luong's comments in his chambers, he was not asked to testify in Wednesdays hearing. "I do not think the affidavit accurately reflects what I heard in that office," Monks told The Chronicle in a phone call. Judge Brown ordered Recios case to be moved to another court, according to court documents, although it is unclear who he will appear before next. He is due back in court on April 27. Kenneth Williams, law professor with Houstons South Texas College of Law, cited the accusations and recusal as a warning to judges for what they say and where. Even in chambers, theyre supposed to be impartial, Williams said. Even though there may be a political motivation he certainly made comments that were not appropriate, he continued, referencing Luongs run-off bid with Beall. Nicole Hensley contributed to this report. joel.umanzor@chron.com The city of Houston plans to purchase 27 acres in Willowbend and Sunnyside with the plan to build 480 homes part of Mayor Sylvester Turners goal to build quality, affordable single-family homes throughout the city of Houston. The two communities represent the Housing and Community Development Departments largest forays into new construction. Fifty-one percent of the homes in Willowbend and Sunnyside would be affordable to families making 80 percent of Houstons area median income, which varies by household size for example, a family of three earning $57,050 or less would currently qualify. The rest would be sold at market rates. In the Willowbend area, the median home sold for $319,000 in 2021, according to Houston Association of Realtors data; in Sunnyside, it sold for $210,000. Increasing the supply of affordable and sustainable housing in Houston is a top priority for my administration, said Turner in an emailed statement. He said he aims to construct 2,000 new single-family homes by the end of 2023. On HoustonChronicle.com: Master-planned communities sell a lifestyle. Habitat for Humanity wants to make it more affordable. The Housing and Community Development Department started up its Large Tract Division which aims to facilitate the development of entire subdivisions after Hurricane Harveys widespread devastation in 2017 cost the city tens of thousands of homes, said Ray Miller, assistant director at the department. The division buys land and deeds it over to a developer free of charge in exchange for the developer selling at least 51 percent of its homes which can be single-family detached houses, townhomes, duplexes or condos at prices affordable to families earning 80 percent of Houstons area median income. Homebuyers who qualify for the affordable units also receive up to $135,000 in downpayment assistance in the form of a no-interest, no-payment loan. Every year, 20 percent of the loan is forgiven, so that after five years, the loan effectively becomes a grant. After five years, homeowners are also free to sell the home at market value a boon for participants in the program, who are able to build wealth by capturing their homes appreciation during a historically hot market, though one that means homes may not remain affordable for more than five years. In 2020, the division began its first subdivision: Towne Park. Olivia Bush, the divisions interim manager said the $3.2 million investment will include 161 homes near Greater Inwood, 121 of which will be affordable. The division also recently chose the developer for a community called Hardy Yards north of downtown. Bush expects 202 homes, 51 percent of which will be affordable, to be built on the 10.7 acres for which it paid $15.8 million of Harvey-related disaster recovery funds. It has also put $4.79 million toward an affordable, master-planned Habitat for Humanity community called Robins Landing, though in that case Habitat for Humanity purchased the land itself. Willowbend and Sunnyside developments are both in very early stages the city has the land under option and is currently conducting due diligence before purchasing the properties. The Willowbend site, which spans 12.2 acres off of Stella Link Road, just north of Harmony School of Ingenuity, is under option for $13.8 million. The Sunnyside site, which encompasses 14.9 acres off of Cityscape Avenue, just south of Terra Bella Health and Wellness Suites, is under option for $13.2 million. Neighbors are invited to a series of community meetings to share input on what they want the new subdivisions to look like. The first meeting for the Willowbend development will be Thursday May 5 at 5:30 p.m. at 10555 Stella Link Road, and the first meeting for the Sunnyside development will be Thursday April 28 at 5:30 p.m. at an address that has yet to be announced. People can attend in person or online via Microsoft Teams. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com; twitter.com/raschuetz A prominent research lab in China can ask its partner institution in Galveston to destroy records of their joint work, including secret files, materials and equipment, according to a memorandum obtained by the nonprofit news organization U.S. Right to Know and shared with the Houston Chronicle. Dr. James Le Duc, the director of the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch, signed the nine-page memorandum of understanding, which lays out the terms of collaborative efforts with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in 2017. The two research labs, which study some of the most dangerous pathogens in the world, have had a relationship since 2013 and announced a formal cooperative agreement in 2018. The Wuhan lab, located in the city where the first COVID-19 cases were reported, has also been the subject of speculation over whether the virus leaked from its facility. Chinese health leaders and other scientists have shot down the theory, and recent studies suggest the virus originated elsewhere. The party is entitled to ask the other to destroy and/or return the secret files, materials and equipment without any backup, according to the memo, which also states that the provision is in place beyond the agreements five-year term. Lawyers say the memos broad language raises legal questions about UTMBs record-keeping methods, though the university denies destroying any records as part of the agreement. UTMB is part of the University of Texas System, and therefore subject to record retention laws laid out in the Texas Government Code. Most public records must be retained within a state-approved time frame and cannot be destroyed unless granted an exception. A violation could amount to a criminal charge of tampering with a government record, a Class A misdemeanor, experts say. You cant contract away obligations under a statute, said Bill Aleshire, an Austin lawyer and former Travis County judge who specializes in public record laws. Those are public records and Galveston cant destroy records that are part of a publicly funded document. And Wuhan sure as hell cant ask Galveston to destroy its records. In a statement, university spokesman Chris Smith Gonzalez said UTMB has not been asked to destroy any documents nor would UTMB follow through with such a request. As a government-funded entity, UTMB complies with all applicable public information law obligations, including the preservation of all documentation of its research and findings, he said. The university also said it does not plan to renew the written agreement, which does not refer to any specific projects but rather lays out the parameters of future collaborations with the Wuhan lab. As part of the collaboration, the Wuhan and Galveston labs hoped to streamline future scientific and operational collaborations on dangerous pathogens, wrote Le Duc and a top scientist at the Wuhan lab in a 2018 Science article. Although funding for research and the logistics of exchanging specimens are challenges that we have yet to solve. The memo comes to light at a sensitive time for the Wuhan lab, where scientists conducted coronavirus research. Trump administration officials and others initially speculated that the lab played a role in causing the outbreak an accusation rejected by senior lab officials, Beijing health authorities and 27 scientists who in a joint statement described it as misinformation. Two studies published in February point to a large food and live-animal market as the virus epicenter. But while most scientists believe the virus had natural origins, the lab-leak theory has not been ruled out, according to reports in the science journal Nature. Le Duc visited the Wuhan lab in 2017, shortly before it opened, and hosted the labs building engineers at the Galveston National Laboratory for a training program on building operations and maintenance while it was under construction, according to an April 2020 Houston Chronicle article. While Le Duc said he did not see anything during that visit to the lab that alarmed him or hinted at lax safety protocols, he acknowledged that even laboratories with the highest level of security are prone to accidents. Accidents happen, Le Duc told the Chronicle. You do your best to prevent it, and you prepare for an eventuality if it should happen. So all I can say is (the Wuhan lab) was built comparable to ours, with a whole series of redundant safety measures in place. We did our best to share best practices so that they knew how to drive it and keep it safe. But it would be foolish to say theres no risk, because theres risk in everything. At the time, Le Duc said he had kept in touch with Shi Zhengli, a virologist at the Wuhan lab and one of the worlds leading researchers on bat coronaviruses. Her team and other exotic bat diseases specialists came under scrutiny as the lab-leak speculation took hold, but she later told Scientific American that none of the genetic sequences taken from infected patients matched the viruses her team had sampled from bat caves. Its all speculation that the lab was involved and I think its very appropriate that people look into this because thats where some of the work is done, but the timeline doesnt make sense, Le Duc said at the time. Im not at all trying to defend her or the laboratory, and frankly I think the Chinese government has done themselves and the global community a big disservice by not being more transparent as to whats going on, but thats a whole different set of issues. Nick Powell contributed to this report. A leading Texas scientist who visited a Chinese laboratory conducting coronavirus research acknowledged that while that facility made security a priority, it is possible that an accident could have led to the global virus outbreak. James Le Duc, the director of the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, has had a professional relationship with several Chinese biocontainment labs since 2013, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology laboratory, which studies some of the worlds most lethal infectious diseases, including coronaviruses in bats. The Wuhan laboratorys research has prompted speculation by Trump administration officials and others that it may have had a role in causing the coronavirus outbreak in Chinas Hubei Province, the viruss epicenter. Administration officials have also called on China to close its wet markets, more widely viewed as the source of the COVID-19 outbreak linked to more than 183,000 deaths worldwide. Le Duc visited the Wuhan lab in 2017, shortly before it opened, and even hosted the labs building engineers at the Galveston National Laboratory for a training program on building operations and maintenance while it was under construction. While Le Duc said he did not see anything during that visit to the lab that alarmed him or hinted at lax safety protocols, he acknowledged that even laboratories with the highest level of security are prone to accidents. Diplomatic cables from 2018 obtained by The Washington Post warned about questionable safety and inadequate training at the lab and the risk potential of coronaviruses from bats being transmitted to humans and causing a pandemic similar to SARS in 2003. Accidents happen, Le Duc told the Houston Chronicle. You do your best to prevent it, and you prepare for an eventuality if it should happen. So all I can say is (the Wuhan lab) was built comparable to ours, with a whole series of redundant safety measures in place. We did our best to share best practices so that they knew how to drive it and keep it safe. But it would be foolish to say theres no risk, because theres risk in everything. Senior officials at the Wuhan lab have consistently denied any link between their facility and the coronavirus outbreak. Yuan Zhiming, a top scientist at the Wuhan facility, told Chinese state television recently, There is absolutely no way that the virus originated from our institute. Shi Zhengli, a virologist at the Wuhan lab and one of the worlds leading researchers on bat coronaviruses, told Scientific American last month that she initially feared the virus could have originated at her facility, but was relieved that none of the genetic sequences taken from infected patients matched the viruses her team had sampled from bat caves. That really took a load off my mind, Shi said. I had not slept a wink for days. Yet the coronavirus research at the Wuhan lab so alarmed American science diplomats that they requested the United States provide further support beyond the assistance that the lab was getting from UTMB. In another cable, diplomats noted the new lab has a serious shortage of appropriately trained technicians and investigators needed to safely operate this high-containment laboratory. As part of a team at UTMB that helped train staff from the Wuhan lab, Le Duc was hesitant to ascribe blame or speculate on any specific cause of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. He did, however, acknowledge Chinas relative lack of experience in establishing high-security biocontainment labs. I can say that this was a brand-new laboratory that was working at a level of biocontainment that they had not worked at in the past, so its not surprising that they dont have a whole lot of people with experience in it, said Le Duc, who joined UTMB in 2006 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I dont think that that means that they were any less appreciative of safety and security than anyone else. Now Playing: 'COVID-19 in 60': Houston coronavirus news in a minute Video: Houston Chronicle UTMBs relationship with China dates back to 2013, when the medical branch opened discussions with three labs that were under construction, including the facility in Wuhan. Through the Galveston National Laboratorys federally-funded national training center, Le Duc led a team that provided individualized, hands-on training in biosafety, biosecurity and biocontainment laboratory operations to international partners from around the world who had built or were building new biocontainment laboratories. As part of this engagement with the Chinese, the Galveston National Laboratory hosted a team of engineers that was building the lab in Wuhan to train them specifically on maintenance and operations of biocontainment labs. The national laboratory also hosted two Chinese post-doctoral scientists from the Wuhan lab. They completed the nearly year-long training needed to gain independent access to the Galveston facility and collaborated with UTMB faculty on Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus research. UTMB did not provide the specific dates when the Chinese staffers came to Galveston, but Le Duc said they arrived in the years prior to the Wuhan facility opening in 2017. The medical branch also declined to release the names of the two Chinese scientists from the Wuhan lab, citing federal law that protects the privacy of student records. We wanted to make sure that we were engaged with (China) because theyre a huge country, theyve got tremendous intellectual power, and a lot of ongoing scientific collaborations, Le Duc said. We just wanted to make sure that as they stood up their new biocontainment labs, that they were aware of our experiences and kind of open up a dialogue so that we could share best practices. Le Duc spoke highly of Shi, a professional colleague whose research he admires. Both scientists attended annual meetings hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, where Le Duc listened to Shi warn of the dangers of coronaviruses jumping from animals to humans as far back as 2015. Shis presentations at these meetings have not been made public. While one of the 2018 diplomatic cables obtained by The Post warned of the public health risk of bat-associated coronaviruses, Le Duc said the dangers of these viruses have been common knowledge in the scientific community for years, in large part because of Shis research. Ive never seen the cable but its kind of being implied that this is breaking news, he said. Well, in the scientific community we had been talking about this for at least five years. It wasnt breaking news and it wasnt a surprise to the scientists that are working in this field. He has kept in touch with Shi since the outbreak and is saddened her integrity has come into question. Le Duc said he believes Shis account of when she was first notified of the first coronavirus infections and that the timeline of events suggests to him that the virus did not originate in the Wuhan lab. Its all speculation that the lab was involved and I think its very appropriate that people look into this because thats where some of the work is done, but the timeline doesnt make sense, he said. Im not at all trying to defend her or the laboratory, and frankly I think the Chinese government has done themselves and the global community a big disservice by not being more transparent as to whats going on, but thats a whole different set of issues. Federal officials had hoped UTMBs unique relationship with the Wuhan lab might led to an exchange that would help U.S. officials develop a diagnostic test for COVID-19, but Chinese officials nixed the idea in late January, The Post has reported. Le Duc also dismissed conspiracy theories suggesting that the coronavirus was man-made in the Wuhan lab, saying it almost certainly originated from nature given its similarity to other known bat-associated coronaviruses. But he conceded that working with infectious diseases, even in the most secure facilities, is inherently risky. We as scientists try and use the best practices, he said. Nobody wants to get sick, nobody wants to take their work home with them. Like anything, its a highly specialized field, there are tools and procedures that protect the individuals working in the field and we all try and use them. nick.powell@chron.com In a 2019 training for Texas Crime Stoppers, representatives from local chapters shared slogans they used to promote their work: Tippin aint snitchin. Crime doesnt pay, but Crime Stoppers does! Exchanging money for anonymous tips is still Crime Stoppers calling card. Yet as the organization approaches its 50th birthday, for many chapters the heavily promoted rewards have become almost a financial afterthought, with far heftier sums being spent on education, celebrating police, purchasing equipment or supporting their own administrative scaffolding. Midland Crime Stoppers in 2020 reported $145,000 in expenses, including a directors salary and $60,000 for advertising, office, banquet and travel costs, for $6,000 in paid rewards. Charity Navigator, a national evaluator of nonprofits, recently gave the North Texas Crime Commission, which includes the Dallas-area Crime Stoppers, a zero score for spending more on administrative costs than programs. Sustained by a steady flow of court fees from criminal defendants ordered to pay local Crime Stoppers as punishment, some chapters have quietly amassed bulging bank accounts. Williamson County Crime Stoppers has long collected more than it paid for tips, said Chairman Sam Jordan. Documents show it distributed about $17,000 in rewards over the past two years while receiving nearly $100,000 in court fees. Its bank account is approaching $700,000, records show. By the end of 2020 the Dallas chapter, which has seen its reward payments plummet in recent years, had a nest-egg of cash and investments approaching $5 million, records show. Angie Valenzuela, Midlands director, said her administrative costs were necessary to sustain the organization, which also operates a campus tip line for local schools. Like many Crime Stoppers affiliates, it fund-raises as well, collecting private support through its annual 40 Guns in 40 Days raffle, in which citizens vie to win new firearms. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle The organization continues to enjoy wide political support. Gov. Greg Abbott included an expansion of Crime Stoppers into more schools in his response to the 2018 shootings at Santa Fe High School. North Dallass meetings remain a regular stop for members of Congress and ambitious law enforcement officials. Its a connected organization, and theres a lot of networking activity there for people in the criminal justice world, said Joe Brown, a former Grayson County district attorney. Yet Crime Stoppers also is navigating a mid-life crossroads as the social and political landscapes that launched the organization have shifted. High-profile police misconduct incidents have frayed the publics trust in law enforcement. Media outlets Crime Stoppers traditionally depended on for publicity are rethinking their law enforcement relationships. More fundamentally, there has been less crime in need of stopping. Founded and expanded when U.S. violent crime rates surged, through the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, the organization had little trouble selling its message the world was a perilous place in need of citizen help. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less The rates have plunged since then. Although homicides have spiked during the pandemic in some places, overall crime levels remain well below their historical highs. Several Crime Stoppers executives said most tips lead police to lower-level offenders. A series of recent Texas court decisions also has raised questions about the legality of its public funding. With many chapter budgets built off typically poor criminal defendants, critics add that the human cost of government support of the organization is high. Paying court costs can mean the difference between paying your rent and keeping your family housed - or paying the costs because you fear being jailed and then losing your housing, said Jani Maselli, who as chief of the Harris County Public Defenders Office appellate division has waged a years-long battle against the fees. Crime reenactments In 1976, Albuquerque, N.M., police Detective Greg MacAleese found himself growing frustrated when no witnesses came forward to help solve the fatal shooting of a young gas station attendant. A former reporter, he hit on the idea of shaking loose tips by enlisting a local television station to broadcast a reenactment of the crime. Witnesses who called in were promised anonymity and a cash reward. A suspect was quickly identified and arrested. The gimmick caught on. In 1978 Crime Stoppers reported five affiliates. By the time Loyola University Chicago Professor Arthur Lurigio first studied the phenomenon less than a decade later, there were more than 600. Texas, which joined the movement in 1981, lists about 150 local chapters, although not all are active. Crime Stoppers wasnt the first to offer anonymity and cash rewards. But the reenactments were a gamechanger, Lurigio said. Broadcast on (and often produced by) local TV stations, the spots offered viewers the thrill of lurid entertainment costumed as community service. The formula pleased both the police, who received tips; and local stations, whose ratings climbed. The majority in each group views the program as quite successful, Lurigios major study, in 1987, reported. It later helped spawn true-crime, pro-policing juggernauts such as Americans Most Wanted - basically Crime Stoppers with high production values, he said. Criticisms were largely theoretical. A few psychologists fretted over whether paying citizens to act responsibly eroded civic morals. Others disapproved that many of those pocketing rewards were criminal-adjacent. Lurigios police surveys showed about three-quarters of the tips came from other criminals or fringe players. Lurigio documented wide variation among local Crime Stoppers chapters in attracting community donations. But, he noted, One of the most promising fund-raising techniques is court restitution. Although it wasnt yet widespread, he wrote that the strategy of convincing local judges to order criminal offenders to contribute to Crime Stoppers as a condition of their probation showed great promise. Fees as probation condition Today, Texas affiliates can collect money from several fees written into state law. A small percentage of the consolidated court cost every criminal offender pays flows to the Governors Crime Stoppers Assistance Fund. Local organizations can apply to the office for grants of up to $50,000. Local judges also can order individual offenders to refund Crime Stoppers for a reward the organization paid for a tip used to solve his or her felony crime. Chapter leaders said they received such reimbursements infrequently. Most commonly, judges require offenders to pay a fee - typically $50 for felonies, $25 for misdemeanors - to the local Crime Stoppers as a condition of probation. The practice is at the discretion of individual judges and so varies by location. Most of the revenue legally must be used on reward payments, so any extra accumulates. Tyler Crime Stoppers paid about $5,000 in tip rewards in 2020, ending the year with a nearly $400,000 bank cushion, according to its financial filings. Affiliates find other ways to spend money. Lufkin spent more on special events honoring Law Enforcement than rewards in 2019. Over each of the past three years Montgomery County Crime Stoppers paid about $13,000 in tip rewards. During the same period it donated more than $200,000 to local police for the purchase of Tasers, sniper rifles, body cameras, gas masks, new vehicles and a computer-sniffing dog. Steve Squier, the countys Crime Stoppers coordinator, said all were paid for using private donations. The North Texas Crime Commission hired two lobbyists during the 2017 legislative session, according to state ethics filings. While one, chairman David Dean, a former Texas Secretary of State, was unpaid, records show the organization paid former state Rep. Linda Harper-Brown up to $10,000. Dean said that despite the filing he could find no record the organization ever compensated a lobbyist. Illegal payments? Though reformers argue court fees create another barrier to successfully re-entering society, the judicially ordered Crime Stoppers payments have seldom been questioned. Yet in recent years several Texas courts have suggested judges could be wrongly assessing them. As part of his 2018 forgery conviction, records show Vincent Jackson, of Sweetwater, in West Texas, was ordered to pay a suite of costs and fees, including a $1,000 fine, $423 in court costs, $1,800 to lawyers, $180 in "restitution," $50 to Crime Stoppers. On appeal, however, the Seventh District Court of Appeals in Amarillo concluded that with part of the court cost already going to the organization, it is inappropriate to assess a separately-charged fee to Crime Stoppers. Ted Wood, of the Harris County Public Defenders Office, said two other courts - in Corpus Christi and a West Texas appeals court -- have concluded assessing a Crime Stoppers fee in addition to the mandatory court cost levy could be unlawful. The Nolan case also found the judge had assessed a $50 Crime Stoppers probation fee even though the offender was never placed on community supervision - an illegal bill. Together, the decisions raise questions about Crime Stoppers most reliable government funding source in Texas, he said. It has faced other headwinds, as well. More organizations have joined the rewards-for-information game, potentially diluting the Crime Stoppers brand and fundraising. With the growing use of security cameras, police departments can simply post surveillance footage of crimes online. "A lot of people don't know about us," Chuck Curtis, hired by Crime Stoppers in 2019 to produce commercials for the organization, told a magazine in 2019. Crime Stoppers nonetheless continues to boast eye-catching accomplishments. The live tally on the national website stands at more than 800,000 crimes solved and $4 billion-worth of property and drugs recovered thanks to tips. Mundane crimes Lurigio acknowledged it was nearly impossible to fact-check such numbers. It is difficult to know which crimes would have been solved without a paid tip. Shrouded by anonymity - legally protected in Texas - Crime Stoppers stats derive exclusively from police, who have an incentive to report high arrest rates. Several organization officials also acknowledged that while solving violent crimes garner attention and advance public safety, offenses commonly solved by Crime Stopper tipsters are much more mundane. Mike Pappas, who heads up the North Texas program, said most tips referenced probation violations or drug possession. Midlands school progarm pays $20 rewards for information on kids smoking vape pens, Valenzuela said. It doesnt do anything to add to public safety, said Scott Henson, a long-time Texas criminal justice reform advocate. Its a PR ploy that promotes a culture of law enforcement fetishism. Lurigio concluded that even a highly successful chapter well-supported by the community was unlikely to have a meaningful impact on local crime rates. While numerous crimes are solved through Crime Stoppers, he wrote, these successes amount to only a small fraction of the total volume of serious crimes committed in a given community each year. Last year, North Texas Crime Stoppers tips resulted in just over 50 arrests and 100 cleared cases. The chapter covers an area that reported over 100,000 serious criminal offenses in 2020, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. This story has been updated to list Grayson County as the former jurisdiction of Joe Brown. Like many states, Texas is struggling to attract and retain home health workers to care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a crisis that has swelled amid the pandemic and after years of low wages. So when state health officials announced last summer that they planned to use federal pandemic money for one-time bonuses, it seemed like relief was on the horizon for a few hundred thousand beleaguered employees. But even that small gesture is now in question, as the Health and Human Services Commission omitted the largest single group of health attendants, who serve about 130,000 low-income Texans. The discrepancy was uncovered this month by Dennis Borel, an advocate who heads the Austin-based Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. If youre helping people out there making $8.20 an hour, $8.50 an hour, and they get a $400 or $500 bonus, thats meaningful, Borel said. The fact that they did not include this largest of the community attendant service programs is a huge concern. IN-DEPTH: Providers caring for people with disabilities struggle to hire workers post COVID surges The agency has not publicly acknowledged the exclusion, but says it may expand eligibility in the future. Payments will be distributed as hourly wage increases for services provided from March through August of this year. We are considering including additional populations of personal attendant services and were working with our federal partners to determine next steps, spokeswoman Christine Mann said in an email. The program at issue is called STAR Plus and provides daily home care and other long-term services to adults who have a disability and are considered low-income. About 300,000 people relied on Medicaid attendant services statewide as of 2019, with STAR Plus the largest single group. Attendant positions are some of the lowest paid jobs in health care, earning a Medicaid-funded base rate of $8.11 per hour less than a dollar more than the states minimum wage. Home care providers often pay more than that, but many still find it difficult to compete with restaurants and other hourly-wage industries that can afford more. The Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice, which represents providers, said it had reached out to the state health agency to understand why any group had been left out. Its director, Rachel Hammon, expressed separate concerns at a hearing last week that the bonuses were not going to private duty nurses a different group from the STAR Plus attendants. State Sen. Charles Perrys staff said they had also inquired. HHSC stated that they are aware of this and it is not their intention to exclude these attendants, and they are actively working to include them, Chief of Staff Robert Papierz said in an email. Perry is a Lubbock Republican and is vice chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox If the omission turns out to be a clerical mistake, it could be tricky to fix, since the state has already negotiated with federal health officials on a set amount for the bonuses in this case $471 million. That money became available through last years pandemic relief package known as the American Rescue Plan Act. Borel and other advocates had hoped the state health agency would use the money to permanently increase wages, but the agency declined, saying it couldnt sustain the bump. If no one at HHSC noted the exclusion of Medicaids largest community attendant program, that is also inexcusable, Borel said. The state Legislature has minimally increased base pay for personal attendants over the years, from $7.50 in 2014 to $8.11 as of 2021. Home care providers have struggled for months to make up for worker shortages, in some instances cutting back services or delaying new programs, according to a report this year from the United Cerebral Palsy and the American Network of Community Options and Resources Foundation. In Texas, the turnover rate for attendants was 46 percent in 2020, compared to 43.6 nationally. Vacancy rates for these positions were 12 percent in the state in 2020, up from 11 percent in 2019. jeremy.blackman@chron.com As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Chinese, Armenian FMs hold phone talks over 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties Xinhua) 08:53, April 21, 2022 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held a conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan over phone. During the phone conversation, Wang said that China and Armenia are good friends of mutual trust and good partners of sincere cooperation. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, the relations between the two countries have stood the test of changing international situation and always kept to the right direction, with fruitful results achieved, Wang said. The Chinese side is satisfied with the outcomes of bilateral cooperation and full of confidence in the prospect of bilateral relations, he said. The two sides should take the opportunity of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to continue to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and push forward the sustained development of bilateral relations, Wang said. China will, as always, respect Armenia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and support the development path chosen by the Armenian people in light of their national conditions, Wang said. China believes that Armenia will continue to firmly support China's position on issues concerning China's core interests, adhere to the one-China policy and oppose any form of "Taiwan independence," Wang said. China welcomes Armenia's early accession to the Global Development Initiative, Wang added. Mirzoyan congratulated on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and appreciated China's firm support for Armenia's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The Armenian foreign minister stressed that Armenia will continue to pursue the one-China policy and fully support China in safeguarding its core interests. Armenia attaches great importance to developing relations with China, Mirzoyan said, noting that Armenia is ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China in all areas, strengthen communication and coordination on international and regional affairs and push for greater progress in bilateral relations. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. 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. Lenox Library Lecture on Land Conservation in the Berkshires LENOX, Mass. The Lenox Library's 15th Annual Distinguished Lecture Series will continue on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Jenny Hansell, President of Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), will discuss "Who Is Nature For? The Future of Land Conservation and Trails in the Berkshires." This program will be held via Zoom. Details may be found on the Library's website at https://lenoxlib.org or the Library's Facebook page. Jenny Hansell joined BNRC as its third President in February 2018. Born in Boston and raised in Detroit, Hansell earned her BA from Yale and Masters in Public Administration from University of Connecticut. Before she moved to Massachusetts to join BNRC, she lived in Sharon, Conn. and for 17 years was Executive Director of the North East Community Center in Dutchess County, NY. She has worked as an Environmental Policy Analyst at the National Audubon Society and Associate Director of the Council on the Environment of New York City and held positions at Creative Art Works and Sesame Workshop, both in New York. The Lenox Library's Distinguished Lecture Series is organized and hosted by Dr. Jeremy Yudkin. Dr. Yudkin is a resident of the Berkshires and professor of music at Boston University and Oxford University. Every summer at the Lenox Library he presents the pre-concert lectures for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Tanglewood season. All programs in the Distinguished Lecture Series are free and open to the public. Controlled Burn Scheduled in Cheshire Friday CHESHIRE, Mass. The Massachusetts Wildlife Association will be conducting a live wildfire burn of approximately 3 acres of State land on Stafford Hill Friday, April 22. The Cheshire Fire Department posted on Facebook that the Massachusetts Wildlife Association had informed them of the burn that will take place during the morning and afternoon hours. The controlled burn will be to burn off some of the underbrush to make way for new grasses and shrubs. This is a yearly occurrence. Mass Wildlife and fire crews from the State will be on hand throughout the entire day to keep the fire under control. Residents should expect smoke and emergency vehicles in the area of Stafford Hill Friday throughout the day. Sts. Patrick & Raphael Parish Hosting Synod Listening Sessions WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Parish of Sts. Patrick & Raphael is seeking input from interested community members on their spiritual reflections. The Rev. John P. McDonagh said the parish has already held Synod Consultation Sessions with the Parish Council, parents participating in Generations of Faith Formation program, and parishioners, as well as the Harper Center and Williamstown Commons. He added that "the parish is also interested in hearing what the Holy Spirit is telling people in the community." Three open sessions have been scheduled, including one earlier Thursday at the parish center. The next sessions are Saturday, April 23, at 6 p.m. at The Log on Spring Street and Monday, April 25, at noon at the Moonlight Diner on Main Street. The consultations include small group encounters in which participants share their experiences, hopes, dreams, and burdens. The goal is to invite responses both universal and to the parish in particular: How are we journeying together? What would you tell Pope Francis? What would you tell Bishop Byrne? A synod is normally a gathering of representatives from the clergy and laity in Rome discussing a topic selected by the pope. This year, Pope Francis wished a more inclusive and universal gathering within every diocese and parish, said Bishop William Bryne of the Diocese of Springfield in a letter explaining the synod. "He wants every diocese in the country, and then by extension every parish, every group worldwide, to come together and dialogue, to ask ourselves, what is God asking of us as a church," he wrote. "The key of this process is listening, that we don't show up with our own agenda, rather we first must listen to what others have to say and share what is on our hearts." The consultations are for speaking and listening, not debating, and the notetaker will synthesize what was shared and send it to the Diocesan Synodal Team. Names will not be included in the synthesis, and everyone is encouraged to maintain confidentiality for what was shared. Those not wishing to speak can write their thoughts on a provided index card. "This process was conceived as an exercise in mutual listening. I want to emphasize this. It is an exercise of mutual listening, conducted at all levels of the Church and involving the entire People of God Listening, speaking and listening. It is not about garnering opinions, not a survey, but a matter of listening to the Holy Spirit, as we read in the Book of Revelation: 'Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches' (2:7)," said Pope Francis. "To have ears, to listen, is the first thing we need to do. To hear God's voice, to sense his presence, to witness his passage and his breath of life." Those interested in participating can also do so by filling out a form at www.diospringfield.org/synod , email to synod@diospringfield.org , or attend another Diocesan Consultation by exploring the Synod Calendar iciHaiti - Saint-Marc : 7th edition of the Festival Vive Haiti Livre The 7th edition of the Festival Vive Haiti Livre will take place this year from April 22 to 24, 2022 at the Lycee Stenio Vincent of Saint-Marc and a trade fair at the Center for Reading and Cultural Animation (CLAC). Great annual celebration of contemporary literature, the festival changes neighborhood to settle at the Lycee Stenio Vincent for much more space. The team is pleased to announce the writer Gary Victor as guest of honor at the festival this year and the presence of some fifty writers from various backgrounds in the city of Saint-Marc. Visitors will be able to meet their favorite authors through workshops, signing sessions, events for the general public, round tables, discussions and artistic performances. Launched around the theme "Des Mondes et des Visages", the festival combines culture (arts, theatre, music, cinema) and literature and intends to open a bridge to the other and deal with themes relating to migration, racism and cultural diversity. This 7th edition, in addition to its traditional content, will set up a youth literature festival to raise children's awareness of reading. IH/ iciHaiti Name: Olivia Rose Organisation: Amplitude Job title: CSO, and VP of IT & Security Date started current role: February 2021 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Olivia Rose is the chief information security officer (CISO), and vice president of IT & Security for Amplitude, the pioneer in digital optimisation. Rose is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with 20 years of experience building, transforming, and optimising successful cybersecurity programs. Rose possesses a unique blend of technical and governance expertise coupled with strong business acumen to ensure security initiatives align with overall business goals and demonstrate value. Rose is a frequently requested speaker at industry events and podcasts, is widely regarded as a mentor and industry expert, and is a champion for diversity. Rose holds numerous IT and security certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CCSK, Security+, and CDPSM, among others, and is an active participant in several industry groups. What was your first job ever? My first real job was at Baskin-Robbins when I was 14 and I have worked consistently since then, even full time at a coffee shop while carrying a full course workload in college. Ive always enjoyed working. My first job was actually not in security, but as a marketing manager at Qwest Communications, a telecommunications company acquired by CenturyLink in 2011. While there I managed marketing initiatives for a suite of data, voice and internet solutions, spending the majority of my time supporting the sales team with pre- and post-sales marketing activities. After that, I hopped around to a few marketing roles before eventually landing in the cybersecurity space. How did you get involved in cybersecurity? My friend initially connected me to a company called Internet Security Systems (ISS), which was acquired by IBM in 2006, for a marketing role. In my early days at ISS, I frequently supported the consulting team, which I came to find I enjoyed much more than my marketing position. I took a bet with the VP of Consulting that I would pass the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam on my first try, and the day I did he called me and offered me a security consultant role on his team. Little did I know then that it was pretty uncommon for a security newbie to pass on their first try! My journey into cybersecurity consulting developed into positions as an advisory CSO for Fortune 500 organisations. In these roles, Id go onsite and advise current CSOs on things like how to build a strong security foundation, how to develop risk-based roadmaps to improve security infrastructures, and how to implement security and regulatory frameworks like NIST or HIPAA. Through that experience, I became proficient in the role and decided it was time to try it out for myself, and around that time I got the opportunity to be the CISO at Mailchimp, a global digital marketing and commerce platform. What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? Unlike many of my peers, I dont have a computer science or cybersecurity degree. I hadnt even heard of security back when I was in college. I graduated with a degree in Womens Studies because, quite frankly, it was the only degree program that would accept me with my less than stellar grades. (I was always more interested in working and found classes to be tedious). However, as I progressed throughout my career I have accumulated an array of certifications because, as I was a woman in the security industry, I needed to prove myself more than my male peers. I currently hold certifications in Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSM), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), a Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK), Security+, and am a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. I took a non-traditional route into the industry. Cybersecurity wasnt a career I had ever considered, and growing up, I was not very good at school, which is somewhat odd being the daughter of two academics. When I graduated, I was unsure of my career plans and landed in marketing by chance. So, while there werent any major detours once I got into cybersecurity, I certainly didnt know that would end up being my career path early on. Was there anyone who has inspired or mentored you in your career? Coming up in cybersecurity, I really did not have a true mentor, especially a female mentor since there were few women in the field at the time. It was challenging to do alone, and that experience is what motivates me to mentor extensively today, particularly women in cyber. Mentorship is something that is really important to me because I am able to affect real change in peoples personal and professional lives. I subscribe strongly to doing rather than just talking about it. Theres lots of things you can do to help people out, no matter how busy you are; reserving time each week to speak with others, reviewing resumes, making connections and introductions, even liking and commenting on someones post on LinkedIn takes no time at all and grants them a much wider viewing audience than if they do it alone. What do you feel is the most important aspect of your job? A lot of companies over-rotate on technical skills for security leaders, but a big part of being an effective CISO today is possessing human skills.'' As a CISO, fifty percent of the struggle is getting executive buy-in so a good CISO needs to play the role of an influencer within their organisation. Sometimes that can mean influencing people to do things they dont want to do but should in the best interest of the company. The key is to put yourself in the shoes of other executives, understand whats driving their perspective, and then prioritise putting policies in place that improve security posture without hindering other teams ability to reach their goals. What metrics or KPIs do you use to measure security effectiveness? I follow the NIST recommendations for metrics and program measurement. They offer solid guidance and even provide templates. Is the security skills shortage affecting your organisation? What roles or skills are you finding difficult to fill? Organisations across the industry are dramatically understaffed, but not because there is a lack of talent. We need to address the industry's current perspective on hiring we have a massive imbalance. Even though there is an influx of newcomers in the field, eager for jobs, there are very few entry-level opportunities because organisations zero in on candidates with more years of experience. This means talented peopleespecially women and minoritieshave an even tougher time entering the workforce. As an industry, we need to unite and rethink our hiring procedures to become more inclusive, take on newbies to train and mentor, and that in turn will help close the skills gap. Equally as important, is the retention of minorities in the workplace. Its critical to understand microaggressions and identify barriers for their success so you can remove them. Cybersecurity is constantly changing - how do you keep learning? Im always reading about the new tactics cybercriminals are leveraging; today keeping up with cybercriminal techniques is an industry imperative. With the industry changing so quickly it feels like theres a new cyberattack, breach, or trend every day that security professionals can nerd out on. Whether I am reading a breaking news headline or having a discussion with my fellow industry experts, I am focused on continuous education in order to ensure were adhering to the best and most advanced practices here at Amplitude. What conferences are on your must-attend list? Of course, RSA and Black Hat are key security conferences. Im a huge fan of BSide events that are scheduled in many cities across the U.S. There youll find interesting up-and-coming talent speaking on innovative and energising topics. While I was at Mailchimp, I spoke at RSA Conference about what makes a CISO decide to buy from a startup, which was educational even for myself. Go attend local events, like ISSA and ISACA. Get to know people and talk about big ideas. What is the best current trend in cybersecurity? The worst? The best current trend is the new way of thinking about Vendor Risk Management programs and how to truly identify and prepare for risk with third-parties. And the worst is our current way of thinking and approaching Vendor Risk Management, because we are doing it all wrong and its all smoke and mirrors. Any organisation can buy their way into a compliant SOC2 report, if the price is right. It has no bearing on whether the vendor actually lives and breathes best security practices or not. So Im expected to place my trust in all these companies being connected to my network simply by asking them a bunch of questions and looking over their SOC2. Of course, no vendor is going to give me a non-compliant report or insufficient controls met when they want the business. Whats the best career advice you ever received? You need to do this. When I was at ISS and offered the consulting role, I was terrified of the expectations, what I didnt know, the travel that it entailed, failing, etc. Pete Allor, then a Director at ISS, stepped into my cube one day, cut me off during my emotional diatribe, and simply said, you need to do this. And he was right. I say that same line ad nauseum to so many people now. Fear is all manufactured in your head. Its not real. When you get the opportunity to move forward in some way and you find you are holding yourself back, you truly just need to do it. And even if you fail, you wont regret it. What advice would you give to an aspiring security leader? Get out of your head and get into real life. Education is important in life, but nothing beats hands-on experience. Getting real world experience, as early as you can, will allow you to grow your skills, understand the why and the how of cyber threats, and gain confidence in the field. Focus less on what you know and more on how you know it. We need people who can respond to an incident with real-world ways of counteracting it. Someone who can jump in and fix a problem as soon as humanly possible is always an asset. The best way to learn is to put this mindset in practice in real life. From volunteering at local groups and associations to helping a neighbor set up their Wi-FI in a secure way - any experience can help. What has been your greatest career achievement? There are two: Taking on that bet with the VP of Consulting to pass the CISSP exam on the first try as that completely changed the trajectory of my career. Second is when I made the jump from consulting to being an actual CISO. Very different worlds and looking back it took a whole lot of guts to do it so Im proud of myself for that. Looking back with 20:20 hindsight, what would you have done differently? I stayed in consulting too long because I was comfortable, and I was nervous about jumping the fence into working for a company on the security team. I also had two kids so I chose to take the easier path rather than the path that would truly challenge me. Looking back, I should have taken the more challenging route. Obviously, I didnt heed my own advice of you need to do this! Julian Assange came a step closer to extradition today, when chief magistrate Paul Goldspring sent his case to the Home Secretary to consider. At a procedural sitting of Westminster Magistrates on 20 April 2022, the chief magistrate said that there was no scope for new evidence or arguments at this stage, but that a further appeal was possible. Assange appeared by video link from Belmarsh prison. Wearing a light, formal jacket, orange tie, jeans and a white shirt, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. He appeared slightly slumped and slow to respond. The magistrate told Assange that his legal team would have four weeks to provide Home Secretary, Priti Patel, with fresh evidence, and that thereafter an appeal could be possible on the aspects of the original case that Judge Baraitser originally dismissed. The remaining legal process could easily take a further year. Assange is fighting extradition to the US to face charges, mostly under the Espionage Act relating to the leaking and publishing of the Afghan and Iraqi war logs. He has been held in Belmarsh prison for over three years. Speaking after the hearing, Assanges finance, Stella Moris told supporters: If Julian is extradited, the UK will be in breach of its own treaty with the United States. This is clearly a political case. Priti Patel should free Julian at once. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also spoke to protestors outside the court. He told them: "There is still a chance for this Government to do the right thing, bring this case to a close, and free Julian Assange. I call on them to do that at once". Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: This Government seems confused about press freedom. It promises legislation to make SLAPPs more difficult, but is allowing this extradition to continue, when it is clear that the US is trying to prosecute Julian Assange for actions that are commonplace for journalists the world over. Business class seats are filling up, but not quite at the levels they did in 2019. Business travel is set to steadily--but not exponentially--rise throughout the rest of 2022, according to a new trend report from Deloitte. The annual spend on business travel is expected to reach 55 percent of 2019 levels by the end of the year, according to a survey of 150 travel managers conducted in February. These figures fall short of travel managers' predictions made in 2021. There are a few factors to blame for the sluggish return. Covid-19 variants have not only caused many workplaces to delay their return to the office, but two-thirds of companies say they've pushed back their business travel plans, and 15 percent are "seriously rethinking" their travel policies more generally. The recent end of mask mandates across airlines may also play a role in how businesses consider their travel plans in the year ahead. Concerns about increasing flight and other transit costs have also risen since 2021, Deloitte's research finds. According to research from the aviation consulting firm Boyd Group, airfares this year are estimated to go up by 20 to 40 percent, compared with pre-pandemic prices. The uptick can be attributed to an increase in fuel prices due to the war in Ukraine. Higher fuel prices should have an impact on a wide swath of businesses that depend on corporate travel, like hotels and car rental companies, and it should continue to roil supply chains. U.S. hotel business revenue for 2022 is projected to be nearly a quarter below pre-pandemic levels--a difference of about $20 billion--according to a new report released by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Makers LabTM, the research and development arm of Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting, and business re-engineering services & solutions, sets up its Quantum Center of Excellence QNxt in Helsinki. The collaboration will accelerate the adoption and commercialization of quantum technologies globally. In addition to Finland, Makers Lab will also set up CoEs in Pune & Hyderabad, India to spearhead co-innovation and R&D across industries and sectors such as telecom, 5G, energy, and healthcare. This announcement has been made on the sidelines of a business delegation visit from Finland today led by Mr. Mika Lintila, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland and Mr. Petri Peltonen, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. Makers Lab will build a team of 200+ quantum machine learning experts and 5 research fellows to start with. Mika Lintila, Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland, said, Finland is one of the leading countries in Quantum Technology in Europe. I see great value in further developing our ecosystem in partnership with strong international players such as Tech Mahindra. I warmly welcome the new Makers Lab to build linkages with Finnish business life and top innovation actors. Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said, We are at the start of the Quantum decade that promises to change the very fabric of classical computation and addresses challenges that cannot be solved using current computation techniques. It gives us an ability to not only re-imagine customer experience, but also to look towards a sustainable future at a time when energy requirements across the world have become unsustainable. At Tech Mahindra, we see this change pushing us towards a faster, better, sustainable, and more optimized mode of solving customer challenges which is powered by quantum computing. Our QNxT CoEs will solidify our research and design capabilities. It will also help us implement business use cases effectively to solve complex customer challenges by leveraging quantum computing. QNxT will identify quantum computing problem statements, spearhead inclusive innovation, and develop use cases across sectors such as fraud identification and folio optimization in finance, drug discovery, precision medicine therapies, and seamless diagnostic assistance in healthcare, and 5G bandwidth optimization in telecom. It will also facilitate training, education, testing, and R&D in the field of quantum computing. In addition, it will enable 5G and 6G networks to provide global coverage and empower organizations in their digital transformation journeys that will result into higher level of productivity, reduce operational complexity, and costs. Tech Mahindra believes in DigitALL philosophy for comprehensive Business Transformation. Digital technologies catalyze the transformations they humanize businesses by helping them think, sense, connect, communicate, secure and act better than before. As part of NXT.NOWTM framework, which aims to enhance Human Centric Experience, Tech Mahindra focuses on investing in emerging technologies and solutions that enable digital transformation and meet the evolving needs of the customer. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif on Thursday. An explosion targeting a Shi'ite mosque in the city killed at least 11 people. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility of the attack in a statement posted in Telegram. AFP The blast took place at the Seh Dokan mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif. "There are at least 25 casualties," Zabihullah Noorani, head of Balkh province's information and culture department, told AFP. A police official said 10 people were killed, and 15 wounded. AFP Second attack on the same day This was one of the two bomb blasts in the country on Thursday. At least four people were killed and 18 wounded by a blast in Kunduz city. Provincial police spokesman Obaidullah Abedi told AFP it was caused by a bicycle bomb targeting a vehicle carrying mechanics working for a Taliban military unit. Shiite Hazara under attack again Afghanistan's Shiite Hazara community, which makes up between 10 and 20 percent of the country's 38 million people, has long been the target of attacks -- some blamed on the Taliban and others on IS. On Tuesday, two blasts outside a school in a Shiite neighbourhood of Kabul killed at least six people and wounded 25 others. AFP/ File Until August last year, such bombings were very common across Afghanistan. However, since August 2021, when Taliban who were behind most of such blasts took control of Afghanistan, the number of attacks have come down. The IS-KP an official affiliate of IS has been waging a parallel war, including against the Taliban in Afghanistan for the past few years. IS-KP's attacks on Shiite Hazara In May last year at least 85 people -- mainly girl students -- were killed and about 300 wounded when three bombs exploded near their school in the Shiite dominated Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul. No group claimed responsibility for that, but in October 2020 IS admitted a suicide attack on an educational centre in the same area that killed 24 people, including students. Reuters/ File In May 2020, the group was blamed for a bloody attack on a maternity ward of a hospital in the same neighbourhood that killed 25 people, including new mothers. The IS-KP was also behind the deadly terror attack on Kabul Airport on August 26, 2021, which killed dozens including US service personnel and Afghan civilians who were trying to flee the country, following the Taliban takeover. For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. A South Korean scholar has turned to a different way of collecting information about secretive North Korea as pandemic restrictions make it harder for outsiders to find out what's life like for North Koreans. What does he do? Kang Dong Wan often hunts for what he calls his treasure rubbish from North Korea that provides a peek into a place thats shut down to most outsiders. This can be very important material because we can learn what products are manufactured in North Korea and what goods people use there, Kang, 48, a professor at South Koreas Dong-A University, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. AP He has collected about 2,000 pieces of trash, ranging from snack bags, juice pouches, sweet wrappers and drink bottles to seasoning sachets. What did he find? He says his findings confirm North Korean state media reports that the country has been producing a variety of consumer goods on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un. People's tastes have grown and there's even a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demand for goods. He was forced to turn to the delicate information-gathering method because COVID-19 has made it much harder for outsiders to find out whats going on inside North Korea, one of the worlds most cloistered nations even without pandemic border closures. The variety, amount and increasing sophistication of the trash, he believes, confirms North Korean state media reports that leader Kim Jong Un is pushing for the production of various kinds of consumer goods and a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demands of his people and improve their livelihoods. AP How does the consumer pattern look like? Kim, despite his authoritarian rule, cannot ignore the tastes of consumers who now buy products at capitalist-style markets because the countrys socialist public rationing system is broken and its economic woes have worsened during the pandemic. Current North Korean residents are a generation of people whove come to realize what the market and economy are. Kim cant win their support if he only suppresses and controls them while sticking to a nuclear development program, Kang said. He needs to show there are some changes in his era. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kang regularly visited Chinese border towns to meet North Koreans staying there. He also bought North Korean products and photographed North Korean villages across the river border. He cant go there anymore, however, because Chinas anti-virus restrictions limit foreign travelers. The kind of trash he finds Since September 2020, Kang has visited five South Korean border islands off the countrys west coast and said he was amazed to see dozens of different kinds of colorful packaging materials, each for certain products like seasonings, ice cream bars, snack cakes and milk and yogurt products. Many carry a variety of graphic elements, cartoon characters and lettering fonts. Some still can seem out of date by Western standards and are apparent copycats of South Korean and Japanese designs. AP Some wrappers display extremely exaggerated claims. One says that a walnut-flavored snack cake is a better source of protein than meat. Another says that collagen ice cream makes children grow taller and enhances skin elasticity. And yet another claims that a snack cake made with a certain kind of microalgae prevents diabetes, heart disease and aging. Kang has been unable to verify the quality of former contents inside his trash. Kang said his trash collection is an attempt to better understand the North Korean people and study how to bridge the gap between the divided Koreas in the event of future unification. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Yesterday, a Pune-based IT employee union named NITES reportedly filed a complaint against Infosys. The employee union is seeking the removal of the newly imposed non-compete clause by Infosys. What Does The Clause State? The clause states that the employees cannot work for the competitor companies for six months after leaving the company. Thats not all. The clause also restricts employees from joining the workforce of the clients they had worked for in the last 12 months before quitting, according to the letter to Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Labour and Employment. thenewsminute Also Read: Indian Tech Giant HCL Aims To Solve High Attrition Problem With 'Hire To Retire' Platform The clause reportedly includes these companies in their competitor list- Accenture, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), IBM, Cognizant, and Wipro. The Letter To Labour Minister As per the letter sent to the minister, the clause says For the period of six months after leaving Infosys, employees will not accept any offer of employment from any customer, (with whom I worked) in the twelve months immediately preceding my termination or accept any offer of employment from a Named Competitor of Infosys, if my employment with such Named Competitor would involve me having to work with a Customer with whom I had worked in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the termination of my employment with Infosys. The letter was written by the NITES union president, Harpreet Saluja, to the minister stating that the clause violates Section 27 of the Contract Act. They are likely to affect the employees means of procuring a livelihood for himself and his family. Hence the company should be stopped from enforcing it. read the letter. Infosys' Highest Attrition Rate Recently, IT giant Infosys had also witnessed the highest level of attrition rate in the company, which worsened from 25.5% in the December 2021 quarter to 27.7% in the March 2022 quarter. Infosys is reportedly looking to hire more than 50,000 employees in FY23 as against the 85,000 hired in FY22. The companys net profit for the March 2022 quarter rose about 12% to 5,686 crore with revenue growth of 22.7% year-on-year at 32,276 crore. Also Read: Crypto-assets Can Increase Financial Inclusion, Says Infosys' Nandan Nilekani For the latest financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. Cover Image Attribute: A screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping making a keynote speech via video link during the Boao Forum for Asia's opening ceremony on April 21, 2022, at a media center in Boao, Hainan province, China. /Source: Kevin Yao/REUTERS On April 21, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested a "global security initiative" that preserves the notion of "indivisible security," a term embraced by Russia. Still, he did not elaborate on how such an initiative would implement. Xi stated in a video address at the annual Boao Asia Forum that the globe should respect each country's sovereignty and territorial integrity while also taking into account their "legitimate" security concerns. "We should uphold the principle of indivisibility of security, build a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the building of national security based on insecurity in other countries," Xi said at the conference on the southern Chinese island of Hainan. Russia has stressed in talks over Ukraine that Western governments adhere to a 1999 accord based on the idea of "indivisible security," which states that no country may increase its security at the expense of others. In recent years, China and Russia have grown close. Also, China didn't denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, which Moscow describes as a "special operation" to demilitarize the country. Instead, China has attributed the Ukraine conflict to NATO's expansion to the east. Analysts note that this is the first time China has advocated for "indivisible security" outside of the Russia-Ukraine issue, which could impact U.S. policy in Asia. "If China deems actions by the U.S. and its allies on Taiwan or the South China Sea as disregarding its security concerns, it could evoke the concept of 'indivisible security' to claim the moral high ground in retaliation," said Li Mingjiang, an associate professor at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. According to Wang Jiangyu, a law professor at the City University of Hong Kong, by invoking the concept of "indivisible security," which originated in Europe, China could aim to increase the legitimacy of its actions in defense of its vital interests. Xi also reaffirmed China's opposition to unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction" without directly addressing the West's punitive steps against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. China has regularly criticized Western sanctions, including those against Russia, but has also been cautious not to assist Moscow in any way that could result in Beijing facing repercussions. Xi acknowledged that efforts are needed to stabilize global supply chains but added that China's economy is resilient and has not deviated from its long-term trajectory. To access the full text of Xi Jinping's speech at the 2022 Boao Forum for Asia, Click Here. A federal judge has given final approval to a $34 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit against a plastics company over toxic chemical contamination of soil and groundwater in a southern Vermont community. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation will pay $26.2 million into a fund to compensate Bennington area property owners for alleged damages and $6 million for a program to monitor the health of those exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, under the settlement approved Monday. VTDigger first reported on the final approval. The settlement agreement provides significant monetary compensation to the owners of approximately 2,365 residential properties in Bennington and North Bennington contaminated with PFOA by the plants, according to Emily Joselson, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. It also, for the first time in Vermont, establishes a 15-year medical monitoring program that will allow more than 500 class members who unknowingly drank PFOA-contaminated water and have above background-levels of PFOA in their blood to be monitored yearly for the earliest signs or symptoms of medical conditions associated with PFOA, Joselson said by email. I think this is going to be very significant for the community, David Silver, another attorney for the plaintiffs, said Tuesday. It also gives the community a sense of closure and the ability to go on but also very important is the remedy of medical monitoring, which was really groundbreaking, PFOA was traced to exhaust emissions from two former ChemFab Corp. factories, which had been bought by Saint-Gobain, the Bennington Banner has reported. The state and the public learned of the contamination in 2016 and the lawsuit was filed in May of that year. Saint-Gobain later paid more than $40 million to comply with state consent orders to extend municipal water lines and provide clean drinking water to homes with contaminated wells, Joselson said by email. The settlement resolves all plaintiffs claims alleged against Saint-Gobain. Saint-Gobain said in a statement the company is pleased Judge Geoffrey Crawford granted final approval of our settlement in Vermont and that this case has been resolved. Bill Knight, whose well was contaminated, said he will seek property damages and medical monitoring after an earlier blood test showed he had elevated levels of PFOA. He said lawyers worked tirelessly for a good settlement and he was very pleased it. We are encouraging people to file a claim, Knight said. Claims can be filed through Aug. 22. The Vermont Legislature has passed a bill that codifies that in Vermont people exposed to toxic chemicals can sue the polluter for medical monitoring. Gov. Phil Scott is expected to sign the legislation into law, after vetoing two other previous medical monitoring bills. PFOA is one of a group of contaminants often called forever chemicals because they last so long in the environment. PFOA is known to cause kidney, testicular, and other cancers and diseases. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Vermont The New York Times sued an anti-immigration author for the cost of defending itself against defamation in the first lawsuit of its kind under New Yorks recently expanded anti-SLAPP law to protect critical speech. The company is seeking unspecified fees spent fending off a 2020 lawsuit by Peter Brimelow, according to the companys lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday. Brimelow had sued the company over five articles published between January 2019 and May 2020 that described him as being white nationalist and his VDARE.com website as being animated by race hatred. Brimelow said the lawsuit does not have merit. This lawsuit, like the five articles at issue in the original litigation, is but another effort to raise the stakes against dissident (but desperately needed) voices, he said in an email. The Times said in a statement it was the first anti-SLAPP case by the company which it called an important step in protecting itself from defamation claims. One of the five articles that Brimelow alleged was defamatory was originally published by Reuters and republished by the Times. Brimelow did not name Reuters in his lawsuit. The lawsuit by Brimelow, who has said he thinks the United States is a white nation, was dismissed in December 2020 soon after New York expanded its anti-SLAPP law, which is meant to deter lawsuits that are designed to punish defendants for speaking out on public issues. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation and then-Governor Andrew Cuomo said the expanded law would protect free speech by preventing wealthy interests from using the court to bully their opponents. The Times lawsuit is the first in which a defendant in a SLAPP case turned around and sued the plaintiffs after getting the case dismissed, according to Daniel Novack, an attorney who specializes in media law. The anti-SLAPP law has also been embraced by defendants in the original litigation. Fox News argued a $2 billion defamation lawsuit by the Smartmatic voting systems company violated the law and former President Donald Trump tried unsuccessfully to use the law to sue E. Jean Carroll, a writer who said he raped her in the 1990s. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Sandra Maler) Topics Lawsuits New York The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in the first state high court ruling on the question, has sided with an insurer and an insurance agency in finding that the Covid-19 losses claimed by three restaurants were not direct physical loss of or damage to their property within the meaning of the insurance policies. The ruling affirms a lower Superior Court ruling that was appealed by restaurant firm Verveine Corp., which operates Coppa in Boston; 1704 Washington LLC, which operates Toro in Boston; and JKFoodGroup LLC, which operates Little Donkey in Cambridge. All three have common ownership and management. No other state supreme court has ruled on the question of whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can cause a direct physical loss or damage to property, although 10 federal Circuit Courts of Appeal and intermediate appellate courts in California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio have ruled that it cannot, according to a litigation tracker maintained by the University of Pennsylvanias Carey Law School. In the Massachusetts case Verveine Corp. v. Strathmore Insurance Co. the restaurants purchased their insurance through Commercial Insurance Agency, which arranged their coverage from Strathmore Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Greater New York Mutual Insurance Co. When the pandemic began, the restaurants were covered by two Strathmore property and liability policies one covering both Toro and Coppa and the other covering Little Donkey. Commercial Insurance Agency represented to the plaintiffs that the coverage under the policies was the same, but Little Donkeys policy contained an exclusion for loss or damage caused by or resulting from any virus, bacterium or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness or disease, which was not contained in the policy covering Coppa and Toro. The policy covering Coppa and Toro contained an exclusion that was limited to loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by fungus, wet rot, dry rot and bacteria and did not mention viruses. The plaintiffs three restaurants, like many brick-and-mortar businesses, suffered severe reductions in revenues during the pandemic and the resulting government restrictions on public gatherings. They looked to their property insurers to offset these business income losses, but Strathmore denied the claims under both policies, citing the lack of any physical loss of or damage to the properties and the virus exclusion to Little Donkeys policy. The restaurants then sued the insurer for breach of contract and the insurance broker for allegedly negligently failing to procure policies that would have covered damages resulting from the COVID-19 virus. Holding that the insurance policies in question unambiguously did not cover the plaintiffs losses, a Superior Court judge granted Strathmores motion to dismiss and Commercials motion for judgment on the pleadings. The Supreme Judicial Court then took up the matter on appeal. The ruling extends the winning record of insurers in Covid-19 business cases. According to an analysis on ClamsJournal.com by Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm, at the trial court level, insurers have prevailed in more than 78 percent of the 194 rulings on motions to dismiss in state courts and in more than 95 percent of the 598 rulings by federal courts. Also, insurers have won, on the merits, in every appellate court decision thus far in both federal and state court. In this Massachusetts case, the restaurants insurance policies define covered causes of loss as risks of direct physical loss, subject to certain exclusions and limitations. The plaintiffs allege that the policies were marketed and sold as all-risk policies. But the court said the relevant question is what the terms of the policies themselves say. Denial of Restaurants Claim Upheld in First Covid-19 Ruling by a New York Appeals Court Even if we were to inquire into the expectations of the insured, the focus is on what an insured reading the relevant policy language, would expect to be covered, not the insureds more general perceptions of the policy, the court noted, adding that the burden remains on the insured to demonstrate that such loss or damage, within the meaning of the policy, actually occurred. After reviewing the language in the policies, the states top court found that the question is whether there was any direct physical loss of or damage to property at the restaurants. It concluded that no reasonable interpretation of direct physical loss of or damage to property supports the plaintiffs claims. Even accepting the plaintiffs premise that the suspension of their business was caused by the presence of the virus on surfaces and in the air at the restaurants, mere presence does not amount to loss or damage to the property, the court added. The high court also affirmed the dismissal of the claims against Commercial Insurance Agency over the exclusion, finding that Little Donkey failed to recover from Strathmore because coverage did not attach in the first place, not because of the virus exclusion. Amicus briefs were submitted by the Massachusetts Insurance and Reinsurance Bar Association; by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, and the Massachusetts Insurance Federation; by Amphenol Corp. and Lawrence General Hospital; by United Policyholders; and by American Food Systems, Inc. Topics COVID-19 Claims Massachusetts Exports of essential medical devices Russia is dependent upon from the West have been partly restored, reducing the immediate risk of life-threatening shortages after a near-total collapse when the war in Ukraine began, a Western industry source told Reuters. Russia imports a large share of its medical equipment, such as pacemakers and radiotherapy devices, from the European Union and the United States and its reliance is particularly acute for the most complex and critical machines. Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, which Moscow calls a special military operation to demilitarize its neighbor, temporarily froze these exports as companies navigated the barrage of sanctions against the Kremlin, said the Western industry source who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject. While medical devices and prescription drugs are exempt from sanctions, their delivery to Russia has been hit by transport, insurance and customs hurdles caused by the war and by the restrictive measures, according to two industry sources and a European Commission official. That heavily disrupted the flow of supplies that before the conflict was worth about 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) a year, according to data from the World Trade Organization (WTO). Now, over 50 days into the conflict, the trade has resumed so that exports to Russia are about half of pre-war volumes, sufficient to dispel fears of immediate shortages, said the first industry source, but not enough to totally dismiss them. The risk was higher for complex machines that need regular renewals of spare parts and consumable materials, such as dialysis systems or ventilators for COVID-19 patients, the source added. Logistics to Russia are quite challenging due to limited transportation possibilities. Nevertheless we are evaluating all options on a best-effort basis and so far have been able to keep some logistics channels open, medical device giant Siemens Healthineers told Reuters. The company, which has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, mostly exports imaging and radiotherapy equipment to Russia. Logistics, Sanctions, Legal Threats While logistical hurdles remain, companies and customs officials have now adapted to the initial complications brought on by the sanctions regime, the two industry sources said. Transport risks, usually covered by Western insurers, are now shouldered by Russian insurance companies, according to one of the sources. Goods are often delivered to Russias neighbors, such as Turkey or Latvia, and Russian transport companies complete the journey. Some companies say they have adapted quickly. We continue to work closely with the proper authorities to ensure compliance with sanctions, but we have not seen an impact at this time, a spokesperson for GE Healthcare told Reuters. New sanctions imposed earlier in April by EU countries, which ban Russian trucks and vessels from entering the EU, are expected to complicate matters for a few days, but are seen as a temporary snag. A spokesperson for the EU Commission said that medical devices were exempted from the transport sanctions as well as import and export bans because they were considered essential goods. When disruption to exports was at its most acute, Western companies relied on stocks already in Russia or local production or the limited supply of imports for spare parts and materials for complex machines, with a third industry source noting that medical centers using such equipment never stopped running. Added to the logistical and sanctions issues, are the retaliatory measures Russia is taking to make life more difficult for the West. Manufacturers of medical equipment have so far enjoyed special treatment by Russia, because of their critical function, which has allowed them to continue to be paid in foreign currencies and to be spared from asset seizures. But that remains a threat, the sources said. The uncertainty has led many companies to scale down their activities in Russia but none of the big firms have quit Russia so far. Several companies have shrunk the number of products they are offering in Russia and others have stopped using Russia as a hub for business in Central Asia, the Western industry source said. ($1 = 0.9228 euros) (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen, Erman Michael and Ludwig Burger; editing by Elaine Hardcastle) Topics Russia This edition of International People Moves details appointments at the insurance broker Miller and insurer Arch Insurance International. A summary of these new hires follows here. Miller Taps WTWs Power, Bessos Harvey for Professional Risks Miller, the London-based independent specialist re/insurance broker, announced the appointment of Adam Power as account executive in the International Professional Risks team and Rebecca Harvey as account executive in the North American Professional Risks team. Power will report to joint head of International Professional & Financial Risks Ed Pickard, and Harvey will report to Andy Brett, joint head of North American Professional Lines. Power brings with him over 25 years experience, most recently as director and practice leader in the Construction Professional Indemnity team at WTW. Prior to this, he spent 16 years in Australia working with JLT and Aon, acting for mid-to-large sized corporate and global clients across Australia and Asia. Power also spent two years as a divisional director at Howden. In his new role, Power will focus on leading the professional indemnity insurance offering for clients in the construction and property sectors, both in the UK and internationally, working with Millers newly expanded UK construction team to maximise cross class opportunities. Harvey joins from independent Lloyds broker Besso, where she held the position of producer/broker. Prior to this, she worked at Marsh JLT Speciality as vice president, Management Liability, focusing on a variety of retail and wholesale risks in the UK, U.S., Canada and Australia. At Miller, Harvey will focus on North American production across professional lines with a focus on D&O. *** Arch Insurance Intl Appoints Barattini and Smith as Underwriters Arch Insurance International announced the appointments of Patrizia Barattini as senior professional liability underwriter and Richard Smith as senior warranty & specialty affinity underwriter. In an April 20 announcement, Arch said Barattini will be responsible for delivering insurance solutions across a broad range of clients and territories, joining a well-established professional liability team providing global coverage for exposures ranging from large complex risks to smaller accounts. Based in London, she will report to Austen Barnes, underwriting manager, Professional Liability. An accomplished underwriter, Barattini brings over 10 years of experience in the professional liability arena, operating across both international and European accounts. She joins from Markel International where she was most recently an underwriter within its professional liability team. In a separate announcement issued on April 12, Arch Insurance International announced the appointment of Richard Smith as senior warranty & specialty affinity underwriter. In his role, he will support the continued growth of the warranty & specialty affinity portfolio, alongside a team that operates as an established lead market, providing insurance and reinsurance solutions across a broad range of warranty, creditor and added value ancillary products. Based in London, Smith will report to Sean Fearon, Arch Insurance Internationals head of Warranty & Specialty Affinity. Smiths insurance expertise spans both the Lloyds and company markets. Most recently, he was a director at Newpoint Insurance Brokers having joined the company in 2007. Prior to that, Smith was a senior risk and pricing analyst at Advent Solutions Management and began his insurance career at Domestic and General. Topics Underwriting Willis Towers Watson Lloyds of London syndicate Aspen Insurance has decided to cut ties with the existing Trans Mountain pipeline when its current insurance policy expires this summer, according to the climate activist group, Coal Action Network. Aspen joins 16 other insurers that have dropped Trans Mountain or vowed not to insure its expansion, said the network in a statement. Climate Change Poses Much Greater Existential Risk for the World Than COVID-19 As a matter of corporate policy, Aspen does not comment on the specifics of any application for insurance we receive, any insurance or reinsurance contract we underwrite, or any claim we pay, however, we can confirm that we do not plan to renew the Trans Mountain Tar Sands Oil Pipeline project, said a spokesperson for Aspen in an email to Coal Action Network. (Aspen confirmed the statement with Insurance Journal). The 16 other insurers that have ruled out insuring Trans Mountain are: Allianz, Argo, AXA, AXIS Capital, Chubb, Cincinnati Global Underwriting, Generali, Lancashire, MAPFRE, Munich Re, QBE, RSA, SCOR, Suncorp, Talanx and Zurich Insurance Group. Insurers are being pressured by environmental activist groups to end their coverage of fossil fuel infrastructure to combat climate change. Without insurance, they reason, these projects possibly could be stopped. Its time for the rest of the Lloyds syndicates and the whole insurance sector to follow suit before the climate crisis gets worse, said Charlene Aleck of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Sacred Trust Initiative, a Canadian First Nation activist group that has focused on stopping the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project. The group is concerned the project will exacerbate climate change and pollute the environment. The pipeline expansion is described by Trans Mountains website as a twinning of the existing 1,150-kilometer (750 mile) pipeline between Strathcona County, near Edmonton, Alberta, and Burnaby, British Columbia. It will create a pipeline system with the nominal capacity of the system going from approximately 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 barrels per day. (Strathcona is Canadas hub for petrochemical industries). Despite the activists protests, the Canadian government is proceeding with the project. Over the last two years, insurers at Lloyds of London have come under increasing pressure to cut ties with Trans Mountain, commented Andrew Taylor, organizer with Coal Action Network. (The network is pushing for an end to coal use in power generation and steel production as well as coal extraction and coal imports in the UK). Its brilliant that Aspen is listening, but Lloyds syndicates like Arch and Beazley must follow suit, and more broadly we need a step-change across the whole Lloyds marketplace. Taylor added. We are calling for leadership that mandates all insurers in their marketplace to end underwriting of new fossil fuel projects. While Lloyds CEO John Neal blocks meaningful climate action, we expect to see ongoing protests on Lloyds doorstep, he cautioned. Protests at Lloyds Last week, Lloyds had to close its London headquarters when about 60 climate change protesters from the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion blocked the main entrance of the building. Lloyds has instituted a phased approach for exiting investments in and insurance of the fossil fuel industry, a plan it revealed in December 2020 in its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report but climate activist groups are demanding immediate action. The Coal Action Network described the Lloyds fossil fuel policy as weak. The Lloyds ESG policy asked Lloyds insurers to stop providing new insurance cover by January 2022, for thermal coal-fired power plants, thermal coal mines, oil sands, or new Arctic energy exploration activities tar sands projects. Further, Lloyds said it will phase out the renewal of existing insurance cover for these types of businesses by January 2030. However, climate activists say the policy isnt clear about how the requirements will be enforced, and they warn that the target date of 2030 to phase out renewal of existing coverage is too distant when immediate climate action is needed. Another climate activist group, Stand.earth, said its next campaign targets are other Lloyds of London insurers, Liberty Mutual, Starr Cos., and W.R. Berkley. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency reports have made clear that the Trans Mountain expansion project and any expanded oil and gas infrastructure is incompatible with achieving global climate targets, said Sven Biggs, Canadian Oil and Gas director for Stand.earth. This announcement from Aspen makes clear that the Trans Mountain pipeline network is facing serious risks that financial institutions do not want to support: lack of consent from indigenous communities, decaying infrastructure, mounting costs, and a massive carbon footprint, said Elana Sulakshana, senior energy finance campaigner at Rainforest Action Network. (The original pipeline was built in 1953). However, we urge Aspen to clarify that its commitment extends to not insuring all parts of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline and the expansion project in the future, she said. We also call on Arch, Beazley, and other Lloyds syndicates to follow suit and drop Trans Mountain, as well as rule out insurance coverage for the entire tar sands sector. History will not look kindly on any company that is continuing to insure massive oil expansion projects in 2022. Photograph: Demonstrators take part in an Extinction Rebellion protest on Westminster Bridge in London, on Friday, April 15, 2022. Climate-change protesters have snarled traffic by blocking four London bridges. Cars and red double-decker buses backed up along roads as hundreds of Extinction Rebellion activists occupied Londons Waterloo, Blackfriars, Lambeth and Westminster bridges, calling for an end to new fossil fuel investments. Photo credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP. Topics Carriers Canada Proponents of legalizing marijuana in Wisconsin, for either medical or recreational use or both, get their first chance to make their case at a public hearing of a legislative committee Wednesday. The Senate committee hearing marks the first time that any bill softening Wisconsins marijuana laws has gotten a public hearing. In the past, Republicans who control the Senate and Assembly have not allowed any such bills to see the light of day. Frustrated marijuana legalization proponents have watched all four of Wisconsins neighboring states loosen their laws, making Wisconsin an island of prohibition. Recreational marijuana is legal to Wisconsins north in Michigan and to the south in Illinois. Both Minnesota and Iowa allow medical marijuana. All told, 37 states have legalized medical marijuana and 18 have fully legalized it. Even though the hearing provided a new forum for legalization advocates in Wisconsin, it doesnt mean that anything will change immediately. The Legislature is out of session for this year, meaning 2023 is the soonest any bill would be acted on. And the strongest advocates for full legalization say the Republican-backed bill falls far short of what is needed. We cannot settle for half-baked, insufficient legislation that is nothing more than a political ploy to give folks false hope on the prospects of cannabis legalization here in Wisconsin, Democratic Sen. Melissa Agard, a proponent of full legalization, said in a statement ahead of the hearing. She planned to testify against the bill. We must put our efforts behind full cannabis legalization, Agard said. The bill up for a hearing is sponsored by Republican Sen. Mary Felzkowski, a cancer survivor and longtime promoter of legalizing medical marijuana. She encouraged everyone with an interest in the issue to testify. This session in Wisconsin there were bills from Democrats and Republicans that would legalize medical marijuana, from Democrats that would also legalize it for recreational use, and a bipartisan measure that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana. All of those measures died when the Republican-controlled Legislature adjourned its session in February. Felzkowskis bill is limited. For example, it doesnt allow smoking medical marijuana, a concession she said she made to gain support from Republican lawmakers. The Democratic medical marijuana bill would have allowed smoking it. The hearing was scheduled on April 20, also known as 420 Day, an annual day of celebration of marijuana. Felzkowski said that was a coincidence and she picked Wednesday for the hearing because it was when most people were available. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cannabis Wisconsin A Waukegan, Illinois contractor with a history of violating federal safety standards and ignoring safety citations was cited again by the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for exposing workers to deadly fall hazards at two separate job sites in October 2021. Joshua Herion who does business as ECS Roofing Professionals Inc. faces proposed penalties of $360,531. A U.S. Department of Labor OSHA inspector observed a foreman and two roofers atop a Hoffman Estates commercial building working at heights of up to 20 feet off the ground with inadequate fall protection. Just 10 days later, an OSHA inspector observed a crew of three working at heights greater than 12 feet atop a residential building in Waukesha, Wisconsin, without fall protection equipment. OSHA found ECS Roofing Professionals failed to equip workers with adequate fall protection equipment, train workers on its use, provide safe access to a ladder jack scaffold platform and ensure head and eye protection were used. The agency issued one willful, four repeat and eight serious violations. In both of these incidents, the foreman left the site and directed others to do so when OSHA inspectors began asking questions about their safety procedures. This defiant act demonstrates Joshua Herion and his companys disregard for the safety and well-being of workers and the law, said OSHAs Chicago North Area Director Angeline Loftus in Des Plaines, Illinois, who investigated the Hoffman Estates job site. Fall hazards make roofing work among the construction industrys most dangerous jobs and among OSHAs most frequently cited safety hazards. The pair of recent inspections continues the companys history of failing to protect its roofing workers. Since 2014, ECS Roofing Professionals has been cited seven times by OSHA for similar hazards at other job sites. The employer has failed to respond to OSHAs requests for information, has not responded to citations from previous inspections and has had $139,656 in unpaid OSHA penalties referred to debt collection. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties for the Hoffman Estates site and the Waukesha site to comply, request an informal conference with each of OSHAs area directors, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Source: OSHA Topics Workers' Compensation Contractors Illinois The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday appealed a judges ruling ending a mask mandate on public transportation and airplanes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the measure was still needed. A U.S. district judge ruled on Monday that the mandates, which apply to planes, trains and other public transportation, were unlawful. The Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling if the CDC determined the 14-month-old mandate was still needed. U.S. Will No Longer Enforce Mask Mandate on Airplanes, Trains After Court Ruling The Justice Department filed notice appealing the ruling to the 11th Circuit Court, but did not detail if it intended to seek an emergency order to reinstate the requirement or detail the grounds for the appeal. The CDC said on Wednesday it had asked the Justice Department to proceed with the appeal and that an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. Airlines quickly dropped the mandate Monday evening soon after the White House informed reporters and industry officials that the government would no longer enforce the mandate. Social media users posted videos of airline employees on some trips announcing the mandate had ended mid-flight with many cheering the news, while some expressed anger that the mask rules were abruptly dropped. The mandate applied to planes, trains, ride-share vehicles and other public transportation and, prior to Mondays ruling, had been due to expire on May 3 unless the CDC sought a new extension. The U.S. Travel Association said Wednesday that masks were critically important during the height of the pandemic but in the current environment required masking on public transportation is simply out of step with the current public health landscape. The ruling followed other court judgments against Biden administration directives to fight the infectious disease that has killed nearly 1 million Americans, including vaccination or COVID testing mandates for employers. The CDC also lost court battles on COVID-19 mandates, notably when the Supreme Court in August ended the pandemic-related federal moratorium on residential evictions. Topics USA Insurer insolvencies are hard enough on policyholders and company executives, but local agents across Florida also are feeling the pain from one recent liquidation and may soon feel it from others. The Florida Department of Financial Services has notified agents that invoices for unearned commissions for Gulfstream Property and Casualty Insurance Co., which was liquidated last summer, will be sent out starting this week. The total commissions that must be returned amount to about $4.1 million, and must come from 985 agencies, said Kyle Ulrich, president of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents. Thats an average of $4,162 per agency. But some Florida agencies wrote hundreds of Gulfstream policies that were canceled before they expired, and may face significant bills. I think were probably getting a bill for about $20,000, said David Radcliffe, a branch manager and producer at Underwood Anderson Insurance agency in Gulf Breeze, Florida. We have the money, but all of a sudden we have to write a check for that. Many agents in Florida in 2022 will also be asked to return unearned commissions from Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance, which was deemed insolvent earlier this year. Lighthouse Property Insurance Co. was placed into receivership last week by Louisiana regulators, and agents in Florida may be asked later this year to return their commissions on those policies. And more insolvencies are expected before the year is out as many insurers continue to face losses from hurricane claims, roof replacements and litigation costs. Its not a fun time to be in the insurance business as an agent right now, said Amber Bradford, owner of the We Insure agency in Navarre, Florida. Bradford said she had written about 50 homeowner policies with Gulfstream, but has not yet seen the bill from the Department of Financial Services. I imagine some agencies will be hurt a lot more than we are, she said. One panhandle insurance agency reportedly had written 1,600 policies with Gulfstream in recent years, agents said. Other high-volume producers around the state could face even greater expenses. Gulfstream had more than 35,000 policies in force when it was liquidated in July 2021, state officials have said. DFS indicated that all invoices for unearned commissions should be sent to agents by the end of May. The department, which is acting as the receiver for Gulfstream, will work with agents who need assistance in making payments, the FAIAs Dave Newell said Tuesday in a bulletin to agents. Do not hesitate to reach out to the receiver to work out a repayment plan, the bulletin noted. Please post any questions you may have about this process, so we can get clarification from the receiver. Gulfstream also operated in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina, so agents in those states also are affected. A notice from the South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association said that agents in that state will receive notices from Florida regulators about unearned commissions. Topics Agencies Florida A bill that would ban so-called squatting trucks that have their front ends lifted so much that the driver cant fully see the road has passed a key committee, but time is running out in the South Carolina General Assembly. A House Insurance subcommittee approved Senate Bill 908 on Wednesday, almost two months after it was passed by the state Senate. It now goes to the full House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. North Carolina and Virginia lawmakers outlawed the jacked-up rides last fall and last month, respectively. Police officials and other supporters of the bills have said the vehicles are a danger to pedestrians and other cars, according to news reports. Last summer, a pedestrian was killed in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, after being hit by one of the vehicles, also known as a Carolina Squat truck. The pedestrian, rather than striking the front of the vehicle and rolling off, was actually caught underneath the car and was killed, Myrtle Beach police spokesman Tom Vest told the Sun News. S 908 would limit the front-to-back height difference of the trucks to four inches. Some squatting trucks now have height differences of as much as 20 inches. The South Carolina legislative session ends May 12, and a supporter of the bill said it will be difficult to get the measure to a floor vote by then, the Sun News reported. Topics South Carolina The insurer first said it would pay to repair a breezeway at a student housing complex that partially collapsed during a Saturday night student party. Then it said it wouldnt, and sent the policyholder a confusing and deceptive denial letter that didnt explain its change of course and misstated the terms of the policy, according to an appellate court ruling. A four-year court battle ensued, culminating on Monday with a split appellate panel decision that adds $800,000 to the amount of damages that Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. must pay for damages to a Elon, North Carolina apartment complex. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 panel decision, affirmed a District Court judges decision in favor of the apartment complexs owner, but also ruled that the Tokio Marine unit must pay treble the amount of damages for violating the North Carolinas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. While the district court never addressed whether Philadelphias denial letter constituted a substantial aggravating circumstance accompanying its breach of contract, we conclude it was, the panels opinion says. The district court rightly determined the letter was deceptive. A second-store breezeway at the The Crest apartments gave way in the early hours of Jan. 14, 2018 when partygoers began jumping, according to court documents. Most of the breezeway dropped about a foot and stopped, but parts of it fell to the ground one floor below. All 12 four-bedroom units in the apartment complex had to be vacated until the breezeway was repaired. The owner of The Crest apartments, DENC, leases the property to Elon University for student housing. DENC submitted a claim asking Philadelphia to pay for repairs as well as the cost of temporary housing. DENC received a Jan. 25, 2018 letter from a senior claims examiner that said Philadelphia had issued or will be issuing payment for the loss. But on the following Feb. 19, it received a letter from a senior property claim specialist that stated the insurer had determined the collapse had been caused by water damage and was not covered by the policy. The denial letter was confusing in many ways, District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles wrote in an order. It did not mention, much less rescind or explain, its earlier letter saying it would provide coverage. The letter repeated verbatim several pages of what purported to be policy excerpts, thenwithout explaining how these policy excerpts apply individually or in combinationnoted Philadelphia would deny coverage for a reason not mentioned by those cited policy excerpts. DENC filed a lawsuit and a jury trial was scheduled, but then cancelled. After mediation, the parties stipulated that DENCs contract damages amounted to $400,007. Still, the parties could not come to terms. DENC demanded $1.5 million; Philadelphia offered a third as much. Eagles wrote in a footnote to her order that settling the claim shouldnt have been so hard. Indeed, this is a case study for how unreasonable behavior during settlement negotiations can unnecessarily increase everyones litigation costs, she wrote. The judge ruled that Philadelphia should collect its contract damages plus $221,455 in attorney fees. After all, Philadelphia had written a deceptive denial letter and engaged in an unwarranted refusal to settle, she said. But Eagles refused DENCs request to be awarded treble damages because of the insurers deceptive trade practices. Both DENC and Philadelphia appealed the decision. The 4th Circuit panel majority rejected Philadelphias argument that Eagles had erred in finding the damage was covered under its policy. The insurer contended that the damage occurred before its policy incepted because it was caused by a construction defect when the complex was built in 2004. That caused water seepage to slowly erode the support for the breezeway. The court said it will decline to characterize the loss in a way that precludes an entire category of coverage, a stance that would render policy terms meaningless. The panel also was unpersuaded by Philadelphias argument that DENC was not required to provide temporary housing for the displaced students. The company could have lost its relationship with Elon University if it had taken that stand, the opinion says. The panel majority said the insurer never gave the policyholder a clear explanation of why it was denying the claim. Instead, it left DENC to decipher a morass of largely inapplicable policy language with no clear connection to Philadelphias factual investigation, the opinion says. The panel remanded the case to the trial court with an order to enter judgment for treble the contract damages. Circuit Judge Allison Jones Rushing dissented to that part of the ruling. Although she concurred with the finding that Philadelphia was liable, she said that the carrier had reasonably explained its reasons for denying the claim, even if its letter of explanation was not a model of clarity. A Southern California jury on Tuesday awarded $1.5 million to the family of a man who was mistakenly declared dead by authorities, resulting in a stranger being buried in the family plot. A Superior Court jury found the Orange County coroners office committed negligence and intentional misrepresentation when it declared Frankie Kerrigan dead in 2017. The office said that Kerrigan, who was 57 at the time, had schizophrenia and frequently lived on the streets, had died that May outside a store in Fountain Valley. A police officer told the coroners office that he believed the body was Kerrigans based on previous contacts and a deputy coroner misidentified him based on Kerrigans 11-year-old drivers license photo. Fingerprints from the dead man were sent to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies and turned out to belong to another man, John Dean Dickens, 54. However, the identification code for the prints wasnt checked due to an employee lack of training on a new digital system, a coroners official testified at the trial. Authorities handed over a body to the family, who held a Catholic Mass and a burial with an open-casket viewing. I touched his hair, and I said goodbye, Kerrigans father, Francis Kerrigan, testified at the trial in Santa Ana. But a little over two weeks after the family was notified of Kerrigans death, a friend who had been a pallbearer at the funeral called the father to say Kerrigan had shown up at his house. Kerrigan said he was overjoyed for about a minute before thinking: Oh my God, theres a stranger in Frankies grave. The jury awarded $1.1 million to Francis Kerrigan and $400,000 to his daughter, Carole Meikle. This is a wake-up call for the county and every single county out there, Kerrigans father said. It can happen to anybody. Norm Watkins, who represented the county, said there wasnt any intention to deceive the family and the county will decide whether to appeal the jury verdict. Dickens, a Kansas native who died of heart disease, was exhumed from the family gravesite and his body returned to his relatives. Kerrigan is currently living in a hotel and hasnt been told about the verdict, his family said. James DeSimone, an attorney who represented Kerrigan and Meikle, said Kerrigan hasnt been taking his medication but he is relatively stable, with a roof over his head. If he has some inclination theres a court case going on, theyre afraid hell just bolt, the attorney said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Answers Global concrete water reducer market trend 2024-2028 Instructions for Use of Water Reducer by Newsintegra927 The purchasing pace at the demand end of the international thermal coal market continues to slow down and the international thermal coal price continues to decline. Prices for thermal coal at major international ports continued to fall last week as buyers in Europe slowed in recent days for April, coupled with weaker-than-expected import demand from End users in China. According to China Coal Market net monitoring: Australia Newcastle port thermal coal price index was 253 USD/ton, compared with 309.02 USD/ton, down 56.02 USD/ton, down 18.13%. South Africa's Port Richards thermal coal price Index was $264.5 / mt, down the US $62.72 / mt or 19.17% from US $327.22 / mt. The European ARA Tri-port thermal coal price Index was $281.8 / ton. Does the price of thermal coal in major international ports continue to decline to affect the price of the concrete water reducer? Where Can the Water Reducer be Applied? The concrete water reducer is suitable for the pumping or normal concrete engineering with a strength grade of C15 to C60 or above. It is especially suitable for concrete projects with high durability, high flow state, high slump protection, high strength, and high appearance quality requirements. It is very beneficial to the preparation of high fluidity concrete, self-compacting concrete, and plain-faced concrete. Ordinary water-reducing agents should be used for daily minimum temperature above 5 construction of concrete. High efficient water-reducing agents are suitable for daily minimum temperature above 0 construction of concrete, and suitable for the preparation of large fluidity concrete, high strength concrete, and steam curing concrete. How to Use the Water Reducer? Polycarboxylate High-performance Water Reducer: 1, The dosage is 0.5%~2.0% of the total weight of the cementitious material, and the commonly used dosage is 0.2% ~ 0.5%. The concrete test should be carried out before use in order to optimize the dosage; 2, It cannot be used with the naphthalene system high-efficient water reducing agent compound, and other admixtures should also be used in advance of concrete compatibility experiment; 3, Water consumption must be strictly controlled when using, because it affects slump. 4, Pay attention to concrete surface maintenance. Naphthalene Series High-efficient Water Reducer: 1, Dosage range: powder: 0.75%-1.5%; liquid: 1.5 to 2.5%. 2, When using porous aggregate water should first be added and stirred, and then water reducer is added. 3, When the slump is large, the vibration time should not be too long, so that bleeding and stratification could be prevented. HSB Aliphatic Superplasticizer 1. Find out the best dosage through experiments. The recommended dosage is 1.5-2%; 2, Add HSB and water together into concrete. 3. Due to the high water-reduction rate of HSB, a layer of yellow slurry will be secreted on the surface of the concrete before the initial setting, which is a normal phenomenon. Finished concrete slurry wipe light, the color will be eliminated, or in concrete strength, the color will naturally eliminate, watering and maintenance color will be eliminated faster. It does not affect the inner and surface performance of concrete. Suppliers of Concrete Additives The water reducer with stable quality should be selected. There should be good compatibility between water reducing agent and cement and admixture. When a variety of admixtures with different functions are used in combination, there should be good adaptability between admixtures and between admixtures and cement. TRUNNANO is a reliable concrete additives supplier with over 12-year experience in nano-building energy conservation and nanotechnology development. If you are looking for high-quality concrete additives, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. (sales@cabr-concrete.com) We accept payment via Credit Card, T/T, West Union, and Paypal. Trunnano will ship the goods to customers overseas through FedEx, DHL, by air, or by sea. With the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the market is increasingly worried about the potential disruption of Russia's energy supply. Geopolitical premiums have pushed up the price of crude oil and natural gas, and the energy price is expected to remain high in the short term. Affected by this, the market price of the concrete water reducer may continue to rise. Inquery us Chinas economy gets off to a steady start in Q1 09:08, April 21, 2022 By Xu Peiyu ( People's Daily China's GDP hit 27.02 trillion yuan in the first three months this year, up 4.8 percent from a year ago and 1.3 percent from the last quarter of 2021, according to a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on April 18. Recreational vehicles are being manufactured at a plant in Rongcheng, east China's Shandong province, March 22, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Li Xinjun) The value-added output of the primary industry grew 6 percent year on year to nearly 1.1 trillion yuan, while those of the secondary and tertiary industries were respectively 10.62 trillion yuan and 15.3 trillion yuan, up 5.8 percent and 4 percent from a year ago. In general, China's economy maintained the momentum of recovery and moved within a reasonable range in the first quarter, said Fu Linghui, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and director general of the NBS Department of Comprehensive Statistic. Major macro indexes such as employment, commodity prices and balance of payments were maintained within a reasonable range. The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.5 percent in the first quarter, which was basically equal to that in the same period of 2021. Consumer price index grew 1.1 percent year on year. Trade in goods saw expanding surplus and trade in services experienced narrowing deficit. Foreign exchange reserves stood at around $3.2 trillion and the balance of payments was stable. An employee of Etern Optoelectronics, a company in East Lake High-tech Development Zone of Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, works on a production line of optical communication devices, March 25, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Chao) The trend of innovative development went on. Emerging industries kept growing and made further steps toward the middle and high ends. In the first three months this year, the value-added output of the high-tech manufacturing sector increased 14.2 percent from a year ago, and that in the equipment manufacturing sector 8.1 percent. The two figures were 7.7 percentages and 1.6 percentages higher than the output growth of industries above designated size, or those with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more from their main business operations. New businesses kept expanding. In the first quarter, the online retail sales of physical goods nationwide saw an uplift of 8.8 percent from a year ago, accounting for 23.2 percent of the total retail sales of social consumer goods. The production of new energy vehicles and solar panels went up 140.8 percent and 24.3 percent year on year. The rapid development of 5G, information and artificial intelligence technologies also fostered new areas of growth. Economic structure was optimized, with the manufacturing sector continuing expanding its share. In the January-March period, the value-added output of the manufacturing sector increased 6.1 percent from a year ago, accounting for 28.9 percent of the GDP. Consumption played a major role. In the first quarter, final consumption contributed 69.4 percent to the country's economic growth, 18.7 percentage points higher than that in the same period last year. Livelihood continued improving and residents' income kept growing. The per capita disposable income of Chinese residents expanded 5.1 percent year on year in the first quarter. In particular, that of rural residents increased 6.3 percent and that of urban residents 4.2 percent. The income growth of rural residents continued outrunning that of urban residents. Industrial production largely remained stable. Fu attributed the rapid growth of industrial production to the domestic and global recovery, the industrial innovation and upgrading, as well as the enhanced market supply and the progress made in relevant sectors. Besides, the country's policies to help enterprises relieve their burdens also played a constructive role in stabilizing industrial production, he added. Tomato seedlings are transplanted in a greenhouse in Longsheng village, Fuxi neighborhood, Deqing county, Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, March 28, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Xie Shangguo) Fu said the country will work to implement policies that promote industrial and economic development, provide aid to manufacturing and small- and medium-sized enterprises, enhance its assistance for enterprises severely impacted by COVID-19, and stabilize price and supply of new energy and raw materials, so as to maintain the stability of the industrial and supply chains and promote stable and healthy development of industries. Since this year, China has been seeing increasing external instability and uncertainty, as well as expanding downward pressure at home. The country's economic operation was maintained within a reasonable range despite all these negative factors, and the Chinese economy still sees potential of growth. Though there's short-term pressure, consumption and investment are likely to grow, and the dividends of opening up and benefits of macro policies will be released. China still enjoys advantages in maintaining stable economic growth. In general, with a complete industrial system, huge market, abundant dividends of reform and opening up and strong capability of economic governance, China is able to cope with risks and challenges, Fu noted, adding that the country is expected to maintain the momentum of recovery this year. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Products Global concrete defoamer market trend 2025-2027 What is concrete defoamer by Newsintegra927 The biggest immediate challenge for the EU will be replenishing its depleted gas inventories. While the EU could still increase LNG imports from countries such as the US, such purchases would be more expensive. Refilling natural gas storage space to historical average levels this year could cost 70 billion euros, a sevenfold increase, compared to 10 billion euros in previous years. " A complete replacement for Russian gas is not only very expensive, but it also may not be possible. In the next 12 months, there is little way to meet the demand for a "normal" year in the absence of Gazprom, which also includes concrete defoamer. What is a concrete defoamer Concrete is a stone mixed with water, sand, stones and some chemical additives, if necessary, in a particular proportion. Foaming occurs when concrete is made due to agitation. The appearance of a large amount of foam will lead to a decrease in the strength of the concrete and bring about quality problems. So, how does foam in concrete form? 1. Concrete is vibrated during the pouring process, and local liquefaction has water analysis and gas floating, and it accumulates in the gathering area to form foam; 2. When mixing concrete, to increase the strength of concrete, a certain amount of chemical additives are often added. Most of these additives contain surfactants, which are easy to generate foam; 3. Air is mixed in during the vibration and stirring process of the equipment to form foam; 4. The steel formwork is too tightly closed, and there is no vent hole. When the concrete is cut, a kind of air pocket is generated, and then air bubbles are formed. If the foam problem is not solved in time, what harm will concrete foam cause? 1. The generation of a large number of air bubbles causes too many pores on the surface of the concrete, and the phenomenon of a pockmarked surface appears, which affects the surface appearance of the concrete; 2. The production of foam will affect the mechanical strength and construction efficiency, reduce the life of the building, and cause relatively large quality problems; 3. Decrease the corrosion resistance of the concrete structure. Due to a large number of air bubbles on the concrete surface, the adequate thickness of the steel protective layer is reduced, and the carbonization process of the concrete surface is accelerated; 4. Due to the large air bubbles, the cross-sectional volume of the concrete is reduced, resulting in the uncompacted interior of the concrete, thereby reducing the strength of the concrete. How does the concrete defoamer solve the problem of concrete foaming? Its mechanism of action is mainly divided into three forms: foam breaking, foam suppression and defoaming. When added to concrete according to the method of use, the chemical components contained in it will reduce the surface tension of water and achieve rapid foam breaking; and it has good compatibility, no oil drift, no precipitation, and no impact on the strength of concrete; at the same time, the applicability is also It is pervasive, and it can quickly break foam and suppress foam for a long time in the environment of strong acid, strong alkali and high temperature. TRUNNANO is a concrete additives supplier with over 12 years experience in nano-building energy conservation and nanotechnology development. We accept payment via Credit Card, T/T, West Union and Paypal. Trunnano will ship the goods to customers overseas through FedEx, DHL, by air, or by sea. If you are looking for high quality concrete additives, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. sales@cabr-concrete.com 3D printing technology emerged in the mid-1990s and is actually the latest rapid prototyping device utilizing technologies such as light curing and paper lamination. It is basically the same as ordinary printing. The printer is equipped with "printing materials" such as liquid or powder. After connecting to the computer, the "printing materials" are superimposed layer by layer through computer control, and finally the blueprint on the computer is turned into a real thing. This printing technology is called 3D stereo printing technology.Our company is a strong company that provides excellent 3D printing concrete defoamer. If you need 3D printing and concrete defoamer, please feel free to contact us. Inquery us We have 2.2 million registered road vehicles in Ireland. There are 1.4 billion worldwide and numbers are increasing relentlessly. Transport takes a huge toll on wildlife everywhere, but determining the number of victims is notoriously difficult. Dieren onder do weilen, Animals under wheels, is a Belgian citizen-science roadkill monitoring project. Flanders, with 478 inhabitants per km2, is one of Europes most densely populated areas. It has over 5km of road per km2, an extremely concentrated network. Some 70 million kilometres were driven on Flemish motorways in 2019, the year prior to the COVID -19 pandemic. Beginning in 2008, citizens were asked to keep an eye out for carcasses along roads and report any found to Animals under wheels, for inclusion in a roadkill database. From 2013, participants were encouraged to use a standardised method. They were invited to select a stretch of road and check it for victims once every two weeks. Most importantly, a report had to be submitted even if no carcass was found. About 6% of the survey data gathered was generated from these transects. According to a paper just published, almost 90,000 records were logged by over 4,000 citizen-scientists between 2008 and 2020. "A small number of users contributed most of the records," the authors note. Surprisingly, roadkill reports declined in Flanders over the decade, even though the number of people participating in the survey increased during the period. Road improvements, such as fencing and underpasses to discourage animals from venturing onto roads, may have helped reduce the carnage. However, there is a more ominous possibility; with declines in wildlife populations generally, it may be that there are progressively fewer animals left to kill. "Over 147,000km of transects were monitored, resulting in 1,726 mammal and 2,041 bird victims," say the authors. Photographs were submitted with many of the reports. Senders had correctly named 98% of the creatures shown in them. "This high proportion of correct species identification is an indication of the quality of the database." There were differences between casualty lists generated from transects and those derived from opportunistic reports. Blackbirds, for example, were "ranked third by monitoring from the car but first on other lists." The species is believed to have the highest roadkill mortality in Western Europe. Foxes came in second on the mammal list, but only 6th in transects by car and 9th in bike transects. The paper identifies 17 particularly vulnerable mammal species. Hedgehogs, foxes and red squirrels were the most frequent victims. The number of polecats found dead on roads declined over the decade but there were increases in the casualty rates of seven species, including roe deer and wild boar. The authors are up front about the surveys limitations; there are biases in the data. Carcasses of large creatures, for example, are more easily noticed, and take longer to decompose, than those of small ones, but they may be removed more promptly by local authorities. Small victims bodies are soon dispatched by carnivores. The detected and registered roadkill observations, the authors conclude, are only the tip of the iceberg. Russians in Ireland should rethink their plans to hold Victory Day rallies, Micheal Martin said today. He was asked if organisers should think twice before holding rallies on May 9. It is understood that one rally is due to be held in Dublin, being organised by the Council of Russian Compatriots of Ireland and an organisation called the Immortal Regiment of Ireland. They have said the rally, to mark the end of the war against Germany, will be peaceful and those attending have been asked not to use the 'Z' symbol that Russian tanks and other military vehicles have painted on during their ongoing war against Ukraine. The Taoiseach said organisers should absolutely think twice about marking in public what is a Russian bank holiday and is marked by huge memorial ceremonies and rallies in honour of Russian soldiers who died in World War II. Mr Martin said: I think the situation now given what's happening in Ukraine, it's a crime against humanity. "All of our minds should be focused on that continuing crime against humanity that is occurring in Ukraine, and there can be no equivocation about that or ambivalence about that. And that's where all our energies should be focused right now. His comments came after he met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who stopped briefly at Shannon Airport on his way to Washington. The two men discussed the appalling massacres and the continuing attacks on civilians and on towns. Mr Martin said: Very clearly the strategy of the Putin regime is not just in terms of killing people, but also causing huge international instability around energy and around food. He said an example of this was the fact that Ukraines largest grain silos have all been levelled. He added: It's a very clear strategic objective there to create a food crisis on top of the energy crisis that has been created, as well as waging an immoral and unjust war on Ukraine itself. People living in residential centres will start receiving booster vaccinations from early next week, the HSE has confirmed. This follows a recommendation from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee in early April that boosters be given to over-65s and immunocompromised people aged over 12. The HSE has started contacting centres and a spokeswoman said: We expect that vaccination in large numbers will commence early next week. It said it hoped to complete the vaccination round as soon as possible. Residents in nursing homes have borne the brunt of the pandemic, with the tide turning dramatically early last year when they were among the first to receive vaccinations. Tadhg Daly, chief executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, said: This gives effect to the Niac decision and it is welcome that it is now commencing. He understands the process is likely to take three to four weeks initially, with follow-on visits to vaccinate anyone who cannot be done in this sweep. The latest report on Covid-19 cases, published on Wednesday, shows one in five newly identified infections last week were among people aged 35 to 44. However, cases among those aged 65 to 74 rose and made up 9.4% of the weekly total. There were 479 new cases among children aged under four and 568 among children aged between five and 12. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) data also shows new cases in Cork made up 11.8% of the weekly total. Some 1,390 infections were identified through PCR tests, down by over 1,000 from the week before. Munster Limerick had the next highest number of cases in Munster last week at 559, accounting for 4.7% of the national total. Tipperary saw 455 new cases coming to 3.9% of all cases and in Kerry there were 451 new cases or 3.8% of the national count. Waterford had 440 new infections, accounting for 3.7% of all cases, and in Clare there were 243 new cases, coming to 2.1% of the total. Figures for antigen test results are not broken down by county, showing instead a weekly total of 15,141. The same report shows 114 over-85s were treated in hospitals for the virus last week and 110 people aged 65 to 74. There were 29 children aged under four in hospitals with Covid-19 and nine aged five to 12, a significant drop from early April when there were 81 across both these ages in hospitals. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said cases were declining in every region of the world. After the increase observed in mid-March 2022, the number of new weekly cases in the European region has continued to decline for a month, with just under 2.8m new cases reported, a 25% decrease as compared to the previous week, a weekly review found. There have been more than 6m deaths linked to Covid-19, and the US again reported the highest number of new deaths last week at 3,076. It was followed by Russia, the Republic of Korea, Germany, and Italy. In the weeks before a rare confluence of major Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays, with tens of thousands of visitors expected in Jerusalem for the first time since the pandemic, Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders discussed how to calm tensions. Israel took steps to ease the conditions of its nearly 55-year military rule over millions of Palestinians, lifting some movement restrictions and issuing thousands of work permits. Israeli police said they would work to ensure everyone could pray in peace. The goal was to avoid a repeat of last year, when weeks of protests and clashes in Jerusalem eventually helped trigger an 11-day war between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers. It has not worked out as planned. Israel has seen the deadliest string of attacks in years. Its troops have launched arrest raids deep inside the occupied West Bank, triggering gun battles. Clashes have broken out at a major site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims and several rockets have been fired from Gaza. Israeli right wing activists with Israeli flags gather for a march in Jerusalem (Maya Alleruzzo/AP) Here is a look at how we got here: A wave of attacks On March 22, a Palestinian citizen of Israel killed four people in a car-ramming and stabbing rampage in the city of Beersheba. Shooting attacks by Palestinians over the next three weeks, including in the heart of Tel Aviv, killed another 10. Israeli authorities said the attackers acted mostly alone, and while Hamas and other militant groups cheered the attacks, none claimed them. Some of the assailants supported the so-called Islamic State group, but theres no evidence it organised the attacks. Israel launched raids across the occupied West Bank, arresting dozens. Palestinians hurled stones and firebombs, and in Jenin, a longtime militant stronghold, gun battles erupted. At least 26 Palestinians have been killed, according to an Associated Press count, including the attackers and many who took part in the clashes. But the dead also include a lawyer and an 18-year-old woman who appear to have been bystanders, as well as an unarmed woman shot dead at a checkpoint. Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians want all three territories to form their future state. Israel has full control over 60% of the West Bank, where it has built more than 130 settlements that are home to nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers. The increasingly unpopular Palestinian Authority administers major population centres and co-operates with Israel on security. Palestinians looks on as Israeli security forces patrol near Damascus Gate, just outside Jerusalems Old City (Mahmoud Illean/AP) Clashes in Jerusalem On April 15, clashes erupted at dawn between Palestinians and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalems Old City. The police say Palestinians hurled stones at them and in the direction of an adjacent Jewish holy site, forcing them to move in. Palestinians say the police used excessive force. More than 150 Palestinians and three Israeli police were hurt. Police fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades and Palestinians hurled stones and fireworks. At one point, police burst into the mosque itself to arrest suspected stone-throwers inside. Smaller confrontations have broken out since then, and on Sunday, Palestinians pelted buses with stones just outside the Old City. A Hamas-led incitement campaign has been waged against Israel, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said this week. Israel is doing everything so that all peoples, as always, can celebrate the holidays safely Jews, Muslims and Christians. The sprawling esplanade where the mosque is located is the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount because two Jewish temples stood there in antiquity. It lies at the emotional core of the century-old conflict and has been ground zero for several outbreaks of violence. The Palestinians view regular visits by nationalist and religious Jews under police escort as a provocation and possible prelude to Israel taking over the site or partitioning it. Israeli authorities say they are committed to maintaining the status quo. The Old City is part of east Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognised internationally and considers part of its capital. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state. Discriminatory policies in east Jerusalem support the expansion of Jewish settlements. Palestinians are systematically denied construction permits, forcing many to build without authorisation, risking home demolition. Dozens of Palestinian families are at risk of being forcibly removed from their homes because of a decades-long campaign by settlers to expand the Jewish presence in east Jerusalem. Jews born in Jerusalem are Israeli citizens. Most Palestinians refuse Israeli citizenship, but those who seek it must go through a long and uncertain bureaucratic process. Palestinians who spend too much time outside east Jerusalem, for work, study or family reasons, can lose their residency and be prohibited from returning. That policy does not apply to Jews. Protesters demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian rally outside the US Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia (Dita Alangkara/AP) Rockets from Gaza On Monday night, a rocket was fired into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. The military intercepted it and carried out airstrikes. No one was hurt and no one claimed the rocket the first to be fired at Israel in months. Several rockets were fired early on Thursday and Israel carried out more airstrikes. Israel and Egypt have imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces 15 years ago. Unemployment hovers around 50%, electricity outages last around 12 hours a day, tap water is undrinkable, and Hamas remains firmly in power. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since 2008, compounding the misery of the two million Palestinians who live in the narrow coastal strip. Gaza has barely started to rebuild after the most recent one, which left more than 250 Palestinians dead, including 129 civilians, according to the UN. Fourteen people were killed in Israel. Gazas woes long predate Hamas, which burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, during the first of two Palestinian uprisings against Israeli rule. The militant group branded terrorists by Israel and Western countries does not recognise Israel and has carried out numerous deadly attacks on Israeli civilians over the years. More than half of the Palestinians living in Gaza are the descendants of refugees from what is now Israel who fled or were driven out during the 1948 war surrounding its creation. Around 60% of Palestinians in all three territories are under the age of 30, with little or no memory of the Middle East peace process, which broke down more than a decade ago. We have a very radicalised generation, said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Gazas Al-Azhar University. They dont really care if we go to another war with Israel or not, whether its over Al-Aqsa or any other thing. Burma Almost 350,000 People Displaced in Northwest Myanmar Since Coup Myauk Khin Yan Village in Magwes Gangaw Township after being torched by junta troops in January 2022. / CJ The number of Myanmar people displaced by fighting between resistance forces and the Myanmar military in anti-regime strongholds in the west and northwest of the country has exceeded 300,000 for the first time since last years coup. The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest humanitarian update on Myanmar that, as of April 11, 346,000 of the 566,100 people displaced since the military takeover are from Chin State and Sagaing and Magwe regions in the west and northwest of Myanmar. For the first time, displacement in the northwest has exceeded 300,000 people, the OCHA report said. Since mid-2021, resistance groups have flourished in Chin, Sagaing and Magwe, inflicting severe casualties on military regime forces. The junta continues to struggle to control those regions, with several dozen Peoples Defense Forces attacking military outposts, convoys, police stations and collaborators on a daily basis. In response, regime troops have torched villages, accusing their residents of sheltering resistance fighters. At least 8,262 houses and other civilian properties, including churches, monasteries, schools and markets have reportedly been either burned down or destroyed, mainly in Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin and Kayah states, the report said. OCHA added that the regimes use of heavy weapons, including airstrikes and artillery, as well as landmines and the presence of unexploded ordinance, continues to claim lives and pose risks to the safety and security of the civilian population. Since the military takeover, at least 1,600 people, including over 100 children, have been killed, and thousands injured or maimed, the report stated. Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have fled their homes for safety since the February 2021 coup, with many of them forced to move multiple times, exposing them to grave protection risks. As of 11 April, 2022, the total number of displaced people in Myanmar reached 912,700, according to UN figures. In addition, it is estimated that 34,500 Myanmar people are displaced in India and another 1,600 are displaced in Thailand. You may also like these stories: About 20 IDPs Test Positive for COVID-19 in Camp in Myanmars Karen State Myanmar Rohingya Genocide Case Is Legitimate, Gambia Tells UNs Top Court Cobra Gold Military Exercise Kicks Off in Thailand Without Myanmar Burma Junta Jails Myanmars COVID-19 Vaccine Chief for Protecting International Aid Money from Seizure National immunization director Dr. Htar Htar Lin was put under detention by the junta in June last year. Myanmars junta has sentenced Dr. Htar Htar Lin, who led Myanmars COVID-19 vaccine rollout under the ousted civilian government, to three years in prison with hard labor on corruption charges because she denied the regime international COVID-19 grants. Junta-controlled newspapers reported on Thursday that the director of the national immunization program defied ministerial orders by returning a Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations Health System Strengthening grant of 168 million kyats (US$91,000) from Unicef and the World Health Organization on Feb. 10, 2021, shortly after the coup. The return of the grant depleted governmental assets and she was found guilty under the Anti-Corruption Law, the juntas media reported. Since June last year, the well-respected director was charged with three more charges, including high treason and incitement and under the Unlawful Association Act for allegedly assisting the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), which the junta has designated as a terrorist group. The charges carry up to 20 years in prison. An arrest warrant was issued for Dr. Htar Htar Lin shortly after the coup and she was arrested in June last year in Yangon. Her seven-year-old son, husband, friend and her daughter were also detained at the same time. The regime raided her home and seized her belongings. In early February last year, Dr. Htar Htar Lin emailed colleagues to say she would probably face accusations that she misused funds as the dictatorship would try to steal from the vaccination program. The email said: We cant let military dictators use COVID vaccinations as a weapon. I may still be free or detained by the military when you read this. But I will never surrender. On Wednesday, the junta also sentenced Dr. Soe Oo, who chaired the external aid committee which was overseeing the COVID-19 grant, on the same corruption charges for failing to stop Dr. Htar Htar Lin from returning the grants. He was sentenced to two years with hard labor on Wednesday. Both high-profile doctors refused to work under the regime and they took part in the civil disobedience movement (CDM) after the coup. The CDM was launched by medics on Feb. 3 in protest against the coup and was followed by other government staff nationwide. The junta said last year that Dr. Htar Htar Lin confessed to communicating with Dr. Zaw Wai Soe, the NUGs health minister, through the applications Signal and Zoom. She helped write speeches and NUG health-care policy documents and helped prepare for Zoom meetings and plan to implement the NUG health-care programs, including estimating the required drugs and costs, the state media stated. It made the same accusation against 26 other doctors, who it said had accepted NUG public health, health administration and clinical roles. Among those accused was Dr. Maung Maung Nyein Tun, 45, a lecturer at the Department of Surgery at the Mandalay University, who died in junta detention with COVID-19 in August last year. According to Physicians for Human Rights, 286 health staff have been detained since the Feb. 1 coup. The junta had raided at least 128 clinics and hospitals and killed at least 30 health staff by Jan. 10, the group reported. Burma Myanmar Junta Chief Visits Former Dictator Than Shwe The then dictator Than Shwe in 2010. / The Irrawaddy Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met with former dictator Than Shwe earlier this month, having failed to see his old boss since last year. Sources told The Irrawaddy that Min Aung Hlaing visited Than Shwes residence in the capital Naypyitaw on April 3. Prior to his visit, Than Htay, the chairman of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, and other generals also met Than Shwe, who ran the military regime that oppressed Myanmar from 1992 to early 2011. The visits by Min Aung Hlaing, Than Htay and others were likely to pay their respects to their former chief ahead of the Thingyan Water Festival, sources said. It is customary for incumbent and former senior generals to visit Than Shwe occasionally out of respect for their former leader. During the meeting, Min Aung Hlaing is believed to have briefed Than Shwe on the current situation in Myanmar following last years coup. The exact details of their discussion are unknown. Previously, Than Shwe gave Min Aung Hlaing his blessing to carry out the coup. It was the junta bosss first visit since the middle of last year to the man who handpicked him as his successor as Commander-in-Chief. Than Shwe chose Min Aung Hlaing as his successor in 2011, the year he relinquished power, paving the way for him to stage last years coup and take control of the country. At the time, many regarded Min Aung Hlaings failure to visit Than Shwe as a sign of overconfidence, showing that he was convinced that he could run the country without guidance from his former chief. His visit in early April comes at a time when the coup leader is still struggling with unwavering popular resistance, including armed struggle, against his rule over a year after his putsch. At the same time, the defection rate from the Myanmar military is at an unprecedented high and unity among its soldiers is deteriorating as never seen before. You may also like these stories: EU Adds More Myanmar Companies, Regime Officials to Sanctions List Junta-Appointed Chief Minister Attacked For Sixth Time in Upper Myanmar Myanmar People Urged to Join Six Twos Revolution General Strike Against Regime Burma Myanmar Junta Names Foreign Businesses Exempt From Exchange Regulations There is a growing gap between the official and street value of the kyat. / The Irrawaddy The junta-controlled Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) has named those exempt from its controversial regulation that foreign exchange earned by citizens must be converted into kyats at the official rate within one working day. It said foreign direct investments approved by the Myanmar Investment Commission, investments operating in special economic zones, foreign diplomats in Myanmar, their family members, foreign diplomatic and United Nations staff and citizens holding UN laissez-passer are exempt. Diplomat-level foreign staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Labor Organization and other international non-governmental organizations and development agencies, such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and international airlines are also exempted. Licensed banks must ensure exemptions are granted correctly, said the central bank, which requires banks to report every exemption request. On April 3, the CBM said foreign currencies must be deposited in accounts at licensed banks and exchanged at the rate of 1,850 kyats per dollar within 24 hours. The street exchange rate is more than 2,000. It said the directive applied to foreign currency that entered the country before April 3 and failure to comply would lead to prosecution under the Foreign Exchange Management Law. The Singaporean, Japanese and European Union missions asked the regime to exempt their citizens companies and NGOs, saying they would impede their ability to trade. Business owned by citizens and ventures jointly owned with and foreigners are not exempt. Domestic businesses will suffer the most, said an economist, who asked for anonymity. And the regime still cannot handle the problem of how it will sell US dollars to businesses. This notice only responds to international complaints but further worsens the situation for domestic businesses, he added. Exporters and foreign currency account holders lost nearly 10 percent of their earnings because of the gap between the official and street exchange rates, according to traders. Burma Myanmar Urban Guerrillas Launch New Anti-Regime Attacks in Yangon A screenshot from a video showing resistance fighters firing on junta soldiers manning a checkpoint at a residential compound where the regimes ministers of Yangon Region live. Urban guerrilla forces in Yangon have conducted over a dozen attacks in 11 townships over the last two weeks, killing at least seven people including an army major, soldiers, police and a junta-appointed local administrator. Yangon resistance groups under the control of the National Unity Governments (NUG) Southern Military Command launched their latest anti-regime operation, named Nan Htike Aung, following the completion of their first operation, dubbed Pyan Hlwar Aung, on April 7. Since then, at least 15 guerrilla attacks have been carried out on junta bases, military convoys, security outposts, military-owned businesses and administrative targets. The operation heated up a few days after its start, with a deadly attack on junta security forces manning an outpost at a residential compound on Inya Road where the junta-appointed ministers of Yangon Region live. At least one policeman was killed and several others wounded. On April 10, Major Kaday Phyo Aung, the military administration officer for Yangons Lanmadaw Township was killed. Other significant attacks of Operation Nan Htike Aung include an attack on a military convoy in Kawhmu Township on April 15 that killed one regime soldier and injured several more, a bomb attack on regime forces in Thaketa Township which reportedly killed two soldiers, the bombing of a Myanmar Beer factory in Mingaladon Township, and the shooting of a junta-appointed hundred household chief in South Dagon Township. Following the juntas brutal crackdowns on anti-coup protesters in March, regime targets in Yangon and other cities have been systematically attacked. Local administration offices have been burned down, junta collaborators killed and police stations and checkpoints attacked by guerrilla forces. The majority of Myanmar people have welcomed news of any losses suffered by the military regime. During Operation Pyan Hlwar Aung, 1,128 attacks were carried out on junta targets, resulting in 253 deaths and almost 300 junta personnel being wounded, including the Vice Governor of the regime-controlled Central Bank of Myanmar, according to the NUGs Yangon Region Military Command. Bo Moegyo, the spokesperson for the Yangon Region Military Command, told The Irrawaddy last week that they have prepared well for Operation Nan Htike Aung to be a success. Under the operation, not only junta forces but anyone affiliated with the regime, including those who support the regime financially or work as informants, will be targeted, he said. Other guerrilla forces across southern Myanmar are also taking part in Operation Nan Htike Aung. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Rohingya Genocide Case Is Legitimate, Gambia Tells UNs Top Court Cobra Gold Military Exercise Kicks Off in Thailand Without Myanmar EU Adds More Myanmar Companies, Regime Officials to Sanctions List Cloud security provider Zscaler says the number of phishing attacks jumped 29% last year, with a 400% increase in those targeting the retail and wholesale industries. Zscaler's 2022 ThreatLabz Phishing Report notes that it is relatively easy to run a phishing campaign, and that cybercriminals often use current events as a hook to trick victims into revealing confidential data, such as passwords, credit card information, and login credentials. Last year, the top phishing themes included productivity tools, illegal streaming sites, shopping sites, social media platforms, financial institutions, and logistical services. The company predicts a further increase in phishing during 2022, in part due to the maturing underground marketplace for phishing as a service. While phishing is a global problem, its incidence is not evenly spread. Zscaler's figures show the US was the most-targeted country, accounting for over 60% of all phishing attacks blocked by the company. Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom were next on the list. And despite the global increase in phishing, the Netherlands experienced a decrease of 38%, which Zscaler suggests may be the result of recent increases in the penalties for online fraud. Similarly, while the retail and wholesale industries experienced a 400% increase in phishing attacks, and the financial and government sectors saw an average increase of 100%, attacks on the healthcare industry fell by 59%, with a 33% decrease in attacks on the services industry. "Phishing attacks are impacting businesses and consumers with alarming frequency, complexity, and scope with the rise in phishing-as-a-service making it easier than ever for non-sophisticated actors to launch successful attacks. Our annual report highlights how cybercriminals continue to escalate their usage of phishing as a starting point to breach organisations to deliver ransomware or steal sensitive data," said Zscaler CISO and vice president of security research and operations Deepen Desai. "To defend against advanced phishing attacks, organizations must leverage a multi-pronged defensive strategy anchored on a cloud native zero trust platform that unifies full SSL inspection with AI/ML-powered detection to stop the most sophisticated phishing attempts and phishing kits, lateral movement prevention and integrated deception to limit the blast radius of a compromised user, proactive controls to block high risk destinations such as newly registered domains that are often abused by threat actors, and in-line DLP to safeguard against data theft." Zscaler suggests the following tactics for countering phishing growth: Learning and understanding the risks posed by phishing to better inform policy and technology decisions Leveraging automated tools and actionable intelligence to empower employees with the tools needed to reduce phishing incidents Delivering timely employee training to build security awareness and promote user reporting Simulating phishing attacks to identify gaps in security policies and procedures Evaluating security infrastructure to ensure access to the latest research and system capabilities The 2022 ThreatLabz Phishing Report was based on an analysis of phishing data collected by the Zscaler security cloud between January and December 2021. Eight years ago, the independent American journalist Matt Taibbi outlined what he thought was the best use which journalists could be put to. Taibbi was reacting to comments by the late Christopher Hitchens about the film Fahrenheit 9/11, made by Michael Moore. Hitchens was not a fan; he wrote, in part: "To describe this film as a piece of crap would be to run the risk of a discourse that would never again rise above the excremental... It is also a spectacle of abject political cowardice masking itself as a demonstration of 'dissenting' bravery." This moved Taibbi to write: "All journalists are cowards. Hitchens knows it, I know it, everybody in this business knows it. If there were any justice at all, every last goddamn one of us would be lowered, head-first, into a wood-chipper. Over Arizona. "Shoot a nice red mist over the whole state, make it arable for a year or two. A year's worth of fava beans and endive for the children of Bangladesh: I dare anyone in our business to say that that wouldn't represent a better use of our rotting bodies than the actual fruits of our labour." I was reminded of this on Thursday, after having watched [and read], with tremendous frustration, the coverage so far of the election campaign that is going on in Australia: the superficiality, the lies, the slanted coverage, the insistence on reporting the most mindless aspects of what goes on. No journalist seems to realise that what he/she writes could well influence someone into voting one way or the other, instead of tossing up the alternatives and leaving the punter in question to decide. There are one or two narratives that everyone feeds into; nobody seems to have a brain or even bothers to think before putting finger to keyboard or speaking into a mike before the camera. Image by everesd_design from Pixabay Last night's broadcasting of the leaders' debate on a private pay TV channel was the absolute pits. Had it been a commercial network that was free-to-air, it would have been fine. Why were so many people prevented from seeing the debate unless they paid some cranky businessman a few dollars? Would it have made a big dent in the balance sheets to provide a free feed to the other TV stations? This was not some program designed to bring in eyeballs, rather something to help people make an informed choice about whom to vote for. Reducing everything to dollars and cents means only that one knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. When some businessman/woman decides that he/she can use democracy to boost his/her business share, it is sickening. Politicians go along with it because they want the coverage. That is a sick feature of our democracy too. If one of the leadership aspirants had refused to participate, there would have been no debate. But both sides lack the integrity to do something like that. Each wants to win, no matter what they have to do to cross the finishing line in front. The number of narcissists in journalist ranks is legion. The number who cannot string a sentence together is again quite a lot. The number who have massive conflicts of interest, but who keep quiet about them is a fair number too. The only one being taken for a ride is the average punter. Journalists have forgotten that the man/woman in the street is their master. Instead, they genuflect before big business, politicians and any charlatan, provided there is something in it for them. As they say in Urdu, paisa wasool. There's a month more of this numbing exercise to go. That's a frightening prospect. GUEST OPINION by Geoff Schomburgk, Vice President for Asia Pacific and Japan at Yubico : On social media, in business and in the media, were increasingly hearing how companies should be protecting themselves against cyberattacks. Whilst were all at risk of having our credentials stolen, there are certain groups of individuals that need protecting more than others. Overseas, these include numerous organisations and individuals that are defending the freedom of the press, human rights and election security throughout many vulnerable regions where cyberattacks pose an enormous risk. In Australia, the upcoming Federal election on May 21st poses a lot of opportunities for bad state actors to interfere and spread misinformation, as has been documented by activities reported about US and UK elections. It is critical that security solutions are freely available and exist to help protect Australian electoral staff and political parties from such attacks. Cyberattacks are increasing in their level of sophistication, and those who rely on basic username and password authentication are at a much greater risk of their digital information being breached. Although some digital security is better than none, more conventional cybersecurity methods such as mobile authentication apps, one-time passcodes (OTPs), and two-factor authentication (2FA) are increasingly susceptible to common online threats. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods involve a user providing two or more forms of verification to prove their identity. An example of this type of MFA is a physical product like a hardware security key, which is configured to your applications and activated by either a tap or a biometric identifier such as a fingerprint. This allows users to securely access their online accounts and digital applications with ease. Hardware security keys offer the most effective form of digital protection against various types of online threats including advanced Man in the Middle (MiTM) attacks, SIM swapping, phishing scams, and account takeovers. These devices provide individual security for a users login credentials and their compatible devices, which prevents external attacks deployed by malicious actors.Security keys also help to ensure user security and privacy throughout the myriad of different online platforms used by everyone on a daily basis. While journalists, human rights organisations, and activist groups are disproportionately targeted by bad actors with cyber attacks carried out against them with the aim of silencing their voices, the impending Federal election is a timely reminder of why others should also be protected. Political candidates, organisations, and bi-partisan networks fighting to maintain democratic political processes are regularly targeted by online attacks and other malicious campaigns. In this modern era of increased digitisation, the IT systems of Parliament House and the Australian Electoral Commission would no doubt be well protected. However, with more people working remotely and using private emails, there are potential gaps in which a political partys IT system can be breached. Its not just emails, its social media accounts, smartphone apps and privately hosted websites too that pose a security risk. Hardware security keys can play a substantial role in helping to protect electoral and political staff. These devices can safeguard a users personal and professional information from common cyber-attack methods whilst also keeping their identities safe online. By levelling up their cyber security in this way, users can feel at ease knowing that their most sensitive and valuable data cannot be so easily leaked, stolen, or extorted. There is a clear need for advanced information security through hardware authentication keys in these situations. Especially under intense and perhaps unsafe circumstances, robust digital security needs to be more accessible. Of all matters to worry about, cyber security should not be one. In fact, over 4,000 organisations around the world have enlisted the help of cybersecurity services for their digital protection. When used properly, effective digital security contributes to physical, online, and in the case of political elections, even national safety. However, people need to remember that not all authentication is created equal. Passwords and other legacy methods are vulnerable to different types of attacks. Hardware security keys eliminate these risks by securing users not with what they know, but with something they have, which cannot be compromised. Not all Australian business leaders are confident in the ability of their people to make the right call in some issues, and has instead turned to automated bots to make decisions in key areas, according to a study No Planet B by Oracle and Harvard professional development instructor and CIO advisor Pamela Rucker. The global study polled more than 11,000 consumers and business leaders across 15 countries, including 1,000 from Australia, and found that most people are fed with the lack of progress towards sustainability and initiatives. People are demanding that businesses should walk the talk and believe that this could help companies succeed where people have failed. The events of the past two years have put sustainability and social initiatives under the microscope and people are demanding material change. While there are challenges to tackling these issues, businesses have an immense opportunity to change the world for the better, says Rucker. The results show that people are more likely to do business with and work for organisations that act responsibly toward our society and the environment." This is an opportune moment. While thinking has evolved, technology has as well, and it can play a key role in overcoming many of the obstacles that have held progress back, she adds. Key findings from the report include: Human bias and operational challenges are holding businesses back Sustainability and social responsibility are now in the limelight. Business leaders are becoming acutely aware that sustainability efforts are critical to corporate success. But businesses have mixed responses, with some leaders in Australia even trusting bots over humans alone to drive sustainability and social efforts: Eighty-five percent of Australian business leaders surveyed believe sustainability and ESG programs are critical to the success of their organisations. Executives identified the top four benefits as strengthening the brand (36%); attracting new customers (35%); increasing productivity (31%); and improving supply chain management (31%). The vast majority of Australian business leaders (83%) are facing major obstacles when implementing sustainability and ESG initiatives. The biggest challenges include difficulty tracking progress (32%); obtaining ESG metrics from partners and third parties (30%); and a lack of data with which to track progress (30%). Ninety-five percent of business leaders in Australia admit human bias and emotion often distract from the end goal, and 83% believe organisations using technology to drive sustainable practices will be the ones that succeed in the long run. Eighty-eight percent of local business leaders would trust a bot over a human to make sustainability and social decisions. They believe bots are better at collecting different types of data without error (44%); predicting future outcomes based on metrics/past performance (39%); and making rational, unbiased decisions (38%). However, despite a high preference for bots, business leaders believe people are still essential to the success of sustainability and social initiatives and believe people are better at implementing changes based on feedback from stakeholders (45%); making context-informed strategic decisions (42%); and educating others on information needed to make decisions (41%). Australians want businesses to step up sustainability and social efforts The survey revealed people are fed up with the lack of progress and are calling for businesses to step up and make real change: Ninety-one percent of respondents from Australia believe sustainability and social factors are more important than ever and 68% said the events over the past two years have caused them to change their actions. Ninety-one percent believe society has not made enough progress. Forty-four percent attribute the lack of progress to people being too busy with other priorities, 41% believe it is the result of more emphasis on short-term profits over long-term benefits, and 40% believe people are too lazy or selfish to help save the planet. Forty-five percent respondents believe businesses can make more meaningful change on sustainability and social factors than individuals or governments alone. Seventy-six percent are frustrated and fed up with the lack of progress by businesses to-date, and 85% believe its not enough for businesses to say theyre prioritising ESG, they need to see action and proof. Seventy-one percent of Australian respondents believe businesses would make more progress towards sustainability and social goals with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). People will cut ties with businesses that dont take action on sustainability and social initiatives Australians want to see progress on the sustainability and social fronts with many willing to take action if change does not come. Businesses need to prioritise sustainability and social issues and rethink how they use technology to make an impact or risk facing major consequences. Eighty-nine percent of people surveyed in Australia said they want to make progress on sustainability and social factors to save the planet for future generations (53%); establish healthier ways of living (52%); and help create more equality around the world (47%). Sixty-three percent of people would be willing to cancel their relationship with a brand that does not take sustainability and social initiatives seriously, with the same percentage again indicating they would even leave their current company to work for a brand that places a greater focus on these efforts. If organisations can clearly demonstrate the progress they are making on environmental and social issues, the majority of those surveyed said they would be more willing to pay a premium for their products and services (77%); work for them (76%); and invest in them (74%). Australian business leaders understand the importance and urgency 89% believe sustainability and societal metrics should be used to inform traditional business metrics, and 90%want to increase their investment in sustainability. It's never been more critical for businesses to invest in sustainability and ESG initiatives, as people dont just want to hear about it theyre looking for decisive action and are demanding more transparency and tangible results, comments Oracle Australia vice president of applications John Leonard. Business leaders understand the importance, yet often have the erroneous assumption that they need to prioritise either profits or sustainability." Given Asia Pacifics large share of the global population and emissions, climate vulnerabilities, and technological and financial strengths, the global fight against climate change will be won or lost in Asia Pacific. Its imperative that we take action on climate change and businesses have a narrowing window to lead the way, states Deloitte Asia Pacific sustainability and climate lead Will Symons. It is great to see organisations like Oracle helping businesses to step up and prioritise sustainability. The study results show people want businesses to prioritise progress on sustainability and are willing to reward those who lead. To do this organisations must re-think how they use technology to shift from ambition to action on sustainability commitments while ensuring transparency and accountability to all stakeholders, Symons concludes. In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese president Xi Jinping delivers a speech via video link to the opening ceremony of the Bo'ao Forum For Asia in Bo'ao in southern China's Hainan Province, Thursday, April 21, 2022. Xi said his government supports talks to resolve international disputes, but opposes the use of sanctions. Today Sunny and windy. High 86F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tonight Mostly clear. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 58F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tomorrow Mostly sunny skies. High near 85F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. People who travel this stretch of road call it the stations of the cross. It connects Kananga, capital of Kasai Central province, to the town of Bana ba Ntumba. It took the delegation from Kananga garrison military court, lawyers, seven defendants and their military guards two days to travel only 180 kilometres in a large Russian-made Camaz military truck. They left on Saturday, April 9, and arrived on April 11 at midnight. It was a real ordeal, owing to the dilapidated state of the road, but that did not discourage the judicial convoy. From April 12 to 19, the town of Bana ba Ntumba, southwest of Kananga, hosted the mobile court hearings in the war crimes trial of former members of the Kamuina Nsapu militia, after a first hearing in Kananga on April 8. On the way of the cross, between Bena Ba Ntumba and Kananga, villagers help our correspondent to get out of the mud. Joseph Mbuyi The violence in question occurred in May 2017, during deadly clashes between the Kamuina Nsapu movement and the DRC armed forces. Kamuina Nsapu was a nebulous group of militias established in the different territories and provinces of the Kasai, which claimed to be part of this movement but were not necessarily all linked from an organizational point of view. In this trial in the territory of Dimbelenge, on the edge of Kasai Central, there are 255 civil parties. The seven defendants present two others are still at large are being prosecuted for the war crimes of murder, beheading and torture, as well as participation in an insurrectional movement, criminal association, and terrorism. The attacks affected several villages, including the locality of Bana ba Ntumba, where the court decided to go. Death penalty The population of this large town lives mostly from the land. Most of the local youth are artisanal diggers in search of diamonds. There are not many buildings with metal roofs, except for the Catholic church. The defendants present Ngalamulume Mbombo wa Mesu alias Sadam, Martin Lumpungu Kasongo alias Tshidibuelele, Kabalenge Kabalenge, Evariste Tshibaka Mukengeshayi, Jean Muenyi Badipu, Mupenda Tshielela alias Kester, and Pierre Katanga Sewudi Mbelu all pleaded not-guilty. At the hearing, a video of the execution of a victim was shown in which one of the defendants, Martin Lumpungu, appeared to be in command of the militiamen, calling them to order. In his closing arguments, the first prosecutor, Lieutenant-Colonel Papy Yumembuli, requested the death penalty for all the defendants. The civil parties demanded damages equivalent to $22,000 for the harm suffered. All seven defendants present were sentenced to death for violence committed by the Kamuina Nsapu militia, in 2017. Joseph Mbuyi The tension was palpable in Bana Ba Ntumba, and on the morning of April 19, the military tribunal decided to render its judgment that evening, although it had been announced for the following day. The population rushed to attend the historic judgment. The judges found no mitigating circumstances, and consequently sentenced the seven men to death, announced the president of the tribunal, Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Claude Nawej (the death penalty exists in the DRC, but is not applied). The two absent defendants received the same sentence, in absentia. This met with joy for some and sadness for others: tears for the families of the convicted, and jubilation in the other ranks. Three trials in a year The defence lawyers immediately appealed. The court found the statements of the alleged victims enough to convict the defendants, even though there was insufficient evidence. That is why the defendants have appealed and hope this judgment will be overturned, explained lawyer Alidort Mampuya. But the civil parties said the defendants deserved an exemplary punishment. Never again, said one of the lawyers for the victims families. The judge, who was independent, only said what was right. As if remembering the sad times they lived through and ready to attack the convicts, a group of young people followed the delegation to the edge of the town. But it set off, for more long hours of muddy track, in which it would probably get bogged down. This was the second trial in Kasai Central on the 2017 violence. The first war crimes trial was held in the province in March 2021, in which a former Kamuina Nsapu leader was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. In October 2021, another trial of Kamuina Nsapu militiamen took place in the neighbouring province of Kasai. Two former members of the movement were convicted, one of whom was sentenced to death. The vast Azovstal iron and steelworks is the last hold-out of Ukrainian forces in the devastated port city of Mariupol after weeks of Russias ferocious onslaught. Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his military to impose a blockade so tight that not even a fly can escape around the plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said about a thousand civilians, women and children and hundreds of wounded were also sheltering at the industrial complex. The remaining Ukrainian forces have refused to surrender but have warned supplies were running out and urged international mediation to help them evacuate. Soviet-era behemoth Perched on the edge of the Sea of Azov, the plant dates back to the early 1930s when Soviet authorities ordered the construction of an ironworks in the coastal city of Mariupol. Production began by 1933 but was hastily halted shortly after Germany launched its invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II in 1941. In 1943, retreating German troops blew up key facilities at the plant, but the factory was relaunched within a few years after Soviet forces took control. One of Europes largest In 2006, the complex was bought by the Metinvest group controlled by Ukraines richest man Rinat Akhmetov. Once reputed to be close to Moscow, Akhmetov has thrown his weight behind the authorities in Kyiv since a Russian-backed insurgency began in 2014. And he denounced Russian troops for committing crimes against humanity against Ukrainians after the Kremlin launched its invasion on February 24. Prior to Moscows assault, the Azovstal plant had a capacity to produce 5.7 million tonnes of iron and 6.2 million tonnes of steel a year, Metinvest said, making it one of the largest metalworks in Europe. The mammoth factory provided employment for thousands of people and dominated the cityscape of Mariupol. City within a city Stretching over some 11 square kilometres (4.2 square miles), the Azovstal complex is a sprawling warren of rail lines, warehouses, coal furnaces, factories, chimneys and tunnels seen as ideal for guerilla warfare. Its a city within a city, Eduard Basurin, a representative for pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donetsk region, said earlier this month. There are several underground levels that date back to Soviet times which you cant bombard from above. You have to go underground to clean them out, and that will take time. Putin said in his orders Thursday that an assault was impractical. There is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities, he said. Russia has resorted to pounding the complex with huge bombs launched from aircraft as it sought to break the resistance of the Ukrainian troops holed up there. Drone images broadcast on Sunday by the Russian state agency RIA Novosti showed the widespread destruction wrought by Moscows besieging forces. The footage showed a desolate hellscape with a series of buildings that had been completely blown up, some still smouldering. Britain on Thursday announced fresh sanctions targeting Russian army chiefs, condemned by the UK foreign minister as having Ukrainian blood on their hands. The Foreign Office announced a swathe of sanctions against generals committing atrocities on the front line, as well as individuals and businesses supporting President Vladimir Putins military. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted that the sanctions were on those with Ukrainian blood on their hands. The UK government has concluded that Russian bombing of civilian infrastructure is intentional targeting, the Foreign Office statement said. Those blacklisted include Lieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, reportedly the head of a Russian military unit that has committed alleged war crimes in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv. He has been nicknamed the Butcher of Bucha by English-language media. Three generals are also targeted, as well as defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, according to an updated list on the government website. The acting emergency situations minister Alexander Chupriyan is also added. Organisations added to the blacklist include the Kalashnikov arms concern, famous for producing the AK-47. The UK said Russian troops have used its weapons in Ukraine. The UK also placed sanctions on the Russian Railways monopoly and its CEO Oleg Belozyorov, calling it a key enabler for transporting Russian military equipment. Separately, the UK government announced further trade sanctions including import bans on Russian silver, wood products and caviar. Finance minister Rishi Sunak said the new measures were aimed at imposing further economic pain on Putins economy for his barbaric and unjustified attacks on a sovereign nation. The United Nations top court on Thursday ordered the Colombian navy to stop interfering in Nicaraguan waters, ruling on a longstanding legal battle over maritime borders. The International Court of Justice finds that by interfering with fishing and marine research activities of Nicaraguan-flagged vessels in Nicaraguas exclusive economic zone Colombia has violated Nicaraguas sovereign rights and jurisdiction, presiding judge Joan Donoghue said. The court finds by nine votes to six that the Republic of Colombia must immediately cease (this) conduct, she said, handing down the verdict at the ICJs headquarters in The Hague. In 2012 the ICJ, which rules in disputes between countries, awarded Nicaragua a swathe of disputed Caribbean Sea territory extending 200 nautical miles from its coastline. But the following year, Nicaragua lodged a fresh case, accusing Colombia of ignoring the ruling. It alleged Bogota had threatened to use force to back up its claims in the oil- and fish-rich region. Nicaraguas lawyers also asked the ICJ to make Colombia pay compensation for the threat or use of force by the Colombian navy against Nicaraguan fishing boats. Colombia denied the accusations, saying its presence in the region was due to other imperatives, including international maritime rescue and the fight against drug trafficking. The Nicaraguan government welcomed the verdict, saying it confirmed that Colombia implemented a policy that violated the jurisdiction and sovereign rights of Nicaragua. Speaking outside court after the judgement, Colombias representative, Carlos Gustavo Arrieta Padilla, said he still believed the ruling is mainly in favor of Colombia. The judges did not ask us to cease our presence in Nicaraguan waters They never ordered us to leave the area, Arrieta said. The court has maintained the possibility of the Colombian navy being there and doing operations in the fight against organised crime in the area, he said. Colombian President Ivan Duque said his navy retained its fundamental ability to navigate in the area but did not mention if he would accept the ICC ruling relating to Bogotas interference. In an evening address to the nation, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said the ICCs ruling was clear and irrefutable, and expressed confidence that Duque would not go on to violate Nicaraguan rights recognized by the court since 2012. He addressed Colombian authorities directly, saying: We demand you abide by the ruling, that you take a step toward respecting international law and peace. Legal ping-pong In a game of legal ping-pong, Bogota accused Managua of interfering with indigenous fishing rights. The loss of fishing grounds because of the ICJs 2012 ruling particularly affected the Raizal people, an English- and Creole-speaking community who are mainly descendants of slaves taken from Africa, Colombias lawyers said. However, Donoghue said Colombia failed to establish that the inhabitants of the San Andres archipelago, in particular the Raizales, enjoy fishing rights in waters now within Nicaraguas exclusive economic zone. The court nonetheless noted Nicaraguas willingness to negotiate with Colombia an agreement regarding access by members of the Raizales community to fisheries within Nicaraguas exclusive economic zone. The best way to do this was through a bilateral agreement, Donoghue said. The judges rejected Nicaraguas claim for compensation. Strained relations Although there are no land borders between Nicaragua, located in Central America, and Colombia, in South America, diplomatic relations have been strained for almost a century over disputed maritime limits. Nicaragua finally took Colombia to the ICJ in 2001, and in 2012 it won several thousand square kilometres (miles) of territory in the southwestern Caribbean that had previously been Colombian. Colombia, which was left with only seven islets, said at the time it would no longer recognise the courts jurisdiction on border disputes. Nicaragua then went back to the court in 2013, alleging violations of the judgement by Colombia. Judges at the ICJ ruled in 2016 that they had jurisdiction in the dispute, brushing aside Colombian objections that the court was not competent to hear the cases. Countries are obliged to implement judgements by the Hague-based ICJ, which are final and cannot be appealed. In rare situations where a country refuses, the matter can be referred to the UN Security Council by the complainant country for further action. Ahead of its much awaited premiere, forthcoming rom-com drama "Woori The Virgin" stars Im Soo Hyang, Shin Dong Wook, and Sung Hoon. Recently, the drama shared its first ever teaser drama, raising fans and viewers' expectations! Im Soo Hyang Answers Shin Dong Wook's Proposal With Shocking Revelation SBS TV's upcoming rom-com series "Woori The Virgin" unveiled its first ever video teaser! The drama is a South Korean remake of the American rom-com "Jane The Virgin." It follows the story of Oh Woo Ri (Im Soo Hyang), a conservative woman who ends up getting pregnant after an unexpected incident. The teaser begins with Oh Woo Ri catching the wedding bouquet at a friend's wedding. Due to this, her mother Oh Eun Ran (Hong Eun Hee) and grandmother Seo Gwi Nyeo (Yun Woon Kyung) who are sticklers to traditions encourage her to get married within six months. However, Oh Woo Ri does not want to get married yet. As an assistant writer, she does not want to lose focus in her life in order to succeed. In the next scene, the atmosphere becomes sweeter as Oh Woo Ri's loving boyfriend Lee Kang Jae (Shin Dong Wook) appears. This made everyone's hearts thump with their tooth-rotting moments together. Amid a holy atmosphere, Lee Kang Jae gets on his knees and proposes his love to his girlfriend who, on the other hand, makes a shocking revelation. Despite preserving her purity before marriage, Oh Woo Ri reveals that she is pregnant. When she is asked about the baby's father, the camera pans to the handsome CEO Raphael (Sung Hoon) who's having the time of his life at a crowded bar. How Oh Woo Ri handles the situation as she is stuck with being Lee Kang Jae's loving girlfriend and Raphael's baby momma is the biggest thing to look forward to in the upcoming series. Handsome CEO Sung Hoon Unexpectedly Becomes A Father of Im Soo Hyang's Child Following the release of the first ever teaser video, actor Sung Hoon's first look in his new major acting role has been revealed! While Im Soo Hyang portrays the titular role of Oh Woo Ri, Sung Hoon stars as Raphael, the handsome and laid back CEO of a cosmetics company. He appears haughty and aloof, but deep inside, Raphael is a hopeless romantic. With that, he secretly dreams of meeting "the one" and finding his true happiness. Unbeknownst to him, he becomes the father of Im Soo Hyang's child due to a medical examination error. In the newly published photos, Sung Hoon flaunts his undeniable appeal and sophisticated presence as Raphael. As a business tycoon, he dons a sharp pair of eyes that hint at his perceptive nature. But in the next photo, the emotional side of the CEO is captured. It showcased his sorrowful expression as he looks at something at a distance. Sung Hoon is expected to give life to the bright and cheery CEO Raphael, and use his emotions to effectively portray his new character. On the other hand, SBS TV's upcoming Monday and Tuesday romance drama premieres for the first time on May 9 at 10:00 p.m. KST. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Im Soo Hyang's 'Jane The Virgin' Remake To Push Broadcast Despite Schedule Conflicts KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. As the whole K-drama fandom waits for the highly anticipated sequel, rumor sparked that "Sweet Home 2" filming has begun. Definitely one of the biggest shows in 2020, Netflix's 10-part episode series topped the streaming giant's daily chart during its first week of release. As cited by What's On Netflix, the supernatural horror series scored 22 million views surpassing the Japanese thriller "Alice in Borderland," released a day after "Sweet Home." It raked with 18 million views. Interestingly, two years after the K-drama made its global debut, "Sweet Home 2" is finally in the works. Song Kang and Lee Jin Wook Caught on Set of 'Sweet Home 2' A photo featuring the OG cast Song Kang and Lee Jin Wook spread like wildfire on social media after the duo was spotted filming a scene. Netizens believe it is for the Netflix series as they gear up for the much-awaited "Sweet Home" season 2. Through a Twitter post, a fan claimed that the two stars are back for Netflix's sequel. Based on the photo, Lee Jin Wook and Song Kang both wore suits and filmed inside what looked like a mall. #SweetHome S2 SPOILERS Someone saw #SongKang & #LeeJinWook filming together THEY'RE NOT IN RAGS BUT SUITSThe plot gonna take a 360 turn IKROur OG cast is backSangwook WITHOUT SCARSHairstyle like smth in btw Hwal & DKWCANT WAIT pic.twitter.com/tBHIbGm1Dm Fi (@Fifi1700) April 19, 2022 Meanwhile, a media outlet cited an online post featuring a car carrying props with a label that reads "Sweet Home 2." In the comments section, one netizen said that the team might have "started filming last weekend." IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Song Kang Shares Honest Thoughts on Working With Netflix To recall, Song Kang and Lee Jin Wook starred in "Sweet Home" season 1. The 27-year-old heartthrob took on the role of the introverted high school student turned monster hunter Cha Hyun Soo. He is the newbie resident at the Green Home Mansion Apartment. Meanwhile, Lee Jin Wook plays Pyeong San Wook, a former contract killer with a mysterious personality and scary burn scars. This made the residents terrified of him. 'Sweet Home' Season 2: What We Know So Far In July 2021, Netflix set the record straight after rumors sparked that "Sweet Home" would be renewed for season 2. At the time, outlets shared Netflix's statement noting that "nothing has been decided regarding the production of Season 2 of "Sweet Home." Despite this, actors from season 1 and new stars are rumored to join the cast. It includes Lee Si Young, who played the fearless firefighter Seo Yi Kyung and the badass bassist Yoon Ji Su, portrayed by Park Gyu Young. Aside from the two OG cast, B1A4's Jinyoung, "It's Okay to Not be Okay" star, Oh Jung Se, and Kim Shin Rok from "Hellbound" will also appear in "Sweet Home" season 2. While fans eagerly wait for the second season, "Sweet Home" director Lee Eung Bok previously mentioned the possible storyline in the upcoming sequel. As noted by MBN, the team wanted to "introduce the monsters that we weren't able to" in the first season. It means that more jaw-dropping and heart-pounding scenes are expected in the second installment. KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Another member of NCT will finally start his acting journey this year! Can you guess who he is? Keep on reading to find more about this new idol-actor! Nakamoto Yuta To Play a Villain Role in His First-Ever Movie Appearance Good news Nctizens (NCT fandom name), Japanese member and NCT 127's lead dancer, Nakamoto Yuta is confirmed to debut as an actor in the forthcoming Japanese film "HiGH & LOW: The Worst X." A big leap to the member's career for he is set to play a villain role, a leader of the Senomon Industrial High School gang, in the soon-to-release movie. Known for his strong stage presence and powerful visuals, Yuta will finally kick off his acting career as an action star this 2022 with an exciting debut role. "HiGH & LOW: The Worst X" is the newest installment of the "HiGH & LOW" action franchise which follows the story of the multi-member group Exile Tribe. Yuta's first movie is a sequel to the 2019 film of the same title. Fans are about to meet actor Yuta in theaters this coming September 9. Watch out for Nakamoto's big screen transformation. Following the footsteps of his fellow NCT127 members, Doyoung and Jaehyun, Yuta is ready to go beyond his idol career and establish a new image as an emerging actor. Get a glimpse of Yuta's incredible and thrilling scenes in "HiGH & LOW: The Worst X" Teaser! Furthermore, get the latest updates about the upcoming movie on its official Instagram @high_low_official. You can also visit NCT 127 social media accounts! NCT Jaehyun's Drama Debut 'Dear.M' To Premiere in Japan Meanwhile, last March 24, Jung Jaehyun turned the internet into frenzy. Multiple reports claimed that the NCT's visual and NCT 127's main vocalist is ready to make acting debut in Japan with his long-awaited Korean drama "Dear.M." Broadcasting company KBS who is in charge of the drama confirmed the news but the scheduled release date is still under discussion. Hence, fans were very happy for they finally have the chance to see actor Jaehyun after his drama got postponed last February 26, 2021. Jung Jaehyun and Nakamoto Yuta will dominate the year with their new upcoming projects. Furthermore, NCT 127 will have their first Japan offline concert tour in May, two years after the COVID-19 surge. Congratulations to NCT's Yuta and Jaehyun! IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: #Jaehyun Dominates Twitter Trends Following Updates About His Drama Debut 'Dear. M' What are your thoughts about the upcoming acting debut of NCT's Yuta and Jaehyun? Share your comments with us! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Netflix Korea's "The Sound of Magic" released its newest teaser ahead of its release, showcasing Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun, and Hwang In Yeop's magical world. Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun Take Viewers To A Magical World in New Drama "The Sound of Magic" starring Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun, and Hwang In Yeop released a new video teaser ahead of its release! The new Netflix series follows the story of a magician who encourages a woman to reach for her dreams in spite of life's harsh challenges. Ji Chang Wook plays the role of Lee Eul, a magician who lives at an abandoned amusement park and dreams to find true happiness through magic. Meanwhile, Choi Sung Eun takes on the role of Yoon Ah Yi, a girl who lost her dream due to past trauma. Hwang In Yeop transforms into the studious handsome student Na Il Deung. The newly released teaser follows Yoon Ah Yi, who unexpectedly meets magician Lee Eul while she chases down some bills. Due to creepy rumors about the amusement park, she runs aways after seeing the friendly magician. In the next scene, Lee Eul asks Yoon Ah Yi why she doesn't believe in magic anymore, to which the latter replies, "Because I'm not young anymore." As Yoon Ah Yi drowns more and more in her own painful thoughts, Lee Eul appears and asks her to come to his world full of magic. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ji Chang Wook, Hwang In Yeop Transform Into Mysterious Magicians in 'The Sound of Magic' Yoon Ah Yi slowly follows his lead. The abandoned amusement park slowly recovers its lost magic, letting the former bask into happiness as she smiles brightly. The chemistry between the two main characters raises anticipation. Curiosity about what kind of relationship Lee Eul and Yoon Ah Yi have, and how it evolved into something magical, also amplifies excitement. Kim Min Jeong on Ji Chang Wook's 'The Sound of Magic' "The Sound of Magic" is based on the webtoon "Annarasumanara" written by Ha Il Kwon. The drama is directed by Kim Min Jeong, the brilliant man who created the megahit series "Love in the Moonlight," "Who Are You: School 2015" and more. "Netflix's "The Sound of Magic" is a work I'm most confident with," the director stated. "Through the drama, I hope that the viewers become more determined to pursue their dreams in order to find true happiness." "The Sound of Magic" tells the magical story of two people who heal their wounds as they find life's purpose and happiness with each other's help and presence. 'The Sound of Magic' Release Date and Where To Watch Netflix Korea's "The Sound of Magic" aims to give resonance, sympathy, and comfort to its viewers. With its glamorous and mystical visuals, the production unit of the drama hopes that everyone in the family can enjoy the upcoming series. Furthermore, veteran stars Lee Sang Hwa, Hong Seo Hee, and Yoo Jae Myung are also part of the work. "The Sound of Magic" will be released exclusively on Netflix on Friday, May 6. Watch the newly released teaser here: KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Another K-content made it to the Cannes Film Festival 2022 as Bae Doona's new movie "The Next Sohee" was invited to the prestigious ceremony. Set to take place from May 17 to 28, the 75th Cannes Film Festival honors top-quality films worldwide. Now, Bae Doona's new movie joins 5 Korean films heading to the annual event. Bae Doona's 'The Next Sohee' Invited to The Cannes Critics' Week 2022 According to a Korean outlet, the festival officially announced that "The Next Sohee" will be the closing film in The Cannes Critics' Week 2022 Selection Special Screenings category. With the achievement of the upcoming movie, this will be director July Jung's second entry, following her debut film, "A Girl at My Door," which made it to the 67th Cannes Film Festival Notable Eyes section. As cited by the outlet, the committee praised the female director for her growth as a rookie, and now that she was able to produce a "very intense film" through her work, "The Next Sohee." What We Know So Far About Bae Doona's New Movie 'The Next Sohee' In January 2022, production company Twin Plus Partners CEO Kim Dong Ha officially announced the star who will headline the upcoming mystery drama film. Bae Doona will transform as the fearless detective Eugene who gets caught up in a tricky situation involving a high school student. Interestingly, three months after the announcement, "The Next Sohee" officially wrapped up its production. As cited by a media outlet, director July Jung expressed her gratitude to the whole team "who all tried their best" until the very end. Moreover, the female director also promised to do her best to complete the post-production. Meanwhile, lead star Bae Doona shared the same thought and thanked her fellow actors and crew for successfully and safely concluding the movie. "I was so happy and had so much fun while filming, so I'm sad that the filming has ended. But I'm glad that we completed it safely. I was delighted to have worked with such great people," she said. To recall, this is the actress' second time portraying the detective role. The first was with Jo Seung Woo in "Strangers" season 1 and 2, where she took on the role of detective Han Yeo Jin. 'Broker' and 'Decision To Leave' to Compete at Cannes Film Festival 2022 Interestingly, as "The Next Sohee" made it to the Cannes Film festival 2022, another movie by Bae Doona entered the same festival. "Broker," which stars IU, Song Kang Ho, Kang Dong Won, and Lee Joo Young, was nominated at the annual ceremony. Directed by renowned Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda, the drama film is set to Air at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, alongside Park Hae Il directed movie "Decision To Leave." KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills After the town of Peachland spent more than $100,000 to buy this "ugly" public washroom, Interior Health has decided it isn't necessary, Mayor Cindy Fortin says. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form WILMOT The Kenosha County District Attorneys Office announced it will not take formal action against a local school board or its president following complaints of alleged violations of Wisconsins Open Meetings Law. The complaints, however, have led to Wilmot Union High Schools Board of Education submitting to a training session on open meetings. That training took place at the April 13 meeting and lasted just over an hour as the last order of business on the boards agenda. In late January, Diane Brenner of Silver Lake filed complaints with the Kenosha County District Attorneys office with a sampling of six alleged violations that dated to May of last year. In the complaints to District Attorney Michael Graveley, Brenner alleged the board, led by then-President Laurie DeMoon had violated open meetings laws. The accusations included: incorrect exemptions for closed sessions, discussion of items in closed session that did not meet open meeting exemptions, discussions or debates in emails that should take place in open session, meeting notices posted with vague, incorrect and/or misleading descriptions, improper noticing of a committee meeting in which a board quorum was present and board members taking action in committee meetings designated as informational with votes not properly recorded. Declining prosecutionSome of the closed session topics also involved discussions of a data tool for evaluating prospective superintendent candidates and compensation for support staff, but not a specific staff member. The issues that Brenner pointed out did not rise to exemption from an open meeting, according to the complaints. Graveley declined to prosecute the matter. Instead, Graveley said that he was advised and encouraged that School Board Attorney Shana Lewis had notified him the board would submit to the training on open meetings laws. We will not be taking any formal action against the School Board or President DeMoon at this time, said Graveley, in his April 12 correspondence with Brenner. DeMoon, who held one of two School Board positions up for election, will not return. Voters ousted her on April 5. The April 13 meeting was her last. Two new members, Joy Corona and Kim Swanson, will join the board. Previous challenges Over the last year, Brenner and her husband Brent, repeatedly challenged DeMoon on open meetings violations, a move Brenner said fell on deaf ears and one that board officials have said cost the district more than $9,000 in legal fees. The district has been further under siege as a majority of its staff issued a vote of no confidence against the board. Board member Sue Gerber quit, citing mismanagement, and district residents had sought, but did not gain, reapportionment of community representation on the board. District administrative leadership also saw the departure of long-time Superintendent Dan Kopp, along with the announced departures of other staff leadership. Vance Dalzin, has since stepped in as the interim administrator until the newly hired Superintendent Michael Plourde starts July 1. DeMoon responds In response to Graveleys ruling on the complaints, DeMoon said in an email that they did not merit a formal investigation, and that the district attorney made the right decision in dropping this matter. Enough taxpayer dollars have already been wasted as a result of the baseless accusations made by the complainant, DeMoon said. We held the training during our regularly scheduled open meeting for greatest access to all. Our board attended as well as our entire leadership team and our newly appointed District Administrator, Dr. Plourde. We also invited the newly elected school board members, one of whom accepted the offer. Community members attended as well, including the complainant. The session was livestreamed and recorded for anyone to access through our website, she said. There is a great deal of misunderstanding and confusion regarding the open meeting laws. We hope that having one training for all in our district will prove a proactive attempt to give everyone the same level of basic information, DeMoon added. Looking toward the future, DeMoon said she hoped that in being replaced, the over-scrutiny of the School Board will end, as it has yielded nothing but hard feelings in our district. The training covered valid purposes for holding a closed session, such as, employment, promotion, compensation or performance of a public employee with discussions pertaining to a specific person in contrast to general policies that do not involved specific people, among other things. Other topics included taking action in closed sessions, meeting adjournment and record keeping during meetings, including those of committees, the board clerks responsibilities for establishing a record and publishing of meeting minutes. No specific references, however, were made to the Brenners complaints during the session. Holding elected officials accountable Incoming School Board member Swanson, who had previously been on the Randall School Board, said the training was a good starting point. I think it gives us a point in time, it gives us a reference point of `Dont forget, she said. But she was still skeptical of whether the remaining board members would be willing to listen to differing points of view. According to Swanson, the board needs to be able to have robust discussions, speak as individuals, act as policy makers and not micromanage day-to-day operations that are handled district administration. Trust is a huge issue with everybody, she said. I think the board needs to know its role. Brenner said she does not take lightly the costs for bringing to light open government concerns. However, elected officials are accountable to the public, she said. I am hopeful that members of the board who were ignorant of the laws will see the error of their ways and be more cognizant and compliant in the future, said Brenner, following last weeks meeting. The training was high level, much of the material was common sense so I am still having an issue believing that they just didnt know better but I must give them the benefit of the doubt and believe things will get better. I think it is important that the community pay attention to local government and hold those in office accountable, she 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. Talk about a baptism of fire. Back in 2019, Conor O'Neill took up the reins at Punchestown from Dick O'Sullivan, the man who brought Punchestown from the brink to what it had been pre-covid. Thriving. Successful. Top notch. Not to be missed. Having enjoyed his first year at the helm, Conor was all set to build on that come 2021, until covid hit. No Punchestown. No racing. Nothing. And while the Festival returned in 2021, it was held behind closed doors. And as Conor readily admits, down through the years it has been the people who made Punchestown what it is, and holding it behind closed doors, while better than not having it at all, still came a long distance second to what Punchestown is all about. Conor recounts the days and weeks prior to 2020 as he, and some of his team were heading to the annual Cheltenham Festival, on their usual promotional campaign. Cheltenham Week in 2020 is a week I don't think anyone in racing will ever forget; Cheltenham is a very important week for us at Punchestown as we send a team across in both November and March and I remember that day only well the Monday before the Festival we had a Trade Show in the Event Centre here and the CEO of the Trade Show rang me to say he was canceling it and at that stage I was somewhat taken aback but that was the decision he made. I had a meeting in Dublin that day with Janet Creighton our Sponsorship Manager; we were on our way to Cheltenham, along with Shona (Dreaper), Hilary (Cahill) who were already over there; we had a Trade Show set up, I got as far as the check-in desk, put my bag on the carousel, looked behind and Janet was as white as a ghost. I said to Janet, 'Janet you're not too sure about this' and she said 'no'. "Janet got a taxi home; I continued on my way to Cheltenham but had made up my mind at that stage it was a case of a day or two at Cheltenham or 14 days at home in Punchestown, we obviously had still been intending to run our Festival that year but I made a decision on the flight over that I wasn't going to go racing, I was going to come back the following the morning. I met the girls that night and while we left a few over there; it was a dilemma as we had to have a presence in Cheltenham because if not, that would signal the end and really if we weren't willing to go over there, well how did we expect to attract them over to Ireland a few weeks later but little did we know then it would be 2022 before we would have a Punchestown Festival that we have known. Conor admits that while 2020 was cancelled and 2021 was held behind closed doors. "One thing that really came home to roost last year when we knew we were going to have a Festival with no one in attendance but that said it was fantastic to be able to have a Festival and hopefully people enjoyed it from the comfort of their own homes but the atmosphere around it last year, no matter how much you build yourself up, I remember the team leaving here on the Tuesday evening and we were literally trying to pick them up off the ground. We had a clash on the opening day with Envoi Allen and Monkfish, a massive clash between two superstars but it was like it was just two horses schooling around Punchestown, that was how it felt. As a business model Punchestown is quite unique. There are very few businesses that get 80-90 per cent of their annual turnover all packed into one week but it must have been an extremely worrying time for all concerned with no Punchestown at all? As I say when I was in the car coming back from Cheltenham in 2020 on the Tuesday morning, the very first phone call I made that morning was to my bank manager, set up a meeting the following day. If you had said to me we are not going to have a Festival I would have said we are very much going to struggle but I suppose we were very fortunate, both from an industry perspective, a racing perspective whereby we couldn't welcome people through the gates we still managed to continue racing and we certainly could not take anything for granted when kids could not go to school we were still racing and while it is not the same it still gave us, from a media rights perspective and income perspective, helped us to keep people in jobs, remember the racing industry keeps 30,000 people in employment so from an industry point of view that was very important also. The CEO admits it was tough, as some very tough decisions had to be made during that period with significant redundancies but as Conor admits we had to protect the business but I must say in fairness, and it is a testament to Punchestown and indeed to the support and the loyalty from our support base was phenomenal; the majority of our corporate customers who were booked in for that Festival all left their money on account, 'when you are back we will be back' they said while the same can be said of all members, they have all stood with us and supported us; we rolled on their membership to this year and now ready to go again. "It was a great relief, a great boost when we were at our lowest," said the CEO, adding, "you must remember Punchestown is a 12-month project, every year, a hell of a lot of work goes into it and then the rug was pulled from under us but that gave us the foundation to build on and the signs are very positive for 2022 and indeed the team here are more determined than ever to come back with a bang; we are the first real big event in the country, I don't want to use the word post-covid as it is still a big factor, but essentially this is the first big event back in the country that is able to run at this moment in time and the team here take such great pride in it. "We are very fortunate to have the team we have here and like that the team stuck with us. "Compared to this day back in 2019," adds Conor, "we are running between 60 and 65 per cent ahead of pre-bookings; sold out hospitality-wise, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, essentially only filling gaps on Tuesday and Saturday at this stage." And despite what they have gone through over the past two years, Punchestown continue to plan for the future and have recently been given permission to extend the track, the straight to be widened by some 35m while a new 1 mile track (with just one bend) is also in the plans while also safeguarding our ability from a watering point of view; delivering the optimum ground conditions right throughout the year is fundamental from both a welfare perspective and also from attracting the very best horses, that is absolutely fundamental, it is very much on track and we will be commencing that work once this year's Festival is over. During the pandemic Punchestown linked up with the HSE and provided facilities for both testing and vaccination and that will continue during the Festival as Conor explains. The HSE have been on site since August 2020 and continue to be site, both for testing and vaccination facilities. And testing will remain in situ in the Event Centre; that will not be affected. The Covid 19 vaccinations which currently takes place in the Pavilion, which is one of our corporate facilities which we need as we continue to build the business back up, and we are constructing a temporary facility at the rear of the Event Centre to accommodate the vaccination for the HSE, we are very mindful of the fact that covid has not gone away and we appreciate as a country getting back to some sort of normality and we want to continue to play our part in that and as a result we are ensuring facilities remain in place right throughout the Festival. Sponsorship has always played a huge part in the success of the Festival and 2022 is no different with every race again fully sponsored; title sponsors include William Hill on the Tuesday; Ladbrokes on the Wednesday and Thursday; Paddy Power on Friday and Ballymore on the Saturday, and in a major boost for the home of National Hunt racing, last year all the titled sponsored renewed three year deals. No less than 12 Grade 1s again this year and with prize money in the region of 3.25 million, no doubt not just the top home horses will be running but a fair sprinkling of overseas entires are expected again this time around. It is something (overseas runners) that Conor O'Neill says is very important to the success of the festival. Last year Paul Nicholls trained the winner of Punchestown Gold Cup and I think that was very important for racing and indeed very important for Punchestown. This year was a bit more balanced in the Cotswolds between the Irish and the English as regards winners and that will help to attract them back over again. Interest very strong from the UK and remember the strike-rate of horses coming over the sea is very high, on average we have 50ish and I would be confident that will continue and increase which is very important from our point of view; it is all part and parcel of the Festival. Fashion plays a big part of the Punchestown Festival and this year that is set to continue; Ladies Day is on Friday with the build-up to that throughout the week. One race that has been missed out over the past two years is the Charity Race in aid of Irish Kidney Research, a race that has raised thousands over the years through the hard work and dedication of Kilcullen's best know and much appreciated butcher James Nolan. Conor O'Neill admits that this year he has a special interest in this race, the last race of the festival as one of their 'own' will be participating. I am going to be a bit bias this year when I am looking at it, we have one of our girls in the office taking part this year, Leona Hughes, so looking forward to cheering her home. Into Kildare have come on board as partners with Paint The Town Red, promotion in Naas, which is very much an integral part of Punchestown in terms of attracting visitors, not just from Ireland but with some 25,000 visitors from the UK and it is the experience they enjoy throughout, apart from the racing, but it is a fantastic boost to the local economy. There is a noticeable increase in enquiries regards to accommodation, insists the CEO, and with Punchestown linking up with various hotels in the area in this regard it should bring a much-needed boost to the hospitality which has suffered more than most over the past two years or so. So all in all a great week to look forward to. The crowds. The racing. The craic. A week of sheer magic. And hopefully a bit of sunshine. Hardly too much to ask for after what we have all been through! Minister of State Malcolm Noonan TD has just announced 40,000 worth of Heritage Council Funding for Kilkenny. Kilkenny was awarded 20,000 in Community Heritage Grants, 15,000 from the Heritage Stewardship Fund and 5,000 under the Irish Walled Towns Network. Butler Gallery in Kilkenny received 20,000 in Community Heritage Grants for the digitisation of the Butler Gallery Collection, allowing Butler Gallery Collections to be accessible to as many people as possible. Kilkenny County Council received 15,000 from the Heritage Stewardship Fund for the creation of a register and baseline on Kilkennys Early Modern Townhouses in a bid to address the knowledge gap of early modern townhouses in the city. Kilkenny County Council also received 5,000 under the Irish Walled Towns Network to install information plaques on five key sections of Kilkenny City walls. "Looking at the details of these projects, including those in my own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, I feel assured that our countrys heritage is in safe hands and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the results of the hard work done by our partners in the heritage sector," Minister Noonan said. It gives me great pleasure today as Minister of State for Heritage, to congratulate the hundreds of grant recipients whose important projects will benefit from these Heritage Council schemes. I feel assured that our countrys heritage, in all its forms, is in safe hands and I am very much looking forward to seeing the results of the hard work done by our partners in the heritage sector. The Maud, an expedition cruise vessel from the Norweigan cruise line company Hurtigruten, will berth at Belview Port, County Kilkenny today. It will be the first cruise vessel in over two years to be welcomed to the port after a sustained period of pandemic-related disruption. The Maud completes its journey from The Isle of Man with some 528 passengers on board and 300 crew members. She is well suited for expedition cruises and is named after one of the most famous polar vessels Roald Amundsen's 'Maud' from 1917. The Port of Waterford Company, located in Gorteens, County Kilkenny, along with Harbour Master Capt Darren Doyle, plan to offer a warm welcome to the vessel and her Captain on her maiden voyage to the South East. Commenting on the return of cruise business to the Port Capt Doyle said, We are delighted to again welcome cruise vessels back. This has been a much anticipated day as it has been over two years since we waved goodbye to our last cruise vessel. "We look forward to welcoming some 27 cruise vessels between now and the end of September with a total of 35,000 passengers and 16,000 crew members which will all deliver a much-needed boost to the regional tourism economy to the tune of 3.5million this summer. The Maud will make nine more visits to Belview Port with some other voyages scheduled to berth at Frank Cassin Wharf and at Dunmore East where the passengers will travel ashore via tender. The passengers from The Maud will travel ashore and visit Waterford Crystal, The Waterford Treasures Museums at the Viking Triangle, Lismore, The Copper Coast and onwards to Kilkenny City. County Kilkenny will also welcome one of the largest vessels in the business this year as the Celebrity Apex the $900 million vessel will visit Belview in June, July and in August with over 3,000 passengers on each occasion. The 900million dollar vessel was completed in May 2019 and will make her maiden call to Belview Port this summer. Port Chief Executive Frank Ronan says, Today is a momentous one, it is the day that we begin to rebuild the robust cruise line business of the Port company of pre-pandemic times. The team here have put much work into delivering a schedule of vessels for the region this summer and now that the cruise business is back on the seas again it offers us even further opportunity to build on the business for Waterford and the entire southeast region into the future. Senior Chinese diplomat meets with Cambodian, Lao ambassadors Xinhua) 09:45, April 21, 2022 Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh in Beijing, capital of China, April 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi met with Cambodian Ambassador to China Khek Caimealy Sysoda and Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh, respectively, in Beijing on Wednesday. Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said that the China-Cambodia and China-Laos relations have entered a new era of building a community with a shared future. Yang said the countries should enhance strategic communication, consolidate political mutual trust, upgrade economic and trade cooperation, and promote cooperations in the fields of anti-pandemic work, people's livelihoods, and people-to-people exchanges. China is willing to advance multilateral coordination and cooperation with the two countries to jointly maintain regional peace and stability, and safeguard fairness and justice globally, Yang said. Yang said that China supports Cambodia as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and is willing to work with ASEAN to jointly build a peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful and friendly region. The two ambassadors expressed gratitude for China's support for their countries' economic growth and the fight against COVID-19. They said the two countries attach great importance to their relations with China, firmly support China's stand on its core interests and major international issues, and look forward to deepening exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields and promoting the joint construction of the Belt and Road. Cambodia and Laos will actively promote the development of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development, according to the two ambassadors. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Windy...scattered thunderstorms. Low 72F. SE winds at 25 to 35 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Windy...scattered thunderstorms. Low 72F. SE winds at 25 to 35 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible. Both the bill and the petition have the same goal of legalizing recreational marijuana in Missouri, but they have different ways of going about doing so. I'm currently a senior majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in political science. I'm a fan of all St. Louis sports, Oasis and pretty much any Kurt Russell film. Feel free to reach out to me at mgp89g@umsystem.edu or on Twitter @MattPasz2000. Follow Matt Paszkiewicz 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 Participants attend the opening ceremony of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Korea representation's online film festival, held at The Seoul Plaza, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min UNHCR screens six films online to help improve public understanding of refugees By Jung Da-min For Jacob Jorgensen, a Korean adoptee brought up in Sweden, finding a sense of belonging has been a lifelong task he struggled for a long time with, while feeling he belongs neither in Sweden nor Korea. But taking part in the filming of a documentary, titled "Belonging," helped Jacob to define his own sense of belonging. "I did look into the Webster dictionary to get some help with the word 'belonging.' And the first example that is shown in the dictionary of the word belonging in a sentence is this Her adoptive family give the young girl the sense of belonging that she had never developed," Jorgensen said during a press conference after a screening of the film, at Wednesday's opening ceremony of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Seoul office's online film festival. Including "Belonging," a total of six films, each depicting stories of those who have been forcibly displaced from their homes and countries, will be screened online for free at unhcrkoreafilms.com during "Stories Behind the Numbers," an online film festival that kicked off on Wednesday to run until May 3. Captured from UNHCR's website "Belonging is something that is actually given to you by another person or other people by accepting you and inviting you into their group. But this is not enough. When you get invited or accepted into your group, you have to have the sense that you are accepted. I think this has been my problem growing up," Jorgensen said. He said he now has a sense of belonging, which is given to him by his family and friends. He said what gives a person a sense of belonging is not a certain place but the people around that person. But there is one more important thing, Jorgensen added. "I think I found my sense of belonging through life experience. You still have to be brave enough. I think that is the hardest part," he said. Including the stories of Jorgensen and his sister Soni, "Belonging" includes stories of others including Syrian-born naturalized Korean Abdul Wahab Al Mohammad Agha and Egyptian couple Musab and Sara Darwish, who came to Korea after fleeing from political persecution in Syria and Egypt. The film was directed by Paul Wu who has been working with UNHCR on film projects. "The theme used to host UNHCR's first film festival is 'Stories Behind the Numbers,' considering that refugees and asylum seekers are often shown with numbers and figures. Today, more than 84 million are forcibly displaced from their homes and countries doubled the numbers over the last decade," said James Lynch, South Korea's representative to the UNHCR, delivering opening remarks for the opening ceremony. "This is equivalent to one percent of the entire population in the world. A new humanitarian crisis is escalating in Ukraine, and more than 4.5 million people have fled the country. Most of them are women and children." James Lynch, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative to Korea, delivers an opening speech at the opening ceremony of the UNHCR's online film festival at The Plaza Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of UNHCR By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON The Korean War is less and less "forgotten." You don't hear people calling it "the Forgotten War" nearly as much as we did years ago. For elevating awareness of the worst calamity ever to befall the Korean Peninsula, we can thank North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, who's done his best to alert the world to the dangers of a second Korean War by staging missile tests and threatening nuclear annihilation. Now an elaborate memorial to the war is finally about to stage its second opening in Washington. The memorial opened for the first time on July 27, 1995, 42 years after the Korea War truce was signed at Panmunjom. On the next anniversary, the 69th, the memorial is to be rededicated with one remarkable enhancement a "Wall of Remembrance," including the names of all those who died in the war as members of U.S. military units. No, they weren't all in U.S. military units. More than 7,600 of them were members of the Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army. Having been under U.S. command, fighting with the Americans, they're listed along with 36,164 U.S. soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen who died in the war. On the wall are 43,769 names, listed alphabetically. Korean family names, Kims and Lees and Parks and Changs and Choes and so many others, fill many columns. The KATUSAs received the recognition they deserve at an elaborate ceremony that I attended at which General Vincent Brooks, the retired commander of U.S. Forces Korea, the United Nations Command and the Combined Forces Command said "We served together" and "we honor the memory of those who served." The wall, and the entire memorial, including statues of soldiers in combat gear on patrol, honors all those who have defended Korea, but by listing the names of the KATUSAs who died, it pays special tribute to the Koreans. The first Korean soldiers were placed in U.S. army units on Aug. 15, 1950, less than two months after Kim Jong-un's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, ordered the invasion of the South on June 25, 1950. The acronym KATUSA may sound a little awkward, but it's stuck ever since, so much so that it's part of the vocabulary of modern Korea, a word that many in Korea will know without realizing what those initials stand for. By now, approximately 300,000 Koreans have been KATUSAs, including about 2,400 on active duty right now. A galaxy of retired generals attended the ceremony, at which Brooks received a $50,000 check from the KATUSA Korean Veterans Association for the Korean Memorial Foundation. General John Tilelli, another former U.S. commander in Korea, showing me around the memorial, happily noted that the Korean government was paying the entire bill of about $22 million for establishing the Wall of Remembrance and sprucing up the rest of the memorial. "This started as a dream of Korean War veterans," he said. By the time the job is done three months from now, the Korean War Memorial will be just as impressive as the Vietnam War memorial, maybe more so, but why was the memorial for the Korean War envisioned so many years later? The answer lies partly in the sad reality that the Vietnam War was a failure in which more than 58,000 U.S. troops were killed, and listing the names of all of them seemed like a way to remember their service and sacrifice even though they had died in vain for a losing cause. The Korean War "was no tie Korea was a victory" said President Barack Obama at a ceremony that I attended at the memorial on July 27, 2013, 60th anniversary of the Panmunjom truce. By "no tie," he meant that the South, after turning back the North Koreans, and their Chinese allies, had far surpassed the North as a thriving nation. "When 50 million South Koreans live in freedom a vibrant democracy, one of the world's most dynamic economies, in stark contrast to the repression and poverty of the North," he said, "that's a victory; that's your legacy." For Korea, the war was far more devastating than imaginable from viewing the Wall of Remembrance. Besides the 7,600 KATUSAs, another 100,000 South Korean soldiers and nearly one million South Korean civilians died. About 1.5 million North Korean and Chinese soldiers were killed, plus another 1.5 million North Korean civilians. The Korean War Memorial and the Wall of Remembrance remind us, belatedly, of the horrors of the bloodiest single war in Asian history. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, writes on war and peace in Seoul and Washington. By Shlomo Ben-Ami TEL AVIV The Middle East is learning to live without America. While the United States will continue to shape regional security, not least through its advanced weapons systems, its (perceived) retreat from the Middle East has raised serious doubts about its willingness to fulfill its commitments to its allies. Now, local actors are revising their geopolitical strategies, with old enemies pursuing reconciliation and some countries even seeking to create a system of collective security. To deliver regional peace and stability, however, countries will have to overcome even bigger hurdles than they seem to realize. Middle Eastern leaders' disillusionment with the U.S. has been growing for more than a decade. Autocratic Arab rulers accuse the U.S. of betraying them during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, by aligning with the forces trying to overthrow them. They also blame the U.S. for effectively negotiating the 2015 Iran nuclear deal behind their backs, and for failing to discipline Bashar al-Assad's murderous regime in Syria. More recently, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were none too happy with America's non-response to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on their oil infrastructure. That probably explains, at least partly, why neither country has been willing to meet U.S. President Joe Biden's requests to boost oil and gas production to contain surging energy prices amid the Ukraine war. Reportedly, they will not even take his calls. Instead, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are continuing down the path onto which they stepped at last August's Baghdad summit, which was convened in an effort to defuse regional tensions. This includes efforts to improve relations with Iran, in hopes of bringing an end to the war in Yemen. The UAE has also re-established diplomatic relations with Assad, whom the U.S. wants to continue treating as a pariah. Assad even visited Abu Dhabi last month his first official visit to an Arab country since the Syrian civil war began more than a decade ago. Turkey has similarly adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Assad. Turkey cut all diplomatic ties with Syria in 2011, and long insisted that there could be no peace as long as the "terrorist" leader was in power. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now seeking an agreement that guarantees that northern Syria will never become an autonomous Kurdish region, and that the millions of Syrian refugees in Turkey can go home. This is but one facet of a broader Turkish foreign-policy recalibration, spurred by deep regional isolation and severe economic crisis. Despite being a traditional ally of Qatar the nemesis of the rest of the Gulf states Turkey recently re-established diplomatic ties with the UAE and engaged in dialogue with Bahrain. Erdogan even seems to be planning to visit Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Turkey has sought reconciliation with Israel, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog making an official appearance in Ankara last month. This shift reflects Israel's improving reputation in the Middle East as a legitimate ally, as well as Turkey's hope to capitalize on the eastern Mediterranean gas bonanza. Turkey has also pursued a thaw in relations with Egypt, which, like Israel, is a major player in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, from which Turkey has so far been excluded. With Europe desperately searching for alternatives to Russian gas, Erdogan is eager to facilitate the transfer of Egyptian and Israeli gas across the Mediterranean. But while this reshuffling of bilateral relationships has important implications for Middle Eastern security, it lacks the transformative potential of an inclusive multilateral structure for ensuring regional peace and security. Such a structure might seem farfetched, given the seeming intractability of the Arab-Israeli conflict, at the heart of which is Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands. But the 2020 Abraham Accords under which the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan normalized diplomatic relations with Israel raised hopes that Arab-Israeli cooperation would be possible. And, at last month's Negev Summit hosted by Israel and attended by the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE, as well as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken those hopes seemed to be materializing. Participants pledged to expand cooperation to cover energy, environmental, and security matters, and to attempt to engage additional countries. That is good news for Arab governments, for which the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, together with the proliferation of jihadist activities, has bolstered the appeal of a regional security agreement. But one group was conspicuously absent from the summit: the Palestinians. With their hopes of an independent state dwindling, some young, desperate Palestinians have made their dissatisfaction known through a wave of terror attacks against Israeli civilians. This suggests that a grand Arab-Israeli regional initiative that excludes the Palestinians may well prove unsustainable. As long as Palestinians feel trapped under Israeli occupation and abandoned by their Arab brethren, some will view terrorist acts as their only option for fighting back. Amid escalating violence which would surely trigger an escalating Israeli response Arab leaders would face popular pressure to sever ties with Israel. Furthermore, while they are willing to work with Israel to bolster regional security, Arab countries do not view the Negev alignment as the only option for dealing with Iran; they are also pursuing diplomacy and rightly so. But the Palestinians also deserve peace diplomacy. Instead of attempting to push the Palestinians' plight onto a back burner, the regional concert of powers seeking to build a more secure Middle East must address it head on. As Jordan's King Abdullah II recently noted, his country, too, must be involved. The war in Ukraine has shown that security frameworks that exclude anti-status-quo powers are fundamentally fragile. In this sense, the Negev alignment has an even more challenging and vital diplomatic mission than its participants seem to realize. In building a post-American regional security structure, they must integrate both the Palestinians and the Iranians the two revisionist forces that the US failed to pacify during its decades of Middle Eastern hegemony. Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is the author of the forthcoming "Prophets Without Honor: The 2000 Camp David Summit and the End of the Two-State Solution" (Oxford University Press, 2022). This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). By Michael Den Tandt For globalization to survive the war in Ukraine, the United States must do better and be better. It is unclear whether the world's greatest democracy has the wherewithal to manage this. Unfair? It may seem so. President Joe Biden has done a creditable job of rallying the West to Ukraine's side as it battles a brutal Russian invasion. By going public early and often with good U.S. intelligence, Biden has kept ahead of clumsy Russian propaganda and disinformation. The feared devastating cyberstrikes against the West have not (yet) materialized, reportedly thanks to preemptive work by U.S. security services. It's leadership the likes of which we've not seen from Washington in recent memory. And that's the problem. Biden has a steady hand now. For how long? How long until Washington's next hugely damaging strategic mistake? For the current moment did not rise from nowhere, out of the suddenly maniacal, homicidal mind of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has been this way for some time, and this war has had two decades of runway. At critical junctures, the United States either vastly overplayed or underplayed its hand. Recall that in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, thousands of Canadians gathered on Parliament Hill to show their solidarity with Americans. Similar scenes took place worldwide. Not long after, a NATO-led coalition of more than 40 countries joined the U.S. effort in Afghanistan, vowing to bring security and prosperity to a country shattered by decades of war. But there is, of course, neither security nor prosperity today in Afghanistan. The last American soldier departed last year in a rout. Afghan women and girls, whose education NATO soldiers championed, are on their own. So are the many thousands of other Afghans journalists, interpreters, fixers, officials of civil society who believed Western promises. And even as the United States and NATO were making those solemn pledges to the Afghan people, the U.S. security establishment, led by President George W. Bush, was rushing headlong toward a war of choice in Iraq in 2003. It is hard to not to see parallels between Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Bush's in Iraq two decades earlier. To be sure, Ukraine is a democracy, and Saddam Hussein's Iraq was not. The catastrophe that followed the Iraq War, as the Iraqi state collapsed and the Islamic State militant group began its ascent, was no less horrific for all that. Bush hoped to seed democracy across the Middle East. Instead, his war set a match to a tinderbox. A few years later, a different American president coping with the consequences drew a red line for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, forbidding his use of chemical weapons against his own people. Assad, with Russian backing, ignored Barack Obama's warning without consequence. America had overreached in Iraq. Now, apparently, it would underextend in Syria in the face of atrocity. Unrelenting regional chaos caused waves of its own including a flood of irregular migration toward the relative safe haven of Europe. By late 2015, the Syrian refugee crisis was roiling election campaigns in Canada, fueling Brexit rhetoric in Britain and serving as fodder for a nativist backlash in the United States. Real estate developer and pageant promoter Donald Trump rode the "fear of the other" to power the following November with help from Putin's Russia. There isn't room here to catalog the historic degree of harm done to the United States, to its standing in the world, to NATO, to the global institutions of liberal trade and multilateralism built with American leadership after 1945, during Trump's tenure. The fact that declared Republican voters overwhelmingly favor his return to the White House, even after his followers stormed the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, should be shocking and terrifying. Instead, such is the lassitude caused by frequent exposure to the unthinkable it's mostly met with a shrug. More Benito Mussolini than Napoleon Bonaparte, Trump is an incompetent. He and his movement nevertheless represent the greatest risk to American democracy, and thus global democracy, since World War II. This isn't to say that liberalism, globalized trade and the institutions developed to support it, such as the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, G-20, International Criminal Court and United Nations, are doomed. But they are in peril. Russia now seeks to smash the U.S.-led global order. China is watching, learning and biding its time. No one knows how it will end. The Iraq War was a critical step in the descent to this moment of severe global risk. There can be no wars of choice, if there is to be a global community. That is a lesson of Ukraine, as much as the wickedness of Putin. Michael Den Tandt is managing editor of the Centre for International Governance Innovation and a former adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His commentary was published by Chicago Tribune and distributed by Tribune Content Agency. The Biden administration's latest defeat in its stubborn fight to keep in place COVID-19 safety protocols should bring the president to the reality that Americans are done with pandemic mandates. They're ready to make their own decisions about how to protect themselves. Airline passengers can literally breathe easier now after a federal judge in Florida on Monday struck down President Joe Biden's recent extension of the national mask mandates covering public transportation, including airlines, trains, subways and even ride-sharing. Americans are ready to make their own decisions about how to protect themselves. Major airlines, including Delta, American and Southwest, announced right away that masks would no longer be required on domestic flights. The mandate, which was issued through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had been extended several times this year most recently last week, when Biden said it would continue through May 3. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the agency had exceeded its authority and not offered proper rationale for the extension even if the CDC had good intentions. "Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends, the court declares unlawful and vacates the mask mandate," she wrote. Thank goodness for the courts. This is the third time in the past year that the Biden administration has had its mandates overturned for their overreach. The U.S. Supreme Court last summer ended the CDC's eviction ban, saying it didn't have the power to issue such sweeping orders without approval from Congress. Early this year, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 ruling quashed Biden's mandate that all employees of private businesses with more than 100 workers be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus or tested weekly. The court said that Congress hadn't given the Occupational Safety and Health Administration the authority to issue orders of that magnitude. Business groups, including those in Michigan, had warned Biden the vaccine mandate would worsen workforce shortages and that they should be free to set their own rules. But Biden refused to listen, just as he ignored the pleas from airline industry leaders that placing the burden of mask enforcement on them was unfair and even dangerous for flight attendants stuck with making unruly passengers cooperate. Vaccines are readily available and the threat of COVID-19 is receding. It's also clear the coronavirus is not going away, and we have to learn to live it. After the judge's decision, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called it "disappointing," noting the CDC is still recommending masks on public transit. A recommendation is fine. Those who wish to continue wearing masks should do so. Yet pandemics don't give federal agencies unlimited authority to control our lives. It's time for the rest of the top-down government mandates to end. This editorial was produced for the Detroit News and distributed by Tribune Content Agency. DPK should stop bid to ram through controversial bill The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has come under criticism for attempting to ram through a controversial bill designed to strip the prosecution of its investigative powers. The party has been taking flak for mobilizing seemingly excessive measures which critics claim destroy the principle of parliamentary democracy simply to pursue its goal. The DPK's move is raising eyebrows as it comes despite opposition from diverse sectors of society. Civic organizations and scholars are expressing anxiety that the new bill, if enacted, will bring about confusion in the nation's law enforcement system. Even the Supreme Court is decrying that the new law will violate the nation's Constitution. In a bid to deal with the bill, the DPK tried to form an agenda coordination committee in a 4:2 structure of the ruling and opposition parties. To that end, the DPK attempted to fill a post, slotted for an independent, with Rep. Yang Hyang-ja, a former DPK member who is now an independent lawmaker. Yet, as Yang voiced reluctance to the bill, the DPK sought to replace her with Rep. Min Hyung-bae, who left the party in an apparent bid to be referred to the committee. In addition, the party replaced Rep. Song Ki-hun, who formerly served as prosecutor, from a sub-panel of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, with hardliner Rep. Choe Kang-wook. Despite some opposition from its own lawmakers during a general meeting, the party adopted the agenda in the name of its entire 172 lawmakers without even holding a vote. This shows how the party lacks qualification as a democratic party. Two hundred and seven junior prosecutors held a 10-hour discussion Tuesday over the issue and released a statement, pointing out the unconstitutionality of the bill. They asserted that the bill would aggravate the pain of victims, while providing criminals with more chances to get lighter punishments. The Supreme Court also expressed concern that the new bill would have an adverse impact on the court's ruling as it lacks stipulations needed to control potentially inappropriate probes after the investigative powers of prosecutors are transferred to the police. On Thursday, DPK floor leader Rep. Park Hong-geun called on National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug to convene a plenary session to deal with the Prosecutor's Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act. Amid growing tension between the DPK and the main opposition People Power Party, Speaker Park postponed his planned visits to the United States and Canada. Park has been opposing any move to unilaterally deal with the bills, calling for consultations and consensus between the parties. We urge Park to stick to his stance and the DPK to stop its bid to ram the bills through. Should the DPK press for its attempt to that end, it will face a strong backlash ahead of the upcoming June 1 local elections. Chinese, Georgian FMs hold phone talks over 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties Xinhua) 09:45, April 21, 2022 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held phone talks with Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili over the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Georgia, an important year of inheriting the past and ushering in the future, Wang said the two countries should draw on the successful experience of the development of bilateral relations, and make plans for bilateral cooperation in the next 30 years. China and Georgia should continue to uphold the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, make overall plans for, coordinate and advance bilateral relations from a strategic, long-term and comprehensive perspective, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deepen practical cooperation, and push forward the sound, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations, he said. Georgia has an important geographical location, unique history and culture, as well as huge development potential, Wang noted, adding that China is ready to strengthen communication with Georgia in international affairs, jointly promote peaceful development, safeguard international fairness and justice, and uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law. China speaks highly of Georgia's consistent support on China's core interests and major concerns, and appreciates Georgia's adherence to the one-China policy and its opposition to "Taiwan independence" in any form, Wang said. He said China respects Georgia's independent choice of its development path, and welcomes its accession to the Global Development Initiative at an early date. For his part, Darchiashvili thanked China for its strong support on Georgia's economic and social development, especially for its assistance in providing anti-pandemic supplies and vaccines. Noting that Georgia is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Darchiashvili said practical cooperation between Georgia and China enjoys broad prospects. Georgia always attaches great importance to developing relations with China, and is ready to take the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to deepen practical cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, strengthen coordination on international and regional issues, and lift bilateral relations to a new level. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) If you're looking for the ultimate low-budget getaway then Ryanair has got your back with flights to Spain and Italy for as little as 5. A single fiver. It's literally the smallest note we have in the UK, and on a typical day would probably buy you your lunch or one drink at the pub. Today, though, I'd advise skipping the drink and heading to the airline's website to bag yourself a quick getaway. There are less than 10 hours left on Ryanair's flash sale, which is offering a number of flights from as little as 4.99 from various airports across Britain. Travellers can go to Spain or Italy for 5. Credit: Pixabay Anyone looking to get away after numerous lockdowns - which, let's face it, is probably pretty much all of us - can travel one-way to Hungary, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Spain or Romania from certain airports. If you're willing to shell out a couple more pounds - perhaps forego stocking up on chocolate on your way home from work - then you could make it to even more places, including Denmark, France, Slovakia, Poland, Ireland or Sweden, with prices ranging from 7.99 to 23.39. Admittedly the rest of the trip would probably cost a bit more than 5, and the cost might increase a bit when you add on your baggage and return flights, but there's no denying that a pint in Italy or Spain is sure to taste better than one in the UK - and you can pretty much guarantee you'll get a tan at the same time. Flights can be taken from London Stansted, London Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Derry, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, meaning people all over the country can benefit from the flights. Ryanair is offering flights from a number of airports. Credit: Alamy Related video: Ryanair notes that 'all fares are subject to availability', with the sale relating to travel between 1 May, 2022 to 31 May, 2022. The sale comes after the UK government dropped its remaining coronavirus travel requirements, meaning travellers do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form, take any COVID-19 tests or quarantine when arriving in England. Other countries do still have restrictions in place, though, and the UK government encourages those travelling abroad to 'check the testing and quarantine rules when you travel abroad from England'. Those going to Italy must complete a passenger locator form, as well as showing either proof of vaccination, evidence of a negative PCR or a negative rapid lateral flow test, or a COVID-19 recovery certificate. EAST TROY The first electric tourist trolleys left from the area on May 27, 1972. Fifty years later, the first trains of the 2022 regular season are ready to roll in East Troy. The trains travel along a 7-mile railroad line between East Troy and Mukwonago, with a stop at the Elegant Farmer along the way. This year will be special for our volunteers and a great time for people to come out to ride our trains, said Ryan Jonas, president of the East Troy Railroad Museum. When you take a ride on our trains, youll hear about the history of the electric railroad line, which has been in continuous use since 1907. This year youll also hear about the hundreds of volunteers and what they have done to maintain this railroad and restore its trolleys, streetcars and interurban cars for 50 years. It really is an amazing story. Tickets for the regular trains are available in advance at www.easttroyrr.org. Walk-up tickets can be purchased on a space-available basis. Arrive early and pick up your tickets in the depot before boarding. Face masks are optional at this time. The Dinner Train season starts rolling on May 7, with a special Kentucky Derby Train, followed by 16 more Dinner Train departures through the Fall. The popular Sunday Brunch Trains are back, with departures starting June 12. For more information and to purchase dining event tickets, visit https://www.easttroyrr.org/dining-service.html. Special events June 22 Railfan Day: All equipment is on display, with a different train every hour. July 16 Milwaukee Day: Milwaukee Streetcar, North Shore Car, TMER&L Equipment. Aug. 13 Chicago Day: 1920s CTA Cars, South Shore Interurbans, NPS Rangers. Sept. 17 Beer Tasting Train: An entertaining beer-tasting with Black Point Estate. October New Halloween Trains: Kids do their trick-or-treat along the line. East Troy Railroad 50th Anniversary On Saturdays, now through Sept. 3, trains depart East Troy at 10 and 11 a.m., noon, and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. On Sundays, now through Sept. 4, trains depart East Troy at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Fridays, from June 3 to Sept. 2, trains leave East Troy at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Harvest Fest Starting Sept. 10, the railroad celebrates Harvest Fest with The Elegant Farmer. Trains depart hourly on Saturdays and Sundays during Harvest Fest. See website for more details. Parking and ticket prices Free parking is available in East Troy. Railroad cars are heated and rest rooms are available at the East Troy Depot and the Elegant Farmer. Children ages 3 through 14 are $9.50. Adults are $15. Children 2 and younger are free. Ages 65 and older are $12.50. The East Troy Railroad Museum operates 14-mile round trip train rides from its historic East Troy depot and museum to Indianhead Park in Mukwonago, with a stop at the popular Elegant Farmer store and deli. We are celebrating 50 years of riding the rails through Southeast Wisconsins Kettle Moraine countryside. Its not-for-profit museum is operated, maintained and managed by over 130 volunteers dedicated to engaging visitors in the heritage of electric interurban railways and trolley systems through restoration, preservation and operation of historic equipment. For more information, visit www.easttroyrr.org or call 262-642-3263. Gage Marine and Great Lakes Boat Building School (GLBBS), of Cedarville, Michigan, are collaborating again with the common goal of promoting careers in the marine industry. The Marine Trades Showcase will begin at the Gage Marine Highway 50 location on Tuesday, April 26, at 10 a.m. and will culminate with a boat cruise from their marina on Geneva Lake. Interested students of all ages and parents can register for the event by April 25, 2022 at www.glbbs.edu or by calling GLBBS at 906-484-1081. Email inquiries can be sent to admissions@glbbs.edu. This event builds on the relationship established in 2020 when Gage Marine worked with the school leadership to offer a $10,000 sponsorship award to one GLBBS Marine Service Technology student for the 2020-21 school year. Upon graduation, that GLBBS alumnus agreed to work for Gage Marine for at least one year. That first graduate, Brendan Adair, currently works in Marine Service and a second GLBBS student is starting in September. Representatives from Great Lakes Boat Building School will be on site to talk with students and parents about their Comprehensive Career Boat Building and Marine Service Technology Programs. Both programs have continued track records of 100% placement in rewarding careers in the Great Lakes Region and beyond. Gage Marine is offering another student sponsorship at GLBBS for 2022-23 school year. The Gage Marine leadership team will be on hand to greet students and guests followed by a facility tour including their showroom, marine service department, boat storage facility, wood shop and lakefront operations. This action-packed day will wrap up with lunch and a cruise on Lake Geneva in one of their flagship tour boats. We are excited about working with the leadership group at Gage Marine to showcase the amazing opportunities for learning at our school and applying those skills at a state-of-the-art and multi-purpose marine operation like theirs, said Nikki Storey, Great Lakes Boat Building School. It is extremely rewarding for us to see our alumni contributing to the success of an outstanding marine leader like Gage. Gage Marine traces its roots in Lake Geneva back to 1873 and the launching of the original Lady of the Lake, which is still cruising the lakes waters today. In 1916, the Cruise Line purchased the property in Williams Bay as a service and winter storage facility for their fleet of boats. In 1958, the Gage family bought the excursion business, and the marina facility kicked into high gear. The 1960s brought about the introduction of Gage-Hacker and the first indoor storage facility in the area followed by the only travel lift on the lake in the 1970s. Chris Craft, Boston Whaler, Bennington, Master Craft and Monterey Boats are all sold and serviced at Gage Marine. The organization prides itself on employing the most highly-trained service technicians and skilled staff members in their fiberglass shop, woodshop, metal shop and haul-out facilities. To remain a leader in the marine industry and build on the vision of the Gage family in establishing their heritage of excellence, we must be innovative in our approach to attracting quality talent to our organization, said FJ Frazier, Chief Operating Officer, Gage Marine. With our student sponsorship at Great Lakes Boat Building School we are addressing the workforce shortage in our industry. This event will help us spread the word in our area about the school and our business. GLBBS continues to produce qualified students from their Comprehensive Career Boat Building Program and the Marine Service Technology Program (MST), in partnership with Mercury Marine University, with a consistent 100% placement rate. The school is continuing to address the shortage of skilled trades and craftspeople in the marine industry following graduation. Information about the Come AboardLaunch Careers capital campaign to expand facilities is available by contacting Storey at nikki.storey@glbbs.edu or Tom Coates, Director of Development, at thomas.coates@glbbs.edu also by calling 906-484-1081. For prospective student enrollment information, go to www.admissions@glbbs.org or call 906-484-1081. Great Lakes Boat Building School is a nonprofit organization recognized as a charitable organization and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. Sometimes 50% are odds worth taking. Aurora Hospital patient Tom Jozsi would certainly agree. Last month, when the Antioch resident underwent a procedure to remove a tiny metal piece from his right lung, the predicted outcome wasnt a sure bet. But in the hands of Dr. Abdul Hamid Alraiyes, pulmonary interventionalist at Aurora Medical Center, aided by cutting edge robotic technology, a 50% chance of success turned into 100%. The surgical drama began March 18, when Jozsi, 60, had a routine dental exam near his home in Antioch, Ill. As his dentist finished filling a tooth, Jozsi accidently breathed in a small metal pin released from a dental tool. The dentist thought at first I might have swallowed it, but realized it had gone down my windpipe, said Jozsi in a recent interview at Aurora Medical Center, Kenosha. Because hed had been given a local anesthetic, Jozsi didnt feel anything at the time. It soon became apparent that he had not swallowed the bit, but aspirated it into his airway. Jozsi went to the emergency room at Lindenhurst, Ill., hospital where X-rays did not detect the location of the piece. A subsquent CT scan confirmed it had fallen to the bottom of his right lung. He was transferred to another area hospital where a bronchoscopy a procedure that looks directly at the airways in the lungs using a thin, lighted tube was performed in hopes of removing the item. Jozsi said: I looked at the doctors eyes and even with his mask on could tell it wasnt good news. My first words to him were, You didnt get it, did you? Fortunately for Jozsi, the surgical staff knew of Alraiyes and his capability at Aurora Medical Center and its recently acquired latest generation robotic technology. They sent me the CT scan and I confirmed that the only way to get the item out was by using smaller tools that would be more precise and able to reach down into the lung, Alraiyes said. Alraiyes set a consultation with Jozsi for Monday, March 21, and successfully removed the 2-centimeter metal piece the next day during a 90-minute outpatient procedure. Time crunchMoving quickly was critical, explained Alraiyes. The fact that the dental tool had been in the patients mouth presented the enhanced danger due to the high concentration of bacteria in the human mouth. Having that item embedded in the lung could have led to infection and abscess and led to a critical situation, he said. The equipment used for the procedure was the Ion Endoluminal System, which was purchased by Aurora Medical Center last summer. Alraiyes, previously affiliated with Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, Ill., was brought on to work with the machine along with pulmonary specialist Dr. Hasnain Bawaadam. This machine was made to reach further into the lung for small lesions we werent able to sample before and to try to detect them in the earliest stages of cancer before they get bigger in size, Alraiyes said. A new application Since the equipment became operational in September, the doctors have used the system on dozens of cases, but using it to retrieve an object from a lung was not one of them. Explaining the system, Alraiyes said: This machine takes data from (CT) images and uses artificial intelligence to build a picture (of the lungs) in 3-D. Then it uses a GPS-like guidance system for us to direct a 3.5 mm (bronchoscope) through the windpipe to biopsy the lesion. Under normal circumstances, the bronchoscopes needle-like tip suctions a small sample of tissue for diagnosis and treatment. In this case, however, instead of collecting tissue, Alraiyes was planning to use the tool to grab the metal tip and draw it out of Jozsis lung. In his consultation with Jozsi, Alraiyes said there was there was no guarantee that the procedure would work. These procedures involve muscle memory but because we hadnt yet used the machine in this way I told Tom there was a 50% to 60% chance of it being successful. But circumstances and skill aligned in everyones favor. In our luck and Toms luck, however, the metal bit had landed with the sharp part pointing away from the tissue. So when we tried to grab it we grabbed it by the sharp end so could pull it out without it scratching the surrounding tissue which can lead to bleeding or a collapsed lung, Alraiyes explained. It wasnt all smooth sailing because as they began to draw the bit out, the team was met with resistance because tissue had already begun to close around the piece with a small infection. But it was worth it in the end, Alraiyes said. Had we not had the Ion system at our disposal, Tom would have had to undergo major surgery involving a cut between the ribs and removal of a wedge of the lung. Expressing his relief and gratitude to the team, Jozsi said, I was never so happy as when I woke up in the ER and Dr. Alraiyes came into the room and even with a mask on I could there was a smile under that mask. He said he got it and shook a pill container with it in it. Its amazing that this machine did this and that it wasnt even designed to do it, Jozsi 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. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 21 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Cimpress India, a shared strategic capability of Cimpress N.V, a group of ~15 e-commerce companies across the world, specializing in various domains of mass customization, has been certified as Great Place to Work 2022-23 by the Great Places to Work Institute. Great Place to Work Institute is a global management research and consulting firm helping organizations to build better workplaces. Great Place to Work Institute works with over 10,000 organizations globally every year to help them create and sustain High-Trust, High-Performance cultures. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Two Girls Gang-Raped on Pretext of Providing Them Government Jobs in Noida. They also identify & recognize great workplaces across the globe through their certifications and best workplaces list. As per the survey results, Cimpress's Trust Index Score is 88, that matches up to the score for Top 100- Best Companies to Work for in India. The Trust Index(c) score is the percentage of employees that shared a positive response. The five dimensions of the Great Place to Work basis which the survey was conducted and the Trust Index(c) score was calculated were: Also Read | MI vs CSK, IPL 2022 Live Cricket Streaming: Watch Free Telecast of Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings on Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar Online. CREDIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT: The credibility dimension measured the extent to which employees see management as credible (believable, trustworthy) by assessing employees' perceptions of management's communication practices, competence, and integrity. RESPECT FOR PEOPLE: The respect dimension measured the extent to which employees feel respected by management by assessing the levels of support, collaboration, and caring employees see expressed through management's actions toward them. FAIRNESS AT THE WORKPLACE: The fairness dimension measured the extent to which employees feel that management practices are fair by assessing the equity, impartiality, and justice employees perceive in the workplace. PRIDE: The pride dimension measured employees' sense of pride in their work by assessing the feelings employees have toward their jobs, team or work group, and the company. CAMARADERIE BETWEEN PEOPLE: Camaraderie measured employees' sense of enjoyment in the workplace by assessing the level of intimacy they find, or the ability they have to be themselves; the hospitality people engage in, or the extent to which the environment is friendly and welcoming; and the sense of community, or the degree to which people feel that they are members of a team or a family. On this win, Ameya Sane, HR Director, Cimpress India, said, "This is truly a testimony to our authentic & empathetic leadership, and an underlying people-centric philosophy displayed through policies, practices and behaviors by all our people leaders across Cimpress businesses and central teams. With Remote-First, quite literally, our workplace doesn't stand on concrete pillars but on people who work here. It reflects the dedication and trust of our people, that has made us who we are today. Congratulations to each one of you on behalf of the entire Cimpress leadership." He also thanked Cimpress leadership team and its employees for bringing Cimpress to this point and making it what it is today! The company pledges to continue creating a workplace that enables not only your professional success but also your well-being. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) (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], April 21 (ANI/PRNewswire): HarperCollins is delighted to announce its acquisition of the keenly anticipated new book by bestselling author, Ashwin Sanghi - India's master storyteller with more than a million copies of his books sold in print in English and other Indian languages. HarperCollins India will publish his next novel (Book no. 7), The Magicians of Mazda, in the chart-topping Bharat Series on 21st May this year, followed by the other titles in the series in June and July 2022. Also Read | Online Fraud in Mumbai: 26-Year-Old Man Duped of Rs 3 Lakh by Cyber Fraudster Pretending to be Police Officer. The Magicians of Mazda, an epic saga in the author's signature style of merging fact with fiction, promises to be a roller-coaster read for fans of the author and mythological thrillers. It is a testament to the author's unending spool of imagination deftly woven with deep insights and research into a fast-paced plot that travels through time and history, taking the reader along on a thrilling ride. About the book: Also Read | Xiaomi Civi 1S With Snapdragon 778G+ SoC Launched in China; Price, Features & Specifications. A fleet of boats dock at the port of Sanjan in Gujarat in 720 CE. They carry eighteen thousand frightened souls fleeing the cruelty of Iran's Umayyad Caliphate. Chanting Sanskrit-like prayers, the high priest consecrates a sacred fire to thank their god, Ahura Mazda, leading them to a new home and hope. He uses a mysterious substance to spark the flame, but few know of its miraculous properties or provenance. Centuries later, Parsi scientist Jim Dastoor is abducted from his Seattle laboratory and whisked away to Tehran. The Ayatollah believes Jim is the key to uncovering the ancient relic known as the Athravan Star and his men will do anything to possess it, even murder. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis to the Taliban camps of Afghanistan, from the womb of an Udvada fire temple to the icy mountains of Kashmir, from the dreadful coffin cells of Tehran to the deathly calm of Diu's Tower of Silence, Jim and his historian wife, Linda, are sucked into a terrifying chase across vividly changing landscapes. Deftly navigating between time and geography, The Magicians of Mazda travels backwards, through the epochs of Islamic jihad, Macedonian revenge, Achaemenid glory, messianic birth, Aryan schism--to the Vedic fount from where it began. This is Ashwin Sanghi's most gripping and provocative novel yet. Author, Ashwin Sanghi, says, "I am delighted that my Bharat Series--including the previous six titles as well as my latest, The Magicians of Mazda--has found a new home at HarperCollins India. Ananth Padmanabhan, Udayan Mitra and Swati Daftuar are fantastic people to work with and I am grateful to them for having pulled out all the stops to get this book out to my readers in record time." Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO, HarperCollins India, says, "I am a big fan of Ashwin's writing, and we are very delighted that HarperCollins will now be the home for Ashwin's stupendous Bharat Series. Ashwin is India's foremost writer of adventure and has entertained millions of readers with his incredible storytelling and imagination, spanning time and geography. The Magicians of Mazda is a roller coaster that yet again sets the bar very high!" Swati Daftuar, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, says, "We are so very pleased to welcome Ashwin to HarperCollins India. With every book in the Bharat Series, he brings us something quite fantastic - and his latest, The Magicians of Mazda, is really his best yet. The careful research behind every book, the thrill and pace of a taut, beautifully crafted adventure - all of it proves without doubt that he truly is a master storyteller." PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR "The one thing that Ashwin is so good at is being able to compare the times and being able to tell you by way of example that human nature has remained constant down the ages.'' - Kajol Devgan, Actor "Got hooked on to Ashwin's books from Chanakya's Chant onwards... since then I have been a fan." - Sonali Bendre, Actor "Thank you, Ashwin Sanghi, for this amazing wealth of books... part of my treasure." - Anupam Kher, Actor "Somebody whose work I respect, someone whose work I follow." - Gul Panag, Actress and commentator "India's answer to Dan Brown!" - The Hindu "Ashwin Sanghi spins his yarns well and leaves you breathless at every cliffhanger. No wonder his books are bestsellers!" - Hindustan Times "Sanghi manages to blur the line between fact and fiction and give a whole new perspective to history and the Vedic Age." - DNA "Sanghi has got the sure-fire formula right." - Times of India ABOUT THE BHARAT SERIES The Bharat Series by Ashwin Sanghi comprise of six path-breaking thrillers, which have sold over a million copies, that blend the ancient with the modern, myth with history, spirituality with science, philosophy with theology and politics with anthropology: The Rozabal Line Chanakya's Chant The Krishna Key The Sialkot Saga Keepers of the Kalachakra The Vault of Vishnu PRAISE FOR THE BHARAT SERIES ''Sanghi's flair for religion, history and politics is clearly visible as he takes the reader across the world spanning different decades. A mixture of comparative religion, dangerous secrets, and a thrilling plot makes for an esoteric read.'' - The Statesman about The Rozabal Line (2008) ''The Rozabal Line by Ashwin Sanghi is a kickass thriller that forces you to re-examine our histories, our faiths.'' - Pritish Nandy ''I'm utterly enthralled. A delightfully interesting and gripping read. The historical research is deeply impressive ...'' - Shashi Tharoor about Chanakya's Chant (2010) ''A gripping, fast-paced read, the novel is a true thriller in the tradition set by Dan Brown.'' - People Magazine about Chanakya's Chant (2010) ''An alternative interpretation of the Vedic Age that will be relished by conspiracy buffs and addicts of thrillers alike.'' - The Hindu about The Krishna Key (2012) ''Just finished The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi. Rocking story and incredible research. Loved it!'' - Amish Tripathi ''The Sialkot Saga moves at a breakneck pace hurtling through time and space uncovering ancient secrets and burying modern ones.'' - The Hindu ''The book spreads across decades and centuries, till it reaches present day India and will sure have both historic and thriller readers in for a treat.'' - The Times of India about The Sialkot Saga (2016) ''The book can't be put down till all pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are put together.'' - The Financial Express about Keepers of the Kalachakra (2018) ''Science and spirituality collide in Ashwin Sanghi's latest thriller.'' - India Today about Keepers of the Kalachakra (2018) "The Vault of Vishnu, like all of Ashwin's books, is a heady mix of history, myth, science and thrills.'' - The Hindu ''A very interesting and intriguing thriller, thanks to the author's storytelling gift and painstaking research on Hindu metaphysics.'' - The New Indian Express about The Vault of Vishnu (2020) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ashwin Sanghi is among India's highest-selling English fiction authors. He has written several bestsellers in the Bharat Series (The Rozabal Line, Chanakya's Chant, The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga, Keepers of the Kalachakra, The Vault of Vishnu) and two New York Times bestselling crime thrillers with James Patterson, Private India (sold in the US as City on Fire) and Private Delhi (sold in the US as Count to Ten). He has also co-authored several non-fiction titles in the 13 StepsSeries on Luck, Wealth, Marks, Health and Parenting. He was educated at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, and St Xavier's College, Mumbai. He holds an MBA from Yale University. Ashwin has been included by Forbes India in their Celebrity 100 and by The New Indian Express in their Culture Power List. He is also a winner of several awards including the Crossword Popular Choice Award 2012, Atta Galatta Popular Choice Award 2018, WBR Iconic Achievers Award 2018, Lit-O-Fest Literature Legend Award 2018, Kalinga Popular Choice Award 2021. Connect with Ashwin via www.sanghi.in For reviews, excerpts, interviews and more information, please contact: shabnam.srivastava@harpercollins.co.in 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. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Apr 21: Superstar Akshay Kumar on Thursday apologised to his fans for featuring in an advertising campaign of a paan masala brand and said he was withdrawing his association. Kumar came under fire for endorsing the brand, with social media users digging up an old video of the actor where he had vouched to never promote tobacco. Akshay Kumar Joins Elaichi Universe After Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn And Others; Netizens Share Funny Memes And Jokes On Twitter. The 54-year-old actor took to Twitter and posted a note that began with him writing, "I am sorry", as many fans of the star had expressed displeasure over his decision. Kumar said he has decided to "step back" from the brand and would now be donating his entire fee towards a "worthy cause". Goa BJP Leader Demands Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khans Padma Award To Be Taken Back for Promoting Tobacco Products. Akshay Kumar Issues Apology "I would like to apologise to you, all my fans and well-wishers. Your reaction over the past few days has deeply affected me. While I have not and will not endorse tobacco, I respect the outpouring of your feelings in light of my association... "With all humility, I step back. I have decided to contribute the entire endorsement fee towards a worthy cause". Kumar said the brand might continue airing the ads till the "legal duration of the contract that is binding upon me". "But I promise to be extremely mindful in making my future choices. In return I shall forever continue to ask for your love and wishes," he added. Earlier, megastar Amitabh Bachchan had also withdrawn from an advertising campaign of a paan masala brand and said he had returned the money he had received for promoting it. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Apr 21 (PTI) A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was killed while three soldiers were injured in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday, police said. Based on specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in Malwah area of Baramulla in north Kashmir, security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation there, a police official said. Also Read | Realme GT Neo 3T Reportedly Spotted on Geekbench Website, Launch Expected Soon. The search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated. "In the initial exchange of fire, 03 #soldiers received minor injuries. #Operation in progress. Further details shall follow," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said on Twitter. Also Read | Tripura: BSF Officer Allegedly Shoots Himself Dead Outside His Battalion Headquarters in Dhalai. In the ensuing gunfight, one LeT terrorist was killed, the official said. Arms and ammunition have been recovered, the official said, adding the operation is in progress. PTI (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, Apr 21 (PTI) A day after the DGCA grounded a SpiceJet plane over a passenger's complaint of dirty seats and malfunctioning cabin panels, the aircraft took to the skies on Wednesday with all the suggested repairs, sources said on Thursday. The passenger, travelling on the plane from Bengaluru to Guwahati on Tuesday, had posted pictures on Twitter showing dirty seats and malfunctioning cabin panels, sources mentioned. Also Read | Congress Leader Sachin Pilot Meets Party Chief Sonia Gandhi In Delhi Amid Ongoing Deliberations on Future Strategy. Taking note of the tweet, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday grounded the Boeing 737 plane. However, it took to the skies a day later after the airline conducted all the repairs as suggested by the aviation regulator, sources said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Directs Officials To Focus on Children's Health Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases. Confirming the incident, a SpiceJet spokesperson said, "Aircraft interior cabin work was carried out on a SpiceJet Boeing 737 aircraft after it landed in Bengaluru at around 3.40 pm on April 19 on the direction of the DGCA." The aircraft resumed flying on the morning of April 20 after DGCA approval, the spokesperson added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ahmedabad, April 21: In a joint operation, the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday seized around 260 kgs of heroin, worth Rs 1,300 crore, after conducting a raid at a container station near Kandla port in Kutch district of the state, an ATS official said. The development comes months after the seizure of 2,988 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore from two containers at Mundra port in the state in September last year. "Based on a tip-off received by the ATS, officials of this agency along with those from the DRI raided a container station near Kandla port and found 260 kg of heroin, which is sold at Rs 5 crore per kilogram in the international market, hidden inside a container kept there," the senior official said seeking anonymity. Delhi Police Arrests Nigerian Drug Peddler; Seizes Heroin Worth 2.70 Crore. The ATS and the DRI have so far recovered 260 kg heroin worth Rs 1,300 crore in the international market from the container that had reached Kandla port from some other country, the official added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 21 (ANI): A Hindu temple-like architectural design was discovered underneath an old mosque on the outskirts of Mangaluru on Thursday. The development came to the fore during the renovation work at Juma Masjid in Malali, in the outskirts of Mangaluru. The renovation work was being conducted by the mosque authorities. Also Read | UK PM Boris Johnson on Jahangirpuri Demolition Drive, Says Always Raise Difficult Issues. Now, people are suggesting that there is every possibility that a Hindu temple existed at the site. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders appealed to district administration to stop the work till the documents were verified. Also Read | Realme Q5, Q5 Pro Smartphones Launched in China; Prices, Features & Specifications. Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada Commissionerate has ordered to maintain the status quo of the structure till further orders. The administration is looking into the land records and appealed people to maintain peace. "I have received information from field officials and police department about the issue. The District administration is looking into the old land records and entries regarding the ownership details. We will take reports both from the endowment department and the Waqf Board," said Rajendra KV, Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada. "We will check the validity of the claims and take the appropriate decision very soon. Till then, I have instructed to maintain status quo and requested people not to jump into conclusions. I am requesting people to maintain law and order and peace," added the official. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday participated in the celebration of the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur at the historic Red Fort and said that the country is indebted to the sacrifice of the great Sikh Gurus. Speaking on the occasion, the Home Minister said that Guru Tegh Bahadur stood out from an early age for his qualities of sacrifice and valour. He was martyred for standing up against the atrocities on Kashmiri Pandits and is respected as Hind Ki Chaddar all over the world. Also Read | Fraud in Gurugram: Hyderabad Engineer Duped of Rs 9 Lakh by Fake Call Centre on the Pretext of Providing Job. "It is due to the supreme sacrifice of great Sikh Gurus that we are a free country today and celebrating 75 years of Amrit Mahotsav of independence," Amit Shah said. The Minister said it is the good fortune of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to witness during his tenure the milestone commemorations of three Sikh Gurus. Also Read | Jahangirpuri Demolition Drive: Supreme Court to Hear Jamiat Ulama-i-Hinds Plea Against Anti-Encroachment Drive Tomorrow. "PM Modi is the most fortunate prime minister because during his tenure, Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th Prakash Parv was celebrated, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji's 400th Prakash Parv is being celebrated and the 350th Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh Ji was also celebrated. Celebrating all the three Prakash Parv with devotion, the Prime Minister has propagated the Gurus' message of devotion, bravery, sacrifice and equality to the entire world. It is a matter of pride that when this celebration is taking place, the country is celebrating its 75th year of independence," Shah said. Recalling how Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed for supporting the religious freedom of Kashmiri Pandits on the orders of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, the Home Minister said while those indulging in beheadings had gone, crores of people follow the path and remember the sacrifice of the Guru even after 400 years. "There is no person in the country who is not aware of the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur. People from every religion respect him," he said. Amit Shah said at 13 years of age, in the historical battle of Kartarpur, the way the youngest son of Guru Hargobind Sahib confronted the Mughals with his sword, he was called Tegh Bahadur. The Home Minister said Guru Tegh Bahadur propagated the message of Gurus in the country. PM Modi will participate in the celebrations of the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji at Red Fort in New Delhi on Thursday at around 9:15 pm. He will address the gathering and also release a commemorative coin and postage stamp on the occasion. Guru Tegh Bahadur's death anniversary is commemorated as Shaheedi Divas every year on November 24. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi are associated with his sacrifice. Like the first five Sikh Gurus, Guru Tegh Bahadur had mystical experiences of the Shabad and shared his experiences through the medium of songs. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Varanasi, April 21: Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on Thursday offered prayers at Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Mauritius Prime Minister is on an eight-day visit to India to strengthen bilateral ties. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar in the presence of the Mauritius Prime Minister and Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO). PM Modi also held a bilateral meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister after the inauguration of the Global Ayush Summit and discussed the ongoing development partnership and cooperation in defence. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that PM Modi and the Mauritius Prime Minister reviewed the progress of the Metro Express Project and the proposal for an AYUSH Centre of Excellence in Mauritius. Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Secretary to the Cabinet of Mauritius NK Ballah in New Delhi and said the bilateral cooperation between the two countries was "progressing from strength to strength". Earlier in January, PM Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth had jointly inaugurated the India-assisted social housing units project in Mauritius virtually. They also launched the Civil Service College and 8 MW Solar PV Farm project in Mauritius that is being undertaken under India's development support. (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, Apr 21 (PTI) Vaccine inequity remains an issue both within India, where less than 2 per cent of the population has received a Covid booster, and the globe with 56 countries unable to inoculate even 10 percent of their people, says Johns Hopkins scientist Amita Gupta. Tracking hospitalisation rates which provide an indicator of severity of illness is key, the chief of the Division of Infectious Disease, and Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said while stressing that no one is safe from Covid until everyone in the world gets vaccinated. Also Read | Supreme Court Slams Centre in Abu Salem Case, Says 'Don't Need Lecture From Home Secretary'. She cited the example of the Omicron variant to buttress her point. The highly transmissible variant is believed to have emerged in November last year in South Africa and Botswana due to inadequate immunisation in African countries before spreading globally, Gupta said, adding that another variant is likely to follow the same trend. Also Read | NIT Durgapur Recruitment 2022: Apply For 106 Non-Teaching Posts at nitdgp.ac.in; Check Details Here. Global vaccine inequity remains an issue both within India and globally. For example, in the continent of Africa less than 20 per cent of the population is currently vaccinated and there are countries in Africa still with less than 2 per cent vaccinated, Gupta told PTI in an email interview. As immunities wane and new Covid variants emerge, it is more important than ever that communities are fully vaccinated and boosted, she said. It is not enough to fully vaccinate only a few countries. Health workers and highest-risk populations in all countries must be fully vaccinated to stop the pandemic, she added. In India, Gupta said, there are some hard to reach areas and there is urgent need to increase booster vaccination for those who are eligible. It is hard to predict whether further mutations in SARS-CoV-2 will increase or decrease the intrinsic virulence of the virus or the severity caused by it, the public health expert said. What we do know is that no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone in the world is safe. The vast majority of vaccines have been administered in high- and upper-middle-income countries. Fifty-six countries have been effectively excluded from the global vaccine marketplace and have not been able to vaccinate even 10 per cent of their population, she added. A large, densely populated country like India must ensure that the population has some measure of protection against severe disease -- either through immunization or previous infection. As immunities wane and variants emerge, Gupta said, it is more important than ever that communities are fully vaccinated and boosted. Less than 2 per cent of the population (in India) currently has received a Covid booster even though there is no shortage of supply. This number needs to increase. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India crossed 187 crore on Wednesday, according to the Union Health ministry. The total number of precaution doses given to adults stands at 2,35,786 (2.3 lakh). Going forward, Gupta anticipates periodic increases in cases with new, more transmissible variants. Tracking hospitalisation rates is pivotal. While some countries like the UK are seeing local increases in the number of cases, hospitalisations are not increasing significantly and health systems are managing the increases. Anticipate a similar situation will occur in India with these current sub variants. It is possible that India could face another surge but will be better prepared as people are more aware, systems have been strengthened and surveillance is ongoing, she added. The pandemic, Gupta noted, is still not over and it is difficult to predict when new variants will emerge and how these strains will behave. We should continue close surveillance for early detection of Covid cases through existing surveillance networks in the country and be prepared to trigger recommendations to resume masking, social distancing if and when surges occur, she said. According to the World Health Organization, BA.2, a more contagious Omicron sub variant, is now driving most coronavirus cases around the world. Gupta said the new variants are more transmissible than previous variants and an increase of cases is being observed. Vaccines continue to protect against manifestations of severe disease. Future morbidity and mortality depend on age demographics, weariness to guidelines, and vaccine and booster intake, she said. Global vaccinations and accurate disease surveillance will reduce the infection rate. In India, 73 per cent received the first dose, 61 per cent two doses, and 1.7 per cent received a booster as of April 13 so continuing to encourage the remaining population to get vaccinated is important, Gupta explained. Studies have shown that current Covid vaccines have had some reduction in efficacy in protecting people from infection and from developing severe disease with Omicron and its sub-variants. Vaccines, Gupta stressed, are still reducing risk of severe disease in over 50 per cent of those who get the infection. A lot of work is ongoing to prepare newer vaccines to optimise efficacy in preparation for additional new variants. Many experts in the past have said that Covid in India was moving towards endemicity, a stage when the presence of a disease becomes steady in a particular region or at least predictable. There are three possible futures: ongoing peaks of high disease and evolution of the virus with increased infection rate, seasonal epidemic COVID-19, and endemic COVID-19. We are not yet at a place where we can say COVID is endemic, Gupta explained. For future pandemics, Gupta said it is crucial to apply the lessons learned from Covid and invest in health infrastructure to better equip the country to prevent tragedy. She said long-term investment and sustained commitment are needed for strengthening public health and healthcare systems, and biomedical science in India. The scientist noted that Johns Hopkins University has many different types of partnerships with India. These include working together to fight infectious diseases and identifying new diagnostics, treatments and prevention strategies for diseases such as TB, HIV, Covid, dengue, pneumococcal pneumonia and hepatitis. India is a critical partner for addressing global public health challenges and we learn so much from each other in Indo-JHU health partnerships, Gupta said. We are working together on models of public health and medical training, health systems strengthening, biomedical discovery, clinical research, data science and development of low-cost, accessible, affordable technologies to improve the health of communities and individuals across the globe, 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 [India], April 21 (ANI): Days after the formation of Goa government, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday. This was Sawant's first visit to the national capital after the formation of the state government. Also Read | Delhi Horror: 42-Year-Old BJP Leader Jitu Choudhary Shot Dead. The meeting lasted for more than half an hour, he informed the Home Minister about the development works of the state by the Goa government and took his guidance to move forward. Sawant had reached late Tuesday night for his Delhi tour. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Gujarat during his Delhi visit, he is likely to meet the Prime Minister during his next visit. Also Read | COVID-19 in India: COVID Pandemic Turned the World Upside Down, Says Noted Cardiac Surgeon Devi Prasad Shetty. The Prime Minister was on a three-day visit to Gujarat from April 18 to 20 to inaugurate various projects. Last month, Pramod Sawant took oath as the Goa Chief Minister for the second consecutive term after Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the Assembly polls in Goa conducted earlier this year. Of the five states - Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Goa and Punjab - where polls were held, BJP retained power in four states. In the recently concluded state Assembly polls, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly while Congress came a distant second with 11 seats. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ghaziabad, Apr 21 (PTI) Family members of a 10-year-old boy, who was killed after his head hit an electricity pole while he was peeping out a window of his school bus, protested here on Thursday, accusing police of shielding the accused. Parents of the Class 3 student had filed a complaint against the school management, holding them responsible for his death. Police have booked two people from the school management and the bus driver, who has been arrested. Also Read | #Pakistan Steps Up Air War Against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan , Now Admits to Drone Latest Tweet by IANS India. The victim's relatives staged a dharna outside the police station on Thursday and tried to obstruct traffic on the Delhi-Meerut road. They accused police of "conniving with the accused". "One side of the Delhi-Meerut highway was blocked for some time due to the protest," SP (Rural) Iraj Raja said, adding that the boy's family members were assured that the accused will be nabbed soon. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Directs Officials To Focus on Children's Health Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases. The district authorities have also ordered a safety audit of the bus, which will be conducted by a technical officer of the Regional Transport Department. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Office also sought a report about the incident. (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, April 21: No foreigner has the right to get a visa and in case of blacklisting of such a person, the authorities will decide on a visa plea on a case-to-case basis after the Centre serves them with the notice, the Supreme Court observed on Thursday. A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar was hearing the pleas, including those challenging the orders blacklisting several citizens of 35 countries from travelling to India for 10 years for alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities. The Centre, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said that the right to deny or grant a visa is the executive decision and the government is trying to find a solution so that the national interest and the interest of the foreigners are protected. Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for some of the foreign nationals, said that hundreds of foreigners have been blacklisted and they cannot apply for the visa for 10 years. Supreme Court Slams Centre in Abu Salem Case, Says Dont Need Lecture From Home Secretary. The bench, which also comprised Justices Abhay S Oka and C T Ravikumar, said Every time you apply, do you think the visa has to be granted to you? The answer is 'No'. It is for the government to decide. The visa is always a tenure visa...for one year or two years or some fixed period. The senior lawyer said that foreigners have no dispute over India's right to reject or grant a visa and the problem was that of blacklisting which has been done for 10 years and is applicable to those also who have been discharged or acquitted by the courts in Tablighi jamaat congregation case during COVID-19 in 2020. We are only praying that the blanket ban that they cannot apply for an India visa for 10 years should be done away with, Singh said. When you apply fresh it has to be considered as per the regulations applicable at the relevant time...the blacklisting should go automatically in cases where the accused have been discharged or acquitted and we will leave it to the authority to examine this on a case-to-case basis, the bench observed. The law officer said this will have ramifications and urged deferment of the hearing to Tuesday saying he was trying to find a solution that was allowed by the bench. Earlier, the Centre had requested the bench to examine the question regarding the scope of the rights of a foreign national to approach the local courts in a matter of violation of visa conditions. In January this year, the solicitor general had told the bench that a very important constitutional question arises for consideration which relates to the rights of a foreigner concerning visa restrictions. He had said the court may have to consider four legislations The Passport (Entry into India) Act, The Foreigners Act, The Registration of Foreigners Act, and the Citizenship Act while considering the issue. The apex court is seized of pleas filed by several foreigners who have challenged the Centre's orders blacklisting more than 2,700 citizens of 35 countries from travelling to India for 10 years for alleged involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities. The Centre had earlier sought dismissal of the pleas and informed the top court in July 2020 that it had issued individual orders on a case-to-case basis for cancellation of visas and blacklisting of 2,765 foreign nationals. Supreme Court Stops Demolition Drive in Jahangirpuri Till Further Orders. As per the information available, 205 FIRs have been lodged against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members by 11 states and 2,765 such foreigners have been blacklisted so far, the Centre had said in its affidavit filed in the top court. Some of the petitions have contended that en-masse blacklisting of foreigners without any opportunity to defend themselves is a blatant violation of Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Agartala (Tripura) [India], April 21 (ANI): Tripura Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal to introduce a health insurance cover for accredited journalists associated with print, web and electronic media organisations. According to the proposed scheme, journalists in the age group 21-65 years who have not enrolled in other health insurance schemes or Ayushman Bharat, can be considered eligible for the benefits of the scheme. Also Read | Fraud in Gurugram: Hyderabad Engineer Duped of Rs 9 Lakh by Fake Call Centre on the Pretext of Providing Job. Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury informed that the insurance will cover medical expenses up to Rs 3 lakh. Elaborating on the same, Chowdhury said that there are altogether 177 journalists who are already accredited with the ICA department of the state. Also Read | Jahangirpuri Demolition Drive: Supreme Court to Hear Jamiat Ulama-i-Hinds Plea Against Anti-Encroachment Drive Tomorrow. "We have invited new applications for journalists accreditation and so far I know, about 250 new applications have been submitted. After proper scrutiny, we shall select the beneficiaries", said the Minister. Chowdhury further clarified that 80 per cent of the annual premium would be borne by the state government while the rest of the amount needs to be contributed by the beneficiary himself. "For instance, if the total premium is Rs 5,000, the state government will pay Rs 4,000 and the rest of the amount will have to be borne by the journalist. Through this scheme, the beneficiary journalist will be entitled to get an insurance cover up to Rs 3 lakh", he added. On the modalities, the Minister said that the state government will now invite tenders from different insurance companies. "Within the next 10 to 15 days, we are going to start the tendering process. Hopefully, within the next two months, the process will be complete. The state government will also look after good companies having a large web empanelled hospitals get selected for the scheme", he said. On being asked about the state government's target, Chowdhury said that they have set a target to cover at least 1,000 journalists in the first phase. To get entitled to the scheme, the journalist must be a permanent resident of Tripura and accredited with the state government or Press Information Bureau (PIB). Among other significant decisions, the state cabinet has approved 600 new posts in elementary education and 340 posts for graduate and post-graduate teachers which are to be filled shortly. The ration money of the Tripura State Rifles Jawans had also been increased from Rs 800 to 1,000 and service tenure was extended to 60 years from 57 years. The Minister also informed the media persons that stamp duty payable by the Self Help Groups groups under the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) and National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) schemes were exempted from loans up to Rs 10 lakh. (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], April 21 (ANI): Two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terror outfit have been neutralised in the encounter that broke out in the Pariswani area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district in the early hours of Thursday, said Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. Adding further the IGP Kashmir said that the operation is still going on and three more terrorists could be present. Five people including four Army personnel and a civilian were injured during the encounter. Also Read | West Bengal Received Rs 3.42 Lakh Crore Investment Proposals at Business Summit, Says CM Mamata Banerjee. "Two LeT terrorists have been neutralized in the ongoing Baramulla encounter. Four army personnel and one police jawan were injured during the operation. As per our info, three more terrorists could be present," Kumar told ANI. Among the two terrorists killed, one was a top LeT commander Yousuf Kantroo. "He had killed Block Development Council Chairman Sardar Bhupinder Singh in the year 2020," Kumar said. Also Read | Online Fraud in Mumbai: 26-Year-Old Man Duped of Rs 3 Lakh by Cyber Fraudster Pretending to be Police Officer. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have also been recovered, police said. The encounter took place in Malwa area of Pariswani in the Baramulla district. An encounter had broken out between security forces and terrorists in the early hours of Thursday. Budgam Police and Army are involved in the operation, police said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a raft of commercial agreements and hail a "new era" in bilateral trade and investment ties during his visit to India, the UK High Commission said on Thursday. It said the UK and Indian businesses will confirm more than 1 billion pounds (1 GBP= Rs 99.63) in new investments and export deals on Tuesday in areas ranging from software engineering to health, creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK. Also Read | The Global #COVID19 Caseload Has Topped 507 Million, While the Deaths Have Surged to More Latest Tweet by IANS India. Johnson begins his two-day visit to India on Thursday to further expand ties between the two countries and exchange views on pressing global challenges, including the crisis in Ukraine and the situation in the Indo-Pacific. "As I arrive in India today, I see vast possibilities for what our two great nations can achieve together. From next-generation 5G telecoms and AI to new partnerships in health research and renewable energy -- the UK and India are leading the world," Johnson was quoted as saying by the high commission. Also Read | Apple Likely To Unveil Its First Full-Screen iPhone in 2024: Report. "Our powerhouse partnership is delivering jobs, growth and opportunities for our people, and it will only go from strength to strength in the coming years," he said. Johnson will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday after concluding his engagements in Gujarat on Thursday. The British prime minister will visit a new factory being opened by a top British firm in Gujarat, as well as a biotechnology university working in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. In a statement, the high commission said Johnson will use his visit to India to "boost our collaboration with one of the world's fastest-growing economies, slashing trade barriers for UK businesses and driving jobs and growth at home". It said the UK will confirm major new science and tech collaboration, including a digital health partnership and a joint investment fund for Indian deep-tech and AI start-ups, supported by the UK and the Indian governments. "As he moves on to New Delhi on Friday, the prime minister will also use this week's visit to drive progress in negotiations on the landmark UK-India free trade agreement, which is expected to help double our trade and investment by 2030," the high commission said. "Negotiating teams will hold their third round of formal talks in India next week," it said. The high commission said work is already progressing on cutting red tape for businesses following the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership launched by both the prime ministers last year. "And today, our governments will announce new measures to make it easier to export UK-made medical devices to India. This will support UK jobs and create opportunities for British med-tech companies like Redcar-based Micropore Technologies to sell their lifesaving products in India, an import market worth 2.4 billion pound," 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) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 21 (ANI): To pave in the way for Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to contest assembly by polls from Chamapawat Assembly seat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kailash Gehtodi has resigned from his position on Wednesday. Informing about the resignation State BJP President Madan Kaushik told ANI, "The resignation of MLA Kailash Gehtodi has also been accepted. Chief Minister will now contest from this seat." Also Read | Pakistan: PM Shehbaz Sharif Orders Foolproof Security for Imran Khan Ahead of His Lahore Rally. In the recently held assembly elections in February, Dhami lost the Khatima constituency seat to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri from Khatima by a margin of 6,579 votes in the state polls. However he was given a second term as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Assembly elections were held in Uttarakhand on February 14 to elect 70 members of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. The results were declared on March 10. Also Read | Supreme Court Stops Demolition Drive in Jahangirpuri Till Further Orders. The BJP had come back to power with majority for the second consecutive term in Uttarakhand with a two-thirds majority in the 70-member Assembly. The party won 47 seats and got a vote share of 44.33 per cent, a drop of nearly two per cent from the previous 2017 Assembly elections. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Halol (Guj), Apr 21 (PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday said his country has already raised the Ukraine war issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a diplomatic level, and added that everybody understands that India and Russia shared "very different relationships historically". Also Read | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Directs Officials To Focus on Children's Health Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases. Johnson's visit to India comes at a time when India has taken a neutral stand on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and amid the criticism by western countries, especially the US, that India was not taking a clear stance against Russia. Also Read | Supreme Court Slams Centre in Abu Salem Case, Says 'Don't Need Lecture From Home Secretary'. "Well, we have already raised the issue of Ukraine with Prime Minister Narendra Modi diplomatically. Actually, they (India) were very strong in condemnation of atrocities in Bucha (city in Ukraine)," Johnson told reporters in Halol in Panchmahals district of Gujarat, where he opened a new JCB factory as part his two-day visit to India. "I think everybody understands that India and Russia have historically had very different relationships, like Russia and the UK had in the last couple of decades," Johnson further said while replying to a question whether he will raise the issue of India's stand on Ukraine with PM Modi. "We have to reflect that reality while talking about it (Ukraine) to Narendra Modi," he further said. Johnson opened JCB's latest factory in India with a 100 million pound investment, which will fabricate parts for global production lines. With 11 factories in the UK employing more than 7,500 people, JCB first began manufacturing in India in 1979 and is now the country's leading producer of construction equipment. "Yes, I am looking forward to our conversation. We will talk about trade, security and about issues of importance," Johnson later told reporters in Ahmedabad when asked about the agenda of his meeting with Modi. "It (the trip) has been absolutely fantastic so far and it's great to be here in Gujarat. Gujarat is a great place and you know that we have a huge Gujarati community which is like a living bridge between India and UK," Johnson said. Before coming to India, the British PM had said that the focus of his visit was of trade agreement with India. Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning to start his India visit, and was accorded a grand welcome along the four-km route from the airport to a hotel in the city. He later visited the Sabarmati Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram. He then held a meeting with industrialist Gautam Adani. He will travel to Delhi on Friday, where he will hold talks with PM Modi. (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, Apr 21 (PTI) India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, is keen on raising oil imports from Brazil as it looks to diversify its purchases. "The Indian side expressed interest for sourcing crude oil under long-term special contracts," an official statement said after Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met visiting Brazilian Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque here. Also Read | NIT Durgapur Recruitment 2022: Apply For 106 Non-Teaching Posts at nitdgp.ac.in; Check Details Here. India currently imports only a small fraction of oil from Brazil and its main sources are in the Middle East and the US. Also, Indian firms are looking at boosting investment in the South American nation. Also Read | Realme Narzo 50A Prime India Launch Set for April 25, 2022. "The leaders reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation across the entire spectrum of the energy sector and committed to enhance the beneficial partnership between the countries, and in this context expressed satisfaction at the important role bilateral energy cooperation plays in deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries," the statement said. The two sides recognized the importance of the robust investment in the Brazilian oil and gas sector made by Indian companies and reaffirmed their commitment to safeguard existing investments, while encouraging further bilateral investments. "The two sides highlighted the importance of the bilateral trade in oil and its by-products, and expressed their willingness to expand this mutually beneficial trade," it said. Stating that the two sides agreed to strengthening the bilateral cooperation in bioenergy, it said an Indian-Brazil Alliance for Bioenergy and Biofuels will be worked out. They agreed to work together on technical aspects of vehicle use of ethanol-20 blends in current fleets and technical aspects of higher blends of ethanol use in flex-fuel vehicles. Flex-fuel technologies four-stroke and two-stroke engines (Otto Cycle), biodiesel implementation, biogas / biomethane policy and incentives - and efficient heat and power generation in sugar and ethanol plants were other areas agreed to. "The two ministers stressed the importance of a constant engagement between the private and public stakeholders of both countries, in order to forge strong and dynamic cooperation in bioenergy and biofuels," it said. The two sides also agreed that it is critical to reinforce the promotion of sustainable bioenergy and biofuels at the global level, which would diversify options for energy security, boost rural development, bring about technological and industrial innovation, and create jobs and opportunities while reducing local and global emissions. "They further agreed that a thriving international market for sustainable bioenergy and biofuels will be essential to the design of low-carbon global vehicle platforms, as well as to the development of new technologies and the establishment of economies of scale in the bioenergy sector. "To that effect, and under the spirit of the India-Brazil cooperation in bioenergy and biofuels, the ministers agreed to, in coordination with the other competent national authorities, make a concerted effort to position sustainable bioenergy and biofuels as integral parts of the global energy transition, especially for transport, industry, and other difficult-to-decarbonize sectors, such as aviation and shipping," it added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], April 21 (ANI): Eleven Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday, local media reported. In response, the Ministry of National Defense sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defence missile systems to track the 11 Chinese planes. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. Seven Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 EW electronic warfare plane, and one Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft appeared in the southwestern corner of the ADIZ, where most of the Chinese jets have been spotted, Taiwan News reported. According to Taiwan News, two Xi'an H-6 strategic bombers continued on their journey south of Taiwan before reentering the country's ADIZ in the southeast. Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. Wednesday saw the highest number of intrusions by Chinese military aircraft for April as tension continues over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. An ADIZ is an area that extends beyond a country's airspace where air traffic controllers ask incoming aircraft to identify themselves. Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, April 21: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday indicated that he would be raising "difficult issues" when he meets his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. The difficult issues being referred to is likely to include the controversial demolition of some properties as part of an "anti-encroachment" drive by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in the Jahangirpuri area of north-west Delhi, days after communal clashes in the locality. Johnson was responding to questions from the UK media during a visit to a new bulldozer factory in Gujarat's Halol industrial area near Vadodara set up by British multinational JCB. "We always raise the difficult issues, of course we do, but the fact is that India is a country of 1.35 billion people and it is democratic, it's the world's largest democracy, Johnson was quoted in the Guardian' newspaper as saying in response to questions. UK Lawmakers Agree to Probe into PM Boris Johnsons Alleged Lies Over COVID-19 Restrictions. The factory visit came under fire on social media over JCB equipment being involved in the anti-encroachment demolitions in Delhi, which activists have claimed targeted one particular religious community an issue being considered by the Supreme Court. However, Johnson sought to highlight the new Halol plant as a living, breathing incarnation of the umbilicus between the UK and India. This is a world-leading factory 600,000 diggers a year coming from India, exported from India to 110 countries with British technology, he said. The UK media also raised the issue of JCB chairman Anthony Bamford being a donor to Johnson's Conservative Party and whether the visit was motivated by that connection. UK PM Boris Johnson Visits Akshardham Temple in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. "No, he chose to go to the JCB factory because it is a very good illustration of UK business, working with India and the Indian government to benefit both the UK and India, Johnson's official spokesperson told the Guardian'. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Apr 21 (AP) President Joe Biden is set to announce plans on Thursday to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, according to a US official. The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly USD 2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. The new package is expected to be similar in size to the USD 800 million package Biden announced last week. It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. A senior US defense official on Wednesday said training of Ukrainian personnel on American 155mm howitzers has begun in a European country outside Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday lauded US military officials for exceptional work arming Ukraine as he gathered the nation's military brass for their first in-person group meeting at the White House of his presidency. It's an annual tradition that had been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic but is now being resurrected as the US arms Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia's invasion. I don't know about you, but I've been to Ukraine a number of times before the war ... and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: They're tougher and more proud than I thought, Biden told military commanders. "I'm amazed at what they're doing with your help. Biden brought together the Pentagon's top civilian and uniformed officials amid the most serious fighting in Europe since World War II. Russia's nearly two-month-old invasion of Ukraine was at the center of wide-ranging talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant commanders. Biden also used the gathering to reflect on his administration's efforts to diversify Pentagon leadership. Hicks is the first Senate-confirmed woman to hold her role. Biden also chose Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost of the Air Force as commander of United States Transportation Command and Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson of the Army as commander of United States Southern Command. They are just the second and third women to lead combatant commands. It's an important milestone," Biden said. I think that speaks to how we're harnessing the strength and diversity of our country. Following the meeting, Biden and first lady Jill Biden hosted the military leaders and their spouses for dinner in the White House Blue Room. Such a gathering was last held in October 2019. Donald Trump was president at the time and was facing a House inquiry that would lead to his first impeachment, which centered on allegations that he withheld military assistance from Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to dig up dirt on Biden's adult son's business dealings in Ukraine.(AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad/London, Apr 21 (PTI) PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday met PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in London during which the two leaders discussed the "overall political situation" in the country and vowed to work together on issues pertaining to politics and national interest. Bilawal, who has excused himself from taking the oath as the foreign minister leading to speculation that all allies of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are not on the same page, met Nawaz at the office of the latter's son at the Stanhope House in London. Also Read | NOW Florida House Votes in Favor to Strip Disneys Self-government. Latest Tweet by Disclose.tv. The two leaders "discussed the overall political situation" in the country and expressed their determination to move forward with mutual understanding and consensus in national political affairs, according to PPP media cell. Nawaz - against whom several corruption cases were launched by the government of former prime minister Khan - had left for London in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment. Also Read | US Provides USD 800 Million Additional Military Assistance to Ukraine. The 72-year-old three-time prime minister, had given an undertaking to the Lahore High Court to return to Pakistan, citing his record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. He was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's high-security Kot Lakhpat jail. Bilawal also congratulated Nawaz on the ouster of the "selected government" of Imran Khan and victory of Nawaz's nephew Hamza Shehbaz in Punjab chief minister's elections. The meeting was also attended by PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar, and Qamar Zaman Kaira. PML-N leaders Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Ishaq Dar, and Abid Sher Ali were also present at the meeting. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) -- the two main political parties -- have been alternatively in power when the military was not ruling the country. The powerful Army has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 plus years of existence. Ahead of the meeting, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi said there was no specific agenda. He said Bilawal and Nawaz would have a "political discussion" before the former would return to Pakistan to take his oath as a cabinet member. Speaking to journalists in London, Bilawal said the coalition government would try to once again work towards the restoration of democracy in the country, The News reported. "There was no foreign conspiracy against Imran Khan, it was a democratic conspiracy [...] It was not White House, but a conspiracy hatched at the Bilawal House," he was quoted as saying by the paper. He said that he came to meet the PML-N supremo as once everyone is on the same page, only then can they resolve Pakistan's issues. "PML-N and PPP will solve Pakistan's issues once they are on the same page," he said, asking all the institutions to remain within their constitutional parameters. However, PPP sources had earlier said that Bilawal was meeting Nawaz to express reservations of his party and other allies about the formation of the federal cabinet. The PPP is divided on the issue of Bilawal joining the federal cabinet as the country's new foreign minister in the coalition government under Shehbaz. PPP is the second largest party in the current coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz who was appointed on April 11. The Cabinet formation was delayed for days due to differences among the coalition parties, mainly due to the initial refusal by the PPP to join the Cabinet. However, Shehbaz Sharif ensured that Bilawal's party joined his government. But the absence of Bilawal - the son of former two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari - in the first phase of Cabinet formation on Tuesday raised many eyebrows. Sources in the PPP said Bilawal, 33, is still reluctant to join the Cabinet because it may hinder his political activities ahead of elections which are likely to be held by the end of the year. But Shehbaz Sharif, 70, is adamant that he should join. PTI (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have discussed additional ways to support Ukraine, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a readout of the conversation on Thursday. "The Secretary thanked Greece for its steadfast support to Ukraine, including Greece's strong sanctions enforcement and its extensive humanitarian and defensive assistance," Price said. "The two discussed additional ways to assist Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's unprovoked and brutal war." Also Read | US Provides USD 800 Million Additional Military Assistance to Ukraine. Blinken and Mitsotakis also discussed an upcoming meeting of the 3+1 mechanism to enhance energy and economic cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, Price added. On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the operation is solely targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the civilian population is not in danger. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | UK Lawmakers Agree to Probe into PM Boris Johnsons Alleged Lies Over COVID-19 Restrictions. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Beijing, Apr 21 (PTI) A worried China on Thursday called on Pakistan and the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan to resolve their "concerns" through talks after Pakistani air raids reportedly killed 47 Afghans, prompting Kabul to lodge a "strong demarche" to Islamabad. "Afghanistan and Pakistan are close neighbours with traditional friendship with China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when asked about the recent border skirmishes between close allies sparked by recurring terror attacks on Pakistani troops allegedly from across the borders in Afghanistan. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: President Putin Orders Troops To Block Azovstal Plant in Mariupol. "I believe the countries can properly settle their concerns through dialogue and consultation and jointly maintain peace and tranquility," Wang said, declining to elaborate on Beijing's apprehensions over its trilateral initiative of forming a China, Pakistan, Afghanistan alliance. The Pakistani air raids on Afghanistan came about a fortnight after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the third meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan comprising Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at Tunxi in China on March 30-31 for which interim Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was invited. Also Read | Queen Elizabeth Gets Own Barbie Doll On Her 96th Birthday. Wang later held a meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan which was attended by the then Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Despite the "close ties" China and Pakistan are yet to recognise the Afghan Taliban's interim government. The widening differences between Pakistan and the Taliban in the meantime resulting in violent clashes was seen as a setback for Beijing and Islamabad efforts to gain control over the volatile Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US troops. China is also eyeing the lucrative mines and oil deposits in Afghanistan. For its part, Pakistan was saddled with recurring terror attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) based in Afghanistan leading to many casualties for Pakistan military in the troubled tribal Waziristan region. Islamabad is angry that the Taliban is not cracking down hard on the TTP despite its repeated requests. The situation turned worse on April 16 when the Taliban accused Pakistan of launching cross-border military raids inside Afghanistan resulting in deaths of 47 Afghans. The Pakistani air raids prompted a massive demonstration in Khost in which protestors chanted anti-Pakistan slogans, according to reports from Kabul. Officials said the military actions prompted the Taliban interim Foreign Minister Muttaqi to summon Pakistani ambassador in Kabul Mansoor Ahmad Khan to his office and lodge a "strong demarche" or official protest note to him. "The Afghan side condemned the recent attacks on Khost and Kunar provinces, stressing prevention of such acts," Muttaqi's office said in a statement. It warned that military violations by Pakistan would deteriorate bilateral ties and allow "antagonists to misuse the situation leading to undesired consequences." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement, later stressed the need for resolving bilateral problems through political means. "IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) calls on the Pakistani side not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again, otherwise it will have bad consequences," Mujahid warned. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York, Apr 21 (AP) A Chinese man was sentenced to more than four years in prison Thursday after admitting that he fraudulently tried to get $20 million in federal coronavirus-relief funds meant to rescue distressed businesses. US District Judge Richard M Berman announced the four-year, four-month prison term for Muge Ma at a sentencing hearing in Manhattan. Also Read | US Provides USD 800 Million Additional Military Assistance to Ukraine. The judge said the prison term was necessary because of the seriousness of the crimes and the need for others to be warned against abusing government programs meant to help people in a national emergency. Ma, 38, was arrested in May 2020 by federal authorities who said he had applied to at least five banks to try to get over $20 million in government-guaranteed loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Both programmes were designed for businesses harmed by coronavirus shutdowns. Also Read | UK Lawmakers Agree to Probe into PM Boris Johnsons Alleged Lies Over COVID-19 Restrictions. Authorities said he falsely claimed to be paying hundreds of employees millions of dollars in wages through two companies he controlled. To support the claims, he submitted fraudulent bank, tax, insurance and payroll records and provided banks with links to websites that described the companies as global, prosecutors said. In fact, they said, Ma at the time was working alone out of his $1.5 million Manhattan condominium, falsely claiming that one of his companies was representing New York state and was helping then-Governor Andrew Cuomo to procure COVID-19 test kits and personal protective equipment for frontline workers. Ma, a lawful permanent resident jailed since his May 2020 arrest, repeatedly said he was sorry before the sentence was imposed. He came to the US in 2011 on a student visa. I love America, Ma said. I'm very, very sorry to my country, America." Besides decrying jail conditions over the last two years as dirty, harsh, extremely cruel, he repeatedly apologized for his crimes and said: I detest myself so much." The self-criticism reached such a point that Berman interrupted Ma, telling him: Mr Ma, I don't have any doubt about how sorry you are. I'm not seeking blood from you, the judge said before he urged Ma to stop dwelling on his crimes and focus on how he can be successful in the future. Prosecutors said Ma's fraud convinced one bank to approve and disburse over $800,000 in loan funds for one of Ma's companies, although the money was frozen during the investigation. They said another $650,000 in loans had been approved and a $10,000 loan advance had been provided. In a release Thursday, US Attorney Damian Williams said Ma carried out his crimes within days of Congress authorising billions of dollars to help small businesses harmed by the pandemic. Muge Ma saw it as an opportunity to enrich himself by applying for millions of dollars in funds to pay wages to hundreds of employees that never existed, Williams said. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], April 21 (ANI): Dozens of worshippers were killed and injured in a blast that took place in a mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province of Afghanistan on Thursday, reported local media. Around 400 people were attending the prayers in the Si-Dukan Mosque when it was hit by a blast, reported ToloNews citing witnesses. Also Read | US Provides USD 800 Million Additional Military Assistance to Ukraine. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State (ISIS), also known as Daesh, according to a statement on the group's Telegram channel. According to Mohammad Asif Waziri, the head of the provincial department of security, the blast was due to explosives placed inside the mosque. Also Read | UK Lawmakers Agree to Probe into PM Boris Johnsons Alleged Lies Over COVID-19 Restrictions. "I can only say that the blast was due to explosives. Unfortunately, 25 people were martyred and wounded. Around 10 people were martyred, and 15 others were wounded," the media outlet quoted him as saying. However, according to sources, 31 people were killed while 87 were injured in the blast. "I was here when the attack happened. When they say (the number of casualties) is around 20 to 25, (they) lie. The first and second line of the prayers were severely hit and only the people in the third and fourth lines were safe," said Idris, one of the wounded. "It was a very horrific incident. The number of the victims was high," said a witness Mohamad Yasin, according to the media outlet. Another witness Sayed Ali said that Shia people had gathered to pray in the mosque and there was a high number of casualties in the blast. Notably, three separate blasts took place in Afghanistan on Thursday, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif, and a third in Kunduz province. The first blast occurred in the Kabul's police district 5 (PD5) and two children were slightly wounded, TOLOnews reported citing Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior. The second blast hit the mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province while the third blast took place in Kunduz city of Kunduz province. According to Qari Obaidullah Abedi, a spokesman for the Kunduz police command, the blast in Kunduz killed at least four people while 18 others were injured. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Ajit K Dubey New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): For over USD 20 billion tender for manufacturing 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) the Indian Air Force (IAF) would prefer to take the 'Buy Global Make in India' route over the strategic partnership policy model to produce the planes within the country. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: President Putin Orders Troops To Block Azovstal Plant in Mariupol. 'Buy Global Make in India' is a category of procurement process provided in the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 under Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to smoothen the acquisition of foreign weapon systems and their production within the country under the 'Make in India' in the defence programme. Along with the indigenous LCA Tejas and the 5th Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project, the 114 MRFA project would also be required by the IAF to maintain an edge over both the Northern and Western adversaries. We would prefer to go in for the Buy Global Make in India route which is preferred by the vendors also who are expected to take part in the programme, government sources told ANI. Also Read | Queen Elizabeth Gets Own Barbie Doll On Her 96th Birthday. Three American aircraft including the F-18, F-15 and F-21 (modified version of the F-16), Russian Mig-35 and Su-35 along with the French Rafale, Swedish Saab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft are expected to participate in the programme. The Indian Air Force had also sought the views of these companies on the acquisition procedure that they would like to opt for in the programme and most of them have shown a preference for the Buy Global Make in India route only, they said. The sources said that the force has also sought directions from the government on the project and when it can move the project for clearance from the Defence Ministry for further action. Sources said the two squadrons of the Rafale combat aircraft were fully functional with 35 aircraft which have already arrived from France and only one plane is left for delivery. Sources said the IAF would certainly require a capability that is being provided by Rafale and more planes would be required as the two squadrons had only met the emergency requirements of the force. The sources said that the two Rafale squadrons played a major role in containing the situation after the Chinese started aggression in the Northern sector in Ladakh and were operationalised within few weeks of their arrival and induction into the IAF. The sources said the 83 LCA Mark 1A would help the IAF replace the MiG-series planes as the MiG-23 and the miG-27 have already been phased out and the MiG-21s are also on the verge of being phased out. The 5th generation AMCA is expected to be rolled out soon by the Defence Research and Development Organisation but its induction and trials are expected to take at least five to seven years from now. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Berlin [Germany], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The German Defense Ministry has cut by half the list of weaponry that can be supplied to Ukraine drafted by the German defense industry, striking off all heavy weapons, the German newspaper BILD reported on Wednesday, citing a copy of the final document. The changes were initiated by the Office of the German Chancellor, the outlet said. The German defense industry had previously expressed readiness to supply many of now canceled weaponry in short- or mid-term perspective. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. The final list, initially suggested by Kiev to the German authorities for consideration, has been cut down from 48 to 24 pages, Bild said. The final version includes only three out of 15 types of weaponry requested by Ukraine, with some of them having possible alternatives indicated, according to the newspaper. Earlier in the day, Scholz confirmed that Germany was considering the list of weapons that could been delivered to Ukraine as part of Berlin's military assistance to Kiev. He pledged to proceed with the payments for weaponry supplied shortly after the decision on the final list is made, with "no more waiting." Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. At the same time, Germany has repeatedly declined to supply Ukraine with particular weaponry it had requested, including heavy arms and artillery weapons. Earlier in the month, Germany denied Kiev's plea for Marder infantry fighting vehicles, but delivered around 500 Stingers, nearly 2,000 Strela anti-aircraft missiles and over 1,000 anti-tank weapons. Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, the West, including Germany, have been supplying Ukraine with various types of lethal weaponry, including heavy arms, such as anti-tank missiles, fighter jets, missile systems and armored vehicles. Nevertheless, German authorities, particularly Scholz, have been criticized by Kiev and some Western allies for insufficient military support for Ukraine and for not taking a strong enough stance against 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) Gaza [Palestine], April 21 (ANI/Sputnik): The Israeli Air Force has struck several military facilities of the Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the site. "The Israeli Air Force has carried out airstrikes on facilities of the Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip this night," the correspondent said. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. A spokesperson for the Hamas Islamist movement, which is controlling the Gaza Strip, told Sputnik that these airstrikes would boost the Palestinian people's determination to continue the struggle against the Israeli occupation. The security situation in Israel has deteriorated in recent weeks. Since mid-March, 14 residents of the country have become victims of attacks and terrorist acts. In recent days, serious riots have taken place on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mexico City, Apr 21 (AP) Four years after university students led protests against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, his government is minimising chances of a reoccurrence by seizing a dozen private universities and closing them or shifting control to the state. A generation of students who participated in the April 2018 protests saw their education interrupted. Many were forced into hiding, jailed or exiled when Ortega's police cracked down. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: President Putin Orders Troops To Block Azovstal Plant in Mariupol. Now others who managed to resume their studies worry they won't be able to finish or have finished but can't find work because the now state-run schools haven't given them diplomas. The seizure of the private universities in recent months and the passage of education reforms that increase state control are the latest examples of Ortega's relentless pursuit of those he believes conspired to try to overthrow his government. Also Read | Queen Elizabeth Gets Own Barbie Doll On Her 96th Birthday. In April 2018, the regime took the repression to limits never seen in recent years, said Ernesto Medina, who led American University in Managua for 11 years until the end of 2018 and who is in exile in Germany. That's when we realized that Ortega would not stop until he punished the universities and the students. A request for comment to first lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo, who is also the government's spokeswoman, was not answered. Earlier this year, dozens of leading opposition figures were tried, convicted and sentenced for allegedly trying to destabilize Ortega's government. Nongovernmental organisations that worked on a range of issues were closed including 25 more on Wednesday along with independent media outlets. The Sandinista-controlled congress in late March passed reforms to two education laws that reduce university autonomy and increase government control, experts say. The changes also cut government funding to the Jesuit-led Central American University in Managua, another centre of protest in April 2018. Those government funds had been used to offer scholarships to low-income students. Ortega has sought revenge against the schools, Medina said. Ortega's objective is to consolidate the government's and the Sandinista Front's political control over universities. Ortega recognises how university campuses can generate social upheaval. Many of the Sandinista guerrillas who fought beside him to overthrow dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979 came from the universities as leaders of similar movements in Latin America and around the world have. Nicaraguan universities lost their autonomy temporarily after the revolution as well when the junta that governed the transition chose university administrators. We were responsible for that abuse and now we are paying for it, said Medina, who at that time supported the Sandinistas. Of the 12 universities seized, seven are based in Nicaragua and five were the virtual campuses of foreign universities. In each case, congress alleged administrative failures and financial incompliance as justification for the seizures. The universities' property was transferred to the state and three new large universities with a combined enrollment of 18,000 were created using that infrastructure. For weeks in 2018, students occupied Nicaragua Polytechnic University in Managua, fearful they would be killed if they left. There were frequent skirmishes with police and Sandinista youth. They treated their wounded while trying to coordinate with students at other universities. Now the school, known as UPOLI with an enrollment of 8,000, has been renamed National Polytechnic University or UNP. The new university's Facebook page is full of comments from students or recent graduates worried about getting the paperwork they need to find jobs in their fields. One, a recent nursing graduate who asked not to be identified because she feared retaliation, said despite graduating in November, she was still waiting on documents necessary to find a job. The woman had gone to public hospitals, the medical workers union and private clinics and in each instance was told she could not be employed until she had her degree and a code given to graduates. Her pursuit of answers from university administrators has been a frustrating series of deflections and delays. A week passed, then two weeks. We went to the nursing school, we don't have an answer, she said. They just told us that they were going to change the leadership. To get by, when COVID-19 cases were surging, she cared for those infected in their homes. Now she cares for an elderly patient. Another seized university was Paulo Freire University founded in 2007 by the lawyer Adrian Meza, a well-known Sandinista militant during the revolution, who later distanced himself from Ortega. Meza moved to Costa Rica shortly after the government seized his university's two buildings and all of the equipment at five sites around the country in February. He said there was an order for his arrest. The government had been hostile toward the university because of its defence of human rights, especially after Meza denounced the arrest of one its students late last year, he said. What will happen to the university's 1,500 students is unclear, despite the government's promises of continuity, Meza said. The school's political science department had not been approved to resume classes since the takeover. The seizures have set the country's education system back decades, he said. In fact we're already in the Middle Ages where any expression of inconformity leads to jail, he said. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kyiv, Apr 21 (AP) As many as 19 Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity Thursday in a second prisoner swap to take place this week, Ukraine's deputy PM Iryna Vereschuk said in a Facebook post. Another prisoner exchange has taken place. This time, there are wounded people among those released, which is very important. Now they will be able to receive full treatment and undergo a course of rehabilitation, Vereshchuk wrote. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: President Putin Orders Troops To Block Azovstal Plant in Mariupol. Later on Thursday, Ukrainian media reported that the former captives include nine civilians and 10 military personnel, two of whom are officers. Their release comes on the heels of a prisoner swap Tuesday, which saw 76 Ukrainians, including 60 soldiers, return to their families. Also Read | Queen Elizabeth Gets Own Barbie Doll On Her 96th Birthday. ___ Johannesburg: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has held a 20-minute phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ramaphosa, who has avoided criticizing Russia for any aggression, on Thursday confirmed the call, which took place on Wednesday evening, in a tweet in which he said he urged negotiations to resolve the war. I had a telephone conversation with President @ZelenskyyUA of Ukraine to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and its tragic human cost, as well as its global ramifications, Ramaphosa said on Twitter. He said the two leaders agreed on the need for a negotiated end to the conflict. The Ukrainian president also described the call in a tweet: Told about our resistance to Russian aggression. Discussed the threat of a global food crisis, deepening relations with the Republic of South Africa and cooperation within international organisations. The call comes seven weeks after Ramaphosa spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the war. The South African leader has also spoken to President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping about the war in Ukraine. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Colombo, Apr 21 (PTI) The Sri Lankan government will not rest until justice has been served to the guilty behind the 2019 Easter terror attacks, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed on Thursday as the island nation marked the third anniversary of the worst terror incident that killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. "Today we remember with grief, the tragic events that transpired 3 years ago on that fateful #Easter morning. We mourn the loss of innocent lives and the lives that were impacted. #GoSL has since made every attempt, to bring those responsible to justice," Rajapaksa tweeted. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine War: President Putin Orders Troops To Block Azovstal Plant in Mariupol. Nine suicide bombers belonging to local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians, and injuring over 500. The attack stirred a political storm as the then government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were blamed for their inability to prevent the attacks despite prior intelligence being made available. Also Read | Queen Elizabeth Gets Own Barbie Doll On Her 96th Birthday. "Thus far 735 persons have been taken into custody, 27 cases against 79 persons have been filed under 25,653 charges. The govt. will not rest until justice has been served to the guilty with strict adherence to rule of law and due process," Rajapaksa said in another tweet. The victims' families led by the head of the local church, Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, have been critical of the slow pace of the investigations which they claim is a political ploy for cover up. On Sunday, hundreds of people staged a silent protest in Sri Lanka's capital, demanding justice for the victims of the Easter terror attacks. The protesters joined hundreds of people camping near the President's Office in Colombo seeking resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and all members of his family from the government over the worst economic crisis that has caused critical shortages of fuel, food and medicines in the country. Displaying banners and placards, protesters called for justice for the victims of the Easter attacks. "3 years and still no justice," read a banner carried by protesters who walked a 5-mile stretch to the site to be joined by thousands who have been carrying out the protest since April 9 demanding President Gotabaya's resignation over the unprecedented economic crisis - the worst-ever in the country's history. A special presidential probe found then president Sirisena himself along with a host of other top defence officials guilty of ignoring prior intelligence. The panel report had recommended criminal action against them. Archbishop Ranjith has been regularly expressing disappointment over the police investigation and its slow nature. In November last, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had asked his detractors to be careful while demanding quick action against the perpetrators of the deadly Easter terror attacks, warning that his government can "act tough" on the critics if the need arises. He had said the judicial proceedings were underway and his government will not interfere in them. President Rajapaksa is the younger brother of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The two brothers led a decisive campaign that helped end the island nation's three decade long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Wellington, Apr 21 (The Conversation) During the global COVID-19 pandemic, women have carried much of the unpaid emotional and domestic burden of caring for their families and communities, often simultaneously holding down paid jobs, many on reduced hours or salaries. Women have also been disproportionately affected by job losses, particularly women of color and ethnic minorities. Worldwide, women lost more than 64 million jobs in 2020 alone, resulting in an estimated US$800 billion loss of income. Also Read | Canadian Consumer Prices Rise 6.7% Largest Since January 1991, Says Report. Mirroring these trends, women in Aotearoa New Zealand faced greater economic, social and health challenges than men. In 2020, women made up 90% of pandemic-related redundancies. In 2021, many more women were working in precarious jobs. Wahine Maori and Pacific women, already facing greater inequalities, have been even harder hit by job losses. During this time, rates of domestic violence against women and girls surged in New Zealand and around the world, prompting some to refer to a double pandemic or shadow pandemic. Also Read | Russia Successfully Test-Fires Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Women's physical and mental health has been heavily affected for both frontline workers and in the home. As ongoing research by a cross-cultural team of feminist scholars has been documenting, New Zealand women have found different ways to cope through the various stages of the pandemic. But with the pandemic exacerbating gender inequalities in most areas of life, the fear is that decades of (albeit uneven) momentum towards gender equity is being lost. While some governments have taken steps to address women's well-being during the pandemic, such as introducing shorter or flexible work hours, they remain the minority. Organisations such as the United Nations and the OECD have identified the need to develop better support for women within pandemic recovery programmes. And some countries have advocated more progressive strategies, including prioritising local feminist and Indigenous knowledge. But the uptake of such initiatives has been minimal at best. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the 2021 Wellbeing Budget sought to support into employment those most affected by COVID-19, including women. But the focus on male-dominated industries (such as construction and roading), and lack of initiatives aimed at women as primary carers, meant this was largely a missed opportunity. While this general lack of gender-responsive policy has been troubling, women have been far from passive in their own responses, both individually and collectively. As the stories of women from diverse backgrounds in Aotearoa New Zealand have shown in our own and others' research, many have turned to their own cultures, social networks and religions to help them through the pandemic. Others have used sport and exercise, nature and digital technology to build a sense of belonging and support during difficult times. Such strategies have helped them manage unprecedented levels of stress in their own lives, and the lives of those around them. Women have been active and creative in the ways they've found to care for themselves and others. Yet these everyday acts of care by women for their families and communities are rarely seen, valued or acknowledged. As the pandemic continues, women everywhere are suffering the hidden costs of caregiving. In Aotearoa New Zealand, as elsewhere, new COVID variants have seen them even busier caring for sick family members often while unwell themselves. The effect has been to rethink priorities, who and what is most important, and to question the expectations shaping their lives. Some of the women in our studies have taken bold steps starting a new business, moving town, reorganising work-life balance, putting their own health first. Others have simply acknowledged their own vulnerability and need for community. As two of the women we interviewed said: I think for me it's been more of a reaffirmation that what I am doing is good enough [] Like I don't need to be all of these things. We put so much pressure on ourselves [] we spread ourselves too thin [] trying to be a whole bunch of other people's ideas of being the best person. You need to be real about how you are feeling and a little bit vulnerable, not hide things or bottle things up or try to be everything to everybody. I learned the power of being vulnerable, of people and community, and the importance of connection and the importance of kindness and being okay with whatever you've got in your mind. The stress and mounting fatigue characteristic of life during COVID-19 are undoubtedly prompting many women in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas to ask questions about the gendered economic and social systems that may no longer be working for them, and the infrastructures that are failing to support them. Some are turning away from their busy working lives, opting instead to find a slower pace, to live more sustainably, and to give back to their communities in a range of ways. Some even refer to the gendered effects of the pandemic economy as the great she-cession. But it's clear we need to better understand the social, economic and cultural conditions prompting these changes. What we can say, however, is that genuinely gender-responsive policies are urgently needed. The often used mantra of building back better must prioritise the knowledge of local women in all their diversity, and there is much we can learn by listening to women's everyday experiences of the pandemic. Not doing so risks decades of gender equity work slipping away. (The Conversation) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Apr 21 (AP) President Joe Biden is set to announce plans on Thursday to send additional military aid to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion, according to a US official. The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly USD 2.6 billion in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. The new package is expected to be similar in size to the USD 800 million package Biden announced last week. It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said his country will send heavy artillery to Ukraine. And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the Netherlands will send more heavy weapons, including armored vehicles. (AP) (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, Apr 22 (AP) Two days into Russia's attack on Ukraine, a majority of UN Security Council members voted to demand that Moscow withdraw. One thing stood in their way: a veto by Russia itself. It was the latest in decades of vetoes -- on issues ranging from the Korean War to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to climate change -- that at least temporarily stymied the council that was designed to be the UN's most potent component. Also Read | Brazilian Works at Same Company for 84 Years, Setting Record Latest Tweet by Reuters. A round of venting followed over the veto power afforded to just five of its 15 members: China, the United States, Russia, France, and Britain. Each has used that power over the years. Proposals to change the council's structure or rein in vetoes have sputtered for more than half a century. But now, a new approach -- simply subjecting vetoed matters to scrutiny by the full UN membership -- appears to be gaining traction. Also Read | US Capitol Complex Evacuated as Cautionary Step Against Potential Air Threat, Says Police. Spearheaded by Liechtenstein, the measure has more than 55 co-sponsors, including the US. The 193-member General Assembly is due to consider the measure Tuesday. This is really an important initiative," said Thomas Weiss, a City University of New York Graduate Center political science professor and Chicago Council on Global Affairs distinguished fellow who specializes in UN politics. To him, the proposal promotes transparency and challenges the idea that a few powerful countries can tank Security Council initiatives without so much as an explanation. It does, in important ways, suggest that the veto is not sacrosanct, he said. The proposal wouldn't limit vetoes, but they would trigger public debates in the General Assembly. Whichever country or countries had cast a veto would be invited to say why. The assembly wouldn't have to take or even consider any action. Regardless, the discussion could put veto-wielders on the spot and let a raft of other countries be heard. It aims to promote the voice of all of us who are not veto-holders, and who are not on the Security Council, on matters of international peace and security because they affect all of us, said Liechtenstein's UN ambassador, Christian Wenaweser. From the UN's 1945 start, World War II allies Britain, France, China, the Soviet Union (succeeded by Russia), and the US have been the only countries with permanent seats and veto power in the Security Council. Other members are elected to two-year terms. While the General Assembly got a broad membership and agenda, the council got more power. Its resolutions are legally binding, if sometimes ignored nonetheless, and can entail military action (i.e., assembling peacekeeping forces with troops contributed by various countries.) Vetoes arose quickly. So did frustration. By the end of 1946, the assembly asked the council to make every effort not to let vetoes hinder prompt decision-making. By now, more than 200 different Security Council proposals have been vetoed, some by multiple countries, according to UN records. The subjects were as sweeping as reporting on weapons stockpiles and as specific as the governance of a part of the Indian Ocean nation Comoros. The Soviet Union/Russia has cast the most vetoes by far, followed by the United States. Fewer still have been cast by Britain, China and France. Countless other ideas were never brought to a vote because of an expected veto. All that has engendered laments that the council's sometime paralysis undermines its legitimacy and public faith in the the UN. And Russia's invasion of Ukraine has only brought those grievances more into focus. We are dealing with a state that is turning the veto in the United Nations Security Council into the right to die," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the council via video April 5. Saying the council simply cannot work effectively, he called on members to remove Russia, reform or "dissolve yourself and work for peace. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, in turn, bristled that his country had been thwarted in its efforts to hold a separate council meeting on Ukraine the day before. (Current council president Britain said it was just a scheduling disagreement). With the council at an impasse, the no-veto General Assembly has voted to demand that Russia stop the war, to blame Russia for the humanitarian crisis that has ensued, to urge an immediate cease-fire, and to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. Russia subsequently said it withdrew from the rights group before the vote. Liechtenstein initially planned to introduce its proposal in March 2020 but held off because of the coronavirus pandemic, Wenaweser said. He said the Ukraine stalemate has now built support for the idea. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield cited what she called Russia's shameful pattern of abusing its veto privilege when she announced last week that Washington was backing Liechtenstein's proposal. She called it innovative and a significant step toward the accountability, transparency and responsibility" of countries with veto power. The United States last used it to kill an August 2020 proposal about prosecuting and rehabilitating people involved in terrorism. Washington objected that the measure didn't call for repatriating foreign fighters for the Islamic State extremist group in Iraq and Syria. The other veto-wielding countries haven't responded to requests for comment on Liechtenstein's proposal. Wenaweser said Russia had raised objections, centered on views about the General Assembly's proper role in international peace and security issues. Wenaweser said his country is pragmatic about the future of veto power, but we want to help initiate a change in mindset as to the way in which the veto is cast. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], April 21 (ANI): The White House supports Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's decision not to participate in a recent G20 meeting once Russian officials began speaking, spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday (local time). "The President and Secretary Yellen have both said that we can't have business as usual at the G20 or in a lot of these international forums as it relates to Russia, and she and the Treasury team made clear that she was planning to participate in some and not other meetings, which certainly is something that we support," Psaki said, according to Sputnik. Also Read | New Government in Pakistan Can Give Push to Normalisation of Ties with India: Report. Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and other officials boycotted the meeting due to the participation of Russian officials, according to a Washington Post report earlier on Wednesday. The Treasury Secretary will work to advance important business at the G20 while also voicing strong condemnation of Russia's actions in Ukraine, the report said, citing an anonymous Biden administration official. Also Read | WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Extradition Case Sent to UK Minister Priti Patel. On Monday, the White House said that Yellen will not participate in G20 events during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring meetings this week in which Russian representatives are present. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jerusalem, Apr 21 (AP) Everyone worried this might happen. In the weeks before a rare confluence of major Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays, with tens of thousands of visitors expected in Jerusalem for the first time since the pandemic, Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders discussed how to calm tensions. Also Read | Canadian Consumer Prices Rise 6.7% Largest Since January 1991, Says Report. Israel took steps to ease the conditions of its nearly 55-year military rule over millions of Palestinians, lifting some movement restrictions and issuing thousands of work permits. Israeli police said they would work to ensure everyone could pray in peace. Also Read | Russia Successfully Test-Fires Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The goal was to avoid a repeat of last year, when weeks of protests and clashes in Jerusalem eventually helped trigger an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers. It hasn't worked out as planned. Israel has seen the deadliest string of attacks in years. Its troops have launched arrest raids deep inside the occupied West Bank, triggering gunbattles. Clashes have broken out at a major site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims and at least two rockets have been fired from Gaza. Here's a look at how we got here: A wave of attacks On March 22, a Palestinian citizen of Israel killed four people in a car-ramming and stabbing rampage in the city of Beersheba. Shooting attacks by Palestinians over the next three weeks, including in the heart of Tel Aviv, killed another 10. Israeli authorities said the attackers acted mostly alone, and while Hamas and other militant groups cheered the attacks, none claimed them. Some of the assailants supported the Islamic State group, but there's no evidence it organized the attacks. Israel launched raids across the occupied West Bank, arresting dozens. Palestinians hurled stones and firebombs, and in Jenin, a longtime militant stronghold, gunbattles erupted. At least 26 Palestinians have been killed, according to an Associated Press count, including the attackers and many who took part in the clashes. But the dead also include a lawyer and an 18-year-old woman who appear to have been bystanders, as well as an unarmed woman shot dead at a checkpoint. Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories to form their future state. Israel has full control over 60% of the West Bank, where it has built more than 130 settlements that are home to nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers. The increasingly unpopular Palestinian Authority administers major population centres and cooperates with Israel on security. ___ Clashes in Jerusalem On April 15, clashes erupted at dawn between Palestinians and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. The police say Palestinians hurled stones at them and in the direction of an adjacent Jewish holy site, forcing them to move in. Palestinians say they used excessive force. More than 150 Palestinians and three Israeli police were wounded. Police fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades and Palestinians hurled stones and fireworks. At one point, police burst into the mosque itself to arrest suspected stone-throwers inside. Smaller confrontations have broken out since then, and on Sunday, Palestinians pelted buses with stones just outside the Old City. A Hamas-led incitement campaign has been waged against Israel, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said this week. Israel is doing everything so that all peoples, as always, can celebrate the holidays safely Jews, Muslims and Christians. The sprawling esplanade where the mosque is located is the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount because two Jewish temples stood there in antiquity. It lies at the emotional core of the century-old conflict and has been ground zero for several outbreaks of violence. The Palestinians view regular visits by nationalist and religious Jews under police escort as a provocation and possible prelude to Israel taking over the site or partitioning it. Israeli authorities say they are committed to maintaining the status quo. The Old City is part of east Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognised internationally and considers part of its capital. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state. Discriminatory policies in east Jerusalem support the expansion of Jewish settlements. Palestinians are systematically denied construction permits, forcing many to build without authorisation, risking home demolition. Dozens of Palestinian families are at risk of being forcibly removed from their homes because of a decades-long campaign by settlers to expand the Jewish presence in east Jerusalem. Jews born in Jerusalem are Israeli citizens. Most Palestinians refuse Israeli citizenship, but those who seek it must go through a long and uncertain bureaucratic process. Palestinians who spend too much time outside east Jerusalem, for work, study or family reasons, can lose their residency and be prohibited from returning. That policy does not apply to Jews. ___ Rockets from Gaza On Monday night, a rocket was fired into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. The military intercepted it and carried out airstrikes. No one was hurt, and no one claimed the rocket the first to be fired at Israel in months. At least two rockets were fired late Wednesday, and Israel responded with airstrikes. Israel and Egypt have imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces 15 years ago. Unemployment hovers around 50%, electricity outages last around 12 hours a day, tap water is undrinkable, and Hamas remains firmly in power. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since 2008, compounding the misery of the 2 million Palestinians who live in the narrow coastal strip. Gaza has barely started to rebuild after the most recent one, which left more than 250 Palestinians dead, including 129 civilians, according to the U.N. Fourteen people were killed in Israel. Gaza's woes long predate Hamas, which burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, during the first of two Palestinian uprisings against Israeli rule. The militant group branded terrorists by Israel and Western countries does not recognise Israel and has carried out numerous deadly attacks on Israeli civilians over the years. More than half of the 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza are the descendants of refugees from what is now Israel who fled or were driven out during the 1948 war surrounding its creation. Around 60% of Palestinians in all three territories are under the age of 30, with little or no memory of the Mideast peace process, which broke down more than a decade ago. We have a very radicalised generation, said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Gaza's Al-Azhar University They don't really care if we go to another war with Israel or not, whether it's over Al-Aqsa or any other thing. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, April 21: The CBI on Thursday raided the residence of a senior J&K IAS officer in connection with a corruption case being investigated by the agency. Official sources said the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) carried out raids at the residence of senior IAS officer, Navin Choudhary, principal secretary agriculture production and farmers welfare department. Raids were also carried out at residences of former officers of Chenab Valley projects construction limited and premises of a construction company in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bihar and Jammu. Rajasthan: Police Raid Several Dance Bars in Jaipur, 12 Arrested. "The raids were carried out in connection with a corruption case registered by the CBI on the complaint of the J&K government", the sources added. Notably, former J&K Governor Satyapal Malik has alleged that he had been offered Rs 300 crore to clear two files which he rejected. Following Malik's allegation, J&K had approached the CBI to have charges investigated as it has been raised by the former governor of the state. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 21, 2022 12:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, April 21: Terrorism is the biggest form of human rights violation and action against terrorism cannot be contradictory to human rights, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. Addressing the 13th foundation day of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here, Shah said strong action has been taken against terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir and against those who had helped terrorism and were living respectfully in society. Terrorism is the biggest curse for the society, he said, adding that if there is any country which bore the maximum brunt of terrorism, it is India. "I have some differences with human rights organisations. Whenever there is an anti-terror action, some human rights groups come forward to raise the issue. But I strongly believe that there cannot be a bigger human rights violation than terrorism. It is the biggest form of human rights violation. "Action against terrorism cannot be contradictory to human rights. It is absolutely necessary to root out terrorism to protect human rights," Shah said amid an applause from officers of the NIA and other security organisations. The home minister said the Narendra Modi government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and was working to root out the menace from India. Pramod Sawant Meets Amit Shah in His First Visit to Delhi After Govt Formation. He said the NIA had registered terror funding cases and these cases helped to a great extent to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. Shah said that earlier, there was no proper action against terror funding. In 2018, cases were registered against terror funding for the first time, and because of that, there is no smooth road for funding terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he added. "In 2021-22, the NIA registered many cases which helped in destroying sleeper cells in Jammu and Kashmir. It has taken strong action against the logistics and supply chain and those who had helped terrorism and were living respectfully in society. They were exposed by the NIA and brought to justice. This is a big thing," he said. In Jammu and Kashmir, fighting against terrorism and terrorists is one thing and action taken to root out terrorism is another thing, Shah said. "We have to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. So, we have to destroy the mechanism of terror funding. Because of the terror funding cases of Jammu and Kashmir registered by the NIA, it has become very difficult now to provide funds for terror acts there," he said. The home minister said there is a realisation worldwide that without India, no goal can be achieved -- be it with regards to environment, economic growth, equal development or ending terrorism. Without India, such goals cannot be achieved, and hence, it is absolutely necessary to ensure and strengthen the country's internal security mechanism, he said. "The prime minister has set a target of a USD 5 trillion economy for India. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to ensure the country's internal security," Shah said. The minister said the 2008 Mumbai terror attack was an incident which necessitated reforms in institutions. The NIA was formed after the Mumbai attacks, and all agencies became active against terror funding. There have been positive changes in anti-terror organisations, intelligence agencies and intelligence gathering mechanism, he said. Lauding the NIA's role in the last 13 years, the home minister said the agency should take some pledges for the next 25 years (Azadi ka Amrit Kaal) and efforts should be made so that successes could be achieved on them. "Success is a good thing. But it is important how this success takes any organisation forward. If success gives encouragement, the organisation goes further. The NIA must consolidate and institutionalise its successes. Unless the successes are consolidated and institutionalised, the NIA will not be successful in its mission," he said. Shah also referred to sporadic protests that erupted in some places after the NIA took action, and said that without protests, real success cannot be achieved. He also advocated sharing of information, intelligence and other data among law enforcement agencies to check terrorism, crime and criminals. Noida, April 21: Two girls have alleged that they were gang-raped by two youths on the pretext of providing them government jobs in Noida sector 63, police said on Thursday. The victims have alleged that they were beaten up by the accused when they resisited their attempts. According to police, all of four were inebriated when they taken to police station where they created a ruckus for around three hours. Later, the girls' statements were recorded. Uttar Pradesh: 28 Years After Crime, DNA Test Nails Rape Accused in Shahjahanpur. "They were offered liquor and then the accused raped them. Hearing the commotion, the people gathered outside their room and called the police. We then reached there and brought everyone to the police station," said the police. The girls told the police that they were called by the accused on the pretext of an interview in a government sector. 'Rape is Rape, Be It By Man or Husband': Karnataka HC on Marital Rape. Ilamaran, the additional DCP, Central Noida said that on the basis of the preliminary inquiry action will be taken. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 21, 2022 12:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). LS Speaker Om Birla arrived in Cambodia late last night with Indian Parliamentary delegation comprising MPs & others. "Looking forward to meet the King of Cambodia, President of National Assembly, President of Senate & other dignitaries,"he tweets (Source:Birla's Twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/1WCPxU1h3w ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is on a visit to India on Thursday visited Sabarmati Ashram. He also tried his hands on 'charkha'. Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad earlier in the morning to start his India visit and was accorded a grand welcome at the airport. Check tweet: #WATCH | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson visits Sabarmati Ashram, tries his hands on 'charkha' pic.twitter.com/6RTCpyce3k ANI (@ANI) April 21, 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.) Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh community who is remembered as the man who championed the rights of all religious freedom. His birth anniversary is celebrated every year as Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv which is celebrated with great devotion by Sikh families. This year marks the 400th year of his birth anniversary which will be celebrated on April 21st, Thursday. To celebrate the festival we have curated HD wallpapers, wishes, WhatsApp stickers, Telegram messages, Facebook status and SMS that you can share with your beloved people. Guru Tegh Bahadur Jayanti 2022: Date, Significance and Everything To Know About 400th Prakash Parv Celebrating the Birth of the Ninth Sikh Guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Greetings Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Wishes (File Image) HD Wallpaper Reads: Here's Sending Good Wishes to You and Your Family Members on the Occasion of Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Happy Guru Tegh Bahadur Jayanti 2022 Images Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Messages (File Image) Facebook Status Reads: We Hope That This Gurpurab Brings the Best of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji's Teachings And Blessing to Your Life. 400th Prakash Parv Of Guru Tegh Bahadur Messages Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 SMS (File Image) WhatsApp Sticker Reads: For the Ones Who Consider Praise and Dispraise Are the Same, Greed and Attachment Don't Exist, and Pain and Pleasure Don't Entrap, Consider Them Enlightened and Saved. Happy Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022. Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv SMS Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Quotes (File Image) HD Image Reads: Never Forsake the Ones You Swear to Protect, Rather Give Up Your Head. Sacrifice Your Life, but Never Your Faith. Happy Guru Tegh Bahadur Jayanti 2022 Guru Tegh Bahadur Birth Anniversary Quotes Guru Tegh Bahadur Prakash Parv 2022 Wallpaper (File Image) Telegram Photo Reads: He Is Neither Attached to Worldliness nor Lets Senses and Anger Affect Him. In Such a Person Resides God. Guru Tegh Bahadur (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Moscow, April 21: Russia announced that it successfully test-launched a Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday at a time when Moscow-West tensions have sharply escalated over Ukraine. The missile was fired from a silo at 15:12 Moscow Time at the Plesetsk state test cosmodrome in northwest Russia's Arkhangelsk region, the country's Defense Ministry was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. The training warheads reached a given area at the Kura test ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula and the tasks were completed in full, it said in a statement. After the test, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the new missile complex has "the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is able to overcome all modern means of anti-missile defense". Jammu and Kashmir: Encounter Breaks Out at Baramulla Between Terrorists and Security Forces. Sarmat will strengthen the combat potential of the Russian Armed Forces, protect Russia from external threats, and "make those who, in the heat of frenzied and aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country think", he said in an online meeting with top defense officials. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 21, 2022 09:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). By surrendering to authorities, two Americans associated with Somali militant group the Shabab have turned a spotlight on a group weakened and deeply divided as it battles defections to its rival Islamic State. Mohammed Abdullahi Hassan, a Minnesotan who left America in 2008 to join the Shabab as a teenager, is believed to have tweeted under the name Mujahid Miski, allegedly using social media to recruit jihadists and incite acts of terrorism. He has been accused of shifting allegiance from the Shabab to Islamic State before his surrender. Hassan is in the hands of the Somali security intelligence agency in the capital, Mogadishu. In an interview Tuesday with Voice of America, he denied supporting Islamic State. Another American fighting for the Shabab was arrested after surrendering Monday, with conflicting reports on his name and origin. Reuters cited Somali military officer Ali Dalel Hirsi, who said the American, Malik John, had surrendered near the port town of Barawe, 135 miles southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. Other reports named him as Abdimalik Jones. Hassan surrendered in early November as Shabab leaders loyal to Al Qaeda threatened to kill fighters who swore allegiance to Islamic State. The Shabab has unleashed a series of ruthless attacks against pro-Islamic State factions in recent days. Advertisement Hassan admitted in the VOA interview that he had joined the Shabab, but claimed to have left the organization in 2013. In addition to denying links with Islamic State, he rejected any connection with the husband-and wife-team who carried out last weeks San Bernardino attack. Tashfeen Malik and husband Syed Farook killed 14 people when they opened fire at the Inland Regional Center. Photographs purporting to show Hassan on Twitter depict him with his face covered, only his eyes visible, and his gun balanced in front of him on a watermelon. Hassan was reportedly in Twitter contact with Elton Simpson, one of two gunmen killed by police after he opened fire at an event featuring cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in Garland, Texas, in May, according to the Counter Extremism Project, a U.S. group formed to combat extremist ideology. He exhorted followers to build an Islamic caliphate -- the goal of Islamic State -- and to leave their home countries to be jihadists, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The U.S. State Department said Monday it was in discussions with Somali authorities about Hassan, who has been indicted for offering material aid to a terrorist group, although the U.S. has no extradition treaty with Somalia. If transferred to the U.S., he may face charges relating to the Garland attack. He reportedly had more than 30 active Twitter accounts and whenever an account was taken down, another would pop up. On April 23, just over a week before the Garland event, Hassan purportedly tweeted praise of the January attack on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 dead. The brothers from the Charlie hebdo attack did their part. Its time for brothers in the #US to do their part, the tweet said. On April 25, he is said to have tweeted to Simpson: One individual is able to put a whole nation onto its knees. According to the Counter Extremism Project, last year he tweeted, If only every Muslims could kill 1 Jew, everything would change. The other American, Malik John, said in an interview that he decided to leave the Shabab two months ago, Reuters reported. I hated them because I found their ideology was totally wrong, John said, adding he surrendered to take advantage of an amnesty offered by the Somali government to persuade Shabab fighters to surrender. If possible I would like to return [to] my home in Maryland, he said. The defections have come as the Shahab is under intense pressure. On Monday, the Pentagon confirmed that a U.S. airstrike on Dec. 2 killed a top Shabab leader, Abdirahman Sandhere, also known as Ukash, and two associates in what it described as a significant blow to the group. It was the latest in a series of strikes that have killed top Shabab commanders. Sandhere was seen as a possible future leader of the group. Before the rise of Islamic State, the Shabab was attracting hundreds of foreign recruits, mainly from Kenya but also dozens from the U.S., raising fears the fighters could return to America to carry out attacks, or could use social media to incite attacks. According to the Anti-Defamation League, last year Islamic State surpassed the Shabab among militant groups as the foremost recruiter of Americans. Among the U.S. recruits to the Shabab was Alabama-born Omar Hammami, who called himself Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki and rose swiftly through the ranks, recording social media recruitment videos for the group, including a rap. He fell out with the groups leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, and was killed in 2013 after tweeting that his life was in danger. Godane was killed in a U.S. airstrike last year. The Shabab has seen months of internal bickering on whether to remain loyal to Al Qaeda, or to join Islamic State, which has attracted attention in the jihadi world with its slick social media, extreme violence and battlefield successes. Another Somali fighter with the Shabab, Mohammed Makkawi Ibrahim, 31, was killed recently by the group after pledging loyalty to Islamic State, the Sudan Tribune reported. Ibrahim was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2008 killing of a USAID envoy, John Granville, in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. But he managed to escape from prison and fled to Somalia to join the Shabab. Some jihadists on social media expressed disbelief that the Minnesotan, Hassan, could have surrendered to Somali authorities. As Far As i Had Known #MujahidMiski He Was Not From the Ones who Hand themselves over, tweeted one figure with the handle @1LastTweep. Our brother #MujahidMiski got caught by the appostate government of Somalia near Barawe. HE DID NOT HAND HIMSELF OVER TO THEM, tweeted another sympathizer, Abu Ramzi Ashami. But in a sign of the conflict between opposing factions, another extremist, Ibnu Abu Zubayr, apparently an Al Qaeda sympathizer, responded: This far from the reality on the ground. The man surrendered himself to the apostates. The tension between the Shabab and Islamic State deepened last month with the publication of an issue of Islamic States magazine, Dabiq, containing an interview with a Somali radical, Abu Muharib. In it, Muharib urged true Muslims and Somalis to join Islamic State, claiming the Shabab had lost legitimacy. Shabab leaders responded by issuing threats to slit the throats of its fighters who declared loyalty to Islamic State and last month reportedly executed five pro-Islamic State members, according to Terror Monitor, a group that monitors terrorist organizations. Recent days have seen a series of deadly attacks by Shabab fighters against pro-Islamic State members. One leader of a faction, Bashir Abu Numan, posted videos of himself swearing allegiance to Islamic State with several masked, armed men behind him; he was reportedly killed days later. Follow @RobynDixon_LAT for news from Africa The Arizona Tunnel Fire, as of Wednesday afternoon, has burned thousands of acres of land, prompting evacuations for people as well as animals in the affected area. A U.S. clearinghouse for wildfire information, the Arizona Tunnel Fire burned more than 19,700 acres of land after it was reported on Sunday afternoon, per CNN, quoting InciWeb. The said fire is zero percent contained as of writing. The location of the said fire is about 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff. The area in the burn radius of the Tunnel Fire is filled with dry grass, brush, and Ponderosa Pine, according to CBS News. The outlet added that the conditions in the area, combined with windy weather, are allowing the wildfire to spread northeast. "I cannot stress enough how rapidly this fire is moving," Fire Management officer True Brown said. The U.S. Forest Service reported towering flames up to 100 feet (30 meters), according to a New York Post report. Coconino National Forest Spokesperson Brady Smith said that about 200 firefighters were working to control the Arizona Tunnel Fire. The post noted that Coconino County declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a red flag warning was canceled in Arizona due to relaxing winds. However, the said warning remains in five neighboring states, including Nebraska and New Mexico, ABC News mentioned. READ NEXT: Mexico Travel Advisory: Here's Why the U.S. Embassy Issued a Security Alert for Americans Traveling to Zacatecas Arizona Tunnel Fire Evacuations Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman said that an estimated 2,608 people are now in the area. Horsman added that people from 766 households have been evacuated as well as 1,000 animals. ABC News reported that the Red Cross opened a shelter at a local middle school. Meanwhile, the Fort Tuthill County Stables have been opened for goats, horses, pigs, and chickens that reside in the evacuation zone. "The Tunnel Fire has been fueled by high winds and dry conditions, and the county has deployed all available resources," Horstman said in a press conference. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Tuesday, historical-cultural sites, local power, and gas distribution networks are threatened by the Arizona Tunnel Fire. Furthermore, at least 150 businesses are also not safe from the wrath of the blaze. FEMA also approved the federal funding request that would cover up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. How Did the Arizona Tunnel Fire Start? CBS News noted that the Tunnel Fire was first reported around 4:22 p.m. on Sunday. However, the cause of the said tragedy remains unknown, but officials noted that it is currently under investigation. ABC News noted that a decades-long megadrought paired with low humidity and high winds have created the flashpoint condition in the area. Arizona officials urged the public to stay informed on the fire's development on the county's website. READ NEXT: Dallas Mavericks: Is Luka Doncic Playing in Game 3 vs. Jazz? This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Tunnel Fire forces evacuation of nearly 800 homes -From ABC News Former U.S. President Donald Trump walked out of an interview with Piers Morgan after the British TV host pressed on election fraud claims during the 2020 presidential election. Morgan said at one point in the interview that Trump had not produced "hard evidence" of voter fraud, which caused Trump to lash out, according to a Washington Post report. Trump called the British broadcaster "very dishonest" in remarks to the production crew, and said, "I don't think you're real." The former president also called the host a "fool" while describing himself as a "very honest man." Morgan told Trump at one point that the 2020 presidential election "was a free and fair election," adding that Trump lost. Trump then replied by saying, "only a fool would think that," according to a New York Post report. The preview clip of the interview ended with Trump getting out of his seat and telling the production to "turn the camera off," while muttering "very dishonest" while he was walking away. Morgan revealed that he also told the former president that he blamed his refusal to admit defeat for the Capitol riot that took place on January 6, 2021. Trump responded by saying, "Then you're a fool! And you haven't studied." READ NEXT: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is the 45th President of the United States? Donald Trump Interview with Piers Morgan Piers Morgan said he and Donald Trump have an almost 15-year friendship starting when the British TV host won Celebrity Apprentice in 2008, according to a Daily Mail News report. Morgan revealed that one hour before the interview was scheduled, someone had sent Trump a list of quotes where Morgan had been sharply critical of the former president. Some of the quotes include "Trump's a supreme narcissist," and "he's now acting like a Mafia mob boss," as well as "all because Donald's stupendous ego couldn't accept losing and sent him nuts." Trump reportedly shouted at Morgan saying, "I thought we were friends." He added that it was disloyal, asking why Morgan would say it all about him. Trump and Morgan have had a turbulent friendship, with Morgan's public criticisms and praises of the former president. The former president has not shown any signs of giving up on election fraud claims during the 2020 presidential election. He was maintaining his allegations that the election was "rigged" and "stolen" in rallies across the country. Election Fraud Claims Election fraud claims have been rejected by courts, state governments, and members of his own former administration. In addition, Trump and his supporters have also sought to play down or deny the violence that took place on January 6, according to a Reuters report. The top U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have concluded that there was no widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr said at the time that he had not seen any evidence of fraud that would have changed the election results. Barr said in a later interview with journalist Jonathan Karl that if there was evidence of fraud, he had no "motive to suppress it." READ MORE: Donald Trump Mocks Joe Biden After Being Sanctioned by Russia, Says He Could Talk to Vladimir Putin to Prevent World War III This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Donald Trump walks out on Piers Morgan - from TalkTV Non-government organizations (NGOs) in El Salvador on Tuesday asked the judiciary to declare unconstitutional a new law that could allegedly criminalize media reporting on gangs. According to France 24, human rights organization Cristosal and the Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) filed the lawsuit with the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. Ruth Elenora Lopez, a representative for Cristosal, said the law reform pushed by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele would mean that journalists can be prosecuted for reporting, Al Jazeera reported. "The reforms are imposing an absolute limitation of rights, particularly on journalism," Lopez noted. APES president Cesar Castro said the reform imposed a gag on the right of journalists or media to inform the public. "It is an attack on freedom of information," Castro noted. France 24 reported that both organizations do not have much confidence that the lawsuit will go forward since the Constitutional Chamber is allied with Nayib Bukele's administration. READ NEXT: Florida Senate OKs Bill That Will Repeal Disney's Self-Governing Status | Here's What May Happen El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele Criminalizes the Sharing of Gang Messages El Salvador's Congress approved a request from President Nayib Bukele to criminalize media organizations or entities that will share gang-related messages on April 6. The measure, which disallowed reproducing and transmitting information from gangs "that could generate anxiety and panic among the general population," included a jail time from 10 to 15 years for offenders. Several media organizations have slammed Bukele for the measure. Inter American Press Association president Jorge Canahuati called the move a legal gag, saying that no country will be able to stop the violence by censoring public opinion. El Salvador's Journalist Association also commented on Bukele's measure, noting that the move will create an illusion that is not faithful to the truth. On Wednesday, Bukele took to Twitter to sarcastically hit his critics about him criminalizing journalism. eL sAlVaDoR iS cRiMiNaLiZiNg JoUrNaLiSm! https://t.co/yv94KJRpLA Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 20, 2022 El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele on Gang Crackdown El Salvador declared a state of emergency in late March following a weekend of violence that included at least 87 killings. In declaring the state of emergency, Nayib Bukele said the country had a new spike in homicides, an issue they "had worked so hard to reduce." Bukele blamed it on the Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as MS-13. Early this month, the president noted that 6,000 suspected gang members had been arrested since the order came into force. Bukele insisted that the detainees were all gang members and would not be released, according to The Guardian News report. Using emergency powers, the police and the military rounded up thousands of suspected gang members that allowed them to do so without warrants. Police forces claim to have captured the MS-13 leaders who ordered the killings. However, there is growing evidence that ordinary people who live or work in gang-operated areas have also been arbitrarily arrested. Children will also be allowed to be tried for most serious offenses. On Wednesday, Nayib Bukele also announced the latest number of gang members arrested in the country on Twitter. According to Bukele, more than 14,000 gang members were "off the streets" 25 days after implementing the state of emergency. Mas de 14,000 terroristas fuera de nuestras calles, en solo 25 dias. Seguimos#GuerraContraPandillas https://t.co/KBsZxW5x0P Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 20, 2022 READ MORE: Arizona Tunnel Fire Chars Over 19K Acres of Land; Prompts Evacuation for People, Animals This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: El Salvador's Crackdown On Gang Members Sparks Concerns Of Human Rights Violations - From NBC News An Oklahoma man was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to smuggle guns to Mexico for Mexican drug cartels. According to The News Tribune, Andrew Scott Pierson, 46, was sentenced in Little Rock, Arkansas on Wednesday for his November 9 guilty plea. The Oklahoma man faced up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million at sentencing, the Associated Press reported. An unidentified Arkansas man reported receiving gun components to process, which he recognized as counterfeit. The incident took place in 2017. Federal agents had linked it back to an organization in Laredo, Texas, smuggling the parts to Pierson in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. In December 2018, Pierson turned himself over to federal agents at the Laredo port of entry and admitted ordering and receiving firearm parts from the United States. The Oklahoma man also admitted to manufacturing automatic firearms in Mexico for the Northeastern and Jalisco New Generation cartels. Authorities had confirmed that Pierson's arrest impaired cartel weapons availability, ABC 7 reported. READ NEXT: El Chapo's Sons of Sinaloa Cartel Organized a 'Narco Fiesta' Ahead of Christmas Day in Mexico Town, Raffled off Brand New Cars Oklahoma Man Smuggling Guns to Mexico for Mexican Drug Cartels In pushing against a higher sentence, the defense for Andrew Scott Pierson argued that the government had no way to identify the impact of their client's actions on others, according to KFOR News. However, prosecutors claimed that Pierson's six years working with the Mexican drug cartels justified a stricter penalty. U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross said Pierson's participation in the exportation and manufacturing of illegal firearms to Mexican drug cartels is an inexcusable contribution to the violence done by the group. Ross noted that they are committed to prosecuting any case that will help prevent criminal groups from acquiring firearms. Pierson was the sixth person to plead guilty to charges regarding the case. According to the prosecutors, one of those indicted is still in Mexico as a fugitive. The Jalisco Cartel in Mexico The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels. It is allegedly involved in mass graves, kidnappings, acid baths, and video recording beheadings. The Jalisco cartel had risen to power after Mexican security forces killed former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel in July 2010. Two groups fought for control of the drug trafficking in Jalisco state upon Coronel's death. The Torcidos and La Resistencia were the two factions that fought. The Torcidos now became the Jalisco cartel and rose as the successors to the Sinaloan cap's network in the region, according to InsightCrime. Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera is currently leading the Jalisco cartel. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest as he continues to evade capture. Mexico, on the other hand, has offered a reward of 30 million pesos or US$1.6 million. READ MORE: U.S. Agents Can't Just Step on Mexico's Soil to Arrest El Chapo's Sons of Sinaloa Cartel, Pres. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Says This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Trafficking Mexican Cartel Guns Through Arkansas - From KARK 4 News A 13-year-old boy in Mexico shot and killed his stepfather, an ex-military, on Monday but told a different story to authorities to evade arrest. According to El Universal, Rafael "B" was a former sergeant from the Mexican army. The victim's stepson, with the initials OMJR, told the authorities that two men knocked on the door of their home in the Anahuac neighborhood in Mexico City at around 6:50 a.m. The boy said Rafael opened the door and looked into the street, where one of the men suddenly shot him in the head before they fled on foot, Informador reported. After the boy screamed for help, neighbors reportedly tried to help the victim. However, the ex-military was declared dead by paramedics who arrived at the scene. READ NEXT: Indiana: Dead Boy Zipped Into Suitcase; Police Ask Public's Help to Identify the Child Boy in Mexico Lies About Killing His Ex-Military Stepfather Officers assigned to the case investigated the surveillance cameras located a few meters from the ex-military man's home to find the killers. However, officials saw a scenario different from the story given by the victim's stepson. El Universal reported that the surveillance footage showed that Rafael was walking with his stepson behind him. The boy was then seen manipulating the front of his pants as if he were trying to remove an object. After a few minutes, a gunshot was heard, and the boy started to scream for help, then ran towards the house, and then left again. Authorities said there was no other person seen passing by, prompting them to question the boy about what happened. The minor reportedly admitted that he was the one who shot his stepfather. He said he killed the ex-military because her was constantly mistreating him. Officers revealed that the boy used a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber in killing his stepfather. The said firearm was provided to him by a mechanic named Daniel. However, the boy did not provide any additional details regarding the provider of the gun. Man in Mexico's Sinaloa State Locks His Mom to Intoxicate Her A mother in Mexico's Sinaloa state was also victimized by her son after he locked her up and let the gas flow in her home. According to Informador, Juan Carlos "N," 42, was arrested on Wednesday by police officers from the El Castillo town in Sinaloa for locking up his mother and opening the gas taps to cause her acute intoxication. The mother has detected a strong smell of gas inside her home that made her think about a possible gas leak, but to her surprise, she found out that she had been locked inside her house. The mother then told responding police officers that her son tried to intoxicate her by opening the gas keys. The son was charged with attempted femicide after he was arrested. READ MORE: Arizona Tunnel Fire Chars Over 19K Acres of Land; Prompts Evacuation for People, Animals This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Beating Domestic Violence in Mexico - From CGTN America The January 6 panel is currently discussing the possibility of rewriting the 1807 Insurrection Act, a measure that gives the president wide authority to deploy the military within the U.S. to respond to a rebellion. According to Daily Mail, the House select committee's discussions are preliminary, as some saw a doomsday type scenario where a "future rogue president" might try to use the military to start an insurrection. However, others expressed concern about removing the power of a president to immediately deploy armed troops. Former President Donald Trump has never invoked the law as president. However, Trump threatened to use it against protesters in Lafayette Square who were protesting the police killing of George Floyd. Trump adviser Stephen Miller also proposed using it at the southwestern border. But the idea was rejected by Defense Secretary Mark Esper at the time. READ NEXT: Donald and Melania Trump Marriage: How Do the Former White House Couple Manage to Stay Together for Over a Decade January 6 Panel on 1807 Insurrection Act According to New York Times, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a member of the January 6 committee, said many of them see that the Insurrection Act needs a review. She noted that the former president has threatened to invoke it multiple times throughout 2020. People close to Donald Trump were reportedly pushing him to invoke the act to stay in office. Michael Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, attended a meeting in December 2020, wherein participants talked about seizing voting machines, declaring a national emergency, and invoking certain national security emergency powers. A long-time confidant of Trump, Roger J. Stone Jr., also floated the idea. In an interview, Stone told conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that the former president should consider invoking the Insurrection Act. Leader of the Oath Keepers militia group, Stewart Rhodes, wrote an open letter to Trump in December 2020, urging him to use the Insurrection Act to "stop the steal," start seizing voting data and order a new election. Republicans have insisted that Congress should not amend the Insurrection Act, arguing that it would slow down the president when an immediate response is needed. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican, said in 2020 that it would hinder and "delay needed action" to maintain domestic peace. Capitol Riot Investigation A member of the House committee investigating the Capitol riot said Donald Trump might be called to testify about the events of January 6, Newsweek reported. Rep. Jamie Raskin noted that the committee has not yet decided whether it will ask for the former president or Vice President Mike Pence to testify as part of the Capitol riot investigation. Raskin said the incident was a "coup organized by the president against the vice president and against the Congress" in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. He added that "we were saved" by Pence's act of defiance to follow Trump's order to block the certification of President Joe Biden's win. So far, the January 6 panel has managed to gather more than 100,000 documents and conducted more than 800 interviews. READ MORE: Donald Trump Mocks Joe Biden After Being Sanctioned by Russia, Says He Could Talk to Vladimir Putin to Prevent World War III This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: House January 6 Committee Considers Update To 1807 Insurrection Act Law | Zerlina. - From MSNBC The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee has officially opened the new Horses of Hope Equine Centre at Castlerea Prison. The Department of Justice says the new equine centre has been developed on grounds adjacent to Castlerea Prison and has introduced a new innovative prisoner programme, where prisoners learn practical skills that will assist in securing employment in the equine industry post release. A statement said the development is the result of an innovative partnership project, spearheaded by Jonathan Irwin, between the horse racing industry and the Irish Prison Service. Many years ago, Jonathan witnessed first-hand an equine correctional programme in the USA which is premised on the natural affinity between a human and a horse. Evidence from equine programmes internationally demonstrates that people in custody can learn practical skills that can be leveraged for future employment opportunities, foster responsibility and build confidence and self-belief while also developing compassion through the care of animals. Speaking about the new equine facility Minster McEntee said: I am delighted to be here today to officially open this new equine facility, Horses of Hope on the grounds of Castlerea Prison. This is a truly innovative and progressive addition to the prison estate, which will enhance the rehabilitative and employment options for all those who work and train here in the years to come. The Minister acknowledged the contribution of the equine industry to the project and said they had an important part to play in the rehabilitation of the prisoners involved, noting that the work to prevent reoffending does not stop at a prison gate on release. The Minister added: Finding and securing meaningful and purposeful work and activity after release from prison is absolutely essential to give people real hope. It gives people the opportunity to have a different, better life for themselves and their families upon release. This is why this programme, which provides a real pathway to employment and opportunities for the future, is so important. "As Minister for Justice I am committed to preventing and reducing reoffending in our communities, but also helping to divert offenders away from a life of crime. Rehabilitation, training and education for those who are in prison is key to that. Also speaking at the event on behalf of the equestrian industry was the former RTE horseracing presenter Robert Hall. Im so proud that as global leaders on the racecourse and within all equine activities, Ireland should embrace this hugely exciting project. "This will help broaden our prowess across the full spectrum. With a syllabus that includes every aspect of responsible horse ownership we can help to reduce reoffending, while also educating a potential workforce. It also offers a valuable additional purpose for suitable horses and ponies. Indeed, Castlerea can become a worldwide role model, he said. Adding water to the stunning stone fountains in Abbeyleix could help win the Laois town the title of Ireland's Tidiest Town. Last year Abbeyleix won Ireland's Tidiest Small Town, but was just one mark below the overall national winners Ennis. The pretty planned town has five stone fountains built by the De Vesci family, previous owners of Abbey Leix House, now the home of tech billionaire and Stripe co-founder John Collison. A fountain in Abbeyleix, Laois. Photo: Dom Reddin Cllr John Joe Fennelly tabled a motion to the April meeting of Portlaoise Muncipical District, asking Laois County Council to service the two fountains on Main Street, so that they are operational for the summer season. "People like to see them working. They don't like to see nothing coming out. It is done on a motor. And when it does flow, they want to get clear water," he said. In reply, area engineer Wes Wilkinson explained the efforts underway. "Laois County Council is currently in the process of appointing a structural engineer with masonry conservation expertise. Once appointed, this location will be examined for refurbishment and conservations works mid 2022," he said. "I'm happy with that," Cllr Fennelly said. A man who broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend received a two months custody term, backdated to take account of time served in custody, at Naas District Court on April 20. He was prosecuted for making a threat as well as a breach of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act. The court was told previously that he smashed a pane of glass in a door at 5.55am at a west Kildare house on February 20 last. And defending solicitor David Powderly said that the defendant had been refused bail in the District Court and in the High Court. Garda Michael ODonovan said that the defendant was in contact with his former partner at 6am on February 20 and made several threats. Read more Kildare news The garda said the defendant said if the door was not open hed break into the house. He said the defendant broke a window in the back door but did not go further into the house because an inside door was locked. The court also heard that the defendant sustained a bad cut to his right hand in the incident and this required hospital treatment. Judge John OLeary was also told that the defendant lived there up to a week before and hed been in a relationship with the woman. They have a young child and it was the childs birthday. Gda ODonovan said there had been a relationship for three years and she tried to break away from him. He also said she had been physically and verbally abused and she felt worthless and emotionally drained. She feels she has taken a stand against a domestic issue since he went into custody. Sgt Jim Kelly said the defendant had five previous convictions and the injured party did not want to attend court. Defending solicitor David Powderly said prison has had a sobering effect on the defendant and this was needed. He said he had alcohol taken on the night and should not have gone to the house. The court heard that the defendants family have stood by him just about and he had a history of trouble with alcohol taken. He will live at home with his parents. The two months spent in prison had caused him anxiety and nervousness. Judge OLeary applied the Probation Act on condition that the defendant stays off alcohol or any other intoxicant. He also ordered that he pay 200 to the injured party for the damage caused and he must keep the peace for two years. Tsinghua University launches report to promote climate risk analysis by businesses Xinhua) 09:50, April 21, 2022 SINGAPORE, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Tsinghua University's Center for Green Finance Research (CGFR) on Wednesday launched a new report here to urge corporates and financial institutions to embed climate risks in their decision-making processes. Named Pricing Climate Risks in Asia, the report unpacks the different methodologies and approaches for climate risk analysis, examining the limitations of current practices and outlining areas of opportunity, according to a press release. While existing tools are helpful, climate-related risk analysis is still in its infancy and methodologies are being constantly updated to allow for more granular analysis. "Businesses cannot count on conventional analytical tools to measure climate risks given their characteristics of non-linearity and unprecedentedness and must be prepared to adopt the latest tools and methodologies from all sources available," said Sun Tianyin, deputy director of CGFR. The report points out that actively managing environmental, social, and governance issues and participating in disclosure initiatives will result in lower systemic risks, which leads to higher investor confidence and can enhance a business' competitive advantage. The report was unveiled at the Ecosperity Conversations session, held in partnership with the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2022. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has condemned the acts committed by some extremists in the Kingdom of Sweden by burning copies of the Holy Quran, saying it represents a deliberate offence to provoke the feelings of Muslims worldwide 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. This year the Energia and GIY 'Get Ireland Growing' initiative aims to sow the seed of community food growing by giving away 300 community growing starter kits across Ireland worth 42,500 and they are encouraging communities across Leitrim to get involved. Due to Covid-19 people re-evaluated how important local communities are for physical and mental wellbeing. Green spaces became a sanctuary for most people during the pandemic, particularly in the height of lockdowns and for those without a garden. As Ireland continues to reopen and normalise, Energia and GIY hope to encourage communities to regenerate green spaces in their local areas and further re-ignite community spirit and connection. Commenting on the Get Ireland Growing initiative, Sponsorship Manager at Energia, Lorna Danaher said: We are passionate about helping communities across Ireland become more sustainable and connected. We know more people are increasingly interested in trying to live a more sustainable life but are not always sure how or where to start. Energia and GIY have shared goals in wanting to support communities to be more resilient, connected, and sustainable, ensuring our legacy to future generations is a positive one. How to get involved If you are already part of a community group, for example, a residents association, a Mens Shed, a Tidy Town Association, a parents association, or an environmental community network, now is your chance to bring food growing into your group activities. If you are not yet part of a community group, you can still take part. Bring the idea to the friend group bring seeds along to the coffee morning or evening book club. Then, plan your activities. You could plant in each others gardens or host a growing morning together to swap seedlings. You could go one step further and see if there is a local vegetable patch in your community or a local star grower that you can learn from. For your local community groups, consider your local sports groups, and residents associations, and connect with your county council. To register with 'Get Ireland Growing' and be in for the chance of winning a Community Growing Kit that contains seeds to share with your group, please visit www.getirelandgrowing.ie Energia Get Ireland Growing was first launched in 2016 to promote community food growing projects nationwide. Through this initiative, Energia has supported over 250 community groups with grants totalling 220,000. The recipients include schools, NGOs and Not for Profits, community gardens and allotment groups, GIY groups, hospitals, creches, direct provision centres and men's sheds across the country. For further information visit the Get Ireland Growing website at www.getirelandgrowing.ie and share your seed growing pictures across social using #GetIrelandGrowing Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 9, 2019. MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP China said on Tuesday, April 19, that it had signed a framework agreement on security cooperation with the Solomon Islands, an archipelago of 700,000 people located about 1,500 kilometers northeast of Australia. The agreement was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Solomon Islands counterpart, Jeremiah Manele. It's a major setback for Australia and the United States. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin did not say where or when the agreement was reached. But the announcement was made hours before a high-level U.S. delegation sent by the White House was to fly to the Melanesian archipelago to express Washington's concerns. The prime minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, said on Wednesday that the agreement had been signed "with open eyes" but refused to say when the content would be made public. In March, Reuters revealed the content of the letter of intent signed by the minister of police and national security for the Solomon Islands, Anthony Veke, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Xiaohong, deputy minister of public security. It states that the Solomon Islands, which occupy a central place on the front line between the United States and China in the Oceania region, "may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people's lives and property, providing humanitarian assistance or providing assistance on other tasks." Whereas China, "may, according to its own needs make ship visits to carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in the Solomon Islands, and the relevant forces of China can be used to protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in the Solomon Islands." More on this topic Subscribers only 'Never has China traded so much with the West, yet never has it seemed so distant from it.' 'A disturbing precedent' In November 2021, riots shook the archipelago, pitting the inhabitants of the main island of Guadalcanal against those of Malaita, whose populations have long-standing rivalries. Prime Minister Sogavare had claimed that the demonstrators who were protesting the deterioration of their living conditions were manipulated by those who opposed his decision, taken in 2019, to no longer maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, in favor of Beijing. More than 200 soldiers and police officers from Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were deployed there to restore order. Although the prime minister said in early April that he would not allow China to build a military base in the archipelago, Westerners are concerned about Beijing's presence so far from its shores. In Australia, some fear that the Solomon Islands could become the "Djibouti of the Pacific." Djibouti, in northeast Africa, is currently the only military base China has deployed abroad. You have 38.84% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. To see more pictures click NEXT THREE prominent Limerick women have been afforded a prestigious civic honour from Mayor Daniel Butler. The council's chamber at Dooradoyle played host to a mayoral reception which saw Northern Trust general manager Catherine Duffy, Vicki O'Toole, the managing director of JJ O'Toole and former council communications executive Laura Ryan recognised. Ms O'Toole was lauded by Mayor Butler for her "outstanding leadership in business" and being an "inspiration for new entrepreneurs in Limerick." Ms Ryan drew praise for her leadership in addressing Limerick's image and creating the 'edge/embrace' brand to drive the county forward economically, socially and culturally. And Ms Duffy, a former Limerick Chamber president, was given a reception to recognise her leadership in business, plus her commitment to advance Limerick economically. Mayor Butler said: "It was a great honour for me to be able to acknowledge the incredible contributions by these individuals to local civic life. They represent the incredible leadership that has driven our city forward to the successes we now celebrate." "Catherine in humble but earnest efforts has made Northern Trust the success it is locally starting with 19 employees when she began to the now 1400. Beyond that her championing of Limerick at various times and as part of many local committees has been of great value to Limerick and the region. She is a woman truly at the top of her game but also one of great humility, generosity and grace," said the first citizen. Meanwhile, speaking of Ms O'Toole, he added: "Vicki has and continues to be an incredible business woman driving a local family business to national and international success. Her resilience and innate strength are some of her great qualities. In more recent times she has been very generous with her knowledge and experience sharing with up and coming business people representing us with great pride. She is indeed a worthy recipient and a force to be reckoned with." While Ms Ryan, who is now working in communications at the University of Limerick, said: "Laura will be known to many as someone in the background who has joined the dots of our success sharing our new story as a city and county. When she began her role Limerick was a punch bag for the media and was undergoing challenges no doubt but unfairly portrayed nationally and international. She through her passion and ability transformed the Limerick story through the successes of Limerick.ie and the Limerick Edge and Embrace brand and much more. Thanks to her we now more importantly tell ourselves a more confident story of ourselves that we deserve to tell." UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick has recorded a record number of patients on trolleys in Irish hospitals. There are currently 126 people waiting on trolleys at the hospital, the highest number of patient overcrowding in any Irish hospital since the INMO began its TrolleyWatch in 2006. The number of patients on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick today make up over 28% of the total number of patients on trolleys across the country today (442 patients). INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Mary Fogarty said: "The fact that we are seeing a record number of patients on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick on the 21st of April means that the bed management system is completely broken. "The INMO has been sounding the alarm on issues within UHL for years. We need to see the emergency plan activated for the hospital this morning and a public announcement of same. "Hospital management need to urgently stop admitting patients for elective care as there are no beds within the hospital. The system is completely congested." Ms Fogarty continued: "INMO members in University Hospital Limerick are reporting significant work-related stress due to the persistent overcrowding and inability of provide appropriate care to all admitted patients. They are exhausted and burnt out. "As well as trying to deal with a completely unsafe environment they also are dealing with public dissatisfaction and impatience with the situation in the hospital. They also have serious concerns for the safety of patients and have advised management repeatedly of same. "The situation in UHL has been allowed to fester for far too long. We need to see real, meaningful short, medium, and long-term action. Patients, nurses, midwives, and the wider hospital community deserve so much better." UHL have apologised to patients who are currentlty facing long waits for a bed at the hospital. A spokesperson for the UL Hospital Group said: "This is not the care we wish to provide for our patients and we would like to assure patients and their loved ones that management and staff are making every effort to minimise wait times for admitted patients. "The hospital remains under severe pressure as a result of sustained high demand at our Emergency Department. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week a total of 273 and 259 patients attended our ED. This compares to the average 209 daily attendances during 2021, our busiest year on record. "At 8am this morning, April 21st, there were a total of 85 admitted patients waiting for a bed outside of designated bed areas. This included patients in the Emergency Department, Medical and Surgical Assessment Units and on the wards. "There were not 126 patients waiting on trolleys at UHL today. However the numbers waiting for a bed remain far too high, resulting in poor patient experiences." The statement went on to say that the level of escalation at the hospital has been raised which will result in cancellations in scheduled care. "The number of patients who require 1:1 care at UHL is currently high at over 40 patients and this reflects the complex care needs and acuity of illness of patients at present. "We acknowledge the tremendous work being done by all of our staff at UL Hospitals Group to meet current service demands and to keep patients safe." COUNCIL has ruled out the possibility of more public toilets in Limerick until funding is made available. It costs up to 30,000 to install such an amenity, and Social Democrats councillor Elisa O'Donovan saw a notice of motion passed at this month's metropolitan meeting seeking more loos in the city and its surrounds. In particular, she wants to see a self-cleaning toilet in all public parks. Addressing the meeting, Cllr O'Donovan said: "The lack of public toilets in the city is something that is consistently raised to me particularly by people with young families and older women. I think the situation at the moment is that we do have some self cleaning toilets in some areas but these frequently break down or are out of order and are quite old." She highlighted the toilets in the Mungret Park, saying many of her constituents have complained that there are is not much in the way of instructions on how to use it. "People try and use it mid-cycle when its cleaning and this causes it to break down," she reported, "The Mungret park toilet is frequently out of order. Each year we allocate significant funding in the budget for public toilets maintenance by what I believe to be a private company to maintain? I would like to see well maintained public toilets with clear instructions on how to use them in the city centre and in all our public parks in the metropolitan district." Labour councillor Conor Sheehan seconded the motion. But planning director Nuala Gallagher said with the installation of public toilets costing between 25,000 to 30,000, any requests for these would be contingent on funding being made available. In the city centre, she confirmed there are two public toilets - one at Bedford Row, near Dunnes Stores, the other beside the People's Park. LIMERICK Twenty Thirty has opened talks with potential investors on developing the former Cleeve's toffee factory in the city. And a planning application is to be submitted for the land by next year. The development company is charged with managing the vast site just off the North Circular Road, after it was taken into public ownership. This occurred when Limerick City and County Council purchased the area from the Kerry Group for 3.5m. However, up to now, there has been little major development on site, with the old factory being used for parking, pop-up isolation facilities for Covid-19 patients, and the venue for the outdoor Bread Not Profits play in 2019 among other things. At this month's metropolitan meeting, Labour councillor Joe Leddin asked what are the next steps in the process to complete the masterplan for the land - and also sought a timeframe. In a written reply, the chief executive of Limerick Twenty Thirty David Conway stated its executive is in market discussions with potential investors and developers regarding funding and delivery options for the site. "A funding and delivery plan will be completed shortly. This 10-acre site will require substantial market investment along with Urban Regeneration and Development funding for its delivery as a key strategic site for Limerick, which will cater for residential, commercial, community and cultural zones, in addition to a large new public realm space," he said. Mr Conway confirmed the public consultation stage and completion of the masterplan for the site will be undertaken in the second half of this year. A submission of a planning application is then targetted for 2023, the chief executive added. A LIMERICK family have claimed their life changing 250,000 prize from Lotto HQ. The family syndicate won the money on Saturday night in the Lotto Plus 2 draw. The family had a celebratory Easter weekend after purchasing their ticket for the April 16 draw at the Centra store in the Woodview Shopping Centre in Moylish, Old Cratloe Road on the outskirts of Limerick city. Meanwhile, a Lotto winner from Louth had a memorable trip to Dublin this week to collect a cheque worth 1 million. The Wee County winner scooped the top prize in the Lotto Plus 1 draw on Saturday 9th April after purchasing their winning ticket at the Spar Cherrymount store on the Donore Road in Drogheda. The Drogheda man, who is remaining anonymous, spoke of the overwhelming shock and joy he felt after checking his numbers: "It was a normal day and I was just going about my usual routine when I decided to sit down with a cup of tea and check my ticket. "First, I saw I had three numbers and then four and then you can imagine the shock when I went through them all. I couldnt tell you how many times I checked my numbers I was scanning with the ticket with my phone and then looking over the numbers myself to be fully certain. "I decided to give a family member a call then to get them to have a look as well. Sure then the two of us were double checking! "Its been nerve-wracking holding on to the ticket since the big night so Im delighted to finally be in the Winners Room to hand it over! It still seems so surreal so Ill definitely be taking my time to decide what to do next." Ireland will not cap the number of refugees it accepts even as the Government admits it is facing a struggle to house arriving Ukrainians, the Irish Justice Minister said. Around 25,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the Republic of Ireland since the war began at the end of February. While numbers arriving have fallen in recent days, the Government expects it to rise again in the coming weeks. Minister Helen McEntee, speaking in Government Buildings on Thursday, insisted that Ukrainian refugees will continue to be welcomed. She indicated the Government will avoid, if possible, forcing people or businesses to give up property or open their homes to Ukrainian refugees. The Millstreet Arena in Co Cork is being used to house at least 70 refugees, with the expectation that mass or emergency forms of accommodation will play a more central role in Irish efforts to welcome Ukrainians. Obviously we want to make sure that we dont find ourselves in a situation where we dont have space and accommodation, because weve been very clear were not going to turn people away. Were not going to put a cap on the number of people, Ms McEntee said. She said every option is being explored. We want to encourage people to come forwards, not to force anybody to have to give up their property or accommodation. Ms McEntee said she would back plans to financially help households taking in Ukrainian refugees. There are people who are looking for it, there are others who arent, but I think obviously if we get to a situation where we want to encourage more people to offer up accommodation, that might be an option. Were very aware that theres an increase in costs in electricity and fuel, even in food prices. So I think what wed have to establish is how we would cover those costs. I dont think anybodys looking to make money out of this. Minister Roderic OGorman, whose department is leading efforts to house refugees fleeing the war-torn country, earlier admitted that mass accommodation would increasingly be used in response to the crisis. Mr OGorman said such accommodation is not the preference but he expects refugees to be there for a number of weeks. He added: Its not the gold standard, its not what we would like to see everybody living in, but we are in a crisis situation. Were in a European-wide war, and we are doing our very best to provide shelter and provide safety to Ukrainians. He indicated the limit had been reached on the use of hotel accommodation as the busy summer tourist season approaches. The Department of Integration, he said, is trying to find other accommodation. He told RTE radio the Government is speaking to universities and colleges. Accommodation like Millstreet, that kind of grouped accommodation, is going to become a larger feature of how we provide for people, the minister said. We have to be upfront about that. Its whats been used in many European countries from very early on in this crisis. Mr OGorman said he is aware of calls from various organisations for a national director to co-ordinate the countrys response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. However, he did not say whether such a proposal is being considered. Ms McEntee played down any suggestion a national director or even a specific minister could be appointed to co-ordinate the response. Also speaking on RTE radio, the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland admitted she has concerns about the use of emergency accommodation. Larysa Gerasko said: Its not the best accommodation, even temporarily, but I fully understand that Ireland is facing a challenge, a housing challenge. Also, Ireland is a small country. Click here to read the full article. A$AP Rocky was released on a $550,000 bond following his arrest at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday morning (April 20) in connection with an alleged shooting that took place in November 2021, according to documents cited in multiple media reports. The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was detained on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport, according said the Los Angeles Police Department in a statement to the Associated Press. Rocky was arrested on his way back to Los Angeles while departing from a private plane after a trip to Barbados with his pregnant girlfriend, Rihanna. According to NBC News, who was the first to report the news of the arrest, the rapper was released less than three hours later after posting bond. Records show he has a court date set for Aug. 17. The LAPD reports the victim of the non-fatal shooting claimed the rapper went up to him in Hollywood on Nov. 6 with a gun in hand and fired multiple shots one of which grazed his left hand. Following the shooting, the suspect and two additional males were seen fleeing the scene on foot. Although the victim sustained a minor injury from the incident, LAPD shared he did seek medical treatment. Rockys history of publicized arrests dates back to 2019 when the rapper was arrested and charged with assault in Sweden where he faced a six-month sentence, with the counterargument being self-defense. Prosecutors alleged that the victim was punched, kicked and attacked with a bottle for which Rocky spent almost five weeks in jail before his release though he was later found guilty. Variety will have more on the situation as it develops. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The Florida Legislature voted Thursday to terminate Disneys self-governing district in Orlando, in a move intended to retaliate for the companys opposition to the so-called Dont Say Gay bill. The House of Representatives approved the bill on a vote of 70-38, a day after the measure passed through the state Senate. The bill is expected to be signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill would dissolve the 40-square-mile district that Disney controls, called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as of June 1, 2023. DeSantis has taken aim at special privileges for Disney, since the company announced its opposition to the Parental Rights in Education law last month. The bill forbids classroom discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade, and it mandates that all discussion in later grades be age appropriate. Parents are also given the power to sue school districts over alleged violations. Disney came out against the law only after an uprising from its own employees, who faulted the company for staying silent in the face of an anti-LGBT agenda. DeSantis countered that the state would not be governed by Disneys woke agenda and that Disney exercised undue influence over the Legislature for decades. The Legislature created the Reedy Creek district in 1967, giving Disney almost total control over zoning, public services and utilities at the Walt Disney World Resort and its three other Orlando theme parks. The bill was introduced just two days ago, as part of a special session to consider congressional redistricting, and it passed without any analysis of the financial impacts. Orange and Osceola counties would likely have to assume responsibility for public services in the area. The government would also have to take on the districts debt, which currently stands at nearly $1 billion. Scott Randolph, the elected Orange County tax collector, tweeted on Wednesday that eliminating the district would cost the county $163 million per year for services and debt payments. The move could well face legal challenges. Disney did not issue a comment. The Legislature also passed a bill to remove a special carve-out for Disney from the states social media censorship law. The law is intended to regulate social media platforms, but its on hold pending a federal lawsuit. Just before it was approved last year, legislators created an exemption for any company that owns a theme park in the state, in a move to protect Disney+. The bill passed on Thursday removes that exemption. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Jack White appeared on The Late Show to perform his recent track, Whats the Trick?, and to chat with Stephen Colbert about his career. Appearing with his band, White offered a gritty, raucous rendition of the bluesy song, off his new album Fear of the Dawn. White sat down with Colbert to discuss Fear of the Dawn, as well as his recent surprise wedding to Olivia Jean and a piece of sage advice he once received from Prince. Third Man Records is preparing to release an unreleased Prince album and White explained to Colbert that slowly the songs have been released over time, but the actual album as whole, as a piece, together has not been released. I met him one time, White added of Prince. At an afterparty for this thing. He was incredibly nice He told me, No one will ever tell you how to play your guitar, Jack.' White released Fear of the Dawn in April and has plans to release a second 2022 album, Entering Heaven Alive, on July 22. Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive mark Whites first solo releases since 2018s Boarding House Reach, while in 2019 he reunited with the Raconteurs for their first album in a decade. Tying the two new solo albums together will be Whites 2021 single, Taking Me Back: Fear of the Dawn will open with the regular version of the song, while Entering Heaven Alive will close with a different version, Taking Me Back (Gently). White is currently on a North American tour in support of the two albums. The run wraps June 11 in Broomfield, Colorado. A second, shorter leg will launch in August. PHOENIX (AP) The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday chose one of the three Republicans running to replace former County Attorney Allister Adel to temporarily fill her post, a move that gives longtime prosecutor Rachel Mitchell incumbent status and a leg up in August's GOP primary. The five-member board dominated by Republicans unanimously chose Mitchell, who gained national attention in 2018 when she was named by U.S. Senate Republicans to question a woman during the confirmation hearing for now-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The woman accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Adel resigned last month amid criticism of her performance, including the dismissal of 180 misdemeanor cases because charges were not filed before the statute of limitations expired. She also was facing scrutiny over whether an admitted alcohol abuse problem was affecting her ability to do the job. The board interviewed all three Republican candidates on Monday and had them answer three questions in writing about how they would do the job, including whether they believe the Republican-dominated board made a mistake when the board certified the 2020 election results. The board has been heavily criticized by Republicans who support former President Donald Trump's unsupported contention that he lost in Maricopa County and Arizona because of fraud. Mitchell and the other two GOP candidates, Anni Foster, Gov. Doug Duceys top lawyer, and Goodyear city prosecutor Gina Godbehere, said the board did the right thing. As a career prosecutor, I deal in evidence, truth, and facts. In the various ballot reviews, recounts, and completed and interim reports concerning the election, every outcome shows that Maricopa County administered a fair election with no evidence of tampering or fraud, Mitchell wrote in her response. The sole Democratic candidate is Julie Gunnigle, who also sought the office in 2020. "I really appreciate that these three candidates spoke out publicly and said the board did not err in certifying the 2020 election, board Chairman Bill Gates told reporters after introducing Mitchell. Foster said on Twitter that she appreciated being interviewed by the board and will make an announcement about my future plans in the coming days. Godbehere also reacted on Twitter, saying she was disappointed the board chose a status quo candidate and is retiring from her Goodyear job to focus on her county attorney campaign. Gates noted that Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich last week released an interim report that outlined his concerns with county election procedures but did not provide proof of any major issues despite six months of investigation. Brnovich is in a tight race for his party's nomination for U.S. Senate and has been courting Trumps endorsement. Trump issued a statement Monday criticizing Brnovich for kicking the can down the road in his report and hinting that he would endorse another Republican in the race. Whoever gets Trump's nod will see a significant boost in a field with no clear Republican frontrunner to take on Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. We want to know that the people who are interested in being county attorney can effectively work with this board, defend this board, Gates said. He said the board will soon release a detailed response to the vague allegations Brnovich made. Mitchell said she will work to boost staffing and restore trust in the office beset by criticism, including over a now-discredited gang case brought against demonstrators at an October 2020 protest over police brutality. She also repeatedly said she would devote her full attention to the job despite running her campaign. She did not criticize Adel, who was often absent or working remotely. Mitchell briefly served as acting county attorney in 2019. The board was required under state law to name a Republican as the interim top prosecutor in the fourth most populous county in the nation. But it was not required to name one of the candidates. Gates said the board did consider whether to pick a Republican who was not seeking the office. And when we looked at that universe, we made a determination that there just wasnt any one that kind of jumped out for us, that would fill the bill any better than these guys, Gates said. And then particularly with Rachel and her experience and the fact that she will she did run the office back in 2019. Gates said there's no guarantee Mitchell will win the election, but the board felt she was highly qualified. And, he said, if she wasn't seeking the office they would not be any criticism because of her qualifications. The ACLU of Arizona criticized the board for the appointment. Voters must be allowed to decide who the next Maricopa County Attorney will be without the huge advantage that incumbency provides, the ACLUs K.M. Bell said in a statement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DILI, East Timor (AP) East Timor's former independence fighter and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta is set to win the presidential runoff election, according to over 60% of the votes counted Wednesday, defeating incumbent Francisco Lu Olo Guterres for the second time in Asia's youngest democracy. Official results are not expected until next week, but Ramos-Horta, who led resistance during Indonesias occupation of East Timor, had 61.72% of the votes counted so far. Guterres was trailing with 38.28% and had promised to accept the outcome. The runoff was held peacefully on Tuesday. Ramos-Horta had a commanding lead in the first round but failed to exceed the 50% threshold for the victory. Ramos-Horta, East Timors president from 2007 to 2012, and Guterres have blamed each other for years of political paralysis. The two also squared off in a second round in 2007. Ramos-Horta pledged to reduce poverty, improve health services for mothers and children and create more jobs if he is elected, and vowed to build communication with the governing parties to restore the nations political stability and prevent a more severe economic downturn. The former Portuguese colony was occupied by Indonesia for a quarter-century and gained independence after a U.N.-sponsored referendum in 1999. Indonesias military responded with scorched-earth attacks that devastated the East Timorese half of the island of Timor. More than 76% of the votes last month went to resistance-era figures, showing how much they dominate politics after two decades despite younger voices emerging. The president is responsible for naming the government and dissolving parliament. The incoming president takes office on May 20, the 20th anniversary of East Timors independence. In 2018, Guterres refused to swear in nine Cabinet nominees from the National Congress of the Reconstruction of East Timor, known as CNRT, a party led by former prime minister and independence leader Xanana Gusmao, who then backed Ramos-Hortas run for president. Guterres is from the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, known by its local acronym Fretilin, which had led resistance to Indonesian rule. Fretilin said that Ramos-Horta is unfit for president, accusing him of causing a crisis as prime minister in 2006, when dozens were killed as political rivalries turned into open conflict on the streets of Dili. The latest impasse led to the resignation of Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak in February 2020. But he agreed to stay on until a new government is formed and to oversee the battle against the coronavirus pandemic with a $250 million war chest. His government has operated without an annual budget and has relied on monthly injections from its sovereign fund savings, called the Petroleum Fund. During his campaign, Ramos-Horta declared he would call an early parliamentary election if a new majority based on the CNRT couldnt be negotiated among the parties in the current parliament. Many are concerned that calling an election early could inflame tensions. East Timor's transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling massive poverty, unemployment and corruption as it continues to struggle with the legacy of its bloody independence battle. Its economy is reliant on dwindling offshore oil revenues. Turnout in the second round was 71.6%, or 6% lower than in the first round. 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 sisters tried to smuggle a migrant they claimed was their uncle, according to an arrest affidavit. On April 12, a black Mazda 6 arrived at the Interstate 35 checkpoint. Agents identified the driver as Karinthia Janelle Moncivais, 29, and Amanda Janette Moncivais, 24, as the passenger. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee's governor on Thursday called off what would have been the state's first execution since the pandemic began, granting a temporary reprieve to the oldest inmate on death row for what was called an oversight" in preparations for the lethal injection. Republican Gov. Bill Lee didn't elaborate on what exactly forced the surprise 11th-hour stop to the planned execution of 72-year-old Oscar Smith. But Amy Harwell, an attorney with the federal public defender's office representing Smith, said her office received a notice that the issue dealt with "mishandling" of the drugs though no further specifics were provided to her office. The inmate had been scheduled to receive a three-drug injection only a short while later at a Nashville maximum security prison. Due to an oversight in preparation for lethal injection, the scheduled execution of Oscar Smith will not move forward tonight. I am granting a temporary reprieve while we address Tennessee Department of Correction protocol," Lee said in a statement promising further details once available. Kelley Henry, another attorney with the federal public defender's office, called for an independent entity to investigate, saying no execution should happen until questions are answered. Henry said the governor did the right thing by stopping the execution which would certainly have been torturous to Mr. Smith." Smith was convicted of the 1989 killings of his estranged wife and her two teenage sons. Shortly before the governor intervened, the U.S. Supreme Court had denied a last-hour bid by Smiths attorneys for a stay. His reprieve is in effect until the beginning of June. Dorinda Carter, a Department of Correction spokesperson, said the state Supreme Court would need to reschedule the execution. She said Smith would be removed from death watch and returned to his death row cell. State officials declined to provide further information. Just before learning of his reprieve, Smith had received communion from his spiritual adviser, who was going to be allowed in the execution chamber. Hours earlier, Smith had been served what was supposed to be his last meal, including a double bacon cheeseburger and apple pie. Tennessee had planned for five executions this year, including Smiths. It has been seeking to resume its quick, pre-pandemic pace of putting inmates to death. Heading into Thursday, the five pending death warrants tied Tennessee with Texas for the most nationally this year, according to the Washington-based nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. Texas, however, executed its oldest death row inmate on Thursday evening. Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, was put to death for the June 1990 fatal shooting of a Houston police officer, James Irby, during a traffic stop. Smith had initially been scheduled for a June 2020 execution, one of several dates delayed because of the pandemic. Smith was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting Judith Smith and her sons Jason and Chad Burnett, 13 and 16, at their Nashville home on Oct. 1, 1989. Smith has maintained he is innocent. In a clemency filing, rejected Tuesday by Lee, Smiths legal team claimed problems with the jury in his 1990 trial. His attorneys were earlier denied requests to reopen his case after a new type of DNA analysis found the DNA of an unknown person on one of the murder weapons. Tennessee has not conducted any executions since February 2020, when Nicholas Sutton died in the electric chair for the killing of a fellow inmate in an east Tennessee prison. Of the seven inmates Tennessee has put to death since 2018 when Tennessee ended an execution pause stretching back to 2009 only two died by lethal injection. Smith had earlier declined to choose between the chair and lethal injection, so lethal injection became the default method. Tennessee uses a three-drug series to put inmates to death: midazolam, a sedative to render the inmate unconscious; vecuronium bromide, to paralyze the inmate; and potassium chloride, to stop the heart. Officials have said midazolam renders an inmate unconscious and unable to feel pain. Expert witnesses for inmates, however, say the drugs would cause sensations of drowning, suffocation and chemical burning while leaving inmates unable to move or call out. The assessment has led to more inmates selecting the electric chair over lethal injection. Tennessee's moves to continue with lethal injections come amid shortages of execution drugs in other states. For one, South Carolina has cited its struggles to obtain lethal injection drugs in recent years -- a problem in many states because pharmacies and manufacturers have refused to supply their medications for executions -- as it forges ahead with plans for a rare U.S. firing squad execution. That execution has been delayed as well. Lawmakers in South Carolina have failed to pass the kind of law to keep its execution drug suppliers confidential that Tennessee has in place. In Oklahoma last October, an inmate executed using the same three-drug lethal injection convulsed and vomited after receiving midazolam. Oklahoma has carried out three lethal injections since, without similar reactions reported. Alan Powdrill/Getty Images New Houston rules require certain businesses to install security cameras and flood lights in an effort to reduce violent crime. City Council passed the new ordinance in a 15-1 vote Wednesday. The mandate applies to all bars, nightclubs, sexually-oriented businesses, convenience stores and game rooms inside city limits, according to Nora Mishanec of the Houston Chronicle. Those businesses will be forced to hold security footage for 30 days and turn it over to police within 72 hours of their request. The move is part of Mayor Sylvester Turner's One Safe Houston initiative to combat 2022's rise in crime. Conservative activist Steven Hotze on Wednesday was indicted on two felony charges related to his alleged involvement in an air conditioning repairman being held at gunpoint in 2020 during a bizarre search for fraudulent mail ballots that did not exist, according to his attorney, Gary Polland. Hotze, 71, was indicted by a Harris County grand jury and faces one count of unlawful restraint and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Court filings in the case were not available Wednesday evening. The charges stem from Hotzes hiring of more than a dozen private investigators to look for voter fraud in Harris County ahead of the 2020 presidential election. One of the investigators, former Houston police captain Mark Aguirre, was arrested in December 2020 and charged with aggravated assault. Prosecutors said Aguirre used his vehicle to run an air conditioning repairman off the road before dawn on Oct. 19, 2020. Aguirre then detained the repairman at gunpoint and ordered an associate to search his truck, according to court filings. When a Houston police officer happened upon the scene and stopped to investigate, Aguirre said the truck contained 750,000 fraudulent mail ballots prepared by Democrats. The truck contained only air conditioning parts and equipment. Hotzes investigators have not produced any credible evidence to support allegations that Democrats orchestrated a wide-ranging mail ballot scheme in Harris County during that election. Polland said the charges against Hotze are outrageous and his client had no knowledge of the roadside incident until he read media reports of Aguirres arrest. He said Aguirre asked Hotze for funds to investigate alleged election fraud, Hotze agreed, and that was the extent of his involvement in Aguirres affairs. All I know is Hotze didnt aid or abet this in any way, Polland said. The donation of funds was for a righteous activity of rooting out ballot fraud. Grand jury subpoenas in Aguirres case show that Hotze paid Aguirre $266,400. Most of that sum, $211,400, was paid to Aguirre on the day after the alleged holdup. Aguirre remains free on bond awaiting trial. One of his conditions of release is that he no longer work for Hotze. Hotze, however, plans to continue monitoring election activity in Houston. At a Freedom Gala fundraiser Hotze hosted on April 2 with Attorney General Ken Paxton, Hotze said donations would be used to investigate voter fraud in Texas. Also attending the event was Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO who has promoted the baseless theory that former President Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election. Polland said Hotze does not plan to alter his plans because of the indictments. 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. Correction, April 20, 2022: Due to an editing error, Steven Hotze's name was previously misspelled in the headline. It's Steven, not Stephen. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/04/20/steve-hotze-houston-indicted-voter-fraud/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. 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 If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: It has been a full century since the first Garda recruits made their way to the RDS to begin their formal training and An Garda Siochana has been commemorating its centenary with various events since the start of the year. As part of the celebrations, local Gardai took to the streets of Granard and Roscommon on Sunday and marched in parades to commemorate 100 years since the establishment of An Garda Siochana. Led by the Garda Band, local Gardai were accompanied by the Western Region Ceremonial Drill Unit, the Garda Mounted Unit, Roads Policing Unit, as well as representation from retired members. Superintendent Seamus Boyle told the Longford Leader that the parade was a great opportunity for local members of An Garda Siochana to commemorate 100 years of service to the citizens of Ireland. He said it is important to recognise the political climate of Ireland 100 years ago and how an unarmed police force has kept the blue line with the will of the people since the beginning. How lucky am I to be the Superintendent in County Longford for our centenary celebration, especially when Im a native, said Supt Boyle. I was so proud of the parade, the gardai and retired members who turned out. Longford's David Mulleady is among ten talented apprentices going head-to-head in the national final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2022 this month. The aspiring electrician will be aiming to impress a panel of industry experts across a two-day virtual final on April 27 and 28. The competition aims to shine a light on apprentices across the UK and Ireland, in search of the winning champion who receives a 10,000 package of tools, technology, and training. David, 23, thinks he could go all the way to the top spot. He says: When I entered the competition, I really hoped Id get to the final, but I cant believe I have done it! I am one step closer towards a career as a qualified electrician and so by winning this competition, I will have the right tools and platform to fulfil my dream. Ive been studying my trade for four and a half years with Conefrey Electrical Services. To get the recognition and be crowned the champion of Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2022 would be unreal on both a personal and a professional level. It would be an honour and would allow me to further champion apprenticeships within the trade. The amazing prize would also help me to get a head start in the future. David, from Newtownforbes, was shortlisted as his commitment to introducing customers to more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives shone through in the semi-final. During the final, the apprentices will get the opportunity to share their expertise and ambitions with a panel of industry-leading judges. The panel includes representatives from the Federation of Master Builders, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting and Dan Lloyd, a previous Screwfix Top Tradesperson winner. Jack Wallace, marketing director at Screwfix, will also be joining the panel to meet the finalists and celebrate their success. He says: Our applicants have shown a huge level of skill, ambition, and determination to succeed no matter what life throws at them. This year we have been overwhelmed by the standard of entries across the UK and Ireland - it's clear to see that the future of the industry is in safe hands. These future champions of the trade are vital to the industry, and we need to celebrate their work and raise the profile of how rewarding a career in the trade can be. Our previous finalists and winners have set up their own companies, developed their skills through advanced training and become mentors for other apprentices. We hope to inspire more people to consider a career in the trade through our annual competition and I hope all applicants go on to achieve a brilliant career. Visit Screwfix.ie/sfta to find out more about the apprentices and the Screwfix Trade Apprentice competition. The United Arab Emirates has frozen the assets of the Irish Kinahan crime gang. It's understood the United Arab Emirates has moved to freeze the assets of the Kinahan gang, which is believed to frequently use Dubai as part of its illicit operations. US authorities earlier this month said that a five-million dollar reward was being offered for information on the gang that leads to the arrest and conviction of its leaders. The US has imposed sanctions against seven senior members of the Kinahan crime gang as part of a bid to target their financial operations. The Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee welcomed the announcement. She said: This shows the swift impact of the sanctions announced last week to dismantle the Kinahan organised crime group. An Garda Siochanas tireless work in building a international law enforcement coalition to dismantle the gang has sent a clear signal that nobody is out of reach of the law. The net is now clearly tightening on the Kinahan organised crime group. In a statement, a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said that the police force continues to work with our partners at an international level to ensure we achieve the objective of dismantling the Kinahan organised crime group. The announcements made at City Hall last week have generated additional avenues to pursue, and give us confidence we will achieve our objectives. (Sharecast News) - For the first time in history, the US enacted economic sanctions against a cryptocurrency mining company. The US Treasury Department announced, via a statement, that it is taking action against companies in Russia's virtual currency mining industry, in a move that comes just after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the Kremlin could use these operations to evade international economic punishments imposed for its invasion of Ukraine. For now, reaction in the cryptocurrency market has been almost non-existent, with Bitcoin and 'altcoins' consolidating their recent moves. For instance, Satoshi Nakamoto's coin is holding at $41,500 - $41,800, as it managed to reach a high since April 11th above $42,000 on Wednesday. However, selling pressure rejected the bulls' advance, which failed to confirm the overcoming of this important resistance level, crucial for the virtual token par excellence to regain $45,000. Now, the shortest-term support is back to $40,000, where "traders know that for the 'bulls' to succeed, Bitcoin has to stay above this critical price level," warned Naeem Aslam, head of analysis at AvaTrade. The expert called for caution, however, as on the fundamental side, the IMF's new warning about countries using cryptocurrencies to avoid sanctions is in the spotlight. Cryptocurrencies are being used to sell oil and gas to some extent by countries such as Iran and Russia. There is also concern that these countries are using oil and gas resources to fuel cryptocurrency mining, which is another source of revenue, and to circumvent all sanctions. "The IMF's warning will certainly bring more regulatory attention to crypto companies, crypto exchanges and crypto mining," Aslam commented. And so it has. The US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bitriver AG, a Swiss-based holding company for a cryptocurrency mining operation with three offices in Russia, as well as ten of its subsidiaries, for "operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy." This landmark designation by the Treasury marks the first time a cryptocurrency mining operation has been sanctioned by the United States, but the company is also in the midst of a token pre-sale for the BitRiver token (BTR), scheduled to begin trading on the secondary market on Friday. According to the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury, BitRiver is "operating vast server farms that sell virtual currency mining capacity internationally; these companies help Russia monetize its natural resources." According to the Treasury press release, while Russia has the advantage of energy resources and a cold climate for cryptocurrency mining, "mining companies rely on imported computer equipment and fiat payments, making them vulnerable to sanctions. The U.S. is committed to ensuring that no asset, no matter how complex, becomes a mechanism for the Putin regime to offset the impact of sanctions." ETHEREUM RALLY IN SIGHT IF IT OVERCOMES RESISTANCE As for other cryptoasset market news, Ethereum also managed to pierce two major resistance levels at $3,080 and $3,150 and left 10-day highs on Wednesday. However, it has failed to distinctly clear the latter of these two resistances and is battling with the first of them. Technical analysis indicates that the second largest market cap token could stage a rally if it clears the $3,150 price level. The price is now above $3,080 and the 100-hour simple moving average. There is a key uptrend line forming with support near $3,080 on the hourly chart of Ethereum/dollar, analysts at 'Newsbtc.com' pointed out. The pair needs to break above $3,130 and $3,180 to initiate another near-term rally. Ethereum remained well bid and extended the rise above the $3,080 resistance. Ether even broke the $3,130 resistance zone and settled above the 100-hour simple moving average. A$AP Rocky has run in to a bit of trouble with the law. Arriving at LAX Airport after a getaway with pregnant partner Rihanna, the rapper was arrested and detained by the Los Angeles Police Department in connection with a shooting from late 2021. The pair were returning from a trip to Barbados - where Rihanna was born and raised. NBC News have reported that Rocky - real name Rakim Mayers - had been "under investigation" for an incident that occurred in California in November last year. Police reports obtained by the outlet say the shooting victim told police the rapper "shot at him three to four times and believed one of the bullets grazed his left hand." News of the arrest marks the first public reporting of the shooting. He was later booked into jail with bail set at US$550,000, and released less than three hours later after posting bond. He's set to visit court in August. Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Manchester United on Tuesday was the latest disappointment in what has been an awful season for the Old Trafford club, and Piers Morgan has made clear that without Cristiano Ronaldo the team would be fighting against relegation. Ronaldo wasn't involved in the match at Anfield following the death of his new-born son, with Manchester United giving him compassionate leave after the tragedy occurred on Monday. Without Ronaldo, United lacked a centre-forward presence and it hardly looked as if they would be able to trouble Alisson Becker's goal. An avid Arsenal supporter, Piers Morgan, took to Twitter to make his point about United's ailing season, giving Ronaldo a lot of credit for his contributions. "Manchester United without Ronaldo this season would be facing a relegation battle," Morgan posted on social media. "Absolutely abysmal performance tonight." Manchester United failed to score in two matches against Liverpool In the two Premier League matches against Liverpool this season, Manchester United haven't scored a single goal. With a 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford and Tuesday's 4-0 turnover on Merseyside, United have managed an aggregate 9-0 deficit to their fiercest rivals in 2022/23, which is a humiliation that the club hasn't seen for a long time. Today, Johnny Depp testified about his wedding day with Amber Heard, including why his daughter was not present. Depp and Heard married in an intimate ceremony on his private island in the Bahamas in February 2015. Depp recalled that the older of his two children with ex Vanessa Paradis, the now-22-year-old actress Lily-Rose Depp, skipped the wedding, which had about 20 to 25 people in attendance, while on the stand in Fairfax, Virginia, on Wednesday. "My daughter Lily-Rose did not come to the wedding. She and Ms. Heard were not on particularly great terms, for several reasons," declared the actor. He also told the court that Heard and her "gang" of friends drank drugs from a "communal bag of MDMA" at their wedding reception, and that there was a schedule for the day's events that read, "Dinner, dancing, and drugs." On his part, Depp admitted to have smoked marijuana, which he described as his "drug of choice." Depp claimed that he and Heard didn't have a prenuptial agreement and that later discussions about a post-nup sparked a feud between them. A heartbreaking trial for Depp Depp said he is suing Heard for defamation because his "goal is the truth" and he wants to "clear the record" of the allegations made against him at the start of his witness testimony on Tuesday. The actor revealed on Wednesday that despite their disagreements, he stayed in his marriage with Heard for "complicated" reasons. "I wanted to try to make it work. I thought maybe I could help her. I thought maybe I could bring her around. Because the Amber Heard that I knew for the first year, year and a half was not this, suddenly this opponent. It wasn't my girl, she had become my opponent," said Depp. In this court case, Heard has yet to take the stand. Her attorney, Ben Rottenborn, said during opening statements last week that evidence will show she was subjected to domestic abuse by Depp that "took many forms," including physical, emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse, as well as "sexual violence at Depp's hands." Heard and Depp, who met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011 and married in 2015, split up in May 2016 after Heard filed for a domestic violence restraining order against him, accusing him of abusing her. Update narration See full narration This Friday, April 22, marks a break in the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, as things will resume on Monday in Fairfax, Virginia. The reason for the trial is that Depp is suing Heard for 50 million dollars after she wrote a domestic abuse column in the Washington Post in 2018, which he claims is incorrect and has had knock-on effects in terms of his acting career. Heard, meanwhile, has stood by her claims and countersued Depp for 100 million dollars. The last three days have seen Depp take to the stand and discuss several moments from his relationship with Heard, as well as anecdotes from his life. On Thursday, Depp was back on the stand for a third straight day and had to deal with some tough questions, as the cross-examination went up a notch after beginning late on Wednesday. During Wednesday's session, Depp made the case that it was Heard who was the aggressor and not him, and he explained that his ex-wife mirrored the abuse his mother showed towards him. The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star also discussed the infamous incident in Australia that saw him have his finger sliced open, human faeces - which he claims to be from Heard or a friend of Heard - being found on his side of the bed. In addition, the court was able to hear an audio recording in which Heard told Depp "you didn't get punched" and stated that "I was hitting you" during one argument between the former couple. On Thursday, texts that Depp sent about Heard were read out, including one in which he discusses "burning" and "drowning" his ex-wife during a conversation with British actor Paul Bettany. Johnny Depp trial LIVE coverage In this live blog, we will provide the latest news and updates from the trial involving Depp and Heard. Have you ever gone to buy some whiskey and ended up purchasing the whole distillery? Thats what happened to the owners of Stork Club, who have since helped the brand cement its status as one of the most engaging brands in the German whisky boom. The original founder of Stork Club was a doctor who came to Bradenburg after the wall came down and started a gastropub, where he taught himself to brew and distil. In 2004 he started to make whisky, as well as more than 60 other creations from fruit brandies to rum. By 2015, he was 65 years old and was looking to sell up. When Steffen Lohr, Sebastian Brack, and Bastian Heuser took a road trip from Berlin looking to buy a cask, they werent aware of this fact. We came back with the whole distillery, Heuser says. While it wasnt the trios plan to own a distillery, the three of them were all established in the drinks industry. Heuser was a former bartender and co-founder of Bar Convent Berlin. Lohr was also a bartender who worked for Bacardi as a brand ambassador, while Brack is the founder of Belsazar Vermouth and Thomas Henry Tonic water. Theyre savvy operators with connections, even if producing their own whisky only happened by chance, as Heuser puts it. He says the trio sampled over 200 casks from original stock and right away it was clear what direction they would go in: rye whisky. The Stork Club distillery is in a region of Brandenburg south of Berlin, surrounded by a nature reserve in rye country. Its one of the biggest growing regions for the grain in Europe, with the Russell family behind Wild Turkey even admitting that they source its rye from here. As bartenders, the new owners were all too aware of what a hot property rye whisky was, and what a point of difference it was in Germany. Across the countrys vast network of distilleries, most of the whisky made is single malt, lots of it using imported barley. When we started we were one of six or seven distilleries in all of Europe that primarily produced rye whisky, Heuser recalls. Double the new make, double the fun The new owners built up the distillery on a site that was established first back in 2008. The name, if youre wondering, refers to the bird which is prominent in the local Spreewald Reserve, and the local village becomes home to more than 200 pairs of storks every year. As bartenders, they were also aware of the association people would also make to the legendary New York nightclub that booted out Humphrey Bogart of the same name, so the brand is currently exploring a name adjustment in the US where the club has a trademark. Back to the process of making German rye whisky, which begins, as you might imagine, with rye. Previously the mash was bought-in to distil. Now Stork Club starts from scratch with rye sourced from surrounding fields via an agricultural cooperative of regional farmers. The grain is milled on-site in a hammer mill made to specification before its blended with hot water (the good pure stuff sourced from the nature reserve) to create a mash, which is then pumped without any further filtration (ryes a sticky grain) into stainless steel fermentation tanks. The malted rye is hit with two selected ale yeast strains, one fruity Belgian style and another malty, richer English variety. This lasts for four-to-five days, before the resulting 8-10% ABV liquid is pumped into small 650l and 1,000l capacity copper hybrid stills. This gives the distillers a dual benefit of first distilling their whisky in a pot before the spirit is funnelled into a small column still with five copper plates and is distilled a second time. Stork Club actually creates new makes, not just one spirit, consisting of two individual mash bills. The first is made to be bold, using 100% unmalted rye that leads to a spirit full of fruit and spice. The other is mellower, made with 100% rye malt to create a sweet, malty, chocolatey new make. Our inspiration behind having two different new makes was to give us a diverse profile. Right now we keep them separate, but in the future, we are free to also blend them, so have even more choice in terms of flavour, says Heuser. German from start to finish The new makes are filled into barrels at 60% ABV, with a combination of first-fill American oak and German oak casks (weighing much more to the former) being favoured. These are charred and toasted to either medium to heavy in style. German oak was always desired to be part of the equation, but while its complex and brings a lot of richness, it lacked sweetness so the owners felt American oak was needed too. The distillery has warehouses across its site, varying in size and location, with a small attic warehouse providing warmer conditions compared to the ground stores. As you might expect, the Brandenburg climate has an effect on maturation. We are in a warmer region and in the summertime, so we get up to 30-35 degrees celsius, which means its up to 25-26 degrees in the warehouse, Heuser explains. In the winters, it can get below zero. The warehouses have an open roof, meaning lots of air turnover. If you compare it to Scotland there is a big temperature difference over the year, and that leads to higher impact. A variety of sherry and German red wine barrels are also in the cask inventory but saved for special releases, while Stork also experimented with rye beer barrels in collaboration with a local brewery. Other innovations include its Rose Rye Aperitif, an unconventional creation made by combining fruity Pinot Noir rose from Baden with its rye whiskey. Most radical of all was a limited-edition spirit called Cereal Killer, which infused a rye whisky with six different cereals including Fruit Loops, Honey Pops, Corn Pops. Weve had ideas so cool that no one has ever really thought about making, Heuser says. Theyre totally different takes, and thats how we always want to be, we dont like boundaries or to be too conservative. Flying the flag for German whisky Stork Clubs process has put the distillery at the forefront of the German whisky boom. While the country is known for schnapps, herbal bitters, some of the worlds best beers, and wine regions like Mosel, Rheingau and the Ahr, whisky isnt a drink people immediately associate with Germany. The spirit has been popular for decades and it actually has a lot of history with it, however, with the Jim Beam family, George Dickel, and the Stitzel-Weller distillery all having German roots. Even the American bourbon trail was largely paved by immigrants from Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. But German-made whisky is a relatively new phenomenon, only really taking place in earnest in the last twenty years. Today, a handful of distilleries, such as Slyrs, (producer of the first modern single malt in 2002) Hammerschmiede, Ralf Hauer, Preuischer, St Killian, and Hardenberg, are at the forefront of the new German whisky scene with Stork Club. But with no strict legislation dictating what German whisky is, producers can easily source Scottish barley, use Scotch-style stills, and make something thats more imitation than original creation. Stork Club is one of the few demonstrating theres a different way. The process begins with German rye, everything is made and matured on-site, and theres even some German oak in the maturation. Its German from start to finish. Of course, theres still work still to be done. Around 40,000 visitors a year visit the Stork Club distillery because its in a tourist region. But Heuser says a lot of them still need the rye whisky category explained to them. For us, its natural. Weve been growing rye here for 500 years, why should we use anything else? But outside of America, its not been as common. So we have some education to do, but its great to see it begin to thrive elsewhere. We really want to see the whole rye whisky category grow, and it is. And it all tastes different. Reviewing the rye This brings us to what Stork Club tastes like. As you can imagine, the former bartenders were keen to make a whisky thats approachable and can work in cocktails like a Manhattan, a Whisky Sour, or a Highball. The Straight Rye Whiskey is ideal for this, especially the latter in my opinion where its spicy, warming, and fruity qualities are lifted and engaged by the minerality of soda water. Across its core range, theres a definite house style, with notes of caramel chocolate, espresso, vanilla, marmalade, and winter spice standing out, which are elevated by the bold, unctuous and oily texture of the full proof rye (at 55% ABV). The difference between the old Stork Club whisky and the one you can buy today thats made by controlling the whole process is night and day. The fermentation and yeast strain brings greater complexity and more fruit, while those fresh casks have a big impact. A little more time spent to mellow some of the harsher elements they bring wouldnt hurt, but overall Stork Club is shaping up to be an impressive outfit. And its all thanks to the kind of approach that can help German whisky stand out in an ever-increasing crowd. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Satellite-based tracking of black-necked cranes migratory routes supports efforts to protect bird populations in China People's Daily Online) 10:08, April 21, 2022 File photo shows staff members of the Daqiao zone of the National Nature Reserve of Black-necked Cranes in Huize county, southwest Chinas Yunnan Province releasing the black-necked crane with a satellite-based tracker, labeled with the unique tracking number of V021, back into the wild in March 2021. Photo shows black-necked cranes in the National Nature Reserve of Black-necked Cranes in Huize county, southwest Chinas Yunnan Province in March 2021. (Photo/Zhou Zhaoxiang) The migratory routes of a black-necked crane, a species under first-class state protection in China, which was fitted with a satellite-based tracker by an assistant researcher in China, reflect the countrys continuous efforts in protecting migratory birds. The young black-necked crane was rescued by a villager near the Daqiao zone of the National Nature Reserve of Black-necked Cranes in Huize County, southwest Chinas Yunnan Province on March 11, 2021. The bird was then delivered to the Daqiao management bureau of the nature reserve, where Zhang Shugang, a guardian of black-necked cranes, took care of it. On March 18, the crane was then released back into the wild, with a satellite-based tracker having a unique number of V021, which was implanted by Wu Heqi, an assistant researcher with the Kunming Institute of Zoology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Wu introduced that the letter V symbolizes victory, hoping that the bird will achieve a successful migration. Its the first black-necked crane with a satellite-based tracker to be placed on it by a team from the institute in the nature reserve, said Wu, adding that the satellite-based tracker is more lightweight and can provide more comprehensive information, including the geographic latitudes and longitudes of the birds migration trajectory and its flying speeds, as well as the altitudes and ambient temperature of the places it stays. Wu pointed out that the application of satellite-based tracking technology enables the team to better understand the range of activities and migratory routes of black-necked cranes so that better-targeted protection can be ensured. The team has applied the technology with over 100 birds, including more than 10 black-necked cranes. According to monitoring data, there are primarily three isolated wintering communities for the species in China: the eastern community winters in areas between the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and provinces including Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai; the central community winters in areas between Bitahai and Napahai lakes in Yunnan and high altitude areas such as Daocheng in Sichuan; and the western community winters in areas between the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region and high altitude areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The tracking result showed that Dashanbao in Zhaotong city of Yunnan is an important migration station along the eastern flyway, which indicates the effective protection of the birds along the flyway, Wu said. The black-necked crane with the V021 label is now at the eastern flyway. As of April 19 this year, the crane had stayed over 10 days in the Ruoergai wetland in Sichuan along the eastern flyway. One year ago, the crane stayed more than one month in the Nianbaoyuze national nature reserve in Qinghai. Its a new finding thanks to the monitoring of the V021 crane. In the past, we didnt know that the eastern community of black-necked cranes would fly to Nianbaoyuze, Wu said. The Nianbaoyuze national nature reserve is an important breeding ground and habitat for black-necked cranes in Qinghai. The local ecological environment has improved significantly in recent years, and the nature reserve has seen a steady increase in the population of black-necked cranes. In early November 2021, the V021 crane migrated south and arrived at the Caohai National Nature Reserve in Guizhou. Since black-necked cranes have difficulty searching for food in cold weather, the birds will often eat seeds sowed by farmers during the spring farming season, according to Liu Guanghui, deputy head of a patrol team in the nature reserve. To better address the problem, Liu advises farmers to make scarecrows to frighten the birds away, adding that bird rangers will provide food for the birds. In addition, the management committee at the nature reserve is formulating compensation measures to reduce any losses to local residents caused by wild animals, Liu said. According to Wu, the protection of black-necked cranes has reached a consensus among all the people living in the birds distribution areas. Besides, some localities have developed bird-watching tourism industries while taking precautions to prevent tourists from causing any disruption to the species in an attempt to strike a balance between development and the protection of biological diversity. Every year, thousands of visitors come to Caohai to view black-necked cranes, Liu said, noting that someone might have even taken pictures of the crane with the V021 label. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) 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. The Rotary Club of Midland, Morning is celebrating Earth Day with a watershed cleanup project on Saturday, April 23, 9:30 11:30 a.m. on the grounds of West Midland Family Center. Participants will be eradicating invasive species along the creek behind the Family Center to make woodlands and paths safer for children to play, frogs to sing, and birds to munch. Community members who are interested in joining the club for this effort may contact the Rotary Club at midlandmorningrotary@gmail.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/MidlandMorningRotary. Participants are encouraged to wear long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe shoes and thick leather gloves. A lunch will be provided following the cleanup. SCOTTVILLE West Shore Community College is hosting an exhibition of Manistee artist Ken Cooper's work at the colleges Manierre Dawson gallery April 29 through Aug. 26. The exhibition, titled What Goes Around, Comes Around, presents some of Coopers latest works which are focused on abstraction. In these works, Cooper has abandoned subject matter in favor of dealing with expressions which can stand on their own without reference to the familiar, according to a news release. After 50 years of creating artwork I am still searching for answers to the same questions I was when I started, said Cooper. What goes around, comes around. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. on April 29 at the gallery on the colleges main campus located in the Arts and Sciences building. Cooper has been showing his art throughout Michigan and the United States for five decades. He spent more than one of those decades working in England with Britains National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (the National Trust) where his watercolor paintings were regularly exhibited. In addition to his art career, for 27 years he was the art teacher at Manistee High School. He has been a faculty member for West Shore Community Colleges Art Department, teaching drawing and pottery classes for the past three years. Ken has been very instrumental in supporting the growth of the arts community for many decades in Western Michigan, said WSCCs Professor of Art and Curator, Eden Unluata-Foley in a news release. He has a great ability to bring people together and build lasting communities. "His welcoming approach to art inspires many people to try their hand in various media, often leaving with a sense of self-confidence. He has been instrumental in our efforts to grow the art department and take some of the colleges offerings into the communities we serve. We are delighted to present Kens abstract works in a gallery named for one of the world's first abstract painters. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. The gallery is closed on the weekends. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MANISTEE 2022 will be the last year that Mick Szymanski will be the Manistee council member for the fifth district. At Tuesday's regularly scheduled Manistee City Council meeting, Szymanski announced that he would not be running for re-election. "I just wanted to publicly announce that I will not be running for city council for the fifth district. So I'm hopeful that there will be several candidates interested in picking up the petitions," Szymanski said at the meeting. He said in an interview with the News Advocate that he'd like to spend more time traveling with his family. "To be honest I was asked to run for city council. When I ran for office, it was because (at the time) development was not seen as big a priority," Szymanksi said. Szymanski said at the time the council was very conservative in terms of building up additional housing stock and that was priority he wanted to address. I took a four-year sabbatical from my retirement," Szymanski said. He also said that it's important that there are new people becoming city council members and that current members dont stay on for too long. A lot of people dont want to run against an incumbent, because they dont think theyre ready for that, Szymanski said. He noted that in past elections there was often only an incumbent on the ballot or that there would be a single write-in candidate. Szymanski wants to see a lot more people run for office. Get your 25 signatures, and go for it, Szymanksi said about running for office. ...Having people on that council (who) are focused on, making Manistee, all that it can be (is the best qualification.) It doesnt matter if youre liberal, moderate or conservative. As long as you as your interested in doing the best you can for the community and putting service above self youre there, Szymanski said. Petitions to run for the fifth district, first district, third district and seventh district Manistee City Council seats are currently available at Manistee City Hall, and are required to be filed by July 26 to get on the ballot for the November election. Public hearing During the city council meeting there was a public hearing on the city budget, and the budget was also discussed later in the meeting as an agenda item. Two people spoke at the public hearing for the proposed 2023 city budget. The first to come up to the podium to speak was John Helge. Helge said he thought council did a good job overall in "stretching dollars as far as they could go" for taxpayer, noting that there are limited resources. However, he also had some suggestions for council. "I would challenge you (to use) the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that are available and other funds that will be coming down from the federal government understanding full well those are one time ... they end up here and there," Helge said. "It's got to be sustainable, whatever you do with those with those dollars." Another resident, Ruth Pratt expressed concerns about an item on the budget that was $35,000 for bathrooms at the Manistee Department of Public Works. Jeff Mikula, Manistee director of the department explained more about the item in the budget. Mikula said that "was actually two separate requests that we had two years ago." "One was to upgrade both the men's and women's bathrooms at the Public Works," he said. "That facility is 50 years old. And all those fixtures are 50 years old. So our staff has already repainted everything and done everything internally that we can. This would have been for new fixtures, sinks, faucets, toilets, partitions ... we had a separate request for all the flooring in the offices and in the bathrooms." He noted the flooring items and the repairs in the bathrooms were combined into one item on the city budget. "Those are kind of combined together to get that $35,000 total. But if you walk in our office as you can see, painting them feel so good anymore. They're peeling and pulling off the floor. And so that was the extent of the two projects," Mikula said. City budget Ed Bradford made changes that were previously requested by council members at the April 12 work session. Those items included a freeze on a 0.5 mil refuse millage increase for PFAS remediation and a rejection of scheduled 3.5% water and 3.5% sewer increase. Bradford noted how council members had requested to make up the difference. "...To offset that we'll be taking 2022 marijuana proceeds (from the excise tax of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act) and putting that towards the amount of revenue that would have been lost in the water and sewer fund," Bradford said. That would be $45,000 of water and about $108,000 for the sewer last year, he said. "(We would) then restrict $100,000 Of the remaining marijuana proceeds are used towards the future PFAS expenses which is about (the same amount of money) as the 0.5 mil raise," Bradford said. The optional budget discussion scheduled for April 26 was waived. The budget is expected to be formally accepted at the next Manistee City Council meeting at 7 p.m at council chambers at city hall on May 3. WASHINGTON (AP) One year ago, Joe Biden marked his first Earth Day as president by convening world leaders for a virtual summit on global warming that even Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping attended. Biden used the moment to nearly double the United States' goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, vaulting the country to the front lines in the fight against climate change. But the months since then have been marred by setbacks. Biden's most sweeping proposals remain stalled on Capitol Hill despite renewed warnings from scientists that the world is hurtling toward a dangerous future marked by extreme heat, drought and weather. In addition, Russia's war in Ukraine has reshuffled the politics of climate change, leading Biden to release oil from the nation's strategic reserve and encourage more drilling in hopes of lowering sky-high gas prices that are emptying American wallets. It's a far cry from the sprint toward clean energy that Biden and his supporters envisioned when he took office. Although Biden is raising fuel economy standards for vehicles and included green policies in last year's bipartisan infrastructure legislation, the lack of greater progress casts a shadow over his second Earth Day as president. Biden will mark the moment on Friday in Seattle, where he'll be joined by Gov. Jay Inslee, a fellow Democrat with a national reputation for climate action. Biden also is scheduled to visit Portland, Oregon, on Thursday as part of a swing through the Pacific Northwest, a region that has often been on the forefront of environmental efforts. Administration officials defend Biden's record on global warming while saying that more work is needed. Two things can be true at the same time," said Ali Zaidi, the president's deputy national climate adviser. "We can have accomplished a lot, and have a long way to go. Zaidi acknowledged that we have headwinds, we have challenges, but also said the president has a mandate to drive action forward on this. Kyle Tisdel, climate and energy program director with the Western Environmental Law Center, said Biden has not lived up to the promise of last year's Earth Day summit. Climate action was a pillar of President Bidens campaign, and his promises on this existential issue were a major reason the public elected him, Tisdel said. Achieving results on climate is not a matter of domestic politics, its life and death. Biden had hoped to pass a $1.75 trillion plan for expanding education programs, social services and environmental policies. But Republicans opposed the legislation, known as Build Back Better, and it failed to get the unanimous support necessary from Democrats holding a slim majority in the Senate. The final blow came from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who owes his personal fortune to coal and represents a state that defines itself in large part through mining that fossil fuel. Democrats hope to revive the bill in some form, but it's unclear exactly what Manchin would support, putting any possible deal in jeopardy. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said this week that negotiations were ongoing even though Biden wasnt publicizing them. Just because hes not talking about it doesnt mean those conversations are not happening behind the scenes, she said. Administration officials are expected to speak Saturday at a rally outside the White House as climate, labor and social justice groups urge Congress to pass climate legislation before Memorial Day. Similar events are planned in dozens of cities as activists stress the need for major investments to boost clean energy and create jobs. The White House wants to win approval for more than $300 billion in tax credits for clean energy that advocates describe as crucial for meeting Biden's goal of reducing emissions by up to 52% from 2005 levels by 2030. Without the tax credits, I don't see a pathway, said Nat Keohane, a former Obama energy adviser who is now president of the independent Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Reaching the midterm elections in November without them would amount to a failure on the promise of the first year,'' he said. Asked if Biden's goal of reducing emissions is still achievable, Psaki said, "We are continuing to pursue it, and we are going to continue to do everything we can to reach it. Psaki noted that the $1 trillion infrastructure law includes an array of climate policies, including funding for the construction of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. However, an analysis by the consultancy McKinsey estimates that nearly 30 million chargers are needed by 2030. The Ukraine war has worsened the political challenges at home by sending shockwaves through global energy markets and increasing gas prices. It's also caused Biden to change his tune on oil drilling. Last week, Biden moved forward with the first onshore sales of oil and gas drilling leases on public land, a move that environmental groups blasted even though the administration said it was only doing so under a court order. Although the legal battle is ongoing, in the meantime Biden is encouraging new domestic production. "The bottom line is if we want lower gas prices we need to have more oil supply right now, Biden said in March. The leasing plan "is an ugly betrayal of Joe Bidens campaign promises and his administrations rhetoric on environmental justice and climate action, said Collin Rees, U.S. political director at Oil Change International. Biden is choosing to stand with polluters over people at the expense of frontline communities and the future of the planet," he added. The war in Ukraine has also frustrated diplomatic efforts to address climate change. John Kerry, Biden's international climate envoy, has focused much of his efforts on prodding China, the world's top consumer of coal, to transition to clean energy more quickly. But that work is harder now amid China's defense of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kerry said Wednesday. Some of the differences in opinion between our countries have sharpened and hardened, and that makes diplomacy more difficult, he said during an online discussion on climate finance with the Center for Global Development. Kerry's aides have downplayed talk he might leave the administration now that he's served more than a year, and he remains a loyal defender of Biden's climate efforts. But his tone has become more pessimistic recently, especially as Biden's climate proposals remain stalled in Congress. The administration was also rattled by recent reports that Biden's domestic climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, plans to step down. McCarthy called the reports simply inaccurate and said she is excited about the opportunities ahead. Another one of Biden's climate-related efforts could divide the environmental community. His administration plans to offer $6 billion in funding to prevent financially distressed nuclear power plants from closing. Although the facilities produce carbon-free electricity, theyre viewed warily by some activists because of concerns about how to dispose of nuclear waste and the potential for devastating accidents. Were using every tool available to get this country powered by clean energy by 2035," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. Abigail Dillen, president of the environmental group Earthjustice, said that spirits have dimmed after the failures of the past year. Although she praised some of the policies that Biden has achieved so far, she said that its not at the scale of climate action we need full-stop." Now Republicans are poised to retake control of at least one chamber in Congress in November's midterm elections, meaning there's a limited window for making progress. Dillen and some other activists have suggested that Biden declare a climate emergency and use the Defense Production Act to boost renewable energy. "Its time to pull out all the stops, she said. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration is making it easier for refugees fleeing Russias war on Ukraine to come to the United States from Europe while trying to shut down an informal route through northern Mexico that has emerged in recent weeks. Under a program announced Thursday, the U.S. will streamline refugee applications for Ukrainians and others fleeing the fighting, but will no longer routinely grant entry to those who show up at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum. Volunteers, many from American churches, were shuttling Ukrainians from a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, to the closest border crossing as news spread of plans to discourage a means of entering the U.S. taken by thousands of refugees since the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin began almost two months ago. It is going to be good for people. Im happy, said San Diego resident Ludmilo Jaaniste, who was at the shelter to get her niece and her nieces 12-year-old daughter after they fled Kyiv. They (the U.S.) were taking people, so why not make it easier. The U.S. says it expects to admit up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine and about 15,000 have come since the Feb. 24 invasion, mostly through Mexico. Starting Monday, that will no longer be an option except in extreme circumstances, officials said. It's an effort by the U.S. to uphold its commitment to help Eastern European nations contend with the 5 million refugees who have fled Ukraine while trying to reduce the number of migrants seeking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Complicating matters, however, the U.S. plans next month to lift a public health order, known as Title 42, that enables authorities to quickly turn away migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border without giving them a chance to claim asylum. The Biden administration has been exempting Ukrainian refugees, but will do so no longer. We are proud to deliver on President Bidens commitment to welcome 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russian aggression to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the effort. The Ukrainian people continue to suffer immense tragedy and loss as a result of Putins unprovoked and unjustified attack on their country. U.S. officials say a majority of the Ukrainian refugees want to stay in Eastern Europe because many hope eventually to return home. Advocates have said the U.S. should take more than 100,000 refugees and further expedite the process. Public support doesn't seem to be an issue. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows 65% of Americans favor accepting Ukrainian refugees into the U.S., while 15% oppose. An additional 19% say they neither favor nor oppose. To qualify for admission to the U.S. under the new program, officially known as Uniting for Ukraine, people must have been in Ukraine as of Feb. 11; have a sponsor, which could be family or an organization; meet vaccination and other public health requirements; and pass background checks. Typically, people would start applications in their home country, but that's no longer possible because the U.S. pulled its diplomats from Ukraine. The State Department will expand resettlement operations in Eastern Europe under the new program to compensate. Most of those admitted will receive two years of residence and authorization to work in the United States under whats known as humanitarian parole. Those coming to the U.S. through the formal refugee process, including members of religious minority groups, will receive permanent legal residency. A downside of the new effort is that humanitarian parole generally does not include temporary housing support and other benefits provided through the traditional refugee program, which is only slowly recovering from Trump-era cutbacks, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Nevertheless, Vignarajah and other refugee advocates welcomed the announcement. Families desperately seeking to bring their loved ones directly to safety in the U.S. have a glimmer of hope, where there once was exceedingly little, she said. Refugees will encounter a streamlined process in Europe, but they wont be able to complete it in Mexico, senior administration officials told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the program before the public announcement. Instead, Ukrainians who show up at the border will generally be turned away and told to apply for entry under the new program. That is the situation for most migrants under the public health order in place since the early in the pandemic in March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the use of Title 42, which has been used to turn away more than 1.7 million people, is set to end May 23. The agency is under pressure to keep it in place not to control COVID-19, as it was supposedly intended, but to help ease an increase in migrants seeking to cross the border. Critics of the use of Title 42 at the border have pointed out that it denies people their right under U.S law and international treaty to make claims for asylum and forces migrants to return to dangerous conditions in Northern Mexico and elsewhere. - Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in Tijuana, Mexico, contributed to this report. BOSTON (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is among five people named Thursday as recipients of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for acting to protect democracy. Zelenskyy was chosen because of the way he has marshaled the spirit, patriotism and untiring sacrifice of the Ukrainian people in a life-or-death fight for their country, as Russia pours in troops and assaults cities and towns, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation said. The foundation said four U.S. officials were chosen for standing up for free and fair elections, as the system is challenged in ways it has never been before. They are: Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers and Fulton County, Georgia, elections worker Wandrea Shaye Moss. Caroline Kennedy and her son, Jack Schlossberg, will present the awards May 22 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. The award was created by the family of the late president to honor public figures who risk their careers by embracing unpopular positions for the greater good, and is named after Kennedys 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage. There is no more important issue facing our country, and the world, today than the fight for democracy, Kennedy said in a statement. The war in Ukraine has shown the world that we cant take freedom for granted, and the courage of our elected officials in the U.S. reminds us that as citizens we each have a responsibility to protect our democracy and exercise our fundamental right to vote. Cheney chaired the Republican House Conference before being ousted from her post last year because of her unrelenting criticism of former President Donald Trump and statements blaming him for the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The foundation said Cheney broke with most in her party, urged fidelity to the Constitution, and stood her ground with honor and conviction, and that she has remained a consistent and courageous voice in defense of democracy. Michigan was one of the battleground states where Trump allies demanded further review of the 2020 election. Benson defended the certification of the results. Protestors showed up at her home one evening in December 2020, angry about what they incorrectly said was voter fraud leading to Trumps loss. The foundation said Benson defended the will of Michigan voters, repeatedly refused to back down from fulfilling the duties of her office and continues to speak out about the risks to free and fair elections. Bowers, a Republican, broke ranks with many in his party in December 2020 when he rejected a request from Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani for the Arizona Legislature to step in and replace electors legally pledged for Joe Biden with others who would support Trump. The foundation said Bowers made a decision of conscience, for which he endured persistent harassment and intimidation tactics from Trump supporters, and he acted again to protect the integrity of Arizona elections by stopping a wide-ranging election bill that would eliminate nearly all forms of early voting and require ballots to be counted by hand, though Republicans are still trying to pass these changes. Moss has worked for the Fulton County elections department since 2012 and supervised the absentee ballot operation during the 2020 election. Trump allies falsely claimed she engaged in ballot fraud. The foundation said despite the onslaught of random, undeserved and malicious attacks, Moss continues to do the hard and unseen work to run our democracy. A smart thermostat can turn up the heat in your home before you roll out of bed. A smart speaker can play your favorite podcasts with a voice command. A smart lightbulb can be turned on or off from across the room. But smart-home devices arent just about convenience. Because some of them can help keep your home safe and secure, they could also earn you a discount on your homeowners insurance. DISCOUNTS FOR SMART-HOME DEVICES NerdWallet reached out to a dozen insurance companies and found that most of them offer discounts to homeowners with smart-home devices designed to prevent water damage, fire or theft. In our research, we found companies advertising homeowners insurance discounts up to 13%, depending on the device and where you live. Among the companies we surveyed, the smart devices most commonly eligible for discounts were water leak sensors, security cameras and smoke detectors. However, insurers like Farmers and Lemonade also offer savings for smart locks, while Amica and Farmers give discounts for motion sensors. If you already own a smart-home device, ask your carrier whether youre eligible for a discount. Some insurers have partnered with smart-home technology companies to make the devices more affordable or even provide them for free. For example, State Farm policyholders in most states can sign up for three years of free Ting service. Ting provides a plug-in that monitors your home for electrical problems that could cause fires. Hippo, a homeowners insurance startup, gives policyholders in eligible states free smart home-monitoring kits from partners such as Kangaroo and SimpliSafe. As long as the policyholder installs the devices and keeps them active, they can save up to 13% on their homeowners insurance. Amica policyholders can save when buying select smart-home devices from Moen, Guardian or Kangaroo, while Nationwide offers nearly 50% off the purchase of Notion smart sensors. These savings are in addition to the homeowners insurance discounts the companies will give you once you install the devices. WHY INSURANCE COMPANIES REWARD SMART-HOME DEVICES Insurance companies offer discounts for smart-home devices because the technology can help catch problems early, potentially preventing expensive claims. Say you have a smart water sensor next to your water heater, and the appliance springs a leak. The device could sound an audible alarm and send an alert to your phone, enabling you to take immediate action. (Some devices even have an automatic water shut-off feature.) Without the sensor, you could end up filing a claim, paying a big deductible and having contractors in your basement cleaning up damage, says Brett Sobol, senior growth initiatives lead at Hippo. But with the sensor, the damage might be so limited that you wouldnt need to make a claim at all. The best experience is one where theres no claim, says Sobol. SHOULD YOU BUY SMART-HOME DEVICES? The cost of smart-home technology can add up quickly. If you want to invest in a protective device but arent sure which ones are worth the money, consider your homes unique risks, says Karen Collins, assistant vice president of personal lines at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. For instance, if your home has older plumbing, water sensors might be worth buying, Collins says. But if you live in a neighborhood with high crime rates, your money might be better spent on a home security system. For many homeowners, water sensors are a good bet, according to Sobol. Water damage is by far the most common claim that smart-home devices can help prevent, Sobol says. Putting sensors in bathrooms, in basements and under appliances can (keep) small claims from turning into big ones. Ask your insurer whether the devices youre considering would qualify you for a homeowners insurance discount. Depending on the amount of the discount and the cost of the devices, they might pay for themselves within a few years. Keep in mind that the benefits of smart-home technology could go beyond insurance savings. Investing in smart-home technology can offer customers peace of mind, Sobol says, knowing that their home is better protected. ___________________________________ This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Sarah Schlichter is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: sschlichter@nerdwallet.com. RELATED LINKS: NerdWallet: 9 ways to lower home insurance rates Christie Carpino / Contributed photo CROMWELL As an effort to promote an appreciation of the community and environment, state Rep. Christie Carpino is hosting an art contest for residents, businesses and organizations in Cromwell and Portland to celebrate the uniqueness and beauty of the 32nd legislative district. The collection of artwork will begin Monday, and will close May 30, according to a press release. Submissions will be displayed at the state Capitol complex in early June. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Floridas Legislature approved a congressional map Thursday pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis over the strong objections of Black and Democratic lawmakers who say it will diminish the states Black representation in the U.S. House and benefit Republicans. Democratic lawmakers chanted and shouted as the final vote tally was taken in the Florida House during a raucous end to a three-day special session. There was a brief delay in which Black lawmakers staged a sit-in on the chamber floor, prayed and sang We Shall Overcome. The measure passed 68-38 along party lines. The protest began as debate on the bill was wrapping up. Rep. Angie Nixon marched down the center aisle of the chamber, shouting, When Black votes are under attack, what do we do? Stand up and fight back. DeSantis took the unusual step of vetoing the map drawn by the Legislature earlier this year and proposing his own, calling lawmakers back into the special session to approve it. Democrats say the map strongly favors the GOP and dismantles two traditionally Black districts. What we see today is an overreach, and its something we see as unacceptable, Democratic Rep. Kamia Brown, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus, told reporters after the session adjourned. Today was one thing we could not just take and stand. Were sick and tired of being sick and tired. Black Floridians currently hold five seats in the states 27-member U.S. House delegation, including one Republican from an overwhelmingly white and Republican district. DeSantis argued that the previous map which kept the districts of Black representatives largely intact represented racial "gerrymandering. He singled out one that spanned northern Florida, saying it violated standards requiring districts to be kept compact. The governors office drew up a map it described as neutral on race and party affiliation, and which it said abided by both the state and federal constitutions. But even supporters have acknowledged that it is likely to draw legal challenges. Republican Rep. Randy Fine defended the map. As for districts drawn to give Black voters an advantage in choosing a candidate, he said, When we guaranteed that a group of people gets to select the candidate of their choice, what were saying is were guaranteeing those who arent part of that group get no say. Chew on that one. He also dismissed accusations that the governor's involvement in the process was an overreach. The second thing that I find a little bit hateful, is the notion that we violate separation of powers, that were mindless automatons of the governor, Fine said. Were not mindless automatons. We dont do this because were bullied. We do this because we think its right." The Florida congressional delegation now has 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats, and the state is poised to gain one U.S. House seat based on the results of the 2020 U.S. census. Many political observers have said the DeSantis map could give Republicans a 20-8 advantage, though Floridas vast number of unaffiliated voters can swing elections. Such an advantage would help DeSantis, should he run for and win the White House in 2024. Of Floridas 14.3 million registered voters, about 36% are Republicans and 35% Democrats, while the overwhelming majority of the remainder have no party affiliation. As Thursdays debate was nearing an end, Nixon and Democratic Rep. Tray McCurdy opened up their suit jackets to display Stop The Black Attack T-shirts and McCurdy shouted the same phrase. They sat on the state seal in front of the House speakers rostrum and were soon joined by other supporters, including other Black Democrats. The protest prompted the Republican-led chamber to call a brief recess during which all GOP lawmakers left the floor and the state Florida Channel temporarily stopped broadcasting. This is good trouble! Necessary trouble! Nixon shouted, echoing a phrase used by the late civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. When Republican House Speaker Chris Sprowls resumed the session, Nixon and McCurdy continued to shout and refused to move. As is obvious, we have members who've decided to hijack our process today," Sprowls said. "It is my belief and your belief that no member of this chamber has the opportunity to shut down this process. We will be concluding our business today. It is my hope our colleagues would join us and not be disruptive. Republican Rep. Spencer Roach said the protest quashed debate on another bill that could strip Walt Disney World of its ability to self-govern. With the protest continuing, the House passed the congressional map bill then quickly passed the Disney bill with no debate. I have never heard of anything like this happening in the history of Florida, Roach said. It was a disruption and it prevented the peoples voice from being heard. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LANSING, Mich. (AP) Former President Donald Trump's extraordinary effort to mold Republicans' 2022 tickets will be put to the test this weekend in Michigan, where thousands of party activists will endorse candidates, including in a contentious attorney general's race. Trump, who continues to levy false claims about his 2020 loss in the swing state, is clear about his intentions. Come November, he wants to oust Democratic officials who ensured the results stayed intact and replace them with allies Matthew DePerno and Kristina Karamo, political newcomers who are running for attorney general and secretary of state, respectively. This choice is not just about 2022. This is about ensuring the state of Michigan cannot be stolen from Republicans in 2024 or ever again, Trump said Wednesday in a call with DePerno backers. His preferred slate for the state's top law enforcement and election jobs is drawing criticism, however, within a wing of the GOP that views the candidates as unelectable in the fall and is frustrated that state party leaders have openly backed them rather than be neutral. We're going to find out if we're going to be held hostage to second-tier candidates who can't win general elections in pursuit of genuflecting to the dear leader, or if we're going to focus on winning elections and making sure that conservatives control state government and make the policies that we all have to live under, said Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party. In Michigan, nominees for state offices are chosen at party conventions except in gubernatorial and legislative primaries. DePerno helped a voter sue unsuccessfully after human error led Antrim County to erroneously show a local victory for Joe Biden over Trump. It was quickly corrected but was used to spread misinformation about voting equipment. DePerno's main rival for the nomination is Tom Leonard, a former legislative leader and the party's 2018 nominee. State Rep. Ryan Berman also is running. Leonard lost to Dana Nessel by under 3 percentage points in a big year for Democrats but fared better than Republicans who lost the governor and secretary of state's races by larger margins. Trump, who nominated Leonard to be the U.S. attorney for western Michigan, now labels him as an establishment RINO" or Republican in name only lobbyist. Trump has accused him of not doing enough to fight the 2020 election outcome. Leonard said he has built a bigger coalition than DePerno, outraised him, undergone more extensive vetting and can unify rather than divide the party. He said he is not surprised Trump is all in for his candidate. What this has done is it's forced me and my team to work harder and it's forced us to hone our skills, Leonard said in an interview. I believe I'm going to be a much stronger candidate because of that when we head into November. DePerno said his opponents do not care about the 2020 election and that he can draw the biggest contrast with Nessel on COVID-19 mandates and other issues. Having Trump's support, he said Wednesday in Trump's virtual town hall event, is a huge and great achievement" that will result in both a resounding victory" and party unity. Roughly 2,500 delegates will vote at Saturday's "endorsement" convention in Grand Rapids. The candidates have pledged to honor the results, clearing the way for the winners to turn toward the general election while waiting to be officially nominated at another convention in August. Democrats pioneered the maneuver a decade ago, but it is new for the GOP. The secretary of states race, which is not expected to be as close as the attorney general's contest, has been less heated. Karamo, a community college instructor, is favored to advance to face Democrat Jocelyn Benson. Other Republicans running are state Rep. Beau LaFave and Cindy Berry, a township clerk. In a sign of how pervasive election falsehoods have become, the party will use machines to tabulate votes but, in a change, also hand-count the ballots in a compromise with grassroots activists. Dan Bonamie, a real estate broker and convention delegate from Crawford County in northern Michigan, said he will vote for the constitutionalist DePerno, crediting him for investigating alleged election irregularities. We need somebody in there that's willing to push that and wage war on that secretary of state if there have been some things that have been done illegally, he said, saying Leonard already lost to Nessel and was not effective enough as a House speaker. Max Rohtbart, a high school referee who is preparing for the bar exam, is an alternate delegate from Oakland County in the Detroit suburbs. He hopes to vote for Leonard or Berman, calling them standard Republicans while contending DePerno would hurt the whole ticket" and "lose badly to Nessel. He pointed to questions over $400,000 DePerno raised to challenge the presidential vote. Richard Czuba, a pollster who worked at the state GOP decades ago, said the attorney general's race is the most pivotal Republican contest in the country. Trump has signed a letter to delegates supporting DePerno and rallied for him in Macomb County. Trump has staked so much on it. He is trying to send the establishment a message, If you cross me, I will take control and I will purge you," he said. This is a must-win race now for Trump. ... It's going to tell us so much about where the Republican Party is just in general. Does Donald Trump have complete control of it or not?" ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 Air Force Maj. Gen. William Cooley's brother testified Wednesday that he was "completely dumbfounded" when his wife told him that Cooley had sexually assaulted her, saying that he "didn't want to believe that Bill could do this to us." The brother was speaking during the second day of testimony in Cooley's court-martial over allegations he forcibly kissed and groped his sister-in-law during a brief car ride after a family barbecue in 2018. Military.com, which does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault without their consent, is not naming the brother nor the sister-in-law at the request of her lawyer. Read Next: After Supreme Court Win, the Navy Has Reassigned Destroyer Skipper Who Refused Vaccine Cooley's court-martial, the first ever of an Air Force general to reach trial, is taking place against the backdrop of a Defense Department that has struggled to end an epidemic of military sexual assault and over the last year has taken several steps to better combat the problem. In the Pentagon's most recent annual report on sexual assault released in May, the department said it received 7,816 reports of sexual assault in 2020, down nine cases from the previous year. The 7,825 reports of sexual assault the Pentagon received in 2019 represented a 3% increase from 2018. Last year's report also showed 912 civilians had reported that a U.S. service member sexually assaulted them, which is the case in the allegations against Cooley. The figures are probably undercounts of the actual number of sexual assaults connected to the military since such crimes often go unreported. The Pentagon's most recent estimate of the prevalence of sexual assault in 2018 was that 6.2% of female troops and 0.7% of male troops had likely experienced sexual assault. Only a small fraction of cases make it to trial and end in conviction. A 2020 Pentagon study found about 4% of sexual assault cases in the military end in conviction, mostly due to a lack of evidence. In an effort to finally eradicate the problem, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as one of his first acts in office last year empaneled an independent commission to propose new ways to get at the issue. Based on the recommendations of the commission, the Pentagon proposed, and Congress approved, changes to the military justice system that proponents of the reforms hope will result in more trials and convictions. Specifically, independent prosecutors -- rather than military commanders -- will make decisions on trying sex crimes when the reforms take effect at the end of 2023. In Cooley's case, his accuser is alleging he pulled her hand toward his crotch when they were driving, and that once they were back in her garage, he pushed her against the car window, kissed her, cupped her breast and put his hand between her legs. He maintains the only thing that happened was a consensual kiss. The sister-in-law returned to the stand Wednesday for a second round of questioning by the prosecution and defense, though most of her time there was spent with lawyers arguing over the admissibility of some pieces of evidence. Cooley's defense attorneys have sought to frame the sister-in-law's allegations as a fabrication motivated in part by her fear of her husband's reaction if he knew she and Cooley had kissed consensually. The defense has repeatedly cited the brother telling the Air Force Office of Special Investigations that one of his reactions when his wife told him what happened was, "What did you do to bring this on?" That section of his interview with investigators was played in court Wednesday, along with him saying he was "wanting to exonerate my brother." The brother testified Wednesday he made that statement to investigators to describe what went through his mind but "at no point" did he actually say that to his wife. "I never said that to [my wife] nor would I say that," the brother said Wednesday. The sister-in-law also testified that she wasn't worried about her husband's reaction because, after he cheated on her in 2016, they went "through hell and back in our marriage" and "were never happier" than in 2018 when the alleged assault took place. In the months leading up to the alleged assault, the sister-in-law told her husband that Cooley had been giving her hugs that lasted too long, kissing her on the head and smelling her hair, the brother testified Wednesday. But the brother said he didn't think much of it because his wife "had good smelling hair so it didn't really shock me." The brother, who also works for the Air Force, had his security clearance revoked in August for a reason that was not specified in court. It has since been restored at the top secret/sensitive compartmented information level. On the night of the alleged assault, the brother was cleaning up from the barbecue while his wife drove Cooley to his parents' house to collect some belongings. When the brother realized they had been gone longer than they should be, he sent both of them a text message asking whether they were OK. After more time passed, he decided to check the garage to see if he had missed seeing them pull in, and as he entered the garage, he saw his wife and Cooley getting out of the car. Under questioning from the defense, the brother said he saw nothing in his wife that made him think anything was amiss, including whether she was flushed or hyperventilating. He recalled that she then went immediately to bed and told him what happened the next day after he got home from work. The brother said he thought about immediately reporting the incident, but held off because he "he was my ... brother, and I love him, and I did not want to be here." Asked by prosecutors whether he was angry at Cooley, the brother replied, "yes." But asked whether he also still loves his brother, he said, "I do." The court-martial is scheduled to continue Thursday. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: First Ever Court-Martial for an Air Force General Officer Opens in Ohio By SA Commercial Prop News The China Construction Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Ltd (IDC) have joined forces to finance the development of a new 120-room Park Inn by Radisson in Cape Towns Foreshore district. Brought together by specialist financiers, Construct Capital, the project will see this fast growing area receive some much needed middle-income accommodation though an innovative approach to raising funds by Construct Capital. In these tough times, funding, specifically for hotels, is not easy to come by so we rely on a creative, entrepreneurial approach to each project; one that often involves multiple and diverse partners. This method is working well for us," says Ryan Wintle of Construct Capital. The IDC is committed to promoting tourism, both leisure and business, in the Cape, as well as creating jobs. The Cape Town hotel industry has experienced a huge increase in capacity in the last three years; the strongest growth has being in the 5-star segment while the number of rooms in the 3-star market has increased only marginally. The IDC is conscious of the difficult trading conditions in Cape Town and takes comfort in that the 3-star Park Inn on the Foreshore is capitalising on the opportunity to develop additional rooms to address this growing demand, which is driven by cost-conscious business travellers and the domestic travel market. IDC takes a long term view in investments in the hotel industry and expects trading conditions to improve. The hotel is expected to create 71 permanent jobs; this is in line with IDCs strategy of facilitating job creation and the transfer of skills, to be undertaken by Rezidor, the hotel operator. The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing global hotel companies, has tapped into the demand for middle-market hotel rooms in Cape Town, redeveloping an office building in Heerengracht Street in the CBD, near the Cape Town International Convention Centre and within walking distance of the V&A Waterfront. The hotel features a RBG Restaurant & Bar, gym, business centre, rooftop conference room for 120 people, a rooftop terrace, a bar and a swimming pool, all with spectacular mountain and harbour views. After the successful 2010 launch of their first Park Inn by Radisson in Sandton, Johannesburg the group is up-beat. Says Andrew McLachlan, Rezidors SA-based vice-president for business development for Africa and the Indian Ocean islands: While Cape Town has a proliferation of luxury accommodation, we identified a demand for middle market, comfortable, well-positioned hotels; the Park Inn by Radisson fits perfectly into this. The founders of Construct Capital, Clifford Kupritz and Ryan Wintle, which focuses on development finance and traditional commercial property finance, have managed development loans in excess of R3bn, bringing extensive banking and development experience. According to Kupritz, this new hotel is ideally positioned in terms of its locality and market and while funding for new hotels has been incredibly difficult to come by, they were still able to raise funds for the right projects Betts Townsend is acting as the project, development and construction management team. They boast many major projects to their name; some of the most recent include the Southern Sun Hotel Hyde Park, Fairmont Zimbali, Oprah school for girls and the retail pod extension at Canal Walk. The hotels position is ideal, lying close to Cape Towns financial district and the highly successful CTICC, which recently announced plans for a massive expansion, in light of growing demand for this world class facility. The expansion forms part of a R4.5bn urban regeneration project, which includes retail space, a hospital and an office tower in the area. WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The first Air Force general to face a military trial will not testify in his own defense against sexual assault charges as his court-martial here prepares to wrap up. The legal team for Maj. Gen. William Cooley, who has been accused of sexual assault by his sister-in-law, rested its case Thursday without calling any witnesses to the stand, including Cooley. In remarks to reporters, Cooley's civilian lawyer pushed back on the notion that not calling him to testify helps the prosecution. "I think it's mistaken, this idea that the accused not testifying signals some sort of weakness. ... You might be sitting there thinking that an innocent man would want to shout it from the mountaintops," said Daniel Conway of Daniel Conway & Associates. "In our system of justice, we give you the right to remain silent, and I think that just about every judge in America is going to respect that right. So, we're not concerned about that at all." Read Next: 2 People Injured After B-1 Bomber Catches Fire During Maintenance Cooley's sister-in-law alleges that, during a brief car ride after a family barbecue in August 2018, he attempted to put her hand over his crotch, and that once they got back to her garage, he pinned her against the car window, forcibly kissed her, put his hand on her breast and then moved his hand to between her legs. Cooley's defense lawyers maintain the only thing that happened was a consensual kiss. Military.com does not name alleged victims of sexual assault without their consent, and the sister-in-law's lawyer has requested she be identified only by her relationship to Cooley. The trial is scheduled to continue Friday with closing arguments. The case will then go to the judge for a verdict. The case is being decided by a judge rather than a jury at Cooley's request. Prosecutors concluded their case Thursday by calling other attendees of the barbecue, including Cooley's mother and his niece, as well as a pair of close friends of the sister-in-law and her husband. They also called the sister-in-law's priest, two Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents who interviewed her and her husband as part of the investigation into Cooley, and a digital forensics expert. The friends and the priest both testified that she told them about the alleged incident a couple of weeks later. The friends, former Air Force official David Hardy and his husband David Martin, said that as she talked, she appeared "traumatized" and "shell-shocked." The priest, Father Christopher McLaren, described her as "agitated and torn up by the whole thing." Meanwhile, Cooley's mother, Eleanor, said he told her about a month after the alleged incident that he "made a pass" at his sister-in-law. Earlier in the week, the sister-in-law detailed her allegations against Cooley, while his brother testified about the shock he felt after his wife told him about the alleged incident. Cooley's defense has argued the sister-in-law changed her story over time and fabricated the allegations because she feared her husband's reaction to knowing she and Cooley kissed and had concerns about her husband's career with the Air Force. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: Brother Testifies in Court-Martial of Air Force General Accused of Sexually Assaulting Sister-in-Law How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts One of the events which took over various news platforms over the Easter period was Nigerian actress, Rita Dominics star-studded wedding which was held in Imo State in Nigeria. Despite heavy attendance by some renowned movie stars at the event, the absence of some of these stars was easily noted. Award-winning actress Mercy Johnson was absent from the event and she has been subjected to several questions by netizens and movie lovers. Recently, a fan had engaged the actress in a discussion about her absence from the marriage ceremony and her failure to post it. "I have gone through your page several times to see if it is not you again since yesterday because I know you as one who is always genuinely happy with everyone, I was wondering since you didnt go to Owerri, what happened to posting? the fan queried. The actress gave her husband, Lol, I was on set, my heart is always with team happythank you loads. Veteran actress, Rita Dominic and her husband, Fidelis Anosike had their wedding on Tuesday, April 20. 21.04.2022 LISTEN Ghana will be hosting this years United Nations People of African Descent high level forum as part of promoting recognition, justice and development of people of the African Diaspora. Under the theme, People of African Descent: Accelerating the Commitment for Recognition, Advancement of Rights, Justice and Development" is to recognise the contribution by Africans in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Ultimately, the meeting is aimed at promoting dialogue and advocacy on thematic areas that would enhance inclusion and the wellbeing of People of African Descent. In attendance will be Vice-President of Costa Rica, Her Excellency Epsy Campbell Barr, as keynote address speaker, Vice-President of Ghana, His Excellency, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as Guest Speaker and Dr. Natalia Kanem, UN Under-Secretary General, and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In a release signed by Dr Doris Aglobitse, Programme Lead, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Gender Team Lead, of the UN Ghana office said the historic relationship Ghana shares with the African diaspora is significant, considering its central involvement in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. This history, coupled with the recent Year of Return and Beyond the Return initiative by the Government of Ghana has positioned Ghana as a vital entry-point for Africans in the diaspora. The forum which will be held on Friday, 22nd April 2022 precedes this years International Day for People of African Descent which will be observed on 31st August 2022. The inaugural celebration of International Day for People of African Descent was hosted by the Government of Costa Rica in San Jose in August 2021. This followed a resolution adopted by the United Nations based on a proposal by Costa Rica to observe the day in recognition of the history, legacy and contributions of the African diaspora worldwide. The delegation as part of the forum will visit the Elmina Castle, Assin Manso Slave Market and Slave River Park. Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPAs Executive Director is the UN Secretary-General's Champion to further the agenda of people of African heritage. While in Ghana, she is also expected to engage with traditional leaders by paying a courtesy call to the King of Akwamu, His Royal Majesty Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III. Highlights of the upcoming events scheduled between 19th and 23rd April 2022 include: A High-level Forum on People of African Descent; a courtesy call to the President and the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana and field visit to assess Nana Afrakuma IIs Vocational Institute for Adolescent Mothers in Akwamu. Head Pastor for The Word In Action Church at Bortianor in the Greater Accra Region, Pastor Mark Afriyie Mintah has denounced the notion that the coming of Jesus Christ has already taken place. He said it is a deceptive connotation of the resurrection of Christ. During an Easter Sunday preaching, Pastor Mark Afriyie Mintah said, the resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be equated to His coming. According to him, the resurrection of Christ means cleansing of human sins and the end of lamb and other animal sacrifices. He said the perception that the resurrection of Christ is the same as His coming is a deliberate agenda to deceive Christians. The pastor added that such perception is to create the impression that since the Christ coming has already taken place then theres no need to follow His teachings any longer. According to him, that notion only seeks is to draw Christians into the path of disruption. Some people see today as a resurrection day. But for us, resurrection is an everyday thing, he stated. Quoting the bible; John Chapter 19:28 - 30, he read Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, I am thirsty. 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, It is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. He emphasised that the death of Christ simply means the devil has been defeated indicating that as long as the resurrection become as an event we shall never see Gods glory. One of the 6,000 students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) who have been deferred for delayed payment of their fees, has said he invested his into a lucrative business. He hoped to make profit from the investment and then later pay the fees. He said he did not know that the management of the university will act swiftly in the manner they did otherwise, he would not have invested the fees into the business. He pleaded with the management to give him more time to recoup the investment because he cannot go back to his parents for the fees. I used the money to do one or two things but I knew I will get profit from it and I will put it back. But I didnt expect this to be that quick. It is my own fault, I wont tell my parents, the student told TV3s Ibrahim Abubakar in an interview. The management of the KNUST on Wednesday announced that 6000 students have been deferred for non-payment of their fees. Public Relations Officer at the KNUST, Dr Norris Bekoe told TV3s Ibrahim that over the years we have had challenges of students completing University and then going away with our fees partly because we had not applied the fee policy. So this time around the academic board has decided to apply the fee policy. ---3news.com Aspiring Manhyia South constituency chairman, Richard Agyei Mensah Ofori Atta, has filed his nomination to contest the New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairmanship position in the constituency. Richard Agyei Mensah Ofori Atta, who has been branded as 'Tomtom' by his adoring fans, filed his nomination forms to contest the executive position slated between Thursday, April 28, and Monday, May 2, 2022. He was accompanied by scores of NPP executives and supporters when he submitted the forms on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the party's office at Ashanti New Town in Kumasi. His forms was received and scrutinized by the Ashanti Regional Organizer of the NPP, Nana Ama Ampomah, who represented the Regional Executives of the party. Tomtom, who was the former organizer for the then Manhyia constituency, met all the requirements to contest the chairmanship position. Dressed in the blue-red-white NPP attires, he arrived at the party office at 11am amidst drumming and chanting from the wild jubilation of his supporters. Speaking to the media after his submission, he noted that the decision to contest as chairman is to capture the parliamentary seat for the NPP by amassing more votes. When I was the organizer for Manhyia constituency during the former president John Kufuor, people saw what I did in supporting the party. I believed my experience as the organizer, will help me amass more votes for the NPP, he assured. He promised to organize entrepreneurship programs and workshops for the youth in the constituency to help them secure better lives. He also called for a clean campaign among all the contestants vying for the various positions, adding, We should all remind ourselves that we are one big elephant family with a common goal of maintaining political power in 2024. The Ashanti Regional Organizer of the NPP, Nana Ama Ampomah, speaking to the media expressed her gratitude to the contestants and their supporters for comporting themselves during the submissions. She revealed that fifteen contestants vied for the various positions of chairman, first vice chairman, second vice chairman, treasure, secretary, organizer and NASARA coordinator. Director of Communications of the ruling NPP, Yaw Buaben Asamoa has pointed out an inspiring and insightful vision of how government plans to use digitalisation as a tool for economic transformation. In an interview with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Accra-based Original FM 91.9, he described digitalisation as the engine block of any economy. in the world. We are building this new system because it positions us to be globally competitive in the emerging digital revolution, he said. Yaw Buaben Asamoa explained that in 2017 when the Akufo-Addo government assumed office, the system held major challenges for digitalisation of the economy. One of the key challenges, he mentioned, was the absence of unique identification for citizens and residents. He further explained that poor identification made it possible and common for someone to be born in Ghana, to live and die in Ghana, without any form of identification. The lack of identification also made room for inefficiency and corruption in the delivery of public services. Ghana card According to him, the issuance of biometric national ID cards (The Ghanacard) became a priority for government. "Sadly, the previous Mills-Mahama and Mahama-Amissah-Arthur administrations shelved the Ghanacard project started by the Kufuor administration. "This indicates a complete lack of appreciation for the significance of digitalisation by leaders of the previous governments." He disclosed that, currently, 15.7 million people have been enrolled on the Ghanacard with the rest of the population expected to be enrolled by 2022. E-passport Apart from establishing the identity of Ghanaians, he indicated that the Ghanacard also doubles as an electronic passport (e-passport) that can be used to authenticate the identity of travellers. Hungarys new Ambassador to Ghana, Tamas Endre Feher, has paid a courtesy call on former President John Dramani Mahama in his office in Cantonments to formally introduce himself and discuss issues of mutual interest to the two countries. Welcoming the Ambassador, who began his tour of duty in September 2021, Mr. Mahama recollected the long-standing friendship between Ghana and Hungary beginning from the administration of President Kwame Nkrumah. He acknowledged how the relationship between the two countries blossomed under his Minister for Foreign Affairs, Madam Hanna Tetteh whose mother was Hungarian, culminating in Hungarian scholarships to Ghana increasing from 2 to 50 and thence to 100 currently. Mr. Mahama gave an overview of the nations challenges including the economic malaise due to mismanagement and unbridled borrowing, which have both contributed to extreme hardships on the Ghanaian people. The challenges confronting the country, as a result of mismanagement, the former President noted, started long before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and the Russian-Ukraine war began. He said this was in spite of the fact the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administrations resolved a debilitating power crisis, left to the present government economic buffers including the Sinking Fund, Heritage Fund, Stabilisation Fund and a high IMF and World Bank projected growth rate, which the government inherited in 2017 but failed to sustain. Mr. Mahama also pointed out the complete lack of political will in fighting corruption involving governments own appointees and the forced resignation of the Auditor General, which he says is because the government does not want accountability. Ambassador Tamas Feher thanked the former President for the reception and expressed his happiness that Hungarian experts have contributed in various ways to Ghanas development. He paid tribute to the efforts of Minister Hanna Tetteh in helping to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. He also expressed confidence that the friendship between the two countries will grow even further, promising that the scholarships would be increased. 21.04.2022 LISTEN The management of the Ghana School of Law has constituted a committee to look into the alleged financial impropriety of the President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the school. This follows several allegations of conflict of interest, impropriety, and financial mismanagement leveled against the SRC President, Wonder Victor Kutor. The management in a press release dated April 12, 2022, stated that it would probe the issues rigorously as it does not condone such actions. The committee comprises three members; namely Mrs. Victoria Barth, Head of Faculty and Lecturer, Advocacy and Legal Ethics Ghana School of Law, Mr. Moses Ansah-Barnor Ankrah Esq, Deputy Director of Finance (Budget) Judicial Service of Ghana, and Mrs. Justice Anthony Aduhene-Benieh (C/Supt RTD). These members are to conduct thorough investigations into the substantive matter and anything concerning the SRC and submit findings and recommendations to the management for implementation. Students have however been asked to assist with any information that is imperative to the investigations. Students with relevant information and evidence concerning the matters under reference are encouraged to submit the same in writing to the Deputy Registrar. Electronic copies of the hard documents can be submitted to the email [email protected] not later than 25th April 2022. Background The SRC President of the school has, among other things, been accused of buying a car for the SRC from his company, and another one for his personal use under questionable circumstances. Mr. Wonder Victor Kutor is also said to be running an SRC-owned Mobile Money business with his company name and diverting proceeds from the business for his own personal use. The Executive Council of the SRC queried the president but said they are not convinced with his answers, hence has constituted a committee to investigate the matter. He was on April 17, 2022, interdicted, one which he regards as unconstitutional. Management has indicated that they are investigating the matter. The matter is also before the SRC Supreme Court. I was elected by the students of the Ghana School of Law, so how can the Secretary say that they have interdicted the President, which is the highest position of the SRC. It is unconstitutional. It is ridiculous that at the Ghana School of Law, where we studied law, all these trivialities are going on. The constitution is clear on the process of removing the President from office, it is done by the [SRC] Supreme Court. He has so far denied the allegations leveled against him. citinewsroom Sony Pictures has updated its upcoming theatrical release calendar, dating its Marvel Comics adaptation 'Madame Web', officially revealing a new entry in Denzel Washington's 'The Equalizer' series and delaying the release of 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' to 2023. According to 'Variety', 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse', the sequel to 2018's acclaimed 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', has been pushed to June 2, 2023. The animated follow-up had been slated to hit theatres on October 7 of this year. Additionally, the film has been re-titled, dropping its original parenthetical subtitle of 'Part One'. 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part II', the already announced threequel in the 'Spider-Verse' series, has also been given an official release date of March 29, 2024. 'Across the Spider-Verse' will continue the story of Miles Morales. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson are co-directing from a screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and David Callaham. 'Madame Web', a new entry in the studio's self-branded Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, is now slated to hit theaters on July 7, 2023, positioned in the middle of next year's summer season. The origin story stars Dakota Johnson as the title character, a clairvoyant with abilities to see into the spider world. Sydney Sweeney also stars, while S.J. Clarkson will direct a script by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Sony has also officially revealed 'The Equalizer 3', another instalment in Washington's action franchise. While Washington and series director Antoine Fuqua have both recently teased a follow-up to 2018's 'The Equalizer 2', this marks the first official acknowledgement from Sony regarding the project. 'The Equalizer 3' is set to hit theatres on September 1, 2023. 'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile', a live-action musical adaptation of the children's book series of the same name, has been bumped up from November 18, 2022. The family-friendly film now takes the October 7 release date originally held by 'Across the Spider-Verse'. Shawn Mendes voices the eponymous singing crocodile, while Will Speck and Josh Gordon direct and produce. 'Devotion', an aerial Korean War epic based on the bestselling book of the same name, has been officially dated for a limited release beginning on October 14, 2022. Senior officials from Britain, the United States and Canada walked out on Russia's representatives at a Group of 20 meeting on Wednesday with many members condemning Moscow's war in Ukraine, exposing deep divisions within the bloc of the world's major economies. Indonesia's finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who chaired the meeting of G20 finance officials in Washington on Wednesday, acknowledged the body faced unprecedented challenges but called for cooperation to overcome headwinds slowing global growth. "This is an extraordinary situation," Indrawati told reporters after the daylong meeting. "It's not business as usual, a very dynamic and challenging one." The G20 includes Western countries that have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine, as well as China, India, Indonesia and South Africa which have not joined Western-led sanctions against Russia over the conflict. Indrawati said many countries spoke out against the war at the meeting, although she did not identify them. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told attendees she strongly disapproved of a senior Russian official's presence at the meeting before she walked out, joined European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde amongst others. Ukrainian officials, presently in Washington seeking billions of dollars of additional funding, also walked out of the meeting. Russian Deputy Finance Minister Timur Maksimov represented Moscow in person. Over five million Ukrainians have fled abroad since Russia invaded on 24 February, marking the biggest attack on a European state since World War II. The United States accuses Russia of committing war crimes in what Moscow calls a "special military operation". Russia denies the allegations. G20 suspends 'business as usual' Russia's finance ministry did not mention the walkout in a statement issued after the meeting, but complained about the damaging effect of Western sanctions. "Another aspect of the current crisis is the undermining of confidence in the existing international monetary and financial system," it said. "The safety of international reserves and the possibility of free trade and financial transactions are no longer guaranteed." Meanwhile, Christine Lagarde urged Maksimov to convey to Moscow a clear message: End the war in Ukraine. G20 finance ministers and central bank governors met on the sidelines of a semi-annual conference held by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, with the Ukraine war, food security and ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic the key topics. Given the divisions, the group did not issue a communique. North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 21.04.2022 LISTEN The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the Minoritys interest in the allegations by Serwaa Broni has nothing to do with who slept with who. According to him, the Minority has only taken an interest in her allegations against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo because of the mention of national security operatives who were allegedly sent after the Canada-based Ghanaian woman. Speaking to Starr FM on Wednesday night, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said, We dont care about the moral issues and who slept with who. The national security being used to stage robberies is what we are concerned with and the Police CID coming in to cover up. Insisting the use of national security to stage robbery if true does not make anyone safe in the country, Hon. Ablakwa further revealed that the Minority is going to contact Serwaa Broni for any evidence she may have to support her claims. If national security is staging robberies, how safe are we. All of us uncovering wrong in our society are not safe. The abuse of office is worrying and all of us must be concerned. We will reach out to her to see the kind of evidence she has and then we will take the next step, Okudzeto Ablakwa said on the Starr Chat programme. Following the show of interest by the Minority in the matter, it has come to light that there is a docket of the case before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service. Aside the claims that national security operatives were sent after her, Serwaa Broni also alleged that she has had an affair with the President. The New Patriotic Party, under the current president, Nana Akufo Addo, is not a serious government that should be a threat to any political party in Ghana because the party didnt win the 2020 elections. Akufo Addo is both enjoying and disgracing himself under a stolen presidential verdict orchestrated by Jean Mensah and Kwasi Anin-Yeboah. Its not a hidden agenda or something secret that Akufo Addo didnt win the 2020 presidential race. I see the NPP government today as a toothless dog barking for people to hear, but they know deep inside that they are not close to what they campaigned against in Mahamas era. The NPP government cant fully accept that "we have done very bad" to the ordinary Ghanaians. Therefore, once in a while, they will let their voice be heard on issues that are going in their favor. One of them is digitalization. However, Ghanaians want jobs, so such feats dont mean anything to them at the moment. The dishonesty of the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, and the Electoral Commission's boss, Jean Mensah, is responsible for today's abysmal suicidal government of Akufo Addo and unprecedented hardships to ordinary Ghanaians What ordinary Ghanaians must fully be aware of the current government under the president, Nana Akufo Addo, is that Ghana is now a sunken ship that cant be salvaged, politically and economically. Yet, the desperate NPP government will do everything to hold on to power after 2024. Since in Ghana, the Electoral Commission has an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering elections and determining the results in the country, what Ghanaians need to worry about is whether Jean Mensah, the EC boss, will be stupid enough to repeat the same mistakes in 2020. Sometimes, when I read about Ghanaians claiming the NDC has no chance of winning the 2024 elections or the NPP will break the 8, I dont blame them because I have already said a number of times that what is being run in Ghana as politics, is not politics at all but only for politicians and their families to feed. If you are an intelligent Ghanaian, concerned about the countrys development and the future of the next generation, there are serious questions you need to begin asking yourself today before 2024. Why is it that a government that told us the NDC was corrupt is now more corrupt than the former party? Why did a party that told us they were coming to cut taxes rather introduce so many taxes and impose an E-Levy on us? Why did the NPP tell us that Mahama had overborrowed and that, as a result, they would cut spending and end up incurring Ghana's highest debt? The NPP told us that John Mahama is inefficient and corrupt, but why did he execute so many projects, including uncompleted schools and hospitals, yet the NPP, which claims not to be corrupt, cant even account for what they used Ghanas money for, despite such huge debt? For the tribal bigots promoting bad governance in Ghana, it doesnt matter if Akufo Addo is corrupt because Mahama was, and it doesnt matter if Akufo Addo enjoyed Serwa Broni in the air because Mahama did also the same on earth, but the truth is they will suffer together with everyone in Ghana. Jean Mensah on her fraudulent election escapade I need to remind the ordinary suffering Ghanaians that those Akyem tribal folks in the Diaspora, encouraging the bad government of Akufo Addo, work to receive about $20 or 15 euros per hour in America or in Europe, while they dwell on hate and tribalism to encourage the poor people to support the NPP. More importantly, there is no intelligent president in any political history who will abandon projects, including schools and hospitals, left uncompleted by the former government and be re-elected to power. After Akufo Addo failed to continue the projects of the NDC government, thats when he should have been voted out. The Electoral Commission Boss, Jean Mensah, and the Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, have done a great injustice to the poor Ghanaians and the crime they have committed, leading to untold hardships and the collapse of Ghana's economy, will continue to haunt them for the rest of their lives. I believe in karma, you cant let people suffer without getting the same thing back in a period of time, no matter how rich you are because God will never forgive them for their dishonesty, insincerity, and unnecessary hardships they have caused people. The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has taken a swipe at top management members of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) for receiving inconvenience and overnight allowances. Speaking to Starr FM on Wednesday night, Hon. Ablakwa who is a Ranking Member on Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee said COCOABOD is incurring millions of losses every year. In his view, the Parliamentarian stressed that any management member at COCOBOD receiving inconvenience and overnight allowance while serving the country should resign immediately. Look at COCOBOD, they have introduced Inconvenience allowances and they are even making losses in excess of 300 million cedis a year. They are also receiving Overnight allowances for top management. If you serve your nation and you need to be paid inconvenience allowances then just resign so that you will not be inconvenienced, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa stressed. The North Tongu Parliamentarian is known for being on the toes of government officials who abuse their office at the expense of the taxpayer. He has been critical of President Akufo-Addo over what he terms as luxurious trips when the President travels abroad. The Students Parliament of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has attributed the inability of some 6,000 students to pay their academic facility user fees to the over one month strike by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) that marred the beginning of the semester. This comes on the back of a directive by the management body of KNUST asking students, who did not pay 70 per cent of their academic facility user fees, as required by the university, to defer their courses. Reacting to the directive, in a statement, on Wednesday, 21 April 2022, the Students Parliament described the decision by the management as harsh and inconsiderate. According to the Students Parliament, the University Relations Office and various forms of student communication did a poor job of informing students about the policys requirements. Except for an impromptu flier with a little portion of the policy captured on it, no extensive measures were taken to address Students on this issue. It continued: We cant address this problem without taking into account the disruptions to the academic schedule caused by the UTAG strike, which has caused students to stay and spend longer than they intended before returning to campus. We must keep in mind that some students are self-parenting and may be obliged to spend on their tuition fees as a result of the extended academic calendar. It also appealed to the management body, especially, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, who they described as a listening mother, to reconsider the decision to have students defer their courses. At a time like this, all we seek for is an extension of the time to next academic year. This, they have done before, and we know, as listening leaders as they have always been, they will consider this, too, the students noted. It is our hope that swift action be taken to reverse this action within the shortest possible time to give students the concentration and all the attention they need to sit for the end of semester examination. Some 6,000 students of the KNUSTs 85,000 population are to defer their courses for their inability to pay their schools fees in full. The university announced that students who owe more than 70 per cent of their school fees were to automatically defer their courses by 7 April 2022. Despite the affected students having been allowed to sit their mid-semester exam which started on 11 April 2022, those who still had not paid up after the first exam week were forced to defer their courses. The University Relations Officer, Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, said on Wednesday, 20 April that there was the need to apply the fees policy this year which has been approved by the academic board and it is required that as an undergraduate student you must register your courses at the beginning of the semester and pay 70%. Despite a three-month window February to April for students to fully pay up their arrears, Dr Bekoe said: A number of students are playing games with the University. For example, they use their school fees to buy Uber; others are setting up bakerieswhile others are using it for betting, and we have evidence, he told Accra-based Joy FM. Source: classfmonline.com Set aside for the moment the thousands of lives lost and the destruction of cities in Putin's unjust war against Ukraine. Focus instead on how the war will end if Putin continues to disregard warnings of a potential Third World War if he crosses the red line by using chemical weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). This is what makes my heart to bleed. NATO has served notice that if Putin dares crosses into an inch of any NATO nation, it will join the fray, because NATO has a charter which states that, An attack on one is an attack on all. Putin disregarded the warning and has threatened to use chemical weapons in his war. The world is aware of how Putin used barrel bombs to deliver chemical weapons on innocent civilians in Syria. In that war, the world threatened Putin that if he used chemical weapons he will be punished, but he went ahead to use it while the world watched from afar without doing anything against this butcher. The inaction has given Putin the assurance that if he uses such weapons again, nothing will be done to him, and that is the danger. Putin has got his back on the wall, and he is desperately trying to save face. He thought he could easily walk over Ukraine and go further to annex Poland. Nearly two months into the war, Putin's army is yet to take over Ukraine, while thousands of his soldiers are killed. Many of his generals have been shot dead by Ukrainian snipers, and the situation seems mucky. He is now acting like a wounded tiger. History teaches us that autocrats get more paranoid the longer they stay in power. They know they are not going to retire, but may be assassinated or toppled. When the going gets tough, they try to get scapegoats within their inner circles. Putin is a typical example of an autocrat on the verge of defeat. His invasion of Ukraine has gone catastrophically bad. Look at how the Ukrainians sunk the Moskva, Russia's main warship in the Black Sea. This is the largest naval asset to be sunk by a missile since World War Two (WWII), and it is humiliating to Putin. His ego has been seriously bruised. It is like the battle between David and Goliath. He has purged one hundred and fifty spies and close associates as scapegoats for his failure to take over Ukraine. His image will be seriously dented if he loses this war, and as such he will do everything, including the use of chemical weapons to win, damn the consequences. Just imagine how the world would have looked like if Adolf Hitler was in possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction when Allied Forces cornered his army, and he saw defeat staring him in the face. I can bet with my last Kufuor Dollar that all mankind would have been losers. Today, the world has come face to face with another lunatic like Hitler, who has nothing to lose if he plunges the world into a Third World War. The civilised world should not wait on events while danger gathers. We must not stand by as peril draws closer and closer. In fact, the civilised world must meet Putin's threat now. Waiting for him to release his WMD before we strike is not self-defense but suicidal. From all indications, Putin has no regard for conventions of war or rules of war, not to talk of morality. To him the Geneva Convention doesn't matter anymore, so he can do whatever he wants to do. Such a scatterbrain must be caged before he does irreparable harm to the world. The Pope, in his Easter Sunday message warned the world of the troubling risk of nuclear war in reference to Putin's threat to use WMD in Ukraine, and that is worrisome. The world can pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace if we come together to confront this evil. The guy is like a child who is holding a sharp implement. If you want to collect the weapon from the hand of the child, you need to cajole and cunningly collect the sharp implement from his hand; else you will end up wounding yourself and the child if you forcefully snatch the implement from his hand. Putin is a dangerous serpent. But somebody should tell this reckless guy that war crime and any crime for that matter have no status bar. More than seventy years after the WWII, war criminals are still being hunted down and hauled to stand trial. The MOSSAD of Israel is still hunting and killing those who took part in the Holocaust which saw the murder of six million Jews. In this small village called the world, you can run but you can't hide. Every dog has got its day, and Putin's Day of Judgment will come, no matter how long it will take. President Joe Biden of the US has categorically stated that what Putin is doing in Ukraine amounts to genocide, and it is rightly so. The ground is being gradually prepared for Putin to face the music. And he will not face the music alone, since his generals are out there supervising the murder of men, women, and children. For now, the pendulum is swinging right so he can afford to swagger and boast, but when the pendulum starts to swing left; he will see and smell pepper. Surely the hangman's noose is being prepared for him. North Korea, China, and Iran are secretly supporting Putin in his crazy enterprise because birds of the same feathers flock together. China continues to threaten Taiwan, and Iran is involved in a proxy war in Yemen, while North Korea, a pariah and secretive state continues to fire missiles indiscriminately into the sea. These three nations constitute the axis of evil. They stand against the civilised world because the civilised world stands on their way. I sincerely miss Donald Trump, former president of the US. It was he who told the UN General Assembly that if Little Rocket man, Kim Jong-un, of North Korea did not stop his crazy adventure, and stop firing his dangerous missiles, the US will totally destroy North Korea. And he meant it. Together with Benjamin Netanyahu, they threatened a preemptive strike at Iran if that nation continues to develop a nuclear bomb. The world needs leaders like Trump. We shall overcome! I am still mourning the death of the Messiah so I have no lips to hold cigar today. Forgive me!!! From Eric Bawah The residents of Asarame in the Keta Municipality of the Volta region have been handed over an ultra-modern clinic facility by government through the Ministry of Transport on Wednesdays April 20, 2022. The clinic was commissioned by Mr Hassan Tanpuni, Deputy Minister of Transport led by Mr Emmanuel Gemegah, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). According to Mr Hassan Tampuni, who commissioned the facility on behalf of the sector minister Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah said the clinic is to help minimise patients' struggle for healthcare. He noted that the facility was initiated by government in collaboration with GPHA company. Mr Hassan also stated that many other developmental projects will be commenced in the municipality to better the living standard of the people. Mr Hassan noted that efforts are being made to construct a landing site for fisherfolks along the coastal areas of the country which Keta is not left out. Mr Emmanuel Gemega, the Keta MCE thanked his predecessors and those who helped in making Asarame clinic a reality. "The project started in October 2021 and it is of high standard, utilize it for your own benefit. This facility contains a maternity ward for easy delivery of pregnant women in labour and the main health side which will give you all that you deserve," he stated. Mr Emmanuel Kona, the Keta Municipal Health Director assured the facility will be properly maintained to serve lives in and around Asarame community. The clinic facility comes with a consulting room, storeroom, dispensary, injection or dressing room, laboratory, nurses room among others. The delegation also visited and inspected the construction of sheds in the Keta market and the ongoing construction of 12 seater toilet facility at Adzido. Mr Theophilous Magnicent, the construction consultant for the market projects disclosed that the project will be ready for use in two to three months time. Present at the ceremonies were Togbivi Agbotadua Kumasa, the PRO for Overlord of Anlo state, Togbi Sri lll, Keta Municipal police commander Mr Jordan Quaye, Madam Aurelia Tudzi, Assembly members among others. Four children of Gabon's late president Omar Bongo have been charged in France with embezzlement and corruption, a source familiar with the case told AFP Thursday. The siblings -- Grace, Betty, Arthur and Hermine Bongo, all in their 50s -- were charged between March 25 and April 5 by financial investigators. Charges include concealing embezzlement of public funds, corruption and misuse of company assets, documents seen by AFP showed. Investigators believe members of the Bongo dynasty -- including Omar, his son Ali, 64, who is now president of Gabon, and his daughter Pascaline, 66 -- knowingly benefited from a fraudulently-acquired real estate empire worth at least 85 million euros ($93 million). All four of Omar Bongo's children who have now been charged denied any knowledge of the allegedly fraudulent origins of the assets, the source said. They told investigators they had received the properties -- apartments in the well-heeled 15th and 16th districts of Paris -- as gifts from their father between 1995 and 2004. Grace Bongo's lawyer Elise Arfi said that it was "scandalous" that her client had been charged 25 years after acquiring the properties in question. France's 15-year-old probe into "ill-gotten gains" originating from its former African colonies saw major bank BNP Paribas charged last year. A further 14 people are under investigation, including relatives of President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo as well as several French individuals, among them a lawyer, a notary and a manager of a real-estate holding company. "This process is now showing the extent to which French properties could only be fraudulently obtained with the help of accounting and legal engineers" in France, said William Bourdon, a lawyer for Transparency International France, which is a co-plaintiff in the case. Omar Bongo, a close French ally, ruled the oil-rich state from 1967 until his death in 2009, when he was succeeded by his son Ali. He had 54 children, more of whom may also face charges, the source said. Gabonese presidential spokesman Jessye Ella Ekogha declined to comment on the charges when contacted by AFP. The United Nations says it is "extremely concerned" that Mali has not allowed independent investigators to visit the town of Moura, where local troops and suspected Russian mercenaries allegedly killed hundreds of civilians. At the end of March, a five-day "military operation" in the central Malian town of Moura reportedly left at least 300 men dead. There are further allegations that civilians were summarily executed during the raid on the town of about 10,000 inhabitants that had been infiltrated by Islamist militants. Survivors claim that white mercenaries suspected to be Russians took part in the massacre that sparked international outrage, prompting the UN to open an investigation. Justice for victims Mali has denied the allegations, saying it had conducted a professional operation to attack insurgents in Moura, and that it would carry out its own assessment of the incident. In statement, UN spokesperson Seif Magango said: "We are extremely concerned that Malian authorities have still not granted UN human rights investigators access." "Time is of essence to ensure accountability and prompt, effective justice for victims," he added. Magango said unconfirmed sources suggest the death toll from the raid on Moura could be as high as 500, mostly civilians. The UN says that soldiers reportedly raped, looted and arbitrarily detained a number of the town's inhabitants. Junta denies presence of Russian mercenaries The reports of the massacre come as Mali continues to struggle to stem armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that have gained ground in the Sahel and escalated attacks across the region over the past decade. The military junta that toppled Mali's government in a military coup in 2020 has sought the help of private fighters belonging to Russia's Wagner Group, who are accused of committing abuses in other countries and sanctioned by the European Union. Both Mali and Russia have maintained they are not mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment purchased from Russia. The Russian government has repeatedly denied any ties to the Wagner group. I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made. - Franklin Roosevelt THE EASTER BREAK afforded us time enough to engage our minds on a wild goose chase for a perfect world. While at it, we were assailed by news and pictures of the senseless murders of Ukrainian civilians and children by Russia. And we found it difficult to disengage our minds from the warped logic of some Africans in their reaction, supporting Russia just to spite NATO and its allies because Russia had supported the freedom fighters of South Africa, while NATO had backed the Boers (Afrikaans) to uphold apartheid (apartness; aparthood; segregation). Some even went to the extent of recalling Europe's role in the Atlantic Slave Trade. So because of this, Russia does no wrong in bombarding Ukraine? We came home from Nirvana (Buddhist transcendent state in which there is no suffering, no karma), and we remembered Professor Atta Mills' injunction on Ghana meddling in the Ivorian civil war: Dzi wo fie asem. Then our forty days' wandering took us to the circular from the Chief Justice, headed: Observing age-old tradition of the Bar in calling cases in court. The circular read, in parts: The legal profession, as we know, is steeped in traditions and ceremonies. One of the traditions observed is the practice of calling cases of persons, in order of seniority of enrolment, notwithstanding the notion of equality at the Bar. This practice, among other benefits, affords the young lawyers the opportunity to learn from seniors , enriching the whole legal training experience beyond what is taught in chambers and other places of work. Some trial court judges are not observing this practice in court. Whilst the right to call a case out of turn is not absolute, and is exercisable subject to the convenience of the court, for the reasons above, I would request all trial court judges to strictly adhere to this age-old tradition That is all, and we thought this innocuous in-house circular would be welcomed by all lawyers for the reasons given. How do you expect J.K. Agyemang, Esq (1959) or Sam Okudzeto to be in a queue while a young lawyer, who passed out of the Ghana School of Law in 2021, calls his cases? Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey says: In my very first year, senior lawyer J.K. Agyemang told me: 'young man, try to get genuine money so that when you are chopping you can sleep'! He adds: Never quarrel or show disrespect to a judge. The law is 40% statute and 60% discretionary. In the first year after passing out of the law school in 1986, he had a case in which a lady asked him to assist her in court. He writes: That night I did not sleep. What will I say in court? You learn from seniors! Even how to bow; how to cross-examine cases; how to address the court or judge; 'much obliged'; 'my Lord'. The Ghana Bar Association has lauded the Chief Justice's directive: There is a lot to learn at the court. As a lawyer, reading alone doesn't bring you up. How do you even frame your cross-examination questions, the sequence of questions and when you should even end? You will not read it anywhere unless you listen to it in court. Ayikoi Otoo puts: Just imagine in our days, Peter Ala Adjetey sitting down when an unknown Ayikoi Otoo being called, it doesn't sound right, after all, you will also become senior one day. But Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, a U.S. based Ghanaian Professor in law (?) has jettisoned this directive: Parties must be treated equally in our courts. The practice of giving preferences to senior lawyers by calling their case first, can quickly degenerate into giving more weight to what they say, giving them more time, paying less attention to junior lawyers. Furthermore, it sends a signal to clients that if you want your case to move quickly in our courts, then you better hire a senior lawyer. I do not accept that junior lawyers should go to the court room to learn from senior lawyers. They go there to defend their clients, and judges are to presume that they know what they are doing once they have been called to the Bar. Sure? If it had been somebody like Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey commenting on the Chief Justice's directive, it would be warmly appreciated. Because he has passed through the mill, and listened to big legal brains like B.J. Da Rocha, Tortoe, Sam Okudzeto, Peter Ala Adjetey, E. D. Kom, Bentsi-Enchill, and Paul Adu-Gyamfi. Effah-Dartey has also rubbed shoulders with brilliant lawyers like Tsatsu Tsikata, Betty Mould Iddrisu, and Ace Ankomah. Had it been the military or police, such a circular would not have come into the public domain for good reason. The judicial system in Ghana is so open, and courts are open to the public (with the exception of matrimonial cases, divorce, and child molestation). Then, an invitation was given to Kan Dapaah on a sensitisation workshop on the national security strategy for judges of the superior courts. It was a very well-delivered speech. He began: Injustice occasioned as a result of the absence of an effective justice delivery system or delayed justice or biased justice is certainly a threat to national security. Indeed, when injustice abounds, particularly in situations where the Bench, which is considered the final arbiter of disputes is deemed biased, citizens tend to take the law into their hands most times without recourse to the established systems of justice delivery. Then, unfortunately, he waded into uncharted water. In a word, we would say Kan has been Semper fidelis (always faithful) to NPP. He stated: If the interpretation of the law is tilted in our favour all the time, people will start accusing the judiciary, and will not have the confidence they should have in it? Siaka Stevens, the Sierra Leonean President (1971-1985), who died in May 1988 at 82 years, used to say that he believed in timing. We would quickly add: office and occasion. So, for the sake of ensuring national security, some judgments should be tilted in favour of some other parties. Is that what we call balancing act? Frank Davies thinks Kan Dapaah's statement was made out of context: You don't dispense justice in tandem with whatever political party holds the reins of government. Who determines who has tilted the interpretation of the law? And Ayikoi Otoo says: I don't think he sought legal advice. Abraham Amaliba of the Legal Directorate of the NDC thinks Kan Dapaah was actually speaking about what most Ghanaians think about the judiciary, and being the National Security Officer, he would have gotten some information. Professor Gyampo in a teaser says: It is either the few very professional (but political hawkish) people are being too partisan, or do not know what they are talking about in their critique of Kan Dapaah's candour. Judicial oaths are not godly orders. They are not biblical or Koranic injunctions. They are sworn to, and can be broken by the very fallible mortals who staff the Bar and Bench. Some people are also losing confidence in the judiciary. Some people have deliberately decided to put the judiciary on the carpet; others have on their part decided to put it on the red carpet. [email protected] From Africanus Owusu-Ansah. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday slammed the "bulldozer culture" of Narendra Modi government accusing it of demolishing the structures of a particular community in Delhi's Jahangirpuri and other BJP-ruled states. "China built two villages in the Indian territory but the Centre fear speaking two words about it, forget about demolishing them. Are they concerned about national interest, unity and integrity and the constitution or are just running bulldozers on a particular community?" Tejashwi said. "If those in (Jahangirpuri) are illegal constructions, what was the government and administration doing till now," Tejashwi asked. His elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav also objected to the "bulldozer culture" and initiated a social media campaign #stopbulldosinghouses on Twitter. Shivanand Tiwari, the RJD vice president, also objected to the demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Tiwari charged the BJP with spreading communal disturbance during Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti and called it extremely unfortunate and condemnable. "Though its effect was not seen in any part of Bihar, if the BJP or NDA government would opt for bulldozer culture in our state, RJD supporters will stand in front of it. We cannot allow such a culture to flourish in our state," Tiwari said. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is a symbol of communal harmony. He never allows any communal disturbance in the state. In the last 17 years of his tenure, only one incident happened in Nawada district. We are in coalition with BJP in Bihar but Nitish Kumar does not allow interference in the governance of the state," said Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) MLC and chief spokesperson of the party. "Our party and our chief minister believe in the judiciary and constitution of the country and work accordingly. We only know about judicial bulldozers. If any illegal construction has taken place, it would be demolished only on the direction of the court," Neeraj Kumar said. Meanwhile, BJP leaders claimed that whatever happened in Delhi and other states, was on the direction of the court. They were illegal structures encroached upon by the people and were hence demolished, the saffron party leaders added. The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) says members will resume their strike from today Thursday, April 21 over their neutrality allowance. The strike was suspended in January, 2022 after assurances but the executives say the allowances have since not been paid. In an April 20, 2022 statement following a NEC meeting held yesterday, CLOGSAG is asking all its members to stay home from today until further notice. According to them, the strike is over government's delay in paying the non-implementation of neutrality allowances due its members. CLOGSAG said it expected the allowance to have been implemented immediately after a meeting with government and an MoU to that effect signed on January 20, 2022, but after more than three months, the allowance was yet to be paid. It was noted that the Neutrality Allowance has not been effected as agreed in spite of official reminders and follow-ups to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, it said in a statement. The National Executive Council (NEC) therefore decided that CLOGSAG should embark on an industrial action to press home its demand for the implementation of the MoU, it added. CLOGSAG said it has notified the National Labour Commission, the Civil Service Council, Local Government Service Council and other stakeholders of the intended strike, which will continue until the challenge is addressed. Read CLOGSAG's statement below: DGN online A Toyota Yaris vehicle, with registration number GS 6040-21 flipped over and crashed into a ditch while descending the Odweanoma Mountain, killing one passenger and wounding two others. The car was being driven by one Aforleho Tawiah. The occupants, Comfort Obenewaa, 24, Kwadwo Osei, 26, and Edmond Oduro, 32, were transported to the Kwahu Government Hospital for treatment. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ebenezer Tetteh, the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, told the Ghana News Agency that Kwadwo Osei was transferred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra where he died on Sunday, April 18. He said the body had been preserved at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Mortuary for autopsy. Mr Tetteh said the occupants were on their way to Atibie from the Odweanoma Mountain April 16, when their vehicle abruptly veered off the road into an offside thicket before landing into a ditch. The accident car is yet to be hauled from the scene for inspection and testing by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. This is the second accident in less than a week at Atibie, with the first killing one person and injuring ten others during the Kwahu Easter celebrations. GNA Togbi Tenge Dzokoto Gligui VII, the Paramount Chief of Amugo-Wego Traditional area in the Keta Municipality of Volta region has held an annual maiden meeting with chiefs under his jurisdiction to be fully focused on the core duties of the traditional area. He urged his chiefs to work in unity since that is the only way for better achievement in the area. According to him, any chief who would be found to have misconduct himself will be reported to Togbi Sri lll, the overlord of Anlo state for action. Togbi Dzokoto Gligui VII said they are doing everything possible to tackle the issue of potable water for the area. "Water is life. l can not rule over people with no life because their is no water. "Remove any abandoned and buried gods on water ways before starting of pipes begins because we will not condone any act of restriction from anyone," he stated. Mama Awotsu Adzagba ll, queen mother of Anyako Lashibi Apekotuame, who doubled as the Central Regional Director of the Department of Gender under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection urged chiefs and traditional leaders to desist from addressing cases of early marriage, rape, defilement among others at home. The meeting was held at the palace of the Paramount chief who doubled as the Dufia of Anyako-Konu and Head of the Bate Clan of Anlo. Other discussions such as forming a committee and appointing some chiefs to play some vital roles in tackling chieftaincy matters in the area. Present at the meeting were Togbi Dzisam V, Dufia of Aborlove-Nolopi, Togbi Afozie ll of Atsyiame-Heluvi, Togbi Akaba VII of Anyako, Togbi Latsu Makua IV among others. All chiefs were given a copy of the Chieftaincy Act. 21.04.2022 LISTEN A 31-year-old man has been nabbed for stealing a 6kg gas cylinder at Ahodwo in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti region. The suspect who declined to mention his name but claimed to be a resident of Bekwai was apprehended around 6:30am, today, April 21, 2022. An eyewitness and mechanic, Nana Akwasi Amankwa told Class FM news that "they heard a woman shouting thief" in a house close to their industrial enclave in the area. He said he among other artisans at the enclave rushed to the scene and apprehended the suspect. He was, however, subjected to severe beatings after his arrest. The suspect, he said, was later handed over to the Adiebeba police. Mr. Amankwa noted that several engines have lately been stolen from the industrial enclave as well as residents in the area have also complained about thefts. He was of the view that the suspect was part of the people who have been stealing in the area Source: Classfmonline.com 21.04.2022 LISTEN Folks- I am waiting for the ECG of Ghana to turn off the electricity- because its raining today. Its only 10:23 am and I am waiting! There was a belief system in Ghana when some of us were growing up in rural Ghana in the 1950s and later even in the cities during the 1960s, that Electricity and Water do not mix well, and hence the need to turn off all power to homes and offices and perhaps factories when it rains! What a myth for a people! 70 years down the road of time and everybody using a smart phone, and almost everytime it rains since I arrived in Ghana in mid-March, Electricity has been turned off? Physics was a favorite subject in high school at Prempeh College; but it was the general curiosity about physical phenomenon and life that eventually landed some of us into Engineering in America. Why dont Americans turn off their electricity when it rains, or when it snows! And trust me nobody has seen rains and thunderstorms till they travel through or live in some of the Southern American states like Louisiana and Florida. Africa survives on myths, from my observations from childhood. I recall the myths about Kwame Nkrumah and how he could vanish and turn into a broom when the UP opposition folks were trying to kill him. Dr. Busia also had his myths, and so were myths about Dr. J.B. Danquah! No ordinary human can ever lead us Africans! There has to be a myth! Period! My short travels in the greater Accra districts of Ga East, Ga West, and Ga North in the last 30 days further convince me that we Africans are still waiting till some heaven-delivered Messiah comes down to plan and do the money-Arithmetic and collect taxes together and build decent road networks for the areas! It is amazing the roads people drive on, from the tiny vehicles they use for taxis to the Toyota Landcruiser, and not even talking about Water distribution and Electricity delivery reliability! Jerry Rawlings made the cardinal mistake in the 1992 Constitution and concentrated all powers of the towns and districts folks in one mans hands, appointed by the President. For Gods sake the man is dead and gone and Ghanaians expect some President to order some appointed DCE to bring moneys from Accra to build their local roads? Instead of voting for our own elected Town and District Councils we are still waiting! This happens in rich affluent areas like East Legon or towns in the affluent Kwahu areas where even water is a problem! At my age I can only feel sad for my country; but I sometimes laugh a little. I am totally convinced the black man is not an inferior creation of God and in over 50 years in America all the Ghanaians and Nigerians I have seen come to the US do succeed in academic as well as competitive work environments. So what is wrong that Africans still cannot put our heads together and create decent roads and highways, deliver electricity and water whether rain or shine! Why cant we devise formulas and tabulate all buildings and owners and tax everybody starting with the rich! We dont have to create new formulas! No! The story goes that the Arabs asked Americans to help them build their cities the same way they built Los Angeles; and today look at places like Dubai! Can we use the same formulas Americans, Europeans and now Asians use to make their nations modern and beautiful? Of course it takes some humility. And will our leaders who insist on chartered Jets when they travel, be able to eat some humble pie? Well,, err,, err, we hear some of the boys got good commission and profit for ordering pre-paid meters. Ghana is the only nation on earth where affluent homeowners have to prove their meters are not stealing electricity to ECG undercover agents with an armed police officer. This happened last week at my house! Everybody in Ghana knows and accepts the Political parties who talk of and implement any changes of course get their share! So how dare one ask for Accountability? Even Jerry Rawlings who first coined those words Probilty and Accountability has died! So how dare some of us mortals demand that electricity, water and telecommunications suppliers be made to deliver in reliable manner and roads and sanitation systems in towns and districts should be the job and responsibility of the DCEs, appointed or elected. And who said one man should appoint 275 DCEs and supervise their work! Only in Ghana and Africa! Myths will never end in Africa! As I write this, the electricity has still not been turned off and I am afraid somebody is monitoring what some of us are angry and speak about! Let me end here and go check the rains and see some of the little frogs around the compound! Somebody said they bring good luck! And God knows I need the good luck- two vehicles I shipped to Ghana and paid $15,000 duties and taxes are both down, when nobody was using them in my four years absence. So far mechanics in Africa are still producing wonders! We found out at the last shop the catalytic converters on my small SUV had been cut off! I guess wonders will never cease in Africa! Its 11:30 and no power cut off? Yieee!! Enjoy your day. From East Legon, Accra, Ghana- Dr. K. Danso (Apr.20, 2022) The United States Embassy has organised a seminar for English Language teachers, drawn from colleges of education in the northern part of the country to improve the teaching of the Language in Ghana. Participants were introduced to communicative language teaching approach that emphasised interaction and a learner-centred classroom where interaction was key. The seminar, held in Tamale on Wednesday, looked at different strategies and techniques, focusing on ways to help learners at all levels develop their listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. Ms Cynthia Robertson, an English Language Fellow, Accra College of Education, who was the resource person, said the focus was on the methods of instruction and how to collaborate to find the best approaches of teaching. She said learning from the teachers about the obstacles they faced, the successes they had with their learners and working on new concepts was a wonderful experience. Mr Kevin Brosnahan, Press Attache, US Embassy, said the seminar was to help participants to better teach the English Language and that the Embassy always shared tools and tips that were free online, which they could take advantage of to engage their students. Dr Sulemana Iddrisu, the Principal of Tamale College of Education, expressed gratitude to Ms Robertson for facilitating the seminar, saying the lessons emphasised interaction between teachers and students, which was a key requirement of the new national curriculum. He commended participants for their attentiveness and engagement with the resource person and said it showed their level of interest in the lessons. Most of the participants appealed for another session of the seminar to hone their skills and improve their delivery. GNA Ghana is gradually winning the battle against the global Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Although information from the official Ghana Health Service shows six new cases have been recorded, the number of active cases is still significantly low. The current active cases of 24 show positive results of the fight against the pandemic. From the Ghana Health Service dashboard, 159,644 out of the total number of 161,124 people that tested positive for Covid-19 have recovered from the deadly virus. Unfortunately, some 1,445 people have succumbed to the virus. On March 28, 2022, when President Akufo-Addo addressed the nation, he announced that the wearing of face masks is no longer mandatory. The decision was taken as a result of the success in the fight against the pandemic. "From Monday, the wearing of face masks is no longer mandatory. I encourage all of you to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices and avoid overcrowded gatherings, H.E Akufo-Addo said. The President further stressed, It has been a difficult two years, and we see light at the end of a very long tunnel. I appeal to all of us to live responsibly, protect ourselves, and do everything we can to stay safe as we lift these restrictions. Unvaccinated Ghanaians are urged to get vaccinated to stay protected from the virus. 21.04.2022 LISTEN The Parliament of Ghana has been petitioned by three citizens to set up an inquiry into the allegations made by Serwaa Broni against the President of the land, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The petitioners include Issifu Seidu Kudus, Elikem Kotoko and Stephen Kwabena Attuh. Besides the inquiry, the petitioners also want President Akufo-Addo to be impeached for going contrary to the 1992 Constitution after swearing an oath to protect all. We are by this petition, call on the Parliament of Ghana, through your High Office of Speaker to follow the example of the USA House of Representatives national hen the latter commenced an impeachment hearing against President Clinton on the 8th of September 1998. We hold that our petition is well-grounded to invoke Article 69(1) of the Constitution 1992, and warrant an inquiry into the matter and a subsequent impeachment proceeding initiated by Parliament to give effect to the letter and spirit of Constitution, 1992, parts of the petition addressed to the Speaker of Parliament reads. President Akufo-Addo has been dragged on social media by one Ms. Evelyn Aidoo, popularly known on social media as Serwaa Broni. According to the Canada-based Ghanaian woman, she has had an affair with the President in the past. She alleges that the President sent operatives of the national security after she went public with their secret affairs. The petitioners relying on the claims of Serwaa Broni insist that the H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has brought the name of the Presidency into disrepute. They want the impeachment processes against the President to be commenced by Parliament immediately. Read full petition below: 21.04.2022 LISTEN The Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana has lauded the move by the Minority in Parliament, to have an injunction slapped on the implementation of the controversial electronic transaction levy. The levy, which was amended from 1.75% to 1.50%, is a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments, was passed on March 29, 2022, in the absence of the Minority MPs, who staged a walkout. The Minority in Parliament on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, filed an injunction application at the Supreme Court in Accra against the implementation of the levy, which was supposed to take effect in May 2022, pending the final determination of their main case against the approval of the policy by the Majority side of Parliament. In a Citi News interview, Secretary of the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana, Theophilus Totimea, said they want the court to rule in favour of the Minority MPs. Government went ahead to push for the implementation of the E-Levy, despite our resistance. We are glad that at least, with Minoritys move for an injunction on its implementation, it will be put on hold for now. We are hoping that the Minority will be firm in its movement so that we dont have to pay the levy. Although it has not been implemented yet, our business has started feeling the heat. We are losing customers. 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. Government has, however, argued the levy would widen the tax net and that could raise an extra GH6.9 billion in 2022. ---citinewsroom Three citizens, Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese, Elikem Kotoko and Stephen Kwabena Attuh have petitioned Parliament to commence impeachment proceedings against the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over allegations made by Ms. Evelyn Aidoo Alias Serwaa Broni. Serwaa Broni alleged that the President used national security operatives to stage a robbery attack on her to retrieve gadgets purported to contain some nude pictures on her phone. This, the three, called on Parliament to launch an inquiry into the allegations and if proven to be true, commence impeachment proceedings against the President. According to the three, the allegations, if proven to be true, would amount to human rights abuse, abuse of office, exposing the security of Ghana to external threat as well as dragging the name of the high office of President into disrepute. The three, in their petition, indicated that they draw their motivation for the petition from Article 41 (a), (b) and (f) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana to uphold and defend the Constitution. They further stated in their petition that they believe the allegations levelled against the President in her publications and subsequent interview on 'Loud Silence TV' hosted by Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor over the weekend established sufficient grounds for the invocation of Article 69(1) of the Constitution, 1992. Ms. Evelyn Aidoo (Serwaa Broni) alleged among other things that she had some intimate relationship with President Akufo-Addo which subsequently led to threats on her life including the use of one Mr. Hopeson Adroye who was then the Deputy National Security Coordinator in charge of the Airport and other national security operatives to stage an armed robbery attack on her in order to retrieve evidence of the said encounter with him (President) from her phone and other electronic gadgets. According to her, the incidents left her traumatized which if proven to be true, would amount to a breach of the Oath of Office of the President. Read full petition below: On April 17, a video went viral on social media, showing a man wearing a blue 'kurta' firing shots with a pistol at a mob during the communal clashes in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area on April 16. The way he was shooting at the mob depicted the brutality of the alleged rioter, who, till that time, was unknown to the police. The viral video mounted pressure on the police to nab him. But before that, the accused had to be first identified. The police, using local intelligence, identified the accused person as 28-year-old Imam alias Sonu alias Yunus, a resident of Jahangirpuri. After identification, it was a challenge for the police to catch the offender before he could escape from the city. On April 18, a team of special staff of the north-west district police went to the C Block in Jahangirpuri in search of Imam at about 1.30 p.m. However, as soon as the team reached the alleged shooter's house, his family members resorted to stone pelting. During the incident, an inspector named Satender Khari sustained injury on his right ankle after one of the stones hit him. Subsequently, the police registered a separate FIR at the Jahangirpuri police station and one of the relatives of the accused, identified as Salma, was bound down. In a case where a person is bound down, he/she is not booked under any legal provision but is released subject to the condition that he/she will appear before the police for further probe. After this, the police widened the probe and on the same day in the evening, Imam was arrested from Mangal Bazar road, hardly a kilometre away from the road where he fired shots during Saturday's clashes. Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order), Dependra Pathak, termed Imam's arrest as one of the most important developments in the case. Ever since his video of shooting went viral, he was being considered as the most dreaded of all the rioters. During interrogation, the accused confessed to his crime and one sophisticated pistol was recovered from his possession. On Tuesday, the police produced him before a local court which sent him to four-day police custody. Imam owns a chicken shop in the Jahangirpuri area. Imam's mother reportedly told mediapersons that his son only wanted to scare the rioters, and had no intention of killing anyone. The Crime Branch, which is probing the case, also got hold of a man named Ghulam Rasool, who allegedly supplied the pistol to Imam. The various offices at the Ministries area in Accra were virtually empty as majority of the staff embarked on a strike on Thursday. The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) has embarked on a strike due to Government's delay in paying the non-implementation of neutrality allowances due its members. Neutrality allowance is a percentage of civil servants' basic salary paid as a compensation for the workers to stay neutral in political issues. A visit by the Ghana News Agency observed saw few staff with most of the offices closed. More later Niger's MPs will on Friday for the first time debate the presence of foreign forces fighting jihadists in the impoverished Sahel nation, government and parliamentary sources told AFP. A vote will follow, a government source said, as an official document handed to lawmakers said that new facilities will be built for these forces. Some activists are campaigning against the presence of foreign troops, branding them occupiers who threaten national sovereignty. However, the outcome of the vote is in little doubt with the parliament in Niamey totally dominated by allies of President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger has the support of several Western countries in its battle against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-linked jihadists, including the United States and France, which have military bases in the capital and the Agadez region in the north. According to the government document handed to MPs and seen by AFP, Niger "is virtually surrounded by terrorist groups. "Despite the efforts to contain the threat along our borders, the human and economic cost is heavy." The situation, it says, requires Niger and other countries to commit to "an effective fight against terrorism, in the framework of bilateral or multilateral cooperation, either current or in the future." "The special forces of friendly countries will be deployed ... (and) installed on the territories of members of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) facing the threat." These include Benin, Ghana, Niger and Ivory, the document adds. US and French special forces are already operational in Niger, which has declared itself ready to host more. But their possible deployment in the other countries has not been officially mentioned previously. The document says that in Niger, "which already houses foreign troops bases, new sites will be set up nearer the theatres of operation" in Mali, where multiple jihadist groups operate. "The locations and operational methods" of these forces will be discussed with Niger's military hierarchy, it says. France is reconfiguring its anti-jihadist forces in the Sahel after its relationship with Mali broke down following a military coup in August 2020. Germany, which runs a logistics outpost in Niamey, has set up a centre close to the border with Mali to train Nigerien special forces. Italy and Canada are also involved in special forces training. Niger. By AFP The poorest country in the world according to the benchmark of the UN's Human Development Index (HDI), Niger is facing two jihadist insurgencies. One is unfurling in the southwest of the country, coming from neighbouring Mali, while the other is in the southeast, from Nigeria. Criticism of the presence of foreign forces prompted Bazoum to announce in February that he would ask parliament to agree on any new "arrangements" with foreign partners to tackle the jihadists. The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has filed a fresh petition at the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) asking for the allegations against President Akufo-Addo by Serwaa Broni to be looked into. The petition filed today became necessary after an earlier one submitted in October 2021 got missing with CHRAJ. The petition follows the allegation by Serwaa Broni that there was a staged robbery on her on the Tema-Aflao road by some National Security operatives working on the instructions of the President in an attempt to retrieve explicit photos and videos taken during her alleged relationship with the President. In the petition, ASEPA wants allegations of abuse of office, human rights abuse, and criminal misconduct alleged by Serwaa Broni to be investigated. The Civil Society group wants impeachment processes to be commenced against H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo if the allegations are proven to be true. Among other things ASEPA is requesting CHRAJ to investigate the President on Abuse of Office, Human Rights Violations, and Criminal Misconduct contrary to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. These allegations if proven would be enough grounds to commence impeachment proceedings against the President, ASEPA notes in a statement confirming the filing of the petition. In addition to President Akufo-Addo, ASEPA also wants CHRAJ to investigate the involvement of the General Secretary of the NPP John Boadu, Former CID Boss Tiwaa Addo Danquah, Col. Michael Opoku Head of Operations at National Security, Dr. Gordon Ofei-Larbi personal physician of the President, Kennedy Agyapong MP Assin Central and Management of Golden Tulip Hotels Accra over their involvement in the allegations. Below is a copy of ASEPA's petition: Aggrieved aspiring polling station executives of the NPP in the Twifo Hemang constituency say they would resist any attempt by the hierarchy of the party to subvert their will. They have issued a strong warning to the partys Alternative Dispute Resolution and Legal Support Committee that they would reject any attempt to re-run elections in only nine out of the 81 disputed polling stations. Addressing a press conference in Twifo Hemang, spokesperson for the group, Christopher Ampoful alleged that his side has picked intelligence that there was a grand scheme to subvert the political rights of the masses who picked forms to contest as polling station executives. He alleged that though the MP for the area, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey has openly declared that he has no interest in the disputed polling station elections in the area, he appeared before the committee to give his account. Mr Ampoful further alleged that during a meeting in Accra, they overheard a committee member told to do everything to ensure that the elections were never held in the 81 polling stations even if that would demand paying of money. MP and his surrogate are jubilating because they say Honorable Cecilia Abena Dapaah has told him only (9) polling stations elections will be conducted, he alleged. This, he added, would be total annihilation for the MP if fresh and genuine elections were to be conducted in all the 81 polling stations as they have demanded. "What is of more concern to them was the fact that though the committees report was yet to be made available to all the parties involved, the other faction was relying on a purported report from the committee alleging that the disputed elections were clean," he stated. Release of time table Though an injunction has been placed on the conduct of any further elections in the constituency, they have been surprisingly included in a time table for the constituency elections in the region. He indicated that the region has provided time table which indicates that there is going to be a constituency election in HLD which affirms what the MPs camp has been saying. Warning to leadership He said We are sending a strong warning to Hon. Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her committee indicating that they would fiercely resist any act that would constitute injustice. As Yaa Asantwaa fought with her life for the Ashante Kingdom, we the nine hundred delegates will fight till the last drop of our blood. We are sending a strong warning to Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah that they will kill all of us before such Nine (9) polling elections are conducted, he added. Mr Ampoful continued, If Madam Cecilia Dapaah as an MP wants to treat our concerns as a case to compensate her fellow MP, we are telling Madam Dapaah, we voted for the MP not her. He disclosed that but for the final funeral rites of Odefo Boa Amponsam, all the delegates who purchased forms to contest would have hit the street to demonstrate against the leadership of the party. He stated that we the leadership of the delegates can't control the group again and we dont know what will happen next if the purported report comes in the form that has been alleged by the other faction." Accused persons response Meanwhile, the accused persons have flatly denied all the allegations describing them as unfounded and figments of their imaginations. In a telephone interview, Mr Aliu Sumaila who spoke for the accused person in the constituency refuted all the claims made by the aggrieved aspirants. We have no idea about that claim. I am sure it is part of those things they have been doing and of course, we have said this times without number that from the beginning they have always speculated, he intimated. He indicated that they would respect whatever decision that the committee would come out with. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Sissala West, Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu has opened his doors to students from his constituency who have been forced to defer their courses at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). As reported by Modernghana News on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, over 6,000 students have been forced to defer their courses over their inability to pay fees at the end of the given deadline. In a press release from the office of the Sissala West MP, Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu has asked affected students from his Constituency to get in touch for assistance. The office of the Sissala West Member of Parliament wishes to announce to all students from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) who hail from Sissala West and have their programmes deferred due to non-payment of school fees as have been announced by the school to contact the following people for assistance, parts of the press release reads. Persons to be contacted include Mohammed Ali [0206468753/0541005551], Ali Guguo [0540379783/0209251783], and Bakpa AbdulBari [0501387307 Sissala Union president KNUST branch]. Hon. Mohammed Adams Sukparu has become the second Member of Parliament to offer help to students at KNUST. On Wednesday, North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa issued a similar notice calling on affected KNUST students in his constituency to contact his office for assistance. 21.04.2022 LISTEN The former Member of Parliament for Buem constituency, Daniel Kwesi Asiamah, says the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) which recommended the selection of a fresh candidate will "revitalise the prospects" of the opposition party in the 2024 polls is not credible. The Unit projected that the NDC will have a better chance of winning the 2024 polls if led by a new candidate. According to the EIU, an attempt to reintroduce former President John Dramani Mahama who led the NDC unsuccessfully in 2016 and 2020 will again keep the party in opposition in 2024 elections. The next parliamentary and presidential elections are due in 2024. Under constitutionally mandated term limits, the incumbent president, Mr Akufo-Addo, cannot run for a third term. The former president, John Mahama, is reportedly considering running again, but we expect the opposition NDC to try to revitalise its prospects with a fresh candidate, the latest EIU report indicated. It added: Our baseline forecast is that ongoing public dissatisfaction with the slow pace of improvements in governancesuch as infrastructure development, job creation and easing of corruptionwill trigger anti-incumbency factors and push the electorate to seek a change. The NDC, therefore, stands a reasonable chance of winning the 2024 elections. In reaction, Daniel Kwesi Asiamah doubts if the EIU indeed conducted an extensive survey before making public their findings. He said EIU has on previous occasions given a false prediction of Ghanas election hence, their recent one is equally baseless. They predicted the NPP was going to win the last election with a clear majority, they couldnt predict NPP was going to lose the 2020 election. If not for rigging, there is no way the NPP would have won against former President Mahama as the NDC's flagbearer, Daniel Kwesi Asiamah told Okogyeabour Ocran on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7. The EIU, they might not even have gone round to check exactly the problems that caused the defeat of the NDC. They have not done that," he stated. 21.04.2022 LISTEN Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram Sam George has accused the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and some officials at the Ministry of Finance of conniving to spend a whopping $40million on a monitoring platform for the implementation of governments electronic transaction levy (E-levy). Speaking on Good Morning Ghana with Randy Abbey on Metro TV, the legislator said, the GRA and persons at the finance ministry have engaged ExpressPay to build a monitoring platform for the e-levy. According to him, in spite of them being contracted by GRA to build the platform they lack the capacity and so have sought to engage the AWS company to use their system which is the sever-less cloud computing system. He noted that any financial transactions outside Ghana is a breach of the law. Even in the law, the one they claim they have passed, the one we are challenging in court. In 6(2), it explicitly stated that they cant deal with any private sector player. ...Individuals who are sitting at the ministry of finance, technocrats and the people at GRA who think this is chop chop, Randy, this one will hook their here (throat). This will hook them, they cant swallow it because we will expose every bit of it," he stated. According to him, per the contract between Government of Ghana and Kelni GVG, government is supposed to own that platform without necessarily paying an extra $40million to ExpressPay for E-levy implementation. The Ningo Prampram MP stressed that as it stands now, the Application Programming Interface (API) and the security architecture has not been made available to the telecommunications companies (Telcos). The minority in parliament led by its leader and MP for Tamale South Hon. Haruna Iddrissu, MP for North Tongu Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and MP for Bawku Central Hon. Mahama Ayariga filed an injunction application at the Supreme Court against the implementation of the controversial electronic transfer levy. Nana Baffour Kwabena Baah, the Akwan Srahene (intermediary) of Kyebi Apapam, has commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, for helping to reduce the land-guard menace in the Akim Abuakwa Traditional Area. He said land-guards had been disturbing the peace of the area for the past years, forcefully taking over lands, engaging in sand winning and threatening the lives of farmers with guns and other dangerous weapons. However, Nana Baah said the IGP had been able to work with his team to reduce their activities to the barest minimum. Nana Baah, who is also the Second-in-Command of the Okyeman Land Protection Taskforce, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Nsawam after he had toured some communities within the Okyeman State in the Eastern Region. He mentioned some of the communities he visited as Kyekyewere, Suhum, Asuboi, Budu, Amanase, Coaltar, Adoagyiri, and Teacher Mante to interact with the chiefs to avoid engaging the services of land-guards. He said Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin, the Okyehene, was the sole owner of Okyeman lands, which stretched from Adoagyiri to Jejeti in the Eastern Region and needed entrepreneurs to invest in the land. The Okyehene, therefore, formed the Okyeman Land Protection Taskforce to ensure that the lands were protected from encroachers, especially land-guards, who derailed development efforts, he said. He urged the chiefs and the people to cooperate with the Okyeman Taskforce to drive away land-guards by reporting to the police any suspicious character. Nana Baah also the Chief Executive Officer of the Baah Vim Real Estate Construction Limited, called on estate developers, business entrepreneurs and companies to invest in Okyeman to help create employment opportunities for the youth. GNA The death toll from South Africa's worst floods in living memory was Thursday officially revised down to 435 after autopsies showed the figures included some who had been murdered or died from natural causes. A total toll of 448 deaths had been announced, with dozens still missing after torrential rains last week triggered record floods and mudslides in eastern coastal parts of the country. But police minister Bheki Cele said four bodies were found to have gun shot wounds while nine had died from natural causes. "The final fatality figure stands at 435 as of this morning," he said. Government officials say dozens are still unaccounted for but relief charity Gift of the Givers on Tuesday listed 237 people still missing, using figures compiled from a Whatsapp hotline it created. The police are leading the recovery operations conducted by more than 50 specialised divers and search dogs. After several hours of digging through four-metre high debris, police divers and local community members in Mariannhill gave up Thursday, despite the stench of decomposing human flesh over the area. The military, which is providing airpower, is incrementally deploying troops with a target of having 10,000 boots on the ground. Most of the soldiers will help with rebuilding roads and restoring water supplies. Several areas are still inaccessible -- hampering the delivery of relief aid -- after bridges and roads cracked under the weight of the raging flood waters. Costa Rican Vice President Madam Epsy Campbell Barr Wednesday wept uncontrollably in the Elimina Castle slave dungeon as she relived the trauma her ancestors, victims of the transatlantic slave trade, endured. Madam Barr, Costa Rica's first Black Vice-President, and Dr Natalia Kanem, UN Under-Secretary General, and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) visited the Castle on Wednesday as part of their five-day visit to Ghana. Their visit, dubbed: "The Return Mission" is to advance and promote the rights of People of African Descent. When the team was asked to observe a minute silence inside the male dungeon in remembrance of the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, spontaneous tears trickled down the eyes of Madam Campbell Barr. Her husband, who equally looked dejected by the accounts of the horrifying conditions in the dungeon, consoled her in a warm embrace. Throughout the tour, Madam Campbell Barr appeared sober and heartbroken by the ordeals of the African captives who where subjected to inhumane treatment in the dungeons for months before they were shipped to Europe and America. Mr Clifford Ashun, the Central Regional Director of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, who conducted the team around the facility, gave a chilling account of how the rights of the captives were crushed throughout their tortuous incarceration in the dungeons. "People are made to lie side-by-side, unable to move and unable to sit up with their hands and legs in chains and shackles. There were instances one could not get his own hand to clean his own mouth and many died because of the way they were closely packed," he narrated. Dr Kanem and Madam Campbell Barr laid a wreath each inside the dungeon in honour of the souls of African ancestors lost during the slave trade. "We do this for the peace of their souls and for the reminder that we have to fulfill the work for our people not only here in Africa but for our daughters and sons of Africa all over the world," Madam Campbell Barr said. The Elmina Castle was first built in 1482 as a Portuguese trading settlement. Occupying an area of 91,000 square foot, the Castle was one of the principal slave depots in the transatlantic slave trade for more than three centuries. The Castle has now been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Earlier in the day, Dr Kanem and Madam Campbell Barr visited the Assin Manso Ancestral Slave River Site - where slaves took their last bath before they were branded and taken to the castles. There, they took the symbolic "First Bath of Return" in the Donkor Nsuo (Slave River) - which symbolises spiritual cleansing, forgiveness, and connection with the spirits of African ancestors who were victims of the transatlantic slave trade. Dr Kanem will on Friday, April 22, 2022 convene a high-level forum in Accra to promote the rights of the People of African Descent. The forum precedes this year's International Day for People of African Descent which will be observed on 31st August, 2022. GNA Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the European Union (EU) is currently preparing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia as Moscow's war against Kiev has entered its 56th day. In his latest video address posted on Thursdau, Zelenksy said he discussed the sanctions with President of the European Council Charles Michel during their meeting in Kiev earlier on Wednesday. "We are working to make it truly painful for the Russian military machine and the Russian state as a whole. I emphasize in all negotiations that sanctions are needed not as an end in themselves, but as a practical tool to motivate Russia to seek peace," the President was quoted as saying in the video. According to Zelensky, the sanctions will provide restrictions on Russia's energy sector, banking sector, exports, imports and transport." He also reiterated his call for a complete embargo on Russian oil supplies, the BBC reported. Zelensky said he spoke to Michel about the "threat to food and energy crisis in Europe", and the possibility of resuming Ukrainian agricultural exports and blocking Russia's "ability to blackmail Europe". Before their meeting, the European Council chief visited Borodyanka in Kiev with his team, Zelensky said, and "saw with his own eyes the destruction they (Russia) had caused". "There can be no justice without peace," Zelensky said adding that Russian military and commanders would be held guilty of war crimes. "Every surname, every home address, every bank account - we will find everything." Executive Secretary of the striking Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) Isaac Bampoe-Addo has warned the founder of IMANI-Africa Franklin Cudjoe to stay away from labour matters. He said Mr Cudjoe does not even have the locus to comment on labour let alone the latest demands of civil servants. The IMANI-Africa founding president had criticised CLOGSAG for demanding a neutrality allowance for which members began an indefinite strike on Thursday, April 21. Mr Cudjoe described any payment in the name of neutrality allowances as a fraudulent arrangement. But in an interview with Media Generals Daniel Opoku after a meeting with government on Thursday to find a resolution to the demands, Mr Bampoe-Addo said Mr Cudjoe should go and sleep. What locus has IMANI Ghana got? he questioned. They should go and read the labour law. It's a relationship between an employee and an employer. What is his locus? My friend, tell him to go and sleep. He should mind his own business. Source: 3news.com|Ghana The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ketu South Maxwell Lugudor has expressed worry over the refusal of residents to relocate to high lands in anticipation of another possible tidal wave. Upon the information we had from the Ghana Meteorological Agency, we advised people to move to high lands in anticipation of another tidal wave however, they have returned to their old houses. Our people are fisher folks and have refused to move farther away from the sea the worried Lugudor said on the Sunrise Morning Show. According to the MCE, the rains have already started in Ketu South as at the time of speaking to host Alfred Ocansey on 3FM Thursday, April 21 He said the assembly is putting up temporary tents for the people who do not have places to put their heads. He assured that work has started to put up an initial fifteen two bedroom houses for the people with the support of GNPC and is hopeful the project will be completed as soon as possible. This is not the first time this incident has happened so we have advised them to move to a higher ground. We are putting up a structure for about 15 two-bedroom house units, he said. Scores of residents of Agavedzi and Salakope in the Ketu South Municipality were displaced following tidal waves that swept away their homes on Monday, April 4. ---3news.com|Ghana 21.04.2022 LISTEN President Nana Akufo-Addo will launch the National Cathedral Week in July, this year, designated to discuss issues concerning the completion and operationalisation of the National Cathedral and how the churches can support it through special offertory. Dr Paul Opoku-Mensah, the Executive Director of the National Cathedral, said the secretariate was trying to locate the Cathedral Week within the Republic Day celebration, from July 1-10. This year what we are trying to do is to begin with an exhibition on the National Cathedral. A lot of work has been done in terms of its look and almost 20 per cent of the project has been completed. There is a bible museum, chapel, baptistery, a music school and an art gallery..., he said. The President will launch the exhibition in July and that will be the start of the National Cathedral Week, he said. Dr Opoku-Mensah said this in Accra on Thursday when the Triumphant Baptist Church in Kumasi donated GH100,000.00 towards the construction of the Cathedral. The Ghana Baptist Convention Secretariat also presented GH20, 000.00 to the secretariat following a request to churches to raise funds to support the successful completion of the project. Dr Opoku-Mensah mentioned a praying festival by churches, exhibitions, roadshows on the National Cathedral across the country and church services to raise funds for the project. He also mentioned series of fundraising activities among the private sector, an international fundraising for Ghanian churches in the diaspora and among donor groups outside the country. The Reverend Dr Ernest Adu Gyamfi, the Executive President, Ghana Baptist Convention, said it was the pleasure of the Church and Secretariat to support a noble course that would symbolise the Christian community and add diversity to the country. Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, National Cathedral, expressed appreciation to the Church for the donation. Deacon Anthony Adu-Nketia, the Chairman of the Body of Deacons, Triumphant Baptist Church, said the contribution was the Church's widow's mite towards the operationlisation of the Cathedral. The National Cathedral, an interdenominational Christian Cathedral being built in Accra, is estimated to cost over $25 million and would have a 5,000-seater auditorium, chapels, baptistery, a music school, art gallery, and a biblical museum. It is expected to be opened to the public on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in fulfillment of a pledge by President Akufo-Addo to God before winning the 2016 elections. The architect for the project is British-Ghanaian Architect, Mr David Adjaye, who also designed the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. GNA Professor Joseph Atsu Ayee of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, has urged the government to review the retirement age to tap into the experiences of the aged. He said there was a serious disconnect between the aged and national development in the country and to bridge the gap, the country needed to involve the aged in social issue by tapping into their wide experiences. The aged have become part of national development in other parts of the world because they have been made productive even at their age. Hence, we must move away from the mentality of retiring at 60 and becoming redundant. Speaking at the inauguration of the COMi Relief Foundation's Respite Facility dubbed The CRF Respite, an aged Day Care Facility, Prof. Ayee noted that ageing was a global issue but unlike in other developed countries where states had made provisions for the aged, in Ghana aging has become a family issue without any institutional goals. He said there was the need to make aging an important issue, develop a support scheme for the aged and establish an institutional home where the aged could go in at any time for refuge. As a country, if we want productivity to improve among the youth, we must invest more in the aged so that the young ones will be motivated to go all out and work, having in mind they would be catered for in their old age. He commended the Foundation for the efforts made at supporting the aged across the country and encouraged them to engage proactively and in a coordinated manner with government agencies to receive the needed support. Liaise with other institutions also in the area of aging to have a critical mass to engage government. Dr Edward Danso, the Chief Executive Officer, CRF, said the aged have been seriously marginalized in the country and there was very limited support for them, hence the establishment of the Foundation eight years ago to see to the care of the elderly. He said, our Vision is to provide high-quality healthcare and supportive services to the aged in Ghana. Our mission is to promote, enhance and innovate healthcare and well-being of the aged. Our objective is to provide quality care in comfort, respect, and in dignity to the aged who suffer rejection and neglect. Dr Danso said the United Nations and WHO had informed developing countries about the growing concern of the ageing population and urged third world countries to plan and prepare to take care of them, hence the CRF had taken the lead role in providing innovative healthcare for the aged as the Ghanaian society was getting greyer. He said the Respite was established out of funds raised from the sale of some awards presented to the CRF, during its eighth anniversary celebrations. The Respite Facility will provide natural health solutions to the issues that affects the aged. We have a well resourced Clinic with non-evasive equipment, Care givers and Therapists handy for the comfort of the aged. Our integrated programme will provide maintenance day care, social activities, and rehabilitation on demand, and provide extensive respite care support for the aged to maintain their general, physical, and psycho-social well-being. The CEO reiterated that the CRF is committed to seeing the aged smile because of what we do for them. At the facility, the aged will participate in cognitive engaging programs and maintenance exercises that enable them to be more socially active. Physiotherapists, Nutritionist, and occupational therapy services will be provided at a minimal cost. This will include breakfast, and lunch, (depending on the schedule of Service for the day). He urged nonprofit organisations, corporate bodies and individuals with similar vision and mission to join them and support their efforts financially and materially while encouraging the public to take advantage of the facility and their services. Mr Daniel Nii-Noi Adumuah, the Adentan Municipal Chief Executive, pledged the Assembly's continuous support for the initiative to achieve its aim of providing care for the aged across the country. Some pensioners used the opportunity to appeal to government and other organisation to support their health and accommodation needs, saying aging is very expensive and so we cannot survive on our pensions, we need the support of both government and institutions like CRF. GNA The Reverend Dr. Samuel Worlanyo Mensah, Executive Director of the Centre for Greater Impact Africa (CGIA) on Thursday revealed that blaming the national economic woes on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war was just a political gimmick rather than an economic fact. Rev. Dr. Mensah who is an economist stressed that Ghana and for that matter, African governments should consider the war as a blessing than a curse, as according to him, it has the potential of increasing Ghanas annual revenue by at least 40 percent. The war is insignificant to affect our economy, so political commentators should stop using it as an excuse for the challenges the country is going through, the war in Ukraine cannot be used as a yardstick to play the blame game in the minds of people, he said. Rev. Dr. Mensah was speaking at the Ghana News Agency Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue, which was on the topic: Global economy, Russia and Ukraine war, prospects and challenges for Ghana, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema. The GNA Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue is a media think-tank platform for state and non-state and commercial and business operators to communicate to the world and address global issues. Rev Dr. Mensah, explained that the war has championed an increase and an increment in crude oil prices on the international market, and Ghana being an oil-producing country could leverage it to make more money from the sale of its crude oil. It has created a platform to generate more revenue, and by this time the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta should be telling Ghanaians how the country seeks to make some extra 40 percent on its annual oil revenue, he said. He added that the country should be exploring and investing in the production of petrochemical products, which were often imported from the war region. The Economist called on the government to upscale the explorations to create the needed jobs for the youth, as well as revenue for the country to address its developmental challenges. On the issue of the effect of the importation of cereals from the two countries, he indicated that the war has thought Ghanaians and Africans to think more about domestication instead of relying on importations. Rev. Dr. Mensah said this is the time for the government to look at its homegrown approach such as the planting for food and jobs and properly support its farmers to plant these crops in large quantities to meet the needs of the country and ensure food security. Dr. Chris Kpodar, Senior Technical Advisor of the CGIA, on his part questioned how a war that started on February 24, 2022, would have an impact on Ghanas economy two weeks or a month later. He explained that there existed correcting measures on the world market to cushion economies from the effect. Dr. Kpodar further said it took at least six months to import things from Ukraine to Ghana, therefore, it was too early to blame the war for some economic challenges the country was facing. Mr. Samuel Akoetey, Director for Business Development for the CGIA said for African countries to fully grasp the opportunities being created because of the war, they must build their capacity, as having business influence was a baby of capacity. Mr. Akoetey said they must have a long-term plan which must be tactical and meticulous to see the advantages and work towards them. Mr. Francis Ameyibor, GNA Tema Regional Manager explained that the Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue platform formed part of a broader objective of the Agency towards revamping its operations. He said under the Management of Mr. Albert Kofi Owusu the agency had embarked on a process of revamping its newsgathering operations, which included; recruitment, training of reporters and editors in the production of digital news content, and the acquisition of modern digital equipment to aid speedy transmission of stories from the field. He said GNA was poised to be the source of news on Ghanas investment and industrialization drive, economic and tourism potential through story exchanges with its international partners, and Tema serving as a major industrial city, GNA Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue Platform, was critical. Mr. Ameyibor said as the fourth estate of the realm, there was the need for GNA to reach out to the government and people in authority with issues while bringing the understanding of the governments policy to the people. The family of Mohammed Saani Rahama, a 19-year-old girl from Nyohini, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region who has been diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease has appealed to the public for financial assistance to undergo treatment. She needs an amount of $35,000 to $45,000 to undergo kidney transplant outside the country. According to a statement from the Tamale Teaching Hospital's Social Welfare Department, the young woman has begun maintaining chronic hemmodialys, where her blood is cleaned using a special machine for roughly four hours. According to the statement, the family spends at least GHC900 a week on dialysis. "The ultimate treatment for madam Rahama's condition is kidney transplant which is mainly done outside Ghana at an estimated cost of $35,000 to $45,000," portion of the hospital's statement reads. The family has run out of funds and now appealing to the general public, government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for financial assistance. Yussif Salamatu, the patient's sister, told ModernGhana News that their hopes are dependent on donations. "The family has spent every pesewa left on us. our hopes now rest with the general public and government, otherwise, we risk losing our dear sister," Yussif Salamatu said told this reporter. About Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease, commonly known as chronic kidney failure, is characterized by a progressive loss of renal function. The human kidneys maintain the blood's composition, or makeup, steady, allowing the body to function optimally. Every day, the kidneys filter 120 to 150 quarts of blood to generate 1 to 2 quarts of urine, which is made up of wastes and surplus fluid. However, some medical disorders might occasionally emerge that disrupt the optimum functioning of these organs. A Development worker/Banker with the Tamale Community Cooperative Credit Union, Mr. Zakaria Ibrahim Alhassan has filed his nomination to contest the Tamale North Treasurer position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In an official statement copied to the press, after submitting his nomination forms at the party's constituency office, Mr. Ibrahim urged delegates to elect competent aspirants to help break the eight-year electoral system. According to him, the Treasurer position requires a result-oriented person who has the vision to digitise the financial data of the constituency. Mr. Ibrahim popularly known as Lawyer mentioned that his priority is to serve and make accountability his cardinal principle when elected. Read the Full Statement Below: Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah alhamdulillah, Am glad to inform my team/ supporters, family and friends that, I have successfully filed my nomination form to contest for Tamale North TREASURER Position. I therefore, plead with all the delegates in the Tamale north constituency to vote for a man with new vision to digitise the entire constituency especially the TREASURER/FINANCE office with new technology. My priority is to serve my political tradition and make sure that accountability to the grassroots is the surest way to go, I will make sure to bring all polling stations executive to the new data to break the almighty eight (8) were all working for. VOTE Z. I. Alhassan (LAWYER) as the next NPP TREASURER for Tamale North Constituency. The battle remains with the Lord. Long live Ghana long live NPP. #TEAMLAW Archaeologists have examined the engraved limestone plaquettes excavated from Montastruc, a rockshelter site in southern France. These plaquettes are likely to have been made using stone tools by Magdalenian people, an early hunter-gatherer culture dating from between 23,000 and 14,000 years ago. The Montastruc plaquettes were incised with artistic designs around 15,000 years ago and have patterns of heat damage which suggests they were carved close to the flickering light of a fire. Stone plaquettes a type of portable art which can be defined in simple terms as having a tabular surface flat enough to support engraving were a diverse artistic phenomenon in the Upper Paleolithic. They feature a breadth of engraved or painted depictions, including: figurative or stylized animals; humans and anthropomorphic forms, usually highly stylized; abstract or geometric motifs; and more rarely aspects of the environment or habitation areas, such as rivers or built structures. Plaquettes are found in greatest frequency in Western Europe, including Portugal to the southwest, Jersey and Normandy to the northwest, and with high concentrations in France, Spain and Germany. They are only rarely reported from Central and Eastern Europe and are absent from Britain, despite the presence of other types of Magdalenian parietal and portable art. In new research, University of York archaeologist Andy Needham and colleagues examined 50 limestone plaquettes from the Montastruc site in France. They identified patterns of pink heat damage around the edges of some of the stones, providing evidence that they had been placed in close proximity to a fire. They then experimented with replicating the stones themselves and used 3D models and virtual reality software to recreate the plaquettes as prehistoric artists would have seen them: under fireside light conditions and with the fresh white lines engravers would have made as they first cut into the rock thousands of years ago. It has previously been assumed that the heat damage visible on some plaquettes was likely to have been caused by accident, but experiments with replica plaquettes showed the damage was more consistent with being purposefully positioned close to a fire, Dr. Needham said. In the modern day, we might think of art as being created on a blank canvas in daylight or with a fixed light source; but we now know that people 15,000 years ago were creating art around a fire at night, with flickering shapes and shadows. Working under these conditions would have had a dramatic effect on the way prehistoric people experienced the creation of art. It may have activated an evolutionary capacity designed to protect us from predators called pareidolia, where perception imposes a meaningful interpretation such as the form of an animal, a face or a pattern where there is none. Creating art by firelight would have been a very visceral experience, activating different parts of the human brain, Dr. Needham said. We know that flickering shadows and light enhance our evolutionary capacity to see forms and faces in inanimate objects and this might help explain why its common to see plaquette designs that have used or integrated natural features in the rock to draw animals or artistic forms. The teams paper was published in the journal PLoS ONE. _____ A. Needham et al. 2022. Art by firelight? Using experimental and digital techniques to explore Magdalenian engraved plaquette use at Montastruc (France). PLoS ONE 17 (4): e0266146; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266146 New research also suggests that dust transport from the Sahara to the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, which could be further transported downstream towards the Caribbean and the United States, increased during the early 21st century. We are looking at how much dust is being transported into West Africa in the winter and across the Atlantic in the summer, said Professor Gregory Jenkins, a researcher in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science and the Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Design in Africa at Penn State University. In the winter, it is low in the atmosphere and in the summer, it is higher in the atmosphere. Dust has an impact, especially on health. In their study, Professor Jenkins and his colleague, Professor Moussa Gueye from the University of Sine Saloum El Hadji Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN), modeled annual particulates less than 10 microns (PM10) from 1960 to 2016. We showed that there is a simulated annual downward trend in surface PM10 concentrations in Senegal and Cabo Verde after the 1980s, which is similar to earlier findings, they said. However, the data for summers suggests that there was an increase in dust over the Western Sahara that was transported to Cabo Verde suggesting that this Eastern Atlantic dust continued on toward the United States and the Caribbean. The researchers can measure the amounts of dust that reach the Western Atlantic near Miami, Barbados and Puerto Rico for example, because there are ample meteorological and other measurement stations in those areas, but in West Africa and places like Cabo Verde, there are few ground-based measurement facilities to measure the dust reaching there. They must then rely on satellite-based measurements, which cannot provide measurement at night. The data collected by ground-based and satellite instruments is used as the basis for models that estimate the paths and amounts of dust hitting West Africa in the winter and the Atlantic and Caribbean in the summer. However, there are so few measurement stations in Africa because the stations require electricity, cell phones, internet and someone to maintain them that the models are somewhat incomplete. With the very limited measurements we have from West Africa compared to our measurement, we run the models and provide estimates, Professor Jenkins said. We know that the model timing is correct, but we dont know how much the few stations we have are biasing our results. Currently, the best system is in Nigeria where the stations are 25% less costly, but they still need reliable electricity and Internet. The model simulations reproduce the trends seen in the past, however, none of the models simulate the dust correctly. Knowledge of exactly where the dust is going at any time and how much dust exists at the ground level is important. Estimates suggest that West Africa will have a population of a billion by 2070. Because this dust in the air can cause respiratory problems and may carry pathogens, knowing when to stay out of the dust is important. The dust will have lots of impact in West Africa. But in the United States, we also want to know what happens in the future. I think there is good reason to say there will be more dust in the future, Professor Jenkins said. The study was published in the journal Atmospheric Environment. _____ Gregory Jenkins & Moussa Gueye. 2022. Annual and early summer variability in WRF-CHEM simulated West African PM10 during 1960-2016. Atmospheric Environment 273: 118957; doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.118957 April 21, 2022 Ukraine Open Thread 2022-52 Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ... Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict ... Posted by b on April 21, 2022 at 14:22 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page Calvert How Accounting for Impact Can Deliver the Real Value of ESG This paper focuses quantifying impact-how companies affect society and the environment through their employees, customers and products-through ESG metrics. (Bloomberg) -- Tesla Inc. shares rose, erasing their decline for the year, after the carmaker reported better-than-expected earnings and Elon Musk predicted production will grow at a fast clip for the rest of 2022 despite supply chain challenges. The first major U.S. automaker to report financial results for the first three months handily beat estimates with a record quarterly profit. While Tesla cautioned that it remains constrained by shortages of materials and components -- a common refrain for automakers plagued by bottlenecks of parts such as semiconductors -- its ability to overcome obstacles is setting itself apart. The more we see out of Tesla, the more we are concerned about the rest of the industrys ability to play catch-up, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note. Tesla shares surged 11% at 9:42 a.m. Thursday in New York. The stock had been down 7.5% year-to-date through Wednesdays close. Musk, Teslas chief executive officer, said the company should be able to make up for any production losses in the first half of the year from coronavirus-related shutdowns at its factory in Shanghai. He said Tesla is on track to expand production to more than 1.5 million vehicles this year, implying more than 60% growth. We may pull a rabbit out of the hat, Musk said during an earnings call, adding that he expects production in the third and fourth quarters will be substantially higher. Earnings excluding some items jumped to $3.22 a share in the first quarter, Tesla said in its shareholder deck, beating analysts average estimate for $2.27 a share. Revenue soared 81% to $18.8 billion, also topping projections. Tesla got a revenue boost from regulatory credits totaling $679 million, more than double the amount generated during the previous quarter. Chief Financial Officer Zach Kirkhorn said the gain was mostly due to a one-time $288 million benefit from stiffer U.S. emissions penalties. Credit revenue would have declined compared to the period last year without that change, Kirkhorn told analysts. Tesla has repeatedly said it expects credit revenue to shrink over time as automakers launch more EVs to comply with emissions regulations and meet growing demand. But car companies early electric models have been unable to replicate the success of the Model 3 sedan and Model Y sport utility vehicle. It speaks to where the rest of the auto industry is when it comes to selling EVs in high volumes, said Gene Munster, managing partner of Loup Ventures. They are still behind. While Tesla is by far the worlds most valuable auto company, with a $1 trillion market capitalization, its shares have dipped this year amid concerns about global shortages of key parts. The stock has still fared better than bigger-volume rivals including General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., whose shares are down 29% and 23%, respectively. Quarterly Profit Increased sales of higher-margin vehicles and cost cuts helped Tesla improve its automotive gross margin to 32.9%. Dan Levy, a Credit Suisse analyst with the equivalent of a buy rating on the stock, said Teslas higher returns were a positive surprise that bodes well for its ability to keep costs in check and drive sales. The cost improvement is critical, as we believe Tesla will ultimately use cost improvements to fund lower-priced vehicles, he wrote in a research note. Tesla ended the quarter with more than $18 billion in cash and equivalents. Its now carrying just $88 million of debt on its balance sheet, excluding vehicle and energy product financing. The global EV market leader is expanding on three continents, with new factories in Austin, Texas, and near Berlin supplementing existing plants in California and Shanghai. Those facilities are expected to help the company meet or exceed its stated goal to grow 50% on average annually. No Bombshells Musk refrained from dropping any bombshells on the call and wasnt asked about how he plans to finance his $43 billion bid for Twitter Inc., a subject of much speculation since his unsolicited offer for the social media company. Tesla has long talked about having the ability to turn its customers cars into driverless vehicles that could be used as robotaxis. But the company is now working on a new, dedicated robotaxi model -- with no steering wheel or pedals -- that Musk first hinted at earlier this month. The CEO vowed to unveil the car in the next two years and begin volume production in 2024. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. BEIJING (AP) Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday said his government supports talks to resolve international disputes and opposes wanton use of sanctions. Xis remarks confirm that China is sticking to its stance of refusing to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine despite the conflicts toll on the Ukrainian population and global security. Beijing has refused to call the conflict an invasion and said Russia was provoked by NATOs expansion. Despite that, Xi said China remains committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries" and non-interference in their internal affairs. We stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises, reject double standards, and oppose the wanton use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction," Xi said in in a televised address to an international forum in the southern island province of Hainan. China has abstained or voted with Russia on recent proposals brought before the United Nations, and China's state-controlled media have amplified Russian disinformation about Ukraine staging attacks and producing biological weapons with U.S. cooperation. Xi met with Putin in Beijing less than a month before Russia launched its Feb. 24 invasion, with the two sides issuing a joint statement affirming their no limits" relationship. China has maintained its support for Moscow despite possible war crimes committed by Russian troops and says it maintains normal economic ties between the countries despite the imposition of economic sanctions by other nations. China is also believed to be studying the Ukraine crisis for how it might later affect its policy toward Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy it threatens to invade to bring it under its own control. Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but China claims the island as its own territory. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday spoke with his Chinese counterpart for the first time since becoming Pentagon chief more than a year ago, breaking a communications impasse that American officials saw as increasingly dangerous. Austin, who calls China the U.S. militarys leading long-term challenge but has been forced to focus heavily on Russia this year, requested the telephone conversation with Gen. Wei Fenghe after months of failed efforts to speak with Gen. Xu Qiliang, the highest ranking uniformed officer in the Communist Party military structure. At a daily briefing Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China has always opposed unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the (United Nations) Security Council." Sanctions are not the right way to de-escalate tensions, end wars or avoid casualties, but will only exacerbate conflicts, increase spillover and make the world pay more," Wang said. Chinese defense minister holds phone talks with U.S. counterpart Xinhua) 10:19, April 21, 2022 BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe on Wednesday held phone talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. In the phone talks, Wei said that China and the United States should earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state. China hopes to establish sound and stable major-country relations with the United States, Wei said, adding that in the meantime, China will defend its national interests and dignity. The United States should not underestimate China's determination and capability, Wei said. The two militaries should enhance mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and exchanges, manage risks and crises, and carry out practical cooperation, so as to ensure the normal and stable development of bilateral military-to-military relations, he said. If the Taiwan question is not handled properly, it will have a subversive effect on China-U.S. relations, Wei stressed, adding that the Chinese military will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Austin said that the United States will strengthen military exchanges and cooperation with China in a candid and open manner, and the United States adheres to the one-China policy. Austin said that the two sides should manage competition and risks in a responsible way and properly handle the difficulties facing the two militaries. The two sides also exchanged views on issues such as maritime and air security and the situation in Ukraine. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) United States law recognizes that judicial review pertains to the judiciarys power to review the constitutionality of a statute or treaty, or to review an administrative regulation as to whether it is consistent with the law of the land, be it in the context of a statute, a treaty, or the Constitution itself. by Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne in Montreal Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is good. Plato (c. 427347 B.C.) CNBC has reported that since the beginning of 2021, the FAA has received more than 3,200 reports of unruly behavior by passengers. Roughly 75% of the cases stem from passengers who refuse to comply with federal mask mandates. Interestingly, there seems to be no global harmonization on the subject of a mandatory requirement for passengers to wear masks on board aircraft. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in its Doc 10152 (Testing and Cross-border Risk Management Measures Manual) says inter alia the layered defense measures against COVID-19 include physical distancing in airports and during boarding; use of face coverings or masks; and separation between passengers on board when feasible. The ICAO guidance also says that consistency with the States national COVID-19 response policy and strategy is important, for example, medical masks may be recommended in aviation, but their availability should be prioritized for health workers and the public health response. In considering restrictions on aviation, the State should consider the role that aviation plays in the State economy and the public health response itself (such as the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), test kits, medicines, and vaccines). States should ensure alignment between the various public policies and measures applied across government. The document also encourages risk assessment and risk management and recommends several measures; one of which is that travelers use a face covering/face mask (with exceptions as appropriate). On 6 April 2022 the Secretary General of ICAO sent a State Letter to all ICAO member States which inter alia called for continued collaboration in applying a risk and evidence-based approach during the COVID-19 pandemic transition period. This communication had its main focus on masking, vaccination, and testing, requesting States to call for continued application of general public health risk mitigation measures during air transport, including hygiene and sanitation practices, recommending the wearing of masks, applying physical distancing where feasible and ensuring adequate ventilation. It also gave various benefits of mask wearing by passengers on board. ICAO also recognized that in the aviation sector, some States have transitioned from government regulations to individual responsibility, while others have modified or removed one or more layers of the multi-layer risk mitigation measures, such as removing the requirement of wearing masks and phasing out of COVID-19 testing for some categories of individuals or adjusting the requirements for quarantine or self-isolation. The Judgment Against this backdrop The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States extended the mask mandate that was due to expire on April 18, 2022, pushing the mandate a further 15 days to May 3, 2022. On 18 April 2022, US District Judge Kathryn Kimbal Mizelle - a federal judge in Florida ruled that the mandate so enforced by President Biden is unlawful as it did not comport with administrative law. Judge Kimball was presiding in a lawsuit filed by the Health Freedom Defense Fund, and two individuals against the Biden administration in July 2021 claiming that the masks on their faces increased stress and panic in them. Judge Mizelle, decrying the practicality and effectiveness of a mask ruled that the mandate did not have legislative credibility as "the CDC required mask wearing as a measure to keep something clean -- explaining that it limits the spread of COVID-19 through prevention, but never contending that it actively destroys or removes it," thus equating the mandatory requirement to quarantine and detention. The gravamen of judicial justification for Judge Mizelles reasoning was that "the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which dictates the procedures the federal government must follow when implementing certain agency policies The Biden administration erred in failing to seek public notice and comment on the policy. Furthermore, added Judge Mizelle, the mandate violates prohibitions on "arbitrary" and "capricious" agency actions since the CDC had not adequately explained its reasoning for implementing the policy. Needless to say, the contentious and arguably ambiguous ruling of Judge Mizelle caused both confusion and panic in the aviation comunity. Helen Coffey, writing in The Independent of 19 April 2022 said: plane passengers in the US reported that some pilots announced the countrys federal mask mandate had been dropped mid-flight. Announcements have allegedly taken place on Delta, United and Alaska Airlines services today, after a federal judge in Florida voided the mask mandate. Some travellers expressed anger that pilots would allow the mask rules to be scrapped while passengers were still airborne, unable to decide whether they were comfortable to go ahead with their flight or not based on the change. Following the ruling, the Association of Flight Attendants urged "calm and consistency in the airports and on planes." Some airports immediately took down from their terminals notices requiring mandatory masking. Judicial Review This confusion brings to bear the important issue of Judicial review of the administrative action of the mask mandate.. Linda S. Hohnholz, writing for Eturbonews.com on 19 April 2022 Stated: Or is the end going to be appealed? US President Joe Bidens administration said today that it would appeal Federal US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelles ruling that ends the mask mandate on airplanes. But only if public health officials deem that it is necessary to keep the mask mandate intact. For now. We thinkEven President Biden doesnt really know how to respond to questions about masks anymore. When posed with the question of whether travelers should wear masks on airplanes, his response was its up to them. But Mr. President, doesnt your administrations official guidance say we Americans should keep wearing masks on airplanes for now? It was a recognized common law principle in the 19th Century that if the Executive (public authority) were to act administratively, such act or decision could not be subject to review by the judiciary. It is only if the public authority acted judicially that such action could be subject to judicial review. Furthermore, a prerogative enjoyed by a minister or president granted absolute discretion on the minister. However, in the 20th Century, the unfettered discretion granted to the public authority was considered valid only if such exercise of discretion comported with public interest. That is, if such action or decision did not impinge on or in any way infringed the principles of natural justice or violate citizens rights. In other words, what matters is not whether a person acted administratively or judicially but whether he acted fairly. In the 1968 case of Padfield v. Minister of Agriculture some farmers in the South-East of England requested the Minister to appoint a committee to investigate the price differentials in the milk industry and the Minister refused claiming he had unfettered discretion whether to appoint a committee or not. Furthermore, it was claimed on behalf of the Minister that his decision was administrative and not judicial. On appeal, The House of Lords in England held: It is said that the decision of the Minister is administrative. But that does not mean that he can do as he likes. Nor does it mean that the courts are powerless to correct him. Good administration requires that complaints should be investigated and that grievances should be remedied. When Parliament has set up machinery for that very purpose, it is not for the Minister to brush it on to the side. He should not refuse to have a complaint investigated. In the 1972 case of Employment Secretary v. ASLEF Lord Denning said of the typical words used in a prerogative: if it appears to the Secretary of State? This in my opinion does not mean that the Ministers decision is put beyond challenge. The scope available to the challenger depends very much on the subject matter with which the minister is dealing. In the 1977 case of Laker Airways v. Department of Trade where the Secretary of State exercised his discretion and withdrew the designation of Skytrain (Sir Freddie Laker had spent 6 -7 million pounds on establishing Skytrain). The court held: seeing that the prerogative is a discretionary power to be exercised for the public good, it follows that its exercise can be examined by the courts just as any other discretionary power which is vested in the executive. United States law recognizes that judicial review pertains to the judiciarys power to review the constitutionality of a statute or treaty, or to review an administrative regulation as to whether it is consistent with the law of the land, be it in the context of a statute, a treaty, or the Constitution itself. Judicial review is not explicitly addressed in the U.S. Constitution, and therefore there exists only an inference to that effect. The United States Constitution does not explicitly establish the power of judicial review. Rather, the power of judicial review has been inferred from the profile, structure and content of the Constitution. Of significant relevance is the 1803 landmark Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison , where the Court ruled that the federal courts have the duty to review the constitutionality of acts of Congress and to declare them void when they are contrary to the Constitution. This case paved the way for the Supreme Court to exercise judicial review on administrative acts. In the end it should not be a legal wrangle between the interpretation of terminology such as administrative and judicial and the duty to act fairly. Courts everywhere should be able to balance citizens rights with public health when determining the effect of administrative mandates on the public and heed what the World Health Organization which recommends : Masks are a key measure to reduce transmission and save lives. Wearing well-fitted masks should be used as part of a comprehensive Do it all! approach including maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and close-contact settings, ensuring good ventilation of indoor spaces, cleaning hands regularly, and covering sneezes and coughs with a tissue of bent elbow. Depending on the type, masks can be used for either protection of healthy persons or to prevent onward transmission, or both. Dr. Abeyratne is the author of Air Transport and Pandemic Law (2021) and Post Pandemic Facilitation of Air Transport (2022). He teaches aviation law and policy at McGill University and is former Senior Legal Officer at ICAO. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron visited a multicultural, working-class suburb north of Paris on Thursday to woo leftist voters ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff vote against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. Reflecting the vote's wide international influence, the centrist Macron received support Thursday from the center-left leaders of Germany, Spain and Portugal, who urged French voters to choose him over the nationalist Le Pen. Their appeals came only a day after imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny also spoke up about the French vote, alleging that Le Pen is too closely linked to Russian authorities to become France's next president amid Russia's war on Ukraine. Macron, who led the first round of voting on April 10 that eliminated 10 other candidates, said he was taking nothing for granted and was seeking broader support. Nothing is final until the last minute, Macron said Thursday, as recent opinion polls show a stabilized lead against his rival. He said he chose to make one of his last campaign stops in a place that is facing many difficulties in the poorest region of mainland France, the Seine-Saint-Denis, where many residents are immigrants or have immigrant roots. His visit came after the two rivals clashed bitterly in a televised debate Wednesday, with Macron saying that Le Pen's plan to ban Muslim women in France from wearing headscarves in public would trigger civil war in the country, which has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe. We must not get used to the rise of far-right ideas," Macron said Thursday in front of an ethnically diverse crowd in Saint-Denis. Le Pen, meanwhile, used her last big campaign rally to accuse Macron of unlimited arrogance in the debate and in his presidency. Ive had enough, like you, of this permanent disrespect, she told voters in the northern city of Arras, in the struggling former industrial heartland of France where she enjoys broad support among working-class voters. She framed Macron as soft on immigration and security and called his economic record hurt by the pandemic and Ukraine war catastrophic. Macron did not have an easy task in Saint-Denis, where an overwhelming majority of voters had supported far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who came in third in the first round of voting and did not make the runoff. One woman told the 44-year-old leader that the presidential runoff, to her, amounting to choosing between plague and cholera. Macron answered that he was ready change his platform to meet the needs of French voters, including of people who did not vote for me in the first round. Pierre Flament, 75-year-old leftist voter, said he will pick Macron's ballot Sunday with no pleasure. Calling Macron "the president of the rich, he said he initially planned to vote blank. But he changed his mind in face of the enormous risk that Le Pen may win. Polls show the far-right figure has significantly narrowed the gap with Macron compared to their previous faceoff five years ago. If I vote Macron, I hope that we can start demonstrating the following day. We will have to take to the streets because Macrons measures will be bad. But if Marine Le Pen wins, we might not even be allowed to demonstrate at all, he said. The Socialist mayor of Saint-Denis, along with 14 leftist mayors and the head of the Seine-Saint-Denis region, called this week for people to back Macron in the runoff. With Marine Le Pen as president of the Republic, Seine-Saint-Denis residents will be the first victims of discrimination, they wrote, calling her platform racist and a negation of democracy. Le Pen has sought to appeal to voters struggling with surging prices amid the fallout of Russias war in Ukraine. She says bringing down the cost of living would be her priority if elected. But she has faced scrutiny over a 9 million euro ($9.7 million) loan that her party received in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank and her 2017 visit to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the French presidential runoff that year. In a column published Thursday in several European newspapers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa wrote that Sundays vote is critical for France and all and every one of us in Europe. Its the election between a democratic candidate who believes that Frances strength broadens in a powerful and autonomous European Union and an extreme-right candidate who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and democracy, values based on the French ideas of Enlightenment, the joint comment said without mentioning Macron or Le Pen by name. Social Democrat Scholz and Socialists Sanchez and Costa wrote that Europe is facing a change of era due to Russias invasion of Ukraine and that populists and the extreme right are viewing Putin as an ideological and political model, replicating his chauvinist ideas. They have echoed his attacks on minorities and diversity and his goal of nationalist uniformity, they said. We must not forget that, no matter how much those politicians are now trying to distance themselves from the Russian aggressor." ___ Follow all AP stories on France's 2022 presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022 ___ Associated Press Journalists Alexander Turnbull and Oleg Cetinic in Saint-Denis, Thomas Adamson and Catherine Gaschka in Paris, and Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Theres this thing that chef Robbie Nowlin does on his @chef_driven Instagram feed. In frame after frame, hes hoisting up people in his arms in front of the kitchen pass at Allora, the new Italian restaurant at the Pearl where hes the executive chef. In one, its chef Jason Dady, for whom Nowlin worked at The Lodge in San Antonio. In another, its Bistr09 chef and co-owner Lisa Astorga Watel, whos married to another of Nowlins former bosses, chef Damien Watel from the Chez Vatel Bistro days. Friends from old jobs, local celebrities, superfans. Large and small, he lifts them all. In the process, the shots of this beast of burden in chefs whites and clogs have become a metaphor for the weight of massive expectations. Robbie Nowlin, the prodigal San Antonio chef, returning from his adventures in California at The French Laundry and beyond, ready to lift up the highest-profile opening at the Pearl since Brasserie Mon Chou Chou in 2020. Mike Sutter / Staff Alloras been the biggest deal in town since Nowlin himself started the social media whispers a year ago, a project from serial restaurateur Peter Selig of Maverick Texas Brasserie, Acenar, Biga on the Banks and Alloras casual sister restaurant Arrosta, also at the Pearl. Set in the vaulted chambers of the ground floor at the Credit Human Building, Allora opened March 2 with a menu of antipasti small plates, raw fish crudi inspired by the Italian coast, handmade pastas and entrees ranging from a roast chicken to tomahawk rib-eyes that weigh in close to $250. On ExpressNews.com: Review: Brasserie Mon Chou Chou at the Pearl rates a near-perfect French restaurant experience Its big and loud and buzzy, the kind of place Hollywood picks for a romantic comedy. The patios in bloom with umbrellas bright as sunflowers, the walls glow tangerine and white, the staff swirls through the space in electric yellow vests and nightclub-level sound caroms off cathedral-size windows on a busy Friday night. Service is sharp and steady, the wine list speaks Italian in short bursts and the cocktails try hard with touches of amaro, aperol and grappa. But when the breathlessness finally catches its breath, Alloras just a chef, standing in front of a kitchen, hoping youll love him. Mike Sutter / Staff Love Allora for ahi tuna crudi with silky cuts of rosy fish with bright accents of orange and capers. Love it for a surprising roasted cauliflower side dish with the gravitas of an entree, layered with brown butter, caramelized onions and dried sultana grapes. And love it for one of the best grilled octopus dishes in the city, a rowdy plate of red pepper romesco and potatoes fried to a shaggy crisp around well-trimmed octopus with a clean, firm bite. Love at first sight gave way to charming, from a light chicken liver mousse with sweet-tart cherry jam and stout sourdough toast, then gnocchi done the right way, with a soft bite that accentuated the potato pastas ability to complement and coexist with tangy, sweet and lush elements like apple, lardons and verjus. Mike Sutter / Staff And going eye-to-eye with a whole fried red snapper coiled around a ramekin of rich pistachio pesto butter, it was hard not to be charmed by opaline meat with a light battered crunch that pulled away in carefully cross-hatched slices, even if that spectacle rang up at $95. But with any new love, there are red flags, and Alloras red flags went up with a dull and bitter rabbit leg confit hard and splintery at its core, as well as a pork chop trimmed away from the bone and then overcooked in a smothering, salty smoked ham bordelaise sauce. There was also the schmaltzy taste of a dull, beige Bolognese over otherwise well-executed tagliatelle pasta, and I couldnt justify $14 for side plates of wholly ordinary asparagus and an undisciplined splatter-plate of tough-skinned butternut squash. On ExpressNews.com: Review: Tardifs American Brasserie struggles to find its footing Mostly, Alloras a study in well-intentioned likability. The cutters working with the intensity and precision of sushi chefs at the raw bar turned out oil-rich flounder tartare with the balancing acidity of lime aguachile and clever cubes of Parmesan panna cotta, while a a crudi of striped bass was content to shine with pistachio and mint as fresh as an ocean breeze. Mike Sutter / Staff Small plates demonstrated the kitchens nimble range with handmade pasta, including little ears of orecchiette pasta with pistachio pesto; translucent ravioli balancing the flavors of spinach, tomato and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; and lithe, ribbonlike spaghetti alla chitarra with a time-honored cacio e pepe dress of cheese and butter. More Information Allora * * * 403 Pearl Parkway at the Credit Human Building at the Pearl, 210-979-9950, allorapearl.com Quick bite: High-end coastal Italian restaurant at the Pearl featuring chef Robbie Nowlin Hit: Ahi tuna crudi, grilled octopus, gnocchi Miss: Tagliatelle Bolognese, rabbit leg confit, pork chop Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday; 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; lunch and brunch hours coming soon Price range: Appetizers, $12-$24; raw fish crudi, $18-$24; pasta, $16-$24; sides, $10-$14; entrees, $27-$95 (up to $250 or more for the priced-per-pound tomahawk steak); desserts, $9-$11 Alcohol: Wine, cocktails and beer ***** Excellent, an almost perfect experience **** Good, among the best in the city *** Average, with a few standouts ** Poor, with a redeeming factor or two * Bad, nothing to recommend Express-News dining critics pay for all meals. See More Collapse Thats all fine. We like likeability in that same way that we like those cookie-cutter rom-coms with Jennifer Lopez or Julia Roberts or Channing Tatum being all dreamy and vulnerable. But theyre not towering works of cinema. And so the question arises whether that enduring likeable quality will be enough to shoulder the burden Nowlins been asked to bear at Allora. The name itself evokes the Italian conversational expression for ... and then, implying an urgent sense of whats next. In a city forever hoping to be swept off its feet, the clock is ticking. msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking | Instagram: @fedmanwalking This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) When the waves wash trash onto the beaches of front-line South Korean islands, Kang Dong Wan can often be found hunting for what he calls his treasure rubbish from North Korea that provides a peek into a place thats shut down to most outsiders. This can be very important material because we can learn what products are manufactured in North Korea and what goods people use there, Kang, 48, a professor at South Koreas Dong-A University, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. He was forced to turn to the delicate information-gathering method because COVID-19 has made it much harder for outsiders to find out whats going on inside North Korea, one of the worlds most cloistered nations even without pandemic border closures. The variety, amount and increasing sophistication of the trash, he believes, confirms North Korean state media reports that leader Kim Jong Un is pushing for the production of various kinds of consumer goods and a bigger industrial design sector to meet the demands of his people and improve their livelihoods. Kim, despite his authoritarian rule, cannot ignore the tastes of consumers who now buy products at capitalist-style markets because the countrys socialist public rationing system is broken and its economic woes have worsened during the pandemic. Current North Korean residents are a generation of people whove come to realize what the market and economy are. Kim cant win their support if he only suppresses and controls them while sticking to a nuclear development program, Kang said. He needs to show there are some changes in his era. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kang regularly visited Chinese border towns to meet North Koreans staying there. He also bought North Korean products and photographed North Korean villages across the river border. He cant go there anymore, however, because Chinas anti-virus restrictions limit foreign travelers. Since September 2020, Kang has visited five South Korean border islands off the countrys west coast and collected about 2,000 pieces of North Korean trash including snack bags, juice pouches, candy wrappers and drink bottles. Kang said he was amazed to see dozens of different kinds of colorful packaging materials, each for certain products like seasonings, ice cream bars, snack cakes and milk and yogurt products. Many carry a variety of graphic elements, cartoon characters and lettering fonts. Some still can seem out of date by Western standards and are apparent copycats of South Korean and Japanese designs. Kang recently published a book based on his work titled Picking up North Korean Trash on the Five West Sea Islands. He said hes now also started to scour eastern South Korean front-line beaches. Other experts study the diversity of goods and packaging designs in North Korea through state media broadcasts and publications, but Kangs trash collection allows a more thorough analysis, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea. Kangs work also opens up a fascinating window into North Korea. Ingredient information on some juice pouches, for instance, shows North Korea uses tree leaves as a sugar substitute. Kang suspects thats because of a lack of sugar and sugar-processing equipment. He said the discovery of more than 30 kinds of artificial flavor enhancer packets could mean that North Korean households cannot afford more expensive natural ingredients like meat and fish to cook Korean soups and stews. Many South Koreans have stopped using them at home over health concerns. Plastic bags for detergents have phrases like the friend of housewives or accommodating women. Because the assumption is that only women do such work, it could be a reflection of the low status of women in male-dominated North Korean society. Some wrappers display extremely exaggerated claims. One says that a walnut-flavored snack cake is a better source of protein than meat. Another says that collagen ice cream makes children grow taller and enhances skin elasticity. And yet another claims that a snack cake made with a certain kind of microalgae prevents diabetes, heart disease and aging. Kang has been unable to verify the quality of former contents inside his trash. North Korean snacks and cookies have generally become much softer and tastier in recent years, though their quality still lags behind that of South Koreas internationally competitive products, according to Jeon Young-sun, a research professor at Seouls Konkuk University. Noh Hyun-jeong, a North Korean defector, said she was ecstatic about the South Korean bread and cakes that she ate after her arrival here in 2007. She said the confectionaries and candies she had in the North were often bitter and as hard as a rock. Kang Mi-Jin, another defector who runs a company analyzing North Koreas economy, said that when she had South Koreans try new North Korean cookies and candies in blind taste tests, they thought they were South Korean. But Ahn, the website head, said the North Korean cookie he obtained in 2019 was tasteless. Kang said his trash collection is an attempt to better understand the North Korean people and study how to bridge the gap between the divided Koreas in the event of future unification. In 2019, Kang said he was denied entry at Shanghais airport, apparently because of his earlier, mostly unauthorized work along the China-North Korea border. During a previous period of inter-Korean detente that ended in 2008, Kang said he visited North Korea more than 10 times but could only buy limited goods that didnt help him understand the country. Picking up trash on the islands, about 4-20 kilometers (2.5-12 miles) from North Korean territory, is a tough job. He most often visits Yeonpyeong, an island shelled by North Korea in an attack that killed four South Koreans in 2010. On some trips, South Korean marines quizzed Kang because residents who saw him collecting trash thought he was doing something suspicious. He was sometimes stranded when ferry services were canceled because of bad weather. Kang said he occasionally cried in frustration on the beach when he failed to find North Korean trash or received calls from acquaintances jeering or doubting his work. But I was heartened after collecting more and more trash ... and I determined that I must find out how many goods are in a country where we cant go and what we can find from that trash, Kang said. When the wind blew and the waves ran high, something always washed ashore and I was so happy because I could find something new. DALLAS Long wait lines for trucks at the border after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered increased inspections cost Texas more than $4.2 billion in goods and services and the equivalent of 36,000 jobs, a report from Texas economist Ray Perryman said Wednesday. The border standoff essentially ended Friday after nine days, with Abbott agreeing to end the additional inspections on commercial vehicles after the governors of four Mexican states Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas announced they had reached security agreements with Texas. But the dispute that started April 7 cost about $1 billion a day in cross-border trade to the United States and $470 million a day to Texas. In all, it will cost the equivalent of 77,000 job years for the country and 36,300 for Texas economy, Perryman said. A job year is considered to be one person working for a year, though Perryman said in this case its primarily multiple people working for shorter periods. For the U.S. as a whole, thats about $9 billion in lost gross domestic product, Perryman estimated. He has studied the Texas economy for more than 40 years and regularly examines the economic repercussions of significant events affecting the state. The thing about the border is that we dont have excess capacity, said Perryman, president and CEO of economic consulting firm The Perryman Group in Waco. Its not like if you lose 1,000 trucks one day, you can make it up the next day. Asked for comment on the checkpoints economic impact, Abbott reiterated his position that President Joe Biden is to blame. A five-hour average delay for enhanced vehicle inspections is hardly equivalent to President Bidens 15-month delay to secure our border, said Renae Eze, the governors spokeswoman. Democrats like President Biden who are decrying our efforts to secure our southern border with a week of enhanced vehicle inspections were completely silent as Californias ports were at a standstill, creating a monthslong backlog of thousands of containers stuck on cargo ships. Perryman said it will take weeks to work out backups at bridges in places such as Brownsville, Laredo and El Paso. There are 27 international checkpoints along Texas 1,254-mile border with Mexico. About 70% of all cargo trucks that enter the United States from Mexico do so at one of those Texas border crossings, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. In February, the most recent data available, goods worth $39.5 billion were trucked across the Texas-Mexico border in both directions. Those goods included computers, vehicles, electrical machinery and related parts. Some products, such as produce, will be lost permanently while production for other goods made in Mexican factories known as maquiladoras will slow down temporarily to accommodate decreased shipping volumes, Perryman said. Abbott ordered the increased inspections along the border after the Biden administration announced plans to end the Title 42 emergency health order used to immediately expel undocumented immigrants found crossing into the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. While U.S. Customs and Border Patrol already conducts inspections, Abbott ordered Texas Department of Public Safety officers to the border for increased inspections. Over the nine days of slowdowns where bridge wait times increased to 12 or 16 hours, shippers complained that produce was rotting. The city of Pharr in the Rio Grande Valley said it was suffering about $200 million a day in lost trade and as much as $1 billion a week from slowdowns at its international bridge. While border security is certainly an issue that must be addressed, introducing artificial inefficiencies into an important, capacity constrained element of an already overly stressed national supply chain is a costly option, Perrymans report said. DPS reported that inspections have mostly resulted in vehicles being placed out of service for defective brakes, defective tires and defective lighting. Perryman arrived at the $1 billion a day total figuring by multiplying the value of decreased goods crossing the border with standard economic multipliers to show the total impact of those goods throughout their useful life, whether that be the economic output of a factory in the U.S. or retail sales, he said. The biggest losses were to the manufacturing sector, which took about 50% of the hit, followed by retail trade, wholesale trade and financial activities. Manufacturing and retail made up the bulk of the job losses. That doesnt even account for the slowdown in shopping on the U.S. side of the border. According to the Dallas Federal Reserve, about 30% of all retail sales along the border come from shoppers coming from Mexico. This slowdown, because of its short nature, shouldnt have a long-term impact on border trade, Perryman said. To compare, the 2019 slowdown along the border after former President Donald Trump ordered customs officers to be diverted to scan for undocumented immigrants cost about $39 billion in lost gross domestic product and the equivalent of 620,000 job years. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SAM Sensory and Consumer Research Names MD in Germany SAM Sensory and Consumer Research has appointed long-time Happy Thinking People exec Sebastian Graper as Managing Director, Germany. SAM operates from sixteen facilities across France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Morocco, China and the USA. The company is part of the life sciences group Eurofins, which provides a range of analytical testing services from a network of 900 laboratories in 54 countries. Graper (pictured) joins SAM after more than seventeen years at MR and innovation consultancy Happy Thinking People, where he most recently served as MD, based in Munich. He began his career at the firm in project management roles in 2004, when it was known as H,T,P, Concept. His background is in psychology, focusing on insight-based brand and innovation strategy and consulting. In his new role, Graper will work with German and international R&D and marketing teams at clients across the food, beverage, cosmetics, homecare, healthcare and automotive industries. Web site: www.samresearch.com . System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: %method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: %perl> 28: